air conditioner indoor unit

Abstract

This application discloses an indoor air conditioning unit, belonging to the field of air handling technology. The indoor air conditioning unit includes a casing, a heat exchanger, a fan, and an air guide plate. The casing includes a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side air outlet plate. The side air outlet plate has a side air outlet, and the bottom plate has a bottom air outlet. The air guide plate is slidably connected inside the casing and is used to selectively close either the side air outlet or the bottom air outlet. The air guide plate can slide between a first position and a second position, with the side of the air guide plate facing the side air outlet plate serving as a shielding surface. In the first position, the air guide plate closes the bottom air outlet, and the gap between the upper end of the air guide plate and the top of the casing forms a side air outlet path, through which air blown by the fan flows to the side air outlet. In the second position, the air guide plate closes the side air outlet, and the bottom air outlet opens, allowing air blown by the fan to exit through the bottom air outlet. This indoor air conditioning unit can blow air from different outlets, significantly improving room temperature comfort.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of air handling technology, and more particularly to an indoor air conditioning unit. Background Technology

[0002] Typically, an indoor air conditioning unit contains one air inlet and one air outlet, with a single air outlet direction. To achieve air outlet on the cooling side and air outlet on the heating side, and to improve the comfort of the product's air supply, most solutions add fans, using two or more fans. By controlling the direction of the fans, forward and reverse air supply can be achieved. Adding fans will result in high costs and problems such as dust blowing during reverse air supply. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides an indoor air conditioning unit with multiple air outlet directions, which significantly improves room temperature comfort.

[0004] An indoor unit for an air conditioner includes: a casing having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side air outlet plate connected between the top plate and the bottom plate, the side air outlet plate having a side air outlet and the bottom plate having a bottom air outlet; a heat exchanger disposed inside the casing; a fan for blowing air that has undergone heat exchange through the heat exchanger to the side air outlet or the bottom air outlet; and an air guide plate slidably connected inside the casing for selectively closing the side air outlet or the bottom air outlet, the air guide plate being slidable between a first position and a second position, the side of the air guide plate facing the side air outlet plate serving as a shielding surface. In the first position, the air guide plate closes the lower air outlet, and the gap between the upper end of the air guide plate and the top of the casing forms a side air outlet path. The air blown out by the fan flows to the side air outlet through the side air outlet path. In the second position, the air guide plate closes the side air outlet and the bottom air outlet opens, allowing the air blown out by the fan to flow out through the bottom air outlet.

[0005] In this technical solution, side and bottom air outlets are provided on the casing, and a sliding air guide plate is installed inside the casing. When the air guide plate slides to the first position, it blocks the bottom air outlet, and the air conditioner delivers air through the side air outlet. When the air guide plate slides to the second position, it blocks the side air outlet, and the air conditioner delivers air through the bottom air outlet. Therefore, during cooling, air can be delivered into the room through the side air outlet, avoiding direct cold air blowing on people and causing poor comfort, and also facilitating the cooling air to cover the entire room from top to bottom. During heating, air can be delivered into the room through the bottom air outlet, which facilitates the sinking of hot air and avoids poor heating effect caused by hot air not being able to reach the bottom, significantly improving the comfort of the indoor temperature.

[0006] In some embodiments, the air guide vane slides in a straight line.

[0007] In this technical solution, the guide rail of the air guide plate is set as a straight line, which can reduce the space occupied by the guide rail in the housing and ensure the smooth sliding of the air guide plate.

[0008] In some embodiments, in the first position, the upper end of the shielding surface is higher than the upper end of the side air outlet in the height direction, and there is a gap a between the shielding surface and the side air outlet. The air blown out by the fan flows to the side air outlet in sequence through the side air outlet path and the gap a. The air guide plate slides from the first position to the second position in a direction perpendicular to the side air outlet.

[0009] In this technical solution, the upper end of the shielding surface of the air guide plate is higher than the upper end of the side air outlet, so that the air guide plate can change between the first position and the second position in a direction perpendicular to the side air outlet, thereby simplifying the movement path of the air guide plate and ensuring the reliability of the movement of the air guide plate.

[0010] In some embodiments, in the first position, the upper end of the shielding surface is lower than the upper end of the side air outlet in the height direction, and there is a gap a between the shielding surface and the side air outlet. The air blown out by the fan flows to the side air outlet in sequence through the side air outlet path and the gap a. The air guide plate slides upward from the first position to the second position along a direction perpendicular to the side air outlet.

