Embedded air conditioner indoor unit with left air inlet and right air inlet

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of air conditioning, in particular to an embedded air conditioner indoor unit capable of achieving left-right air inlet. The air conditioner indoor unit comprises a machine shell, the machine shell comprises a front panel, and the front panel is provided with an air outlet and a first air inlet and a second air inlet which are located in the left side and the right side of the air outlet correspondingly; the first air inlet cover plate is rotatably arranged at the first air inlet, the second air inlet cover plate is rotatably arranged at the second air inlet, and the first air inlet cover plate and the second air inlet cover plate are configured to be located on the front side of the air outlet in the open state. Therefore, the flowing direction of airflow flowing out of the air outlet is guided. According to the air conditioner, the air inlet and outlet mode of left-right air inlet and outlet is set, the problems that in a single-side air inlet and outlet mode, air inlet is not smooth, and the air outlet range is narrow are effectively solved, the heat exchange sufficient degree of indoor air is improved, and therefore the uniformity of indoor temperature is improved, and the use experience of a user is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and in particular to an embedded air conditioning indoor unit with left and right air intakes. Background Technology

[0002] In the trend of integrated home furnishing, appliances such as refrigerators and dishwashers have already been installed as built-in units. Air conditioners, as major living room appliances, also need to follow this trend, allowing floor-standing air conditioner units to be "hidden" within the home environment. Through built-in design, floor-standing air conditioners can be "hidden" in the home environment, not only improving overall aesthetics and enhancing the harmony and comfort of the home, but also optimizing space utilization, thus better meeting the needs of modern families for a simple and clean space. Since built-in air conditioners are obscured by furniture and / or walls on all sides except the front, existing built-in air conditioners typically have both an air inlet and an air outlet on the front to ensure smooth airflow.

[0003] However, most built-in air conditioners on the market today only have one air inlet on the lower front side of the indoor unit. This air inlet is easily blocked by furniture, carpets, or clutter on the floor, resulting in poor airflow and affecting the operating efficiency of the built-in air conditioner. In addition, having only one air outlet on the upper front side of the indoor unit results in a narrow airflow range, which can easily lead to uneven indoor temperature due to poor lateral airflow. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above problems, the present invention proposes an air conditioning indoor unit that overcomes or at least partially solves the above problems.

[0005] One objective of this invention is to provide an indoor air conditioning unit that can draw in and expel air from both sides, thereby improving indoor temperature uniformity and enhancing the user experience.

[0006] A further objective of this invention is to ensure the smooth flow of air in the intake and exhaust channels, thereby improving intake and exhaust efficiency.

[0007] Another further objective of the present invention is to further improve the air intake efficiency, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the indoor unit of the air conditioner.

[0008] Specifically, the present invention provides an indoor unit for an air conditioner, comprising:

[0009] The casing includes a front panel, on which an air outlet is provided and a first air inlet and a second air inlet are located on the left and right sides of the air outlet, respectively; and

[0010] A first air inlet cover and a second air inlet cover are rotatably disposed at a first air inlet for opening or closing the first air inlet. The second air inlet cover is rotatably disposed at a second air inlet for opening or closing the second air inlet. The first and second air inlet covers are also configured to be located in front of the air outlet when open to guide the flow direction of the airflow from the air outlet.

[0011] Furthermore, the rotation axes of the first air inlet cover and the second air inlet cover are both vertically arranged, and the rotation axis of the first air inlet cover is located on the side of the first air inlet adjacent to the air outlet, while the rotation axis of the second air inlet cover is located on the side of the second air inlet adjacent to the air outlet.

[0012] Furthermore, the indoor unit of the air conditioner also includes:

[0013] A driving mechanism is used to drive the first air inlet cover and the second air inlet cover to rotate respectively, so that the first air inlet cover and the second air inlet cover have a closed position that closes the first air inlet and the second air inlet, a first open position that opens the first air inlet and the second air inlet and restricts the airflow from the outlet to flow forward, a second open position that opens the first air inlet and the second air inlet and restricts the airflow from the outlet to flow to the left, and a third open position that opens the first air inlet and the second air inlet and restricts the airflow from the outlet to flow to the right.

[0014] Furthermore, both the first and second air inlet covers are flat plates extending vertically.

[0015] Furthermore, both the first and second air inlets are rectangular openings extending vertically; and

[0016] The dimensions of the first and second air inlet covers in the left-right direction of the front panel are the same as the dimensions of the first and second air inlets in the left-right direction of the front panel.

