JP5915239B2 - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a wind direction adjusting mechanism for an air conditioner, and more particularly to a structure for fixing left and right wind direction plates.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known an air conditioner that improves indoor comfort by blowing air conditioned in a building or a house into the room. For example, an air conditioner can keep the room at a comfortable temperature by blowing warm air or cold air into the room from the outlet.

Such an air conditioner is provided with a left and right wind direction plate and a support structure for adjusting the left and right wind directions when air conditioned in the room is blown (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The left and right wind direction plates have a wind direction part having a wind direction surface, and the air direction blown by the air blown from the blowout port can be adjusted to the left and right wind directions. The left and right wind direction plates and the support structure thereof are disposed in the vicinity of the air outlet formed in the main body of the air conditioner. The left and right wind direction plates and the support structure thereof include, for example, a shaft hole and a plurality of left and right wind direction plates having a shaft portion. In such a left and right wind direction plate and its support structure, the shaft hole is provided in the air outlet formed in the main body portion of the air conditioner, and the shaft portion is inserted into the shaft hole and is rotatable. The shaft portion is provided with a locking claw that engages with a part of the shaft hole.

The left and right wind direction plates are connected via a connecting member (moving part) so that when one left and right wind direction plate is rotated, the other left and right wind direction plates are also rotated. And the notch part (engagement part) is provided so that the rotated right and left wind direction board can be fixed (for example, refer patent document 2).

JP 2003-106635 A JP 2005-83603 A

In order to suppress the wobbling of the left and right wind direction plates, the fitting between the shaft portion of the left and right wind direction plates and the shaft hole of the support is performed. However, tightening the fit between the shaft part of the right and left wind direction plate and the shaft hole of the support body makes it difficult to work when inserting the shaft part into the shaft hole and increases the wear of the shaft part and the shaft hole. As a result, wobbling due to wear occurs, and a slight vibration during operation of the air conditioner causes a chatter sound, which may cause the user to feel uncomfortable.

In addition, it may be possible to suppress wear by applying lubricating oil to the sliding part of the shaft part and shaft hole, but for a long time, this lubricating oil may flow down or dust may adhere to improve lubricity. There is also a risk that the left and right wind direction plates will not move.

Therefore, when installing the left and right wind direction plates of the air conditioner, the casing that constitutes the air flow path of the air conditioner is used as the support for the left and right wind direction plates, and the shaft portion of the left and right wind direction plates is inserted into the shaft holes provided in the support. The left and right wind direction plates are erected on the support body due to the elasticity of the shaft portion.

The shaft portion is provided with an expanding portion having a locking claw, and when the shaft portion of the right and left wind direction plate is inserted into the shaft hole of the support body, the locking claw is pushed by the inner surface of the shaft hole and the expanding portion Is deformed inward and the inner surface of the shaft hole is inserted as a guide surface until the locking claw passes through the shaft hole.

When the locking claw passes the shaft hole, if originally expanding portion in the elasticity of the expansion portion is spread and to return to the original with the locking claw, it as the locking pawl is caught by the lower surface of the shaft hole The left and right wind direction plates are fixed. However, in this state, due to sagging that occurs when the tip of the locking claw is inserted while pushing the inner surface of the shaft hole, and due to molding burrs that are often caused by parting lines that are often provided in this part, The latching claw is caught in the shaft hole, and the latching claw is prevented from expanding due to the elasticity of the expanding portion.

For this reason, the pushable dimension of the left and right wind direction plates is increased, and the left and right wind direction plates are still pushed after the locking claws reach the locking portion. As a result, the locking claw completely gets over the locking portion, and the locking claw expands due to the elasticity of the expanding portion and is caught by the locking portion. However, since the pushable dimensions of the left and right wind direction plates are increased, in the state where the left and right wind direction plates are assembled to the support body, the axial direction between the locking claws of the left and right wind direction plates and the locking portions of the shaft holes is increased. A gap is created. This gap causes the left and right wind direction plates to swing up and down.

