Air Conditioner Drain Pan Inspection Opening for Maintenance Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioners require onerous work for visual examination of drain pan water quality due to dirt adherence on transparent inspection windows and the need to detach the drain pan for inspection.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner design featuring a housing with a drain pan, a drain pump, an opening part on the side surface, and a detachable lid member that allows visual examination of the drain pan without tools, enabling inspection without disassembling the unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an inspection window made of transparent plate member is provided to the drain pan, then visual examination is enabled, but dirt adherence to the transparent plate member makes examination difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the examination function from the transparent plate member by providing a separate removable lid member with an opening. This allows the examination opening to be accessed independently from the transparent plate, enabling clear visual examination of the drain pan interior without the transparent plate obstructing the view or accumulating dirt that interferes with examination.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid member acts as an intermediary element between the exterior environment and the drain pan interior. By removing the lid, a direct line of sight is created through the opening to the drain pan, serving as a mediator that enables clear examination without requiring the transparent plate to provide the examination pathway.
2Measurement precision
If the drain pan is detached from the air conditioner for examination, then thorough inspection is possible, but onerous work involving many steps is required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the examination function from the overall drain pan assembly by providing a separate removable lid member. This allows the examination opening to be accessed independently without detaching the entire drain pan from the air conditioner, thereby enabling thorough inspection of the drain pan interior through the opening while avoiding the complex disassembly steps required by full detachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid member serves multiple functions: it seals the opening during normal operation and provides an examination access point when removed. This multi-functional design enables thorough examination of the drain pan interior without requiring complete disassembly, combining the sealing function with the examination access function in a single component.
3Ease of operation
If the lid member is made detachable for examination access, then easy visual examination is enabled, but the opening part must remain open during inspection
Solution Approach 1:
The lid member is designed to be dynamically changeable between attached and detached states. During normal operation, it remains attached to maintain housing integrity and seal the opening. During examination, it can be detached to provide access to the opening for visual inspection of the drain pan interior, then reattached to restore the sealed state.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid member undergoes periodic attachment and detachment cycles corresponding to examination needs. It remains attached during normal operation and is periodically detached for examination purposes, then reattached to restore housing integrity. This periodic action allows easy examination access while maintaining housing stability during normal operation.
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
Facilitates easy visual and tactile examination of the drain pan and drain pump suction port without laborious disassembly, enhancing maintenance efficiency and reducing operational complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a drain pump for suctioning drain water which collects in the drain pan
Data Source
AI summary
In order to enable a drain pan to be visually checked for contamination without requiring a complicated operation, the present invention is configured so as to be equipped with: a housing; a drain pan provided inside the housing; a drain pump for pumping up drain water accumulated in the drain pan; an opening provided in a side surface of the housing; and a cover member attached to the opening and covering the opening. When the cover member is detached from the opening at least a portion of the drain pan can be viewed from the opening.