JPS5974445A - Air-flow deflecting apparatus for air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a simple apparatus capable of changing the direction of air flow, by using a coil made of a shape memory metal such as nickel-titanium alloy as a means for driving a guide vane or an air-flow deflecting vane, and providing a heating means for causing expansion and contraction of said coil. CONSTITUTION:At the time of ventilating operation, air introduced from suction opening 2 is discharged from an outlet opening 3. Since in this state, the temperature is ordinary, a form memory alloy 9 does not cause any deformation, so that air is discharged in a direction A. On the other hand, when space-cooling operation is started, the temperature of air discharged from an air conditioner is lowered, so that the form memory alloy 9 is cooled and begins to contact. By the contraction of the form memory alloy 9, a guide vane or an air- flow deflecting vane 8 is pulled downward by the form memory alloy 9, so that air is discharged in a direction B. In this state, if the shape memory alloy 9 is heated by supplying current to an electric heater 10, the guide vane 8 is pushed upward by the shape memory alloy 9, so that air is discharged in a direction C. By repeating the above process, it is enabled to change the direction of air flow continuously or intermittently.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wind direction changing device for an air conditioner.

2. Description of the Related Art Structures of Conventional Examples and Their Problems Conventionally, as a wind direction changing device for an air conditioner, a structure is known in which a wind direction changing blade is controlled by various motors to change the direction of air blowing. However, this structure has problems such as motor noise and increased cost, and some improvement measures are required.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention is intended to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and its entire purpose is to enable a wind direction changing operation with a simple structure.

Structure of the Invention In order to achieve this object, the present invention uses a coil made of a shape memory metal such as a nickel to titanium alloy as a drive device for fully driving the wind direction changing blades, and further includes a heating device that expands and contracts this coil. It has been established.

With this configuration, the energization to the heating device is controlled to fully operate the drive device to perform an operation to change the wind direction.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the male side drawings.

Without further ado, the general structure of the air conditioner will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

3 In the figure, 1 is an indoor unit main body of a separate type air conditioner, and an inlet 2 and an outlet 3 are formed on the front surface. Reference numeral 4 denotes a ventilation passage formed in the indoor unit main body 1, which communicates with the suction port 2 and the air outlet (~port 3). 7 is a water tray for the heat exchanger 5, which also serves as an air guide for the blower 6.
It is similar to existing air conditioners, and is equipped with an air filter, a front grille, a fan motor, etc. (not shown in the figure), as is well known.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a wind direction changing blade, which is formed in the shape of a wing, and both ends of which are attached to opposite sides of the air outlet 3 via a shaft or the like.
It is attached to I and 7. Reference numeral 1o denotes an electric heater, which is provided close to or in contact with the inside of a well-known shape memory alloy 9 formed into a spring shape. This shape memory alloy 9 has both ends fixed to the wind direction changing blade 8 and the air outlet 3.

Next, a control circuit that performs wind direction change control will be explained with reference to FIG.

In the figure, 11 is a power supply, and 12 is an electronic control device incorporating a microcomputer, which controls the oscillation of energization and energization time to the electric heater 10.

13 is an on/off switch for the electric heater.

In the above configuration, the wind direction changing operation will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5.

First of all, in Fig. 5, a shows the entire state shape of the shape memory alloy 9 at normal temperature, b shows the cooled and contracted state, and C
indicates a state in which it has been heated and expanded.

In this operation of the shape memory alloy 9, the spring-shaped shape memory alloy 9 is fixed to the fan 6 side of the wind direction changing blade 8 and to the lower side of the outlet 3, as shown in FIG.

During the blowing operation, air sucked in from the suction port 2 passes through the heat exchanger 5 and is blown out to the blowout port 3. At this time,
Since the shape memory alloy 9 is at a normal temperature, the air is blown in the inlet direction of FIG. 5 without any change.

Further, when the cooling operation starts, the blowing temperature decreases, and the shape memory alloy 9 is cooled and starts to contract. When contraction begins, the direction changing blade 8 is pulled by the shape memory alloy 9 and the air blowing direction becomes direction B.

In this state, the electric heater 10 is energized and the shape memory alloy 9
When heated, the wind direction changes wings #! 8 is shape memory alloy 9K
x is pushed up, and the air blowing direction becomes direction C. By repeating this operation, it is possible to change the wind direction continuously or intermittently.

Therefore, expensive parts such as a motor are not required for the wind direction changing operation, and the cost is reduced. Also, there is no rotating noise from the motor, and noise can be reduced.

In this embodiment, although a separate type air conditioner has been described, the same can be applied to an integrated air conditioner or a system type air conditioner with duct outlet D.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above embodiments, the present invention utilizes all the deformation stress of a shape memory alloy that expands and contracts due to heat to operate the wind direction changing blades. Wind direction control is 6, -,.

In addition, the control circuit is simple because the control circuit only needs to be controlled to supply electricity to a heating device such as an electric heater, and the amount of space it occupies is small, making it possible to miniaturize the air conditioner.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an enlarged sectional view of the main part of the wind direction changing blade in an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 4 is a control circuit diagram for operating the wind direction changing blade, and Figs. 6 a, b, and c are driving the same wind direction changing blade. shape memory alloy at room temperature and when cooled. It is a side view which shows each state at the time of heating. 1... Indoor unit main body, 3... Air outlet, 6... Heat exchanger, 7... Water tray, 8... Wind direction Modified blade, 9... Shape memory alloy, 10... Electric heater. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person No. 3
Figure 1209- Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] The wind direction changing blades are fully rotatably attached to the opposite side walls of the air conditioner outlet through which the heat-exchanged air is blown out.
Furthermore, an extendable coil-shaped rotation control member that rotates the entire wind direction changing blade is provided, and the rotation control member is made of a shape memory alloy phase, and further, the rotation control member is close to or comes into contact with the rotation control member. A wind direction changing device for an air conditioner that is equipped with a heating device such as an electric heater and controls the power supply to the heating device.