External air duct and air conditioner indoor unit

Abstract

The utility model provides an external air duct and an air conditioner indoor unit. The two ends of the external air guide cylinder in the length direction are open to form an air inlet and an air outlet correspondingly, the air inlet is used for being connected with an air outlet of an air conditioner indoor unit so as to introduce air outlet airflow of the air outlet, and the air outlet is used for exhausting the air outlet airflow. The cylinder wall of the external air guide cylinder comprises at least one telescopic wall and at least one follow-up wall, the telescopic wall is configured to stretch out and draw back in the length direction of the external air guide cylinder and keep the shape after stretching out and drawing back, and the shape of the follow-up wall is changed along with stretching out and drawing back of the telescopic wall so that the orientation of the air outlet can be changed by adjusting the stretching out and drawing back degree of the telescopic wall. The air conditioner indoor unit solves the problems that an existing air conditioner indoor unit is monotonous in air outlet structure form and lacks innovation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of air conditioning, in particular to an external air duct and an air-conditioning indoor unit. Background Art

[0002] Air conditioners are used to regulate indoor air, including adjusting temperature, humidity, and air quality, as well as humidifying, dehumidifying, and introducing fresh air. Air conditioners consist of a vapor compression refrigeration cycle consisting of an evaporator, condenser, compressor, throttling device, and other necessary components. The fan delivers cold / hot air to cool or heat the indoor environment.

[0003] Most of the existing air conditioner indoor units are equipped with air outlet structures such as air guide plates and swing blades at the air outlet to adjust the air outlet direction and air outlet area of ​​the air outlet. The structure is simple and lacks innovation.

[0004] A flush-mounted air conditioner is a new type of indoor unit designed for embedded installation, such as in a cabinet or other cabinet. When the cabinet door is opened, the air inlet and outlet on the front of the unit are exposed for air intake and exhaust. However, technicians have found that flush-mounted indoor units consistently suffer from low air conditioning efficiency, and a suitable solution has been elusive. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of the present utility model is to provide an external air duct and an air conditioner indoor unit that overcome the above problems or at least partially solve the above problems.

[0006] The purpose of the utility model is to solve the problem that the air outlet structure of the existing air conditioner indoor unit is monotonous and lacks innovation.

[0007] Another purpose of the present invention is to solve the problem that it is difficult to improve the energy efficiency of the existing embedded air-conditioning indoor unit.

[0008] On the one hand, the utility model provides an external air duct for an indoor unit of an air conditioner, wherein

[0009] Both ends of the external air guide tube in the length direction are open, forming an air inlet and an air outlet respectively, the air inlet is used to connect with the air outlet of the air conditioner indoor unit to introduce the air flow from the air outlet, and the air outlet is used to discharge the air flow; and

[0010] The cylinder wall of the external air duct includes at least one telescopic wall and at least one follower wall. The telescopic wall is configured to be able to telescope along the length direction of the external air duct and maintain its shape after telescoping. The shape of the follower wall changes with the telescopic wall's telescoping, so that the direction of the air outlet can be changed by adjusting the degree of telescoping of the telescopic wall.

[0011] Optionally, the number of the telescopic wall and the number of the follower wall are both two; and

[0012] The two telescopic walls are arranged opposite to each other with a distance therebetween, and the two following walls are connected therebetween.

[0013] Optionally, each of the telescopic walls and each of the follower walls extends from one end to the other end of the external air guide tube in the length direction.

[0014] Optionally, each of the telescopic walls includes a plurality of wall panels arranged along the length direction of the external air duct, and each adjacent two wall panels are hingedly connected to allow the plurality of wall panels to be stressed to expand or fold in a wave-like manner, thereby achieving the extension or shortening of the telescopic wall.

[0015] Optionally, in every two adjacent wall panels, an edge of one wall panel is provided with a hinge shaft, and an edge of the other wall panel is provided with a hinge cylinder, and the hinge shaft is rotatably inserted into the hinge cylinder; and

[0016] The hinged tube has a notch penetrating through the tube wall, so that its cross section is in an arc shape, thereby making room for the plate body portion of the wall panel.

