Abstract:
Provided is an outdoor unit of an air conditioner which has good assembly stability by more cheaply and easily increasing mechanical strength of a housing, and in which the cost thereof is further suppressed by reducing the number of components such as screws, as an outdoor unit of a large air conditioner including two blowers. The left front pillar and the right front pillar are fixed between the front beam and the base panel hung between the front ends of the left side panel and the right side panel, and the rear pillar is fixed between the rear beam and the base panel hung between the rear ends of the left side panel and the right side panel. Therefore, the front beam and the rear beam are prevented from being distorted or bent, and thus mechanical strength of the entire housing is enhanced.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, more specifically, to an outdoor unit of an air conditioner in which a blower chamber is disposed above a machine chamber having a heat exchanger and a compressor. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    As one air conditioner, there is a multi-type air conditioner in which a plurality of indoor units are connected to one outdoor unit. For example, as described in Japanese Patent No. 4894299, an outdoor unit of a multi-type air conditioner includes a vertically rectangular parallelepiped housing provided with a rectangular base plate, a pair of side plates vertically disposed and fixed to both left and right ends of the base plate, a front plate vertically disposed and fixed to a front end of the bottom plate, a rear plate vertically disposed and fixed to a rear end of the base plate, and a top plate closing a top surface. 
         [0005]    In this type of an outdoor unit, an interior of the housing is partitioned into a machine chamber having a heat exchanger and a compressor at a lower portion and a blower chamber having a blower at an upper portion, with a plane including a front beam and a rear beam as a boundary, and the blower is supported by the front beam and the rear beam in the blower chamber. 
         [0006]    An air blowing port of the blower is disposed on a top surface of the housing, and an interior of the machine chamber becomes a negative pressure space as the blower rotates, and air passed through the heat exchanger from an outer circumference of the housing and entered the machine chamber passes through the blower chamber and is discharged from the upper portion of the housing to the outside of the housing. Therefore, heat exchange between the air and the refrigerant is performed. 
         [0007]    In addition, as an example of an outdoor unit of a higher output multi-type air conditioner, there is an outdoor unit in which a large heat exchanger and two blowers are incorporated in a housing. In order to incorporate the two blowers in the housing, the outdoor unit has the housing with a horizontally elongated rectangular parallelepiped shape, and two blowers are disposed side by side in a right and left between a front beam and a rear beam in an interior thereof (for example, refer to Japanese Patent No. 2000-240983). 
         [0008]    However, when the housing is designed to have a horizontally elongated shape and two blowers are attached side by side between the front beam and the rear beam, a large bending moment may be applied to a center of the front beam and the rear beam, and thus there is a possibility of being distorted or bent. 
         [0009]    If the front beam and the rear beam are distorted or bent, it is not preferable because there is a possibility of hindering the assembly of panels and the like. Therefore, it is desirable to increase mechanical strength by increasing the number of beam members and supports or the plate thickness for reinforcement, but it cannot avoid an increase in the cost related to this reinforcement. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an outdoor unit of an air conditioner which has good assembly stability by more cheaply and easily increasing mechanical strength of a housing, and in which the cost thereof is further suppressed by reducing the number of components such as screws, as an outdoor unit of a large air conditioner including two blowers. 
         [0011]    An outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to an aspect of the present invention includes a housing that includes a base panel, a left side panel and a right side panel disposed along a left side end and a right side end of the base panel, a front beam hung between front ends of the left side panel and the right side panel, and a rear beam hung between rear ends of the left side panel and the right side panel. An interior of the housing is partitioned into a machine chamber having a heat exchanger and a compressor at a lower portion and a blower chamber having a blower at an upper portion, with a plane including the front beam and the rear beam as a boundary. A first blower and a second blower are supported side by side by the front beam and the rear beam in the blower chamber, and an air blowing port of the blower is disposed on a top surface of the housing. A front pillar for supporting an intermediate portion of the front beam is disposed between the front end of the base panel and the front beam and a rear pillar for supporting an intermediate portion of the rear beam is disposed between the rear end of the base panel and the rear beam. 
         [0012]    As a more preferred aspect, the heat exchanger includes a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, a lower space on the first blower side is defined as a left machine chamber and a lower space on the second blower side is defined as a right machine chamber among the machine chambers, the first heat exchanger is disposed in the left machine chamber, the second heat exchanger is disposed in the right machine chamber, and the front pillar includes a left front pillar disposed on a front surface of the left machine chamber and a right front pillar disposed on a front surface of the right machine chamber. 
         [0013]    As a further preferred aspect, the rear pillar is disposed at a position to close the rear opening portion existing between a rear end portion of the first heat exchanger and a rear end portion of the second heat exchanger. 
