WO2021086167A1

WO2021086167A1 - Air conditioner with detachable housing

Info

Publication number: WO2021086167A1
Application number: PCT/MY2020/050007
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kim Guan NG; Boon Hun TAN; Jee Hou CHEONG
Original assignee: Panasonic Appliances Air-Conditioning Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.
Priority date: 2019-10-31
Filing date: 2020-01-24
Publication date: 2021-05-06
Also published as: CN114930089A; EP4051966A1

Abstract

An air conditioner (10) comprising a body (12), a plurality of components for heat exchanging air, a housing (14) for substantially enclosing the front of the body (12) and comprising a plurality of openings for passage of the air, wherein a plurality of sliding catches (16) are provided on a top portion (30) of the housing (14) for detachable engagement with a plurality of slots (18) provided on the body (12). The plurality of sliding catches (16) being adjustable between a locked position and an unlocked position to respectively secure or allow removal of the housing (14) from the body (12).

Description

AIR CONDITIONER WITH DETACHABLE HOUSING

Field of Invention

The invention relates to an air conditioner, in particular an indoor air conditioner with a detachable housing.

Background

An air conditioner is a temperature regulating and maintaining piece of equipment typically installed in indoor locations such as rooms and other spaces inside a building to provide cool air and to maintain the temperature inside the indoor locations at a preset level. The current indoor air conditioners on the market include single body-type devices in which all the components are arranged within a housing, and separate or split type devices in which some of the components are provided within an indoor unit and the remaining components are provided within an outdoor unit of the air conditioner. The split type indoor air conditioners further include a wall hanging type device, a ceiling suspended device or a stand type device, of which the wall-hanging type indoor air conditioners, which are typically attached to the wall of rooms or other indoor spaces, are the most common type of split type indoor conditioner.

The indoor unit of the split type air conditioner typically includes a rear body with a back plate that can be attached to a wall surface to hold the heat exchanger and other components within the body for discharging cool air and removing hot air from the indoor space. The outdoor unit includes a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger and expansion device and the like to heat exchange air. Periodic and proper cleaning and maintenance of the indoor and outdoor units of the split type air conditioner is necessary for proper operation, improved life span and optimal efficiency of the air conditioner.

Typical wall-hanging type air conditioners are installed on the walls of rooms or other spaces near the ceiling for proper distribution of cool air and optimal air circulation within the space. The rear body of the wall hanging type indoor air conditioner includes all the components for receiving air through an air inlet and discharging cool air through an air outlet. A housing having grills or openings at the air inlet and outlet is used to enclose the rear body, which further improves the aesthetics of the air conditioner and protects the components from dust and accidental damage. The housing of a wall hanging type air conditioners is typically hinged to the rear body to allow it to be swung open to access the components for cleaning and maintenance.

In a typical wall hanging type air conditioner, the housing is connected to the rear body at a top portion using one or more hooks, which allow swing opening to access the components inside the rear body. However, if the air conditioner is attached to the wall and positioned near the ceiling, then there is insufficient space for complete swing opening of the housing to access the air conditioner components. Removing the housing requires a user to access the hooks through a small gap between the ceiling and the top portion of the housing. In some instances, the users may find it difficult to identify the position of the hooks on the top portion of the housing as the hooks are not easily visible from a front side of the air conditioner. In some wall hanging type air conditioners, the hooks may be disengaged by lifting the housing from the body, which requires more space between the ceiling and the top portion of the housing. Hence, it is difficult to detach the hook connecting the rear body and the housing of the typical wall hanging type air conditioner when installed on the wall near the ceiling.

An aim of the invention therefore is to provide an indoor air conditioner which overcomes the above issues.

Summary of Invention

In an aspect of the invention, there is provided an air conditioner comprising: a body including a plurality of components for heat exchanging air; a housing for substantially enclosing the front of the body and comprising a plurality of openings for passage of the air; characterized in that a plurality of sliding catches is provided on a top portion of the housing for detachable engagement with a plurality of slots provided on the body, the plurality of sliding catches being adjustable between a locked position and an unlocked position to respectively secure or allow removal of the housing from the body. Advantageously the air conditioner can be installed on the wall near the ceiling, wherein the housing can be secured to the body by adjusting the sliding catches to a locked position and easily removed by moving the sliding catches to an unlocked position. This helps in the easy cleaning and maintenance of the indoor air conditioner components inside the body.

The housing may be secured to the body with screws in addition to the catches, to prevent accidental detachment of the housing.

