A tuyere assembly, an indoor unit, an air conditioner and a control method

Abstract

The application provides an air inlet assembly, an indoor unit, an air conditioner and a control method, relates to the technical field of air conditioners, and solves the technical problems of complex air inlet structure and high cost. The air inlet assembly comprises a filter screen, a dustproof baffle which is movably installed at an air inlet and can open or close the air inlet, and a cleaning brush which is movably installed in the dustproof baffle and can extend or retract relative to the dustproof baffle; when the dustproof baffle is in an open state, the cleaning brush extends to automatically remove dust from the filter screen; the control method comprises the following steps: presetting a cleanliness threshold parameter; acquiring a cleanliness parameter of the filter screen in the air inlet assembly; comparing the acquired filter screen cleanliness parameter with the preset cleanliness threshold parameter; and based on the comparison result, performing a subsequent processing step. The dustproof baffle is used to realize full closure of the air inlet, thereby playing a dustproof role, and the direction of movement of the dustproof baffle is changed to drive the cleaning brush to automatically remove dust from the surface of the filter screen in two ways.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and in particular to an air outlet assembly, an indoor unit, an air conditioner, and a control method. Background Technology

[0002] To prevent dust from falling into the evaporator, filters are installed at the air inlet of wall-mounted air conditioners. Traditional air conditioner filters not only require frequent cleaning and maintenance, but also gradually become clogged before cleaning, leading to reduced airflow, decreased overall performance, and increased power consumption. Some air conditioners with automatic filter cleaning functions leave the filter exposed to the air when not in use, thus not completely preventing dust accumulation. To address the issue of exposed filters, some existing technologies include air conditioners with openable / closable baffles. However, the opening and closing mechanisms of these baffles and the filter cleaning mechanisms are complex, and the overall dust removal mechanism occupies a large space, which is detrimental to structural design, installation, and cost control. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide an air outlet assembly, an indoor unit, an air conditioner, and a control method to solve the technical problems of complex air outlet structure and high cost in the prior art.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an air vent assembly, comprising:

[0006] A filter screen is installed inside the air inlet to filter the incoming airflow;

[0007] The dust baffle is movably installed at the air inlet and can swing relative to the air inlet to open or close the air inlet;

[0008] A cleaning brush is movably installed inside the dustproof baffle and can extend or retract relative to the dustproof baffle; when the dustproof baffle is in the open state, the cleaning brush extends to automatically remove dust from the filter screen.

[0009] Furthermore, the cleaning brush is retractably mounted inside the dustproof baffle via a second drive mechanism.

[0010] Furthermore, the dustproof baffle is rotatably installed at the air inlet via a first drive mechanism.

[0011] Furthermore, the first drive mechanism includes a motor.

[0012] Furthermore, the dustproof baffle is a split structure, consisting of several baffle plates arranged side by side, and there is one motor that is connected to all the baffle plates to drive all the baffle plates to swing synchronously; or, there are several motors, with each baffle plate connected to one motor, and all the motors are synchronous motors.

[0013] Furthermore, there are several cleaning brushes, which are retractably installed in each of the baffle plates via a second drive mechanism.

[0014] Furthermore, the second drive mechanism includes a control module, an upper partition, a telescopic spring, and a lower partition, wherein:

[0015] The baffle plate has an internal cavity;

[0016] The upper partition and the lower partition are arranged at intervals within the receiving cavity to divide the receiving cavity into an upper cavity, a middle cavity, and a lower cavity;

[0017] The control module is arranged in the upper cavity and connected to the upper partition. When the control module is activated, it can control the upper partition to exert a pushing force on the lower partition, so that the upper partition and the lower partition move away from each other.

[0018] The telescopic spring is arranged inside the central cavity, with one end abutting against the surface of the upper partition and the other end abutting against the surface of the lower partition; when the control module is activated, the telescopic spring is in a stretched state.

[0019] The cleaning brush is located in the lower cavity and connected to the lower partition, and can move under the action of the lower partition.

[0020] Furthermore, the control module is a power-operated module, the upper partition is made of a metal material that generates magnetism when energized, and the lower partition is made of a magnetic material; when the control module supplies power to the upper partition, the magnetic direction generated on the upper partition is the same as the magnetic direction of the lower partition.

