Sliding door assembly and air conditioner

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of air conditioner technology, specifically to a sliding door assembly and an air conditioner. The sliding door assembly includes a sliding door, a blocking member, and a drive box. The blocking member is connected to the sliding door, and the drive box is fixed to the inner panel of the air conditioner. A guide rail is provided below the drive box, and the guide rail's direction is consistent with the sliding direction of the sliding door. The blocking member cooperates with the guide rail, and can block the gap between the inner panel and the front panel of the air conditioner after the sliding door is opened. The air conditioner includes the above-described sliding door assembly. The sliding door assembly and air conditioner provided by this invention prevent dust from easily entering the air conditioner's interior, resulting in better aesthetics. Furthermore, it facilitates a reduction in the floor space and volume of the air conditioner, saving on material costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioner technology, and more specifically, to a sliding door assembly and an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, many air conditioner indoor units have sliding doors at the air outlet. When in use, the sliding door opens to expose the air outlet and allow air to flow; when not in use, the sliding door closes to cover the air outlet and ensure aesthetics.

[0003] However, when the sliding door of the existing air conditioner indoor unit is opened, the gap between the front panel and the air conditioner inner panel will be exposed through the air outlet, which not only allows dust to enter, but also seriously affects the appearance.

[0004] In summary, overcoming the aforementioned shortcomings of existing air conditioners is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a sliding door assembly and an air conditioner to solve the technical problems of easy dust accumulation and poor aesthetics in existing air conditioners.

[0006] The sliding door assembly provided by the present invention includes a sliding door, a blocking component, and a drive box.

[0007] The shield is connected to the sliding door, the drive box is fixed to the air conditioner inner panel, and a guide rail is provided below the drive box. The guide rail is aligned with the sliding direction of the sliding door.

[0008] The shielding component cooperates with the guide rail, and the shielding component can block the gap between the air conditioner inner panel and the front panel after the sliding door is opened.

[0009] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0010] As the sliding door opens, it slides away from the air outlet area along the circumference of the air conditioner. At the same time, the shield is dragged by the sliding door. Guided by the guide rail, the shield can slide to the gap between the air conditioner's inner panel and the front panel. At this point, the shield can cover the gap, so the gap between the front panel and the air conditioner's inner panel will not be exposed from the air outlet. This not only makes it difficult for dust to enter the air conditioner, but also improves the aesthetics of the air conditioner.

[0011] It should be noted that when the sliding door opens, it must slide circumferentially to move away from the air outlet. The blocking component, connected to the sliding door, utilizes the sliding door's movement characteristics to be smoothly dragged to the gap appearing at the edge of the air outlet during the opening process. Thus, the blocking component automatically covers the gap during the opening process, preventing the gap from being exposed due to asynchronous opening and subsequent opening. Notably, placing the guide rail below the drive box does not increase the horizontal dimensions of the sliding door assembly. Consequently, the guide rail does not increase the horizontal cross-sectional area of ​​the air conditioner, reducing its footprint and overall size, thus saving on material costs.

[0012] Preferably, as one possible implementation, the shielding member has a baffle, an extension and a guide plate. The baffle can block the gap between the air conditioner inner panel and the front panel after the sliding door is opened. The baffle is connected to the front end of the extension, the guide plate is connected to the rear end of the extension, and the guide plate cooperates with the guide rail.

[0013] The beneficial effect is that, while achieving the blocking effect of the blocking component, it also ensures the cooperation between the blocking component and the guide rail.

[0014] Preferably, as one possible implementation, the guide rail has a U-shaped groove, the opening of the U-shaped groove facing the bottom of the drive box, and the guide plate slides in conjunction with the U-shaped groove.

[0015] The beneficial effect is that the guide plate is less likely to detach from the U-shaped groove, which can improve the reliability and smoothness of the shielding component.

[0016] Preferably, as one possible implementation, a limiting groove exists between the front side wall of the U-shaped slide and the bottom of the drive box, the extension slides in cooperation with the limiting groove, and the limiting groove is used to restrict the vertical movement of the extension.