In one embodiment a first sliding catch is provided at one end of the top portion of the housing and a second sliding catch is provided at the other end of the top portion of the housing. Typically, corresponding slots are provided at respective ends of the body. Advantageously this helps a user to easily reach the top portion of the housing to lock or unlock the sliding catches.

In one embodiment a third sliding catch and corresponding slot is provided at a point in between the ends of the top portion of the housing. Typically, the third sliding catch is provided at a centre point of the top portion.

In one embodiment each of the sliding catches comprises a head portion and a hook portion extending downwards from the head portion. Typically, the hook portion is configured for detachable engagement with a corresponding slot, groove, recess or the like on the body. Advantageously this helps to easily secure the housing to the body.

In one embodiment the head portion of each of the sliding catches protrudes from the top portion of the housing. Advantageously this helps the user to easily find the sliding catches by touch (in case the air conditioner is positioned to high for the catches to be easily viewed) for adjustment between the locking and unlocking positions using hand or any elongated tool. In one embodiment the housing is secured to the body by adjusting the sliding catches to the locked position. Typically, the user can push the housing from the front side of the body to substantially enclose and thereafter secure the same to the body.

In one embodiment the housing secured to the body is removable by adjusting the sliding catches to the unlocked position and thereafter pulling the housing towards the front side of the body in a linear sliding motion. Advantageously this helps the user to easily access the indoor air conditioner components inside the body for cleaning and maintenance, even if installed on the wall surface near the ceiling, as the body pulls out horizontally rather than pivoting upwards where access may be limited due to the ceiling.

In one embodiment the air-conditioner is a wall hanging type indoor air-conditioner configured to attach to anywhere on the wall surface including positions near the ceiling.

Brief Description of Drawings

It will be convenient to further describe the present invention with respect to the accompanying drawings that illustrate possible arrangements of the invention. Other arrangements of the invention are possible, and consequently the particularity of the accompanying drawings is not to be understood as superseding the generality of the preceding description of the invention.

Figure 1 illustrates an indoor air conditioner according to an embodiment of the invention in which a housing is removably secured to a body of an indoor air conditioner as shown in: (a) perspective view; (b) side view; (c) side view showing partially detached housing; (d) perspective view showing partially detached housing.

Figure 2 illustrates (a) perspective view of a sliding catch on the housing and a corresponding slot on the body of the indoor air conditioner; (b) sectional side view of Figure 2a according to the embodiment of the invention as shown in Figures 1 a-d. Figure 3 illustrates an alternate perspective view of a sliding catch and the corresponding slot of the indoor air conditioner according to the embodiment of the invention as shown in Figures 1 a-d, in which the sliding catch is in: (a) locked position; (b) unlocked position.

Detailed Description

With regard to Figures la-d there is illustrated an indoor air conditioner 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. The indoor air conditioner 10 comprises a body 12, a housing 14, a plurality of sliding catches 16 on a top portion 30 of the housing 14, a plurality of slots 18 on the body 12 for detachably engaging with the corresponding sliding catches 16 on the housing 14, a top grill 32 for passing air and an adjustable vane 34 for directing cool air.

The body 12 of the indoor air conditioner 10 comprises an upper portion 38, a lower portion 40, a pair of side portions 42 and a back portion 44. The back portion 44 is configured to attach to a wall surface. The body 12 includes one or more air conditioner components such as a heat exchanger to heat exchange air and a cross flow fan. The cool air is discharged through an air outlet of the body 12 and a direction of the discharged cool air is controlled by swinging movement of the adjustable vane 34. The body 12 is provided with one or more air inlets to allow passage of air. The housing 14 is provided with one or more openings adjacent the air inlet and the air outlet on the body 12 for the passage of air. The top grill 32 on the housing 14 allows the air to be drawn in to the indoor air conditioner 10 through the air inlets.

Figures la-b shows the housing 14 which is configured to substantially enclose the upper portion 38, the lower portion 40 and the pair of side portions 42 of the body 12 from a front side. When the housing 14 is secured to the body 12, the top grill 32 provided on the housing 14 aligns with the air inlet and the adjustable vane 34 aligns with the air outlet of the body 12.

The body 12 of the indoor air conditioner 10 according to the present embodiment is configured to attach to the wall surface near the ceiling of an indoor space. The housing 14 can be used to substantially enclose the body 12 which is attached to the wall surface and near the ceiling from the front side. This leaves only a small gap between the top portion 30 of the housing 14 and the ceiling. Advantageously the plurality of sliding catches 16 on the top portion 30 of the housing 14 is configured for easy access by a user through the small gap using hand or any other tool for either securing or removing the housing 14 from the body 12.

