Indoor unit for air conditioner

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing air-conditioning apparatus with an air purifying filter requires bending the air filter for attachment, leading to potential deformation and unreliable performance.

Innovation Solution

The air-conditioning apparatus incorporates a design with a pair of protrusions on the air purifying filter that fit into supports on the air filter, eliminating the need for bending and ensuring secure attachment without deforming the air filter.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the locking pin is inserted into the attachment portion of the air filter, then the air purifying filter is secured to the air filter, but the attachment portion must be bent rearward which causes deformation and damage to the air filter

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecure attachment of air purifying filterVSAvoiddeformation and damage of air filter
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment mechanism is divided into separate functional elements: the locking pin for securing, the protrusions for positioning, and the supports for guiding. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function without causing harm to the air filter structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The protrusions and supports act as intermediary elements that facilitate the attachment process. The protrusions extend from the air purifying filter and are received by the supports, providing a guiding path that prevents direct bending of the air filter attachment portion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the attachment portion is bent rearward to facilitate locking pin insertion, then the locking pin can be inserted, but the air filter may be deformed or damaged

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinsertion of locking pinVSAvoidintegrity of air filter
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The protrusions are pre-positioned on the air purifying filter before attachment. These protrusions engage with the supports in advance, establishing a correct positioning path that guides the locking pin insertion without requiring rearward bending of the air filter.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The supports serve as intermediary structures that receive the protrusions and guide the locking pin insertion process. This intermediary mechanism eliminates the need to bend the air filter attachment portion, maintaining its integrity while facilitating easy locking pin insertion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If a simple locking pin mechanism is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the air filter must be bent which reduces reliability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment mechanism structureVSAvoidperformance reliability of air conditioner
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment mechanism is segmented into simple, discrete components: locking pins, protrusions, and supports. Each component has a single, clear function, which maintains low device complexity while eliminating the harmful bending action through the addition of the protrusion-support guiding elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The attachment mechanism transitions from a single-function locking pin to a multi-element system with protrusions and supports. This parameter change in the mechanism's structural complexity resolves the contradiction by adding minimal elements that prevent filter deformation while maintaining overall simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3367007B1Indoor unit for air conditioner
Publication Date: 2020.01.01 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP3367007B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3367007B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3367007B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

An indoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus includes: an air purifying filter including a filter body for air purification, a pair of bearing units, and a pair of protrusions that extend outward from the filter body; and an air filter for dust collection including a pair of shaft units coupled with the respective bearing units, and a pair of supports accommodating the respective protrusions. The protrusions are placed into the respective supports from the direction of the respective shaft units.