Patent Grant
9541323
The present invention relates to an outdoor unit of an air conditioning device.
Patent Literature 1 below discloses an outdoor unit of an air conditioning device. Devices forming a refrigerant circuit such as a heat exchanger and a compressor are disposed on a bottom frame of this outdoor unit, and base legs to be fixed to an installment surface are provided on lower surfaces of a front edge and a rear edge of the bottom frame below the heat exchanger. Each of the base legs is formed to have a U shape section by a lower plate in contact with the ground, an upper plate in contact with the lower surface of the bottom frame, and a standing plate extending perpendicularly from the upper plate to the lower plate. The base leg provided in the front edge of the bottom frame is formed in a U shape opening forward, and the base leg provided in the rear edge of the bottom frame is formed in a U shape opening rearward.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-147250
The bottom frame of the above outdoor unit also has a function as a drain pan for receiving dew condensation water generated in the heat exchanger at the time of a heating operation. Brain holes for discharging the dew condensation water are formed at appropriate points of the bottom frame.
Meanwhile, in a case of the outdoor unit being used in a cold region or the like, since the dew condensation water is sometimes frozen while being attached to the heat exchanger, a defrosting operation of melting and dropping the frozen dew condensation water from the heat exchanger is performed. However, in the conventional outdoor unit, the dew condensation water dropped from the heat exchanger flows on the bottom frame before being discharged from the drain holes. Thus, there is a possibility that the dew condensation water is not promptly discharged to an exterior but frozen again on the bottom frame.
The present invention is achieved in consideration with the situation described above, and an object thereof is to provide an outdoor unit of an air conditioning device capable of promptly discharging dew condensation water dropped from a heat exchanger to an exterior.
(1) The present invention is an outdoor unit of an air conditioning device including a bottom frame, a heat exchanger disposed on the bottom frame, and a base leg provided on a lower surface of the bottom frame below the heat exchanger, wherein
a drainage port is formed in the bottom frame below the heat exchanger,
the base leg is formed to have a U shape section by upper plates abutted with the lower surface of the bottom frame, lower plates mounted on an installment surface, and standing plates connecting the upper plates and the lower plates,
the base leg further includes a first part serving as a part in the longitudinal direction, and a second part serving as another part in the longitudinal direction,
the first part is formed to have a U shape section opening outward in the horizontal direction with the lower plate thereof being fixed to the installment surface, and
the second part is provided at least at a position corresponding to the drainage port with respect to the longitudinal direction of the base leg, and formed to have a U shape section opening inward in the horizontal direction, the second part having a structure where the upper plate thereof avoids a lower region of the drainage port.
With the above configuration, the drainage port is formed in the bottom frame below the heat exchanger. Thus, dew condensation water dropped from the heat exchanger can be promptly discharged from the drainage port. Therefore, the dew condensation water melted by a defrosting operation or the like is hardly frozen again on the bottom frame. Since the second part has the structure where the upper plate of the second part of the base leg avoids the lower region of the drainage port, water can be properly discharged to an exterior of the outdoor unit from the drainage port without being obstructed by the upper plate. Since the second part is formed in a U shape opening inward in the horizontal direction, water flowing down from the drainage port, a trace of water coming down the base leg, and the like are not exposed to the exterior, so that an appearance is hardly deteriorated. Further, since the first part of the base leg is formed in a U shape opening outward in the horizontal direction, workability is not deteriorated at the time of fixing the base leg to the installment surface.
(2) Preferably, the upper plate of the second part has a retreat portion retreating to the outer side in the horizontal direction of the drainage port at least in the vicinity of the drainage port.
With such a configuration, while the upper plate of the second part has a simple structure, water can be properly discharged to the exterior of the outdoor unit from the drainage port.
(3) Preferably, a support portion protruding to the inner side in the horizontal direction of the retreat portion and supporting the lower surface of the bottom frame is provided in the second part.
When the upper plate of the second part has the retreat portion retreating to the outer side in the horizontal direction, an area of the bottom frame to be abutted with the upper plate is reduced, and there is a possibility that support strength is lowered. However, by providing the support portion protruding to the inner side in the horizontal direction of the retreat portion, the support strength of the bottom frame can be sufficiently ensured.
