CN112833467B

CN112833467B - Indoor unit of air conditioner

Info

Publication number: CN112833467B
Application number: CN202011298246.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 合田宪史
Original assignee: Sharp Corp
Current assignee: Sharp Corp
Priority date: 2019-11-25
Filing date: 2020-11-18
Publication date: 2024-10-29
Anticipated expiration: 2040-11-18
Also published as: CN112833467A; JP2021085556A; JP2023126587A; JP7317683B2

Abstract

An indoor unit of an air conditioner is provided with: a first suction port formed on an upper surface or a front surface of the indoor unit main body; a second suction port which is a hole formed on the lower surface of the indoor unit main body; a sensor that detects the amount of a substance contained in the air sucked from the second suction port; a filter for removing dust contained in the air flowing into the sensor; and a filter support member that supports the filter, the filter support member being provided in the indoor unit main body so as to be attachable and detachable in the front-rear direction.

Description

Indoor unit of air conditioner

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an indoor unit of an air conditioner.

Background

In an indoor unit of an air conditioner, a sensor may be provided to detect a state of air taken in. For example, japanese patent application laid-open No. 2001-91042 discloses the following technique: a sensor is provided in an air path connecting a suction port formed on the front surface of the indoor unit main body and the blower, and detects the state of air sucked from the suction port.

Disclosure of Invention

However, in the conventional art described above, the sensor detects the state of air sucked from the suction port formed in the front surface of the indoor unit main body. Therefore, there is a problem in that it is difficult to detect the state of the air in the living space below the indoor unit.

Further, a suction port may be formed in the upper surface of the indoor unit main body. In this case, even if a sensor is provided in the duct connecting the air inlet on the upper surface of the indoor unit main body and the blower, it is difficult to detect the state of the air in the living space below the indoor unit.

An object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide an indoor unit of an air conditioner that can accurately detect the state of air in a living space and that is excellent in maintainability.

In order to solve the above problems, an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a first suction port formed on at least one of an upper surface and a front surface of the indoor unit main body, for sucking air; a second suction port formed on a lower surface of the indoor unit main body and configured to suck air; a sensor that detects an amount of a substance contained in the air sucked from the second suction port; a filter that is disposed between the second suction port and the sensor and that removes dust contained in the air flowing into the sensor; and a filter support member that supports the filter, the filter support member being detachably provided to the indoor unit body from the front of the indoor unit body in the front-rear direction of the indoor unit body.

According to one aspect of the present invention, an indoor unit of an air conditioner that can accurately detect the state of air in a living space and has excellent maintainability can be provided.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the indoor unit shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a drain pan provided in the indoor unit shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the sensor housing is removed from the drain pan shown in fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing a windshield portion of the drain pan shown in fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a casing of the indoor unit shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which the filter housing is removed from the casing shown in fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which the filter is removed from the filter case shown in fig. 7.

Detailed Description

[ First embodiment ]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to fig. 1 to 8. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of an indoor unit 1 of an air conditioner according to the present embodiment. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a part of the indoor unit 1 shown in fig. 1.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner includes an indoor unit main body 10, an air deflector 20 disposed on a front surface of the indoor unit main body 10, a horizontal louver 21, a filter 30, and a filter housing (filter support member) 40. The width direction when the indoor unit body 10 is viewed from the front surface (front surface) is set to the left-right direction, the depth direction of the indoor unit body 10 is set to the front-rear direction, and the height direction of the indoor unit body 10 is set to the up-down direction.

The air guide plate 20 and the lateral louver 21 are members that guide the flow of air blown out from the indoor unit body 10 in a desired direction by changing the angle of arrangement with respect to the indoor unit body 10. The air guide plate 20 and the horizontal louver 21 are independent, and the angle of arrangement with respect to the indoor unit main body 10 is changed. The transverse louver 21 is smaller than the air deflector 20. Therefore, the direction of the air blown out from the indoor unit main body 10 can be finely adjusted by the horizontal louver 21 as compared to the air guide plate 20.

