OUTDOOR UNIT FOR AIR CONDITIONER

Abstract

 An outdoor unit for an air conditioner is provided with an outdoor unit housing accommodating a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, and a blower. The outdoor heat exchanger includes a plurality of rows of heat exchangers bent into L-shapes in a plan view toward the blower and disposed in an air circulating direction, and a downstream side heat exchanger on a downstream side in the air circulating direction has an obtuse bending angle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, and particularly, to an outdoor unit for an air conditioner in which a structure of an outdoor heat exchanger is improved.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, a space-saving outdoor unit for an air conditioner is desired in view of an installation space and installation operation with an operating performance being maintained. In order to satisfy this desire, there is provided a method of disposing a large-capacity outdoor heat exchanger and increasing a blowing rate by locating an outdoor blower fan.

[0003] For example, there is proposed a unit including a plurality of rows of heat exchangers bent in L-shapes and arranged in an air circulating direction in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 8-247499).

[0004] However, in the unit disclosed in the Patent Document 1, if the number of rows of the heat exchangers is increased so as to increase a heat exchanging capacity, a ventilating resistance increases in the downstream side heat exchanger to reduce heat exchanging efficiency. If the blower is increased in size to increase the blowing rate, a short-side portion of an L-shape of the downstream side heat exchanger comes in contact with the blower fan or becomes close to the blower fan to thereby increase noise.

Disclosure of The Invention

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and it is an object of the invention to provide a space-saving outdoor unit for an air conditioner having an increased heat exchanging capacity and performance.

[0006] To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, including:

an outdoor unit housing an inside of which is partitioned by a partition plate into two sections;

a machine chamber provided on one side partitioned by the partition plate; and

a heat exchange chamber provided on the other side partitioned by the partition plate,

wherein the machine chamber includes a compressor provided on a bottom plate of the outdoor unit housing, the heat exchanger chamber houses an outdoor heat exchanger and a blower, the outdoor heat exchanger includes at least two rows of heat exchangers bent into L-shapes in a plan view toward the blower and disposed so as to be overlapped in an air circulating direction, and a downstream side heat exchanger on a downstream side in the air circulating direction has an obtuse bending angle.

[0007] An interval of fins of the downstream side heat exchanger is preferably greater than an interval of fins of an upstream heat exchanger disposed on the upstream side from the downstream side heat exchanger.

[0008] An interval of refrigerant pipes of the downstream side heat exchanger is preferably different from an interval of refrigerant pipes of an upstream side heat exchanger.

[0009] An end portion of a short side of the L-shape of the downstream side heat exchanger may be positioned on the upstream side from a blower fan of the blower in a direction of a blower rotation axis.

[0010] Moreover, according to the invention, there is provided an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, including:

an outdoor unit housing an inside of which is partitioned by a partition plate into two sections;

a machine chamber provided on one side partitioned by the partition plate; and

a heat exchange chamber provided on the other side partitioned by the partition plate,

wherein the machine chamber includes a compressor provided on a bottom plate of the outdoor unit housing,'the heat exchanger chamber houses an outdoor heat exchanger and a blower, the outdoor heat exchanger includes at least two rows of heat exchangers bent into L-shapes in a plan view toward the blower and disposed so as to be overlapped in an air circulating direction, and a downstream side heat exchanger disposed on a downstream side in the air circulating direction has a length greater in a height direction than an upstream side heat exchanger disposed on the upstream side in the air circulating direction.

[0011] With the outdoor unit for the air conditioner according to the present invention, it is possible to provide the space-saving outdoor unit for the air conditioner having the increased heat exchanging capacity.