[0011] In this technical solution, in the first position, the upper end of the shielding surface of the air guide plate is lower than the upper end of the side air outlet. The air guide plate is located in the inflow direction of the lower part of the side air outlet, and the upper part of the side air outlet is not blocked by the air guide plate. This reduces the obstruction of the airflow by the air guide plate to the side air outlet, reduces the wind resistance when the air outlet is on the side, and increases the air volume.

[0012] In some embodiments, the housing includes a side air outlet guide disposed therein, the side air outlet guide being connected to the upper inner side of the side air outlet; The side air outlet guide includes a third guide surface for guiding airflow to the side air outlet, wherein the third guide surface gradually approaches the bottom plate from the end away from the side air outlet plate to the end closer to the side air outlet plate.

[0013] In this technical solution, a side air outlet guide is installed on the inner side of the upper end of the side air outlet. The third guide surface on the side air outlet guides the air to a sideward and downward direction, thereby preventing the air from blowing to the ceiling when the side air outlet is vented.

[0014] In some embodiments, the top surface of the air guide plate is a fourth guiding surface. In the first position, the space between the fourth guiding surface and the third guiding surface forms a side air outlet path. The fourth guiding surface gradually approaches the bottom plate from the end away from the side air outlet plate to the end near the side air outlet plate.

[0015] In this technical solution, the fourth guiding surface works in conjunction with the third guiding surface to guide the air to the side and downward, thereby more effectively preventing the air from blowing onto the ceiling.

[0016] In some embodiments, in the first position, the air guide plate is located below the side air outlet in the height direction, the shielding surface is coplanar with the plane where the inner end of the side air outlet is located, and the air guide plate slides upward from the first position to the second position.

[0017] In this technical solution, the air guide plate is located below the side air outlet, so that the air guide plate does not obstruct the side airflow and does not generate airflow resistance, thereby reducing the wind resistance when the air is vented to the side and increasing the air volume.

[0018] In some embodiments, the lower air outlet has a first end and a second end opposite to each other, the first end being away from the side air outlet panel and the second end being close to the side air outlet panel; The housing includes a lower air outlet guide disposed therein, which is connected to the inner side of the first end of the lower air outlet; The downward air outlet guide includes: a first guide surface for guiding airflow to the downward air outlet, the first guide surface gradually approaching the side air outlet panel from its upper end to its lower end.

[0019] In this technical solution, a downward air outlet guide is provided on the inner side of the first end of the downward air outlet. The first guiding surface of the downward air outlet guides the air diagonally downward away from the air inlet, thereby avoiding short-circuiting of the return air.

[0020] In some embodiments, the air guide plate has a second guide surface that gradually approaches the side air outlet plate from its upper end to its lower end; in the second position, the space between the second guide surface and the first guide surface forms a lower air outlet path, and the air blown out by the fan flows to the lower air outlet through the lower air outlet path.

[0021] In this technical solution, the second guide surface works in conjunction with the first guide surface to guide air diagonally downward away from the air inlet, thereby more effectively preventing short-circuiting of the return air.

[0022] In some embodiments, a slider is connected to the air guide plate, and a guide rail that cooperates with the slider is provided inside the housing, allowing the slider to slide along the guide rail.

[0023] In this technical solution, the sliding of the air guide plate is achieved through a guide rail slider mechanism, thereby ensuring the reliability of the air guide plate sliding. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the air guide vane in a first position in an air conditioner indoor unit according to some embodiments is shown; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the air guide vane in a second position in an air conditioner indoor unit according to some embodiments is shown; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the air guide vane in a third position in an air conditioning indoor unit according to some embodiments is shown; Figure 4A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the air guide vane in a first position in an air conditioning indoor unit according to some other embodiments is shown; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the air guide vane in a second position in an air conditioning indoor unit according to some other embodiments is shown; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the air guide vane in the third position in an air conditioning indoor unit according to some other embodiments is shown. Figure 1 ; Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the air guide vane in the third position in an air conditioning indoor unit according to some other embodiments is shown. Figure 2 ; Figure 8 A partial schematic diagram of the first guide rail in an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to some other embodiments is shown; Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the air guide vane in a first position in an air conditioning indoor unit according to some other embodiments is shown; Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the air guide vane in a second position in an air conditioning indoor unit according to some other embodiments is shown; Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the air guide vane in a third position in an air conditioning indoor unit according to some other embodiments is shown.

