Air conditioner and air supply structure thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an air conditioner and an air supply structure thereof, the air supply structure comprising a housing, a first centrifugal impeller, a second centrifugal impeller and a driving mechanism, the housing having a first opening for communicating with a first air outlet and a second opening for communicating with a second air outlet, the first centrifugal impeller being rotatably arranged in the housing for drawing air through the first opening, the second centrifugal impeller being rotatably arranged in the housing for drawing air through the second opening, and the driving mechanism being configured to selectively drive one of the first centrifugal impeller and the second centrifugal impeller to rotate, so that the air conditioner is capable of selectively discharging air from one of the first air outlet and the second air outlet. The air conditioner using the air supply structure can adjust the air outlet of the air conditioner according to the needs of the user during use, thereby adjusting the air outlet direction of the air conditioner, achieving airflow delivery in different directions, and improving user experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of air conditioning technology, specifically to an air conditioner and its air supply structure. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, the air vents of air conditioners are fixed, and the airflow has a single path from intake to exhaust, resulting in low air circulation efficiency and affecting the user experience. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide an air conditioner and its air supply structure to at least partially solve the problems existing in the related art.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, according to a first aspect of this disclosure, an air supply structure for an air conditioner is provided, the air conditioner having a first air outlet and a second air outlet with different air outlet directions, the air supply structure comprising: The housing has a first opening and a second opening, the first opening being for communicating with a first air vent, and the second opening being for communicating with the second air vent. The first centrifugal impeller is rotatably disposed inside the housing for drawing air through the first opening; A second centrifugal impeller, rotatably disposed within the housing, is used for air intake through the second opening; and A drive mechanism is provided for selectively driving one of the first centrifugal impeller and the second centrifugal impeller to rotate, so that the air conditioner can selectively discharge air from one of the first air outlet and the second air outlet.

[0005] Through the above technical solution, in the air supply structure provided in this disclosure, since the driving mechanism can selectively drive one of the first centrifugal impeller and the second centrifugal impeller to rotate, the air conditioner can discharge air from one of the first air outlet and the second air outlet. In this way, the air conditioner using this air supply structure can adjust the air outlet of the air conditioner according to the user's needs during use, thereby adjusting the air outlet direction of the air conditioner, realizing airflow delivery in different directions, thus being suitable for different scenarios and improving the user experience.

[0006] Furthermore, since the drive mechanism drives two centrifugal impellers (i.e., the first centrifugal impeller and the second centrifugal impeller) to achieve airflow from different air outlets of the air conditioner, compared with the related technology which uses one impeller to rotate forward and backward to achieve reversible airflow, the airflow structure provided in this application can have a higher airflow volume whether it is forward or reverse airflow, which can meet the user's needs.

[0007] Furthermore, by employing a centrifugal impeller, the air supply structure provided in this application can also have a high air volume and a large air pressure, which is beneficial to improving the indoor air circulation efficiency, achieving rapid indoor heat exchange, and enabling long-distance air supply.

[0008] In some possible implementations, the drive mechanism includes a first drive mechanism and a second drive mechanism arranged independently, wherein the first drive mechanism is used to drive the first centrifugal impeller to rotate, and the second drive mechanism is used to drive the second centrifugal impeller to rotate.

[0009] Since the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism are used to drive the first centrifugal impeller and the second centrifugal impeller to rotate respectively, when the air supply structure is applied to an air conditioner, the first centrifugal impeller or the second centrifugal impeller can be driven to rotate by controlling the movement of the first drive mechanism or the second drive mechanism, thereby realizing that the air conditioner can output air from one of the first air outlet and the second air outlet.

[0010] In addition, the independently configured first and second drive mechanisms can be replaced separately in case of damage, which helps to reduce the operating cost of the air supply structure.

[0011] In some possible implementations, the first drive mechanism includes a first motor, and / or the second drive mechanism includes a second motor.

[0012] The first motor can drive the first centrifugal impeller to rotate. The rotating centrifugal impeller can draw air from the first air outlet of the air conditioner and blow it out from the second air outlet, thus realizing the air supply of the air conditioner.

[0013] The second motor can drive the second centrifugal impeller to rotate. The rotating centrifugal impeller can draw air from the second air outlet of the air conditioner and blow it out from the second air outlet, thus realizing the air supply of the air conditioner.

[0014] In some possible implementations, the drive mechanism further includes at least one mounting bracket, through which the first motor is mounted inside the housing, and the first centrifugal impeller is sleeved and fixed to the power output shaft of the first motor; and / or, The second motor is mounted inside the housing via a mounting bracket, and the second centrifugal impeller is sleeved and fixed to the power output shaft of the second motor.

[0015] The mounting bracket enables reliable installation of the first and second motors within the housing, preventing them from shaking during use.

[0016] In some possible implementations, the drive mechanism includes a bidirectional motor, a first clutch device, and a second clutch device, wherein the bidirectional motor includes a first output shaft and a second output shaft with opposite rotation directions; The first output shaft is connected to the first centrifugal impeller via the first clutch device to drive the first centrifugal impeller to rotate; The second output shaft is connected to the second centrifugal impeller via the second clutch device to drive the second centrifugal impeller to rotate.

[0017] In this way, only one bidirectional motor is needed to drive two centrifugal impellers (i.e., the first centrifugal impeller and the second centrifugal impeller), which can reduce the number of drive components and improve the compactness of the entire drive mechanism.

[0018] Furthermore, by means of the first clutch device and the second clutch device, it is possible to disconnect the transmission connection between one of the centrifugal impellers and the bidirectional motor when the bidirectional motor is running, thereby allowing the drive mechanism to drive only one of the first centrifugal impellers and the second centrifugal impeller to rotate, so that the air conditioner can output air from one of the first air outlet and the second air outlet.

