Air conditioner

Abstract

The utility model discloses an air conditioner, which comprises a water pan, a water inlet pipe, a water outlet pipe, a water inlet pipe and a water outlet pipe, a drainage pump; the first water drainage pipeline is arranged at the water drainage port and is branched into a second water drainage pipeline and a water return pipeline, and the water return pipeline returns the condensate water to the water return port; the controllable valve is arranged on the first drainage pipeline; a water pump driving unit; the main control unit is respectively connected with the water pump driving unit and the controllable valve; in the working process of the drainage pump, the controllable valve is communicated, one part of condensate water drained through the first drainage pipeline is drained outdoors through the second drainage pipeline, and the other part of the condensate water flows back to the water return opening through the water return pipeline. And when the drainage pump stops working, the controllable valve is disconnected, and the return water in the second drainage pipe returns to the water return port through the water return pipeline. Foreign matter deposition in the water pan can be avoided, and water return noise is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of household appliances, in particular to an air conditioner. Background Art

[0002] 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 and flowing into the water receiving tray of the indoor unit. In the process of condensed water generation, impurities such as lint, dust, and hair in the low-temperature evaporator and the air are collected in the water receiving tray. The condensed water is discharged from the water receiving tray to the outside through a drain pipe using a drainage pump.

[0003] As the impurities accumulate in the water tray for a long time, more and more impurities will be adsorbed and precipitated in the water tray, making it difficult to discharge.

[0004] In addition, the existing home air conditioners usually have a backflow design for the drain pipe, and there is a height difference when installing (equivalent to the drainage head). After the air conditioner stops running, the drain pump motor will also stop, resulting in the condensed water in the drain pipe cannot be drained immediately. Under the influence of gravity, it will immediately and quickly return to the water receiving tray, and the water flow impacting the water receiving tray will make a very obvious backflow noise.

[0005] The above information disclosed in the background technology is only used to increase the understanding of the background technology of the present application, and therefore, it may include information that does not constitute the prior art known to ordinary technicians in the field. Utility Model Content

[0006] In response to the problems pointed out in the background technology, the present application provides an air conditioner, which, by setting a return water pipe connected to the drain pipe, disturbs the condensed water in the water receiving pan during drainage to avoid the accumulation of foreign matter in the water receiving pan; when the drain pump stops, the condensed water in the drain pipe can be returned to the bottom of the water receiving pan with the help of the return water pipe, thereby reducing the return water noise.

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned utility model purpose, the utility model adopts the following technical solutions:

[0008] The present application relates to an air conditioner, comprising:

[0009] A water receiving tray, which is used to receive condensed water generated during the cooling operation of the air conditioner, and a water return port is provided on the bottom wall of the water receiving tray;

[0010] a drain pump installed in the water receiving tray, the drain pump having a water inlet and a drain outlet, the water inlet being communicated with the water receiving tray, and the drain outlet being used to discharge condensed water in the water receiving tray to the outside;

[0011] a first drainage pipeline, which is arranged at the drainage port and is branched into a second drainage pipeline and a return pipeline, wherein the return pipeline returns condensed water to the return outlet;

[0012] A controllable valve, which is arranged on the first drainage pipeline;

[0013] A water pump driving unit, which is used to drive the drainage pump to operate;

[0014] A main control unit, which is connected to the water pump drive unit and the controllable valve respectively;

[0015] During the operation of the drainage pump, the controllable valve is connected, and part of the condensed water discharged through the first drainage pipeline is discharged to the outside through the second drainage pipeline, and part of the condensed water flows back to the return port through the return pipeline;

[0016] When the drainage pump stops working, the controllable valve is disconnected, and the return water in the second drainage pipe returns to the return water port through the return water pipeline.

[0017] The air conditioner involved in the present application is provided with a controllable valve on the drainage pipe and a return pipe branching out from the drainage pipe that flows back to the water receiving pan. During the operation of the drainage pump, the controllable valve is connected, and while draining water, water is also returned to the return port of the water receiving bottom wall through the return pipe, thereby disturbing the sediment on the water receiving bottom wall, which is conducive to the discharge of foreign matter mixed with condensed water by the drainage pump, avoiding the risk of long-term sedimentation in the water receiving pan, generating odor or being difficult to remove.

[0018] When the drain pump stops working, the condensed water in the drain pipe will flow back because it is not discharged in time. At this time, the controllable valve is disconnected. Therefore, the returned condensed water will flow back to the water receiving pan through the return pipe and mix with the remaining condensed water in the water receiving pan. There is no air mixing and no bubbles will be generated, thereby reducing the return noise.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present application, the air conditioner further comprises:

[0020] A tee has a first opening, a second opening and a third opening which are connected to each other, wherein the first opening is connected to the drain outlet of the first drain pipe, the second opening is connected to the water inlet of the second drain pipe, and the third opening is connected to the water inlet of the return pipe.

[0021] By setting a tee, the first drainage pipeline connected to the drainage outlet is branched into a second drainage pipeline and a return water pipeline.

[0022] In some embodiments of the present application, a cross-sectional area of ​​the return pipe is smaller than a cross-sectional area of ​​the second drainage pipe.

[0023] A return water pipeline with a smaller cross-sectional area is provided, so that the returned condensed water can be returned to the water receiving pan in small amounts and slowly, without causing a large disturbance to the condensed water in the water receiving pan, thereby reducing the impact on the condensed water, and without air mixing, without generating bubbles, thereby avoiding return water noise.

