A driving mechanism and air conditioner

Abstract

The embodiment of the present application relates to the technical field of air conditioning, and discloses a driving mechanism and an air conditioner. In the driving mechanism provided by the embodiment of the present application, since a plurality of limiting parts are used between the rack and the rack cavity that accommodates the rack to limit the position, the rack maintains line contact or point contact with the inner wall of the rack cavity when sliding, which can effectively reduce the friction between the rack and the inner wall of the rack cavity, and can also improve the problem of easy shaking of the rack, thereby significantly improving the transmission efficiency of the entire transmission process. When the component to be driven is the panel of the air conditioner, the movement of the panel is driven by the movement of the rack, so that the panel can achieve a smoother opening and closing movement. Since the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present application adopts the driving mechanism provided by the first aspect above, the transmission efficiency of driving the panel to move is also relatively high.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of air conditioning, and in particular to a driving mechanism and an air conditioner. Background Art

[0002] Existing air conditioners often use a movable panel to open or close a corresponding window (such as an air outlet) on the casing, and use a driving mechanism to drive the panel to move. However, the existing driving mechanism has the problem of low transmission efficiency. Summary of the invention

[0003] In view of this, an embodiment of the present application provides a driving mechanism to improve the problem of low transmission efficiency of the driving mechanism in the prior art. An embodiment of the present application also provides an air conditioner including the driving mechanism.

[0004] In the first aspect, the present application provides a driving mechanism, including a fixed seat, a driving member, a gear and a rack, the fixed seat having a rack cavity, the rack at least partially received in the rack cavity, the driving member being connected to the gear, the gear meshing with the rack to drive the rack to slide relative to the fixed seat along its length direction, and the rack being used to connect with the component to be driven; the inner wall of the rack cavity and / or the side of the rack are provided with a plurality of limiting parts, when the rack slides relative to the fixed seat, the rack is in line contact or point contact with the inner wall of the rack cavity through the plurality of limiting parts. Since the rack and the rack cavity receiving the rack are limited by a plurality of limiting parts, the rack is in line contact or point contact with the inner wall of the rack cavity when sliding, which can effectively reduce the friction between the rack and the inner wall of the rack cavity, and can also improve the problem of the rack shaking easily, thereby significantly improving the transmission efficiency of the entire transmission process. If the limiting part is not used to achieve the contact between the fixing seat and the rack, there may be a significant gap between the two, causing the rack to shake greatly and affect the transmission, or the two form a surface contact to generate a large damping, both of which will reduce the transmission efficiency. When the driven component is the panel of the air conditioner, the panel can be driven to move by the movement of the rack, which can make the panel open and close more smoothly.

[0005] In an optional embodiment, the rack has a first side surface, the inner wall of the rack cavity includes a first wall surface opposite to the first side surface, the multiple limiting portions include a first limiting portion arranged on the first side surface and a second limiting portion arranged on the first wall surface, the first limiting portion is in point contact or line contact with the first wall surface, and the second limiting portion is in point contact or line contact with the first side surface; one end of the rack cavity has an opening, one end of the rack is located in the rack cavity, and the other end of the rack protrudes from the opening of the rack cavity to connect to the component to be driven, the first limiting portion is arranged at the end of the rack located in the rack cavity, and the second limiting portion is arranged at one end of the fixed seat close to the opening of the rack cavity. A first limiting portion and a second limiting portion are used to achieve contact between the first side surface of the rack and the first wall surface of the rack cavity, and the first limiting portion is located at the end of the rack located in the rack cavity, and the second limiting portion is arranged at an end of the fixed seat close to the opening of the rack cavity. Only a short limiting contact can be used to ensure that when the rack slides, the first limiting portion always abuts the first wall surface and the second limiting portion always abuts the first side surface, so that the two limiting portions are always in an effective state to ensure the stability of the sliding between the first side surface and the first wall surface, and the rack is not prone to swinging.

