Drive box assembly, air conditioner and control method

Abstract

The application relates to a driving box assembly, an air conditioner and a control method. The driving box assembly comprises a shell, a connecting shaft hole and a circular arc-shaped guide groove are formed on the shell; a transmission mechanism is arranged at least partially in the shell, the transmission mechanism comprises a connecting part and a connecting shaft, the connecting part is movably arranged in the guide groove, and the connecting shaft is rotatably arranged in the connecting shaft hole; and a driving mechanism, which can drive the connecting part to rotate around the center of the guide groove and can simultaneously drive the connecting shaft to rotate around the axis of the connecting shaft; the rotating direction of the connecting part is the same as the rotating direction of the connecting shaft. The driving box assembly, the air conditioner and the control method provided by the application have the advantages of low cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of household appliances, and in particular to a drive box assembly, an air conditioner, and a control method. Background Technology

[0002] Due to the physical properties of hot air rising and cold air sinking, distributed air conditioning systems are often required to achieve "carpet-like heating / shower-like cooling" in "heating / cooling" mode in order to improve human comfort. Therefore, they often have multiple air vents in different locations.

[0003] In the existing technology, the air outlet of the air duct usually uses a volute and a baffle as the opening and closing device of the air outlet. The volute and the baffle are directly driven by two drive motors respectively. Especially for larger volutes, direct drive means that a high torque motor is required, which makes the opening and closing device more expensive. Moreover, if the torque is insufficient, it is easy to cause the movement to jam or the opening and closing to be incomplete, resulting in functional failure. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a drive box assembly, an air conditioner, and a control method to address the issue of high cost.

[0005] A drive box assembly includes: a housing having a connecting shaft hole and an arc-shaped guide groove formed thereon; a transmission mechanism at least partially disposed within the housing, the transmission mechanism including a connecting part and a connecting shaft, the connecting part being movably disposed within the guide groove, and the connecting shaft being rotatably disposed within the connecting shaft hole; and a drive mechanism capable of driving the connecting part to rotate around the center of the guide groove, and simultaneously driving the connecting shaft to rotate around its own axis; the rotation direction of the connecting part is the same as the rotation direction of the connecting shaft.

[0006] In one embodiment, the transmission mechanism includes a rack, a first gear, and a second gear;

[0007] The second gear includes a first tooth portion having a relatively large diameter and a second tooth portion having a relatively small diameter;

[0008] The first gear extends outward to form the connecting shaft; the first gear meshes with the second gear.

[0009] The connecting part is fixed to the bottom end face of the rack and extends downward into the guide groove; the rack meshes with the first tooth.

[0010] The second gear rotates clockwise, the rack rotates counterclockwise around the center of the guide groove, and the first gear drives the connecting shaft to rotate counterclockwise.

[0011] The second gear rotates counterclockwise, and the rack drives the connecting part to rotate clockwise around the center of the guide groove, while the first gear rotates clockwise.

[0012] In one embodiment, the housing includes a cover plate and a base;

[0013] The cover plate is placed on the base to form a receiving cavity; the rack, the first gear and the second gear are all disposed in the receiving cavity.

[0014] In one embodiment, the first gear has a sector-shaped structure; the connecting shaft is disposed on the bottom end surface of the first gear, the connecting shaft hole is disposed on the base, and the first gear is rotatably disposed in the connecting shaft hole through the connecting shaft;

[0015] The base has a first stop and a second stop, and the two sides of the first gear can be circumferentially limited by the first stop and the second stop, respectively, so as to limit the rotation angle range of the first gear.

[0016] In one embodiment, the second gear includes a disk and a sector radiating radially outward from the disk, the first tooth being disposed on the arc surface of the sector, and the second tooth being disposed on a circular arc segment of the disk other than the sector;

[0017] The base has a rotating hole, and the center of the wheel has a protruding shaft. The second gear is rotatably mounted in the rotating hole via the shaft.

[0018] In one embodiment, the guide groove is disposed on the base; a guide post groove is formed on the base, and the guide post groove is concentrically disposed with the guide groove;

[0019] The rack has a first guide post and a connecting part protruding from its bottom end surface; along the extending direction of the rack, the first guide post and the connecting part are respectively disposed at both ends of the rack.

[0020] The first guide post is movably disposed within the guide post groove.

[0021] In one embodiment, a second guide post protrudes from the top surface of the rack;

[0022] The cover plate has an arc-shaped guide rail adapted to the second guide post, and the guide rail is concentrically arranged with the guide groove.

[0023] In one embodiment, a mounting portion is formed on the cover plate.

[0024] The drive mechanism is fixed to the mounting part, and the drive mechanism is connected to the second gear transmission;

[0025] When the drive mechanism drives the second gear to rotate clockwise, the first gear drives the connecting shaft to rotate counterclockwise, and the rack drives the connecting part to rotate counterclockwise around the center of the guide groove;

[0026] When the drive mechanism drives the second gear to rotate counterclockwise, the first gear drives the connecting shaft to rotate clockwise, and the rack drives the connecting part to rotate clockwise around the center of the guide groove.

[0027] In one embodiment, the transmission mechanism includes a third gear, and the drive mechanism is disposed on the cover plate and is connected to the third gear in a transmission manner;

[0028] The rack has a fourth tooth on the side near the second gear, and the fourth tooth meshes with the second gear;

[0029] The rack has a fifth tooth on the side opposite to the second gear, and the fifth tooth meshes with the third gear.

[0030] An air conditioner includes an air duct and an opening / closing unit disposed on the air duct;

[0031] The opening and closing unit includes a volute tongue, a baffle plate, and a drive box assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 10;

[0032] The volute includes a body, a volute connector disposed in the middle of the body, and a volute shaft disposed at the end of the body. The volute is rotatably mounted on the air duct via the volute shaft. The baffle includes a baffle shaft, which is rotatably mounted on the air duct. The connecting shaft is connected to the baffle, and the connecting part is connected to the volute connector. The volute shaft is located at the center of the guide groove. The driving mechanism can drive the volute to separate from the baffle in opposite directions via a transmission mechanism, so that the opening and closing unit is in the open state. The driving mechanism can also drive the volute to close towards the baffle via a transmission mechanism, so that the opening and closing unit is in the closed state.

[0033] In one embodiment, the air duct includes an upper air inlet on the upper side and a lower air inlet on the lower side; the air conditioner includes two sets of the opening and closing units; the two sets of opening and closing units are respectively disposed on the upper air inlet and the lower air inlet.

[0034] A control method, applied to the aforementioned air conditioner, includes:

[0035] Confirm that the air conditioner is turned on;

[0036] Control the opening and closing unit corresponding to the upwind vent to be in the closed state, and control the opening and closing unit corresponding to the downwind vent to be in the closed state;

[0037] Confirm receipt of the first mode instruction;

[0038] Control the opening and closing unit corresponding to the upwind vent to be in the open state; control the opening and closing unit corresponding to the downwind vent to be in the closed state;

[0039] Confirm receipt of the second mode instruction;

[0040] Control the opening and closing unit corresponding to the upwind vent to be in the open state; control the opening and closing unit corresponding to the downwind vent to be in the open state;

[0041] Determine whether the temperature has reached a first preset value; if so, control the opening and closing unit corresponding to the upper air vent to be in the open state; control the opening and closing unit corresponding to the lower air vent to be in the closed state.

[0042] Confirm receipt of the third mode instruction;

[0043] Control the opening and closing unit corresponding to the upwind vent to be in the closed state; control the opening and closing unit corresponding to the downwind vent to be in the open state;

[0044] Confirm receipt of the fourth mode instruction;

[0045] Control the opening and closing unit corresponding to the upwind vent to be in the open state; control the opening and closing unit corresponding to the downwind vent to be in the open state;

[0046] If it is determined whether the temperature has reached the second preset value, then the opening and closing unit corresponding to the upper air vent is controlled to be in the closed state; the opening and closing unit corresponding to the lower air vent is controlled to be in the open state.

[0047] The beneficial effects are as follows: The drive box assembly of this application embodiment is provided with a housing, a transmission mechanism, and a drive mechanism. The housing has a connecting shaft hole and an arc-shaped guide groove. Along the arc extension direction of the guide groove, the transmission mechanism includes a connecting part and a connecting shaft. The connecting part is movably disposed in the guide groove, and the connecting shaft is rotatably disposed in the connecting shaft hole. The connecting part can be used to connect the volute tongue to a volute tongue connector, and the connecting shaft is used to connect the wind deflector to a wind deflector rotating shaft. The drive mechanism can drive the connecting part to rotate around the center of the guide groove and can simultaneously drive the connecting shaft to rotate around its own axis. The rotation direction of the connecting part should be the same as the rotation direction of the connecting shaft to achieve simultaneous opening and closing. By driving the connecting part and the connecting shaft to move through a single drive mechanism, the volute tongue and the wind deflector are respectively driven to rotate around their respective rotating shafts. It is not necessary to configure a separate drive mechanism for the volute tongue and the wind deflector, which saves the number of drive mechanisms and effectively reduces costs. Attached Figure Description

[0048] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of this application;

[0049] Figure 2 This is a front view of the air duct according to an embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of a driver box assembly according to an embodiment of this application, wherein the center point O is indicated by a dashed line;

[0051] Figure 4 This is an assembly diagram of a driver box assembly according to an embodiment of this application, wherein the cover plate is omitted;

[0052] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the base structure according to an embodiment of this application;

[0053] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the cover plate according to an embodiment of this application;

[0054] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the rack structure according to an embodiment of this application;

[0055] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cochlear tongue according to an embodiment of this application;

[0056] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the wind deflector according to an embodiment of this application;

[0057] Figure 10 This is an assembly diagram of a drive box assembly according to an embodiment of this application, wherein the cover plate and drive mechanism are omitted;

[0058] Figure 11 This is a flowchart of a control method according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0059] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0060] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application 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 this application.

