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 outlet pipe and a water outlet pipe, and is characterized in that the water pan is used for receiving condensate water generated during refrigeration operation of the air conditioner; the drainage pump is inversely arranged in the water pan, the drainage pump comprises a drainage motor and a pump shell, a water inlet is formed in the bottom of the pump shell, a drainage port is formed in the side portion of the pump shell, the water inlet is communicated with the water pan, and the drainage port is used for draining condensate water in the water pan to the outside; the water drainage pipe section is connected with the water drainage opening, the water drainage pipe section and the pump shell are integrally designed, a water drainage spiral flow channel is formed in the water drainage pipe section and used for spirally guiding out condensate water, and the water drainage pipe is connected with an external extending water pipe; and the damping piece is arranged on the drainage pipe section in a sleeving mode and abuts against and is installed on the indoor unit outer metal plate frame body. The drainage speed can be increased, meanwhile, the integrally-designed drainage pipe section does not have an assembly gap, and backwater and drainage noise caused by bubble accumulation at the assembly position is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In related technologies, when an air conditioner is in cooling mode, water vapor in the air encounters the low-temperature evaporator, forming condensate that flows into the drip tray of the indoor unit. During the condensation process, impurities such as lint, dust, and hair from the low-temperature evaporator are collected in the drip tray. The condensate is then drained from the drip tray to the outside through a drain pipe using a drain pump.

[0003] The existing indoor unit of a residential air conditioner has a drain pump mounted on a pump base. The pump base is connected to the outer sheet metal frame of the indoor unit to secure the drain pump. The drain pipe is fixed to the drain outlet of the drain pump using fasteners such as clamps, and extends through a through hole in the outer sheet metal frame before being screwed to the frame. This allows for the fixed drain pipe to discharge condensate outdoors. When the drain pump is operating, the vibration of the drain pipe is transmitted to the outer sheet metal frame, generating noise. Furthermore, due to the difference in pipe diameter between the drain pipe and the drain outlet, air bubbles can accumulate at this assembly point during drainage, producing additional drainage noise.

[0004] In addition, drain pumps are usually designed for backflow, and there is a height difference during installation (equivalent to drainage head). After the air conditioner stops running, the drain pump motor will also stop. The condensate in the drain pipe cannot be drained immediately. Under the influence of gravity, it will quickly return to the source. The return water will also leave air bubbles in the gap between the assembly position of the drain pipe and the drain outlet, which will generate backflow noise.

[0005] The information disclosed in this background section is only intended to enhance the understanding of the background technology of this application, and therefore may include prior art that is not known to those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0006] In response to the problems mentioned in the background art, this application provides an air conditioner with an integrated design of the drain pipe section and the pump casing, and a spiral drain channel is formed inside the drain pipe section to improve the drainage speed. At the same time, the integrated design of the drain pipe section has no assembly gap, avoiding the accumulation of air bubbles at the assembly position, which would cause backflow and drainage noise.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention employs the following technical solution:

[0008] In some embodiments of this application, this application relates to an air conditioner, comprising:

[0009] A drip tray, used to collect condensate produced when the air conditioner is in cooling operation;

[0010] A drain pump is inverted inside the water receiving pan. The drain pump includes a drain motor and a pump casing. The pump casing has an inlet at the bottom and a drain outlet on the side. The inlet is connected to the water receiving pan. The drain outlet is used to discharge the condensate in the water receiving pan to the outside.

[0011] A drain pipe section is connected to the drain outlet and is designed as an integral part of the pump casing. The drain pipe section is provided with a drain spiral flow channel for spirally discharging condensate. The drain pipe is connected to an external extension water pipe.

[0012] The shock absorber is fitted onto the drain pipe section and abuts against and is installed onto the outer sheet metal frame of the indoor unit.

[0013] The technical solution of this embodiment has the following beneficial effects or advantages:

[0014] The integrated design of the pump casing and drain pipe section optimizes the complex drainage structure of traditional drainage pumps, which consist of pump casing, drain pipe, drain outlet and clamps. This facilitates on-site assembly of the drainage pump, and the integrated design avoids gaps at the assembly points between the drain pipe section and the drain outlet.

[0015] The drainage pipe section is equipped with a spiral flow channel to improve drainage efficiency and head, and it will not generate air bubbles in the drainage pipe, thus solving the noise problem caused by air bubbles during the drainage process.