[0006] In an optional embodiment, the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion are spaced and opposite to each other in the sliding direction of the rack. That is to say, the line between the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion is consistent with the sliding direction of the rack, so the directions of the friction forces on the rack at the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion are collinear, which is beneficial to stability. In addition, by reasonably setting the positions of the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion, when the rack moves to the extreme position, the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion can abut against each other, thereby preventing the rack from moving excessively.

[0007] In an optional embodiment, at least two first limiting portions are provided on the first side surface, and each first limiting portion is arranged at intervals in a sliding direction perpendicular to the rack; and / or at least two second limiting portions are provided on the first wall surface, and each second limiting portion is arranged at intervals in a sliding direction perpendicular to the rack. By providing at least two first limiting portions or at least two second limiting portions, there are at least three contact points (or lines) between the first side surface and the first wall surface, which is more conducive to the stability of the rack relative to the first wall surface.

[0008] In an optional embodiment, the rack also has a second side surface opposite to the first side surface, the inner wall of the rack cavity includes a second wall surface opposite to the second side surface, and the plurality of limiting portions also include a third limiting portion, the third limiting portion is arranged on the second side surface or the second wall surface, and the second side surface and the second wall surface are in point contact or line contact through the third limiting portion. The second side surface opposite to the first side surface is in point contact or line contact with the second wall surface of the rack cavity through the third limiting portion, which can effectively avoid the surface contact between the second side surface and the rack cavity, thereby reducing the damping of this side of the rack, thereby improving the transmission efficiency. Furthermore, the third limiting portion is a limiting rib extending along the length direction of the rack. In other optional embodiments, the third limiting portion can also be used to achieve point contact, and the number of the third limiting portions can be one, two or more than three.

[0009] In an optional embodiment, the rack further has a third side surface opposite to the tooth surface, the inner wall of the rack cavity includes a third wall surface opposite to the third side surface, the plurality of limiting parts further includes a fourth limiting part, the fourth limiting part is arranged on the third side surface or the third wall surface, and the third side surface and the third wall surface are in point contact or line contact through the third limiting part. The third side surface and the third wall surface are in point contact or line contact through the third limiting part, which can effectively avoid the surface contact between the third side surface and the inner wall of the rack cavity, thereby reducing damping and improving transmission efficiency, and the third limiting part abutting the rack can prevent the rack from moving away from the gear, thereby ensuring good meshing between the rack and the gear, and ensuring transmission efficiency.

[0010] In an optional embodiment, the fixing seat includes a box body and a box cover, the box body and the box cover are detachably connected, and the box body and the box cover together form a rack cavity. By providing a detachable box cover, the rack box can be easily opened or closed, so as to inspect and maintain the rack and gear.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, one end of the rack cavity has an opening, one end of the rack is located in the rack cavity, and the other end of the rack protrudes from the opening of the rack cavity to connect to the component to be driven. One end of the rack directly protrudes from the opening of the rack cavity and is connected to the component to be driven. This transmission method is stable and reliable.

[0012] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an air conditioner, comprising a body, a panel movably arranged on the body, and the driving mechanism provided in the first aspect above, wherein the fixing seat of the driving mechanism is arranged on the body, and the rack is connected to the panel. The driving member of the driving mechanism drives the gear to rotate, and the gear drives the rack to move, thereby driving the panel to move, that is, the panel can realize opening and closing movement to open or close the window (such as the air outlet) on the air conditioner body. Since the driving mechanism provided in the first aspect above is adopted, the transmission efficiency of driving the panel to move is also relatively high. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the cooperation between the driving mechanism and the air conditioner panel in one embodiment of the present application;

[0014] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the interior of a fixing seat of a driving mechanism in one embodiment of the present application;

[0015] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the inner side of a box cover in one embodiment of the present application;

[0016] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of a box body of a fixing base in one embodiment of the present application.

