Abstract:
The present invention provides an airflow outlet of air-conditioning device, which comprises a main body having one end forming an entrance opening and an opposite end forming a plurality of outward-projecting curved ridges. At least one of the curved ridges has a side wall forming at least one through hole to allow air to pass through the through hole. The present invention allows airflows generated by an air-conditioning device to be conducted to the through hole to be discharged therefrom. Since the through hole is formed in a side wall, airflows do not blow directly down as that occurring in the conventional devices and instead blowing sideways so as to eliminate any potential risk of causing discomfort of persons located under the airflow outlet.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to an airflow outlet structure of air-conditioning device, and more particularly to an airflow outlet that is structured to allow airflows generated by an air-conditioning device to blow downward. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
       [0002]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an airflow outlet that is provided for an air-conditioning device generally mounted to a light steel frame is shown and is used in combination with a central control air-conditioning device, such as air-conditioning devices installed in high buildings, to regulate the temperature of indoor spaces. Such a known airflow outlet is an airflow outlet that is composed of a plurality of concentric frames, where airflows generated by the air-conditioning device are allowed to blow out through the spacing between adjacent ones of the concentric frames. 
         [0003]    However, experiences show that airflows blowing out of such an airflow outlet are generally guided to blow directly downward. This makes persons that are located exactly below the airflow outlet uncomfortably cold or hot and may lead to health problems, such as headaches. This is particularly problematic for public sites where crowd may gather, such as restaurants and movie theaters, for it may make the customers of these sites uncomfortable and affecting the quality of service provided. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    In view of such problems, the present invention provides an airflow outlet of air-conditioning device, which comprises main body having one end forming an entrance opening and an opposite end forming a plurality of outward-projecting curved ridges, wherein each curved ridge has a side wall forming at least a through hole to allow air to pass the through hole. 
         [0005]    The present invention allows airflows blown from an air-conditioning device to be conducted to the through hole to be discharged therefrom. Since the through hole is formed in the side wall, the airflows do not blow downward directly as was observed in the conventional device and instead, the airflows blow sideways, so that discomfort of persons caused by airflows directly impinging the persons can be eliminated. 
         [0006]    Preferably, each of the curved ridges has a height that is gradually decreased from a center of the main body toward the outside. 
         [0007]    Preferably, the curved ridges are arranged to be adjacent to each other. 
         [0008]    Preferably, the main body further comprises an outward-projecting cup-like protrusion, which comprises a cup body and a bottom cover that is set on an end of the cup body, and the cup body comprises at least one through hole so as to increase airflow discharge sites at different orientations. 
         [0009]    Preferably, the bottom cover further comprises at least one airflow guide plate and a rotatable mechanism is coupled between the bottom cover and the cup body so as to allow the bottom cover to be rotatable with respect to the cup body. As such, airflows generated can be conducted to discharge sideways in a swirling manner to expand the range of spreading. 
         [0010]    Preferably, the cup body further comprises an extendable structure to allow the length of the cup body to be increased, which together with the through hole formed in the cup body, can expand the range of spreading. 
         [0011]    The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts. 
         [0012]    Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a conventional airflow outlet. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is also a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the embodiment of the present invention that is combined with a cup-like protrusion. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view showing the embodiment of the present invention that is combined with the cup-like protrusion. 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is also a cross-sectional view showing the embodiment of the present invention that is combined with the cup-like protrusion (with arrows showing directions of airflows). 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention that is combined with an extendable cup-like protrusion (with the cup in an extended condition). 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention that is combined with the extendable cup-like protrusion (with the cup in a retracted condition). 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention that is combined with another extendable cup-like protrusion. 
           [0024]      FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view showing the extendable cup-like protrusion of  FIG. 11  in a retracted condition. 
           [0025]      FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention that is combined with a further extendable cup-like protrusion. 
           [0026]      FIG. 14  is a top plan view of the embodiment of  FIG. 13 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention that is combined with a further extendable cup-like protrusion. 
           [0028]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 17  is a bottom view showing a further embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 18  is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 17 . 
           [0031]      FIG. 19  is a bottom view showing yet a further embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0032]      FIG. 20  is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 19 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0033]    The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
         [0034]    Referring to the drawings,  FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention;  FIG. 3  is a front view of the embodiment of the present invention;  FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention; and  FIG. 5  is also a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIGS. 2-5 , an airflow outlet of air-conditioning device according to the embodiment comprises a main body  10 . The main body  10  has an end forming an entrance opening  11  and an opposite end forming a plurality of outward-projecting curved ridges  20 . Further, the curved ridges  20  each have side walls forming at least one a through hole  21  to allow airflow that enters from the entrance opening  11  to move through the through holes  21 . The entrance opening  11  can be configured in the form shown in the drawings in order to couple to piping of an air-conditioning device. 
