Outdoor Unit Grip Assembly for Easy Mold Release and Carrying
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing grip designs for outdoor air-conditioning units, manufactured as integral moldings, face challenges in being easily removed from molds due to shape restrictions, leading to reduced finger insertion space and decreased operability during transportation.
Innovation Solution
The outdoor unit incorporates grips formed by two separate components, allowing for expanded finger insertion spaces and improved operability by avoiding shape restrictions during mold removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the grip is manufactured as an integral molding by injection molding, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the grip shape is restricted and cannot be easily removed from the mold
Solution Approach 1:
The grip is divided into two separate components: a first component (molded by injection molding) and a second component (fitted into the first component). This segmentation allows the first component to be manufactured using simple injection molding processes while enabling the second component to provide additional functional features that facilitate easy removal from the mold and improved finger insertion space.
2Ease of operation
If the grip shape is designed with a wide finger insertion space, then operability is improved, but the grip cannot be smoothly taken out from the mold
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the grip into two components, the design can accommodate a wide finger insertion space in the first component while the second component provides structural features that enable smooth mold removal. The second component can be designed with specific geometries that facilitate ejection from the mold without restricting the overall grip shape.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves the constraint resolution to another dimension by adding a second component that fits into the first component. This allows the finger insertion space to be optimized in one dimension while the mold removal issue is addressed through the interface and geometry of the second component in a different dimensional aspect.
3Ease of operation
If the grip is designed with complex shape features for better operability, then finger insertion is easier, but the grip gets caught in the mold during removal
Solution Approach 1:
The complex shape features are distributed across two components. The first component contains the essential structural features molded by injection molding, while the second component adds the complex geometric features needed for operability. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, maintaining reasonable device complexity while achieving better operability.
Data Source
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Figure 3(a)~3(c)
AI summary
[Object] To provide an outdoor unit for an air-conditioning apparatus, which solves a manufacturing problem in that a grip is not easily taken out from a mold, and an air-conditioning apparatus including the outdoor unit. [Solution] There is included a grip formed by fitting two components.