Electric control box and window air conditioner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing window air conditioners face installation and maintenance challenges due to messy wire bundles in electric control boxes, leading to operational instability and high costs, as well as difficulties in outdoor unit installation and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
An electric control box with a wiring channel and radiator for organized wire routing and heat dissipation, featuring a wire-separation rib to divide the channel and a radiator for heat transfer, along with insulation and fireproof shells for protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wire bundles are arranged without a wire-separation rib, then the wiring channel is simple in structure, but the wire bundles become messy and interfere with each other, causing operational instability
Solution Approach 1:
The wiring channel is segmented by the wire-separation rib into multiple slots, dividing the space for wire bundles. This segmentation organizes the wire bundles into separate regions, preventing them from becoming messy and interfering with each other, thereby improving operational stability while adding only a simple structural element.
Solution Approach 2:
The wire-separation rib is strategically positioned within the wiring channel to create localized separation zones. This local structural modification provides targeted organization for wire bundles without requiring complete redesign of the entire wiring channel, balancing reliability improvement with minimal structural complexity.
2Volume of moving object
If electronic components are densely arranged on the circuit board, then the device size is reduced, but heat dissipation becomes insufficient leading to overheating
Solution Approach 1:
A radiator is introduced as an intermediary heat dissipation component between the electronic components and the external environment. The radiator is connected to the circuit board and extends through the box body, providing an efficient thermal pathway that enables effective heat dissipation even when electronic components are densely arranged, thus allowing compact design without compromising temperature control.
3Ease of repair
If the wiring channel lacks organized structure, then installation is faster, but wire routing becomes messy requiring more maintenance time
Solution Approach 1:
The wire-separation rib is pre-installed in the wiring channel to create organized slots for wire bundles. This preliminary structural preparation guides the routing of wire bundles during installation, preventing messy arrangements from the outset. While adding a minor structural element, it significantly reduces future maintenance time by ensuring wires remain organized and accessible.
4Loss of energy
If the radiator is not connected to electronic components, then the structure is simpler, but heat transfer efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The radiator is merged with the circuit board through direct connection, combining the electrical component mounting function with the heat dissipation function in a single integrated structure. This merging eliminates the need for separate heat dissipation components and complex connection mechanisms, achieving efficient heat transfer while maintaining structural simplicity.
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 wire routing and effective heat dissipation, reducing installation and maintenance complexity while ensuring stable operation and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
The radiator is connected to at least some of the electronic components on the circuit board and is adapted to transfer heat to form a heat dissipation structure
Data Source
AI summary
A window air conditioner includes a base, and a casing assembly mounted at the base and including an inner casing and an outer casing spaced apart from each other. The outer casing includes an outdoor heat exchanger at a side of the outer casing facing away from the inner casing. The window air conditioner further includes an electric control box disposed in the outer casing. The electric control box includes a box body and a radiator at least partially provided in the box body. The radiator includes a bottom plate located in the box body and approximately parallel to the outdoor heat exchanger.