Indoor unit, and air conditioner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11262086-B2
Application number	US-201916583383-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2019
Priority date	May 22, 2019
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

Disclosed are an indoor unit and an air conditioner having the indoor unit. The indoor unit has a housing having a chassis that can be mounted to a wall, and a front frame connected with the chassis, in which the front frame and the chassis can be joined to define a mounting cavity having a mounting mouth opened downwards, and a fan assembly positioned in the mounting cavity and exposed to an outside at the mounting mouth, in which the fan assembly can be removably connected with the front frame and the chassis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An indoor unit of an air conditioner, the indoor unit comprising:
a housing comprising:
a chassis configured to be mounted to a wall; and
a front frame connected with the chassis,
wherein the front frame and the chassis are configured to be joined to define a mounting cavity having a mounting mouth opened downwards; and

a fan assembly positioned in the mounting cavity and exposed to an outside at the mounting mouth, wherein the fan assembly is configured to be removably connected with the front frame and the chassis;
a first buckle positioned on a portion of the front frame adjacent to the mounting mouth;
a second buckle positioned on a portion of the chassis adjacent to the mounting mouth;
a first buckle slot positioned on a first portion of the fan assembly adjacent to the front frame to fit with the first buckle; and
a second buckle slot positioned on a second portion of the fan assembly adjacent to the chassis to fit with the second buckle,
wherein each of the first buckle and the second buckle comprises:
a main body portion;
a rotating portion connected to the main body portion; and
a buckling portion,

wherein the first buckle is configured to be rotatably connected with the front frame through the rotating portion of the first buckle, and to be in a snap fit with the first buckle slot through the buckling portion of the first buckle, and
wherein the second buckle is configured to be rotatably connected with the chassis through the rotating portion of the second buckle, and to be in a snap fit with the second buckle slot through the buckling portion of the second buckle.

2. The indoor unit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the rotating portion comprises a rotating shaft,
wherein the portion of the front frame adjacent to the mounting mouth defines a first shaft aperture configured to fit with the rotating shaft of the rotating portion of the first buckle, and the first buckle is configured to be rotatably connected with the front frame through a fit between the rotating shaft of the rotating portion of the first buckle and the first shaft aperture, and
wherein the portion of the chassis adjacent to the mounting mouth defines a second shaft aperture configured to fit with the rotating shaft of the rotating portion of the first buckle, and the second buckle is configured to be rotatably connected with the chassis through a fit between the rotating shaft of the rotating portion of the second buckle and the second shaft aperture.

3. The indoor unit according to claim 2 ,
wherein the portion of the front frame defines an outer periphery of the first shaft aperture, wherein the outer periphery of the first shaft aperture is configured to guide the rotating shaft of the rotating portion of the first buckle into the first shaft aperture, and
wherein the portion of the chassis defines an outer periphery of the second shaft aperture, wherein the outer periphery of the second shaft aperture is configured to guide the rotating shaft of the rotating portion of the second buckle into the second shaft aperture.

4. The indoor unit of claim 2 ,
wherein an end surface of the rotating shaft defines a mating surface, wherein the mating surface of the rotating shaft of the first buckle is configured to slide into the first shaft aperture; and
wherein the mating surface of the rotating shaft of the second buckle is configured to slide into the second shaft aperture.

5. The indoor unit according to claim 2 ,
wherein the front frame further defines a first avoiding area that communicates the first shaft aperture and the mounting mouth, and
wherein the first avoiding area is configured such that, in a state where the front frame is connected with the fan assembly through the first buckle, a part of the main body portion of the first buckle is accommodated in the first avoiding area.

6. The indoor unit according to claim 2 ,
wherein the chassis further defines a second avoiding area that communicates the second shaft aperture and the mounting mouth, and
wherein the second avoiding area is configured such that, in a state where the chassis is connected with the fan assembly through the second buckle, a part of the main body portion of the second buckle is accommodated in the second avoiding area.

7. The indoor unit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the fan assembly comprises:
a volute comprising:
a first boss adjacent to the front frame; and
a second boss adjacent to the chassis; and
a fan connected with the volute,

wherein the first boss defines the first buckle slot passing through the first boss in an up-down direction,
wherein the second boss defines the second buckle slot passing through the second boss in the up-down direction,
wherein the buckling portion comprises a buckling hook,
wherein the first buckle is configured to be rotated relative to the front frame to allow the buckling hook of the first buckle to be in a snap fit at a lower end of the first buckle slot, and
wherein the second buckle is configured to be rotated relative to the chassis to allow the buckling hook of the second buckle to be in a snap fit at a lower end of the second buckle slot.

8. The indoor unit according to claim 7 ,
wherein the volute defines an opening as a position that corresponds with a position of the fan.

9. The indoor unit according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a plurality of the first buckle, wherein the plurality of the first buckle are spaced apart; and
a plurality of the second buckle, wherein the plurality of the second buckle are spaced apart,
wherein the volute defines a plurality of the first buckle slot, wherein the plurality of the first buckle slot are spaced apart, and
wherein the volute defines a plurality of the second buckle slot, wherein the plurality of the second buckle slot are spaced apart.

10. An indoor unit of an air conditioner, the indoor unit comprising:
a housing comprising:
a chassis configured to be mounted to a wall; and
a front frame connected with the chassis,
wherein the front frame and the chassis are configured to be joined to define a mounting cavity having a mounting mouth opened downwards, and
wherein a portion of the front frame away from the mounting mouth defines an air inlet communicated with the mounting cavity;

a fan assembly positioned in the mounting cavity and exposed to an outside at the mounting mouth, wherein the fan assembly is configured to be removably connected with the front frame and the chassis;
a heat exchanger provided in the mounting cavity and positioned between the air inlet and the fan assembly;
a first buckle positioned on a portion of the front frame adjacent to the mounting mouth;
a second buckle positioned on a portion of the chassis adjacent to the mounting mouth;
a first buckle slot positioned on a first portion of the fan assembly adjacent to the front frame to fit with the first buckle; and
a second buckle slot positioned on a second portion of the fan assembly adjacent to the chassis to fit with the second buckle,
wherein each of the first buckle and the second buckle comprises:
a main body portion;
a rotating portion connected to the main body portion; and
a buckling portion,

wherein the first buckle is configured to be rotatably connected with the front frame through the rotating portion of the first buckle, and to be in a snap fit with the first buckle slot through the buckling portion of the first buckle, and
wherein the second buckle is configured to be rotatably connected with the chassis through the rotating portion of the second buckle, and to be in a snap fit with the second buckle slot through the buckling portion of the second buckle.

Assignees

• Gd Midea Air Conditioning Equipment Co Ltd
• Midea Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cai Zhicai
• Zou Kuifang
• Luo Wenjun

Classifications

• F24F1/0011

  characterised by air outlets · CPC title

• F24F2013/205

  Mounting a ventilator fan therein · CPC title

• F24F13/20 Primary

  Casings or covers · CPC title

• F24F1/0018 Primary

  characterised by fans (with secondary air induced by injector action of the primary air F24F1/01) · CPC title

• F24F13/32

  Supports for air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation units · CPC title