Terminal block assembly, air conditioner outdoor unit and air conditioner

Abstract

This invention relates to a terminal block assembly, an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, and an air conditioner. The terminal block assembly includes: a terminal block body with a first terminal and a second terminal; a movable rod located between the first and second terminals, movable relative to the terminal block body between a first position and a second position; and a connecting member fixed to the movable rod and movable with the movable rod. When the movable rod moves to the first position, a first end of the connecting member contacts the first terminal, and a second end of the connecting member contacts the second terminal, thus making the first and second terminals conductive. When the movable rod moves to the second position, the first end of the connecting member disengages from the first terminal, thus making the first and second terminals disconnected. This invention ensures that even when the outdoor unit is disassembled without being properly powered off, all accessible internal wires and terminals remain de-energized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and more particularly to junction box assemblies, outdoor units of air conditioners, and air conditioners. Background Technology

[0002] With the improvement of people's living standards, the use of air conditioners has become increasingly widespread. Currently, common room air conditioners mainly fall into several categories: split-type units, window units, and portable units, with split-type units being the most common. A split-type unit consists of an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The compressor, the largest energy-consuming component of the air conditioner, is installed in the outdoor unit; therefore, high-capacity air conditioners often use the outdoor unit for power supply. Because the outdoor unit is installed outdoors, its working environment is variable and relatively harsh, leading to a higher probability of various malfunctions over long-term use. Therefore, optimizing and improving the electrical safety performance of the outdoor unit is essential to avoid electrical safety accidents during after-sales maintenance.

[0003] In related technologies, warning labels are simply affixed to the wiring locations to remind users and after-sales service personnel. This method does not fundamentally solve the problem. The warning labels may also be obscured by other parts, providing no actual protection. If users or after-sales personnel forget to disconnect the power or if the corresponding switch or circuit breaker malfunctions and fails to disconnect the power properly, after removing the handle and top cover of the outdoor unit, most of the wires and terminals will be exposed in a position that after-sales personnel can easily access, posing a significant safety hazard. Furthermore, these warning labels are mostly affixed next to the terminal block, which has many parts and a complex structure, making it difficult to automate the affixing process during production. It requires manual affixing, resulting in low efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a wiring board assembly, an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, and an air conditioner.

[0005] This invention provides a terminal block assembly, comprising: a terminal block body having a first terminal and a second terminal; a movable rod located between the first terminal and the second terminal, capable of reciprocating between a first position and a second position relative to the terminal block body; and a connector fixed to the movable rod and capable of moving with the movable rod; wherein when the movable rod moves to the first position, a first end of the connector contacts the first terminal and a second end of the connector contacts the second terminal, so that the first terminal and the second terminal are in a conductive state; when the movable rod moves to the second position, the first end of the connector disengages from the first terminal, so that the first terminal and the second terminal are in a disconnected state.

[0006] In some embodiments, the second end of the connector remains in contact with the second terminal as the movable rod reciprocates between the first position and the second position.

[0007] In some embodiments, the terminal block body is provided with a sliding groove located between the first terminal and the second terminal, and the moving rod is located within the sliding groove, and the moving rod is capable of reciprocating between the first position and the second position relative to the terminal block body.

[0008] In some embodiments, a first end of the connector is provided with a first slot, and a second end of the connector is provided with a second slot. The connecting end of the second terminal is embedded in the second slot. During the reciprocating movement of the moving rod between the first position and the second position, the connecting end of the second terminal is located in the second slot and remains in contact with the second slot. When the moving rod moves to the first position, the connecting end of the first terminal is embedded in the first slot and in contact with the first slot. When the moving rod moves to the second position, the connecting end of the first terminal disengages from the first slot.

[0009] The present invention also provides an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, comprising: a terminal block assembly as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0010] In some embodiments, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner includes: a housing, a side panel of which is provided with a wiring port, and a wiring board assembly disposed within the housing and exposed at the wiring port; a wiring board cover, detachably installed at the wiring port for opening or closing the wiring port, the wiring board cover including a cover body, a lever and a limiting component, the lever extending toward the wiring board assembly, the lever being provided with a slot, and when the wiring board cover is installed at the wiring port, the moving lever can be embedded in the slot, and by moving the wiring board cover, the moving lever is moved to the first position or the second position.

[0011] In some embodiments, the housing is further provided with a limiting groove, and the terminal block cover is provided with a hook, which is used to cooperate with the limiting groove to limit the movement of the terminal block cover.

[0012] In some embodiments, the slot has a bevel, which contacts the movable rod when the terminal block cover is installed at the terminal block.

