Air guide door driving mechanism and air conditioner

Abstract

The present application provides an air guide door drive mechanism and an air conditioner, and relates to the field of air conditioning technology. In the air guide door drive mechanism of the present application, a groove is provided on the drive shaft. When the drive shaft is manufactured by injection molding, a large part of the cooling shrinkage will be absorbed at the groove, the overall diameter of the drive shaft will be less affected, and the surface will be relatively flat and smooth, and it will not easily have potholes due to cooling shrinkage. Therefore, the size control of the drive shaft is more precise, and the coordination between the drive component and the air guide door is more precise. It is not easy to have the problem of poor transmission stability due to excessive clearance, nor is it easy to produce abnormal noise. In addition, since the drive shaft of the embodiment of the present application can control the shrinkage of the overall diameter to a small extent during the manufacturing process, a large diameter can be achieved, so that the drive shaft has better strength, which better guarantees the stability of the transmission.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of air conditioning, and in particular to an air guide door driving mechanism and an air conditioner. Background Art

[0002] Air conditioner air guide doors are usually driven by a driver. However, due to design reasons, when the end of the air guide door shaft is far away from the driver, a transmission element is required in the middle. However, the existing transmission method is difficult to meet the requirements of the air guide door transmission stability. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The problem to be solved by the present application is the poor transmission stability between the air guide door and the driving member of the air conditioner.

[0004] To solve the above problems, on the first aspect, the present application provides an air guide door driving mechanism, comprising a driving member and an injection-molded transmission shaft, the driving member having an output end, a first mating hole being provided on the end face of the output end, the transmission shaft comprising a first end and a second end, the cross-sectional profiles of the first end, the second end and the first mating hole of the transmission shaft are all non-circular, the first end of the transmission shaft is mated with the first mating hole, the second end of the transmission shaft is used to cooperate with the air guide door, and a groove is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the transmission shaft.

[0005] In this embodiment, an injection-molded drive shaft is used to achieve transmission between the driver and the air guide door, and a groove is provided on the drive shaft. When the drive shaft is manufactured by injection molding, there will be a certain amount of cooling shrinkage. However, due to the design of the grooves on the drive shaft, a large part of the cooling shrinkage will be absorbed by the grooves, that is, the grooves become deeper or wider, but the overall diameter of the drive shaft is less affected, and the surface will be relatively flat and smooth, and it is not easy to have potholes due to cooling shrinkage. Therefore, because the drive shaft of the embodiment of the present application has grooves, the cooling shrinkage during the injection molding process has a smaller impact on the overall diameter of the drive shaft after molding. Therefore, the coordination between the drive shaft and the driver, as well as the coordination with the air guide door, is more precise, and it is less likely to have problems such as poor transmission stability caused by excessive clearance, and it is also less likely to produce abnormal noise. In addition, because the drive shaft of the embodiment of the present application can control the overall diameter shrinkage to a small extent during the manufacturing process, a large diameter can be achieved, thereby making the drive shaft have better strength and better ensuring the stability of the transmission.

[0006] In an optional embodiment, the transmission shaft has a first mating section and a second mating section, respectively, at either end. The first end of the transmission shaft is formed in the first mating section, and the second end of the transmission shaft is formed in the second mating section. The first mating section and / or the second mating section are shaped as a hexagonal prism. In this embodiment, the hexagonal prism shape of the first mating section and / or the second mating section of the transmission shaft enables the ends of the transmission shaft to rotate synchronously with the connecting component after being inserted into the corresponding mating holes.

[0007] In an optional embodiment, a groove is provided on at least one side of the hexagonal prism. Because the hexagonal end of the drive shaft is used to plug and mate with the driver or air guide door, the overall diameter of this portion must be precisely controlled to avoid excessive clearance. Therefore, placing a groove on the side of the hexagonal prism can better absorb shrinkage during cooling, preventing the first and / or second mating segments from shrinking significantly during the injection molding process, resulting in poor mating accuracy.

[0008] In an optional embodiment, the drive shaft further comprises a connecting section located between the first and second mating sections. The connecting section is cylindrical and configured to rotatably engage with the sleeve. In this embodiment, to enhance the stability of the drive shaft, the drive shaft and sleeve can be rotatably engaged, utilizing the sleeve to limit radial vibration of the drive shaft. Because the sleeve does not rotate while the drive shaft does, the drive shaft is cylindrical in the connecting section.

[0009] In an optional embodiment, a groove is provided on the connecting section. In this embodiment, in order to ensure that the sleeve and the connecting section fit as closely as possible and to ensure a good positioning effect, a groove is provided on the connecting section to absorb the shrinkage of the connecting section during cooling and forming, thereby ensuring an accurate diameter at the connecting section and a precise fit between the connecting section and the sleeve without any large gaps.

[0010] In an optional embodiment, the connecting segment has a rotational engagement region for rotationally engaging with the sleeve. The connecting segment is provided with multiple axially spaced grooves, with the spacing between axially adjacent grooves corresponding to the rotational engagement region. In this embodiment, since the sleeve and connecting segment rotate relative to each other, to facilitate smoother rotation, the grooves are offset from the rotational engagement region to prevent the inner side of the sleeve from abutting against the opening of the grooves.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, the connecting section is provided with two rotational engagement zones. In this embodiment, in order to improve the overall stability of the transmission shaft, two bushings are used to limit the radial displacement of the transmission shaft, and thus the connecting section has two rotational engagement zones.

[0012] In an alternative embodiment, a limit portion is protruding from the outer circumference of the transmission shaft, and the air guide door drive mechanism further includes a spring, which is sleeved around the transmission shaft, with its ends abutting the limit portion and the drive member, respectively. In this embodiment, the limit portion can provide a certain axial limit for the transmission shaft, and the spring can provide a certain degree of cushioning during axial movement of the transmission shaft.

[0013] In an optional embodiment, the limiting portion is an annular plate extending circumferentially around the transmission shaft.

[0014] In a second aspect, the present application provides an air conditioner comprising an air guide door and an air guide door drive mechanism according to any of the aforementioned embodiments. The air guide door is provided with a second mating hole that mates with the second end of a transmission shaft. In this embodiment, the transmission shaft can have a large diameter. Due to the groove design, the transmission shaft is less susceptible to diameter inaccuracies or surface unevenness due to cooling shrinkage, thereby ensuring stable mating between the transmission shaft and the driver, thereby achieving stable transmission. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner in one embodiment of the present application;

[0016] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of the middle part II;

[0017] Figure 3 This is an exploded schematic diagram of a driving member, a transmission shaft, and a middle frame in one embodiment of the present application;

[0018] Figure 4 This is an exploded schematic diagram of a transmission shaft, a shaft sleeve, and a shaft sleeve fixing seat in one embodiment of the present application;

[0019] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a transmission shaft in an embodiment of the present application.

[0020] Explanation of the reference numerals: 010 - air conditioner; 100 - middle frame; 110 - air guide door; 120 - bushing fixing seat; 122 - bushing; 200 - air guide door driving mechanism; 210 - driving member; 212 - first matching hole; 220 - transmission shaft; 221 - first matching section; 222 - second matching section; 223 - connecting section; 224 - groove; 225 - rotation matching interval; 226 - limiting portion; 230 - spring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The air guide door of an existing air conditioner is typically driven by a driver to open or close the air outlet. However, due to design considerations, a transmission element is required when the end of the air guide door's rotating shaft is far from the driver. However, existing transmission methods struggle to ensure stable transmission of the air guide door. To achieve stable transmission when the driver and air guide door are far apart, the transmission element must possess high strength to prevent deformation. Since transmission elements are often injection-molded, they require large dimensions to ensure overall strength. For example, when the transmission element is a shaft, a large diameter is required to ensure strength and stability. Of course, transmission stability depends not only on strength but also on the precision of the fit. If the fit is too large, the connection between the drive shaft, the driver, and the air guide door will become significantly loose, resulting in poor transmission performance and even the generation of unusual noises. However, currently, when a larger diameter drive shaft is manufactured to ensure strength, the diameter is easily reduced due to shrinkage during the injection molding process due to cooling. This shrinkage can also cause uneven surfaces. Whether it is diameter shrinkage or surface unevenness, it will affect the matching accuracy between the transmission shaft and the driving parts or the air guide door, and the stability of the transmission is still difficult to guarantee.

[0022] To better ensure transmission stability between the air guide door and the driver, an embodiment of the present application provides an air guide door drive mechanism. By providing a groove on the drive shaft, this reduces the overall diameter shrinkage during molding, thereby enabling the drive shaft to better cooperate with the driver and air guide door, thereby improving transmission stability. An embodiment of the present application also provides an air conditioner incorporating the aforementioned air guide door drive mechanism.

