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 with an air inlet, a lower air outlet, and a side air outlet; a heat exchanger disposed within the casing; and a fan assembly disposed on the side of the heat exchanger away from the air inlet, used to selectively blow air exchanged by the heat exchanger through the lower air outlet or the side air outlet. The fan assembly includes: an impeller; a volute housing covering the impeller and rotatably connected to the casing; and a wing plate connected to the outside of the volute housing. When the volute housing rotates to a first position where its exhaust outlet faces the side air outlet, the wing plate blocks the lower air outlet; when the volute housing rotates to a second position where its exhaust outlet faces the lower air outlet, the wing plate blocks the side air outlet. This indoor air conditioning unit can meet different airflow direction requirements for cooling / heating and has a compact structure.

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] Most existing air conditioner indoor units have only one air inlet and one air outlet, with a fixed duct structure. However, the air density blown out during cooling and heating is different. When cooling, the air density blown out of the outlet is usually greater than the indoor air density, and the airflow tends to sink. When heating, the air density blown out of the outlet is usually less than the indoor air density, and the airflow tends to rise. However, since the cooling and heating airflows are blown out from the same outlet, there will inevitably be a situation where the airflow cannot evenly cover the entire room, resulting in poor human comfort.

[0003] To meet the different airflow direction requirements for cooling / heating, side air outlets and bottom air outlets are installed on the indoor unit of the air conditioner. A rotating air guide plate selectively blocks the side air outlet or the bottom air outlet, so that air is delivered from the side air outlet when cooling and from the bottom air outlet when heating.

[0004] However, the above-mentioned structural design requires space to be reserved for the rotation of the air guide plate, which will increase the size of the indoor unit of the air conditioner. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides an air conditioning indoor unit that can meet the cooling / heating requirements for different air supply directions without increasing the size, and has the advantage of compact structure.

[0006] An indoor unit for air conditioning includes: a casing with an air inlet, a lower air outlet, and a side air outlet; a heat exchanger disposed inside the casing; and a fan assembly disposed on the side of the heat exchanger away from the air inlet, for selectively blowing air exchanged by the heat exchanger through the lower air outlet or the side air outlet; the fan assembly includes: an impeller; a volute casing covering the impeller and rotatably connected to the casing; and a vane connected to the outer side of the volute casing. When the volute rotates to the first position where its exhaust port faces the side exhaust port, the wing plate blocks the lower exhaust port; when the volute rotates to the second position where its exhaust port faces the lower exhaust port, the wing plate blocks the side exhaust port.

[0007] In this technical solution, by setting the volute housing as a rotatable connection and installing wing plates on the volute housing to block the side air outlet or the bottom air outlet, the volute housing can deliver air through the side air outlet when rotated to the first position and through the bottom air outlet when rotated to the second position, thereby meeting the different air delivery direction requirements of cooling / heating and significantly improving room temperature comfort.

[0008] Since this technical solution selects the airflow direction by rotating the volute, it does not require increasing the size of the indoor air conditioning unit, and has the advantages of compact structure and small size.

[0009] In some embodiments, the wingplate includes: a first wingplate connected to the outer side of the volute; and a second wingplate connected to the outer side of the volute. When the volute rotates to the first position where its exhaust port faces the side exhaust port, the second wing plate blocks the lower exhaust port; when the volute rotates to the second position where its exhaust port faces the lower exhaust port, the first wing plate blocks the side exhaust port.

[0010] In this technical solution, by setting the wing plate as a first wing plate and a second wing plate, the size of the wing plate can be reduced, avoiding the problems of large size and large space occupation caused by a one-piece wing plate.

[0011] In some embodiments, the housing is provided with: a first air outlet guide to form a first air outlet path, through which air flows to a side air outlet; and a second air outlet guide to form a second air outlet path, through which air flows to a lower air outlet. When the volute is in the second position, the air inlet end of the first air outlet guide abuts against the first wing plate; when the volute is in the first position, the air inlet end of the second air outlet guide abuts against the second wing plate.

[0012] In this technical solution, by setting a first air outlet guide and a second air outlet guide on the casing, the first air outlet guide abuts against the first wing plate to block the air outlet on the side of the first wing plate, and the second air outlet guide abuts against the second wing plate to block the air outlet on the bottom of the second wing plate.

