Air Conditioner Indoor Unit Panel Detection Without Junction Harness
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity and reliability issues in air conditioner indoor units arise from the need for a junction harness to connect microswitches and electrical parts on the front and bottom frames, complicating assembly and maintenance and risking damage during panel removal.
Innovation Solution
The opening/closing state of the panel is detected using a detection part on the bottom frame, driven by a driver part on the bottom frame, eliminating the need for a junction harness by using a microswitch or optical sensor to monitor the rotation of a drive shaft or cam, simplifying the construction and ensuring accurate detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a microswitch is placed on the front panel side to detect opening/closing state, then the opening/closing state can be detected, but a junction harness is required to connect electrical parts on the bottom frame side, complicating the structure and reducing assemblability and maintainability
Solution Approach 1:
The opening/closing detection part is merged with the driver part on the bottom frame side, eliminating the need for separate electrical connections via junction harness. The detection function is integrated into the existing driver part structure, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of placing the detection part on the front panel side as in conventional designs, the detection part is inverted to the bottom frame side where the driver part is located. This inversion eliminates the need for junction harness connections and simplifies the electrical structure.
2Reliability
If a junction harness is used to connect microswitch and electrical parts, then electrical connections are established, but the junction harness may be damaged by front panel removal, lowering reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful element (junction harness) is extracted from the system by relocating the detection part to the bottom frame side. This eliminates the vulnerable connection point that could be damaged during front panel removal, thereby improving reliability without adding complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If the opening/closing detection part is placed on the bottom frame side, then assemblability and maintainability are improved, but the detection mechanism must be redesigned to work with the driver part
Solution Approach 1:
The driver part is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides driving force for the opening/closing mechanism and simultaneously houses the opening/closing detection part. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components and simplifies assembly while maintaining detection capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The indoor unit for air conditioners includes a bottom frame, a front panel 11 removably fitted on a front face side of the bottom frame, an opening/closing panel 12 for opening and closing an intake opening of the front panel 11, an opening/closing mechanism 30 placed on the front panel 11 and serving for opening and closing the opening/closing panel 12, and a driver part 40 placed on the bottom frame and serving for driving the opening/closing mechanism 30. The opening/closing detection part 43 placed on the bottom frame detects an opening/closing state of the opening/closing panel 12 based on a cam 50 which rotates along with rotation of a drive shaft 36 of the opening/closing mechanism 30 driven by the driver part 40.