U.S. patent application number 11/918781 was filed with the patent office on 2009-03-26 for air conditioner.
Invention is credited to Wataru Egawa, Tetsuya Morizane.
Application Number | 20090077987 11/918781 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37214724 |
Filed Date | 2009-03-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090077987 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Egawa; Wataru ; et
al. |
March 26, 2009 |
Air conditioner
Abstract
In an air conditioner of a ceiling-installed type provided with
a casing (10), a ceiling panel (20) installed at a lower end part
of a casing (10), and a suction grill (22) attached to the ceiling
panel (20), the ceiling panel (20) having a removable type or an
opening-closing type suction grill (22) and the ceiling panel (20)
having an elevating-lowering type suction grill (22) are configured
to be shared to curtail a waste in cost. To this end, the ceiling
panel (20) is configured to have a ceiling panel body (26), a frame
(27) arranged on an inner periphery side of this ceiling panel body
(26) and to which the suction grill (22) is attached, and an
attachment mechanism for attaching the frame (27) to the ceiling
panel body (26).
Inventors: |
Egawa; Wataru; (Osaka,
JP) ; Morizane; Tetsuya; (Osaka, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Family ID: |
37214724 |
Appl. No.: |
11/918781 |
Filed: |
April 17, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
April 17, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2006/308068 |
371 Date: |
October 18, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/259.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24F 13/082 20130101;
F24F 1/0047 20190201; F24F 1/0007 20130101; F24F 13/084
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/259.1 |
International
Class: |
F25D 23/00 20060101
F25D023/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 21, 2005 |
JP |
2005-124013 |
Claims
1. An air conditioner of a ceiling-installed type comprising a
casing (10), a ceiling panel (20) provided at a lower end part of
the casing (10), and a suction grill (22) attached to the ceiling
panel (20), the ceiling panel (20) comprising: a frame-shaped
ceiling panel body (26); a frame (27) which is arranged on an inner
periphery side of the ceiling panel body (26) and to which the
suction grill (22) is attached; and an attachment mechanism (28)
for attaching the frame (27) to the ceiling panel body (26).
2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the suction
grill (22) attached to the frame (27) is an elevating-lowering type
suction grill (22) that elevates and lowers relative to the ceiling
panel body (26).
3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the suction
grill (22) attached to the frame (27) is a removable type or an
opening-closing type suction grill (22) to be attached to the
ceiling panel body (26).
4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the ceiling
panel body (26) and the attachment mechanism (28) are configured
such that the frame (27) provided with the elevating-lowering type
suction grill (22) elevating and lowering relative to the ceiling
panel body (26) and the frame (27) provided with the removable type
or the opening-closing type suction grill (22) to be attached to
the ceiling panel body (26) are exchangeable.
5. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein an electrical
component box (40) is disposed on the frame (27).
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The present invention relates to an air conditioner of a
ceiling-installed type, and more particularly, to a ceiling panel
structure equipped with a suction grill.
[0003] 2. Related Art
[0004] Conventionally, as air conditioners of, for example, a
ceiling-embedded type, there is a model which is equipped with an
elevating-lowering type suction grill designed to allow for filter
maintenance work by lowering the suction grill (e.g., see Patent
Document 1). This air conditioner has a casing with an open lower
end part and a ceiling panel attached to the opening at the lower
end part of the casing. Further, an elevating-lowering type suction
grill is attached to the central part of the ceiling panel.
[0005] The ceiling panel is provided with a drive mechanism to
elevate and lower the suction grill. The drive mechanism is
arranged at a plurality of places on the corner parts of the
ceiling panel, each having a motor and a bobbin linked to the
motor. The bobbin is for reeling in a wire rope, and one end of the
wire rope is linked to the bobbin. The other end of the wire rope
is linked to the suction grill through a guide roller.
[0006] With this configuration, when the motor is turned in normal
rotation, the wire rope is reeled in the bobbin to elevate the
suction grill, while when the motor is turned in reverse rotation,
the wire rope is reeled out of the bobbin to lower the suction
grill.
[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application
Publication No. 2001-153394.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Problems that the Invention is to Solve
[0008] Incidentally, the product specification of air conditioners,
in addition to those having ceiling panels equipped with
elevating-lowering type suction grills, includes those having
ceiling panels equipped with removable type or opening-closing type
suction grills. When the product specification was changed from the
removable type or the opening-closing type to the
elevating-lowering type, it was necessary to change the entire
design of the ceiling panel.
