Vertical fan-coil unit

Abstract

The application discloses a vertical fan-coil unit, which comprises a mounting frame, a heat exchanger, a fan and a flow guide piece. The heat exchanger is connected with a valve piece. The valve piece is located on the left side or the right side of the mounting frame. The fan is arranged below the heat exchanger. The flow guide piece is located between the heat exchanger and the fan. The flow guide piece has a placing area for placing an exchangeable connecting pipe. The placing area extends along the left-right direction of the mounting frame. By arranging the flow guide piece, the flow guide piece has the placing area for placing the exchangeable connecting pipe. The placing area extends along the left-right direction of the mounting frame. When the valve piece of the vertical fan-coil unit and the water supply pipe and the return pipe of the water circulation of the air conditioner of a user are not located on the same side, the valve piece is only required to be connected with the exchangeable connecting pipe. By changing the direction and the position of the connection between the vertical fan-coil unit and the water circulation of the air conditioner, the left-right exchange effect is realized. The vertical fan-coil unit has the advantages that the manufacturer can avoid producing too many different models, and the customer can directly purchase.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of refrigeration and heating technology, and in particular to vertical fan coil units. Background Technology

[0002] When connecting a vertical fan coil unit to the water circulation system of an air conditioner, the supply and return water pipes need to be installed nearby. However, due to the influence of the actual installation site, it is often necessary to distinguish between left-outlet and right-outlet installation schemes. Therefore, most vertical fan coil units on the market are manufactured in two different models: left-outlet and right-outlet. In the traditional structure of a vertical fan coil unit, the heat exchanger is directly connected to the inlet and return water pipes of the air conditioner's water circulation system via valves. If the air conditioner connection pipe is located on the left, a vertical fan coil unit with the valves on the left must be selected; if the air conditioner connection pipe is on the right, a vertical fan coil unit with the valves on the right must be selected. This causes certain troubles for manufacturers' production, customers' purchasing and selection, and distributors' inventory. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes a vertical fan coil unit that allows for interchangeable left and right water outlets, offering the advantage of avoiding manufacturers producing too many different models and allowing customers to purchase directly.

[0004] A vertical fan coil unit according to some embodiments of the present invention includes:

[0005] Mounting rack;

[0006] A heat exchanger connected to valves, the valves being located on the left or right side of the mounting bracket;

[0007] A fan is located below the heat exchanger;

[0008] A flow guide is located between the heat exchanger and the fan;

[0009] The flow guide has a placement area for placing interchangeable connecting pipes, the placement area extending in the left-right direction of the mounting bracket.

[0010] The aforementioned vertical fan coil unit offers at least the following advantages: By incorporating a flow guide with a designated area for interchangeable connecting pipes extending laterally along the mounting frame, the unit allows for easy connection of the valves to be placed within the designated area. When the valves of the vertical fan coil unit are not on the same side as the user's air conditioning water circulation supply and return pipes, the valves can be connected to the interchangeable connecting pipes. These pipes are placed on the same side as the user's air conditioning water circulation supply and return pipes. By changing the direction and position of the connection between the vertical fan coil unit and the air conditioning water circulation system, a left-right interchangeability is achieved. This design avoids the need for manufacturers to produce too many different models, allowing customers to purchase directly.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, an interchangeable connecting pipe is further included, one port of which is connected to the valve component, and at least a portion of the interchangeable connecting pipe is located within the placement area, such that the other port of the interchangeable connecting pipe is located on the opposite side from the valve component.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the interchangeable connecting pipe has a first pipe portion extending from a side connected to the valve member toward a side opposite to the valve member, and at least a portion of the first pipe portion is located within the placement area.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the interchangeable connecting pipe has a second pipe section, and the valve component is connected to the first pipe section through the second pipe section.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the guide has a recessed bend, and the placement area is formed by the recess of the bend.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the curved portion includes a third connecting portion having a certain curvature.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a first reinforcing part and a second reinforcing part are respectively connected to the upper and lower sides of the curved portion, and the first reinforcing part is parallel to the second reinforcing part.