[0021] The air vent assembly provided by this invention combines a filter screen with a dustproof baffle to achieve full closure of the air inlet when the air conditioner is not in use, preventing dust from entering through the air inlet and effectively preventing dust from entering, thus extending the service life of the filter screen. When the air conditioner is in use, a cleaning brush is installed on the dustproof baffle, which can be controlled to swing and drive the cleaning brush to clean the dust on the surface of the filter screen. By changing the direction of the dustproof baffle's movement, two automatic dust removal methods are provided. The structure is simple and the cost is lower.

[0022] Secondly, the present invention provides an indoor unit, comprising a housing, an evaporator, an air inlet, and an air outlet assembly; wherein the air inlet is disposed on the top of the housing; the evaporator is arranged inside the housing, located below the air inlet; and the air outlet assembly is installed at the air inlet.

[0023] Furthermore, the housing includes a bottom shell, on which a bottom shell water channel is provided.

[0024] Furthermore, the bottom shell waterway is an inclined waterway structure.

[0025] Furthermore, the housing includes a panel, and a dust collection box is disposed between the panel and the air vent assembly.

[0026] The indoor unit provided by this invention, by setting an air inlet assembly at the air inlet of the indoor unit, not only realizes the closing and opening of the air inlet, solving the problem of dust accumulation on the exposed filter screen when the air conditioner is not in use, but also solves the problem of the filter screen not being able to automatically remove dust by setting a cleaning brush on the dust baffle. The dust baffle can swing in different directions driven by a motor, thereby driving the cleaning brush to clean the dust on the surface of the filter screen, solving the problem of the filter screen not being able to automatically remove dust. The air inlet assembly of this invention, with the dust baffle and cleaning brush set together, and the structure for controlling the movement of the cleaning brush is simple and occupies little space, solves the problems of complex structure, large space occupation and high cost of existing dust removal mechanisms.

[0027] Thirdly, the present invention provides an air conditioner including the indoor unit.

[0028] Fourthly, the present invention provides a control method for automatically removing dust from the indoor unit, comprising:

[0029] Preset cleanliness threshold parameters and cooling start-up temperature parameters;

[0030] Obtain the cleanliness parameters of the filter screen in the air outlet assembly;

[0031] The obtained filter cleanliness parameters are compared with the preset cleanliness threshold parameters, and subsequent processing steps are executed based on the comparison results.

[0032] Furthermore, the obtained filter cleanliness parameters are compared with preset cleanliness threshold parameters, and based on the comparison result, subsequent processing steps are performed, including:

[0033] When the obtained filter cleanliness parameter is less than or equal to the preset cleanliness threshold parameter, the indoor unit will operate normally without the need for dust removal.

[0034] When the obtained filter cleanliness parameter is greater than the preset cleanliness threshold parameter, the indoor unit is controlled to start the dust removal mode.

[0035] Furthermore, the step of controlling the indoor unit to activate the dust removal mode when the obtained filter cleanliness parameter is greater than a preset cleanliness threshold parameter includes:

[0036] Obtain the ambient temperature;

[0037] The system compares the acquired ambient temperature with the preset cooling start temperature parameter, and controls the indoor unit to activate either the first or second dust removal mode based on the comparison result.

[0038] Furthermore, the comparison between the acquired ambient temperature and the preset cooling start-up temperature parameter, and the control of the indoor unit to activate either the first or second dust removal mode based on the comparison result, includes:

[0039] When the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the preset cooling start temperature, the indoor unit starts the first dust removal mode.

[0040] When the ambient temperature is less than the preset cooling start temperature, the indoor unit activates the second dust removal mode.

[0041] Furthermore, when the acquired ambient temperature is ≥ the preset cooling start temperature parameter, the indoor unit activates the first dust removal mode, including:

[0042] The indoor unit automatically selects the cooling mode;

[0043] The air guide plate opens at an angle α with the panel.

[0044] The first drive mechanism starts and drives the dust baffle to rotate clockwise. The second drive mechanism starts simultaneously and drives the cleaning brush to extend, sweeping the dust from the filter screen into the bottom water channel.