[0017] Furthermore, the indoor unit of the air conditioner also includes:

[0018] At least one first air intake fan is disposed within the casing near the first air inlet, for guiding indoor airflow from the first air inlet into the casing; and

[0019] At least one second air intake fan is disposed inside the casing near the second air inlet, for guiding indoor airflow from the second air inlet into the casing.

[0020] Furthermore, the indoor unit of the air conditioner also includes:

[0021] An air duct component, located inside the housing near the air outlet, divides the space within the housing into an air inlet chamber communicating with a first air inlet and a second air inlet, and an air outlet chamber communicating with the air outlet; the air inlet chamber and the air outlet chamber are connected.

[0022] The exhaust fan, located inside the exhaust cavity, guides the airflow from the intake cavity into the exhaust cavity and out through the exhaust port; and

[0023] The indoor unit of the air conditioner also includes a heat exchanger, which is installed on the air duct and located in the air inlet cavity, and is used to exchange heat with the airflow flowing into the air inlet cavity.

[0024] Furthermore, the outlet fan is a cross-flow fan, and the rotation axis of the outlet fan is set vertically.

[0025] Furthermore, the indoor unit of the air conditioner also includes:

[0026] The heat exchanger is arranged around the outer periphery of the air outlet fan, away from the air outlet.

[0027] Furthermore, the indoor unit of the air conditioner also includes:

[0028] An air outlet cover is rotatably mounted at the air outlet for opening or closing the air outlet.

[0029] Furthermore, the indoor unit of the air conditioner is placed inside the cavity that houses the household appliance.

[0030] The indoor unit of this air conditioner includes a front panel with an air outlet and a first air inlet and a second air inlet located on the left and right sides of the air outlet, respectively. This creates a left-right air intake and center air outlet configuration, allowing air to enter from both sides of the air outlet. Additionally, the indoor unit also includes a first air inlet cover and a second air inlet cover. The first air inlet cover is rotatably mounted at the first air inlet to open or close it, and the second air inlet cover is rotatably mounted at the second air inlet to open or close it. Both covers are positioned in front of the air outlet when open to guide the airflow direction, thus creating an adjustable air outlet configuration for left-right air outlet. This left-right air intake and outlet configuration effectively avoids the problem of poor airflow that often occurs with bottom-only air intake configurations. Meanwhile, the indoor unit of the air conditioner of the present invention can take in air from both the left and right sides of the air outlet, avoiding the problem of insufficient heat exchange caused by setting a single air inlet on one side of the air outlet, thus improving the heat exchange efficiency of indoor air, thereby improving the uniformity of indoor temperature and improving the user experience.

[0031] Furthermore, in the indoor unit of the air conditioner of the present invention, the rotation axes of both the first air inlet cover and the second air inlet cover are vertically arranged, with the rotation axis of the first air inlet cover located on the side of the first air inlet adjacent to the air outlet, and the rotation axis of the second air inlet cover located on the side of the second air inlet adjacent to the air outlet. Thus, the first and second air inlet covers can separate the space in front of the air outlet from the space in front of the first and second air inlets, allowing the airflow in the space in front of the first and second air inlets to enter the air inlet cavity in an orderly and sequential manner, without being disturbed by the airflow flowing out of the air outlet, thereby improving the smoothness of airflow. In addition, the amount of airflow directly drawn into the casing is minimized, improving the heat exchange effect and further enhancing the heat exchange efficiency of the indoor air.

[0032] Furthermore, the indoor unit of the air conditioner of the present invention may also be provided with a first air intake fan and a second air intake fan. The first air intake fan is disposed inside the casing near the first air inlet and is used to guide indoor airflow from the first air inlet into the casing. The second air intake fan is disposed inside the casing near the second air inlet and is used to guide indoor airflow from the second air inlet into the casing. Thus, air intake fans are provided at both the first and second air inlets, which greatly improves the air intake efficiency of the first and second air inlets, thereby improving the overall air intake efficiency of the indoor unit and further improving the heat exchange efficiency of the indoor air.