[0061] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0062] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; 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; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0063] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0064] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0065] See Figures 1 to 10 As shown, the first embodiment of this application provides a drive box assembly 600, including: a housing 10, a transmission mechanism 20 and a drive mechanism 30.

[0066] The housing 10 has a connecting shaft hole 11 and an arc-shaped guide groove 12. Along the arc extension direction of the guide groove 12, the guide groove 12 has a first end 121 and a second end 122. The guide groove 12 is an arc segment with a center point O.

[0067] The transmission mechanism 20 is at least partially disposed within the housing 10. The transmission mechanism 20 can be a combination of multi-stage gears. The transmission mechanism 20 includes a connecting portion 21 and a connecting shaft 22. The connecting portion 21 is movably disposed within the guide groove 12, and the connecting shaft 22 is rotatably disposed within the connecting shaft hole 11. The drive mechanism 30 is fixedly disposed on the housing 10, and the drive mechanism 30 can be a stepper motor.

[0068] It should be noted that the drive box assembly 600 can be used in a variety of household appliances with openings. In the embodiments of this application, the application of the drive box assembly 600 in an air conditioner is used as an example for illustration.

[0069] The air conditioner includes an air duct 700, a volute 800, and a baffle 900. The drive box assembly 600 can be used to drive the volute 800 and the baffle 900 to open or close, thereby opening or closing the air outlet of the air duct 700.

[0070] The connecting part 21 of the drive box assembly 600 can be used to connect the volute connector 810 of the volute tongue 800, and the connecting shaft 22 is used to connect the windshield rotating shaft 910 of the windshield 900.

[0071] The drive mechanism 30 can drive the connecting part 21 to rotate around the center point O of the guide groove 12, and can simultaneously drive the connecting shaft 22 to rotate around its own axis. Thus, the connecting part 21 and the connecting shaft 22 can be driven to move by one drive mechanism 30, thereby driving the volute tongue 800 and the wind deflector 900 to rotate around their respective axes. There is no need to configure a separate drive mechanism 30 for each of the volute tongue 800 and the wind deflector 900, saving the number of drive mechanisms 30 and effectively reducing costs.

[0072] It should be understood that the volute connector 810 is connected to the connecting part 21, and the connection method can be snap-fit ​​or bolt connection; the movement path of the connecting part 21 along the guide groove 12 is an arc. Therefore, the movement path of the volute connector 810 is actually an arc, and the volute hinge 830 of the volute 800 is located at the center of the movement trajectory of the volute connector 810; that is to say, when the drive box assembly 600 and the volute 800 are assembled, the center point O of the guide groove 12 is located at the volute hinge 830.

[0073] The rotation direction of the connecting part 21 should be the same as the rotation direction of the connecting shaft 22. Specifically, the drive mechanism 30 can drive the connecting part 21 to rotate clockwise around its center along the guide groove 12, and the connecting shaft 22 can rotate clockwise as well. This allows the volute tongue 800 connected to the connecting part 21 and the baffle plate 900 connected to the connecting shaft 22 to rotate clockwise simultaneously, closing the air outlet of the air duct 700. Of course, the drive mechanism 30 can also drive the connecting part 21 to rotate counterclockwise around its center along the guide groove 12, and the connecting shaft 22 to rotate counterclockwise as well. This allows the volute tongue 800 and the baffle plate 900 to rotate counterclockwise simultaneously, separating in opposite directions, thus opening the air outlet of the air duct 700. This achieves simultaneous opening and closing, resulting in good opening and closing function.

[0074] Combination Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 8 As shown, the drive mechanism 30 transmits power through the transmission mechanism 20 to the worm tongue connector 810 located in the middle of the worm tongue 800, so that the worm tongue connector 810 can rotate around the worm tongue shaft 830 located at one end of the worm tongue 800. The distance from the worm tongue connector 810 to the worm tongue shaft 830 is the lever arm L1, and the distance from the other end of the worm tongue 800 away from the worm tongue shaft 830 to the worm tongue shaft 830 is the lever arm L2, satisfying L1*F1=L2*G; where F1 is the force transmitted by the drive mechanism 30 through the transmission mechanism 20 to the worm tongue connector 810 located in the middle of the worm tongue 800, and G is gravity. Here, the center of gravity of the worm tongue 800 is simplified to the end of the worm tongue 800.