[0009] When the product specification regarding the suction grill
is changed from the removable type or the opening-closing type to
the elevating-lowering type in the above manner, it becomes
necessary to have a drive mechanism to provide the suction grill
with the elevating and lowering function. To install the drive
mechanism, it becomes even necessary to change the configuration of
the blow-off outlet disposed around the suction opening.
Consequently, this disables the shared use of parts by the
removable type or the opening-closing type with the
elevating-lowering type, thus making it necessary to have
additional design steps required for addition of new parts or to
modify the production line. This results in a waste in cost.
[0010] The present invention has been made in view of such
circumstances. It is an object of the present invention to make it
possible to share the ceiling panel of the air conditioner between
the ceiling panel equipped with the removable type or the
opening-closing type suction grill and the ceiling panel equipped
with the elevating-lowering type suction grill, thereby curtailing
a waste in cost.
Means to Solve the Problems
[0011] A first aspect of the invention is based on an air
conditioner of a ceiling-installed type which is provided with a
casing (10), a ceiling panel (20) provided at a lower end part of
the casing (10), and a suction grill (22) attached to the ceiling
panel (20).
[0012] The air conditioner is characterized in that the ceiling
panel (20) has a frame-shaped ceiling panel body (26), a frame (27)
which is arranged on an inner periphery side of the ceiling panel
body (26) and to which the suction grill (22) is attached, and an
attachment mechanism (28) for attaching the frame (27) to the
ceiling panel body (26).
[0013] In the first aspect of the invention, since the suction
grill (22) is attached to the frame (27) arranged on the inner
periphery side of the ceiling panel body (26), when changing the
suction grill (22) between the elevating-lowering type and the
removable type/opening-closing type, the frame (27) can be replaced
by choosing between the frame (27) adapted for the
elevating-lowering type and the frame (27) adapted for the
removable type/opening-closing type. Replacement of the frame (27)
can be easily carried out by using the attachment mechanism
(28).
[0014] A second aspect of the invention is characterized in that in
the first aspect of the invention, the suction grill (22) attached
to the frame (27) is an elevating-lowering type suction grill (22)
that elevates and lowers relative to the ceiling panel body
(26).
[0015] In the second aspect of the invention, the
elevating-lowering type suction grill (22) is attached to the frame
(27). Consequently, filter maintenance can be done simply by
lowering the elevating-lowering type grill.
[0016] A third aspect of the invention is characterized in that in
the first aspect of the invention, the suction grill (22) attached
to the frame (27) is a removable type or an opening-closing type
suction grill (22) to be attached to the ceiling panel body
(26).
[0017] In the third aspect of the invention, the removable
type/opening-closing type suction grill (22) is attached to the
frame (27). Hence, filter maintenance can be done by removing or
opening and closing the suction grill (22) of the ceiling panel
(20) through use of a step ladder and the like.
[0018] A fourth aspect of the invention is characterized in that in
the first aspect of the invention, the ceiling panel body (26) and
the attachment mechanism (28) are configured such that the frame
(27) provided with the elevating-lowering type suction grill (22)
elevating and lowering relative to the ceiling panel body (26) and
the frame (27) provided with the removable type or the
opening-closing type suction grill (22) to be attached to the
ceiling panel body (26) are exchangeable.
[0019] In the fourth aspect of the invention, the frame (27)
provided with the elevating-lowering type suction grill (22) can be
exchanged with the frame (27) provided with the removable type or
the opening-closing type suction grill (22) relative to the ceiling
panel body (26) by using the attachment mechanism (28). For
example, in the case of the air conditioner attached with the
removable type or the opening-closing type suction grill (22) where
filter maintenance is difficult because the ceiling is too high, it
is only necessary to replace the frame (27) with the frame (27)
having the elevating-lowering type suction grill (22). Conversely,
in the case of the elevating-lowering type air conditioner where it
is difficult to find enough space for a lowering stroke because of
obstructions such as the office equipment installed in the room, it
is only necessary to replace the frame (27) with the frame (27)
having the removable type/opening-closing type suction grill
(22).
[0020] A fifth aspect of the invention is characterized in that in
the first aspect of the invention, an electrical component box (40)
is disposed on the frame (27). The electrical component box (40),
as used herein, may be that which is electrically connected to the
drive mechanism (30) in the case of the elevating-lowering type
suction grill (22) or that which is electrically connected to,
instead of the drive mechanism (30), another motor driven part
provided in the air conditioner.
