Air condtioning apparatus indoor unit including refrigerant detection sensor

Abstract

An indoor unit includes: a blow-out port through which air is blown into a space to be air-conditioned; a refrigerant flow path through which flammable refrigerant gas flows; and a refrigerant detection sensor that detects the flammable refrigerant gas that leaks out of the refrigerant flow path. The refrigerant detection sensor faces the space. The refrigerant detection sensor includes a casing. The casing includes a gas intake port that takes in the flammable refrigerant gas. An outside-air-flow-area part of the refrigerant detection sensor is disposed outside of an air flow area through which the air blown through the blow-out port passes. The gas intake port is disposed on the outside-air-flow-area part.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . An indoor unit configured to be installed to be embedded in a ceiling of a room that is a space to be air-conditioned, to be installed to be in contact with the ceiling, to be a wall-mounted type unit, or to be a duct type unit, the indoor unit comprising:
 a blow-out port through which air is blown out into the space to be air-conditioned;   a refrigerant flow path through which flammable refrigerant gas flows;   a housing that comprises an opening and that houses the refrigerant flow path; and   a refrigerant detection sensor disposed at the opening and that detects the flammable refrigerant gas that leaks out of the refrigerant flow path member to outside of the indoor unit, wherein   the refrigerant detection sensor faces the space to be air-conditioned,   the refrigerant detection sensor comprises a casing,   the casing comprises a gas intake port that takes in the flammable refrigerant gas,   the refrigerant detection sensor comprises an outside-air-flow-area part disposed outside of an air flow area through which the air blown out through the blow-out port passes, and   the outside-air-flow-area part comprises the gas intake port.   
     
     
         16 . The indoor unit according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the refrigerant detection sensor further comprises:
 a sensor that detects the flammable refrigerant gas; and 
 a filter through which the flammable refrigerant gas passes before arriving at the sensor, and 
   the outside-air-flow-area part comprises the filter.   
     
     
         17 . The indoor unit according to  claim 16 , wherein the outside-air-flow-area part comprises the sensor element. 
     
     
         18 . The indoor unit according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a flap on the blow-out port that swings and changes a blow-out direction of the air, wherein   the air flow area is inside a central angle that defines a swing range of the flap.   
     
     
         19 . The indoor unit according to  claim 15 , wherein the outside-air-flow-area part is disposed adjacent to the blow-out port at a position displaced from the blow-out port in a longitudinal direction of the blow-out port. 
     
     
         20 . The indoor unit according to  claim 15 , wherein the outside-air-flow-area part is disposed between a plurality of the blow-out ports. 
     
     
         21 . The indoor unit according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 an inlet port through which the air is drawn in from the space to be air-conditioned, wherein   the air drawn in through the inlet port passes through the air flow area.   
     
     
         22 . The indoor unit according to  claim 21 , wherein the gas intake port is disposed at a position lower than a lowest one of the inlet port and the blow-out port. 
     
     
         23 . The indoor unit according to  claim 21 , wherein the outside-air-flow-area part is disposed between the blow-out port and the inlet port. 
     
     
         24 . The indoor unit according to  claim 21 , wherein the outside-air-flow-area part is disposed on an opposite side of the inlet port with respect to the blow-out port. 
     
     
         25 . The indoor unit according to  claim 21 , wherein the outside-air-flow-area part is disposed on an opposite side of the blow-out port with respect to the inlet port. 
     
     
         26 . The indoor unit according to  claim 21 , wherein the outside-air-flow-area part is disposed between a plurality of the inlet ports. 
     
     
         27 . The indoor unit according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the opening is neither the blow-out port nor the inlet port, and   the outside-air-flow-area part is disposed at the opening on the housing.   
     
     
         28 . The indoor unit according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the housing further comprises a decorative panel that faces the space to be air-conditioned, and   the outside-air-flow-area part is disposed at the opening on the decorative panel.   
     
     
         29 . The indoor unit according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a flap on the blow-out port that swings and changes a blow-out direction of the air, wherein   the air flow area is inside a central angle that defines a swing range of the flap.   
     
     
         30 . The indoor unit according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a flap on the blow-out port that swings and changes a blow-out direction of the air, wherein   the air flow area is inside a central angle that defines a swing range of the flap.   
     
     
         31 . The indoor unit according to  claim 16 , wherein the outside-air-flow-area part is disposed adjacent to the blow-out port at a position displaced from the blow-out port in a longitudinal direction of the blow-out port. 
     
     
         32 . The indoor unit according to  claim 17 , wherein the outside-air-flow-area part is disposed adjacent to the blow-out port at a position displaced from the blow-out port in a longitudinal direction of the blow-out port. 
     
     
         33 . The indoor unit according to  claim 18 , wherein the outside-air-flow-area part is disposed adjacent to the blow-out port at a position displaced from the blow-out port in a longitudinal direction of the blow-out port. 
     
     
         34 . The indoor unit according to  claim 16 , wherein the outside-air-flow-area part is disposed between a plurality of the blow-out ports.