Outdoor unit panel assembly, air conditioner outdoor unit, air conditioner and control method

Abstract

The application provides an outdoor unit panel assembly, an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, an air conditioner and a control method. The outdoor unit panel assembly comprises a panel body, a through hole is formed on the panel body, and a cover is arranged on the through hole. The cover has a matching outer edge ring wall, and a ventilation grille part protrudes from the first side to the second side along the matching outer edge ring wall. The cover has a running use state in which the first side of the matching outer edge ring wall is matched with the outer side wall surface of the panel body, and the ventilation grille part is located in the outer side space of the panel body. The cover also has a packaging and transportation state in which the second side of the matching outer edge ring wall is matched with the outer side wall surface of the panel body, and the ventilation grille part is at least partially located in the inner side space of the panel body through the through hole. The application switches the assembly state under different working conditions, and considers the large air volume during use and the compact structure during transportation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of air conditioning technology, specifically relating to an outdoor unit panel assembly, an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, an air conditioner, and a control method. Background Technology

[0002] Air conditioner outdoor units commonly use axial flow fans to force convection heat exchange through the heat exchanger. The efficiency of the fan significantly impacts the air conditioner's capacity, energy efficiency, and comfort. Low fan airflow leads to poor heat exchange on the heat exchanger side, resulting in lower air conditioning capacity while increasing system power on the refrigerant side; simultaneously, low fan efficiency results in higher fan input power. Therefore, the airflow and efficiency of the axial flow fan in an air conditioner have a significant impact on the air conditioner's performance.

[0003] The outer casing of the air conditioner outdoor unit serves to rectify the airflow from the fan and protect the unit. The casing is composed of a grille with many small holes. Airflow passes through the casing and is guided by the grille, thus rectifying the airflow. Simultaneously, it prevents hands or other debris from entering the air conditioner outdoor unit through the small holes in the grille and coming into contact with the rotating fan blades and the motor, thus protecting the internal components.

[0004] When the outdoor unit is packaged at the factory, the circular outer cover is limited by the overall structure of the outdoor unit and generally does not extend much beyond the outdoor unit panel. Therefore, the air outlet area of ​​the circular outer cover is small and the wind resistance is large, which in turn affects the air volume of the outdoor unit and the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger, resulting in a reduction in air conditioning capacity and energy efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, the present invention provides an outdoor unit panel assembly, an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, an air conditioner, and a control method, which can solve the technical problem in the prior art that the outer cover of the outdoor unit panel assembly cannot simultaneously achieve the purpose of large air volume and compact structure during transportation.

[0006] To address the above problems, the present invention provides an outdoor unit panel assembly, comprising:

[0007] A panel body having through holes formed thereon;

[0008] An outer cover is provided over the through hole, and the outer cover has a ventilation grille portion that fits the outer edge ring wall and extends protruding from the first side side of the fitting outer edge ring wall to the second side side;

[0009] The outer cover has an operating state in which a first side of the outer edge ring wall engages with the outer wall of the panel body and the ventilation grille is located in the outer space of the panel body. The outer cover also has a packaging and transportation state in which a second side of the outer edge ring wall engages with the outer wall of the panel body and the ventilation grille is located in the inner space of the panel body via the through hole. The outer cover is capable of switching between the operating state and the packaging and transportation state.

[0010] In some implementations...

[0011] The ventilation grille has a blade clearance recess on the end face away from the mating outer edge ring wall, which is recessed from the second side towards the first side. The position of the blade clearance recess corresponds to the position of the fan blade inside the air conditioner outdoor unit in which the outdoor unit panel assembly is assembled, so that when the outer cover is in the packaged transportation state, each blade clearance recess can at least partially accommodate the trailing edge structure of the fan blade.

[0012] In some implementations...

[0013] When the outer casing is in the operating state, the blade clearance recess is located on the side of the second side of the mating outer edge ring wall away from the first side, and the minimum straight-line distance between the blade clearance recess and the first side of the mating outer edge ring wall is H2. The fan blade is located on the side of the first side of the mating outer edge ring wall away from the second side, and the minimum straight-line distance between the fan blade and the second side of the mating outer edge ring wall is H4, where H2 < H4.

[0014] In some implementations...

