Indoor unit for air conditioner and air conditioner

Abstract

This indoor unit for an air conditioner of the present disclosure has a housing accommodating a heat exchanger and having formed therein a bottom face opening to which a decorative panel is detachably attached, a side piping hole through which a refrigerant pipe extending from the heat exchanger passes, and a side opening connecting the bottom face opening to the side piping hole and allowing the refrigerant pipe to move, an electronic component part attached to the refrigerant pipe and accommodated in the housing, a pair of attachment parts provided for the housing so that the side opening is interposed therebetween, and a connection plate detachably attached to the pair of attachment parts. With this structure, by removing the connection plate, the electronic component part attached to the refrigerant pipe and accommodated in the housing is moved toward the bottom face opening. Thus, the indoor unit for an air conditioner capable of facilitating inspection and replacement is provided.

Description

Indoor unit of an air conditioner, and an air conditioner

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an indoor unit of an air conditioner and an air conditioner.

[0002] As an air conditioner, an air conditioner including a ceiling-embedded type indoor unit partially embedded in the ceiling is known. Such a ceiling-embedded type indoor unit includes a housing of the indoor unit installed in the ceiling space, a heat exchanger installed inside the housing of the indoor unit for performing heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing inside and the surrounding air, and a refrigerant pipe connected to the heat exchanger for flowing the refrigerant through the heat exchanger. A temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the refrigerant flowing inside and a linear expansion valve for restricting the flow path of the refrigerant and reducing the pressure of the refrigerant are attached to the refrigerant pipe. The temperature sensor and the linear expansion valve are attached to the refrigerant pipe inside the housing of the indoor unit. The temperature sensor and the linear expansion valve need to be inspected and replaced, and need to be removed from the refrigerant pipe during inspection and replacement.

[0003] When inspecting the temperature sensor, it is necessary to remove the mounting bracket attached to the temperature sensor from the refrigerant pipe. Also, the linear expansion valve opens and closes the valve by passing an electric current through the coil, and the coil needs to be replaced due to deterioration during use. In the linear expansion valve, if the coil is provided below the expansion valve, dew condensation may touch the lead wire and cause problems. Therefore, the coil is attached above the expansion valve, and when replacing the coil, it is necessary to pull out the coil in the direction of the top surface of the housing of the indoor unit. However, the temperature sensor and the linear expansion valve are attached to the refrigerant pipe routed through the gap between the heat exchanger and the housing of the indoor unit, and the surrounding space is limited. Therefore, it is not easy to inspect and replace the built-in electronic components with the indoor unit installed in the ceiling space.

[0004] To solve such problems, in a conventional air conditioner, in a ceiling-embedded type indoor unit, an air conditioner is disclosed in which an opening is formed on the side surface of the housing of the indoor unit, and the temperature sensor inside the housing is replaced through the opening (see Patent Document 1). Further, in a conventional air conditioner, an air conditioner has been proposed in which the heat exchanger is removed from the housing of the indoor unit together with the refrigerant pipe, and the electronic components attached to the refrigerant pipe are inspected and replaced.

[0005] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-061530

[0006] However, in air conditioners where an opening is formed in the indoor unit housing and the temperature sensor is replaced through this opening, if other electronic components or refrigerant pipes are located between the temperature sensor and the opening, replacing the electronic components becomes difficult. Therefore, this structure has design limitations to ensure that other electronic components or refrigerant piping are not located between the temperature sensor and the opening. Furthermore, if the space between the linear expansion valve and the top surface of the housing in the indoor unit is limited, even if an opening is formed on the side of the indoor unit housing, it becomes difficult to pull the coil out towards the top when replacing the linear expansion valve coil.

[0007] Furthermore, in air conditioners where the heat exchanger and refrigerant piping are removed from the indoor unit housing to replace electronic components, the refrigerant piping and electronic components are removed through an opening for air conditioning while the indoor unit is installed in the ceiling. However, the movement of the refrigerant piping is restricted by the lateral piping holes in the housing through which the refrigerant piping passes. Therefore, in this configuration, it is necessary to temporarily disconnect the refrigerant piping on the indoor unit side from the refrigerant piping on the outdoor unit side, remove the refrigerant piping on the indoor unit side from the lateral piping holes, and remove the electronic components, heat exchanger and refrigerant piping, from the housing. In addition, in order to disconnect the refrigerant piping on the indoor unit side from the refrigerant piping on the outdoor unit side, it is necessary to recover the refrigerant flowing through the indoor unit's refrigerant piping into the outdoor unit (pump-down), which is a time-consuming and laborious process.

[0008] This disclosure is made to solve the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide an indoor unit for an air conditioner and an air conditioner that facilitates inspection and replacement of electronic components built into the indoor unit in a ceiling-mounted indoor unit.

[0009] The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to this disclosure comprises a housing having a bottom opening for housing a heat exchanger and for which a decorative panel is detachably attached, a side piping hole for passing refrigerant piping extending from the heat exchanger, and a side opening connecting the bottom opening and the side piping hole, through which the refrigerant piping is movable; electronic components attached to the refrigerant piping and housed in the housing; a pair of mounting parts provided on the housing on either side of the side opening; and a connecting plate detachably attached to the pair of mounting parts.

[0010] In the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to this disclosure, the lower opening of the housing, to which a decorative panel is detachably attached, and the side piping holes through which the refrigerant piping passes are connected by a side opening, and the refrigerant piping can move through the side opening. Therefore, when inspecting or replacing electronic components built into the indoor unit, the connecting plates can be removed from the pair of mounting parts that sandwich the side opening, allowing the refrigerant piping to move to the side opening. Thus, electronic components attached to the refrigerant piping inside the housing can be brought closer to the lower opening, making it easier to inspect and replace the electronic components built into the indoor unit.

[0011] This is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1. This is a perspective view of the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 1. This is an external view of the decorative panel of the indoor unit according to Embodiment 1. This is a perspective view showing the indoor unit according to Embodiment 1 in disassembled form. This is a cross-sectional view showing the B-B section of the indoor unit according to Embodiment 1. This is a cross-sectional view showing the C-C section of the indoor unit according to Embodiment 1. This is an external view of the right side wall of the housing according to Embodiment 1. This is a perspective view of the right side wall of the housing according to Embodiment 1. This is a perspective view of the auxiliary plate according to Embodiment 1. This is a perspective view of the auxiliary plate according to Embodiment 1. This is a perspective view of the connecting plate according to Embodiment 1. This is a perspective view of the connecting plate according to Embodiment 1. This is a perspective view showing the right side wall and its surroundings of the housing according to Embodiment 1. This is a perspective view showing the right side wall and its surroundings of the housing according to Embodiment 1. This is a perspective view showing the right side wall and its surroundings of the housing according to Embodiment 1. This is a perspective view showing the configuration when replacing electronic components in the housing according to Embodiment 1.