[0013] In some embodiments, the volute includes an exhaust guide for forming an exhaust path, through which air inside the volute flows to the exhaust port. The exhaust guide section includes: a first exhaust guide section; and a second exhaust guide section, which extends from the volute tongue of the volute to the exhaust port, and the second exhaust guide section is arranged opposite to the first exhaust guide section. When the volute is in the first position, the first exhaust guide is located above the second exhaust guide. The first exhaust guide extends horizontally or tilts downward in the direction of air flow. The second exhaust guide extends horizontally or tilts downward relative to the horizontal direction at an angle b, where b ≤ 15°. The horizontal direction is perpendicular to the height direction of the casing.

[0014] In this technical solution, by setting the tilt direction of the first exhaust air guide and the second exhaust air guide in the first position, the first exhaust air guide and the second exhaust air guide are directed to the side or downward, thus avoiding the problem of airflow hitting the ceiling when it is directed upward.

[0015] In some embodiments, when the volute is in the second position, the second exhaust guide extends downward along the height direction in the airflow direction or tilts at an angle g relative to the height direction away from the air inlet, where g ≤ 15°.

[0016] In this technical solution, when the second position is set, the second exhaust guide extends downward or tilts away from the air inlet, so that the second exhaust guide guides the air downward or away from the air inlet at an angle, avoiding the phenomenon of short-circuiting of the return air when the exhaust airflow approaches the air inlet side.

[0017] In some embodiments, when the volute is in the first position, the first air outlet guide is located outside the extended region of the exhaust path; when the volute is in the second position, the second air outlet guide is located outside the extended region of the exhaust path.

[0018] In this technical solution, when the first position is set, the first air outlet guide is located outside the extended area of ​​the exhaust path, which can avoid obstructing the airflow when the first air outlet guide is located inside the extended area; when the second position is set, the second air outlet guide is located outside the extended area of ​​the exhaust path, which can avoid obstructing the airflow when the second air outlet guide is located inside the extended area.

[0019] In some embodiments, the first air outlet guide includes: a first guide portion for forming an upper sidewall defining a first air outlet path; and a second guide portion for forming a lower sidewall defining the first air outlet path. When the volute is in the first position, the angle a between the first exhaust guide and the first guide is ≤10°, and the angle c between the second exhaust guide and the second guide is ≤10°.

[0020] In this technical solution, if a > 10°, the first guide part will direct the airflow obliquely upwards, causing cold air to blow onto the ceiling and damage it. If c > 10°, the second guide part will direct the airflow obliquely downwards, causing cold air to blow directly onto the user.

[0021] In some embodiments, the second air outlet guide includes: a third guide portion for forming a sidewall on the side near the second guide portion that defines the second air outlet path; and a fourth guide portion for forming a sidewall on the side away from the second guide portion that defines the second air outlet path. When the volute is in the second position, the angle f between the first exhaust guide and the third guide is ≤10°, and the angle h between the second exhaust guide and the fourth guide is ≤10°.

[0022] In this technical solution, if f > 10°, the third guide section has a large relative height inclination, which will guide the airflow laterally more, hindering the downward flow of the exhaust air during heating. If h > 10°, the second exhaust guide section has a large relative height inclination, which will guide the airflow laterally more, also hindering the downward flow of the exhaust air during heating.

[0023] In some embodiments, the rotation angle m between the first position and the second position of the volute is 50°~70°.

[0024] In some embodiments, the fan assembly includes: a rotating connecting plate spaced apart from the air inlet of the volute, the rotating connecting plate having a rotating shaft for rotatably connecting to the housing; and a connecting rod connected between the rotating connecting plate and the volute.

[0025] In this technical solution, a rotating connecting plate connected to the volute is provided, and the volute is rotatably connected to the housing through the rotating connection between the rotating connecting plate and the housing.

[0026] In some embodiments, when the fan assembly has multiple fans, the volutes of the multiple fans are connected by connecting rods.

[0027] In this technical solution, multiple volutes are connected together to achieve simultaneous rotation of the multiple volutes. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the volute in a first position in an air conditioner indoor unit according to some embodiments is shown. Figure 1 ; Figure 2 A cross-sectional view is shown of the volute in a second position in an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to some embodiments. Figure 1 ; Figure 3 A perspective view of a fan assembly in an indoor air conditioning unit according to some embodiments is shown; Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the volute in a first position in an air conditioner indoor unit according to some embodiments is shown. Figure 2 ; Figure 5 A cross-sectional view is shown of the volute in a second position in an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to some embodiments. Figure 2 ; Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of an indoor air conditioning unit, omitting the fan assembly, is shown according to some embodiments; Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of a fan assembly in an indoor air conditioning unit according to some embodiments is shown.

