JP2004360982A - Water leakage preventing device for ceiling flush-mounted air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a water leakage preventing device with a float switch, a pump unit and an alarm unit on an existing ceiling flush-mounted air conditioner, the alarm unit being arranged to sound an alarm in linkage with the operation of the float switch. <P>SOLUTION: The water leakage preventing device comprises the pump unit 1 having an outer box 17 in which a control printed board 12 and a motor 13 are provided and on which a self-priming pump 15 having a suction pipe 6 and an exhaust pipe 5 is mounted in linkage with the motor, and provided separately from the air conditioner, a float switch unit 3 having a mounting board 18 on which the float switch 19 following the pump unit and a front end portion of the suction pipe 6 are provided, and the alarm unit 2 for sounding the alarm with a signal transmitted by the float switch unit. The front end portion of the suction pipe 6 and the float switch 19 are arranged in a drain pan of the air conditioner and the exhaust pipe 5 of the self-priming pump is connected to a connection porion 9a of an existing drain pipe 9. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a ceiling-mounted air conditioner installed in a room such as a general household, a store, and an office, and more particularly to a water leakage prevention device for preventing drain leakage from an air conditioner.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, the drainage method of the ceiling-mounted type air conditioner includes a drain discharged from a heat exchanger of the air conditioner stored in a drain pan installed inside the air conditioner, and a drain pipe connected to the drain pan. It is discharged outside by natural fall. However, in order to prevent the drain pipe connected to the drain pan from being clogged with the drain with time, the drain is forcibly discharged to the outside by incorporating a drain discharge pump (for example, Patent Document 1). reference.).
[0003]
[Patent Document]
JP-A-5-157270 (page 2-3, FIG. 1)
[0004]
The drainage method of the above-described ceiling-mounted type air conditioner will be described. As shown in FIG. It is received by a drain pan 21 incorporated in a housing 23 of the air conditioner, which is a tray of the air conditioner 4 embedded in the ceiling. Then, for example, the bottom of the drain pan is inclined so that the drain collected inside the drain pan 21 naturally moves to the drain pipe 9 connected to one side of the drain pan. There is a method of discharging the drain from the drain pipe 9 to the outside. However, in this method, if the air conditioner is not regularly maintained and managed, the drain pipe 9 may be clogged with the drain over time, causing a drain pan overflow and a water leak accident.
[0005]
Also, as shown in FIG. 9, when the drain from the heat exchanger 22 reaches a certain level above a drain pan 21 built in the housing 23 of the air conditioner and reaches a predetermined water level, a small-sized drain installed in the drain pan is set. The drain pump 29 and the float switch 28 operate to discharge the drain from the drain pipe 9a connected to the drain pump 29 to the outside.
[0006]
In the invention shown in Patent Document 1, a drain pan is provided with a lower stage in the drain pan, and a small pump for drain drainage and a float switch for operating the pump are provided in the lower stage. However, unless the drain pan has a one-step lower kiln, the pump cannot function sufficiently because the depth is shallow. Therefore, when a small-sized pump for drainage is installed in an existing air conditioner to add a water leakage function, the conventional drain pan must be replaced with a new drain pan having a one-step lower kiln. The replacement of the drain pan is a large-scale operation, which increases the operation time and increases the cost, and it is difficult to easily improve the existing air conditioner in terms of cost and operation time. Had problems.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the drainage method in the conventional air conditioner, the drainage pipe 9 for discharging the drain collected inside the drain pan 21 to the outside is clogged, and the drainage pipe 29 is connected to a drainage pump 29 incorporated inside the drain pan 21 to operate according to the water level of the drain. The performance of the float switch 28 and the like that deteriorates over time deteriorates and becomes dirty. As described above, even if the drain water level rises due to aging and fouling and the float switch 28 is turned on, the signal is not transmitted accurately, and the signal is not transmitted accurately. In some cases, an excessive drain may accumulate in the installed drain pan 21 to cause a water leakage accident.
[0008]
When various devices such as a document desk, a computer, and a copying machine are installed in a room with limited space, a ceiling-mounted air conditioner may be located above various OA devices. As described above, if various mechanical facilities such as books, documents, office supplies, and OA equipment are installed below the air conditioner, the water leakage accident will cause serious damage.
[0009]
Even if a water leak accident occurs from the air conditioner 4 mounted on the ceiling surface or embedded in the ceiling plate 21, the person working in the room immediately notices in the daytime and the damage is small. However, when a water leakage accident occurs at night, there is a problem that if the detection is delayed in the morning, the damage will increase.
[0010]
Furthermore, in a conventional air conditioner having a drain pump, when drainage (drain) is blocked in the drain pan for some reason, the float switch senses a rise in the liquid level of the drain (when the float switch breaks down). In some cases, the operation of the air conditioner is stopped and an error sign is issued on the remote control. Therefore, in the case of the same model, for example, if installed in a room where the importance of the cooling operation is high, such as a server of a personal computer or an exchange, which dislikes an increase in the temperature, the server or the exchange fails due to an increase in the temperature due to the stoppage of the air conditioning operation. There is a disadvantage that an accident occurs. If this device is attached to such a conventional air conditioner, it is useful to prevent the operation stop of the air conditioner and to prevent the temperature inside the room from rising.
