Air conditioner

Abstract

An air conditioner comprises an indoor unit; the water receiving disc (100) is mounted in the indoor unit and is configured to receive condensate water generated during operation of the air conditioner; the water draining pump (200) is installed in the water receiving disc (100), a water inlet (210) of the water draining pump (200) is communicated with the water receiving disc (100), a water draining opening of the water draining pump (200) is communicated with the outside through a water draining pipe, and the water draining pump (200) is configured to drain condensate water in the water receiving disc (100) to the outside; the second driving unit (600) is configured to drive the drainage pump (200) to operate; and the main control unit (500) is configured to obtain the drainage grade of the drainage pump (200) according to the rotating speed of the indoor fan (300) and the indoor humidity, control and output different driving signals to the second driving unit (600), and drive the drainage pump (200) to operate at the rotating speed corresponding to the drainage grade.

Description

air conditioner

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed on June 13, 2023 with application number CN202321509816.8; and the Chinese patent application filed on June 13, 2023 with application number CN202321509781.8, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the technical field of air conditioning, and in particular to an air conditioner. Background Art

[0004] When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, water vapor in the air hits the low-temperature evaporator, forming condensed water that flows into the water collection pan of the indoor unit. The water in the water collection pan is usually drained out through a drain pump. Continuous operation of the drain pump at high power will increase the energy consumption of the air conditioner.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] On the one hand, an air conditioner is provided, comprising: an indoor unit; a water collecting pan installed in the indoor unit and configured to collect condensed water generated during the operation of the air conditioner; a drain pump installed in the water collecting pan, a water inlet of the drain pump being connected to the water collecting pan, and a drain outlet being connected to the outside through a drain pipe, and configured to discharge the condensed water in the water collecting pan to the outside; a second drive unit configured to drive the drain pump to operate; and a main control unit configured to obtain a drainage level of the drain pump based on both the speed of the indoor fan and the indoor humidity, and control output of different drive signals to the second drive unit to drive the drain pump to operate at a speed corresponding to the drainage level.

[0007] On the other hand, an air conditioner is provided, comprising a water collecting pan installed in the indoor unit of the air conditioner, for collecting condensed water generated when the air conditioner is in operation; a drain pump installed in the water collecting pan, the water inlet of the drain pump being connected to the water collecting pan and the drain outlet being connected to the outside through a drain pipe, for discharging the condensed water in the water collecting pan to the outside; a water pump driving unit for driving the drain pump to operate; a main control unit drivingly connected to the water pump driving unit; a power switching unit connected to the main control unit and capable of receiving multiple control signals output by the main control unit, the multiple control signals being used to control the power switching unit to switch and output multiple different driving voltages corresponding to the multiple control signals, and the driving voltages are transmitted to the driving voltage receiving end of the water pump driving unit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG1 is a structural block diagram of an air conditioner indoor unit in some embodiments of the present application;

[0009] FIG2 is a system block diagram 1 of some embodiments of the present application;

[0010] FIG3 is a pin connection diagram of some embodiments of the present application;

[0011] FIG4 is an original detection diagram of a float switch in some embodiments of the present application;

[0012] FIG5 is a front view of a drainage pump according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0013] FIG6 is a top view of a drainage pump in some embodiments of the present application;

[0014] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a drainage pump performing drainage in some embodiments of the present application;

[0015] FIG8 is a second system block diagram of some embodiments of the present application;

[0016] FIG9 is a general pin connection diagram of some embodiments of the present application;

[0017] FIG10 is a structural block diagram 1 of an air conditioner in some embodiments of the present application;

[0018] FIG11 is a pin connection diagram of some embodiments of the present application;

[0019] FIG12 is a pin connection diagram of a power switching unit in some embodiments of the present application;

[0020] FIG13 is a second structural block diagram of an air conditioner in some embodiments of the present application;

[0021] FIG14 is a system block diagram of a power switching unit in some embodiments of the present application;

[0022] FIG15 is a circuit diagram of a first switch control circuit in a power switching unit in some embodiments of the present application;

[0023] FIG16 is a second original detection diagram of a float switch in some embodiments of the present application;

[0024] FIG17 is a circuit diagram of the first alarm unit in some embodiments of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The following will be combined with the accompanying drawings to clearly and completely describe some embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all embodiments. Based on the embodiments provided by the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0026] Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims, the term "comprise" and its other forms, such as the third person singular form "comprises" and the present participle form "comprising", are to be interpreted as open and inclusive, that is, "including, but not limited to". In the description of the specification, the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "exemplary embodiments", "example", "specific example" or "some examples" are intended to indicate that the particular features, structures, materials or characteristics associated with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. The schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. In addition, the particular features, structures, materials or characteristics may be included in any one or more embodiments or examples in any appropriate manner.

[0027] In the following, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0028] When describing some embodiments, the expressions "coupled" and "connected" and their derivatives may be used. The term "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. The term "coupled" indicates, for example, that two or more components are in direct physical or electrical contact. The term "coupled" or "communicatively coupled" may also refer to two or more components that are not in direct contact with each other, but still cooperate or interact with each other. The embodiments disclosed herein are not necessarily limited to the contents of this document.

[0029] “A and / or B” includes the following three combinations: A only, B only, and a combination of A and B.

[0030] The use of "adapted to" or "configured to" herein is intended to be open and inclusive language that does not exclude devices adapted or configured to perform additional tasks or steps.

