Air duct structure and air conditioner

Abstract

This invention provides a duct structure and an air conditioner. The duct structure includes an upper air outlet duct, a lower air outlet duct, an air inlet duct, and a fan assembly. The upper and lower air outlet ducts are located on both sides of the air inlet duct. The fan assembly is located at the intersection of the inlet of the upper air outlet duct, the inlet of the lower air outlet duct, and the outlet of the air inlet duct. The air outlet side of the fan assembly is provided with a damper assembly for selectively closing one of the inlets of the upper and lower air outlet ducts. In this duct structure, the upper and lower air outlet ducts are symmetrically arranged, resulting in a small difference in air volume between the upper and lower air outlets. When air is discharged from the upper outlet, the inlet of the lower air outlet duct is closed by the damper assembly, and the outlet of the upper air outlet duct is open. When air is discharged from the lower outlet, the inlet of the upper air outlet duct is closed by the damper assembly, and the outlet of the lower air outlet duct is open. The fan assembly avoids the presence of unnecessary cavity structures in the duct during air discharge, thereby reducing airflow resistance and lowering air discharge noise.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of household appliance technology, and in particular to a duct structure and an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] An air conditioner, or air conditioner, is a device that uses artificial means to regulate and control parameters such as temperature, humidity, and airflow of the air inside a building or structure. An air conditioner generally includes several main parts, such as a cold / heat source unit, a cold / heat medium distribution system, and terminal units, as well as other auxiliary equipment. The main components include: a refrigeration unit, water pumps, fans, and piping systems. The terminal units are responsible for utilizing the distributed cold or heat to specifically process the air conditions, ensuring that the air parameters of the target environment meet certain requirements.

[0003] The main types of air conditioners include: cabinet air conditioners, wall-mounted air conditioners, water-cooled air conditioners, window air conditioners (half indoor and half outdoor), central air conditioning, and dual-split air conditioners (one outdoor unit controls two indoor units simultaneously).

[0004] Most wall-mounted air conditioners currently have a top air intake and a bottom front air outlet. Air enters from the top air intake, passes through the evaporator and a single cross-flow fan, and is blown out from the bottom air outlet. This structure is not conducive to airflow exchange within the cross-flow fan system, and hot air tends to rise during heating, resulting in poor heating comfort. Therefore, top and bottom air outlet air conditioners have emerged.

[0005] Top and bottom air outlets have always been a hot topic in air conditioner research. For wall-mounted air conditioners, due to their structural characteristics, there are generally two ways to achieve top and bottom air outlets: one is top air intake and bottom air outlet, and the other is bottom air intake and top air outlet. Existing top and bottom air outlet air conditioners have problems such as complex structure, uneven top and bottom air outlets, and high noise.

[0006] Patent CN103075762A provides a top and bottom air outlet air conditioner, which mainly uses two air ducts and two cross-flow fans to deliver air from the top and bottom to achieve the airflow organization effect of top and bottom air outlet. This technical solution requires two fans, which greatly increases the cost of the whole machine, and the arrangement of the two fans also greatly increases the size of the whole machine.

[0007] Patent CN103075762A provides an air conditioner indoor unit that uses an asymmetrical structure to achieve airflow from top to bottom. This asymmetrical design results in significant differences in airflow and noise between the top and bottom.

[0008] Patent CN108613257A provides an air conditioner that draws in air through the front panel and controls the opening and closing of the upper and lower air guide plates to achieve upper and lower air outlets. Although this structural design can solve the problem of uneven upper and lower air outlets, when the air outlet is in one direction, its dual air duct design will cause some airflow to be lost at the non-air outlet and generate vortex noise. Summary of the Invention

[0009] To overcome the problems existing in related technologies, the present invention provides a duct structure and an air conditioner. The duct structure can realize both upward and downward air outlets with small differences in air volume and low noise.