[0017] Optionally, some of the hinge shafts are interference fit with the corresponding hinge cylinders.

[0018] Optionally, each of the follower walls is made of soft elastic material.

[0019] On the other hand, the present invention also provides an air conditioner indoor unit, which includes:

[0020] a housing having an air outlet for discharging air; and

[0021] As described in any of the above items, the external air duct is installed outside the casing, and the air inlet is connected to the air outlet to introduce the outlet air flow of the air outlet and discharge the outlet air flow through the air outlet.

[0022] Optionally, the air-conditioning indoor unit is of an embedded type, and is used to be embedded in a preset cavity, so that the outlet air flow is guided out of the cavity by the external air guide tube.

[0023] Optionally, the housing is further provided with an air inlet for air intake; and

[0024] The air inlet and the air outlet are both opened on the front side of the casing.

[0025] This utility model is equipped with an external air duct on the outside of the air conditioner indoor unit. The external air duct is used to guide the airflow from the air outlet, directing the airflow to the desired position, and adjusting the airflow direction. This utility model uses an external air duct to replace traditional air outlet structures such as traditional air guide plates and swing blades. The design is very clever and innovative, and the overall structure is simple and the cost is lower.

[0026] The tube wall of the external air duct of the utility model includes at least one telescopic wall and at least one follower wall. The telescopic wall is configured to be able to telescope along the length direction of the external air duct and maintain its shape after telescoping. The shape of the follower wall changes with the telescopic wall's telescoping, so that the direction of the air outlet can be changed by adjusting the degree of telescoping of the telescopic wall. In this way, the user can manually adjust the air outlet direction of the external air duct, which provides a better experience.

[0027] Furthermore, in the external air duct of the present invention, there are two telescopic walls and two follower walls, each of which is spaced apart and opposite to each other, with two follower walls connected between them. The present invention provides two opposing telescopic walls, so when one telescopic wall extends, the other telescopic wall shortens. Together, these two walls allow for a wider range of adjustable angles at the air outlet. Furthermore, the presence of two opposing telescopic walls allows the external air duct to remain more stably in its extended configuration after adjustment.

[0028] Furthermore, in the external air duct of the present invention, each telescopic wall comprises multiple panels arranged along the length of the external air duct, with adjacent panels hingedly connected to allow the panels to expand or collapse in a wave-like pattern under force, thereby achieving the extension or contraction of the telescopic wall. This design allows the telescopic wall to expand and contract under external force and maintain its expanded state after the external force is removed.

[0029] Furthermore, the external air duct of the present invention is particularly suitable for embedded air-conditioning indoor units. Through research, the inventors found that embedded air-conditioning indoor units adopt a front airflow form, and the air inlet and air outlet are arranged adjacent to each other and are very close to each other. This causes a part of the outlet air flow to mix with the intake air flow and flow back into the casing from the air inlet. Taking the cooling mode as an example, the temperature of these outlet air flows is relatively low in itself, and their mixing with the intake air flow will cause the overall temperature of the intake air flow to become lower, lowering the heat exchange rate between the intake air flow and the heat exchanger, causing the heat exchanger to be unable to fully exert its heat exchange capacity, resulting in a decrease in its heat exchange efficiency, and further leading to a decrease in the energy efficiency of the air conditioner. To this end, the air-conditioning indoor unit of the present invention uses an external air duct to guide the outlet air flow away from the air inlet, to prevent the outlet air flow from mixing with the intake air flow, to ensure the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger, and thus to improve the energy efficiency of the air conditioner.