[0031] Additionally, the use of “based on” is meant to be open and inclusive, as a process, step, calculation, or other action “based on” one or more stated conditions or values ​​may, in practice, be based on additional conditions or values ​​beyond those stated.

[0032] An air conditioner performs its refrigeration cycle by using a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator. The refrigeration cycle involves a series of processes involving compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation to cool or heat the indoor space.

[0033] Low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant enters the compressor, which compresses it into high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas and discharges the compressed refrigerant gas. The discharged refrigerant gas flows into the condenser. The condenser condenses the compressed refrigerant into a liquid phase, releasing heat into the surrounding environment through the condensation process.

[0034] The expansion valve expands the high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant condensed in the condenser to a lower-pressure liquid. The evaporator evaporates the refrigerant expanded in the expansion valve and returns the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas to the compressor. The evaporator achieves cooling by utilizing the latent heat of evaporation to exchange heat with the material being cooled. Throughout this cycle, the air conditioner regulates the temperature of the indoor space.

[0035] The outdoor unit of the air conditioner refers to a portion of a refrigeration cycle including a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger, the indoor unit of the air conditioner includes an indoor heat exchanger, and an expansion valve may be provided in the indoor unit or the outdoor unit.

[0036] The indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger function as a condenser or an evaporator. When the indoor heat exchanger functions as a condenser, the air conditioner functions as a heater in heating mode, and when the indoor heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, the air conditioner functions as a cooler in cooling mode.

[0037] The drain pump is a component of the air conditioner's indoor unit. In the air conditioner's cooling mode, condensed water will be generated on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger that serves as the evaporator when the air flow passes through it. A water collection pan is usually arranged below the indoor heat exchanger to receive the condensed water. The drain pump is installed in the water collection pan and is configured to draw the condensed water in the water collection pan out to the outside of the air conditioner's indoor unit when the drain pump is started.

[0038] In the related art, when the air conditioner is in cooling mode, water vapor in the air hits the low-temperature evaporator, forming condensed water that flows into the water collection pan of the indoor unit. The condensed water is discharged from the water collection pan to the outside through a drain pipe using a drainage pump. When using a drainage pump for drainage, the drainage pump used in the related art has only two gears: on and off. When drainage is required, the drainage pump is turned on and continues to run at a fixed speed and maximum power until the water level drops to a level that causes the drainage pump to shut down. This type of drainage pump control method cannot adjust the drainage situation in real time according to the condensed water situation in the water collection pan, and the drainage efficiency is poor. At the same time, when the drainage pump continues to run at high power, the energy consumption of the air conditioner increases.

[0039] In order to solve the problem that the drain pump 200 in the air conditioner of the related art operates at a fixed speed and maximum power when starting, some embodiments of the present application provide an air conditioner that can adaptively adjust the speed of the drain pump 200 according to the amount of condensed water, thereby improving the drainage efficiency and achieving energy saving effects.

[0040] Figure 1 is a block diagram of the structure of an air conditioner indoor unit in some embodiments of the present application. Figure 5 is a front view of a drain pump in an air conditioner embodiment in some embodiments of the present application. Figure 6 is a top view of a drain pump in some embodiments of the present application. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a drain pump in some embodiments of the present application during drainage.

[0041] 1 and 5 to 7 , the air conditioner includes a water receiving tray 100 , a drain pump 200 , a second driving unit 600 and a main control unit 500 .

[0042] The water tray 100 is located in the indoor unit of the air conditioner and is configured to receive condensed water generated when air flows through the low-temperature surface of the indoor heat exchanger during cooling operation of the air conditioner.

[0043] The drain pump 200 has a water inlet 210 and a water outlet, and is installed in the water receiving tray 100 , for example, upside down in the water receiving tray 100 , so that the water inlet 210 of the drain pump 200 faces the water receiving tray 100 , for example, contacts the condensed water in the water receiving tray 100 .

[0044] When the drain pump 200 is working, the water inlet 210 of the drain pump 200 can extract the condensed water collected in the water tray 100 and then discharge it to the outside through the drain port.

[0045] The second drive unit 600 is connected to the main control unit 500 and is configured to receive a PWM pulse drive signal from the main control unit 500 and control the operation of the drain pump 200 based on the PWM pulse drive signal. A larger duty cycle of the PWM pulse drive signal indicates a faster operation of the drain pump 200, and thus a faster drainage speed; a smaller duty cycle of the PWM pulse drive signal indicates a slower operation of the drain pump 200, and thus a slower drainage speed.

[0046] In some embodiments, the amount of condensed water is determined by using two variables, the speed of the indoor fan 300 and the indoor air humidity, which affect the amount of condensed water. When the amount of condensed water is high, the speed of the drain pump 200 is increased; when the amount of condensed water is low, the speed of the drain pump 200 is decreased. This adaptively adjusts the speed of the drain pump 200 to save energy. In the air conditioner's cooling mode, the higher the indoor air humidity, the higher the speed of the indoor fan 300, the faster the condensed water is generated, and the greater the amount of condensed water produced. The same applies vice versa.

[0047] Therefore, in some embodiments, a relationship is established between the speed (or gear) of the indoor fan 300 and the indoor air humidity, and the drainage level. The speed and gear of the indoor fan 300 correspond to each other: a high gear corresponds to a high speed, and a low gear corresponds to a low speed. The higher the gear of the indoor fan 300 and the greater the indoor air humidity, the higher the drainage level; the lower the gear of the indoor fan 300 and the lower the indoor air humidity, the lower the drainage level; at the same gear of the indoor fan 300, the greater the indoor air humidity, the higher the drainage level; and at the same indoor air humidity, the higher the gear of the indoor fan 300, the higher the drainage level.