         [0014]    As another aspect, a left end of the left front pillar is fixed along the front end of the left side panel and a right end of the right front pillar is fixed along the front end of the right side panel. 
         [0015]    As further another aspect, the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are respectively formed in a U-shape, and end portions of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are disposed so as to face each other, the left side panel is formed between a pair of post portions engaged with each corner portion of the left end of the base panel and the post portions, and is provided with a side suction grille for exposing a side portion of the first heat exchanger to the outside of the housing, and the right side panel is formed between a pair of post portions engaged with each corner portion of the right end of the base panel and the post portions, and is provided with a side suction grille for exposing a side portion of the second heat exchanger to the outside of the housing. 
         [0016]    In addition, a front suction grille for exposing a front surface side of the first heat exchanger to the outside of the housing may be integrally formed in the left front pillar, and a front suction grille for exposing a front surface side of the second heat exchanger to the outside of the housing may be integrally formed in the right front pillar. 
         [0017]    Furthermore, a front opening portion for maintenance exists between the left front pillar and the right front pillar, and a service panel for closing the front opening portion may be disposed between the left front pillar and the right front pillar. 
         [0018]    According to the aspect of the present invention, it is possible to enhance the mechanical strength of the entire housing. In addition, screws used for fixing are reduced, and cost reduction and assembling performance can be improved. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is an external perspective view of a front surface side of an outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is an external perspective view of a rear surface side of the outdoor unit of an air conditioner. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is an external perspective view of a front surface side of a front pillar attached to a base panel, a front beam, and a side panel. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the base panel. 
           [0024]      FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of a front surface side of the side panel, and  FIG. 6B  is a perspective view of a rear surface side of the side panel. 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of  FIG. 6A . 
           [0026]      FIG. 8A  is a perspective view of a front surface side of a left front pillar, and  FIG. 8B  is a perspective view of a rear surface side of the left front pillar. 
           [0027]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C of  FIG. 8A . 
           [0028]      FIG. 10A  is a perspective view of a front surface side of a rear pillar, and  FIG. 10B  is a perspective view of a rear surface side of the rear pillar. 
           [0029]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D of  FIG. 10A . 
           [0030]      FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view taken along line E-E of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0031]      FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view taken along line F-F of  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0032]    Next, although an outdoor unit of an air conditioner of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto. 
         [0033]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 4 , an outdoor unit  1  of an air conditioner includes a rectangular parallelepiped housing  2  horizontally elongated in a lateral direction (lateral direction in  FIG. 1 ), and an interior of the housing  2  is partitioned into a machine chamber MC having a heat exchanger  3  and a compressor (not illustrated), and a blower chamber FC having a blower  4 . In the embodiment, the machine chamber MC is disposed at a lower portion in the housing  2 , and the blower chamber FC is disposed above the machine chamber MC. 
         [0034]    When viewing the lateral direction of the housing  2  in front surface in  FIG. 1 , a left half space of the machine chamber MC is defined as a left machine chamber ML, a right half space thereof is defined as a right machine chamber MR, a left half space of the blower chamber FC is defined as a left blower chamber FL, and a right half space of the blower chamber FC is defined as a right blower chamber FR, a first heat exchanger  3 L is disposed in the left machine chamber ML of the housing  2 , and a second heat exchanger  3 R is disposed in the right machine chamber MR. 
         [0035]    In addition, a first blower  4 L is disposed in the left blower chamber FL, a second blower  4 R is disposed in the right blower chamber FR. A first air blowing port  11 L of the first blower  4 L and a second air blowing port  11 R of the second blower  4 R are respectively disposed on an upper surface of the housing  2 . 
         [0036]    The housing  2  is provided with a rectangular base panel  20  installed on the surface to be installed, a left side panel  30 L vertically disposed at a left side end of the base panel  20 , a right side panel  30 R vertically disposed at a right side end of the base panel  20 , a front beam  40 F (refer to  FIG. 4 ) hung horizontally between a front end of the left side panel  30 L and a front end of the right side panel  30 R, and a rear beam  40 R (refer to  FIG. 4 ) hung horizontally between a rear end of the left side panel  30 L and a rear end of the right side panel  30 R, as a basic structure. 
         [0037]    As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the base panel  20  is formed by pressing or welding a steel plate, and is formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular shape. An engagement portion  21  in which a panel is screwed to the circumferential edge of the base panel  20  is substantially vertically disposed over the entire circumference. 