[0010] One of the objectives of this invention is to provide a duct structure: This includes the upper air outlet duct, the lower air outlet duct, the air inlet duct, and the fan assembly; The upper and lower air outlet ducts are located on both sides of the air inlet duct; Preferably, the upper air outlet duct and the lower air outlet duct are symmetrically arranged; The fan assembly is located at the intersection of the inlet of the upper air outlet duct, the inlet of the lower air outlet duct, and the outlet of the air inlet duct. The fan assembly is provided with a damper assembly on the air outlet side for selectively closing either the inlet of the upper air outlet duct or the inlet of the lower air outlet duct.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fan assembly includes an upper volute, an impeller, and a lower volute arranged sequentially from top to bottom; The impeller is placed horizontally, and the impeller is divided into several equal sections along the impeller axis; The segment includes at least one forward-facing leaf segment and at least one backward-facing leaf segment; The forward-curving blade segments and the backward-curving blade segments are staggered along the impeller axis; It also includes a drive motor, which is located outside the air duct and is connected to the shaft at one end of the impeller for transmission.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the air inlet side cover of the fan assembly is provided with a translational volute. The two ends of the translational volute are respectively slidably engaged with the upper and lower volute tongues in a transverse manner. The translational volute includes air inlets and sealing plates that are staggered along the axial direction. The air inlet, sealing plate, and section are of equal length; The number of air inlets, sealing plates, forward-facing blade segments, and backward-facing blade segments are equal; The air inlet side of the fan assembly is provided with a driving component for driving the translational volute to move. The driving component drives the translational volute to move so as to cover the forward blade segment or the backward blade segment. When the fan is working, the section covered by the sealing plate forms the centrifugal section, and the section not covered by the sealing plate forms the cross-flow section.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the driving component includes a translational motor and a horizontal rack. The horizontal rack is mounted on the translational volute and is parallel to the direction of movement of the translational volute. The translational motor is mounted inside the air inlet duct, and the output shaft of the translational motor is fitted with a gear for meshing transmission with the horizontal rack.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the damper assembly includes a damper rotating frame, a damper motor, and a rotating volute. The rotating volute is installed on the outer periphery of the damper rotating frame, and the damper motor is connected to the damper rotating frame for transmission. The damper motor can drive the damper rotating frame to rotate, so that the rotating volute closes one of the inlets of the upper air outlet duct and the lower air outlet duct.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the damper rotating frame includes an active frame A and a driven frame A; The active frame A and the driven frame A are respectively sleeved on the shafts at both ends of the impeller; The active frame A is connected to the driven frame A via a rotating volute; The active frame A is connected to the damper motor for transmission.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the active frame A is provided with annular end face teeth A; The annular end face tooth A is coaxial with the impeller; The output shaft of the damper motor is equipped with a drive tooth A that meshes with the annular end face tooth A.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a shielding component is provided on the air inlet side of the air inlet duct; The shielding assembly includes a shielding rotating frame, a shielding motor, and a wind deflector; The wind baffle is installed on the outer periphery of the shielding rotating frame, and the shielding motor is connected to the shielding rotating frame for transmission; The shielding motor can drive the shielding rotating frame to rotate so that the wind deflector blocks the upper or lower part of the air inlet side of the air inlet duct.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a heat exchanger is provided inside the air inlet duct; The heat exchanger is located between the baffle plate and the translational volute. The two ends of the heat exchanger are connected to the upper volute and the lower volute, respectively.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the shielding rotating frame includes an active frame B and a driven frame B; The active frame B and the driven frame B are respectively sleeved on the shafts at both ends of the impeller; The active frame B is connected to the driven frame B via a wind baffle. The active frame B is connected to the shielding motor for transmission.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the active frame B is provided with annular end face teeth B; The annular end face tooth B is coaxial with the impeller; The output shaft of the shielding motor is equipped with a drive tooth B that meshes with the annular end face tooth B.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the air outlet of the upper air outlet duct is provided with an upper air guide plate, and the upper air guide plate is closable at the air outlet of the upper air outlet duct. The upper air guide plate is hinged to the upper air outlet duct on the side facing away from the fan assembly. The upper air guide plate is connected to the upper motor for transmission on the side facing away from the fan assembly. The upper motor can drive the upper air guide plate to rotate to open and close the upper air outlet duct. The air outlet of the lower air outlet duct is provided with a lower air guide plate, which is closable and installed at the air outlet of the lower air outlet duct. The lower air guide plate is hinged to the lower air outlet duct on the side facing away from the fan assembly. The lower air guide plate is connected to the lower motor on the side facing away from the fan assembly. The lower motor can drive the lower air guide plate to rotate to open and close the upper air outlet duct.