[0017] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the mounting bracket includes a left mounting bracket having a left slot that matches the placement area.

[0018] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the mounting bracket further includes a right mounting bracket, and the left mounting bracket and the right mounting bracket are arranged at intervals opposite to each other, the right mounting bracket having a right slot that matches the placement area.

[0019] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the flow guide is located between the left mounting bracket and the right mounting bracket, and the left and right ends of the flow guide are respectively provided with a first fixing part and a second fixing part, the first fixing part being connected to the left mounting bracket and the second fixing part being connected to the right mounting bracket.

[0020] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a vertical fan coil unit with its outer casing removed, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The main view;

[0024] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The left view;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional partial structure of one embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 The left view;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the flow guide component according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 The left view;

[0029] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the left mounting bracket according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the mounting bracket in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure label:

[0032] 100-Heat exchanger; 200-Four-port three-way valve; 300-Fan; 400-Flow guide; 410-First connection part; 420-Second connection part; 430-Third connection part; 440-Fourth connection part; 450-First reinforcing part; 460-Second reinforcing part; 470-First fixing part; 480-Second fixing part; 500-Interchangeable connecting pipe; 510-First pipe section; 520-Second pipe section; 600-Left mounting bracket; 610-Left slot; 700-Right mounting bracket; 710-Right slot; 800-Placement area. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the present invention, embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0034] It should be understood that in this document, if terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "rear", "longitudinal", "lateral", "axial", etc. are used to indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing the present 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

[0035] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms “comprising,” “including,” or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0036] In this article, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order. When "several" or "multiple" are used, "several" means one or more, and "multiple" means two or more. "Greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood as excluding the number itself, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood as including the number itself.

[0037] In this description, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "setup," "installation," and "connection" 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.

[0038] This section will describe in detail specific embodiments of the present invention. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings. The purpose of the drawings is to supplement the textual description with graphics, so that people can intuitively and vividly understand each technical feature and overall technical solution of the present invention, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0039] When vertical fan coil units are connected to the water circulation system of an air conditioner, the water supply and return pipes need to be installed nearby. Due to the influence of the actual installation site, it is often necessary to distinguish between two installation schemes: left-outlet and right-outlet. Therefore, most vertical fan coil units on the market are manufactured in two different models: left-outlet and right-outlet.

[0040] In traditional vertical fan coil unit structures, the heat exchanger is directly connected to the air conditioning water circulation inlet and outlet pipes via valves. If the air conditioning connection pipe is located on the left, a vertical fan coil unit with the valves on the left must be selected; if the connection pipe is on the right, a vertical fan coil unit with the valves on the right must be selected. This creates certain inconveniences for manufacturers in production, customers in purchasing and selecting models, and distributors in stocking inventory.

[0041] Reference Figures 1 to 9 This invention proposes a vertical fan coil unit (300), including a mounting frame, a heat exchanger 100, a fan 300, and a flow guide 400. The heat exchanger 100 is connected to a valve located on the left or right side of the mounting frame. The fan 300 is positioned below the heat exchanger 100. The flow guide 400 is located between the heat exchanger 100 and the fan 300, and has a placement area 800 for accommodating interchangeable connecting pipes 500, extending along the left-right direction of the mounting frame. The heat exchanger 100, the fan 300, and the flow guide 400 are all mounted on the mounting frame.

[0042] The vertical fan 300 coil unit of this invention is manufactured with one valve installed, either on the left or right side. However, during actual installation by the customer, the following two situations occur:

[0043] Firstly, if the customer's air conditioning water circulation inlet and outlet connection pipes are both on the left side, then when the valve components of the vertical fan 300 coil unit of this invention are on the left side, there is no need to connect interchangeable connection pipe 500; the valve components can be directly installed with the customer's air conditioning water circulation inlet and outlet connection pipes.

