Ceiling Air Outlet Structure for Draft-Free 4-Way Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ceiling-mounted air conditioners face challenges in achieving satisfactory air current distribution while maintaining a satisfactory flow speed, often requiring complex mechanisms to regulate air direction, which increases costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
The air conditioner incorporates auxiliary outlets at corner parts with fixed blow-out directions, utilizing the air currents from main outlets to vary the direction without additional mechanisms, and link mechanisms for oscillating horizontal flaps to simplify the structure and enhance air distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the flow volume of air blown out from each outlet is increased, then the cooling/heating effectiveness is improved, but the flow speed of air increases which generates draft and makes air current distribution unsatisfactory
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet is divided into multiple outlet holes arranged in an arcuate pattern, allowing the total flow volume to be distributed across multiple smaller openings. This segmentation enables increased overall airflow while maintaining lower velocity at each individual outlet, preventing draft while improving cooling effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The outlet holes are arranged in an arcuate (curved) pattern rather than a straight line, utilizing spatial distribution in multiple dimensions. This arcuate arrangement allows the airflow to be dispersed across a wider area, increasing total flow volume while maintaining satisfactory air current distribution and preventing concentrated high-velocity streams that cause draft.
2Productivity
If an arcuate outlet is used to increase flow volume while suppressing flow speed, then air current distribution is improved, but a slide mechanism must be added to slide the horizontal flap vertically, complicating the structure and increasing cost
Solution Approach 1:
The complex slide mechanism is completely removed from the design. Instead of using a mechanical slide mechanism to move the horizontal flap vertically, the invention achieves wind direction control solely through the oscillation of the horizontal flap itself, eliminating unnecessary mechanical components and simplifying the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The horizontal flap serves multiple functions: it controls wind direction through oscillation and simultaneously defines the outlet geometry through its arcuate shape. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate slide mechanisms, reducing structural complexity while maintaining the ability to increase flow volume and improve air current distribution.
3Device complexity
If conventional outlets are used with horizontal flaps for wind direction control, then the structure is simpler, but the flow volume is limited and air current distribution is unsatisfactory
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet transitions from a conventional linear arrangement to an arcuate (curved) configuration, utilizing spatial distribution in multiple dimensions. This dimensional change increases the effective outlet area and allows greater flow volume while maintaining structural simplicity through the oscillating horizontal flap mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The outlet is segmented into multiple outlet holes distributed along the arcuate horizontal flap. This segmentation increases the total flow capacity while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure, as the same oscillating flap mechanism controls all outlet holes simultaneously without requiring additional complex components.
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 configuration increases air flow volume, maintains satisfactory air distribution, and simplifies the structure for regulating air direction, ensuring effective air current distribution without the need for complex mechanisms, while maintaining flow speed and reach.
Implementation Method 1
a fan and a heat exchanger disposed inside the casing
Implementation Method 2
the air sucked into the casing is heated or cooled by the heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioner principally includes a casing having a casing lower part formed by an alternating sequence of four panel side parts and four corner parts. The casing further has main outlets disposed along each of the panel side parts, and auxiliary outlets disposed at the corner parts. The air conditioner further includes horizontal flaps rotatably supported about longitudinal axes of the main outlets. A circumferential edge part of each of the auxiliary outlets is formed so that the air from each of the auxiliary outlets is blown out in a fixed direction.