[0033] The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0034] The following sections will describe some specific embodiments of the invention in detail by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts or portions. Those skilled in the art should understand that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air conditioner indoor unit in an embedded installation state according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the first air inlet cover and the second air inlet cover are in the closed position;

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a portion of the structure of an air conditioner indoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an indoor air conditioner unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the first air inlet cover and the second air inlet cover are located in the first open position;

[0038] Figure 4This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an indoor air conditioner unit according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the first air inlet cover and the second air inlet cover are located in the second open position;

[0039] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an air conditioner indoor unit according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the first air inlet cover and the second air inlet cover are located in the third open position. Detailed Implementation

[0040] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the invention may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0041] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air conditioner indoor unit in an embedded installation state according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the first air inlet cover and the second air inlet cover are in the closed position. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a portion of the structure of an air conditioner indoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an indoor air conditioner unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the first air inlet cover and the second air inlet cover are located in the first open position. Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an air conditioner indoor unit according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the first air inlet cover and the second air inlet cover are located in the second open position. Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an air conditioner indoor unit according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the first air inlet cover and the second air inlet cover are located in the third open position.

[0042] like Figure 1 As shown, the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner in this embodiment of the invention can be embedded in a household appliance 2. Specifically, the indoor unit 1 is placed inside the receiving cavity (not shown in the figure) of the household appliance 2. It should be noted that the indoor unit 1 is installed and fixed in the household appliance 2 and connected to the outdoor unit of the air conditioner through a refrigerant pipe, ensuring the stable operation of the air conditioning system and efficient cooling or heating effect. In addition, the household appliance 2 can be a freestanding piece of furniture, a set of integrated furniture, or furniture integrated with the building. The indoor unit 1 is embedded in the household appliance 2, and the indoor unit 1 is completely accommodated inside the household appliance 2, which improves the space utilization of the user's room and makes the air conditioner perfectly integrated with the home environment, enhancing the overall aesthetics.

[0043] In one specific embodiment, the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner is placed within the receiving cavity of the household appliance 2, and the front panel 11 of the casing 10 and the front panel 21 of the household appliance 2 are located on the same plane. After the indoor unit 1 is embedded in the household appliance 2, only the front panel 11 of the indoor unit is visible from the outside of the household appliance 2. Therefore, setting the front panel 11 of the indoor unit 1 to be on the same plane as the front panel 21 of the household appliance 2 not only improves the overall aesthetics of the home environment but also reduces visual obstruction.

[0044] Specifically, the front panel 11 can use materials and colors that match the household appliance 2 to coordinate with the overall home style, making the air conditioner a part of the home environment, further enhancing the overall aesthetics of the home environment, and thus improving the user experience.

[0045] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner in this embodiment of the invention generally includes a housing 10.

[0046] The casing 10 includes a front panel 11, on which an air outlet 12 and a first air inlet 13 and a second air inlet 14 are respectively located on the left and right sides of the air outlet 12. The air outlet 12 is used to discharge the regulated airflow inside the casing 10 to the indoor environment to regulate the indoor air. The regulated airflow can be heat exchange airflow, humidification airflow, water washing airflow, fresh airflow, etc.

[0047] The air conditioner indoor unit 1 of this embodiment has an air outlet 12 and a first air inlet 13 and a second air inlet 14 located on the left and right sides of the air outlet 12, respectively. This allows indoor airflow to flow into the casing 10 through the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 and out through the air outlet 12, forming a left-right air intake and center air outlet configuration where air can enter from both sides of the air outlet 12. This left-right air intake configuration of the air conditioner indoor unit 1 of this embodiment effectively avoids the problem of poor airflow that easily occurs in bottom-intake configurations. Furthermore, the air conditioner indoor unit 1 of this embodiment allows air to enter from both sides of the air outlet 12, avoiding the problem of insufficient heat exchange on one side of the room due to a single air inlet on one side of the air outlet 12. This improves the heat exchange efficiency of the indoor air, thereby improving the uniformity of the indoor temperature and ultimately enhancing the user experience.

[0048] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1As shown, the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner in this embodiment of the invention may further include a first air inlet cover 15, a second air inlet cover 16, and an air outlet cover 17. The first air inlet cover 15 is rotatably disposed at the first air inlet 13 and is used to open or close the first air inlet 13. The second air inlet cover 16 is rotatably disposed at the second air inlet 14 and is used to open or close the second air inlet 14. The air outlet cover 17 is rotatably disposed at the air outlet 12 and is used to open or close the air outlet 12.

