Air Conditioner Indoor Unit Grille Stabilization With Asymmetric Claws
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Solution Overview
Problem
In existing air-conditioning indoor units, the suction grille tends to swing and potentially contact workers or walls when detached and fixed back using strings alone, due to the vertical tension exerted by its weight, leading to safety and operational issues.
Innovation Solution
The indoor unit design incorporates a decorative panel with panel claw portions spaced further apart than grille claw portions, causing fall prevention strings to exert tension not only vertically but also longitudinally, thereby stabilizing the suction grille and reducing swings in the front-and-back and left-and-right directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the suction grille is fixed to the decorative panel by strings only, then the suction grille can be detached and reattached easily, but the suction grille swings in front-and-back and left-and-right directions due to vertical tension from its weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by making the distance between panel claw portions (W1) greater than the distance between grille claw portions (W2). This asymmetric configuration causes the fall prevention strings to exert tension not only in the vertical direction but also in the longitudinal direction of the suction grille, thereby stabilizing the grille and preventing unwanted swings while maintaining ease of attachment and detachment.
2Device complexity
If the suction grille is held only by vertical strings, then the structure is simple, but the suction grille may contact workers or walls due to swinging movements
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric arrangement of claw portions with W1 > W2 creates a structural configuration that generates longitudinal tension components in the fall prevention strings. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining relative structural simplicity while eliminating the harmful swinging motion that could cause safety hazards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by designing the string fixation structure to preemptively counteract the swinging motion before it can cause harm. The asymmetric claw portion configuration pre-establishes tension components that resist both vertical gravity and horizontal swinging forces, preventing contact with workers or walls before such contact can occur.
Data Source
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AI summary
An indoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus includes: a main body provided with an opening port; and a rectangular decorative panel attached to the main body to cover the opening port. The decorative panel includes a rectangular suction grille provided to face the opening port of the main body. The suction grille has one side rotatably supported on one side of the decorative panel, and is detachably attached to the decorative panel. The one side of the suction grille and the one side of the decorative panel are secured to each other by a plurality of fall prevention strings each extending between the suction grille and the decorative panel. The decorative panel is provided with two panel claw portions to which respective portions of the plurality of fall prevention strings are to be hooked. The suction grille is provided with two grille claw portions to each of which respective end portions of the plurality of fall prevention strings are to be hooked. A distance W1 between the two panel claw portions is greater than a distance W2 between the two grille claw portions.