Air conditioner indoor unit and air conditioner

Abstract

This invention relates to an indoor unit of an air conditioner and an air conditioner. The indoor unit includes: a housing, which includes a bottom shell with an air outlet at the bottom and a locking hole on at least one side wall; an air guide plate rotatably disposed at the air outlet, with a self-locking structure on at least one side, the self-locking structure including an elastic element and a locking tongue connected to the elastic element; and a drive mechanism including a motor, a crankshaft, and a rocker arm, the crankshaft being fixed to the motor output shaft and connected to the air guide plate, one end of the rocker arm being rotatably connected to the crankshaft, and the other end having a pressing part. This invention solves the problems of large gaps in the air guide plate after deformation and easy accidental activation by children in existing air conditioner indoor units due to the lack of a self-locking device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and more particularly to an indoor unit of an air conditioner and an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] In existing air conditioners, after the indoor unit stops working, the air guide vane closes via a stepper motor, leaving a narrow gap between it and the panel. However, in practical applications, longer air guide vanes are prone to irregular deformation due to factors such as manufacturing precision, material deformation, high temperatures, and external forces. When this happens, the gap between the vane and the panel widens and becomes uneven when the vane closes again. This not only affects the overall aesthetics of the unit but also impacts airflow, insect prevention, and dust control. This negatively affects the user experience, leads to after-sales complaints, and requires significant manpower and resources to replace the air guide vane and the entire air conditioner.

[0003] Existing partial drive deflector closing devices, while capable of closing the deflector in place, are mostly complex in structure and their assembly locations are not discreet enough, affecting the overall appearance of the machine. Alternatively, they may incorporate electronic components such as motors and sensors, which not only increases costs but also complicates the control methods.

[0004] Furthermore, most existing air conditioners lack locking mechanisms for their air deflectors, allowing anyone to easily rotate them. This poses a significant risk of children accidentally touching the deflectors and putting their hands inside the unit, potentially causing a dangerous situation. Adding child safety nets not only affects airflow efficiency but also produces unwanted noise such as whooshing sounds when the air conditioner is operating. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide an indoor unit of an air conditioner and an air conditioner.

[0006] This invention provides an indoor unit for an air conditioner, comprising:

[0007] The housing includes a bottom shell, the bottom of which is provided with an air outlet, and at least one side wall of the bottom shell is provided with a lock hole;

[0008] An air guide plate is rotatably disposed at the air outlet. At least one side of the air guide plate is provided with a self-locking structure, which includes an elastic element and a locking tongue connected to the elastic element.

[0009] The drive mechanism includes a motor, a crankshaft, and a rocker arm. The crankshaft is fixed to the output shaft of the motor and connected to the air guide plate. One end of the rocker arm is rotatably connected to the crankshaft, and the other end is provided with a pressing part.

[0010] Specifically, when the motor drives the crankshaft to rotate, causing the air guide plate to rotate and close the air outlet, the locking tongue is locked in the lock hole, so that the air guide plate forms a self-locking mechanism; when the motor drives the air guide plate to open the air outlet, the motor drives the crankshaft to rotate, causing the rocker arm and the pressing part to swing, so that the pressing part pushes the locking tongue, disengaging the locking tongue from the lock hole, thereby releasing the self-locking mechanism of the air guide plate.

[0011] In some embodiments, the side wall of the bottom shell is provided with a guide hole, the guide hole is connected to the lock hole, and the pressing part is located in the guide hole.

[0012] In some embodiments, the guide hole is located on the swing path of the pressing part;

[0013] The keyhole is located on the rotation path of the air guide plate.

[0014] In some embodiments, the self-locking structure is located inside the bottom shell sidewall, and the driving mechanism is located outside the bottom shell sidewall.

[0015] In some embodiments, the self-locking structure includes a lock base and a lock cover. The lock base has a mounting groove with an opening facing the side wall of the bottom shell. The lock cover is fastened to the opening of the mounting groove. The elastic element and the lock tongue are located in the mounting groove, and the lock tongue can extend or retract from the opening of the lock cover.

[0016] In some embodiments, the end face of the latch is an arc-shaped surface.

[0017] In some embodiments, the latch is provided with an unlocking plate, which is used to disengage the latch from the lock hole by external force so as to contact the air guide plate for self-locking.