[0049] Specifically, the air outlet 12 can be a rectangular opening with its length direction parallel to the vertical direction of the front panel 11, and the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 can both be rectangular openings with their length direction parallel to the horizontal direction of the front panel 11. Correspondingly, the air outlet cover 17, the first air inlet cover 15, and the second air inlet cover 16 can all be rectangular plates with their length direction parallel to the vertical direction of the front panel 11. Further, the number of the first air inlet cover 15, the second air inlet cover 16, and the air outlet cover 17 can all be one or more. In one specific embodiment, multiple first air inlet covers 15 are arranged along the horizontal direction of the front panel 11 at the first air inlet 13, multiple second air inlet covers 16 are arranged along the horizontal direction of the front panel 11 at the second air inlet 14, and multiple air outlet covers 17 are arranged along the horizontal direction of the front panel 11 at the air outlet 12.

[0050] When the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner is started, the first air inlet cover 15, the second air inlet cover 16, and the air outlet cover 17 are all open to allow indoor airflow to flow into the casing 10 from the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 and be discharged through the air outlet 12. When the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner is not running, the first air inlet cover 15, the second air inlet cover 16, and the air outlet cover 17 are all closed to avoid the problems of unsightly appearance of the front panel 11 and poor safety due to the opening of the first air inlet 13, the second air inlet 14, and the air outlet 12, thereby improving the user experience.

[0051] Furthermore, the first air inlet cover 15, the second air inlet cover 16, and the air outlet cover 17 can all be made of materials and colors that match the household appliance 2, ensuring consistency with the overall home style and allowing the air conditioner's first air inlet 13, second air inlet 14, and air outlet 12 to blend into the overall home environment. Specifically, when the indoor unit of the air conditioner is off, the first air inlet cover 15, the second air inlet cover 16, and the air outlet cover 17, together with the front panel 11, form a full grille appearance, further enhancing the overall aesthetics of the home environment and thus improving the user experience.

[0052] In some embodiments, such as Figures 3-5As shown, the first air inlet cover 15 and the second air inlet cover 16 are also configured to be located on the front side of the air outlet 12 when in the open state, so as to guide the flow direction of the airflow from the air outlet 12. Specifically, when the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner is turned on, the air outlet cover 17 is hidden inside the front panel 11, and the first air inlet cover 15 and the second air inlet cover 16 are rotated and folded inward to prevent the air blown out of the middle air outlet 12 from being re-inhaled into the housing 10. At the same time, the first air inlet cover 15 and the second air inlet cover 16 located on both sides of the air outlet 12 can also serve as air outlet guide plates, forming an extended air duct outside the housing 10 body to guide the airflow.

[0053] The indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner of the present invention has a casing 10 including a front panel 11. The front panel 11 has an air outlet 12 and a first air inlet 13 and a second air inlet 14 located on the left and right sides of the air outlet 12, respectively, thereby forming an air inlet and outlet pattern in which air can enter from both the left and right sides of the air outlet 12 and exit from the center. In addition, the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner of the present invention is also provided with a first air inlet cover 15 and a second air inlet cover 16. The first air inlet cover 15 is rotatably disposed at the first air inlet 13 for opening or closing the first air inlet 13. The second air inlet cover 16 is rotatably disposed at the second air inlet 14 for opening or closing the second air inlet 14. The first air inlet cover 15 and the second air inlet cover 16 are also configured to be located in front of the air outlet 12 in the open state to guide the flow direction of the airflow from the air outlet 12, thereby forming an air outlet pattern in which the air outlet direction can be adjusted to achieve left and right air outlet.

[0054] Therefore, the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner of the present invention can achieve left and right air intake and exhaust, effectively avoiding the problem of poor air intake that is prone to occur in the single-sided air intake. At the same time, the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner of the present invention can achieve air intake on both the left and right sides of the air outlet 12, avoiding the problem of insufficient indoor air heat exchange caused by setting a single air inlet on one side of the air outlet 12, improving the heat exchange efficiency of indoor air, thereby improving the uniformity of indoor temperature and thus improving the user experience.

[0055] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the rotation axes of both the first air inlet cover 15 and the second air inlet cover 16 are vertically arranged. Specifically, as... Figures 3-5 As shown, the rotation axis of the first air inlet cover 15 is located on the side of the first air inlet 13 adjacent to the air outlet 12, and the rotation axis of the second air inlet cover 16 is located on the side of the second air inlet 14 adjacent to the air outlet 12.

[0056] Therefore, the first air inlet cover 15 and the second air inlet cover 16 can separate the space in front of the air outlet 12 from the space in front of the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14, so that the airflow in the space in front of the first air inlet 13 and the airflow in the space in front of the second air inlet 14 can enter the air inlet cavity 110 in an orderly and sequential manner without being disturbed by the airflow flowing out of the air outlet 12, thus improving the smoothness of airflow. In addition, the exhaust airflow can be directly drawn into the casing 10 as little as possible, improving the heat exchange effect and further improving the heat exchange efficiency of the indoor air.

