This application is a U.S. national stage application of PCT/JP2016/086005 filed on Dec. 5, 2016, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to an outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus in which the fixing position of an electrical component unit is determined and the electrical component unit is mounted.
In a conventional outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus, when mounting an electrical component unit, the electrical component unit is positioned by inserting a protruding portion of a cover of the electrical component unit into an insertion hole provided in a partition plate. Then, the electrical component unit is screw-fixed from the upper part of the outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-147466
In an outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus, generally, an electrical component unit is disposed in the upper part of the outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus to avoid trouble caused by dew condensation water in the refrigerant pipe or dripping of drain water generated during operation. However, the increase in the size of the outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus accompanying the recent expansion of the cooling and heating capacity has resulted in an increase in the height of the outdoor unit due to an increase in the number of rows of the heat exchanger for the purpose of increasing the capacity.
As a result, when the outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus is placed on the work table at the time of manufacture of the outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus, the mounting position of the electrical component unit becomes so high that it is difficult for the worker to visually check and to determine the fixing position of the electrical component unit. Therefore, it may be necessary for the worker to climb on a step stool to a height at which the worker can visually check the screw hole to reliably mount the electrical component unit. As a result, the work efficiency at the time of manufacture is deteriorated.
The present invention is aimed at solving the above problem, and an object thereof is to provide an outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus in which when an electrical component unit is mounted, the fixing position of the electrical component unit is easily determined, and the work efficiency at the time of manufacture is improved.
An outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention includes a fan chamber in which a fan is provided and a machine chamber in which a compressor is provided, a partition plate separating the fan chamber and the machine chamber, and an electrical component unit having a control board on which an electrical component is mounted and a holder that holds the control board and is fixed to an upper part of the partition plate. The partition plate is provided with, in its upper part, a planar receiving surface portion for receiving the holder. The holder is provided with a positioning protrusion protruding downward. A cutout portion into which the positioning protrusion is inserted is formed in the receiving surface portion. At least one inclined surface portion that is inclined downward from the receiving surface portion and guides the positioning protrusion to the cutout portion is provided at an end portion of the receiving surface portion that leads to the cutout portion.
According to the outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention, at least one inclined surface portion that is inclined downward from the receiving surface portion and guides the positioning protrusion to the cutout portion is provided at an end portion of the receiving surface portion that leads to the cutout portion. Whereby, the positioning protrusion is guided smoothly to the cutout portion by the inclined surface portion, and the positioning protrusion can be positioned in the cutout portion. Therefore, when the electrical component unit is mounted, the fixing position of the electrical component unit is easily determined, and the work efficiency at the time of manufacturing can be improved.
Hereinafter, an outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus in the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, the relationship of sizes of the components may differ from that of actual ones. In the following drawings, those denoted by the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent, and this applies throughout the entire text of the specification. Furthermore, the forms of components described in the full text of the specification are merely illustrative, and the present invention should not be limited to these descriptions.
A heat exchanger 10, a propeller fan 11 disposed in front of the heat exchanger 10, a motor 12 to which the propeller fan 11 is attached, and a motor mounting base 13 holding the motor 12 are provided in the fan chamber 5.
When the propeller fan 11 operates, air flows into the outdoor unit 100 of an air-conditioning apparatus from the back and the left through the heat exchanger 10. The air flowing into the outdoor unit 100 of an air-conditioning apparatus flows through the heat exchanger 10 in the ventilation direction, passes through the propeller fan 11, and flows out to the front of the outdoor unit 100 of an air-conditioning apparatus. Thus, for example, during the cooling operation, the refrigerant in the heat exchanger 10 is cooled by heat exchange with inflowing air, and the air passing through the heat exchanger 10 is heated after heat exchange with the refrigerant. For example, during the heating operation, the refrigerant in the heat exchanger 10 is heated by heat exchange with inflowing air, and the air passing through the heat exchanger 10 is cooled after heat exchange with the refrigerant.