[0021] Generally, in the ceiling-installed type air conditioner, a
fan (centrifugal blower) positioned above the suction opening
(suction grill (22)) and a heat exchanger positioned on the
periphery thereof are provided inside the casing (20), and blowout
openings are provided on the periphery of the suction opening in
the ceiling panel (20). Room air, after being sucked by the fan
through the suction opening into the casing (10), is refrigerated
or heated when flowing through the heat exchanger and blown out of
the blowout openings.
[0022] Here, in the fifth aspect of the invention, the electrical
component box (40) is provided on the frame (27). The frame (27) is
positioned on the periphery of the suction grill (22) and on the
upstream side of air flow relative to the heat exchanger. If the
electrical component box (40) is positioned on the downstream side
of air flow relative to the heat exchanger, electrical components
may be refrigerated or heated. However, in the fifth aspect of the
invention, the electrical components can be prevented from being
heated and refrigerated.
EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0023] According to the present invention, the ceiling panel (20)
has the frame-shaped ceiling panel body (26), the frame (27) which
is arranged on an inner periphery side of the ceiling panel body
(26) and to which the suction grill (22) is attached, and the
attachment mechanism (28) for attaching the frame (27) to the
ceiling panel body (26). Hence, when the suction grill (22) is
changed between the elevating-lowering type and the removable
type/opening-closing type, the frame (27) can be replaced by
choosing between the frame (27) adapted for the elevating-lowering
type and the frame (27) adapted for the removable
type/opening-closing type, without changing the ceiling panel body
(26). Replacement of the frame (27) can be done easily through the
attachment mechanism (28).
[0024] Consequently, when the product specification is changed from
the removable type/opening-closing type to the elevating-lowering
type, there is no need to change the design of the entire ceiling
panel (20), and there is no need to change the configuration of the
blowout opening portion positioned on the periphery of the suction
opening. Further, since parts can be shared between the removable
type/opening-closing type and the elevating-lowering type, there is
no need for additional design steps required for addition of new
parts or modification of the production line, thus curtailing a
waste in cost. Furthermore, when the removable type/opening-closing
type is changed to the elevating-lowering type, not the entire
ceiling panel (20) becomes unnecessary, thereby providing economic
advantages.
[0025] Further, when the suction grill (22) is changed between the
removable type/opening-closing type and the elevating-lowering
type, the blowout openings have been conventionally needed
changing, which necessitated confirmation for dewing. According to
the present invention, however, the blowout openings need not be
changed, thereby eliminating the need for confirmation for dewing.
This reduces the cost of development.
[0026] Further, according to the second aspect of the invention,
the suction grill (22) attached to the frame (27) is an
elevating-lowering type suction grill (22) that elevates and lowers
relative to the ceiling panel (20), thereby facilitating filter
maintenance.
[0027] Further, according to the third aspect of the invention,
since the suction grill (22) attached to the frame (27) is a
removable type/opening-closing type suction grill (22) held by the
ceiling panel (20), filter maintenance can be performed in a
conventional manner using a step ladder or the like.
[0028] Further, according to the fourth aspect of the invention,
the ceiling panel body (26) and the attachment mechanism (28) are
capable of exchanging between the frame (27) provided with the
elevating-lowering type suction grill (22) elevating and lowering
relative to the ceiling panel body (26) and the frame (27) provided
with the removable type or the opening-closing type suction grill
(22) to be attached to the ceiling panel body (26). This
facilitates replacement between the frame (27) with the
elevating-lowering type suction grill (22) and the frame (27) with
the removable type/opening-closing type suction grill (22) relative
to the ceiling panel body (26). Thus, when an air conditioner
attached with the removable type/opening-closing type suction grill
(22) is found to be inconvenient to do maintenance with the
removable type/opening-closing type suction grill (22), the frame
(27) can be easily replaced with the frame (27) with the
elevating-lowering type suction grill (22). When an air conditioner
attached with the elevating-lowering type suction grill (22) does
not need the elevating-lowering type suction grill (22), the frame
(27) can be easily replaced with the frame (27) with the removable
type/opening-closing type suction grill (22). At this time, since
there is no need to replace the ceiling panel body (26), a waste of
parts and work can be reduced.