[0048] Based on this principle, a relationship between the indoor fan 300 speed, indoor air humidity, and drainage level is preset. This relationship can be pre-written in a preset data table or as multiple commands, each of which describes the relationship between indoor air humidity, indoor fan speed, and drainage level. The number of indoor fan 300 speeds and the number of indoor air humidity levels can be set as needed.

[0049] In some embodiments, a six-speed indoor fan 300 is used as an example. The speeds of the indoor fan 300 are set from speed 1 to speed 6, and the indoor air humidity is divided into nine humidity levels: 10% to 90%, with a 10% difference between each adjacent humidity level. Thus, 54 corresponding conditions can be generated under different combinations of the speed of the indoor fan 300 and the indoor air humidity.

[0050] The drainage level of the drain pump 200 is divided into 14 levels: LV1 to LV14. Adjacent drainage levels differ by one level. The higher the drainage level, the faster the drain pump 200 operates. Based on the preset indoor fan 300 gear position, indoor air humidity, and drainage level, a preset data table is created, as shown in Table 1 below.

[0051] Table 1

[0052] The preset data table described above can be stored in a storage unit connected to the main control unit 500. During use, the main control unit 500 retrieves the data table from the storage unit and queries it based on the gear position of the indoor fan 300 and the indoor air humidity to determine the drainage level. The drainage level is determined for different indoor fan 300 speeds and different indoor air humidity levels.

[0053] FIG2 is a system block diagram 1 of some embodiments of the present application.

[0054] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 2 , based on different drainage levels, the main control unit 500 inputs different PWM pulse drive signals to the second drive unit 600 , thereby controlling the drainage pump 200 to operate at a speed corresponding to the drainage level.

[0055] In some embodiments, a relationship table can be preset between drain levels and the duty cycles of the PWM pulse drive signals. As described above, there are fourteen drain levels, and correspondingly, there are fourteen duty cycles of the PWM pulse drive signals: DUTY1 through DUTY14. Drain levels LV1 through LV14 correspond to duty cycles DUTY1 through DUTY14, respectively, with the duty cycles of DUTY1 through DUTY14 increasing in sequence. See Table 2 for this relationship table.

[0056] Table 2

[0057] In some embodiments, the relationship table described above may also be stored in a storage unit. When in use, the main control unit 500 calls the relationship table from the storage unit and determines the duty cycle of the corresponding PWM pulse drive signal according to the determined drainage level.

[0058] For example, when the humidity sensor detects a humidity of 20% and the fan is set to V3, Table 1 shows that the drainage level is LV4. Table 2 shows that the duty cycle of the PWM pulse drive signal is DUTY 4. Similarly, the drainage levels under other operating conditions can be determined.

[0059] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1 and 2, the air conditioner further includes a humidity sensor 400, which is disposed indoors and configured to detect indoor air humidity. The humidity sensor 400 is connected to a main control unit 500 and configured to transmit the indoor air humidity detected by the humidity sensor 400 to the main control unit 500.

[0060] FIG3 is a pin connection diagram of some embodiments of the present application.

[0061] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 3 , the main control unit 500 uses an integrated MCU chip 500 ′, which has a first input pin configured to receive the indoor air humidity fed back by the humidity sensor 400 .

[0062] In some embodiments, referring to FIG2 , the main control unit 500 is communicatively connected to the first drive unit 300 ′ via the communication unit 300 ″, and the first drive unit 300 ′ outputs a drive signal to the indoor fan 300 to make the indoor fan 300 start or stop. The communication unit 300 ″ may adopt a UART communication circuit. When the indoor fan 300 is running, the main control unit 500 can obtain the gear position of the indoor fan 300 through the communication unit 300 ″.

[0063] The MCU chip 500' also has a first output pin, which is configured to determine the duty cycle of the PWM pulse signal to be output by checking Table 1 and Table 2 as described above after the MCU chip 500' obtains the gear position of the indoor fan 300 and the indoor air humidity, and output the PWM pulse signal to the second drive unit 600 at the first output pin, see Figure 2.

[0064] Referring to Figure 3 , the second driver unit 600 includes a second driver chip 600' having a PWM pin configured to receive a PWM pulse signal output by the first output pin of the MCU chip 500'. This second driver chip 600' also has an overcurrent protection function, implementing current limiting protection for the motor of the drain pump 200 by providing an overcurrent protection circuit on its periphery.

[0065] In some embodiments, referring to FIG3 , the second driver chip 600 ′ has a first pin, a second pin, and a third pin, and the overcurrent protection circuit is disposed between the first pin, the second pin, and the third pin. The overcurrent protection circuit includes a first resistor R1, a second resistor R2, and a third resistor R3. The first pin is grounded via the first resistor R1, the second pin is grounded via the second resistor R2, and the third pin is connected to the connection point where the second pin and the second resistor R2 are connected via the third resistor R3. By setting the values ​​of each resistor, the overcurrent protection limit of the drain pump 200 motor can be set, and different overcurrent protection limits can be set by changing the values ​​of each resistor.

