Air Conditioner Latch Assembly Simplifies Driving Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air conditioners face challenges with complex driving devices for air-deflecting doors, leading to inefficient assembly and poor air-deflecting effects due to their intricate structure.

Innovation Solution

An air conditioner design featuring a simplified driving mechanism with a latch assembly that serves as both a connecting and transmission member between the driving wheel and the outer guide rotating shaft, allowing for coaxial rotation and detachment, thereby simplifying the structure and improving assembly efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a complex driving device is used for the air-deflecting door, then the air-deflecting effect can be improved, but the structure becomes complicated and assembly efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair-deflecting effectVSAvoiddriving device structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The latch assembly integrates both connection and transmission functions into a single component. The latch body serves as both the connecting element between the driving wheel and outer guide rotating shaft, and as the transmission element that transfers rotational motion. This merging of functions simplifies the overall structure while maintaining effective air deflection control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The latch assembly performs multiple functions simultaneously: it connects the driving wheel to the outer guide rotating shaft, transmits rotational motion, and enables detachable connection for assembly/disassembly. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby simplifying the driving device structure while preserving reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If the driving device structure is simplified, then assembly efficiency is improved, but the air-deflecting effect may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly efficiencyVSAvoidair-deflecting effect
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By combining connection and transmission functions in the latch assembly, the number of parts is reduced, making assembly faster and more efficient. The integrated design eliminates the need for separate connection mechanisms and transmission mechanisms, streamlining the assembly process while maintaining functional effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The latch assembly is designed as a detachable connection that can be easily assembled and disassembled. The latch body with its positioning holes and the outer guide rotating shaft with corresponding positioning protrusions create a segmented yet easily connectable structure, improving assembly efficiency without compromising the air-deflecting function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If the latch assembly enables detachable connection, then assembly and disassembly become easier, but the structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly and disassemblyVSAvoidlatch assembly structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The latch assembly is segmented into distinct components: the latch body with positioning holes, the outer guide rotating shaft with positioning protrusions, and the driving wheel. This segmentation allows for easy assembly and disassembly by simply aligning and connecting these segments, improving ease of operation while keeping each segment structurally simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The latch body acts as an intermediary element between the driving wheel and the outer guide rotating shaft. It provides the detachable connection interface through its positioning holes that receive the positioning protrusions, enabling easy assembly and disassembly without requiring complex fastening mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4375579B1Air conditioner
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 NINGBO AUX ELECTRIC CO LTD
  • EP4375579B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4375579B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4375579B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to the technical field of air conditioners, and in particular to an air conditioner. The air conditioner comprises a middle frame, an air-deflecting door, a driving mechanism, and a latch assembly; the air-deflecting door comprises an outer guide rotating shaft, the driving mechanism comprises a driving wheel, the latch assembly is detachably connected to at least one of the outer guide rotating shaft and the driving wheel, and the driving wheel can drive, by means of the latch assembly, the outer guide rotating shaft to perform three-party coaxial rotation. According to the present solution, the latch assembly is used as both a connecting member and a transmission member to connect the driving wheel and the outer guide rotating shaft, so that when the driving wheel rotates, power can be transmitted to the outer guide rotating shaft by means of the latch assembly, thereby implementing the rotation of the air-deflecting door; because the latch assembly can provide a connection function for the driving wheel and the outer guide rotating shaft and can also provide a transmission function, the connection and transmission fit between the driving wheel and the outer guide rotating shaft can be simultaneously implemented, such that the simplification of the structure of the driving mechanism is facilitated, and the problem in the prior art that an device for driving an air-deflecting door has a complex structure is mitigated.