Outdoor unit for air conditioning device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10962240-B2
Application number	US-201716323581-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2017
Priority date	Oct 17, 2016
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

An outdoor unit for an air conditioning device includes a heat exchanger including (i) heat transfer tubes arranged with a space therebetween and each having one end connected to a refrigerant tube, and (ii) fins extending from the heat transfer tubes; first and second protective members each having (i) a flat plate that covers a respective end portion of the heat transfer tubes and an endmost fin that is located nearest the end portions of the heat transfer tubes, and (ii) a protrusion that protrudes from the flat plate toward the space between the heat transfer tubes near the end portions of the heat transfer tubes; first and second cover members that cover a respective flat plate; and a housing having an inner wall abutting the first cover member and an inner wall abutting the second cover member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An outdoor unit for an air conditioning device, the outdoor unit comprising:
a heat exchanger including (i) heat transfer tubes arranged with a space provided between the heat transfer tubes and each having one end connected to a refrigerant tube to transfer heat of refrigerant contained in the refrigerant tube, and (ii) fins extending from the heat transfer tubes to exchange heat between the heat transfer tubes and outside air;
a first protective member having (i) a first flat plate that covers one-end portions of the heat transfer tubes and an endmost fin of the fins that is located nearest the one-end portions of the heat transfer tubes, and (ii) a first protrusion that protrudes from the first flat plate toward the space between the heat transfer tubes near the one-end portions of the heat transfer tubes;
a second protective member having (i) a second flat plate that covers one-end portions of the heat transfer tubes and the endmost fin oppositely from the first flat plate, and (ii) a second protrusion that protrudes from the second flat plate toward the space near the one-end portions of the heat transfer tubes;
a first cover member that covers the first flat plate;
a second cover member that covers the second flat plate; and
a housing that houses the heat exchanger, the first protective member, the second protective member, the first cover member, and the second cover member, and that has an inner wall abutting the first cover member and an inner wall abutting the second cover member.

2. The outdoor unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the heat exchanger further includes
a first heat exchange unit including a first set of heat transfer tubes of the heat transfer tubes and a first set of fins of the fins, the first set of fins extending from the first set of heat transfer tubes, and
a second heat exchange unit including a second set of heat transfer tubes of the heat transfer tubes and a second set of fins of the fins, the second set of fins extending from the second set of heat transfer tubes, the second heat exchange unit being connected via the refrigerant tube to the first heat exchange unit,

the first flat plate covers one-end portions of the first set of heat transfer tubes and the endmost fin of the first heat exchange unit,
the second heat exchange unit is located adjacent to the first heat exchange unit oppositely from a first heat exchange unit side covered with the first flat plate, and
the second flat plate covers one-end portions of the second set of heat transfer tubes and the endmost fin of the second heat exchange unit oppositely from a second heat exchange unit side that is adjacent to the first heat exchange unit, and the first heat exchange unit and the second heat exchange unit are sandwiched between the first flat plate and the second flat plate.

3. The outdoor unit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a separator member that partitions the housing into a fan chamber containing a fan and a machine chamber containing electrical components, wherein
the heat transfer tubes included in the heat exchanger have a first section near the one-end portions and a second section, and the first section is disposed in the machine chamber and the second section is disposed in the fan chamber.

4. The outdoor unit according to claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer tubes are disposed extending in parallel to each other.

5. The outdoor unit according to claim 4 , wherein each of the first flat plate and the second flat plate has a rectangular shape and abuts surrounding portions of the heat transfer tubes, and a longitudinal direction of each of the first flat plate and the second flat plate is perpendicular to a direction in which the heat transfer tubes extend.

6. The outdoor unit according to claim 5 , wherein
the first flat plate has, at a middle portion and both end portions in the longitudinal direction, first locking claws that engage with the heat transfer tubes, and
the second flat plate has, at a middle portion and both end portions in the longitudinal direction, second locking claws that engage with the heat transfer tubes.

7. The outdoor unit according to claim 5 , wherein
the first protrusion is smaller than the space, and a clearance exists between (i) a side surface of the first protrusion protruding toward the space near the one-end portions of the heat transfer tubes and (ii) the corresponding heat transfer tube, and
the second protrusion is smaller than the space, and a clearance exists between (i) a side surface of the second protrusion protruding toward the space near the one-end portions of the heat transfer tubes and (ii) the corresponding heat transfer tube.

8. The outdoor unit according to claim 7 , wherein
among the clearances that each exist between the side surface of the first protrusion and the corresponding heat transfer tube, a clearance located in the middle portion in the longitudinal direction is smaller than a clearance located on each of both end portions in the longitudinal direction, and
among the clearances that each exist between the side surface of the second protrusion and the corresponding heat transfer tube, a clearance located in the middle portion in the longitudinal direction is smaller than a clearance located on each of both end portions in the longitudinal direction.

9. The outdoor unit according to claim 1 , wherein either one of the first cover member and the second cover member has a stop that restrains a position of the one of the first cover member and the second cover member relative to the heat exchanger.

10. The outdoor unit according to claim 3 , wherein
the first flat plate has a first air vent near the first cover member, the first air vent communicating between the fan chamber and the machine chamber,
the second flat plate has a second air vent near the second cover member, the second air vent communicating between the fan chamber and the machine chamber,
the first cover member has a wall portion facing an opening of the first air vent, and
the second cover member has a wall portion facing an opening of the second air vent.

11. The outdoor unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first protective member and the second protective member are made of a material having more flexibility than a material of the heat transfer tubes and the fins.

12. The outdoor unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the first protective member and the second protective member are made of a resin material, and
the first cover member and the second cover member are made of an aluminum alloy.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Ogawa Mizuki
• Fuse Toshiya
• Otsuka Motoki
• Kawasaki Ryutaro
• KOSEKI Shingo

Classifications

• F24F1/18

  characterised by their shape · CPC title

• F24F1/16

  Arrangement or mounting thereof · CPC title

• F28D1/05383

  with multiple rows of conduits or with multi-channel conduits (F28D1/05391 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F24F1/34 Primary

  Protection means thereof, e.g. covers for refrigerant pipes · CPC title

• F24F1/30

  for use inside the separate outdoor units · CPC title