The indoor unit main body 10 includes a casing main body (not shown), a casing cover 11, a blower 12A, a heat exchanger 18, a drain pan (partition wall) 17, and the like. The blower 12A, the heat exchanger 18, the drain pan 17, and the like are attached to the casing main body, and the casing cover 11 is fitted so as to cover the casing main body.

(Suction outlet and suction inlet)

A blowout port 10A for blowing out air while opening a part of the casing 11 is formed on the front surface of the indoor unit main body 10. A first suction port 10B through which air is sucked and a part of the casing 11 is opened is formed in the upper surface of the indoor unit body 10. A hole that opens a part of the casing 11 and sucks air, that is, a second suction port 10C is formed in the lower surface of the indoor unit main body 10.

The indoor unit main body 10 has formed therein: an upper air path through which air sucked from the first suction port 10B passes and reaches the blowout port 10A, and a lower air path through which air sucked from the second suction port 10C passes and reaches the blowout port 10A.

The blower 12A is disposed in a blower chamber 12 surrounded by a casing main body, a casing cover 11, and a drain pan 17. The upper air path and the lower air path are each provided with a blower chamber 12.

The blower 12A sucks air from the first suction port 10B and the second suction port 10C by rotation of a blower fan provided in the blower 12A. The blower 12A blows the sucked air to the air outlet 10A by rotation of the blower fan.

The heat exchanger 18 is a member that cools or heats the temperature of air passing through the inside to a desired temperature. The air blown from the blower 12A to the air outlet 10A is cooled or heated to a desired temperature by the heat exchanger 18, and then blown out from the air outlet 10A.

Thus, the air sucked from the first suction port 10B and the second suction port 10C is blown out from the air outlet 10A through the blower 12A and the heat exchanger 18. The air deflector 20 is disposed in front of the air outlet 10A, and guides the flow of air blown out from the air outlet 10A in a desired direction.

In the present embodiment, the blower 12A preferably includes a sirocco fan as the blower fan. According to this configuration, the negative pressure generated around the inner hole 17A of the blower chamber 12 by the rotation of the blower fan can be easily increased, and thus air can be easily sucked from the second suction port 10C. The internal hole 17A will be described later.

The present invention is not limited to this, and the blower 12A may have various blower fans other than the sirocco fan. The blower 12A may include, for example, a cross flow fan as a blower fan.

The distance d1 between the front end of the lower surface of the indoor unit main body 10 and the second suction port 10C is preferably 90mm or more. In other words, the second suction port 10C is preferably formed at a position distant from the front end of the lower surface of the indoor unit body 10 by 90mm or more toward the rear side.

According to such a configuration, the distance between the air outlet 10A and the second air inlet 10C is appropriately separated. Therefore, the air blown out from the air outlet 10A can be effectively suppressed from being directly sucked from the second air inlet 10C. Therefore, in the indoor unit 1, the air in the room provided with the indoor unit 1 is easily sucked from the second suction port 10C as compared with the air blown out from the air outlet 10A.

When the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner includes a filter (not shown) having a high air purifying effect, such as a HEPA filter (HIGH EFFICIENCY Particulate AIR FILTER), for example, the air blown out from the air outlet 10A becomes purified air. The HEPA filter allows air sucked by the blower 12A to pass therethrough, thereby trapping and removing particles such as dust contained in the air, and purifying the air.

Therefore, when clean air blown out from the air outlet 10A is sucked from the second air inlet 10C and mixed with air to be detected by the dust sensor 14 and the odor sensor 15, there is a possibility that the accuracy of detecting the state of air in the living space is lowered. According to the above configuration, mixing of the clean air blown out from the air outlet 10A and the air sucked from the second air inlet 10C can be effectively suppressed. Therefore, the state of the air in the living space can be detected more accurately than in the case where the second suction port 10C is provided near the front end of the indoor unit main body 10.