[0012] Hereinafter, an air conditioner according to an embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the same reference numerals in each figure indicate the same or equivalent components, and this is consistent throughout the entire specification.

[0013] This specification is not limited to the embodiments described below, and each structure may be modified or omitted without departing from the spirit of this specification. Furthermore, the drawings may be simplified representations of the actual structures. Also, the drawings are schematic representations, and the size of each component and the positional relationships between components may differ from the actual ones. Moreover, the forms of each component shown in this specification are merely examples and are not limiting to these descriptions.

[0014] Embodiment 1. <Configuration of the air conditioner> Figure 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. In the air conditioner 1 of Figure 1, an outdoor unit 2 (outdoor unit) and a ceiling-mounted indoor unit 3 (indoor unit) are connected by refrigerant piping 4 to form a refrigeration cycle 13. In the refrigeration cycle 13, a compressor, condenser, pressure reducing device, and cooler are connected in this order by refrigerant piping 4. The solid arrows in Figure 1 indicate the direction in which the refrigerant circulates in the refrigeration cycle.

[0015] The outdoor unit 2 has a compressor 5, a four-way valve 6, and an outdoor heat exchanger 7. The compressor 5 compresses and discharges the inhaled refrigerant. The four-way valve 6 is a valve that switches the flow of refrigerant depending on whether it is in cooling operation or heating operation. The outdoor unit 2 has an outdoor fan 8 attached to the outdoor heat exchanger 7. The outdoor fan 8 draws in outside air and blows it to the outdoor heat exchanger 7.

[0016] The outdoor heat exchanger 7 performs heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air (outdoor air). For example, during heating operation, it functions as an evaporator, evaporating and vaporizing the refrigerant. During cooling operation, it functions as a condenser, condensing and liquefying the refrigerant.

[0017] The indoor unit 3 has an indoor heat exchanger 11 that exchanges heat between the indoor air and the refrigerant in the air-conditioned room. The indoor heat exchanger 11 is, for example, a fin-and-tube type heat exchanger. The indoor unit 3 also has a pressure reducing device 9, a temperature sensor 10, and an indoor blower 12 attached to the indoor heat exchanger 11. The temperature sensor 10 measures the temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the indoor heat exchanger 11. The indoor blower 12 is, for example, a centrifugal blower with a cross-flow fan that draws in indoor air and blows it to the indoor heat exchanger 11.

[0018] The linear expansion valve, such as a throttle device (flow rate control means), which is a pressure reducing device 9, reduces the pressure of the refrigerant and causes it to expand. The linear expansion valve adjusts its opening by passing an electric current through a built-in coil based on instructions from a control device (not shown), etc.

[0019] The indoor heat exchanger 11 performs heat exchange between the air to be conditioned and the refrigerant, for example. During heating operation, it functions as a condenser, condensing and liquefying the refrigerant. During cooling operation, it functions as an evaporator, evaporating and vaporizing the refrigerant.

[0020] The refrigerant piping 4 connecting the four-way valve 6 and the indoor heat exchanger 11 is a gas refrigerant piping 4A through which gas is carried. A temperature sensor 10 is attached to the gas refrigerant piping 4A. The refrigerant piping 4 connecting the pressure reducing device 9 and the outdoor heat exchanger 7 is a liquid refrigerant piping 4B through which liquid is carried. The gas refrigerant piping 4A and the liquid refrigerant piping 4B connect the outdoor unit 2, which is located outside, and the indoor unit 3, which is installed inside.

[0021] By configuring the air conditioner 1 as described above, heating and cooling operations can be achieved by switching the flow of refrigerant using the four-way valve 6 of the outdoor unit 2.

[0022] <Indoor Unit Configuration> Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the indoor unit 3 of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 3 is a view showing the side of the decorative panel 16 of the indoor unit 3 facing the room as the front, according to Embodiment 1. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the individual components constituting the indoor unit 3 separated, according to Embodiment 1. The configuration of the indoor unit 3 will be explained using Figures 2 to 4. In the following explanation, terms indicating direction, such as "up," "down," "right," "left," "front," and "back," will be used as appropriate to facilitate understanding, but these are for explanatory purposes only and do not limit the embodiment. In this embodiment, "up," "down," "right," "left," "front," and "back" will be used when viewing the indoor unit 3 from the direction of arrow A in Figure 2 (with the side where the air outlet 26 is formed relative to the intake port 25 of the decorative panel 16 being the front). Furthermore, in the following explanation, "horizontal direction" means the direction parallel to the floor surface, but slight inclination, i.e., an inclination of ±5° from the direction parallel to the floor surface, is included in the horizontal direction as a manufacturing tolerance. Similarly, "orthogonal direction" means intersecting at a 90° angle, but slight inclination, i.e., an inclination of ±5° from 90°, is included in the orthogonal direction as a manufacturing tolerance. Likewise, for right angles, an inclination of ±5° from 90° is included in the right angle direction as a manufacturing tolerance. Moreover, "vertical direction" means the direction perpendicular to the floor surface, but slight inclination, i.e., an inclination of ±5° from the direction perpendicular to the floor surface, is included in the vertical direction as a manufacturing tolerance. The above directional terms are used to describe the direction of each component constituting the indoor unit 3 when the indoor unit 3 is installed in the ceiling space and in its normal operating state.

[0023] The indoor unit 3 is a ceiling-mounted indoor unit. The indoor unit 3 comprises a hollow box-shaped housing 15 and a decorative panel 16. The housing 15 is installed in the ceiling space, and the decorative panel 16 is installed on the indoor side. The decorative panel 16 is detachable from the housing 15.

[0024] The housing 15 is composed of a front wall 18, a rear wall 19 (shown in Figure 5), a right side wall 20, and a left side wall 21, forming a side wall 17, a top wall 22 (shown in Figure 5) which is the top surface, and a bottom surface 23. An air conditioning opening 23A is formed in the bottom surface 23. The air conditioning opening 23A is a lower opening of the housing 15 and is surrounded by the front wall 18, the rear wall 19, the right side wall 20, and the left side wall 21. A decorative panel is detachably attached to the air conditioning opening 23A of the housing 15. In Figure 3, the outer perimeter of the side wall 17 of the housing 15 and the air conditioning opening 23A, located above the decorative panel 16 (behind the decorative panel 16 in Figure 3), are shown by a rectangular dashed line. The air conditioning opening 23A is an opening through which air flows, an opening that takes air from the room into the housing 15, and an opening that blows air from inside the housing 15 out into the room. Inside the air conditioning opening 23A, the refrigerant piping 4, the indoor heat exchanger 11, and the electronic equipment 100 are located within the housing 15. In Figure 3, the indoor heat exchanger 11, which is located above the decorative panel 16, is shown by a dashed line.

