Indoor Unit Slat Swing Control for Uniform Cooling Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air conditioner indoor units face challenges in distributing cooled air evenly across indoor spaces during high cooling loads, leading to temperature variations due to gravity-induced airflow and limited wind direction adjustment capabilities.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a swing control operation for wind direction adjusting slats to reduce the angle of airflow, increasing the horizontal distribution of air through multiple outlets with adjustable patterns and air current blocking mechanisms to enhance airflow velocity and coverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the wind direction adjusting slat is swung to shift air direction upward and downward within the normal possible range, then the air blowing performance is improved, but the air tends to flow downward due to gravitation and is hardly distributed over the indoor space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the wind direction adjusting slat movable through swing control, allowing it to shift between a normal swingable range and a limited swingable range. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to adapt air distribution patterns based on operational conditions, resolving the contradiction between achieving good air blowing performance and ensuring proper air distribution throughout the indoor space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of wind direction angle by limiting the swingable range of the slat under specific conditions. By reducing the maximum downward angle of the slat, the system prevents air from flowing too downward due to gravity, thereby improving air distribution over the indoor space while maintaining effective air blowing performance.
2Area of stationary object
If the air is blown horizontally toward a distant location, then the air can be distributed over a wide range, but the airflow may not effectively cool areas closer to the outlet opening
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action through swing control, where the wind direction adjusting slat repeatedly shifts between different angular positions within the limited swingable range. This periodic movement creates alternating patterns of air flow direction, ensuring that air is distributed both horizontally to distant locations and also directed toward closer areas, thereby achieving uniform cooling effectiveness across the entire indoor space.
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 solution effectively reduces temperature variations and load distribution issues by ensuring air is blown horizontally over a wider area, improving cooling efficiency and uniformity.
Implementation Method 1
the (cooled) air blown out of the outlet opening of the indoor unit in the cooling operation tends to flow downward of the outlet opening by gravitation
Data Source
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AI summary
If a load of an indoor space (500) is higher than a predetermined value in a cooling operation, a controller (90) performs a swing control operation to swing a wind direction adjusting slat (51) so that a direction of blown air shifts in a limited possible range (R2). The angle of a lowermost wind direction relative to a horizontal plane in the limited possible range (R2) is smaller than the angle of a lowermost wind direction relative to the horizontal plane in the normal possible range (R1). The normal possible range (R1) is previously determined to be a range where if the load of the indoor space (500) is lower than the predetermined value, the direction of the blown air can shift upward and downward.