SHUT-OFF VALVE SUPPORT MEMBER AND OUTDOOR UNIT OF AIR CONDITIONER PROVIDED WITH THE SAME

• US 20090044554A1
• Filed: 10/26/2006
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
• Original Assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
• Inventors: Kawasaki, Naohiro, Takeichi, Hisashi
• Application Number:
  US12/090,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20090044554A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/259.100
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/26 Refrigerant piping
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/30 for use inside the separate outdoor units
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/32 for connecting the separate outdoor units to indoor units
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/46 Component arrangements in separate outdoor units
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/54 Inlet and outlet arranged on opposite sides
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/56 Casing or covers of separate outdoor units, e.g. fan guards
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2345/006 characterised by charging or discharging valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 41/40 Fluid line arrangements

Abstract

In a plate shaped shut-off valve support member configured to support a shut-off valve to which a refrigerant pipe on an indoor unit side is connected, and configured to be extended across a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion of an outdoor unit, the operability of a service port of the shut-off valve is ensured and the strength of the shut-off valve support member is improved. A shut-off valve support member (30) comprises an attachment portion (35), an interference prevention portion (36), and a stepped portion (37). A shut-off valve (61, 62) is attached to the attachment portion (35) with a service port (61a, 62a) of the shut-off valve (61, 62) protruding in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the shut-off valve support member. The interference prevention portion (36) is located at a position opposite to the attachment portion (35) when viewed in the longitudinal direction, away from the service port (61a, 62a) in a thickness direction of the shut-off valve support member, and is disposed so as to overlap with the service port (61a, 62a) when viewed in the thickness direction. The stepped portion (37) is formed between the attachment portion (35) and the interference prevention portion (36).

Claims

1. A shut-off valve support member having a plate shape that is configured to support a shut-off valve connected to a refrigerant pipe on an indoor unit side, the shut-off valve support member comprising:

an attachment portion configured to have the shut-off valve attached thereto such that a service port of the shut-off valve protrudes in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the shut-off valve support member;

an interference prevention portion located on an opposite side of the attachment portion from the service port in a thickness direction of the shut-off valve support member when viewed in a longitudinal direction of the shut-off valve support member, the interference prevention portion being disposed so as to overlap with the service port when viewed in the thickness direction of the shut-off valve support member; and

a stepped portion connecting the attachment portion and the interference prevention portion.

2. The shut-off valve support member according to claim 1, wherein

the interference prevention portion and the stepped portion are formed so as to be continuous across opposite side portions of the shut-off valve in the longitudinal direction.

3. The shut-off valve support member according to claim 1, wherein

the attachment portion includes longitudinally spaced attachment areas configured to have a liquid side shut-off valve and a gas side shut-off valve attached thereto such that the shut-off valves are attached side by side in the longitudinal direction, and

the interference prevention portion and the stepped portion are formed so as to be continuous with each other between the liquid side shut-off valve and the gas side shut-off valve in the longitudinal direction when viewed in the thickness direction.

4. The shut-off valve support member according to claim 1, wherein

the shut-off valve support member has a groove portion formed therein that is recessed in the thickness direction, the groove portion extending in the longitudinal direction so as to overlap with at least a part of the shut-off valve when viewed in the thickness direction.

5. An outdoor unit of an air conditioner including the shut-off valve support member of claim 1, the outdoor unit further comprising:

a casing having a generally rectangular parallelepiped box shape;

a partition plate extending vertically so as to divide the inside of the casing; and

a shut-off valve supported by the shut-off valve support member with a refrigerant pipe on an indoor unit side being connected to the shut-off valve,

the shut-off valve support member extending between a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion, the first fixing portion being formed on the partition plate or on a surface of the casing near the partition plate and the second fixing portion being formed on a surface of the casing facing the partition plate.

6. The outdoor unit according to claim 5, wherein

the interference prevention portion and the stepped portion are formed so as to be continuous across opposite side portions of the shut-off valve in the longitudinal direction.

7. The outdoor unit according to claim 5, wherein

the attachment portion includes a pair of longitudinally spaced attachment areas with the shut-off valve attached to one of the attachment areas as a liquid side shut-off valve and an additional shut-off valve attached to the other of the attachment areas as a gas side shut-off valve such that the shut-off valves are attached side by side in the longitudinal direction, and

the interference prevention portion and the stepped portion are formed so as to be continuous with each other between the liquid side shut-off valve and the gas side shut-off valve in the longitudinal direction when viewed in the thickness direction.

8. The outdoor unit according to claim 5, wherein

the shut-off valve support member has a groove portion formed therein that is recessed in the thickness direction, the groove portion extending in the longitudinal direction so as to overlap with at least a part of the shut-off valve when viewed in the thickness direction.

9. The outdoor unit according to claim 6, wherein

the attachment portion includes a pair of longitudinally spaced attachment areas with the shut-off valve attached to one of the attachment areas as a liquid side shut-off valve and an additional shut-off valve attached to the other of the attachment areas as a gas side shut-off valve such that the shut-off valves are attached side by side in the longitudinal direction, and

the interference prevention portion and the stepped portion are formed so as to be continuous with each other between the liquid side shut-off valve and the gas side shut-off valve in the longitudinal direction when viewed in the thickness direction.

10. The outdoor unit according to claim 9, wherein

the shut-off valve support member has a groove portion formed therein that is recessed in the thickness direction, the groove portion extending in the longitudinal direction so as to overlap with at least a part of the shut-off valve when viewed in the thickness direction.

11. The shut-off valve support member according to claim 2, wherein

the attachment portion includes longitudinally spaced attachment areas configured to have a liquid side shut-off valve and a gas side shut-off valve attached thereto such that the shut-off valves are attached side by side in the longitudinal direction, and

the interference prevention portion and the stepped portion are formed so as to be continuous with each other between the liquid side shut-off valve and the gas side shut-off valve in the longitudinal direction when viewed in the thickness direction.

12. The shut-off valve support member according to claim 11, wherein

the shut-off valve support member has a groove portion formed therein that is recessed in the thickness direction, the groove portion extending in the longitudinal direction so as to overlap with at least a part of the shut-off valve when viewed in the thickness direction.