[0025] Suspension brackets 14 are provided at each corner of the outer circumference of the housing 15. The housing 15 is suspended from the ceiling space by suspension bolts (not shown) provided on beams or the like in the ceiling space being attached to the suspension brackets 14. In addition, a pipe support portion 101 that protrudes to the right is provided on the right side wall 20 (right side) of the housing 15.

[0026] The decorative panel 16 covers the air intake opening 23A for air conditioning and is attached to the housing 15. Two air intake ports 25 are formed at the rear of the lower surface 24 of the decorative panel 16 that face the interior of the housing 15, drawing air in front of it. An air outlet 26 is formed in front of the lower surface 24 of the decorative panel 16, blowing out air that has been temperature-controlled by the indoor heat exchanger 11 to the outside of the housing 15. The air intake ports 25 are provided with flat intake grilles 27. The air outlet 26 is provided with vanes 30 that change the airflow direction within a predetermined range in the vertical direction.

[0027] The indoor unit 3 is equipped with a drain pan 31 for collecting condensate water generated from the indoor heat exchanger 11. The drain pan 31 is fixed to the housing 15 inside the air conditioning opening 23A so as to cover the indoor heat exchanger 11. The decorative panel 16 is positioned below the drain pan 31 and covers the drain pan 31 and is attached to the air conditioning opening 23A of the housing 15.

[0028] The indoor unit 3 has a lateral piping hole 51 in the right side wall 20 of the housing 15. As shown in Figure 4, the lateral piping hole 51 is the part of the opening in the right side wall 20 that is located above the dashed line L1. The indoor unit 3 also has a lateral opening 52 in the right side wall 20 of the housing 15. As shown in Figure 4, the lateral opening 52 is the part of the opening in the right side wall 20 that is located below the dashed line L1. The drain pipe 40, gas refrigerant pipe 4A, and liquid refrigerant pipe 4B pass through the lateral piping hole 51 and extend to the outside of the housing 15. Along the lateral opening 52, a first mounting piece 56 and a second mounting piece 57 are provided, which are mounting parts that extend from the right side wall 20 into the inside of the housing 15. A first auxiliary plate 60 and a second auxiliary plate 61 are attached to the first mounting piece 56 and the second mounting piece 57, respectively. Furthermore, the connecting plate 70 is detachably attached to the first mounting piece 56, the second mounting piece 57, the first auxiliary plate 60, and the second auxiliary plate 61. The first mounting piece 56 and the second mounting piece 57 are a pair of mounting parts to which the connecting plate 70 is detachably attached.

[0029] The indoor unit 3 is equipped with a drain cover 32 on the right side wall 20 of the housing 15 for collecting condensation water generated from the refrigerant piping 4 (gas refrigerant piping 4A and liquid refrigerant piping 4B). The drain cover 32 is attached to the right side wall 20 below the pipe support section 101. The drain cover 32 has a first groove 37, a second groove 38, and a third groove 39 formed below the upper opening 33. The drain cover 32 is attached to the right side wall 20 and the pipe support section 101 so as to close the lateral piping hole 51 of the right side wall 20 during normal use. The gas refrigerant piping 4A and the liquid refrigerant piping 4B pass through the first groove 37 and the second groove 38, respectively. A drain pipe 40 passes through the third groove 39 to discharge the drain water collected in the drain pan 31 to the outside. Metallic support sections 102, 103, and 104 are provided extending downward from the lower surface of the pipe support section 101. Supports 102, 103, and 104 support the sides and bottom surfaces of the drain pipe 40, gas refrigerant piping 4A, and liquid refrigerant piping 4B, respectively. Supports 103 and 104 are elastically deformable and deform in accordance with the movement of the gas refrigerant piping 4A and liquid refrigerant piping 4B when they are pushed in or pulled out, enabling the installation or removal of the refrigerant piping 4. The drain pipe 40, gas refrigerant piping 4A, and liquid refrigerant piping 4B are positioned between the pipe support 101 and the drain cover 32.

[0030] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the indoor unit 3 along the cross-sectional line B-B in Figure 3. Referring to Figure 5, the internal structure and operation of the indoor unit 3 according to Embodiment 1 will be described. The indoor unit 3 is installed with a portion embedded in the ceiling 41. The indoor unit 3 is installed in the space above the ceiling 41B and comprises a housing 15 having an opening 23A for air conditioning at the bottom. Inside the housing 15, the indoor unit 3 comprises an indoor blower 12 that is rotatably arranged to generate airflow, a motor (not shown) connected to the indoor blower 12 and rotationally driving the indoor blower 12, an indoor heat exchanger 11 that is arranged at an inclination with respect to the horizontal plane and exchanges heat with a refrigerant to produce conditioned air, and a drain pan 31 located below the indoor heat exchanger 11 and collecting drain water generated from the indoor heat exchanger 11. The indoor heat exchanger 11 is composed of a plurality of heat exchangers 11A, 11B. The decorative panel 16 is positioned below the drain pan 31, covers the drain pan 31, and is attached to the air conditioning opening 23A of the housing 15.

[0031] An air passage 49 is formed inside the housing 15 so that air flows from the intake port 25, through the indoor heat exchanger 11, and to the outlet port 26. The indoor blower 12 and the indoor heat exchanger 11 are positioned on the air passage 49. The air passage 49 has a shape that widens downwards relative to the indoor heat exchanger 11, and the indoor heat exchanger 11 is located inside the air conditioning opening 23A in the vertical direction, and the indoor heat exchanger 11 can be removed from the air conditioning opening 23A.

[0032] The indoor heat exchanger 11 comprises a plurality of heat dissipation fins 42 and a plurality of heat transfer tubes 43. The heat transfer tubes 43 have a hollow tube shape, through which the refrigerant can pass. The heat transfer tubes 43 are inserted into the openings 44 of the heat dissipation fins 42 and penetrate the stacked heat dissipation fins 42 in the stacking direction. The heat transfer tubes 43 extend in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the air drawn into the housing 15 flows, and are arranged in multiple stages.

[0033] When the motor is driven to rotate, the indoor blower 12 connected to the motor rotates and draws in indoor air from the intake port 25. A filter 29 is detachably attached to the intake grille 27, and the indoor air drawn in from the intake port 25 passes through the grille opening 28 of the intake grille 27 and the filter 29 and is taken into the interior of the housing 15. The indoor air drawn in by the indoor blower 12 flows toward the heat exchangers 11A and 11B, where heat exchange takes place as it passes through the heat exchangers 11A and 11B, and is then blown out into the room from the outlet 26 as conditioned air.