[0057] Furthermore, the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner of the present invention may also include a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism is used to drive the first air inlet cover 15 and the second air inlet cover 16 to rotate respectively, so that the first air inlet cover 15 and the second air inlet cover 16 respectively have a closed position that closes the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14, a first open position that opens the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 and restricts the airflow from the outlet 12 to flow forward, a second open position that opens the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 and restricts the airflow from the outlet 12 to flow to the left, and a third open position that opens the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 and restricts the airflow from the outlet 12 to flow to the right.

[0058] like Figure 1 As shown, when the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner is turned off, the first air inlet cover 15 and the second air inlet cover 16 are in the closed position, and the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 are simultaneously in the closed state.

[0059] like Figure 3 As shown, when the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner is started and in direct blowing mode, the first air inlet cover 15 and the second air inlet cover 16 are in the first open position, the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 are both open, and the first air inlet cover 15 and the second air inlet cover 16 are both located on the front side of the front panel 11 and are set perpendicular to the front panel 11 to guide the airflow from the outlet 12 to flow forward.

[0060] like Figure 4 As shown, when the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner is started and in the left-blowing mode, the first air inlet cover 15 and the second air inlet cover 16 are in the second open position, the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 are both open, and the first air inlet cover 15 and the second air inlet cover 16 are both tilted to the left and set on the front side of the front panel 11 to guide the airflow from the outlet 12 to flow to the left front.

[0061] like Figure 5As shown, when the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner is started and in the right-blowing mode, the first air inlet cover 15 and the second air inlet cover 16 are in the third open position, the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 are both open, and the first air inlet cover 15 and the second air inlet cover 16 are both tilted to the right and set on the front side of the front panel 11 to guide the airflow from the outlet 12 to flow to the right front.

[0062] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner may also include multiple swivel blades. These multiple swivel blades are rotatably disposed within the air outlet cavity 120 near the air outlet 12. Figure 2 As shown, multiple louvers are evenly spaced along the vertical direction. The louvers can be rotated in a controlled manner to further adjust the air outlet direction of the air outlet 12. Thus, the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner can outlet air in multiple directions, effectively increasing the air outlet range and giving the indoor unit 1 a wide air supply range.

[0063] In one specific embodiment, the rotation axis of the oscillating blades can be set vertically. Therefore, the air outlet 12 can be adjusted left and right, allowing the indoor unit 1 to outlet air forward, left, or right.

[0064] In another specific embodiment, the rotation axis of the oscillating blades can also be set horizontally. Therefore, the air outlet 12 can be adjusted vertically, allowing the indoor unit 1 to outlet air forward, upward, or downward.

[0065] Therefore, the indoor air conditioner unit 1 of this embodiment can achieve diverse air supply methods, thereby further improving the user experience.

[0066] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, both the first air inlet cover 15 and the second air inlet cover 16 can be flat plates extending vertically. Correspondingly, both the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 are rectangular openings extending vertically.

[0067] In this embodiment, the dimensions of the first air inlet cover 15 and the second air inlet cover 16 in the left-right direction of the front panel 11 are the same as the dimensions of the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 in the left-right direction of the front panel 11. Therefore, without affecting the neatness of the appearance, the first air inlet cover 15 and the second air inlet cover 16 can completely cover the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 respectively when closed, thereby improving safety in use.

[0068] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner may also include multiple swivel blades. These multiple swivel blades are rotatably disposed within the air outlet cavity 120 near the air outlet 12. Figure 2As shown, multiple louvers are evenly spaced along the vertical direction. The louvers can be rotated in a controlled manner to further adjust the air outlet direction of the air outlet 12. Thus, the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner can outlet air in multiple directions, effectively increasing the air outlet range and giving the indoor unit 1 a wide air supply range.

[0069] In one specific embodiment, the rotation axis of the oscillating blades can be set vertically. Therefore, the air outlet 12 can be adjusted left and right, allowing the indoor unit 1 to outlet air forward, left, or right.

[0070] In another specific embodiment, the rotation axis of the oscillating blades can also be set horizontally. Therefore, the air outlet 12 can be adjusted vertically, allowing the indoor unit 1 to outlet air forward, upward, or downward.