[0024] In some embodiments of the present application, the water pump driving unit includes:

[0025] The water pump driving chip has a speed feedback pin whose output signal is fed back to the main control unit for real-time detection of the speed of the drainage pump; an overcurrent protection circuit is arranged on the periphery of the water pump driving chip for overcurrent protection of the drainage pump motor.

[0026] In some embodiments of the present application, the water pump driving chip has a first pin, a second pin and a third pin, and the overcurrent protection circuit is connected between the first pin, the second pin and the third pin;

[0027] The overcurrent protection circuit includes a first resistor, a second resistor and a third resistor, the first pin is grounded through the first resistor, the second pin is grounded through the second resistor, the third pin is connected to one end of the third resistor, and the other end of the third resistor is connected to the connection point between the second resistor and the second pin.

[0028] In some embodiments of the present application, the air conditioner further comprises:

[0029] The valve 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 control signal, the controllable valve is driven to be turned on and off through the valve driving unit.

[0030] In some embodiments of the present application, the valve drive unit includes:

[0031] A valve driving chip, comprising an input pin and an output pin corresponding to the input pin, wherein the input pin is connected to an output end of the main control unit for outputting the control signal;

[0032] A relay, one end of whose coil is connected to a power supply, and the other end is connected to the output pin, and the normally open switch of the relay is connected in series to a power supply circuit that provides electrical energy to the controllable valve, so that the controllable valve is connected when the normally open switch is closed, and the controllable valve is disconnected when the normally open switch is disconnected.

[0033] By controlling the relay coil to be energized / de-energized, the power supply circuit of the controllable valve is connected / disconnected, thereby realizing the connection / disconnection of the controllable valve.

[0034] In some embodiments of the present application, a fan driving unit communicates with the main control unit via a communication unit, and is used to drive the indoor fan to start or stop running.

[0035] The communication unit is used to realize the communication loop between the main control unit and the fan drive unit, so that the main control unit can obtain the indoor fan speed (or wind speed). The communication unit can be a UART communication loop.

[0036] In some embodiments of the present application, the air conditioner further comprises:

[0037] A float switch is connected to the main control unit and is used to detect the water level in the water receiving tray. When the water level in the water receiving tray reaches the preset water level, the float switch sends a detection signal to the main control unit. The main control unit receives the detection signal and stops the indoor fan.

[0038] By setting a float switch and a preset water level, when the drainage pump malfunctions and cannot drain water in time, a detection signal can be sent to the main control unit to stop the indoor fan and avoid further generation of condensed water.

[0039] In some embodiments of the present application, an air conditioner is also provided, comprising:

[0040] A water receiving tray, which is used to receive condensed water generated during the cooling operation of the air conditioner, and a water return port is provided on the bottom wall of the water receiving tray;

[0041] A drainage pump, which is installed in the water receiving pan, the drainage pump comprises a drainage motor, a pump casing and an impeller, the impeller is arranged in the pump casing, a water inlet is arranged at the bottom of the pump casing and a drainage outlet is arranged at the side, the impeller comprises a central axis, a disk surrounding the axis, a plurality of first blades radiating outward from the axis, and a plurality of second blades, the central axis is connected to the output shaft of the drainage motor, the first blades are connected to the central axis and the disk, the second blades are connected to the first blades and extend away from the central axis along the axial direction of the central axis to the drainage outlet, the water inlet is communicated with the water receiving pan, and the drainage outlet is used to discharge condensed water in the water receiving pan to the outside;

[0042] At least one guide plate is disposed on at least one of the second blades, and the guide plate extends from bottom to top in the reverse direction of the impeller rotation;

[0043] At least one blade is arranged on the bottom of the second blade extending out of the drain port, and each blade is radially arranged from the axis to the surroundings on the rotation plane of the impeller, and the blade faces the rotation direction of the impeller;

[0044] a first drainage pipeline, which is arranged at the drainage port and is branched into a second drainage pipeline and a return pipeline, wherein the return pipeline returns condensed water to the return outlet;

[0045] A controllable valve, which is arranged on the first drainage pipeline;

[0046] A water pump driving unit, which is used to drive the drainage pump to operate;

[0047] A main control unit, which is connected to the water pump drive unit and the controllable valve respectively;

[0048] During the operation of the drainage pump, the controllable valve is connected, and part of the condensed water discharged through the first drainage pipeline is discharged to the outside through the second drainage pipeline, and part of the condensed water flows back to the return port through the return pipeline;

[0049] When the drainage pump stops working, the controllable valve is disconnected, and the return water in the second drainage pipe returns to the return water port through the return water pipeline.

[0050] The air conditioner involved in the present application utilizes the guide plate arranged on the impeller to enhance the lifting capacity of the water flow, improve the drainage efficiency, and facilitate drainage through the second drainage pipeline.

[0051] The blades arranged on the impeller are used to cut and crush foreign matter, and at the same time, during the drainage process, the return water pipe returns water to disturb the sediment in the docking water tray, which is conducive to the blade cutting and crushing it, avoiding clogging of the drainage pump.

[0052] And when drainage is stopped, the return water pipe is used to return water to reduce the return water noise.

[0053] After reading the specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, other features and advantages of the present invention will become more clear. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the utility model or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the utility model. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative labor.

