Air conditioner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in separating and maintaining suction panels in air conditioners, especially those installed at high positions, and in coupling cover members and filters, which affects the cleanliness and maintenance of indoor air quality.
Innovation Solution
The air conditioner design includes a suction panel that rotates circumferentially for easy separation and coupling, with a coupling member system that inserts into the housing, and a cover member that rotates for easy assembly, along with a circular filter design for improved accessibility and aesthetics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the suction panel is fixed in position, then the structural stability is improved, but the ease of separation and maintenance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The suction panel is designed to rotate circumferentially relative to the housing, transforming from a static fixed structure to a dynamic movable one. This rotation mechanism allows the panel to be easily separated for maintenance while maintaining structural stability when coupled, directly resolving the contradiction between stability and ease of separation.
2Ease of repair
If the suction panel is made separable, then the ease of maintenance is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air conditioner housing is divided into separable components: the suction panel that can be rotated and detached, and the main housing. This segmentation allows easy maintenance of the suction panel and filter without disassembling the entire unit, improving ease of repair while keeping the overall device complexity manageable through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling member incorporates a rotation mechanism that enables the suction panel to be dynamically separated and reattached. This dynamic coupling system provides simple rotational movement for maintenance access without requiring complex tools or procedures, balancing ease of repair with acceptable device complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If the cover member is made rotatable, then the ease of assembly is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member is designed to rotate circumferentially relative to the housing, enabling easy assembly through simple rotational movement. The coupling portion and coupling member are designed with matching geometries that guide the rotation and engagement, improving ease of assembly while maintaining reasonable manufacturing precision through self-aligning features.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling member includes asymmetric features such as the guide surface with curved portion and the insertion protrusion that engages with the coupling portion. These asymmetric elements provide directional guidance during rotation and engagement, ensuring proper alignment and reducing the need for high manufacturing precision while facilitating easy assembly.
4Shape
If the filter is made circular, then the aesthetics are improved, but the accessibility for maintenance may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The circular filter is integrated with the rotatable suction panel, allowing the entire assembly to be easily rotated and separated for maintenance. This dynamic coupling ensures that the aesthetic circular shape does not compromise accessibility, as the filter can be quickly accessed by rotating and removing the suction panel without requiring complex disassembly procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is an air conditioner including a suction panel which includes a suction port through which air is suctioned in inside a housing. The suction panel is formed to rotate with an axial direction of an air blowing fan or a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the air blowing fan as a rotation axis to be coupled with or separated from the housing. Accordingly, a user may easily and intuitively separate the suction panel and falling of the suction panel, which may occur when the suction panel is separated, may be effectively reduced using a supporting unit disposed at the suction panel. Also, the housing and cover members which cover an outer perimeter of a lower portion of the housing may be coupled with each other by pressurizing the cover members toward the housing, thereby allowing the user to easily coupled the cover members.