[0016] When the drain pump stops and the condensate flows back, there are no gaps at the assembly position, so no air bubbles will be generated in the drain pipe, thus solving the noise problem caused by air bubbles during the return process.

[0017] By incorporating shock-absorbing components, the vibration of the drain pipe transmitted to the outdoor sheet metal frame of the indoor unit can be reduced when the drain pump is operating, thus lowering noise levels.

[0018] In some embodiments of this application, the drain pipe section includes:

[0019] A connecting hose is used, one end of which is connected to the drain outlet;

[0020] A drain pipe is connected at one end to the other end of the connecting hose. The end of the drain pipe is used to connect to an external extension water pipe. The pump housing, the connecting hose, and the drain pipe are integrally formed.

[0021] The technical solution of this embodiment has the following beneficial effects or advantages:

[0022] A connecting hose is installed between the drain outlet and the connecting drain pipe to facilitate the integral molding of the connecting hose with the pump casing and the connecting drain pipe, and the connecting hose also facilitates the adjustment of the drainage direction.

[0023] In some embodiments of this application, the connecting hose includes:

[0024] The first transverse connecting part has one end connected to the drain outlet;

[0025] The second longitudinal connecting part has one end connected to the other end of the first transverse connecting part;

[0026] The third transverse connecting part has one end connected to the other end of the second longitudinal connecting part, and the other end of the third transverse connecting part is connected to the connecting drain pipe. The second longitudinal connecting part is connected to the first transverse connecting part and the third transverse connecting part in an arc shape.

[0027] The technical solution of this embodiment has the following beneficial effects or advantages:

[0028] The connecting hose is designed in a Z-shape to facilitate connection with the drain port at the bottom of the pump casing and the external extension water pipe, and the longitudinal length of the flexible longitudinal connection can be adjusted to adjust the drainage head.

[0029] In some embodiments of this application, the end of the connecting drain pipe is tilted at a certain angle.

[0030] The technical solution of this embodiment has the following beneficial effects or advantages:

[0031] The end of the drain pipe is tilted upwards, which is more conducive to the discharge of air bubbles and avoids the noise caused by air bubbles remaining in the drain pipe and generating drainage and backflow noise.

[0032] In some embodiments of this application, the connecting drain pipe is a rigid pipe, which makes it more secure when installed on the outer sheet metal frame of the indoor unit using shock-absorbing components.

[0033] In some embodiments of this application, a water-absorbing spiral flow channel is formed on the inner sidewall of the water inlet for spirally drawing in condensate.

[0034] The technical solution of this embodiment has the following beneficial effects or advantages:

[0035] A suction spiral channel is set on the inner wall of the inlet so that the suction water can enter the pump casing at a certain initial rotational speed, which helps to increase the suction speed and also avoids the generation of vortex bubbles at the suction port.

[0036] In some embodiments of this application, the air conditioner further includes:

[0037] A water pump drive unit is used to drive the drainage pump to operate. The drainage pump also includes pump blades, which are disposed inside the pump casing.

[0038] The main control unit, which is connected to the water pump drive unit, is used to control the rotation direction of the pump blades;

[0039] The rotation direction of the pump blades is consistent with the spiral upward direction of the water suction spiral channel.

[0040] The technical solution of this embodiment has the following beneficial effects or advantages:

[0041] After the water enters the pump casing at a certain initial rotational velocity, the rotation of the pump blades further accelerates the water flow and discharges it. The rotating water flow reduces the pump blade resistance and lowers the pump's operating power, resulting in energy savings.

[0042] In some embodiments of this application, the water pump drive unit includes:

[0043] The pump drive chip outputs a signal from its speed feedback pin to the main control unit for real-time detection of the pump speed. The pump impeller direction control pin of the pump drive chip also outputs a signal to the main control unit for controlling the rotation direction of the pump impeller.

[0044] The technical solution of this embodiment has the following beneficial effects or advantages:

[0045] The water pump drive unit is implemented using existing water pump drive chips, which makes it easy to implement water pump drive operation.

[0046] In some embodiments of this application, an overcurrent protection circuit is provided around the water pump driver chip to provide overcurrent protection for the drainage pump motor.

[0047] The technical solution of this embodiment has the following beneficial effects or advantages:

[0048] An overcurrent protection circuit is installed to ensure the drainage pump operates safely and reliably.

[0049] In some embodiments of this application, the water pump driver 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;

[0050] 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 at the connection point between the second resistor and the second pin.