[0055] Figure 1 This is the principle block diagram of the air conditioner;

[0056] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the arrangement of a drainage pump in a water receiving pan in an existing air conditioner;

[0057] Figure 3A structural block diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the air conditioner proposed in the present application;

[0058] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the arrangement of a drainage pump in a water receiving tray according to an embodiment of an air conditioner proposed in the present application;

[0059] Figure 5 The system frame of the air conditioner embodiment proposed in this application is Figure 1 ;

[0060] Figure 6 The pin connection of the air conditioner embodiment according to the present application Figure 1 ;

[0061] Figure 7 A detection principle diagram of a float switch in an air conditioner embodiment according to the present application;

[0062] Figure 8 A control principle diagram of a relay in an air conditioner embodiment according to the present application;

[0063] Fig. 9 A circuit diagram of a valve driving chip controlling a relay in an air conditioner embodiment according to the present application;

[0064] Fig.10 It is a structural schematic diagram of an existing drainage pump;

[0065] Fig.11 It is a structural schematic diagram of an impeller in an existing drainage pump;

[0066] Fig.12 A structural diagram of an embodiment of a drainage pump in an air conditioner embodiment according to the present application;

[0067] Fig.13 A structural diagram of an impeller in one embodiment of a drainage pump in an air conditioner embodiment proposed in the present application;

[0068] Fig.14 A schematic diagram of a drainage pump in an embodiment of an air conditioner according to the present application being arranged in a water receiving tray;

[0069] Fig.15 A structural diagram of another embodiment of a drainage pump in an air conditioner embodiment according to the present application;

[0070] Fig.16 It is a structural diagram of an impeller in another embodiment of a drainage pump in an air conditioner embodiment proposed in the present application; reference numerals:

[0071] 100, water receiving tray; 110, water receiving bottom wall; 111, water return port; 200, drainage pump; 210, water inlet; 220, drainage port; 230, first drainage pipeline; 240, second drainage pipeline; 240', tee; 250, water return pipeline; 260, pump housing; 270, impeller; 271, central axis; 272, disc; 273, first blade; 274, second blade; 275, auxiliary blade; 276, guide plate; 277, blade; 278, brush; 300, main control unit; 400, controllable valve; 500, water pump drive unit; 600, fan drive unit; 700, valve drive unit; 700', communication unit; 710, valve drive chip; 800, relay; 900, float switch;

[0072] L1: horizontal drainage pipe; L2: vertical drainage pipe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0073] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0074] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0075] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0076] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0077] In the present utility model, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or may include that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" and "above" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" and "below" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0078] The disclosure below provides many different embodiments or examples for realizing different structures of the utility model. In order to simplify the disclosure of the utility model, the components and settings of specific examples are described below. Of course, they are merely examples, and the purpose is not to limit the utility model. In addition, the utility model may repeat reference numbers and / or reference letters in different examples, and such repetition is for the purpose of simplification and clarity, and does not itself indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or settings discussed. In addition, the utility model provides various specific examples of processes and materials, but those of ordinary skill in the art may be aware of the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0079] <Basic working principle of air conditioner>

[0080] See also Figure 1 , which shows a structural block diagram of an air conditioner.

[0081] The air conditioner performs the air conditioner's refrigeration cycle by using a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator. The refrigeration cycle includes a series of processes involving compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation to cool or heat the indoor space.

[0082] The low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant enters the compressor, which compresses it into high-temperature and 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, and the heat is released to the surrounding environment through the condensation process.

[0083] The expansion valve expands the high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant condensed in the condenser into a low-pressure liquid refrigerant. The evaporator evaporates the refrigerant expanded in the expansion valve and returns the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant gas to the compressor. The evaporator can achieve a cooling effect by utilizing the latent heat of evaporation of the refrigerant to exchange heat with the material to be cooled. In the entire cycle, the air conditioner can adjust the temperature of the indoor space.

[0084] 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.

[0085] 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 a heating mode, and when the indoor heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, the air conditioner functions as a cooler in a cooling mode.

[0086] The drain pump 200 is a component of the indoor unit of the air conditioner. In the cooling mode of the air conditioner, condensed water will be generated on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger serving as the evaporator when the air flow passes through it. Generally, a water receiving pan 100 for receiving the condensed water is arranged under the indoor heat exchanger.

[0087] See also Figure 2 The drain pump 200 is installed in the water receiving pan 100 and is used to draw out the condensed water in the water receiving pan 100 to the outside of the air conditioner indoor unit when the drain pump 200 is started.

[0088] Generally, the water receiving bottom wall 110 at the bottom of the water receiving tray 100 is horizontal. When the drain pump 200 is installed, the water inlet 210 of the drain pump 200 is a certain distance away from the water receiving bottom wall 110 of the water receiving tray 100. Therefore, condensed water is easily left at the bottom of the water receiving tray 100.

[0089] While receiving condensed water, the water receiving pan 100 also deposits foreign matter such as lint and hair from the low-temperature evaporator and the air on the water receiving bottom wall 110. When the drain pump 200 is unable to drain the condensed water in the water receiving pan 100, the long-term deposition not only produces odor, but more large foreign matter deposited together will cause the risk of dirtying and clogging the drain pump 200. Moreover, the longer the deposition time, the more difficult it is to clean the deposited foreign matter.

[0090] In addition, existing home air conditioners generally have a drainage pipe with a height of about 30 cm. After the air conditioner stops running, the drainage pump 200 will also stop running, and the water in the drainage pipe cannot be emptied immediately. Under the influence of gravity, the water will immediately and quickly return to the water receiving tray 100, and the water flow will impact the water receiving tray 100 to produce a very obvious water return noise.