         [0036]    Reference being also made to the cross-sectional view shown in  FIG. 5 , when airflows (indicated by arrows W) generated by the air-conditioning device blow from the top side of the drawing to the bottom side, the airflows pass through the entrance opening  11  to be discharged through the through holes  21  of the curved ridges  20 . Since the through holes  21  are formed in the side walls of the curved ridges  20 , the airflows are guided to blow sideways, whereby persons located below are not directly blown by the airflow and thus no discomfort will be perceived. 
         [0037]    Further, as shown in  FIG. 4 , each of the curved ridges  20  has a height H that is gradually decreased from a center of the main body  10  toward the outside so that individual airflows respectively blowing through the through holes  21  do not interfere with each other and can thus blow a much longer distance to thereby improve overall temperature control capability of the air-conditioning device. 
         [0038]    Further, as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , adjacent ones of the curved ridges  20  are arranged to juxtapose and connect to each other to facilitate manufacture thereof. Further, the embodiment can be formed as a unitary member and can be made of plastics or metals to simplify the manufacturing process. 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIGS. 6-8 , the main body  10  further comprises an outward-projecting cup-like protrusion  30 . The cup-like protrusion  30  comprises a cup body  31  and a bottom cover  32 . The bottom cover  32  is set at an end of the cup body  31 . Further, the cup body  31  comprises at least one through hole  311 . Thus, when airflows (indicated by arrows in  FIG. 8 ) travels from the top side to the bottom side, the airflows may be discharged through the through hole  311  and the through holes  21 . As such, airflows in different directions can be additionally provided. 
         [0040]    The cup body  31  can be of an extendable structure to allow the cup body  31  to selectively extend or retract thereby providing additional combinations of airflow directions. Various solutions that are known to provide an extendable structure and two are discussed below to allow those having ordinary skills in the art to understand the extendable structure, but the present invention is not limited to such two structures. 
       First Type of Extendable Structure: 
       [0041]    As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the extendable structure is composed of a first cup body  312  and a second cup body  313 . The first cup body  312  comprises a first upper cup opening  3121 , a first lower cup opening  3122 , and a first internal retention strip  3123 . The first internal retention strip  3123  is mounted to an inside surface of the first cup body  312 . The second cup body  313  comprises a second upper cup opening  3131 , a second lower cup opening  3132 , and a second external retention strip  3133 . The second external retention strip  3133  is mounted to an outside surface of the second cup body  313 . The bottom cover  32  is set on the second lower cup opening  3132 . The second upper cup opening  3131  is received in the first cup body  312  and is movable inside the first cup body  312 . Further, the second external retention strip  3133  is arranged on the first internal retention strip  3123 . The second cup body  313  is slidable downward to such a location where the second external retention strip  3133  abuts the first internal retention strip  3122  and is the prevented from further sliding downward, whereby the relative position between the first cup body  312  and the second cup body  313  can be fixed to facilitate convenience of use. 
         [0042]    Further, the through hole  311  can be formed in the first cup body  312  or the second cup body  313  in such a way to allow airflows to flow out sideways, rather than directly blowing downward. 
       Second Type of Extendable Structure: 
       [0043]    As shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , the extendable structure is composed of at least one first cup body  314  and at least one second cup body  315 . 
         [0044]    The first cup body  314  comprises a first upper cup opening  3141  and a first lower cup opening  3142 . 
         [0045]    The second cup body  315  comprises a second upper cup opening  3151  and a second lower cup opening  3152 . The second upper cup opening  3151  has a diameter that is greater than or equal to diameter of the first lower cup opening  3142  and diameter of the second lower cup opening  3152  is less than that of the first lower cup opening  3142 . The bottom cover  32  is set on the second lower cup opening  3152 . 
         [0046]    Further, as shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the bottom cover  32  may be further provided with at least one airflow guide plate  321 . A rotatable mechanism  33  is mounted between the bottom cover  32  and the cup body  31  to allow the bottom cover  32  to be rotatable with respect to the cup body  31 . Here, a frame  331  is coupled inside the cup body  31  and a bar  332  rotatably couple the bottom cover  32  and the frame  331 , whereby when airflows that blow toward airflow guide plate  321  may drive the bottom cover  32  to rotate. The rotation induces centrifugal force that helps spread the airflow further. An alternative arrangement shown in  FIG. 15  may also be used for combination with an extendable structure. 
         [0047]    Further, the curved ridges  20  may be arranged in the ways shown in  FIG. 16 , where the curved ridges  20  are arranged parallel to each other, or as shown in  FIGS. 17 and 18 , they are made in a concentric arrangement with the ridges  20  getting closer to the ground in a direction from outside to inside. Or alternatively, as shown in  FIGS. 19 and 20 , the ridges are arranged in radiating form and the curves make the ridges  20  getting close to the ground in a direction from outside to inside. These drawings are simply provided to illustrate the numerous possible arrangements of the curved ridges  20 , which are not limited to the form illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Further, although these drawings show no extendable cup arranged at the center, yet they can be used in combination with extendable cups or cups having rotatable bottoms to achieve such functions. 
         [0048]    It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above. 
         [0049]    While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.