Also, because the left and right wind direction plates are wobbled, when the wind direction is deflected to the left and right, the left and right wind direction plates do not stop where they were intended, and the operability deteriorates. Furthermore, air flows through the gap, and dew is generated in an unexpected place during the cooling operation, so that a phenomenon of dropping into the room or scattering from the outlet occurs.

Here, in order to prevent an axial gap from being generated between the locking claw of the left and right wind direction plate and the locking portion of the shaft hole, between the locking claw of the left and right wind direction plate and the wind direction portion of the left and right wind direction plate It is conceivable to provide an elastic portion having elasticity in the axial direction. If it carries out like this, it will become possible to clamp a support body by an elastic part and a latching claw, and a right-and-left wind direction board will not wobble up and down.

However, if an elastic portion having axial elasticity is provided between the locking claws of the left and right wind direction plates and the wind direction portion of the left and right wind direction plates, the notch portion (engagement portion) that fixes the rotation angle of the left and right wind direction plates is good. There arises a problem of disengagement. This is because the left and right wind direction plates are held in a state where they are elastic in the axial direction, so the positions of the left and right wind direction plates and the support in the axial direction change, and the notch (engagement portion) on the left and right wind direction plates and the support side This is because the notch portion (engagement portion) is separated.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a notch portion for fixing the rotation angle of the left and right wind direction plates in an air conditioner having a left and right wind direction plate support structure that can be erected without wobbling on the support body and has good stability. It is to make it the structure which engages an engagement part) reliably.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to insert and support the shaft portion of the left and right wind direction plate in the shaft hole provided in the support body of the left and right wind direction plate, and change the wind direction by rotating the left and right wind direction plate around the shaft portion. In an air conditioner equipped with a support structure for left and right wind direction plates, an elastic portion is provided between the shaft portion and the wind direction portion of the left and right wind direction plates, and the support is sandwiched between the locking claw and the elastic portion provided on the shaft portion. At the same time, the notch part (engaging part) for fixing the left and right wind direction plates at the rotated position is constituted by a notch shaft provided in the support and a notch hole provided in the left and right wind direction plates.

The elastic part is provided on the side opposite to the notch hole with respect to the shaft part.

In addition, the elastic part is provided on the wind direction side of the left and right wind direction plates.

Further, the height of the notch shaft is made higher than the distance that the left and right wind direction plates can move in the axial direction by the elastic portion.

According to the present invention, even if the left and right wind direction plates move up and down by the elastic portion, the notch portion (engagement portion) that fixes the rotation angle of the left and right wind direction plates can function. Further, the left and right wind direction plates can be erected on the support without being inclined. Further, even if the left and right wind direction plates are moved up and down by the elastic portion, the notch portion (engagement portion) that fixes the rotation angle of the left and right wind direction plates does not come off.

The whole block diagram of the indoor unit of an air conditioner. The enlarged view of the blower outlet of the indoor unit by this invention. Explanatory drawing of the left-right wind direction board assembly of this invention. Explanatory drawing of the left-right wind direction board of this invention. Explanatory drawing of the left-right wind direction board support structure of this invention. The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the left-right wind direction board support structure of this invention. The cross-sectional view of the left-right wind direction board support structure of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments embodying the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, the outline | summary of an air conditioner and a left-right wind direction board is demonstrated using FIGS. 1-3. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an indoor unit of an air conditioner. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the air outlet of the indoor unit according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the left and right wind direction plate assembly of the present invention.

The air conditioner connects the indoor unit 10 and an outdoor unit (not shown) with a connection pipe (not shown) to air-condition the room.

The indoor unit 10 is provided with a front panel 11 on the front side and an upper surface grille 14 on the upper side. The top grill 14 is provided with a suction port for sucking room air, and a blower outlet 200 for blowing conditioned air from the indoor unit 10 into the room is provided below the indoor unit 10.

The blower outlet 200 can be opened and closed by the rotation of an unillustrated vertical wind direction plate pivotally supported on both sides of the blower outlet 200. The vertical wind direction plate controls the air flow blown from the indoor unit 10 in the vertical direction and blows air into the room.