[0066] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3 , the second driver chip 600′ further includes a speed feedback pin, and the MCU chip 500′ includes a third input pin. The speed feedback pin is connected to the third input pin and configured to allow the main control unit 500 to detect the speed of the drain pump 200 in real time and perform closed-loop control of the speed to achieve stable and controllable speed.

[0067] To prevent the potential safety hazard of excessive condensed water overflowing from the water receiving pan 100 when the drain pump 200 malfunctions, in some embodiments, as shown in Figures 3 and 4 , the air conditioner further includes a float switch 800. The float switch 800 is disposed within the water receiving pan 100 and is configured to detect the level of condensed water in the water receiving pan 100. A preset water level is set within the float switch 800, which is the maximum water level in the water receiving pan 100.

[0068] Referring to Figure 3 , when the water level in the water tray 100 reaches a preset level, the float switch 800 activates and emits a detection signal, which is then transmitted to the main control unit 500. Typically, the float switch 800 is in a normally closed state. However, once the water level in the water tray 100 reaches the preset level, the float switch 800 opens, i.e., enters an open state. Therefore, the open / close state information of the float switch 800 includes both a closed state and an open state.

[0069] FIG4 is an original detection diagram of a float switch in some embodiments of the present application.

[0070] In some embodiments, referring to FIG4 , the power supply +5V is connected to the input end of the voltage divider circuit 240 via the float switch 800. That is, one end of the float switch 800 is connected to the +5V supply and the other end is connected to the input end of the voltage divider circuit 240. For example, the voltage divider circuit 240 may include a first resistor, a second resistor, and a third resistor. One end of the first resistor is respectively connected to the other end of the float switch 800 and one end of the second resistor, and the other end of the first resistor is grounded. The other end of the second resistor is respectively connected to the second input pin of the MCU chip 500′ and one end of the third resistor, and the other end of the third resistor is grounded.

[0071] Thus, when the float switch 800 is normally closed because the water level has not reached the preset water level, the second input pin of the MCU chip 500' receives a high-level detection signal, and when the float switch 800 is disconnected because the water level has reached the preset water level, the second input pin of the MCU chip 500' receives a low-level detection signal.

[0072] After receiving the detection signal, the MCU chip 500' outputs a control signal to the first drive unit 300' to activate or deactivate the indoor fan 300. Specifically, when the MCU chip 500' receives a high-level detection signal, it outputs a control signal to the first drive unit 300' to activate the indoor fan 300; and when the MCU chip 500' receives a low-level detection signal, it outputs a control signal to the first drive unit 300' to deactivate the indoor fan 300, thereby preventing the indoor fan 300 from continuing to operate and generating condensate.

[0073] As described above, when the float switch 800 is disconnected, it indicates that the water level in the water receiving tray 100 has reached the preset water level. This situation indicates that the drainage of the drainage pump 200 is abnormal. Therefore, manual drainage should be carried out in a timely manner at this time.

[0074] FIG16 is a second original detection diagram of a float switch in some embodiments of the present application.

[0075] In some embodiments, referring to FIG16 , in order to remind manual drainage in time, the air conditioner further includes a first alarm unit 1800 . When the main control unit 500 receives a low-level detection signal, the control sends an alarm prompt to intuitively remind the user to drain the water in time.

[0076] FIG17 is a circuit diagram of the first alarm unit in some embodiments of the present application.

[0077] In some embodiments, the structure of the first alarm unit 1800 may adopt the circuit structure shown in FIG. 17 .

[0078] When the main control unit 500 receives a low-level detection signal, it outputs a high-level signal through the resistor R23 to control the transistor Q3 to be turned on, causing the buzzer BUZZ to send out an alarm signal.

[0079] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 5 to FIG. 7 , the drain pump 200 has two drain ports: a first drain port 220 and a second drain port 230 .

[0080] The first drain port 220 is always connected to the outside through the first drain pipe 900. That is, when the drain pump 200 is working, water in the water receiving tray 100 is extracted through the water inlet 210 and discharged to the outside of the water receiving tray 100 through the first drain port 220 and the first drain pipe 900.

[0081] The second drain outlet 230 is connected to the second drain pipe 900" through the controllable valve 700', that is, the second drain outlet 230 is connected to one end of the controllable valve 700', and the other end of the controllable valve 700' is connected to the drain inlet of the second drain pipe 900", and the drain outlet of the second drain pipe 900" is connected to the outside. When the drain pump 200 is working and the controllable valve 700' is connected, part of the condensed water in the water receiving pan 100 is discharged to the outside through the first drain outlet 220 and the first drain pipe 900, while part of the condensed water is discharged to the outside through the second drain outlet 230, the controllable valve 700' and the second drain pipe 900". When the drain pump 200 is working and the controllable valve 700' is disconnected, the condensed water in the water receiving pan 100 is only discharged to the outside through the first drain outlet 220 and the first drain pipe 900.

[0082] FIG8 is a second system block diagram in some embodiments of the present application.

[0083] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 8 , the connection / disconnection of the controllable valve 700 ′ is controlled by the main control unit 500 according to the acquired drainage level.

[0084] When the drainage level reaches the upper limit of the level threshold, the main control unit 500 outputs a first control signal to control the controllable valve 700' to be connected through the third drive unit 700; when the drainage level reaches the lower limit of the level threshold, the main control unit 500 outputs a second control signal to control the controllable valve 700' to be disconnected through the third drive unit 700.

