WO2021073724A1

WO2021073724A1 - Detachable louver for an air-conditioner

Info

Publication number: WO2021073724A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/077884
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pedro ZEMBORAIN
Original assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag
Priority date: 2019-10-15
Filing date: 2019-10-15
Publication date: 2021-04-22
Also published as: CN114556029B; CN114556029A

Abstract

A detachable louver (20) is provided. The detachable louver is configured to be attached to an air-conditioner. The louver comprises at least one connector (22) configured to attach the louver to the air-conditioner where the connector comprises a snap-fit (24) for snapping to the air-conditioner. Hereby a mechanism that facilitates assembly and maintenance of the louver is provided in that the louver can be attached without the need for a tool or that the louver needs to be twisted or bent to position the louver for attachment to the air-conditioner.

Description

DETACHABLE LOUVER FOR AN AIR-CONDITIONER

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to an air conditioner. In particular the present invention relates to a detachable louver configured to be attached to an air- conditioner. The louver can be used to adjust the output air flow from the air- conditioner.

BACKGROUND Air conditioning is a collective expression for conditioning air into a desired state. It could be heating the air during cold periods, cooling the air during warmer periods or for cleaning the air if it contains unwanted particles. However, the expression air conditioning is most often used when emphasizing cooling. As a product, air conditioners can look and be used in various ways, but they all share the same basic technology. The air- conditioner comprises a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and typically also an expansion device.

There are different types of air-conditioners. One type of air-conditioner can be referred to as a split air-conditioner. In a split air conditioner, the condenser and the evaporator are located in two different separated units that are interconnected via pipes to circulate a refrigerant from one unit to the other.

Another type of air-conditioner can be referred to as a Packaged Air Conditioner. A Packaged Air Conditioner (AC) can be said to be a type of self- contained system, in which all the cooling cycle components, such as the compressor, condenser, expansion device, evaporator and control system are enclosed in a single package. In any case, the final output from the air-conditioner is conditioned air blown into a room or some other space. It is typically desired that the air is delivered at low noise, in a sufficient amount and also the process of delivering air should be energy efficient. To direct the air into the room a so-called louver can be used at the air output from the air-conditioner. Thus, a louver can be described as a movable element provided to displace air blown by a fan of the air-conditioner. One or more such movable elements or louvers can be provided at the air outlet. The louver(s) can deflect the air stream and aim it at a specific direction. Louvers are of particular importance in air conditioning / heat pump units, where the ability to deliver the conditioned air in different directions can significantly improve the performance of the air-conditioner and the user comfort.

In accordance with some implementations, one horizontal louver which can be adjusted (automatically or manually) to direct the air up and down is combined with a number of vertical louvers which can be adjusted (automatically or manually) to direct the air from side to side. This will allow a 3-dimensional air directing.

There is a constant desire to improve air conditioners. Hence, there exists a need for an improved air conditioner and also to a louver for an air- conditioner.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved air- conditioner. In particular, it is an object to improve use and maintenance of an air-conditioner provided with a louver. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved louver for an air-conditioner. These objects and / or others are obtained by an air conditioner and a louver as set out in the appended claims.

In accordance with the invention a detachable louver is provided. The detachable louver is configured to be attached to an air-conditioner. The louver comprises at least one connector configured to attach the louver to the air-conditioner where the connector comprises a snap-fit for snapping to the air-conditioner. Hereby a mechanism that facilitates assembly and maintenance of the louver is provided in that the louver can be attached without the need for a tool or that the louver needs to be twisted or bent to position the louver for attachment to the air-conditioner.

In accordance with one embodiment, at least two connectors are provided where each of said at least two connectors are provided with a snap-fit.

Hereby the louver can be secured better to the air-conditioner while at the same time it is made easy to attach the louver. In accordance with one embodiment, the connector further comprises at least one guide element for aligning a louver displacement mechanism of the air- conditioner during attachment of the louver to the air-conditioner. Thus, by providing guide elements on the connector different parts of the louver displacement mechanism can be easily aligned to a correct position during attachment of the louver to the air-conditioner.

