Vertical air conditioner and control method

Abstract

The present invention discloses a vertical air conditioner, comprising a housing having an air inlet formed thereon, the housing including a front panel and a cover body located behind the front panel, a first air outlet formed on the front panel, and an air inlet formed on a rear wall of the cover body opposite the first air outlet; a heat exchanger is provided on the air inlet flow path between the air inlet and the first air outlet; an air guide module including an air guide ring having front and rear openings extending through the middle, the front opening of the air guide ring being located at the air inlet and the rear opening being located at the air inlet, thereby forming a through air duct passing through the front panel and the rear wall; an air supply outlet is also formed on the peripheral wall of the air guide ring; an air sweep module is disposed within the housing and on the side of the front panel, the air sweep module including a movable air sweep blade assembly; upon receiving an air sweep command, the control module controls the air sweep blade assembly to move to the first air outlet to adjust the air direction of the first air outlet. The vertical air conditioner of the present invention can change the air supply direction, expand the air supply range, and improve user comfort.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of air conditioners, and in particular relates to a vertical air conditioner and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Currently, most household cabinet air conditioners on the market feature a vertically distributed airflow system. Air is blown out of the first outlet through an internal duct and then distributed to the surrounding area through a cylindrical duct. This airflow system restricts the airflow area and does not allow for vertical or horizontal sweeping. If this airflow system strikes a person, the airflow direction cannot be adjusted to avoid directing it directly onto the person, resulting in a poor user experience.

[0003] In view of this, the present invention is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art and provide a vertical air conditioner capable of changing the air supply direction.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a vertical air conditioner, comprising

[0006] a housing having an air inlet formed thereon, the housing comprising a front panel and a cover body located behind the front panel, the front panel having a first air outlet formed thereon, and a rear wall of the cover body opposite to the first air outlet having an air inlet formed thereon; a heat exchanger being provided on an air inlet flow path between the air inlet and the first air outlet to exchange heat with the air entering from the air inlet to form a heat exchange airflow;

[0007] an air guide module disposed in the housing, the air guide module comprising an air guide ring having front and rear openings extending through the middle thereof, the front opening of the air guide ring being disposed at the first air outlet, and the rear opening being disposed at the air inlet, so as to form a through air duct penetrating the front panel and the rear wall, an air supply port being further formed on a peripheral wall of the air guide ring, the heat exchange airflow entering the through air duct through the air supply port and then being blown out through the first air outlet;

[0008] an air sweeping module, disposed in the housing and located on the front panel side, the air sweeping module including a movable air sweeping blade assembly;

[0009] A control module controls the wind sweeping blade assembly to move to the first air outlet to adjust the wind direction of the first air outlet after the vertical air conditioner receives the wind sweeping instruction.

[0010] Further optionally, the wind sweeping blade assembly is liftably arranged on the front panel side.

[0011] Further optionally, the wind sweeping module also includes a transmission mechanism and a driving mechanism, the transmission mechanism is connected to the wind sweeping blade assembly, and the driving mechanism is connected to the control module. After the vertical air conditioner receives the wind sweeping instruction, the control module controls the driving mechanism to start, and the driving mechanism drives the wind sweeping blade assembly to rise or fall to the first air outlet through the transmission mechanism.

[0012] Further optionally, the transmission mechanism includes a rack and a gear meshing with the rack, the gear is connected to the wind sweeping blade assembly, the gear is connected to the driving mechanism, the driving mechanism starts to drive the gear to rotate, the rotation of the gear drives the rack to move up and down, and the up and down movement of the rack drives the wind sweeping blade assembly to rise and fall.

[0013] Further optionally, the air supply module also includes an air duct, the air duct includes an air inlet end and a first air outlet end, the air inlet end is located at the air inlet, and the first air outlet end is located at the air supply outlet; the air sweeping module is located between the air duct and the front panel, and after the vertical air conditioner receives the air sweeping instruction, the air sweeping blade assembly is controlled to rise from between the air duct and the front panel to the first air outlet; after the air sweeping ends, the air sweeping blade assembly is controlled to descend from the first air outlet to between the air duct and the front panel.

[0014] Further optionally, the shape and size of the wind sweeping blade assembly match the shape and size of the first air outlet.

[0015] Further optionally, the wind sweeping blade assembly includes a plurality of longitudinal wind guide blades that can move left and right, and a plurality of transverse wind guide blades that can move up and down, and the plurality of longitudinal wind guide blades and the plurality of transverse wind guide blades are arranged crisscrossed. When the wind sweeping blade assembly moves to the first air outlet, the control module controls the longitudinal wind sweeping blades to move left and right, and / or controls the transverse wind guide blades to move up and down.