[0025] In the above figures, 10 is the casing; 11 is the side air outlet panel; 12 is the side air outlet; 13 is the base plate; 14 is the bottom air outlet; 15 is the air inlet; 16 is the extension; 17 is the bottom air outlet guide; 17a is the first guide surface; 18 is the side air outlet guide; 18a is the third guide surface; 19 is the slide rail; 20 is the heat exchanger; 30 is the fan; 40 is the air guide plate; 41 is the second guide surface; 42 is the fourth guide surface; 43 is the shielding surface; 50 is the guide rail; 51 is the first guide rail; 52 is the second guide rail; 60 is the slider; 61 is the first slider; 62 is the second slider; 71 is the side air outlet path; 72 is the bottom air outlet path. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the objectives and implementation methods of this application clearer, the exemplary implementation methods of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the exemplary embodiments of this application. Obviously, the exemplary embodiments described are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] In this application, the air conditioner performs a refrigeration cycle by using a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator. The refrigeration cycle includes a series of processes involving compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation, and supplies refrigerant to the conditioned and heat-exchanged air.

[0031] The compressor compresses refrigerant gas at a low temperature and low pressure 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 heat is released to the surrounding environment through the condensation process.

[0032] The expansion valve expands the high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant condensed in the condenser into a low-pressure liquid refrigerant. The evaporator evaporates the expanded refrigerant in the expansion valve, returning 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] This application relates to an indoor unit for air conditioning an indoor space. In the following text, for convenience, the indoor unit including an indoor heat exchanger is referred to as an air conditioning indoor unit, and the indoor heat exchanger is referred to as a heat exchanger.

[0036] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 An indoor air conditioning unit according to an embodiment of this application includes a housing 10.

[0037] The housing 10 forms the overall appearance of the indoor unit of the air conditioner. The housing 10 may include a top plate forming the top structure of the housing 10; a bottom plate 13 forming the bottom structure of the housing 10; and four side panels connecting the top plate and the bottom plate 13.

[0038] Of the four side panels, one is a side air outlet panel 11. The side air outlet panel 11 is provided with a side air outlet 12. The bottom plate 13 is provided with a bottom air outlet 14, which can be close to the side air outlet panel 11.

[0039] When cooling, air can be directed into the room from the side air outlet 12 to avoid direct cold air blowing on people, which would cause poor comfort. It also helps the cold air to cover the entire room from top to bottom. When heating, air can be directed into the room from the bottom air outlet 14 to help the hot air sink and avoid poor heating effect caused by the hot air not being able to fall. By setting the side air outlet 12 and the bottom air outlet 14, this application significantly improves the temperature comfort of the indoor space. Cooling air is blown out from the side air outlet 12, and heating air is blown out from the bottom air outlet 14.

[0040] The air inlet 15 can be located on the base plate 13 and is farther away from the side air outlet 11 than the lower air outlet 14. Air from the indoor space enters the housing 10 through the air inlet 15. In other embodiments, the air inlet 15 can be located on the side panel opposite the side air outlet 11 of the four side panels.

[0041] The indoor unit of the air conditioner may include a heat exchanger 20. The heat exchanger 20 is disposed inside the casing 10 and is used to absorb heat from the air introduced into the air inlet 15 or to transfer heat to the air. The heat exchanger 20 may be V-shaped, flat, or curved.

[0042] The indoor unit of the air conditioner may include a fan 30. The fan 30 is disposed inside the housing 10, allowing air to flow from the air inlet 15 to the side air outlet 12 or the bottom air outlet 14. The fan 30 may be a cross-flow fan. In other embodiments, the fan 30 may be a centrifugal fan.

[0043] The indoor unit of the air conditioner includes an air deflector 40 for selectively closing the side air outlet 12 or the bottom air outlet 14. The air deflector 40 is slidable relative to the housing 10 to slide to the side air outlet 12 or to the bottom air outlet 14.

[0044] The air guide vane 40 can slide between a first position and a second position. (See reference) Figure 1 In the first position, the air guide plate 40 closes the lower air outlet 14, while the side air outlet 12 is open, and the air blown by the fan 30 is delivered through the side air outlet 12. (Refer to...) Figure 2 In the second position, the air guide plate 40 closes the side air outlet 12, and the lower air outlet 14 is in the open state, and the air blown by the fan 30 is sent out through the lower air outlet 14.