[0015] Projected onto the panel body, the outer contour of the ventilation grille is circular, the through hole is circular, the diameter of the outer contour of the ventilation grille is D2, and a guide ring is provided on the inner wall of the panel body. The guide ring is coaxially arranged with the through hole, and the diameter of the through hole is not less than D2.

[0016] In some implementations...

[0017] The ventilation grille also has a hub clearance recess on its end face away from the mating outer ring wall. The position of the hub clearance recess corresponds to the hub position of the assembled fan blades, so that when the outer cover is in the packaged and transported state, the hub clearance recess can accommodate the outer end face of the hub.

[0018] In some implementations...

[0019] Projected onto the panel, the recessed portion of the wind turbine hub is circular with a diameter of D3, and D3 is not less than the outer diameter of the hub.

[0020] In some implementations...

[0021] An assembly structure is formed on the first side of the outer edge ring wall, and the outer cover is detachably connected to the panel body through the assembly structure.

[0022] The present invention also provides an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, including the outdoor unit panel assembly described above.

[0023] The present invention also provides an air conditioner, including the above-described outdoor unit of the air conditioner.

[0024] The present invention also provides a control method for an air conditioner as described above, comprising the following steps:

[0025] Determine if the outdoor fan is stalled;

[0026] When the outdoor fan is in a stalled state, a prompt message is issued to remind the user to check whether the status of the outer cover is correct.

[0027] The outdoor unit panel assembly, outdoor unit of an air conditioner, air conditioner, and control method provided by the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0028] When the outdoor unit is in the air outlet operation mode, the outer cover is in the operating mode. In this mode, the ventilation grille of the outer cover protrudes from the outer space of the panel, thereby increasing the ventilation area of ​​the ventilation grille, reducing air outlet resistance, increasing the air volume of the outdoor unit and the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger, and thus improving the energy efficiency of the air conditioner. When the outdoor unit is being transported in packaging, the outer cover is in the packaging and transport mode. At this time, the protruding ventilation grille is at least partially hidden in the inner space of the panel, with less protruding from the outer side of the panel. This reduces the unfavorable space occupation within the packaging box, and the saved space can be used to place other necessary components such as connecting pipes and other accessories, increasing the packing capacity and saving packaging and transportation costs. In other words, the outer cover of this invention, by switching its assembly state under different operating conditions, achieves both a large air volume during use and a compact structure during transportation.

[0029] By providing the aforementioned blade clearance recess on the end face of the ventilation grille away from the outer edge ring wall, when the outer cover is in the packaging and transportation state, the ventilation grille can extend more into the inner space of the panel body, thereby reducing the portion protruding from the outer side of the panel body in this state. In other words, the outdoor unit can occupy less space inside the packaging box in this state.

[0030] The aforementioned design of the recessed part that allows the fan blade hub to make way for the fan blade hub when the outer cover is in the packaged and transported state, thereby ensuring the length of the grille ventilation part extending into the inner space of the panel. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. The drawings described below are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art can derive other embodiments based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 This is a front view of the outdoor unit panel assembly of the present invention in its assembled state, viewed from the outside of the air conditioner outdoor unit in the direction of inward.

[0033] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram (cross-section, including fan blades) of the outer cover and the assembled panel body in the operation and use state of an embodiment of the present invention. The arrows in the figure indicate the direction of airflow.

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram (cross-section, including fan blades) of the outer cover in the packaging and transportation state and the assembly state of the panel body according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A front view of the outer casing;

[0036] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Cross-sectional view of AA in the middle;

[0037] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 Cross-sectional view of BB in the middle;

[0038] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A simplified structural diagram of the outer casing (front view);

[0039] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the outer casing from a single perspective;

[0040] Figure 9 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the outer casing from another perspective.

[0041] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0042] 1. Panel body; 2. Outer cover; 21. Matching outer edge ring wall; 22. Ventilation grille section; 221. Blade clearance recess; 222. Fan hub clearance recess; 223. Ventilation hole; 23. Assembly structure; 3. Fan blade. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the present invention or its application or use. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0044] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal, vertical, horizontal" and "top, bottom" is generally based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing this invention 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 invention; the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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 invention.