(Sensor)

The air sucked from the second suction port 10C is detected by a dust sensor (sensor) 14 and an odor sensor (sensor) 15 provided in the indoor unit 1. The dust sensor 14 and the odor sensor 15 are accommodated in a sensor housing 16 disposed on a drain pan 17.

The dust sensor 14 and the odor sensor 15 are sensors for detecting the amount of substances contained in the air sucked through the second suction port 10C. Specifically, the dust sensor 14 is a sensor that detects the amount of dust contained in the air sucked from the second suction port 10C (for example, the number of particles of dust per unit volume). Further, the odor sensor 15 is a sensor that detects the amount of an odor substance (for example, the concentration of the odor substance) contained in the air sucked from the second suction port 10C. The sensor housing 16 is disposed on a path through which air sucked from the second suction port 10C formed on the lower surface of the indoor unit body 10 passes.

The indoor unit 1 is generally disposed above the room. Therefore, in the room, a living space in which a person is living is located substantially below the indoor unit 1. However, since the first suction port 10B is formed on the upper surface of the indoor unit body 10, the air sucked from the first suction port 10B is mainly limited to the air above the room. Therefore, when air detected by the sensors such as the dust sensor 14 and the odor sensor 15 is sucked from the first suction port 10B, the state of the air in the living space cannot be accurately detected.

Here, the indoor unit 1 is configured to detect not the air sucked from the first suction port 10B by the dust sensor 14 and the odor sensor 15, but the air sucked from the second suction port 10C formed on the lower surface of the indoor unit body 10 by the dust sensor 14 and the odor sensor 15. The second suction port 10C formed on the lower surface of the indoor unit body 10 is easier to suck air in the living space than the first suction port 10B. Therefore, the dust sensor 14 and the odor sensor 15 that detect the amount of the substance contained in the air sucked from the second suction port 10C can accurately detect the state of the air in the living space.

For example, when the indoor unit 1 has a function of detecting the cleanliness of the air in the room and notifying the user, the indoor unit 1 can accurately notify the user of the state of the air in the living space. In addition, when the indoor unit 1 has a function of removing dust, odor, or the like in the air, the indoor unit 1 can accurately perform the function of removing dust, odor, or the like based on the state of the air in the living space.

The indoor unit 1 may include only the dust sensor 14 as a sensor housed in the sensor housing 16, or may include only the odor sensor 15 as a sensor housed in the sensor housing 16. The sensors included in the indoor unit 1 are not limited to the dust sensor 14 and the odor sensor 15, and any sensors may be used as long as they detect the amount of the substance contained in the air.

(Drainage tray)

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of the drain pan 17 provided in the indoor unit 1 shown in fig. 1, and fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the sensor housing 16 is removed from the drain pan 17 shown in fig. 3.

The drain pan 17 is a member that receives condensed water generated by the heat exchanger 18. As shown in fig. 2, the drain pan 17 is disposed at a lower portion of the indoor unit main body 10, and is connected to a drain pipe (not shown) for discharging condensed water.

The drain pan 17 also functions as a partition wall that partitions the blower chamber 12 and the space in which the sensor housing 16 is disposed in the up-down direction. An inner hole 17A penetrating in the up-down direction (thickness direction) is formed in the drain pan 17, and a windshield 171 is integrally formed on the upper surface of the drain pan 17 so as to surround the inner hole 17A. In fig. 2, an air flow line in the blower chamber 12 is indicated by an arrow Y. The air sucked from the second suction port 10C passes through the inner hole 17A and flows into the blower chamber 12 from the opening 171A.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing a windshield 171 of the drain pan 17 shown in fig. 3. As shown in fig. 2 and 5, the windshield 171 is provided so as to cover at least the windward side of the inner hole 17A. In the present embodiment, the windshield 171 is formed so as to cover the front, upper, and left and right sides of the windward side of the internal hole 17A, and the opening 171A is formed at the rear of the leeward side of the internal hole 17A.

