Electric component box and indoor unit of air conditioner

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electric component boxes for air conditioner indoor units require high material and labor costs due to complex wiring and large space requirements, leading to increased assembly time and potential noise-induced errors.

Innovation Solution

The electric component box integrates terminal blocks directly onto the control board, with the communication-wire terminal block positioned away from the power supply transformer, reducing the need for external wiring and minimizing space usage, thereby reducing material costs and assembly time while preventing noise interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If terminal blocks are screwed to the casing of the electric component box, then reliable electrical connection is achieved, but material cost and assembly time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical connection reliabilityVSAvoidassembly time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the terminal block with the control board by providing terminal blocks directly on the control board rather than as separate components screwed to the casing. This integration eliminates the need for separate terminal block assemblies and reduces the number of assembly steps while maintaining reliable electrical connections between wires and the control system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If terminal blocks are screwed to the casing, then stable electrical connection is achieved, but the space required in the electric component box increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical connection stabilityVSAvoidelectric component box space
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal blocks are integrated directly onto the control board, eliminating the need for separate terminal block housings and mounting structures in the casing. This consolidation reduces the overall space required in the electric component box while maintaining stable electrical connections through the control board's integrated design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Volume of stationary object

If communication-wire terminal block is positioned near power supply transformer, then wiring space is reduced, but noise-induced errors increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewiring spaceVSAvoidsignal accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by positioning the communication-wire terminal block on the control board away from the power supply transformer. This spatial separation on the control board prevents electromagnetic noise from the transformer from interfering with communication signals, ensuring signal accuracy while still utilizing the control board's integrated structure to minimize overall wiring space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2896896B1Electric component box and indoor unit of air conditioner
Publication Date: 2019.12.25 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP2896896B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2896896B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2896896B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An electric component box (1, 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5) that accommodates therein an electric component, which includes: a control board (2) that controls an air conditioner indoor unit (102); a power supply and indoor-outdoor wiring terminal block (3, 3-1) that is provided on the control board (2) and is connected to a communication wire (103) wired from the air conditioner indoor unit (102) to an air conditioner outdoor unit (101) and is connected to a power wire (12) that supplies power; and a communication-wire terminal block (4, 4-1, 4-2) that is provided on the control board (2) and is connected to a communication wire (103) for an external input.