[0019] In some possible implementations, the first opening and the second opening are arranged opposite each other along a first direction, and the first centrifugal impeller and the second centrifugal impeller are arranged at intervals along the first direction.

[0020] When the first and second centrifugal impellers, which are arranged opposite each other along the first direction, rotate, they can generate symmetrical airflow paths and optimize the flow efficiency of the airflow.

[0021] In addition, the first centrifugal impeller and the second centrifugal impeller arranged opposite each other along the first direction can also have a small gap. The first centrifugal impeller and the second centrifugal impeller with a small gap can have a high degree of compactness and small volume, which is convenient for arrangement in the air supply structure.

[0022] In some possible implementations, the first centrifugal impeller includes one of an open centrifugal impeller, a semi-open centrifugal impeller, and a closed centrifugal impeller; and / or, The second centrifugal impeller includes one of an open centrifugal impeller, a semi-open centrifugal impeller, and a closed centrifugal impeller.

[0023] The first and second centrifugal impellers, with their open impeller design, have a simple structure, low cost, and are easy to inspect and maintain. The first and second centrifugal impellers, with their semi-open impeller design, have a larger air inlet area, which helps improve the air delivery efficiency of the air supply structure.

[0024] The first and second centrifugal impellers, which are constructed as closed centrifugal impellers, have high efficiency and low energy loss, which helps to make the air supply structure have low energy consumption.

[0025] In some possible implementations, the housing includes a body and two volutes respectively connected to opposite ends of the body; The first opening and the second opening are respectively provided on the two volutes.

[0026] By setting two volutes at both ends of the main body of the casing, when the airflow blown out by the first centrifugal impeller and the second centrifugal impeller flows out of the casing, it will first pass through the volutes. The volutes can guide the airflow, prevent the airflow from spreading everywhere, and facilitate the airflow to be guided to the first air outlet or the second air outlet.

[0027] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, an air conditioner is provided, including the air supply structure as described above; The first opening is connected to the first air vent, and the second opening is connected to the second air vent.

[0028] This air conditioner has all the beneficial effects of the aforementioned air supply structure, which will not be elaborated here.

[0029] In some possible implementations, the air conditioner further includes a first air duct and a second air duct; The first end of the first duct is connected to the first opening, and the second end of the first duct is used to connect to the first air outlet. The first end of the second duct is connected to the second opening, and the second end of the second duct is used to connect to the second air outlet; Wherein, the opening direction of the second end of the first air duct intersects with the opening direction of the second end of the second air duct.

[0030] The first and second air ducts connect the air supply structure to the outside of the air conditioner, thereby enabling air circulation.

[0031] Furthermore, since the opening direction of the second end of the first air duct intersects with the opening direction of the second end of the second air duct, a greater distance can be allowed between the first air outlet and the second air outlet of the air conditioner. This helps to prevent the air blown out through one of the two air outlets from being sucked in by the other of the two closer air outlets, thus affecting the circulation of air in the room.

[0032] In addition, it allows the first and second air vents of the air conditioner to have different orientations, improving the user experience.

[0033] In some possible implementations, the air conditioner further includes a first connecting pipe, the second end of which is connected to the first air outlet via the first connecting pipe, and the inner diameter of the first connecting pipe gradually increases in the direction away from the first air duct; and / or, The air conditioner also includes a second connecting pipe, the second end of which is connected to the second air outlet. The inner diameter of the second connecting pipe gradually increases in the direction away from the second air duct.

[0034] As the inner diameter of the first connecting pipe gradually increases in the direction away from the first duct, and / or the inner diameter of the second connecting pipe gradually increases in the direction away from the second duct, according to Bernoulli's principle, the first and second connecting pipes can reduce the airflow velocity and increase the airflow pressure. On the one hand, this can prevent the airflow speed from the air conditioner from being too fast, which would result in poor user comfort and excessive noise. On the other hand, the higher air pressure can also improve the indoor circulation and heat exchange effect.

[0035] In addition, the larger size of the first and second connecting pipes can also increase the heat exchange effect between the air and the heat exchanger assembly of the air conditioner.

[0036] In some possible implementations, the air conditioner further includes a housing and a heat exchanger assembly, wherein a partition is provided inside the housing to divide the cavity of the housing into a first chamber and a second chamber, and a through hole is provided on the partition for communicating with the first opening; The first air outlet is connected to the first chamber, and the heat exchanger assembly is disposed in the first chamber; The second air vent is located on the bottom plate of the housing, and the second air vent communicates with the second chamber; The air supply structure is located in the second chamber.

[0037] The through hole enables the connection between the first opening and the first air vent, thereby allowing air to flow within the air conditioner.

[0038] Furthermore, the heat exchanger assembly can exchange heat with the air during the operation of the air conditioner, thereby heating and cooling the air, and thus achieving heating and cooling of the room where the air conditioner is installed.

[0039] In addition, the independent first and second chambers can be used to house different components inside the air conditioner, which can avoid mutual interference between different components during use and facilitate inspection and maintenance.

[0040] In some possible implementations, the air conditioner further includes a first duct and a first connecting pipe, a first end of the first duct being connected to the first opening, and a second end of the first duct being connected to the through hole in the partition via the first connecting pipe; and / or, The air conditioner also includes a second air duct and a second connecting pipe. The first end of the second air duct is connected to the second opening, and the second end of the second air duct is connected to the second air outlet located on the bottom plate of the housing through the second connecting pipe.

[0041] The first air duct and the first connecting pipe can guide the air, preventing the air from spreading and leaking randomly inside the air conditioner. This helps reduce energy loss during operation and improves the air delivery efficiency of the air conditioner.

[0042] The second air duct and the second connecting pipe can guide the air, preventing the air from spreading and leaking randomly inside the air conditioner. This helps reduce energy loss during the operation of the air conditioner and improves the air delivery efficiency of the air conditioner.