(4) Preferably, the support portion is arranged at a position to avoid the drainage port.
With such a configuration, deterioration of a drainage property from the drainage port due to the support portion can be prevented.
(5) A mount portion for mounting the heat exchanger may be formed in the bottom frame while expanding upward, and the drainage port may be formed in the mount portion.
By forming the drainage port in the mount portion in direct contact with the heat exchanger in such a way, the drainage property of water dropped from the heat exchanger can be more enhanced.
(6) A water outflow prevention structure for preventing an outflow of water from the lower plate of the second part to the lower plate of the first part may be provided in a border portion between the lower plate of the first part and the lower plate of the second part or in the lower plate of the second part.
With such a configuration, even when the dew condensation water discharged from the drainage port is dropped down onto the lower plate of the second part, the dew condensation water can be prevented from flowing out to the lower plate of the first part. Thus, a flow of the dew condensation water and a trace thereof can be prevented from being exposed to the exterior.
According to the present invention, the dew condensation water dropped from the heat exchanger can be promptly discharged to the exterior.
An air conditioning device 1 is for example a multiple type air conditioning device for a building in which a refrigerant circuit 10 is formed in such a manner that a plurality of indoor units 3 are connected in parallel to one or a plurality of outdoor units 2 so as to circulate a refrigerant.
In the outdoor unit 2, a compressor 11, a four way valve 12, an outdoor heat exchanger 13, an outdoor expansion valve 14, an accumulator 20, an oil separator 21, and the like are provided. These parts are connected by a refrigerant pipe. A fan 23 is provided in the outdoor unit 2. In the indoor unit 3, an indoor expansion valve 15, an indoor heat exchanger 16, and the like are provided. The four way valve 12 and the indoor heat exchanger 16 are connected by a gas side refrigerant communication pipe 17a, and the outdoor expansion valve 14 and the indoor expansion valve 15 are connected by a liquid side refrigerant communication pipe 17b. A gas side stop valve 18 and a liquid side stop valve 19 are provided in terminal portions of the inside refrigerant circuit of the outdoor unit 2. The gas side stop valve 18 is arranged on the side of the four way valve 12, and the liquid side stop valve 19 is arranged on the side of the outdoor expansion valve 14. The gas side refrigerant communication pipe 17a is connected to the gas side stop valve 18, and the liquid side refrigerant communication pipe 17b is connected to the liquid side stop valve 19.
In a case where a cooling operation is performed in the air conditioning device 1 with the above configuration, the four way valve 12 is retained in a state shown by solid lines in
On the other hand, in a case where a heating operation is performed, the four way valve 12 is retained in a state shown by broken lines in
The outdoor unit 2 of the present embodiment is an upward blow-off type including an outdoor unit main body (casing) 5, the devices forming the refrigerant circuit 10 (refer to
The outdoor unit 2 suctions the air from side surfaces of the outdoor unit main body 5 by driving the fan 23, performs the heat exchange between the air and the outdoor heat exchanger 13, and then blows off the air upward from the upper part of the outdoor unit main body 5.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
A bell mouth 30 is attached to the four beam members 28. The bell mouth 30 has a ventilating guide (ventilating member) 30a surrounding an outer circumferential part of the fan 23. The ventilating guide 30a forms a blow off port of the air from the outdoor unit main body 5. A support base (not shown) is bridged over the front and rear beam members 28, and the fan 23 is attached to the support base. Therefore, the beam members 28 also function as attachment members for attaching the fan 23.
As shown in
The outdoor heat exchanger 13 is bent in a substantially square shape so as to face (correspond to) the four side surfaces in a range excluding one corner portion (left front corner portion) 5A of the outdoor unit main body 5 along the four side surfaces. Specifically, the outdoor heat exchanger 13 has a front heat exchange portion 32 along the side surface on the front side of the outdoor unit main body 5 (front surface), a right heat exchange portion 33 along the side surface on the right side, a rear heat exchange portion 34 along the side surface on the rear side (rear surface), and a left heat exchange portion 35 along the side surface on the left side. A Part between the front heat exchange portion 32 and the right heat exchange portion 33, a part between the right heat exchange portion 33 and the rear heat exchange portion 34, and a part between the rear heat exchange portion 34 and the left heat exchange portion 35 are bent at substantially 90 degrees.