[0017] The beneficial effect is that it further improves the reliability and smoothness of the shielding component.

[0018] Preferably, as one possible implementation, the guide rail is detachably connected to the drive box;

[0019] And / or, a connecting post is provided on the rear side of the guide rail, and the connecting post is locked and fixed to the bottom of the drive box by a threaded connector.

[0020] The advantages are that it facilitates assembly and ensures reliable connection.

[0021] Preferably, as one possible implementation, the sliding door is inserted into the blocking member.

[0022] The beneficial effect is that it enables quick connection between the sliding door and the blocking component, which facilitates improved assembly efficiency and subsequent disassembly.

[0023] Preferably, as one possible implementation, the shielding member and the sliding door are an integral structure.

[0024] The beneficial effect is that it can reduce assembly steps and improve assembly efficiency.

[0025] Preferably, as one possible implementation, the sliding door is provided with a buckle, the blocking member has a slot, and the buckle is inserted into the slot.

[0026] The beneficial effect is that it enables the sliding door and the blocking component to be connected and fitted together.

[0027] The present invention also provides an air conditioner, which includes an air duct assembly and the aforementioned sliding door assembly. The air duct assembly includes an air outlet frame, the air conditioner inner panel includes the air outlet frame, the air outlet of the air conditioner is disposed on the air outlet frame, the drive box is mounted on the air outlet frame, and the shielding member can shield the gap between the air outlet frame and the front panel after the sliding door is opened.

[0028] The air conditioner provided by the present invention has all the advantages of the above-mentioned sliding door assembly because it has the above-mentioned sliding door assembly. The shield can cover the gap between the front panel and the air outlet frame, making it difficult for dust to enter the air conditioner and improving its appearance. In particular, the guide rail is set below the drive box, which helps to reduce the floor space of the air conditioner. In addition, it is beneficial to reduce the size of the air conditioner and save on the material cost of the air conditioner.

[0029] Preferably, as one possible implementation, the shielding member includes an upper shielding member, which is used to shield the gap above the air outlet of the air conditioner. The front panel has a display panel, which is located above the air outlet of the air conditioner. The upper shielding member is hidden inside the display panel, and the bottom of the display panel is lower than the upper shielding member.

[0030] The beneficial effect is that it prevents the upper obstruction from protruding from the display panel, which can further improve the aesthetics.

[0031] Preferably, as one possible implementation, the shielding member slides within the area formed by the air outlet frame.

[0032] The beneficial effect is that it prevents the shield from touching other parts.

[0033] Preferably, as one possible implementation, the shielding component includes an upper shielding component and a lower shielding component, and the upper shielding component and the lower shielding component are respectively used to shield the gaps on the upper and lower sides of the air outlet of the air conditioner, and the ratio of the height of the upper shielding component to the height of the lower shielding component is in the range of 0.1-0.5.

[0034] The beneficial effect is that it can improve the aesthetics of both the upper and lower sides of the air outlet. Attached Figure Description

[0035] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0036] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the sliding door assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the drive box in the sliding door assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the drive box in the sliding door assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the drive box in the sliding door assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention from another perspective;

[0040] Figure 5 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a portion of the sliding door assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Enlarged view of section A;

[0043] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention from another perspective.

[0044] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0045] 100-Sliding door;

[0046] 200 - shield; 210 - baffle; 220 - guide plate; 230 - extension;

[0047] 300-Drive box; 310-Guide rail; 311-U-shaped slide rail; 312-Connecting post; 320-Allowing opening; 330-Limiting groove;

[0048] 400 - Air outlet frame; 410 - Air outlet;

[0049] 500 - Front panel; 510 - Display panel;

[0050] 600-Drive mechanism; 610-Gear; 620-Rack; 630-Motor. Detailed Implementation

[0051] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0052] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0053] See Figures 1-7 This embodiment provides a sliding door assembly, which includes a sliding door 100, a blocking member 200, and a drive box 300. The blocking member 200 is connected to the sliding door 100, and the drive box 300 is fixed to the air conditioner inner panel. A guide rail 310 is provided below the drive box 300, and the guide rail 310 is aligned with the sliding direction of the sliding door 100. The blocking member 200 cooperates with the guide rail 310, and the blocking member 200 can block the gap between the air conditioner inner panel and the front panel 500 after the sliding door 100 is opened.

