Dual Air Discharge Layout for Minimal-Wind Air Conditioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional air conditioners fail to provide comfortable cooling and heating at minimal wind speed and do not effectively mix natural winds with heat-exchanged air, leading to inefficient air distribution and increased device size.

Innovation Solution

The air conditioner features a dual discharge system with separate flow paths for heat-exchanged and natural winds, using a guide curved portion to mix air from both paths through the first and second discharge ports, allowing for comfortable air distribution and reduced device size.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of stationary object

If a single discharge port is used for both heat-exchanged air and natural winds, then the device size can be reduced, but the air distribution efficiency and user comfort deteriorate due to inability to provide minimal wind speed cooling/heating

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice sizeVSAvoidair distribution efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The discharge system is segmented into two separate discharge ports: a first discharge port for heat-exchanged air and a second discharge port for natural winds. This segmentation allows each port to be optimized for its specific function, enabling effective air distribution while maintaining compact device size through efficient spatial arrangement of the separated flow paths.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If heat-exchanged air and natural winds are discharged separately through different ports, then air distribution efficiency improves, but the device size increases due to additional flow path requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair distribution efficiencyVSAvoiddevice size
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes three-dimensional spatial arrangement to accommodate separate flow paths for heat-exchanged air and natural winds. By strategically positioning the first and second discharge ports at different locations and orientations on the device housing, and designing corresponding three-dimensional flow paths, the system achieves effective air distribution without requiring excessive device volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If conventional single discharge port design is used, then device structure is simple, but user comfort deteriorates due to inability to provide comfortable cooling at minimal wind speed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedischarge structure complexityVSAvoiduser comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The discharge structure is segmented into two independent systems: a first discharge port for heat-exchanged air and a second discharge port for natural winds. This segmentation enables the system to provide comfortable cooling and heating at minimal wind speed by appropriately mixing heat-exchanged air with natural winds, thereby improving user comfort while maintaining relatively simple device structure through efficient design of each discharge path.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 enables comfortable cooling and heating at minimal wind speed while effectively mixing natural and heat-exchanged air, reducing the air conditioner's size and improving air distribution efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a guide curved portion configured to guide air, which is discharged through the second discharge port, to allow the air, which is discharged through the second discharge port, to be mixed with air, which is discharged through the first discharge port

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid mixing:

Data Source

PatentEP3631307B1Air conditioner
Publication Date: 2023.03.29 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3631307B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3631307B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3631307B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is an air conditioner including a housing, a suction port disposed in the housing, a first discharge port disposed in the housing to discharge a part of air sucked through the suction port, and a second discharge port disposed in the housing to discharge other part of air sucked through the suction port, a heat exchanger configured to perform heat-exchange on the part of air sucked through the suction port, a first blowing fan configured to suck the part of air, which is sucked through the suction port, to discharge the sucked air to the first discharge port, and an intermediate member configured to guide the part of air sucked through the suction port to the heat exchanger, and configured to separate other part of air s sucked through the suction port from the part of air sucked through the suction port.