Ceiling-Embedded Air Outlet Layout for Corner Air Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ceiling-embedded air conditioners have structural complexities that compromise the strength of the drain pan and increase component count, making it difficult to efficiently distribute air in large rooms and requiring auxiliary outlets, which complicates motor attachment and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A ceiling-embedded air conditioner design featuring a box-shaped housing with a square decorative panel, corner blowoff units, and rotatable wind direction plates that guide air to corners without auxiliary outlets, ensuring efficient air distribution and simplifying motor attachment and maintenance by integrating motors within the blowoff path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If outlets are provided only along the four sides of the housing, then the structure is simple, but air cannot be supplied in the directions of the four corners
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet configuration is segmented into two types: side outlets along the four sides of the housing and corner outlets at the four corners. This segmentation allows air to be supplied in multiple directions independently, achieving comprehensive air distribution coverage without requiring a completely complex outlet arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The outlet arrangement transitions from a one-dimensional side-only configuration to a two-dimensional configuration that includes both side outlets and corner outlets. This dimensional expansion enables air to be supplied not only along the sides but also in the corner directions, significantly improving air distribution coverage.
2Ease of operation
If auxiliary outlets are added to blow air in all directions, then air distribution improves, but the structure becomes more complex and motor attachment becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The corner outlets are integrated with the corner portions of the housing structure, merging the outlet function with the existing housing geometry. This integration allows air to be blown in all directions including corners without adding separate auxiliary outlets, thereby avoiding increased structural complexity and motor attachment difficulties.
Solution Approach 2:
The corner outlets serve multiple functions: they provide air supply to the corner directions and are structurally integrated with the housing. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate auxiliary outlets, maintaining structural simplicity while achieving comprehensive air distribution.
3Ease of operation
If the drain pan structure is modified to add outlets, then air distribution improves, but the strength of the drain pan decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The air outlet function is segmented between the housing (corner outlets) and the drain pan (side outlets). By providing corner outlets in the housing, the drain pan does not need to be extensively modified, thereby maintaining its structural strength while still achieving comprehensive air distribution when combined with the side outlets.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing acts as an intermediary structure that provides corner outlets without requiring modifications to the drain pan. This intermediary solution allows air to be supplied in corner directions while the drain pan maintains its original strong structure, avoiding the strength reduction that would occur from extensive drain pan modifications.
4Ease of operation
If motors are attached to the back surface of the decorative panel, then wind direction control is achieved, but maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The motors are extracted from the back surface of the decorative panel and relocated to the front surface. This extraction allows the motors to be easily accessible for maintenance while still achieving wind direction control through the decorative panel structure. The motors can now be serviced without disassembling the entire unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor attachment location is inverted from the conventional back-surface mounting to front-surface mounting. This inversion makes the motors accessible from the front for easy maintenance while maintaining their functional capability to control wind direction through the decorative panel.
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 allows for efficient air conditioning in large rooms by blowing air in all directions without auxiliary outlets, maintaining drain pan strength, and facilitating easy motor maintenance by allowing attachment and detachment through the decorative panel surface.
Implementation Method 1
The heat exchanger performs heat exchange between the sucked air and a refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
a box-shaped housing embedded in a ceiling of an air-conditioned room and having a blowing fan
Implementation Method 3
wind direction plates that are rotatably provided along the respective sides of the decorative panel so as to cover or open the blowoff path
Data Source
AI summary
A ceiling-embedded air conditioner includes: a box-shaped housing that is embedded in a ceiling of an air-conditioned room; a square decorative panel that is attached to a lower surface of the housing and covers the ceiling; main body outlets that are provided along respective four sides of a bottom surface of the housing and blow heat-exchanged air; outlets that are provided in the decorative panel in correspondence with the main body outlets; corner blowoff units that are provided in the decorative panel in correspondence with coupling portions for coupling the outlets; a blowoff path that is circumferentially provided in the decorative panel in correspondence with the outlets and the corner blowoff units; and wind direction plates that are rotatably provided along the respective sides of the decorative panel so as to cover or open the blowoff path and are longer than a long side of the outlets.