Air conditioner outlet

Abstract: An outlet duct of an air conditioner is provided with a rectifying box (10) with an air passage therein, for adjusting the flow angle of the conditioned air in order to prevent any dew condensation at the outlet port (19).

Description: The present invention relates to an air conditioner and, more particularly, to rectification of an airflow in an air conditioner. As shown in Fig. 9 which is a cross-sectional view showing an air conditioner, when conditioned air whose temperature is conditioned by an air conditioner is blown out of a blowing-out port 19, a pressure loss generally occurs in the blown-out air passing through a blown-out air duct reaching the blowing-out port 19 by the influence of vertical air flowing direction adjusting vanes 4 or lateral air flowing direction adjusting vanes 21. Furthermore, if a rotating speed of a cross-flow fan 22 having a function of generating the blown-out air of the conditioned air decreases, the blown-out air becomes turbulent or a quantity of the blown-out air is reduced. This prevents the blown-out air from flowing along the vertical air flowing direction adjusting vanes 4 positioned in front of the cross-flow fan 22 so as to separate the blown-out air from the vanes 4, thereby causing dew condensation. In order to alleviate or prevent such a phenomenon, a jumper mount 1 shown in a cross-sectional view of Fig. 10 or a baffle plate 2 shown in a cross-sectional view of Fig. 11 has been conventionally fixed in the structure of the blowing-out port. A purpose of the jumper mount 1 is to blown out air along the vertical vanes 4 by changing a main stream advancing direction of the blown-out air flowing along a casing of a unit box 3 defining a back wall of the blown-out air duct, thereby reducing the contact of the vertical vanes 4 cooled by the blown-out air with outside air so as to prevent any dew condensation. Another purpose is to direct the main stream advancing direction of the blown-out air in a certain direction so as to suppress turbulence, so that dew condensation in the vicinity of the blowing-out port 19 caused by the turbulence due to a decrease of air quantity which is caused by reducing the rotating speed of the cross-flow fan 22 for generating the blown-out air. However, since the jumper mount 1 is brought into direct contact with the blown-out air, it is cooled by the air, so that dew condensation occurs at an end face 5 of the jumper mount 1 which is in contact with the outside air. Consequently, it is necessary to attach a member having a water retaining property such as a flocked tape to the end face 5. In the meantime, the baffle plate 2 reduces the blowing-out area of the blowing-out port 19 so as to partly increase an air quantity and allow the blown-out air to further flow over a portion of the vertical vane 4 where dew condensation occurs. Similarly to the jumper mount 1 for reducing separation of the blown-out air, the baffle plate 2 is the technique for reducing the dew condensation. However, since the baffle plate 2 increases the blown-out air 18 but decreases the blown-out air 17, as shown in Fig. 11, the outside air flows into the structure of the blowing-out port from the upper part of the port where the blown-out air 17 is decreased. Accordingly, since the baffle plate 2 in direct contact with the blown-out air is cooled in the air, dew condensation at an end face 6 of the baffle plate 2 is caused. Therefore, also in this case, it is necessary to attach a member having a water retaining property such as a flocked tape to the end face 6, like in the case of the jumper mount 1. In this way, although the prior art can resultantly reduce or prevent the phenomenon of the dew condensation with respect to the blowing-out port in the air conditioner, the dew condensation occurs at other portions in turn, so that it is necessary to attach a member having a water retaining property such as a flocked tape or to additionally attach other parts known as prior arts, thus raising the problem of an increase in the number of component parts. EP-A-0 962 716 discloses an air conditioner according to the preamble of claim 1, in which guide plates are formed with a plurality of holes for guiding blown air, without turbulence, to the end portions of a flow directing blade. The present invention has been accomplished in an attempt to solve the above problems observed in the prior art. An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner in which an airflow inside the air conditioner is rectified with simple configuration, thus maintaining blowing performance and preventing dew condensation or suppressing noise. The present invention provides an air conditioner having an air outlet duct through which temperature-conditioned air reaches a blowing-out port, characterized in that the air outlet duct includes a rectifying box defining an air passage, for rectifying a flow of the conditioned air toward a predetermined flowing direction, the air passage extending from a first open end surface of the box to a second open end surface of the box, the second surface being opposite the first surface and being