[0047] See also Figures 1 to 9 As shown, according to an embodiment of the present invention, an outdoor unit panel assembly is provided, comprising:

[0048] Panel 1, on which a through hole (not shown in the figure) is formed. It can be understood that the through hole is objectively the air outlet of the fan (specifically, an axial flow fan) inside the outdoor unit.

[0049] The outer cover 2 is installed over the through hole. The outer cover 2 has a ventilation grille 22 that protrudes from the outer edge ring wall 21 along the first side (not marked in the figure, which can be called the inner side in the air outlet mode) to the second side (not marked in the figure, which can be called the outer side in the air outlet mode). The ventilation grille 22 has a plurality of ventilation holes 223, which allow the airflow driven by the aforementioned fan to flow out of the outdoor unit while forming a physical isolation between the outside and inside of the outdoor unit. This reduces the probability of debris from the external environment entering the interior space of the outdoor unit and effectively prevents the safety hazards that may exist when external personnel come into contact with the fan in the interior space. The shape and size of the aforementioned ventilation holes 223 can be reasonably set as needed, and the present invention does not impose any particular limitation on them.

[0050] The outer cover 2 has a first side surface that engages with the outer wall of the panel body 1 (outer side in the outdoor unit air outlet usage state) through the engaging outer edge ring wall 21, and the ventilation grille 22 is in the outer space of the panel body 1 in an operating state. The outer cover 2 also has a second side surface that engages with the outer wall of the panel body 1 through the engaging outer edge ring wall 21, and the ventilation grille 22 is at least partially in the inner space of the panel body 1 through the through hole in a packaging and transportation state. The outer cover 2 can switch between the operating state and the packaging and transportation state.

[0051] In this technical solution, when the outdoor unit is in the air outlet operation state, the outer cover 2 is in the operating state. In this state, the ventilation grille 22 of the outer cover 2 protrudes from the outer space of the panel 1, thereby increasing the ventilation area of ​​the ventilation grille 22, reducing air outlet resistance, increasing the air volume of the outdoor unit and the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger, and thus improving the working efficiency of the air conditioner. When the outdoor unit is being transported in packaging, the outer cover 2 is in the packaging and transport state. At this time, the protruding ventilation grille 22 is at least partially hidden in the inner space of the panel 1, with less protruding from the outer side of the panel 1. This reduces the unfavorable occupation of space inside the packaging box, and the saved space can be used to place other necessary components such as connecting pipes and other accessories, increasing the packing capacity and saving packaging and transportation costs. That is, the outer cover 2 in this invention achieves both a large air volume during use and a compact structure during transportation by switching its assembly state under different operating conditions.

[0052] It should be noted that the outer ring wall 21 is specifically the connection structure between the outer cover 2 and the panel body 1. It can be an integral ring, such as a square ring or a circular ring. The specific shape can match the shape of the through hole and the ventilation grille 22. It can also be multiple connecting blocks arranged along the annular interval. The present invention does not impose any special limitations on it.

[0053] In some embodiments, the ventilation grille portion 22 has a blade clearance recess 221 on the end face away from the mating outer edge annular wall 21, recessed from the second side towards the first side. The position of the blade clearance recess 221 corresponds to the position of the fan blade 3 inside the outdoor unit of the air conditioner assembling the outdoor unit panel assembly, so that when the outer cover 2 is in the packaged and transported state, each blade clearance recess 221 can at least partially accommodate the trailing edge structure of the fan blade 3, such as... Figure 2 The orientation shown is for reference, that is, the position of the right end of the fan blade 3.

[0054] In this technical solution, by providing the aforementioned blade clearance recess 221 on the end face of the ventilation grille 22 away from the mating outer edge ring wall 21, when the outer cover 2 is in the packaging and transportation state, the ventilation grille 22 extends into the inner space of the panel body 1 more, thereby reducing the portion protruding from the outer side of the panel body 1 in this state. In other words, the outdoor unit can occupy less space inside the packaging box in this state.

[0055] In some embodiments, when the outer casing 2 is in the operating state, the blade clearance recess 221 is located on the side of the second side of the mating outer edge ring wall 21 away from the first side, and the minimum straight-line distance between the blade clearance recess 221 and the first side of the mating outer edge ring wall 21 is H2. The fan blade 3 is located on the side of the first side of the mating outer edge ring wall 21 away from the second side, and the minimum straight-line distance between the fan blade 3 and the second side of the mating outer edge ring wall 21 is H4, where H2 < H4.