In accordance with one embodiment two guide elements are provided on the connector. Hereby an improved guide mechanism can be achieved that further facilitates positioning of a louver displacement mechanism during attachment of the louver to the air-conditioner. In accordance with one embodiment the guide elements are formed as pins. Hereby a cost efficient and easy to use guide element is provided.

In accordance with one embodiment the connector comprises a slit configured to receive a first joint of the louver displacement mechanism of the air-conditioner is provided. Hereby the connector can be configured to further facilitate alignment of parts of the louver displacement mechanism when attaching the louver to the air-conditioner.

The snap-fit can in accordance with some embodiments be configured to snap to the louver displacement mechanism of the air-conditioner. The invention also relates to an air-conditioner comprising a louver as set out above. The air-conditioner can be provided with the louver at the air-outlet of the air-conditioner. The air-conditioner can be configured to have a louver snapped to a louver displacement mechanism of the air-conditioner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figs l and 2 is a first view of an air conditioner with a louver,

Fig. 3 is a view of a louver, Figs. 4 -6 are views illustrating attachment of a louver provided with a connector to an air-conditioner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. For example, like or similar components of different embodiments can be exchanged between different embodiments. For example, the louver as described herein is shown mounted on an indoor unit of a split air-conditioner, but the louver could equally be mounted on any type of air conditioner. Some components can be omitted from different embodiments. Also, some components typically used in an air- conditioner have been omitted to more clearly show the invention. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description.

In Fig. l a front view of an air-conditioner to is depicted. The air-conditioner to is in Fig. l an indoor unit of a split air conditioner, but the air-conditioner io could be any type of air conditioner. The air-conditioner 10 comprises a frame 12 housing the components of the air conditioner. The air conditioner typically comprises a fan configured to blow air out from the air conditioner 10 via an air outlet 16. The air outlet 16 is provided with a louver 20. The louver 20 can be moved using a displacement mechanism that is configured to move the louver into different positions.

When in use, the louver 20 can be moved between different positions using the displacement mechanism. This allows the air directing louver 20 to have a wide range of movement and thus, of air directing possibilities.

In Fig. 2, the louver 20 of the air-conditioner 10 is shown detached from the air-conditioner 10. In Fig. 2 the displacement mechanism 30 can be seen. The displacement mechanism 30 can in some embodiments be driven by a motor, but can also be manually operated.

The displacement mechanism 30 can in some embodiments be made planar and can in some embodiments comprise only two free links, one grounded base link, two rotating joints and one pin-in-slot joint. One of the free links can be attached to the louver 20 as a crank 34 and is connected to the fixed base link by either a rotating joint or a pin-in-slot joint. The other free link, the crank, can have one grounded rotating joint which may or may not be coupled to an actuator such as a motor.

Fig. 3 depicts a louver 20 detached from the air-conditioner the louver 20 is provided with at least one connector 22 configured to attach the louver to the air-conditioner. The connector 22 comprising a snap-fit 24 for snapping to the air-conditioner. Advantageously, the connector 22 can be configured to attach to a displacement mechanism 30 for moving the louver of the air- conditioner.

Advantageously at least two connectors 22 are provided and each of said at least two connectors are provided with a snap-fit 24. In the embodiment depicted in Fig. 3 three connectors are provided, one at each end of the louver 20 and one connector 22 in the middle of the louver 20. Each of the connectors 22 can be configured to cooperate with a corresponding part of a displacement mechanism of the air-conditioner via a snap fit 24. The connector(s) 22 can also be provided with at least one guide element 26 for aligning a louver displacement mechanism during attachment of the louver to the air-conditioner. In accordance with one embodiment two guide elements are provided on the connector (s). The guide elements can be formed as pins or some other protruding part configured to align the displacement mechanism. Further a slit 28 can be provided in the connectors 22 to receive a protruding part such as a joint of the displacement mechanism 30.