[0091] Therefore, in order to solve the above technical problems, see Figures 3 to 9 , the present application relates to an air conditioner.

[0092] The present application relates to an air conditioner, in which an original drainage pipeline is branched into a drainage pipeline and a return pipeline 250 .

[0093] When the drain pump 200 is working, the water returns to the water receiving bottom wall 110 of the water receiving pan 100, and the disturbed foreign matter does not settle, so that it is discharged to the outside through the drain pump 200 along with the condensed water, avoiding the problem caused by long-term sedimentation; and when the drain pump 200 stops working, the returned condensed water does not directly return to the drain port 220, but returns to the water receiving bottom wall 110 of the water receiving pan 100 through the return pipe 250, avoiding the generation of return noise. The specific details are as follows.

[0094] In some embodiments of the present application, see Figure 3 The air conditioner includes a water receiving pan 100, a drainage pump 200, a drainage pipeline, a controllable valve 400, a water pump driving unit 500 and a main control unit 300.

[0095] The water receiving tray 100 is located in the indoor unit of the air conditioner and is used to receive condensed water generated when the air flow passes through the low-temperature indoor heat exchanger surface during the cooling operation of the air conditioner.

[0096] See also Figure 4 The drainage pump 200 has a water inlet 210 and a drainage outlet 220 , and a drainage pipeline is arranged at the drainage outlet 220 .

[0097] The drain pump 200 is installed in the water receiving tray 100 , for example, inverted 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 .

[0098] 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 .

[0099] See above Figure 2 As shown, the drainage pipeline has a horizontal drainage pipeline L1 and a vertical drainage pipeline L2 (forming a drainage head for preventing backflow).

[0100] See also Figure 4 The water inlet 210 of the drainage pump 200 is installed at a certain distance from the water receiving bottom wall 110 of the water receiving tray 100 , and a water return port 111 is opened on the water receiving bottom wall 110 of the water receiving tray 100 .

[0101] The water return port 111 is preferably disposed close to the water inlet 210 , so that the condensed water of the return water can disturb the condensed water in the water receiving tray 100 so as to be better absorbed by the water inlet 210 of the drainage pump 200 .

[0102] The horizontal drainage pipe L1 as described above is referred to as the first drainage pipe 230 .

[0103] In some embodiments of the present application, in order to take into account both condensate drainage and water return, the water flow discharged from the first drainage pipeline 230 is branched into the second drainage pipeline 240 and the water return pipeline 250 .

[0104] The second drainage pipeline 240 is a vertically upward drainage pipeline that forms a drainage head for drainage.

[0105] The return water pipeline 250 is a section of pipeline extending in the opposite direction to the second drainage pipeline 240 , and is connected to the return water port 111 of the water receiving tray 100 for returning water.

[0106] In some embodiments of the present application, a controllable valve 400 is provided on the first drainage pipeline 230 , and the controllable valve 400 is controlled by the main control unit 300 .

[0107] In some embodiments of the present application, the controllable valve 400 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.

[0108] In some embodiments of the present application, the controllable valve 400 may selectively use a solenoid valve.

[0109] See also Figure 5 When drainage is required, the drainage pump 200 works, and the controllable valve 400 is controlled to be connected. A portion of the water discharged from the drainage port 220 flows to the second drainage pipe 240 through the first drainage pipe 230 and the controllable valve 400 and is discharged outdoors, and a portion of the water flows to the return pipe 250 and returns to the return port 111.

[0110] When the drainage pump 200 stops working, the controllable valve 400 is disconnected under control and drainage cannot be performed. At this time, the condensed water in the second drainage pipeline 240 flows to the return water port 111 through the return water pipeline 250 .

[0111] In some embodiments of the present application, a tee 240 ′ is provided on the first drainage pipeline 230 to change the direction of the condensed water drawn out from the drainage port 220 .

[0112] The three-way valve 240 ′ has three ports, which are respectively referred to as a first port, a second port and a third port that are connected to each other.

[0113] The first opening is communicated with the drain port of the first drain pipe 230 , the second opening is communicated with the water inlet of the second drain pipe 240 , and the third opening is communicated with the water inlet of the return pipe 250 .

[0114] See also Figure 5 and Figure 6 The water pump driving unit 500 is connected to the main control unit 300, and is used to receive the PWM pulse driving signal issued by the main control unit 300, and control the operation of the drainage pump 200 based on the PWM pulse driving signal.

[0115] The larger the duty cycle of the PWM pulse driving signal, the faster the drain pump 200 runs, and thus the faster the drainage speed is; the smaller the duty cycle of the PWM pulse driving signal, the slower the drain pump 200 runs, and thus the slower the drainage speed is.

[0116] The main control unit 300 inputs different PWM pulse driving signals to the water pump driving unit 500, thereby controlling the drainage pump 200 to operate at a corresponding rotation speed.

[0117] The core unit of the main control unit 300 is the MCU chip.

[0118] See also Figure 6 The water pump driving unit 500 includes a water pump driving chip having a PWM pin, and the PWM pin is used to receive a PWM pulse signal output by a first output pin of the MCU chip.

[0119] The water pump driving chip also has an overcurrent protection function, and an overcurrent protection circuit is set on its periphery to achieve current limiting protection for the drainage motor of the drainage pump 200.

[0120] In some embodiments of this application, see Figure 6 The water pump driving chip has a first pin, a second pin and a third pin, and the overcurrent protection circuit is arranged between the first pin, the second pin and the third pin.

[0121] The overcurrent protection circuit includes a first resistor R1, a second resistor R2 and a third resistor R3.