[0075] It is evident that, compared to obtaining the torque L2*G by directly driving the worm tongue shaft 830 with a high-torque motor, using the drive mechanism 30 to transmit power to the worm tongue connector 810 located in the middle of the worm tongue 800 via the transmission mechanism 20, allowing the worm tongue connector 810 to rotate around the worm tongue shaft 830 located at one end of the worm tongue 800, undoubtedly greatly reduces the torque output requirements of the drive mechanism 30, thereby reducing the operating cost of the drive mechanism 30. Furthermore, with the reduced torque requirements, one drive mechanism 30 can simultaneously drive the worm tongue 800 and the baffle 900, and the drive torque of the drive mechanism 30 has a surplus, preventing phenomena such as motion jamming and incomplete opening and closing.

[0076] In some embodiments, see Figures 3 to 10 As shown, the transmission mechanism 20 includes a rack 23, a first gear 24, and a second gear 25.

[0077] The second gear 25 is rotatably disposed within the housing 10. The second gear 25 may be a double gear, and the second gear 25 includes a first tooth 251 with a relatively large diameter and a second tooth 252 with a relatively small diameter.

[0078] The first gear 24 is rotatably disposed inside the housing 10, and the axis of rotation of the first gear 24 extends outward to form a connecting shaft 22; that is, the connecting shaft 22 is the axis of rotation of the first gear 24; the first gear 24 meshes with the second tooth 252 of the second gear 25.

[0079] The rack 23 is movably disposed within the housing 10; the connecting part 21 is fixed to the bottom end face 232 of the rack 23 and extends downward into the guide groove 12; the rack 23 meshes with the first tooth 251 of the second gear 25. Since the guide groove 12 is arc-shaped, the rack 23 can also be adapted to be arc-shaped. The connecting part 21 is embedded in the guide groove 12 and moves along the arc direction of the guide groove 12, thereby driving the rack 23 to rotate around the center point O of the guide groove 12.

[0080] The rack 23, the first gear 24 and the second gear 25 are usually limited in their angle of movement within the housing 10. That is, the design structure makes it so that the rack 23, the first gear 24 and the second gear 25 do not rotate 360° in the circumferential direction.

[0081] Combination Figures 3 to 6As shown, the drive mechanism 30 drives one of the rack 23, the first gear 24, and the second gear 25. After they mesh with each other, the rotation of any one of the rack 23, the first gear 24, and the second gear 25 will drive the other two to rotate accordingly. For example, if the second gear 25 rotates clockwise, the rack 23 will rotate counterclockwise around the center of the guide groove 12, and the first gear 24 will drive the connecting shaft 22 to rotate counterclockwise. This allows the volute tongue 800 and the baffle plate 900 to rotate counterclockwise simultaneously, separating in opposite directions, thereby opening the air outlet of the air duct 700.

[0082] Similarly, when the second gear 25 rotates counterclockwise, the rack 23 drives the connecting part 21 to rotate clockwise around the center of the guide groove 12, and the first gear 24 drives the connecting shaft 22 to rotate clockwise. This allows the volute tongue 800 connected to the connecting part 21 and the baffle plate 900 connected to the connecting shaft 22 to rotate clockwise simultaneously, and the two close together, thereby closing the air outlet of the air duct 700.

[0083] In some embodiments, see Figures 3 to 6 As shown, the housing 10 includes a cover plate 13 and a base 14; the cover plate 13 and the base 14 can be detachably connected by means of clips, screws or other structures.

[0084] A cover plate 13 is placed on the base 14 to form a receiving cavity 15. The transmission mechanism 20 is at least partially disposed within the receiving cavity 15, and the rack 23, the first gear 24, and the second gear 25 are all disposed within the receiving cavity 15. The drive mechanism 30 is typically disposed on the cover plate 13. The connecting shaft hole 11 and the guide groove 12 are both placed on the base 14 to prevent interference between the drive mechanism 30 and the volute tongue 800 and the baffle plate 900.

[0085] In some embodiments, see Figures 3 to 6 ,as well as Figure 10 As shown, the first gear 24 has a sector-shaped structure and can be made of materials such as plastic, forged steel, or aluminum alloy. In order to reduce the overall weight of the mechanism, the middle part of the first gear 24 can be hollowed out.

[0086] The connecting shaft 22 is disposed on the bottom end face of the first gear 24, and the first gear 24 is rotatably disposed in the receiving cavity 15. The connecting shaft hole 11 is disposed on the base 14. The cover plate 13 has a positioning hole 133 that mates with the connecting shaft hole 11. The top surface of the first gear 24 away from the connecting shaft 22 has a rotating shaft that mates with the positioning hole 133. The cover plate 13 is disposed on the base 14. The rotating shaft of the first gear 24 is inserted into the positioning hole 133. The first gear 24 is rotatably disposed in the connecting shaft hole 11 through the connecting shaft 22.