A compressor 14, a refrigerant pipe 15, an electrical component unit 16, and a power supply board 17 are provided in the machine chamber 6. The refrigerant sent from an indoor unit (not shown) is compressed by the compressor 14, passes through the refrigerant pipe 15, and is sent to the heat exchanger 10. The electrical component unit 16 has a control board 18 on which electrical components for controlling the air-conditioning apparatus are mounted, and supplies power to each component. The electrical component unit 16 has a substantially cuboid shape that is thin in the vertical direction. The power supply board 17 draws electricity from the power supply to the control board 18. A terminal block 19 for connecting the outdoor unit 100 of an air-conditioning apparatus and the indoor unit (not shown) with a communication wire is screw-fixed to the power supply board 17.
The back surface of the board fixing frame 20 has a downward protruding V-shaped positioning protrusion 27 that has a gap 26 between positioning protrusion 27 and the contact surface portion 24. The positioning protrusion 27 is V-shaped in cross section, and a V-shaped cross section is formed to have a finite width in the front-back direction. Since the positioning protrusion 27 has a finite width, the distal end portion comes into line contact with a receiving surface portion 29 and inclined surface portions 32 that are described later and can slide stably. The positioning protrusion 27 is connected by a rib 28 that causes the upper base portion thereof to protrude from the main body portion 25 to the back, and has a gap 26 extending in the front-back direction between the positioning protrusion 27 and the main body portion 25 holding the control board 18 of the board fixing frame 20. The positioning protrusion 27 may be provided in a shape other than a V shape, for example, it may be provided in a U shape. The positioning protrusion 27 may have a hemispherical distal end having no finite width in the front-back direction.
The receiving surface portion 29 is provided with, in its middle part, a cutout portion 31 into which the positioning protrusion 27 is inserted. The cutout portion 31 is a space, and when the receiving surface portion 29 and the rib 28 of the board fixing frame 20 are brought into contact with each other, the positioning protrusion 27 is caused to protrude downward.
Inclined surface portions 32 that are inclined downward from the receiving surface portion 29 and guide the positioning protrusion 27 to the cutout portion 31 are provided at end portions of the receiving surface portion 29 that lead to the cutout portion 31. The inclined surface portions 32 are bent obliquely downward from the receiving surface portion 29. The inclined surface portions 32 are formed in a pair on both left and right sides of the cutout portion 31. The inclined surface portions 32 are inclined at an angle along the V-shaped finite width side surface of the positioning protrusion 27. Therefore, the inclined surface portions 32 are brought into contact with the base portion of the positioning protrusion 27 in a state where the positioning protrusion 27 is inserted into the cutout portion 31 and the fixing position of the electrical component unit 16 is determined in the upper part of the partition plate 7.
As shown in
The electrical component unit 16 is temporarily placed in a state where the distal end of the positioning protrusion 27 of the board fixing frame 20 is in contact with the receiving surface portion 29 of the partition plate 7. In this temporarily placed state, the contact surface portion 24 of the main body portion 25 holding the control board 18 of the board fixing frame 20 is in contact with the front side of the partition plate 7 for a period of time including a time when the positioning protrusion 27 is thereafter guided to the cutout portion 31 by the receiving surface portion 29 and the inclined surface portions 32. Then, as shown in
According to Embodiment 1, the outdoor unit 100 of an air-conditioning apparatus includes a fan chamber 5 in which a propeller fan 11 is provided and a machine chamber 6 in which a compressor 14 is provided. The outdoor unit 100 of an air-conditioning apparatus includes an upright partition plate 7 separating the fan chamber 5 and the machine chamber 6. The outdoor unit 100 of an air-conditioning apparatus includes an electrical component unit 16 having a control board 18 on which electrical components for controlling the air-conditioning apparatus are mounted and a board fixing frame 20 that holds the control board 18 and is fixed to the upper part of the partition plate 7. The partition plate 7 is provided with, in its upper part, a planar receiving surface portion 29 for receiving the board fixing frame 20. The board fixing frame 20 is provided with a positioning protrusion 27 protruding downward. A cutout portion 31 into which the positioning protrusion 27 is inserted is formed in the receiving surface portion 29. Inclined surface portions 32 that are inclined downward from the receiving surface portion 29 and guide the positioning protrusion 27 to the cutout portion 31 are provided at end portions of the receiving surface portion 29 that lead to the cutout portion 31.