[0029] Further, according to the fifth aspect of the invention,
since the electrical component box (40) is provided on the frame
(27), electrical parts in the electrical component box (40) are not
refrigerated or heated more than necessary, thereby eliminating the
possibility of malfunction.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air conditioner according
to an embodiment of the present invention when seen from below.
[0031] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the air
conditioner with a suction grill detached.
[0032] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the air conditioner with the
suction grill lowered.
[0033] FIG. 4(A) is a perspective view of the suction grill when
seen from above, and FIG. 4(B) is an enlarged perspective view of a
connection between the suction grill and a wire rope.
[0034] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an air conditioner with an
opening-closing type suction grill open.
REFERENCE NUMERAL
[0035] 1 Air conditioner [0036] 10 Casing [0037] 20 Ceiling panel
[0038] 22 Suction grill [0039] 26 Ceiling panel body [0040] 27
Frame [0041] 28 Attachment mechanism [0042] 40 Electrical component
box
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0043] The embodiments of the present invention will be described
in detail below referring to the drawings.
[0044] An air conditioner 1 of the present embodiment is a
ceiling-embedded type air conditioner 1, and FIG. 1 is a
perspective view of this air conditioner 1 seen from below. This
air conditioner 1 has a casing 10, which is in the form of a
rectangular box with an open lower end part, and a ceiling panel 20
provided on the lower end part of the casing 10. The casing 10 is
provided on four positions with brackets 11 for installing the
casing 10 on the ceiling. Further, on the central part of the
ceiling panel 20, a suction opening 21 is formed, and a suction
grill 22 is attached to the suction opening 21 of the ceiling panel
20.
[0045] To this air conditioner 1, two sheets of the suction grill
22 are attached, and the two sheets are arranged side by side in
the longitudinal direction of the casing 10. In the casing 10, a
filter 23 (see FIG. 5) is provided above the suction grill 22 in
such a manner that the filter 23 overlaps with the suction grill
22. Further, on the ceiling panel 20, blowout openings 24 are
arranged on the periphery of the suction grill 22. The blowout
openings 24 are each provided with an air direction adjusting flap
25 for adjusting the blow-off direction of air.
[0046] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the air
conditioner 1 with the suction grill 22 detached. The ceiling panel
20 has a frame-shaped ceiling panel body 26, a frame 27 arranged on
the inner periphery side of the ceiling panel body 26, and an
attachment mechanism 28 for attaching the frame 27 to the ceiling
panel body 26. Further, the suction grill 22 is attached to the
frame 27.
[0047] The frame 27 is a frame-shaped member to be inserted inside
the ceiling panel body 26 and a rectangular assembly of two longer
side members 27a and two shorter side members 27b. Further, at a
position bisecting each longer side member 27a, a partition member
27c is provided parallel to the shorter side member 27b.
[0048] The attachment mechanism 28 may be made up of, for example,
a fastening member having an internal thread. In this manner, the
frame 27 can be easily attached to or detached from the ceiling
panel body 26 with bolts.
[0049] As shown in FIG. 2, in the casing 10, two fans 12 for
sucking room air through the suction opening 21 and then blowing
out the room air from the blowout openings 24 are arranged above
each suction grill 22. Further, though not shown, on the periphery
of the fans 12 in the casing 10, an indoor heat exchanger is
arranged. This indoor heat exchanger is connected to an outdoor
heat exchanger of an outdoor unit, not shown, through a refrigerant
pipe. As the room air passes through the indoor heat exchanger, the
room air is refrigerated or heated.
[0050] The suction grill 22 is an elevating-lowering type suction
grill 22 that elevates and lowers relative to the ceiling panel
body 26, and FIG. 3 shows the lowered state of the suction grill
22. The above-mentioned frame 27 is provided at a plurality of
positions with drive mechanisms 30 that carry out the elevating and
lowering drive of the suction grill 22. These drive mechanisms 30
are placed at a total of 4 positions, 2 for the longer side members
27a of each suction grill 22. Each drive mechanism 30 has a drive
unit 31 holding a motor and a bobbin (not shown) fixed to the
rotation axis of the motor. This bobbin reels in a wire rope 32 and
one end of the wire rope 32 is linked to the bobbin.
[0051] FIG. 4(A) is a perspective view of the suction grill 22 when
seen from above, and FIG. 4(B) is an expanded perspective view of a
connection between the suction grill 22 and the wire rope 32. As
shown, an S-shaped hook 33 is attached to the tip of the wire rope.