[0013] In some embodiments, the angle between the inclined plane and the horizontal plane is between 20° and 45°.

[0014] The present invention also provides an air conditioner, comprising: an indoor unit and an outdoor unit as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, the present invention has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art:

[0016] This invention uses a movable rod to drive the connector to control the conduction of the first and second terminals, ensuring that the internal wires and terminals accessible to the outdoor unit are in a de-energized state even after the unit is disassembled when the outdoor unit is not properly powered off.

[0017] 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

[0018] 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:

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a terminal block assembly structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a top view of a junction box assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of a terminal block assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the conductive state of a terminal block assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the disconnected state of a terminal block assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 7 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of an outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a terminal block cover structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] 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

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the present invention provides a junction box assembly 100 that can be applied to an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, including: a junction box body 10, a moving rod 50, and a connector 40.

[0031] The junction box body 10 is provided with a first terminal 20 and a second terminal 30. The first terminal 20 can be connected to the electrical box of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner. The second terminal 30 can be connected to an external power cord.

[0032] The movable rod 50 is located between the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30, and can reciprocate between a first position and a second position relative to the terminal block body 10. The connecting member 40 is fixed to the movable rod 50 and can move with the movable rod. When the movable rod 50 moves to the first position, the first end of the connecting member 40 contacts the first terminal 20, and the second end of the connecting member 40 contacts the second terminal 30, so that the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 are in a conductive state. Figure 4 As shown), when the moving rod 50 moves to the second position, the first end of the connector 40 disengages from the first terminal 20, thereby disconnecting the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30. Figure 5 (As shown).

[0033] For example, the terminal block body 10 includes a terminal block 11 and a terminal cover 12, the terminal cover 12 being detachably fixed to the terminal block 11 by fasteners. The number of first terminals 20 can be three, and correspondingly, the number of second terminals 20 can also be three. The first terminals 20 are disposed in a groove at one end of the terminal block body 10, and the second terminals 30 are disposed in a groove at the other end of the terminal block body 10. A movable rod 50 is located between the first terminals 20 and the second terminals 30, and can move relative to the terminal block body 10 under external force, such as linear movement or rotation.

[0034] The above example illustrates a double-layer three-position terminal block. In some embodiments, other different specifications of terminal blocks, such as single-layer, double-position, and four-position, are also applicable.

[0035] In one example, when the moving rod 50 moves linearly to the first position, the first end of the connector 40 contacts the first terminal 20, and the second end of the connector 40 contacts the second terminal 30, so that the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 are in a conductive state. Figure 4 As shown), when the moving rod 50 moves linearly to the second position, the first end of the connector 40 disengages from the first terminal 20, thereby disconnecting the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30. Figure 5 (As shown).

[0036] In another example, the movable rod 50 can be rotated between a first position and a second position. When the movable rod 50 is rotated to the first position, the first end of the connector 40 contacts the first terminal 20, and the second end of the connector 40 contacts the second terminal 30, so that the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 are in a conductive state. Figure 4 As shown), when the moving rod 50 rotates to the second position, the first end of the connector 40 disengages from the first terminal 20, thereby disconnecting the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30. Figure 5 (As shown).

[0037] In some embodiments, during the reciprocating movement of the moving rod 50 between the first position and the second position, the second end of the connector 40 remains in contact with the second terminal 30.

[0038] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, when the moving rod 50 moves linearly to the first position, the first end of the connecting member 40 contacts the first terminal 20, and the second end of the connecting member 40 contacts the second terminal 30, so that the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 are in a conductive state. When the moving rod 50 moves linearly to the second position, the first end of the connecting member 40 disengages from the first terminal 20, while the second end of the connecting member 40 remains in contact with the second terminal 30, so that the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 are in a disconnected state.

[0039] In some embodiments, the terminal block body 10 is provided with a slide groove 13, which is located between the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30. The moving rod 50 is located in the slide groove 13 and can slide back and forth along the slide groove 13 relative to the terminal block body 10 between a first position and a second position.

[0040] In some embodiments, the first end of the connector 40 is provided with a first slot 41, and the second end of the connector 40 is provided with a second slot 42. The connecting end of the second terminal 30 is embedded in the second slot 42. During the reciprocating movement of the moving rod 50 between the first position and the second position, the connecting end of the second terminal 30 is located in the second slot 42 and remains in contact with the second slot. When the moving rod 50 moves to the first position, the connecting end of the first terminal 20 is embedded in the first slot 41 and in contact with the first slot 41. When the moving rod 50 moves to the second position, the connecting end of the first terminal 20 disengages from the first slot 42.