[0011]
The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and aims at preventing a water leakage accident of a ceiling-mounted air conditioner, providing a float switch unit, a pump unit, and an alarm unit in an existing air conditioner, An alarm unit is provided so that an alarm sound is generated in conjunction with the operation of the float switch unit, and an alarm alarm is issued in advance to prevent a water leakage accident and to reliably perform maintenance and inspection of the air conditioner.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve this problem, the present invention provides a ceiling-mounted air conditioner having a suction pipe 6 and a discharge pipe 5 in an outer box 17 provided with a control printed board 12 and a motor 13 inside. A pump unit 1 provided with a self-priming pump 15 linked to the motor and provided separately from the air conditioner; a float switch 19 attached to the pump unit; and a tip of a suction pipe 6 connected to the self-priming pump. A float switch unit 3 having a portion provided on a mounting board 18; and an alarm unit 2 generating an alarm sound by a signal oscillated by the float switch unit. The tip of the suction pipe 6 mounted on the mounting board 18 and the float A switch 19 is disposed in a drain pan provided inside the air conditioner, and a switch 19 is provided in the middle of the drain pipe 9 connected to the drain pan. Wherein to the connecting portion 9a, characterized by comprising connecting the discharge pipe 5 of the self-priming pump. The alarm unit 2 is provided with an alarm speaker 24, an alarm lamp 27, a buzzer operation switch piece 25, and an external output unit 26.
[0013]
Since the present invention is configured as described above, if the ceiling-mounted air conditioner does not have a drain pump, a drain leak prevention function can be easily added, and the float switch and the drain are discharged. In the case of an air conditioner equipped with a small pump and having a forced drainage function, the air conditioner has a float switch or a backup function when the small pump breaks down, and at the same time, an alarm is activated to notify the abnormality with sound and light To prevent water leakage accidents. This can prevent a water leak accident from the air conditioner. Further, the malam signal can be transferred to a centralized monitoring system or the like by an external output line provided in the alarm unit.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. A drain discharge pump unit 1 and an alarm unit 2 are connected by a connection wiring 7, and a ceiling-embedded air conditioner 4 using a decorative panel 32. It is embedded in the ceiling plate 31 and installed in the ceiling space 36. The pump unit 1 is installed in a ceiling space 36 separately from the air conditioner 4 by suspending it from a ceiling surface 35 in a room with a support fitting 30. A power supply for operating the pump unit 1 is taken out of a power supply in an electrical component box 40 provided in the existing air conditioner 4 and connected to the pump unit 1 by a power supply wiring 8.
[0015]
A DC motor 13 connected to a control printed circuit board 12 having a terminal block 11 provided inside the pump unit 1 and a small self-priming pump 15 provided on the outer surface of an outer case 17 of the pump unit are shaft couplings. 14. Reference numeral 16 denotes a bush to be attached to a hole provided at a desired position of the outer box 17.
[0016]
In FIG. 2, the pump unit 1 has a suction pipe 6 whose tip is located below the inside of a drain pan 21 installed inside the air conditioner 4 and an existing drain pipe 9 which also has a tip connected to the drain pan 21. And a discharge pipe 5 to be connected to the connecting portion 9a provided in the above. Inside the drain pan 21, heat exchangers 22, 22 are provided adjacent to an impeller 33 interlocked with a motor of an air conditioner. Further, a float switch 19 installed in the drain pan and the self-priming type The pump 15 is connected with the lead wire 10. In the figure, 23 is a housing of the air conditioner 4.
[0017]
4 and 5, reference numeral 18 denotes a mounting board which is mounted substantially horizontally on the upper end of the drain pan 21. A float switch 19 is mounted on the mounting board, and the water level of the drain accumulated in the drain pan is higher than a predetermined water level L. , The switch 19 is turned on, and when it falls below the water level L, the switch 19 is turned off. The float switch 19 and the control printed circuit board 12 in the pump unit 1 are connected by a lead wire 10, and when the float switch is turned on by the rise of the drain to operate, the motor 13 is connected via the lead wire 10 and the control board 12. Rotates the self-priming pump 15 via the shaft coupling 14 to suck the drain. The alarm switch 2 is connected to the alarm unit 2 which emits an alarm sound and emits light by a signal oscillated by the float switch unit 3 interlocked with the operation of the float switch 19.
[0018]
A substantially distal end portion of the suction pipe 6 is held on the mounting substrate 18 by the support piece 20, and a distal end portion 6 a obtained by bending the distal end of the suction pipe downward is held inside the drain pan 21. As shown in FIG. 5, the tip 6a is located below a constant water level L of the drain.