[0085] That is, when the drainage level is high, the controllable valve 700' is controlled to be connected, so that the condensed water in the water receiving tray 100 is simultaneously drained outward through the first drain port 220 and the second drain port 230 (i.e., double drain port drainage is adopted), ensuring timely drainage and improving drainage efficiency. When the drainage level is low, the controllable valve 700' is controlled to be disconnected, so that the condensed water in the water receiving tray 100 is only drained outward through the first drain port 220 (i.e., single drain port drainage is adopted). The level threshold is preset and can be a drainage level or a drainage level range, such as the drainage level range (LV7, LV8). When the drainage level reaches the upper limit of the level threshold, i.e., LV8 to LV14, double drain ports are adopted for drainage. When the drainage level reaches the lower limit of the level threshold, i.e., LV1 to LV7, single drain port is adopted for drainage. At this time, the controllable valve 700' is in a controlled disconnected state.

[0086] In some embodiments, the controllable valve 700 ′ may be a solenoid valve, a piezoelectric valve, a MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical System) valve, an angle seat valve, or other valves that can be controlled to open, connect, close, or disconnect.

[0087] FIG9 is a general pin connection diagram of some embodiments of the present application.

[0088] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 9 , the third driving unit 700 includes a first driving chip 710 and a fourth relay 720 .

[0089] When the main control unit 500 is an MCU chip 500', the output terminal of the main control unit 500 for outputting the first control signal or the second control signal is the second output pin of the MCU chip 500'. An input pin of the first driver chip 710 is connected to the second output pin of the MCU chip 500', and an output pin of the first driver chip 710 is connected to one end of the coil of the fourth relay 720. The power supply Vcc is connected to the other end of the coil of the fourth relay 720. The normally open switch of the fourth relay 720 is connected in series with the power supply circuit of the controllable valve 700'.

[0090] When the input pin of the first driver chip 710 receives a first control signal, a low-level signal is output at the output pin, energizing the coil and closing the normally-open switch, thereby connecting the power supply circuit and normally supplying power to the controllable valve 700'. At this point, the controllable valve 700' is open. When the input pin of the first driver chip 710 receives a second control signal, a high-level signal is output at the output pin, de-energizing the coil and opening the normally-open switch, thereby disconnecting the power supply circuit and preventing power from being supplied to the controllable valve 700'. At this point, the controllable valve 700' is closed.

[0091] When the drainage level reaches the upper limit of the level threshold, i.e., LV8 to LV14, the MCU chip 500' controls the coil of the fourth relay 720 via the first driver chip 710 to energize, thereby opening and connecting the controllable valve 700', thus draining water through two drain outlets. When the drainage level reaches the lower limit of the level threshold, i.e., LV1 to LV7, the MCU chip 500' controls the coil of the fourth relay 720 via the first driver chip 710 to de-energize, thereby closing and opening the controllable valve 700', thus draining water through a single drain outlet.

[0092] The rotation speed of the drainage pump 200 involved in this application can be adaptively closed-loop adjusted according to the gear position of the indoor fan 300 and the indoor air humidity to achieve the purpose of energy-saving control; and when the drainage level is high, double drainage outlets are used to improve drainage efficiency.

[0093] During the condensation process, impurities such as lint, dust, and hair from the low-temperature evaporator and the air are collected in the water receiving pan 100. As these impurities accumulate in the water receiving pan 100 over time, more and more impurities are adsorbed and precipitated in the water receiving pan 100, causing the water receiving pan 100 to become extremely dirty. Furthermore, since the drain pump 200 is located in the water receiving pan 100, drainage is prone to clogging when the drain pump 200 is used for drainage, preventing the water from draining smoothly.

[0094] Minor dirt blockage will not cause damage to the drain pump 200, but abnormal drainage will cause the water level in the water tray 100 to rise until the alarm stops. The user cannot continue to use the air conditioner and will contact after-sales service and wait for on-site repairs, which affects the user experience. During the on-site repair, the drain pump 200 will basically be replaced, resulting in waste of resources and high repair costs.

[0095] FIG10 is a structural block diagram 1 of an air conditioner in some embodiments of the present application.

[0096] Therefore, in order to solve the problem that the driving voltage of the second driving unit 600 of the drain pump 200 in the air conditioner is fixed, resulting in a fixed operating torque, which results in insufficient operating torque to clear the blockage when the drain pump 200 is blocked by dirt, some embodiments of the present application further provide an air conditioner. Referring to FIG10 , the air conditioner includes a water receiving tray 100, a drain pump 200, a second driving unit 600, a main control unit 500, and a power switching unit 1500. The functions of the water receiving tray 100, the drain pump 200, and the second driving unit 600 are as described above and will not be repeated here.

[0097] The drive voltage receiving terminal of the second drive unit 600 receives the drive voltage and provides electrical energy from the drive voltage. When the duty cycle of the PWM pulse drive signal remains unchanged, the higher the drive voltage, the greater the operating torque of the drain pump 200 motor. This increases the motor's output power and the load it can withstand, thus enhancing the drain pump 200's ability to clear dirt and blockages.

[0098] In some embodiments, the second drive unit 600 includes a second driver chip 600' having a PWM pin for receiving a PWM pulse drive signal output by the first output pin of the MCU chip 500'. The second driver chip 600' also has an overcurrent protection function, which implements current limiting protection for the motor of the drain pump 200 by providing an overcurrent protection circuit on its periphery.

[0099] FIG11 is a pin connection diagram of some embodiments of the present application.