[0029] 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 lower air outlet; 15 is the air inlet; 16 is the first air outlet guide; 16a is the first air outlet path; 161 is the first guide section; 162 is the second guide section; 17 is the second air outlet guide; 17a is the second air outlet path; 171 is the third guide section; 172 is the fourth guide section; 18 is the connecting part; 20 is the heat exchanger; 21 is the water receiving tray; and 30 is the fan. Components; 31, Impeller; 311, Central plate; 312, Blade; 32, Volute; 321, Inlet; 322, Outlet; 323, First exhaust guide; 324, Second exhaust guide; 325, Upper volute; 326, Lower volute; 327, Volute tongue; 33, Blade; 331, Baffle plate; 332, Connecting plate; 33a, First blade; 33b, Second blade; 34, Rotating connecting plate; 35, Shaft; 36, Connecting rod. Detailed Implementation

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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, supplying refrigerant to the conditioned and heat-exchanged air.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] Reference Figures 1 to 3 An indoor air conditioning unit according to an embodiment of this application includes a housing 10.

[0041] 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 side panels connecting the top plate and the bottom plate 13.

[0042] One of the panels is a side air outlet panel 11. The side air outlet panel 11 is provided with a side air outlet 12. The side air outlet 12 is formed by opening a part of the side air outlet panel 11.

[0043] A lower air outlet 14 is provided on the side of the base plate 13 near the side air outlet 11 and at the lower part of the side air outlet 11. That is, part of the lower air outlet 14 is located on the side of the base plate 13 near the side air outlet 11, and part is located at the lower part of the side air outlet 11.

[0044] In other embodiments, the lower air outlet 14 may be provided only on the base plate 13, and the side air outlet 11 may be provided only on the side air outlet 12.

[0045] 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.

[0046] An air inlet 15 can be installed on the side panel opposite to the side air outlet 11. Air from the indoor space enters the housing 10 through the air inlet 15.

[0047] In other embodiments, the air inlet 15 may also be located on the side of the base plate 13 away from the side air outlet 11.

[0048] The indoor unit of the air conditioner may include a heat exchanger 20. The heat exchanger 20 is disposed inside the housing 10 and may be located near the air inlet 15. The heat exchanger 20 is used to absorb heat from or transfer heat to the air introduced into the air inlet 15. A drip tray 21 may be disposed below the heat exchanger 20 to collect moisture condensed in the heat exchanger 20. The drip tray 21 may be connected to a drain hose that connects to the outside of the housing 10, and can discharge the condensed moisture to the outside of the housing 10.

[0049] The heat exchanger 20 can be V-shaped, straight plate-shaped, or arc-shaped. The heat exchanger 20 is close to the air inlet 15 of the casing 10, which makes the air velocity distribution on the heat exchanger 20 more uniform, with less noise and higher heat exchange efficiency.

[0050] The indoor unit of the air conditioner may include a fan assembly 30. The fan assembly 30 is disposed inside the casing 10, located on the air outlet side of the heat exchanger 20, that is, the side of the heat exchanger 20 away from the air inlet 15, so that air flows from the air inlet 15 to the side air outlet 12 or the bottom air outlet 14. The fan assembly 30 includes a fan, which may be a centrifugal fan.

[0051] The fan includes an impeller 31. When the impeller 31 rotates, it drives the airflow. The impeller 31 includes a central disk 311 and a plurality of blades 312 connected to the central disk 311 circumferentially.

[0052] The fan includes a volute 32. The volute 32 is installed outside the impeller 31.

[0053] Reference Figure 3 The volute 32 has air inlets 321 on its opposite side walls, through which air enters the volute 32. The two air inlets 321 are arranged along the axis of the impeller 31. The volute 32 has an exhaust port 322, through which the fan assembly 30 discharges air.

[0054] The volute 32 is rotatably connected to the housing 10.

[0055] Reference Figure 1 The arrows in the diagram indicate the direction of airflow. When the exhaust port 322 of the volute 32 rotates to face the side exhaust port 12, the volute 32 is in the first position, and the air discharged through the exhaust port 322 flows to the side exhaust port 12.

[0056] Reference Figure 2 The arrows in the diagram indicate the direction of airflow. When the exhaust port 322 of the volute 32 rotates to face the lower exhaust port 14, the volute 32 is in the second position, and the air discharged through the exhaust port 322 flows to the lower exhaust port 14.