[0122] The first pin is grounded through the first resistor R1 , the second pin is grounded through the second resistor R2 , and the third pin is connected to a connection point where the second pin and the second resistor R2 are connected through the third resistor R3 .

[0123] The overcurrent protection limit of the drainage motor of the drainage pump 200 can be set by setting the values ​​of each resistor, and different overcurrent protection limit values ​​can be set by changing the values ​​of each resistor.

[0124] See also Figure 6 The water pump driver chip also has a speed feedback pin, and the MCU chip has a first input pin.

[0125] The speed feedback pin is connected to the first input pin, and is used by the main control unit 300 to detect the speed of the drainage pump 200 in real time and perform closed-loop control on the speed to achieve stable and controllable speed.

[0126] In some embodiments of the present application, during the operation of the drainage pump 200, the rotation speed can be detected to determine whether the drainage pump 200 is currently blocked by dirt. If so, the rotation speed can be increased to quickly drain the sewage.

[0127] For example, the difference between the current rotation speed and the target rotation speed may be detected. If the difference exceeds a threshold, it indicates that the current rotation speed is too low and the drainage pump 200 may be dirty or clogged.

[0128] In some embodiments of the present application, see Figure 5 The main control unit 300 is connected to the fan driving unit 600 through the communication unit 700', and the fan driving unit 600 outputs a driving signal to the indoor fan to make the indoor fan start or stop.

[0129] The communication unit 700' may use a UART communication circuit.

[0130] In some embodiments of the present application, when designing, refer to Figure 4 The cross-sectional area of ​​the return pipe 250 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the second drainage pipe 240 , wherein the cross-sectional area of ​​the first drainage pipe 230 is obviously at least greater than or equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the second drainage pipe 240 .

[0131] Since the cross-sectional area of ​​the first drain pipe 230 and the second drain pipe 240 is larger and the cross-sectional area of ​​the return pipe 250 is smaller, when the drain pump 200 is working and the controllable valve 400 is connected, most of the condensed water is discharged to the outside through the first drain pipe 230 and the second drain pipe 240 to ensure drainage efficiency, and a small part of the condensed water is returned to the return port 111 of the water receiving bottom wall 110 of the water receiving pan 100 through the return pipe 250.

[0132] The small flow water disturbs the condensed water and sediment in the water tray 100 to avoid the noise caused by large-scale disturbance, and the disturbed foreign matter will be discharged by the drainage pump 200 along with the condensed water.

[0133] In some embodiments of the present application, during the drainage process of the drain pump 200, the rotation speed of the drain pump 200 can be controlled. The greater the rotation speed, the greater the drainage force and the greater the return water pressure. In this way, the disturbance force of the condensed water on the bottom wall 110 of the water tray 100 is also greater, which is more conducive to the discharge of impurities and foreign matter by the drain pump 200.

[0134] In addition, the small flow rate backflow reduces the water flow noise caused by the impact of the water flow, and at the same time the return water is mixed with the condensed water in the water receiving tray 100 without air mixing, and no bubbles are generated, thereby reducing the return water noise.

[0135] In order to avoid the problem that when the drain pump 200 fails, the condensed water in the water receiving pan 100 is excessive and overflows to cause safety hazards, in some embodiments of the present application, see Figure 6 and Figure 7 The air conditioner further includes a float switch 900 .

[0136] The float switch 900 is disposed in the water receiving tray 100 for detecting the water level of condensed water in the water receiving tray 100 , and a preset water level is preset inside the float switch 900 , which is the maximum water level in the water receiving tray 100 .

[0137] When the water level in the water receiving tray 100 reaches a preset water level, the float switch 900 is activated and sends out a detection signal, and the detection signal is transmitted to the main control unit 300 .

[0138] Generally, the float switch 900 is in a normally closed state, and once the water level in the water receiving tray 100 reaches a preset water level, the float switch 900 is disconnected, that is, in an open state.

[0139] When the float switch 900 is normally closed because the water level does not reach the preset water level, the main control unit 300 receives a high-level detection signal, and when the float switch 900 is disconnected because the water level reaches the preset water level, the main control unit 300 receives a low-level detection signal.

[0140] After receiving the detection signal, the main control unit 300 outputs a control signal to the fan driving unit 600 to start or stop the indoor fan.

[0141] That is, when the main control unit 300 receives a high-level detection signal, it outputs a control signal to the fan drive unit 600 to operate the indoor fan; when the main control unit 300 receives a low-level detection signal, it outputs a control signal to the fan drive unit 600 to stop the indoor fan, so as to prevent the indoor fan from continuing to operate and continue to produce condensed water.

[0142] As described above, when the float switch 900 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 performed in a timely manner at this time.

[0143] In order to remind people to drain the water in time, the air conditioner further includes an alarm unit (not shown), which is used to control the alarm unit to issue an alarm prompt when the main control unit 300 receives a low-level detection signal, so as to intuitively remind the user to drain the water in time.

[0144] In some embodiments of this application, see Figure 6 , Figure 8 and Fig. 9 , the controllable valve 400 is driven to be on and off through the valve driving unit 700.

[0145] The main control unit 300 outputs a control signal, and based on the control signal, the valve driving unit 700 operates to drive the controllable valve 400 to open or close in response to the control signal.

[0146] When the main control unit 300 adopts an MCU chip, the MCU chip outputs a first control signal at a first control pin.

[0147] When the valve driving unit 700 receives the first control signal, the corresponding output terminal controls the controllable valve 400 to be turned on or off.

