Patent Publication Number: US-2021164689-A1

Title: Damping assembly for air conditioner and air conditioner

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2019/125309, filed on Dec. 13, 2019, which is based on and claims priority to Chinese Patent Applications Nos. 201911204880.3 and No. 201922129771.1, both filed on Nov. 29, 2019, the entire contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present application relates to the air conditioning field, and particularly to a damping assembly for an air conditioner and an air conditioner. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In related art, refrigerant pipes of an air conditioner (for example, a window air conditioner) tend to come into contact with one another due to collisions during long-distance transportation, or a poor operation during production, thereby generating noises in the operation of the air conditioner, which greatly affects the use comfortability of a user. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present application seeks to solve at least one of the problems existing in the related art to at least some extent. To this end, one object of the present application is to provides a damping assembly for an air conditioner, capable of reducing operating noises of the air conditioner effectively, and improving the flexibility of use. 
     The present application also provides an air conditioner having the above-mentioned damping assembly. 
     A damping assembly for an air conditioner according to an embodiment of a first aspect of the present application includes: a damping pad provided with a plurality of mounting holes for refrigerant pipes to pass through. Each of the mounting holes is provided with a mounting opening, and at least two of the plurality of mounting holes are arranged in an up-and-down direction. 
     In the damping assembly for an air conditioner consistent with embodiments of the present application, a plurality of refrigerant pipes are spaced apart from one another by means of the plurality of mounting holes at the damping pad, which may prevent the refrigerant pipes from coming into contact with one another in the case of transportation or poor operation, thereby further reducing the noises caused by the contact of the refrigerant pipes during the operation of the air conditioner and improving the flexibility of use of the air conditioner. At the same time, by arranging at least two of the plurality of mounting holes in the vertical direction, the arrangement of the refrigerant pipes is optimized, and an inner space of the air conditioner is made full use, thereby making the structure of the air conditioner more compact and facilitating the reduction of an overall volume of the air conditioner. 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, the damping pad includes: a connection base; a damping body, including a first damping member and a second damping member, each of the first and second damping members being provided with the mounting hole, one end of the first damping member and one end of the second damping member being both connected to the connection base, and the other end of the first damping member and the other end of the second damping member being both movable in directions apart from and towards each other. 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, a mounting opening of the mounting hole in the first damping member is formed at a side of the first damping member adjacent to the second damping member, and a mounting opening of the mounting hole in the second damping member is formed at a side of the second damping member adjacent to the first damping member. 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, the first damping member and the second damping member are spaced apart from each other. 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, in a direction away from the damping body, a width of the connection base is decreased gradually. 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, the damping pad is configured as an integrally molded part. 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, the damping pad is configured as a silicone part, a rubber part or a plastic part. 
     According to some further embodiments of the present application, a fixation bracket is further provided, and is connected to the damping pad and a housing of the air conditioner. 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, the fixation bracket is connected with the damping pad by a snapping assembly, the snapping assembly includes a snap and a groove, the snap is provided at one of the fixation bracket and the damping pad, and the groove is formed at the other one of the fixation bracket and the damping pad. 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, the fixation bracket is formed with an accommodation groove with an opening facing downward, and the damping pad is accommodated in the accommodation groove. 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, at least one inner wall surface of the accommodation groove abuts against and is fitted with the damping pad. 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, the fixation bracket is configured as a plastic part, a sheet metal part, a rubber part, or a silicone part. 
     An air conditioner according to an embodiment of a second aspect of the present application includes the damping assembly consistent with embodiments of the first aspect of the present application. 
     In the air conditioner consistent with embodiments of the second aspect of the present application, by providing the damping assembly consistent with embodiments of the above-mentioned first aspect of the present application, the noises caused by the contact of the refrigerant pipes during the operation of the air conditioner are reduced, and the flexibility of use of the air conditioner is improved. At the same time, the structure of the air conditioner may be made more compact and the reduction of an overall volume of the air conditioner is facilitated. 
     Additional aspects and advantages of embodiments of present disclosure will be given in part in the following descriptions, become apparent in part from the following descriptions, or be learned from the practice of the embodiments of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and/or additional aspects and advantages of the present application will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following descriptions made with reference to the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present application; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an internal structure of the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present application; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a damping pad of a damper assembly according to an embodiment of the present application; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of a damping pad of a damper assembly according to an embodiment of the present application; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a fixation bracket of the damper assembly according to an embodiment of the present application; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of the fixation bracket of the damper assembly according to an embodiment of the present application; and 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of the fixation bracket of the damper assembly according to an embodiment of the present application. 
     
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     damping assembly  100 , 
     damping pad  1 , mounting hole  10 , mounting opening  101 , connection base  11 , damping body  12 , first damping member  121 , second damping member  122 , 
     fixation bracket  2 , accommodation groove  21 , connection member  22 , fixation hole  221 , snap  31 , groove  32 , 
     air conditioner  1000 , chassis  200 , refrigerant pipe  300 . 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will be made in detail to embodiments of the present application, and the examples of the embodiments are illustrated in the drawings, where the same or similar elements and the elements having same or similar functions are denoted by like reference numerals throughout the descriptions. The embodiments described herein with reference to drawings are illustrative, and merely used to explain the present application. The embodiments shall not be construed to limit the present application. 