open toward the blowing-out port. Thus, it is possible to produce the effect of rectifying air with simple configuration while maintaining the blowing performance. The rectifying box may supply the conditioned air in a predetermined quantity or more to a wall surface defining the air outlet duct. Consequently, it is possible to produce the effect of preventing any dew condensation caused by a back-flow of interior air from the blowing-out port. The rectifying box may be provided with an air quantity adjusting member for adjusting an air quantity passing through the air passage. Therefore, it is possible to produce the effect of appropriately adjusting a quantity of air to be rectified by the rectifying box. The air passage of the rectifying box may be juxtaposed with a main stream of blown-out air. Thus, it is possible to produce the effect of preventing the rectifying box from causing another air resistance or turbulence, and further, the effect of smooth rectifying without causing any dew condensation. The rectifying box may be disposed at a position at which blown-out air inside the air outlet duct is deflected toward a different direction. Consequently, it is possible to produce the effect of preventing any generation of turbulence caused by deflection or any occurrence of dew condensation. The rectifying box may be disposed in a guide vane base serving as the structure for fixing a lateral air flowing direction adjusting vanes, which are disposed in the air outlet duct to laterally adjust the direction of blown-out air. Therefore, it is possible to produce the effect of rectifying without installing any additional dew condensation preventing structure for the rectifying box. The rectifying box may be disposed in a unit casing for a fan for producing blown-out air. Thus, it is possible to produce the effect of preventing any generation of turbulence or dew condensation caused by separation of the blown-out air from the unit casing and rectifying the air without installing any additional dew condensation preventing structure for the rectifying box. The rectifying box may be disposed in the vicinity of the portion where a plurality of air flowing direction adjusting pieces for adjusting the direction of blown-out air are oriented in directions different from each other. Consequently, it is possible to produce the effect of preventing any generation of turbulence around the boundary of different air flowing directions in the case where the air is blown in the different directions. The rectifying box may be molded integrally with any one of component parts constituting the air conditioner. Therefore, it is possible to produce the effect of forming the rectifying box without inducing any increase in the number of component parts. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a rectifying mechanism for an air conditioner in a first embodiment according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged front view showing the rectifying mechanism for the air conditioner in the first embodiment; Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing the rectifying mechanism for the air conditioner in the first embodiment; Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing an air quantity adjusting member fixed to the rectifying mechanism for the air conditioner in the first embodiment; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a rectifying mechanism for an air conditioner in a second embodiment according to the present invention; Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the rectifying mechanism for the air conditioner in the second embodiment; Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a rectifying mechanism for an air conditioner in a third embodiment according to the present invention; Fig. 8 is a front view and partly enlarged views showing the rectifying mechanism for the air conditioner in the third embodiment; Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a basic air conditioner in the prior art; Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a dew condensation preventing mechanism (by the use of a jumper mount) for preventing a dew condensation at a blowing-out port for the air conditioner in the prior art; Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing another dew condensation preventing mechanism (by the use of a baffle plate) for preventing a dew condensation at the blowing-out port for the air conditioner in the prior art. Preferred embodiments of a rectifying box for an air conditioner according to the present invention will be explained below in detail in reference to the attached drawings. Throughout the preferred embodiments explained hereunder, component parts like or corresponding to those of the air conditioner in the prior art are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted to avoid duplication. First Embodiment Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a dew condensation preventing mechanism for vertical air flowing direction adjusting vanes positioned at a blowing-out port in an air conditioner according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged front