Air supply apparatus used for air conditioner and air conditioner indoor unit having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9933168-B2
Application number	US-201414779539-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2014
Priority date	May 31, 2013
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

An air supply apparatus used for an air conditioner, includes: an annular outer frame ( 21 ), having an outer surface formed as a partial spherical surface and having an accommodating space ( 24 ) therein; and the impeller assembly ( 22 ) provided in the accommodating space ( 24 ) and pivotally connected to the outer frame ( 21 ), in which the impeller assembly ( 22 ) has an air suction side and an air outlet side. Also disclosed is an air conditioner having the air supply apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air conditioner indoor unit, comprising:
a housing having an air outlet channel;
an air supply apparatus used for an air conditioner comprising:
an annular outer frame having an outer surface formed as a partial spherical surface and having an accommodating space therein,
an impeller assembly provided in the accommodating space and pivotally connected to the outer frame, wherein the impeller assembly has an air suction side and an air outlet side,
a central part disposed in the accommodating space and coaxially provided with the outer frame, and
a plurality of air guide blades arranged along a circumferential direction in the accommodating space, and an outer end of each air guide blade being connected to an inner surface of the outer frame and an inner end of each air guide blade being connected to an outer surface of the central part,
wherein the impeller assembly comprises: an impeller; an electric motor driving the impeller, the electric motor being installed in the central part, an output shaft of the electric motor being connected to the impeller through the central part;
wherein the air supply apparatus is disposed in the air outlet channel and rotatable related to the housing; and
an evaporator disposed in the housing and located at the air suction side of the impeller assembly of the air supply apparatus,
wherein the air outlet channel has an air outlet, an annular wall is provided at the air outlet, an inner surface of the annular wall is formed as a partial spherical surface, and the outer frame of the air supply apparatus is connected to the annular wall in a pivotal manner by a rotation apparatus, and wherein the air supply apparatus is rotatable along at least one axis of the air outlet,
wherein the rotation apparatus comprises: a first rotation mechanism connected to the annular wall in a movable manner; and a first driving mechanism driving the first rotation mechanism to rotate about a first axis,
wherein the first rotation mechanism comprises: a first shaft piece and a second shaft piece, the first shaft piece and the second shaft piece being disposed between the outer frame and the annular wall and provided on two opposite sides of the outer frame, respectively, the first shaft piece and the second shaft piece being connected to the outer frame and to the annular wall in a movable manner respectively, the first shaft piece and the second shaft piece having a co-axis with the first axis, wherein the first driving mechanism drives at least one of the first shaft piece and the second shaft piece to rotate,
wherein the first driving mechanism comprises: a first driving electric motor, an output shaft of the first driving electric motor being provided with a first gear; a first gear pair, the first gear pair being formed as a sector, a first end of the first gear pair having a first tooth engaged with the first gear and a second end being fixed on the first shaft piece,
wherein the rotation apparatus further comprises a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket comprising a first mounting arm fixed to the outer frame, wherein the first shaft piece and the second shaft piece are connected to both ends of the first mounting arm respectively.

2. The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of air guide blades is located at the air outlet side of the impeller assembly.

3. The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 1 , wherein the central part comprises a casing with a groove, the groove being concave facing the air outlet side, wherein the electric motor is installed in the groove and the output shaft is connected to the impeller through a bottom wall of the groove.

4. The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 1 , wherein a spherical center of the annular wall coincides with that of the outer frame.

5. The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first rotation mechanism further comprises:
two first damping rubber mats, the two first damping rubber mats being installed on the first shaft piece and the second shaft piece respectively.

6. The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 1 , wherein an end of the first mounting arm corresponding to the first gear pair is provided with two support arms, the two support arms are extended outward from the corresponded end of the first mounting arm respectively, and free ends of the two support arms bend inward, facing each other, so as to form two fixing lugs; the first driving electric motor is provided with two mounting lugs, the two fixing lugs and the two mounting lugs are connected by a first fixing piece so as to install the first driving electric motor on the first mounting arm.

7. The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting bracket further comprises a second mounting arm fixed to the first mounting arm in a cross manner, both ends of the second mounting arm being fixed with the annular wall respectively; the rotation apparatus further comprises:
a second rotation mechanism connected to the second mounting arm in a movable manner; and
a second driving mechanism driving the second rotation mechanism to rotate about a second axis,
wherein the second rotation mechanism comprises: a third shaft piece and a fourth shaft piece, the third shaft piece and the fourth shaft piece being disposed between the outer frame and the annular wall and provided on two opposite sides of the outer frame respectively, the third shaft piece and the fourth shaft piece being fixed to the outer frame and being connected to the second mounting arm in a movable manner respectively, the third shaft piece and the fourth shaft piece having a co-axis with the second axis, wherein the second driving mechanism drives at least one of the third shaft piece and the fourth shaft piece to rotate,
wherein the second driving mechanism comprises: a second driving electric motor, an output shaft of the second driving mechanism being provided with a second gear; a second gear pair, the second gear pair being formed as a sector, a first end of the second gear pair having a second tooth engaged with the second gear and a second end being fixed on the third shaft piece.

8. The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 7 , wherein the second rotation mechanism further comprises:
two second damping rubber mats, the two second damping rubber mats being installed on the third shaft piece and the fourth shaft piece respectively.

9. The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 7 , wherein an end of the second mounting arm corresponding to the second gear pair is provided with a fixed arm, the second driving electric motor having two lugs, the two lugs are connected to the fixed arm by a second fixing piece so as to fix the second driving electric motor on the fixed arm.

10. The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 7 , wherein the outer frame comprises a first frame part and a second frame part installed outward on the first frame part, the third shaft piece and the fourth shaft piece being connected to the first frame part, and both ends of the second mounting arm extending into a space between the first frame part and the second frame part.

Assignees

• Midea Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sun Yunliang
• Li Xiangyang

Classifications

• F24F2013/205

  Mounting a ventilator fan therein · CPC title

• F04D25/10

  the unit having provisions for automatically changing direction of output air · CPC title

• F24F7/007

  with forced flow (using ducting systems F24F7/06) · CPC title

• F24F1/0029 Primary

  Axial fans · CPC title

• F24F1/0018

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