[0016] Further optionally, the first air outlet is opened near the top end of the front panel, and the second air outlet is provided near the bottom end of the front panel. The air duct also includes a second air outlet end, and the second air outlet end is located at the second air outlet. The heat exchange air flow is blown out through the first air outlet and / or the second air outlet.

[0017] The present invention also provides a control method for the above-mentioned vertical air conditioner. When the vertical air conditioner receives a sweeping instruction, the sweeping blade assembly is controlled to move to the first air outlet to adjust the air outlet direction of the first air outlet.

[0018] Further optionally, a second air outlet is provided near the bottom end of the front panel; the cold air generated in the cooling mode is blown out through the first air outlet, and the hot air generated in the heating mode is blown out through the second air outlet;

[0019] In the cooling mode, after receiving the wind sweeping instruction, the wind sweeping blade assembly is controlled to move to the first air outlet.

[0020] After adopting the above technical solution, the present invention has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art:

[0021] By adopting the air outlet method of the present invention, the air direction of the air supply cabinet outlet can be controlled, and the hot air can be blown to the ground in the heating mode, with a wider air supply range, meeting the user's high comfort experience needs.

[0022] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The accompanying drawings are part of the present invention and are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention, but do not constitute an undue limitation of the present invention. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without inventive effort. In the accompanying drawings:

[0024] Figure 1 : A vertical air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 : An exploded view of a vertical air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 : This is a structural diagram of the air sweep module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 : is a control logic diagram of a vertical air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Among them: 1. Front panel; 2. Left side panel; 3. Right side panel; 4. Wind sweeping blade assembly; 5. Rear side panel; 6. Top cover; 7. Chassis; 8. Air guide module; 9. Heat exchanger; 10. Air duct; 11. First air outlet; 12. Second air outlet; 13. Rack; 14. Gear; 15. Stepper motor; 51. Air inlet; 52. Air inlet grille.

[0029] It should be noted that these drawings and textual descriptions are not intended to limit the conceptual scope of the present invention in any way, but rather to illustrate the concept of the present invention for those skilled in the art by referring to specific embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "inside" and "outside" etc. indicating orientations or positional relationships are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0031] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," "connected," "in contact," and "connected" should be understood broadly. For example, they may refer to fixed, detachable, or integral connections; mechanical or electrical connections; and direct or indirect connections through an intermediary. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0032] This embodiment provides a vertical air conditioner, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, it includes a casing, an air guide module 8, an air supply module, an air sweeping module and a control module. An air inlet is provided on the casing. The casing includes a front panel 1, a cover body located behind the front panel 1, a chassis 7 located at the bottom, and a top cover located at the top. The front panel 1, the cover body, the chassis 7 and the top cover cooperate to form the casing. In some embodiments, the cover body is formed by the cooperation of the left side panel 2, the right side panel 3 and the rear side panel 5, and the rear side panel 5 is the rear wall of the cover body. In other embodiments, the cover body is formed by bending a panel to form multiple right-angled surfaces or an arc surface. The air inlet can be formed on the rear wall of the casing, and can also be understood as being formed on the rear wall of the cover body. In other embodiments, the air inlet can also be formed on the side wall of the casing. In a specific embodiment, the air inlet is also provided with an air inlet grille 52 and a corresponding filter screen for filtering dust in the air. A first air outlet 11 is provided on the front panel 1, and an air inlet 51 is provided on the rear wall of the cover body opposite to the first air outlet 11; a heat exchanger 9 is provided on the air inlet flow path between the air inlet and the first air outlet 11 to exchange heat with the air entering from the air inlet to form a heat exchange airflow; in some specific embodiments, the heat exchanger 9 is arranged directly opposite the air inlet.

