Indoor unit and air conditioner

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing air conditioning systems face difficulties in mounting the attachment plate over the refrigerant pipe connection part due to repulsion from the heat insulating material, leading to misalignment and gaps, which compromises the sealing and insulation efficiency.

Innovation Solution

An L-shaped attachment plate is used to close the opening hole for the refrigerant pipe connection part, effectively suppressing repulsion and ensuring proper alignment and sealing without gaps, thereby enhancing the heat insulation effect.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If a heat insulating material is mounted onto the refrigerant pipe connection part, then heat insulation performance is improved, but mounting precision of the attachment plate deteriorates due to repulsion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat insulation performanceVSAvoidmounting precision of attachment plate
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The opening hole for pipe is divided into two surfaces (first side surface and second side surface), and the attachment plate is correspondingly segmented into multiple planes including an L-shaped configuration. This segmentation allows the attachment plate to adapt to the repulsion from heat insulating material on different surfaces independently, maintaining mounting precision while preserving heat insulation performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The attachment plate extends into multiple dimensions with planes corresponding to both the first side surface and second side surface of the opening hole for pipe. This multi-dimensional configuration enables the attachment plate to compensate for repulsion forces acting in different directions, ensuring proper alignment and sealing despite the presence of heat insulating material.

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

2Reliability

If the opening hole for pipe is sealed with an attachment plate, then air leakage is prevented, but mounting difficulty increases due to misalignment caused by heat insulating material repulsion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing performanceVSAvoidmounting ease of attachment plate
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment plate is designed with multiple planes corresponding to different surfaces of the opening hole for pipe. This segmentation allows each plane to be independently positioned and secured, enabling reliable sealing while simplifying the mounting process by reducing misalignment issues caused by heat insulating material repulsion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The multi-plane configuration of the attachment plate, extending across different dimensions to match the L-shaped opening hole structure, provides multiple contact surfaces for secure mounting. This dimensional approach ensures reliable sealing while making the mounting operation easier by distributing the sealing function across multiple planes.

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

3Loss of energy

If the opening hole for pipe is made equal to or smaller than the refrigerant pipe connection part, then heat insulation efficiency is improved, but mounting of the attachment plate becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat insulation efficiencyVSAvoidmounting ease of attachment plate
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The opening hole for pipe is segmented into two surfaces (first side surface and second side surface), allowing the attachment plate to be mounted in a segmented manner corresponding to each surface. This segmentation enables the opening hole to remain small for heat insulation efficiency while facilitating easier mounting by distributing the attachment process across multiple surfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The attachment plate utilizes multiple dimensions with planes corresponding to both the first side surface and second side surface of the opening hole. This multi-dimensional approach allows the opening hole to maintain a compact size for heat insulation while providing multiple mounting surfaces that simplify the attachment process.

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

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

The L-shaped attachment plate facilitates easy mounting and sealing, reducing misalignment and air leakage, and improves the heat insulation performance by eliminating gaps between the housing and the attachment plate.

Implementation Method 1

a heat insulating material, such as an insulator, is mounted onto the refrigerant pipe connection part

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentEP3361172B1Indoor unit and air conditioner
Publication Date: 2021.05.19 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP3361172B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3361172B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3361172B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

An indoor unit includes a main body unit including a housing having an opening hole for pipe formed on a part of a side surface of the main body unit, a refrigerant pipe connection part projecting from inside to outside of the housing through the opening hole for pipe, and an attachment plate holding and fixing the refrigerant pipe connection part together with the housing to close the opening hole for pipe. The opening hole for pipe is formed over a first side surface on a side of the housing from which the refrigerant pipe connection part projects and a second side surface adjacent to the first side surface, and the attachment plate has an L shape including planes corresponding to the opening hole for pipe over the first side surface and the second side surface.