[0071] In the air conditioner indoor unit 1 of this embodiment, the air conditioner indoor unit 1 may also include multiple swing blades. The multiple swing blades are rotatably and spaced apart in the air outlet cavity 120 near the air outlet 12 to further adjust the air outlet direction of the air outlet 12, thereby realizing more diversified air supply methods and further improving the user experience.

[0072] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the dimensions of the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 in the left and right directions of the front panel 11 are the same as those of the front panel 11 in the left and right directions, which improves the neatness of the appearance of the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 on the front panel 11.

[0073] Furthermore, the dimensions of the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 in the left-right direction of the front panel 11 can both be 0.2 to 0.3 times the dimensions of the front panel 11 in the left-right direction. Specifically, the dimensions of the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 in the left-right direction of the front panel 11 are both 0.22 to 0.28 times the dimensions of the front panel 11 in the left-right direction. In one specific embodiment, the dimensions of the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 in the left-right direction of the front panel 11 are both 0.25 times the dimensions of the front panel 11 in the left-right direction.

[0074] Therefore, the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 can occupy a sufficiently large area on the front panel 11, thereby increasing the air intake area of ​​the air conditioner indoor unit 1, and further improving the overall air intake efficiency of the air conditioner indoor unit 1, so as to improve the heat exchange efficiency of indoor air.

[0075] In addition, such as Figure 1As shown, the dimension of the first air inlet 13 in the vertical direction of the front panel 11 is 1 to 3 times the dimension of the second air inlet 14 in the vertical direction of the front panel 11. Specifically, the dimension of the first air inlet 13 in the vertical direction of the front panel 11 is 2 to 3 times the dimension of the second air inlet 14 in the vertical direction of the front panel 11. In one specific embodiment, the dimension of the first air inlet 13 in the vertical direction of the front panel 11 is 2.5 times the dimension of the second air inlet 14 in the vertical direction of the front panel 11.

[0076] Therefore, the first air inlet 13 located above the air outlet 12 can have a sufficiently large area, effectively ensuring air intake efficiency even when air intake below is obstructed due to ground obstacles. At the same time, more airflow from the upper space of the room can enter the casing 10 for heat exchange, further improving the heat exchange efficiency of the indoor air, thereby improving the uniformity of indoor temperature and thus enhancing the user experience.

[0077] In some embodiments, such as Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the indoor unit of the air conditioner of the present invention may further include an air duct component 100 and an air outlet fan 200.

[0078] like Figure 3 As shown, the air duct component 100 is disposed inside the housing 10 near the air outlet 12, dividing the space inside the housing 10 into an air inlet chamber 110 communicating with the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14, and an air outlet chamber 120 communicating with the air outlet 12. The air duct component 100 has multiple openings to allow communication between the air inlet chamber 110 and the air outlet chamber 120. The air outlet fan 200 is located inside the air outlet chamber 120, guiding the airflow in the air inlet chamber 110 into the air outlet chamber 120 and out through the air outlet 12.

[0079] In addition, such as Figure 3 As shown, the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner may also include a heat exchanger 20, which is disposed on the air duct 100 and located in the air inlet cavity 110, for exchanging heat with the airflow flowing into the air inlet cavity 110. That is, the heat exchanger 20 is located upstream of the air outlet fan 200, and the airflow after heat exchange by the heat exchanger 20 flows into the air outlet cavity 120 under the action of the air outlet fan 200, and is sent out through the air outlet 12 to regulate the indoor temperature.

[0080] The indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner in this embodiment of the invention is provided with an air duct component 100 and an air outlet fan 200. The air duct component 100 is located inside the casing 10 near the air outlet 12, and is used to divide the space inside the casing 10 into an air inlet cavity 110 communicating with the air inlet and an air outlet cavity 120 communicating with the air outlet 12. The air outlet fan 200 is located in the air outlet cavity 120 and is used to guide the airflow in the air inlet cavity 110 into the air outlet cavity 120 and send it out through the air outlet 12. The heat exchanger 20 of the indoor unit 1 is provided on the air duct component 100 and located in the air inlet cavity 110, and is used to exchange heat with the airflow flowing into the air inlet cavity 110. Therefore, the airflow entering the casing 10 from the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 can enter the air inlet cavity 110 and the air outlet cavity 120 in an orderly manner under the guidance of the air duct component 100, which improves the smoothness of airflow. In addition, the airflow can fully contact the heat exchanger 20 in the air inlet cavity 110, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the air inlet and further improving the heat exchange efficiency of the indoor air.