[0012] In the outdoor unit for the air conditioner of the present invention having the above structure, the bending angle of the downstream side heat exchanger is the obtuse angle (e.g., 120°). As a result, the interval of the fins is extended as compared with the case where the bending angle is 90°, and the air circulation amount increases to thereby enhance the heat exchanging efficiency. Moreover, because the end portion of the short-side portion of the L-shape of the downstream heat exchanger is positioned on the upstream side from the blower fan in the air circulating direction, it is possible to maintain a distance between the blower fan and the downstream side heat exchanger to thereby suppress noise. In addition, the radial and axial lengths of the blower fan can be elongated, and the blowing rate can be increased. Furthermore, since the downstream side heat exchanger has a length longer than the length in the height direction of the upstream side heat exchanger, the heat exchanging capacity can be increased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] 

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the outdoor unit for the air conditioner according to the present invention in a state in which a housing is removed.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a heat exchanger used for the outdoor unit for the air conditioner according to the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the heat exchanger used for the outdoor unit for the air conditioner according to the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along a line V-V in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional enlarged view of a part of the heat exchanger used for the outdoor unit for the air conditioner according to the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0014] An embodiment of an outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to the present invention will be described hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, expressions indicating directions such as upper, lower, left, and right are used based on states shown in the drawings or a state of an actually installed outdoor unit.

[0015] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to the present invention and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same in a state in which an outdoor unit housing is removed.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 1, the outdoor unit 1 for the air conditioner of the present embodiment includes an outdoor unit housing 2. The outdoor unit housing 2 includes a bottom plate 3 having fixing legs 3a, a front plate 4 provided so as to stand up from the bottom plate 3, formed with an air outlet 4a, and having a service plate 4b which is separated and detached, a wire guard 5 connected to the front plate 4 and serving as an intake side, a machine chamber plate 6 connected to the wire guard 5, a column 7 facing the machine chamber plate 6 and provided so as to stand up from a rear side corner portion of the bottom plate 3, and a top plate 6 placed to cover an upper opening defined by the front plate 4, the wire guard 5, the machine chamber plate 6, and the column 7. The top plate 6 has a ceiling portion 6a and a fixing portion 6b formed at a peripheral end portion of the ceiling portion 6a and fixed to the front plate 4, the machine chamber plate 6, and the column 7.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 2, an inside of the outdoor unit housing 2 is partitioned by a partition plate 9 into a machine chamber 10 and a heat exchanger chamber 1 1.

[0018] In the machine chamber 10, a compressor 12, an accumulator 13, a piping connecting valve 14 at the site, refrigerant piping, an outdoor controller, not shown, for controlling the compressor 12 and a blower 15, and the like are housed while placed on the bottom plate 3.

[0019] In the heat exchanger chamber 11, the blower 15 having a blower fan 15a and a motor 15b and a heat exchanger 16 are housed while placed on the bottom plate 3.

[0020] The motor 15b of the blower 15 is fixedly mounted to a motor base 17, which has a lower portion fixed to the bottom plate 3, an upper portion having one end fixed to a rear side of the top plate 8, and the other end fixed to the front plate 4. Furthermore, the motor base 17 has a lower fixing portion 17a to be fixed to the bottom plate 3, a fan motor fixing portion 17b for fixing the fan motor 15b, and an upper fixing portion 17c shown in Fig. 6.

[0021] As shown in Figs. 3 to 6, the heat exchanger 16 includes an upstream side heat exchanger 16a formed in an L-shape in a plan view so as to surround the blower 15 and to face a rear side and one side-surface side of the outdoor unit housing 2 and a downstream side heat exchanger 16b disposed on the downstream side of the upstream side heat exchanger 16a in an air circulating direction.

[0022] In the upstream side heat exchanger 16a, two rows of refrigerant pipes (heat transfer pipes) 16a₂ penetrate a plurality of aluminum fins 16a₁ in the air circulating direction and in a staggered arrangement. On the rear side of the outdoor unit housing 2, an L-shape long-side portion 16a₃ is disposed. On the one side-surface side of the outdoor unit housing 2, an L-shape short-side portion 16a₄ is disposed. A rear side end plate 18a and a front side end plate 18b are provided to the respective end portions. The rear side end plate 18a is fixed to an end portion of the partition plate 9 on a rear side of the outdoor unit housing 2 and the front side end plate 18b is fixed to the bottom plate 3 and the front plate 4.