On the side of the air outlet 200, a display unit 12 that displays the operating state of the air conditioner and a receiving unit 13 that receives an operation signal from a remote controller (not shown) are provided.

The air outlet 200 is provided with left and right airflow direction plates 300 at predetermined intervals in the left-right direction (longitudinal direction of the air outlet). Specifically, the left and right wind direction plates 300 are pivotally supported by the shaft portion 320 with respect to the lower surface of the casing as the support 201 of the left and right wind direction plates 300 that constitute the lower side of the outlet 200.

At the back of the display unit 12 of the indoor unit 10, an electrical unit (not shown) is provided to accommodate the control board. A microcomputer is provided on the control board, and a signal sent from a remote controller (not shown) is received by the receiver 13 to control the operation of the air conditioner. In addition, the operation mode can be determined by the display color of the display unit 12 by changing the lightning color of the display unit 12 according to the operation mode.

When the indoor unit 10 receives the operation signal from the remote controller, the operation of the air conditioner is started, and the up / down wind direction plate 11 is rotated by the microcomputer control to open the outlet of the indoor unit 10.

The outdoor unit (not shown) also starts to operate, and the refrigerant sent from the outdoor unit circulates in a heat exchanger (not shown) provided in the indoor unit 10 through a copper pipe for refrigerant (not shown). At the same time, a blower fan (not shown) is also driven to suck room air from the suction port and blow it out from the blower outlet 200.

The air blown from the air outlet 200 passes through the left and right airflow direction plates 300 provided on the downstream side of the support 201 and the upper and lower airflow direction plates (not shown), and is blown into the room while the air direction is controlled.

The right and left wind direction plate 300 has a wind direction portion 310 as vertical blades. A plurality of the vertical blades are arranged at predetermined intervals in a horizontal row at the position of the air outlet 200, and the left and right wind direction plates 300 are rotated left and right to change the wind direction to the left and right. Is controlling. Further, an up-and-down wind direction plate (not shown) controls the wind direction up and down by horizontally turning the horizontal blades at the position of the air outlet 200 and rotating up and down.

As a result, the air blown from the air outlet 200 is blown in the intended direction by the air direction being controlled by the left and right wind direction plates 300 and the upper and lower wind direction plates (not shown). Further, the left and right wind direction plates 300 are pivotally supported on the support body 201 by a shaft portion 320. The plurality of left and right wind direction plates 300 are connected by a bar-like connecting bar 390 disposed in a substantially horizontal direction of the air outlet 200, and turn in the same direction in conjunction with the operation of the connecting bar 390.

Below, the support structure of the left-right wind direction board of this invention is demonstrated using FIGS. 4-7 mentioned above. 4 is an explanatory view of the left and right wind direction plate of the present invention, FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of the left and right wind direction plate support structure of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the left and right wind direction plate support structure of the present invention, and FIG. It is a cross-sectional view of the left and right wind direction plate support structure, (a) is a cross-sectional view of the left and right wind direction plate alone, (b) is a cross-sectional view in a state where the left and right wind direction plate is attached to the support. .

A plurality of right and left wind direction plates 300 of the air conditioner according to the present invention are attached to a connecting rod 390 via a connecting portion 391. Of the plurality of left and right wind direction plates 300 attached to the connecting rod 390, the center left and right wind direction plate 300 is provided with a grip portion 311 for the user to rotate the left and right wind direction plate 300 left and right. Yes. By operating the grip portion 311, the plurality of left and right wind direction plates 300 connected by the connecting rod 390 can be rotated in the same direction using the respective shaft portions 320 as rotation axes.

The left and right wind direction plates 300 are configured by inserting and engaging a wind direction portion 310 for deflecting air blown from the air outlet 200, a shaft portion 320 inserted into the shaft hole 210, and a notch shaft 220 described later. It consists of a notch portion 330 that fixes the rotational position of 300. Further, an elastic portion 340 is provided between the wind direction portion 310 and the shaft portion 320 so as to sandwich the support 201 with a shaft locking claw 321 provided on the shaft portion 320 described later.

