Housing and outdoor unit

Abstract

A housing (4) and an outdoor unit (100), relating to the technical field of air conditioners. The outdoor unit (100) comprises the housing (4), and the housing (4) comprises a top cover (41) and a front panel (42). The top cover (41) comprises a top plate (411) and a front edge plate (412), the front edge plate (412) being connected to an edge of the top plate (411), and an edge of the front edge plate (412) being provided with an inwardly protruding front engaging portion (413). The front panel (42) is connected to an inner side of the front edge plate (412), a front recess (421) being formed in the surface of the front panel (42), and the front engaging portion (413) fitting with the front recess (421). The edge of the front edge plate (412) of the top cover (41) is provided with the inwardly protruding front engaging portion (413), and the surface of the front panel (42) is provided with the front recess (421), the front engaging portion (413) fitting with the front recess (421) so that a snap-fit connection is established between the top cover (41) and the front panel (42). Since the connection between the top cover (41) and the front panel (42) does not require screws, there is no need to pre-form screw holes, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process, and improving disassembly and assembly efficiency. In addition, the number of screws on the front panel (42) is reduced, thereby improving the visual attractiveness of the outdoor unit (100).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of air conditioners, and in particular, to a housing and an outdoor unit.BACKGROUND ART

[0002] In existing outdoor units, a top cover is connected to a front panel, a back panel, and two side panels by screws. Although this secures the top cover firmly to each panel, it results in a large number of screws connecting the top cover to the panels. This not only requires additional punching processes during manufacturing, but also necessitates multiple screwdriving operations during assembly and disassembly, leading to low efficiency. Additionally, the large number of screws can detract from the aesthetic appearance of the outdoor unit.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need to solve the technical problem at present of how to simplify the connection form between the top cover and each panel, and to improve assembly / disassembly efficiency and aesthetic appearance.SUMMARY

[0004] The problem to be solved by the present invention is that in existing outdoor units, the top cover is connected to the panels with a large number of screws, which is not only troublesome to manufacture but also results in low assembly and disassembly efficiency.

[0005] To solve the above problem, in a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a housing applicable to an outdoor unit, the housing including: a top cover, including a top plate and a front side plate, wherein the front side plate is connected to an edge of the top plate, and an edge of the front side plate is provided with a front snap-fit portion protruding inward; and a front panel, connected to an inner side of the front side plate, wherein a surface of the front panel is provided with a front groove, and the front snap-fit portion is in engagement with the front groove.

[0006] The housing provided by the embodiments of the present invention has the following beneficial effects.

[0007] 1. The edge of the front side plate of the top cover is provided with the front snap-fit portion protruding inward, and the surface of the front panel is provided with the front groove. The engagement between the front snap-fit portion and the front groove achieves a snap-fit connection between the top cover and the front panel, eliminating the need for screw connections and thus eliminating the need for pre-set screw holes therebetween. This not only simplifies the manufacturing process but also improves assembly and disassembly efficiency.

[0008] 2. The number of screws on the front panel is reduced, improving the aesthetic appearance of the outdoor unit.

[0009] In an optional embodiment, the front snap-fit portion is formed by bending the edge of the front side plate inward.

[0010] Thus, the front snap-fit portion can be formed simply and efficiently, and the connection strength with the front side plate is high.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, a length of the front snap-fit portion is equal to a length of the front side plate.

[0012] Thus, it is equivalent to the front snap-fit portion extending over the entire length of the front side plate, i.e., the entire edge of the front side plate is bent inward to form the front snap-fit portion. This is not only convenient for manufacturing but also enhances the snap-fit strength between the front side plate and the front panel.

[0013] In an optional embodiment, a top portion of the front panel is stamped inward to form a front recessed region, the front recessed region is stamped outward to form a front protrusion, and the front groove is formed between the front protrusion and a lower side wall of the front recessed region.

[0014] Thus, not only is the method of forming the front groove simple, but the front side plate is also substantially accommodated within the front recessed region, preventing the front side plate from protruding significantly relative to the front panel, resulting in a relatively flat and aesthetically pleasing overall shape of the housing.

[0015] In an optional embodiment, a length of the lower side wall of the front recessed region is equal to a length of the front panel.

[0016] Thus, it is equivalent to the front recessed region extending over the entire length of the front panel, precisely allowing the front recessed region to accommodate the entire edge of the front side plate, enabling a compact assembly of the front side plate and the front panel.

[0017] In an optional embodiment, a plurality of front protrusions are arranged at intervals along a length direction of the lower side wall of the front recessed region.

