Air processing module and air conditioner indoor unit provided with same

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Solution Overview

Problem

Air conditioner indoor units face reduced efficiency due to dust particles blocking air intake, and frequent cleaning or replacement of filter screens and adsorbents, which can lead to secondary air pollution and safety hazards, especially from accidental operation by children.

Innovation Solution

An air treatment device with a safety locking member that allows the water tank drawer to be securely locked or unlocked, preventing accidental operation by rotating a shaft to change the cooperation relationship between the drawer and the air outlet frame, enhancing safety and reducing the need for frequent cleaning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the water tank drawer is made easily removable for cleaning, then maintenance convenience is improved, but safety is worsened due to accidental operation by children

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance convenienceVSAvoidsafety
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The locking member is designed to dynamically switch between locked and unlocked positions through rotational movement of the rotating shaft. This dynamic mechanism allows the system to transition between safety mode (locked) and maintenance mode (unlocked), resolving the contradiction between safety and ease of maintenance by providing controlled accessibility rather than permanent fixation or complete freedom of movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The rotating shaft acts as an intermediary control element between the user and the water tank drawer. By introducing this intermediate rotational component, the system requires a deliberate unlocking action before the drawer can be removed, thus preventing accidental operation by children while still allowing easy maintenance when properly unlocked. The intermediary mechanism mediates between the conflicting requirements of safety and maintenance convenience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If filter screens and adsorbents are used for dust removal, then air purification is improved, but working efficiency is worsened due to dust particles blocking air intake

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair purificationVSAvoidworking efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The dust removal system is segmented into multiple functional layers including filter screens and adsorbent materials. This segmentation allows different mechanisms to work at different stages: coarse filtration captures larger particles to maintain airflow, while finer adsorbent layers remove smaller contaminants. The segmented approach balances air purification effectiveness with air intake efficiency by distributing the filtration burden across multiple specialized components rather than relying on a single dense filter.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Object-affected harmful factors

If filter screens are used to block dust particles, then air purification is improved, but device complexity is worsened due to frequent cleaning and replacement requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedust removal efficiencyVSAvoidmaintenance complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The filter screen and adsorbent materials are merged into an integrated dust removal system where multiple filtration mechanisms work together. This merging allows the system to achieve comprehensive dust removal (including both particulate and gaseous contaminants) while consolidating maintenance requirements. The water tank drawer design with integrated locking mechanism further merges the storage and safety functions, reducing overall device complexity by combining multiple functions into unified components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3587950B1Air processing module and air conditioner indoor unit provided with same
Publication Date: 2023.06.07 GD MIDEA AIR CONDITIONING EQUIP CO LTD
  • EP3587950B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3587950B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3587950B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

An air treatment device (1) includes an air outlet frame (10) of a purification air duct, a water tank drawer (20) and a safety locking member (30), wherein the air outlet frame (10) of a purification air duct is provided with a cooperation hole (100), and the water tank drawer (20) is arranged on the air outlet frame (10) of a purification air duct in a push-pull manner. Two spaced-apart cooperation protrusions (200) are arranged on a bottom wall of the water tank drawer (20). The safety locking member (30) includes a rotating shaft (300) and a locking member (310), the rotating shaft (300) is rotatably arranged in the cooperation hole (100) between a locking position and an avoidance position, the locking member (310) is arranged at the top of the rotating shaft (300), the locking member (30) is located on the front sides of the cooperation protrusions (200) to prevent the displacement of the cooperation protrusions (200) at the locking position, and the locking member is located between the two cooperation protrusions (200) at the avoidance position.