[0030] Based on the following detailed description of some specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will become more aware of the above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Hereinafter, some specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail in an exemplary and non-limiting manner with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings indicate the same or similar components or parts. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the accompanying drawings:

[0032] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of an external air duct according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0033] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the external air duct after adjusting the direction of the air outlet;

[0034] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a partial section of the telescopic wall of the external air duct shown;

[0035] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of point A;

[0036] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of an air-conditioning indoor unit according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0037] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 The diagram shows the indoor unit of the air conditioner after the external air duct is adjusted in the direction of the air outlet;

[0038] Figure 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an air conditioner indoor unit according to one embodiment of the present utility model;

[0039] Figure 8 The utility model is a schematic diagram of an air-conditioning indoor unit embedded in a cabinet according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] In the description of this embodiment, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like to indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention 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 cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0041] The terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the quantity of the technical features indicated. Therefore, the term "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features, or one or more of the features.

[0042] In the description of the present invention, "plurality" means at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically limited. When a feature "includes or contains" one or more of the features it covers, unless otherwise specifically described, this indicates that other features are not excluded and other features may be further included.

[0043] Unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," "connect," "fixed," "coupled," and the like should be interpreted broadly. For example, they may refer to fixed or detachable connections, or integration; mechanical or electrical connections; direct or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal communication between two components or interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. A person of ordinary skill in the art should be able to understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0044] Furthermore, in the description of this embodiment, a first feature being “above” or “below” a second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or the first and second features not being in direct contact but being in contact via another feature therebetween.

[0045] That is, in the description of this embodiment, the phrase "above," "above," and "above" a first feature of a second feature includes the phrase "the first feature is directly above or obliquely above" the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. The phrase "below," "below," or "below" a first feature of a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0046] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical terms and scientific terms) used in the description of the embodiments of the present invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by ordinary technicians in the technical field to which this application belongs.

[0047] The embodiment of the utility model provides an external air duct for an indoor unit of an air conditioner.

[0048] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of an external air duct 30 according to an embodiment of the present utility model; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The external air guide tube 30 is shown as a schematic diagram of the state after the direction of the air outlet 302 is adjusted; Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a partial section of the telescopic walls 31 and 32 of the external air duct 30 is shown; Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of point A; Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of an air-conditioning indoor unit according to an embodiment of the present utility model; Figure 6 yes Figure 5 The diagram shown is a schematic diagram of the air conditioner indoor unit with the external air duct 30 adjusted to face the rear of the air outlet 302 .

[0049] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the external air guide tube 30 of the embodiment of the present invention is cylindrical, specifically cylindrical, square cylindrical (such as Figure 1 ), elliptical or other cylindrical shapes. The embodiment of the utility model does not limit the overall shape of the external air duct 30. The two ends of the length direction (or axial direction, i.e., the positive and negative directions of the x-axis marked in the figure) of the external air duct 30 are open, forming an air inlet 301 and an air outlet 302 respectively. Among them, the air inlet 301 is used to connect with the air outlet 212 of the air conditioner indoor unit 20 (such as Figure 5 ) to introduce the outlet air flow of the air outlet 212, and the air outlet 302 is used to discharge the outlet air flow. The discharged outlet air flow can be blown into the indoor environment to regulate the indoor environment air.

[0050] The wall of the external air duct 30 includes at least one telescopic wall 31, 32 and at least one follower wall 33, 34. The telescopic walls 31, 32 are configured to be able to extend and retract along the length direction of the external air duct 30 and maintain their shape after extension. The shape of the follower walls 33, 34 changes with the extension and retraction of the telescopic walls 31, 32, so that the direction of the air outlet 302 can be changed by adjusting the extension and retraction degree of the telescopic walls 31, 32 (such as Figure 4 、 Figure 5 ).

[0051] by Figure 1 and Figure 2 The above adjustment method is introduced as an example. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the embodiment shown, the wall of the external air guide tube 30 includes two telescopic walls 31, 32 and two follower walls 33, 34. Figure 1 In this state, the air outlet 302 of the external air duct 30 faces obliquely upward on the paper. On this basis, the telescopic wall 31 is extended and the telescopic wall 32 is shortened, so that the air outlet 302 of the external air duct 30 faces obliquely downward on the paper.