[0045] During cooling, the air guide plate 40 is slid to the first position, and the indoor unit of the air conditioner delivers air through the side air outlet 12. During heating, the air guide plate 40 is slid to the second position, and the indoor unit of the air conditioner delivers air through the lower air outlet 14. This avoids the problems in the prior art where the indoor unit of the air conditioner only has a side air outlet 12, resulting in poor heating performance due to hot air not sinking properly when air is vented from the side. Alternatively, it avoids the problem in the prior art where the indoor unit of the air conditioner only has a lower air outlet 14, resulting in cold air blowing directly onto the user when air is vented downwards from the lower air outlet 14 during cooling. In this application, cooling / heating can be selected to deliver air from different air outlets, thereby meeting the user's needs for comfortable indoor space temperature.

[0046] In some embodiments, in the first position, the gap between the upper end of the air guide plate 40 and the top of the housing 10 forms a side air outlet path 71; the side of the air guide plate 40 facing the side air outlet plate 11 is a shielding surface 43, and there is a gap a between the shielding surface 43 and the side air outlet 12. The air blown out by the fan 30 flows through the side air outlet path 71 and the gap a to the side air outlet 12 to achieve side air outlet of the indoor unit of the air conditioner.

[0047] In the first position, the shielding surface 43 has a distance a from the plane P containing the inner end of the side air outlet 12 in the direction perpendicular to the side air outlet 12.

[0048] When the air guide plate 40 slides to the second position, the air guide plate 40 blocks the side air outlet 12 and is offset from the lower air outlet 14. The air blown out by the fan 30 flows out through the lower air outlet 14 to achieve the lower air outlet of the air conditioner indoor unit.

[0049] In some embodiments, the upper end of the shielding surface 43 is higher than the upper end of the side air outlet 12 in the height direction, and the air guide plate 40 slides to a second position in a direction perpendicular to the side air outlet 12.

[0050] In this application, for ease of description, the direction perpendicular to the side air outlet 12 is defined as the X-axis direction. The air guide plate 40 slides from the first position to the second position along the positive X-axis direction, and slides from the second position to the first position along the negative X-axis direction.

[0051] During cooling, if the air guide plate 40 is in the first position, the air guide plate 40 remains stationary and remains in the first position of the air outlet 14 under the obstruction. If the air guide plate 40 is not in the first position, the air guide plate 40 is controlled to slide along the negative X-axis to the first position.

[0052] When heating, if the air guide plate 40 is in the second position, the air guide plate 40 remains stationary and is kept in the second position of the air outlet 12 on the shielding side; if the air guide plate 40 is not in the first position, the air guide plate 40 is controlled to slide along the positive X-axis to the second position.

[0053] In some embodiments, a first position sensor may be provided inside the housing 10 to detect whether the air guide plate 40 is in a first position. A second position sensor may be provided inside the housing 10 to detect whether the air guide plate 40 is in a second position.

[0054] During cooling, when the first position sensor detects that the air guide plate 40 is in the first position, the air guide plate 40 is kept stationary; when the first position sensor detects that the air guide plate 40 is not in the first position, the air guide plate 40 is controlled to move along the negative X-axis until the first position sensor detects that the air guide plate 40 is in the first position.

[0055] When heating, if the second position sensor detects that the air guide plate 40 is in the second position, the air guide plate 40 is kept stationary; if the second position sensor detects that the air guide plate 40 is not in the second position, the air guide plate 40 is controlled to move along the positive X-axis until the second position sensor detects that the air guide plate 40 is in the second position.

[0056] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 3 The air guide plate 40 has a third position, which is between the first and second positions. In the third position, the air guide plate 40 partially blocks the lower air outlet 14, and the portion of the lower air outlet 14 away from the side air outlet plate 11 is open. The plane P containing the inner end of the air guide plate 40 and the side air outlet 12 is spaced apart by a, so that the side air outlet 12 is not blocked. At this time, part of the air blown by the fan 30 is blown out from the lower air outlet 14, and the other part is blown out from the side air outlet 12 along the side air outlet path 71 and spaced apart by a, so as to realize multi-directional air outlet of the indoor unit of the air conditioner.