[0043] In some possible implementations, there are multiple air supply structures arranged side by side.

[0044] The multiple air supply structures, each connected to the first and second air outlets via their own ducts, are independent of each other and are not prone to mutual interference.

[0045] Multiple air supply structures can operate simultaneously, collectively outputting a large air volume, enabling rapid circulation and heat exchange of indoor air in air-conditioned rooms, which helps improve the user experience.

[0046] Furthermore, multiple interconnected and independently set air supply structures can also deliver air to different locations within the room, making the airflow distribution more uniform and creating a more reasonable airflow field. This reduces dead zones and vortex areas, avoids uneven distribution of indoor temperature and humidity, and improves the overall comfort of the indoor environment.

[0047] Furthermore, even if one of the air supply structures fails, the other air supply structures can still function normally, reducing the risk of equipment operation being affected by a single air supply structure failure and minimizing the impact on indoor environmental regulation during maintenance.

[0048] In some possible implementations, the air conditioner is a ducted air conditioner.

[0049] Air conditioners with ductwork design can work in conjunction with the outdoor unit through ductwork to achieve efficient indoor air delivery and temperature balance, while also being aesthetically pleasing and easy to install in the user's home.

[0050] Through the above technical solution, in the air supply structure provided in this disclosure, since the driving mechanism can selectively drive one of the first centrifugal impeller and the second centrifugal impeller to rotate, the air conditioner can discharge air from one of the first air outlet and the second air outlet. In this way, the air conditioner using this air supply structure can adjust the air outlet of the air conditioner according to the user's needs during use, thereby adjusting the air outlet direction of the air conditioner. It can realize airflow delivery in different directions, thus being suitable for different scenarios, which is conducive to improving air circulation efficiency and enhancing user experience.

[0051] Furthermore, since the drive mechanism drives two centrifugal impellers (i.e., the first centrifugal impeller and the second centrifugal impeller) to achieve airflow from different air outlets of the air conditioner, compared with the related technology which uses one impeller to rotate forward and backward to achieve reversible airflow, the airflow structure provided in this application can have a higher airflow volume whether it is forward or reverse airflow, which can meet the user's needs.

[0052] Furthermore, by employing a centrifugal impeller, the air supply structure provided in this application can also have a high air volume and a large air pressure, which is beneficial to improving the indoor air circulation efficiency, achieving rapid indoor heat exchange, and enabling long-distance air supply.

[0053] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0054] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0055] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an air conditioner provided in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a portion of the structure of an air conditioner provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. Parts of the housing and the volute of the air supply structure are not shown. The airflow direction when the air conditioner is discharging air is schematically shown with dashed lines and arrows.

[0057] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a portion of the structure of an air conditioner provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. Parts of the casing and the volute of the air supply structure are not shown, and the viewing angle is different from... Figure 2 The airflow direction when the air conditioner blows air in the opposite direction is shown schematically with dashed lines and arrows.

[0058] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the drive mechanism of the air supply structure provided in the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the housing and volute of the air supply structure are not shown.

[0059] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the drive mechanism of the air supply structure provided in the second exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, wherein the housing and volute of the air supply structure are not shown.

[0060] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures 100-Air conditioner; 10-Air supply structure; 11-Shell; 111-Body; 112-Volume; 12-First opening; 13-Second opening; 14-First centrifugal impeller; 15-Second centrifugal impeller; 20-First air outlet; 30-Second air outlet; 40-First air duct; 50-Second air duct; 60-First connecting pipe; 70-Second connecting pipe; 80-Box; 81-Partition plate; 82-First chamber; 83-Second chamber; 84-Through hole; 85-Base plate; 90-Heat exchanger assembly; 110-Drive mechanism; 1101-First drive mechanism; 1102-Second drive mechanism; 1103-Mounting bracket; 1104-Bidirectional motor; 1105-First clutch device; 1106-Second clutch device. Detailed Implementation

[0061] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0062] The term "comprising" and its variations as used herein are open-ended inclusions, meaning "including but not limited to". The term "based on" means "at least partially based on". The term "one embodiment" means "at least one embodiment"; the term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment". Definitions of other terms will be given in the following description.

[0063] It should be noted that the concepts of "first" and "second" mentioned in this disclosure are only used to distinguish different devices, modules or units, and are not used to limit the order or interdependence of the functions performed by these devices, modules or units, and do not have any order or importance.

[0064] It should be noted that the terms "a" and "a plurality of" used in this disclosure are illustrative rather than restrictive, and those skilled in the art should understand that, unless otherwise expressly indicated in the context, they should be understood as "one or more".

[0065] In this disclosure, it should be understood that directional terms such as "first direction" are used only for the convenience of describing the disclosure and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or a specific orientation construction and operation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the disclosure. For example, the first direction can be a left-right direction, as detailed in the following references. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown.

[0066] In the description of this disclosure, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set up," "connect," "link," and "install" 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 direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0067] As mentioned above, in related technologies, the indoor unit of an air conditioner typically consists of a single air inlet, a single air outlet, and an evaporator, and delivers air for both cooling and heating operations through a guide vane. This traditional air delivery method suffers from a single air delivery pattern and a poor user experience.

[0068] In view of this, such as Figures 1 to 5 As shown, according to a first aspect of this disclosure, an air supply structure 10 for an air conditioner 100 is provided. The air conditioner 100 has a first air outlet 20 and a second air outlet 30 with different air outlet directions. The air supply structure 10 includes a housing 11, a first centrifugal impeller 14, a second centrifugal impeller 15, and a drive mechanism 110. The housing 11 has a first opening 12 and a second opening 13. The first opening 12 is used to communicate with the first air outlet 20, and the second opening 13 is used to communicate with the second air outlet 30. The first centrifugal impeller 14 is rotatably disposed in the housing 11 for drawing air through the first opening 12, and the second centrifugal impeller 15 is rotatably disposed in the housing 11 for drawing air through the second opening 13. The drive mechanism 110 is used to selectively drive one of the first centrifugal impeller 14 and the second centrifugal impeller 15 to rotate, so that the air conditioner 100 can selectively discharge air from one of the first air outlet 20 and the second air outlet 30. The air supply structure 10 provided in this disclosure can be referred to as a fan.