[0044] Secondly, when the customer's air conditioning water circulation inlet and outlet connection pipes are both on the right side, and the valve of the vertical fan 300 coil unit of the present invention is on the left side, the vertical fan 300 coil unit of the present invention also needs to install an interchangeable connection pipe 500. One end of the interchangeable connection pipe 500 is connected to the valve, and at least a part of the interchangeable connection pipe 500 is located within the placement area 800, so that the other end of the interchangeable connection pipe 500 is located on the opposite side from the valve.

[0045] Only one end of the interchangeable connecting pipe 500 needs to be connected to the valve fitting. At least part of the interchangeable connecting pipe 500 is placed within the placement area 800. The other end of the interchangeable connecting pipe 500 is located on the right side and connected to the inlet and outlet connecting pipes of the air conditioning water circulation system, which are also on the right side. This achieves the effect of solving the installation location problem on the installation site without changing the position of the customer's air conditioning water circulation inlet and outlet connecting pipes, and without producing two models of units during production.

[0046] Continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 It is understood that the interchangeable connecting pipe 500 has a first pipe portion 510 extending from the side connected to the valve member toward the opposite side, and at least a portion of the first pipe portion 510 is located within the placement area 800. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the valve is located on the left side, and the interchangeable connecting pipe 500 places the other port on the right side, thus enabling connection with the inlet and outlet connecting pipes of the air conditioning water circulation system when it is on the right side.

[0047] Continue to refer to Figures 1 to 4 It is understandable that the interchangeable connecting pipe 500 has a second pipe section 520, through which the valve component is connected to the first pipe section 510.

[0048] Continue to refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, the guide member 400 has a recessed bend that forms a placement area 800.

[0049] Continue to refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, the curved portion includes a third connecting portion 430 with a certain curvature. It is understood that the third connecting portion 430 can be configured as a smooth curved surface or composed of multiple planar segments. It is also understood that the cross-sectional shape of the third connecting portion 430 can be any shape, such as an arc or an ellipse.

[0050] Continue to refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, a first reinforcing part 450 and a second reinforcing part 460 are respectively connected to the upper and lower sides of the curved portion, with the first reinforcing part 450 parallel to the second reinforcing part 460. It is understood that the first reinforcing part 450 and the second reinforcing part 460 serve to increase the strength of the entire guide member 400. In some embodiments, the vertical fan 300 coil unit has a housing, and the first reinforcing part 450 and the second reinforcing part 460 abut against the housing, serving to support the housing. This abutting manner can also reduce abnormal noise caused by vibrations generated during the operation of the fan 300.

[0051] Understandably, the flow guide 400 is a sheet metal part, which can be formed by stamping or by welding.

[0052] Continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 8 In some embodiments, the mounting bracket includes a left mounting bracket 600 having a left slot 610 that matches the placement area 800.

[0053] Continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 8 In some embodiments, the mounting bracket further includes a right mounting bracket 700, a left mounting bracket 600 and a right mounting bracket 700 arranged at intervals opposite to each other, the right mounting bracket 700 having a right slot 710 that matches the placement area 800.

[0054] Continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments, the flow guide 400 is located between the left mounting bracket 600 and the right mounting bracket 700. The left and right ends of the flow guide 400 are respectively provided with a first fixing part 470 and a second fixing part 480. The first fixing part 470 is connected to the left mounting bracket 600, and the second fixing part 480 is connected to the right mounting bracket 700. The left and right sides of the fan 300 are connected to the left mounting bracket 600 and the right mounting bracket 700, respectively. The left and right sides of the heat exchanger 100 are connected to the left mounting bracket 600 and the right mounting bracket 700, respectively.