[0087] The first gear 24 has a third tooth formed on its fan-shaped arc edge 241; the remaining area has no teeth, and the third tooth meshes with the second gear 25 for transmission.

[0088] The base 14 has a first stop 141 and a second stop 142. The two sides 242 of the first gear 24 can be circumferentially limited by the first stop 141 and the second stop 142, respectively, to limit the rotation angle range of the first gear 24. Typically, the rotation angle range of the first gear 24 is 30-60°, which is determined by factors such as the sector radius of the first gear 24 and the design distance between the first stop 141 and the second stop 142.

[0089] The first stop 141 and the second stop 142 can be two protrusions on the base 14, and can respectively abut against the two sides 242 of the first gear 24; the first stop 141 and the second stop 142 can also be the two side walls of the base 14 designed as pointed corners, subject to the specific design.

[0090] In some embodiments, see Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the second gear 25 includes a disk 253 and a sector 254 radiating radially outward from the disk 253. The second gear 25 can be made of materials such as plastic, forged steel, or aluminum alloy; to reduce the overall weight of the mechanism, the middle part of the second gear 25 can be hollowed out.

[0091] The base 14 has a rotating hole 143, and the center of the wheel 253 has a protruding rotating shaft 255. The second gear 25 is rotatably disposed in the rotating hole 143 through the rotating shaft 255.

[0092] The first tooth 251 is disposed on the arc surface of the sector 254 for meshing with the rack 23. The second tooth 252 is disposed on the circular arc segment of the wheel 253 excluding the sector 254 for meshing with the first gear 24 for transmission. Since the rotation angle of the first gear 24 is restricted by the first stop 141 and the second stop 142, the rotation angle of the second tooth 252 is correspondingly restricted.

[0093] In some embodiments, see Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 7 as well as Figure 10 As shown, the rack 23 has a fourth tooth 231 on the side near the second gear 25; it meshes with the first tooth 251 to achieve transmission.

[0094] The guide groove 12 is provided on the base 14; the base 14 has a guide post groove 16.

[0095] A first guide post 233 and a connecting part 21 protrude from the bottom end face 232 of the rack 23; along the extending direction of the rack 23, the first guide post 233 and the connecting part 21 are respectively disposed at both ends of the rack 23.

[0096] The first guide post 233 is movably disposed within the guide post groove 16. Thus, when the rack 23 reciprocates within the receiving cavity 15 along the extension direction of the guide groove 12, the guide post groove 16 provides guidance for the first guide post 233, and the guide groove 12 provides guidance for the connecting portion 21, so that both ends of the rack 23 are guided to prevent deviation and tilting.

[0097] The arc-shaped guide groove 16 and guide groove 12 should be set concentrically to avoid the rack 23 from being over-positioned and getting stuck.

[0098] In some other embodiments, the guide post groove 16 may not be provided, and instead, the first guide post 233 and the connecting part 21 may be guided simultaneously by the arc-shaped guide groove 12.

[0099] In some embodiments, see Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 7 as well as Figure 10 As shown, a second guide post 236 protrudes from the top surface 234 of the rack 23; an arc-shaped guide rail 131 adapted to the second guide post 236 is formed on the cover plate 13.

[0100] Thus, the bottom end face 232 of the rack 23 provides guidance to the first guide post 233 through the guide post groove 16, the guide groove 12 provides guidance to the connecting part 21, and the guide rail 131 on the top end face 234 of the rack 23 provides guidance to the second guide post 236, so that both the upper and lower sides of the rack 23 are guided, thereby ensuring smooth operation and preventing tilting.

[0101] The guide rail 131 and the guide groove 12 are concentrically set to prevent the rack 23 from over-positioning and getting stuck.

[0102] In some embodiments, see Figure 3 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 6 As shown, a mounting portion 132 is formed on the cover plate 13; the drive mechanism 30 is fixed to the mounting portion 132, and the drive mechanism 30 is connected to the second gear 25 for transmission.

[0103] When the drive mechanism 30 drives the second gear 25 to rotate clockwise, the first gear 24 drives the connecting shaft 22 to rotate counterclockwise, and the rack 23 drives the connecting part 21 to rotate counterclockwise around the center point O of the guide groove 12; thus, the volute tongue 800 and the baffle plate 900 can rotate counterclockwise at the same time, and the two separate in opposite directions, thereby opening the air outlet of the air duct 700.

[0104] When the drive mechanism 30 drives the second gear 25 to rotate counterclockwise, the first gear 24 drives the connecting shaft 22 to rotate clockwise, and the rack 23 drives the connecting part 21 to rotate clockwise around the center point O of the guide groove 12; thus, the volute tongue 800 connected to the connecting part 21 and the baffle plate 900 connected to the connecting shaft 22 can rotate clockwise at the same time, and the two close towards each other, thereby closing the air outlet of the air duct 700.

