Electric control box and air conditioner

Abstract

The utility model discloses an electric control box and an air conditioner, and relates to the technical field of air conditioners, the electric control box comprises an outer shell, a power element and a heat dissipation piece, the outer shell is provided with an avoiding hole, and the power element is arranged in the outer shell; the heat dissipation piece is at least partially located in the outer shell, one end of the heat dissipation piece is connected to the power element in a heat conduction mode, and the other end of the heat dissipation piece is arranged in the avoiding hole; according to the technical scheme provided by the utility model, the heat dissipation efficiency of the electric control box can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of air conditioner technology, and in particular to an electrical control box and an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] In the prior art, the electrical control box of an air conditioner includes a housing and power components located inside the housing. Therefore, the heat dissipation path inside is generally as follows: the heat of the power components is transferred to the housing, and then the heat is dissipated from the housing to the outside air, thereby dissipating heat from the power components in an indirect manner. This type of heat dissipation is effective, but it is difficult to meet the heat dissipation requirements of some high-power devices. Utility Model Content

[0003] The main purpose of this utility model is to propose an electrical control box and an air conditioner, which aims to improve the heat dissipation efficiency of the electrical control box.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an electrical control box comprising:

[0005] The outer casing is provided with clearance holes;

[0006] Power components are disposed within the housing; and

[0007] A heat sink is located at least partially within the housing, with one end of the heat sink being thermally connected to the power element and the other end being disposed in the clearance hole.

[0008] In one embodiment, the end of the heat sink away from the power element is thermally connected to the housing to transfer heat from the power element to the housing.

[0009] In one embodiment, the end of the heat sink away from the power element is snapped into the housing.

[0010] In one embodiment, the heat sink has a snap-fit ​​groove on the side of the end away from the power element, the heat sink is inserted into the clearance hole, and the edge of the clearance hole is snapped into the snap-fit ​​groove.

[0011] In one embodiment, the edge of the clearance hole is provided with a buckle that is adapted to the snap-fit ​​groove, and the buckle snaps into the snap-fit ​​groove.

[0012] In one embodiment, a portion of the edge of the clearance hole is folded outward to form the snap; and / or,

[0013] The heat sink has a guide surface at the end away from the power element, and the distance from the guide surface to the edge of the clearance hole decreases along the direction close to the snap-fit ​​groove.

[0014] In one embodiment, the heat sink is configured as a heat dissipation grille.

[0015] In one embodiment, the heat dissipation grille includes a plurality of spaced-apart grilles, and the two outermost grilles have snap-fit ​​grooves on their sides at the ends away from the power element. The heat dissipation grille is inserted into the clearance hole, and the edge of the clearance hole is snapped into the snap-fit ​​groove.

[0016] In one embodiment, the electrical control box further includes a heat dissipation pad, one side of which abuts against the power element and the other side of which abuts against the heat sink.

[0017] In one embodiment, the housing further includes an insulating support base and a circuit board fixed to the insulating support base. The power component is fixed to the side of the circuit board facing the heat sink, and the heat sink is fixed to the insulating support base.

[0018] In one embodiment, the insulating support base is provided with a mounting hole, one end of the heat sink is embedded in the mounting hole, and the other end extends toward the clearance hole.

[0019] In one embodiment, the electrical control box further includes a heat dissipation pad, and a mounting groove is provided at the end of the mounting hole facing the power element. The heat sink is embedded in the mounting hole, and the heat dissipation pad is embedded in the mounting groove.

[0020] In one embodiment, the power element is configured as a fan drive element.

[0021] This utility model also proposes an air conditioner, including the electrical control box as described above.

[0022] In one embodiment, the air conditioner further includes an indoor unit, and the electrical control box is located in the indoor unit.

[0023] The technical solution of this utility model involves setting a power element inside the housing, and the housing having a clearance hole. At least part of the heat sink is located inside the housing, with one end of the heat sink being thermally connected to the power element and the other end being located in the clearance hole. This allows the heat sink to be exposed on the surface of the control box, enabling it to directly contact the external space. This reduces the heat dissipation medium and achieves the purpose of directly dissipating heat from the surface of the power element, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the control box. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the electrical control box provided by this utility model;

[0026] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Exploded view of the central electrical control box;

[0027] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A partial sectional view of the central electrical control box;

[0028] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle;

[0029] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the central control box after the cover is opened;

[0030] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the central electrical control box along AA;

[0031] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A magnified view of a section at point B.