[0054] As the sliding door 100 opens, it slides away from the area of ​​the air outlet 410 along the circumference of the air conditioner. At the same time, the shield 200 is dragged by the sliding door 100. Under the guidance of the guide rail 310, the shield 200 can slide to the gap between the air conditioner inner panel and the front panel 500. At this time, the shield 200 can cover the gap, so that the gap between the front panel 500 and the air conditioner inner panel will not be exposed from the air outlet 410. This not only makes it difficult for dust to enter the air conditioner, but also improves the aesthetics of the air conditioner.

[0055] It should be noted that when the sliding door 100 opens, it must slide circumferentially to move away from the air outlet 410. The blocking member 200, connected to the sliding door 100, can utilize the sliding door 100's movement characteristics to be smoothly dragged to the gap appearing at the edge of the air outlet 410 during the opening process. Thus, during the opening of the sliding door 100, the blocking member 200 can automatically block the gap, promptly concealing any gaps that are about to be exposed, preventing the gap from being exposed during or even after the opening process due to asynchronous movement. In particular, placing the guide rail 310 below the drive box 300 does not increase the horizontal dimension of the sliding door assembly. Consequently, the guide rail 310 does not increase the horizontal cross-sectional area of ​​the air conditioner, reducing its footprint and thus contributing to a smaller overall size and lower material costs.

[0056] In the specific structure of the shielding component 200, a baffle 210, an extension 230, and a guide plate 220 can be provided. The baffle 210 serves as the main gap-blocking structure, which can block the gap between the air conditioner inner panel and the front panel 500 after the sliding door 100 is opened. The baffle 210 is connected to the front end of the extension 230, and the guide plate 220 is connected to the rear end of the extension 230. In this way, while achieving the blocking effect of the shielding component 200, the cooperation between the shielding component 200 and the guide rail 310 is also guaranteed.

[0057] Specifically, a clearance opening 320 can be provided on the front side of the bottom of the drive box 300 so that the extension 230 can extend from the front side of the drive box 300 through the clearance opening 320 to the bottom of the drive box 300, so that the guide plate 220 can extend to the bottom of the drive box 300 and cooperate with the guide rail 310 located below the drive box 300.

[0058] Specifically, the guide rail 310 has a U-shaped groove 311 with the opening of the U-shaped groove 311 facing the bottom of the drive box 300, i.e., the opening of the U-shaped groove 311 is set upwards. The guide plate 220 is slidably engaged with the U-shaped groove 311. The two side walls of the U-shaped groove 311 can restrict the forward and backward movement of the guide plate 220. The bottom of the U-shaped groove 311 engages with the bottom of the drive box 320 to restrict the up and down movement of the guide plate 220. Thus, the guide plate 220 is not easy to disengage from the U-shaped groove 311, which can improve the reliability and sliding stability of the shield 200.

[0059] Furthermore, a limiting groove 330 is reserved between the front side wall of the U-shaped slide 311 and the bottom of the drive box 300. The extension 230 can pass through the limiting groove 330, so that the guide plate 220 at the rear end of the extension 230 can extend into the U-shaped slide 311. The limiting groove 330 can also slide with the extension 230 to limit the vertical movement of the extension 230, further improving the reliability and sliding stability of the shield 200.

[0060] Preferably, the guide rail 310 and the drive box 300 are connected in a detachable manner. During assembly, the extension 230 of the shield 200 can be passed through the clearance opening 320 on the drive box 300 from front to back and moved to the corresponding position. Then, the groove of the U-shaped slide 311 of the guide rail 310 is aligned with the guide plate 220 of the shield 200, so that the guide plate 220 is installed in the U-shaped slide 311. Finally, the guide rail 310 is installed on the drive box 300, which realizes the assembly of the shield 200, the guide rail 310 and the drive box 300, which is convenient for operation.