[0045] The condensate from the evaporator flows into the bottom casing water channel, carrying dust, and flows out of the indoor unit through the drain pipe, thus achieving automatic dust removal.

[0046] Furthermore, when the acquired ambient temperature is less than the preset cooling start temperature parameter, the indoor unit activates the second dust removal mode, including:

[0047] The indoor unit automatically selects the default operating mode;

[0048] The first drive mechanism starts and drives the dust baffle to rotate counterclockwise. The second drive mechanism starts simultaneously and drives the cleaning brush to extend and sweep the dust from the filter into the dust collection box.

[0049] When the dust level in the dust collection box reaches the preset alarm threshold, a cleaning reminder alarm will be issued;

[0050] Open the panel, pull out the dust collection box, clean out the dust, and put it back in. The alarm will then be deactivated.

[0051] The control method of the present invention can realize automatic dust removal when the filter of the air conditioner indoor unit is dirty and clogged. Moreover, it can execute different dust removal operation modes according to the operating state of the air conditioner indoor unit to enrich the scope of application, reduce the impact on the operating state of the indoor unit, and improve the user comfort. Attached Figure Description

[0052] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0053] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the air conditioner when it is turned off according to the present invention;

[0054] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention for dust removal when the air outlet assembly is open in the cooling mode;

[0055] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention, which performs dust removal operation when the air outlet assembly is open in the standby mode of the air conditioner.

[0056] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the baffle movement structure in the air vent assembly of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the brush telescopic mechanism in the air vent assembly of the present invention;

[0058] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the water channel structure in the bottom shell of the air conditioner of this invention;

[0059] Figure 7 This is the control logic diagram of the control method of the present invention.

[0060] In the diagram: 1. Panel; 2. Evaporator; 3. Dust collection box; 4. Dust baffle; 41. Cleaning brush; 42. Baffle rotation center; 43. Telescopic mechanism; 44. Telescopic spring; 45. Control module; 46. Upper partition; 47. Lower partition; 5. Filter screen; 6. Bottom shell; 61. Bottom shell water channel; 7. Fan blade; 8. Panel body; 9. Air guide plate. Detailed Implementation

[0061] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be described in detail below. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other implementation methods obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0062] like Figures 1-5 As shown, the present invention provides an air vent assembly, comprising:

[0063] Filter 5 is installed inside the air inlet to filter the incoming airflow; such as Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the air inlet is located at the top of the indoor unit, and the filter 5 is installed at the air inlet at the top of the indoor unit to filter and remove dust from the incoming airflow. During the filtration process, dust will inevitably accumulate on the surface of the filter 5, and during use, dust may also enter through the air inlet. Therefore, in this invention, a dustproof baffle 4 is provided, specifically:

[0064] like Figure 4 As shown, the dust baffle 4 is movably installed at the air inlet and can swing relative to the air inlet to open or close the air inlet; Figure 4 The solid line in the middle horizontal plane is a schematic diagram of the dustproof baffle 4 in the closed state; Figure 4 The vertical dotted line in the middle represents a schematic diagram of the dust baffle 4 in the open state; it should be noted that the swing of the dust baffle 4 refers to its ability to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise relative to the air inlet. When the dust baffle 4 rotates to the position shown in the diagram... Figure 1 When it is in the position shown, it is in the closed state. When the dust baffle 4 is rotated to the position shown, it is in the closed state. Figure 2 and Figure 3 When the position shown indicates the open state, airflow is required during normal air conditioner operation. This necessitates opening the dust baffle 4 to allow airflow into the inlet. To remove accumulated dust from the filter 5 and to simplify the dust removal structure, this invention, as shown... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, a cleaning brush 41 is installed on the dustproof baffle 4. Specifically:

[0065] The cleaning brush 41 is movably installed inside the dust baffle 4 and can extend or retract relative to the dust baffle 4; when the dust baffle 4 is in the open state, the cleaning brush 41 extends to automatically remove dust from the filter screen 5.