[0057] When the user selects multi-directional airflow, if the air guide plate 40 is in the first position, the air guide plate 40 is controlled to move along the positive X-axis to the third position; if the air guide plate 40 is in the second position, the air guide plate 40 is controlled to move along the negative X-axis to the third position.

[0058] In multi-directional airflow mode, the air guide plate 40 can move in different directions and distances. The fixed position after movement is different, the range and area of ​​the air outlet being blocked are different, and the direction, angle and size of the blown air are different. The airflow of the indoor unit can be flexibly adjusted to better meet the user's needs.

[0059] In some embodiments, a lower air outlet 14 can be formed by opening a portion of the base plate 13. The lower air outlet 14 has a first end and a second end opposite to each other, wherein the first end of the lower air outlet 14 is away from the side air outlet plate 11, and the second end of the lower air outlet 14 is close to the side air outlet plate 11.

[0060] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The housing 10 includes a lower air outlet guide 17 disposed within the housing 10. The lower air outlet guide 17 is used to guide the air blown out from the fan 30. The lower air outlet guide 17 is connected to the inner side of the first end of the lower air outlet 14.

[0061] The downward air outlet guide 17 includes a first guide surface 17a for guiding the air blown out by the fan 30 to flow downward to the air outlet 14.

[0062] The extended surface at the lower end of the first guide surface 17a is inclined from top to bottom in a direction away from the air inlet 15. This arrangement allows air to be blown out from the lower air outlet 14 away from the air inlet 15 under the guidance of the first guide surface 17a, thereby increasing the distance between the airflow from the lower air outlet 14 and the air inlet 15. This avoids the problem of short-circuiting of the airflow from the air outlet 15 back into the casing 10 when the airflow is too close to the air inlet 15.

[0063] The first guide surface 17a can be a plane or a curved surface. When the first guide surface 17a is a curved surface, the extension surface of the first guide surface 17a extends along the lower end of the first guide surface 17a in the tangential direction of the first guide surface 17a.

[0064] In other words, when projected onto a plane perpendicular to the side air outlet panel 11, the projection line of the first guide surface 17a is m, and the extension line n of the lower end of line m slopes away from the air inlet 15. When line m is a curve, n is the extension line along the tangent direction of the lower end of line m.

[0065] In some embodiments, the first guide surface 17a gradually approaches the side air outlet plate 11 from its upper end to its lower end. The first guide surface 17a gradually guides the air out in a direction closer to the side air outlet plate 11. Since the side air outlet plate 11 and the air inlet 15 are located on opposite sides of the first guide surface 17a, the first guide surface 17a gradually guides the air out in a direction away from the air inlet 15, thereby avoiding the problem of short-circuiting of return air.

[0066] In some embodiments, the first guide surface 17a is an arc-shaped surface that is recessed in the direction away from the side air outlet plate 11, which can expand the air guiding range of the first guide surface 17a.

[0067] In some embodiments, the air guide plate 40 has a second guide surface 41, and at a second position, the space between the second guide surface 41 and the first guide surface 17a forms a lower air outlet path 72, through which the air blown out by the fan 30 flows to the lower air outlet 14.

[0068] The second guide surface 41 gradually approaches the side air outlet 11 from its upper end to its lower end. This arrangement allows the air outlet 40 to cover the side air outlet 12 and open the lower air outlet 14, while the second guide surface 41 also guides the airflow, making the airflow more smooth in the lower air outlet path 72. The second guide surface 41, together with the first guide surface 41, guides the air diagonally downward away from the air inlet 15, which can effectively prevent short-circuiting of the return air.

[0069] In some embodiments, in the second position, the second guide surface 41 may be an arc surface concentric with the first guide surface 17a.

[0070] In some embodiments, the housing 10 includes an extension 16 disposed therein, the extension 16 being connected to the inner side of the second end of the lower air outlet 14.

[0071] The surface of the extension 16 facing the lower air outlet guide 17 is coplanar with the end face of the second end of the lower air outlet 14. The lower end face of the air guide plate 40 abuts against the upper end face of the extension 16.

[0072] When the air guide plate 40 is in the first position, the upper end of the first guide surface 17a abuts against the second guide surface 41. In other embodiments, refer to... Figure 4 In the first position, the first guide surface 17a abuts against the second guide surface 41.

