Cross-flow fan and air conditioner indoor unit

Abstract

This invention relates to a cross-flow fan and an indoor unit for air conditioning. The cross-flow fan includes: an impeller having a plurality of blades arranged circumferentially at intervals around the fan's rotation axis; and two end caps, respectively disposed at both ends of the impeller along the axial direction of the rotation axis. At least one end cap is provided with a reversal indicator structure, configured to generate a whistle sound using airflow vibration when the cross-flow fan rotates in reverse, indicating that the cross-flow fan has reversed. This allows production and testing personnel to easily and clearly identify the cross-flow fan reversal fault, enabling them to quickly detect the fault and effectively reducing market complaints caused by cross-flow fan reversal. Furthermore, the reversal indicator method of this invention is completely different from all existing indicator methods, exhibiting a novel design concept and significant technical effects.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and in particular to a cross-flow fan and an indoor air conditioning unit. Background Technology

[0002] With rising user demands and stricter national energy efficiency standards, air conditioners employing dual cross-flow fan systems are poised to become the mainstream trend in the industry due to their advantages of large air volume, low noise, and moderate cost. Existing indoor units using dual cross-flow fans typically have the following core components: two mirror-image cross-flow fans and two identical motors with opposite rotation directions (forward and reverse). However, indoor units using dual cross-flow fans generally suffer from the following problems: the two fans and motors used in the same unit have minimal visual differences and identical assembly dimensions. Without a corrective mechanism, the probability of installation errors is as high as 93.75%.

[0003] Therefore, existing technologies typically distinguish between two fans and two motors in the following ways: (1) color differentiation; (2) assembly error prevention design; (3) production line trial operation inspection.

[0004] Color matching pairs the drive wires of fans and fan motors on the same side with the same color. This method allows for quick pairing of fans and motors, but it also has obvious problems. First, even after pairing, the motor and fan can still be installed backwards. Since the fan is a visible component, inconsistent colors between two cross-flow fans create a poor visual experience for the user. Second, the only part whose color can be changed is the end cap on the bladeless side of the cross-flow fan. This reduces the efficiency of color matching.

[0005] Common assembly mistake-proofing designs include those that use a mating structure between the motor shaft and fan shaft hole, and those that use a fan reverse rotation stop limit. Their main drawbacks are: reduced component versatility, increased production costs; potential inconsistencies between the two cross-flow fans, affecting overall machine performance; and the possibility that the mistake-proofing structure may affect the safe dimensions of the fan when rotating with other components, posing a risk of fan collision.

[0006] During the trial operation and inspection of the production line, there are no obvious warning signs when the air conditioner fan reverses, which can easily be overlooked.

[0007] It is evident that existing solutions that significantly differentiate the structure or appearance of the fan and motor can lead to problems such as decreased air conditioning performance, increased costs, reduced installation efficiency, and visual differences between the two air outlets. Therefore, their use is not recommended in practical applications. Summary of the Invention

[0008] One object of the first aspect of the present invention is to overcome at least one deficiency of the prior art and to provide a cross-flow fan that enables production inspection personnel to easily and clearly distinguish whether it is installed backwards.

[0009] A further objective of the first aspect of the invention is to increase the volume of the whistle emitted by the reversal prompting structure in order to improve the recognizability of the reversal.

[0010] Another further objective of the first aspect of the present invention is to avoid the influence of the reverse indicator structure on the assembly dimensions and airflow performance of the cross-flow fan.

[0011] The second aspect of the present invention is to provide an indoor air conditioning unit having the above-mentioned cross-flow fan.

[0012] According to a first aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a cross-flow fan comprising:

[0013] The impeller has a plurality of blades arranged circumferentially at intervals around the rotation axis of the cross-flow fan; and

[0014] Two end caps are respectively disposed at both ends of the impeller along the axial direction of the rotating shaft; wherein

[0015] At least one of the end caps is provided with a reversal indicator structure, which is configured to generate a whistle by means of airflow vibration when the cross-flow fan rotates in the opposite direction.