[0081] In some embodiments, such as Figures 3-5 As shown, the heat exchanger 20 is arranged around a portion of the outer periphery of the outlet fan 200. Specifically, as... Figures 3-5 As shown, the heat exchanger 20 can be a U-shaped plate structure with its opening facing the outlet fan 200, forming a semi-closed annular structure. Therefore, the airflow in the inlet chamber 110 must pass over the surface of the heat exchanger 20 before flowing to the outlet fan 200, ensuring sufficient contact between the airflow in the inlet chamber 110 and the heat exchanger 20. This increases the contact area between the airflow in the inlet chamber 110 and the surface of the heat exchanger 20, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency and enhancing the cooling or heating effect.

[0082] Furthermore, the outlet fan 200 is a cross-flow fan, and its rotation axis is vertically oriented. Therefore, the outlet fan 200 can attract airflow located on its outer periphery, which flows in radially and is then blown out radially. For example... Figures 3-5 As shown, the air inlet cavity 110 is arranged around the outer periphery of the air outlet cavity 120 at least on the left and right sides and at the rear.

[0083] In this embodiment, the heat exchanger 20 is arranged around the outer periphery of the outlet fan 200 away from the air outlet. Under the action of the outlet fan 200, the airflow flowing into the inlet cavity 110 from the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14, after making full contact with the heat exchanger 20, flows into the outlet cavity 120 in the radial direction of the outlet fan 200, and is blown out of the outlet cavity 120 in the radial direction of the outlet fan 200.

[0084] In the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner in this embodiment of the invention, the outlet fan 200 is configured as a cross-flow fan, which reduces the space occupied while ensuring the largest possible air volume, improving the air outlet efficiency and thus improving the heat exchange efficiency of the indoor air. In addition, the heat exchanger 20 is arranged around the outer periphery of the outlet fan 200 away from the air outlet, further ensuring sufficient contact between the airflow in the air inlet cavity 110 and the heat exchanger 20, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency and further improving the cooling or heating effect.

[0085] In some embodiments, such as Figures 3-5 As shown, the left and right sides and the rear side of the air duct component 100 are spaced apart from the housing 10 to form an air intake channel. Based on this, the spaces on the left and right sides of the air duct component 100 and the spaces on the left and right sides and the rear side of the air duct component 100 inside the housing 10 are connected as a whole, forming part of the air intake cavity 110. That is to say, the air intake cavity 110 is arranged around the outer periphery of the air outlet cavity 120 on the left and right sides and the rear side.

[0086] Therefore, the air conditioner indoor unit 1 of this embodiment has sufficient air intake space in the casing 10, thereby ensuring air intake efficiency. Furthermore, the surrounding air intake method improves the heat exchange efficiency between the airflow in the air intake cavity 110 and the heat exchanger 20, thereby further improving the heat exchange efficiency of the air conditioner indoor unit 1 and thus improving the user experience.

[0087] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner of the present invention may further include at least one first air intake fan 300 and at least one second air intake fan 400.

[0088] The first air intake fan 300 is located inside the housing 10 near the first air inlet 13, and is used to guide indoor airflow from the first air inlet 13 into the housing 10. The second air intake fan 400 is located inside the housing 10 near the second air inlet 14, and is used to guide indoor airflow from the second air inlet 14 into the housing 10.

[0089] The indoor unit 1 of this invention, by providing a first air intake fan 300 and a second air intake fan 400, with the first air intake fan 300 positioned inside the casing 10 near the first air inlet 13 to guide indoor airflow from the first air inlet 13 into the casing 10, and the second air intake fan 400 positioned inside the casing 10 near the second air inlet 14 to guide indoor airflow from the second air inlet 14 into the casing 10, provides air intake fans at both the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14. This significantly improves the air intake efficiency of both air inlets 13 and 14, thereby increasing the overall air intake efficiency of the indoor unit 1 and further enhancing the heat exchange efficiency of the indoor air.

[0090] In some embodiments, the number of the first air intake fan 300 and the second air intake fan 400 can both be one or more. In one specific embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, there can be multiple first air intake fans 300 and multiple second air intake fans 400. Multiple first air intake fans 300 are arranged at intervals along the vertical direction of the front panel 11 at the first air inlet 13, and multiple second air intake fans 400 are arranged at intervals along the vertical direction of the front panel 11 at the second air inlet 14.