view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 illustrates one example in which an air quantity adjusting member is fixed to the mechanism shown in Fig. 3. In Figs. 1 to 4, reference numeral 23 designates a heat exchanger for performing heat exchange between interior air to be sucked from the interior of a room and a refrigerant by a refrigeration cycle, not shown, so as to perform cooling or warming; 19, a blowing-out port, through which air conditioned by the heat exchanger 23 is blown into the interior, and which is defined by a nozzle upper frame constituting member 8 fixed to a unit casing 3 of an air conditioner body (an interior unit) and a lower wall 20 of the unit casing 3; and 22, a fan for producing an airflow from the interior to the blowing-out port 19 via the heat exchanger 23, the fan being of a cross-flow type in this embodiment. Reference numeral 7 denotes a guide vane base made of a synthetic resin, fixed to the nozzle upper frame constituting member 8 via fixing portions 9; 10, a rectifying box having a hollow structure, integrally molded at right and left ends of the guide vane base 7 in such a manner that the constituent member thereof is juxtaposed with respect to the main stream of blown-out air in order to minimize a pressure loss of the blown-out air. An air outlet duct from the cross-flow fan 22 toward the blowing-out port 19, defined by the unit casing 3 constitutes a blown-out air duct, through which the conditioned air heat-exchanged by the heat exchanger 23 passes. Lateral air flowing direction adjusting vanes 21 are attached at predetermined intervals to the guide vane base 7, are connected to each other via connecting members 24, and are driven to be swung in the lateral direction by a motor, not shown. The rectifying box 10 is disposed in the vicinity of an air duct side wall and between an outermost lateral air flowing direction adjusting vane 21 and the air duct side wall, where a flowing quantity of the conditioned air is reduced depending upon the orientation of the lateral adjusting vanes 21. A fixing portion 11 for fixing a mesh-like air quantity adjusting member for adjusting the quantity of the blown-out air passing through the inside of the hollow structure of the rectifying box 10 is molded integrally with the rectifying box 10. Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the state in which the air quantity adjusting member is fixed. In Fig. 4, reference numeral 28 designates the mesh-like air quantity adjusting member for generating a predetermined passing resistance. The air quantity adjusting member 28 may be fixed upstream or downstream of the rectifying box 10 for producing the same effect, although it is fixed downstream in this embodiment. The passing resistance of the air quantity adjusting member 28 can be varied by changing the fineness of its mesh, and therefore, a mesh capable of generating an adequate passing resistance may be selectively fixed, as required. Subsequently, operation will be explained below. For example, in the case where the lateral adjusting vanes 21 are directed to the left, the flow of the conditioned air is reduced on the right side of the blowing-out port 19, and therefore, the interior air flows in from the blowing-out port 19, so that dew condensation is liable to occur. However, with the configuration in the present embodiment, the conditioned air flows inside the rectifying box 10 in a constant air quality not affected by the direction of the lateral adjusting vanes 21, by the effect of the rectifying box 10 disposed on the right side of the blown-out air duct. Since the air securely flows along the wall surface of the blown-out air duct, it is possible to prevent any inflow of the interior air from the blowing-out port 19 side in the blown-out air duct or any generation of turbulence caused by the inflow, thereby preventing any occurrence of dew condensation. In the present embodiment, since the rectifying box 10 is resin-molded integrally with the guide vane base 7, it is possible to reduce the number of component parts of the rectifying mechanism for rectifying the blown-out air. Furthermore, since the rectifying box 10 is positioned in the blown-out air and brought into contact with no outside air, no dew is condensed at the rectifying box 10. Consequently, it is possible to dispense with a special dew condensation preventing structure such as a flocked tape in the prior art so as to prevent any increase in the number of component parts. As a result, the rectifying box 10 has the advantages of eliminating a part having a water retaining property such as a flocked tape which has been required in the prior art, so as to reduce the number of component parts, and further, of saving the trouble to detach a flocked tape from the rectifying mechanism at the time of disassembling process in recycling or the like. Second Embodiment Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a dew condensation preventing structure for vertical air flowing direction adjusting vanes positioned at a blowing-out port in the air conditioner according to the present invention; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of Fig. 5. In Fig. 5, component parts like or corresponding to those of the air conditioner shown in Figs. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted to avoid duplication. In Figs. 5 and 6, reference numeral 12 designates a jumper mount box serving as a rectifying box having a hollow structure, molded integrally with a unit casing 3 constituting a back wall of a blown-out air duct of conditioned air; and 4, the vertical air flowing direction adjusting vanes driven by a motor, not shown, so as to be freely moved in a vertical direction. The jumper mount box 12 having the hollow structure is present at a portion where a flow quantity of the conditioned air is reduced depending upon the positions of the vertical adjusting vanes 4, and blown-out air flows along the vertical adjusting vanes 4 located downstream of the blown-out air duct and in the vicinity of a blowing-out port 19, wherein the hollow structure is molded within such a range as to keep a necessary strength of the unit casing 3. A fixing portion 13 for fixing a mesh-like air quantity adjusting member 26 for adjusting an air quantity of the blown-out air passing through the inside of the hollow structure is molded integrally with the jumper mount box 12 having the hollow structure, in the same manner as in the first embodiment. The mesh-like air quantity adjusting member 26 for use in air quantity adjustment may be fixed upstream or downstream of the jumper mount box 12 for producing the same effect, although it is fixed upstream in this embodiment. Subsequently, operation will be explained below. For example, in the case where the vertical adjusting vanes 4 are directed upward, the flow of the conditioned air is reduced on the lower side of the blowing-out port 19, and therefore, the interior air flows in from the blowing-out port 19, so that dew condensation is liable to occur. However, with the configuration in the present embodiment, the conditioned air flows inside the hollow structure of the jumper mount box 12 in a constant air quantity not affected by the direction of the vertical adjusting vanes 4, by the effect of the jumper mount box 12 disposed on the lower side of the blown-out air duct. Since this air securely flows along the back wall surface of the blown-out air duct, it is possible to prevent any inflow of the interior air from the blowing-out port 19 side in the blown-out air duct or any generation of turbulence caused by the inflow, thereby preventing any occurrence of dew condensation. In this way, since the jumper mount box 12 having the hollow structure is formed into a hollow shape in a portion where dew has been condensed in the prior art, it is thus brought into contact with no outside air. Furthermore, since the area on the air duct is reduced, no dew is condensed at the jumper mount box 12 per se. Consequently, it is possible to prevent any increase in the number of additional component parts such as a flocked tape, which has been caused in the prior art. Moreover, the jumper mount box 12 has the advantages of eliminating a part having a water retaining property such as a flocked tape which has been required in the prior art, so as to reduce the number of component parts, and further, of saving the trouble to detach a flocked tape from the rectifying mechanism at the time of disassembling process in recycling or the like. Third Embodiment Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a dew condensation preventing structure of vertical air flowing direction adjusting vanes positioned at a blowing-out port in the air conditioner according to the present invention; and Fig. 8 is a conceptual view of Fig. 7. In Figs. 7 and 8, component parts like or corresponding to those of the air conditioner shown in Figs. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted to avoid duplication. In Figs. 7 and 8, reference numeral 14 designates a nozzle center supporter fixed to a nozzle upper frame constituting member 8 in order to position a central rectifying box 15, described later, inside a predetermined space of a blown-out air duct for conditioned air; and 15, the central rectifying box molded integrally with the nozzle center supporter 14, the central rectifying box 15 serving as a rectifying mechanism having a hollow structure penetrating in a flowing direction of the conditioned air inside the blown-out air duct. The central rectifying box 15 is positioned in parallel to the main stream of the blown-out air in order to minimize a pressure loss of the blown-out air. Furthermore, the central rectifying box 15 is located at a portion at which turbulence is caused by different orientations of a plurality of lateral air flowing direction adjusting vanes 21 (in the present embodiment, at the center between right and left sides of the blown-out air duct). Subsequently, operation will be explained below. For example, in the case where the lateral air flowing direction adjusting vanes 21 on the left side of the nozzle center supporter 14 are oriented leftward while the lateral air flowing direction adjusting vanes 21 on the right side of the nozzle center supporter 14 are oriented