Ceiling Air Conditioner Inspection Cover with Hidden Handle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ceiling-type air conditioners face issues with non-uniform closure of air outlets, water ingress into control boxes, and cumbersome maintenance due to the placement of motors and lack of easy inspection mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a base panel with an air inlet and inspection opening, an intake grille, and inspection opening covers with hook protrusions and holes for secure coupling, allowing for uniform air outlet closure, water blocking, and simplified inspection and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the motor is installed only at the side area of the vane, then the structure is simplified, but the vane cannot uniformly close the air outlet throughout the entire range
Solution Approach 1:
The vane assembly is segmented into multiple independent vanes (first vane, second vane, third vane, fourth vane) that can be controlled separately. Each vane is equipped with its own motor or sharing mechanism, allowing independent adjustment and uniform closure across the entire air outlet range, resolving the issue of non-uniform closure when motors are limited to side areas only.
2Strength
If the intake and discharge unit is tightly coupled to the body, then structural integrity is improved, but it becomes cumbersome to remove for inspection and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The intake and discharge unit is designed as a separable module that can be detached from the main body. The unit includes the air inlet, air outlet, and associated components, which can be removed as a complete assembly for inspection and maintenance, then reattached to restore structural integrity. This modular design allows easy access to internal components without compromising the overall structural strength when assembled.
3Ease of operation
If the control box is exposed on the intake and discharge unit, then control functionality is accessible, but condensed water flows into the control box and reaches the control board
Solution Approach 1:
A waterproof cover or protective barrier is introduced as an intermediary element between the control box and the external environment. This cover allows control functionality to remain accessible while preventing condensed water from reaching the control board. The cover may include sealed openings for control interfaces while maintaining water tightness against the control electronics.
4Productivity
If the air outlet is fully open for maximum airflow, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the vane cannot uniformly close when needed
Solution Approach 1:
The air outlet is divided into multiple independently controllable sections through segmented vanes. Each vane can be adjusted to achieve uniform closure across the entire outlet area, while the outlet remains fully open for maximum airflow when needed. The segmentation allows precise control of each section to maintain both high productivity when open and uniform closure when shut.
Data Source
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AI summary
An air conditioner, which has an improved appearance and facilitates inspection thereof, is disclosed. The air conditioner includes a base panel (10) having an air inlet (12a) and an inspection opening (15A; 16A), an intake grille (30) mounted on the base panel (10) so as to correspond to the air inlet (12A), and an inspection opening cover (40; 50) coupled to the base panel (10) so as to cover the inspection opening (15a; 16A), wherein the inspection opening cover (40; 50) includes a dismantling handle (42; 52) disposed between the base panel (10) and the intake grille (30).