Further, a connecting fitting 34 having a catching groove 34a to
hook this hook 33 is provided at two end sides of the suction grill
22. The wire rope 32 and the suction grill 22 are connected by
hooking the hook 33 to the catching groove 34a of the connecting
fitting 34.
[0052] In the drive mechanism 30 of the above-mentioned
configuration, when the motor is turned in normal rotation, the
wire rope 32 is reeled in to the bobbin so that the suction grill
22 is elevated (see FIG. 1). When the motor is turned in reverse
rotation, the wire rope 32 is reeled out of the bobbin so that the
suction grill 22 is lowered (see FIG. 3).
[0053] As shown in FIG. 2, electrical component boxes 40 are
attached to the frame 27. One electrical component box 40 is
attached to each shorter side member 27b of the frame 27 and is
provided substantially at the central position of each shorter side
member 27b. To the electrical component box 40 arranged on the
right side of the partition member 27c in the drawing, two drive
mechanisms 30 for driving the suction grill 22 on the right side
are connected in parallel through an electrical wiring part 42. To
the electrical component box 40 arranged on the left side of the
partition member 27c, two drive mechanisms 30 for driving the
suction grill 22 on the left side are connected in parallel through
the electrical wiring part 42.
[0054] The drive mechanism 30 is configured to be remotely operated
with the use of a remote control (not shown). The frame 27 is
therefore provided with a remote control signal receiving unit 41.
The remote control signal receiving unit 41 is provided only on the
right side of the shorter side member 27b in the drawing. The
electrical component boxes 40 are connected in parallel through the
electrical wiring part 43 to this remote control signal receiving
unit 41. It should be noted that the electrical wiring part 43 is
illustrated in the drawing in a condition of crossing the partition
member 27c for the sake of convenience; however, the arrangement of
the product is not such as to cross the space inside the frame 27,
but along the longer side member 27a and the shorter side member
27b of the frame 27.
[0055] On the other hand, the air conditioner 1 of this embodiment
is constructed such that the elevating-lowering type suction grill
22 is exchangeable with the opening-closing type suction grill 22.
To this end, the ceiling panel body 26 and the attachment mechanism
28 are configured such that the frame 27 provided with the
elevating-lowering type suction grill 22 elevating and lowering
relative to the ceiling panel body 26 and the frame 27 provided
with the removable type or the opening-closing type suction grill
22 to be attached to the ceiling panel body 26 are exchangeable.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing attachment of the
opening-closing type suction grill 22 to the air conditioner 1 and
the open state of the suction grill 22.
[0056] To change the elevating-lowering type suction grill 22 to
the opening-closing type suction grill 22, all that is need is to,
without changing the ceiling panel body 26, replace the frame 27
with the frame 27 adapted for the opening-closing type suction
grill 22 and attach the opening-closing type suction grill 22 to
this frame 27. The frame 27 adapted for the opening-closing type
suction grill 22 is not provided with the drive mechanism 30, the
electrical component box 40, and the remote control signal
receiving unit 41. However, the frame 27 may be provided with the
electrical component box connected to other motor-driven parts than
the drive mechanism 30, which are provided in the air conditioner
1.
[0057] In the air conditioner 1 with the elevating-lowering type
suction grill 22 attached thereto (state shown in FIG. 1), by
lowering the suction grill 22 through the remote control as shown
in FIG. 3, maintenance of the filter 23 is carried out. At this
time, since one-time operation of the remote control lowers the two
sheets of the suction grill 22 simultaneously, maintenance can be
easily carried out. Further, when storing the suction grill 22 in
the casing 10, one-time operation of the remote control elevates
the two sheets of the suction grill 22 simultaneously.
[0058] Conventionally, in the case where two or more
elevating-lowering type suction grills 22 were installed in the air
conditioner 1 to secure the area for suction, for each suction
grill 22, the drive mechanism 30 was installed to elevate and lower
the suction grill 22, while at the same time the remote control
signal receiving unit 41 and the electrical component box 40 were
provided separately for each suction grill 22. Consequently, in the
air conditioner 1 provided with a plurality of sheets of the
suction grill 22 on one ceiling panel 20, although the time for
maintenance of the filters 23 came approximately at the same time,
remote control operation was carried out for each suction grill 22,
and the sheets of the suction grill 22 were separately lowered to
carry out maintenance of the filter 23. As a result, there was a
problem of poor workability during maintenance of the filter
23.