[0069] It should be noted here that air conditioner 100 refers to equipment in an air conditioning system that is installed indoors to perform functions such as air supply, heating and cooling. For example, air conditioner 100 can be a wall-mounted unit or a floor-standing unit installed indoors, or it can be a ducted unit installed indoors. This disclosure does not limit it in this respect.

[0070] Through the above technical solution, in the air supply structure 10 provided in this disclosure, since the driving mechanism 110 can selectively drive one of the first centrifugal impeller 14 and the second centrifugal impeller 15 to rotate, the air conditioner 100 can discharge air from one of the first air outlet 20 and the second air outlet 30. Thus, during use, the air conditioner 100 using this air supply structure 10 can adjust the air outlet according to the user's needs, thereby adjusting the air outlet direction and achieving airflow delivery in different directions. This makes it suitable for different scenarios, improving air circulation efficiency and enhancing the user experience. For example, it can achieve more effective air circulation and regulation in room corners, specific areas, etc., overcoming the limitations of traditional fixed-direction air outlets and improving the adaptability of the air conditioner 100 under different spatial layouts and usage requirements.

[0071] Furthermore, since the drive mechanism 110 drives two centrifugal impellers (i.e., the first centrifugal impeller 14 and the second centrifugal impeller 15) respectively to achieve air outlets of the air conditioner 100, compared with the related technology which uses one impeller to rotate forward and reverse to achieve reversible air supply, the air supply structure 10 provided in this application can have a high air volume whether it is forward or reverse air supply, which can meet the user's needs.

[0072] Furthermore, by employing a centrifugal impeller, the air supply structure 10 provided in this application can also have a high air volume and a large air pressure, which is beneficial to improving the indoor air circulation efficiency, achieving rapid indoor heat exchange, and enabling long-distance air supply.

[0073] In the air supply structure 10 provided in this disclosure, the drive mechanism 110 can adopt any suitable structure, as long as the drive mechanism 110 can meet the drive requirements of the first centrifugal impeller 14 and the second centrifugal impeller 15.

[0074] As one embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 4 As shown, the drive mechanism 110 may include a first drive mechanism 1101 and a second drive mechanism 1102 arranged independently. The first drive mechanism 1101 is used to drive the first centrifugal impeller 14 to rotate, and the second drive mechanism 1102 is used to drive the second centrifugal impeller 15 to rotate.

[0075] Since the first drive mechanism 1101 and the second drive mechanism 1102 are used to drive the first centrifugal impeller 14 and the second centrifugal impeller 15 to rotate respectively, when the air supply structure 10 is applied to the air conditioner 100, the first centrifugal impeller 14 or the second centrifugal impeller 15 can be driven to rotate by controlling the movement of the first drive mechanism 1101 or the second drive mechanism 1102, thereby realizing that the air conditioner 100 can output air from one of the first air outlet 20 and the second air outlet 30.

[0076] In addition, the independently configured first drive mechanism 1101 and second drive mechanism 1102 can be replaced separately when damaged, which helps to reduce the operating cost of the air supply structure 10.

[0077] This disclosure does not limit the specific type of the first drive mechanism 1101, as long as the first drive mechanism 1101 can meet the drive requirements of the first centrifugal impeller 14.

[0078] As one embodiment of this disclosure, the first drive mechanism 1101 includes a first motor.

[0079] The first motor can drive the first centrifugal impeller 14 to rotate. The rotating centrifugal impeller can draw air from the first air outlet 20 of the air conditioner 100 and blow it out from the second air outlet 30, thereby realizing the air supply of the air conditioner 100.

[0080] As another embodiment of this disclosure, the first driving mechanism 1101 may also be a magnetic driving device or a piezoelectric ceramic driving device, etc., and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0081] This disclosure does not limit the specific type of the second drive mechanism 1102, as long as the second drive mechanism 1102 can meet the drive requirements of the second centrifugal impeller 15.

[0082] As one embodiment of this disclosure, the second drive mechanism 1102 includes a second motor.

[0083] The second motor can drive the second centrifugal impeller 15 to rotate. The rotating centrifugal impeller can draw air from the second air outlet 30 of the air conditioner 100 and blow it out from the second air outlet 30, thereby realizing the air supply of the air conditioner 100.

[0084] As another embodiment of this disclosure, the second driving mechanism 1102 may also be a magnetic driving device or a piezoelectric ceramic driving device, etc., and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0085] To enable the installation of the first motor, optionally, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the drive mechanism 110 also includes at least one mounting bracket 1103. The first motor is mounted inside the housing 11 via the mounting bracket 1103, and the first centrifugal impeller 14 is sleeved and fixed to the power output shaft of the first motor.

[0086] The mounting bracket 1103 enables reliable installation of the first motor within the housing 11, preventing the first motor from shaking during use.

[0087] In addition, the first centrifugal impeller 14, which is mounted on the power output shaft of the first motor, can achieve a transmission connection with the first motor without the need for transmission components, which is beneficial to improving the compactness of the air supply structure 10.

[0088] To enable the installation of the second motor, optionally, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the drive mechanism 110 also includes at least one mounting bracket 1103. The second motor is mounted inside the housing 11 via the mounting bracket 1103, and the second centrifugal impeller 15 is sleeved and fixed to the power output shaft of the second motor.