[0034] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the indoor unit 3 along the cross-sectional line C-C in Figure 3. Line C-C is a straight line extending in the front-rear direction, passing between the right side wall 20 of the housing 15 and the indoor heat exchanger 11, when viewing the indoor unit 3 from directly below, that is, with the lower surface 24 of the decorative panel 16 viewed from the front. In Figure 6, the decorative panel 16 and the drain pan 31 are omitted. Referring to Figure 6, the configuration of the refrigerant piping 4 built into the housing 15 of the indoor unit 3 and the electronic components 100 attached to the refrigerant piping 4 will be described.

[0035] The indoor heat exchanger 11 installed in the indoor unit 3 is equipped with heat exchanger fixing plates 45 at both the left and right ends. Figure 6 shows the right-side heat exchanger fixing plate 45. The heat exchanger fixing plate 45 plays the role of engaging multiple hairpin bends 46 and fixing the indoor heat exchanger 11 (shown in Figure 5) to the housing 15. The heat exchanger fixing plate 45 has multiple insertion holes formed therein that are large enough to accommodate the hairpin bends 46, and the multiple hairpin bends 46 are fixed to these insertion holes. The hairpin bends 46 are bent at a predetermined curvature and connect the ends of adjacent heat transfer tubes 43 (shown in Figure 5). For example, the hairpin bends 46 have a U-shape formed by bending the heat transfer tube at a predetermined curvature of 180°. The refrigerant sent to the indoor heat exchanger 11 moves from one heat transfer tube 43, through the hairpin bends 46, to another heat transfer tube 43 adjacent to that heat transfer tube 43.

[0036] Of the multiple insertion holes, the refrigerant pipe 4, which branches off from the liquid refrigerant pipe 4B, is attached to the first insertion hole 47. The first insertion hole 47 is an insertion hole that connects to the heat transfer tube 43, which is located at the uppermost upstream of the refrigerant flowing through the indoor heat exchanger 11 during cooling operation. Of the multiple insertion holes, the gas refrigerant pipe 4A is attached to the second insertion hole 48. The second insertion hole 48 is an insertion hole that connects to the heat transfer tube 43, which is the lowermost of the refrigerant flowing through the indoor heat exchanger 11 during cooling operation. The linear expansion valve, which is a pressure reducing device 9, is attached to the liquid refrigerant pipe 4B inside the housing 15. The temperature sensor 10 is attached to the gas refrigerant pipe 4A inside the housing 15. However, it is not limited to this, and the temperature sensor 10 can be attached to any position on the refrigerant pipe 4 inside the housing 15. The temperature sensor 10 is attached to the refrigerant pipe 4 by an elastically deformable mounting bracket 10a. The pressure reducing device 9 and temperature sensor 10 are electronic components 100 that are folded onto the refrigerant piping 4 inside the housing 15. In the vertical direction, the refrigerant piping 4, the electronic components 100, the heat exchanger fixing plate 45, and the indoor heat exchanger 11 are all located inside the air conditioning opening 23A.

[0037] Figure 7 is a front view of the right side wall 20 that constitutes the housing 15 of the indoor unit 3. Figure 8 is a view of the side opening 52 of the indoor unit 3 and its surroundings. Referring to Figures 7 and 8, the shapes of the side piping hole 51 and the side opening 52 formed in the right side wall 20 will be described.

[0038] As shown in Figure 7, a lateral piping hole 51 is formed in the right side wall 20 of the housing 15, connecting the internal space (inside) and the external space (outside) of the housing 15. The lateral piping hole 51 is an opening above the dashed line L2 in Figure 7 (corresponding to L1 in Figure 4). The gas refrigerant pipe 4A, the liquid refrigerant pipe 4B, and the drain pipe 40 connected to the drain pump 105 are located inside the lateral piping hole 51. The lateral piping hole 51 allows the refrigerant pipes 4 (gas refrigerant pipe 4A and liquid refrigerant pipe 4B) extending from the indoor heat exchanger 11 to pass through. The support plate 106 supports the drain pipe 40, gas refrigerant pipe 4A, and liquid refrigerant pipe 4B inside the housing 15 and keeps them horizontal. The drain pipe 40, gas refrigerant pipe 4A, and liquid refrigerant pipe 4B pass through the lateral piping hole 51. The support plate 106 is parallel to the right side wall 20, bends at the upper end of the lateral piping hole 51, and is fixed to the housing 15 with screws 107. Between the support plate 106 and the heat exchanger fixing plate 45, the refrigerant piping 4 is routed as shown in Figure 6, and the electronic components 100 are attached to the refrigerant piping 4.

[0039] On the right side wall 20, a lateral opening 52 is formed directly below the lateral piping hole 51. The lateral opening 52 is below the dashed line L2 in Figure 7 (corresponding to L1 in Figure 4), connects to the lateral piping hole 51, extends downward from the lateral piping hole 51, and connects to the air conditioning opening 23A. When the right side wall 20 is viewed from the front, the horizontal width W1 of the lateral opening 52 (in the front-to-back direction of the housing 15) is wider than the sum of the diameter W2 of the gas refrigerant pipe 4A and the diameter W3 of the liquid refrigerant pipe 4B. In the normal operating state of the indoor unit 3, the lateral opening 52 is directly below the gas refrigerant pipe 4A and the liquid refrigerant pipe 4B. In the vertical direction, the lateral opening 52 and the gas refrigerant pipe 4A and the liquid refrigerant pipe 4B overlap.

[0040] The indoor unit 3 has a pair of mounting parts (a first mounting piece 56 and a second mounting piece 57) provided along the side opening 52 of the housing 15. A plate-shaped first mounting piece 56 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 7) is provided on the right edge 53 of the side opening 52 of the housing 15, extending inward from the housing 15. A plate-shaped second mounting piece 57 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 7) is provided on the left edge 54 of the side opening 52 of the housing 15, extending inward from the housing 15. The second mounting piece 57 faces the first mounting piece 56 across the side opening 52. The first mounting piece 56 and the second mounting piece 57 are provided on the housing 15 with the side opening 52 in between. The right side wall 20, the first mounting piece 56 and the second mounting piece 57 are integrally formed from the same material (metal plate). As shown in Figure 8, the first mounting piece 56 and the second mounting piece 57 are formed by bending a portion of the right side wall 20 inward into the housing 15. When the indoor unit 3 is installed on the ceiling 41, the first mounting piece 56 and the second mounting piece 57 extend perpendicularly to the floor surface and the lower surface 24 of the decorative panel 16. The first mounting piece 56 has a first recess 58 that is recessed inward on the surface 56A facing the side opening 52.

[0041] <Structure of the Auxiliary Plate> Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the first auxiliary plate 60. Figure 10 is a perspective view showing the first auxiliary plate 60, and is a view from a different direction than Figure 9. The structure of the first auxiliary plate 60 will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10.