[0022] The second objective of this invention is to provide an air conditioner: This includes the rear bottom shell, the front panel, and the aforementioned air duct structure; The spatial structure formed by the rear bottom shell and the fan assembly creates an upper air outlet duct and a lower air outlet duct, while the front panel and the fan assembly form an air inlet duct.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the air inlet duct is located on the front side of the air conditioner, and the upper air outlet duct and the lower air outlet duct are located on the rear side of the air conditioner. The upper and lower air outlet ducts are respectively located above and below the output end of the air inlet duct, and the input end of the air inlet duct is connected to the front panel. The beneficial effects of this invention are: This duct structure enables both upward and downward airflow. When airflow is upward, the inlet of the downward airflow duct is closed by the damper assembly, while the outlet of the upward airflow duct is open. When airflow is downward, the inlet of the upward airflow duct is closed by the damper assembly, while the outlet of the downward airflow duct is open. By closing the inlet of the non-airflowing outlet duct through the fan assembly, unnecessary cavity structures in the duct can be avoided during airflow, thus reducing airflow resistance and lowering airflow noise. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the air duct structure.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the left end of the air duct structure.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the right end of the air duct structure.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the impeller structure.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of the through-flow section and the centrifugal section.

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the airflow direction inside the impeller.

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the cooperation structure between the fan and the translational volute.

[0031] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the airflow recirculation.

[0032] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a backward-facing blade segment acting as a centrifugal force when the air is vented from the top.

[0033] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a forward-facing blade segment serving as the cross-flow section when the air is vented from the top.

[0034] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of a backward-facing blade segment acting as a centrifugal unit when the air is discharged downwards.

[0035] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of a forward-facing blade segment serving as the cross-flow section when the air is discharged downwards.

[0036] Figure label: 1. Front panel; 2. Baffle plate; 3. Upper air guide plate; 4. Upper volute; 5. Drive frame B; 6. Shielding motor; 7. Driven frame B; 8. Rear bottom shell; 9. Drive frame A; 10. Damper motor; 11. Driven frame A; 12. Upper translational motor; 13. Translational volute; 1301. Air inlet; 1302. Sealing plate; 14. Lower translational motor; 15. Rotating volute; 16. Lower volute; 17. Impeller; 1701. Shaft; 1702. Forward blade segment; 1703. Backward blade segment; 18. Lower air guide plate; 19. Heat exchanger; 20. Horizontal rack; 21. Upper air outlet duct; 22. Lower air outlet duct; 23. Air inlet duct. Detailed Implementation

[0037] Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the invention will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0038] Most wall-mounted air conditioners currently have a top air intake and a bottom front air outlet. Air enters from the top air intake, passes through the evaporator and a single cross-flow fan, and is blown out from the bottom air outlet. This structure is not conducive to airflow exchange within the cross-flow fan system, and hot air tends to rise during heating, resulting in poor heating comfort. Therefore, top and bottom air outlet air conditioners have emerged.

[0039] Top and bottom air outlets have always been a hot topic in air conditioner research. For wall-mounted air conditioners, due to their structural characteristics, there are generally two ways to achieve top and bottom air outlets: one is top air intake and bottom air outlet, and the other is bottom air intake and top air outlet. Existing top and bottom air outlet air conditioners have problems such as complex structure, uneven top and bottom air outlets, and high noise. Example 1

[0040] To address the aforementioned issues, Embodiment 1 provides a duct structure that enables both upward and downward airflow, with minimal difference in air volume between the two methods and low noise levels.

[0041] like Figure 1-12 As shown, a type of air duct structure: Includes an upper air outlet duct 21, a lower air outlet duct 22, an air inlet duct 23, and a fan assembly; The upper air outlet duct and the lower air outlet duct are located on both sides of the air inlet duct. In order to improve the symmetry of the overall structure and reduce the air volume difference between the upper and lower air outlets, the upper air outlet duct 21 and the lower air outlet duct 22 are preferably arranged symmetrically. The fan assembly is located at the intersection of the inlet of the upper air outlet duct 21, the inlet of the lower air outlet duct 22, and the outlet of the air inlet duct 23. The fan assembly is provided with a damper assembly on the air outlet side for selectively closing either the inlet of the upper air outlet duct 21 or the inlet of the lower air outlet duct 22.