[0073] In some embodiments, refer to Figures 1 to 3 A guide rail 50 is connected to the inner wall of the housing 10, and a slider 60 is connected to the air guide plate 40. The slider 60 moves along the guide rail 50.

[0074] A guide rail 50 is located on one side of the lower air outlet 14 near the side air outlet plate 11, and the length of the guide rail 50 extends along the X-axis. A slider 60 is connected to the bottom of the air guide plate 40. The slider 60 cooperates with the guide rail 50 to drive the air guide plate 40 to slide along the guide rail 50.

[0075] The guide rail 50 can be connected to the base plate 13 of the housing 10 by fasteners such as screws, and the slider 60 can be connected to the air guide plate 40 by fasteners.

[0076] In other embodiments, the guide rail 50 may be connected to the two side panels of the housing 10 adjacent to the side air outlet 11, and the slider 60 may be disposed on the two side surfaces of the air guide plate 40 perpendicular to the X-axis.

[0077] The drive structure of slider 60 is suitable for existing technologies, such as a drive structure that combines a motor and a lead screw, or a drive that directly uses a linear motor.

[0078] In some embodiments, the difference from the above embodiments is that: [referencing] Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the first position, the upper end of the shielding surface 43 is lower than the upper end of the side air outlet 12 in the height direction. The air guide plate 40 first slides along the direction perpendicular to the side air outlet 12, that is, in the positive direction of the X-axis, and then slides upward to the second position, or the air guide plate 40 first slides upward and then slides along the positive direction of the X-axis to the second position.

[0079] In this embodiment, in the first position, the air guide plate 40 only resists the incoming flow at the lower part of the side air outlet 12, and has no effect on the incoming flow at the upper part of the side air outlet 12, which can reduce the air resistance of the indoor unit's side air outlet.

[0080] In some embodiments, continue to refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The housing 10 includes a side air outlet guide 18 disposed therein for guiding the air blown out by the fan 30. The side air outlet guide 18 is connected to the inner side of the upper end of the side air outlet 12.

[0081] The side air outlet guide 18 includes a third guide surface 18a for guiding the air blown out by the fan 30 to the side air outlet 12.

[0082] In some embodiments, the third guide surface 18a gradually approaches the base plate 13 from its end away from the side air outlet 12 to its end near the side air outlet 12. The third guide surface 18a gradually guides the air downward, so that the air guided by the third guide surface 18a is blown obliquely downward from the side air outlet 12, thereby preventing the side air outlet of the indoor unit from blowing towards the ceiling.

[0083] In some embodiments, the third guide surface 18a is an arc surface protruding towards the base plate 13, and the arc surface can better guide the smooth flow of air compared to a flat surface.

[0084] In some embodiments, the upper surface of the air guide plate 40 is a fourth guide surface 42. The fourth guide surface 42 is a downwardly concave arc surface, which guides air obliquely downward.

[0085] The fourth guide surface 42 gradually approaches the base plate 13 from the end away from the side air outlet 12 to the end closer to the side air outlet 12.

[0086] Reference Figure 4 When the air guide plate 40 is in the first position, the air guide plate 40 blocks the lower air outlet 14. The space between the fourth guide surface 42 and the third guide surface 18a of the air guide plate 40 forms a side air outlet path 71. The plane P where the inner end of the air guide plate 40 and the side air outlet 12 are located has a gap a. The air blown out by the fan 30 passes through the side air outlet path 71 and the gap a, and is blown out by the side air outlet 12 to realize the side air outlet of the air conditioner indoor unit.

[0087] Reference Figure 5 When the air guide plate 40 is in the second position, the fourth guide surface 42 abuts against the third guide surface 18a, the air guide plate 40 blocks the side air outlet 12, and the gap between the second guide surface 41 and the first guide surface 17a of the air guide plate 40 forms a downward air outlet path 72. The air blown out by the fan 30 passes through the downward air outlet path 72 and is blown out through the downward air outlet 14 to realize the downward air outlet of the air conditioner indoor unit.

[0088] The air guide plate 40 can be moved to the third position by sliding along the X-axis and / or sliding in the up and down direction.