[0100] In some embodiments, referring to FIG11 , the second driver chip 600′ has a first pin, a second pin, and a third pin, with the overcurrent protection circuit being disposed between the first pin, the second pin, and the third pin. The overcurrent protection circuit includes a first resistor R1, a second resistor R2, and a third resistor R3. The first pin is grounded via the first resistor R1, the second pin is grounded via the second resistor R2, and the third pin is connected to the connection point between the second pin and the second resistor R2 via the third resistor R3. By setting the values ​​of each resistor, the overcurrent protection limit of the drain pump 200 motor can be set, and different overcurrent protection limits can be set by changing the values ​​of each resistor.

[0101] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 11 , the second driver chip 600' further includes a speed feedback pin, and the MCU chip 500' includes a first input pin. This speed feedback pin is connected to the first input pin, allowing the main control unit 500 to detect the speed of the drainage pump 200 in real time and perform closed-loop control of the speed to achieve stable and controllable speed. A target speed is also set within the main control unit 500, and this target speed can also be stored in a storage unit connected to the main control unit 500. When in use, the target speed can be retrieved from the storage unit.

[0102] In some embodiments, the power switching unit 1500 is controlled by the main control unit 500 and is configured to provide the second drive unit 600 with the selected driving voltages. During operation of the drain pump 200, the main control unit 500 outputs a control signal (for example, the control signal may be a signal generated when the main control unit 500 detects varying degrees of dirt and blockage in the drain pump 200). Based on the control signal, the power switching unit 1500 operates to output a driving voltage corresponding to the control signal.

[0103] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 11 , the power switching unit 1500 switches to provide three different driving voltages, where the first driving voltage is Vcc1, the second driving voltage is Vcc2, and the third driving voltage is Vcc3, wherein the first driving voltage, the second driving voltage, and the third driving voltage are arranged in ascending order.

[0104] In some embodiments, the power switching unit 1500 has multiple input terminals, for example, three input terminals, for receiving three control signals from the main control unit 500, namely, a first control signal, a second control signal, and a third control signal. When the main control unit 500 uses an MCU chip 500', the MCU chip 500' outputs the first control signal at the first control pin, the second control signal at the second control pin, and the third control signal at the third control pin.

[0105] When the power switching unit 1500 receives a first control signal, it switches to output the first driving voltage Vcc1 or does not output voltage. When the power switching unit 1500 receives a second control signal, it switches to output the second driving voltage Vcc2 or does not output voltage. When the power switching unit 1500 receives a third control signal, it switches to output the third driving voltage Vcc3 or does not output voltage.

[0106] In some embodiments, the power switching unit 1500 may include a third driver chip and a plurality of relays.

[0107] The third driver chip 510 is connected to the main control unit 500 and has multiple input terminals and corresponding multiple output terminals. That is, the input terminals and output terminals of the third driver chip 510 correspond to each other. The number of the multiple relays is equal to the number of different drive voltages that are switched and output.

[0108] FIG12 is a pin connection diagram of a power switching unit in some embodiments of the present application.

[0109] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 12 , three input terminals (denoted as the first input terminal, the second input terminal, and the third input terminal) and corresponding three output terminals (denoted as the first output terminal, the second output terminal, and the third output terminal) of the third driver chip 510 are used.

[0110] Three relays are used, namely a first relay 520 , a second relay 530 and a third relay 540 . The first relay 520 , the second relay 530 and the third relay 540 correspond to the first output terminal, the second output terminal and the third output terminal of the third driving chip 510 , respectively.

[0111] The first, second, and third input terminals of the third driver chip 510 are respectively connected to the first, second, and third control pins of the MCU chip 500'. The first input terminal of the third driver chip 510 is connected to the first control pin of the MCU chip 500', the first output terminal is connected to one end of the coil of the first relay 520, and the power supply V is connected to the other end of the coil of the first relay 520.

[0112] The normally-open switch of the first relay 520 is connected in series to the power supply circuit that provides the driving voltage. Specifically, one end of the normally-open switch of the first relay 520 is connected to the first driving voltage Vcc1, and the other end is connected to the driving voltage receiving terminal. When the first control signal drives the first output terminal to output a low level, the coil of the first relay 520 is energized, the normally-open switch closes, and the power supply circuit is connected. The first driving voltage Vcc1 serves as the driving voltage for the second driver chip 600'. When the first control signal drives the first output terminal to output a high level, the coil of the first relay 520 is de-energized, the normally-open switch opens, and the power supply circuit is disconnected. The first driving voltage Vcc1 cannot provide the driving voltage for the second driver chip 600'.

[0113] The second input terminal of the third driver chip 510 is connected to the second control pin of the MCU chip 500', the second output terminal is connected to one end of the coil of the second relay 530, and the power supply V is connected to the other end of the coil of the second relay 530. The normally open switch of the second relay 530 is connected in series with the power supply circuit that provides the driving voltage. In other words, one end of the normally open switch of the second relay 530 is connected to the second driving voltage Vcc2, and the other end is connected to the driving voltage receiving terminal.

[0114] When the second control signal drives the second output terminal to a low level, the coil of the second relay 530 is energized, the normally open switch is closed, and the power supply circuit is connected. The second drive voltage Vcc2 serves as the drive voltage for the second driver chip 600'. When the second control signal drives the second output terminal to a high level, the coil of the second relay 530 is de-energized, the normally open switch is opened, and the power supply circuit is disconnected. The second drive voltage Vcc2 cannot provide a drive voltage for the second driver chip 600'.