[0023] In the downstream side heat exchanger 16b, a row of refrigerant pipes 16b₂ penetrate a plurality of aluminum fins 16b₁. Similarly to the upstream side heat exchanger 16a, an L-shape long-side portion 16b₃ is disposed on the rear side of the outdoor unit housing 2 and an L-shape short-side portion 16b₄ is disposed on the one side-surface side. By providing the L-shape short-side portion 16b₄ also to the downstream side heat exchanger 16b, it is possible to increase the heat exchange capacity. A rear side end plate 19a and a front side end plate 19b are provided at the end portions of the downstream side heat exchanger 16b. The rear side end plate 19a is fixed to the partition plate 9 and a lower portion of the front side end plate 19b is fixed to the bottom plate 3 through a fixture 20.

[0024] The upstream side heat exchanger 16a and the downstream side heat exchanger 16b are connected by means of the refrigerant piping and a U-shaped pipe 21 at end portions on the rear side of the outdoor unit housing 2.

[0025] A fin interval Fb of the downstream side heat exchanger 16b is greater than a fin interval Fa of the upstream side heat exchanger 16a. As a result, air can easily circulates toward the downstream side heat exchanger 16b to enhance the heat exchanging efficiency.

[0026] An interval Pb of the refrigerant pipes 16b₁ of the downstream side heat exchanger 16b is different from an interval Pa of the refrigerant pipes 16a₁ of the upstream side heat exchanger 16a. For example, the vertical interval Pa of the refrigerant pipes 16a₂ and the vertical interval Pb of the refrigerant pipes 16b₂ of the downstream side heat exchanger 16b is different from each other such as Pb>Pa in this embodiment. As a result, the upstream side pipes 16a₂ and the downstream side pipes 16b₂ are less overlapped in the air circulating direction to make the downstream refrigerant pipes 16b₂ more exposed to air to thereby enhance the heat exchanging efficiency.

[0027] A bending angle α which the L-shape long-side portion 16b₃ and the L-shape short-side portion 16b₄ of the downstream side heat exchanger 16b is set to form an obtuse angle and preferably 120°, for example. An end portion 16b₅ of the L-shape short-side portion 16b₄ is provided to be positioned on the upstream side from the blower fan 15a in a direction of a blower rotation axis. Because the bending angle α is the obtuse angle, the interval of the fins at the bent portion is extended as compared with a case where the bending angle is 90°, and an air circulating amount increases to thereby enhance the heat exchanging efficiency.

[0028] Furthermore, because the end portion 16b₅ of the L-shape short-side portion 16b₄ of the downstream side heat exchanger 16b is provided so as to be positioned on the upstream side from the blower fan 15a in the direction of the blower rotation axis, it is possible to maintain a distance between the blower fan 15a and the downstream side heat exchanger 16b to thereby suppress noise. Moreover, it is possible to increase radial and axial lengths of the blower fan 15a so as to increase an air blowing rate.

[0029] Furthermore, a length Hb in a height direction of the downstream side heat exchanger 16b is greater than a length Ha in the height direction of the upstream side heat exchanger 16a.

[0030] The upper end portion of the upstream side heat exchanger 16a cannot be made high due to interference with a bent portion formed between the ceiling portion 6a and the fixing chip 6b of the top plate 6, screws for fixing the top plate 6, and the like. Even if the upper end portion of the upstream side heat exchanger 16a is provided to be as high as the ceiling portion 6a, the top plate fixing chip 6b is positioned near to obstruct circulation of the air, so that the heat exchanging is hardly carried out. However, since the upper end portion of the downstream side heat exchanger 16b is apart from the fixing chip 6b of top plate 6, the upper end portion can be provided so as to have a position as high as the ceiling portion 6a. Further, since the air circulation is not obstructed by the fixing portion 6b of the top plate 6, the heat exchanging can be carried out. In the present invention, because the downstream side heat exchanger 16a has a length longer than the length in the height direction of the upstream side heat exchanger 16a, a space on a back side of the top plate 6 can be effectively utilized, and the heat exchanging amount can be increased.

