Air Conditioner Design Panel Reinforcement to Prevent Warping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Air-conditioning apparatus indoor units with plastic design panels suffer from low rigidity, leading to warping and poor exterior design quality due to the inability of middle engaging projections to engage correctly, causing separation and degradation of the design panel's exterior appearance.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a metal reinforcement member with an L-shaped section, fixed to the design panel to enhance rigidity, specifically made of stainless steel with a thickness of 0.6 mm, which extends across the middle part to prevent warping and improve engagement of projections, while being rust-resistant and safe for user interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a plastic design panel is used to achieve aesthetic appearance and ease of manufacture, then the panel can be easily formed and has good design flexibility, but the panel has low rigidity and tends to warp in the longitudinal direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines plastic material with a reinforcement member (metal strip or angular member) to create a composite structure. The plastic provides aesthetic appearance and ease of manufacture, while the reinforcement member provides the necessary rigidity to prevent warping. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by integrating materials with complementary properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement member is strategically positioned at the middle part of the design panel in the longitudinal direction, where warping is most likely to occur. This localized reinforcement provides rigidity exactly where needed without compromising the overall aesthetic appearance or requiring reinforcement across the entire panel structure.
2Area of stationary object
If the design panel is made larger to improve performance visibility, then the panel can display more information or features, but the panel becomes more susceptible to warping due to increased size
Solution Approach 1:
For larger panels that are more prone to warping, the composite structure with reinforcement members becomes even more critical. The reinforcement member provides the additional structural support needed to maintain stability in larger panel configurations, enabling the panel to be made larger without sacrificing warping resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement is concentrated at the middle part of the panel where warping is most likely to occur, providing targeted support that allows the panel to be made larger while maintaining stability. This localized approach is particularly important for larger panels where uniform reinforcement would be less effective and more material-intensive.
3Reliability
If engaging projections are provided at multiple positions including the middle part to prevent separation, then the panel can be securely fixed, but the middle engaging projection cannot engage with the receiving part when the panel is warped
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement member is positioned at the middle part of the design panel to prevent warping in that specific area. By ensuring the middle part remains flat and stable, the engaging projection at the middle position can properly engage with its receiving part, thereby improving both fixing reliability and engagement precision simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite structure with the reinforcement member provides the structural integrity needed to maintain the panel in a flat state during assembly and operation. This ensures that all engaging projections, including those at the middle position, can engage precisely with their corresponding receiving parts without the interference of warping.
4Strength
If the panel thickness is increased to improve rigidity, then the panel can resist warping better, but the panel weight and material consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the thickness of the plastic panel, the patent uses a composite structure where a thin plastic panel is combined with a reinforcement member. This approach provides the necessary rigidity to prevent warping while keeping the overall weight lower than what would be achieved by simply thickening the plastic panel throughout.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement member is placed only at the middle part of the panel where it is most needed to prevent warping, rather than reinforcing the entire panel. This localized approach provides sufficient rigidity improvement while minimizing the additional weight compared to uniform thickening or full-panel reinforcement.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
An air-conditioning apparatus indoor unit includes: a plastic design panel that includes a front panel part having a rectangular shape in front view and a flange part projecting toward a back surface from one longitudinal edge of the front panel part; and a reinforcement member that has a shape extending in the longitudinal direction of the front panel part across a middle part of the design panel and is fixed to the design panel so as to be in contact with a back surface of the front panel part and an inner surface of the flange part.