[0016] Optionally, the end cap with the reversal indicator structure is a cylindrical structure having a predetermined height in the axial direction of the rotation shaft; and

[0017] The reverse indication structure includes at least one turbulence cavity formed inside the end cap, each of the turbulence cavities having an airflow inlet on the circumferential side of the end cap.

[0018] Optionally, the blade has an inner edge located radially inside the rotation axis and an outer edge located radially outside the rotation axis, the blade extending from its inner edge in a predetermined clockwise direction to its outer edge; and

[0019] The turbulence cavity extends from the airflow inlet in a predetermined clockwise direction to its bottom.

[0020] Optionally, the area of ​​the flow cross-section of the turbulence cavity gradually increases along the preset clockwise direction.

[0021] Optionally, the turbulence cavity has a uniform thickness along the axial direction of the rotating shaft.

[0022] Optionally, a bushing for connecting the output shaft of a drive motor is disposed at the center of one of the end caps; the bushing is concentric with the rotation shaft of the cross-flow fan; and

[0023] The reversal indication structure is disposed in the end cap having the bushing.

[0024] Optionally, the inner end of the bushing extending into the impeller is flush with the inner end face of the end cap having the bushing.

[0025] Optionally, the number of the turbulence cavity is one, and the projection of the turbulence cavity in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis coincides with the projection of the end cap in that plane; or

[0026] The number of the turbulence cavity is one, and the projection of the turbulence cavity in the plane perpendicular to the rotation axis falls into the projection of the end cap in that plane; or

[0027] The number of the turbulence cavities is multiple, and the multiple turbulence cavities are distributed circumferentially along the end cap. The airflow inlets of the multiple turbulence cavities are equally spaced circumferentially along the end cap. The projections of the multiple turbulence cavities in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis do not overlap; or

[0028] The number of the turbulence cavities is multiple, and the multiple turbulence cavities are stacked along the axial direction of the end cap.

[0029] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the present invention also provides an indoor air conditioning unit, comprising:

[0030] The casing has an air inlet that allows airflow into its interior and an air outlet that allows airflow outward from its interior; and

[0031] The cross-flow fan described in any of the above embodiments is disposed within the housing and configured to controllably drive airflow from the air inlet to the air outlet.

[0032] Optionally, the housing defines a first air supply duct and a second air supply duct that are independent of each other. The air inlet includes a first air inlet communicating with the first air supply duct and a second air inlet communicating with the second air supply duct. Both the first air supply duct and the second air supply duct are connected to the air outlet located on the front side of the housing.

[0033] The number of cross-flow fans is two, and the two cross-flow fans are respectively installed in the first air supply duct and the second air supply duct to drive the airflow in the first air supply duct and the second air supply duct to flow to the air outlet.

[0034] The cross-flow fan of the present invention features a reverse rotation indicator structure on at least one end cover. This indicator structure generates a whistle using airflow vibration when the cross-flow fan rotates in reverse, alerting the user to the reverse rotation. This allows production and inspection personnel to easily and clearly identify the reverse rotation fault, facilitating rapid detection and effectively reducing market complaints caused by cross-flow fan reversal. Furthermore, the reverse rotation indicator method of the present invention is completely different from all existing indicator methods, exhibiting a novel design concept and significant technical benefits.

[0035] Furthermore, for a cross-flow fan, airflow flows in and out radially along the impeller and end cap. To this end, the present invention further designs the end cap with the reverse reversal indicator structure as a cylindrical structure, providing a sufficiently large internal space to form a turbulence cavity, and positions the airflow inlet of the turbulence cavity on the circumferential side of the end cap. Thus, the rotational diameter of the turbulence cavity is the same as the outer diameter of the cross-flow fan. When the cross-flow fan's rotational speed is constant, the circumferential linear velocity of the turbulence cavity is at its maximum, meaning the airflow velocity into the turbulence cavity is at its maximum. This increases the loudness of the whistle emitted by the reverse reversal indicator structure, thereby improving the visibility of the cross-flow fan reversing.

