Panel component, air conditioner and method for manufacturing air conditioner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9574787-B2
Application number	US-201414787333-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2014
Priority date	Apr 27, 2013
Publication date	Feb 21, 2017
Grant date	Feb 21, 2017

Abstract

A panel component ( 1 ) comprises a plastic substrate ( 3 ), a display ( 2 ), and a metal panel ( 6 ) covering an outer surface of the plastic substrate ( 3 ). The metal panel ( 6 ) is fixed on the plastic substrate ( 3 ). The display ( 2 ) is mounted on the plastic substrate ( 3 ) through a display mounting structure. A light-transmitting structure is arranged in the metal panel ( 6 ) in a region corresponding to the location of the display ( 2 ). The metal panel ( 6 ) enables the panel component ( 1 ) to have good decorating effect, and the light-transmitting structure ensures clear display. Further disclosed are an air conditioner provided with the panel component ( 1 ) and a method for manufacturing the air conditioner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A panel component, comprising a plastic substrate, a display and a metal panel covering an outer surface of the plastic substrate; wherein, the metal panel is fixed on the plastic substrate; the plastic substrate is provided with a display mounting structure, and a panel mounting structure for mounting the panel component; the display is mounted on the plastic substrate through the display mounting structure; a light-transmitting structure is arranged in the metal panel in a region corresponding to a location of the display.

2. The panel component according to claim 1 , wherein, the light-transmitting structure is embodied as display holes; the display holes are arranged in the metal panel in the region corresponding to the location of the display.

3. The panel component according to claim 2 , wherein, the display holes are filled with light-transmitting material.

4. The panel component according to claim 3 , wherein, the light-transmitting material is transparent glue, which is filled in the display holes and seals the display holes.

5. The panel component according to claim 2 , wherein, each of the display holes has a diameter ranged from 0.3 mm to 2 mm.

6. The panel component according to claim 5 , wherein, according to a graph to be displayed, the display holes are arranged to present a shape selected from the group consisting of “88”, a snowflake, a sun or a power switch symbol.

7. The panel component according to claim 5 , wherein, the plastic substrate is connected to the metal panel through adhesives or screws.

8. The panel component according to claim 7 , wherein, the panel mounting structure comprises at least one shaft and at least one panel component snap, which are disposed on a back of the plastic substrate.

9. The panel component according to claim 5 , wherein, the display is mounted on a back of the plastic substrate; and a display surface of the display faces the metal panel.

10. The panel component according to claim 9 , wherein, the display mounting structure comprises at least one screw stud and at least one snap-fit fastener, which are mounted on a back of the plastic substrate; the snap-fit fastener securely fastens an outer edge of the display.

11. An air conditioner, comprising a case, wherein, the air conditioner further comprises the panel component according to claim 1 ; the panel component is mounted on the case through the panel mounting structure of the panel component.

12. The air conditioner according to claim 11 , wherein, the case is provided with a shaft hole and a clamping groove for connecting the panel component; the panel mounting structure comprises at least one shaft and at least one panel component snap, which are disposed on a back of the plastic substrate; the shaft of the panel component is inserted in the shaft hole of the case, enabling the panel component and the case to be jointed together and rotatable relative to each other; the panel component snap is clamped and fixed in the clamping groove disposed in the case for connecting the panel component.

13. A method for manufacturing the air conditioner of claim 11 , comprising the following steps:
step 1: making a light-transmitting structure in the metal panel in the region corresponding to the location of the display;
step 2: fixing the metal panel on the plastic substrate;
step 3: mounting the display on the plastic substrate through the display mounting structure;
step 4: mounting the panel component on the case through the panel mounting structure.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein, the light-transmitting structure is embodied as display holes; the display holes are arranged in the metal panel in the region corresponding to the location of the display; said making a light-transmitting structure in step 1 is implemented by dripping transparent glue into the display holes of the metal panel.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein, said fixing the metal panel on the plastic substrate in step 2 is implemented by connecting the plastic substrate to the metal panel with glue or screws.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein, the panel mounting structure comprises at least one shaft and at least one panel component snap, which are disposed on a back of the plastic substrate; said mounting the panel component on the case in step 4 is implemented by inserting a shaft of the panel component into a shaft hole of the case, enabling the panel component and the case to be jointed together and rotatable relative to each other; clamping and fixing the panel component snap of the panel mounting structure into a clamping groove of the case.

17. The method according to claim 13 , wherein, the case is provided with a shaft hole and a clamping groove for connecting the panel component; the panel mounting structure comprises at least one shaft and at least one panel component snap, which are disposed on a back of the plastic substrate; the shaft of the panel component is inserted in the shaft hole of the case, enabling the panel component and the case to be jointed together and rotatable relative to each other; the panel component snap is clamped and fixed in the clamping groove disposed in the case for connecting the panel component.

18. The air conditioner according to claim 11 , wherein, the light-transmitting structure is embodied as display holes; the display holes are arranged in the metal panel in the region corresponding to the location of the display.

19. The air conditioner according to claim 18 , wherein, the display holes are filled with light-transmitting material.

20. The air conditioner according to claim 19 , wherein, the light-transmitting material is transparent glue, which is filled in the display holes and seals the display holes.

Assignees

• Gree Electric Appliances Inc Zhuhai

Inventors

• Meng Zhi
• Zhang Hui
• Chen Shaolin
• Wang Xianlin
• Luo Hai
• Sun Shuaihui

Classifications

• F24F11/52 Primary

  Indication arrangements, e.g. displays · CPC title

• F24F11/30 Primary

  for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring · CPC title

• G02B27/028

  characterised by the supporting structure · CPC title

• F24F11/0086 Primary

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F24F2011/0091

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic