Electronic control box, electronic control device and air conditioner

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air conditioner electronic control boxes suffer from inadequate waterproof performance, allowing liquid water or water vapor to enter and damage internal components.

Innovation Solution

An electronic control box design that includes a box body with enclosing plates and a cover plate engagement to create a path for water entry from above, enhancing waterproofing, and a mounting plate system that eliminates the need for additional mounting supports, reducing parts and improving fitting convenience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the electronic control box uses a simple open structure for the control cavity, then the manufacturing and assembly process is simple, but the waterproof performance is insufficient allowing liquid water or water vapor to enter and damage components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewaterproof performanceVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control cavity is segmented into multiple enclosed spaces using partition plates. The first partition plate divides the cavity into a first control component installation space and a second control component installation space, while the second partition plate further divides the second space into sub-spaces. This segmentation allows for better waterproof isolation between different components while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Mounting plates are introduced as intermediary elements between the partition plates and the control components. The mounting plates are detachably connected to the partition plates, providing an additional layer of waterproof protection and facilitating easy installation and maintenance of control components without compromising the overall waterproof integrity of the enclosure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Volume of moving object

If control components are integrated in a compact electronic control box, then space is saved, but waterproof performance deteriorates allowing liquid water or water vapor to enter the interior

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol box volumeVSAvoidwaterproof performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The electronic control box employs a nested structure where mounting plates are detachably connected to partition plates, which are in turn installed within the control cavity. Control components are mounted on the mounting plates, creating multiple nested layers of protection. This nested design maintains compact volume while enhancing waterproof performance through multiple isolation barriers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a dimensional layering approach by adding mounting plates as an intermediate dimension between the partition plates and control components. This additional dimensional layer provides extra waterproof protection without significantly increasing the overall volume, as the mounting plates utilize the existing spatial framework of the partition plates.

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

3Ease of operation

If a mounting support is welded inside the cavity to support the mounting plate, then the mounting plate is securely supported, but the number of parts and processing steps increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting plate fitting convenienceVSAvoidnumber of parts and processing steps
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting plates are directly and detachably connected to the partition plates, merging the support function into the partition plate structure itself. This eliminates the need for separate mounting supports welded inside the cavity, reducing the number of parts and processing steps while maintaining secure support for control components through the integrated partition plate-monting plate connection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4694591A1Electronic control box, electronic control device and air conditioner
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 GD MIDEA HEATING & VENTILATING EQUIP CO LTD
  • EP4694591A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4694591A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4694591A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Provided are an electronic control box, an electronic control device, and an air conditioner. The electronic control box includes a box body (1), a box cover (2), and a mounting plate (4). The box body (1) includes a bottom plate (15) and an enclosing plate assembly arranged on the bottom plate (15). A cavity (16) is formed between the bottom plate (15) and the enclosing plate assembly and has an opening (161) opposite to the bottom plate (15). The enclosing plate assembly includes a first enclosing plate (11) and a second enclosing plate (12) that are opposite to each other in a first direction and a third enclosing plate (13) and a fourth enclosing plate (14) that are opposite to each other in a second direction. Each of the first direction and the second direction is perpendicular to a thickness direction of the bottom plate (15). The box cover (2) is L-shaped and includes a first cover plate (21) and a second cover plate (22) connected to the first cover plate (21). The box cover (2) is disposed at the box body (1). The second cover plate (22) covers the opening (161). The first cover plate (21) covers and is engaged with the first enclosing plate (11). The mounting plate (4) is located in the cavity (16) and disposed on the first enclosing plate (11).