     Hereinafter, a damping assembly  100  for an air conditioner  1000  according to an embodiment of the present application will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the air conditioner  1000  may be configured as a window air conditioner, but is not limited thereto. In the following description, the air conditioner  1000  is explained by taking a window air conditioner as an example. 
     The damping assembly  100  for an air conditioner  1000  consistent with embodiments of the first aspect of the present application includes damping pad  1 , provided with a plurality of mounting holes  10  suitable for a refrigerant pipe  300  to pass through, each of the mounting holes  10  provided with a mounting opening  101 . In the description of the present application, “a plurality of” means two or more. The specific number and arrangement of mounting holes  10  may be adjusted and determined according to actual conditions. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a plurality of refrigerant pipes  300  are provided, and are in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of mounting holes  10 . Each of the refrigerant pipes  300  penetrates through its corresponding mounting hole  10 . Specifically, the refrigerant pipe  300  may be snapped in the mounting hole  10  via the mounting opening  101  of the mounting hole  10 . Thus, the plurality of refrigerant pipes  300  may be spaced apart by the damping pad  1  to prevent the refrigerant pipes  300  from coming into contact with one another in the case of transportation or poor operation, thereby further reducing the noises caused by the contact of the refrigerant pipes  300  during the operation of the air conditioner  1000  and improving the flexibility of use of the air conditioner  1000 . 
     Specifically, at least two of the plurality of mounting holes  10  are arranged in a vertical direction. The above-mentioned at least two of the mounting holes  10  may also be aligned or staggered in the vertical direction. That is, the upper mounting hole  10  may be located directly or diagonally above the lower mounting hole  10 . Thus, the arrangement of the refrigerant pipes  300  may be optimized, the inner space of the air conditioner  1000  is made full use, thereby making the structure of the air conditioner  1000  more compact and facilitating the reduction of an overall volume of the air conditioner  1000 . 
     For example, in some embodiments of the present application, referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the damping pad  1  is provided with four mounting holes  10 . Three of the four mounting holes  10  are arranged in a vertical column in the vertical direction, and the fourth one of the four mounting holes  10  is aligned with one of the above-mentioned three mounting holes  10 . In other embodiments of the present application (not shown), the damping body  12  can be provided with four mounting holes  10 , where two mounting holes  10  are provided at both the first and second damping members  121 ,  122 , and the four mounting holes  10  are arranged at four corners of a quadrangle. 
     In the description of the present application, it is to be understood that terms such as “upper,” “lower,” “top,” “bottom,” “inner,” “outer,” “left,” “right” should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawings under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the present application be constructed or operated in a particular orientation, thus cannot be construed to limit the present application. 
     In the damping assembly  100  for an air conditioner  1000  consistent with embodiments of the present application, the plurality of refrigerant pipes  300  are spaced apart from one another by means of the plurality of mounting holes  10  at the damping pad  1 , which may prevent the refrigerant pipes  300  from coming into contact with one another in the case of transportation or poor operation, thereby further reducing the noises caused by the contact of the refrigerant pipes  300  during the operation of the air conditioner  1000  and improving the flexibility of use of the air conditioner  1000 . At the same time, by arranging at least two of the plurality of mounting holes  10  in the vertical direction, the arrangement of the refrigerant pipes  300  is optimized, and an inner space of the air conditioner  1000  is made full use, thereby making the structure of the air conditioner  1000  more compact and facilitating the reduction of an overall volume of the air conditioner  1000 . 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, the damping pad  1  includes: a connection base  11  and a damping body  12  connected to the connection base  11  and extending in a direction away from the connection base  11 . As shown in, e.g.,  FIGS. 3 and 4 , at least two of the plurality of mounting holes  10  are arranged in an extension direction of the damping body  12 . The damping body  12  includes a first damping member  121  and a second damping member  122 , each of the first and second damping members  121 ,  122  is provided with at least one mounting hole  10 , one end of the first damping member  121  and one end of the second damping member  122  are connected to the connection base  11 , and the other end of the first damping member  121  and the other end of the second damping member  122  are movable in directions apart from and towards each other. Thus, the refrigerant pipe  300  may be snapped into the mounting hole  10  via the mounting opening  101  conveniently, thereby reducing the assembly difficulty and improving an assembly efficiency. 
     It is understood that at the time of assembly, the first and second damping members  121 ,  122  are movable at different or the same time. 
     For example, referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a lower end of the first damping member  121  and a lower end of the second damping member  122  are both connected to the connection base  11 , and an upper end of the first damping member  121  and an upper end of the second damping member  122  are movable in directions apart from and towards each other. At the time of assembly, the first and second damping members  121 ,  122  are movable apart from or towards each other, and the refrigerant pipe  300  is snapped into the mounting hole  10  via the mounting opening  101 , and then the first and second damping members  121 ,  122  are moved to be reset, which greatly reduces the assembly difficulty and improves the assembly efficiency. 