[0066] In one optional embodiment of the present invention, the dust baffle 4 is rotatably mounted at the air inlet via a first driving mechanism. Specifically, the first driving mechanism can adopt various structural forms, such as... Figure 4As shown, any mechanism that can drive the dustproof baffle 4 to rotate relative to the baffle rotation center 42 is acceptable. For example, the first drive mechanism includes a motor. The present invention does not specifically limit which drive structure is used.

[0067] As an embodiment of the present invention, the dustproof baffle 4 is a split structure, consisting of several baffle plates arranged side by side, and there is one motor connected to all the baffle plates to drive all the baffle plates to swing synchronously.

[0068] In another embodiment of the present invention, the dustproof baffle 4 is a split structure, consisting of several baffle plates arranged side by side, and there are several motors. Each baffle plate is connected to a motor for transmission, and all motors are synchronous motors.

[0069] Of the two embodiments above, the first one is simpler and lower in cost, and is the optimal embodiment. Of course, in this embodiment, the structure in which a motor drives all the baffle plates to move synchronously can adopt the guide plate drive structure for airflow guidance in the indoor unit in the prior art. This invention does not make any improvements to this, so it will not be described in detail.

[0070] The cleaning brush 41 is retractably installed inside the dust baffle 4 via a second drive mechanism.

[0071] Furthermore, there are several cleaning brushes 41, which are retractably installed in each baffle plate via a second drive mechanism.

[0072] In this embodiment, as Figure 5 As shown, the second drive mechanism is a telescopic mechanism 43, including a control module 45, an upper partition 46, a telescopic spring 44, and a lower partition 47, wherein:

[0073] The baffle plate has a cavity inside, which is an open cavity structure at one end, through which the cleaning brush 41 extends or retracts.

[0074] The upper partition 46 and the lower partition 47 are arranged at intervals in the receiving cavity to divide the receiving cavity into an upper cavity, a middle cavity and a lower cavity; specifically, the upper partition 46 is fixed in the receiving cavity and cannot move relative to the receiving cavity, while the lower partition 47 is movably installed in the receiving cavity and can move axially relative to the receiving cavity.

[0075] The control module 45 is located in the upper cavity and connected to the upper partition 46. When the control module 45 is activated, it controls the upper partition 46 to exert a pushing force on the lower partition 47, causing the upper partition 46 and the lower partition 47 to move away from each other. Specifically, the control module 45 is a power-operated module. When energized, it supplies current to the upper partition 46. The upper partition 46 is made of a metal material that generates magnetism when energized, while the lower partition 47 is made of a magnetic material. When the control module 45 supplies power to the upper partition 46, the magnetic direction generated on the upper partition 46 is the same as that on the lower partition 47. The repulsive force between the upper and lower partitions is controlled by the magnitude of the current. As a result, the upper partition 46 exerts a pushing force on the lower partition 47, causing the lower partition 47 to move outward, thereby driving the cleaning brush 41 to move outward and extend the baffle plate. When the upper partition 46 is not powered, the telescopic spring 44 is in its original position and only bears the weight of the lower partition 47, the cleaning brush 41, and itself, without any other external force. When the upper partition 46 is powered, the thrust it exerts on the lower partition 47 causes the lower partition 47 to move, which in turn stretches the telescopic spring 44 (stores elastic potential energy). The cleaning brush 41 extends to remove dust. When the dust removal mode ends, the control module 45 is powered off. When the upper partition 46 is powered off and its magnetism disappears, the telescopic spring 44 releases the stored elastic potential energy and automatically returns to its original position, thereby pulling the lower partition 47 back to its original position, i.e., the cleaning brush 41 retracts.

[0076] The telescopic spring 44 is arranged in the middle cavity, with one end abutting against the surface of the upper partition 46 and the other end abutting against the surface of the lower partition 47; when the control module 45 is started, the telescopic spring 44 is in the stretched state.

[0077] The cleaning brush 41 is located in the lower cavity and is connected to the lower partition 47, and can move under the action of the lower partition 47.

