Indoor unit of air conditioner

Abstract

This indoor unit of an air conditioner includes an indoor unit body including an inlet and an outlet; a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange on air drawn in from the inlet; and a cross-flow fan configured to blow out air, which has undergone heat exchange performed by the heat exchanger from the outlet. The cross-flow fan includes a blow-out flow path formed by a lower wall, left and right side walls, and an upper wall so that a cross-sectional area gradually increases downward, with the blow-out flow path guiding blown-out air to the outlet. The two side walls are arranged to project out of the outlet at least when an air conditioning operation is performed.

1 . An indoor unit of an air conditioner, comprising:
 an indoor unit main body including an inlet and an outlet;   a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange on air drawn in from the inlet; and   a cross-flow fan configured to blow out air, which has undergone heat exchange performed by the heat exchanger, from the outlet, wherein   the cross-flow fan includes a blow-out flow path formed by a lower wall, left and right side walls, and an upper wall so that a cross-sectional area gradually increases downward, with the blow-out flow path guiding blown-out air to the outlet, and   the two side walls are arranged to project out of the outlet at least when an air conditioning operation is performed.   
     
     
         2 . The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the lower wall is arranged to project out of the outlet at least when an air conditioning operation is performed. 
     
     
         3 . The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper wall is arranged to project out of the outlet at least when an air conditioning operation is performed. 
     
     
         4 . The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the blow-out flow path is formed to project out of the outlet and so that a distance between the two side walls in a sideward direction in the blow-out flow path at a downstream side of the outlet is less than a sideward length of the outlet. 
     
     
         5 . The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a movement mechanism configured to switch between a stored state that does not project an element forming the blow-out flow path including the side walls out of the outlet and a projected state that projects at least the side walls out of the outlet,   wherein the movement mechanism is in the projected state when an air conditioning operation is performed, and the movement mechanism is in the stored state when an air conditioning operation is stopped.   
     
     
         6 . The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 5 , wherein when surging occurs, the movement mechanism moves the element to decrease a cross-sectional area of the blow-out flow path at a portion projecting from the outlet. 
     
     
         7 . The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the indoor unit is configured so that a ratio (H/D) of height H of the indoor unit main body to outer diameter D of an impeller of the cross-flow fan is less than 2.2. 
     
     
         8 . The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the upper wall is arranged to project out of the outlet at least when an air conditioning operation is performed. 
     
     
         9 . The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the blow-out flow path is formed to project out of the outlet and so that a distance between the two side walls in a sideward direction in the blow-out flow path at a downstream side of the outlet is less than a sideward length of the outlet. 
     
     
         10 . The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 3 , wherein the blow-out flow path is formed to project out of the outlet and so that a distance between the two side walls in a sideward direction in the blow-out flow path at a downstream side of the outlet is less than a sideward length of the outlet. 
     
     
         11 . The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a movement mechanism configured to switch between a stored state that does not project an element forming the blow-out flow path including the side walls out of the outlet and a projected state that projects at least the side walls out of the outlet,   wherein the movement mechanism is in the projected state when an air conditioning operation is performed, and the movement mechanism is in the stored state when an air conditioning operation is stopped.   
     
     
         12 . The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a movement mechanism configured to switch between a stored state that does not project an element forming the blow-out flow path including the side walls out of the outlet and a projected state that projects at least the side walls out of the outlet,   wherein the movement mechanism is in the projected state when an air conditioning operation is performed, and the movement mechanism is in the stored state when an air conditioning operation is stopped.   
     
     
         13 . The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a movement mechanism configured to switch between a stored state that does not project an element forming the blow-out flow path including the side walls out of the outlet and a projected state that projects at least the side walls out of the outlet,   wherein the movement mechanism is in the projected state when an air conditioning operation is performed, and the movement mechanism is in the stored state when an air conditioning operation is stopped.   
     
     
         14 . The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the indoor unit is configured so that a ratio (H/D) of height H of the indoor unit main body to outer diameter D of an impeller of the cross-flow fan is less than 2.2. 
     
     
         15 . The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 3 , wherein the indoor unit is configured so that a ratio (H/D) of height H of the indoor unit main body to outer diameter D of an impeller of the cross-flow fan is less than 2.2. 
     
     
         16 . The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein the indoor unit is configured so that a ratio (H/D) of height H of the indoor unit main body to outer diameter D of an impeller of the cross-flow fan is less than 2.2. 
     
     
         17 . The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 5 , wherein the indoor unit is configured so that a ratio (H/D) of height H of the indoor unit main body to outer diameter D of an impeller of the cross-flow fan is less than 2.2. 
     
     
         18 . The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 6 , wherein the indoor unit is configured so that a ratio (H/D) of height H of the indoor unit main body to outer diameter D of an impeller of the cross-flow fan is less than 2.2.