Window air conditioner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Window air conditioners suffer from poor sealing performance between the indoor and outdoor sides, affecting their temperature regulation effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A window air conditioner design featuring an intermediate component with a seal assembly that includes a first seal member to isolate the inner cavity of the intermediate component from the indoor unit component, and a pipeline assembly that extends through the seal member, ensuring airflow isolation and improved sealing stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an intermediate connector is used to connect indoor and outdoor unit components, then the outdoor unit component can be fixed at the outdoor side, but the sealing performance between indoor and outdoor sides deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pipeline assembly is nested through the seal assembly and intermediate component, with the pipeline extending through the first seal member and the inner cavity of the intermediate component. This nested arrangement allows multiple functions (sealing, piping, structural support) to be integrated within a compact configuration, improving sealing performance without excessive structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal assembly acts as an intermediary element between the indoor and outdoor sides, with the first seal member specifically positioned at the second connection end to seal the port. This intermediary sealing structure prevents outdoor airflow from entering the indoor side while maintaining the connection between components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the second shell assembly and first shell assembly are made movable relative to each other, then the installation flexibility is improved, but the sealing stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The seal assembly is positioned specifically at the connection region between the first and second shell assemblies, providing localized sealing at the critical port area. This allows the shell assemblies to remain movable for installation flexibility while maintaining sealing stability at the specific location where the first seal member seals the port.
Solution Approach 2:
The first seal member is pre-positioned at the second connection end of the first shell assembly before the shell assemblies are connected. This preliminary placement of the sealing element ensures that when the movable shell assemblies are connected, the sealing is already in place, maintaining sealing stability despite the movable configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A window air conditioner includes an outdoor unit component, an indoor unit component having a first connection end, an intermediate component, and a pipeline assembly. The intermediate component includes a first shell assembly having a second connection end connected to the first connection end and having a port in communication with an inner cavity of the intermediate component, a second shell assembly connected to the outdoor unit component and movable relative to the first shell assembly in an inner-outer direction, and a seal assembly including a seal member configured to seal the port. The pipeline assembly extends through the seal member and the inner cavity of the intermediate component, and has an inner end connected to the indoor unit component and an outer end connected to the outdoor unit component.