U.S. patent application number 12/176512 was filed with the patent office on 2009-01-29 for air conditioner having electrical equipment box cooling mechanism.
This patent application is currently assigned to SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Kazuhiro Hyugano, Seiichi Koga, Akihiro Nonaka, Nobuhiro Ogura, Akira Okada.
Application Number | 20090025413 12/176512 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39924928 |
Filed Date | 2009-01-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090025413 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Koga; Seiichi ; et
al. |
January 29, 2009 |
AIR CONDITIONER HAVING ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT BOX COOLING
MECHANISM
Abstract
In an air conditioner having an electrical equipment box mounted
on the outer surface of a unit body in which an air blowing fan and
an indoor heat exchanger are mounted, the electrical equipment box
has an accommodating portion in which a control board is mounted,
and a projecting portion that is connected to the accommodating
portion so that the inside of the projecting portion
intercommunicates with the inside of the accommodating portion and
has an air inlet port and an air discharge port, and the unit body
has an opening formed in the outer surface thereof through which
the projecting portion of the electrical equipment box is inserted,
the projecting portion being secured to the outer side surface of
the unit body under the state that the projecting portion projects
through the opening into an air flowing passage of the air blowing
fan.
Inventors: |
Koga; Seiichi; (Ota-shi,
JP) ; Ogura; Nobuhiro; (Kiryu-shi, JP) ;
Hyugano; Kazuhiro; (Ashikaga-shi, JP) ; Okada;
Akira; (Ashikaga-shi, JP) ; Nonaka; Akihiro;
(Ora-gun, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DARBY & DARBY P.C.
P.O. BOX 770, Church Street Station
New York
NY
10008-0770
US
|
Assignee: |
SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Osaka
JP
|
Family ID: |
39924928 |
Appl. No.: |
12/176512 |
Filed: |
July 21, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/259.1 ;
62/426 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24F 1/00 20130101; F24F
13/20 20130101; F24F 2013/207 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/259.1 ;
62/426 |
International
Class: |
F25D 23/00 20060101
F25D023/00; F25D 17/06 20060101 F25D017/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 25, 2007 |
JP |
2007-192790 |
Claims
1. An air conditioner having an electrical equipment box mounted on
the outer surface of a unit body in which an air blowing fan and an
indoor heat exchanger are mounted, wherein the electrical equipment
box has an accommodating portion in which a control board is
mounted, and a projecting portion that is connected to the
accommodating portion so that the inside of the projecting portion
intercommunicates with the inside of the accommodating portion and
has an air inlet port and an air discharge port, and the unit body
has an opening formed in the outer surface thereof through which
the projecting portion of the electrical equipment box is inserted,
the projecting portion being secured to the outer side surface of
the unit body under the state that the projecting portion projects
through the opening into an air flowing passage of the air blowing
fan.
2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the projecting
portion is provided in proximity to an air suction port of the air
blowing fan.
3. The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein the air
discharge port is formed in a surface of the projecting portion
that faces the air suction port of the air blowing fan.
4. The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the air inlet
port is provided to a side surface of the projecting portion.
Description
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
[0001] The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-192790 filed on
Jul. 25, 2007. The content of the application is incorporated
herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an air conditioner having
an electrical equipment box on the outside surface of an unit body
set up in a ceiling space of a building or the like.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] There is known an air conditioner in which an electrical
equipment box is provided on the outer surface of a unit body which
is set up in a ceiling space of a building and contains a heat
exchanger and an air blowing fan therein (for example, see Japanese
Patent No. 2,562,675). In this type of air conditioner, the unit
body is set up in the ceiling space, and thus air heat-exchanged by
the heat exchanger in the unit body can be led to a proper position
in a room through an air blow-out duct and blown out into the room,
so that air-conditioning operation can be implemented without
spoiling the beautify of the room.
[0006] A control board for controlling the operation of an
electrical expansion valve connected to the air blowing fan and the
heat exchanger is mounted in the electrical equipment box. This
control board generates heat in connection with the driving
operation of the air blowing fan and the electrical expansion
valve, and thus the temperature in the electrical equipment box
increases. Therefore, it is necessary to cool the electrical
equipment box.
[0007] However, the electrical equipment box is disposed in the
ceiling space together with the unit body, and thus even when the
electrical equipment box is provided with an opening
intercommunicating with the ceiling space, it is impossible to
sufficiently cool the electrical equipment box. In addition, the
air in the ceiling space generally contains lots of dust, and thus
a filter for removing dust is required to be provided at the
opening of the electrical equipment box, so that the construction
of the electrical equipment box is cumbersome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention has been
implemented in view of the foregoing situation, and has an object
to provide an air conditioner in which an electrical equipment box
mounted on the outer surface of an unit body set up in a ceiling
space of a building can be simply cooled.