The lower surface of the casing constituting the blowout air passage of the air conditioner is used as a support 201 for the left and right wind direction plates 300, and a step portion 230 is provided around a shaft hole 210 provided in the support 201. Normally, the lower surface of the casing is formed in a curved shape so as to form an air passage, but the portion where the left and right wind direction plates 300 are attached is a flat surface and operates when the left and right wind direction plates 300 rotate around the shaft portion 320. We try to prevent unevenness.

The right and left wind direction plate 300 is erected by inserting the shaft portion 320 of the left and right wind direction plate 300 into the shaft hole 210 provided in the support body 201. When the shaft portion 320 of the left and right wind direction plate 300 is inserted into the shaft hole 210 of the support 201, the widened portion 322 having the shaft locking claw 321 is pushed by the inner surface of the shaft hole 210 and deformed inwardly, Until the claw 321 passes through the shaft hole 210, the inner surface of the shaft hole 210 is inserted as a guide surface. After the shaft locking claw 321 passes through the shaft hole 210, the expanding portion 322 is expanded, so that the shaft locking claw 321 is locked to the lower surface of the shaft hole 210.

The elastic part 340 includes a front elastic part 341 and a plurality of lateral elastic parts 342, and each of the elastic parts 340 is provided so as to be inclined downward from the shaft part side base part 343 toward the outside. In a state where the left and right wind direction plates 300 are attached to the support 201, the end portions come into contact with the stepped portion 230. Since the tip of the front elastic part 341 or the lateral elastic part 342 comes into contact with the stepped part 230 before the shaft part side base part 343, the left and right wind direction plates 300 are elastic by the elastic part 340 on the wind direction part 310 side with respect to the shaft hole 210. Receive power.

Here, a distance in the axial direction between the shaft locking claw 321 and the tip of the elastic portion 340 before mounting the left and right wind direction plates 300 on the support body 210 is defined as a dimension A, and is sandwiched between the elastic portion 340 and the shaft locking claw 321. The thickness of the stepped portion 230 is defined as dimension B, and the axial distance between the shaft locking claw 321 and the shaft portion side 343 of the elastic portion 340 is defined as dimension C. By setting B> A, the left and right wind direction plates 300 can be attached to the shaft hole 210 in a state where the elastic portion 340 and the shaft locking claw 321 generate the elastic force in the mounting shaft direction.

Since the left and right wind direction plates 300 are attached to the shaft hole 210 in a state where the elastic force in the attachment shaft direction is generated by the elastic portion 340 and the shaft locking claw 321, there is no backlash in the vertical direction. It can be in a state without sticking. Further, since the expanded portion 322 has an elastic force that spreads in the radial direction of the shaft hole 210, the shaft hole contact portion 323 provided in the expanded portion 322 generates an elastic force on the inner surface of the shaft hole 210. Since it is attached in the state that it is made to move, the backlash in the left-right direction can be suppressed.

In a state where the left and right wind direction plates 300 are attached to the support 201, the notch shaft 220 is inserted into a notch hole 331 provided in the notch portion 330. A plurality of notch locking claws 332 are provided in the notch hole 331, and the angle of the rotated right and left wind direction plate 300 can be fixed by the notch locking claw 332 being locked to the notch shaft 220. Yes.

Here, the height of the notch shaft 220 is a dimension H. The dimension H is the distance C in the axial direction between the shaft locking claw 321 and the shaft portion side 343 of the elastic portion 340, and the thickness of the stepped portion 230 sandwiched between the elastic portion 340 and the shaft locking claw 321. It is larger than the difference from the dimension B which is the height. That is, by setting H> (CB), even if the left and right wind direction plates 300 are moved up and down by the elastic force in the mounting axis direction after the left and right wind direction plates 300 are attached to the support 210, the notch shaft 220 is obtained. Can be prevented from coming off from the notch portion 330.

