JP2001165468A - Cooling or cooling-heating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely discharge and diffuse outdoors a refrigerant which leaks from an indoor unit of a cooling or cooling-heating apparatus or connective piping through which the refrigerant circulates. SOLUTION: In an air conditioner equipped with the indoor unit 11 and an outdoor unit 13, a piercing body 12 is formed integrally with a case of the indoor unit 11. The piercing body 12 pierces a wall 15 from the lowest position of the indoor unit 11 and projects and opens outdoors, and the connective piping 14 through which the refrigerant circulating between the indoor unit 11 and the outdoor unit 13 passes is inserted through the piercing body 12. The refrigerant having the specific gravity larger than that of the air leaking from the inside of the indoor unit 11 or from the upper side of the connective piping 14 is discharged outdoors through the piercing body 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cooling or heating / cooling apparatus using a flammable or pungent odor refrigerant.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, it has been considered that a natural refrigerant such as propane, ammonia, or carbon dioxide gas is used in a cooling or air-conditioning apparatus instead of a conventionally used synthetic fluorocarbon refrigerant in terms of protection of the global environment. ing.

However, propane is flammable, and ammonia has an irritating odor, and when these refrigerants leak from the indoor unit, undesired unexpected situations such as ignition, explosion, or discomfort to humans may occur. Maybe.

[0004] In order to prevent the refrigerant from leaking into the room when these flammable refrigerants are used, leakage of the refrigerant occurs most in a connection pipe in which the refrigerant circulates between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit as shown in FIG. It has been proposed to place an easy connection outside the room. That is, in FIG. 6, the auxiliary pipe 2 is attached to the indoor unit 1 with a screw or the like, the connection portion 5 of the connection pipe 4 for circulating the refrigerant between the outdoor unit 3 and the indoor unit 1 is provided outside the room, and the connection pipe 4 is protected by 6 was disclosed.

[0005]

However, the above configuration has the following problems.

That is, when the refrigerant leaks at the connection portion 5 of the connection pipe 4, the refrigerant does not leak into the room at that time.
The connection pipe 4 is corroded by the refrigerant, the hole is opened, and the leak location is enlarged, and the refrigerant leaks into the room.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and to prevent a problem that a refrigerant leaks from a connecting pipe and flows into a room to cause fire, explosion or discomfort. The purpose is to prevent the refrigerant from leaking into the room.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connection system in which a penetrating member airtightly provided in an indoor unit penetrates a wall and a refrigerant passes through a hole of the penetrating member. The pipe was inserted, and the penetrating body was opened outside the room.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the first aspect, a refrigerant having a specific gravity higher than the specific gravity of the air is used as the refrigerant, and the penetrating member is airtight at a low position in the indoor unit. It was decided to provide.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the penetrating body has a downward opening outside the room.

Further, the invention according to claim 4 uses a refrigerant having a specific gravity lower than the specific gravity of air as the refrigerant, and the penetrating body tube is provided in a high position in the indoor unit in an airtight manner.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first or the fourth aspect of the invention, the penetrating body has an upward opening outside the room at a position higher than the indoor unit.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the penetrating member includes a refrigerant detection sensor, and is disposed outside the room driven by the refrigerant detection sensor. It was configured to conduct to the blower.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The object of the present invention can be achieved by the constitutions described in the claims. However, in addition to the constitutions of the invention described in the claims, the constitutions will be described below. An embodiment of the present invention will be described by describing the functions and effects that function. Therefore, the significance of the configuration of the present invention can be more clearly understood from the above-described effects.

The cooling or heating / cooling apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, uses a flammable or pungent odor refrigerant, and penetrates the indoor unit through a wall. The body is provided in an airtight manner, the penetrating body is open outside the room, and the connection pipe for passing the refrigerant circulating between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit is inserted into the hole of the penetrating body. Therefore, the refrigerant leaked in the indoor unit and in the upper part of the connection pipe is discharged outside the room by the penetrating body and is safe.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, a refrigerant having a specific gravity higher than the specific gravity of air is used, and the penetrating member is provided hermetically at a low position in the indoor unit. In such a configuration, since the specific gravity of the refrigerant is greater than the specific gravity of the air, even if the refrigerant leaks at the upper part of the connection pipe in the indoor unit or the wall, the refrigerant is discharged outside through the penetrating body penetrating the wall, and The leaked refrigerant does not stay in the wall or inside the wall, and the safety can be improved.

In the third embodiment of the present invention, a refrigerant having a specific gravity greater than the specific gravity of air is used as the refrigerant, and the penetrating member airtightly provided in the indoor unit has a downward opening outside the wall. Things. In such a configuration, since the specific gravity of the refrigerant is heavier than the specific gravity of the air, even if the refrigerant leaks in the middle of the indoor unit or the connection pipe, the refrigerant is discharged to the outside from the downward opening through the penetrating body penetrating the wall. It can be more secure.