[0009] In order to attain the above object, according to the
present invention, in an air conditioner having an electrical
equipment box mounted on the outer surface of a unit body in which
an air blowing fan and an indoor heat exchanger are mounted, the
electrical equipment box has an accommodating portion in which a
control board is mounted, and a projecting portion that is
connected to the accommodating portion so that the inside of the
projecting portion intercommunicates with the inside of the
accommodating portion and has an air inlet port and an air
discharge port, and the unit body has an opening formed in the
outer surface thereof through which the projecting portion of the
electrical equipment box is inserted, the projecting portion being
secured to the outer side surface of the unit body under the state
that the projecting portion projects through the opening into an
air flowing passage of the air blowing fan.
[0010] In the above air conditioner, the projecting portion may be
provided in proximity to an air suction port of the air blowing
fan.
[0011] In the above air conditioner, the air discharge port may be
formed in a surface of the projecting portion that faces the air
suction port of the air blowing fan.
[0012] In the above air conditioner, the air inlet port may be
provided to a side surface of the projecting portion.
[0013] According to the present invention, air introduced to the
projecting portion by the air flow based on the air blowing fan
flows in the projecting portion and the accommodating unit which
intercommunicates with each other, and the electrical parts
containing the control board, etc. in the accommodating portion are
efficiently cooled by the air. Accordingly, the electrical
equipment box mounted on the outer surface of the unit body set in
the ceiling space of a building can be simply cooled.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of
the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment when viewed from the
lower side;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a unit body;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a side view of an electrical equipment box;
and
[0018] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the electrical equipment
box.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0019] An embodiment according to the present invention will be
described hereunder with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0020] FIGS. 1 and 2 sow a built-in type air conditioner
(hereinafter referred to as "air conditioner") according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] The air conditioner 1 has a box-shaped unit body 5 formed of
a steel sheet which is suspended through bolts in a ceiling space 3
of a building.
[0022] As shown in FIG. 3, the unit body 5 has four side plates 11
which are disposed in a rectangular frame shape so as to face one
another, a top plate 13 is fixed to the upper edge portions of the
respective side plates 11 and a bottom plate 15 is fixed to the
lower edge portions of the respective side plates 11. A heat
insulating material is attached to parts of the side plates 11, the
top plate 13 and the bottom plate 15. Suspending fittings 17 are
fixed to both the ends of each of the side plates 11A, 11B at the
short side, and the suspending fittings 17 are fixed to suspending
bolts (not shown) hung from the ceiling of the building, whereby
the unit body 5 is suspended from the ceiling.
[0023] The inside of the unit body 5 is divided into a machine
chamber 9 at the left side of FIG. 1 and a heat exchange chamber 10
at the right side of FIG. 1 by a partition plate 7. In the heat
exchange chamber 10 at the right side are disposed an indoor heat
exchanger 21, a drain pan 23 which is located below the indoor heat
exchanger 21 to receive drain water dropped form the indoor heat
exchanger 21, and a drain pump 25 for discharging the drain water
stocked in the drain pan 23 to the outside. As shown in FIG. 2, in
the machine chamber 9 at the left side are disposed an air blowing
fan driving motor 27, and air blowing fans 29A, 29B (for example, a
sirocco fan having cascades of about 50) which are coupled to each
other in series through the air blowing fan driving motor 27 in the
longitudinal direction of the unit body 5.
[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower side of the drain pan
23 is covered by the bottom plate 15 described above, the lower
portions of the air blowing fans 29A, 29B are opened, and a suction
grille (not shown) is detachably secured to the lower portions of
the air blowing fans 29A, 29B. The opened portions of the air
blowing fans 29A, 29B serve as an air suction port 30. An air
blow-out port 40 of the unit body 5 is formed in the side plate
11C.
[0025] Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a refrigerant
(liquid) pipe connection port 31, a refrigerant (gas) pipe
connection port 32 and a drain pipe connection port 33 extend from
the side plate 11B at the right side of FIG. 2 of the unit body 5.
The refrigerant (liquid) pipe connection port 31 and the
refrigerant (gas) pipe connection port 32 are connected to the
indoor heat exchanger 21a tone ends thereof, and also connected to
an outdoor unit (not shown) at the other ends thereof. The drain
pipe connection port 33 is connected to the drain pump 25 at one
end thereof, and also connected to a drain hose (not shown) at the
other end thereof. The drain hose is led out to the outside.
[0026] In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an electrical
equipment box 41 is mounted on the outer surface of the machine
room 9 side of the side plate 11B at the short side.
[0027] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the electrical equipment box 41
has a box-shaped accommodating portion 45, and a box-shaped
projecting portion 48 which intercommunicates with or connects to
the accommodating portion 45. In the box-shaped accommodating
portion 45 are disposed a control board 42 for controlling the
operation of the air blowing fans 29A, 29B, the operation of an
electrical expansion valve (not shown) connected to the indoor heat
exchanger 21, etc., electrical equipment parts 43, a heat sink 44,
etc. The control board 42 is disposed so as to face an
intercommunication opening 49 through which the accommodating
portion 45 and the projecting portion 48 intercommunicate with each
other, and has a plate surface whose size is larger than the
opening 49. The control board 42 is fixed to the wall surface 45A
of the accommodating portion 45 by plural fixing members 50 so as
to be spaced from the wall surface 45A at a predetermined interval
K. A circular hole 54 through which wires connected to the control
board 42 and the electrical parts 43 are passed is provided at the
lower side of the projecting portion 48.