[0078] The air vent assembly provided by this invention combines a filter screen 5 with a dustproof baffle 4 to achieve full closure of the air inlet when the air conditioner is not in use, preventing dust from entering through the air inlet and effectively preventing dust, thus extending the service life of the filter screen 5. When the air conditioner is in use, a cleaning brush 41 is provided on the dustproof baffle 4, which can be controlled to swing the dustproof baffle 4 to drive the cleaning brush 41 to clean the dust on the surface of the filter screen 5. Compared with other dust removal mechanisms, the structure is simple and occupies less space. By changing the direction of movement of the dustproof baffle 4, two automatic dust removal methods are provided, which are not affected by the external ambient temperature and can achieve automatic dust removal. The structure is simple and the cost is lower.

[0079] like Figures 1-3 As shown, the present invention provides an indoor unit including a housing, an evaporator 2, an air inlet, and an air outlet assembly; wherein, the air inlet is located at the top of the housing; the evaporator 2 is arranged inside the housing and located below the air inlet; and the air outlet assembly is installed at the air inlet.

[0080] Furthermore, the indoor unit also includes a fan blade 7 located at the bottom of the evaporator 2; the casing includes a bottom shell 6, a front panel 8, and a front panel 1. The bottom shell 6 is located at the rear of the indoor unit and is used for wall mounting. The front panel 8 is located at the bottom of the indoor unit, and the front panel 1 is located at the front of the indoor unit. The bottom shell 6 is provided with a bottom shell water channel 61, which is used to collect the condensate from the evaporator 2. In order to facilitate cleaning, the brush 41 sweeps the dust on the filter screen 5 into the bottom shell water channel 61 for easy drainage. The bottom shell water channel 61 is located above the edge of the evaporator 2 and the edge of the filter screen 5, thus forming an unobstructed space above the bottom shell water channel 61, which facilitates the flow of dust and condensate.

[0081] Furthermore, such as Figure 6 As shown, the bottom shell waterway 61 is an inclined waterway structure to facilitate water discharge.

[0082] A dust collection box 3 is provided between the panel 1 and the air outlet assembly. The dust collection box 3 and the bottom shell water channel 61 are located on both sides of the air outlet assembly. The dust collection box 3 is used to collect the dust brushed off by the cleaning brush 41 when the indoor unit is in standby, heating or other non-cooling states, that is, in non-cooling states. The bottom shell water channel 61 is used to collect the dust cleaned when the indoor unit is in cooling state.

[0083] Further, an air outlet is provided at the bottom of panel 1, and an air guide plate 9 is provided at the air outlet that can be opened and closed.

[0084] The indoor unit provided by this invention, by setting an air inlet assembly at the air inlet of the indoor unit, not only realizes the closing and opening of the air inlet, solving the problem of dust accumulation on the exposed filter screen when the air conditioner is not in use, but also solves the problem of the filter screen not being able to automatically remove dust by setting a cleaning brush on the dust baffle. The dust baffle can swing in different directions driven by a motor, thereby driving the cleaning brush to clean the dust on the surface of the filter screen, solving the problem of the filter screen not being able to automatically remove dust. The air inlet assembly of this invention, with the dust baffle and cleaning brush set together, and the structure for controlling the movement of the cleaning brush is simple and occupies little space, solves the problems of complex structure, large space occupation and high cost of existing dust removal mechanisms.

[0085] The present invention provides an air conditioner, including the above-mentioned indoor unit.

[0086] The indoor unit includes a panel 1, an evaporator 2, a dust collection box 3, a dust baffle 4, a filter 5, a bottom shell 6, fan blades 7, a panel body 8, and an air guide plate 9. The dust baffle 4 is located at the top air inlet, above the filter 5. Figure 5As shown, a retractable cleaning brush 41 is provided at the bottom of the dust baffle 4. The retractable spring 44, under the control of the control module 45 of the telescopic mechanism 43, enables the retraction and extension of the cleaning brush 41. One end of the retractable spring 44 is connected to the upper partition 46, and the other end is connected to the lower partition 47. The lower partition 47 is fixed together with the cleaning brush 41. The lower partition 47 is made of magnetic material, and the upper partition 46 is made of metal material. After the control module 45 of the telescopic mechanism 43 is energized, it imparts current to the upper partition 46, making it have the same magnetism as the lower partition 47. The repulsive force between the upper and lower partitions is controlled by the magnitude of the current, causing the lower partition 47 to move downward, the retractable spring 44 to stretch (store elastic potential energy), and the cleaning brush 41 to extend. When the dust removal mode ends, the control module 45 de-energizes the upper partition 46, the retractable spring 44 releases the stored elastic potential energy, and pulls the lower partition 47 back to its original position, that is, the cleaning brush 41 retracts. When not in dust removal mode, the cleaning brush 41 is retracted inside the dustproof baffle 4. When the machine is off... Figure 1 As shown, all the dust baffles 4 rotate around their respective baffle rotation centers 42 until they reach a closed state, sealing the entire air inlet and preventing dust. In dust removal mode, a long bottom shell water channel 61 exists on the bottom shell 6. Above the bottom shell water channel 61, an unobstructed space is formed with the edge of the evaporator 2 and the edge of the filter screen 5, facilitating the flow of dust and condensate. Figure 6 As shown, the bottom shell waterway 61 has a certain slope. The side where the drainage pipe is installed is at a low position, and the straight line formed by the other side at a high position and the horizontal angle β cannot be less than 1.5°, otherwise it will be not conducive to drainage.

