Ceiling Air Intake Door Panel With Rack-and-Pinion Lift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ceiling-mounted air conditioners have open air intakes that degrade their exterior appearance since they are always visible, even when not in operation.
Innovation Solution
A ceiling-mounted air conditioner design featuring a door panel that can be lifted up or down to open or close the air intake, using moving elements and rotation elements with a rack and pinion gear mechanism, allowing for easy attachment and detachment, and incorporating stoppers to prevent accidental detachment and improve the exterior appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the air intake is always open to allow indoor air to be drawn into the main body, then the air conditioner can perform its air-conditioning function, but the exterior appearance is degraded because the air intake is always visible
Solution Approach 1:
The door panel is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to switch between open and closed states. When the air conditioner operates, the door panel opens to allow air intake; when it stops operating, the door panel closes to improve exterior appearance. This dynamic structure resolves the contradiction by adapting the air intake state to the operational state of the device.
2Shape
If a door panel is added to open or close the air intake, then the exterior appearance is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door panel mechanism is segmented into independent components: the door panel itself, moving elements attached to it, rotation elements fixed to the main body, and connecting elements. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently and simplifies the overall design and maintenance of the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting element acts as an intermediary between the rotation element and the moving element. It transmits the rotational motion from the rotation element to the moving element, which then moves the door panel. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the direct connection requirements and reduces the complexity of the overall system.
3Ease of repair
If the door panel is designed to be easily attached or detached for maintenance, then the ease of repair is improved, but the reliability may be compromised due to potential accidental detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper element is designed to preliminarily prevent accidental detachment of the door panel by engaging with the moving element. This preliminary protective measure ensures that the door panel remains securely attached during normal operation while still allowing intentional detachment for maintenance when needed.
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
The air intake is only visible when the air conditioner is operating, enhancing its appearance, and the design facilitates easier maintenance and replacement of components.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the rotation elements may include a pinion gear fixed to the main body and the driving force transmitting portion may include a rack gear engaging with the pinion gear.
Data Source
AI summary
A ceiling-mounted air conditioner is provided. The ceiling-mounted air conditioner includes a main body which is fixed onto a ceiling of a room where the ceiling-mounted air conditioner is installed and includes an air intake formed at the bottom thereof; a door panel which is connected to the bottom of the main body so as to be able to be attached to or detached from the main body and shuts or opens the air intake by being lifted up or down; a plurality of moving elements which are fixed onto the top surface of the door panel, are a predetermined distance apart from one another, and are lifted up or down so as to be able to lift up or down the door panel; and a plurality of rotation elements which are disposed at the main body so as to be able to rotate and thus to lift up or down the moving elements, wherein each of the moving elements includes a vertical portion having a cavity portion extending vertically therein and protruding vertically from the top surface of the door panel, a driving force transmitting portion formed on one side of the cavity portion and contacting a corresponding rotation element, and an elevation guide portion formed on the other side of the cavity portion and guiding the elevation of the vertical portion. Therefore, it is possible to improve the exterior appearance of the ceiling-mounted air conditioner.