[0057] In this application, by rotating the volute 32, the exhaust port 322 of the volute 32 is directed toward the side exhaust port 12 or the bottom exhaust port 14, thereby selecting whether to supply air through the side exhaust port 12 or the bottom exhaust port 14.

[0058] The airflow direction can be selected by rotating the volute 32, without increasing the size of the indoor air conditioning unit, which has the advantages of compact structure and small size.

[0059] In some embodiments, refer to Figures 1 to 3 The outer side of the volute 32 is provided with a wing plate 33. When the volute 32 rotates to the first position where its exhaust port 322 faces the side exhaust port 12, the wing plate 33 blocks the lower exhaust port 14; when the volute 32 rotates to the second position where its exhaust port 322 faces the lower exhaust port 14, the wing plate 33 blocks the side exhaust port 12.

[0060] If, in the first position, the lower air outlet 14 is not blocked when the side air outlet is open, indoor air enters the casing 10 through the lower air outlet 14 and then returns to the room through the side air outlet 12. This will cause the following problems: First, the air blown out of the side air outlet 12 will return to the casing 10 through the lower air outlet 14, causing a short circuit in the return air and greatly affecting the cooling effect of the air conditioner. Second, under the same rotation speed of the impeller 31, the air intake of the air inlet 15 will be reduced, which means the air volume passing through the heat exchanger 20 will be reduced, affecting the cooling effect of the air conditioner. Third, the air entering through the lower air outlet 14 does not pass through the heat exchanger 20, which will affect the outlet temperature of the side air outlet 12 and further reduce the cooling effect of the air conditioner. Fourth, to ensure effective air output, a filter is usually not installed at the air outlet, and dust and impurities can easily enter the fan assembly 30 through the lower air outlet 14, causing a decrease in the working efficiency of the fan assembly 30 and an increase in noise. Therefore, in this application, when the first position is set, the wing plate 33 blocks the lower air outlet 14, which can prevent air from entering from the lower air outlet 14, avoid short circuit of return air, ensure the cooling effect of the air conditioner, prevent dust and impurities from entering the indoor unit, and prevent the increase of fan noise.

[0061] Similarly, when the second position is set, the wing plate 33 blocks the side air outlet 12, which can prevent air from entering from the side air outlet 12, ensure the heating effect of the air conditioner, prevent dust and impurities from entering the indoor unit, and prevent the increase of fan noise.

[0062] The wing plate 33 is connected to the volute 32 and rotates together with the volute 32 between the first position and the second position. There is no need to set up a separate drive structure for the wing plate 33, which simplifies the product structure.

[0063] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 3 The wing plate 33 includes a baffle plate 331 for blocking the lower air outlet 14 and the side air outlet 12. The baffle plate 331 is spaced apart from the outer peripheral wall of the volute 32.

[0064] The wing plate 33 includes a connecting plate 332. The connecting plate 332 is connected between the baffle plate 331 and the volute 32. There may be two connecting plates 332, which are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the volute 32.

[0065] In some embodiments, the wing 33 includes a first wing 33a and a second wing 33b that are spaced apart.

[0066] Reference Figure 1 When the volute 32 is in the first position, the baffle 331 of the second wing 33b blocks the lower air outlet 14; see reference. Figure 2 When the volute 32 is in the second position, the baffle 331 of the first wing 33a blocks the side air outlet 12.

[0067] During cooling, the volute 32 is rotated to the first position, the lower air outlet 14 is blocked by the second wing plate 33b, and the exhaust port 322 of the volute 32 exhausts air towards the side air outlet 12; during heating, the volute 32 is rotated to the second position, the side air outlet 12 is blocked by the first wing plate 33a, and the exhaust port 322 of the volute 32 exhausts air towards the lower air outlet 14.

[0068] In some embodiments, the rotation center line of the volute 32 coincides with the axis of the impeller 31, which can prevent the volute 32 from colliding and interfering with the impeller 31 during rotation.

[0069] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 4 Projecting the image onto a plane perpendicular to the axis of impeller 31, a circle P is drawn with the projection point O of the impeller 31 axis as the center and the farthest distance R from the volute 32 to point O as the radius. The side of the wing plate 33 used to block the side air outlet 12 is located on or outside circle P; the side of the wing plate 33 used to block the lower air outlet 14 is located on or outside circle P.

[0070] In some embodiments, the baffle 331 of the wing 33 is an arc-shaped plate centered at point O. The outer peripheral surface of the baffle 331 is used to block the side air outlet 12 and the lower air outlet 14.