[0042] This duct structure enables both upward and downward airflow. When airflow is upward, the inlet of the downward airflow duct 22 is closed by the damper assembly, while the outlet of the upward airflow duct 21 is open. When airflow is downward, the inlet of the upward airflow duct 21 is closed by the damper assembly, while the outlet of the downward airflow duct 22 is open. By closing the inlet of the non-airflow duct through the fan assembly, unnecessary cavity structures in the duct can be avoided during airflow, thus reducing airflow resistance and lowering airflow noise. The symmetrical arrangement of the upward and downward airflow ducts 21 and 22 minimizes the difference in airflow volume between the two.

[0043] In practical applications, the air inlet duct 23 is located in front of the upper air outlet duct 21 and the lower air outlet duct 22. Meanwhile, the upper air outlet duct 21 and the lower air outlet duct 22 are respectively located above and below the output end of the air inlet duct 23. Example 2

[0044] Furthermore, in Example 2, based on the above examples, the structure of the fan is specifically designed to cooperate with the damper assembly to achieve a change in the air outlet direction.

[0045] In this embodiment, as Figure 1 , Figure 4 As shown, the fan assembly includes an upper volute 4, an impeller 17, and a lower volute 16 arranged sequentially from top to bottom; The impeller 17 is placed horizontally, and the impeller 17 is divided into several sections along the axial direction of the impeller 17; The segment includes at least one forward-facing leaf segment 1702 and at least one backward-facing leaf segment 1703; The forward-curving blade segment 1702 and the backward-curving blade segment 1703 are staggered along the axial direction of the impeller 17; It also includes a drive motor, which is located outside the air duct and is connected to the shaft 1701 at one end of the impeller 17 for transmission.

[0046] Specifically, when the impeller 17 rotates clockwise, the angle between the exit direction of the blade in the backward blade segment 1703 and the direction of the blade tangent velocity is an obtuse angle; when the impeller 17 rotates counterclockwise, the angle between the exit direction of the blade in the forward blade segment 1702 and the direction of the blade tangent velocity is an acute angle.

[0047] Preferably, in order to reduce the air volume difference between the upper and lower air outlets, the obtuse angle and the acute angle mentioned above are complementary.

[0048] In practical applications, when the air is discharged from the top, the impeller 17 rotates counterclockwise, and when the air is discharged from the bottom, the impeller 17 rotates clockwise.

[0049] In this embodiment, as Figure 4-7 As shown, the air inlet side cover of the fan assembly is provided with a translational volute 13; The two ends of the translational volute 13 are respectively slidably engaged with the upper volute tongue 4 and the lower volute tongue 16 in a transverse manner; The translational volute 13 includes air inlets 1301 and sealing plates 1302 arranged alternately along the axial direction; The air inlet 1301, the sealing plate 1302, and the section are of equal length; The number of air inlets 1301, sealing plates 1302, forward-facing blade segments 1702, and backward-facing blade segments 1703 are equal. The air inlet side of the fan assembly is provided with a driving component for driving the translational volute 13 to move. The translational volute 13 is driven to move by the driving component to cover the forward blade segment 1702 or the backward blade segment 1703. When the fan is working, the section covered by the sealing plate 1302 forms a centrifugal section, and the section not covered by the sealing plate 1302 forms a cross-flow section. The cross-flow section has radial air intake and radial air outlet, while the centrifugal section has axial air intake and radial air outlet.

[0050] In this embodiment, the driving component includes a translational motor and a horizontal rack 20. The horizontal rack 20 is mounted on the translational volute 13 and is parallel to the direction of movement of the translational volute 13. The translational motor is installed in the air inlet duct 23, and the output shaft of the translational motor is equipped with a gear for meshing transmission with the horizontal rack 20.

[0051] Preferably, the upper and lower sections of the translational volute 13 are equipped with transverse racks 20, and the translational motor includes an upper translational motor 12 that drives the upper transverse rack 20 and a lower translational motor 14 that drives the lower transverse rack 20.