Figures lc-d show the housing 14 being partially removed from the body 12 of the same indoor air conditioner 10 as shown in Figures la-b, which is installed on the wall surface near the ceiling of the indoor space. The plurality of sliding catches 16 is provided at a pair of ends and at a point in between the pair of ends of the top portion 30 of the housing 14. In one embodiment, the sliding catches 16 are provided at the pair of ends and at a midpoint in between the pair of ends of the top portion 30 of the housing 14. The upper portion 38 of the body 12 includes slots 18 at the ends and at a point thereinbetween for detachable engagement with the corresponding sliding catches 16 on the housing 14.

In one embodiment, the upper portion 38 of the body 12 include slots 18 adjacent or at the ends and at a midpoint therebetween for detachable engagement with the corresponding sliding catches 16 provided adjacent on the top portion 30 of the housing 14. This is advantageous as the user can easily reach the sliding catches 16 for either securing or removing the housing 14 from the body 12.

With reference to Figures 2a-b, the sliding catches 16 on the housing 14 and the corresponding slot 18 on the body 12 of the air conditioner 10 shown in Figures la-d are illustrated. Each of the plurality of sliding catches 16 is adjustable between a locked position and an unlocked position. The sliding catch 16 includes a head portion 22 and a hook portion 24 which extends downwards from the head portion 22. The hook portion 24 is configured to detachably engage within a groove, hole or recess within the corresponding slot 18 on the body 12. The head portion 22 of each of the plurality of sliding catches 16 protrudes a few mm from the top portion 30 of the housing 14. Advantageously this allows the user to easily identify and make adjustments to the position of the sliding catches 16 on the top portion 30 of the housing 14 when the air conditioner 10 is installed on the wall surface near the ceiling. The user can slide the head portion 22 using hand or any other tool to either secure or detach the housing 14 from the body 12. Since the sliding catch 16 at the midpoint may be positioned close to the wall, a ruler or other long implement may be used to move the sliding catch 16 if there is insufficient space between the housing 14 and ceiling for a person to use their hand.

Figures 3a-b illustrate alternate perspective views of a sliding catch 16 and the corresponding slot 18 of the air conditioner 10 shown in Figures la-d. The plurality of sliding catches 16 is adjustable between a locking and an unlocking position. The housing 14 substantially enclosing the body 12 can be secured in position by adjusting the sliding catches 16 to the locked position as in Figure 3a. The housing 14 thus secured to the body 12 is removable by moving the sliding catches 16 to the unlocked position as in Figure 3b. This is advantageous as the housing 14 can be easily removed from the body 12 by adjusting the plurality of sliding catches 16 and pulling out the housing 14 horizontally unlike the prior art indoor air conditioners which pivot upwards. The protruding sliding catches 16 at the ends and at the centre of the top portion 30 further helps the user to easily secure or remove the housing 14 from the body 12 using hand or any other tool.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present indoor air conditioning unit may also include further additional modifications made to the unit which does not affect the overall functioning of the indoor air conditioning unit.

Claims

1. An air conditioner (10) comprising : a body (12) including a plurality of components for heat exchanging air; a housing (14) for substantially enclosing the front of the body (12) and comprising a plurality of openings for passage of the air; characterized in that a plurality of sliding catches (16) is provided on a top portion (30) of the housing (14) for detachable engagement with a plurality of slots (18) provided on the body (12), the plurality of sliding catches (16) being adjustable between a locked position and an unlocked position to respectively secure or allow removal of the housing (14) from the body (12).

2. The air conditioner (10) according to claim 1 wherein the sliding catches (16) and corresponding slots are provided at the ends and at a point in between the ends of the top portion (30) of the housing (14).

3. The air conditioner (10) according to claim 1 wherein each sliding catch (16) comprises a head portion (22) and a hook portion (24) extending downwards from the head portion (22), the hook portion (24) being configured for detachable engagement with a corresponding slot (18) on the body (12).

4. The air conditioner (10) according to any preceding claim wherein the sliding catches (16) protrude from the top portion (30) of the housing (14).

5. The air conditioner (10) according to any preceding claim wherein the housing (14) slides linearly on or off the body (12) when being respectively attached or detached thereto.

6. The air conditioner (10) according to any preceding claim wherein the air conditioner (10) is a wall hanging type indoor air-conditioner.