Bolt-Free Wiring Assembly for Faster Air Conditioner Maintenance

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing wiring structures in air conditioner equipment suffer from low efficiency in detaching and assembling wires, leading to troublesome maintenance and potential safety hazards, especially when connection piece bolts are lost.

Innovation Solution

A wiring assembly with a wiring base and cover plate featuring avoidance and protruding portions, elastic members, and connecting pieces that form limiting spaces for direct clamping of wire connection pieces, eliminating the need for bolts and improving assembly efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If bolts are used to fix wire connection pieces in each channel of the wiring plate, then the wire connection can be securely fastened, but the wire detaching and assembling efficiency becomes low and maintenance becomes troublesome

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewire connection securityVSAvoidwire detaching and assembling efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the bolt fixation mechanism from the wiring structure and replaces it with a snap-fit design using protruding portions and avoidance portions. This allows the wire connection piece to be securely held without requiring bolts, enabling quick detachment and reassembly by simply pushing the cover plate into place

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The wiring assembly employs self-locking features where the protruding portions on the cover plate automatically engage with the avoidance portions on the wiring plate when assembled. The elastic buckles provide self-tightening force to maintain secure connection without external fasteners, and the entire assembly can be detached and reassembled without specialized tools or procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If bolts are used to fix wire connection pieces, then the connection can be maintained, but potential safety hazards exist when connection piece bolts are lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection maintenanceVSAvoidsafety hazards from lost bolts
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent completely removes bolts from the wiring assembly, replacing them with an integrated snap-fit design. The protruding portions and avoidance portions create a secure mechanical interlock that eliminates the risk of bolts being lost, while the elastic buckles provide continuous pre-tightening force to maintain reliable electrical connections

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of manufacture

If a traditional wiring plate structure with bolts is used, then the wiring can be assembled, but the structure becomes complex and maintenance becomes troublesome

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewiring assembly capabilityVSAvoidwiring structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple functions into integrated components: the cover plate incorporates both the protruding portions for mechanical interlocking and the elastic buckles for electrical connection. The wiring plate integrates the avoidance portions and conducting pieces into a unified structure, eliminating the need for separate bolts, washers, and nuts, thereby simplifying both manufacturing and maintenance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

Enhances the efficiency of wire detachment and assembly, improves user experience, and prevents incomplete wiring due to lost bolts, while reducing material costs and production complexity.

Implementation Method 1

an elastic member, the elastic member is provided on the upright column in a sleeving manner, when the wiring cover plate is locked in the assembling position through the connecting piece, the elastic member is abutted against at least one of the wiring base and the wiring cover plate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3793048B1Wiring assembly and air conditioner with same
Publication Date: 2023.08.23 GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCE INC OF ZHUHAI
  • EP3793048B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3793048B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3793048B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Some embodiments of the invention provide a wiring assembly and an air conditioner with the wiring assembly. The wiring assembly includes: a wiring base, wherein the wiring base is provided with an avoidance portion; and a wiring cover plate, wherein the wiring cover plate is provided with a protruding portion cooperated with the avoidance portion, the wiring cover plate is provided with an assembling position connected with the wiring base, and when the wiring cover plate is located at the assembling position, the protruding portion is located within the avoidance portion, and a limiting space used for clamping a wire connection piece is formed between the protruding portion and the wiring base. Such an arrangement enables the wire connection piece to be directly clamped on the wiring cover plate and the wiring base so as to avoid a step of fixing a bolt on the wiring base for the connection of the wire connection piece. The efficiency of detaching and assembling a wire is effectively improved, and user usage experience is improved.