Air handling unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air handling units face challenges in achieving accurate positioning and air tightness between modules due to uneven surfaces, leading to air tightness defects, despite the use of fastening and aligning means.
Innovation Solution
The air handling unit employs fastening systems with identical mechanical parts featuring conical protrusions and recesses, allowing for progressive centering and improved air tightness by ensuring precise alignment of modules, which are fixed using screws and bolt-nut assemblies, and covered to hide the fastening components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional fastening and aligning means are used to connect modules, then assembly is simplified, but positioning precision and air tightness are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs conical protrusions and recesses instead of conventional flat or cylindrical fastening elements. The conical geometry provides progressive centering action during assembly, where the inclined surfaces guide the modules into precise alignment while being fastened, thereby simultaneously achieving ease of operation and high positioning precision.
2Adaptability or versatility
If modules are mounted on uneven surfaces, then installation flexibility is improved, but air tightness deteriorates due to positioning issues
Solution Approach 1:
The conical fastening elements provide self-aligning action that compensates for surface irregularities. As the modules are brought together, the conical surfaces guide them into proper alignment regardless of minor unevenness in the mounting surface, thereby maintaining air tightness while preserving installation flexibility on varied surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the fastening elements from conventional cylindrical or flat shapes to conical shapes. This parameter change enables the fastening system to accommodate surface variations while maintaining precise positioning and air tightness, resolving the contradiction between installation flexibility and reliability.
3Device complexity
If conventional fastening systems are used, then device complexity is reduced, but positioning accuracy and air tightness are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The conical protrusion and recess geometry provides inherent self-centering capability without requiring additional alignment mechanisms or complex adjustment procedures. The conical surfaces automatically guide the modules into precise alignment during the fastening process itself, achieving high positioning accuracy while maintaining relatively simple device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns an air handling unit (1) comprising a structural frame (3, 5, 19b, 19c) supporting a housing made of flat insulating panels (7, 7b, 7c) and being divided in at least two modules (2b, 2c) enclosing air handling components, the modules (2b, 2c) being attached together by fastening systems (15) comprising a first portion (151) integral with a first module (2b), attached to a second portion (153) integral to a second module (2c). The first and second portion (151, 153) are formed by identical mechanical parts each comprising a conical protrusion (1511, 1531) and a conical recess (1513, 1533), and the first and second portions (151, 153) are respectively mounted on the first and second modules (2b, 2c) so that the conical protrusion (1511) of the first portion (151) is received in the conical recess (1533) of the second portion (153), and that the conical recess (1513) of the first portion (151) receives the conical protrusion (1531 ) of the second portion (153).