Indoor Unit Side Panel Structure for Flexible Air Conditioner Styling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing indoor units of air-conditioning apparatuses are limited in design adaptability, specifically unable to accommodate variations in the shape of the main body, including side surfaces, which restricts their versatility and aesthetic appeal.
Innovation Solution
The indoor unit features a single design panel for the side surfaces, allowing for flexible design changes by using interchangeable design panels that attach to a base forming the rear surface, enabling the formation of a unified side surface and accommodating various shapes without altering the base's configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple design panels with different shapes are used, then the design variety is improved, but the structural complexity of assembling panels to the base increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment mechanism is extracted and standardized between the base and design panels. Features such as recesses in the base and corresponding protrusions or attachment means on the panels create a simple, repeatable connection system. This extraction of the attachment function into a standardized interface reduces assembly complexity despite design variety.
Solution Approach 2:
The base is pre-formed with corner portions and recesses that guide the attachment of design panels. The preliminary preparation of attachment features on both the base and panels simplifies the final assembly process, allowing design variety without proportionally increasing assembly complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If the base structure is simplified to maintain consistency, then the manufacturing ease is improved, but the ability to accommodate various main body shapes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The base maintains a simple, consistent overall structure for easy manufacturing, but incorporates localized features such as corner portions and recesses that enable attachment of variously shaped design panels. The local quality of these attachment features provides shape adaptability without complicating the base's overall manufacturing.
Data Source
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AI summary
An indoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus according to the present invention includes a base forming a rear surface and a part of a top surface of a main body and a design panel removably attached to at least one of a left side and a right side of the base to form a part of the top surface, a part of a lower surface, and a side surface of the main body. The base includes a first corner portion connecting a top surface and a side surface of the base and a lower surface and the side surface of the base and a step portion formed on at least one of the top surface and the lower surface of the base. The design panel includes a second corner portion connecting a top surface and a side surface of the design panel and a lower surface and the side surface of the design panel and a cutout portion formed in at least one of the top surface and the lower surface of the design panel. When the design panel is attached to the base, the step portion has a top surface portion exposed through the cutout portion, with the top surface portion and the design panel forming the top surface of the main body, and the design panel forms the side surface of the main body, with the second corner portion covering the first corner portion.