Ceiling Indoor Unit Airflow Control for Room Temperature Evenness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional room air conditioning systems with human body sensors to detect presence under multiple target areas become complex and expensive, failing to effectively reduce temperature unevenness without directly blowing air into individuals.

Innovation Solution

A room air conditioning system with multiple indoor units installed on a ceiling, each equipped with rotatable flaps in blow-off openings that can change airflow angles and human body sensors, a controller manages airflow and temperature control by directing air horizontally or vertically when no person is detected, reducing temperature unevenness without blowing air directly into individuals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If human body sensors are installed in multiple target areas to detect person presence, then person detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperson detection accuracyVSAvoidsensor structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A single human body sensor is made to serve multiple target areas through the rotatable opening section that can rotate to face different directions. This allows one sensor to perform the function of multiple sensors would otherwise be needed, reducing device complexity while maintaining detection coverage across multiple areas

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If air is blown directly into target areas, then cooling or heating efficiency is improved, but comfort deteriorates when persons are present

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling/heating efficiencyVSAvoidairflow discomfort to persons
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the opening section rotation angle based on real-time detection of person presence. When a person is detected in a target area, the opening section rotates to redirect airflow away from that area, preventing direct blowing onto persons while maintaining efficient airflow to unoccupied areas

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The human body sensor provides feedback about person presence in target areas, and the controller uses this feedback to automatically adjust the opening section rotation. This closed-loop control ensures airflow is continuously optimized to avoid persons while maintaining cooling/heating efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Object-affected harmful factors

If airflow control is prioritized to avoid persons, then comfort is improved, but temperature evenness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveairflow comfortVSAvoidroom temperature evenness
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The opening section performs periodic rotation to change airflow directions over time. This periodic action allows different target areas to receive airflow at different times, preventing localized temperature accumulation and improving overall temperature evenness while still avoiding direct airflow onto persons when detected

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

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 system efficiently reduces room temperature unevenness by adjusting airflow angles based on human presence, minimizing direct air blowing and maintaining temperature consistency without increasing system complexity or cost.

Implementation Method 1

a human body sensor that detects whether a person is present below a corresponding one of the plurality of indoor units

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInfrared radiation detection: Infrared Radiation

Implementation Method 2

a plurality of flaps that are rotatably disposed in respective blow-off openings and are capable of independently changing vertical angles of airflows

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow redirection:

Data Source

PatentEP3096088B1Room air conditioning system
Publication Date: 2021.09.22 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
  • EP3096088B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3096088B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3096088B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A room air conditioning system includes a plurality of indoor units and a controller. Each of the plurality of indoor units includes: an air conditioner main body having a plurality of blow-off openings formed therein; a plurality of flaps rotatably that are disposed in the respective blow-off openings and that can independently change vertical angles of airflows; and a human body sensor that detects whether a person is present below a corresponding one of the plurality of indoor units. When at least one of the human body sensors in the plurality of indoor units detects the absence of a person in a state of selecting the airflow control, the controller causes a corresponding one of the indoor units that detects the absence to perform the temperature evenness control. This room air conditioning system successfully reduces unevenness of room temperature.