Indoor AC Fresh Air Outlet Layout to Prevent Airflow Short-Circuit

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional air conditioners fail to effectively circulate fresh air, leading to poor air quality due to the recirculation of indoor pollutants and reduced oxygen levels, which is exacerbated by the need for closed rooms to maintain air conditioning, thereby compromising health and comfort.

Innovation Solution

An air conditioner indoor unit design featuring a fresh air device with a receiving hole and a movable air baffle portion that allows fresh air to be blown from the side of the unit, preventing short circuits between fresh and polluted air and enhancing air flow by enabling air to reach different positions in the room.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If fresh air is blown directly from the front air outlet, then the air conditioning effect is maintained, but fresh air and polluted air short-circuit and mix, reducing air quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair qualityVSAvoidair flow distribution
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the air outlet into two separate channels: a front air outlet for air conditioning and a side receiving hole for fresh air. This spatial segmentation prevents the mixing of fresh air and polluted air, solving the short-circuit problem while maintaining both air conditioning effect and air quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a side receiving hole as a new spatial dimension for fresh air intake, different from the traditional front outlet. This dimensional change allows fresh air to enter from the side and be distributed to different positions in the room, avoiding direct mixing with front outlet air while improving air flow distribution.

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

2Loss of energy

If the room is closed to maintain air conditioning, then energy efficiency is improved, but indoor air quality deteriorates due to pollutant accumulation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy efficiencyVSAvoidindoor air quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the air conditioning function and fresh air supply function into a single indoor unit. The side receiving hole provides fresh air intake while the front outlet handles air conditioning, allowing both functions to operate simultaneously without requiring separate devices or opening windows, thus maintaining energy efficiency while improving air quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The indoor unit is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as an air conditioner and a fresh air supply device. The receiving hole and air baffle portion enable the unit to perform multiple functions (cooling/heating and fresh air intake) simultaneously, eliminating the need to compromise energy efficiency for air quality improvement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If an air baffle portion is added to control air flow, then fresh air distribution is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair flow distributionVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The air baffle portion is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to adjust its position to control air flow dynamically. This dynamic design enables flexible adjustment of fresh air distribution while maintaining a relatively simple structure, as the baffle can be actuated by simple mechanisms rather than requiring complex adjustable components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 design improves air quality by ensuring fresh air is distributed effectively throughout the room, avoiding recirculation of pollutants and enhancing the fluidity of fresh air, thus addressing the limitations of conventional air conditioners in maintaining healthy and comfortable indoor environments.

Implementation Method 1

the air baffle portion closes and blocks the receiving hole when the air baffle portion is located at the first position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhysical barrier blocking:

Implementation Method 2

the fresh air device blows air through a gap between the receiving hole and the air baffle portion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForced convection: Forced Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3835677B1Air conditioner indoor unit
Publication Date: 2023.09.13 GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCE INC OF ZHUHAI
  • EP3835677B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3835677B1 patent drawingFigure 4
  • EP3835677B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Disclosed is an air conditioner indoor unit, including a fresh air device (2000) having a fresh air outlet (2220). The air conditioner indoor unit further includes an indoor unit panel (50) configured to shield an air outlet of the air conditioner indoor unit, and the indoor unit panel has a receiving hole (53) communicating with the fresh air outlet (2220). The receiving hole (53) is located at a side of the fresh air device (2000) proximate to the air outlet. The air conditioner indoor unit of the present invention solves a problem of poor fluidity of fresh air flow at the fresh air outlet of the air conditioner indoor unit in prior art.