[0061] Specifically, a connecting post 312 is provided on the rear side of the guide rail 310. The connecting post 312 is locked and fixed to the bottom of the drive box 300 by a threaded connector, which is convenient and reliable. Multiple connecting posts 312 can be provided and arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the guide rail 310 to ensure the force balance of various parts of the guide rail 310 and improve the fixing effect.

[0062] Preferably, the sliding door 100 and the blocking member 200 can be plugged into each other, so that the sliding door 100 and the blocking member 200 can be quickly connected, allowing the sliding door 100 to drag the blocking member 200 to move synchronously, which can improve assembly efficiency and facilitate subsequent disassembly.

[0063] Specifically, a buckle is provided on the sliding door 100 and a slot is provided on the blocking member 200. The buckle and the slot are inserted and matched to achieve the insertion and matching of the sliding door 100 and the blocking member 200. Of course, the slot can also be provided on the sliding door 100 and the buckle can be provided on the blocking member 200.

[0064] As an alternative, the shield 200 and the sliding door 100 can be integrated into one structure, which can reduce assembly steps and improve assembly efficiency.

[0065] The sliding door assembly also includes a drive mechanism 600, which comprises a motor 630, a gear 610, and a rack 620. The motor 630 is connected to the gear 610 for driving the gear 610 to rotate; the gear 610 meshes with the rack 620 for driving the rack 620 to move. Additionally, the drive housing 300 has a guide groove that engages with the rack 620, allowing the rack 620 to move in a specific direction under the guidance of this groove, thereby causing the sliding door 100 to slide in that direction.

[0066] In fact, the aforementioned blocking component 200 can be directly connected to the sliding door 100, or it can be indirectly connected to the sliding door 100 through the rack 620, that is, the blocking component 200 can be directly connected to the rack 620.

[0067] See Figure 1 as well as Figures 6-8 This embodiment also provides an air conditioner, which includes an air duct assembly and the aforementioned sliding door assembly. The air duct assembly includes an air outlet frame 400, and the air conditioner inner panel includes the air outlet frame 400 in the air duct assembly. The air outlet 410 of the air conditioner is disposed on the air outlet frame 400, the drive box 300 is installed on the air outlet frame 400, and the shielding member 200 can shield the gap between the air outlet frame 400 and the front panel 500 after the sliding door 100 is opened.

[0068] The air conditioner provided in this embodiment has all the advantages of the sliding door assembly described above. Dust is less likely to enter the air conditioner and the appearance is better. In particular, the guide rail 310 is set below the drive box 300, which helps to reduce the floor space of the air conditioner. In addition, it helps to reduce the size of the air conditioner and save on the material cost of the air conditioner.

[0069] The aforementioned shielding member 200 includes an upper shielding member that can cover the gap above the air outlet 410 of the air conditioner. The front panel 500 of the air conditioner has a display panel 510, which is located above the air outlet 410. The upper shielding member is hidden inside the display panel 510, thus preventing the upper shielding member from protruding from the display panel 510 and further improving aesthetics. Specifically, the bottom of the display panel 510 is lower than the upper shielding member.

[0070] Furthermore, the aforementioned shielding component 200 also includes a lower shielding component, which can cover the gap below the air outlet 410 of the air conditioner. By using the upper and lower shielding components to cover the gaps on the upper and lower sides of the air outlet 410 respectively, not only can the aesthetics of the upper side of the air outlet 410 be improved, but the aesthetics of the lower side of the air outlet 410 can also be improved. The ratio of the height of the upper shielding component to the height of the lower shielding component is in the range of 0.1-0.5. Specifically, the height of the upper shielding component can be set to approximately 17mm, and the height of the lower shielding component can be set to approximately 63mm.