[0087] like Figure 7 As shown, the present invention provides a control method for automatically removing dust from an indoor unit. This method can both prevent dust and effectively remove dust automatically. The control method includes:

[0088] Preset cleanliness threshold parameters and cooling start-up temperature parameters;

[0089] After the air conditioner is turned on, the cleanliness parameters of the dust on the surface of the filter in the current air vent assembly are obtained through the filter dirt detector built into the air conditioner.

[0090] The obtained filter cleanliness parameters are compared with the preset cleanliness threshold parameters, and subsequent processing steps are executed based on the comparison results.

[0091] Specifically, when the obtained filter cleanliness parameter is less than or equal to the preset cleanliness threshold parameter, it indicates that the filter was previously clean and does not require dust removal. The indoor unit can then operate normally without dust removal.

[0092] When the obtained filter cleanliness parameter exceeds the preset cleanliness threshold parameter, the indoor unit will activate the dust removal mode (when the cooling mode is in effect, the system will default to the optimal cooling dust removal mode; users can manually select the standby dust removal mode via remote control or APP). At this time, the air conditioner will select the optimal dust removal mode based on the ambient temperature.

[0093] Furthermore, when the obtained filter cleanliness parameter exceeds the preset cleanliness threshold parameter, the indoor unit is controlled to activate the dust removal mode, including:

[0094] Obtain the ambient temperature;

[0095] The system compares the acquired ambient temperature with the preset cooling start temperature parameter, and controls the indoor unit to activate either the first or second dust removal mode based on the comparison result.

[0096] Furthermore, based on the comparison between the acquired ambient temperature and the preset cooling start temperature parameter, and based on the comparison result, the indoor unit is controlled to activate either the first dust removal mode or the second dust removal mode, including:

[0097] When the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the preset cooling start temperature, the indoor unit starts the first dust removal mode (dust removal mode of cooling mode);

[0098] In this embodiment, the preset cooling start-up temperature parameter is 20°C;

[0099] In other words, when the ambient temperature is ≥20℃, which meets the conditions for activating the cooling mode, the system will activate the cooling mode by default. Of course, you can manually select the standby dust removal mode.

[0100] The specific control steps include: the indoor unit automatically selecting the cooling mode;

[0101] like Figure 2 As shown, the angle between the open air guide plate 9 and the panel 1 is position α. ​​Theoretically, α = 0, meaning the air guide plate 9 is closed, the evaporator 2 retains the maximum amount of cold air, and condensation is most likely to occur. However, in reality, due to the excessive cooling, the condensate is more likely to freeze on the evaporator 2, resulting in less dripping water. If α is too large, the air outlet will be larger, the air velocity will be greater, and condensation will be less likely. Therefore, α should not be too large or too small, and 10°-30° is recommended.

[0102] The first drive mechanism starts and drives the dust baffle 4 to rotate clockwise. The second drive mechanism starts simultaneously and drives the cleaning brush 41 to extend, sweeping the dust from the filter screen 5 into the bottom shell water channel 61.

[0103] The condensate from the evaporator 2 flows into the bottom shell water channel 61, carrying dust, and flows out of the indoor unit through the drain pipe to achieve automatic dust removal.