[0041] like Figures 6-8 As shown, the present invention also provides an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, including: a wiring board assembly 100 as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0042] The outdoor unit of the air conditioner includes: outer casing 60 and terminal block cover 70.

[0043] The side panel of the housing 60 is provided with a wiring port, and the terminal block assembly 100 is disposed inside the housing 60 and exposed at the wiring port. The first terminal 20 of the terminal block assembly 100 is used for electrical connection to the electrical box. The second terminal 30 of the terminal block assembly 100 is used for connection to an external power source, such as a power module in the air conditioning unit.

[0044] The terminal block cover 70 is detachably installed at the terminal port for opening or closing the terminal port. The terminal block cover 70 includes a cover body 71, a lever 72, and a limiting component 73. The lever 72 extends toward the terminal block assembly 100 and is provided with a slot 721. When the terminal block cover 70 is installed at the terminal port, the moving rod 50 can be inserted into the slot 721. Moving the terminal block cover 70 drives the moving rod 50 to move to a first position or a second position.

[0045] Specifically, the electrical box is installed inside the outer casing 60, on one side of the outdoor unit, for example, at the top of the compressor side. The terminal block assembly can be installed on the terminal bracket extending from the electrical box, on the inner edge of the right side panel of the outdoor unit, facing outwards from the casing. The terminal block cover 70, in conjunction with the terminal block assembly 100, controls the circuit's on / off state. When the terminal block cover 70 is mounted on the side panel, the lever 72 on the terminal block cover 70 pushes the moving rod 50 to the first position, where the first end of the connector 40 contacts the first terminal 20, and the second end of the connector 40 contacts the second terminal 30, thus making the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 conductive, thereby controlling the outdoor unit's circuit to be powered on. This also protects the internal electrical box, terminal block assembly, and other components, and prevents rainwater and other foreign objects from entering the casing. The terminal block cover 70 is also called a handle. When installed in place, the terminal block assembly is in a conductive state, the outdoor unit's circuit is connected, and the entire unit can operate normally.

[0046] After the terminal block cover 70 is removed, the moving rod 50 is moved to the second position by pushing the lever 72 on the terminal block cover 70. The first end of the connector 40 is disengaged from the first terminal 20, and the second end of the connector 40 remains in contact with the second terminal 30, so that the first terminal 20 and the second terminal 30 are disconnected and the outdoor unit is powered off.

[0047] Furthermore, the outer casing 60 is also provided with a limiting groove 61, and the terminal block cover 70 is provided with a hook 73, which is used to cooperate with the limiting groove 61 to limit the movement of the terminal block cover 70.

[0048] The slot 721 of the terminal block cover 70 has a bevel 722, which contacts the moving rod 50 when the terminal block cover 70 is installed at the terminal port. For example, the angle between the bevel and the horizontal plane is between 20° and 45°.

[0049] Specifically, the lever 72 has a slot 721. During normal installation, the upper and lower sides of the slot 721 have a small gap from the terminal block assembly moving rod 50. This gap can be, for example, 0.3mm to 0.5mm, ensuring proper assembly without excessive play. The depth of the slot 721 is greater than the horizontal projection length of the line connecting the terminal block assembly moving rod 50 in the on-state (first position) and off-state (second position). The upper side of the slot 721 also has a guide slope 722 with an angle of α (the acute angle between the slope and the horizontal plane). The height of the guide slope 722 is greater than the vertical projection length of the line connecting the terminal block assembly moving rod 50 in the on-state and off-state, for example, angle α is between 20° and 45°. Within this range, the angle is not too small, preventing the lever from becoming too long, thus facilitating installation and improving assembly reliability.

[0050] The side plate of the outer casing 60 is provided with a limiting groove 61. The shape of the limiting groove 61 is similar to the side projection shape of the hook of the terminal block cover 70. Its width is slightly larger than the width of the hook 73, for example, it can be 0.3mm to 0.5mm. The length of the limiting groove is slightly longer than the length of the hook 73, for example, it can be 0.5mm to 0.7mm longer than the hook 72.

[0051] During normal installation of the outdoor unit, the slot 721 of the terminal block cover 70 engages with the moving rod 50 on the terminal block assembly. If the insulating rod is in contact with the slot, the moving rod 50 will move along with the terminal block cover 70 when it moves up and down. The hook 73 on the terminal block cover 70 engages with the limiting groove 61 on the side plate. This engagement restricts the way the terminal block cover 70 is installed and removed. During installation, align the hook 73 with the limiting groove 61, move the terminal block cover 70 upwards to engage the hook with the right side plate, and then tighten the screws to complete the handle installation. During disassembly, first remove the fixing screws, then move the terminal block cover 70 downwards to disengage the hook from the side plate, and then remove the terminal block cover 70 to complete the handle removal.