[0056] In this technical solution, H2 is designed to be smaller than H4, which ensures that when the outer cover 2 is in the packaging and transportation state, the trailing edge structure of the fan blade 3 does not contact the bottom surface of the blade clearance recess 221 (that is, the surface that is roughly parallel to the panel body 1). In other words, there is a gap between the two along the depth direction of the through hole, which can prevent the outer cover 2 from applying axial force to the fan blade 3 in this state, thereby preventing damage to the fan blade 3.

[0057] In some embodiments, the outer contour of the ventilation grille 22 is circular when projected onto the panel 1. In this case, the ventilation grille 22 can be frustum-shaped. Of course, in other embodiments, the ventilation grille 22 can be frustum-shaped. The through hole is a circular hole, and the diameter of the outer contour of the ventilation grille 22 is D2 (when the ventilation grille 22 is frustum-shaped, this diameter is the outer diameter of the larger diameter base). The inner wall of the panel 1 has a guide ring (not marked in the figure) for guiding and rectifying the airflow delivered by the fan blades 3. The guide ring is coaxially arranged with the through hole, and the diameter of the through hole is not less than D2. It can be understood that since the guide ring is arranged around the through hole, the diameter of its guide hole is also at least not less than the aforementioned D2.

[0058] In this technical solution, by designing the diameter of the through hole to be no less than D2, it can be ensured that the ventilation grille 22 can be located to the maximum extent within the inner space of the panel body 1 when the outer cover 2 is in the packaged and transported state. In order to facilitate smooth assembly, the aforementioned through hole is preferably larger than D2.

[0059] See also Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the overall height of the outer cover 2 is H1, which is the axial distance from the aforementioned first side to the outer end face of the ventilation grille 22. When the outer cover 2 is in operation, the height of the outer cover 2 protruding from the outer wall of the panel body 1 is also H1. When the outer cover 2 is in packaging and transportation, most of the aforementioned H1 extends into the aforementioned through hole. The aforementioned mating outer edge ring wall 21 is annular, and the outer diameter of this annular ring is D1, where D1 > D2 > D3. It can be understood that the aforementioned blade clearance recesses 221 are all located within the annular area from D2 to D3. In a specific embodiment, H1 < 0.25D2.

[0060] See Figure 6 As shown, when the ventilation grille 22 is a frustum, the aforementioned ventilation holes 223 are formed on the outer end face and circumferential surface of the frustum. The ventilation holes 223 on the circumferential surface, i.e. the side surface, are the part that increases the air volume in the present invention. Specifically, the increased air volume area is approximately πH1D2 (including the shading area of ​​the grille entity).

[0061] The ventilation grille 22 also has a hub clearance recess 222 on the end face away from the mating outer edge ring wall 21. The position of the hub clearance recess 222 corresponds to the hub position of the assembled fan blade 3, so that when the outer cover 2 is in the packaging and transportation state, the hub clearance recess 222 can accommodate the outer end face of the hub.

[0062] In this technical solution, the design of the aforementioned wind turbine hub clearance recess 222 enables the grille ventilation section 22 to make way for the hub position of the wind turbine blades when the outer cover 2 is in the packaging and transportation state, thereby ensuring the length of the grille ventilation section 22 extending into the inner space of the panel body 1.

[0063] In one specific embodiment, the impeller hub clearance recess 222 is circular and has a diameter of D3 when projected onto the panel body 1. D3 is not less than the outer diameter of the hub, so that the impeller hub clearance recess 222 can match the size of the wind turbine impeller hub.

[0064] In some embodiments, an assembly structure 23 is formed on the first side of the mating outer edge ring wall 21, and the outer cover 2 is detachably connected to the panel body 1 through the assembly structure 23. The aforementioned assembly structure 23 may be a connecting hole that passes through the aforementioned first side and second side or a hook formed on the first side, etc. Theoretically, any assembly structure 23 that can realize convenient assembly between the outer cover 2 and the panel body 1 is acceptable.