[0104] Specifically, the air guide plate 9 opens to the point where... Figure 2 As shown, evaporator 2 is most prone to condensation. At this time, the angle between the tangent of the outer edge of the air guide plate 9 and the lower end of the panel 1 is α. The motor controlling the movement of the dust baffle 4 at the air inlet is started. The motor can be one or one baffle plate corresponding to one drive motor, causing the dust baffle to rotate clockwise. By default, the cleaning brush 41 is hidden inside the dust baffle 4. When dust removal is needed, the cleaning brush 41 extends. Driven by the motor, the cleaning brush 41 rotates clockwise with the dust baffle, sweeping the dust from the filter screen 5 from one end of the panel 1 to the inside of the bottom shell 6, and finally falling into the bottom shell water channel 61. The condensation produced by evaporator 2 flows into the bottom shell water channel 61 and carries the swept dust out of the air conditioner through the drain pipe, realizing automatic dust removal without the need for the consumer to manually remove the dust.

[0105] When the ambient temperature is less than the preset cooling start temperature, the indoor unit activates the second dust removal mode (standby dust removal mode).

[0106] In this embodiment, the preset cooling start-up temperature parameter is 20°C;

[0107] In other words, when the ambient temperature is below 20℃, the cooling mode cannot be activated. If dust is still swept into the bottom water channel 61 and is not flushed away by condensate in time, it will accumulate in the bottom water channel 61, affecting the normal drainage of the air conditioner's cooling mode drain pipe. At this time, the air conditioner defaults to the optimal standby dust removal mode.

[0108] The specific steps are as follows:

[0109] The indoor unit automatically selects the default operating mode; in this embodiment, the default operating mode is the standby operating mode.

[0110] The first drive mechanism starts and drives the dust baffle 4 to rotate counterclockwise. The second drive mechanism starts simultaneously and drives the cleaning brush 41 to extend and sweep the dust from the filter screen 5 into the dust collection box 3.

[0111] Specifically, the motor used to control the movement of the dust baffle 4 is started, causing it to rotate counterclockwise, and the cleaning brush 41 extends synchronously, sweeping the dust on the filter screen 5 from the inside of the bottom shell 6 into the dust collection box 3 inside the panel 1.

[0112] When the dust level in dust collection box 3 reaches the preset alarm threshold, a cleaning reminder alarm will be issued; after the dust level in dust collection box 3 reaches the preset alarm threshold, the customer will be reminded to clean it in time.

[0113] After opening panel 1, removing dust collection box 3, cleaning out the dust, and then putting it back in, the alarm will be deactivated. This provides an alternative dust removal method when the cooling mode cannot be activated.

[0114] The second dust removal mode (standby dust removal mode) is more energy-efficient than the first dust removal mode (cooling dust removal mode). It does not require the fan blades 7 and evaporator 2 to be turned on, but customers need to clean the dust collection box regularly.

[0115] The control method of the present invention can realize automatic dust removal when the filter of the air conditioner indoor unit is dirty and clogged. Moreover, it can execute different dust removal operation modes according to the operating state of the air conditioner indoor unit to enrich the scope of application, reduce the impact on the operating state of the indoor unit, and improve the user comfort.

[0116] First, it should be noted that "inward" refers to the direction towards the center of the storage space, while "outward" refers to the direction away from the center of the storage space.

[0117] In the description of this invention, 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," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the appendix. Figure 1 The orientations or positional relationships shown are for the purpose of facilitating and simplifying the description of the present invention, and are not intended to 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 limiting the present invention.

[0118] 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 invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0119] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," 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 explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0120] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly 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," "over," and "on top" of 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.

[0121] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0122] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An air vent assembly, characterized in that, include: A filter screen is installed inside the air inlet to filter the incoming airflow; The dust baffle is movably installed at the air inlet and can swing relative to the air inlet to open or close the air inlet; A cleaning brush is movably installed inside the dustproof baffle and can extend or retract relative to the dustproof baffle; when the dustproof baffle is in the open state, the cleaning brush extends to automatically remove dust from the filter screen.