[0023] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner 010 in one embodiment of the present application. In this embodiment, a wall-mounted air conditioner is used as an example for introduction. Of course, in other optional embodiments, the air conditioner 010 can also be a cabinet air conditioner, an indoor unit of a multi-connected air conditioner, etc. Figure 1 As shown, the air conditioner 010 provided in the embodiment of the present application includes a middle frame 100, an air guide door 110, and an air guide door driving mechanism 200. The air guide door 110 and the air guide door driving mechanism 200 are both disposed on the middle frame 100. The air guide door 110 can rotate relative to the middle frame 100. The air guide door driving mechanism 200 is in transmission connection with the air guide door 110 to drive the air guide door 110 to rotate. In this embodiment, the air guide door 110 opens or closes the air outlet on the middle frame 100 by swinging up and down.

[0025] It should be understood that the air conditioner 010 should also include other components that realize the basic functions of air conditioning, such as air outlet components, heat exchange components, etc., which are not introduced here one by one.

[0026] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of the middle part II; Figure 3 This is an exploded schematic diagram of the driving member 210, the transmission shaft 220, and the middle frame 100 in one embodiment of the present application; Figure 4 FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the transmission shaft 220, the shaft sleeve 122 and the shaft sleeve fixing seat 120 in one embodiment of the present application. Figures 2 to 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the air guide door drive mechanism 200 includes a drive member 210 and a transmission shaft 220, wherein the transmission shaft 220 is an injection molded part. The drive member 210 has an output end, and a first mating hole 212 is defined on the end surface of the output end. The air guide door 110 has a second mating hole defined on the transmission shaft 220. The transmission shaft 220 includes a first end and a second end. The cross-sectional profiles of the first and second ends of the transmission shaft 220 and the first and second mating holes 212 and 212 are all non-circular. The first end of the transmission shaft 220 mates with the first mating hole 212, and the second end of the transmission shaft 220 mates with the second mating hole on the air guide door 110, thereby achieving synchronous rotation of the output end of the drive member 210, the transmission shaft 220, and the air guide door 110.

[0027] In this embodiment, to ensure radial stability of the transmission shaft 220, a sleeve retainer 120 is further provided on the middle frame 100. The transmission shaft 220 passes through the sleeve retainer 120. A sleeve 122 is provided between the sleeve retainer 120 and the transmission shaft 220. The sleeve 122 is fixed to the sleeve retainer 120, while the transmission shaft 220 can rotate relative to the sleeve 122. The sleeve 122 has a smooth inner surface. In this embodiment, two sleeves 122 are provided on the sleeve retainer 120. The two sleeves 122 are spaced apart along the axial direction of the transmission shaft 220 to limit radial displacement of the transmission shaft 220 from two positions. Of course, in other optional embodiments, one, three, or more sleeves 122 may be provided, or neither the sleeve 122 nor the sleeve retainer 120 may be provided.

[0028] Figure 5 FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a transmission shaft 220 in one embodiment of the present application. Figure 5As shown, in this embodiment, the transmission shaft 220 has a first mating section 221 and a second mating section 222, respectively, located at either end. The first end of the transmission shaft 220 is formed in the first mating section 221, and the second end of the transmission shaft 220 is formed in the second mating section 222. The first mating section 221 and the second mating section 222 are shaped as hexagonal prisms. In this embodiment, the hexagonal prism shape of the first and second mating sections 221, 222 of the transmission shaft 220 enables the first and second ends of the transmission shaft 220 to rotate synchronously with the connecting component after being inserted into the corresponding first and second mating holes 212 and 212. Furthermore, the first and second mating sections 221, 222 are regular hexagonal prisms. Of course, in alternative embodiments, the first and second mating sections 221, 222 may not be hexagonal prisms, but may have other non-circular cross-sectional shapes, such as elliptical or square cross-sectional shapes. Accordingly, the shapes of the first and second mating holes 212 and 212 should be compatible with the cross-sectional shapes of the first and second mating sections 221 and 222.