[0033] The air guide module 8 is arranged in the casing, and the air guide module 8 includes an air guide ring with front and rear openings and a middle connection. The front end opening of the air guide ring is arranged at the first air outlet 11, and the rear end opening is arranged at the air inlet 51 to form a through air duct running through the front panel 1 and the rear wall. An air supply port is also formed on the peripheral wall of the air guide ring. The heat exchange air flow enters the through air duct from the air supply port and is blown out from the first air outlet 11; in a specific embodiment, the air guide module 8 is located behind the first air outlet 11, and includes at least two air guide rings, and each air guide ring is arranged in sequence in the front and rear directions to form an air duct 10 running through each air guide ring. The gap between the two adjacent air guide rings forms an air supply port. The inner peripheral wall of each air guide ring extends gradually from back to front, which can effectively guide the air flow entering from the air supply port to flow forward along the inner surface of the air guide ring, so as to drive the air in the through air duct forward to the first air outlet 11. In addition, when the air flow in the through-air duct is blown out to the first air outlet 11, the air around the air inlet 51 is prompted to flow forward into the through-air duct and mix with the heat exchange air flow entering from the air supply port, and is blown into the room from the first air outlet 11. This increases the overall air supply distance and air supply volume, and makes the blown air flow soft, forming a comfortable wind that is hot but not dry, and cool but not cold, making the user experience more comfortable.

[0034] The air supply module is arranged in the casing, including a first air supply fan, which sucks air from the air inlet, passes through the heat exchanger 9, and then flows from the air supply port to the first air outlet 11; the first air supply fan can be selected from a centrifugal fan, and the rotating shaft of the centrifugal fan is arranged along the front and rear directions of the casing, so that the first air supply fan sucks in the heat exchange airflow from their respective axial rear ends, and the airflow direction is parallel to the axial direction of their respective rotating shafts to reduce wind resistance.

[0035] The air sweep module is arranged on the inner side of the front panel 1, as shown in FIG. Figure 3 As shown, the wind sweeping module includes a movable wind sweeping blade assembly 4. The shape and size of the wind sweeping blade assembly 4 match the shape and size of the first air outlet 11. In this embodiment, the air inlet 51 and the first air outlet 11 can both be circular, and the shape of the wind sweeping blade assembly 4 corresponds to a circular shape, which can ensure the aesthetics of the air conditioner. In certain specific embodiments, the wind sweeping blade assembly 4 includes a plurality of longitudinal wind guide blades that can move left and right, and a plurality of transverse wind guide blades that can move up and down. The plurality of longitudinal wind guide blades and the plurality of transverse wind guide blades are arranged in a crisscross pattern. When the wind sweeping blade assembly 4 moves to the first air outlet, the control module controls the longitudinal wind sweeping blades to move left and right, and / or controls the transverse wind guide blades to move up and down.

[0036] The control module controls the movement of the sweep blade assembly 4 to the first air outlet 11 after the vertical air conditioner receives a sweep command to adjust the airflow direction of the first air outlet 11, and then controls the sweep blades to sweep the air up, down, left, and right, thereby expanding the air outlet area of ​​the vertical air conditioner, controlling the airflow direction, and acting as a wind guide. In some embodiments, the sweep blade assembly 4 can be configured to be liftable. Upon receiving the sweep command, the sweep blade assembly 4 can be controlled to either descend from top to bottom to the first air outlet 11 or to ascend from bottom to top to the first air outlet 11. In other embodiments, the sweep blade assembly 4 can be configured to be movable left to right. Upon receiving the sweep command, the sweep blade assembly 4 can be controlled to either move from left to right to the first air outlet 11 or from right to left to the first air outlet 11.

[0037] This embodiment conceals the sweep blade assembly 4 within the housing when the air conditioner is not operating or when the air conditioner is operating but no sweep command has been received. Upon receiving a sweep command, the sweep blade assembly 4 is pushed out to the first air outlet 11, enhancing the air conditioner's appearance. Leaving the sweep blade assembly 4 exposed at the first air outlet 11 presents a significant safety hazard and can be easily damaged by external forces. Furthermore, in heating mode, when hot air is blown out of the first air outlet 11, the wind direction of the first air outlet 11 is controlled to ensure that the hot air is blown to the ground, improving user comfort.

[0038] Optionally, the air sweeping module further includes a transmission mechanism and a drive mechanism, the transmission mechanism is connected to the air sweeping blade assembly 4, and the drive mechanism is connected to the control module. The drive mechanism can be a stepper motor 15. During the operation of the air conditioner, the control module controls the drive mechanism to start, and the drive mechanism drives the air sweeping blade assembly 4 to rise or fall to the first air outlet 11 through the transmission module. Specifically, Figure 3 As shown, the transmission mechanism includes a rack 13 and a gear 14 meshing with the rack 13. The gear 14 is connected to the wind sweeping blade assembly 4. The gear 14 is connected to the driving mechanism. When the driving mechanism is activated, the gear 14 rotates. The rotation of the gear 14 drives the rack 13 to move up and down. The up and down movement of the rack 13 drives the wind sweeping blade assembly 4 to rise and fall. In some specific embodiments, the gear 14 can be selected from a single gear 14 or a gear set consisting of multiple gears 14 meshing with each other.

