Split Indoor Unit Structure for Fan Cleaning Without Coil Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing indoor units for air conditioners have complex and risky procedures for disassembling the fan and heat exchanger, leading to potential damage during maintenance and increased failure rates due to the need to dismount and remount the heat exchanger during fan cleaning.

Innovation Solution

The indoor unit design includes a detachable housing with a fan and heat exchanger that can be easily disassembled and reassembled without requiring the heat exchanger to be removed, featuring a supporting seat with elastic cantilevers and positioning elements that secure the heat exchanger core body, allowing for independent cleaning and maintenance of the fan without risking the heat exchanger.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the heat exchanger is fixed to the base plate in the prior art design, then the structural stability is improved, but the maintenance complexity increases and the heat exchanger is prone to damage during fan cleaning operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat exchanger stabilityVSAvoidmaintenance convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The base plate is divided into an upper base plate and a lower base plate that can be separated from each other. The heat exchanger is fixed to the upper base plate, while the fan is fixed to the lower base plate. This segmentation allows the lower base plate with the fan to be removed independently for cleaning without disturbing the heat exchanger on the upper base plate, thus maintaining heat exchanger stability while greatly improving maintenance convenience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The fan assembly (lower base plate) is extracted as a separate removable component from the housing structure. This allows the fan to be accessed and cleaned independently by simply removing the lower base plate, eliminating the need to disassemble the heat exchanger or other components, thereby improving ease of operation while keeping the heat exchanger stable in its position on the upper base plate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Device complexity

If the fan and heat exchanger are integrated in the prior art design, then the device complexity is reduced, but the cleaning efficiency decreases due to the need to dismount and remount the heat exchanger

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehousing structure simplicityVSAvoidcleaning efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing structure is segmented into an upper base plate for the heat exchanger and a lower base plate for the fan, connected through positioning portions that maintain structural simplicity. This segmentation enables the fan to be cleaned independently by removing only the lower base plate, dramatically improving cleaning efficiency without adding significant complexity to the overall housing structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The connection between the upper and lower base plates is designed to be dynamically separable through the positioning portions. The lower base plate can be easily detached from the upper base plate for fan cleaning operations and then reattached, providing a dynamic maintenance capability that improves cleaning efficiency while maintaining a simple integrated housing structure during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design simplifies maintenance by allowing the fan and heat exchanger to be cleaned independently, reducing the risk of heat exchanger damage and lowering the failure rate of the indoor unit, while improving assembly efficiency and structural integrity.

Implementation Method 1

an elastic cantilever is provided in the positioning mounting hole, and is configured to avoid the bent pipe structure when the heat exchanger core body is mounted and configured to be restored to position a corresponding bent pipe structure after the heat exchanger core body is mounted in place

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3279572B1Indoor unit for an air conditioner
Publication Date: 2022.06.08 GD MIDEA AIR CONDITIONING EQUIP CO LTD
  • EP3279572B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3279572B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3279572B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An indoor unit (1000) of an air conditioner comprising a shell (100), a fan (142) and a heat exchanger device (140). The shell (100) comprises an upper base plate (110), a lower base plate (120) detachably installed on the upper base plate (110) and a face shield (130) detachably installed on the upper base plate (110). The fan (142) is detachably installed on the lower base plate (120). The heat exchanger device (140) is installed on the upper base plate (110). The heat exchanger device (140) comprises a support base (540) and a heat exchanger core body (530) installed on the support base (540). A first positioning portion (510) is provided on the upper base plate (110) and a second positioning portion (550) is provided on the support base (540). The second positioning portion (550) is mated with the first positioning portion (510) to position the heat exchanger core body (530) on the upper base plate (110).