Since the notch shaft 220 is inserted into the notch hole 331 in this way, even if the left and right wind direction plates 300 are attached to the shaft hole 210 with elasticity in the attachment axis direction, The angle of the left and right wind direction plates 300 can be reliably fixed without the notch portion 330 being detached.

The operating force when rotating the left and right wind direction plates 300 is determined by the axial elastic characteristics generated between the elastic portion 340 and the shaft locking claw 321 and the coefficient of friction between the support 201 and By selecting these appropriately, it is possible to obtain an appropriate operating force, and it becomes unnecessary to manage a slight dimensional difference as in the conventional case, and the number of manufacturing steps can be reduced.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 7, the thickness B of the stepped portion 230 held between the elastic portion 340 and the shaft locking claw 321 so that the shaft portion side 343 of the elastic portion 340 and the stepped portion 230 do not come into contact with each other. By determining the dimension and the dimension C of the shaft locking claw 321 and the shaft portion side 343 of the elastic portion 340, the right and left wind direction plate 300 as described above can be fixed.

In addition, although the Example demonstrates the case where a left-right wind direction board is fixed to the lower surface of the casing which comprises the blowing air path of an air conditioner, it is the same also when fixing to the other side (upper surface of a casing) of a blowing air path. The effect of can be obtained.

Further, the front elastic part 341 is provided on the opposite side of the notch part 330 with respect to the shaft part 320. Thereby, it can prevent that the left-right wind direction board 300 inclines to the downstream of the blower outlet 200. FIG. Therefore, the notch portion 330 does not come off from the notch shaft 220.

Further, the lateral elastic portion 342 is provided on the wind direction surface side of the wind direction portion 310. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the left and right wind direction plates 300 from being inclined toward the wind direction surface with respect to the shaft portion 320. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the right and left wind direction plates 300 from rattling due to the blown air hitting the wind direction portion 310.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Indoor unit 11 Front panel 12 Display part 13 Reception part 14 Upper surface grill 200 Outlet 210 Shaft hole 220 Notch shaft 230 Step part 300 Left and right wind direction board 310 Wind direction part 320 Shaft part 330 Notch part 340 Elastic part 390 Connecting rod A before attachment Distance B in the axial direction between the shaft locking claw and the tip of the elastic portion Thickness C of the stepped portion sandwiched between the elastic portion and the shaft locking claw In the axial direction between the shaft locking claw and the shaft side of the elastic portion Distance H Height of notch shaft

Claims (4)

A left and right wind direction plate comprising a shaft portion and a wind direction portion having a wind direction surface, and a support body that supports the left and right wind direction plate,
A left and right wind direction plate support structure is provided in which the shaft portion of the left and right wind direction plate is inserted and supported in a shaft hole provided in the support body, and the left and right wind direction plate is rotated around the shaft portion to change the wind direction. In the air conditioner
An elastic portion is provided between the shaft portion and the wind direction portion of the left and right wind direction plate, and a shaft locking claw for locking the left and right wind direction plate to the shaft hole is formed at the tip of the shaft portion,
A distance in the axial direction from the tip of the elastic portion to the shaft locking claw is A,
The axial distance from the contact portion of the elastic portion of the support to the contact portion of the shaft latching claws B,
When the axial distance from the shaft portion side of the elastic portion to the shaft locking claw is C,
C>B> A
Have the relationship
While provided with a notch portion having a notch hole in the left and right wind direction plate,
The support has a notch axis extending in the axial direction;
The notch hole includes a plurality of notch locking claws,
An air conditioner characterized in that the notch shaft is inserted into the notch hole and the notch shaft is locked to the notch locking claw to fix the rotated angle of the left and right wind direction plates.
The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the elastic part has a front elastic part provided on the opposite side of the notch part with respect to the shaft part. The elastic part further has a lateral elastic part,
The front elastic portion is disposed on the downstream side of the shaft portion, and
The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein the transverse elastic portion is arranged on the wind direction surface side. The height of the notch shaft is H,
H> (CB)
The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioner has the following relationship.

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