[0017] Explanation of the reference numerals: 100-driving mechanism; 110-fixed seat; 111-box body; 111a-second wall; 111b-third wall; 113-third limiting portion; 114-gear cavity; 115-rack cavity; 116-box cover; 117-first wall; 118-second limiting portion; 119-buckle structure; 120-driving member; 130-gear; 150-rack; 152-first side; 154-first limiting portion; 156-bayonet; 200-panel; 210-connecting portion; 300-connecting seat. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] In the field of air conditioning technology, movable panels of air conditioners are widely used. In some existing air conditioners, the panel is driven by a rack, which is slidably set on a fixed seat and driven by a driving assembly. However, in the existing driving mechanism, because the rack may be guided by a slide groove or a strip-shaped cavity so that it always slides along its length, a large damping will be generated due to the surface contact between the rack and the fixed seat, or the rack will shake due to insufficient fit with the fixed seat. Both of these situations will have a negative impact on the transmission efficiency of the rack.

[0019] In order to improve the above problems, the embodiments of the present application provide a driving mechanism and an air conditioner including the driving mechanism. In order to make the above objects, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and understandable, the specific embodiments of the present application are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the cooperation between the driving mechanism 100 and the air conditioner panel 200 in one embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the interior of a fixing base 110 of a driving mechanism 100 in one embodiment of the present application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the inner side of the box cover 116 in one embodiment of the present application. Figures 1 to 3The driving mechanism 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application includes a fixing seat 110, a driving member 120, a gear 130 and a rack 150. The fixing seat 110 forms a gear cavity 114 and a rack cavity 115. One end of the rack 150 is located in the rack cavity 115, and the other end extends out of the fixing seat 110 from the opening of the rack cavity 115 and is connected to the panel 200. When the driving member 120 drives the gear 130 to rotate, and the gear 130 drives the rack 150 to move, the panel 200 can move under the drive of the rack 150, thereby realizing the opening and closing of the panel 200. Figure 2 As shown, the driving mechanism 100 is arranged on the inner side of the panel 200. Since the rack 150 is inclined, the movement mode of the panel 200 can be a translation as a whole along with the tilt of the rack 150, or it can be a movement up and down as a whole and flip to a certain extent. For example, when the rack 150 is pushed upward obliquely, the panel 200 moves upward as a whole and flips outward at a certain angle. In this embodiment, the driving member 120 can be a stepping motor.

[0021] In order to better restrict the rack 150 to move only in the sliding direction and with less resistance when it moves relative to the fixed seat 110, a plurality of limiting parts are provided on the inner wall of the rack cavity 115 and / or the side of the rack 150. When the rack 150 slides relative to the fixed seat 110, the rack 150 makes line contact or point contact with the inner wall of the rack cavity 115 through the plurality of limiting parts. Since a plurality of limiting parts are used to limit the rack 150 and the rack cavity 115 that accommodates the rack 150, the rack 150 keeps line contact or point contact with the inner wall of the rack cavity 115 when sliding, which can effectively reduce the friction between the rack 150 and the inner wall of the rack cavity 115, and can also improve the problem of the rack 150 shaking easily, thereby significantly improving the transmission efficiency of the entire transmission process. If the limiting part is not used to achieve the contact between the fixing seat 110 and the rack 150, there may be a significant gap between the two, so that the rack 150 will have a large shake and affect the transmission, or the two will form a surface contact to generate a large damping, both of which will reduce the transmission efficiency. When the driven component is the panel 200 of the air conditioner, the movement of the rack 150 drives the panel 200 to move, that is, the panel 200 can achieve a relatively smooth opening and closing movement.

[0022] In this embodiment, in order to facilitate the inspection and maintenance of the rack cavity 115 and the gear cavity 114 of the fixing seat 110 (such as adding lubricating oil and removing debris), the fixing seat 110 is configured to include a box body 111 and a box cover 116, and the box body 111 and the box cover 116 are detachably connected through a buckle structure 119. The buckle structure 119 is stable and convenient, which is conducive to the efficient loading and unloading of the box cover 116. Of course, in other embodiments of the present application, fasteners such as bolts can also be used, or bolts can be combined with the buckle structure 119 to realize the detachable connection between the box cover 116 and the box body 111. When the fixing seat 110 selects this structure, the rack cavity 115 and the gear cavity 114 are formed by the box body 111 and the box cover 116, and the inner wall of the rack cavity 115 includes the bottom, side walls and inner side of the box body 111 and the box cover 116. Of course, in other embodiments of the present application, the fixing seat 110 can also be configured as an integral type that cannot be separated.