Due to this configuration, the positioning protrusion 27 is smoothly guided to the cutout portion 31 by the inclined surface portions 32, and the positioning protrusion 27 can be positioned in the cutout portion 31. Therefore, when the electrical component unit 16 is mounted, the fixing position of the electrical component unit 16 is easily determined, and the work efficiency at the time of manufacturing can be improved. Further, since the positioning protrusion 27 is guided downward by the inclined surface portions 32, the impact on the electrical component unit 16 caused by falling of the electrical component unit 16 for a distance corresponding to the height of the positioning protrusion 27 when the positioning protrusion 27 is positioned in the cutout portion 31 can be mitigated. Therefore, the electrical component unit 16 is less likely to malfunction, and the electrical component unit 16 can be mounted.
According to Embodiment 1, the inclined surface portions 32 come into contact with the base portion of the positioning protrusion 27 in a state where the positioning protrusion 27 is inserted into the cutout portion 31 and the fixing position of the electrical component unit 16 is determined in the upper part of the partition plate 7.
According to this configuration, the inclined surface portions 32 come into contact with the base portion of the positioning protrusion 27, and the positioning protrusion 27 can stably be positioned in the cutout portion 31. Therefore, the fixing position of the electrical component unit 16 is accurately determined in the upper part of the partition plate 7, work such as screw-fixing to the electrical component unit 16 after positioning can be performed quickly, and the work efficiency at the time of manufacturing can be improved.
According to Embodiment 1, the partition plate 7 having the receiving surface portion 29 and the inclined surface portions 32 is made of a sheet of metal. The receiving surface portion 29 is formed by bending the upper part of the partition plate 7. The inclined surface portions 32 are formed by cutting a part of the receiving surface portion 29 and bending it downward.
According to this configuration, simplification of configuration can be obtained, the number of parts can be reduced, and cost reduction can be achieved.
According to Embodiment 1, the inclined surface portions 32 are formed in pairs on both sides of the cutout portion 31 by cutting a part of the receiving surface portion 29.
According to this configuration, the positioning protrusion 27 is smoothly guided from either side of the cutout portion 31 by the pair of inclined surface portions 32, and the positioning protrusion 27 can be positioned in the cutout portion 31.
According to Embodiment 1, a gap 26 is provided between the positioning protrusion 27 and the main body portion 25 holding the control board 18 of the board fixing frame 20. The upper end portion 33 of the partition plate 7 adjacent to the cutout portion 31 enters the gap 26 when the positioning protrusion 27 is inserted into the cutout portion 31 and the fixing position of the electrical component unit 16 is fixed in the upper part of the partition plate 7.
Due to this configuration, the upper end portion 33 of the partition plate 7 adjacent to the cutout portion 31 enters the gap 26, and the electrical component unit 16 can be prevented from being displaced away from the partition plate 7 in the front-back direction. Further, at this time, since the positioning protrusion 27 is inserted into the cutout portions 31, the electrical component unit 16 can also be prevented from being displaced in the left-right direction and the vertical direction. Therefore, the fixing position of the electrical component unit 16 is accurately determined in the upper part of the partition plate 7 in all directions, and work such as screw-fixing to the electrical component unit 16 after positioning can be performed quickly, and the work efficiency at the time of manufacturing can be improved.
According to Embodiment 1, the positioning protrusion 27 is V-shaped.