[0042] The first auxiliary plate 60 is a member for fixing the connecting plate 70 to the first mounting piece 56. The first auxiliary plate 60 has a mounting piece fixing portion 62 and a connecting plate fixing portion 63. The second auxiliary plate 61 also has a mounting piece fixing portion and a connecting plate fixing portion, but since the second auxiliary plate 61 has a structure symmetrical to the first auxiliary plate 60, its description is omitted.

[0043] The attachment piece fixing part 62 is a rectangular and plate-shaped member attached to the first attachment piece 56. The attachment piece fixing part 62 has a first end portion 64 which is one end and a second end portion 65 which is the other end, and extends between the first end portion 64 and the second end portion 65. The attachment piece fixing part 62 has a connection plate fixing part 63 at the first end portion 64. The connection plate fixing part 63 is a plate-shaped member extending in a direction intersecting the first surface 62A which is the plane of the attachment piece fixing part 62. The connection plate fixing part 63 is orthogonal to the attachment piece fixing part 62. The attachment piece fixing part 62 is attached to the surface 56A of the first attachment piece 56 facing the side opening 52. When the attachment piece fixing part 62 is attached to the first attachment piece 56, it has a first surface 62A facing the surface 56A and a second surface 62B on the opposite side of the first surface 62A. The second surface 61B is the surface against which the clip 88 (shown in FIG. 10) abuts when the connection plate 70 is attached.

[0044] On the attachment piece fixing part 62, a first protrusion 66 protruding outward from the first surface 62A is formed. Also, on the attachment piece fixing part 62, a second protrusion 67 protruding outward from the second surface 62B is formed. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, on the first attachment piece 56 of the housing 15, a first recess 58 recessed inward from the surface 52A is formed corresponding to the first protrusion 66.

[0045] When assembling the attachment piece fixing part 62 to the first attachment piece 56, the first protrusion 66 on the first surface 62A is inserted into the first recess 58 on the surface 52A, and the attachment position of the attachment piece fixing part 62 with respect to the first attachment piece 56 is determined. A plurality of first protrusions 66 are provided on the first surface 62A of the attachment piece fixing part 62. In the present embodiment, two first protrusions 66 are provided on the first surface 62A. Correspondingly, two first recesses 58 are provided on the surface 56A of the first attachment piece 56 (see FIG. 8). However, it is not limited to this. By providing a plurality of the first protrusions 66 and the first recesses 58, the plurality of first protrusions 66 are inserted into and locked with the plurality of first recesses 58, and compared with the case where one first protrusion 66 is inserted into and locked with one first recess 58, the rotational movement of the attachment piece fixing part 62 with respect to the first attachment piece 56 is suppressed.

[0046] The connection plate fixing portion 63 is formed with a first opening 68 and a claw hole 69. A second auxiliary plate 61 is attached to the second attachment piece 57. Since the second auxiliary plate 61 attached to the second attachment piece 57 has a symmetrical structure to the first auxiliary plate 60 attached to the first attachment piece 56, the description thereof is omitted.

[0047] <Connection plate structure> FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the connection plate 70 from the inner surface 78 side. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the connection plate 70 from the outer surface 79 side. The structure of the connection plate 70 will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12.

[0048] The connection plate 70 is a member attached to the first attachment piece 56, the second attachment piece 57, the first auxiliary plate 60, and the second auxiliary plate 61. In the normal use of the indoor unit 3, the connection plate 70 is attached to the first attachment piece 56, the second attachment piece 57, the first auxiliary plate 60, and the second auxiliary plate 61. In a state where the connection plate 70 is attached to the first attachment piece 56 and the second attachment piece 57, it closes the side opening 52, restricts the positions of the gas refrigerant pipe 4A and the liquid refrigerant pipe 4B, and improves the strength of the housing 15.

[0049] As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the connection plate 70 has a main body portion 71, a first plate 72, a second plate 73, a first attachment portion 74, and a second attachment portion 75.

[0050] The main body portion 71 is in a flat plate shape and is a rectangular portion. The main body portion 71 has a first end portion 76 which is one end and a second end portion 77 which is the other end, and is a portion extending between the first end portion 76 and the second end portion 77. The main body portion 71 has an inner surface 78 and an outer surface 79 which are planes between the first end portion 76 and the second end portion 77. The outer surface 79 is a surface facing the inner surface 78. The inner surface 78 is a surface facing the internal space of the housing 15 when the connection plate 70 is attached to the first attachment piece 56 and the second attachment piece 57. The outer surface 79 is a surface facing the external space of the housing 15 when the connection plate 70 is attached to the first attachment piece 56 and the second attachment piece 57.

[0051] The main body portion 71 has a third end portion 80 and a fourth end portion 81 between the first end portion 76 and the second end portion 77. The third end portion 80 is located above the fourth end portion 81 when the connecting plate 70 is attached to the first mounting piece 56 and the second mounting piece 57. The third end portion 80 and the fourth end portion 81 are formed by folding the cut portion outwards to prevent the worker's hand from touching the metal cut portion.

[0052] The first plate 72 is the portion that extends from the first end 76 of the main body 71 toward the outer surface 79. The second plate 73 is the portion that extends from the second end 77 of the main body 71 toward the outer surface 79. The first plate 72 and the second plate 73 are flat and rectangular portions. The first plate 72 and the second plate 73 extend toward the outer surface 79 in a direction intersecting the outer surface 79. In this embodiment, the first plate 72 and the second plate 73 are perpendicular to the outer surface 79. The first plate 72 has a fifth end 82 and extends between the first end 76 and the fifth end 82. The first plate 72 further has a sixth end 83 and a seventh end 84 between the first end 76 and the fifth end 82, and extends between the sixth end 83 and the seventh end 84. The sixth end 83 is located above the seventh end 84 when the connecting plate 70 is attached to the first mounting piece 56. Similarly, the second plate 73 has an eighth end 85, extending between the second end 77 and the eighth end 85. The second plate 73 further has a ninth end 86 and a tenth end 87 between the second end 77 and the eighth end 85, extending between the ninth end 86 and the tenth end 87. The ninth end 86 is located above the tenth end 87 when the connecting plate 70 is attached to the first mounting piece 56.

[0053] The first plate 72 is provided with a first clip 88 at one end, the seventh end 84. The first clip 88 extends from the seventh end 84, extends at a distance from the first plate 72, and is a member that extends along the first plate 72 from the seventh end 84 toward the sixth end 83. Together with the first plate 72, the first clip 88 clamps the first mounting piece 56 and the first auxiliary plate 60 from below, and attaches the first plate 72 to the first mounting piece 56 and the first auxiliary plate 60. Similarly, the second plate 73 is provided with a second clip 89 at one end, the tenth end 87. The second clip 89 extends from the tenth end 87, extends at a distance from the second plate 73, and is a member that extends along the second plate 73 from the tenth end 87 toward the ninth end 86. The second clip 89, together with the second plate 73, clamps the second mounting piece 57 and the second auxiliary plate 61 from below, and the second plate 73 is attached to the second mounting piece 57 and the second auxiliary plate 61. With this configuration, it is possible to attach the connecting plate 70 to the housing 15 from below while the indoor unit 3 remains installed in the ceiling space 41B. The first clip 88 and the second clip 89 have a first insertion hole 90 and a second insertion hole 91 formed therein, respectively.