[0071] In some embodiments, continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The housing 10 is provided with a first air outlet guide 16. The first air outlet guide 16 forms a first air outlet path 16a, through which air flows to the side air outlet 12.

[0072] In some embodiments, the first air outlet guide 16 may be generally rectangular in shape. The first air outlet guide 16 may be formed by bending a portion of the side air outlet panel 11 inward. Alternatively, the first air outlet guide 16 and the side air outlet panel 11 may be separate components, connected by screws or welding.

[0073] The outer end of the first air outlet guide 16 extends to the side air outlet 12, and the inner end of the first air outlet guide 16 is the air inlet end. The air inlet end of the first air outlet guide 16 is located inside the side air outlet plate 11, and is used to abut against the first wing plate 33a in the second position so that the side air outlet 12 is blocked by the first wing plate 33a.

[0074] In some embodiments, the housing 10 is provided with a second air outlet guide 17. The second air outlet guide 17 forms a second air outlet path 17a, through which air flows to the lower air outlet 14.

[0075] In some embodiments, the second air outlet guide 17 may be generally rectangular in shape.

[0076] The outer end of the second air outlet guide 17 extends to the lower air outlet 14, and the inner end of the second air outlet guide 17 is the air inlet end. The air inlet end of the second air outlet guide 17 is located inside the housing 10 and is used to abut against the second wing plate 33b in the first position so that the lower air outlet 14 is blocked by the second wing plate 33b.

[0077] In some embodiments, the radius difference between the circle containing the air inlet end of the first air outlet guide 16 and circle P is Δ≤5mm.

[0078] When the volute 32 is in the first position, the Δ is controlled within the range of 5mm. The gap between the exhaust port of the volute 32 and the air inlet of the first air outlet guide 16 is small, which allows the exhaust air of the volute 32 to flow smoothly into the first air outlet guide 16. This avoids the exhaust air of the volute 32 flowing to the outside of the first air outlet guide 16 due to a large Δ, thus preventing the loss of exhaust volume.

[0079] The radius difference between the circle containing the air inlet end of the second air outlet guide 17 and circle P is Δ≤5mm.

[0080] When the volute 32 is in the second position, the Δ is controlled within the range of 5mm. The gap between the exhaust port of the volute 32 and the air inlet of the second air outlet guide 17 is small, which allows the exhaust air of the volute 32 to flow smoothly into the second air outlet guide 17. This avoids the exhaust airflow of the volute 32 flowing to the outside of the second air outlet guide 17 due to a large Δ, thus preventing the loss of exhaust volume.

[0081] The outer peripheral surface of the first wing plate 33a and the air inlet end of the first air outlet guide 16 are on the same circle. The outer peripheral surface of the second wing plate 33b and the air inlet end of the second air outlet guide 17 are on the same circle.

[0082] In some embodiments, the first air outlet guide 16 includes a first guide portion 161 for forming an upper sidewall defining a first air outlet path 16a; and a second guide portion 162 for forming a lower sidewall defining the first air outlet path 16a.

[0083] The second air outlet guide 17 includes: a third guide portion 171 for forming a sidewall on the side of the second air outlet path 17a that is close to the second guide portion 162; and a fourth guide portion 172 for forming a sidewall on the side of the second air outlet path 17a that is away from the second guide portion 162.

[0084] The volute 32 includes an exhaust guide section for forming an exhaust path; air from the exhaust side of the impeller 31 flows through the exhaust path to the exhaust port 322.

[0085] The exhaust guide section includes a first exhaust guide section 323 and a second exhaust guide section 324 disposed opposite to each other. The second exhaust guide section 324 extends from the volute tongue 327 of the volute 32 to the exhaust port 322.

[0086] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 4 When the volute 32 is in the first position, the first exhaust air guide 323 and the second exhaust air guide 324 are vertically opposite each other, with the first exhaust air guide 323 located above the second exhaust air guide 324. The first exhaust air guide 323 extends horizontally or tilts downwards in the direction of the airflow, so that the indoor unit of the air conditioner delivers air horizontally or tilts downwards from the side air outlet 12, thus avoiding the airflow from blowing onto the ceiling when the air is tilted upwards.

[0087] It should be noted that the horizontal direction described in this application is perpendicular to the height direction of the indoor unit of the air conditioner.