In the outdoor unit main body 5, the lower side panels 29 for closing an opening portion 36 (front opening portion 36A) formed between a left end portion 32a of the front heat exchange portion 32 and the left front support pillar 27 and an opening portion 36 (left opening portion 36B) formed between this support pillar 27 and a front end portion 35a of the left heat exchange portion 35 are detachably provided (refer to
It should be noted that the heat exchange portions 32 to 35 of the outdoor heat exchanger 13 do not necessarily face the side surfaces of the Outdoor unit main body 5 in parallel but may face the side surfaces in an inclined state.
As shown in
As shown in
Mount portions 41 slightly expanding upward are formed at a plurality of points in the bottom frame 26 below the outdoor heat exchanger 13, and the outdoor heat exchanger 13 is disposed on the mount portions 41. The mount portions 41 of the present embodiment are formed in a substantially oval shape or a substantially elliptic shape in a plan view. A drainage port 42 passing through in the up and down direction is formed in each of the mount portions 41. A recessed drainage passage 43 is formed between the adjacent mount portions 41 below the outdoor heat exchanger 13. Drainage ports 44 are also formed in the drainage passage 43.
Therefore, dew condensation water generated in the outdoor heat exchanger 13 when a heating operation is performed is discharged from the drainage ports 42 and 44 formed in the mount portions 41 and the drainage passage 43 to the lower side of the bottom frame 26. Even in a case where the dew condensation water frozen in the outdoor heat exchanger 13 is melted by a defrosting operation or the like, the dew condensation water is discharged from the drainage ports 42 and 44 to the lower side of the bottom frame 26. Since the drainage ports 42 and 44 are placed below the outdoor heat exchanger 13, the dew condensation water can be promptly discharged, and in particular, the dew condensation water melted by the defrosting operation can be favorably prevented from being frozen again on the bottom frame 26 or the like.
As shown in
Each of the base legs 40 of the present embodiment includes first parts 51 and a second part 52 with respect to the longitudinal direction. The first parts 51 correspond to both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the base leg 40, and the second part 52 corresponds to a part between the first parts 51 serving as both the end portions in the longitudinal direction.
Each of the first parts 51 is formed by a lower plate 51a mounted on the installment surface G, an upper plate 51b abutted with a lower surface of the bottom frame 26, and a standing plate 51c connecting the upper plate 51b and the lower plate 51a, and formed to have a U shape section. The second part 52 is formed by a lower plate 52a mounted on the installment surface G, an upper plate 52b abutted with a lower surface of the bottom frame 26, and a standing plate 52c connecting the upper plate 52b and the lower plate 52a, and formed to have a U shape section. However, the first parts 51 are formed to have a U shape section opening outward in the front and rear direction, and the second part 52 is formed to have a U shape section opening inward in the front and rear direction. That is, as shown in
As shown in
As described above, since the first part 51 is formed to have a U shape section opening outward in the front and rear direction, a task of inserting the anchor bolt 55 into the bolt insertion hole 51a1 can be performed while visually recognizing from an exterior, and a task of screwing side of the outdoor unit 2.
As shown in
The upper plate 52b in the second part 52 has smaller width in the front and rear direction than the upper plate 51b of the first part 51 (refer to
Since the second part 52 is formed in a U shape opening inward in the front and rear direction, the dew condensation water drained from the drainage ports 42, a trace of the dew condensation water, or the like is hidden by the standing plate 52c so as not to be exposed to the exterior. Therefore, an appearance of the outdoor unit 2 is hardly deteriorated.
It should be noted that the upper plate 52b of the present embodiment has small width in the front and rear direction over the entire length thereof. In other words, a retreat portion 52b1 retreating from the lower region of the drainage ports 42 is formed in the entire upper plate 52b. However, such a retreat portion 52b1 can also be formed only in a part corresponding to the lower region of the drainage ports 42.
The second part 52 may be formed only in a part corresponding to the drainage ports 42 and 44. That is, in the present embodiment, the first parts 51 are formed in both the end portions in the longitudinal direction of the base leg 40, and the part between the first parts entirely serves as the second part 52. However, only the part corresponding to the drainage ports 42 and 44 in the part between the first parts 51 in both the end portions of the base leg 40 may serve as the second part 52 opening inward in the front and rear direction, and the other parts not corresponding to the drainage ports 42 and 44 may open outward in the front and rear direction as well as the first parts 51.