2. The air vent assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning brush is retractably mounted inside the dustproof baffle via a second drive mechanism.

3. The air vent assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second drive mechanism includes a control module, an upper partition, a telescopic spring, and a lower partition, wherein: The dustproof baffle is composed of several baffle plates arranged side by side, and each baffle plate has an internal cavity. The upper partition and the lower partition are arranged at intervals within the receiving cavity to divide the receiving cavity into an upper cavity, a middle cavity, and a lower cavity; The control module is arranged in the upper cavity and connected to the upper partition. When the control module is activated, it can control the upper partition to exert a pushing force on the lower partition, so that the upper partition and the lower partition move away from each other. The telescopic spring is arranged inside the central cavity, with one end abutting against the surface of the upper partition and the other end abutting against the surface of the lower partition; when the control module is activated, the telescopic spring is in a stretched state. The cleaning brush is located in the lower cavity and connected to the lower partition, and can move under the action of the lower partition.

4. An indoor unit, characterized in that, The device includes a housing, an evaporator, an air inlet, and an air outlet assembly as described in any one of claims 1-3; wherein the air inlet is disposed on the top of the housing; the evaporator is disposed inside the housing and located below the air inlet; and the air outlet assembly is installed at the air inlet.

5. The indoor unit according to claim 4, characterized in that, The shell includes a bottom shell, on which a bottom shell water channel is provided.

6. The indoor unit according to claim 5, characterized in that, The bottom shell waterway is an inclined waterway structure.

7. The indoor unit according to claim 4, characterized in that, The housing includes a panel, and a dust collection box is disposed between the panel and the air vent assembly.

8. An air conditioner, characterized in that, Including the indoor unit as described in any one of claims 4-7.

9. A control method, characterized in that, A method for automatically removing dust from an indoor unit as described in any one of claims 4-7, comprising: Preset cleanliness threshold parameters and cooling start-up temperature parameters; Obtain the cleanliness parameters of the filter screen in the air outlet assembly; The obtained filter cleanliness parameters are compared with the preset cleanliness threshold parameters; When the obtained filter cleanliness parameter is less than or equal to the preset cleanliness threshold parameter, the indoor unit will operate normally without the need for dust removal. When the obtained filter cleanliness parameter is greater than the preset cleanliness threshold parameter, the indoor unit is controlled to start the dust removal mode.

10. The control method according to claim 9, characterized in that, When the obtained filter cleanliness parameter is greater than the preset cleanliness threshold parameter, the indoor unit is controlled to start the dust removal mode, including: Obtain the ambient temperature; The system compares the acquired ambient temperature with the preset cooling start temperature parameter, and controls the indoor unit to start either the first dust removal mode or the second dust removal mode based on the comparison result. The process involves comparing the acquired ambient temperature with a preset cooling start-up temperature parameter, and based on the comparison result, controlling the indoor unit to activate either a first dust removal mode or a second dust removal mode, including: When the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the preset cooling start temperature, the indoor unit starts the first dust removal mode. When the ambient temperature is less than the preset cooling start temperature, the indoor unit will activate the second dust removal mode. When the acquired ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the preset cooling start temperature parameter, the indoor unit activates the first dust removal mode, including: The indoor unit automatically selects the cooling mode; The air guide plate opens at an angle α with the panel. The first drive mechanism starts and drives the dust baffle to rotate clockwise. The second drive mechanism starts simultaneously and drives the cleaning brush to extend, sweeping the dust from the filter screen into the bottom water channel. The condensate from the evaporator flows into the bottom shell water channel, carrying dust, and flows out of the indoor unit through the drain pipe to achieve automatic dust removal. When the acquired ambient temperature is less than the preset cooling start temperature parameter, the indoor unit activates the second dust removal mode, including: The indoor unit automatically selects the default operating mode; The first drive mechanism starts and drives the dust baffle to rotate counterclockwise. The second drive mechanism starts simultaneously and drives the cleaning brush to extend and sweep the dust from the filter into the dust collection box. When the dust level in the dust collection box reaches the preset alarm threshold, a cleaning reminder alarm will be issued; Open the panel, pull out the dust collection box, clean out the dust, and put it back in. The alarm will then be deactivated.

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