[0089] In the third position, the air guide plate 40 partially blocks the lower air outlet 14, while the portion of the lower air outlet 14 away from the side air outlet 11 is not blocked. The air guide plate 40 blocks the lower part of the side air outlet 12, while the upper part of the side air outlet 12 is not blocked. There is a gap between the first guide surface 17a and the second guide surface 41, and a gap between the third guide surface 18a and the fourth guide surface 42. The air blown out by the fan 30 is divided into two parts, one part is blown out by the lower air outlet 14, and the other part is blown out by the side air outlet 12, so as to realize multi-directional air outlet of the indoor unit of the air conditioner.

[0090] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 6 When multi-directional airflow is required, the air guide plate 40 slides along the X-axis so that the air guide plate 40 moves to the third position.

[0091] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 7 When multi-directional airflow is required, the air guide plate 40 slides both along the X-axis and in the up and down direction, so that the air guide plate 40 moves to the third position.

[0092] In some embodiments, refer to Figures 4 to 7 The guide rail 50 includes a first guide rail 51. The first guide rail 51 is slidably connected to the housing 10, and the length direction of the first guide rail 51 extends along the X-axis.

[0093] The guide rail 50 includes a second guide rail 52. The second guide rail 52 is fixedly connected to the side air outlet plate 11, and the length of the second guide rail 52 extends along the height direction.

[0094] The slider 60 includes a first slider 61. The first slider 61 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the air guide plate 40. The first slider 61 cooperates with the first guide rail 51 to drive the air guide plate 40 to slide relative to the first guide rail 51 along the X-axis.

[0095] The slider 60 includes a second slider 62. The second slider 62 is connected to one end of the first guide rail 51 near the side air outlet plate 11. The second slider 62 cooperates with the second guide rail 52 to drive the first guide rail 51 to slide in the up and down direction relative to the second guide rail 52. The first guide rail 51 drives the first slider 61 that cooperates with it to slide up and down. The first slider 61 drives the air guide plate 40 connected to it to slide up and down.

[0096] The first slider 61 and the second slider 62 are each driven by a set of driving mechanisms.

[0097] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 8 The housing 10 has a groove 19 that opens toward the side air outlet 12, and the length of the groove 19 extends along the height direction. The end of the first guide rail 51 away from the side air outlet 11 is inserted into the groove 19, and the first guide rail 51 slides up and down along the groove 19.

[0098] A U-shaped sheet metal part is connected to the side panel of the housing 10, and the U-shaped sheet metal part forms a groove 19.

[0099] In some embodiments, the difference from the above embodiments is that: [referencing] Figure 9 and Figure 10 In the first position, the upper end of the air guide plate 40 is lower than the upper end of the side air outlet 12 in the height direction. The shielding surface 43 is coplanar with the plane p where the inner end of the side air outlet 12 is located, and the air guide plate 40 slides upward to the second position.

[0100] In the first position, refer to Figure 9 The air guide plate 40 blocks the lower air outlet 14. The air guide plate 40 is located below the side air outlet 12, so that the side air outlet 12 is in the open state. The air blown by the fan 30 flows out from the side air outlet 12 to achieve side air outlet of the air conditioner indoor unit.

[0101] Reference Figure 10 In the second position, the air guide plate 40 blocks the side air outlet 12. The plane Q from the lower end of the air guide plate 40 to the inner end of the lower air outlet 14 has a gap u. The air blown out by the fan 30 flows out through the gap u and the lower air outlet 14 to realize the lower air outlet 14 of the air conditioner indoor unit.

[0102] Reference Figure 11In the third position, the air guide plate 40 blocks the lower part of the side air outlet 12, and the upper part of the side air outlet 12 is in the open state. The plane Q from the lower end of the air guide plate 40 to the inner end of the lower air outlet 14 has a gap u. The air blown out by the fan 30 is divided into two parts. One part is blown out by the side air outlet 12, and the other part is blown out by the lower air outlet 14 through the gap u, so as to realize multi-directional air outlet of the indoor unit of the air conditioner.

[0103] In the above embodiments, the air guide plate 40 changes position by moving in a straight line. However, in other embodiments, the air guide plate 40 can also change position by moving in a curved path.

[0104] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

[0105] For ease of explanation, the above description has been provided in conjunction with specific embodiments. However, the above exemplary discussion is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the specific forms disclosed above. Various modifications and variations can be obtained based on the above teachings. The selection and description of the above embodiments are for the purpose of better explaining the principles and practical applications, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better utilize the described embodiments and various different variations of embodiments suitable for specific use considerations.