[0065] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an outdoor unit for an air conditioner is also provided, including the outdoor unit panel assembly described above.

[0066] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an air conditioner is also provided, including the above-described outdoor unit.

[0067] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a control method for an air conditioner as described above is also provided, comprising the following steps:

[0068] Determine if the outdoor fan is stalled;

[0069] When the outdoor fan is in a stalled state, a prompt message is issued to remind the user to check whether the status of the outer cover 2 is correct. For example, the corresponding error code is displayed on the corresponding display panel (such as the remote control or the indoor unit display panel), indicating that the air conditioner outdoor fan is powered on, but is blocked and does not rotate, prompting the user to check whether the outer cover is installed in the correct orientation (that is, the outer cover 2 is in the operating state rather than the packaging and transportation state).

[0070] In this technical solution, since the outer cover 2 is in the packaging and transportation state during the outdoor unit transportation process, and there is a possibility that the state of the outer cover 2 may be forgotten when the air conditioner is used, the status determination of whether the outdoor fan is blocked is added. When the outdoor fan is determined to be blocked, a corresponding prompt message is issued to prompt timely inspection and switching of the outer cover 2 to the operating state.

[0071] It should be noted that whether the aforementioned outdoor fan is in a stalled state can be determined by detecting the magnitude of the drive current of the motor corresponding to the outdoor fan and the matching of the position sensor (such as a Hall sensor) or speed sensor on it. This method of judgment is a standard technical means in the industry and will not be elaborated here.

[0072] It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that, without conflict, the advantageous technical features of the above-mentioned methods can be freely combined and superimposed.

[0073] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention. The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An outdoor unit panel assembly, characterized in that, include: A panel body (1) has a through hole formed thereon; an outer cover (2) is provided over the through hole, the outer cover (2) has a ventilation grille (22) that protrudes from a first side of the outer ... inner side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the inner side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of the outer side of The blade clearance recess (221) is recessed towards the first side on the second side. The position of the blade clearance recess (221) corresponds to the position of the fan blade (3) inside the outdoor unit of the air conditioner in which the outdoor unit panel assembly is assembled, so that when the outer cover (2) is in the packaging and transportation state, each blade clearance recess (221) can at least partially accommodate the trailing edge structure of the fan blade (3); when the outer cover (2) is in the operating state, the blade clearance recess (221) is located on the side of the second side of the mating outer edge ring wall (21) away from the first side, and the minimum straight-line distance between the blade clearance recess (221) and the first side of the mating outer edge ring wall (21) is H2, the fan blade (3) is located on the side of the first side of the mating outer edge ring wall (21) away from the second side, and the minimum straight-line distance between the fan blade (3) and the second side of the mating outer edge ring wall (21) is H4, where H2 < H4.

2. The outdoor unit panel assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, Projected onto the panel body (1), the outer contour of the ventilation grille (22) is circular, the through hole is a circular hole, the diameter of the outer contour of the ventilation grille (22) is D2, the inner wall of the panel body (1) has a guide ring, the guide ring is coaxially arranged with the through hole, and the diameter of the through hole is not less than D2.

3. The outdoor unit panel assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ventilation grille (22) also has a hub clearance recess (222) on the end face away from the mating outer ring wall (21). The position of the hub clearance recess (222) corresponds to the hub position of the assembled fan blade (3) so that when the outer cover (2) is in the packaging and transportation state, the hub clearance recess (222) can accommodate the outer end face of the hub.

4. The outdoor unit panel assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, Projected onto the panel body (1), the wind turbine hub recess (222) is circular with a diameter of D3, which is not less than the outer diameter of the hub.

5. The outdoor unit panel assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, An assembly structure (23) is formed on the first side of the outer edge ring wall (21), and the outer cover (2) is detachably connected to the panel body (1) through the assembly structure (23).

6. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner, characterized in that, Includes the outdoor unit panel assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. An air conditioner, characterized in that, Includes the outdoor unit of the air conditioner as described in claim 6.

8. A control method for an air conditioner as described in claim 7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Determine if the outdoor fan is stalled; When the outdoor fan is in a stalled state, a prompt message is issued to remind the user to check whether the status of the outer cover (2) is correct.

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