As described above, the retreat portion 52b1 is formed in the upper plate 52b of the second part 52. Thus, a contact area with the bottom frame 26 is decreased, so that there is a negative effect that support strength of the bottom frame 26 is accordingly lowered. Therefore, a support portion 60 supporting the bottom frame 26 with the upper plate 52b is provided in the base leg 40 of the present embodiment. As shown in
As shown in
Ribs 53 extending in the front and rear direction protrude from borders between the lower plates 51a of the first parts 51 and the lower plate 52a of the second part 52 of the base leg 40. The ribs 53 have a function of preventing the dew condensation water dropped from the drainage ports 42 and 44 from flowing out from the lower plate 52a of the second part 52 to the side of the lower plates 51a of the first parts 51 (water outflow prevention function). Therefore, the dew condensation water can be prevented from flowing out from the first parts 51 opening outward in the front and rear direction so as to be exposed to the exterior.
It should be noted that the ribs 53 having the water outflow prevention function are not limited to the borders between the lower plates 51a and the lower plate 52a but may be formed at appropriate points in the middle of the longitudinal direction of the lower plate 52a. When the ribs are formed at any points of the lower plate 52a, an effect of reducing the dew condensation water flowing out from the lower plates 51a of the first parts 51 can be exerted. The ribs 53 may be formed by letting a part of the lower plate 52a protrude upward or may be formed by fixing a separate member to the lower plate 52a.
The upper plates 51b of the first parts 51 and the upper plate 52b of the second part 52 are formed so as not to be overlapped with each other in the left and right direction. Therefore, at the time of forming the first parts 51 and the second part 52 by bending one plate material, the processing can be easily performed.
As shown in
Meanwhile, the support pillar 27 has a main body portion 27a bent in a substantially square tubular shape in which one corner portion is opened, in a plan view, and a pair of attachment plates 27b extending in the front and rear direction and the left and right direction from both ends of the opened part of the main body portion 27a. By fitting the main body portion 27a of the support pillar 27 to the fitting portion 40a and screwing a bolt 58 inserted into a bolt insertion hole (not shown) which is formed in one of the attachment plates 27b into the female screw hole 40b1 formed in the support plate 40b, the support pillar 27 is fixed to the base leg 40. The attachment plates 27b of the support pillar 27 are also fixed to an edge portion of the bottom frame 26 by bolts (not shown).
As shown in an A part of
The coupling structure 70 of the present embodiment has an engagement hook 71 formed in an end portion of the beam member 28, and an engagement hole 72 formed in the support pillar 27. The engagement hook 71 is formed by bending and letting a part of the beam member 28 extend forward in an L shape. The engagement hook 71 is formed in a substantially trapezoid shape in which width a2 of a tip end portion (lower end portion) is smaller than width a1 of a base end portion (upper end portion). A female screw hole 73 is formed below the engagement hook 71.
Meanwhile, the engagement hole 72 formed in the support pillar 27 is formed to have larger size than the engagement hook 71. Specifically, the engagement hole 72 is formed in a substantially trapezoid shape in which width b2 of a lower end edge is smaller than width b1 of an upper end edge. Height b3 in the up and down direction of the engagement hole 72 is larger than height a3 in the up and down direction of the engagement hook 71. The width b2 of the lower end edge of the engagement hole 72 is the same as or slightly larger than the width a1 of the base end portion of the engagement hook 71, and a size difference between the both (b2−a1) is set to be smaller than size α shown in
The beam member 28 is temporarily fastened to the support pillar 27 by engaging the engagement hook 71 with the engagement hole 72, and fixed by screwing the bolt 75 inserted into the bolt insertion hole 74 into the female screw hole 73. More specifically, by inserting the engagement hook 71 into the engagement hole 72 and moving the engagement hook downward, the base end portion of the engagement hook 71 is engaged with a lower edge of the engagement hole 72. At this time, positions of the female screw hole 73 and the bolt insertion hole 74 are matched with each other. Thus, the bolt 75 is inserted into the bolt insertion hole 74 and the bolt 75 is screwed into the female screw hole 73.