[0052] When installing the terminal block cover 70, if the moving rod 50 of the terminal block assembly is in the disconnected position, the hook 72 of the terminal block cover 70 aligns with the right side plate limiting groove 61, and the moving rod 50 also aligns with the slot 721 on the lever 72. If the moving rod 50 of the terminal block assembly is in the connected position, when the hook 73 is aligned with the right side plate limiting groove, the moving rod 50 contacts the guide slope 722 on the upper side of the slot of the handle lever 72. During installation, the moving rod 50 will move to the slot (the disconnected position of the terminal block assembly) under the influence of the slope force. When the terminal block cover 70 is moved upward, the moving rod 50 of the terminal block assembly will also move upward under the influence of the slot 721 of the lever of the terminal block cover 70. When the handle is installed in place, the moving rod 50 is in the connected position, and the outdoor unit is powered on. When the handle is removed, the handle is moved downwards. Due to the force of the groove in the handle lever 72, the moving rod 50 of the terminal block assembly will also move downwards. When the terminal block cover 70 moves to the point where the hook is blocked by the limiting groove on the right side plate, the moving rod 50 is in the disconnected position, and the outdoor unit is powered off.

[0053] When repairing the outdoor unit after the service, it is necessary to remove the terminal block cover 70. This invention ensures that the outdoor unit is in a non-powered state after removing the terminal block cover 70. At the same time, considering the convenience of maintenance verification, after-sales personnel often need to power on the unit for verification during maintenance. At this time, there is no need to install the terminal block cover 70. Simply move the movable lever 50 on the terminal block assembly to control the on / off of the outdoor unit circuit.

[0054] The present invention also provides an air conditioner, comprising: an indoor unit and an outdoor unit as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0055] 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.

[0056] 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.

[0057] 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.

[0058] 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.

[0059] 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 outdoor unit of an air conditioner, characterized by comprising: include: The housing has a side panel with a wiring port, and a wiring board assembly is disposed inside the housing and exposed at the wiring port. A terminal block cover is detachably installed at the terminal port for opening or closing the terminal port. The terminal block cover includes a cover body, a lever, and a hook. The lever extends toward the terminal block assembly and has a slot. The junction box assembly includes: The junction box body is provided with a first terminal block and a second terminal block; The movable rod is located between the first terminal and the second terminal and is capable of moving relative to the terminal block body between a first position and a second position. A connector, fixed to the movable rod, is capable of moving with the movable rod; When the movable rod moves to the first position, the first end of the connector contacts the first terminal block, and the second end of the connector contacts the second terminal block, so that the first terminal block and the second terminal block are in a conductive state. When the moving rod moves to the second position, the first end of the connector disengages from the first terminal, so that the first terminal and the second terminal are disconnected. When the terminal block cover is installed at the terminal port, the moving rod can be inserted into the slot. By moving the terminal block cover, the moving rod is moved to the first position or the second position. When the terminal block cover is removed from the terminal port, the lever pushes the moving rod from the first position to the second position.

2. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the movement of the moving rod between the first position and the second position, the second end of the connector remains in contact with the second terminal.

3. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that, The terminal block body is provided with a sliding groove, which is located between the first terminal block and the second terminal block. The moving rod is located in the sliding groove and can slide relative to the terminal block body between the first position and the second position.

4. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The first end of the connector is provided with a first slot, and the second end of the connector is provided with a second slot. The connecting end of the second terminal is embedded in the second slot. During the movement of the moving rod between the first position and the second position, the connecting end of the second terminal is located in the second slot and remains in contact with the second slot. When the moving rod moves to the first position, the connecting end of the first terminal is inserted into the first slot and contacts the first slot. When the moving rod moves to the second position, the connection end of the first terminal disengages from the first slot.

5. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer casing is also provided with a limiting groove, and the hook is used to cooperate with the limiting groove to limit the movement of the terminal block cover.

6. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that, The slot has a bevel, and when the terminal block cover is installed at the terminal block, the bevel contacts the moving rod.

7. The outdoor unit of claim 6, wherein The angle between the inclined plane and the horizontal plane is between 20° and 45°.

8. An air conditioner, characterized in that, include: Indoor unit, The outdoor unit of the air conditioner according to any one of claims 1-7.

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