[0089] The mounting bracket 1103 enables reliable installation of the second motor within the housing 11, preventing the second motor from shaking during use.

[0090] In addition, the second centrifugal impeller 15, which is mounted on the power output shaft of the second motor, can achieve a transmission connection with the second motor without the need for transmission components, which is beneficial to improving the compactness of the air supply structure 10.

[0091] It should be noted that in the air supply structure 10 provided in this disclosure, the drive mechanism 110 is not limited to the independently arranged first drive mechanism 1101 and second drive mechanism 1102 described above. As another embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 5 As shown, the drive mechanism 110 may also include a bidirectional motor 1104, a first clutch device 1105, and a second clutch device 1106. The bidirectional motor 1104 includes a first output shaft and a second output shaft with opposite rotation directions. The first output shaft is connected to the first centrifugal impeller 14 through the first clutch device 1105 to drive the first centrifugal impeller 14 to rotate. The second output shaft is connected to the second centrifugal impeller 15 through the second clutch device 1106 to drive the second centrifugal impeller 15 to rotate.

[0092] Thus, only one bidirectional motor 1104 is needed to drive two centrifugal impellers (i.e., the first centrifugal impeller 14 and the second centrifugal impeller 15), which can reduce the number of driving components and improve the compactness of the entire drive mechanism 110.

[0093] Furthermore, by means of the first clutch device 1105 and the second clutch device 1106, when the bidirectional motor 1104 is running, the transmission connection between one of the centrifugal impellers and the bidirectional motor 1104 can be disconnected, thereby allowing the drive mechanism 110 to drive only one of the first centrifugal impeller 14 and the second centrifugal impeller 15 to rotate, so that the air conditioner 100 can output air from one of the first air outlet 20 and the second air outlet 30.

[0094] In the air supply structure 10 provided in this disclosure, the first centrifugal impeller 14 and the second centrifugal impeller 15 can have any suitable arrangement, and this disclosure does not limit this arrangement. As one embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the first opening 12 and the second opening 13 are arranged opposite each other along the first direction, and the first centrifugal impeller 14 and the second centrifugal impeller 15 are arranged at intervals along the first direction.

[0095] In other words, the first centrifugal impeller 14 and the second centrifugal impeller 15 are arranged opposite to each other along the first direction. When the first centrifugal impeller 14 and the second centrifugal impeller 15 arranged opposite to each other along the first direction rotate, they can generate symmetrical airflow paths and optimize the flow efficiency of the airflow.

[0096] In addition, the first centrifugal impeller 14 and the second centrifugal impeller 15 arranged opposite to each other along the first direction can also have a smaller spacing. The smaller spacing of the first centrifugal impeller 14 and the second centrifugal impeller 15 can have a higher compactness and a smaller volume, which is convenient for arrangement in the air supply structure 10.

[0097] In other embodiments of this disclosure, the first centrifugal impeller 14 and the second centrifugal impeller 15 may also be arranged in a staggered manner. For example, the first centrifugal impeller 14 and the second centrifugal impeller 15 may also be perpendicular to each other. This disclosure does not limit this arrangement.

[0098] In the air supply structure 10 provided in this disclosure, the first centrifugal impeller 14 can be of any suitable type, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0099] As a first embodiment of this disclosure, the first centrifugal impeller 14 may include an open centrifugal impeller.

[0100] An open centrifugal impeller refers to a first centrifugal impeller 14 that does not have a front cover plate and a rear cover plate. The first centrifugal impeller 14 consists of blades and a hub, with the blades directly exposed in the flow channel through which the airflow passes.

[0101] The first centrifugal impeller 14, which is constructed as an open centrifugal impeller, has a simple structure, low cost, and is easy to inspect and maintain.

[0102] As a second embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 3 As shown, the first centrifugal impeller 14 may include a semi-open centrifugal impeller.

[0103] A semi-open centrifugal impeller refers to a centrifugal impeller in which one side of the first centrifugal impeller 14 is open and the other side is connected to the cover plate.

[0104] The first centrifugal impeller 14, which is constructed as a semi-open impeller, has a large air intake area, which is beneficial to improving the air supply efficiency of the air supply structure 10.

[0105] In addition, the semi-open impeller also makes it easier to inspect, maintain and clean.

[0106] As a third embodiment of this disclosure, the first centrifugal impeller 14 may include a closed centrifugal impeller.

[0107] A closed centrifugal impeller refers to a centrifugal impeller in which both sides of the first centrifugal impeller 14 are connected to cover plates, and the blades are enclosed between the front and rear cover plates.

[0108] The first centrifugal impeller 14, constructed as a closed-loop centrifugal impeller, has high efficiency and low energy loss, which helps to achieve low energy consumption in the air supply structure 10. In the air supply structure 10 provided in this disclosure, the second centrifugal impeller 15 can be of any suitable type, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0109] As a first embodiment of this disclosure, the second centrifugal impeller 15 may include an open centrifugal impeller.

[0110] An open centrifugal impeller refers to a second centrifugal impeller 15 that does not have a front cover plate and a rear cover plate. The second centrifugal impeller 15 consists of blades and a hub, with the blades directly exposed in the flow channel through which the airflow passes.

[0111] The second centrifugal impeller 15, constructed as an open centrifugal impeller, has a simple structure, low cost, and is easy to inspect and maintain. As a second embodiment of this disclosure, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the second centrifugal impeller 15 includes a semi-open centrifugal impeller.

[0112] The second centrifugal impeller 15, which is constructed as a semi-open impeller, has a larger air intake area, which is beneficial to improving the air supply efficiency of the air supply structure 10.

[0113] In addition, the semi-open impeller also makes it easier to inspect, maintain and clean.

[0114] As a third embodiment of this disclosure, the second centrifugal impeller 15 may include a closed centrifugal impeller.

