Air Vent Hose Structure for Stable Indoor Unit Heat-Medium Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
In air-conditioning apparatuses, the air vent hose tends to deform and lose its cross-sectional shape when bent around irregularly arranged branch pipes, leading to uncontrollable movement of its distal end, which obstructs the flow of the heat medium and requires additional space for fixing, increasing the number of components.
Innovation Solution
The air vent hose is designed with a double-wall structure and its upper end is fixed to the air vent valve, while at least one branch pipe is bent around the hose to hold it in place, maintaining the necessary cross-section for air and heat medium flow without additional components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the air vent hose is made flexible to circumvent irregularly arranged branch pipes, then the hose can be installed in limited spaces, but the hose becomes greatly deformed and the distal end moves uncontrollably
Solution Approach 1:
The air vent hose is designed with a double-wall structure where the inner wall provides flexibility for installation while the outer wall maintains structural integrity. This allows the hose to bend around irregularly arranged branch pipes without collapsing or deforming excessively, resolving the contradiction between installation flexibility and positional stability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a fixing member is added to prevent the distal end of the hose from moving, then the hose position is stabilized, but the number of components increases and extra space is required
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing function is merged into the hose structure itself through the double-wall design. The outer wall acts as both a structural support and a fixing element that prevents the distal end from moving uncontrollably, eliminating the need for separate fixing members and reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hose structure provides its own fixing capability through the double-wall configuration. The outer wall's rigidity automatically stabilizes the hose position without requiring external fixing components, allowing the hose to self-regulate its position within the limited installation space.
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 configuration prevents the distal end of the air vent hose from moving uncontrollably, ensuring smooth airflow and heat medium flow without altering the hose's structure or adding extra components, thus enhancing the apparatus's efficiency and compactness.
Implementation Method 1
The hose has a double-wall structure and an upper end portion of the hose is fixed to the air vent valve
Implementation Method 2
an air vent valve provided to allow air to escape from a heat medium passage that allows the heat medium to flow in the heat-medium heat exchanger
Implementation Method 3
a heat-medium heat exchanger provided in a housing to cause heat exchange to be performed between a heat medium and indoor air
Implementation Method 4
heat exchange to be performed between a heat medium and indoor air
Implementation Method 5
heat exchange to be performed between a heat medium and indoor air
Implementation Method 6
a drain pan provided below the heat-medium heat exchanger to receive condensation water generated at a surface of the heat-medium heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
An indoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus includes a heat-medium heat exchanger, an air vent valve, a drain pan, and a hose. The heat-medium heat exchanger is provided in a housing to cause heat exchange to be performed between a heat medium and indoor air. The air vent valve allows air to escape from a heat medium passage that allows the heat medium to flow in the heat-medium heat exchanger. The drain pan is provided below the heat-medium heat exchanger to receive condensation water generated at a surface of the heat-medium heat exchanger. The hose has flexibility, and is attached to the air vent valve, and provided to let out the air along with the heat medium from the heat medium passage to the inner space in the drain pan. The hose has a double-wall structure and an upper end portion of the hose is fixed to the air vent valve.