Air conditioner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioners lack effective control over the sterilization process, leading to incomplete disinfection of drain water, which can result in bacterial and mold propagation, making it difficult to maintain the cleanliness of the indoor unit.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner with a control unit that continues the ultraviolet irradiation operation during maintenance, even when the stop operation is performed, ensuring the indoor unit remains clean by incorporating a notification system to alert users of ongoing sterilization and preventing premature cessation of the irradiation process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the stop operation is performed to stop the maintenance operation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of sterilization is worsened due to incomplete disinfection
Solution Approach 1:
The irradiating operation continues to execute even when the stop operation is performed during maintenance operation, ensuring that the sterilization process is not interrupted and maintains its effectiveness. This principle resolves the contradiction by maintaining the continuity of the useful sterilization action while still allowing the user to initiate the stop operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The notification unit provides feedback to the user when the irradiating operation continues despite the stop operation being performed. This feedback mechanism informs the user that the sterilization is still ongoing, resolving the contradiction by maintaining system reliability while acknowledging the user's operation input.
2Ease of operation
If the irradiating operation is interrupted during maintenance, then the ease of operation is improved, but the cleanliness of the indoor unit is worsened due to bacterial and mold propagation
Solution Approach 1:
The irradiating operation continues to execute even when the stop operation is performed, ensuring that the sterilization process completes fully. This prevents bacteria and mold from propagating in the drain water, resolving the contradiction by maintaining continuous protective action against harmful factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system takes preliminary anti-action by maintaining the irradiating operation to prevent bacterial and mold propagation before these contaminants can multiply and cause harm. This resolves the contradiction by proactively continuing the protective sterilization action.
3Ease of operation
If the stop operation is performed prematurely, then the ease of operation is improved, but the productivity of the sterilization process is worsened due to incomplete sterilization
Solution Approach 1:
The irradiating operation continues to execute even when the stop operation is performed, ensuring that the sterilization process completes its full cycle. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining the productivity of the sterilization process while still allowing the user to initiate the stop operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The notification unit provides feedback to the user that the irradiating operation is continuing despite the stop operation, informing them that the sterilization process is still active. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining productivity while acknowledging user input.
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 ensures the indoor unit remains clean by maintaining the sterilization process during maintenance operations, preventing bacterial and mold propagation and enhancing user awareness through notifications, thus maintaining a cleaner indoor environment.
Implementation Method 1
an irradiating operation to irradiate an irradiation area of an indoor unit with ultraviolet rays
Data Source
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AI summary
An air conditioner includes a control unit (16) that controls an air conditioning operation and controls a maintenance operation to perform maintenance on an indoor unit after the air conditioning operation is stopped, and an operation unit provided for performing a stop operation to stop the maintenance operation. The maintenance operation includes an irradiating operation to irradiate an irradiation area of the indoor unit with ultraviolet rays, and the control unit (16) controls the irradiating operation to continue the irradiating operation even when the stop operation is performed by the operation unit.