[0052] like Figure 9-10 As shown, when the air is in the upward air outlet configuration, the inlet of the downward air outlet duct 22 is closed by the damper assembly, the impeller 17 rotates counterclockwise, and the sealing plate 1302 covers the backward blade segment 1703. At this time, the backward blade segment 1703 forms a centrifugal section, and the forward blade segment 1702 forms a cross-flow section. The airflow flows into the cross-flow section from the inlet air outlet duct 23. Part of the airflow is directly output from the upward air outlet duct 21 through the cross-flow section, and another part of the airflow enters the centrifugal section (i.e., the backward blade segment 1703) through the cross-flow section. Due to the obstruction of the sealing plate 1302, the backward blade segment 1703 can only be inhaled by the adjacent cross-flow section (i.e., the forward blade segment 1702), and then the air is discharged from the upward air outlet duct 21.

[0053] like Figure 11-12 As shown, when the airflow is downward, the inlet of the upper airflow duct 21 is closed by the damper assembly, the impeller 17 rotates clockwise, and the sealing plate 1302 covers the forward blade segment 1702. At this time, the forward blade segment 1702 forms a centrifugal section, and the backward blade segment 1703 forms a cross-flow section. The airflow flows into the cross-flow section from the inlet airflow duct 23. A portion of the airflow is directly output from the upper airflow duct 21 through the cross-flow section, and another portion of the airflow enters the centrifugal section through the cross-flow section. Then, the airflow is discharged from the centrifugal section through the lower airflow duct 22.

[0054] In this design, the impeller 17 consists of alternating forward and backward blades. Through the action of the translational volute 13, adjacent sections are divided into a cross-flow section and a centrifugal section. Airflow enters the impeller 17 through the cross-flow section and is then expelled by both the cross-flow and centrifugal sections. When used in an air conditioner, the air inlet duct is located at the front of the air conditioner, allowing the fan to achieve both upward and downward airflow under the control of the translational volute 13 and the damper assembly. This design results in a high degree of symmetry in both the overall structure and the air duct, while also reducing the difference in airflow and noise between the upward and downward airflow sections. Example 3

[0055] Furthermore, in Example 3, based on the above examples, a specific design of the damper assembly structure is provided as an example.

[0056] In this embodiment, as Figure 1-3 As shown, the damper assembly includes a damper rotating frame, a damper motor 10, and a rotating volute 15; The rotating volute 15 is installed on the outer periphery of the damper rotating frame, and the damper motor 10 is connected to the damper rotating frame for transmission. The damper motor 10 can drive the damper rotating frame to rotate, so that the rotating volute 15 closes one of the inlets of the upper air outlet duct 21 and the lower air outlet duct 22.

[0057] In this embodiment, the damper rotating frame includes an active frame A9 and a driven frame A11; The active frame A9 and the driven frame A11 are respectively sleeved on the shaft portions 1701 at both ends of the impeller 17; The active frame A9 is connected to the driven frame A11 via a rotating volute 15; The active frame A9 is connected to the damper motor 10 for transmission.

[0058] In this embodiment, the active frame A9 is provided with annular end face teeth A; The annular end face tooth A is coaxial with the impeller 17; The output shaft of the damper motor 10 is equipped with a drive tooth A that meshes with the annular end face tooth A.

[0059] In use, the forward and reverse rotation of the damper motor 10 drives the damper rotating frame to rotate in both directions, thereby switching the position of the rotating volute 15 between the inlet of the upper air outlet duct 21 and the inlet of the lower air outlet duct 22. By closing the inlet of the air outlet duct that does not produce air through the fan assembly, it is possible to avoid the presence of unnecessary cavity structures in the duct when air is being discharged, thereby reducing the airflow resistance and reducing the noise of the air outlet. Example 4

[0060] Furthermore, in Example 4, based on the above examples, the air duct structure is further optimized to prevent the airflow output from the upper air outlet duct 21 or the lower air outlet duct 22 from flowing back through the air inlet duct 23.