[0105] In some embodiments, see Figure 10 The transmission mechanism 20 includes a third gear 26, and the drive mechanism 30 is mounted on the cover plate 13 and is connected to the third gear 26 in a transmission manner.

[0106] The rack 23 has a fourth tooth 231 on the side near the second gear 25, which meshes with the second gear 25; the rack 23 has a fifth tooth 235 on the side away from the second gear 25, which meshes with the third gear 26.

[0107] Combination Figure 10 As shown in the diagram, when the drive mechanism 30 drives the third gear 26 to rotate clockwise, the fifth tooth 235 meshes with the third gear 26, and the rack 23 drives the connecting part 21 to rotate clockwise around the center point O of the guide groove 12; the fourth tooth 231 meshes with the second gear 25, driving the second gear 25 to rotate counterclockwise, which in turn drives the first gear 24 to rotate the connecting shaft 22 clockwise; so that the volute tongue 800 connected to the connecting part 21 and the baffle plate 900 connected to the connecting shaft 22 can rotate clockwise at the same time, and the two close towards each other, thereby closing the air outlet of the air duct 700.

[0108] Similarly, when the drive mechanism 30 drives the third gear 26 to rotate counterclockwise, the rack 23 drives the connecting part 21 to rotate counterclockwise around the center point O of the guide groove 12; the rack 23 then drives the second gear 25 to rotate clockwise, which in turn drives the first gear 24 to rotate the connecting shaft 22 counterclockwise; thus, the volute tongue 800 and the baffle plate 900 can rotate counterclockwise at the same time, and the two separate in opposite directions, thereby opening the air outlet of the air duct 700.

[0109] The second embodiment of this application provides another air conditioner.

[0110] See Figures 1 to 10 As shown, the air conditioner includes an air duct 700 and an opening / closing unit 500 disposed on the air duct 700.

[0111] Those skilled in the art should understand that the air duct 700 contains components necessary for performing the air conditioning function, such as the volute 730, volute cover 740, and fan 750 that drive the airflow in the air duct 700.

[0112] The opening and closing unit 500 has an open state and a closed state; the opening and closing unit 500 includes a volute tongue 800, a wind deflector 900, and the aforementioned drive box assembly 600.

[0113] The volute tongue 800 includes a body 840, a volute tongue connector 810 disposed in the middle of the body 840, and a volute tongue rotating shaft 830 disposed at the end of the body 840. The volute tongue 800 is rotatably disposed on the air duct 700 via the volute tongue rotating shaft 830. The wind deflector 900 includes a wind deflector rotating shaft 910. The wind deflector 900 is rotatably disposed on the air duct 700 via the wind deflector rotating shaft 910. The connecting shaft 22 is connected to the wind deflector 900, the connecting part 21 is connected to the volute tongue connector 810, and the volute tongue rotating shaft 830 is located at the center of the guide groove 12.

[0114] The drive mechanism 30 can drive the volute tongue 800 to separate from the wind deflector 900 in opposite directions through the transmission mechanism 20, so that the opening and closing unit 500 is in the open state; the drive mechanism 30 can also drive the volute tongue 800 to close towards the wind deflector 900 through the transmission mechanism 20, so that the opening and closing unit 500 is in the closed state.

[0115] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the air duct 700 includes an upper air inlet 710 located on the upper side and a lower air inlet 720 located on the lower side; the air conditioner includes two sets of opening and closing units 500.

[0116] Two sets of opening and closing units 500 are respectively installed on the upwind vent 710 and the downwind vent 720, so that the upwind vent 710 and the downwind vent 720 can be opened or closed individually.

[0117] A second embodiment of this application provides a method for controlling an air conditioner, including:

[0118] S10. Confirm that the air conditioner is on.

[0119] S20: Control the opening and closing unit 500 corresponding to the upwind vent 710 to be in the closed state, and control the opening and closing unit 500 corresponding to the downwind vent 720 to be in the closed state. That is, the volute tongue 800 and the wind deflector 900 of both opening and closing units 500 are in the closed position.

[0120] S30. Confirm receipt of the first mode command. The first mode command can be a cooling mode command.

[0121] S40: Control the opening / closing unit 500 of the corresponding upwind vent 710 to be in the open state; control the opening / closing unit 500 of the corresponding downwind vent 720 to be in the closed state. This allows heavier, colder air to be blown upwards from the upwind vent 710, thereby making the room temperature more uniform.

[0122] S50, Confirm receipt of the second mode command. The second mode command can be a powerful cooling mode command.

[0123] S60 controls the opening / closing unit 500 of the corresponding upwind vent 710 to be in the open state; controls the opening / closing unit 500 of the corresponding downwind vent 720 to be in the open state. This quickly reduces the indoor temperature.

[0124] S70. Determine whether the temperature has reached the first preset value. The first preset value can be manually input or stored in the controller in advance according to different modes.

