Air Conditioner Toggle Blade Mechanism for Impeller Disassembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional air conditioners are inconvenient to clean due to complex disassembly processes, which can lead to contamination and safety hazards, especially when dealing with the impeller and motor components.

Innovation Solution

The air conditioner design incorporates a toggle blade mechanism with a driving and pushing portion, allowing for axial movement of the impeller, and a limiting portion that locks the impeller in place during disassembly, facilitating easy separation from the motor and reducing the risk of re-sleeving, along with a return spring to assist in the disassembly process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the impeller is fixedly connected to the motor shaft to ensure stable operation, then the reliability of the blower is improved, but the ease of disassembly for cleaning is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational stabilityVSAvoiddisassembly convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The connection between the impeller and motor shaft is segmented into modular components: the motor shaft sleeve with external threads and the impeller with internal threads. This segmentation allows the impeller to be easily detached from the motor shaft for cleaning while maintaining a secure fixed connection during operation, resolving the contradiction between operational stability and disassembly convenience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple fastening components (screws, reinforcing rings) are used to secure the impeller, then the manufacturing precision and assembly reliability are improved, but the device complexity and disassembly difficulty are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly precisionVSAvoiddisassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The complex multi-component fastening system (screws, reinforcing rings) is extracted and replaced by a single integrated threaded connection mechanism. The motor shaft sleeve with external threads engages with the impeller's internal threads, providing secure fastening without requiring additional fastening components, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining assembly precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If the blower and impeller are dismantled together for cleaning, then the ease of disassembly is improved, but the risk of sewage water entering the motor and causing damage is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisassembly easeVSAvoidmotor contamination risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The blower assembly is segmented into separable components: the impeller can be independently detached from the motor shaft through the threaded connection mechanism. This allows users to remove only the impeller for cleaning while leaving the motor assembly intact and protected, eliminating the risk of sewage water entering the motor while maintaining ease of disassembly for the impeller.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Ease of operation

If electrical wires are disconnected and reconnected during impeller removal, then the ease of independent impeller disassembly is improved, but the risk of poor connection and electrical damage is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindependent disassembly easeVSAvoidelectrical connection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The electrical wire connection issue is extracted and eliminated by enabling independent impeller removal. The threaded connection between the motor shaft sleeve and impeller allows the impeller to be detached without disconnecting any electrical wires, as the motor remains connected to the power supply. This maintains electrical connection reliability while achieving independent impeller disassembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3575701B1Air conditioner
Publication Date: 2021.09.01 GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCE INC OF ZHUHAI
  • EP3575701B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3575701B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3575701B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Provided is an air conditioner, in which a toggle blade (341) is movably mounted on a component adjacent to an impeller (320), including a pushing portion (3412) and a driving portion (3413), the pushing portion (3412) is adapted to contact with the impeller (320) and to drive the impeller (320) to move axially. The driving portion (3413) is fixedly connected to the pushing portion (3412). This structure serves to facilitate the disassembly work of the impeller (320) and the motor (141).