[0032] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0033] 1. Outer shell; 101. Clearance hole; 102. Snap-fit; 103. Cable guide hole; 104. Box body; 105. Box cover; 11. Power component; 12. Heat sink; 121. Snap-fit ​​groove; 122. Guide surface; 123. Grid plate; 13. Heat dissipation pad; 131. Second product; 14. Insulating support base; 141. Mounting hole; 142. Mounting groove; 143. Mounting hook; 15. Circuit board.

[0034] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this utility model will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model.

[0036] It should be noted that if the embodiments of this utility model involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0037] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this utility model involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

[0038] This utility model proposes an electrical control box for use in an air conditioner, which is located inside the air conditioner. The air conditioner can be a split-type air conditioner, and the electrical control box can be located in the indoor unit or the outdoor unit; the air conditioner can also be an integrated air conditioner.

[0039] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of this utility model, the electrical control box includes:

[0040] The outer casing 1 is provided with a clearance hole 101;

[0041] Power element 11 is disposed within housing 1; and

[0042] The heat sink 12 is located at least partially inside the housing 1. One end of the heat sink 12 is thermally connected to the power element 11, and the other end is located in the clearance hole 101.

[0043] Specifically, the power element 11 is located inside the electrical control box. In the prior art, the heat dissipation path of the power element 11 is generally as follows: the power element 11 transfers the heat it generates to the surface of the box 104 through the air medium, and then dissipates from the surface of the box 104. To accelerate the heat dissipation effect of the power element 11 and meet the heat dissipation efficiency requirements of high-power components 11, heat sinks 12 are usually provided on its surface to increase the heat dissipation area and accelerate the heat dissipation efficiency; or, heat conduction components are provided to connect the power element 11 and the surface of the box 104 respectively to accelerate the heat transfer efficiency and accelerate the heat dissipation efficiency. However, these heat dissipation methods are all indirect heat dissipation and cannot directly contact the external space, so their heat dissipation effect is always limited. When dealing with some high-power components 11, such as fan drive components, signal drive components, power supply circuits, frequency converter modules, etc., when the air conditioner maintains high power operation for a long time, this power device is at risk of overheating and burning out, affecting the electrical safety of the electrical control box and the service life of the air conditioner.

[0044] Therefore, in this solution, the outer casing 1 is provided with a clearance hole 101, and one end of the heat sink 12 is thermally connected to the power element 11, while the other end is located in the clearance hole 101. This allows the heat sink 12 to be exposed on the surface of the control box, thereby allowing the heat sink 12 to directly contact the external space, thus reducing the heat dissipation medium and achieving the purpose of directly dissipating heat from the surface of the power element 11, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the control box.

[0045] The heat sink 12 is at least partially located inside the housing 1, meaning it can be entirely housed within the housing 1. In this case, the heat sink 12 communicates with the external space through the clearance hole 101. Alternatively, the heat sink 12 may also be partially located inside the housing 1, with its end furthest from the power component 11 extending out of the clearance hole 101 and communicating with the external space. Simultaneously, the heat sink 12 further seals the clearance hole 101, thus ensuring the appearance integrity of the control box. The heat sink 12 is thermally connected to the power component 11, meaning it can be directly connected to the power component 11 or indirectly connected, such as by placing the power component 11 close to the heat sink 12, or by connecting the power component 11 to the heat sink 12 via a thermally conductive pad.

[0046] The outer casing 1 serves as the outer surface of the electrical control box, protecting the power components 11 inside and ensuring safe operation. Therefore, the outer casing 1 is typically made of fire-resistant materials such as metal, providing fire resistance. Metal also has good thermal conductivity. Compared to fire-resistant materials like ceramics, metal is lighter and has higher heat transfer efficiency. To facilitate assembly, the electrical control box usually includes a body 104 and a cover 105. In this embodiment, the cover 105 and body 104 are separate, with the cover 105 sliding to close onto the body 104. In other embodiments, the cover 105 can be rotatably mounted on the body 104, or the cover 105 and body 104 can be separate, with the cover 105 snapping onto the body 104. The surface of the body 104 can be provided with wire holes 103 to facilitate electrical connection between internal components and external devices. To facilitate the passage of wires through the wire hole 103, the box body 104 is provided with a wire passage notch. When the box cover 105 closes the box body 104, it together with the wire passage notch to form the wire hole 103. In addition, to ensure the electrical safety of the control box and to prevent the edge of the wire hole 103 from scratching the wires, the periphery of the wire hole 103 is covered with an insulating buffer, which can both protect the conductivity and prevent short circuits.

[0047] In this embodiment, the power element 11 is configured as a fan drive element, which is used to control the start, stop, and speed regulation of the fan. In other embodiments, the power element 11 can also be configured as other high-power elements 11.