[0052] After being extended or shortened by an external force, the telescopic walls 31 and 32 can maintain the extended / shortened state and will not return to the original state due to the disappearance of the external force. No external force is required to maintain them in the extended / shortened state.

[0053] The telescopic walls 31, 32 and the follower walls 33, 34 are sealed together to prevent air leakage. It is understood that when the telescopic walls 31, 32 are extended or stretched, the edges of the follower walls 33, 34 are inevitably pulled or squeezed by the walls 31, 32, preventing them from maintaining their original shape. Therefore, the embodiment of the present invention adapts the shape of the follower walls 33, 34 to the expansion and contraction of the telescopic walls 31, 32, achieving adaptive adjustment. This prevents the follower walls 33, 34 from interfering with the expansion and contraction of the telescopic walls 31, 32. It also ensures that the follower walls 33, 34 maintain a sealed connection with the telescopic walls 31, 32, preventing air leakage caused by pulling or squeezing at the junction between the two.

[0054] For example, each follower wall 33, 34 can be made of a soft elastic material, such as relatively soft rubber. Alternatively, the follower walls 33, 34 can be made of a non-elastic soft material, such as cloth. After all the telescopic walls 31, 32 are fully extended, the follower walls 33, 34 remain taut. When the telescopic walls 31, 32 are shortened, the follower walls 33, 34 are squeezed and wrinkled.

[0055] In the embodiment of the present invention, an external air duct 30 is provided on the exterior of the air conditioner indoor unit 20. The external air duct 30 can be used to guide the airflow from the air outlet 212 of the air conditioner indoor unit 20, directing the airflow to a desired location and adjusting the airflow direction. The longer the external air duct 30 is, the further the airflow can be directed. This allows the user to install the air conditioner indoor unit 20 in the most suitable location based on the specific layout of the room, and then use the external air duct 30 to guide the airflow to the most suitable location for air discharge, thus freeing the installation location of the air conditioner indoor unit 20.

[0056] The embodiment of the utility model utilizes an external air guide tube 30 to replace traditional air outlet structures such as traditional air guide plates and swing blades. The concept is very clever and innovative, and the overall structure is simple and the cost is lower.

[0057] The tube wall of the external air duct 30 of the embodiment of the present invention includes at least one telescopic wall 31, 32 and at least one follower wall 33, 34. The telescopic walls 31, 32 are configured to be able to telescope along the length direction of the external air duct 30, and maintain their shape after telescoping. The shape of the follower walls 33, 34 changes with the telescopic walls 31, 32, so that the direction of the air outlet 302 can be changed by adjusting the degree of telescoping of the telescopic walls 31, 32. In this way, the user can manually adjust the air outlet direction of the external air duct 30, which provides a better experience.

[0058] In some embodiments of the present invention, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, there are two telescopic walls 31, 32 and two follower walls 33, 34. The two telescopic walls 31, 32 are spaced apart and arranged opposite to each other, and two follower walls 33, 34 are connected between them. The two telescopic walls 31, 32 and the two follower walls 33, 34 are sequentially connected to form a cylindrical shape.

[0059] This embodiment employs two opposing telescopic walls 31, 32. When one telescopic wall 31, 32 is extended, the other telescopic wall 31, 32 is shortened. This combination allows for a wider angle adjustment range for the air outlet 302. Furthermore, the presence of two opposing telescopic walls 31, 32 allows the external air duct 30 to remain more stably in its extended position after adjustment.

[0060] Of course, in other embodiments, one telescopic wall and one follower wall, or multiple telescopic walls and multiple follower walls, may be provided, with any combination of numbers. It is understood that the greater the number of telescopic walls, the more dimensions in which the direction of the air outlet 302 can be adjusted. For example, if only two telescopic walls 31 and 32 are provided, adjustment in one dimension is possible. For example, when the two telescopic walls 31 and 32 are provided one above the other, the direction of the air outlet 302 can be adjusted in the vertical dimension, that is, the angle between the outlet direction of the air outlet 302 and the horizontal direction can be adjusted. On this basis, by providing two left and right telescopic walls, the direction of the air outlet 302 can be adjusted in the vertical dimension and the left and right dimension, achieving universal adjustment.