[0036] Furthermore, one end cover of the cross-flow fan is equipped with a bushing for connecting the output shaft of the drive motor. To ensure the connection strength and stability between the bushing and the motor output shaft, the bushing must extend a certain length inward into the impeller. During normal airflow operation, a stable eccentric vortex forms inside the fan near the front volute of the air duct, preventing airflow recirculation and causing the airflow to exit from the outlet. When the bushing is present in the center of the cross-flow fan, it acts as an airflow obstruction, causing the center of the eccentric vortex to move towards the bushing, increasing the recirculated airflow and reducing the airflow near the bushing. This is commonly referred to as a "no-wind zone." The applicant recognizes that since cross-flow fans generally exhibit a "no-wind zone" phenomenon, this application places the turbulence chamber within the end cover with the bushing, thus avoiding any change in the axial length of the entire cross-flow fan. This is because, although the impeller blade length is shortened due to the cylindrical structure of the end cap, the shortened blades correspond to the "no-wind zone" of the cross-flow fan. Even if these blades are removed, it will not affect the airflow performance of the cross-flow fan. Therefore, the design of the reverse indication structure avoids affecting the assembly dimensions and airflow performance of the cross-flow fan.

[0037] The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0038] The following sections will describe some specific embodiments of the invention in detail by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts or portions. Those skilled in the art should understand that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0039] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a cross-flow fan according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cross-flow fan according to an embodiment of the present invention, taken along one of its cross sections;

[0041] Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cross-flow fan according to an embodiment of the present invention, taken along another cross section;

[0042] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of airflow when a cross-flow fan rotates in the forward direction according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of airflow when a cross-flow fan rotates in reverse according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 6 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cross-flow fan according to an embodiment of the present invention, taken along a longitudinal section;

[0045] Figure 7 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cross-flow fan according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 8 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cross-flow fan according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 9 This is a schematic structural diagram of an indoor air conditioner unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 10 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an indoor air conditioning unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0049] This invention first provides a cross-flow fan, Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a cross-flow fan according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cross-flow fan according to an embodiment of the present invention, taken along one of its cross sections. See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 The cross-flow fan 10 of the present invention includes an impeller 11 and two end caps 12.

[0050] The impeller 11 has a plurality of blades 111 arranged circumferentially at intervals around the rotation axis 101 of the cross-flow fan 10. Two end caps are respectively provided at both ends of the impeller 11 in the axial direction of the rotation axis 101. At least one end cap is provided with a reversal indicator structure 14, which is configured to generate a whistle sound by means of airflow vibration when the cross-flow fan 10 rotates in the reverse direction.

[0051] The cross-flow fan 10 of the present invention has a reverse indication structure 14 on at least one end cover. This reverse indication structure 14 generates a whistle using airflow vibration when the cross-flow fan 10 rotates in reverse, indicating that the cross-flow fan 10 has reversed. This allows production and inspection personnel to easily and clearly identify the reversed fan 10 malfunction, enabling them to quickly detect the fault and effectively reducing market complaints caused by the reversed cross-flow fan 10. Furthermore, the reverse indication method of the present invention is completely different from all existing indication methods, exhibiting a novel design concept and significant technical effects.

[0052] Specifically, the two end caps 12 are respectively the end cap 12 located on one side of the impeller 11 and used for connecting the drive motor, and the other end cap 12 located on the other side of the impeller 11. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, only the end cover 12 for connecting the drive motor has a reverse indication structure 14. It is understood that in other embodiments, the reverse indication structure 14 may be provided only on the other end cover 12, or the reverse indication structure 14 may be provided on both end covers simultaneously. In either case, the specific structure of the reverse indication structure 14 is similar.