[0115] The third input terminal of the third driver chip 510 is connected to the third control pin of the MCU chip 500', the third output terminal is connected to one end of the coil of the third relay 540, and the power supply V is connected to the other end of the coil of the third relay 540. The normally open switch of the third relay 540 is connected in series with the power supply circuit that provides the driving voltage. In other words, one end of the normally open switch of the third relay 540 is connected to the third driving voltage Vcc3, and the other end is connected to the driving voltage receiving terminal.

[0116] When the third control signal drives the third output terminal to a low level, the coil of the third relay 540 is energized, the normally-open switch is closed, and the power supply circuit is connected. The third drive voltage Vcc3 serves as the drive voltage for the second driver chip 600'. When the third control signal drives the third output terminal to a high level, the coil of the third relay 540 is de-energized, the normally-open switch is opened, and the power supply circuit is disconnected. The third drive voltage Vcc3 cannot provide a drive voltage for the second driver chip 600'.

[0117] The main control unit 500 as described above will only output, at a given moment, the first control signal for driving the first output terminal to a low level, the second control signal for driving the second output terminal to a low level, or the third control signal for driving the third output terminal to a low level. That is, at the same moment, only one of the first driving voltage, the second driving voltage, and the third driving voltage is allowed to provide power to the second driving unit 600.

[0118] For the convenience of description, the first control signal that drives the first output terminal to a low level is referred to as the first drive signal, the second control signal that drives the second output terminal to a low level is referred to as the second drive signal, and the third control signal that drives the third output terminal to a low level is referred to as the third drive signal.

[0119] In some embodiments, the main control unit 500 may output a first driving signal, a second driving signal, and a third driving signal when the drain pump 200 is in different dirty and blocked working conditions.

[0120] In the default first working condition, the main control unit 500 outputs a first driving signal at the first control pin to drive the third driving chip 510 to energize the coil of the first relay 520 and use the first driving voltage Vcc1 as the driving voltage.

[0121] Under the second working condition where the operating torque of the drainage pump 200 needs to be increased, the main control unit 500 outputs a second drive signal at the second control pin, drives the third drive chip 510 to energize the coil of the second relay 530, and uses the second drive voltage Vcc2 as the drive voltage, thereby increasing the load capacity borne by the drainage pump 200 motor, which is conducive to clearing dirt blockages under high load capacity.

[0122] Under the third working condition where the operating torque of the drainage pump 200 needs to be increased, the main control unit 500 outputs a third drive signal at the third control pin, drives the third drive chip 510 to energize the coil of the third relay 540, and uses the third drive voltage Vcc3 as the drive voltage to continue to increase the load capacity borne by the drainage pump 200 motor, which is conducive to clearing the dirt blockage under high load capacity.

[0123] If, under the third operating condition, the main control unit 500 detects that the difference between the target speed and the real-time feedback speed reaches a preset speed upper limit, it issues an alarm signal, indicating that the drain pump 200 is severely clogged and requires prompt repair. This alarm signal can be sent to the first alarm unit 1800 connected to the main control unit 500. Upon receiving the alarm signal, the first alarm unit 1800 issues an alarm, which can include an audible alarm, a visual alarm, or an audible and visual alarm.

[0124] FIG13 is a second structural block diagram of an air conditioner in some embodiments of the present application.

[0125] In some embodiments, referring to FIG13 , a wired controller 1600 is generally provided for the indoor unit of the air conditioner, which communicates with the main control unit 500 using, for example, an H-LINK communication method. Therefore, an alarm message can be displayed on the wired controller 1600, for example, notifying the user to contact after-sales maintenance.

[0126] FIG14 is a system block diagram of a power switching unit in some embodiments of the present application.

[0127] In some embodiments, the power switching unit 1500 may include multiple switch control circuits. Referring to FIG. 14 , the number of the multiple switch control circuits is selected to be three, and the structures of each switch control circuit may be the same or different. For example, the structures of the three switch control circuits are the same, and they are designated as a first switch control circuit 550, a second switch control circuit 560, and a third switch control circuit 570.

[0128] 14 , the control end of each switch control circuit is connected to the main control unit 500, that is, the control end of the first switch control circuit 550 is connected to the first control pin of the MCU chip 500′, the control end of the second switch control circuit 560 is connected to the second control pin of the MCU chip 500′, and the control end of the third switch control circuit 570 is connected to the third control pin of the MCU chip 500′.

[0129] The input terminal of the first switch control circuit 550 is connected to the first driving voltage Vcc1, the input terminal of the second switch control circuit 560 is connected to the second driving voltage Vcc2, and the input terminal of the third switch control circuit 570 is connected to the third driving voltage Vcc3. The output terminals of the first switch control circuit 550, the second switch control circuit 560, and the third switch control circuit 570 are all connected to the driving voltage receiving terminal.

[0130] When the MCU chip 500' controls the first switch control circuit 550 to be connected, the first drive voltage Vcc1 serves as the drive voltage for the second driver chip 600'. When the MCU chip 500' controls the second switch control circuit 560 to be connected, the second drive voltage Vcc2 serves as the drive voltage for the second driver chip 600'. When the MCU chip 500' controls the third switch control circuit 570 to be connected, the third drive voltage Vcc3 serves as the drive voltage for the second driver chip 600'.