         [0038]    On the base panel  20 , a front leg  22  and a rear leg  23  are formed when the outdoor unit  1  is installed on a surface to be installed (not illustrated). The front leg  22  is bent substantially at right angle from a front end side (front side in  FIG. 5 ) toward the lower side of the base panel  20 , and is formed continuously over the right and left. The rear leg  23  is bent substantially at right angle from a rear end side (rear side in  FIG. 5 ) toward the lower side of the base panel  20 , and is formed continuously over both the right and left ends. 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIG. 3  together, the heat exchanger  3  includes two heat exchanger units of a first heat exchanger  3 L and a second heat exchanger  3 R. The first heat exchanger  3 L includes a left front portion  310 L disposed along a left front end of the base panel  20 , a left side portion  320 L disposed along the left side end of the base panel  20 , and a left rear portion  330 L disposed along a left rear end of the base panel  20 , and is formed in a U-shape in a top view (paper direction in  FIG. 3 ). 
         [0040]    The first heat exchanger  3 L is fixed to the base panel  20  via a first end plate  34 L attached to a front end portion of the left front portion  310 L, and a second end plate  35 L attached to a rear end portion of the left rear portion  330 L. 
         [0041]    The second heat exchanger  3 R includes a right front portion  310 R disposed along a right front end of the base panel  20 , a right side portion  320 R disposed along the right side end of the base panel  20 , and a right rear portion  330 R disposed along a right rear end of the base panel  20 , and is formed in a U-shape in a top view (paper direction in  FIG. 3 ). 
         [0042]    The second heat exchanger  3 R is fixed to the base panel  20  via a front end plate  34 R attached to the front end portion of the right front portion  310 R, and a rear end plate  35 R attached to the rear end portion of the right rear portion  330 R. 
         [0043]    Next, referring to  FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 7 , although a configuration of the left side panel  30 L and the right side panel  30 R will be described, since basic shapes of the left side panel  30 L and the right side panel  30 R are the same as each other, and these panels are symmetrically disposed, hereinafter, a configuration of the right side panel  30 R will be described. 
         [0044]    In the embodiment, the right side panel  30 R includes a press-formed metal plate. The width of the right side panel  30 R is substantially the same as the length of a right end of the base panel  20 , and is formed in a vertically elongated rectangular shape extending from a lower end to an upper end of the housing  2 . 
         [0045]    The right side panel  30 R protects a pair of post portions  31 R and  32 R engaged with corner portions of the base panel  20  and the right side portion  320 R of the second heat exchanger  3 R, and is provided with a grille portion  33  as a side suction grille and a panel portion  34  for closing the right side surface of the blower chamber FC in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0046]    As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the post portions  31 R and  32 R have a U-shaped cross section, and an engagement portion  311 R is bent at a substantially right angle with respect to a panel surface at a tip end portion thereof. Since the lower ends of the post portions  31 R and  32 R are engaged with the side surfaces of the front leg  22  and the rear leg  23  of the base panel  20 , the lower ends thereof protrude from the lower end of the right side panel  30 R. 
         [0047]    In the grille portion  33 , a portion extending from the lower end to the upper end of the second heat exchanger  3 R is opened in a latticed shape, and the second heat exchanger  3 R is adapted to be exposed to the outside via the grille portion  33 . The panel portion  34  is a panel surface which closes the right side surface of the blower chamber FC and three reinforcing ribs  341  are disposed in this example. 
         [0048]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the front beam  40 F includes an angle steel material having an L-shaped cross section in this example, and is horizontally hung between the post portion  31 L of the left side panel  30 L and the post portion  31 R of the right side panel  30 R. One end of the front beam  40 F is screwed to the engagement portion  311 L of the post portion  31 L on the front end side of the left side panel  30 L, and the other end thereof is screwed to the engagement portion  311 R of the post portion  31 R on the front end side of the right side panel  30 R. 
         [0049]    The rear beam  40 R includes an angle steel material similarly having an L-shaped cross section, and is horizontally hung between the post portion  32 L of a left side panel  30 L and the post portion  32 R of the right side panel  30 R. One end of the rear beam  40 R is screwed to the engagement portion  311 L of the post portion  32 L on the rear end side of the left side panel  30 L, and the other end thereof is screwed to the engagement portion  311 R of the post portion  32 R on the rear end side of the right side panel  30 R. 
         [0050]    In the embodiment, the front beam  40 F and the rear beam  40 R are disposed along a boundary between the machine chamber MC and the blower chamber FC of the housing  2 . The front beam  40 F and the rear beam  40 R are disposed on the same plane so as to be parallel to each other and parallel to the base panel  20 . 