Claims

1. An indoor unit for an air conditioner, characterized in that, include: The casing has a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side air outlet plate connected between the top plate and the bottom plate. The side air outlet plate is provided with a side air outlet, and the bottom plate is provided with a bottom air outlet. The heat exchanger is located inside the casing; A fan is used to blow air that has undergone heat exchange through the heat exchanger into the side air outlet or the bottom air outlet; An air guide plate is slidably connected inside the housing and is used to selectively close the side air outlet or the bottom air outlet. The air guide plate can slide between a first position and a second position, and the side of the air guide plate facing the side air outlet is a shielding surface. In the first position, the air guide plate closes the lower air outlet, and the gap between the upper end of the air guide plate and the top of the housing forms a side air outlet path. The air blown out by the fan flows to the side air outlet through the side air outlet path. In the second position, the air guide plate closes the side air outlet, the lower air outlet opens, and the air blown by the fan flows out through the lower air outlet.

2. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the first position, the upper end of the shielding surface is higher than the upper end of the side air outlet in the height direction, and there is a gap a between the shielding surface and the side air outlet. The air blown out by the fan flows to the side air outlet in sequence through the side air outlet path and the gap a. The air guide plate slides from the first position to the second position in a direction perpendicular to the side air outlet.

3. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the first position, the upper end of the shielding surface is lower than the upper end of the side air outlet in the height direction, and there is a gap a between the shielding surface and the side air outlet. The air blown out by the fan flows to the side air outlet in sequence through the side air outlet path and the gap a. The air guide plate slides upward from the first position to the second position along a direction perpendicular to the side air outlet.

4. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 3, characterized in that, The housing includes a side air outlet guide disposed therein, the side air outlet guide being connected to the inner side of the upper end of the side air outlet; The side air outlet guide includes a third guide surface for guiding airflow toward the side air outlet, wherein the third guide surface gradually approaches the base plate from the end away from the side air outlet plate to the end near the side air outlet plate.

5. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 4, characterized in that, The top surface of the air guide plate is the fourth guiding surface, and the fourth guiding surface gradually approaches the bottom plate from the end away from the side air outlet plate to the end close to the side air outlet plate. In the first position, the space between the fourth guide surface and the third guide surface forms the side air outlet path; in the second position, the fourth guide surface abuts against the third guide surface.

6. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the first position, the air guide plate is located below the side air outlet in the height direction, the shielding surface is coplanar with the plane containing the inner end of the side air outlet, and the air guide plate slides upward from the first position to the second position.

7. The air conditioning indoor unit according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The lower air outlet has a first end and a second end opposite to each other, the first end being away from the side air outlet plate and the second end being close to the side air outlet plate; The housing includes a lower air outlet guide disposed therein, the lower air outlet guide being connected to the inner side of the first end of the lower air outlet; The lower air outlet guide includes: a first guide surface for guiding airflow toward the lower air outlet, wherein the first guide surface gradually approaches the side air outlet plate from its upper end to its lower end.

8. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 7, characterized in that, The air guide plate has a second guiding surface, which gradually approaches the side air outlet plate from its upper end to its lower end. In the second position, the space between the second guide surface and the first guide surface forms a lower air outlet path, and the air blown out by the fan flows to the lower air outlet through the lower air outlet path.

9. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, A slider is connected to the air guide plate, and a guide rail is provided inside the housing to cooperate with the slider, allowing the slider to slide along the guide rail.

10. An indoor unit for an air conditioner, characterized in that, include: The casing has a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side air outlet plate connected between the top plate and the bottom plate. The side air outlet plate is provided with a side air outlet, and the bottom plate is provided with a bottom air outlet. The heat exchanger is located inside the casing; A fan is used to blow air that has undergone heat exchange through the heat exchanger into the side air outlet or the bottom air outlet; An air guide plate is slidably connected to the housing along a straight line and is used to selectively close the side air outlet or the bottom air outlet. The air guide plate can slide between a first position and a second position, and the side of the air guide plate facing the side air outlet is a shielding surface. In the first position, the air guide plate closes the lower air outlet, and the gap between the upper end of the air guide plate and the top of the housing forms a side air outlet path. The air blown out by the fan flows to the side air outlet through the side air outlet path. In the second position, the air guide plate closes the side air outlet, the lower air outlet opens, and the air blown by the fan flows out through the lower air outlet.

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