[0023] like Figure 2 As shown, the rack 150 has a first side surface 152, the inner wall of the rack cavity 115 includes a first wall surface 117 opposite to the first side surface 152, and the plurality of limiting portions include a first limiting portion 154 disposed on the first side surface 152 and a second limiting portion 118 disposed on the first wall surface 117, the first limiting portion 154 is in point contact or line contact with the first wall surface 117, and the second limiting portion 118 is in point contact or line contact with the first side surface 152. In this embodiment, the first wall surface 117 is the inner side surface of the box cover 116. The first limiting portion 154 and the second limiting portion 118 are used to achieve contact between the first side surface 152 of the rack 150 and the box cover 116, so that the first side surface 152 has better stability when sliding relative to the box cover 116, and the rack 150 is not prone to swing. Furthermore, the first limiting portion 154 is disposed at the end of the rack 150 located in the rack cavity 115, and the second limiting portion 118 is disposed at one end of the fixing seat 110 close to the opening of the rack cavity 115. It can be achieved that only a short limiting contact is required to ensure that when the rack 150 slides, the first limiting portion 154 always abuts against the first wall surface 117, and the second limiting portion 118 always abuts against the first side surface 152, so that the two limiting portions are always in an effective state, so as to better ensure the stability of the first side surface 152 when sliding relative to the first wall surface 117. Figure 2 As shown in the figure, the first limiting portion 154 and the second limiting portion 118 are both protrusions, which can be set into a hemispherical shape to achieve point contact, and of course, they can also be set into a semi-axial shape with a cylindrical circumference, so that they extend along the sliding direction of the rack 150 to achieve line contact.

[0024] In an optional embodiment, two first limiting portions 154 are provided on the first side surface 152, and the two first limiting portions 154 are arranged at intervals in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction of the rack 150. In addition, two second limiting portions 118 are provided on the first wall surface 117, and the two second limiting portions 118 are arranged at intervals in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction of the rack 150. By providing two first limiting portions 154 and two second limiting portions 118, there are four contact points (or lines) between the first side surface 152 and the first wall surface 117, which is more conducive to the stability of the rack 150 relative to the first wall surface 117. Of course, in other embodiments of the present application, the number of the first limiting portions 154 and the second limiting portions 118 can be increased or decreased as needed. If the total number is kept at more than three and is not collinear, the rack 150 can be ensured to be better stable relative to the box cover 116.

[0025] In this embodiment, the first limit portion 154 and the second limit portion 118 are spaced apart from each other in the sliding direction of the rack 150. That is to say, the line between the first limit portion 154 and the second limit portion 118 is consistent with the sliding direction of the rack 150, so the directions of the friction forces on the rack 150 at the first limit portion 154 and the second limit portion 118 are collinear, which is beneficial to stability. In addition, by reasonably setting the positions of the first limit portion 154 and the second limit portion 118, when the rack 150 moves to the extreme position, the first limit portion 154 and the second limit portion 118 can abut against each other, thereby preventing the rack 150 from moving excessively. Figure 2 It can be seen that when the rack 150 extends outward from the fixing base 110 to a certain extent, the first limiting portion 154 may abut against the second limiting portion 118 to prevent the rack 150 from further moving outward.

[0026] The rack 150 also has a second side surface opposite to the first side surface 152, the inner wall of the rack cavity 115 includes a second wall surface 111a opposite to the second side surface, and the plurality of limiting parts also include a third limiting part 113, the third limiting part 113 is arranged on the second side surface or the second wall surface 111a, and the second side surface and the second wall surface 111a are in point contact or line contact through the third limiting part 113. In this embodiment, the second wall surface 111a is the bottom of the box body 111, and the second wall surface 111a is opposite to the box cover 116. The first side surface 152 and the second side surface of the rack 150 are both adjacent to the tooth surface of the rack 150. The second side surface opposite to the first side surface 152 is in point contact or line contact with the second wall surface 111a of the rack cavity 115 through the third limiting part 113, which can effectively avoid the second side surface from contacting with the bottom of the box body 111, thereby reducing the damping of the rack 150 on this side, thereby improving the transmission efficiency.