[0053] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 and Figure 2The end cap 12, equipped with the reversal warning structure 14, is a cylindrical structure with a predetermined height along the axial direction of the rotation shaft 101. The reversal warning structure 14 includes at least one turbulence cavity 141 formed inside the end cap 12, each turbulence cavity 141 having an airflow inlet 142 opened on the circumferential side surface of the end cap 12. That is, the airflow inlet 142 is opened on the circumferential side surface of the cylindrical structure. When the cross-flow fan 10 rotates in the reverse direction, the reversal warning structure 14 rotates accordingly. Based on the principle of relative motion, the air around the airflow inlet 142 moves at high speed relative to the airflow inlet 142, forming an airflow. This airflow flows into the turbulence cavity 141 through the airflow inlet 142, causing vortices and vibrations in the air inside the turbulence cavity 141, thereby emitting a whistle. The higher the airflow velocity flowing into the airflow inlet 142, the sharper the whistle. The airflow velocity is approximately equal to the circumferential linear velocity of the airflow inlet 142; that is, the greater the circumferential linear velocity of the airflow inlet 142, the greater the airflow velocity, and the sharper and more discernible the whistle. The circumferential linear velocity of the airflow inlet 142 is related to the angular velocity of the airflow inlet 142 and the diameter of rotation of the airflow inlet 142. When the angular velocity is constant, the larger the diameter of rotation, the greater the circumferential linear velocity.

[0054] To this end, the present invention further designs the end cap 12 with the reversal indication structure 14 as a cylindrical structure to provide a sufficiently large internal space for forming a turbulence cavity 141, and places the airflow inlet 142 of the turbulence cavity 141 on the circumferential side of the end cap 12. Thus, the rotational diameter of the turbulence cavity 141 is the same as the outer diameter of the cross-flow fan 10. When the rotational speed of the cross-flow fan 10 is constant, compared to placing the airflow inlet 142 in other locations, placing the airflow inlet 142 on the circumferential side of the end cap 12 in this application maximizes the circumferential linear velocity of the turbulence cavity 141. In other words, the air intake speed of the turbulence cavity 141 is maximized, increasing the loudness of the whistle emitted by the reversal indication structure 14, thereby improving the recognizability of the cross-flow fan 10 reversing.

[0055] Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cross-flow fan according to an embodiment of the present invention, taken along another cross section. See also Figure 3 In some embodiments, the blade 111 has an inner edge 1111 located radially inside the rotation axis 101 and an outer edge 1112 located radially outside the rotation axis 101. The blade 111 extends from its inner edge in a predetermined clockwise direction to its outer edge. It should be noted that the predetermined clockwise direction here means either clockwise or counterclockwise. The predetermined clockwise direction expresses the bending direction and general extension direction of the blade 111, and does not represent the specific extension path or specific bending shape of the blade 111.

[0056] Specifically, in Figure 3In the illustrated embodiment, the blade 111 extends from its inner edge 1111 in a clockwise direction to its outer edge 1112. Figure 2 In the embodiment described above, when viewed from above, the blade 111 extends from its inner edge 1111 in a clockwise direction to its outer edge 1112.

[0057] Furthermore, the turbulence cavity 141 extends from the airflow inlet 142 in a predetermined clockwise direction to its bottom 143. Similarly, the predetermined clockwise direction here refers to either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. The predetermined clockwise direction expresses the bending direction and approximate extension direction of the turbulence cavity 141, and does not represent the specific extension path or specific bending shape of the turbulence cavity 141. Specifically, in Figure 2 In the embodiment shown, when viewed from above, the turbulence cavity 141 extends from the airflow inlet 142 in a clockwise direction to its bottom 143.

[0058] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of airflow when a cross-flow fan rotates in the forward direction according to an embodiment of the present invention. The dashed arrows in the diagram indicate the rotation direction of the cross-flow fan, and the solid arrows indicate the approximate direction of airflow. See also... Figure 4 When the cross-flow fan 10 rotates in the forward direction (i.e., clockwise), the windward surface of the blades 111 is the inner concave surface 1113, and the impeller 10 can generate a strong driving force on the air, thereby generating airflow. As for the turbulence cavity 141, its airflow inlet 142 is located on the leeward side. Therefore, almost no airflow enters the turbulence cavity 141 through the airflow inlet 142, so the reversal indicator structure 14 will not emit a whistle.