By providing the damper portion 171, even when strong air vortex flows exist in the blower chamber 12 by the suction of the blower 12A, air under the drain pan 17 can be efficiently sucked through the inner hole 17A.

Further, as a more preferable configuration, a portion of the windshield 171 facing upward from the front is curved to be curved. This reduces the influence of the damper 171 on the original air flow flowing in the blower chamber 12, indicated by the arrow Y.

As shown in fig. 3 and 4, a sensor case 16 is disposed on the drain pan 17, and the sensor case 16 accommodates the dust sensor 14 and the odor sensor 15. The sensor housing 16 is configured to be attached to the drain pan 17 from below.

(Filter)

As shown in fig. 2, a filter 30 is provided on the upstream side of the dust sensor 14 and the odor sensor 15 to prevent a failure caused by inflow of dust such as filings. More specifically, the filter 30 is disposed between the second suction port 10C and the sensor housing 16, and more specifically, between the second suction port 10C and the dust sensor 14, and is disposed above the second suction port 10C. The filter 30 removes dust contained in the air flowing into the dust sensor 14 and the odor sensor 15.

The air sucked from the second suction port 10C is blown out from the air outlet 10A through the filter 30, the dust sensor 14, the odor sensor 15, the inner hole 17A, the damper portion 171, the blower 12A, and the heat exchanger 18. In other words, the dust sensor 14 and the odor sensor 15 are disposed on a path between the internal hole 17A and the second suction port 10C through which the air sucked from the second suction port 10C passes.

The filter 30 removes dust, so that malfunction of the dust sensor 14 and the odor sensor 15 can be avoided. In order to more reliably avoid malfunctions of the dust sensor 14 and the odor sensor 15, the filter 30 is preferably a coarse dust filter capable of removing coarse dust (relatively large dust of a predetermined size or more). Specifically, a filter having about 30 units per inch is preferably used. If a filter having an excessively small mesh (large number of cells) is used, air intake is hindered, and substances contained in the air in the living space below the indoor unit 1 are trapped by the filter, so that the amount of the substances cannot be accurately detected.

The filter 30 needs to be removed by a user of the air conditioner to periodically perform maintenance such as cleaning. However, the indoor unit 1 is often disposed on a window, and in this case, the curtain rail is located immediately below the indoor unit 1. Further, furniture may be disposed immediately below the indoor unit 1.

When an installation object such as a curtain rail or furniture is present directly below the indoor unit 1, it is difficult to perform the operation of attaching and detaching the filter 30 from the lower side of the indoor unit 1, and the workability in attaching and detaching the filter 30 is lowered. Therefore, in the present embodiment, as described below, the filter 30 is supported by the filter housing 40, and the filter housing 40 is configured to be attachable and detachable in the front-rear direction.

(Filter housing)

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of the casing 11 of the indoor unit 1 shown in fig. 1, and fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which the filter housing 40 is removed from the casing 11 shown in fig. 6. As shown in fig. 6 and 7, an insertion port 11D for inserting the filter housing 40 is formed in a lower portion of the front surface of the housing cover 11. As shown in fig. 2, a main body side engagement portion 111 for positioning the filter housing 40 in the front-rear direction is provided in the insertion port 11D of the housing cover 11.

The filter housing 40 supports the filter 30. The filter housing 40 is detachably provided to the housing 11 through the insertion port 11D from the front of the housing 11 in the front-rear direction.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which the filter 30 is removed from the filter housing 40 shown in fig. 7. As shown in fig. 8, the filter housing 40 includes a front wall 41, a rear wall 42, a left wall 43, a right wall 44, a bottom 45, a front rib 46, and a rear rib 47.

The front rib 46 and the rear rib 47 are provided between the front wall 41 and the rear wall 42 so as to extend in the left-right direction and the up-down direction, and the front rib 46 is located on the front side of the rear rib 47. The front side rib 46 and the rear side rib 47 extend over the entire width of the filter housing 40 in the left-right direction.