[0018] In some embodiments, the air guide vane is clearance-fitted with the crankshaft.

[0019] In some embodiments, during the process of the motor driving the pressing part to press the latch out of the lock hole, the crankshaft does not interfere with the air guide plate to form free rotation;

[0020] When the latch disengages from the lock hole, the crankshaft interferes with the air guide plate to drive the air guide plate to rotate.

[0021] The present invention also provides an air conditioner, comprising:

[0022] The indoor unit of the air conditioner as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0023] By adopting the above technical solution, the present invention has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art:

[0024] This invention utilizes a self-locking structure on the air guide plate in conjunction with a lock hole on the side wall of the housing. When the air guide plate closes the air outlet, it forms a self-locking mechanism, maintaining the air guide plate in the closed position and minimizing the gap between the air guide plate and the front panel. This prevents the entry of debris, flying insects, and children from accidentally entering. When the air guide plate needs to open the air outlet, a crankshaft and rocker mechanism causes the pressing part to press the locking tongue, creating interference contact and self-locking. This design is convenient to control, simple in structure, and inexpensive.

[0025] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The accompanying drawings, as part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of the invention are used to explain the invention, but do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some embodiments, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative effort. In the drawings:

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the air guide plate of an air conditioner indoor unit in the open state according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is illustrated in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 Enlarged view of a portion of the image;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the self-locking mechanism of the air guide plate of an air conditioner indoor unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 4 This is illustrated in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 Enlarged view of a portion of the image;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a wind guide plate structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a self-locking structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a locking tongue structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the housing lock hole and guide hole structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 9This is a schematic diagram illustrating the crankshaft and rocker arm connection structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a rocker arm structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] It should be noted that these accompanying drawings and textual descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way, but rather to illustrate the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art by referring to specific embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0038] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "inner" and "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. 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 limiting this invention.

[0039] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "contact," and "communication" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0040] This invention provides an indoor unit for an air conditioner, which solves the problems of existing indoor units where the air guide plate lacks a self-locking device, resulting in large gaps after deformation and easy accidental contact by children.

[0041] This invention adds a self-locking device to the air guide plate of the indoor unit of the air conditioner. After the indoor unit stops working, the self-locking device can accurately close and lock the air guide plate, making the gap between the air guide plate and the panel uniform and narrow. This avoids incomplete closure caused by deformation of the air guide plate, making the whole unit more beautiful, with a sense of integrity, and with better insect and dust prevention effects.

[0042] Meanwhile, the self-locking device for the air guide vane added in this invention can prevent children from accidentally touching it when the air conditioner is not working, avoiding children from easily turning the air guide vane and putting their hands into the air conditioner's internal cavity, which could cause danger. The self-locking device is installed in a concealed position and does not affect the overall aesthetics of the unit. Through motor drive and crankshaft rocker structure, it is easy to control and inexpensive.

[0043] like Figures 1-10 As shown, the indoor unit of the air conditioner of the present invention includes a housing 10, an air guide plate 20, and a drive mechanism 30.

[0044] The housing 10 has an air outlet 11 at its bottom and a keyhole 12 on at least one side wall. Specifically, the housing 10 may include a bottom shell and a front panel disposed in front of the bottom shell, the bottom shell and the front panel forming a receiving space with the air outlet 11. The keyhole 12 may be provided on one or both side walls of the bottom shell.

[0045] The air guide plate 20 is rotatably disposed at the air outlet 11, and at least one side of the air guide plate 20 is provided with a self-locking structure 21. The self-locking structure 21 may include an elastic element 212 and a locking tongue 213 connected to the elastic element 212. Preferably, as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, a protruding lock seat 211 is formed on one side of the inner surface of the air guide plate 20. The lock seat 211 has a mounting groove with the opening facing the side wall of the bottom shell, which can correspond to the lock hole 12. The elastic member 212 and the lock tongue 213 are installed in the mounting groove. A lock cover 214 is fastened at the opening of the mounting groove. The lock cover 214 has an opening for the lock tongue to extend or retract.