[0059] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of airflow when a cross-flow fan rotates in reverse according to an embodiment of the present invention. The dashed arrows in the diagram indicate the rotation direction of the cross-flow fan, and the solid arrows indicate the approximate direction of airflow. See also... Figure 5 When the cross-flow fan 10 rotates in the opposite direction (i.e., counterclockwise), the windward surface of the blades 111 is the outer convex surface 1114. At this time, the impeller 10 does not exert a significant driving effect on the air, so almost no significant airflow is formed. As for the turbulence cavity 141, its airflow inlet 142 is located on the windward side. Therefore, the airflow impacts the airflow inlet 142 and enters the turbulence cavity 141, causing the air inside the turbulence cavity 141 to generate vortices and vibrations, thereby producing a whistling sound.

[0060] In some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow passage of the turbulence cavity 141 gradually increases along the aforementioned preset clockwise direction. As a result, a relatively large space can be formed at the bottom 143 of the turbulence cavity 141, allowing the air to generate stronger vortices and vibrations, thus producing a sharper and more obvious whistling sound, which is more conducive to production and testing personnel quickly identifying cross-flow fan reversal faults.

[0061] In some embodiments, the turbulence cavity 141 has a uniform thickness in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 101, which facilitates mold design, has a simple structure, and is low in cost.

[0062] Figure 6 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cross-flow fan according to an embodiment of the present invention, taken along a longitudinal section. See also Figure 6 In some embodiments, a bushing 13 for connecting the output shaft of a drive motor is disposed at the center of one of the end caps 12, the bushing 13 being concentric with the rotating shaft 101 of the cross-flow fan 10. A reversal indication structure 14 is provided in the end cap 12 having the bushing 13.

[0063] The applicant recognizes that, to ensure the connection strength and stability between the bushing 13 and the motor output shaft, the bushing 13 must have a certain length. The existing end cover 12 is relatively thin, and the bushing 13 extends a certain length axially inward into the impeller 11. During normal airflow from the cross-flow fan 10, a stable eccentric vortex forms inside the fan near the front volute of the air duct, preventing airflow recirculation and causing airflow to exit from the outlet. When the bushing 13 is present at the center of the cross-flow fan 10, it acts as an airflow obstruction. The center of the eccentric vortex moves towards the bushing 13, increasing the recirculated airflow and reducing the airflow near the bushing 13. This is commonly referred to as a "windless zone."

[0064] The applicant further considered that since the cross-flow fan 10 generally exhibits a "no-wind zone" phenomenon, this application places the turbulence cavity 141 within the end cover 12 with the bushing 13, thus avoiding any change in the axial length of the entire cross-flow fan 10. This is because, although the blade length of the impeller 11 is shortened due to the cylindrical structure of the end cover 12, the shortened portion of the blade corresponds precisely to the "no-wind zone" of the cross-flow fan 10. Even removing this portion of the blade has little impact on the overall airflow of the cross-flow fan 10. Therefore, the impact of the reversal indicator structure 14 design on the assembly dimensions and airflow performance of the cross-flow fan 10 is reduced or even avoided.

[0065] Preferably, the inner end of the bushing 13 extending into the impeller 10 is flush with the inner end face 121 of the end cover 12 having the bushing 13. That is, the inner end of the bushing 13 does not extend inward beyond the inner end face 121 of the end cover 12. As a result, there are no airflow obstructions in the center of the cross-flow fan 10, and no "windless zone" is formed. The cylindrical end cover 12 can be accommodated in a "windless zone" that is common in cross-flow fans 10, thereby forming the reversing indicator structure 14.

[0066] Of course, in other embodiments, the inner end of the bushing 13 may also be inside the end cap 12 having the bushing 13 or slightly beyond the inner end face of the end cap 12 having the bushing 13.