[0051] The technical solution of this embodiment has the following beneficial effects or advantages:

[0052] The overcurrent protection circuit is designed using multiple discrete resistor components, which is easy to implement and serves the purpose of protecting the drainage pump for safe operation.

[0053] In some embodiments of this application, the shock absorber includes:

[0054] The shock-absorbing rubber pad extends from one side of the outer sheet metal frame of the indoor unit through a through-hole in the outer sheet metal frame of the indoor unit, and the shock-absorbing rubber pad is fitted onto the connecting drain pipe and fixed to the side of the outer sheet metal frame of the indoor unit.

[0055] A shock-absorbing rubber ring is fitted onto the connecting drain pipe. The cross-sectional area of ​​the shock-absorbing rubber ring gradually decreases from one end abutting against the shock-absorbing rubber ring towards the through portion, and gradually extends through the through portion.

[0056] The technical solution of this embodiment has the following beneficial effects or advantages:

[0057] By using adjacent damping pads and damping rings, the vibration transmitted from the drain pipe section to the outdoor sheet metal frame of the indoor unit is absorbed in a double layer, greatly reducing the transmitted noise.

[0058] The shock-absorbing rubber ring is designed to gradually narrow from one end against the shock-absorbing rubber ring towards the through part against the outer sheet metal frame of the indoor unit, so that the narrowed end can pass through the through part and extend out, ensuring that the drain pipe does not directly contact the through part of the outer sheet metal frame of the indoor unit, thereby reducing the vibration transmitted from the drain pipe section to the outer sheet metal frame of the indoor unit.

[0059] Other features and advantages of this utility model will become clearer after reading the detailed embodiments of this utility model in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0060] 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 some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0061] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an air conditioner.

[0062] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of a drain pump in an existing air conditioner.

[0063] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the drain pump at a first angle in an air conditioner embodiment according to this application;

[0064] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the drain pump at a second angle in an air conditioner embodiment according to this application;

[0065] Figure 5 This is a top view of the drain pump under installation in an air conditioner embodiment according to this application;

[0066] Figure 6 For along Figure 5 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction;

[0067] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the drain pump and the shock absorber when the drain pump is installed in the water receiving pan according to an embodiment of the air conditioner proposed in this application. Figure 1 ;

[0068] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the drain pump and the shock absorber in an air conditioner embodiment according to this application. Figure 2 ;

[0069] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the drain pump and the shock absorber in an air conditioner embodiment according to this application. Figure 3 ;

[0070] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the driving principle of the drain pump in the air conditioner embodiment proposed in this application;

[0071] Figure label:

[0072] 100. Drain pump; 110. Inlet; 120. Suction spiral channel; 130. Pump impeller; 140. Drain outlet; 150. Drain motor; 200. Indoor unit outer sheet metal frame; 210. Through section; 300'. Drain pipe; 300. Drain pipe section; 310. Connecting hose; 311. First transverse connection; 312. Second longitudinal connection; 313. Third transverse connection; 320. Connecting drain pipe; 400. Shock absorber; 400'. Clamp; 410. Shock absorber pad; 411. First through hole; 412. Second through hole; 420. Shock absorber ring; 500. Drain spiral channel; 600. Water collection tray. Detailed Implementation

[0073] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0074] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

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

[0076] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0077] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0078] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing various structures of this invention. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. These are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples; such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed. In addition, examples of various specific processes and materials are provided in this invention, but those skilled in the art will recognize the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0079] See Figure 1 It shows a block diagram of the air conditioner.

[0080] Air conditioners execute a refrigeration cycle using a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator. The refrigeration cycle involves a series of processes, including compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation, to cool or heat an indoor space.

[0081] Low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant enters the compressor, which compresses it into a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas and discharges the compressed refrigerant gas. The discharged refrigerant gas flows into the condenser. The condenser condenses the compressed refrigerant into a liquid phase, and the heat is released to the surrounding environment through the condensation process.

[0082] The expansion valve expands the high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant that condenses in the condenser into a low-pressure liquid refrigerant. The evaporator evaporates the expanded refrigerant in the expansion valve and returns the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas to the compressor. The evaporator achieves its cooling effect by utilizing the latent heat of refrigerant evaporation to exchange heat with the material being cooled. Throughout the cycle, the air conditioner regulates the temperature of the indoor space.