[0091] When the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner is started, multiple first air intake fans 300 and multiple second air intake fans 400 can be turned on simultaneously, or only some can be turned on depending on the indoor temperature, so that indoor airflow can flow into the casing 10 from the first air inlet 13 and / or the second air inlet 14 and be sent out through the air outlet 12. When the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner is stopped, multiple first air intake fans 300 and multiple second air intake fans 400 are all turned off. At the same time, the first air inlet cover 15, the second air inlet cover 16, and the air outlet cover 17 are all closed to avoid the problems of unsightly appearance and poor use of the front panel 11 due to the first air inlet 13, the second air inlet 14, and the air outlet 12 being open, thereby improving the user experience.

[0092] Those skilled in the art should understand that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by "front", "rear", "up", "down", "left", "right", "inner", "outer" etc. in the embodiments of the present invention is based on the actual usage posture of the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner. The orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings can be referred to. This is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and is not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

[0093] The terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature, that is, include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified. When a feature "includes or contains" one or more of the features it encompasses, unless otherwise specifically stated, this indicates that other features are not excluded and may be further included.

[0094] Therefore, those skilled in the art should recognize that although numerous exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications conforming to the principles of the present invention can be directly determined or derived from the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention should be understood and construed as covering all such other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. An indoor unit for an air conditioner, comprising: The housing includes a front panel, on which an air outlet is provided and a first air inlet and a second air inlet are located on the left and right sides of the air outlet, respectively. as well as A first air inlet cover and a second air inlet cover are provided. The first air inlet cover is rotatably disposed at the first air inlet and is used to open or close the first air inlet. The second air inlet cover is rotatably disposed at the second air inlet and is used to open or close the second air inlet. The first air inlet cover and the second air inlet cover are also configured to be located in front of the air outlet when in the open state, so as to guide the flow direction of the airflow from the air outlet.

2. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein, The rotation axes of the first air inlet cover and the second air inlet cover are both vertically arranged, and the rotation axis of the first air inlet cover is located on the side of the first air inlet adjacent to the air outlet, and the rotation axis of the second air inlet cover is located on the side of the second air inlet adjacent to the air outlet.

3. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein, The indoor unit of the air conditioner also includes: A driving mechanism is used to drive the first air inlet cover and the second air inlet cover to rotate respectively, so that the first air inlet cover and the second air inlet cover respectively have a closed position that closes the first air inlet and the second air inlet, a first open position that opens the first air inlet and the second air inlet and restricts the airflow from the air outlet to flow forward, a second open position that opens the first air inlet and the second air inlet and restricts the airflow from the air outlet to flow to the left, and a third open position that opens the first air inlet and the second air inlet and restricts the airflow from the air outlet to flow to the right.

4. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein, Both the first air inlet cover and the second air inlet cover are flat plates that extend vertically.

5. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein, Both the first air inlet and the second air inlet are rectangular openings extending vertically; and The dimensions of the first air inlet cover and the second air inlet cover in the left-right direction of the front panel are the same as the dimensions of the first air inlet and the second air inlet in the left-right direction of the front panel.

6. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein, The indoor unit of the air conditioner also includes: At least one first air intake fan is disposed within the housing near the first air inlet, for guiding indoor airflow from the first air inlet into the housing; and At least one second air intake fan is disposed inside the housing near the second air inlet, for guiding indoor airflow from the second air inlet into the housing.

7. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein, The indoor unit of the air conditioner also includes: An air duct component, disposed within the housing near the air outlet, divides the space within the housing into an air inlet chamber communicating with the first and second air inlets and an air outlet chamber communicating with the air outlet; wherein the air inlet chamber and the air outlet chamber are connected. An exhaust fan, located within the exhaust cavity, guides the airflow from the inlet cavity into the exhaust cavity and out through the outlet. The indoor unit of the air conditioner also includes a heat exchanger, which is disposed on the air duct and located in the air inlet cavity, and is used to exchange heat with the airflow flowing into the air inlet cavity.

8. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 7, wherein, The outlet fan is a cross-flow fan, and the rotation axis of the outlet fan is vertically set.

9. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 8, wherein, The indoor unit of the air conditioner also includes: The heat exchanger is arranged around the outer periphery of the air outlet fan, away from the air outlet.

10. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein, The indoor unit of the air conditioner also includes: An air outlet cover is rotatably disposed at the air outlet for opening or closing the air outlet.

11. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The indoor unit of the air conditioner is placed inside the cavity of the household appliance.

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