[0088] In some embodiments, when the volute 32 is in the first position, the second exhaust guide 324 extends horizontally in the direction of the exhaust airflow or tilts downward at an angle b relative to the horizontal direction, so that the indoor unit of the air conditioner delivers air horizontally or obliquely downward from the side air outlet 12, so as to avoid the airflow blowing to the ceiling when the air is delivered obliquely upward.

[0089] The angle b between the second exhaust guide 324 and the horizontal direction is greater than or equal to 0°, which ensures that the second exhaust guide 324 extends horizontally or tilts downward.

[0090] The angle b between the second exhaust air guide 324 and the horizontal direction satisfies: b ≤ 15°. If b > 15°, the second exhaust air guide 324 is tilted downwards to a greater extent, which will cause the indoor unit of the air conditioner to blow cold air downwards more, resulting in the phenomenon of direct airflow to the user.

[0091] In some embodiments, when the volute 32 is in the first position, the first air outlet guide 16 is located outside the extended area of ​​the exhaust path, which can prevent the first air outlet guide 16 from blocking the airflow discharged from the exhaust port 322.

[0092] The first guide portion 161 and the second guide portion 162 are located on the outer side of the extended area of ​​the exhaust path, respectively. The first guide portion 161 is located on the upper side of the extended area of ​​the exhaust path, and the second guide portion 162 is located on the lower side of the extended area of ​​the exhaust path.

[0093] In some embodiments, when the volute 32 is in the first position, the angle α between the first exhaust guide 323 and the first guide 161 is ≥0°, which can ensure that the first guide 161 is located outside the extended area of ​​the exhaust path.

[0094] The angle α between the first exhaust guide 323 and the first guide 161 is ≤ 10°. If α > 10°, the first guide 161 will guide the air obliquely upward, which will cause cold air to blow onto the ceiling and damage it.

[0095] The angle c between the second exhaust guide 324 and the second guide 162 is greater than or equal to 0°, which ensures that the second guide 162 is located outside the extended area of ​​the exhaust path.

[0096] The angle c between the second exhaust guide 324 and the second guide 162 is ≤ 10°. If c > 10°, the second guide 162 will guide the air diagonally downwards, which will cause cold air to blow directly on the user.

[0097] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 5 When the volute 32 is in the second position, the second exhaust guide 324 extends downward in the exhaust direction of the airflow or tilts at an angle g in the relative height direction away from the air inlet 15.

[0098] If the second exhaust guide 324 is tilted towards the air inlet 15, the airflow from the fan assembly 30 will be directed downwards towards the air inlet 15 under its guidance. When the air inlet 15 is located on the base plate 13, this will cause some of the airflow near the air inlet 15 to flow back towards the air inlet 15, resulting in a short circuit in the return air. Therefore, by setting the volute 32 in the second position, the second exhaust guide 324 extends vertically downwards along the airflow discharge direction or tilts away from the air inlet 15, a short circuit in the return air can be avoided.

[0099] In some embodiments, when the volute 32 is in the second position, the angle g between the second exhaust guide 324 and the height direction is ≥0°, which can cause the second exhaust guide 324 to extend downward or tilt relative to the height direction away from the air inlet 15.

[0100] The angle g between the second exhaust guide 324 and the height direction is ≤15°. If g>15°, the second exhaust guide 324 is tilted more towards the height direction, which will guide the airflow laterally and is not conducive to the downward movement of the exhaust airflow.

[0101] In some embodiments, when the volute 32 is in the second position, the second air outlet guide 17 is located outside the extended area of ​​the exhaust path, which can prevent the second air outlet guide 17 from obstructing the airflow discharged from the exhaust port 322.

[0102] The third guide section 171 and the fourth guide section 172 are located on the outer side of the extended area of ​​the exhaust path, respectively.

[0103] In some embodiments, when the volute 32 is in the second position, the angle f between the first exhaust guide 323 and the third guide 171 is greater than or equal to 0°, which allows the third guide 171 to be located outside the extended region of the exhaust path.

[0104] The angle f between the first exhaust guide 323 and the third guide 171 is less than or equal to 10°. If f > 10°, the third guide 171 is more inclined in the direction of relative height, and will guide the airflow laterally more, which is not conducive to the sinking of the exhaust airflow.

[0105] In some embodiments, when the volute 32 is in the second position, the fourth guide portion 172 extends downward along the outflow direction of the airflow or tilts away from the air inlet 15 in the relative height direction, which can prevent the fourth guide portion 172 from guiding the airflow towards the air inlet 15 and causing a short circuit of the return air.