[0061] In this embodiment, as Figure 1 , 8 As shown in -12, a shielding component is provided on the air inlet side of the air inlet duct 23; The shielding assembly includes a shielding rotating frame, a shielding motor 6, and a wind deflector 2; The wind baffle 2 is installed on the outer periphery of the shielding rotating frame, and the shielding motor 6 is connected to the shielding rotating frame for transmission. The shielding motor 6 can drive the shielding rotating frame to rotate so that the wind deflector 2 blocks the upper or lower part of the air inlet side of the air inlet duct 23.

[0062] In this embodiment, a heat exchanger 19 is provided inside the air inlet duct 23; The heat exchanger 19 is located between the baffle plate 2 and the translational volute 13; The two ends of the heat exchanger 19 are connected to the upper volute 4 and the lower volute 16, respectively.

[0063] In this embodiment, as Figure 1-3 As shown, the shielding rotating frame includes an active frame B5 and a driven frame B7; The active frame B5 and the driven frame B7 are respectively sleeved on the shaft portions 1701 at both ends of the impeller 17; The active frame B5 is connected to the driven frame B7 via the wind baffle 2; The active frame B5 is connected to the shielding motor 6 for transmission.

[0064] In this embodiment, the active frame B5 is provided with annular end face teeth B; The annular end face tooth B is coaxial with the impeller 17; The output shaft of the shielding motor 6 is equipped with a drive tooth B that meshes with the annular end face tooth B.

[0065] In use, the forward and reverse rotation of the shielding motor 6 drives the shielding rotating frame to rotate in both directions, thereby switching the position of the baffle 2 shell between the upper part of the air inlet side of the air outlet duct and the lower part of the air inlet side of the air outlet duct. When the air outlet is upward, the baffle 2 shields the upper part of the air inlet side of the air inlet duct 23. When the air outlet is downward, the baffle 2 shields the lower part of the air inlet side of the air inlet duct 23 to prevent the output airflow from entering from the air inlet side of the air inlet duct 23 and forming a backflow. Example 5

[0066] Furthermore, in Example 5, based on the above examples, the air duct structure is further optimized so that the air output from the upper air outlet duct 21 and the lower air outlet duct 22 is blown out at a certain angle to achieve a better air delivery effect.

[0067] In this embodiment, as Figure 1 , 9 As shown in -12, the air outlet of the upper air outlet duct 21 is provided with an upper air guide plate 3, which is closable at the air outlet of the upper air outlet duct 21. The upper air guide plate 3 is hinged to the upper air outlet duct 21 on the side facing away from the fan assembly. Specifically, the upper air guide plate 3 is connected to the upper motor for transmission on the side facing away from the fan assembly. The upper motor can drive the upper air guide plate 3 to rotate to open and close the upper air outlet duct 21. The lower air outlet duct 22 is provided with a lower air guide plate 18 at the air outlet, and the lower air guide plate 18 is provided at the air outlet of the lower air outlet duct 22 in an openable and closable manner. The lower air guide plate 18 is hinged to the lower air outlet duct 22 on the side facing away from the fan assembly. Specifically, the lower air guide plate 18 is connected to the lower motor on the side facing away from the fan assembly, and the lower motor can drive the lower air guide plate 18 to rotate to open and close the upper air outlet duct 21.

[0068] Preferably, the lower motor and the upper motor are located outside the air duct, and the hinge ends of the upper air guide plate 3 and the lower air guide plate 18 are provided with connecting shafts. The connecting shafts are directly connected to the corresponding motors via couplings or via gear meshing.

[0069] In use, by setting up the upper air guide plate 3 and the lower air guide plate 18, which have the functions of guiding and diverting airflow, the output air energy is blown out at a certain angle when the air is discharged from the top and bottom, so as to achieve a better air supply effect. Example 6

[0070] Furthermore, in embodiment 6, based on the above embodiments, an air conditioner is provided that achieves both upward and downward airflow through the air duct structure in the above embodiments.

