Circular Air Outlet Layout for Uniform Air Conditioner Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air conditioners with irregularly shaped discharge ports due to internal component arrangements in the housing lead to uneven air distribution within a room, reducing efficiency and comfort.
Innovation Solution
The air conditioner features a cylindrical housing with protrusion portions to accommodate refrigerant and drain extraction units, allowing for a circular discharge port design that maximizes airflow and includes a condensate water collecting space in the drain tray, along with a coupling member for improved component arrangement and durability, and an opening and closing mechanism without a blade for easy operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If internal components (refrigerant pipe connecting unit, drain extraction unit) are arranged inside the cylindrical housing, then the housing structure is compact, but the discharge port becomes irregularly shaped and air distribution becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerant pipe connecting unit and drain extraction unit are extracted from the internal space of the cylindrical housing and repositioned to the external surface. This extraction resolves the spatial conflict between internal component arrangement and circular discharge port formation, allowing the discharge port to maintain a regular circular shape for uniform air distribution while components are mounted externally on the housing surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The components are relocated from the two-dimensional internal cross-section to the external surface of the cylinder, utilizing the outer surface area for component mounting. This dimensional transition allows the internal housing space to remain clear for optimal air flow and circular discharge port configuration, while components are accommodated on the external surface.
2Device complexity
If discharge port is formed irregularly to accommodate internal components, then component arrangement is simplified, but air discharged from the air conditioner is irregularly delivered to the interior of the room
Solution Approach 1:
By extracting the refrigerant pipe connecting unit and drain extraction unit from the internal arrangement, the discharge port can maintain its regular circular shape. This ensures that air is discharged uniformly in all directions around the circular perimeter, providing even air distribution throughout the room while component arrangement remains simple on the external housing surface.
3Shape
If components are arranged on the external surface of the housing, then the discharge port can be regularly disposed, but the housing structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The housing external surface serves multiple functions: it maintains the aesthetic circular shape with regular discharge port, and simultaneously provides a mounting surface for the refrigerant pipe connecting unit and drain extraction unit. This multi-functional use of the external surface avoids adding separate structural elements, keeping the overall housing structure relatively simple while achieving both regular discharge port shape and component accommodation.
Data Source
AI summary
In an air conditioner, a drain extraction unit and a refrigerant pipe connecting unit may be disposed in a blocking region in which a discharge port is not provided so that a size of the discharge port may be secured and the discharge port may be uniformly disposed, thereby generating uniform airflow in a room. In a lower housing formed in a circular shape, some of components inside an indoor unit of the air conditioner may be disposed in a protrusion portion that protrudes from the circular housing, thereby facilitating the installation of the air conditioner. A condensate water collecting space disposed outside the housing may be provided in a drain tray, thereby efficiently preventing a leakage due to condensate water generated outside the housing. The housing, the drain tray, and the cover member of the air conditioner may be coupled by a coupling member coupled outside.