[0018] Thus, the plurality of spaced-apart front protrusions protrude uniformly against the front snap-fit portion, ensuring uniform stress on the front snap-fit portion and improving the snapping stability of the groove on the front snap-fit portion.

[0019] In an optional embodiment, an upper side wall of the front groove is inclined relative to a vertical direction, and a top end of the front snap-fit portion abuts against the upper side wall of the front groove.

[0020] Thus, the entire upper side wall of the front groove can be used for contact and cooperation with the front snap-fit portion. This solves issues such as difficulty in assembling the front groove and the front snap-fit portion due to insufficient manufacturing precision, or looseness after the front snap-fit portion is assembled into the front groove.

[0021] In an optional embodiment, the top cover further includes a rear side plate connected to a rear edge of the top plate, and an edge of the rear side plate is provided with a rear snap-fit portion protruding inward; and

[0022] the housing further includes a back panel connected to an inner side of the rear side plate, a surface of the back panel is provided with a rear groove, and the rear snap-fit portion engages with the rear groove.

[0023] Thus, the edge of the rear side plate of the top cover is provided with the rear snap-fit portion protruding inward, and the surface of the back panel is provided with the rear groove. The engagement between the rear snap-fit portion and the rear groove achieves a snap-fit connection between the top cover and the back panel, eliminating the need for screw connections and thus eliminating the need for pre-set screw holes therebetween. This not only simplifies the manufacturing process but also improves assembly and disassembly efficiency. The number of screws on the back panel is reduced, enhancing the aesthetic appearance of the outdoor unit.

[0024] In an optional embodiment, the top cover further includes two side plates, the two side plates are respectively connected to left and right sides of the top plate; and the housing further includes two side panels, and the side plates of the top cover are connected to outer sides of the side panels and are connected by screws.

[0025] Thus, screws are provided on the two side plates of the top cover to connect with the two side panels, ensuring the connection strength between the top cover and the two side panels.

[0026] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an outdoor unit, including: the housing as described above, wherein the front panel is provided with a ventilation opening; a fan blade installed within the housing and facing the ventilation opening; and a base disposed at a bottom of the housing for supporting the housing.

[0027] In the outdoor unit provided by the embodiment of the present invention, the number of screws on the housing is reduced, which not only simplifies the manufacturing process but also improves assembly and disassembly efficiency and aesthetic appearance.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an outdoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a schematic full sectional structure view of an outdoor unit (with the back panel omitted) according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of part C in FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a schematic structural view of the outdoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention with the top cover hidden; and FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of part D in FIG. 6.

[0029] Description of reference numerals: 100, outdoor unit; 1, fan blade; 2, condenser; 3, base; 4, housing; 41, top cover; 411, top plate; 412, front side plate; 413, front snap-fit portion; 414, rear side plate; 415, rear snap-fit portion; 42, front panel; 421, front groove; 422, front recessed region; 423, front protrusion; 424, ventilation opening; 43, back panel; 431, rear groove; 432, rear recessed region; 433, rear protrusion; 44, side panel.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0030] To make the above objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] It is noted that the terms "front", "rear", "left", "right", "up", and "down" used in this embodiment are based on the normal use state of the outdoor unit and are also commonly used terms by those skilled in the art, as indicated by the directional arrows in FIG. 6.

[0032] Please refer to FIGS. 1, 4, and 6, this embodiment provides an outdoor unit 100. The outdoor unit 100 includes a housing 4, a fan blade 1, a condenser 2, and a base 3. The housing 4 includes a top cover 41, a front panel 42, a back panel 43, and side panels 44. Of course, the outdoor unit 100 provided in this embodiment also includes other conventional components, which will not be described here.

[0033] In this embodiment, the front panel 42 and the back panel 43 are disposed opposite each other. One side panel 44 is connected between one end of the front panel 42 and one end of the back panel 43, and the other side panel 44 is connected between the other end of the front panel 42 and the other end of the back panel 43. The top cover 41 covers top ends of the front panel 42, the back panel 43, and the two side panels 44. The fan blade 1 is installed within the housing 4. The front panel 42 is provided with a ventilation opening 424 (please refer to FIG. 6), and the fan blade 1 faces the ventilation opening 424. The condenser 2 is installed within the housing 4 and is disposed close to the back panel 43. The base 3 is disposed at a bottom of the housing 4 for supporting the housing 4.