[0148] In some embodiments of this application, see Fig. 9 , the valve driving unit 700 includes a valve driving chip 710 and a relay 800 .

[0149] The MCU chip outputs a first control signal at a first control pin.

[0150] In some embodiments of this application, see Figure 8 and Fig. 9 The first input terminal of the valve driving chip 710 is connected to the first control pin of the MCU chip, the first output terminal is connected to one end of the coil of the relay 800, and the power supply Vcc is connected to the other end of the coil of the relay 800.

[0151] The normally open switch of the relay 800 is connected in series to the power supply line of the controllable valve 400 .

[0152] When the first control signal drives the first output terminal to output a low level, the coil of the relay 800 is energized, and the normally open switch is closed, thereby connecting the power supply line to normally supply power to the controllable valve 400. At this time, the controllable valve 400 is opened and connected.

[0153] When the first control signal drives the first output terminal to output a high level, the coil of the relay 800 loses power and the normally open switch is disconnected, thereby disconnecting the power supply line and failing to supply power to the controllable valve 400. At this time, the controllable valve 400 is closed and disconnected.

[0154] The entire operation process of the air conditioner can be described as follows.

[0155] The user controls the air conditioner indoor unit to operate in cooling mode and sets the indoor fan to start running at a certain gear, at which time the air conditioner starts to generate condensed water.

[0156] When the air conditioner has been running for a period of time and needs to be drained, the main control unit 300 controls the drain pump 200 to work through the water pump driving unit 500, and controls the controllable valve 400 to be connected at the same time.

[0157] At this time, part of the condensed water discharged from the first drainage pipe 230 is discharged to the outside through the second drainage pipe 240 to achieve drainage, and the other part is returned to the water receiving pan 100 through the return pipe 250.

[0158] When the drainage process is completed, the main control unit 300 controls the drainage pump 200 to stop working through the water pump driving unit 500, and at the same time controls the controllable valve 400 to be disconnected.

[0159] At this time, the return water in the second drainage pipe 240 will not return to the drainage port 220, but will return to the water receiving tray 100 through the return water pipe 250, completing the water return work.

[0160] During the operation of the air conditioner, the signal fed back by the float switch 900 is monitored in real time to avoid safety risks caused by water overflow.

[0161] In some embodiments of the present application, in order to solve the problem of the drain pump 200 being blocked by dirt and sediment inside the water receiving pan 100 in the existing air conditioner, the present application can improve the drainage capacity by setting a guide plate 276 on the drain pump impeller 270, and setting a blade 277 at the bottom of the impeller 270. When the drain pump 200 rotates, the blade 277 crushes and cuts foreign matter, thereby reducing the risk of large foreign matter entering the drain pump 200 and blocking the drain pump 200, thereby improving the working reliability of the drain pump 200.

[0162] A conventional drainage pump 200 includes a drainage motor, a pump casing 260 and an impeller 270 .

[0163] The impeller 270 is disposed in the pump housing 260 . The impeller 270 is connected to the drainage motor and is driven by the drainage motor to rotate freely in the pump housing 260 .

[0164] A water inlet 210 and a water outlet 220 are formed on the pump housing 260 . Specifically, the water inlet 210 is provided at the bottom of the pump housing 260 , and the water outlet 220 is provided at the side.

[0165] When the drain pump 200 is working, the drain motor drives the impeller 270 to rotate, and the condensed water accumulated in the water receiving tray 100 is sucked into the water inlet 210, and rises upward in the pump body due to the inertia driven by the impeller 270, and is finally discharged to the outside from the drain port 220 under the action of centrifugal force.

[0166] The impeller 270 is a key component of the drainage pump 200. Fig.10 A conventional drain pump 200 is shown, and Fig.11A structural diagram of a conventional impeller 270 is shown.

[0167] The impeller 270 has a central axis 271 , a disk 272 surrounding the axis, a plurality of first blades 273 , a plurality of auxiliary blades 275 and a plurality of second blades 274 .

[0168] The central shaft portion 271 is located at the axis of the impeller 270 and is connected to the output shaft of the drainage motor to receive the power output by the drainage motor.

[0169] The disk 272 includes a circumferential wall surrounding the axis of the impeller 270 of the drainage pump 200 and a bottom wall, wherein the bottom wall has a through hole, wherein the axis of the impeller 270 and the axis of the central shaft portion 271 are located on the same axis.

[0170] A plurality of first blades 273 are connected between the central shaft portion 271 and the circumferential wall of the disk 272 .

[0171] The first blades 273 are planar plate-shaped blades distributed along the axial direction of the central axis 271 and connected to each other. They are radially arranged from the axis to the surroundings, and generally there are four of them.

[0172] The auxiliary blades 275 are also planar plate-shaped blades, which are alternately located between the first blades 273 and are also radially arranged in all directions. The outer ends of the auxiliary blades 275 are connected to the circumferential wall.

[0173] In some embodiments of the present application, a plurality of second blades 274 are disposed below the disk and connected to the lower ends of a plurality of first blades 273 .

[0174] In some embodiments of the present application, the second blades 274 are planar plate-shaped blades distributed along the axial direction of the central axis 271 and connected to each other. They are radially arranged from the axis to the surroundings, and the number is generally 4.

[0175] See also Fig.14 The drain pump 200 is installed in the water receiving tray 100 , for example, inverted 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 .