[0048] In an embodiment of this utility model, the end of the heat sink 12 furthest from the power element 11 is thermally connected to the housing 1 to transfer the heat from the power element 11 to the housing 1. Specifically, the end of the heat sink 12 furthest from the power element 11 is thermally connected to the housing 1, thereby further transferring the heat generated by the power element 11 to the housing 1, further increasing the heat dissipation area of ​​the power element 11. This allows the power element 11 to not only directly transfer heat to the external space through the heat sink 12, but also further transfer it to the housing 1, thereby further ensuring the heat dissipation efficiency of the control box and reducing the possibility of overheating failure of the power element 11.

[0049] The heat sink 12 is thermally connected to the outer casing 1, meaning that the heat sink 12 can be directly connected to the outer casing 1; or it can be indirectly connected to the outer casing 1, such as by setting a small gap between the heat sink 12 and the outer casing 1, or by connecting the power component 11 to the heat sink 12 through a thermally conductive pad.

[0050] When the heat sink 12 is directly connected to the outer casing 1, for ease of installation of the heat sink 12, please refer to the embodiments of this utility model. Figures 3 to 7The end of the heat sink 12 furthest from the power component 11 is snapped into the housing 1. Specifically, the heat sink 12 is snapped into the housing 1, which facilitates the installation of the heat sink 12, ensures the installation stability of the heat sink 12, and facilitates the disassembly of the heat sink 12. In other embodiments, the heat sink 12 can also be fixed to the housing 1 by adhesive bonding, or the heat sink 12 can be welded to the housing 1, or the heat sink 12 can be directly integrally formed with the housing 1.

[0051] Furthermore, the heat sink 12 has a snap-fit ​​groove 121 on the side of the end away from the power component 11. The heat sink 12 is inserted into the clearance hole 101, and the edge of the clearance hole 101 is snapped into the snap-fit ​​groove 121. Specifically, the heat sink 12 has a snap-fit ​​groove 121 on the side of its end, and the edge of the clearance hole 101 is snapped into the snap-fit ​​groove 121, thereby simplifying the snap-fit ​​structure between the heat sink 12 and the housing 1. During installation, it is only necessary to insert the end of the heat sink 12 away from the power component 11 into the clearance hole 101 to a certain depth to complete the snap-fit ​​of the edge of the clearance hole 101 into the snap-fit ​​groove 121. This not only facilitates the installation of the heat sink 12, but also reduces the installation time required between the heat sink 12 and the snap-fit ​​groove 121.

[0052] In this embodiment, the heat sink 12 is generally rectangular, and the snap-fit ​​grooves 121 are respectively provided on the opposite sides of the heat sink 12. In order to further facilitate the snap-fit ​​and fixation of the heat sink 12, clearance grooves are provided on the adjacent sides of the snap-fit ​​grooves 121, thereby reducing the width of the end of the heat sink 12 away from the power element 11, that is, the heat sink 12 has a small end, thereby preventing the heat sink 12 from coming out of the clearance hole 101.

[0053] Furthermore, the edge of the clearance hole 101 is provided with a snap fastener 102 that matches the snap-fit ​​groove 121, and the snap fastener 102 snaps into the snap-fit ​​groove 121. Specifically, since the edge of the clearance hole 101 snaps into the snap-fit ​​groove 121, and the wall thickness of the outer shell 1 is generally thin, in order to facilitate the snap-fit ​​between the snap-fit ​​groove 121 and the edge of the clearance hole 101, the snap-fit ​​groove 121 is usually provided with a certain margin, that is, the width of the snap-fit ​​groove 121 is generally greater than the thickness of the edge of the clearance hole 101. Therefore, after installation, the heat sink 12 may wobble relative to the outer shell 1 along the axial direction of the clearance hole 101, which is not conducive to the installation stability of the heat sink 12. Therefore, the edge of the clearance hole 101 is provided with a snap fastener 102 that matches the snap-fit ​​groove 121, and the snap fastener 102 snaps into the snap-fit ​​groove 121, thereby improving the fit between the snap-fit ​​groove 121 and the edge of the clearance hole 101.

[0054] In this embodiment, a portion of the edge of the clearance hole 101 is folded outward to form a latch 102. The latch 102 is formed by this outward folding of the edge of the clearance hole 101, thereby locally increasing the thickness of the edge of the clearance hole 101, reducing the possibility of the heat sink 12 wobbling relative to the outer casing 1 along the axial direction of the clearance hole 101, and facilitating the processing of this folded edge. Furthermore, this folded edge has a certain degree of elasticity, thus further facilitating the engagement of the latching groove 121 with the latch 102. In other embodiments, a portion of the edge of the clearance hole 101 is folded inward to form the latch 102; or a portion of the edge of the clearance hole 101 is thickened.