[0029] In the embodiment of the present application, the transmission shaft 220 further includes a connecting section 223 located between the first mating section 221 and the second mating section 222. The connecting section 223 is configured to mate with the shaft sleeve 122. Since the connecting section 223 is to rotate relative to the shaft sleeve 122, the connecting section 223 is cylindrical in shape.

[0030] In this embodiment, a limiting portion 226 is protruding from the outer circumference of the transmission shaft 220. The air guide door drive mechanism 200 also includes a spring 230, which is sleeved on the transmission shaft 220. The ends of the spring 230 abut the limiting portion 226 and the drive member 210, respectively. In this embodiment, the limiting portion 226 can provide a certain axial limit for the transmission shaft 220, preventing the transmission shaft 220 from excessive axial movement. Furthermore, the spring 230 can provide a certain degree of cushioning when the transmission shaft 220 moves axially. Specifically, in this embodiment, the limiting portion 226 is a ring extending circumferentially around the transmission shaft 220. When assembled, the spring 230 is in a compressed state, pushing the limiting portion 226 to a position where it abuts the sleeve 122, thereby causing the transmission shaft 220 to tend to maintain this position in the axial direction. When the transmission shaft 220 vibrates in the axial direction, the spring 230 can play a role in buffering and shock absorption, thereby preventing the first end of the transmission shaft 220 from hitting the output end of the driving member 210 .

[0031] Specifically in this embodiment, the limiting portion 226 is provided at the connection between the first matching segment 221 and the connecting segment 223 .

[0032] In the embodiment of the present application, a groove 224 is provided on the outer circumference of the drive shaft 220. When the drive shaft 220 is manufactured by injection molding, some cooling shrinkage occurs. However, due to the design of the groove 224 on the drive shaft 220, a large portion of this shrinkage is absorbed by the groove 224, making the groove 224 deeper or wider. However, the overall diameter of the drive shaft 220 is minimally affected, and the surface is relatively flat and smooth, less prone to pitting caused by cooling shrinkage. Therefore, due to the groove 224 on the drive shaft 220 of the embodiment of the present application, the cooling shrinkage during the injection molding process has a minimal impact on the overall diameter of the drive shaft 220 after molding. This results in a more precise fit between the drive shaft 220 and the driver 210, as well as between the drive shaft 220 and the air guide door 110. This reduces the risk of excessive clearance leading to poor transmission stability and noise. Furthermore, because the drive shaft 220 of the embodiment of the present application can minimize overall diameter shrinkage during the manufacturing process, a larger diameter can be achieved, resulting in greater strength and better transmission stability.

[0033] In this embodiment, a groove 224 is provided on at least one side of each of the hexagonal prism-shaped first mating section 221 and the second mating section 222. Since the hexagonal prism-shaped end portion of the transmission shaft 220 is used for plugging and mating with the drive member 210 or the air guide door 110, the overall diameter of this portion needs to be precisely controlled to avoid excessive mating clearance. Therefore, providing the groove 224 on the side of the hexagonal prism can better absorb the shrinkage of this section during cooling, and avoid the problem of the first mating section 221 and the second mating section 222 shrinking significantly due to shrinkage during the injection molding process, resulting in poor mating accuracy. Specifically in this embodiment, grooves 224 are provided on two opposite side surfaces of the first mating section 221, and grooves 224 are provided on two opposite side surfaces of the second mating section 222; in other optional embodiments, a groove 224 can be provided on each side surface of the first mating section 221 and the second mating section 222.

[0034] In this embodiment, in order to ensure that the sleeve 122 and the connecting section 223 can fit as closely as possible and ensure a better limiting effect, a groove 224 is also provided on the connecting section 223 to absorb the shrinkage of the connecting section 223 during cooling and forming, thereby ensuring that the diameter of the connecting section 223 is accurate and that the connecting section 223 can precisely match the sleeve 122 without any large gap.

[0035] In this embodiment, the connecting section 223 does not mate with the sleeve 122 over its entire outer circumference. Instead, the connecting section 223 has a rotational engagement region 225 for rotational engagement with the sleeve 122 and a transition region that does not mate with the sleeve 122. The connecting section 223 is provided with a plurality of axially spaced grooves 224, each of which is provided in the transition region that does not mate with the sleeve 122. The space between two axially adjacent grooves 224 corresponds to the rotational engagement region 225. Because the rotational engagement region is intended to mate with and rotate relative to the sleeve 122, in this embodiment, the positions of the grooves 224 and the rotational engagement region 225 are staggered to facilitate smoother rotation. This prevents the inner side of the sleeve 122 from mate with the opening of the grooves 224, which would affect rotation.