[0176] When the drainage pump 200 is working, the impeller 270 draws and lifts water from the water inlet 210 by means of the rotation and stirring of the second blade 274 and the first blade 273 , and discharges the water from the drainage port 220 .

[0177] The bottom end of the second blade 274 of the conventional impeller 270 does not extend beyond the drain port 220 .

[0178] In some embodiments of the present application, the second blade 274 extends away from the central axis portion 271 along the axial direction of the central axis portion 271 and exceeds the drain port 220, see Fig.12 .

[0179] See also Fig.12 and Fig.13 At least one guide plate 276 is disposed on at least one of the second blades 274, and the guide plate 276 rotates along the impeller 270 (see Fig.13 The arrow in the middle indicates the reverse extension from bottom to top.

[0180] In some embodiments of the present application, the second blades 274 are planar plate-shaped blades distributed along the axial direction of the central axis 271 and connected to each other. They are evenly radially arranged from the axis to the surroundings, and there are four of them.

[0181] In this way, at least one guide plate 276 may be selectively provided on at least one second blade 274 . For example, three spaced guide plates 276 may be provided on each of two second blades 274 .

[0182] The extension degree of each guide plate 276 is the same. For example, the guide plates 276 are all in the shape of a flat plate, or are all in the shape of a spiral surface, etc.

[0183] In some embodiments of the present application, see Fig.13 , three spaced guide plates 276 are respectively provided on each of the four second blades 274, and the arrangement of the plurality of guide plates 276 on each second blade 274 is the same.

[0184] In this way, when the impeller 270 rotates, the lifting capacity of the water flow can be evenly enhanced.

[0185] In some embodiments of the present application, see Fig.13 The guide plate 276 can be a flat plate to reduce the manufacturing cost.

[0186] In some embodiments of the present application, the guide plate may be in the shape of a spiral surface, and the guide plate in the shape of a spiral surface can stably enhance the lifting capacity of water.

[0187] Regardless of the extension degree of the guide plate 276, the guide plate 276 extends from bottom to top in the opposite direction of the rotation of the impeller 270, so that the water flow can be improved.

[0188] In some embodiments of the present application, when the second blades 274 are planar plate-shaped blades uniformly arranged radially from the axis to the periphery, see Fig.13 The multiple guide plates 276 belonging to the same blade are located on the outermost side of the second blade 274 .

[0189] In this way, the area of ​​the second blade 274 is increased, thereby improving the ability to lift the water flow.

[0190] By adding a guide plate 276 extending from bottom to top on the second blade 274, the water flow lifting capacity can be improved during the operation of the drainage pump 200, and the drainage head and flow rate can be increased, thereby improving the drainage efficiency and reducing the power of the drainage motor.

[0191] In some embodiments of the present application, see Fig.13 At least one blade 277 is disposed at the bottom of the second blade 274 .

[0192] The blades 277 are radially arranged from the axis to the periphery on the rotation plane of the impeller 270 , and the cutting edge of each blade 277 faces the rotation direction of the impeller 270 .

[0193] When the drain pump 200 is working, since the blade 277 is set on the second blade 274, the rotation of the impeller 270 drives the blade 277 to rotate. While the blade 277 rotates to stir the condensed water at the water inlet 210, it also cuts and crushes foreign matter in the condensed water to prevent large foreign matter from being sucked into the drain pump 200 and creating the risk of clogging the drain pump 200.

[0194] In some embodiments of the present application, there are multiple blades 277 to improve the efficiency of cutting foreign matter.

[0195] The plurality of blades 277 are evenly radially arranged from the axis to the surrounding areas on the rotation plane of the impeller 270, so that during the operation of the drainage pump 200, the plurality of evenly radially arranged blades 277 exert a consistent force on foreign matter in the condensed water, thereby achieving the working reliability of the drainage pump 200.

[0196] As described above, if each second blade 274 is four planar plate-shaped blades distributed along the axial direction of the central axis 271, connected to each other and radially arranged from the axis to the surroundings (see Fig.13 ), in order to arrange the blades 277 in a balanced manner, a blade 277 is set at the bottom of each second blade 274.

[0197] Thus, the four blades 277 are also arranged radially from the axis to the surrounding areas.

[0198] When the drainage pump 200 is working, the impeller 270 uses the guide plate 276 to enhance the lifting effect on the water flow, and the four blades 277 cut and crush foreign matter. Therefore, the design of this impeller 270 not only improves the drainage efficiency, but also facilitates the discharge of the cut and crushed foreign matter, and avoids the risk of large foreign matter entering the drainage pump 200 and causing the drainage pump 200 to be blocked.

[0199] See also Fig.15 and Fig.16In some embodiments of the present application, at least one blade 277 and at least one brush 278 may be provided at the bottom of the second blade 274 .

[0200] The arrangement of the at least one blade 277 may refer to the arrangement described above.

[0201] The brushes 278 are also arranged radially from the axis to the surrounding areas on the rotation plane of the impeller 270.

[0202] When the drainage pump 200 is working, the blade 277 and the brush 278 will rotate with the impeller 270. The blade 277 is used to cut and crush foreign matter to facilitate discharge, and the brush 278 collects foreign matter by sticking to reduce the deposition of foreign matter in the water receiving tray 100.

[0203] The foreign matter collected by the brush 278 can be processed collectively later.

[0204] In some embodiments of the present application, see Fig.15 and Fig.16 , multiple blades 277 and multiple brushes 278 can be set.

[0205] The blades 277 are alternately located between the brushes 278, making it easy to collect foreign matter after cutting.