rightward, the flow of the conditioned air is reduced in the vicinity of the nozzle center supporter 14, and therefore, the interior air flows in from the blowing-out port 19, so that dew condensation is liable to occur. However, with the configuration in the present embodiment, the conditioned air flows inside the hollow structure of the central rectifying box 15 in a constant quantity not affected by the orientations of the lateral air flowing direction adjusting vanes 21, by the effect of the central rectifying box 15 disposed at the nozzle center supporter 14. Consequently, it is possible to prevent any inflow of the interior air from the blowing-out port 19 side in the blown-out air duct or any generation of turbulence caused by the inflow, thereby preventing any occurrence of dew condensation. Furthermore, the central rectifying box 15 is positioned in the blown-out air, and therefore, is not brought into contact with any outside air. Consequently, no dew is ever condensed at the central rectifying box 15 per se, thus preventing any increase in the number of component parts, which has been induced in the prior art. A fixing portion 16 for fixing a mesh-like member 27 for adjusting the blown-out air passing through the inside of the hollow structure is molded integrally with the central rectifying box 15, in the same manner as in the first embodiment. The mesh-like air quantity adjusting member 27 for use in air quantity adjustment may be fixed upstream or downstream of rectifying box for producing the same effect, although it is fixed downstream in this embodiment. The central rectifying box 15 is molded integrally with the nozzle upper frame constituting member 8, thereby preventing any increase in the number of component parts for rectifying the blown-out air in the vicinity of the center of the blowing-out port. Moreover, the central rectifying box 15 has the advantages of eliminating a part having a water retaining property such as a flocked tape which has been required in the prior art, so as to reduce the number of component parts, and further, of saving the trouble to detach a flocked tape from the rectifying mechanism at the time of disassembling process in recycling or the like. The above-described first to third embodiments may be carried out in combination thereof. For example, an air conditioner according to the present invention may be configured by combining all of the first to third embodiments.

Claims: An air conditioner having an air outlet duct through which temperature-conditioned air reaches a blowing-out port (19), characterized in that the air outlet duct includes a rectifying box (10, 12, 15) defining an air passage, for rectifying a flow of the conditioned air toward a predetermined flowing direction, the air passage extending from a first open end surface of the box to a second open end surface of the box, the second surface being opposite the first surface and being open toward the blowing-out port (19). An air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the rectifying box (10, 12, 15) has a wall surface formed by a wall surface (3, 8) defining the air outlet duct. An air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the rectifying box (10, 12, 15) is provided with an air quantity adjusting member (26, 27, 28) for adjusting an air quantity passing through the air passage. An air conditioner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the air passage of the rectifying box (10, 12, 15) is juxtaposed with a main stream of blown-out air. An air conditioner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the rectifying box (10, 12, 15) is disposed at a position at which blown-out air inside the air outlet duct is deflected toward a different direction. An air conditioner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the rectifying box (10) is disposed in a guide vane base serving as the structure for fixing lateral air flowing direction adjusting vanes (21) for laterally adjusting the direction of blown-out air in the air outlet duct. An air conditioner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the rectifying box (12) is disposed in a unit casing (3) for a fan (22) for producing blown-out air. An air conditioner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the rectifying box (15) is disposed in the vicinity of the portion where a plurality of air flowing direction adjusting pieces for adjusting the direction of blown-out air are oriented in directions different from each other. An air conditioner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the rectifying box (10, 12, 15) is molded integrally with any one of component parts constituting the air conditioner.

Inventors: FUKAZAWA HIROSHI, ISHIKAWA HIROAKI, KITAMURA JUN, KONDOU MASAKAZU, MURAYAMA TAKAHIRO, SANO MOTOO, SUZUKI SHINICHI, TAKAMORI AKIRA, FUKAZAWA, HIROSHI, ISHIKAWA, HIROAKI, KITAMURA, JUN, KONDOU, MASAKAZU, MURAYAMA, TAKAHIRO, SANO, MOTOO, SUZUKI, SHINICHI, TAKAMORI, AKIRA
Applicants: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP, MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1999
Main classification: F24F13
IPC codes: F24F1, F24F13