[0055] To further facilitate the installation of the heat sink 12, please refer again to the embodiments of this utility model. Figures 3 to 7 The heat sink 12 has a guide surface 122 at the end away from the power component 11, and the distance from the guide surface 122 to the edge of the clearance hole 101 decreases along the direction close to the snap-fit ​​groove 121. Specifically, the guide surface 122 is located at the end of the snap-fit ​​groove 121 away from the power component 11, so that the width of this end gradually decreases along the direction away from the snap-fit ​​groove 121, thereby guiding the heat sink 12 to be inserted into the clearance hole 101, and thus facilitating the installation of the heat sink 12.

[0056] In an embodiment of this invention, the heat sink 12 is configured as a heat dissipation grille. Specifically, the heat sink 12 is configured as a heat dissipation grille, thereby further increasing the contact area between the heat sink 12 and the external air, and thus improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat sink 12. In other embodiments, the heat sink 12 may also be configured as a heat dissipation block, heat dissipation fin, etc.

[0057] Furthermore, the heat dissipation grille includes multiple spaced grille plates 123, and the two outermost grille plates 123 have snap-fit ​​grooves 121 on their sides at the ends away from the power component 11. The heat dissipation grille is inserted into the clearance hole 101, and the edge of the clearance hole 101 snaps into the snap-fit ​​groove 121. Specifically, the two snap-fit ​​grooves 121 are arranged along the arrangement direction of the multiple grille plates 123 and are respectively located on the two outermost grille plates 123. This allows the two outermost grille plates 123 to swing inward when the heat dissipation grille is inserted into the clearance hole 101, thereby facilitating the edge of the clearance hole 101 to snap into the snap-fit ​​groove 121, and further facilitating the installation of the heat sink 12.

[0058] To further improve the heat dissipation efficiency of the power component 11, please refer to the embodiments of this utility model. Figure 2 , Figure 6 and Figure 7The control box also includes a heat dissipation pad 13, with one side of the heat dissipation pad 13 abutting against the power element 11 and the other side abutting against the heat sink 12. The heat dissipation pad 13 has good thermal conductivity, thereby improving the heat transfer efficiency from the power element 11 to the heat sink 12, thus accelerating the heat dissipation of the power element 11. Since one side of the heat dissipation pad 13 abuts against the power element 11 and the other side abuts against the heat sink 12, the heat sink 12 is sandwiched between the power element 11 and the heat sink 12, further increasing the heat transfer area and reducing the heat transfer path, thereby accelerating the heat dissipation efficiency of the power element 11. In other embodiments, one end of the heat dissipation pad 13 is connected to the power element 11, and the other end is connected to the heat sink 12; or, the power element 11 directly abuts against the end of the heat sink 12 away from the clearance hole 101.

[0059] To ensure electrical safety within the control box, in this embodiment of the invention, the outer casing 1 is further provided with an insulating support 14 and a circuit board 15 fixed to the insulating support 14. A power component 11 is fixed to the side of the circuit board 15 facing the heat sink 12, and the heat sink 12 is fixed to the insulating support 14. Specifically, the insulating support 14 provides support for the circuit board 15 to ensure its installation stability, and isolates the circuit board 15 from the outer casing 1, preventing direct contact between the power component 11 and the circuitry on the circuit board 15 and the outer casing 1, thereby ensuring electrical safety within the control box. The power component 11 is fixed to the side of the circuit board 15 facing the heat sink 12. Typically, the power component 11 can be soldered to the circuit board 15, or it can be glued or plugged into the circuit board 15.

[0060] In this embodiment, the insulating support base 14 is configured as a frame structure, with the circuit board 15 disposed within the frame structure. Its edge is provided with mounting hooks 143, which are attached to the opening edge of the housing 104, facilitating the fixing of the insulating support base 14. Furthermore, the bottom wall of the frame structure is provided with supporting legs, which create a gap between the main body of the frame structure and the outer casing 1, thus providing sufficient installation space for the heat sink 12. These supporting legs can be snapped onto the outer casing 1 or inserted into it.