[0206] The bristles of each brush 278 extend toward the water receiving tray 100 along the axial direction of the central axis portion 271 .

[0207] Such an arrangement can increase the contact area between the bristles and foreign matter when the impeller 270 rotates to stir the condensed water, so that the brush 278 can collect more foreign matter and prevent the foreign matter from being deposited in the water receiving tray 100.

[0208] In the description of the above embodiments, specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in a suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0209] The above is only a specific implementation of the utility model, but the protection scope of the utility model is not limited to this. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily thought of by technicians familiar with the technical field within the technical scope disclosed by the utility model should be included in the protection scope of the utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of the utility model should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that: include: A water receiving tray, which is used to receive condensed water generated during the cooling operation of the air conditioner, and a water return port is provided on the bottom wall of the water receiving tray; a drain pump installed in the water receiving tray, the drain pump having a water inlet and a drain outlet, the water inlet being communicated with the water receiving tray, and the drain outlet being used to discharge condensed water in the water receiving tray to the outside; a first drainage pipeline, which is arranged at the drainage port and is branched into a second drainage pipeline and a return pipeline, wherein the return pipeline returns condensed water to the return outlet; A controllable valve, which is arranged on the first drainage pipeline; A water pump driving unit, which is used to drive the drainage pump to operate; A main control unit, which is connected to the water pump drive unit and the controllable valve respectively; During the operation of the drainage pump, the controllable valve is connected, and part of the condensed water discharged through the first drainage pipeline is discharged to the outside through the second drainage pipeline, and part of the condensed water flows back to the return port through the return pipeline; When the drainage pump stops working, the controllable valve is disconnected, and the return water in the second drainage pipe returns to the return water port through the return water pipeline.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: A tee has a first opening, a second opening and a third opening which are connected to each other, wherein the first opening is connected to the drain outlet of the first drain pipe, the second opening is connected to the water inlet of the second drain pipe, and the third opening is connected to the water inlet of the return pipe.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cross-sectional area of ​​the return pipe is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the second drainage pipe.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water pump driving unit comprises: The water pump driving chip has a speed feedback pin whose output signal is fed back to the main control unit for real-time detection of the speed of the drainage pump; an overcurrent protection circuit is arranged on the periphery of the water pump driving chip for overcurrent protection of the drainage pump motor.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 4, characterized in that: The water pump driving chip has a first pin, a second pin and a third pin, and the overcurrent protection circuit is connected between the first pin, the second pin and the third pin; The overcurrent protection circuit includes a first resistor, a second resistor and a third resistor, the first pin is grounded through the first resistor, the second pin is grounded through the second resistor, the third pin is connected to one end of the third resistor, and the other end of the third resistor is connected to the connection point between the second resistor and the second pin.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air conditioner also includes: The valve 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 control signal, the controllable valve is driven to be turned on and off through the valve driving unit.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 6, characterized in that: The valve drive unit comprises: A valve driving chip, comprising an input pin and an output pin corresponding to the input pin, wherein the input pin is connected to an output end of the main control unit for outputting the control signal; A relay, one end of whose coil is connected to a power supply, and the other end is connected to the output pin, and the normally open switch of the relay is connected in series to a power supply circuit that provides electrical energy to the controllable valve, so that the controllable valve is connected when the normally open switch is closed, and the controllable valve is disconnected when the normally open switch is disconnected.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: The fan driving unit communicates with the main control unit via the communication unit and is used to drive the indoor fan to start or stop running.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air conditioner also includes: A float switch is connected to the main control unit and is used 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, and the main control unit receives the detection signal and stops the indoor fan.

10. An air conditioner, characterized in that: include: A water receiving tray, which is used to receive condensed water generated during the cooling operation of the air conditioner, and a water return port is provided on the bottom wall of the water receiving tray; A drainage pump, which is installed in the water receiving pan, the drainage pump comprises a drainage motor, a pump casing and an impeller, the impeller is arranged in the pump casing, a water inlet is arranged at the bottom of the pump casing and a drainage outlet is arranged at the side, the impeller comprises a central axis, a disk surrounding the axis, a plurality of first blades radiating outward from the axis, and a plurality of second blades, the central axis is connected to the output shaft of the drainage motor, the first blades are connected to the central axis and the disk, the second blades are connected to the first blades and extend away from the central axis along the axial direction of the central axis to the drainage outlet, the water inlet is communicated with the water receiving pan, and the drainage outlet is used to discharge condensed water in the water receiving pan to the outside; At least one guide plate is disposed on at least one of the second blades, and the guide plate extends from bottom to top in the reverse direction of the rotation of the impeller; At least one blade is arranged on the bottom of the second blade extending out of the drain port, and each blade is radially arranged from the axis to the surroundings on the rotation plane of the impeller, and the blade faces the rotation direction of the impeller; a first drainage pipeline, which is arranged at the drainage port and is branched into a second drainage pipeline and a return pipeline, wherein the return pipeline returns condensed water to the return outlet; A controllable valve, which is arranged on the first drainage pipeline; A water pump driving unit, used to drive the drainage pump to operate; A main control unit, which is connected to the water pump drive unit and the controllable valve respectively; During the operation of the drainage pump, the controllable valve is connected, and part of the condensed water discharged through the first drainage pipeline is discharged to the outside through the second drainage pipeline, and part of the condensed water flows back to the return port through the return pipeline; When the drainage pump stops working, the controllable valve is disconnected, and the return water in the second drainage pipe returns to the return water port through the return water pipeline.

Images