[0054] The first mounting portion 74 is a portion that extends from the third end 80 of the main body portion 71 toward the outer surface 79. The second mounting portion 75 is a portion that extends from the third end 80 of the main body portion 71 toward the outer surface 79. The first mounting portion 74 and the second mounting portion 75 are flat plate-shaped and rectangular portions. The first mounting portion 74 and the second mounting portion 75 are perpendicular to the outer surface 79. The first mounting portion 74 is provided on the first plate 72 side at the third end 80 and extends along the first plate 72, leaving a predetermined gap 200 between it and the first plate. The width W4 of the gap 200 is greater than or equal to the sum of the thicknesses of the first mounting piece 56 and the mounting piece fixing portion 62 of the housing 15 in the front-rear direction. Similar to the first mounting portion 74, the second mounting portion 75 is provided on the second plate 73 side at the third end 80 and extends along the second plate 73, leaving a predetermined gap 201 between it and the second plate 73. The first mounting portion 74 has a first through hole 93. The second mounting portion 75 has a second through hole 95. Furthermore, the first mounting portion 74 has a first claw portion 97 projecting upward at the end 96 opposite to the third end 80. The second mounting portion 75 has a second claw portion 99 projecting upward at the end 98 opposite to the third end 80.

[0055] The connecting plate 70 is formed by processing a single metal plate. However, it is not limited to this, and the connecting plate 70 may be formed by combining multiple parts, namely the main body portion 71, the first plate 72, the second plate 73, the first mounting portion 74, and the second mounting portion 75.

[0056] <Method for attaching the connecting plate 70 to the housing 15> The method for attaching the first auxiliary plate 60 and the second auxiliary plate 61 to the housing 15, and then attaching the connecting plate 70, will be described. Figure 13 is a diagram showing the right side wall 20 of the housing 15 and its surroundings, and shows the configuration in which the first auxiliary plate 60 and the second auxiliary plate 61 are attached to the housing 15. Figure 14 is a diagram showing the right side wall 20 of the housing 15 and its surroundings, and shows the orientation and position for attaching the connecting plate 70 and screws to the housing 15 in which the first auxiliary plate 60 and the second auxiliary plate 61 are attached. Figure 15 is a diagram showing the right side wall 20 of the housing 15 and its surroundings, and shows the configuration in which the connecting plate 70 is attached to the housing 15. Furthermore, the second mounting piece 57, the second auxiliary plate 61, and the second plate 73 and second mounting portion 75 of the connecting plate 70 have structures that are symmetrical to the first mounting piece 56, the first auxiliary plate 60, and the first plate 72 and first mounting portion 74 of the connecting plate 70, respectively. For this reason, in this embodiment, only the method of attaching the first auxiliary plate 60 and the connecting plate 70 to the first mounting piece 56 will be described, and the method of attaching the second auxiliary plate 61 and the connecting plate 70 to the second mounting piece 57 will not be described.

[0057] The first projection 66 is inserted into the first recess 58, and the mounting piece fixing part 62 (first auxiliary plate 60) is attached to the first mounting piece 56. With the first auxiliary plate 60 attached to the first mounting piece 56, the connecting plate fixing part 63 extends horizontally toward the inside of the side opening 52. By providing the first auxiliary plate 60 in the housing 15, the cutting and bending processes in processing the single metal plate that constitutes the right side wall 20 can be omitted, and a structure that extends horizontally toward the inside of the side opening 52 can be provided in the housing 15.

[0058] Next, the connecting plate 70 is attached to the first mounting piece 56 and the first auxiliary plate 60. As shown in Figure 14, the connecting plate 70 is slid upward from below the first mounting piece 56 and the first auxiliary plate 60, with the first mounting portion 74 and the second mounting portion 75 facing upward and the inner surface 78 facing inward towards the housing 15. As the connecting plate 70 slides upward, the first mounting piece 56 and the mounting piece fixing portion 62 pass through the gap 200 between the first mounting portion 74 and the first plate 72, so that the mounting position of the connecting plate 70 in the front-rear direction of the housing 15 is easily determined, and the first mounting piece 56 and the mounting piece fixing portion 62 can be easily clamped into the first clip 88 from below. The first mounting piece 56 and the mounting piece fixing portion 62 of the connecting plate 70 are clamped into the first clip 88 and the first plate 72 from below. Furthermore, the second projection 67 formed on the mounting piece fixing portion 62 is inserted into the first insertion hole 90 of the first clip 88, and the first plate 72 is fixed to the first mounting piece 56 and the mounting piece fixing portion 61 (Figure 15). By inserting the second projection 67 into the first insertion hole 90, the first plate 72 can be fixed to the mounting piece fixing portion 61 more strongly in addition to the fixing by the clip. Moreover, the first claw portion 97 of the first mounting portion 74 is inserted into the claw hole 69 of the connecting plate fixing portion 63 and locked in place, and the first claw portion 97 is locked in the claw hole 69. In this state, the first mounting portion 74 and the connecting plate fixing portion 63 extend horizontally inside the housing 15 and into the side opening 52. Since the first mounting portion 74 and the connecting plate fixing portion 63 do not protrude outside the housing 15, the indoor unit 3 can be made compact. Furthermore, the first through-hole 93 and the first opening 68 overlap in an up-and-down direction, facilitating the attachment of the fastener 94, which will be described later.

[0059] Finally, the screws, which are fasteners 94, are installed from below the first through-hole 93 and the first opening 68 in the direction of the dashed line in Figure 14, and the first mounting portion 74 is fixed to the connecting plate fixing portion 63 by the screws. Since the connecting plate fixing portion 63 extends horizontally toward the inside of the side opening 52, the screws are installed vertically in the first through-hole 93 and the first opening 68, and the orientation of the screwdriver used to install the screws is also vertical, so contact of the screwdriver with the side opening is suppressed, and the screws are installed easily.

[0060] In this way, the connecting plate 70 is fixed to the first mounting piece 56 via the first auxiliary plate 60. Similarly, the connecting plate 70 is fixed to the second mounting piece 57 via the second auxiliary plate 61, which improves the strength of the indoor unit 3 compared to the case where the connecting plate 70 is fixed only to the first mounting piece 56. As shown in Figure 15, with the connecting plate 70 attached to the first mounting piece 56 and the second mounting piece 57, the main body 71 closes the lateral opening 52 with respect to the lateral piping hole 51 between the first mounting piece 56 and the second mounting piece 57, thereby restricting the positions of the gas refrigerant piping 4A and the liquid refrigerant piping 4B.

