Pivotable Air Wing for Airflow Direction and Draft Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioner designs with optional air wings for draft suppression are cumbersome, require separate purchase, and compromise visual aesthetics, while also limiting user preference for air flow direction and experiencing draft perception.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioner with a pivotable air wing that can be positioned to interrupt air flow directly from outlets, allowing users to selectively alleviate or eliminate draft perception while maintaining design aesthetics and enabling both air flow direction control and draft suppression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If an air wing is additionally installed as an optional part to suppress draft perception, then draft perception is reduced, but device complexity increases and ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The air wing is integrated into the panel body as a unified structure, eliminating the need for separate purchase and installation. The integration includes mounting brackets and pivot mechanisms that are part of the panel body structure, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining draft suppression functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The air wing is designed to be pivotable between a withdrawn position (flush with panel body) and a deployed position (facing the outlet). This dynamic capability allows users to adjust the air wing based on draft perception needs, improving ease of operation while reducing complexity compared to fixed installations.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If an air wing is fixed at a high position near the ceiling to suppress draft, then draft perception is reduced, but ease of operation worsens and visual impression deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The air wing is pivotably connected to the panel body, allowing it to move between a withdrawn position (flush with the panel surface) and a deployed position. This dynamic design enables users to easily adjust the air wing's position based on whether draft suppression is needed, significantly improving ease of operation compared to fixed installations.
Solution Approach 2:
The air wing is designed to rotate in a vertical plane, adding a rotational degree of freedom to the system. This allows the air wing to transition between being flush with the panel body (withdrawn position) and extending downward to face the outlet (deployed position), solving both the ease of operation and visual impression problems.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If an air wing is constantly hoisted downward from the panel body surface, then draft perception is suppressed, but visual impression deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The air wing is designed to be dynamically positionable rather than constantly deployed. When not needed for draft suppression, it rotates to a withdrawn position where it is substantially flush with the panel body surface, preserving the aesthetic appearance. When draft suppression is needed, it rotates to a deployed position facing the outlet.
Solution Approach 2:
The air wing utilizes rotational movement in a vertical plane to transition between positions. In the withdrawn position, it aligns with the panel body surface plane, maintaining visual aesthetics. In the deployed position, it extends downward to effectively suppress draft, thus resolving the conflict between appearance and functionality.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a link mechanism is used to move the air-flow direction control louver upward and downward, then air-flow direction control is achieved, but reliability deteriorates due to twisting
Solution Approach 1:
The problematic link mechanism is removed from the design. Instead, the air wing is directly pivotably connected to the panel body with a simple pivot connection, eliminating the twisting issue caused by the link mechanism while maintaining air-flow direction control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The air wing is designed with a direct pivot connection that allows smooth rotational movement between withdrawn and deployed positions. This simple pivot mechanism eliminates the twisting problems associated with link mechanisms, improving reliability while maintaining the ability to control air-flow direction and suppress draft perception.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is an air conditioner with which the controllability of an air-flow direction by means of a dedicated louver and suppression of draft perception at the louver position can be achieved simultaneously and that includes an air wing that has a simple configuration, that operates smoothly, and that does not detract from the external design. The air conditioner includes an outlet (14) that is provided on a panel body (3) and also includes a louver (15) that is provided pivotally at the outlet (14). The air conditioner further includes an air wing (17) that is provided outside the outlet (14) of the panel body (3) and that is pivotable between a withdrawn position, at which the air wing (17) constitutes a common plane with the panel body (3), and a louver-direction position, at which the air wing (17) faces the air-conditioning air flow blown out from the outlet (14). The air conditioner also includes a pivot mechanism for pivoting the air wing (17) between the two positions.