As described above, the width a1 of the base end portion of the engagement hook 71 is the same as the width b2 of the lower end edge of the engagement hole 72 or slightly smaller than the width b2. Thus, an almost no gap is generated between the both when the base end portion of the engagement hook 71 is engaged with a lower edge portion of the engagement hole 72. Therefore, variation of a coupling position between the support pillar 27 and the beam member 28 can be reduced. The size difference between the width a1 of the base end portion of the engagement hook 71 and the width b2 of the lower end edge of the engagement hole 72 is smaller than the size difference a between the bolt insertion hole 74 and the female screw hole 73. Thus, by engaging the base end portion of the engagement hook 71 with the lower edge portion of the engagement hole 72, the positions of the bolt insertion hole 74 and the female screw hole 73 can be reliably matched with each other, so that a task of inserting the bolt 75 into the bolt insertion hole 74 and screwing the bolt into the female screw hole 73 can be easily performed.
The engagement hole 72 is formed in such a manner that the width b1 of the upper end edge thereof is larger than the width b2 of the lower end edge. Thus, the engagement hook 71 can be readily inserted into the engagement hole 72. Further, in the engagement, hook 71, the width a2 of the front end portion is smaller than the width a1 of the base end portion. From this, the engagement hook 71 can be also easily inserted into the engagement hole 72.
A base leg 40 of the present embodiment is different from the above first embodiment in a point, that a support portion 60 provided in a second part 52 is integrated with a standing plate 52c. Therefore, a step of manufacturing the support portion (support plate) 60 separately from the base leg 40, and a step of attaching the support portion 60 to the base leg 40 are not required. Thus, manufacturing cost can be reduced.
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments but can be appropriately changed within the scope of the invention described in the claims.
For example, the base legs 40 are provided on the lower surfaces of the front edge portion and the rear edge portion of the bottom frame 26 in the above embodiments. However, the base legs 40 may be provided on lower surfaces of a right edge portion and a left edge portion of the bottom frame 26, or the base legs 40 may be provided on lower surfaces of the edge portions of all the four sides of the bottom frame 26.
In the base leg 40, the retreat portion 52b1 formed in the upper plate 52b of the second part 52 is not limited to the mode that the upper plate 52b retreats to the outer side in the front and rear direction (horizontal direction) but the retreat portion may be formed for example by a hole or an opening in a shape corresponding to the drainage ports 42 and 44.
The present invention can also be applied to an outdoor unit 2 including an outdoor heat exchanger arranged in a U shape along three side surfaces of the outdoor unit main body 5 or an outdoor heat exchanger arranged in an L shape along two side surfaces of the outdoor unit main body 5.
The present invention is not limited to the upward blow-off type outdoor unit 2 but can also be applied to a sideways blow-off type outdoor unit 2.
The outdoor unit 2 of the above embodiments includes one compressor 11 and one fan 23, and the bottom frame 26 is formed in a substantially regular square shape in a plan view. However, the present invention can also be applied to an outdoor unit 2 including two (or more) compressors 11 and two (or more) fans 23, in which a bottom frame 26 is enlarged in a substantially oblong shape in a plan view. In this case, base legs 40 can be provided in edge portions of long sides and/or short sides of the bottom frame 26.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-262616 | Nov 2011 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2012/078831 | 11/7/2012 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2013/080760 | 6/6/2013 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5664430 | Karman | Sep 1997 | A |
| 8931300 | Smith | Jan 2015 | B2 |
| 20050000239 | Ishihara et al. | Jan 2005 | A1 |
| 20050034471 | Shin | Feb 2005 | A1 |
| 20070169925 | Leman et al. | Jul 2007 | A1 |
| 20090107161 | Jang et al. | Apr 2009 | A1 |
| 20110154845 | Ashida | Jun 2011 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2000130800 | May 2000 | JP |
| 2007-147250 | Jun 2007 | JP |
| Entry |
|---|
| English translation of Abstract of JP 2000-130800A. |
| International Search Report for PCT/JP2012/078831 mailed on Feb. 5, 2013. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20150000321 A1 | Jan 2015 | US |