In order to assemble attach the louver to the displacement mechanism 30 can be difficult to align all the parts of the displacement mechanism 30 and also to easily attach the louver to the displacement mechanism or some other mechanism used to hold the louver during operation of the air-conditioner. The snap fit 24 makes it easy to attach the louver to the air- conditioner and the guide elements 26 can help align any moving parts of a displacement mechanism 30. Below an exemplary attachment procedure is described in conjunction with Figs. 4 - 6. In the exemplary embodiment of Figs. 4 - 6 a connector 22 of a louver 20 is used to attach the louver to a displacement mechanism 30 of an air-conditioner. It is also envisaged that the connector can be used to attach the louver to some other part of the air-conditioner such as the frame 12. In Fig. 4 a view from a first side of the connector 22 of a louver 20 is shown. The connector is to be attached to an air conditioner, in particular a displacement mechanism 30 of an air-conditioner, in the direction of the arrow. In the embodiment of Fig. 4, a first joint 32 of the displacement mechanism 30 is inserted in the slit 28 and the connector is moved towards a second joint 34 of the displacement mechanism 30. The snap-fit 24 can in accordance with some embodiments be formed in the slit 28. For example, a cut-out in the slit can form the snap-fit 24. The snap fit is adapted to fit with a cooperating part of the air-conditioner. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 the cooperating part is a joint or pin 34 of the displacement mechanism 30.

In Fig 5, a view similar to the view of Fig. 4 is shown. The view in Fig. 5 is from the opposite side of the connector as the view shown in Fig. 4. As can be seen in Fig 5, guide elements 26 can be formed on the connector 22. The guide elements 26 can be provided to assist in alignment of different parts of, for example, a displacement mechanism when attaching the louver 20 to the air-conditioner. Any number of guide elements can be used depending on the implementation of the connector and also on the air-conditioner to which the louver is to be attached. Thus, in some embodiments only one guide element can be used. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 two guide elements are provided, but more than two can also be provided if such a configuration should prove beneficial for the particular implementation at hand.

In Fig. 6 the louver is shown attached to the air conditioner. Thus, the louver 20 is attached to the displacement mechanism 30 by snapping the snap-fit of the connector 22 to the second joint 34 of the displacement mechanism 30. By providing the louver with, at least one, snap fittings to fix it to the outlet of the air conditioner it become easy to handle the louver for assembly and maintenance. Advantageously guide elements can complement the snap fits in the embodiments where the louver is controlled by a mechanism. In an embodiment without a louver displacement mechanism a snap fit is advantageous in that the louver does not need to be bent and twisted in order to connect all the pivot points. Therefore, regardless of the particular implementation of the louver in the air-conditioner a snap fit to connect the louver to the air-conditioner can be advantageous.

Claims

1. A detachable louver (20) configured to be attached to an air-conditioner (10), the louver comprising at least one connector (22) configured to attach the louver to the air-conditioner, the connector comprising a snap-fit (24) for snapping to the air-conditioner.

2. The detachable louver according to claim 1, wherein at least two connectors (22) are provided and each of said at least two connectors are provided with a snap-fit (24).

3. The detachable louver according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the connector further comprises at least one guide element (26) for aligning a louver displacement mechanism (30) of the air-conditioner during attachment of the louver to the air-conditioner.

4. The detachable louver according to claim 3, wherein two guide elements (26) are provided on the connector (22).

5. The detachable louver according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the guide elements are formed as pins.

6. The detachable louver according to any one of claims 1 - 5, wherein the connector element comprises a slit (28) configured to receive a first joint (32) of the louver displacement mechanism of the air-conditioner.

7. The detachable louver according to any one of claims 1 - 6, wherein the snap-fit (24) is configured to snap to the louver displacement mechanism (30) of the air-conditioner.

8. An air-conditioner (to) comprising a louver (20) according to anyone of claims 1 - 7.

9. An air-conditioner according to claim 8, wherein the air-conditioner comprises an air outlet (16) and wherein the louver is located at the air- outlet.

10. An air-conditioner according to claim 8 or 9 wherein the louver is snapped to a louver displacement mechanism (30) of the air-conditioner.