[0106] In some embodiments, when the volute 32 is in the second position, the angle h between the second exhaust guide 324 and the fourth guide 172 is ≥0°, which allows the fourth guide 172 to be located on the outside of the extended region of the exhaust path.

[0107] The angle h between the second exhaust guide 324 and the fourth guide 172 is less than or equal to 10°, which allows both the second exhaust guide 324 and the fourth guide 172 to guide the airflow to the side and downward away from the air inlet 15.

[0108] In some embodiments, the angle between the second guide portion 162 and the height direction is α, and the angle between the third guide portion 171 and the height direction is β, where α > β.

[0109] If α > β, then the second guide section 162 is closer to the horizontal than the third guide section 171, causing the second guide section 162 to guide more air laterally and the third guide section 171 to guide more air downward.

[0110] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 Projected onto a plane perpendicular to the axis of impeller 31, the line connecting the air inlet end of the first guide part 161 and point O is OA, and the line connecting the air inlet end of the second guide part 162 and point O is OB. The angle between lines OA and OB is e. The central angle of the baffle plate 331 of the first wing plate 33a is d, where d > e. This ensures the sealing of the side air outlet 12 by the first wing plate 33a, preventing air leakage at the side air outlet 12 when the volute 32 is in the second position.

[0111] In some embodiments, when projected onto a plane perpendicular to the axis of the impeller 31, the line connecting the air inlet end of the third guide portion 171 and point O is OC, the line connecting the air inlet end of the fourth guide portion 172 and point O is OD, the angle between line OC and line OD is j, and the central angle of the baffle plate 331 of the second wing plate 33b is k, k>j, which can ensure the sealing of the second wing plate 33b on the lower air outlet 14 and prevent air leakage at the lower air outlet 14 when the volute 32 is in the first position.

[0112] In some embodiments, the angle between OA and OC is m, which is also the rotation angle of the volute 32 as it changes between the first and second positions. m = 50°~70°.

[0113] If m ≤ 70°, the lower air outlet 14 can be tilted downwards. If m > 70°, the lower air outlet 14 is oriented close to vertically downwards. If the indoor unit is installed close to the side wall of the room, the vertical downward air outlet is not conducive to air diffusion due to the obstruction of the wall.

[0114] In some embodiments, the second guide portion 162 and the third guide portion 171 are connected by a connecting portion 18. The connecting portion 18 extends generally along the height direction. The outer surface of the connecting portion 18 may be coplanar with the outer surface of the side air outlet panel 11.

[0115] In some embodiments, unlike the embodiments described above, there is no third guide portion 171. The second air outlet guide 17a includes a second guide portion 162 and a fourth guide portion 172.

[0116] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 3 The fan assembly 30 includes a rotating connecting plate 34. The rotating connecting plate 34 is located at both ends of the fan assembly 30 along the axial direction. The rotating connecting plate 34 is spaced apart from the air inlet 321 of the volute 32. The rotating connecting plate 34 is provided with a rotating shaft 341 for rotating connection with the side panel of the housing 10.

[0117] The fan assembly 30 includes a connecting rod 35. The connecting rod 35 connects the rotating connecting plate 34 and the volute 32 to achieve the connection between the rotating connecting plate 34 and the volute 32. When the rotating connecting plate 34 rotates, it can drive the volute 32 to rotate, thereby achieving the rotational connection of the volute 32 within the housing 10.

[0118] In some embodiments, the rotating connecting plate 34 is fan-shaped, and the rotating shaft 341 is connected to the center of the rotating connecting plate 34. Setting the rotating connecting plate 34 in a fan shape minimizes its area, thereby reducing the space it occupies. In other embodiments, the rotating connecting plate 34 may be circular.

[0119] In some embodiments, the motor is connected to the rotating shaft 341 via a gear transmission mechanism. The motor outputs rotational force and transmits the rotational force to the rotating connecting plate 34 via the gear transmission mechanism.

[0120] The motor can be connected to the side panel of the housing 10 by fasteners such as screws. The output shaft of the motor is connected to the drive gear, and the rotating shaft 341 of the rotating connecting plate 34 is connected to the driven gear. The drive gear meshes with the driven gear.

[0121] The drive structure for rotating the connecting plate 34 is suitable for the drive structure of the air guide plate in the prior art.

[0122] In some embodiments, a slot may be provided on the side panel of the housing 10 adjacent to the side air outlet 11, and the rotating shaft 341 on the rotating connecting plate 34 is inserted into the slot.