[0019]
In FIG. 7, an alarm speaker 24, a switch piece 25 for operating a buzzer ON / OFF, and an alarm lamp 27 are provided in front of the alarm unit 2, and the alarm unit 2 is connected to the pump unit 1. And an external output line 26 connecting the alarm unit 2 and the central control system 38. The alarm unit 2 is connected to the pump unit 1 for drain discharge and the float switch 19, and is provided on a wall surface 37 of a room in which an air conditioner is installed, at a position easily accessible.
[0020]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. When the air conditioner 4 incorporating the present apparatus is operated, the drain flowing out of the heat exchanger 22 is received in the drain pan 21 and is connected to the drain pan. The drain is discharged from the water pipe 9 to the outside. However, when used for many years, when the inlet portion of the water distribution pipe 9 is clogged with sludge or the like, the drain water level accumulated in the drain pan 21 rises, and when the water level reaches a certain level L (FIG. 5), the float switch 19 is activated. Then, the motor 13 is rotated via the lead wire 10, the terminal block 11, and the printed circuit board 12 for control, and the self-priming pump 15 is operated via the shaft coupling 14. At the same time, the alarm unit 2 is activated by the signal oscillated by the float switch unit 3 to generate an alarm sound and emit light.
[0021]
The self-priming pump 15 is operated to suck the drain in the drain pan 21 by the suction pipe whose tip portion 6a is located below the water level L, and then discharged to the outside from the discharge pipe 5 connected to the self-priming pump 15. Let it. The distal end of the discharge pipe is connected to the water pipe 9 at a connection portion 9a provided in the middle of the water pipe 9 connected to the drain pan 12, and the drain is discharged to the outside through the water pipe 9. .
[0022]
When this device is incorporated in the air conditioner 4 shown in FIG. 8, it has a function of preventing a water leakage accident due to clogging of the water distribution pipe 9. Further, when this device is incorporated in the air conditioner shown in FIG. 9, the safety is double enhanced as a backup for the conventional water leakage device, and when the conventional drain pump 29 and the float switch 28 operate, the present device is installed. Needless to say the device is working. Further, when either the drain pump 29 or the float switch 28 does not operate with time, the float switch 19 of the present apparatus operates, so that the integrity of the water leakage accident can be double improved.
[0023]
When the place where the air conditioner 4 is set is manned, the pump unit 1 for drain discharge is activated at the same time as the float switch 19 is activated to discharge the drain rising in the drain pan to the outside, and the alarm unit 2 is activated at the same time. Thus, the abnormality of the conventional float switch 28 and the drain pump 29 incorporated in the air conditioner can be promptly notified, and a water leakage accident can be prevented.
Further, even when the air conditioner is installed at an unmanned place, the signal from the alarm unit 2 can be transferred to the centralized monitoring system 38 or the like through the external output line 26, so that the signal can be transferred to an unmanned place or unattended night. It is possible to reliably monitor even a belt.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to relatively easily attach the present device to an existing air conditioner by an external method, thereby preventing a water leakage accident that a conventional ceiling-mounted air conditioner had. By issuing an alarm by an alarm unit and notifying an abnormality, there is an advantage that safe indoor air conditioning can be provided and maintenance management can be performed reliably.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view in which a pump unit is combined with an existing air conditioner embedded in a ceiling.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of the drain pump.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the float switch.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a main part in which a float switch is attached to an existing drain pan.
FIG. 7 is a front view of the alarm unit.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a main part showing a natural gradient drainage method of a conventional ceiling embedded type air conditioner.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a drainage type drainage system for drains of a conventional ceiling-mounted air conditioner.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pump unit 2 Alarm unit 3 Float switch unit 4 Ceiling embedded type air conditioner 5 Drain pipe 6 Suction pipe 6 a Tip 7 Contact wiring 8 Power supply wiring 9 Drain pipe 9 a Connecting part 10 Lead wire 12 Printed circuit board 13 for control 13 Motor 15 Self-priming pump 17 Outer box 18 Mounting board 19 Float switch 21 Drain pan 24 Alarm speaker 25 Buzzer operation switch piece 26 External output line 27 Alarm lamp

Claims (2)

In ceiling-mounted air conditioners,
A self-priming pump (5) having a suction pipe (6) and a discharge pipe (5) in an outer box (17) provided with a control printed board (12) and a motor (13) inside, 15) a pump unit (1) attached and provided separately from the air conditioner;
A float switch (19) attached to the pump unit and a float switch unit (3) having a tip portion of a suction pipe (6) connected to the self-priming pump provided on a mounting substrate (18);
An alarm unit (2) that emits an alarm sound by a signal oscillating in conjunction with the operation of the float switch unit,
The distal end of the suction pipe (6) mounted on the mounting board (18) and the float switch (19) are arranged in a drain pan provided inside the air conditioner, and a drain pipe connected to the drain pan ( A water leakage prevention device for an embedded ceiling air conditioner, wherein a connection part (9a) provided in the middle of (9) is connected to a discharge pipe (5) of the self-priming pump. The said alarm unit (2) is provided with the alarm speaker (24), the alarm lamp (27), the switch piece (25) for buzzer operation, and the external output part (26), The characterized by the above-mentioned. Water leakage prevention device for ceiling-mounted air conditioners.

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