In the fourth embodiment of the present invention, a refrigerant having a specific gravity lower than that of air is used as the refrigerant, and the penetrating member is provided in an airtight manner at a high position in the indoor unit. In such a configuration, since the specific gravity of the refrigerant is lower than the specific gravity of the air, even if the refrigerant leaks in the middle of the indoor unit or the connection pipe, the refrigerant is discharged to the outside through the penetrating body penetrating the wall to enhance safety. Can be.

According to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, a refrigerant having a specific gravity lower than that of air is used as the refrigerant, and the penetrating member has an upward opening at a position higher than the indoor unit outside the wall. It is. In such a configuration, since the specific gravity of the refrigerant is lower than the specific gravity of the air, even if the refrigerant leaks in the middle of the indoor unit or the connection pipe, the refrigerant is discharged outside through the upward opening through the penetrating body penetrating the wall. It can be more secure.

In a sixth embodiment of the present invention, the penetrating member has a refrigerant detection sensor, and is connected to an exhaust blower provided on the outdoor side driven by a signal from the refrigerant detection sensor. In such a configuration, when the refrigerant leaks in the middle of the indoor unit or the connection pipe, the refrigerant detection sensor detects the refrigerant leakage, activates the exhaust blower, and leaks the refrigerant to the outside through the penetrating body penetrating the wall. It is discharged, and safety can be more reliably improved.

The present invention can be applied to a cooling only device having an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, as well as a cooling and heating device for cooling and heating. Also, the penetrating body may be formed integrally with the indoor unit,
Alternatively, an airtight material such as a packing may be used for airtight attachment to the indoor unit. The shape of the penetrating body may be tubular, cylindrical, rectangular, or the like, and need not be a specific shape. In short, the penetrator is airtightly attached to the indoor unit, one end is open in the indoor unit, the other end is open to the outside, and the refrigerant leaked inside the indoor unit or the penetrator penetrated into the wall It is sufficient that the refrigerant leaks from the connection pipe to function to be efficiently discharged outside the room.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a side view of a main part of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 which is a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes an indoor unit, and reference numeral 12 denotes a tubular penetrator integrally formed with a case of the indoor unit 11, which is formed to protrude from the lowest position of the indoor unit 11. 13 is an outdoor unit, 14 is a connection pipe for circulating refrigerant between the indoor unit 11 and the outdoor unit 13, 15 is a house wall, and 16 is a protection pipe for protecting the connection pipe 14. The tip end of the penetrating body 12 projects outside the wall 15 and is open outside the room. The upper portions of the connection pipe 14 and the protection pipe 16 are inserted into holes of the penetrating body 12 and communicate with internal devices of the indoor unit.

In such a configuration, when a refrigerant of propane, for example, having a specific gravity greater than the specific gravity of air is used, if the refrigerant leaks somewhere in the indoor unit 11 or above the connection pipe 14,
The refrigerant does not stay in the indoor unit 11 or in the wall 15, and passes through the opening through the penetrating body 12 formed integrally with the indoor unit 11 at the lowest position of the indoor unit 11 to the outside. The propane refrigerant diffuses and can enhance safety. In addition, although the example in which the penetrating body 12 is integrally formed at the time of molding the case of the indoor unit 11 is shown, the penetrating body 12 may be airtightly provided at the lowest position of the indoor unit 11 via, for example, a packing without being integrally formed.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 2 is a side view of a main part of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

In the figure, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the detailed description is omitted. The penetrating body 12 integrated with the indoor unit 11 is configured such that a downward opening 17 is provided at a position lower than the indoor unit 11 outdoors. In such a configuration, since the specific gravity of the propane refrigerant is heavier than the specific gravity of the air, even if the refrigerant leaks on the way above the indoor unit 11 or the connection pipe 14, the downward opening through the penetrating body 12 penetrating through the wall 15. Since it is easily discharged outside the room 17 and diffused outside the room, safety can be further improved.
The second embodiment shows the third embodiment.

Embodiment 3 FIG. 3 is a side view of a main part of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

In the figure, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the detailed description is omitted. 18 is the indoor unit 1
1, which is provided at the highest position of the indoor unit 11.

In this configuration, if ammonia is used as a refrigerant whose specific gravity is lower than that of air, even if the ammonia refrigerant leaks from somewhere in the indoor unit 11 or the connection pipe 14, even if the ammonia refrigerant leaks from inside the indoor unit 11 or inside the wall 15. The ammonia refrigerant does not stay, the ammonia refrigerant diffuses outside the room through the penetrating body 18 integrated with the case of the indoor unit 11 at the highest position of the indoor unit 11, and safety can be improved. This embodiment is an embodiment of the fourth aspect.