A case hole 45A extending in the left-right direction is formed between the rear rib 47 and the rear wall portion 42 in the bottom portion 45. The case hole 45A extends over the entire width of the filter housing 40 in the right-left direction. The length of the casing hole 45A in the lateral direction may be the same as the length of the second suction port 10C (shown in fig. 1) in the lateral direction, or may be longer than the length of the second suction port 10C in the lateral direction. As shown in fig. 2, the length of the casing hole 45A in the front-rear direction may be the same as the length of the second suction port 10C in the front-rear direction, or longer than the length of the second suction port 10C in the front-rear direction.

In the case where the opening area of the casing hole 45A is larger than the opening area of the second suction port 10C, for example, even if there is some error in the mounting position of the filter housing 40, the air sucked from the second suction port 10C easily reaches the filter 30 through the casing hole 45A. Therefore, the opening area of the casing hole 45A is preferably larger than the opening area of the second suction port 10C.

The filter 30 is accommodated in the rear end side of the filter housing 40, more specifically, between the rear rib 47 and the rear wall 42 and between the left wall 43 and the right wall 44. Therefore, the filter 30 accommodated in the filter housing 40 is located at the upper portion of the case hole 45A. The filter 30 is fixed by claws 432 and 442 provided on the upper edge portions of the left wall portion 43 and the right wall portion 44, respectively. The rear wall portion 42 is cut from above near the center in the lateral direction, and the extending portion 421 is provided so as to extend rearward from the cut edge portion.

The front side portions of the left wall portion 43 and the right wall portion 44 are provided with the component-side engaging portions 431 and 441 as laterally symmetrical stepped portions, respectively. As shown in fig. 2, when the filter housing 40 is inserted from the insertion port 11D of the housing 11 and attached to the housing 11, the component-side engaging portions 431 and 441 of the filter housing 40 abut against and engage with the main-body-side engaging portion 111 of the housing 11. Thereby, the filter housing 40 is positioned in the front-rear direction.

At this time, the filter housing 40 is positioned in the up-down direction by being placed on the lower surface of the housing 11. Further, the position of the filter housing 40 in the left-right direction is positioned by the insertion port 11D.

As shown in fig. 2, in a state where the filter housing 40 is attached to the indoor unit body 10, the casing hole 45A is located at an upper portion of the second suction port 10C. Therefore, the indoor unit 1 is configured such that the flow of air sucked from the second suction port 10C is less likely to be obstructed by the filter housing 40. The filter case 40 is configured such that air sucked from the case hole 45A passes through the filter 30 and flows out toward the rear sensor case 16 along the protruding portion 421 (shown in fig. 8).

(Effects of action)

According to the above configuration, the indoor unit 1 detects the air sucked through the second suction port 10C formed in the lower surface of the indoor unit body 10, not the air sucked through the first suction port 10B, by the dust sensor 14 and the odor sensor 15. The second suction port 10C formed on the lower surface of the indoor unit body 10 is easier to suck air in the living space than the first suction port 10B. Therefore, the dust sensor 14 and the odor sensor 15 that detect the amount of the substance contained in the air sucked from the second suction port 10C can accurately detect the state of the air in the living space.

The filter housing 40 is detachable from the front of the housing cover 11 in the front-rear direction with respect to the housing cover 11. Thus, for example, even when the curtain rail or the furniture is located directly below the indoor unit 1, the filter 30 can be easily attached and detached. Accordingly, the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner excellent in maintainability can be provided.

Further, the member-side engaging portions 431 and 441 are brought into contact with the main body-side engaging portion 111, whereby the filter case 40 can be easily positioned in the front-rear direction, and therefore the filter 30 can be easily arranged at a position overlapping the second suction port 10C. Therefore, dust contained in the air flowing into the dust sensor 14 and the odor sensor 15 can be removed more reliably.