[0115] A closed centrifugal impeller refers to a centrifugal impeller in which both sides of the second centrifugal impeller 15 are connected to cover plates, and the blades are enclosed between the front and rear cover plates.

[0116] The second centrifugal impeller 15, which is constructed as a closed centrifugal impeller, has high efficiency and low energy loss, which helps to make the air supply structure 10 have low energy consumption.

[0117] This disclosure does not limit the specific structure of the housing 11; the housing 11 can have any suitable structure. As one embodiment of this disclosure, for example… Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the housing 11 may include a body 111 and two volutes 112 respectively connected to opposite ends of the body 111 (such as opposite ends along the first direction). A first opening 12 and a second opening 13 are respectively disposed on the two volutes 112, that is, the first opening 12 is disposed on one of the two volutes 112 and the second opening 13 is disposed on the other of the two volutes 112.

[0118] By providing two volutes 112 at both ends of the body 111 of the housing 11, when the airflow blown out by the first centrifugal impeller 14 and the second centrifugal impeller 15 flows out of the housing 11, it will first pass through the volutes 112. The volutes 112 can guide the airflow, prevent the airflow from spreading everywhere, and facilitate the airflow to be guided to the first air outlet 20 or the second air outlet 30.

[0119] Optionally, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the flow area of ​​the volute 112 gradually decreases along the direction away from the main body 111. The first opening 12 and the second opening 13 are respectively located at the minimum flow area of ​​the two volutes 112, such as at the minimum inner diameter. Since the flow area of ​​the volute 112 gradually decreases, the power of the airflow blown out by the first centrifugal impeller 14 and the second centrifugal impeller 15 can be converted into pressure energy, increasing the pressure of the airflow, which is beneficial to increasing the air volume of the air conditioner 100.

[0120] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, an air conditioner 100 is provided, including an air supply structure 10 as described above, wherein a first opening 12 is connected to a first air vent 20, and a second opening 13 is connected to a second air vent 30.

[0121] By connecting the first opening 12 of the air supply structure 10 to the first air outlet 20 of the air conditioner 100, and connecting the second opening 13 to the second air outlet 30, the air supply structure 10 can draw air from either the first air outlet 20 or the second air outlet 30, and discharge air from the other of the first air outlet 20 and the second air outlet 30, thereby realizing the air supply of the air conditioner 100.

[0122] The air conditioner 100 has all the beneficial effects of the aforementioned air supply structure 10, which will not be repeated here.

[0123] To facilitate the connection of the air supply structure 10 to the first air outlet 20 and the second air outlet 30 of the air conditioner 100, optionally, as follows: Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the air conditioner 100 also includes a first air duct 40 and a second air duct 50. The first end of the first air duct 40 is connected to the first opening 12, and the second end of the first air duct 40 is used to connect to the first air outlet 20. The first end of the second air duct 50 is connected to the second opening 13, and the second end of the second air duct 50 is used to connect to the second air outlet 30. The opening direction of the second end of the first air duct 40 intersects with the opening direction of the second end of the second air duct 50.

[0124] In other words, the first opening 12 of the air supply structure 10 is connected to the first air outlet 20 of the air conditioner 100 through the first air duct 40, and the second opening 13 of the air supply structure 10 is connected to the second air outlet 30 of the air conditioner 100 through the second air duct 50. In this way, the air supply structure 10 can be connected to the outside of the air conditioner 100 through the first air duct 40 and the second air duct 50, thereby realizing the circulation of air.

[0125] Furthermore, since the opening direction of the second end of the first air duct 40 intersects with the opening direction of the second end of the second air duct 50, a greater distance can be allowed between the first air outlet 20 and the second air outlet 30 of the air conditioner 100. This helps to prevent the air blown out through one of the two air outlets from being sucked in by the other of the two closer air outlets, thus affecting the circulation of air in the room.

[0126] Furthermore, the first air vent 20 and the second air vent 30 of the air conditioner 100 can be oriented differently, thereby enabling the air conditioner 100 to have different modes such as the skylight wind and carpet wind mentioned below, thus improving the user experience.

[0127] Optionally, as shown in the figure, the first air vent 20 is located above the second air vent 30.

[0128] In this way, when there is a need for cooling indoors, the air can be discharged from the first air outlet 20 at a higher height. In this way, the cold air blown out by the air conditioner 100 can slowly flow from the upper part of the room to the lower part under its own gravity (sky curtain wind). It can quickly exchange heat with the less dense hot air to achieve rapid cooling of the room, and can also cover the human body from top to bottom in the form of shower wind, improving the user's comfort.

[0129] When there is a need for heating indoors, the air conditioner 100 can also blow air out from the lower second air vent 30. In this way, the hot air blown out by the air conditioner 100 can rise slowly due to its low density (carpet wind), which can quickly exchange heat with the higher density cold air and cover the human body from bottom to top in the form of shower wind, thus improving the user's comfort.

[0130] To further improve the performance of air conditioner 100, optionally, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the air conditioner 100 also includes a first connecting pipe 60, the second end of the first air duct 40 is connected to the first air outlet 20 through the first connecting pipe 60, and the inner diameter of the first connecting pipe 60 gradually increases in the direction away from the first air duct 40, and / or, the air conditioner 100 also includes a second connecting pipe 70, the second end of the second air duct 50 is connected to the second air outlet 30 through the second connecting pipe 70, and the inner diameter of the second connecting pipe 70 gradually increases in the direction away from the second air duct 50.

[0131] As the inner diameter of the first connecting pipe 60 gradually increases in the direction away from the first duct 40, and / or the inner diameter of the second connecting pipe 70 gradually increases in the direction away from the second duct 50, according to Bernoulli's principle, the first connecting pipe 60 and the second connecting pipe 70 can reduce the airflow velocity and increase the airflow pressure. On the one hand, this can prevent the airflow speed blown out by the air conditioner 100 from being too fast, which would result in poor user comfort and excessive noise. On the other hand, the higher air pressure can also improve the indoor circulation and heat exchange effect.