[0071] See Figure 8 This allows the shielding member 200 to slide within the area formed by the air outlet frame 400. Thus, the shielding member 200 will not leave the area of ​​the air outlet frame 400 during movement, preventing it from touching other components. The air outlet frame 400 does not completely surround the shielding member 200; in fact, both the upper and lower ends of the air outlet frame 400 have structures extending to both sides, which have protective grooves into which the upper and lower shielding members can slide into their respective protective grooves.

[0072] In summary, the embodiments of the present invention disclose a sliding door assembly and an air conditioner, which overcome many technical defects of traditional air conditioners. The sliding door assembly and air conditioner provided by the embodiments of the present invention have a shielding member 200 that can cover the gap between the front panel 500 and the air conditioner's inner panel, making it difficult for dust to enter the air conditioner's interior, resulting in better aesthetics. In particular, placing the guide rail below the drive box helps reduce the air conditioner's footprint and also helps reduce the air conditioner's size and material costs.

[0073] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the actual orientation or positional relationship of the air conditioner during use. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0074] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0075] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sliding door assembly, characterized in that, Includes a sliding door (100), a blocking element (200), and a drive box (300); The shield (200) is connected to the sliding door (100), the drive box (300) is fixed to the air conditioner inner panel, and a guide rail (310) is provided below the drive box (300). The guide rail (310) is aligned with the sliding direction of the sliding door (100). The shield (200) cooperates with the guide rail (310), and the shield (200) can block the gap between the air conditioner inner panel and the front panel (500) after the sliding door (100) is opened; The shield (200) has a baffle (210), an extension (230) and a guide plate (220). The baffle (210) can block the gap between the air conditioner inner panel and the front panel (500) after the sliding door (100) is opened. The baffle (210) is connected to the front end of the extension (230), and the guide plate (220) is connected to the rear end of the extension (230). The guide plate (220) cooperates with the guide rail (310).

2. The sliding door assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide rail (310) has a U-shaped groove (311) with the opening of the U-shaped groove (311) facing the bottom of the drive box (300), and the guide plate (220) slides in cooperation with the U-shaped groove (311).

3. The sliding door assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, There is a limiting groove (330) between the front side wall of the U-shaped groove (311) and the bottom of the drive box (300). The extension (230) slides in cooperation with the limiting groove (330). The limiting groove (330) is used to restrict the vertical movement of the extension (230).

4. The sliding door assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The guide rail (310) is detachably connected to the drive box (300); And / or, a connecting post (312) is provided on the rear side of the guide rail (310), and the connecting post (312) is locked and fixed to the bottom of the drive box (300) by a threaded connector.

5. The sliding door assembly according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The sliding door (100) is inserted into the shield (200); Alternatively, the shielding member (200) and the sliding door (100) may be an integral structure.

6. The sliding door assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The sliding door (100) is provided with a buckle, and the cover (200) is provided with a slot, and the buckle is engaged with the slot.

7. An air conditioner, characterized in that, The device includes an air duct assembly and a sliding door assembly as described in any one of claims 1-6. The air duct assembly includes an air outlet frame (400), the air conditioner inner panel includes the air outlet frame (400), the air outlet (410) of the air conditioner is disposed on the air outlet frame (400), the drive box (300) is mounted on the air outlet frame (400), and the shielding member (200) is capable of shielding the gap between the air outlet frame (400) and the front panel (500) after the sliding door (100) is opened.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 7, characterized in that, The shielding member (200) includes an upper shielding member for shielding the gap above the air outlet (410) of the air conditioner. The front panel (500) has a display panel (510) located above the air outlet (410) of the air conditioner. The upper shielding member is hidden inside the display panel (510), and the bottom of the display panel (510) is lower than the upper shielding member. And / or, the shield (200) slides within the area formed by the air outlet frame (400).

9. The air conditioner according to claim 7, characterized in that, The shielding member (200) includes an upper shielding member and a lower shielding member. The upper shielding member and the lower shielding member are used to shield the gaps on the upper and lower sides of the air outlet (410) of the air conditioner, respectively. The ratio of the height of the upper shielding member to the height of the lower shielding member is in the range of 0.1-0.5.

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