[0034] Please refer to FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, the top cover 41 includes a top plate 411 and a front side plate 412. The front side plate 412 is connected to an edge of the top plate 411. An edge of the front side plate 412 is provided with a front snap-fit portion 413 protruding inward (toward the interior of the housing 4). The front panel 42 is connected to an inner side of the front side plate 412. A surface of the front panel 42 is provided with a front groove 421. The front snap-fit portion 413 is in engagement with the front groove 421, achieving a snap-fit connection between the top cover 41 and the front panel 42. This eliminates the need for screw connections and thus eliminates the need for pre-set screw holes therebetween, not only simplifying the manufacturing process but also improving assembly and disassembly efficiency. Furthermore, the number of screws on the front panel 42 is reduced, enhancing the aesthetic appearance of the outdoor unit 100.

[0035] The front snap-fit portion 413 is formed by bending the edge of the front side plate 412 inward. Thus, the front snap-fit portion 413 is simple and efficient to form, and the connection strength with the front side plate 412 is high.

[0036] A length of the front snap-fit portion 413 is equal to a length of the front side plate 412. The length here refers to the dimension extending in the left-right direction. Thus, it is equivalent to the front snap-fit portion 413 extending over the entire length of the front side plate 412, i.e., the entire edge of the front side plate 412 is bent inward to form the front snap-fit portion 413. This is not only convenient for manufacturing but also enhances the snap-fit strength between the front side plate 412 and the front panel 42.

[0037] Please refer to FIGS. 2, 4, and 5 to 7, a top portion of the front panel 42 is stamped inward to form a front recessed region 422. The front recessed region 422 is stamped outward (toward the exterior of the housing 4) to form a front protrusion 423. The front groove 421 is formed between the front protrusion 423 and a lower side wall of the front recessed region 422. Thus, not only is the method of forming the front groove 421 simple, but the front side plate 412 is also substantially accommodated within the front recessed region 422, preventing the front side plate 412 from protruding significantly relative to the front panel 42, resulting in a relatively flat and aesthetically pleasing overall shape of the housing 4.

[0038] A length of the lower side wall of the front recessed region 422 is equal to a length of the front panel 42. The length here refers to the dimension extending in the left-right direction. Thus, it is equivalent to the front recessed region 422 extending over the entire length of the front panel 42, precisely allowing the front recessed region 422 to accommodate the entire edge of the front side plate 412, enabling a compact assembly of the front side plate 412 and the front panel 42.

[0039] A plurality of front protrusions 423 are arranged at intervals along a length direction of the lower side wall of the front recessed region 422. Thus, the plurality of spaced-apart front protrusions 423 protrude uniformly against the front snap-fit portion 413, ensuring uniform stress on the front snap-fit portion 413 and improving the snapping stability of the groove on the front snap-fit portion 413.

[0040] Please refer to FIGS. 2 and 5, an upper side wall of the front groove 421 is inclined relative to a vertical direction. A top end of the front snap-fit portion 413 abuts against the upper side wall of the front groove 421. Thus, the entire upper side wall of the front groove 421 can be used for contact and cooperation with the front snap-fit portion 413. This solves issues such as difficulty in assembling the front groove 421 and the front snap-fit portion 413 due to insufficient manufacturing precision, or looseness after the front snap-fit portion 413 is assembled into the front groove 421.

[0041] Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 3, the top cover 41 further includes a rear side plate 414 connected to a rear edge of the top plate 411. An edge of the rear side plate 414 is provided with a rear snap-fit portion 415 protruding inward (toward the interior of the housing 4). The back panel 43 is connected to an inner side of the rear side plate 414. A surface of the back panel 43 is provided with a rear groove 431. The rear snap-fit portion 415 engages with the rear groove 431. Thus, the edge of the rear side plate 414 of the top cover 41 is provided with the rear snap-fit portion 415 protruding inward, and the surface of the back panel 43 is provided with the rear groove 431. The engagement between the rear snap-fit portion 415 and the rear groove 431 achieves a snap-fit connection between the top cover 41 and the back panel 43, eliminating the need for screw connections and thus eliminating the need for pre-set screw holes therebetween. This not only simplifies the manufacturing process but also improves assembly and disassembly efficiency. The number of screws on the back panel 43 is reduced, enhancing the aesthetic appearance of the outdoor unit 100.

[0042] Specifically, the rear snap-fit portion 415 is formed by bending the edge of the rear side plate 414 inward (toward the interior of the housing 4). A top portion of the back panel 43 is also provided with a rear recessed region 432, which can also be formed by stamping. A rear protrusion 433 is provided within the rear recessed region 432. The rear protrusion 433 is formed by stamping the material in the rear recessed region 432 outward (toward the exterior of the housing 4). The rear groove 431 is formed between the rear protrusion 433 and a lower side wall of the rear recessed region 432.