[0061] In some embodiments of the present invention, Figure 1 As shown, each telescopic wall 31 , 32 and each follower wall 33 , 34 can be extended from one end to the other end in the length direction of the external air guide tube 30 to simplify the manufacturing process.

[0062] Of course, in other embodiments, the telescopic walls 31, 32 and the follower walls 33, 34 may comprise only one or more sections along the length of the external air duct 30, specifically for adjusting direction. The remaining sections along the length of the external air duct 30 may be conventional tube structures (i.e., non-telescopic tubes). This solution is suitable for external air ducts 30 of a relatively long length. The telescopic walls 31, 32 and follower walls 33, 34 are provided at key nodes to achieve steering, and at the air outlet end to achieve wind direction adjustment. Conventional tube structures are used for other locations.

[0063] In some embodiments of the present invention, Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, each telescopic wall 31, 32 can include multiple wall panels 311, 312, 313, 314, 315 arranged along the length of the external air duct 30. Each adjacent wall panel is hinged (rotatably connected) to allow the multiple wall panels to expand or fold in a wave-like manner under force, thereby achieving the extension or contraction of the telescopic walls 31, 32. This design allows the telescopic walls 31, 32 to expand and contract under external force and maintain the expanded and contracted state after the external force disappears.

[0064] For example, Figure 3 The diagram shows a portion of the wall panels of the telescopic wall 31, including wall panels 311, 312, 313, 314, and 315. Wall panel 311 is adjacent to wall panel 312 and is hingedly connected, with hinge axis 3120 being perpendicular to the paper. Similarly, wall panel 312 is adjacent to wall panel 313 and is hingedly connected, with hinge axis 3120 being perpendicular to the paper. Wall panel 313 is adjacent to wall panel 314 and is hingedly connected, with hinge axis 3120 being perpendicular to the paper. In this way, the multiple wall panels form a wave shape. When the multiple wall panels are forced to expand or fold in a wave shape, the adjacent wall panels rotate relative to each other, causing the angle between them to change. Specifically, when the multiple wall panels are forced to expand in a wave shape, the angle between each adjacent wall panel increases. When the multiple wall panels are forced to fold in a wave shape, the angle between each adjacent wall panel decreases.

[0065] For a preferred hinge method for each two adjacent wall panels, please refer to Figure 4 .

[0066] like Figure 4As shown, for each pair of adjacent wall panels, taking wall panels 311 and 312 as an example, a hinge shaft 3120 is provided on the edge of one wall panel 312, while a hinge tube 3110 is provided on the edge of the other wall panel 311. The hinge shaft 3120 is rotatably inserted into the hinge tube 3110, with the central axes of the two being collinear. The hinge tube 3110 has a notch 3113 extending through its wall, giving it a major arc cross-section, thereby making way for the body portion of wall panel 312. The major arc shape of the hinge tube 3110 prevents the hinge shaft 3120 from escaping from the hinge tube 3110 through the notch 3113.

[0067] In some embodiments, some hinge shafts 3120 may be interference fit with corresponding hinge cylinders 3110. The purpose of the interference fit is to increase the resistance to the rotation of the hinge shaft 3120 and the hinge cylinder 3110, so that the telescopic walls 31, 32 maintain their shape after telescoping.

[0068] The end of the external air duct 30 with the air inlet 301 can be provided with multiple connecting structures to facilitate connection with the housing 21 of the air conditioner indoor unit 20. For example, the connecting structure can be a hole or a threaded hole, allowing the external air duct 30 to be threadedly connected to the housing 21. Alternatively, the connecting structure can be a buckle or a snap-fit ​​hole, allowing the external air duct 30 to be snap-fitted to the housing 21. Alternatively, the connecting mechanism can simply be a flange of the external air duct 30, allowing the external air duct 30 to be attached to the housing 21 by adhesive bonding.

