Outdoor unit and heat pump device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional outdoor units for heat pump devices have a noticeable seam between grilles, which affects the aesthetic design.
Innovation Solution
The outdoor unit incorporates a design where the first and second grilles are joined to form an integrated appearance shape, with alternately formed insertion ribs along the seam to ensure accurate joining and minimize visibility of the seam.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If multiple grilles are used to cover the housing, then the housing can be adequately covered and protected, but a noticeable seam appears between the grilles affecting design aesthetics
Solution Approach 1:
The grille is divided into multiple separate grilles that can be independently manufactured and assembled, allowing for easier production and installation while maintaining the appearance of a single integrated piece when joined with the insertion rib structure
Solution Approach 2:
An insertion rib structure acts as an intermediary element between multiple grilles, providing a joining mechanism that minimizes the visibility of seams while ensuring accurate alignment and a unified appearance
2Shape
If grilles are joined together to form an integrated appearance, then design aesthetics are improved, but achieving accurate alignment without relying on precise shape accuracy becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The insertion ribs are pre-formed with specific geometric features including inclined surfaces that guide the joining process, ensuring accurate alignment is achieved automatically during assembly without requiring extremely precise manufacturing tolerances of the grille components themselves
Solution Approach 2:
The insertion rib structure incorporates geometric parameters such as inclined surfaces and contact areas that transform the alignment process, allowing for tolerance compensation and ensuring accurate final positioning through the physical geometry of the joining elements rather than relying solely on precise manufacturing of the grille shapes
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
An outdoor unit according to the present disclosure includes: a refrigerant circuit including a compressor and a heat source-side heat exchanger; an air blower that generates a wind passing through the heat source-side heat exchanger; a housing that houses the refrigerant circuit and the air blower; and a first grille and a second grille each covering the housing. The first grille and the second grille are disposed by being joined to each other to form an integrated grille appearance shape. The first grille includes a back side including a first insertion rib protruding toward the second grille to be in contact with a back side of the second grille. The second grille includes the back side including a second insertion rib protruding toward the first grille to be in contact with the back side of the first grille. The first insertion rib and the second insertion rib are alternately formed along a seam between the first grille and the second grille.