Ceiling Air Conditioner Inlet Panel for Flexible Bottom Styling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ceiling-mounted air conditioner indoor units have limited design flexibility for the bottom panel, which compromises both functionality and aesthetics, as the inlet and filter design are not easily modifiable without impairing their basic functions.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a movable panel that closes the inlet during non-operation, allowing for improved design flexibility and maintainability, with the option to house the filter and driving mechanism in a way that enhances visual appeal and user serviceability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the inlet is left open on the bottom panel for air suction, then the basic function of air intake is maintained, but the design flexibility and aesthetic appearance of the bottom panel deteriorate due to the visible opening
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the panel covering the inlet movable rather than fixed. The panel can dynamically change its position between covering and uncovering the inlet, allowing the bottom panel to maintain a clean aesthetic appearance during non-operation while ensuring proper air intake function during operation. This dynamic mechanism resolves the contradiction between design flexibility and functional requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the bottom panel into a fixed portion and a movable panel portion. The movable panel can be independently controlled to cover or uncover the inlet, separating the aesthetic function (maintained by the fixed portion) from the functional function (controlled by the movable portion). This segmentation allows both design flexibility and air intake function to coexist without compromise.
2Shape
If the inlet is covered during non-operation to improve aesthetic appearance, then the design flexibility of the bottom panel improves, but the accessibility and maintainability of the filter deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The movable panel provides dynamic accessibility to the filter. During non-operation, the panel covers the inlet for aesthetic purposes. When filter maintenance is needed, the panel can be moved to an open position, providing easy access to the filter without compromising the aesthetic appearance during normal operation. This dynamic mechanism resolves the contradiction between appearance and maintainability.
3Device complexity
If a fixed bottom panel design is used with integrated inlet and filter, then the structure is simple, but the design flexibility and product differentiation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By introducing a movable panel that can change position, the patent transforms a static, simple structure into a dynamic system. The movable panel can be controlled to different positions (covering or uncovering the inlet), providing multiple operational states and design variations without significantly increasing overall structural complexity. This enables product differentiation while maintaining relative structural simplicity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
An indoor unit of a ceiling-embedded type or ceiling-suspended type air conditioner with an improved flexibility of the design of a bottom panel is provided. An indoor unit (1) includes a bottom panel (5), an inlet (6) disposed to the bottom panel (5), a movable panel (7) that closes the inlet (6) during non-operation, and a driving means (10). The driving means (10) moves or rotates the movable panel (7). During operation, the movable panel (7) moves or rotates and recedes above a bottom surface of the bottom panel (5).