         [0051]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a first motor bracket  41 L that mounts the first blower  4 L and a second motor bracket  41 R that mounts the second blower  4 R are disposed between the front beam  40 F and the rear beam  40 R. In the embodiment, the first motor bracket  41 L is disposed in the left blower chamber FL, and the second motor bracket  41 R is disposed in the right blower chamber FR. 
         [0052]    Since the first motor bracket  41 L and the second motor bracket  41 R have the same configuration, hereinafter, the first motor bracket  41 L will be described. The first motor bracket  41 L includes a pair of beam members hung in parallel between the front beam  40 F and the rear beam  40 R, and both ends thereof are respectively screwed and fixed to the front beam  40 F and the rear beam  40 R. 
         [0053]    A fan motor M of the blower  4 L is mounted on the first motor bracket  41 L, and a blower fan (not illustrated) is attached to a rotation shaft of the fan motor M. Although a bell mouth (not illustrated) is provided on an outer circumference of the blower fan, a description thereof will be omitted. 
         [0054]    According to this configuration, since the two blowers  4 L and  4 R are disposed side by side horizontally on the front beam  40 F and the rear beam  40 R, bending moment increases from the both ends toward the center for the front beam  40 F and the rear beam  40 R, and there is a possibility that distortion or bending occurs in the front beam  40 F and the rear beam  40 R. 
         [0055]    Therefore, in order to increase mechanical strength of the front beam  40 F and the rear beam  40 R, a front pillar  50  and a rear pillar  60  are disposed in the housing  2 . The front pillar  50  is provided with a left front pillar  50 L disposed at a front surface side of the left machine chamber ML, and a right front pillar  50 R disposed at a front surface side of the right machine chamber MR. 
         [0056]    Hereinafter, referring to  FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 9 , although a configuration of each of the front pillars  50 L and  50 R is described, since the basic configurations of the left front pillar  50 L and the right front pillar  50 R are the same as each other, and have a symmetrical shape, the left front pillar  50 L will be described. 
         [0057]    The left front pillar  50 L includes, for example, a single press-formed steel plate, and is formed in a vertically elongated rectangular shape. The left front pillar  50 L is provided with the grille portion  51 L as a front suction grille for protecting the left front portion  310 L of the first heat exchanger  3 L and exposing the front surface side of the first heat exchanger  3 L to the outside of the housing. In the embodiment, the grille portion  51 L is formed in a latticed shape in which eight through holes  511  cut out squarely are disposed. 
         [0058]    A first flange portion  52  for screwing the left front pillar  50 L to the post portion  31  of the left side panel  30 L is disposed at the left end of the left front pillar  50 L. A second flange portion  53  to which service panels  70 A and  70 B and an electric component box  80  described later are attached is disposed at a right end of the left front pillar  50 L. A third flange portion  54  for screwing to the front beam  40 F is further disposed on the upper end of the left front pillar  50 L. 
         [0059]    A lower end side of the left front pillar  50 L is screwed to the base panel  20 , and the upper end side of the left front pillar  50 L is screwed to the front beam  40 F via the third flange portion  54 , but, as illustrated in  FIG. 12 , where the first flange portion  52  abuts along and is further screwed to the engagement portion  311 L of the post portion  31 L of the left side panel  40 L. 
         [0060]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 10A and 10B, and 11 , the rear pillar  60  includes, for example, a press-formed steel plate, and is formed in a vertically elongated rectangular shape in which the lower end thereof is fixed to the base panel  20 , and the upper end thereof is fixed to the rear beam  40 R. 
         [0061]    The rear pillar  60  is provided with a panel body  61  on the center, that closes a rear opening portion  2 B existing between the first heat exchanger  3 L and the second heat exchanger  3 R. The first flange portion  62  screwed to an end plate  35 L of the first heat exchanger  3 L is formed at the right end of the rear pillar  60  (right end in  FIG. 10B ), and the second flange portion  63  screwed to the end plate  35 R of the second heat exchanger  3 R is formed at the left end of the rear pillar  60  (left end in  FIG. 10A ). A third flange portion  64  screwed to the rear beam  40 R is formed at the upper end of the rear pillar  60 . 
         [0062]    As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the first flange portion  62  and the second flange portion  63  are formed at a position recessed by one step from the panel surface of the panel body  61 . The tip end portions  621  and  631  of the first flange portion  62  and the second flange portion  63  are bent substantially at a right angle toward the inside of the housing  2 . 
         [0063]    As illustrated in  FIG. 13 , the lower end of the rear pillar  60  is screwed to the base panel  20 , the upper end of the rear pillar  60  is screwed to the rear beam  40 R, the first flange portion  62  is screwed to the end plate  35 L of the first heat exchanger  3 L, and the second flange portion  63  is screwed to the end plate  35 R of the second heat exchanger  3 R. Thereby, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the rear opening portion  2 B existing between the first heat exchanger  3 L and the second heat exchanger  3 R can be covered with the rear pillar  60 . 