[0059] On the contrary, in the present embodiment, since the two
sheets of the suction grill 22 can be elevated or lowered
simultaneously, it is possible to improve the workability of doing
maintenance of the filter 23.
[0060] Further, in this embodiment, since the suction grill 22 is
attached to the frame 27 arranged on the inner periphery side of
the ceiling panel body 26, when the suction grill 22 is changed
between the elevating-lowering type and the opening-closing type, a
choice is made between the frame 27 adapted for the
elevating-lowering type and the frame 27 adapted for the
opening-closing type. Thus, the frames 27 can be exchanged without
changing the ceiling panel body 26. Replacement of the frame 27 can
be simply carried out by the attachment mechanism 28.
[0061] Consequently, also when the product specification of the
suction grill 22 is changed from the opening-closing type to the
elevating-lowering type, there is no need to change the entire
design of the ceiling panel 20, and there is no need to change the
configuration of the blowout openings positioned on the periphery
of the suction opening 21. Further, since parts can be shared
between the opening-closing type and the elevating-lowering type,
there is no need for additional design steps required for addition
of new parts or modification of the production line, thus
curtailing a waste in cost. Furthermore, when the opening-closing
type is changed to the elevating-lowering type, not the entire
ceiling panel 20 becomes unnecessary, thereby providing economic
advantages.
[0062] Further, when the suction grill 22 is changed between the
opening-closing type and the elevating-lowering type, the blowout
openings have been conventionally needed changing, which
necessitated confirmation for dewing. According to the present
embodiment, however, the blowout openings need not be changed,
thereby eliminating the need for confirmation for dewing. This
reduces the cost of development.
[0063] Furthermore, when the elevating-lowering type suction grill
22 is attached to the frame 27, maintenance of filter 23 can be
simply done by lowering the elevating-lowering grill. On the other
hand, in the case where it is difficult to find enough space for a
lowering stroke because of obstructions such as the office
equipment installed in the room, it is only necessary to replace
the frame 27 with the frame 27 having the opening-closing type
suction grill 22.
[0064] Conversely, when the opening-closing type suction grill 22
is attached to the frame 27, maintenance of the filter 23 can be
carried out with the use of a step ladder and the like while
opening or closing the suction grill 22 of the ceiling panel 20. If
maintenance of the filter 23 is difficult because the ceiling is
too high, it is only necessary to replace the frame 27 with the
frame 27 having the elevating-lowering type suction grill 22.
[0065] Incidentally, in the air conditioner 1 of this embodiment,
the fan 12 (centrifugal blower) positioned above the suction
opening 21 (the suction grill 22) and the heat exchanger arranged
on the periphery thereof are provided inside the casing 10, and the
blowout openings 24 are provided on the periphery of the suction
opening 21 in the ceiling panel 20. Room air, after being sucked by
the fan 12 through the suction opening 21 into the casing 10, is
refrigerated or heated when flowing through the heat exchanger and
blown out of the blowout openings 24.
[0066] In this embodiment, the electrical component box 40 is
provided on the frame 27. The frame 27 is positioned on the
periphery of the suction grill 22 and on the upstream side of air
flow relative to the heat exchanger. If the electrical component
box 40 is positioned on the downstream side of air flow relative to
the heat exchanger, electrical components may be refrigerated or
heated. However, in this embodiment, the electrical components can
be prevented from being heated and refrigerated. This eliminates
the possibility of malfunction.
Other Embodiments
[0067] The above-mentioned embodiment may be configured as
follows.
[0068] For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the air
conditioner 1 of the ceiling embedded type was described. The
present invention is also applicable to an air conditioner 1 of a
ceiling-pendant type.
[0069] Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the air
conditioner 1 provided with two sheets (plural sheets) of the
suction grill 22 was described. However, the present invention is
also applicable to an air conditioner 1 with one sheet of the
suction grill 22.
[0070] Still further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, instead of
the opening-closing type suction grill 22, a removable type suction
grill 22 may be employed.
[0071] It should be noted that the foregoing embodiments are
intrinsically preferred examples and not intended to limit the
present invention, its applications or the scope of its usage.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0072] As has been described above, the present invention is useful
for the structure of a ceiling panel in an air conditioner of a
ceiling installed type.
* * * * *