Due to this configuration, it is possible to reduce the area where the lower end of the positioning protrusion 27 contacts the receiving surface portion 29 and the inclined surface portions 32. Therefore, the positioning protrusion 27 can smoothly move relative to the receiving surface portion 29 and the inclined surface portions 32.
According to Embodiment 1, there is provided a screw-fixing portion 34 that is screw-fixed in a state where the positioning protrusion 27 is inserted into the cutout portion 31 and the fixing position of the electrical component unit 16 is determined in the upper part of the partition plate 7.
According to this configuration, after the fixing position of the electrical component unit 16 is accurately determined in the upper part of the partition plate 7, the electrical component unit 16 can be easily screw-fixed to the partition plate 7 at the screw-fixing portion 34, and the work efficiency at the time of manufacturing can be improved.
According to Embodiment 1, the main body portion 25 holding the control board 18 of the board fixing frame 20 comes into contact with the partition plate 7 when the positioning protrusion 27 is guided to the cutout portion 31 by the receiving surface portion 29 and the inclined surface portions 32.
According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent a situation where the main body portion 25 holding the control board 18 of the board fixing frame 20 does not come into contact with the partition plate 7, the electrical component unit 16 is separated from the partition plate 7, and the positioning protrusion 27 cannot determine the guide position relative to the receiving surface portion 29 and the inclined surface portions 32. Therefore, the positioning protrusion 27 is smoothly guided to the cutout portion 31 by the receiving surface portion 29 and the inclined surface portions 32.
It should be noted that embodiments disclosed above are examples in all respects and are not restrictive. It is intended that the scope of the present invention is defined not by the above description but by the claims and includes all modifications within meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.
front plate 2 side plate 3 top plate 4 protective cover 5 fan chamber 6 machine chamber 7 partition plate 8 leg portion 9 bottom plate 10 heat exchanger 11 propeller fan 12 motor 13 motor mounting base 14 compressor 15 refrigerant pipe 16 electrical component unit 17 power supply board 18 control board 19 terminal block 20 board fixing frame 21 board protection sheet metal 22 heat sink 23 heat sink fixing sheet metal 24 contact surface portion 25 main body portion 26 gap 27 positioning protrusion 28 rib 29 receiving surface portion 30 supporting surface portion 31 cutout portion 32 inclined surface portion 33 upper end portion 34 screw-fixing portion 100 outdoor unit
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/JP2016/086005 | 12/5/2016 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2018/104990 | 6/14/2018 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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20100294466 | Shimaoka | Nov 2010 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
203718977 | Jul 2014 | CN |
106016503 | Oct 2016 | CN |
2 455 674 | May 2012 | EP |
2003-246247 | Sep 2003 | JP |
2003-269747 | Sep 2003 | JP |
2005-147466 | Jun 2005 | JP |
2006-064208 | Mar 2006 | JP |
2010-175228 | Aug 2010 | JP |
2011-021776 | Feb 2011 | JP |
2016-043748 | Apr 2016 | JP |
Entry |
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International Search Report of the International Searching Authority dated Feb. 28, 2017 for the corresponding international application No. PCT/JP2016/086005 (and English translation). |
Extended European Search Report dated Oct. 21, 2019 for the corresponding EP application No. 16923212.1. |
Office Action dated Jun. 2, 2020 issued in corresponding JP patent application No. 2018-555325 (and English translation). |
Office Action dated Jun. 2, 2020 issued in corresponding CN patent application No. 201680091267.3 (and English translation). |
Office Action dated Dec. 8, 2020 issued in corresponding JP patent application No. 2018-555325 (and English translation). |
Office Action dated Jan. 26, 2021 issued in corresponding CN patent application No. 201680091267.3 (and English machine translation). |
Office Action dated Dec. 9, 2020 issued in corresponding EP patent application No. 16923212.1. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20190285288 A1 | Sep 2019 | US |