[0055] Continue to refer to Figure 1 It is understood that the valve is a four-port three-way valve 200, and the heat exchanger 100 has an inlet and an outlet, which are respectively connected to the four-port three-way valve 200. Two interchangeable connecting pipes 500 are provided. One end of one interchangeable connecting pipe 500 is connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger 100 through the four-port three-way valve 200, and one end of the other interchangeable connecting pipe 500 is connected to the outlet of the heat exchanger 100 through the four-port three-way valve 200. The other ends of the two interchangeable connecting pipes 500 are respectively connected to the inlet and outlet connecting pipes of the air conditioning water circulation system to form a water circulation system.

[0056] Other components and operations of the vertical fan 300 coil unit in this embodiment of the invention are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0057] The following is for reference. Figures 1 to 9 The following describes in detail a vertical fan 300 coil unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, using a specific example. It is to be understood that the following description is merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0058] The vertical fan coil unit includes a mounting bracket, a heat exchanger 100, a four-port three-way valve 200, a fan 300, and a flow guide 400. The heat exchanger 100, fan 300, and flow guide 400 are all mounted on the mounting bracket. The heat exchanger 100 is connected to the valve, which is located on the left side of the mounting bracket. The fan 300 is positioned below the heat exchanger 100. The flow guide 400 is located between the heat exchanger 100 and the fan 300, and has a placement area 800 for accommodating interchangeable connecting pipes 500, extending laterally along the mounting bracket.

[0059] Continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 8 Specifically, the mounting bracket includes a left mounting bracket 600 and a right mounting bracket 700, which are arranged at intervals relative to each other. The left mounting bracket 600 has a left slot 610 that matches the cross-sectional shape of the placement area 800, and the right mounting bracket 700 has a right slot 710 that matches the cross-sectional shape of the placement area 800.

[0060] Continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The flow guide 400 is located between the left mounting bracket 600 and the right mounting bracket 700. The left and right sides of the fan 300 are detachably connected to the left mounting bracket 600 and the right mounting bracket 700 respectively via screws. The left and right sides of the heat exchanger 100 are detachably connected to the left mounting bracket 600 and the right mounting bracket 700 respectively via screws.

[0061] Continue to refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 The flow guide 400 has a first reinforcing portion 450, a first connecting portion 410, a second connecting portion 420, a third connecting portion 430, a fourth connecting portion 440, and a second reinforcing portion 460 that are fixedly connected in sequence to form a concave curved portion. The first connecting portion 410, the second connecting portion 420, the third connecting portion 430, and the fourth connecting portion 440 together form a placement area 800, that is, the concave part of the curved portion forms the placement area 800, and the flow guide 400 extends in the left-right direction. The first reinforcing portion 450 is parallel to the second reinforcing portion 460, and the first reinforcing portion 450 and the second reinforcing portion 460 are arranged perpendicular to the axis of the fan 300. The first connecting portion 410 is arranged perpendicular to the first reinforcing portion 450, the second connecting portion 420 is set to be inclined upward, and the curved portion has a smooth curved surface with a certain curvature. The curved portion is set to be arc-shaped, and the fourth connecting portion 440 is tangent to the connecting end of the curved portion.

[0062] Continue to refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7The flow guide 400 has a first fixing part 470 and a second fixing part 480 at its left and right ends, respectively. The first fixing part 470 is detachably connected to the left mounting bracket 600 by screws, and the second fixing part 480 is detachably connected to the right mounting bracket 700 by screws. Specifically, there are two of each of the first fixing parts 470 and the second fixing part 480. The two first fixing parts 470 are connected to the first connecting part 410 and the fourth connecting part 440, respectively, and the two second fixing parts 480 are connected to the first connecting part 410 and the fourth connecting part 440, respectively. The first fixing part 470 is fixedly connected to the first connecting part 410, and the second fixing part 480 is fixedly connected to the fourth connecting part 440. The two first fixing parts 470 connected to the first connecting part 410 are symmetrically arranged, and the two second fixing parts 480 connected to the fourth connecting part 440 are symmetrically arranged. The flow guide 400 has a placement area 800, which serves both as a flow guide and as a channel in the air duct for placing the interchangeable connecting pipe 500.

