Outdoor Unit Wiring Cover Layout for Liquid-Resistant Control Boxes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Outdoor units for refrigeration apparatuses face challenges in suppressing the entry of liquid into electric component boxes while managing the proximity of high-voltage and low-voltage wires, which can lead to reliability issues and increased costs due to separate countermeasures for each wire type.
Innovation Solution
A configuration where a common cover part is used to cover both openings for high-voltage and low-voltage wires drawn into the electric component box, reducing the likelihood of liquid entry and minimizing the number of parts required, thus enhancing reliability and cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate countermeasures are taken for high-voltage wire and low-voltage wire openings to prevent liquid entry, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate cover parts for high-voltage and low-voltage wire openings into a single integrated cover part. This cover part has a first opening for the high-voltage wire and a second opening for the low-voltage wire, both protected by the same cover structure. This merging approach maintains liquid entry prevention for both wire types while reducing the total number of parts and simplifying the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The single cover part serves multiple functions: it protects both the high-voltage wire opening and the low-voltage wire opening from liquid entry, provides structural support for both openings, and maintains electrical isolation between the two wire types. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate dedicated cover parts for each wire type while ensuring comprehensive protection.
2Reliability
If low-voltage wire and high-voltage wire are drawn separately into the electric component box, then noise interference is reduced and reliability is improved, but the number of openings and countermeasures increases cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the protection of separate wire openings into a single cover part structure. The high-voltage and low-voltage wires are drawn separately through different openings to maintain electrical isolation and reduce noise interference, but both openings are protected by one integrated cover part, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is an outdoor unit for a refrigeration apparatus, the outdoor unit being capable of suppressing decrease in reliability and increase in cost. An outdoor unit (10) includes: an outdoor unit casing (40); an electric component (E1) including a high-voltage component (95) and a low-voltage component (90); an electric component box (50) disposed in the outdoor unit casing (40); a high-voltage wire (96) configured to carry a voltage or a current between the high-voltage component (95) and a device corresponding to the high-voltage component (95); a low-voltage wire (91) configured to carry a voltage or a current between the low-voltage component (90) and a device corresponding to the low-voltage component (90), the voltage or current being smaller in value than the voltage or current fed to the high-voltage wire (96); and a cover unit (56) configured to suppress the entry of liquid into the electric component box (50). The electric component box (50) has in its lateral side a high-voltage wire through-hole (HI) through which the high-voltage wire (96) is drawn into the electric component box (50), and a low-voltage wire through-hole (H2) through which the low-voltage wire (91) is drawn into the electric component box (50). The cover unit (56) (a first side face cover (54)) is disposed on an outer face of the electric component box (50), is located along the high-voltage wire through-hole (HI) and the low-voltage wire through-hole (H2), and covers both the high-voltage wire through-hole (HI) and the low-voltage wire through-hole (H2) from above and from sideward.