Air Conditioner Louver and Anti-Draft Plate Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air-conditioning systems fail to effectively control wind direction and suppress drafts simultaneously, leading to a deterioration in user comfort due to the inability to control blade members installed as option components.

Innovation Solution

An air-conditioning system with a pivotable plate-shaped member and a control device that adjusts its position based on correspondence information linking louver positions to block conditioned air, allowing for wind direction control and draft suppression.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a blade member is additionally installed as an option component to block conditioned air, then the feeling of draft is suppressed, but the device complexity increases and the blade member cannot be controlled from the indoor unit

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefeeling of draftVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The plate-shaped member is integrated into the louver assembly, combining the wind direction control function and draft suppression function into a single unified structure. This eliminates the need for a separate blade member and reduces device complexity while maintaining both functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The plate-shaped member serves multiple functions: it acts as both a wind direction control element (when positioned to guide air flow) and a draft suppression element (when positioned to block air flow). This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components and simplifies the overall system.

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

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a blade member is installed to block conditioned air, then draft suppression is achieved, but the function of adjusting blow-out direction using the louver is not utilized, causing deterioration in level of comfort

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefeeling of draftVSAvoidlevel of comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The plate-shaped member is merged with the louver structure, allowing both wind direction control and draft suppression to be achieved through a single integrated component. The louver's positioning mechanism controls both functions simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The plate-shaped member is made movable and controllable through the louver's positioning mechanism. It can dynamically adjust between different positions (blocking air flow for draft suppression or allowing air flow for wind direction control) based on operational requirements, maintaining user comfort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the plate-shaped member is disposed outside of the outlet, then it can effectively block conditioned air, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefeeling of draftVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The plate-shaped member is integrated into the louver assembly rather than being a separate external component. This merging reduces device complexity while maintaining the effectiveness of draft suppression through strategic positioning outside the outlet.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3184924B1Control device, air-conditioning system including the same, and control method therefor
Publication Date: 2024.04.10 MITSUBISHI HEAVY IND THERMAL SYST
  • EP3184924B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3184924B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3184924B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

To achieve both of wind direction control by a louver and suppression of a feeling of draft, while maintaining a level of comfort, there is provided a control device (50) for an air conditioner including: an outlet for conditioned air; a louver that is pivotally provided at the outlet; an anti draft function that is pivotable between a withdrawn position and a louver-direction position; and a pivot mechanism, the control device including: a storage unit (51) that stores correspondence information for linking positional information on the louver to positional information on the anti draft function that blocks the conditioned air blown out from a position of the louver; and a control unit (52) that determines a position of the anti draft function corresponding to a current position of the louver based on the correspondence information and causes the anti draft function to move to the determined position.