[0069] The embodiment of the present invention further provides an air conditioner indoor unit 20 having the external air duct 30 .

[0070] The indoor air conditioner 20 is the indoor portion of a split-type air conditioner or the indoor terminal unit of a central air conditioner. It is used to condition the indoor air. Specifically, this includes adjusting the temperature, humidity, and air quality of the air, humidifying and dehumidifying the indoor air, and introducing fresh air. An air conditioner can consist of an evaporator, condenser, compressor, throttling device, and other necessary components to form a vapor compression refrigeration cycle system. This system outputs cold / hot air through a fan to achieve cooling and heating of the indoor environment.

[0071] like Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the air conditioner indoor unit 20 of the embodiment of the present invention may generally include a casing 21 and an external air duct 30 as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0072] The housing 21 has an air outlet 212 for discharging air. The external air duct 30 is disposed outside the housing 21 and connects the air inlet 302 with the air outlet 212 to draw in the air flow from the air outlet 212 and discharge the air through the air outlet 302 .

[0073] Figure 7It is a schematic cross-sectional view of an air-conditioning indoor unit according to one embodiment of the present utility model. Figure 7 Arrows indicate wind direction.

[0074] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of an optional form of the air-conditioning indoor unit 20. Figure 7 As shown, the air-conditioning indoor unit 20 may generally include a casing 21 , a fan 23 , and a heat exchanger 22 .

[0075] The housing 21 is provided with an air inlet 211 for air intake and an air outlet 212 for air discharge. The air inlet 211 and the air outlet 212 are located on the same side of the housing 21, preferably on the front side. The air inlet 211 is preferably located above the air outlet 212. Alternatively, the air inlet 211 may be located on the top of the housing 21 to increase the amount of air entering.

[0076] The casing 21 is used to accommodate the main components of the air-conditioning indoor unit 20, including the fan 23, the heat exchanger 22, the electronic control module, etc. The casing 21 is formed with an air duct 215. The fan 23 is arranged in the casing 21, and is used to force the air in the casing 21 to enter the casing 21 through the air inlet 211 to form an inlet airflow. The heat exchanger 22 is arranged in the casing 21, and is used to exchange heat with the inlet airflow to form a heat exchange airflow. The heat exchange airflow flows to the air outlet 212 through the air duct 215. When the air conditioner is operating in cooling mode, the heat exchange airflow is a cold airflow. When the air conditioner is operating in heating mode, the heat exchange airflow is a hot airflow. Of course, the air conditioner can have only cooling function, or have both cooling and heating functions.

[0077] In the embodiment of the present invention, an external air duct 30 is provided on the exterior of the air conditioner indoor unit 20. The external air duct 30 can be used to guide the airflow from the air outlet 212 of the air conditioner indoor unit 20, directing the airflow to a desired location and adjusting the airflow direction. The longer the external air duct 30 is, the further the airflow can be directed. This allows the user to install the air conditioner indoor unit 20 in the most suitable location based on the specific layout of the room, and then use the external air duct 30 to guide the airflow to the most suitable location for air discharge, thus freeing the installation location of the air conditioner indoor unit 20.

[0078] In some embodiments, the air-conditioning indoor unit 20 is wall-mounted or floor-standing. These two types of air-conditioning indoor units are very common and will not be described in detail here.

[0079] In other embodiments, the air conditioner indoor unit 20 is recessed, designed to be embedded in a pre-set cavity. This cavity can be a cabinet, wardrobe, or other cabinet. Alternatively, it can be a cavity formed by a groove cut into a building wall. The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the cavity. The recessed installation makes the air conditioner indoor unit 20 more concealed and does not affect the overall interior decoration style.