[0131] In some embodiments of the present application, the switch control circuit includes a high-level conductive switch and a low-level conductive switch element. The control end of the high-level conductive switch element is connected to the first control pin of the main control unit 500, and one end is grounded. The control end of the low-level conductive switch element is connected to the other end of the high-level conductive switch element, one end of the low-level conductive switch element is connected to the driving voltage, and the other end of the low-level conductive switch element is connected to the driving voltage receiving end. When the high-level conductive switch element is turned on, the low-level conductive switch element is also turned on and the driving voltage is received by the driving voltage receiving end through the low-level conductive switch element.

[0132] In some embodiments, the switch element that is turned on at a high level may be an NPN transistor, and the switch element that is turned on at a low level may be a PNP transistor.

[0133] FIG15 is a circuit diagram of a first switch control circuit in a power switching unit in some embodiments of the present application.

[0134] Referring to Figure 15 , the first switch control circuit 550 is used as an example for illustration. The base of NPN transistor Q1 is connected to the first control pin of MCU chip 500' via current-limiting resistor R11. Its emitter is grounded. Its collector is connected to the base of PNP transistor Q2 via current-limiting resistors R13 / R14. The emitter of PNP transistor Q2 is connected to the first drive voltage Vcc1, and its collector is connected to the drive voltage receiving terminal. When the first control pin outputs a high level, NPN transistor Q1 turns on, turning on PNP transistor Q2 as well. At this point, the driver receiving terminal receives the first drive voltage Vcc1.

[0135] The air conditioner involved in the present application can control the size of the driving voltage of the second driving unit 600 and change the operating torque of the drain pump 200 motor, so as to select a suitable driving voltage when the drain pump 200 is in different working conditions of dirt and blockage, increase the load size borne by the drain pump 200 motor, and facilitate the clearing of the blockage when the drain pump 200 is slightly blocked or partially clearing the blockage when it is seriously blocked, thereby ensuring normal drainage of the drain pump 200 and reducing the frequency of after-sales repairs due to drainage abnormalities caused by dirt and blockage of the drain pump 200.

[0136] Those skilled in the art will understand that the disclosure scope of this application is not limited to the above specific embodiments, and certain elements of the embodiments may be modified and replaced without departing from the spirit of this application. The scope of this application is limited by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, comprising: Indoor unit; a water receiving tray installed in the indoor unit and configured to receive condensed water generated when the air conditioner is running; a drain pump installed in the water receiving tray, wherein the water inlet of the drain pump is connected to the water receiving tray, and the drain outlet of the drain pump is connected to the outside through a drain pipe, and is configured to discharge the condensed water in the water receiving tray to the outside; A second driving unit is configured to drive the drainage pump to operate; The main control unit is configured to obtain the drainage level of the drainage pump according to the indoor fan speed and the indoor humidity, control the output of different driving signals to the second driving unit, and drive the drainage pump to operate at a speed corresponding to the drainage level.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising: The humidity sensor is arranged indoors and is configured to detect the indoor air humidity. The main control unit receives the air humidity detected by the humidity sensor.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising: The first driving unit communicates with the main control unit via a communication unit and is configured to drive the indoor fan to start or stop running.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the second driving unit comprises: A second driving chip includes a speed feedback pin to output a signal to the main control unit; The second driving chip is configured to detect the rotation speed of the drainage pump in real time; An overcurrent protection circuit is disposed outside the second driving chip and is configured to perform overcurrent protection on the drainage pump motor.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising: The float switch is connected to the main control unit and is configured to detect the water level in the water receiving tray. When the water level in the water receiving tray reaches a preset water level, the float switch sends a detection signal to the main control unit to stop the indoor fan.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 5, further comprising: The alarm unit is configured to send a control signal to cause the alarm unit to issue an alarm prompt when the main control unit receives the detection signal.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the drain pump has a first drain port and a second drain port; The first drain port is connected to the outside through a first drain pipe; The second drain port is connected to the outside through a second drain pipe, and a controllable valve is provided between the second drain port and the water inlet of the second drain pipe; The controllable valve is controlled to be connected or disconnected according to the drainage level obtained by the main control unit. When the controllable valve is connected, the condensed water in the water receiving tray is discharged to the outside through the first drain port and the second drain port respectively. When the controllable valve is disconnected, the condensed water in the water receiving tray is only discharged to the outside through the first drain port.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 7, when the acquired drainage level reaches the upper limit value of the level threshold, the main control unit outputs a first control signal to control the controllable valve to be connected, and when the acquired drainage level reaches the lower limit value of the level threshold, the main control unit outputs a second control signal to control the controllable valve to be disconnected.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 7, further comprising: The third driving unit is connected to the main control unit and is also electrically connected to the controllable valve. When the main control unit outputs a first control signal, the controllable valve is driven to be connected through the third driving unit. When the main control unit outputs a second control signal, the controllable valve is driven to be disconnected through the third driving unit.

10. The air conditioner according to claim 9, wherein the third driving unit comprises: A first driving chip, whose input pin is connected to an output end of the main control unit and is configured to receive the first control signal or the second control signal; A fourth relay, one end of whose coil is connected to a power supply, and the other end is connected to an output pin corresponding to the input pin, and is configured such that when the input pin receives the first control signal, the coil is energized, and when the input pin receives the second control signal, the coil is de-energized; the normally open switch of the fourth relay is connected in series to a power supply line that provides electrical energy to the controllable valve, and is configured such that when the normally open switch is closed, the controllable valve is connected, and when the normally open switch is opened, the controllable valve is opened.

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