[0083] The outdoor unit of an air conditioner refers to the part of the refrigeration cycle that includes the compressor and the outdoor heat exchanger. The indoor unit of an air conditioner includes the indoor heat exchanger, and an expansion valve can be provided in either the indoor or outdoor unit.

[0084] The indoor and outdoor heat exchangers function as either condensers or evaporators. When the indoor heat exchanger is used as a condenser, the air conditioner functions as a heater in heating mode; when the indoor heat exchanger is used as an evaporator, the air conditioner functions as a cooler in cooling mode.

[0085] The drain pump 100 is a component of the indoor unit of the air conditioner. In the cooling mode of the air conditioner, condensation is generated on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger, which acts as the evaporator. A drip tray 600 is typically installed below the indoor heat exchanger to collect this condensation (see [reference]). Figure 7 ).

[0086] A typical drain pump 100 includes a drain motor 150, a pump casing (unmarked), and pump impellers 130.

[0087] Pump blade 130 is located inside the pump casing. Pump blade 130 is connected to drainage motor 150 and is driven by drainage motor 150 to rotate freely inside the pump casing (counterclockwise or clockwise).

[0088] See Figure 2 The pump casing has an inlet 110 and a drain outlet 140. Specifically, the inlet 110 is located at the bottom of the pump casing, and the drain outlet 140 is located on the side. A drain pipe 300' is connected to the drain outlet 140.

[0089] The drain pump 100 is installed upside down in the water receiving pan 600, such that the inlet 110 of the drain pump 100 faces the water receiving pan 600, for example, to contact the condensate in the water receiving pan 600.

[0090] When the drain pump 100 is working, the drain motor 150 drives the pump blade 130 to rotate. The condensate accumulated in the water receiving pan 600 is sucked into the inlet 110 and rises upward in the pump casing due to the inertia of the pump blade 130. Finally, it is discharged to the outside from the drain outlet 140 by centrifugal force.

[0091] For existing home air conditioners, see [link / reference] Figure 2 At the drain outlet 140, the drain pipe 300' is fixed by a clamp 400', which is usually about 30cm high. Since the drain pump 100 also stops running after the air conditioner stops running, the water in the drain pipe 300' cannot be drained immediately. Therefore, under the influence of gravity, the water will quickly return to the water tray 600.

[0092] The diameter of the drain pipe 300' is larger than the diameter of the drain outlet 140. Due to the difference in pipe diameter, there is a gap at the assembly position between the drain outlet 140 and the drain pipe 300'. As a result, when draining or returning water, air bubbles can easily accumulate in the gap, producing a "gurgling" bubble noise.

[0093] Furthermore, existing home air conditioner installations involve separately assembling the drain pump 100 and the drain pipe 300', resulting in low assembly efficiency and extended installation time.

[0094] To address the bubble noise caused by differences in pipe diameter in existing systems, and to facilitate the assembly of the drainage pump 100, some embodiments of this application are described below. Figures 3 to 10 This involves structural improvements to the drainage pump 100.

[0095] In some embodiments of this application, the pump casing and the drain pipe section 300 of the drain pump 100 are designed as a single unit. That is, there is no difference in pipe diameter between the drain port 140 of the pump casing and the drain pipe section 300 due to assembly. Therefore, there is no gap between the drain port 140 and the drain pipe section 300. Thus, there is no problem of air bubbles remaining in the gap during drainage or return water process, and there is no air bubble noise during drainage or return water.

[0096] In some embodiments of this application, since the pump casing of the drainage pump 100 and the drainage pipe section 300 are designed as an integral unit, on-site assembly is avoided when installing the drainage pump 100. The end of the drainage pipe section 300 can be directly connected to the external drainage pipe, which simplifies the installation process and improves the ease of installation.

[0097] In some embodiments of this application, see Figures 3 to 6 A drainage spiral flow channel 500 is provided in the drainage pipe section 300. The spiral direction of the drainage spiral flow channel 500 is consistent with the drainage direction of the condensate, which helps to increase the drainage head and improve the drainage efficiency.

[0098] The integrated design of the drainage spiral channel 500, pump casing, and drainage pipe section 300 allows water to be quickly lifted and discharged from the drain outlet 140 during drainage, improving the smoothness of water flow and preventing water accumulation. During return flow, the water flows smoothly back to the receiving tray 600 along the drainage spiral channel 500, with no water accumulation in the drainage pipe section 300, thus avoiding the noise caused by the slow return of water.