[0071] In this embodiment, as Figure 1 , 9 As shown in Figure -12, the air conditioner includes: The rear bottom shell 8, the front panel 1, and the air duct structure in the above embodiment; The spatial structure formed by the rear bottom shell 8 and the fan assembly forms an upper air outlet duct 21 and a lower air outlet duct 22, and the front panel 1 and the fan assembly form an air inlet duct 23. The air duct structure includes an upper air outlet duct 21, a lower air outlet duct 22, an air inlet duct 23, and a fan assembly; The upper air outlet duct 21 and the lower air outlet duct 22 are symmetrically arranged; The fan assembly is located at the intersection of the inlet of the upper air outlet duct 21, the inlet of the lower air outlet duct 22, and the outlet of the air inlet duct 23. The fan assembly is provided with a damper assembly on the air outlet side for selectively closing either the inlet of the upper air outlet duct 21 or the inlet of the lower air outlet duct 22. A shielding component is provided on the air inlet side of the air inlet duct 23; The shielding assembly includes a shielding rotating frame, a shielding motor 6, and a wind deflector 2; The wind baffle 2 is installed on the outer periphery of the shielding rotating frame, and the shielding motor 6 is connected to the shielding rotating frame for transmission. The shielding motor 6 can drive the shielding rotating frame to rotate so that the wind deflector 2 blocks the upper or lower part of the air inlet side of the air inlet duct 23. The upper air outlet duct 21 is provided with an upper air guide plate 3, which is closable at the air outlet of the upper air outlet duct 21. The upper air guide plate 3 is hinged to the upper air outlet duct 21 on the side facing away from the fan assembly. Specifically, the upper air guide plate 3 is connected to the upper motor for transmission on the side facing away from the fan assembly. The upper motor can drive the upper air guide plate 3 to rotate to open and close the upper air outlet duct 21. The lower air outlet duct 22 is provided with a lower air guide plate 18 at the air outlet, and the lower air guide plate 18 is provided at the air outlet of the lower air outlet duct 22 in an openable and closable manner. The lower air guide plate 18 is hinged to the lower air outlet duct 22 on the side facing away from the fan assembly. Specifically, the lower air guide plate 18 is connected to the lower motor on the side facing away from the fan assembly, and the lower motor can drive the lower air guide plate 18 to rotate to open and close the upper air outlet duct 21.

[0072] In this embodiment, the front panel 1 is a grille or a perforated plate.

[0073] In practical applications, the air inlet duct 23 is located on the front side of the air conditioner, and the upper air outlet duct 21 and the lower air outlet duct 22 are located on the rear side of the air conditioner. The upper air outlet duct 21 and the lower air outlet duct 22 are respectively located on the upper and lower sides of the output end of the air inlet duct 23, and the input end of the air inlet duct 23 is connected to the front panel 1.

[0074] The air conditioner can achieve both top and bottom air outlets through its duct structure. When the air outlet is at the top, the inlet of the bottom air outlet duct 22 is closed by the damper assembly, and the outlet of the top air outlet duct 21 is opened. The baffle plate 2 blocks the upper part of the air inlet side of the air inlet duct 23 to prevent the output airflow from entering from the air inlet side of the air inlet duct 23 and forming a backflow. The air is also guided and diverted by the upper air guide plate 3 so that the output air can be blown out at a certain angle. When the air is discharged downwards, the inlet of the upper air outlet duct 21 is closed by the damper assembly, the outlet of the lower air outlet duct 22 is opened, and the baffle plate 2 blocks the lower part of the air inlet side of the air inlet duct 23 to prevent the output airflow from entering from the air inlet side of the air inlet duct 23 and forming a backflow. The output airflow is blown out at a certain angle by the guiding and diversion effect of the lower air guide plate 18. By closing the inlet of the non-airflow duct through the fan assembly, unnecessary cavity structures in the duct can be avoided during airflow, thus reducing airflow resistance and lowering airflow noise. The symmetrical arrangement of the upper airflow duct 21 and the lower airflow duct 22 minimizes the difference in airflow between the upper and lower airflow.

[0075] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps described in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this application. It should also be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Techniques, methods, and devices known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and devices should be considered part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following drawings denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it need not be further discussed in subsequent drawings. In the description of this application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal direction, vertical, vertical, horizontal" and "top, bottom" are generally based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this application; the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0076] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "on top of," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation beyond the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures were inverted, a device described as "above" or "on top of" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0077] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application.

