Air-conditioner indoor unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
The refrigerant gas sensor in indoor air conditioner units using flammable refrigerants is prone to accidental detachment during maintenance, leading to potential malfunction.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a regulating member, such as communication pipes or heat insulating materials, to prevent the refrigerant gas sensor from being easily detached by positioning them on the side towards which the sensor is likely to be removed, ensuring it cannot be detached unless the refrigerant circuit is emptied and the pipes are disconnected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the refrigerant gas sensor is detachably attached to the sensor mounting portion for easy replacement, then the ease of repair is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to accidental detachment during maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by providing a regulating member (such as a communication pipe or heat insulating material) that proactively prevents accidental detachment of the refrigerant gas sensor during maintenance operations. The regulating member is positioned to physically obstruct or guide the sensor, creating a preventive barrier against erroneous detachment before it can occur.
2Reliability
If the regulating member is positioned to prevent sensor detachment, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the regulating member to serve multiple functions within the existing indoor unit structure. The communication pipe, for example, not only regulates sensor detachment but also maintains refrigerant flow pathways. The heat insulating material prevents detachment while also providing thermal insulation for adjacent components, thereby preventing complexity increase through multi-functional design.
3Reliability
If the sensor is fixed securely to prevent detachment, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in intentional removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by creating a conditional fixation system where the regulating member provides continuous restraint under normal conditions but allows intentional removal when needed. The regulating member's positioning and structural characteristics enable it to resist accidental detachment forces while permitting deliberate removal actions by service technicians, thus maintaining both reliability and operational ease through dynamic response to different operational states.
Data Source
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AI summary
When a service technician or the like performs maintenance of a mechanism in an indoor unit, the service technician may accidentally detach a refrigerant gas sensor and the refrigerant gas sensor may be broken. To prevent this, communication pipes (regulating members) L1 and L2 configured to regulate the detachment of a refrigerant gas sensor 9 are provided on the side toward which the refrigerant gas sensor 9 is detached (front side) when a casing provided on the side toward which the refrigerant gas sensor 9 is detached (front side) is open.