[0099] In some embodiments of this application, see Figure 3 and Figure 4 The drain pipe section 300 includes a connecting hose 310 and a connecting drain pipe 320 connected in sequence.

[0100] The connecting hose 310 allows for easy reversal of the condensate drainage direction; for example, it can be a water pipe made of materials such as plastic or rubber.

[0101] Drainage pipes of size 320 are generally rigid pipes, such as stainless steel pipes.

[0102] The use of a connecting hose 310 between the drain outlet 140 and the connecting drain pipe 320 facilitates the integrated design of the pump casing, the connecting hose 310, and the connecting drain pipe 320.

[0103] In some embodiments of this application, to increase the drainage head, see [reference needed]. Figure 8 The connecting hose 310 includes a first transverse connecting part 311, a second longitudinal connecting part 312 and a third transverse connecting part 313 connected in sequence.

[0104] The first transverse connecting part 311, the second longitudinal connecting part 312, and the third transverse connecting part 313 are connected in a Z-shape in sequence.

[0105] One end of the first transverse connecting part 311 is connected to the drain outlet 140, and the other end is connected to one end of the second longitudinal connecting part 312. The other end of the second longitudinal connecting part 312 is connected to one end of the third transverse connecting part 313, and the other end of the third transverse connecting part 313 is connected to an external extension water pipe (not shown).

[0106] The length of the second longitudinal connecting part 312 determines the drainage head.

[0107] In some embodiments of this application, to facilitate the removal of air bubbles during drainage, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figures 3 to 8 The end of the drain pipe section 300, specifically the end of the third transverse connection 313, is inclined upward at a certain angle (e.g., 10°).

[0108] In some embodiments of this application, the drain pump 100 is mounted to the outdoor sheet metal frame 200 of the indoor unit via a pump base (not marked).

[0109] See Figure 4 A through-hole 210 is provided on the outer sheet metal frame 200 of the indoor unit, through which a drain pipe section 300 extends. When the drain pump 100 is working, the vibration of the drain pipe section 300 can be transmitted to the outer sheet metal frame 200 of the indoor unit. To reduce vibration noise, in some embodiments of this application, see [reference needed]. Figure 3 It is equipped with 400 shock-absorbing components.

[0110] The shock absorber 400 is fitted onto the drain pipe section 300, abuts against the outer sheet metal frame 200 of the indoor unit, and is installed on the outer sheet metal frame 200 of the indoor unit.

[0111] When the drainage pipe section 300 vibrates, the vibration energy can be absorbed by the shock absorber 400, thereby reducing vibration noise.

[0112] In some embodiments of this application, see Figures 4 to 9 The shock absorber 400 includes a shock absorber pad 410 and a shock absorber ring 420.

[0113] The shock-absorbing pad 410 has a central through hole (not shown) and a first through hole 411 and a second through hole 412 located on both sides of the central through hole (see...). Figure 8 The damping rubber ring 420 has a through hole in the middle.

[0114] The drain pipe 320 passes through the central through hole of the shock-absorbing rubber pad 410, the central through hole of the shock-absorbing rubber ring 420, and the through part 210 on the outer sheet metal frame 200 of the indoor unit in sequence. The shock-absorbing rubber pad 410 is installed on the outer sheet metal frame 200 of the indoor unit by screws through the first through hole 411 and the second through hole 412, so that the shock-absorbing rubber ring 420 abuts between the shock-absorbing rubber pad 410 and the outer sheet metal frame 200 of the indoor unit.

[0115] By using adjacent damping pads 410 and damping rings 420, the vibration transmitted from the drain pipe section 300 to the outdoor sheet metal frame 200 of the indoor unit is absorbed in a double layer, greatly reducing the transmitted noise.

[0116] In some embodiments of this application, see Figures 6 to 8 The shock-absorbing rubber ring 420 gradually narrows from one end abutting against the shock-absorbing rubber pad 410 toward the through portion 210 of the indoor unit's outer sheet metal frame 200, forming a cone shape. This allows the narrowed end to extend through the through portion 210, ensuring that the shock-absorbing rubber ring 420 is tightly pressed against the shock-absorbing rubber pad 410 and the indoor unit's outer sheet metal frame 200. This ensures that the connecting drain pipe 320 does not directly contact the indoor unit's outer sheet metal frame 200, reducing the vibration transmitted to the indoor unit's outer sheet metal frame 200.

