Outdoor Unit Corner Grips for Better Finger Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing outdoor units of air-conditioning apparatuses have smaller regions for grasp portions due to increased component occupancy, making it difficult for workers to support the weight effectively, leading to poor workability during movement.
Innovation Solution
The design includes grasp portions at corner portions of the casing with a finger hook protruding laterally, featuring first, second, and third openings that allow insertion of fingers closer to the base, enabling support with middle or proximal phalanges, reducing the perceived weight and improving workability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the occupancy rate of components in the casing is increased to achieve miniaturization, then the size of the outdoor unit is reduced, but the region available for grasp portions becomes smaller
Solution Approach 1:
The grasp portion extends in the lateral direction (width direction of the outdoor unit) rather than only in the front-rear direction. By utilizing the lateral dimension, the grasp portion achieves sufficient length for finger insertion while maintaining a compact front-rear profile, thus resolving the contradiction between miniaturization and graspability.
2Quantity of substance
If the width of grasp portions is reduced due to space constraints, then more components can be accommodated, but workers can only insert tips of fingers, making the outdoor unit feel heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The grasp portion extends in the lateral direction (width direction) rather than only in the front-rear direction. This dimensional change allows the grasp portion to achieve sufficient length for inserting fingers closer to the base without increasing the front-rear footprint, thus accommodating more components while maintaining ease of operation.
3Device complexity
If the grasp portion extends only in the front-rear direction, then the design is simple, but the lateral width available for finger insertion is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The grasp portion has an asymmetric configuration where the extension direction is primarily lateral rather than front-rear. This asymmetric design allows the grasp portion to utilize the otherwise underutilized lateral space, providing sufficient width for finger insertion while maintaining relatively simple construction.
Data Source
AI summary
An outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus includes a casing, and grasp portions provided at corner portions of the casing in plan view. Each grasp portion includes an outer peripheral portion at an outer periphery, and a finger hook portion protruding downward from an upper part of the outer peripheral portion and extending in a lateral direction of the finger hook portion. The outer peripheral portion includes a first opening such that a lower end portion of the finger hook portion is exposed as seen in a horizontal direction and a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction, a second opening below the finger hook portion and continuous with the first opening, and a third opening behind the finger hook portion and continuous with the second opening, the second opening and the third opening are at one of the lateral end portions.