[0031] Furthermore, by pinching the high upper end portion of the downstream side heat exchanger 16b in a pinching portion 17d provided to the upper fixing portion 17c of the motor base 17 and fixing one side end portion 17e of the upper fixing portion 17c to the top plate 6, the long-side portion 16b₃ of the downstream side heat exchanger 16b and the long-side portion 16a₃ of the upstream side heat exchanger 16a come in close contact with each other. As a result of this close contact, the ventilating resistance is reduced to thereby enhance the heat exchanging efficiency.

[0032] In the outdoor unit for the air conditioner of the embodiment having the above structure, the bending angle α of the downstream side heat exchanger is the obtuse angle, and accordingly, the interval of the fins can be extended as compared with the case where the bending angle is 90°, and the circulation amount of air increases to enhance the heat exchanging efficiency. Moreover, because the end portion 17b₄ of the L-shape short-side portion 16b₃ is positioned on the upstream side from the blower fan 15a in the air circulating direction, it is possible to maintain a distance between the blower fan 15a and the downstream side heat exchanger 16b to suppress noise. In addition, the radial and axial lengths of the blower fan 15a can be elongated, and the blowing rate can be increased. Furthermore, since the downstream side heat exchanger 16b has the length longer than the length in the height direction of the upstream side heat exchanger 16a, the heat exchanging capacity and performance can be increased.

[0033] According the outdoor unit for the air conditioner of the present embodiment, the space-saving outdoor unit for the air conditioner having the increased heat exchanging capacity can be provided.

Claims

1. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner, comprising:

an outdoor unit housing an inside of which is partitioned by a partition plate into two sections;

a machine chamber provided on one side partitioned by the partition plate; and

a heat exchanger chamber provided on another side partitioned by the partition plate,

wherein the machine chamber includes a compressor provided on a bottom plate of the outdoor unit housing, the heat exchanger chamber houses an outdoor heat exchanger and a blower, the outdoor heat exchanger including at least two rows of heat exchangers bent into L-shapes in a plan view toward the blower and disposed to be overlapped in an air circulating direction, and a downstream side heat exchanger on a downstream side in the air circulating direction has an obtuse bending angle.

2. The outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein an interval of fins of the downstream side heat exchanger is greater than an interval of fins of an upstream side heat exchanger disposed on the upstream side from the downstream side heat exchanger.

3. The outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein an interval of refrigerant pipes of the downstream side heat exchanger is different from an interval of refrigerant pipes of an upstream side heat exchanger.

4. The outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein an end portion of a short side of the L-shape of the downstream side heat exchanger is positioned on the upstream side from a blower fan of the blower in a direction of a blower rotation axis.

5. The outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 1, the downstream side heat exchanger on the downstream side in the air circulating direction has an obtuse bending angle of about 120°.

6. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner, comprising:

an outdoor unit housing an inside of which is partitioned by a partition plate into two sections;

a machine chamber provided on one side partitioned by the partition plate; and

a heat exchange chamber provided on the other side partitioned by the partition plate,

wherein the machine chamber includes a compressor provided on a bottom plate of the outdoor unit housing, the heat exchanger chamber houses an outdoor heat exchanger and a blower, the outdoor heat exchanger including at least two rows of heat exchangers bent into L-shapes in a plan view toward the blower and disposed to be overlapped in an air circulating direction, and a downstream side heat exchanger disposed on a downstream side in the air circulating direction has a length greater in a height direction than an upstream side heat exchanger disposed on the upstream side in the air circulating direction.

Drawing