[0132] In addition, the larger size of the first connecting pipe 60 and the second connecting pipe 70 can also increase the heat exchange effect between the air and the heat exchanger assembly 90 of the air conditioner 100.

[0133] This disclosure does not limit the specific structure of the air conditioner 100; alternatively, such as... Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the air conditioner 100 also includes a housing 80 and a heat exchanger assembly 90. A partition 81 is provided inside the housing 80, which divides the cavity of the housing 80 into a first chamber 82 and a second chamber 83. A through hole 84 is provided on the partition 81, which is used to communicate with the first opening 12. The first air outlet 20 is connected to the first chamber 82. The heat exchanger assembly 90 is located in the first chamber 82. The second air outlet 30 is located on the bottom plate 85 of the housing 80 and is connected to the second chamber 83. The air supply structure 10 is located in the second chamber 83.

[0134] The through hole 84 enables the first opening 12 to connect with the first air vent 20, thereby allowing air to flow within the air conditioner 100.

[0135] Furthermore, the heat exchanger assembly 90 can exchange heat with the air during the operation of the air conditioner 100, thereby heating and cooling the air, and thus heating and cooling the room where the air conditioner 100 is installed.

[0136] In addition, the independent first chamber 82 and second chamber 83 can be used to house different components within the air conditioner 100, which can avoid mutual interference between different components during use and facilitate inspection and maintenance.

[0137] This disclosure does not limit the specific type of the heat exchanger assembly 90. As one embodiment of this disclosure, the heat exchanger assembly 90 may include an evaporator and an electric auxiliary heating device.

[0138] Evaporators cool the air, thus lowering the indoor temperature, while electric auxiliary heating devices heat the air, thus raising the indoor temperature.

[0139] To achieve the connection between the air supply structure 10 and the first air outlet 20 of the air conditioner 100, optionally, as follows: Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the air conditioner 100 also includes a first air duct 40 and a first connecting pipe 60. The first end of the first air duct 40 is connected to the first opening 12, and the second end of the first air duct 40 is connected to the through hole 84 on the partition 81 through the first connecting pipe 60.

[0140] The first air duct 40 and the first connecting pipe 60 can guide the air, preventing the air from spreading and leaking randomly inside the air conditioner 100. This helps reduce the energy loss of the air conditioner 100 during operation and improves the air supply efficiency of the air conditioner 100.

[0141] To achieve the connection between the air supply structure 10 and the second air outlet 30 of the air conditioner 100, optionally, as follows: Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the air conditioner 100 also includes a second air duct 50 and a second connecting pipe 70. The second end of the second air duct 50 is connected to the second opening 13, and the second end of the second air duct 50 is connected to the through hole 84 on the partition 81 through the second connecting pipe 70.

[0142] The second air duct 50 and the second connecting pipe 70 can guide the air, preventing the air from spreading and leaking randomly inside the air conditioner 100. This helps reduce the energy loss of the air conditioner 100 during operation and improves the air supply efficiency of the air conditioner 100.

[0143] In the air conditioner 100 provided in this application, the first centrifugal impeller 14 and the second centrifugal impeller 15 are disposed in the housing 11. Two volutes 112 are respectively connected to the two ends of the main body 111. The first opening 12 disposed on the volute 112 is connected to the first end of the first air duct 40. The second end of the first air duct 40 is connected to one end of the first connecting pipe 60, and the other end of the first connecting pipe 60 is connected to the through hole 84 on the partition 81 and communicates with the first opening 12 through the first chamber 82.

[0144] In addition, a second opening 13 provided on another volute 112 is connected to the first end of the second air duct 50, the second end of the second air duct 50 is connected to one end of the second connecting pipe 70, and the other end of the second connecting pipe 70 is connected to the second opening 13 provided on the bottom plate 85 of the housing 80.

[0145] In the air conditioner 100 provided in this disclosure, the number of air supply structures 10 can be one or more, as long as the air supply structures 10 can meet the usage requirements of the air conditioner 100, and this disclosure does not limit this.

[0146] As one embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 2and Figure 3 As shown, there are multiple air supply structures 10, which are arranged side by side, that is, multiple air supply structures 10 are arranged independently. For example, there are two air supply structures 10, which are arranged side by side and independently.

[0147] It should be noted that the parallel arrangement of multiple air supply structures 10 means that there are multiple first air ducts 40, second air ducts 50, first connecting pipes 60, and second connecting pipes 70. The number of first air ducts 40, second air ducts 50, first connecting pipes 60, and second connecting pipes 70 corresponds to the number of air supply structures 10. Each air supply structure 10 is connected to the first air outlet 20 and the second air outlet 30 through its corresponding first air duct 40, second air duct 50, first connecting pipe 60, and second connecting pipe 70. In other words, each air supply structure 10 is connected to the first air outlet 20 and the second air outlet 30 through its own ductwork.

[0148] The multiple air supply structures 10, which are connected to the first air outlet 20 and the second air outlet 30 through their respective pipelines, are independent of each other and are not prone to mutual interference.

[0149] Multiple air supply structures 10 can operate simultaneously, jointly outputting a large air volume, realizing rapid circulation and heat exchange of indoor air in the air conditioner 100, which helps to improve the user experience.

[0150] Furthermore, the multiple air supply structures 10 arranged side by side can also supply air to different positions in the room, making the airflow distribution in the room more uniform, forming a more reasonable airflow field, reducing dead air supply angles and vortex areas, avoiding uneven distribution of indoor temperature and humidity, and improving the overall comfort of the indoor environment.