[0125] When the temperature reaches the first preset value, return to step S40. That is, control the opening and closing unit 500 of the corresponding upper air vent 710 to be in the open state; control the opening and closing unit 500 of the corresponding lower air vent 720 to be in the closed state;

[0126] If the temperature does not reach the first preset value, return to step S60. That is, control the opening and closing unit 500 of the corresponding upper air vent 710 to be in the open state; control the opening and closing unit 500 of the corresponding lower air vent 720 to be in the open state.

[0127] S80, Confirm receipt of the third mode command. The third mode command can be a heating mode command.

[0128] S90: Control the opening / closing unit 500 of the corresponding upper air vent 710 to be in the closed state; control the opening / closing unit 500 of the corresponding lower air vent 720 to be in the open state. This allows lighter, warmer air to be blown downwards from the lower air vent 720, thereby making the room temperature more uniform.

[0129] S100, Confirm receipt of the fourth mode command. The fourth mode command can be a powerful heating mode command.

[0130] S110 controls the opening / closing unit 500 of the corresponding upwind vent 710 to be in the open state; controls the opening / closing unit 500 of the corresponding downwind vent 720 to be in the open state. This quickly increases the indoor temperature.

[0131] S120. Determine whether the temperature has reached the second preset value. The first preset value can be manually input or stored in the controller in advance according to different modes.

[0132] When the temperature reaches the second preset value, return to step S90. That is, control the opening and closing unit 500 of the corresponding upper air vent 710 to be in the closed state; control the opening and closing unit 500 of the corresponding lower air vent 720 to be in the open state.

[0133] If the temperature does not reach the second preset value, return to step S110. That is, control the opening and closing unit 500 of the corresponding upper air vent 710 to be in the open state; control the opening and closing unit 500 of the corresponding lower air vent 720 to be in the open state.

[0134] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0135] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A driver box assembly, characterized in that, The drive box assembly includes: The housing (10) has a connecting shaft hole (11) and an arc-shaped guide groove (12) formed on it. A transmission mechanism (20) is at least partially disposed within the housing (10). The transmission mechanism (20) includes a connecting part (21) and a connecting shaft (22). The connecting part (21) is movably disposed within the guide groove (12), and the connecting shaft (22) is rotatably disposed within the connecting shaft hole (11). And a drive mechanism (30), which can drive the connecting part (21) to rotate around the center of the guide groove (12) and can simultaneously drive the connecting shaft (22) to rotate around its own axis; the rotation direction of the connecting part (21) is the same as the rotation direction of the connecting shaft (22); The transmission mechanism (20) includes a rack (23), a first gear (24), and a second gear (25); The second gear (25) includes a first tooth (251) with a relatively large diameter and a second tooth (252) with a relatively small diameter. The first gear (24) extends outward to form the connecting shaft (22); the first gear (24) meshes with the second tooth (252); The connecting part (21) is fixed to the bottom end face of the rack (23) and extends downward into the guide groove (12); the rack (23) meshes with the first tooth (251); The second gear (25) rotates clockwise, the rack (23) rotates counterclockwise around the center of the guide groove (12), and the first gear (24) drives the connecting shaft (22) to rotate counterclockwise; The second gear (25) rotates counterclockwise, the rack (23) drives the connecting part (21) to rotate clockwise around the center of the guide groove (12), and the first gear (24) rotates clockwise.

2. The driver box assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing (10) includes a cover plate (13) and a base (14); The cover plate (13) is placed on the base (14) to form a receiving cavity (15); the rack (23), the first gear (24) and the second gear (25) are all disposed in the receiving cavity (15).

3. The driver box assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first gear (24) has a sector-shaped structure; the connecting shaft (22) is disposed on the bottom end surface of the first gear (24), and the connecting shaft hole (11) is disposed on the base (14). The first gear (24) is rotatably disposed in the connecting shaft hole (11) through the connecting shaft (22). The base (14) has a first stop (141) and a second stop (142) formed on it. The two sides (242) of the first gear (24) can be circumferentially limited with the first stop (141) and the second stop (142) respectively to limit the rotation angle range of the first gear (24).

4. The drive box assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second gear (25) includes a disk (253) and a sector (254) radiating outward from the disk (253) in a radial direction. The first tooth (251) is disposed on the arc surface of the sector (254), and the second tooth (252) is disposed on the circular arc segment of the disk (253) other than the sector (254). The base (14) has a rotating hole (143), and the center of the wheel (253) has a protruding rotating shaft (255). The second gear (25) is rotatably disposed in the rotating hole (143) through the rotating shaft (255).