[0080] Through research, the inventors discovered that the low air conditioning efficiency of existing built-in air conditioning indoor units is related to their air intake method. Built-in air conditioning indoor units use a front-end airflow method, with the air inlet 211 and air outlet 212 located adjacent to each other and very close to each other. This causes a portion of the outlet airflow to mix with the inlet airflow and flow back into the housing 21 from the air inlet. Taking cooling mode as an example, the temperature of these outlet airflows is relatively low. Their mixing with the inlet airflow will cause the overall temperature of the inlet airflow to drop, reducing the heat exchange rate between the inlet airflow and the heat exchanger, resulting in the heat exchanger being unable to fully utilize its heat exchange capacity, causing its heat exchange efficiency to decrease, and thus leading to a decrease in the air conditioning efficiency. To this end, the air conditioning indoor unit 20 of the embodiment of the present invention uses an external air duct 30 to direct the outlet airflow away from the air inlet 211, preventing the outlet airflow from mixing with the inlet airflow, ensuring the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger, and thus improving the energy efficiency of the air conditioner. In other words, the external air duct 30 of the present invention is particularly suitable for built-in air conditioning indoor units.

[0081] Figure 8 The utility model is a schematic diagram of an air-conditioning indoor unit embedded in a cabinet according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0082] Furthermore, in some embodiments, Figure 8 As shown, the chamber is chamber 101 of cabinet 10. One side of cabinet 10 is open. Air conditioner indoor unit 20 is embedded in the interior of cabinet 10, with the front side of the air conditioner indoor unit facing the open side of cabinet 10 so that air can enter and exit through air inlet 211 and air outlet 212.

[0083] At this point, those skilled in the art should recognize that, although multiple exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications consistent with the principles of the present invention can be directly determined or deduced from the contents disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be understood and deemed to cover all such other variations or modifications.

[0084] In the description of the present embodiment, reference to the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

Claims

1. An external air duct for an indoor unit of an air conditioner, characterized in that: The two ends of the external air guide tube in the length direction are open, respectively constituting an air inlet and an air outlet, the air inlet is used to connect with the air outlet of the air conditioner indoor unit to introduce the air flow of the air outlet, and the air outlet is used to discharge the air flow; and The cylinder wall of the external air duct includes at least one telescopic wall and at least one follower wall. The telescopic wall is configured to be able to telescope along the length direction of the external air duct and maintain its shape after telescoping. The shape of the follower wall changes with the telescoping of the telescopic wall, so that the direction of the air outlet can be changed by adjusting the degree of telescoping of the telescopic wall.

2. The external air duct according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of the telescopic wall and the number of the follower wall are both two; and The two telescopic walls are arranged opposite to each other with a spacing therebetween, and two follower walls are connected therebetween.

3. The external air duct according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the telescopic walls and each of the follower walls extends from one end to the other end in the length direction of the external air guide tube.

4. The external air duct according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the telescopic walls comprises a plurality of wall panels arranged along the length direction of the external air duct, and each two adjacent wall panels are hingedly connected to allow the plurality of wall panels to be stretched or folded in a wave-like shape under force, thereby achieving the extension or shortening of the telescopic wall.

5. The external air duct according to claim 4, characterized in that: In every two adjacent wall panels, an edge of one wall panel is provided with a hinge shaft, and an edge of the other wall panel is provided with a hinge cylinder, and the hinge shaft is rotatably inserted into the hinge cylinder; and The hinged tube has a notch penetrating through its tube wall, so that its cross section is in an arc shape, thereby making room for the plate body part of the wall panel.

6. The external air duct according to claim 5, characterized in that: Some of the hinge shafts are interference fit with the corresponding hinge cylinders.

7. The external air duct according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the follower walls is made of soft elastic material.

8. An air conditioner indoor unit, characterized in that include: a casing having an air outlet for discharging air; and The external air duct as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the external air duct is installed on the outside of the casing, and the air inlet is connected to the air outlet to introduce the outlet air flow of the air outlet, and the outlet air flow is discharged through the air outlet.

9. The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 8, characterized in that: The air conditioner indoor unit is of an embedded type and is used to be embedded in a preset chamber so that the outlet air flow is guided out of the chamber by the external air guide tube.

10. The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 9, characterized in that: The housing is also provided with an air inlet for air intake; and The air inlet and the air outlet are both opened on the front side of the casing.

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