         [0064]    According to this configuration, the two front pillars  50 L and  50 R are screwed between the base panel  20  and the front beam  40 F and the rear pillar  60  is locked between the base panel  20  and the rear beam  40 R. Therefore, the mechanical strength of the housing  2  is increased, and deformation and bending of the housing  2  can be prevented. 
         [0065]    Although protection grilles (not illustrated) for respectively protecting a rear portion  330 L of the first heat exchanger  3 L and a rear portion  330 R of the second heat exchanger  3 R are screwed between the rear pillar  60  and the right and left side panels  50 R and  50 L, since a description is particularly not required in the present invention, the description thereof will be omitted. 
         [0066]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the space between the left front pillar  50 L and the right front pillar  50 R of the housing  2  is a front opening portion  2 A (refer to  FIG. 4 ) for maintenance. Accordingly, the service panel  70  is attached to the front opening portion  2 A. 
         [0067]    The service panel  70  includes two panel materials having an upper service panel  70 A that closes an upper side of the front opening portion  2 A, and a lower service panel  70 B that closes a lower side of the front opening portion  2 A. 
         [0068]    The upper service panel  70 A and the lower service panel  70 B include substantially square metal panels. The left end (left end in  FIG. 1 ) of the upper service panel  70 A and the lower service panel  70 B is provided with a first locking flange  71  screwed to the second flange portion  53  of the left front pillar  50 L. The right end (right end in  FIG. 1 ) of the upper service panel  70 A and the lower service panel  70 B is provided with a second locking flange  72  screwed to the second flange portion  53  of the right front pillar  50 R. 
         [0069]    In the embodiment, the lower left corner of the lower service panel  70 B is cut in an L shape to configure a cutout portion  73 . A conduit panel  74  for connecting a conduit pipe (not illustrated) is fitted into the cutout portion  73 . 
         [0070]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the electric component box  80  is disposed on a rear surface (surface facing the inside of the housing  2 ) of the upper service panel  70 A. The electric component box  80  includes a rectangular parallelepiped box substantially equal in size to the upper service panel  70 A and is screwed to the second flange portions  53  and  53  of the right and left front pillars  50 R and  50 L. 
         [0071]    The front panel  90 F is disposed at a front surface side (front surface side in  FIG. 1 ) of the blower chamber FC, and a rear panel  90 R is disposed at a rear surface side (front surface side in  FIG. 2 ) of the blower chamber FC of the housing  2 . Both the front panel  90 F and the rear panel  90 R are horizontally elongated rectangular metal panels covering the front surface side and the rear surface side of the blower chamber FC, and are respectively screwed to the side panels  30 L and  30 R. 
         [0072]    A top panel  91  is attached to a top surface of the blower chamber FC. A top panel  91  includes a horizontally elongated rectangular metal frame covering the upper surface of the housing  2 , and a rectangular first opening portion  92 L exposing the first air blowing port  11 L and a square second opening portion  92 R exposing the second air blowing port  11 R are formed. In the embodiment, reinforcing beam portions  94  are formed between each of the opening portions  92 L and  92 R, and the protection grilles  93 R and  93 L are respectively screwed to each of the right and left opening portions  92 R and  92 L with the beam portion  94  interposed therebetween. 
         [0073]    As described above, according to the present invention, the left front pillar  50 L is fixed between the front beam  40 F on the front surface side of the first heat exchanger  3 L and the base panel  20 , the right front pillar  50 R is fixed between the front beam  40 F on the front surface side of the second heat exchanger  3 R and the base panel  20 , and the rear pillar  60  for closing the rear opening portion  2 B formed between the rear end portions  35 L and  35 R of the rear surface side of the first heat exchanger  3 L and the second heat exchanger  3 R is further fixed between the rear beam  40 R and the base panel  20 . Therefore, the right front pillar  50 R and the left front pillar  50 L serve as supports for reinforcing the front beam  40 F, the rear pillar  60  serves as a support for reinforcing the rear beam  40 R, and thus it is possible to prevent the front beam  40 F and the rear beam  40 R from being distorted or bent. As a result, the mechanical strength of the entire housing can be enhanced, and the assembly stability is improved. 
         [0074]    In addition, since grills of the latticed shape are integrally formed on the left and right front pillars  50 L and  50 R, it is no longer required to prepare the protection grille and the like separately, and it is possible to reduce the protection grille and screws for fixing.