[0046] like Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, the drive mechanism includes a motor 31, a crankshaft 32, and a rocker arm 33. The crankshaft 32 is fixed to the output shaft of the motor 31 and connected to the air guide plate 20, used to drive the air guide plate 20 to rotate to open or close the air outlet 11. One end of the rocker arm 33 is rotatably connected to the crankshaft 32, and the other end is provided with a pressing part 331 (e.g., Figure 10 As shown, while the motor drives the air guide plate 20 to rotate, it can also drive the crankshaft 32 to rotate, thereby causing the rocker arm 33 and the pressing part 331 to swing.

[0047] When the motor drives the crankshaft to rotate, causing the air guide plate 20 to rotate and close the air outlet 11, the locking tongue 213 is locked in the locking hole 12, thus making the air guide plate 20 self-locking. For example, during the process of the motor rotating clockwise, causing the crankshaft to rotate clockwise, and the air guide plate 20 to close the air outlet 11, the locking tongue 213 interferes with the bottom shell, forcing the locking tongue 213 back into the mounting groove. When the air guide plate 20 closes the air outlet 11, the locking tongue 213 has just passed over the side wall of the bottom shell, and the locking tongue 213 no longer interferes with the bottom shell. Under the action of elastic force, the locking tongue 213 extends out into the locking hole 12 on the side wall of the bottom shell, thus making the air guide plate 20 self-locking with the bottom shell. During the process of the motor rotating clockwise, causing the air guide plate 20 to close the air outlet 11, the motor simultaneously drives the crankshaft 32 to rotate clockwise. At this time, the pressing part 331 at the end of the rocker arm 33 swings away from the locking tongue 213, without interfering with the locking tongue 213.

[0048] When the motor drives the crankshaft to rotate, causing the air guide plate 20 to open the air outlet 11, the crankshaft 32 rotates, causing the rocker arm 33 and the pressing part 331 to swing, so that the pressing part 331 presses the locking tongue 213, disengaging the locking tongue 213 from the lock hole 12, thereby releasing the self-locking of the air guide plate 20. For example, when the motor rotates counterclockwise, it drives the crankshaft to rotate counterclockwise. At this time, the pressing part 331 at the end of the rocker arm 33 swings towards the locking tongue 213. The pressing part 331 squeezes the locking tongue 213 and interferes with it, causing the locking tongue 213 to retract and disengage from the lock hole 12, so as to contact the self-locking of the air guide plate 20 and the bottom shell. The motor then rotates counterclockwise, driving the crankshaft to continue to rotate counterclockwise, opening the air guide plate 20.

[0049] This invention utilizes a self-locking structure 21 on the air guide plate 20 in conjunction with a lock hole 12 on the side wall of the housing. When the air outlet 11 of the air guide plate 20 is closed, a self-locking mechanism is formed, keeping the air guide plate 20 in the closed outlet 11 position. This minimizes the gap between the air guide plate 20 and the front panel, preventing the entry of debris, flying insects, and children from accidentally entering. When the air outlet 11 needs to be opened, the crankshaft 32 and rocker arm 33 structure cause the pressing part 331 to press the locking tongue 213, resulting in interference contact and self-locking. This design is convenient, simple in structure, and inexpensive.

[0050] In some embodiments, the air guide vane is clearance-fitted with the crankshaft.

[0051] During the process of the motor-driven pressing part 331 pressing the lock tongue 213 to disengage from the lock hole 12, the crankshaft 32 does not interfere with the air guide plate 20 to form free rotation; when the lock tongue 213 disengages from the lock hole 12, the crankshaft 32 interferes with the air guide plate 20 to drive the air guide plate 20 to rotate.

[0052] By setting the clearance between the crankshaft and the air guide plate, the stepper motor has a freewheeling angle of x° when it rotates. When the air conditioner is turned on, the stepper motor first rotates x°, while the air guide plate remains stationary, only driving the crankshaft to rotate. The crankshaft drives the unlocking rocker to swing and push the locking tongue 213, compressing the spring so that the extension length of the locking tongue no longer interferes with the rotation of the air guide plate. When the rotation angle is greater than x°, the locking tongue 213 slides out of the bottom housing lock hole 12 to unlock.

[0053] In some embodiments, the side wall of the housing 10 is provided with a guide hole 13, which communicates with the lock hole 12, and the pressing part 331 is located in the guide hole 13. The guide hole 13 guides the pressing part 331 during its swinging process.

