Transparent Drain Pan Viewing Window for Ceiling Air Conditioner Grime Checks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ceiling-mounted air-conditioner indoor units require removal of the drain pan for inspection, making it cumbersome and prone to soiling of surrounding surfaces with accumulated drainage.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a transparent member with a through-hole in the drain pan and a reflecting plate or member above it, allowing for easy visualization of grime buildup without removing the pan, and optionally using a light source or quantifying means to enhance visibility and accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the drain pan is removed from the case main body for inspection, then the contamination condition of the drain pan can be checked, but the inspection work becomes troublesome and takes a long time
Solution Approach 1:
The drain pan is segmented by providing a through-hole that divides it into a first region (above the through-hole) and a second region (below the through-hole). The transparent member is fitted into the through-hole, allowing the first region to be made transparent for visual inspection without removing the entire drain pan from the case main body.
Solution Approach 2:
A transparent member is used instead of an opaque material, allowing light to pass through and enabling visual inspection of the contamination condition in the first region of the drain pan. This transparency allows inspectors to quickly assess grime buildup without time-consuming removal and reinstallation procedures.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the drain pan is removed from the case main body for inspection, then the contamination condition can be checked, but drainage accumulated in the drain pan falls and soils the floor surface and desktop
Solution Approach 1:
The drain pan is divided into regions by the through-hole, with the first region made transparent for inspection. This segmentation allows inspection of the contamination condition while the drain pan remains installed in the case main body, preventing drainage from falling out and soiling surrounding surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The transparent member acts as an intermediary that enables visual inspection of the drain pan's contamination condition without requiring physical removal. This intermediary solution allows inspectors to view through the transparent member while the drain pan remains in place, blocking drainage from escaping.
3Ease of operation
If a transparent member is fitted in the through-hole of the drain pan, then the contamination condition can be grasped easily without removing the drain pan, but additional components are added to the structure
Solution Approach 1:
The drain pan is segmented with a through-hole that accommodates the transparent member. This segmentation approach integrates the inspection function directly into the drain pan structure rather than adding a separate inspection device, thereby minimizing overall structural complexity while improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The transparent member serves multiple functions: it enables visual inspection of the contamination condition, maintains the structural integrity of the drain pan, and prevents drainage from leaking through the through-hole. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components.
4Measurement precision
If a reflecting plate is provided above the through-hole to reflect light, then the grime condition inside the drain pan can be grasped more easily, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A reflecting plate is positioned above the through-hole to reflect light onto the transparent member, enhancing the visibility of grime accumulation. The reflecting plate can be made of reflective material that redirects ambient light to illuminate the drain pan's interior, allowing for more precise visual assessment of contamination levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The reflecting plate acts as an intermediary optical element that enhances the inspection capability by redirecting light. This simple optical addition improves measurement precision without significantly increasing structural complexity, as the reflecting plate can be a thin, lightweight component.
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
Facilitates quick and accurate determination of grime buildup within the drain pan, preventing drainage from soiling surrounding surfaces during inspection.
Implementation Method 1
a transparent member 19 is fitted in the through-hole 13b
Implementation Method 2
light that has entered (has been introduced into) the inside of the drain pan through the transparent member 19 reaches a surface (lower surface) 20a of the reflecting plate 20 and is reflected by the reflecting plate 20 toward the transparent member 19
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an air-conditioner indoor unit in which the contamination condition of a drain pan can be grasped easily and quickly without removing the drain pan from the case main body, thus allowing accurate determination of whether it is time to clean the drain pan and preventing drainage accumulated in the drain pan from falling below the air-conditioner indoor unit during inspection work and soiling the floor surface, a desktop, etc. located below the air-conditioner indoor unit. Provided is an air-conditioner indoor unit (10) including, in a case main body (11) embedded in a ceiling, an indoor heat exchanger (12), a drain pan (13), an air-blower driving motor, an air blower (14), and an air deflector (15), wherein the drain pan (13) has a through-hole (13b) passing therethrough in a plate thickness direction, and a transparent member (19) is fitted in the through-hole (13b).