[0061] When the heat sink 12 is fixed to the insulating support 14, in this embodiment of the invention, the insulating support 14 is provided with a mounting hole 141, one end of the heat sink 12 is embedded in the mounting hole 141, and the other end extends toward the clearance hole 101. Specifically, the heat sink 12 is embedded in the mounting hole 141, thereby facilitating the installation of the heat sink 12 and the insulating support 14. To ensure the installation stability of the heat sink 12, in this embodiment, the heat sink 12 and the mounting hole 141 can be interference-fitted or transition-fitted. In other embodiments, the heat sink 12 can also be snapped onto the periphery of the mounting hole 141, or the mounting hole 141 has a blocking part on the side facing the outer casing 1, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the end of the heat sink 12 that is assembled with the mounting hole 141 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​other parts of the heat sink 12.

[0062] Furthermore, the control box also includes a heat dissipation pad 13. A mounting groove 142 is provided at the end of the mounting hole 141 facing the power component 11. The heat sink 12 is embedded in the mounting hole 141, and the heat dissipation pad 13 is embedded in the mounting groove 142. Specifically, to facilitate the installation of the heat dissipation pad 13 and reduce the possibility of displacement, a mounting groove 142 is provided at the end of the mounting hole 141 facing the power component 11, and the heat dissipation pad 13 is embedded in the mounting groove 142, thereby facilitating the installation of the heat dissipation pad 13.

[0063] This utility model also proposes an air conditioner, which includes an electrical control box. The specific structure of the electrical control box is as described in the above embodiments. Since this air conditioner adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here. The air conditioner also includes an indoor unit, and the electrical control box is located in the indoor unit.

[0064] The above are merely exemplary embodiments of this utility model and do not limit the patent scope of this utility model. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the technical concept of this utility model and the contents of the specification and drawings of this utility model, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. An electric control box, characterized by, The electric control box comprises: an outer shell provided with an avoiding hole; a power element arranged in the outer shell; and a heat dissipation element at least partially arranged in the outer shell, one end of the heat dissipation element being in thermal connection with the power element, and the other end being arranged in the avoiding hole.

2. The electric control box according to claim 1, wherein The other end of the heat dissipation element, which is away from the power element, is in thermal connection with the outer shell, so as to transfer the heat of the power element to the outer shell.

3. The electrically controlled box according to claim 2, wherein The other end of the heat dissipation element, which is away from the power element, is clamped to the outer shell.

4. The electric control box according to claim 3, wherein The side of the other end of the heat dissipation element, which is away from the power element, is provided with a clamping groove, the heat dissipation element is inserted into the avoiding hole, and the edge of the avoiding hole is clamped into the clamping groove.

5. The electric control box according to claim 4, wherein The edge of the avoiding hole is provided with a buckle which is adapted to the clamping groove, and the buckle is clamped into the clamping groove.

6. The electrically controlled box according to claim 5, wherein The edge of the avoiding hole is partially outwardly folded to form the buckle; and / or The other end of the heat dissipation element, which is away from the power element, is provided with a guide surface, and the distance between the guide surface and the edge of the avoiding hole decreases in the direction close to the clamping groove.

7. The electrically controlled box according to claim 4, wherein The heat dissipation element is configured as a heat dissipation grid.

8. The electrically controlled box according to claim 7, wherein The heat dissipation grid comprises a plurality of spaced apart grid plates, and the side of the two outermost grid plates, which is away from the power element, is provided with the clamping groove, the heat dissipation grid is inserted into the avoiding hole, and the edge of the avoiding hole is clamped into the clamping groove.

9. The electrically controlled box of claim 1, wherein, The electric control box further comprises a heat dissipation pad, one side of the heat dissipation pad abutting against the power element, and the other side abutting against the heat dissipation element.

10. The electrically controlled box of claim 1, wherein, The outer shell is further provided with an insulating support seat and a circuit board fixed to the insulating support seat, the power element is fixed to one side of the circuit board which faces the heat dissipation element, and the heat dissipation element is fixed to the insulating support seat.

11. The electrically controlled box according to claim 10, wherein The insulating support seat is provided with a mounting hole, one end of the heat dissipation element is embedded in the mounting hole, and the other end extends to the avoiding hole.

12. The electrically controlled box of claim 11, wherein, The electric control box further comprises a heat dissipation pad, one end of the mounting hole which faces the power element is provided with a mounting recess, the heat dissipation element is embedded in the mounting hole, and the heat dissipation pad is embedded in the mounting recess.

13. The electrically controlled box according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein, The power element is configured as a fan driving element.

14. An air conditioner characterized by comprising: The electric control box comprises any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. The air conditioner of claim 14, wherein The air conditioner further comprises an air conditioner indoor unit, and the electric control box is arranged in the air conditioner indoor unit.

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