[0039] Further optionally, the air supply module also includes an air duct 10, which is located between the heat exchanger 9 and the panel. A fan blade is also provided in the air duct 10. The first air supply fan is arranged in the air duct 10, and a first volute is provided at a position corresponding to the air duct 10 and the first air supply fan. When the first air supply fan is driven by a high-speed motor to rotate with the shaft, the air flow between the first air supply fans obtains centrifugal force as it rotates, and the gas is thrown out and enters the first volute. The gas pressure in the first volute increases and is directed to be discharged from the air duct 10 into the through air duct. The air duct 10 includes a first air inlet end and an air outlet end, the first air inlet end is located at the air inlet, and the air outlet end is located at the air supply port; the air sweeping module is located between the air duct 10 and the front panel 1. After the vertical air conditioner receives the air sweeping instruction, the air sweeping blade assembly 4 is controlled to rise from the position between the air duct 10 and the swept air blades to the first air outlet 11; after the air sweeping is completed, the air sweeping blade assembly 4 is controlled to descend from the first air outlet 11 to the position between the air duct 10 and the swept air blades.

[0040] Further optionally, a first air outlet 11 is provided near the top of the front panel 1, and a second air outlet 12 is provided near the bottom of the front panel 1. In some embodiments, the second air outlet 12 can be formed directly on the front surface or separately provided below the front panel 1. The second air outlet 12 can be square, for example, rectangular. The air supply module also includes a second air supply fan, which draws air from the air inlet and flows it through the heat exchanger 9 to the second air outlet 12. The second air supply fan can also be a centrifugal fan, and the rotating shaft of the centrifugal fan is arranged along the front-to-back direction of the housing, so that the second air supply fans draw in the heat exchange airflow from their respective axial rear ends, and the airflow direction is parallel to the axial direction of their respective rotating shafts, thereby reducing wind resistance. A second volute is provided at the position of the air duct 10 corresponding to the second air supply fan. When the second air supply fan is driven by a high-speed motor to rotate with the shaft, the airflow between the second air supply fans obtains centrifugal force as it rotates, and the air is ejected into the second volute. The gas pressure in the second volute increases and is directed to be discharged into the middle. The air duct 10 further includes a second air outlet end, which is located at the second air outlet 12 . The air generated during operation of the vertical air conditioner is blown out through the first air outlet 11 and / or the second air outlet 12 .

[0041] Due to the tendency of cold air to sink and hot air to rise, the first air supply fan can be configured to operate when the heat exchanger 9 receives a cooling command, with the generated cold air blown out of the first air outlet 11. The second air outlet fan can be configured to operate when the heat exchanger 9 receives a heating command, with the generated hot air blown out of the second air outlet 12. This saves energy while quickly and evenly aligning the indoor temperature. Of course, the first and second air supply fans can also be configured to operate simultaneously, with the heat exchange airflow blown out of the first and second air outlets 11, 12 simultaneously, achieving vertically distributed air supply and a wider air supply range, meeting the user's demand for a high-comfort experience.

[0042] This embodiment also proposes a control method for the above-mentioned vertical air conditioner, such as Figure 3 As shown in the control flow chart, when the vertical air conditioner receives a purge command, it controls the purge blade assembly 4 to move to the first air outlet 11 to adjust the airflow direction of the first air outlet 11. After the purge blade assembly 4 moves to the first air outlet 11, it controls the lateral air guide blades to move up and down for vertical sweeping, or controls the longitudinal air guide blades to move left and right for horizontal sweeping, or controls both the lateral air guide blades to move up and down and the longitudinal air guide blades to move left and right for simultaneous vertical, left, and right sweeping, depending on the user's selected purge mode. If no purge command is received, the purge blade assembly 4 is concealed within the housing.

[0043] Optionally, a second air outlet 12 is provided near the bottom of the front panel 1. In some embodiments, the second air outlet 12 may be formed directly on the front panel or separately positioned below the front panel 1. Cool air generated in cooling mode is discharged through the first air outlet 11, while hot air generated in heating mode is discharged through the second air outlet 12. In cooling mode, when the vertical air conditioner receives a purge command, the purge blade assembly 4 is controlled to move to the first air outlet 11, and the first air supply fan is activated. In heating mode, when a purge command is received, the purge blade assembly 4 remains inactive. Of course, to adjust the direction of air discharged from the second air outlet 12, in some embodiments, air deflectors are provided at the second air outlet 12. These air deflectors include vertically movable transverse air deflectors and / or horizontally movable longitudinal air deflectors. When both transverse and longitudinal air deflectors are provided, the transverse and longitudinal air deflectors are arranged in a crisscross pattern. When a purge command is received in heating mode, the transverse air deflectors are controlled to move vertically and / or the longitudinal air deflectors are controlled to move horizontally.