[0027] Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a box body 111 of a fixing base 110 in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 4 As shown, two third limiting portions 113 are arranged at the bottom of the box body 111 (i.e., the second wall surface 111a), and the third limiting portion 113 is a limiting rib extending along the length direction of the rack 150, and the limiting rib can be a semi-axial structure protruding from the bottom of the box body 111. The two third limiting portions 113 abut the second side surface of the rack 150 together, and play a limiting role on the rack 150, making it difficult to shake, and because of the line contact, the resistance brought to the rack 150 is small. In other optional embodiments, the third limiting portion 113 can also be used to achieve point contact, and the number of the third limiting portions 113 can be one or more than three; the third limiting portion 113 can also be arranged on the second side surface of the rack 150; the third limiting portion 113 can also refer to the setting method of the first limiting portion 154 and the second limiting portion 118 to achieve four-point support.

[0028] The rack 150 also has a third side surface opposite to the tooth surface, the inner wall of the rack cavity 115 includes a third wall surface 111b opposite to the third side surface, and the plurality of limiting portions also include a fourth limiting portion (not shown in the figure), which is arranged on the third side surface or the third wall surface 111b, and the third side surface and the third wall surface 111b are in point contact or line contact through the third limiting portion 113. In this embodiment, the third wall surface 111b is a side wall of the box body 111. Similarly, the setting method of the limiting portion between the third side surface and the third wall surface 111b can refer to the first side surface 152 and the second side surface, which will not be repeated here. The third side surface is in point contact or line contact with the third wall surface 111b through the third limiting portion 113, which can effectively avoid surface contact between the third side surface and the inner wall of the rack cavity 115, thereby reducing damping and improving transmission efficiency. In addition, the third limiting portion 113 abuts against the rack 150 to prevent the rack 150 from moving away from the gear 130, thereby ensuring good meshing between the rack 150 and the gear 130 and ensuring transmission efficiency.

[0029] The air conditioner (not shown in the figure) provided in the embodiment of the present application comprises a body (not shown in the figure), a panel 200 movably arranged on the body, and the driving mechanism 100 provided in the first aspect above, wherein the fixing seat 110 of the driving mechanism 100 is arranged on the body, and the end of the rack 150 extending out of the fixing seat 110 has a bayonet 156, which cooperates with the connecting portion 210 on the panel 200 to realize the rotational connection between the panel 200 and the rack 150. Figure 1In the illustrated embodiment, the panel 200 can be connected to the connection seat 300 on the fuselage body through a sliding rod (not shown in the figure), so that the panel 200 can slide up and down relative to the connection seat 300, and can also rotate to a certain extent relative to the connection seat 300. The connection seat 300 and the fixing seat 110 remain relatively fixed. In this way, the movement mode of the panel 200 can be up and down movement and can be turned to a certain extent. The driving member 120 of the driving mechanism 100 drives the gear 130 to rotate, and the gear 130 drives the rack 150 to move, thereby driving the panel 200 to move, that is, the panel 200 can realize the opening and closing movement to open or close the window (such as the air outlet) on the air conditioner body.

[0030] It should be understood that the driving mechanism 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application is not limited to driving the panel 200 of the air conditioner to move, but can also be used to drive other components to be driven, such as wind guide blades, etc.