[0061] To remove the connecting plate 70 from the first mounting piece 56 and the first auxiliary plate 60, the screws are removed, the first clip 88 is spread open to remove the second projection 67 from the first insertion hole 90, and the connecting plate 70 is removed from the first mounting piece 56 and the first auxiliary plate 60. In this way, the connecting plate 70 can be detachably attached to the housing 15.

[0062] <Method for Replacing Electronic Components> Figure 16 is an external perspective view showing the configuration when replacing electronic components in the housing according to Embodiment 1. The method for inspecting or replacing the electronic components 100 provided inside the housing 15 will be explained with reference to Figure 16. In the following explanation, a ceiling-mounted indoor unit will be described, and as shown in Figure 5, the indoor unit 3 is installed in the usual usage position, and the housing 15 is installed in the space above the ceiling 41B.

[0063] First, the worker removes the decorative panel 16 and the drain pan 31 from the housing 15 of the indoor unit 3. After removing the drain pan 31 from the housing 15, the worker removes the fastener 94 that secures the first mounting portion 74 of the connecting plate 70 and the connecting plate fixing portion 63 of the first auxiliary plate 60 from the first through hole 93 and the first opening 68. After removing the fastener 94 from the first through hole 93 and the first opening 68, the worker slides the connecting plate 70 downward to remove the first claw portion 97 from the claw hole 69, and also removes the second projection 67 from the first insertion hole 90, thereby removing the first clip 88 from the first auxiliary plate 60 and the first mounting piece 56, and thus removes the connecting plate 70 from the housing 15 (first mounting piece 56 and first auxiliary plate 60). After removing the connecting plate 70 from the housing 15, the worker removes the drain cover 32 from the housing 15. Once the drain cover 32 is removed from the housing 15, the side piping hole 51 and the side opening 52 can be seen on the right side wall 20 of the housing 15. After removing the drain pump 40 from the support plate 106, the worker hooks the indoor heat exchanger 11 onto the string 109 attached to the support part 108 fixed to the inner corner of the side wall 17, as shown in Figure 16, and then removes the heat exchanger fixing screws (not shown) that fix the indoor heat exchanger 11 to the housing 15, and the screws 107 that fix the support plate 106 to the housing 15. Once the worker removes the heat exchanger fixing screws and screws 107, the indoor heat exchanger 11 and refrigerant piping 4 move downward due to their own weight. The worker moves the refrigerant piping 4 (gas refrigerant piping 4A and liquid refrigerant piping 4B) from the side piping hole 51 to the side opening 52, moving the indoor heat exchanger 11 and refrigerant piping 4 downward (towards the air conditioning opening 23A), and brings out a portion of the indoor heat exchanger 11 and refrigerant piping 4, which are housed inside the housing 15, from the air conditioning opening 23A to the outside of the housing 15. Figure 16 shows the state in the indoor unit 3 where a portion of the indoor heat exchanger 11 and refrigerant piping 4 are outside the housing 15 from the air conditioning opening 23A. In the state shown in Figure 16, the indoor heat exchanger 11 is supported by the string 109 and support part 108 on the side wall 17, so that the indoor heat exchanger 11 does not fall.After moving the indoor heat exchanger 11 and refrigerant piping 4 downwards, the worker accesses the inside of the housing 15 through the side piping hole 51 and the air conditioning opening 23A to inspect or replace the electronic components 100 attached to the refrigerant piping 4. As described above, in this state, the indoor heat exchanger 11 and refrigerant piping 4 housed in the housing 15 are moved lower (towards the air conditioning opening 23A) than in normal use, and a portion of the indoor heat exchanger 11 and refrigerant piping 4 protrudes outside the housing 15 through the air conditioning opening 23A. Therefore, the electronic components 100 housed in the housing 15 are also closer to the air conditioning opening 23A or protrude outside the housing 15 compared to normal use, making it easier for the worker to inspect or replace the electronic components 100. For example, when the worker inspects or replaces the temperature sensor 10, it becomes easier to access the temperature sensor 10 from the air conditioning opening 23A than in normal use. Furthermore, when an operator inspects or replaces the pressure reducing device 9, the pressure reducing device 9 is moved lower than during normal use, which allows for space between the pressure reducing device 9 and the top surface of the housing 15, making it easier for the operator to remove the coil upwards from the pressure reducing device 9. The process of the operator installing the electronic component 100 onto the refrigerant piping 4 after inspecting or replacing the electronic component 100 and returning the indoor unit 3 to its operating state is performed in the reverse order of the steps described above.

[0064] In conventional ceiling-mounted indoor units, the lateral piping holes through which the refrigerant piping passes are not connected to the air adjustment openings that draw air into and blow out the inside of the indoor unit. Therefore, in conventional ceiling-mounted indoor units, the downward movement of the refrigerant piping is restricted by the lateral piping holes, and when replacing electronic components, it is necessary to remove the refrigerant piping on the indoor unit side and the refrigerant piping on the outdoor unit side and pull them out through the lateral piping holes. On the other hand, in the indoor unit 3 of this disclosure, the lateral piping holes 51 and the air conditioning opening 23A are connected in the housing 15 via a lateral opening 52. During normal use of the indoor unit 3, a connecting plate 70 is attached to the housing 15 to close the lateral opening 52, and when performing maintenance on the electronic components 100, the connecting plate 70 is removed from the housing 15, which opens the lateral opening 52, allowing the refrigerant piping 4 to be moved downward (towards the air conditioning opening 23A side) below the lateral piping holes 51 through the lateral opening 52. Furthermore, since the lateral piping hole 51 and the opening 23A are connected via the lateral opening 52, the refrigerant piping 4 in the housing 15 can move freely downward, and the refrigerant piping 4 can be moved downward until it contacts the ceiling 41. In addition, while the refrigerant piping 4 on the indoor unit 3 side and the refrigerant piping 4 on the outdoor unit 2 side remain connected, a portion of the indoor heat exchanger 11 can be brought downward through the air conditioning opening 23A of the housing 15. Therefore, in the indoor unit 2 of this disclosure, electronic components 100 such as linear expansion valves and thermistors, which are attached to the housed refrigerant piping 4 and housed in the housing 15, can be moved downward (towards the air conditioning opening 23A), and the electronic components 100 can be easily inspected and replaced through the air conditioning opening 23A or the lateral piping hole 51.

[0065] The connecting plate 70 is attached to the first mounting piece 56 and the second mounting piece 57 provided on the housing 15, thereby connecting the first mounting piece 56 and the second mounting piece 57 and closing at least a portion of the side opening 52. With this configuration, when the electrical components 100 are not replaced, such as during normal use of the air conditioner 1, downward movement of the refrigerant piping 4 through the side opening 52, i.e., detachment of the refrigerant piping 4 from the indoor unit 3 can be suppressed. Furthermore, with this configuration, the reduction in strength caused by forming the side opening 52 in the housing 15 can be suppressed, and bending and deformation of the housing 15 around the side opening 52 caused by impact loads during transport or dropping can be suppressed.