[0043] In this embodiment, the top cover 41 (including the top plate 411, the front side plate 412, the rear side plate 414, and the two side plates) can be integrally formed or stamped from a single sheet of material. This provides the top cover 41 with greater overall strength and stronger connections between the plates.

[0044] The housing 4 further includes two side panels 44. The side plates of the top cover 41 are connected to outer sides of the side panels 44 and are connected by screws. Thus, screws are provided on the two side plates (not shown) of the top cover 41 to connect with the two side panels 44, ensuring the connection strength between the top cover 41 and the two side panels 44.

[0045] The housing 4 and the outdoor unit 100 provided by the embodiments of the present invention have the following beneficial effects. 1. The edge of the front side plate 412 of the top cover 41 is provided with the front snap-fit portion 413 protruding inward, and the surface of the front panel 42 is provided with the front groove 421. The engagement between the front snap-fit portion 413 and the front groove 421 achieves a snap-fit connection between the top cover 41 and the front panel 42, eliminating the need for screw connections and thus eliminating the need for pre-set screw holes therebetween. This not only simplifies the manufacturing process but also improves assembly and disassembly efficiency. 2. The top end of the front snap-fit portion 413 abuts against (maintaining a mutually pressing force) the inclined upper side wall of the front groove 421. This solves issues such as difficulty in assembling the front groove 421 and the front snap-fit portion 413 due to insufficient manufacturing precision, or looseness after the front snap-fit portion 413 is assembled into the front groove 421. 3. The edge of the rear side plate 414 of the top cover 41 is provided with the rear snap-fit portion 415 protruding inward, and the surface of the back panel 43 is provided with the rear groove 431. The engagement between the rear snap-fit portion 415 and the rear groove 431 achieves a snap-fit connection between the top cover 41 and the back panel 43, eliminating the need for screw connections and thus eliminating the need for pre-set screw holes therebetween. This not only simplifies the manufacturing process but also improves assembly and disassembly efficiency. 4. The number of screws on the front panel 42 and the back panel 43 is reduced, improving the aesthetic appearance of the outdoor unit 100.

[0046] Although the present invention is disclosed as above, it is not limited thereto. Various changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be determined by the scope defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A housing, applicable to an outdoor unit, characterized by comprising: a top cover (41), comprising a top plate (411) and a front side plate (412), wherein the front side plate (412) is connected to an edge of the top plate (411), and an edge of the front side plate (412) is provided with a front snap-fit portion (413) protruding inward; and a front panel (42), connected to an inner side of the front side plate (412), wherein a surface of the front panel (42) is provided with a front groove (421), and the front snap-fit portion (413) is in engagement with the front groove (421).

2. The housing according to claim 1, wherein the front snap-fit portion (413) is formed by bending the edge of the front side plate (412) inward.

3. The housing according to claim 1, wherein a length of the front snap-fit portion (413) is equal to a length of the front side plate (412).

4. The housing according to claim 1, wherein a top portion of the front panel (42) is stamped inward to form a front recessed region (422), the front recessed region (422) is stamped outward to form a front protrusion (423), and the front groove (421) is formed between the front protrusion (423) and a lower side wall of the front recessed region (422).

5. The housing according to claim 4, wherein a length of the lower side wall of the front recessed region (422) is equal to a length of the front panel (42).

6. The housing according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of front protrusions (423) are arranged at intervals along a length direction of the lower side wall of the front recessed region (422).

7. The housing according to claim 1, wherein an upper side wall of the front groove (421) is inclined relative to a vertical direction, and a top end of the front snap-fit portion (413) abuts against the upper side wall of the front groove (421).

8. The housing according to claim 1, wherein the top cover (41) further comprises a rear side plate (414) connected to a rear edge of the top plate (411), and an edge of the rear side plate (414) is provided with a rear snap-fit portion (415) protruding inward; and the housing further comprises a back panel (43) connected to an inner side of the rear side plate (414), a surface of the back panel (43) is provided with a rear groove (431), and the rear snap-fit portion (415) engages with the rear groove (431).

9. The housing according to claim 1, wherein the top cover (41) further comprises two side plates, the two side plates are respectively connected to left and right sides of the top plate (411); and the housing further comprises two side panels (44), and the side plates of the top cover (41) are connected to outer sides of the side panels (44) and are connected by screws.

10. An outdoor unit, characterized by comprising: the housing according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the front panel (42) is provided with a ventilation opening (424); a fan blade (1) installed within the housing and facing the ventilation opening (424); and a base (3) disposed at a bottom of the housing for supporting the housing.

Images