Air conditioner containing drain pan and refrigerant sensor

1 . An air conditioner,

comprising:

a drain pan including

plurality of drain pan walls forming an outer circumference of the drain pan, and

a drain pan bottom, connected to each of the plurality of drain pan walls such that the plurality of drain pan walls and the drain pan bottom form a basin capable of collecting liquid;

a refrigerant sensor located proximate to a first outer surface of a first drain pan wall selected from the plurality of drain pan walls, the refrigerant sensor being configured to detect refrigerant in air proximate to the drain pan; and

an air-conditioner housing containing the drain pan,

wherein

the drain pan has a first drain pan width in a first direction,

the air-conditioner housing has a first housing width in the first direction,

the refrigerant sensor has a first sensor width in the first direction,

the refrigerant sensor and the drain pan are arranged along a line in the first direction,

a sum of the first drain pan width and the first sensor width is less than the first housing width, and

the refrigerant sensor is arranged in between the first drain pan wall and the air-conditioner housing and is held in place by pressure between the first drain pan wall and the air-conditioner housing.

2 . An air conditioner,

comprising:

a drain pan including

plurality of drain pan walls forming an outer circumference of the drain pan,

a drain pan bottom, connected to each of the plurality of drain pan walls such that the plurality of drain pan walls and the drain pan bottom form a basin capable of collecting liquid, and

a well connected to the drain pan bottom, the well forming an internal space separate from the basin, such that the liquid in the basin cannot pass into the internal space;

a refrigerant sensor formed in the well; and

an air-conditioner housing containing the drain pan,

wherein

the drain pan has a first drain pan width in a first direction,

the air-conditioner housing has a first housing width in the first direction,

the refrigerant sensor has a first sensor width in the first direction,

the refrigerant sensor and the drain pan are arranged along a line in the first direction,

a sum of the first drain pan width and the first sensor width is less than the first housing width, and

the drain pan further includes a well covering formed over the well such that liquid cannot drip from above the well into the internal space, and

the well covering is formed to allow air to pass from the drain pan into the well.

3 . An air conditioner,

comprising:

a drain pan including

plurality of drain pan walls forming an outer circumference of the drain pan,

a drain pan bottom, connected to each of the plurality of drain pan walls such that the plurality of drain pan walls and the drain pan bottom form a basin capable of collecting liquid, and

a well connected to the drain pan bottom, the well forming an internal space separate from the basin, such that the liquid in the basin cannot pass into the internal space;

a refrigerant sensor formed in the well; and

an air-conditioner housing containing the drain pan,

wherein

the drain pan has a first drain pan width in a first direction,

the air-conditioner housing has a first housing width in the first direction,

the refrigerant sensor has a first sensor width in the first direction,

the refrigerant sensor and the drain pan are arranged along a line in the first direction,

a sum of the first drain pan width and the first sensor width is less than the first housing width,

the drain pan further includes

a main drain configured to allow the liquid to pass out of the basin, and

an auxiliary drain configured to allow the liquid to pass out of the basin, the auxiliary drain being located at a position higher than the main drain, and

a top of the well is higher than the auxiliary drain.

4 . The air conditioner recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

a sensor casing attached to the first drain pan wall, the sensor casing being configured to at least partially enclose the refrigerant sensor.

5 . The air conditioner recited in claim 4 , wherein

the sensor casing includes

a casing top wall formed above the refrigerant sensor, and

at least one casing side wall formed adjacent to the refrigerant sensor at a level below the casing top wall.

6 . The air conditioner recited in claim 5 , wherein

the sensor casing further includes

a casing front wall formed adjacent to the refrigerant sensor at a level below the casing top wall, the casing front wall being substantially parallel to the first drain pan wall and being attached to at least one of the casing top wall and the at least one casing side wall.

7 . The air conditioner recited in claim 4 , wherein

the sensor casing includes

a casing bottom wall formed below the refrigerant sensor, and

at least one casing side wall formed adjacent to the refrigerant sensor at a level above the casing bottom wall.

8 . The air conditioner recited in claim 7 , wherein

the sensor casing further includes

a casing front wall formed adjacent to the refrigerant sensor at a level above the casing bottom wall, the casing front wall being substantially parallel to the first drain pan wall and being attached to at least one of the casing bottom wall and the at least one casing side wall.

9 . The air conditioner recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

a shelf located inside the air-conditioner housing and beneath the drain pan upon which the drain pan rests,

wherein

the refrigerant sensor is attached to the shelf.

10 . The air conditioner recited in claim 9 , further comprising:

a sensor casing attached to the shelf, the sensor casing being configured to at least partially enclose the refrigerant sensor.

11 . The air conditioner recited in claim 1 , further comprising

a heat exchanger formed above the drain pan.

12 . The air conditioner recited in claim 1 , wherein

the refrigerant sensor is arranged in between the first drain pan wall and the air-conditioner housing and is held in place by pressure between the first drain pan wall and the air-conditioner housing.

13 . The air conditioner recited in claim 1 , wherein

the air-conditioner housing includes an access panel on a first housing wall,

the first direction is substantially perpendicular to a widest surface of the access panel, and

the refrigerant sensor is located between the drain pan and the access panel.

14 . The air conditioner recited in claim 1 , wherein

the refrigerant sensor is attached to the first outer surface of the first drain pan wall.

15 . The air conditioner recited in claim 1 , wherein

the refrigerant sensor is attached to the air-conditioner housing.

16 . The air conditioner recited in claim 2 ,

the drain pan further includes

a main drain configured to allow the liquid to pass out of the basin, and

an auxiliary drain configured to allow the liquid to pass out of the basin, the auxiliary drain being located at a position higher than the main drain, and

a top of the well is higher than the auxiliary drain.

17 . The air conditioner recited in claim 2 , wherein

the well has an oval cross section in a plane parallel to a plane of the drain pan bottom.

18 . The air conditioner recited in claim 2 , wherein

the well includes an opening on a bottom surface of the well.

19 . The air conditioner recited in claim 3 , wherein

the well has an oval cross section in a plane parallel to a plane of the drain pan bottom.

20 . The air conditioner recited in claim 3 , wherein

the drain pan further includes a well covering formed over the well such that liquid cannot drip from above the well into the internal space, and

the well covering is formed to allow air to pass from the drain pan into the well.