[0067] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 The number of turbulence cavities 141 can be one, and the projection of the turbulence cavity 141 in the plane perpendicular to the rotation axis 101 coincides with the projection of the end cap 12 in the same plane. Thus, the space of the turbulence cavity 141 is maximized, which is beneficial to improving the whistle sound.

[0068] Figure 7 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cross-flow fan according to another embodiment of the present invention. In some other embodiments, the number of turbulence cavities 141 may be one, and the projection of the turbulence cavity 141 in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis 101 falls into the projection of the end cover 12 in that plane. That is, the volume of the turbulence cavity 141 does not need to be maximized when the volume of the turbulence cavity 141 is sufficient to make the whistle sound loud enough.

[0069] Figure 8 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cross-flow fan according to another embodiment of the present invention. In some further embodiments, there are multiple turbulence chambers 141, which are distributed circumferentially along the end cap 12. The airflow inlets 142 of the multiple turbulence chambers 141 are equally spaced circumferentially along the end cap 12, and the projections of the multiple turbulence chambers 141 in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis 101 do not overlap. Thus, the whistle noise can be increased by increasing the number of turbulence chambers 141.

[0070] Of course, in some alternative embodiments, when there are multiple turbulence cavities 141, the multiple turbulence cavities 141 can also be stacked along the axial direction of the end cover 12. In this case, the airflow inlets 142 of the multiple turbulence cavities 141 can be located at the same position, or they can be arranged at intervals along the circumference of the end cover 12.

[0071] The present invention also provides an indoor unit for an air conditioner. Figure 9 This is a schematic structural diagram of an air conditioner indoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an indoor air conditioning unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. See also... Figure 9 and Figure 10 The indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner of the present invention includes a housing 20. The housing 20 has an air inlet that allows airflow to enter its interior and an air outlet 23 that allows airflow to flow out of its interior.

[0072] Furthermore, the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner also includes at least one cross-flow fan 10 as described in any of the above embodiments. The cross-flow fan 10 is disposed within the housing 20 and configured to controllably drive airflow from the air inlet to the air outlet 23. The cross-flow fan 10 with the reverse indication structure 14 can promptly remind the on-site operator of the reverse malfunction by whistling when the cross-flow fan 10 is installed backwards, facilitating timely correction by the on-site operator.

[0073] In some embodiments, the housing 20 is defined with a first air supply duct 21 and a second air supply duct 22 that are independent of each other. The air inlet includes a first air inlet 24 that communicates with the first air supply duct 21 and a second air inlet 25 that communicates with the second air supply duct 22. Both the first air supply duct 21 and the second air supply duct 22 are connected to the air outlet 23 located on the front side of the housing 20.

[0074] Furthermore, there are two cross-flow fans 10, which are respectively installed in the first air supply duct 21 and the second air supply duct 22 to drive the airflow in the first air supply duct 21 and the second air supply duct 22 toward the air outlet 23. That is to say, the two cross-flow fans 10 drive the airflow entering from different air inlets toward the same air outlet 23, which means that the rotation directions of the two cross-flow fans 10 may be different.

[0075] Furthermore, a first heat exchanger 26 and a second heat exchanger 27 may be respectively provided in the first air supply duct 21 and the second air supply duct 22 to exchange heat with the airflow in the first air supply duct 21 and the second air supply duct 22 respectively.

[0076] Specifically, the first air inlet 24 and the second air inlet 25 are arranged symmetrically, the first air supply duct 21 and the second air supply duct 22 are arranged symmetrically, and the two cross-flow fans 10 are arranged symmetrically. Therefore, the normal operating directions of the two cross-flow fans 10 are opposite.

[0077] For an indoor air conditioning unit 1 with two cross-flow fans 10, especially since the normal operating directions of the two cross-flow fans 10 are opposite, the cross-flow fans 10 are more likely to be installed backwards, causing them to rotate in reverse. In other words, the cross-flow fan 10 described above in this application is particularly suitable for air conditioning cabinet units that utilize dual cross-flow fans for air supply.

