Air Conditioner Reverse Airflow for Odor-Free Automatic Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air conditioners emit unpleasant odors during automatic cleaning operations, leading to user discomfort and potential microbial growth due to unaddressed moisture, as odor-causing substances are released during the drying process.
Innovation Solution
The air conditioner reverses the airflow direction during automatic cleaning, suctioning air through the front opening and discharging it through the rear opening, ensuring that odorous air is not directed towards the user, and utilizing a processor to control fan rotation speeds based on humidity and operation modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the air conditioner performs automatic cleaning operation by rotating fans to evaporate moisture on the heat exchanger, then the drying function is improved, but unpleasant odors are discharged towards the user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inversion by reversing the fan rotation direction during automatic cleaning operation. Instead of discharging air towards the front (as during cooling operation), the fans rotate in reverse to discharge air towards the rear, thereby preventing odorous air from reaching the user while maintaining effective drying function
2Ease of operation
If the user terminates the drying operation due to unpleasant odor, then user comfort is improved, but moisture remains inside the air conditioner leading to microbial growth
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the airflow direction through reverse fan rotation, the system eliminates unpleasant odors from the user environment, allowing the drying operation to complete without user intervention while still achieving thorough moisture removal
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the fan rotation direction is reversed during automatic cleaning, then odor discharge direction is changed away from user, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a simple bidirectional fan mechanism that can rotate in two directions. The processor controls the fan motor to rotate in the first direction during cooling operation and in the second (reversed) direction during automatic cleaning operation, achieving odor direction control without complex additional components
Solution Approach 2:
The same fan assembly performs multiple functions: during cooling operation it discharges air towards the front, and during automatic cleaning operation it rotates in reverse to discharge air towards the rear. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate systems for each operation mode
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively prevents the discharge of unpleasant odors towards the user during automatic cleaning, maintaining indoor air quality and preventing microbial growth by ensuring thorough drying without user discomfort.
Implementation Method 1
the plurality of fans are rotated in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, so that air is suctioned through the front opening of the cabinet, passes through the heat exchanger, and is discharged through the rear opening to the exterior of the cabinet
Implementation Method 2
rotates a fan disposed in the indoor unit to evaporate moisture condensed on the surface of the heat exchanger, thereby drying the inside of the indoor unit
Implementation Method 3
a heat exchanger for exchanging heat with the sucking air
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioner includes a cabinet including a front opening provided at a front surface thereof and a rear opening provided at a rear surface thereof; a heat exchanger provided inside the cabinet; a plurality of fans provided inside the cabinet and configured to allow air to pass through the heat exchanger; and a processor configured to control the plurality of fans so that in a cooling operation mode and a dehumidification operation mode, the plurality of fans are rotated in one direction so that the air is sucked through the rear opening, passes through the heat exchanger, and then is discharged through the front opening, and in an automatic cleaning operation mode, the plurality of fans are rotated in an opposite direction so that the air is sucked through the front opening, passes through the heat exchanger, and then is discharged through the rear opening.