Blade-Free Airflow Redirection in Air Conditioner Discharge Ports

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional air conditioners with blade structures for discharged airflow control suffer from reduced airflow and increased flow noise due to airflow interruptions and turbulence.

Innovation Solution

An air conditioner design that utilizes a sub-flow path and an opening/closing control device to redirect discharged airflow without blades, allowing air to be suctioned and re-directed around the discharge port using the blower fan's suction force, thereby controlling the airflow direction and reducing noise.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a blade structure is used to control discharged airflow direction, then the airflow direction can be adjusted, but the amount of discharged air decreases and flow noise increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveairflow direction controlVSAvoiddischarged airflow amount
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the blade structure from the discharge port area and extracts the airflow control function to a separate sub-flow path. The sub-flow path includes a suction port positioned around the discharge port and a flow path that guides air to interact with the main discharged airflow, enabling direction control without blocking the main flow path.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces air as an intermediary substance to control airflow direction. By suctioning air through the sub-flow path's suction port and guiding it through the flow path, the air interacts with the main discharged airflow to change its direction, replacing the mechanical blade intermediary with a fluid-based control mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If a blade structure is used to control discharged airflow direction, then the airflow direction can be adjusted, but flow noise increases due to turbulence

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveairflow direction controlVSAvoidflow noise
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the blade structure from the discharge port area and extracts the airflow control function to a separate sub-flow path. The sub-flow path includes a suction port positioned around the discharge port and a flow path that guides air to interact with the main discharged airflow, enabling direction control without blocking the main flow path.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces air as an intermediary substance to control airflow direction. By suctioning air through the sub-flow path's suction port and guiding it through the flow path, the air interacts with the main discharged airflow to change its direction, replacing the mechanical blade intermediary with a fluid-based control mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 design enhances airflow discharge without the reduction caused by blades and decreases flow noise, resulting in a more efficient and cost-effective airflow control system.

Implementation Method 1

a sub-flow path that suctions and guides some air around the discharge port using a suction force of the blower fan

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuction force: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP3330620B1Air conditioner
Publication Date: 2022.09.28 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3330620B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3330620B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3330620B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed herein is a air conditioner. The air conditioner a housing including a suction port and a discharge port, a heat exchanger provided inside the housing, a blower fan configured to suction air through the suction port, pass and heat-exchange the air through the heat exchanger, and then discharge the air through the discharge port, and a sub-flow path that suctions and guides some air around the discharge port using a suction force of the blower fan to control the flowing direction of the air discharged from the discharge port.