Further, since the filter housing 40 is mounted on the lower surface of the casing cover 11, it is not necessary to strictly adjust the angle at which the filter housing 40 is inserted when the filter housing 40 is mounted to the indoor unit main body 10. Therefore, the filter housing 40 can be easily mounted on the housing cover 11.

(Modification)

In the present embodiment, the first suction port 10B is formed on the upper surface of the indoor unit body 10, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the first suction port 10B may be formed on the front surface of the indoor unit body 10. Alternatively, the first suction port 10B may be formed on both the upper surface and the front surface of the indoor unit body 10. In other words, the first suction port 10B may be formed on at least one of the upper surface and the front surface of the indoor unit body 10.

[ Summary ]

An indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a first suction port formed on at least one of an upper surface and a front surface of the indoor unit main body, for sucking air; a second suction port formed on a lower surface of the indoor unit main body and configured to suck air; a sensor that detects an amount of a substance contained in the air sucked from the second suction port; a filter that is disposed between the second suction port and the sensor and that removes dust contained in the air flowing into the sensor; and a filter support member that supports the filter, the filter support member being detachably provided to the indoor unit body from the front of the indoor unit body in the front-rear direction of the indoor unit body.

An indoor unit of an air conditioner according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a blower that sends out the air sucked from the first suction port; and a partition wall that separates a blower chamber in which the blower is disposed from a space in which the sensor is disposed, and that has an internal hole, the sensor being disposed on a path between the internal hole and the second suction port through which the air sucked from the second suction port passes.

In the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the third aspect of the present invention, a blowout port for blowing out the air is formed in the front surface of the indoor unit main body, and the second suction port is formed at a position distant from the front end of the lower surface of the indoor unit main body by 90mm or more toward the rear side.

In the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the filter support member is inserted from an insertion port formed in a front surface of the indoor unit body, and is placed on a lower surface of the indoor unit body.

In the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the filter support member includes a member-side engaging portion, and the indoor unit main body includes a main body-side engaging portion that engages the member-side engaging portion.

[ Additional matters ]

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims, and embodiments in which technical means disclosed in the different embodiments are appropriately combined are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Further, by combining the technical means disclosed in each of the embodiments, new technical features can be formed.

Claims

1. An indoor unit of an air conditioner is characterized in that,

The indoor unit of the air conditioner includes:

A first suction port formed on at least one of an upper surface and a front surface of the indoor unit main body, for sucking air;

A second suction port formed on a lower surface of the indoor unit main body and configured to suck air;

A discharge port formed above the second suction port in the vertical direction of the indoor unit main body, for discharging air sucked from the first suction port and the second suction port;

a lower air path through which the air sucked from the second suction port passes and reaches the air outlet port;

a sensor disposed in the lower air path and detecting an amount of a substance contained in the air sucked from the second suction port;

A filter which is disposed between the second suction port of the lower air path and the sensor and removes dust contained in the air flowing into the sensor; and

A filter support member that supports the filter,

The filter support member is detachably provided to the indoor unit body from the front of the indoor unit body in the front-rear direction of the indoor unit body, and a casing hole extending in the left-right direction and having an opening area larger than that of the second suction port is formed in the bottom.

2. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the indoor unit of an air conditioner comprises:

a blower that sends out the air sucked from the first suction port; and

A partition wall that partitions a blower chamber in which the blower is disposed and a space in which the sensor is disposed, and that has an internal hole formed therein,

The sensor is disposed on a path between the inner hole and the second suction port through which the air sucked from the second suction port passes.

3. An indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein,

The air outlet is formed on the front surface of the indoor unit main body,

The second suction port is formed at a position distant from the front end of the lower surface of the indoor unit body by 90mm or more toward the rear side.

4. An indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein,

The filter support member is inserted from an insertion port formed in a front surface of the indoor unit body, and is placed on a lower surface of the indoor unit body.

5. An indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein,

The filter support member includes a member-side engagement portion,

The indoor unit main body includes a main body side engaging portion that engages the component side engaging portion.