Air conditioner indoor unit, air conditioner, and method for controlling air conditioner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021356142-A1
Application number	US-201916499587-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 28, 2019
Priority date	Feb 25, 2019
Publication date	Nov 18, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

An air conditioner indoor unit includes a housing having an air inlet, a first air outlet, and a second air outlet arranged below the first air outlet, and an air output door assembly arranged at the second air outlet and connected to the housing. At least a portion of the air output door assembly is configured to move relative to the housing to form an air output channel between the at least a portion of the air output door assembly and the housing. The air output channel has a ring-shaped air output end located in front of the second air outlet. The air conditioner indoor unit further includes an opening-closing mechanism movably mounted at the air output door assembly and configured to open or close an air regulation channel area that includes an upper part of the air output channel.

First claim

1 .- 20 . (canceled)

21 . An air conditioner indoor unit, comprising:
a housing having an air inlet, a first air outlet, and a second air outlet arranged below the first air outlet; an air output door assembly arranged at the second air outlet and connected to the housing, at least a portion of the air output door assembly being configured to move relative to the housing to form an air output channel between the at least a portion of the air output door assembly and the housing, and the air output channel having a ring-shaped air output end located in front of the second air outlet; an opening-closing mechanism movably mounted at the air output door assembly and configured to open or close an air regulation channel area that includes an upper part of the air output channel; and a heat exchanger assembly and an air duct assembly both arranged in the housing.

22 . The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 21 , wherein an area ratio of a projection of the air regulation channel area on a plane perpendicular to a central axis of the second air outlet to a projection of the air output channel on the plane is in a range of 1/10-½.

23 . The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 21 , wherein the opening-closing mechanism is rotatably arranged in the upper part of the air output channel.

24 . The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 23 , wherein the opening-closing mechanism comprises at least one air deflector rotatably mounted in the air regulation channel area, and configured to open or close at least a portion of the air regulation channel area.

25 . The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 23 , wherein the opening-closing mechanism comprises:
a connection rod; and a plurality of air deflectors arranged in a circumferential direction of the air output end of the air output channel and rotatably connected to the connection rod, the plurality of air deflectors being configured to lap one on another successively when the connection rod moves in a first direction, and to open to form at least one air flow passage for air flow to pass when the connection rod moves in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

26 . The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 21 , wherein:
the air output door assembly comprises:
an air output bracket arranged in and connected to the housing; and
an air output door comprising a door body and a connection base arranged at the door body, the connection base being connected to the air output bracket, and the door body being located in front of and separated from the second air outlet; and
the air output channel is formed by the air output bracket, the air output door, and the housing.

27 . The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 26 , wherein the opening-closing mechanism is movably mounted at the air output bracket.

28 . The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 27 , wherein:
the air output channel includes an annular channel formed in the air output bracket; and the opening-closing mechanism is rotatably arranged in the annular channel.

29 . The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 26 , wherein the air output door is movable between:
an open position at which the air output door is located in front of and separated from the second air outlet to open the second air outlet, and a closed position at which the door body is fitted with the second air outlet to close the second air outlet.

30 . The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 29 , wherein:
one of the air output bracket and the connection base includes a guiding groove, and another one of the air output bracket and the connection base includes a guiding part fitted with the guiding groove; and the guiding part and the guiding groove are movable relative to each other.

31 . The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 30 , wherein each of the guiding groove and the guiding part has a ring shape.

32 . The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 29 , wherein the air output door assembly comprises a driving mechanism arranged at the air output bracket and connected to the connection base, the driving mechanism being configured to drive the air output door to move between the open position and the closed position.

33 . The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 32 , wherein the driving mechanism is one of a plurality of driving mechanisms of the air output door assembly that are arranged in a circumferential direction of the connection base.

34 . The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 26 , wherein a wall surface of the door body facing the second air outlet forms a part of an inner wall surface of the air output channel, and at least a part of the wall surface of the door body facing the second air outlet extends forwards obliquely in a direction from a center of the door body to a periphery of the door body.

35 . The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 21 , further comprising:
a door arranged corresponding to the first air outlet and configured to move in a direction parallel to a surface of the door to open or close the first air outlet.

36 . The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 21 , wherein:
the opening-closing mechanism is a first opening-closing mechanism and the air regulation channel area is a first air regulation channel area; the housing further includes a third air outlet located below the second air outlet; and the air output door assembly further comprises a second opening-closing mechanism movably arranged at the air output door assembly and configured to open or close a second air regulation channel area that includes a lower part of the air output channel.

37 . The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 36 , wherein the second opening-closing mechanism is rotatably arranged in the lower part of the air output channel.

38 . An air conditioner, comprising:
an air conditioner indoor unit including:
a housing having an air inlet, a first air outlet, and a second air outlet arranged below the first air outlet;
an air output door assembly arranged at the second air outlet and connected to the housing, at least a portion of the air output door assembly being configured to move relative to the housing to form an air output channel between the at least a portion of the air output door assembly and the housing, and the air output channel having a ring-shaped air output end located in front of the second air outlet;
an opening-closing mechanism movably mounted at the air output door assembly and configured to open or close an air regulation channel area that includes an upper part of the air output channel; and
a heat exchanger assembly and an air duct assembly both arranged in the housing; and
an air conditioner outdoor unit connected to the air conditioner indoor unit.

39 . A method for controlling the air conditioner according to claim 38 comprising:
determining a current operation mode of the air conditioner;
controlling the opening-closing mechanism to open the air regulation channel area in response to determining that the current operation mode is a cooling mode; and
controlling the opening-closing mechanism to close the air regulation channel area in response to determining that the current operation mode is a heating mode.

40 . The method according to claim 39 ,
wherein:
the opening-closing mechanism is a first opening-closing mechanism and the air regulation channel area is a first air regul

Assignees

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

Inventors

• Hu Hanjie
• Chen Liangrui
• Peng Daijie

Classifications

• F24F2140/40

  Damper positions, e.g. open or closed · CPC title

• F24F13/1426

  characterised by actuating means · CPC title

• F24F1/005

  mounted on the floor; standing on the floor · CPC title

• F24F1/0014 Primary

  having two or more outlet openings · CPC title

• F24F11/74

  for controlling air flow rate or air velocity · CPC title