[0063] Continue to refer to Figures 1 to 4 When the customer's air conditioning water circulation inlet and outlet connection pipes are both on the right side, and the valve of the vertical fan 300 coil unit of the present invention is on the left side, the vertical fan 300 coil unit of the present invention also needs to install an interchangeable connection pipe 500. One end of the interchangeable connection pipe 500 is connected to the valve, and at least a part of the interchangeable connection pipe 500 is located within the placement area 800, so that the other end of the interchangeable connection pipe 500 is located on the opposite side from the valve.

[0064] The heat exchanger 100 has an inlet and an outlet, which are respectively connected to a four-way valve 200. Two interchangeable connecting pipes 500 are provided. One end of one interchangeable connecting pipe 500 is connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger 100 via the four-way valve 200, and one end of the other interchangeable connecting pipe 500 is connected to the outlet of the heat exchanger 100 via the four-way valve 200. The other ends of the two interchangeable connecting pipes 500 are respectively connected to the inlet and outlet connecting pipes of the air conditioning water circulation system to form a water circulation system.

[0065] Continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The interchangeable connecting pipe 500 has a first pipe section 510 and a second pipe section 520, which are fixedly connected. A four-port three-way valve 200 is connected to the first pipe section 510 via the second pipe section 520. The first pipe section 510 extends from the side connected to the four-port three-way valve 200 toward the opposite side of the valve component, and at least a portion of the first pipe section 510 is located within the placement area 800. Figure 1 and Figure 2The four-port three-way valve 200 shown is located on the left side, and the interchangeable connecting pipe 500 places the other port on the right side, thereby realizing the connection with the inlet and outlet connecting pipes of the air conditioning water circulation when it is on the right side.

[0066] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "other embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0067] This article uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The above examples are only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of the present invention. The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that due to the limitations of textual expression, and the existence of an infinite number of specific structures, those skilled in the art can make several improvements, modifications, or changes without departing from the principles of the present invention, and can also combine the above technical features in an appropriate manner; the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A vertical fan coil unit, characterized in that, include: Mounting rack; A heat exchanger connected to valves, the valves being located on the left or right side of the mounting bracket; A fan is located below the heat exchanger; A flow guide is located between the heat exchanger and the fan; The flow guide has a placement area for placing interchangeable connecting pipes, the placement area extending in the left-right direction of the mounting bracket; An interchangeable connecting pipe, one end of which is connected to the valve component, and at least a portion of which is located within the placement area, such that the other end of which is located on the opposite side from the valve component.

2. The vertical fan coil unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The interchangeable connecting pipe has a first pipe section extending from the side connected to the valve member toward the opposite side to the valve member, and at least a portion of the first pipe section is located within the placement area.

3. The vertical fan coil unit according to claim 2, characterized in that, The interchangeable connecting pipe has a second pipe section, and the valve component is connected to the first pipe section through the second pipe section.

4. The vertical fan coil unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide has a recessed curved portion, and the placement area is formed by the recess of the curved portion.

5. The vertical fan coil unit according to claim 4, characterized in that, The curved portion includes a third connecting portion with a certain curvature.

6. The vertical fan coil unit according to claim 4, characterized in that, The upper and lower sides of the curved portion are respectively connected to a first reinforcing part and a second reinforcing part, with the first reinforcing part being parallel to the second reinforcing part.

7. The vertical fan coil unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting bracket includes a left mounting bracket having a left slot that matches the placement area.

8. The vertical fan coil unit according to claim 7, characterized in that, The mounting bracket also includes a right mounting bracket, and the left and right mounting brackets are arranged at intervals opposite to each other, with the right mounting bracket having a right slot that matches the placement area.

9. The vertical fan coil unit according to claim 8, characterized in that, The flow guide is located between the left mounting bracket and the right mounting bracket. The left and right ends of the flow guide are respectively provided with a first fixing part and a second fixing part. The first fixing part is connected to the left mounting bracket, and the second fixing part is connected to the right mounting bracket.

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