[0078] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A duct structure, characterized in that: This includes the upper air outlet duct, the lower air outlet duct, the air inlet duct, and the fan assembly; The upper and lower air outlet ducts are located on both sides of the air inlet duct; The fan assembly is located at the intersection of the inlet of the upper air outlet duct, the inlet of the lower air outlet duct, and the outlet of the air inlet duct. The fan assembly is provided with a damper assembly on the air outlet side for selectively closing either the inlet of the upper air outlet duct or the inlet of the lower air outlet duct. The fan assembly includes an upper volute, an impeller, and a lower volute arranged in sequence. The impeller is placed horizontally, and the impeller is divided into several equal sections along the impeller axis; The segment includes at least one forward-facing leaf segment and at least one backward-facing leaf segment; The forward-curving blade segments and the backward-curving blade segments are staggered along the impeller axis; The air inlet side cover of the fan assembly is provided with a translational volute. The two ends of the translational volute are respectively slidably engaged with the upper and lower volute tongues in a transverse manner. The translational volute includes air inlets and sealing plates that are staggered along the axial direction. The air inlet, sealing plate, and section are of equal length; The number of air inlets, sealing plates, forward-facing blade segments, and backward-facing blade segments are equal; The air inlet side of the fan assembly is provided with a driving component for driving the translational volute to move.

2. The air duct structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The damper assembly includes a damper rotating frame, a damper motor, and a rotating volute. The rotating volute is installed on the outer periphery of the damper rotating frame, and the damper motor is connected to the damper rotating frame for transmission. The damper motor can drive the damper rotating frame to rotate, so that the rotating volute closes one of the inlets of the upper air outlet duct and the lower air outlet duct.

3. The air duct structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The damper rotating frame includes an active frame A and a driven frame A; The active frame A and the driven frame A are respectively sleeved on the shaft portions at both ends of the impeller; The active frame A is connected to the driven frame A via a rotating volute; The active frame A is connected to the damper motor for transmission.

4. The air duct structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The active frame A is provided with annular end face teeth A; The annular end face tooth A is coaxial with the impeller; The output shaft of the damper motor is equipped with a drive tooth A that meshes with the annular end face tooth A.

5. The air duct structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: A shielding component is provided on the air inlet side of the air inlet duct; The shielding assembly includes a shielding rotating frame, a shielding motor, and a wind deflector; The wind baffle is installed on the outer periphery of the shielding rotating frame, and the shielding motor is connected to the shielding rotating frame for transmission; The shielding motor can drive the shielding rotating frame to rotate so that the wind deflector blocks the upper or lower part of the air inlet side of the air inlet duct.

6. The air duct structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: A heat exchanger is installed inside the air inlet duct; The heat exchanger is located between the baffle plate and the translational volute. The two ends of the heat exchanger are connected to the upper volute and the lower volute, respectively.

7. The air duct structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: The shielding rotating frame includes an active frame B and a driven frame B; The active frame B and the driven frame B are respectively sleeved on the shaft portions at both ends of the impeller; The active frame B is connected to the driven frame B via a wind baffle. The active frame B is connected to the shielding motor for transmission.

8. The air duct structure according to claim 7, characterized in that: The active frame B is provided with annular end face teeth B; The annular end face tooth B is coaxial with the impeller; The output shaft of the shielding motor is equipped with a drive tooth B that meshes with the annular end face tooth B.

9. The air duct structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: The upper air outlet duct is equipped with an upper air guide plate, which is closable at the air outlet of the upper air outlet duct. The upper air guide plate is hinged to the upper air outlet duct on the side facing away from the fan assembly. The air outlet of the lower air outlet duct is provided with a lower air guide plate, which is closable and installed at the air outlet of the lower air outlet duct. The lower air guide plate is hinged to the lower air outlet duct on the side facing away from the fan assembly.

10. An air conditioner, characterized in that: Includes a rear bottom shell, a front panel, and the air duct structure as described in any one of claims 1-9; The spatial structure formed by the rear bottom shell and the fan assembly creates an upper air outlet duct and a lower air outlet duct, while the front panel and the fan assembly form an air inlet duct.

11. The air conditioner according to claim 10, characterized in that: The air inlet duct is located on the front side of the air conditioner, and the upper air outlet duct and the lower air outlet duct are located on the rear side of the air conditioner. The upper and lower air outlet ducts are respectively located on the upper and lower sides of the air inlet duct output end, and the air inlet duct input end is connected to the front panel.

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