[0151] Furthermore, even if one of the air supply structures 10 fails, the others can still operate normally, reducing the risk of equipment operation being affected by the failure of a single air supply structure 10 and minimizing the impact on indoor environmental control during maintenance. For embodiments where there are multiple air supply structures 10 arranged side-by-side, optionally, as... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, multiple first connecting pipes 60, which are respectively connected to multiple air supply structures 10, are all connected to the first chamber 82 through the through holes 84 on the partition plate 81.

[0152] The air conditioner 100 provided in this disclosure can be of any suitable type, and this disclosure does not limit it. As one embodiment of this disclosure, the air conditioner 100 is a ducted air conditioner.

[0153] The ducted air conditioner 100 can work with the outdoor unit through ducts to achieve efficient indoor air supply and temperature balance, and has a high aesthetic appeal and is easy to install in the user's home.

[0154] As another embodiment of this disclosure, the air conditioner 100 may also be a wall-mounted unit or a floor-standing unit installed indoors, and this disclosure does not limit it in this way.

[0155] The air conditioner mentioned above can be any type of air conditioner. For example, the air conditioner can be a household air conditioner, a commercial air conditioner, or a laboratory air conditioner. This disclosure does not limit it in this regard.

[0156] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of this disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0157] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0158] Furthermore, various different embodiments of this disclosure can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this disclosure, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this disclosure.

Claims

1. An air supply structure for an air conditioner, characterized in that, The air conditioner has a first air outlet and a second air outlet with different air outlet directions, and the air supply structure includes: The housing has a first opening and a second opening, the first opening being for communicating with a first air vent, and the second opening being for communicating with the second air vent. The first centrifugal impeller is rotatably disposed inside the housing for drawing air through the first opening; A second centrifugal impeller, rotatably disposed within the housing, is used for air intake through the second opening; and A drive mechanism is provided for selectively driving one of the first centrifugal impeller and the second centrifugal impeller to rotate, so that the air conditioner can selectively discharge air from one of the first air outlet and the second air outlet.

2. The air supply structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive mechanism includes a first drive mechanism and a second drive mechanism arranged independently. The first drive mechanism is used to drive the first centrifugal impeller to rotate, and the second drive mechanism is used to drive the second centrifugal impeller to rotate.

3. The air supply structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first drive mechanism includes a first motor, and / or the second drive mechanism includes a second motor.

4. The air supply structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drive mechanism further includes at least one mounting bracket, the first motor is mounted inside the housing via the mounting bracket, and the first centrifugal impeller is sleeved and fixed to the power output shaft of the first motor; and / or, The second motor is mounted inside the housing via a mounting bracket, and the second centrifugal impeller is sleeved and fixed to the power output shaft of the second motor.

5. The air supply structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive mechanism includes a bidirectional motor, a first clutch device, and a second clutch device. The bidirectional motor includes a first output shaft and a second output shaft with opposite rotation directions. The first output shaft is connected to the first centrifugal impeller via the first clutch device to drive the first centrifugal impeller to rotate; The second output shaft is connected to the second centrifugal impeller via the second clutch device to drive the second centrifugal impeller to rotate.

6. The air supply structure according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The first opening and the second opening are arranged opposite each other along a first direction, and the first centrifugal impeller and the second centrifugal impeller are arranged at intervals along the first direction.

7. The air supply structure according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The first centrifugal impeller includes one of an open centrifugal impeller, a semi-open centrifugal impeller, and a closed centrifugal impeller; and / or, The second centrifugal impeller includes one of an open centrifugal impeller, a semi-open centrifugal impeller, and a closed centrifugal impeller.

8. The air supply structure according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The housing includes a body and two volutes respectively connected to opposite ends of the body; The first opening and the second opening are respectively provided on the two volutes.

9. An air conditioner, characterized in that, Includes the air supply structure according to any one of claims 1-8; The first opening is connected to the first air vent, and the second opening is connected to the second air vent.

10. The air conditioner according to claim 9, characterized in that, The air conditioner also includes a first air duct and a second air duct. The first end of the first duct is connected to the first opening, and the second end of the first duct is used to connect to the first air outlet. The first end of the second duct is connected to the second opening, and the second end of the second duct is used to connect to the second air outlet; Wherein, the opening direction of the second end of the first air duct intersects with the opening direction of the second end of the second air duct.

11. The air conditioner according to claim 10, characterized in that, The air conditioner further includes a first connecting pipe, the second end of which is connected to the first air outlet via the first connecting pipe, and the inner diameter of the first connecting pipe gradually increases in the direction away from the first air duct; and / or, The air conditioner also includes a second connecting pipe, the second end of which is connected to the second air outlet. The inner diameter of the second connecting pipe gradually increases in the direction away from the second air duct.

12. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 9-11, characterized in that, The air conditioner also includes a housing and a heat exchanger assembly. A partition is provided inside the housing, which divides the cavity of the housing into a first chamber and a second chamber. A through hole is provided on the partition, which is used to communicate with the first opening. The first air outlet is connected to the first chamber, and the heat exchanger assembly is disposed in the first chamber; The second air vent is located on the bottom plate of the housing, and the second air vent communicates with the second chamber; The air supply structure is located in the second chamber.

13. The air conditioner according to claim 12, characterized in that, The air conditioner further includes a first air duct and a first connecting pipe, a first end of the first air duct being connected to the first opening, and a second end of the first air duct being connected to the through hole in the partition through the first connecting pipe; and / or, The air conditioner also includes a second air duct and a second connecting pipe. The first end of the second air duct is connected to the second opening, and the second end of the second air duct is connected to the second air outlet located on the bottom plate of the housing through the second connecting pipe.

14. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 9-11, characterized in that, The number of air supply structures is multiple, and the multiple air supply structures are arranged side by side.

15. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 9-11, characterized in that, The air conditioner in question is a ducted air conditioner.

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