[0044] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not constitute any form of limitation to the present invention. Although the present invention has been disclosed as above in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any technician familiar with this patent can make slight changes or modifications to equivalent embodiments using the above technical content without departing from the scope of the technical solution of the present invention. However, any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the content of the technical solution of the present invention are still within the scope of the solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vertical air conditioner, characterized in that: include a housing having an air inlet formed thereon, the housing comprising a front panel and a cover body located behind the front panel, the front panel having a first air outlet formed thereon, and a rear wall of the cover body opposite to the first air outlet having an air inlet formed thereon; a heat exchanger being provided on an air inlet flow path between the air inlet and the first air outlet to exchange heat with the air entering from the air inlet to form a heat exchange airflow; an air guide module disposed in the housing, the air guide module comprising an air guide ring having front and rear openings extending through the middle thereof, the front opening of the air guide ring being disposed at the first air outlet, and the rear opening being disposed at the air inlet, so as to form a through air duct penetrating the front panel and the rear wall, an air supply port being further formed on a peripheral wall of the air guide ring, the heat exchange airflow entering the through air duct through the air supply port and then being blown out through the first air outlet; An air sweeping module is provided in the housing and located on the side of the front panel, the air sweeping module includes a movable air sweeping blade assembly, and the air sweeping blade assembly is liftably provided on the side of the front panel; an air supply module, disposed in the housing, the air supply module including an air duct, the air duct including an air inlet end and a first air outlet end, the air inlet end being located at the air inlet, the first air outlet end being located at the air supply end, and the air sweeping module being located between the air duct and the front panel; a control module, wherein after the vertical air conditioner receives a sweeping instruction, the control module controls the sweeping blade assembly to move to the first air outlet to adjust the air flow direction of the first air outlet; The wind sweeping blade assembly includes a plurality of longitudinal wind guide blades that can move left and right, and a plurality of transverse wind guide blades that can move up and down. The plurality of longitudinal wind guide blades and the plurality of transverse wind guide blades are arranged in a crisscross manner. When the wind sweeping blade assembly moves to the first air outlet, the control module controls the longitudinal wind sweeping blades to move left and right, and / or controls the transverse wind guide blades to move up and down.

2. The vertical air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wind sweeping module also includes a transmission mechanism and a driving mechanism. The transmission mechanism is connected to the wind sweeping blade assembly, and the driving mechanism is connected to the control module. After the vertical air conditioner receives the wind sweeping instruction, the control module controls the driving mechanism to start, and the driving mechanism drives the wind sweeping blade assembly to rise or fall to the first air outlet through the transmission mechanism.

3. The vertical air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that: The transmission mechanism includes a rack and a gear meshed with the rack, the gear is connected to the wind sweeping blade assembly, the gear is connected to the driving mechanism, the driving mechanism starts to drive the gear to rotate, the rotation of the gear drives the rack to move up and down, and the up and down movement of the rack drives the wind sweeping blade assembly to rise and fall.

4. The vertical air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that After the vertical air conditioner receives the wind sweeping instruction, the wind sweeping blade assembly is controlled to rise from between the air duct and the front panel to the first air outlet; after the wind sweeping is completed, the wind sweeping blade assembly is controlled to descend from the first air outlet to between the air duct and the front panel.

5. The vertical air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shape and size of the wind sweeping blade assembly match the shape and size of the first air outlet.

6. The vertical air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The first air outlet is opened near the top end of the front panel, and the second air outlet is provided near the bottom end of the front panel. The air duct also includes a second air outlet end, which is located at the second air outlet. The heat exchange air flow is blown out through the first air outlet and / or the second air outlet.

7. A control method for a vertical air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: When the vertical air conditioner receives the wind sweeping instruction, it controls the wind sweeping blade assembly to move to the first air outlet to adjust the air outlet direction of the first air outlet.

8. The control method of a vertical air conditioner according to claim 7, characterized in that: A second air outlet is provided near the bottom end of the front panel; the cold air generated in the cooling mode is blown out through the first air outlet, and the hot air generated in the heating mode is blown out through the second air outlet; In the cooling mode, after receiving the wind sweeping instruction, the wind sweeping blade assembly is controlled to move to the first air outlet.

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