[0117] Generally, the bottom wall of the water receiving tray 600 is horizontal. When the drain pump 100 is installed, the inlet 110 of the drain pump 100 is a certain distance away from the bottom wall of the water receiving tray 600. Therefore, water vortexes are generated at the inlet 110 of the drain pump 100, and air bubbles are accumulated. This will also produce a "gurgling" bubbling sound when draining.

[0118] To address the aforementioned issues, in some embodiments of this application, see [reference needed]. Figure 9 A suction spiral channel 120 is also formed on the inner wall of the pump casing inlet 110 for spiral suction of condensate. The suction water enters the pump casing at a certain initial rotation speed, which helps to increase the suction speed. At the same time, the increased suction speed also avoids the water flow from producing bubble noise due to water flow vortex at the inlet 110.

[0119] In some embodiments of this application, the rotation direction of the drain pump 100 must be consistent with the spiral upward direction of the suction spiral channel 120. That is, when the rotation direction of the drain pump 100 is clockwise, the spiral upward direction of the suction spiral channel 120 is also clockwise, and when the rotation direction of the drain pump 100 is counterclockwise, the spiral upward direction of the suction spiral channel 120 is also counterclockwise.

[0120] In some embodiments of this application, the drainage motor 150 is driven by a water pump drive unit (not shown), thereby causing the pump blade 130 to rotate.

[0121] The water pump drive unit is connected to the main control unit (not shown) and is used to receive the PWM pulse drive signal sent by the main control unit, and control the operation of the drainage pump 100 based on the PWM pulse drive signal.

[0122] The larger the duty cycle of the PWM pulse drive signal, the faster the drainage pump 100 operates, and thus the faster the drainage speed; the smaller the duty cycle of the PWM pulse drive signal, the slower the drainage pump 100 operates, and thus the slower the drainage speed.

[0123] The main control unit inputs different PWM pulse drive signals to the water pump drive unit, thereby controlling the drainage pump 100 to operate at the corresponding speed.

[0124] See Figure 10 The core unit of the main control unit is the MCU chip.

[0125] See Figure 10 The water pump drive unit includes a water pump drive chip, which has a PWM pin for receiving PWM pulse signals output from the first output pin of the MCU chip.

[0126] The pump driver chip also has an overcurrent protection function, which achieves current limiting protection for the drainage pump 100 and the drainage motor 150 by setting an overcurrent protection circuit around it.

[0127] In some embodiments of this application, see Figure 10 The water pump driver chip has a first pin, a second pin, and a third pin, and an overcurrent protection circuit is provided between the first pin, the second pin, and the third pin.

[0128] The overcurrent protection circuit includes a first resistor R1, a second resistor R2, and a third resistor R3.

[0129] 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 the junction of the second pin and the second resistor R2 through the third resistor R3.

[0130] The overcurrent protection limit of the drainage pump 100 can be set by setting the value of each resistor. Different overcurrent protection limits can be set by changing the value of each resistor.

[0131] In some embodiments of this application, see Figure 10 The water pump driver chip also has a speed feedback pin FG, and the MCU chip has a first input pin.

[0132] The speed feedback pin FG is connected to the first input pin and is used by the main control unit to detect the speed of the drainage pump 100 in real time and perform closed-loop control of the speed to achieve stable and controllable speed.

[0133] In some embodiments of this application, see Figure 10 The pump driver chip also has a pump impeller direction control pin FR, and the MCU chip has a second output pin.

[0134] The pump blade direction control pin FR is connected to the second output pin and is used by the main control unit to control the rotation direction of the pump blade 130 so that it is consistent with the spiral upward direction of the suction spiral channel 120.

[0135] When the MCU chip's pump blade direction control pin FR is high, pump blade 130 rotates clockwise; when the MCU chip's pump blade direction control pin FR is low, pump blade 130 rotates counterclockwise.

[0136] The rotation direction of the pump blade 130, combined with the suction spiral flow channel 120, further accelerates the rotation and discharge of water. The reduced suction coefficient of the rotating water flow decreases the resistance of the pump blade 130, thereby reducing the operating power of the drainage pump 100 and achieving energy-saving effects.

[0137] In some embodiments of this application, in order to avoid the safety hazard caused by excessive condensate overflow in the water tray 600 when the drain pump 100 malfunctions, the air conditioner also includes a float switch (not shown).