[0078] Those skilled in the art should understand that the air conditioner indoor unit 1 of the present invention can be not only an air conditioner cabinet unit that uses dual cross-flow fans for air supply, but also an air conditioner cabinet unit that uses a single cross-flow fan for air supply, or an air conditioner wall unit that uses a single cross-flow fan or dual cross-flow fans for air supply, or other forms of air conditioner indoor unit that uses at least one cross-flow fan for air supply.

[0079] Those skilled in the art should also understand that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "top", "bottom", etc. used to indicate orientation or positional relationship in the embodiments of the present invention are based on the actual usage state of the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner. These terms are only for the purpose of describing and understanding the technical solution of the present invention, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or device 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 the present invention.

[0080] Therefore, those skilled in the art should recognize that although numerous exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications conforming to the principles of the present invention can be directly determined or derived from the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention should be understood and construed as covering all such other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A cross-flow fan, characterized in that, include: The impeller has a plurality of blades arranged circumferentially at intervals around the rotation axis of the cross-flow fan; as well as Two end caps are respectively disposed at both ends of the impeller along the axial direction of the rotating shaft; in At least one of the end caps is provided with a reversal indicator structure, which is configured to generate a whistle by means of airflow vibration when the cross-flow fan rotates in the reverse direction; The end cap with the aforementioned reversal indicator structure is a cylindrical structure having a predetermined height along the axial direction of the rotation shaft; and The reverse indication structure includes at least one turbulence cavity formed inside the end cap, each of the turbulence cavities having an airflow inlet opened on the circumferential side of the end cap; The blade has an inner edge located inside the radial direction of the rotation axis and an outer edge located outside the radial direction. The blade extends from its inner edge in a predetermined clockwise direction to its outer edge; and The turbulence cavity extends from the airflow inlet in a predetermined clockwise direction to its bottom.

2. The cross-flow fan according to claim 1, characterized in that, The area of ​​the flow passage of the turbulence cavity gradually increases along the preset clockwise direction.

3. The cross-flow fan according to claim 1, characterized in that, The turbulence cavity has a uniform thickness along the axial direction of the rotating shaft.

4. The cross-flow fan according to claim 1, characterized in that, One of the end caps has a bushing at its center for connecting the output shaft of the drive motor, and the bushing is concentric with the rotation shaft of the cross-flow fan; and The reversal indication structure is disposed in the end cap having the bushing.

5. The cross-flow fan according to claim 4, characterized in that, The inner end of the bushing extending into the impeller is flush with the inner end face of the end cap having the bushing.

6. The cross-flow fan according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of the turbulence cavity is one, and the projection of the turbulence cavity in the plane perpendicular to the rotation axis coincides with the projection of the end cap in the same plane; or The number of the turbulence cavity is one, and the projection of the turbulence cavity in the plane perpendicular to the rotation axis falls into the projection of the end cap in the plane; or The number of the turbulence cavities is multiple, and the multiple turbulence cavities are distributed circumferentially along the end cover. The airflow inlets of the multiple turbulence cavities are equally spaced circumferentially along the end cover. The projections of the multiple turbulence cavities in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis do not overlap. or The number of the turbulence cavities is multiple, and the multiple turbulence cavities are stacked along the axial direction of the end cap.

7. An indoor unit for an air conditioner, characterized in that, include: The housing has an air inlet that allows airflow to enter its interior and an air outlet that allows airflow to exit its interior to the outside. as well as At least one cross-flow fan according to any one of claims 1-6 is disposed within the housing and configured to controllably drive airflow from the air inlet to the air outlet.

8. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 7, characterized in that, The housing defines a first air supply duct and a second air supply duct that are independent of each other. The air inlet includes a first air inlet communicating with the first air supply duct and a second air inlet communicating with the second air supply duct. Both the first air supply duct and the second air supply duct are connected to the air outlet located on the front side of the housing. The number of cross-flow fans is two, and the two cross-flow fans are respectively installed in the first air supply duct and the second air supply duct to drive the airflow in the first air supply duct and the second air supply duct to flow to the air outlet.

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