Ceiling Air Conditioner Control Box Layout for Easier PCB Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
The control box of ceiling type air conditioners, when installed adjacent to the inlet port, has a transversal width greater than its longitudinal width, causing airflow obstruction and making maintenance difficult due to its horizontal orientation and placement at the ceiling, which complicates access to electronic components.
Innovation Solution
The control box is designed with a rotatable cover that opens upward, allowing the printed circuit board to be vertically oriented, reducing the transversal width and enabling easier maintenance while minimizing airflow obstruction by being installed between the guide rib and the side wall, with a fixed coupling part and rotatable coupling part that maintain wire groove positions and secure the cover in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the control box is installed with the printed circuit board horizontally arranged, then the electronic components are directed downward for easy maintenance, but the transversal width of the control box becomes greater than the longitudinal width, blocking the inlet port and causing airflow problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional horizontal arrangement of the printed circuit board to a vertical arrangement. This inversion changes the orientation of electronic components from downward-facing to sideways-facing, allowing the control box to be positioned without blocking the inlet port while maintaining accessibility for maintenance through the rotatable cover mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional horizontal layout to a three-dimensional vertical arrangement by rotating the printed circuit board 90 degrees. This dimensional change allows the control box to occupy less transversal space, preventing inlet port obstruction while preserving maintenance capability through the rotatable cover design.
2Reliability
If the control box is installed at the ceiling, then the air-conditioner functions properly, but it becomes difficult to access and maintain the electronic components in the control box
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a rotatable cover that can rotate between a closed position (when the air-conditioner is operating) and an open position (when maintenance is needed). This dynamic mechanism allows the control box to remain securely installed at the ceiling for reliable operation while providing easy access to electronic components when the cover is rotated open.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the control box into two separable parts: a fixed case that remains installed at the ceiling and a rotatable cover that can be opened for maintenance. This segmentation allows the main body to stay securely positioned for reliable operation while the cover provides independent access to electronic components without requiring removal of the entire control box.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the inlet port is made narrow to fit the control box, then the control box can be installed, but it becomes difficult to apply in specifications with narrow inlet ports
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of narrowing the inlet port to accommodate the control box, the patent inverts the approach by vertically arranging the printed circuit board to reduce the control box's transversal width. This allows the inlet port to maintain its original, larger dimensions for proper airflow while the control box fits within the available space through its reoriented configuration.
Data Source
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AI summary
An indoor unit of a ceiling type air-conditioner includes a main body having an inlet port and an outlet port provided at a lower portion thereof, a heat exchanger having a tube through which a refrigerant flows, a blowing fan which forcibly causes air to flow, and a control box comprising a case which is fixed to the main body and a cover which is rotatably coupled to the case so as to open and close the case and to which a printed circuit board having electronic components mounted thereon is fixed.