Indoor unit of air conditioner

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional indoor air-conditioning units experience dew condensation water overflow from the tip portion of the stabilizer during cooling or dehumidification, leading to dew being scattered into the room when blown out through the air outlet.

Innovation Solution

The indoor unit incorporates a stabilizer with a tip portion and a projection on its lower side, featuring a continuously recessed first recess between the projection and the tip, and a second recess under it, along with a drainage groove on the nozzle to collect and manage dew condensation water, preventing overflow and scattering.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the stabilizer has a simple tip portion structure, then the device complexity is low, but dew condensation water overflows and drips into the air outlet

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedew condensation water containmentVSAvoidstabilizer structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The stabilizer is divided into multiple functional segments: a tip portion for primary water collection, a projection extending downward, and multiple recesses (first recess between projection and tip, second recess under the projection) for staged water storage. This segmentation allows the stabilizer to handle increasing amounts of dew condensation water at different levels, preventing overflow into the air outlet while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The stabilizer structure extends in multiple dimensions: the projection extends downward from the tip portion, creating vertical depth, while the first and second recesses create horizontal and vertical storage spaces. This multi-dimensional structure maximizes water storage capacity within a compact space, effectively containing dew condensation water without significantly increasing the overall footprint or complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If the stabilizer structure is modified to prevent water overflow, then dew condensation water containment improves, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprevention of dew scatteringVSAvoidstabilizer fabrication
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The tip portion, projection, and multiple recesses are integrated into a single stabilizer component rather than being separate parts. This merging of functions into one piece simplifies manufacturing processes such as injection molding or extrusion, while still achieving the complex water containment geometry needed to prevent dew overflow and scattering.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If the stabilizer holds more dew condensation water, then the risk of water dripping into air outlet decreases, but the volume occupied by stabilizer increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedew condensation water storage capacityVSAvoidstabilizer volume
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The recesses in the stabilizer are designed with curved surfaces rather than sharp angles, creating smooth water collection and storage areas. This curvature allows water to naturally flow into and be contained within the recesses while maximizing storage volume efficiency. The curved geometry also strengthens the structure, allowing for thinner walls and more efficient use of material volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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 configuration effectively holds dew condensation water within the stabilizer, preventing it from dripping into the air outlet and reducing dew scattering into the room, while also enhancing heat exchange efficiency and reducing noise and corrosion risks.

Implementation Method 1

dew condensation water generated during cooling operation or dehumidification operation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Data Source

PatentEP2933569B1Indoor unit of air conditioner
Publication Date: 2020.08.05 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP2933569B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2933569B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2933569B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A stabilizer 14 has a tip portion 14b at a boundary between the stabilizer and a nozzle 11, and a projection 14a on the lower side of the tip portion 14b, and a first recess 14c is formed between the projection 14a and the tip portion 14b in a continuously recessed shape in the longitudinal direction of the cross flow fan 9.