[0031] In summary, in the driving mechanism provided in the embodiment of the present application, since a plurality of limiting parts are used to limit the rack and the rack cavity that accommodates the rack, the rack maintains line contact or point contact with the inner wall of the rack cavity when sliding, which can effectively reduce the friction between the rack and the inner wall of the rack cavity, and can also improve the problem of easy shaking of the rack, thereby significantly improving the transmission efficiency of the entire transmission process. When the component to be driven is the panel of the air conditioner, the movement of the panel is driven by the movement of the rack, so that the panel can achieve a smoother opening and closing movement. Since the air conditioner provided in the embodiment of the present application adopts the driving mechanism provided by the first aspect above, the transmission efficiency of driving the panel to move is also relatively high.

[0032] Although the present application is disclosed as above, the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the scope defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A driving mechanism, characterized in that: The invention comprises a fixed seat (110), a driving member (120), a gear (130) and a rack (150), wherein the fixed seat (110) has a rack cavity (115), the rack (150) is at least partially received in the rack cavity (115), the driving member (120) is transmission-connected with the gear (130), the gear (130) is meshed with the rack (150) to drive the rack (150) to slide relative to the fixed seat (110) along its length direction, and the rack (150) is used to connect with a component to be driven; a plurality of limiting portions are provided on the inner wall of the rack cavity (115) and / or on the side surface of the rack (150), and when the rack (150) slides relative to the fixed seat (110), the rack (150) makes line contact or point contact with the inner wall of the rack cavity (115) through the plurality of limiting portions; The rack (150) has a first side surface (152), the inner wall of the rack cavity (115) includes a first wall surface (117) opposite to the first side surface (152), the plurality of limiting portions include a first limiting portion (154) arranged on the first side surface (152) and a second limiting portion (118) arranged on the first wall surface (117), the first limiting portion (154) being in point contact or line contact with the first wall surface (117), and the second limiting portion (118) being in contact with the first side surface (152). 2) point contact or line contact, one end of the rack cavity (115) has an opening, one end of the rack (150) is located in the rack cavity (115), the other end of the rack (150) protrudes from the opening of the rack cavity (115) to connect to the component to be driven, the first limiting portion (154) is arranged at the end of the rack (150) located in the rack cavity (115), and the second limiting portion (118) is arranged at the end of the fixing seat (110) close to the opening of the rack cavity (115); The first limiting portion (154) and the second limiting portion (118) are spaced apart and opposed to each other in the sliding direction of the rack (150); The rack (150) also has a second side surface opposite to the first side surface (152); the inner wall of the rack cavity (115) includes a second wall surface (111a) opposite to the second side surface; the plurality of limiting portions also include a third limiting portion (113); the third limiting portion (113) is arranged on the second side surface or the second wall surface (111a); the second side surface and the second wall surface (111a) are in point contact or line contact via the third limiting portion (113).

2. The driving mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least two first limiting portions (154) are provided on the first side surface (152), and the first limiting portions (154) are arranged at intervals in a sliding direction perpendicular to the rack (150); And / or, at least two second limiting portions (118) are provided on the first wall surface (117), and the second limiting portions (118) are arranged at intervals in a sliding direction perpendicular to the rack (150).

3. The driving mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The third limiting portion (113) is a limiting rib extending along the length direction of the rack (150).

4. The driving mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rack (150) also has a third side surface opposite to the tooth surface, the inner wall of the rack cavity (115) includes a third wall surface (111b) opposite to the third side surface, the multiple limiting portions also include a fourth limiting portion, the fourth limiting portion is arranged on the third side surface or the third wall surface (111b), and the third side surface and the third wall surface (111b) are in point contact or line contact through the third limiting portion (113).

5. The driving mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The fixing seat (110) comprises a box body (111) and a box cover (116); the box body (111) and the box cover (116) are detachably connected; the box body (111) and the box cover (116) together form the rack cavity (115).

6. The driving mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: One end of the rack cavity (115) has an opening, one end of the rack (150) is located in the rack cavity (115), and the other end of the rack (150) protrudes from the opening of the rack cavity (115) to connect to the component to be driven.

7. An air conditioner, characterized in that: It comprises a fuselage body, a panel (200) movably arranged on the fuselage body, and a driving mechanism (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a fixing seat (110) of the driving mechanism (100) is arranged on the fuselage body, and the rack (150) is connected to the panel (200).

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