[0028] The box-shaped projecting portion 48 connects to the
accommodating portion 45 to be near to the heat sink 44 side, and
the insides of the projecting portion 48 and the inside of the heat
sink 44 intercommunicate with each other through the opening 49. In
addition, it has an air inlet port (slit) 46 and an air discharge
port (slit) 47. The projecting portion 48 is homothetic to the
accommodating portion 45. The homothetic ratio of the projecting
portion 48 is equal to about one third in size of the accommodating
portion 45, the volume thereof is remarkably smaller than the
accommodating portion 45, the inside thereof is hollow and the
hollow portion serves as an air flowing passage.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 3, the electrical equipment box 41 has a
fixing bracket 51, and it is fixed to the outer surface of the unit
body 5 through the bracket 51 under the state that the projecting
portion 48 is inserted in an opening 52 formed in the side plate
11B of the unit body 5.
[0030] As shown in FIG. 2, the projecting portion 48 inserted in
the opening 52 of the side plate 11B projects into the air flowing
passage 55 based on one air blowing fan 29B, and under this state,
the projecting portion 48 is disposed so that the air inlet port
(slit) 46 is oriented in the downward direction in FIG. 2 and the
air discharge port (slit) 47 is oriented in the air suction axis
direction of the air blowing fan 29B. The air inlet port 46 is
provided to the side plate 48A of the projecting portion 48. The
discharge port 47 is provided at a position distant from the air
inlet port 46 on the side plate 48B which is adjacent to the side
plate 48A and faces the air suction port 60 of the air blowing fan
29B.
[0031] In this construction, air introduced from the air inlet port
46 cools the back surface of the control board 42, blown out from
the discharge port 47 formed in the side plate 48B distant from the
air inlet port 46 in the air suction axis direction of the air
blowing fan 29B, and then sucked into the air blowing fan 29B.
[0032] Next, the operation will be described.
[0033] In this embodiment, when the air blowing fans 29A, 29B are
driven, air is sucked from the air suction port 30 to the unit body
5. This air is heat-exchanged in the indoor heat exchanger 21 and
blown out from the air blow-out port 40 of the unit body 5, and the
air-conditioned air is blown into the room through an air blow-out
port of the room which is connected to the air blown-out port 40
through the duct.
[0034] In this process, the projecting portion 48 projecting from
the accommodating portion 45 is located in the air suction passage
of the air blowing fan 29B, and thus a part of the sucked air is
introduced from the air inlet port 46 of the projecting portion 48
into the projecting portion 48, and the air introduced into the
projecting portion 48 induces turbulent flow while passing through
the slit 46.
[0035] The back surface of the control board 42 is exposed in the
accommodating portion 45, and thus it is heat-exchanged by forced
convection when the air passes over the back surface of the control
board, so that the temperature of the air is increased. The
temperature-increased air is fed from the slit 47 of the side plate
48B of the projecting portion 48 to the outside of the projecting
portion 48, and then led to the outer peripheral portion of the air
suction port 60 of the air blowing fan 29B by air suction
pressure.
[0036] In this construction, the air introduced from the air inlet
port 46 is blown out from the discharge port 47 which is far away
from the air inlet port 46, and thus the air is broadly circulated
in the projecting portion 48 and effectively cools the back surface
of the control board 42. Accordingly, according to this embodiment,
the surface of the board is exposed to forced convection at all
times by indoor air whose temperature is lower than air in the
space under the roof in which the unit body 5 is set, so that the
electrical equipment box 41 can be more simply cooled as compared
with the conventional air conditioner. Furthermore, the amount of
air passing through the inside of the electrical equipment box 41
is increased, and the increase of the temperature of the electrical
equipment box 41 can be suppressed. As compared with the
temperature of the electrical equipment box 41 when no slit is
provided in the projecting portion 48, experiment data indicated
the maximum temperature difference of about 4020 in some sites.
[0037] The present invention is not limited to the electrical
equipment box cooling mechanism used in the above embodiment, and
various modifications may be made without departing from the
subject matter of the present invention. For example, in this
embodiment, the main body of the projecting portion is designed in
rectangular parallelepiped, however, the present invention is not
limited to this shape. Furthermore, vertically cut-out slits are
used as the opening portion, however, the main body of the
projecting portion may be formed in a cylindrical shape and the
slits may be designed in a mesh structure. Furthermore, the numbers
of slits formed in the air inlet port and the air outlet port are
not limited to those numbers illustrated in the figures.
* * * * *