[0123] In some embodiments, when the fan assembly 30 has multiple fans, the multiple fans are arranged at intervals along the axis of the fan assembly 30. The volutes 32 of the multiple fans are connected by connecting rods 36 to enable rotation of the multiple volutes 32.

[0124] In some embodiments, the volute 32 includes an upper volute 325 and a lower volute 326 mated together. A rotating connecting plate 34 is connected to the lower volute 326 via a connecting rod 35. The rotating connecting plate 34, the connecting rod 35, and the lower volute 326 can be integrally formed by injection molding.

[0125] 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.

[0126] 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 an air inlet, a bottom air outlet, and a side air outlet. A heat exchanger is located inside the casing; A fan assembly is located on the side of the heat exchanger away from the air inlet, and is used to selectively blow the air exchanged by the heat exchanger to the lower air outlet or the side air outlet. The wind turbine assembly includes: impeller; A volute is provided over the impeller and is rotatably connected to the housing; The first wing plate is connected to the outer side of the volute; The second wing plate is connected to the outside of the volute. When the volute rotates to a first position where its exhaust port faces the side exhaust port, the second wing plate blocks the lower exhaust port; when the volute rotates to a second position where its exhaust port faces the lower exhaust port, the first wing plate blocks the side exhaust port.

2. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing contains: The first air outlet guide forms a first air outlet path, through which air flows to the side air outlet. The second air outlet guide forms a second air outlet path, through which air flows to the lower air outlet. When the volute is in the second position, the air inlet end of the first air outlet guide abuts against the first wing plate; when the volute is in the first position, the air inlet end of the second air outlet guide abuts against the second wing plate.

3. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that, The volute includes an exhaust guide for forming an exhaust path, through which air inside the volute flows to the exhaust port. The exhaust guide includes: First exhaust ventilation guide unit; The second exhaust guide extends from the volute tongue of the volute to the exhaust port, and the second exhaust guide is disposed opposite to the first exhaust guide; When the volute is in the first position, the first exhaust guide is located above the second exhaust guide. The first exhaust guide extends horizontally or tilts downward in the direction of air flow. The second exhaust guide extends horizontally or tilts downward relative to the horizontal direction at an angle b, where b ≤ 15°. The horizontal direction is perpendicular to the height direction of the casing.

4. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the volute is in the second position, the second exhaust guide extends downward along the height direction in the airflow direction or tilts at an angle g relative to the height direction away from the air inlet, where g ≤ 15°.

5. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the volute is in the first position, the first air outlet guide is located outside the extended area of ​​the exhaust path; when the volute is in the second position, the second air outlet guide is located outside the extended area of ​​the exhaust path.

6. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first air outlet guide includes: The first guide portion is used to form an upper sidewall that defines the first air outlet path; The second guide portion is used to form a lower sidewall that defines the first air outlet path; When the volute is in the first position, the angle a between the first exhaust guide and the first guide is ≤10°, and the angle c between the second exhaust guide and the second guide is ≤10°.

7. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second air outlet guide includes: The third guide portion is used to form a sidewall near the second guide portion that defines the second air outlet path; The fourth guide section is used to form a sidewall on the side away from the second guide section that defines the second air outlet path; When the volute is in the second position, the angle f between the first exhaust guide and the third guide is ≤10°, and the angle h between the second exhaust guide and the fourth guide is ≤10°.

8. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The wind turbine assembly includes: A rotating connecting plate is spaced apart from the air inlet of the volute. The rotating connecting plate is provided with a rotating shaft for rotatably connecting with the housing. A connecting rod is connected between the rotating connecting plate and the volute.

9. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 8, characterized in that, The fan assembly has multiple fans, and the volutes of the multiple fans are connected by connecting rods.

10. An indoor unit for an air conditioner, characterized in that, include: The casing has an air inlet, a bottom air outlet, and a side air outlet. A heat exchanger is located inside the casing; A fan assembly is located on the side of the heat exchanger away from the air inlet, and is used to selectively blow the air exchanged by the heat exchanger to the lower air outlet or the side air outlet. The wind turbine assembly includes: impeller; A volute is provided over the impeller and is rotatably connected to the housing; A wing plate is attached to the outer side of the volute. When the volute rotates to a first position where its exhaust port faces the side exhaust port, the wing plate blocks the lower exhaust port; when the volute rotates to a second position where its exhaust port faces the lower exhaust port, the wing plate blocks the side exhaust port; the rotation angle m between the first and second positions of the volute is 50°~70°.

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