Outdoor Unit Eaves Structure to Prevent Fan Bell Mouth Freezing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional outdoor air conditioner units face issues with water droplets freezing between the fan and bell mouth, leading to noise and operational disruptions, and existing solutions complicate the structure, increase manufacturing costs, and impair exterior design.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an outdoor air conditioner unit with an eaves member that protrudes above the outlet grille, creating a gutter-like structure to divert water droplets away from the fan-bell mouth gap, while maintaining a simple design and minimizing interference with airflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the gap between the casing and outlet grille is sealed with a seal member, then water droplets are prevented from flowing into the bell mouth part, but the structure becomes complicated, manufacturing cost increases, and exterior appearance is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the sealing function from a separate seal member and integrates it into the eaves member structure itself. The eaves member is designed with a bottom surface that directly contacts the top surface of the outlet grille, creating a sealed gap without requiring additional seal members. This eliminates the complexity and cost associated with separate sealing components while maintaining the water droplet prevention function.
2Reliability
If a flange is added to the outlet grille to seal the gap, then water droplets are prevented from entering, but the exterior appearance design is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the eaves member (which provides weather protection) with the sealing function by designing its bottom surface to contact the outlet grille. This integration eliminates the need for a separate flange structure on the outlet grille, preserving the clean exterior appearance while achieving both weather protection and sealing functions through the eaves member alone.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple screws are used to fix the outlet grille to the casing, then the gap sealing is improved, but the exterior appearance is impaired and work efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the sealing function from the screw fixation system and assigns it to the eaves member structure. By designing the eaves member bottom surface to contact the outlet grille top surface, the sealing function is achieved through the eaves member's position and structure rather than through multiple screws, thereby improving work efficiency while maintaining sealing quality.
4Ease of manufacture
If the outlet grille is fixed only at four corners, then the number of screws is reduced, but the outlet grille wobbles and vibrates making gap sealing difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces the eaves member as an intermediary element between the casing and the outlet grille. The eaves member's bottom surface contacts the outlet grille's top surface, providing continuous support and stabilization across the entire interface. This intermediary structure eliminates wobbling and vibration without requiring multiple screws on the outlet grille, achieving both reduced fixation points and improved stability.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention aims to prevent freezing of water droplets, etc. between a fan and a bell mouth. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner includes an eaves member that is placed above an air outlet formed by a bell mouth in close adherence with a front panel, and that protrudes toward a side of an outlet grille. Particularly, the eaves member is placed with a space from the outlet grille.