[0066] In this embodiment, the mounting piece fixing part 62 is separate from the first mounting piece 56 and is attached by fitting together the first recess and the first projection, but is not limited to this. After the first recess and the first projection are fitted together, the mounting piece fixing part 62 and the first mounting piece 56 may be welded together to form a single unit. When the indoor unit 3 has such a configuration, when inspecting or replacing the electronic components 100, only the connecting plate 70 needs to be attached to and removed from the housing 15, which simplifies the process compared to when the mounting piece fixing part 62 is separate from the first mounting piece 56.

[0067] In the above-described embodiment 1, the lateral piping hole 51 and the lateral opening 52 were formed on the right side wall 20 of the housing 15. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the lateral piping hole 51 and the lateral opening 52 may be provided on any of the front, rear, left, or right side walls 17 from which the refrigerant piping 4 is routed, and may be provided on any one of the front, rear, left, or right side walls.

[0068] 1 Air conditioner, 2 Outdoor unit, 3 Indoor unit, 4 Refrigerant piping, 4A Gas refrigerant piping, 4B Liquid refrigerant piping, 5 Compressor, 6 Four-way valve, 7 Outdoor heat exchanger, 8 Outdoor fan, 9 Pressure reducing device, 10 Temperature sensor, 11 Indoor heat exchanger, 12 Indoor fan, 15 Housing, 16 Decorative panel, 17 Side wall, 20 Right side wall, 31 Drain pan, 51 Side piping hole, 51 Side opening, 56 First mounting piece, 57 Second mounting piece, 58 First recess, 56A Surface, 60 First auxiliary plate, 61 Second auxiliary plate, 62 Mounting piece fixing part, 62A First surface, 63 Connecting plate fixing part, 66 First projection, 67 Second projection, 68 First opening, 69 Claw hole, 70 Connecting plate, 71 Main body, 72 First plate, 73 Second plate, 74 First mounting part, 75 Second mounting part, 88 First clip, 89 Second clip, 90 First insertion hole, 91 Second insertion hole, 93 First through hole, 94 Fixing device, 95 Second through hole, 97 First claw part, 99 Second claw part, 100 Electronic component

Claims

1. An indoor unit for an air conditioner, comprising: a housing having a bottom opening for housing a heat exchanger and for which a decorative panel is detachably attached; a side piping hole for passing refrigerant piping extending from the heat exchanger; a side opening connecting the bottom opening and the side piping hole, through which the refrigerant piping is movable; electronic components attached to the refrigerant piping and housed in the housing; a pair of mounting parts provided on the housing on either side of the side opening; and a connecting plate detachably attached to the pair of mounting parts.

2. The indoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the lateral opening is provided in a position that overlaps with the refrigerant piping in the vertical direction.

3. The indoor unit according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the heat exchanger is removed to the outside of the housing through the lower opening.

4. The indoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the pair of mounting portions each have a first mounting piece extending inward along the lateral opening, and the connecting plate is attached to the first mounting piece inside the housing.

5. An indoor unit according to claim 4, comprising an auxiliary plate having a flat mounting piece fixing portion and a connecting plate fixing portion extending from one end of the mounting piece fixing portion in a direction intersecting the plane of the mounting piece fixing portion, wherein the mounting piece fixing portion has a first projection on the plane, and the first mounting piece has a recess on the surface facing the lateral opening, and the plane and the surface are facing each other, and the first projection is inserted into the recess, thereby attaching the mounting piece fixing portion to the first mounting piece.

6. The indoor unit according to claim 5, wherein the connecting plate has a flat main body portion extending from a first end to a second end, a first plate extending from the first end in a direction intersecting the plane of the main body portion, and a clip extending from one end of the first plate, the clip extending along the first plate at a distance from the first plate, and the first mounting piece and the mounting piece fixing portion being sandwiched from below by the first plate and the clip, so that the first plate is attached to the first mounting piece and the mounting piece fixing portion.

7. The indoor unit according to claim 6, wherein the connecting plate has an insertion hole for the clip, the mounting piece fixing portion has a second projection on the surface opposite to the plane, and the first plate is fixed to the first mounting piece and the mounting piece fixing portion by inserting the second projection into the insertion hole.

8. The indoor unit according to claim 6, wherein the connecting plate fixing portion has a claw hole, the connecting plate has a third end between the first end and the second end of the main body portion, and has a mounting portion extending from the third end in a direction intersecting the plane of the main body portion, and a claw portion protruding upward from the mounting portion, the claw portion being inserted into and locked in the claw hole, and the mounting portion being attached to the connecting plate fixing portion.

9. The indoor unit according to claim 8, wherein the mounting portion has a through hole, the connecting plate fixing portion has an opening, the opening and the through hole overlap in the vertical direction with the claw portion locked in the claw hole, a screw is attached to the through hole and the opening from below, and the mounting portion is fixed to the connecting plate fixing portion.

10. The indoor unit according to claim 8, wherein, with the mounting portion attached to the connecting plate fixing portion, the mounting portion and the connecting plate fixing portion extend horizontally inward from the side opening.

11. The indoor unit according to claim 10, wherein the first plate and the mounting portion are perpendicular to the plane of the main body, the mounting portion extends from the third end along the first plate with a predetermined gap between it and the first plate, and the gap is greater than or equal to the sum of the horizontal thicknesses of the first mounting piece and the mounting piece fixing portion.

12. The indoor unit according to claim 6, wherein the pair of mounting portions have a second mounting piece extending inward from the side wall along the lateral opening, the second mounting piece facing the first mounting piece across the lateral opening, the connecting plate has a second plate extending from the second end in a direction intersecting the plane of the main body, the first plate and the second plate are located on the same side with respect to the plane, the second plate is fixed to the second mounting piece, and the main body closes at least a portion of the lateral opening.

13. The indoor unit according to claim 5, wherein the mounting piece fixing portion is welded and fixed to the first mounting piece.

14. An air conditioner comprising an outdoor unit and an indoor unit, wherein the indoor unit has a housing formed therein, which houses an indoor heat exchanger and has a bottom opening to which a decorative panel is detachably attached, a side piping hole through which refrigerant piping extending from the indoor heat exchanger and connecting to the outdoor unit passes, and a side opening connecting the bottom opening and the side piping hole, through which the refrigerant piping is movable, an electronic component attached to the refrigerant piping and housed in the housing, a pair of mounting parts provided on the housing on either side of the side opening, and a connecting plate detachably attached to the pair of mounting parts.

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