[0036] In this embodiment, since the connecting section 223 cooperates with two spaced-apart shaft sleeves 122 , two rotational cooperation sections 225 spaced-apart in the axial direction are provided on the connecting section 223 .

[0037] It should be understood that in other optional embodiments, the sleeve fixing seat 120 and the sleeve 122 may not be provided. In this case, the groove 224 on the connecting section 223 may not have to be multiple sections, but rather a whole section along the axial direction; even, in the case where the sleeve fixing seat 120 and the sleeve 122 are not provided, the connecting section 223 may be consistent in shape with the first mating section 221 and the second mating section 222, that is, the entire transmission shaft 220 is prismatic.

[0038] In summary, in the air guide door drive mechanism 200 of the present embodiment, a groove 224 is provided on the drive shaft 220. When the drive shaft 220 is manufactured by injection molding, a significant portion of the cooling shrinkage is absorbed by the groove 224. However, the overall diameter of the drive shaft 220 is minimally affected, and the surface is relatively flat and smooth, less susceptible to pitting caused by cooling shrinkage. Therefore, due to the groove 224 on the drive shaft 220 of the present embodiment, the cooling shrinkage during the injection molding process has a minimal impact on the overall diameter of the drive shaft 220 after molding. This results in a more precise fit between the drive shaft 220 and the driver 210, as well as between the drive shaft 220 and the air guide door 110. This reduces the risk of excessive clearance leading to poor transmission stability and the generation of unusual noise. Furthermore, because the drive shaft 220 of the present embodiment can minimize overall diameter shrinkage during the manufacturing process, a larger diameter can be achieved, resulting in greater strength for the drive shaft 220 and thus ensuring better transmission stability.

[0039] Although the present application is disclosed as above, the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art may make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application shall be based on the scope defined by the claims.

Claims

1. An air guide door driving mechanism, characterized in that: The invention comprises a driving member (210) and an injection-molded transmission shaft (220), wherein the driving member (210) has an output end, and a first matching hole (212) is provided on an end surface of the output end. The transmission shaft (220) comprises a first end and a second end, and the cross-sectional profiles of the first end and the second end of the transmission shaft (220) and the first matching hole (212) are all non-circular. The first end of the transmission shaft (220) matches the first matching hole (212), and the second end of the transmission shaft (220) is used to match the air guide door (110). The outer peripheral surface of the transmission shaft (220) is provided with a groove (224); The transmission shaft (220) has a first mating section (221) and a second mating section (222) respectively located at two ends, the first end of the transmission shaft (220) is formed at the first mating section (221), the second end of the transmission shaft (220) is formed at the second mating section (222), and the first mating section (221) and / or the second mating section (222) are in the shape of a hexagonal prism; The groove (224) is provided on at least one side surface of the hexagonal prism; The transmission shaft (220) further comprises a connecting section (223) located between the first fitting section (221) and the second fitting section (222); the connecting section (223) is cylindrical and is used for rotationally fitting with the shaft sleeve (122).

2. The air guide door driving mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The groove (224) is provided on the connecting section (223).

3. The air guide door driving mechanism according to claim 2, wherein: The connecting section (223) has a rotational engagement region (225) for rotationally engaging with the shaft sleeve (122). The connecting section (223) is provided with a plurality of grooves (224) arranged at intervals along the axial direction, and the interval area between two adjacent grooves (224) in the axial direction corresponds to the rotational engagement region (225).

4. The air guide door driving mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: The connecting section (223) is provided with two rotational engagement zones (225).

5. The air guide door driving mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: A limiting portion (226) is also protrudingly provided on the outer peripheral side of the transmission shaft (220). The air guide door driving mechanism (200) further comprises a spring (230). The spring (230) is sleeved on the transmission shaft (220), and two ends of the spring (230) respectively abut against the limiting portion (226) and the driving member (210).

6. The air guide door driving mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that: The limiting portion (226) is a ring sheet extending circumferentially around the transmission shaft (220).

7. An air conditioner, characterized in that: The invention comprises an air guide door (110) and an air guide door driving mechanism (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the air guide door (110) is provided with a second matching hole, and the second matching hole matches with the second end of the transmission shaft (220).

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