[0138] A float switch is installed inside the water receiving pan 600 to detect the water level of condensate in the water receiving pan 600. A preset water level is preset inside the float switch, which is the maximum water level that the water receiving pan 600 can hold.

[0139] When the water level in the water receiving pan 600 reaches the preset water level, the float switch activates and sends a detection signal, which is then transmitted to the main control unit.

[0140] Normally, the float switch is in the normally closed state, but once the water level in the water receiving pan 600 reaches the preset water level, the float switch opens, that is, it is in the open state.

[0141] When the float switch is normally closed because the water level has not reached the preset water level, the main control unit receives a high-level detection signal; when the float switch is open because the water level has reached the preset water level, the main control unit receives a low-level detection signal.

[0142] As mentioned above, when the float switch is off, it indicates that the water level in the water receiving pan 600 has reached the preset water level. This situation indicates that the drainage pump 100 is malfunctioning. Therefore, manual drainage should be carried out in a timely manner.

[0143] To remind users to drain the water in a timely manner, the air conditioner also includes an alarm unit (not shown), which is used to control the alarm unit to issue an alarm prompt when the main control unit receives a low-level detection signal, so as to intuitively remind the user to drain the water in a timely manner.

[0144] In the description of the above embodiments, specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0145] The above are merely specific embodiments of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that, include: A drip tray, used to collect condensate produced when the air conditioner is in cooling operation; A drain pump is inverted inside the water receiving pan. The drain pump includes a drain motor and a pump casing. The pump casing has an inlet at the bottom and a drain outlet on the side. The inlet is connected to the water receiving pan. The drain outlet is used to discharge the condensate in the water receiving pan to the outside. A drain pipe section is connected to the drain outlet and is designed as an integral part of the pump casing. The drain pipe section is provided with a drain spiral flow channel for spirally discharging condensate. The drain pipe is connected to an external extension water pipe. The shock absorber is fitted onto the drain pipe section and abuts against and is installed onto the outer sheet metal frame of the indoor unit.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drainage pipe section includes: A connecting hose is used, one end of which is connected to the drain outlet; A drain pipe is connected at one end to the other end of the connecting hose. The end of the drain pipe is used to connect to an external extension water pipe. The pump housing, the connecting hose, and the drain pipe are integrally formed.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that, The connecting hose includes: The first transverse connecting part has one end connected to the drain outlet; The second longitudinal connecting part has one end connected to the other end of the first transverse connecting part; The third transverse connecting part has one end connected to the other end of the second longitudinal connecting part, and the other end of the third transverse connecting part is connected to the connecting drain pipe. The second longitudinal connecting part is connected to the first transverse connecting part and the third transverse connecting part in an arc shape.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 3, characterized in that, The end of the connecting drain pipe is tilted at a certain angle.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, A water-absorbing spiral flow channel is formed on the inner wall of the inlet for spirally drawing in condensate.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 5, characterized in that, The air conditioner also includes: A water pump drive unit is used to drive the drainage pump to operate. The drainage pump also includes pump blades, which are disposed inside the pump casing. The main control unit, which is connected to the water pump drive unit, is used to control the rotation direction of the pump blades; The rotation direction of the pump blades is consistent with the spiral upward direction of the water suction spiral channel.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 6, characterized in that, The water pump drive unit includes: The pump drive chip outputs a signal from its speed feedback pin to the main control unit for real-time detection of the pump speed. The pump impeller direction control pin of the pump drive chip also outputs a signal to the main control unit for controlling the rotation direction of the pump impeller.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 7, characterized in that, The water pump driver chip is equipped with an overcurrent protection circuit to protect the drainage pump motor from overcurrent.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 8, characterized in that, The water pump driver 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 at the connection point between the second resistor and the second pin.

10. The air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that, The shock absorber includes: The shock-absorbing rubber pad extends from one side of the outer sheet metal frame of the indoor unit through a through-hole in the outer sheet metal frame of the indoor unit, and the shock-absorbing rubber pad is fitted onto the connecting drain pipe and fixed to the side of the outer sheet metal frame of the indoor unit. A shock-absorbing rubber ring is fitted onto the connecting drain pipe. The cross-sectional area of ​​the shock-absorbing rubber ring gradually decreases from one end abutting against the shock-absorbing rubber ring towards the through portion, and gradually extends through the through portion.

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