(Embodiment 4) FIG. 4 is a side view of a main part of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

In the figure, the same parts as those of the third embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the detailed description is omitted. The penetrating body 18 integrated with the indoor unit 11 similar to the third embodiment is configured such that an upward opening 19 is provided at a position higher than the indoor unit 11 outdoors. In this configuration, since the specific gravity of the ammonia refrigerant is lower than the specific gravity of air, the indoor unit 11 and the connection pipe 1
4. Penetrator 1 penetrating through wall 15 even if refrigerant leaks in the middle of 4
Since it is easily discharged to the outside of the room through the upward opening 19 through the opening 8 and diffused, the safety can be further improved. This embodiment is an embodiment of the fifth aspect.

Embodiment 5 FIG. 5 is a side view of a main part of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention.

In the figure, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the detailed description is omitted. As in the first embodiment, the penetrating body 12 integrated with the indoor unit 11 is provided with a blower 20 for exhaust on the outdoor side. 21 is a refrigerant detection sensor. In this configuration, when refrigerant leaks in the middle of the indoor unit 11 or the connection pipe 14, the refrigerant detection sensor 21 detects the refrigerant leakage, activates the exhaust blower 20, passes through the penetrating body 12 penetrating the wall 15, and outputs the outdoor air. Discharge to
Since the leaked refrigerant is diffused, the penetrator 1 penetrating the wall 15
Regardless of the position of the indoor unit 2 and the position of the indoor unit 11, safety can be more reliably improved. In the fifth embodiment, the refrigerant used may be a gas having a specific gravity higher than the specific gravity of air, such as propane, or a gas having a lower specific gravity than air, such as ammonia. It shows.

[0035]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, even if the refrigerant leaks, the refrigerant does not stay in the wall and the safety can be improved.

According to the second and third aspects of the present invention, a refrigerant having a specific gravity higher than the specific gravity of air is used. Even if the refrigerant leaks, the refrigerant does not stay in the indoor unit or the wall, and the outdoor Can be discharged and diffused, further enhancing safety.

According to the fourth and fifth aspects of the present invention, a refrigerant having a specific gravity lower than the specific gravity of air is used. Even if the refrigerant leaks, the refrigerant does not stay in the indoor unit or the wall, and the outdoor Can be discharged and diffused to enhance safety.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, even if the refrigerant leaks, the leak is detected by the refrigerant detection sensor, and the exhaust blower provided on the outdoor side of the penetrating member airtightly provided in the indoor unit is operated. By doing so, the refrigerant does not stay in the indoor unit or the wall, and the refrigerant can be discharged and diffused more reliably, thereby improving safety.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a main part of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a main part of an air conditioner according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a main part of an air conditioner according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a main part of an air conditioner according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a main part of an air conditioner according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a main part of a conventional air conditioner.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Indoor unit 12, 18 Penetrating body 13 Outdoor unit 14 Connection piping 15 Wall 16 Protection tube 17 Downward opening 19 Upward opening 20 Exhaust blower 21 Refrigerant detection sensor

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yukio Watanabe 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Inside Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. 72) Inventor Yuichi Yakumaru 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 3L051 BH03 BJ03 3L054 BC02 BC04

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An indoor unit and an outdoor unit, wherein a refrigerant having a flammable or pungent odor is used, and a penetrating body penetrating a wall is provided in the indoor unit in an airtight manner. A cooling or cooling / heating device, wherein a connection pipe for passing the refrigerant circulating between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit is inserted into a hole of the penetrating body. 2. The cooling or cooling / heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant is a refrigerant having a specific gravity higher than the specific gravity of air, and the penetrating member is provided airtight at a low position of the indoor unit. 3. The cooling or cooling / heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant is a refrigerant having a specific gravity higher than the specific gravity of air, and the penetrating body has a downward opening outside the room. 4. The cooling or heating / cooling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant is a refrigerant having a specific gravity lower than the specific gravity of air, and the penetrating member is provided airtight at a high position of the indoor unit. 5. The cooling or heating / cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant has a specific gravity lower than the specific gravity of air, and the penetrating body has an upward opening at a position higher than the indoor unit outside the room. apparatus. 6. The penetrating body according to claim 1, further comprising a refrigerant detection sensor, wherein the penetrator is connected to an exhaust blower provided outside the room driven by a signal from the refrigerant detection sensor. A cooling or heating / cooling device according to item 1.