Air-Conditioning Device Imaging Control for Power Supply Reliability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Air-conditioning devices face power insufficiency issues when components like fans and heat exchangers are operational, affecting the reliability of imaging devices used for monitoring internal conditions.

Innovation Solution

Capturing images when predetermined components such as fans, heat exchangers, and drain pumps are at rest, reducing power consumption and stabilizing the environment for clearer image data acquisition.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If components such as fans and heat exchangers are operated to perform cooling functions, then the air-conditioning device achieves its primary function, but the power consumption increases and insufficient power is supplied to the imaging device

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidpower supply reliability to imaging device
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The imaging device captures images during periods when the air-conditioning device is not operating, i.e., before the fan and heat exchanger are activated. This preliminary imaging action ensures that power supply requirements are met during imaging while the main cooling components remain dormant, resolving the power consumption contradiction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the fan is operated to transfer air, then the cooling function is achieved, but the condensed water surface becomes unstable and image data becomes blurred

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidimage data quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The imaging device captures images of the drain pan and condensed water surface before the fan is activated. By performing the imaging action preliminarily, the system ensures that the water surface remains stable during capture, avoiding blurriness caused by fan-induced air flow, while still enabling monitoring of the cooling system's state

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Temperature

If the heat exchanger performs cooling action, then the air is cooled, but condensed water accumulates and rises causing image blurriness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair cooling temperatureVSAvoidimage data clarity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The imaging device captures images during the period before the heat exchanger begins its cooling action. This timing ensures that condensed water has not yet accumulated or risen to levels that would obscure the view, maintaining image clarity while still allowing monitoring of the system's operational state

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3667192B1Air-conditioning device
Publication Date: 2022.03.16 DAIKIN INDUSTRIES LTD
  • EP3667192B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3667192B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3667192B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

[Object] To provide an air-conditioning device that allows sufficient power to be reliably supplied to an imaging device. [Solution] An air-conditioning device includes a control unit (19) that makes an imaging device (70) capture an image while at least one predetermined component (40, 40a, 40b, 43, 45) of the air-conditioning device (10) is at rest.