5. The drive box assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The guide groove (12) is disposed on the base (14); a guide post groove (16) is formed on the base (14), and the guide post groove (16) and the guide groove (12) are concentrically disposed; A first guide post (233) and a connecting part (21) are protruding from the bottom end face (232) of the rack (23); along the extension direction of the rack (23), the first guide post (233) and the connecting part (21) are respectively disposed at both ends of the rack (23); The first guide post (233) is movably disposed within the guide post groove (16).

6. The drive box assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, A second guide post (236) protrudes from the top surface (234) of the rack (23). The cover plate (13) has an arc-shaped guide rail (131) adapted to the second guide post (236), and the guide rail (131) is concentrically arranged with the guide groove (12).

7. The drive box assembly according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that, The cover plate (13) has a mounting portion (132) formed on it. The drive mechanism (30) is fixed to the mounting part (132), and the drive mechanism (30) is connected to the second gear (25) in a transmission connection; When the drive mechanism (30) drives the second gear (25) to rotate clockwise, the first gear (24) drives the connecting shaft (22) to rotate counterclockwise, and the rack (23) drives the connecting part (21) to rotate counterclockwise around the center of the guide groove (12); When the drive mechanism (30) drives the second gear (25) to rotate counterclockwise, the first gear (24) drives the connecting shaft (22) to rotate clockwise, and the rack (23) drives the connecting part (21) to rotate clockwise around the center of the guide groove (12).

8. The drive box assembly according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that, The transmission mechanism (20) includes a third gear (26), and the drive mechanism (30) is disposed on the cover plate (13) and is connected to the third gear (26) in a transmission manner; The rack (23) has a fourth tooth (231) on the side near the second gear (25), and the fourth tooth (231) meshes with the second gear (25); The rack (23) has a fifth tooth (235) on the side opposite to the second gear (25), and the fifth tooth (235) meshes with the third gear (26).

9. An air conditioner, characterized in that, The air conditioner includes: Air duct (700); And an opening and closing unit (500) disposed on the air duct (700), the opening and closing unit (500) including a volute tongue (800), a baffle plate (900) and a drive box assembly (600) as described in any one of claims 1 to 8. The volute tongue (800) includes a body (840), a volute tongue connector (810) disposed in the middle of the body (840), and a volute tongue pivot (830) disposed at the end of the body (840). The volute tongue (800) is rotatably disposed on the air duct (700) via the volute tongue pivot (830). The wind deflector (900) includes a wind deflector shaft (910), and the wind deflector (900) is rotatably mounted on the air duct (700) via the wind deflector shaft (910); The connecting shaft (22) is connected to the wind deflector (900), the connecting part (21) is connected to the volute tongue connector (810), and the volute tongue rotating shaft (830) is located at the center of the guide groove (12); The drive mechanism (30) can drive the volute tongue (800) to separate from the wind deflector (900) through the transmission mechanism (20), so that the opening and closing unit (500) is in the open state; the drive mechanism (30) can drive the volute tongue (800) to close towards the wind deflector (900) through the transmission mechanism (20), so that the opening and closing unit (500) is in the closed state.

10. The air conditioner according to claim 9, characterized in that, The air duct (700) includes an upper air inlet (710) on the upper side and a lower air inlet (720) on the lower side; the air conditioner includes two sets of the opening and closing units (500). The two sets of opening and closing units (500) are respectively installed on the upwind port (710) and the downwind port (720).

11. A control method applied to the air conditioner as described in claim 10, characterized in that, include: Confirm that the air conditioner is turned on; The opening and closing unit (500) corresponding to the upwind vent (710) is controlled to be in the closed state, and the opening and closing unit (500) corresponding to the downwind vent (720) is controlled to be in the closed state. Confirm receipt of the first mode instruction; Control the opening and closing unit (500) corresponding to the upwind vent (710) to be in the open state; control the opening and closing unit (500) corresponding to the downwind vent (720) to be in the closed state; Confirm receipt of the second mode instruction; Control the opening and closing unit (500) corresponding to the upwind vent (710) to be in the open state; control the opening and closing unit (500) corresponding to the downwind vent (720) to be in the open state; Determine whether the temperature has reached the first preset value; if so, control the opening and closing unit (500) corresponding to the upper air vent (710) to be in the open state; control the opening and closing unit (500) corresponding to the lower air vent (720) to be in the closed state. Confirm receipt of the third mode instruction; Control the opening and closing unit (500) corresponding to the upwind vent (710) to be in the closed state; control the opening and closing unit (500) corresponding to the downwind vent (720) to be in the open state; Confirm receipt of the fourth mode instruction; Control the opening and closing unit (500) corresponding to the upwind vent (710) to be in the open state; control the opening and closing unit (500) corresponding to the downwind vent (720) to be in the open state; If it is determined whether the temperature has reached the second preset value, the opening and closing unit (500) corresponding to the upper air vent (710) is controlled to be closed; the opening and closing unit (500) corresponding to the lower air vent (720) is controlled to be open.

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