[0054] In some embodiments, the guide hole 13 is located on the swing path of the pressing part 331; the locking hole 12 is located on the rotation path of the air guide plate 20, making the self-locking more precise.

[0055] In some embodiments, the self-locking structure 21 is located on the inner side wall of the bottom casing, and the driving mechanism is located on the outer side wall of the bottom casing. The self-locking structure 21 can be hidden in the casing, making the indoor unit of the air conditioner uniform in appearance.

[0056] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, the end face of the latch 213 is arc-shaped. The arc shape makes the latch 213 more responsive when it interferes with the side wall of the bottom shell and with the pressing part 331.

[0057] In some embodiments, a locking plate 215 is provided on the locking tongue 213. The locking plate 215 is used to disengage the locking tongue 213 from the lock hole 12 by external force, thereby releasing the self-locking of the air guide plate 20. When it is necessary to disassemble the air guide plate 20, the locking plate 215 can be moved to compress the spring and rotate the air guide plate 20 at the same time, thereby releasing the self-locking of the air guide plate 20.

[0058] The present invention also provides an air conditioner, comprising: an indoor unit of an air conditioner as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0059] It can be further understood that in this disclosure, "multiple" refers to two or more, and other quantifiers are similar. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist; for example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. The singular forms "a," "the," and "the" are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0060] It is further understood that the terms "first," "second," etc., are used to describe various types of information, but this information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another, and do not indicate a specific order or degree of importance. In fact, the expressions "first," "second," etc., are completely interchangeable. For example, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, first information can also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information can also be referred to as first information.

[0061] It is further understood that although operations are described in a specific order in the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of this disclosure, this should not be construed as requiring these operations to be performed in the specific order or serial order shown, or requiring all of the shown operations to be performed to obtain the desired result. In certain environments, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous.

[0062] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the following claims.

[0063] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An indoor unit for an air conditioner, characterized in that, include: The housing includes a bottom shell, the bottom of which is provided with an air outlet, and at least one side wall of the bottom shell is provided with a lock hole; An air guide plate is rotatably disposed at the air outlet. At least one side of the air guide plate is provided with a self-locking structure, which includes an elastic element and a locking tongue connected to the elastic element. The drive mechanism includes a motor, a crankshaft, and a rocker arm. The crankshaft is fixed to the output shaft of the motor and connected to the air guide plate. One end of the rocker arm is rotatably connected to the crankshaft, and the other end is provided with a pressing part. Specifically, when the motor drives the crankshaft to rotate, causing the air guide plate to rotate and close the air outlet, the locking tongue is locked in the lock hole, so that the air guide plate is locked to the housing; when the motor drives the air guide plate to open the air outlet, the motor drives the crankshaft to rotate, causing the rocker arm and the pressing part to swing, so that the pressing part pushes the locking tongue, disengaging the locking tongue from the lock hole, so that the air guide plate is released from locking.

2. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The side wall of the bottom shell is provided with a guide hole, which communicates with the lock hole, and the pressing part is located in the guide hole.

3. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that, The guide hole is located on the swing path of the pressing part; The keyhole is located on the rotation path of the air guide plate.

4. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that, The self-locking structure is located on the inner side of the bottom shell sidewall, and the driving mechanism is located on the outer side of the bottom shell sidewall.

5. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 4, characterized in that, The self-locking structure includes a lock base and a lock cover. The lock base has a mounting groove with an opening facing the side wall of the bottom shell. The lock cover is fastened to the opening of the mounting groove. The elastic element and the lock tongue are located in the mounting groove, and the lock tongue can extend or retract from the opening of the lock cover.

6. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The end face of the latch is an arc surface.

7. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The latch is provided with an unlocking plate, which is used to disengage the latch from the lock hole by applying external force, thereby releasing the air guide plate from locking.

8. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The air guide plate is fitted with the crankshaft with a clearance.

9. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 8, characterized in that, During the process of the motor driving the pressing part to press the lock tongue out of the lock hole, the crankshaft does not interfere with the air guide plate, so as to form free rotation; When the latch disengages from the lock hole, the crankshaft interferes with the air guide plate to drive the air guide plate to rotate.

10. An air conditioner, characterized in that, include: The indoor unit of the air conditioner as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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