     In some embodiments of the present application, the mounting opening  101  of the mounting hole  10  at the first damping member  121  is formed at a side of the first damping member  121  adjacent to the second damping member  122 , and the mounting opening  101  of the mounting hole  10  at the second damping member  122  is formed at a side of the second damping member  122  adjacent to the first damping member  121 . During assembly, after the first damping member  121  is moved in a direction away from the second damping member  122 , the refrigerant pipe  300  is snapped into the mounting hole  10  at the first damping member  121  via the mounting opening  101 , and then the first damping member  121  is moved in the direction towards the second damping member  122  to reset the first damping member  121 . After the second damping member  122  is moved in a direction away from the first damping member  121 , the refrigerant pipe  300  is snapped into the mounting hole  10  at the second damping member  122  via the mounting opening  101 , and then the second damping member  122  is moved in the direction towards the first damping member  121  to reset the second damping member  122 . The structure is simple and the assembly is convenient. 
     For example, in the example of  FIG. 4 , the first and second damping members  121 ,  122  are arranged side by side at the connection base  11  in a left-right direction. The first damping member  121  is located at a right side of the second damping member  122 , the mounting opening  101  of the mounting hole  10  at the first damping member  121  is formed at a left side of the first damping member  121 , and the mounting opening  101  of the mounting hole  10  at the second damping member  122  is formed at a right side of the second damping member  122 . During assembly, after the first damping member  121  is moved to the right, the refrigerant pipe  300  may be snapped into the mounting hole  10  at the first damping member  121  via the mounting opening  101  conveniently; after the second damping member  122  is moved to the left, the refrigerant pipe  300  may be snapped into the mounting hole  10  at the second damping member  122  via the mounting opening  101  conveniently. The structure is simple and the assembly is convenient. 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, the first and second damping members  121 ,  122  are spaced apart from each other. Thus, the elasticity of each of the first and second damping members  121 ,  122  may be increased, which moves the first and second damping members  121 ,  122  conveniently, facilitates the reduction in the difficulty of moving the first and second damping members  121 ,  121 , and increases moving distances of the first and second damping members  121 ,  122 , thereby further reducing the assembly difficulty and improving the assembly efficiency. 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, in a direction away from the damping body  12 , a width of the connection base  11  is decreased gradually. For example, in the example of  FIG. 4 , in a direction from top to bottom, the width of the connection base  11  is decreased gradually. A section of the connection base  11  may be formed into a triangle, a trapezoid, or the like. Thus, the volume of the connection base  11  may be reduced, and then the volume of the damping pad  1  may be reduced, thereby preventing the damping pad  1  from interfering with other components inside the air conditioner  1000 . 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, the damping pad  1  is configured as an integrally molded part. Thus, a processing technology may be simplified, a processing cost may be reduced, and an overall structural strength of the damping pad  1  may be improved. 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, the damping pad  1  is a silicone part, a rubber part or a plastic part. Thus, the elasticity of the damping pad  1  may be increased, and the noises generated when the refrigerant tube  300  is vibrated are effectively reduced. In assembly, the first and second damping members  121 ,  122  are movable apart from and towards each other by means of elastic deformation, which simplifies the structure of the damping pad  1 , reduces the assembly difficulty, and improves the assembly efficiency. 
     According to some further embodiments of the present application, a fixation bracket  2  is further included, and is connected to the damping pad  1  and a housing of the air conditioner  1000 . For example, referring to  FIG. 2 , the fixation bracket  2  may be connected to the damping pad  1  and a chassis  200  of the air conditioner  1000 . Thus, the refrigerant pipe  300  may be fixed to the housing firmly by fixing the damping pad  1  to the housing of the air conditioner  1000  by means of the fixation bracket  2 , which prevents the refrigerant pipe  300  from shaking when the air conditioner  1000  is operating, and further avoids the vibration and noises due to the contact of pipelines. 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, the fixation bracket  2  is connected with the damping pad  1  by a snapping assembly, the snapping assembly includes a snap  31  and a groove  32 , the snap  31  is provided at one of the fixation bracket  2  and the damping pad  1 , and the groove  32  is formed at the other of the fixation bracket  2  and the damping pad  1 . Specifically, when the snap  31  is provided at the fixation bracket  2 , the groove  32  may be formed at the damping pad  1 ; when the snap  31  is provided at the damping pad  1 , the groove  32  may be formed at the fixation bracket  2 . Thus, the damping pad  1  may be fixed at the fixation bracket  2  conveniently, and the structure is simple and the connection is reliable. 
     For example, in some embodiments of the present application, referring to  FIGS. 3 to 6 , the fixation bracket  2  is connected with the damping pad  1  by two snapping assemblies. The structure is simple and the connection is reliable. 
     In some embodiments of the present application, the fixation bracket  2  may be connected with the housing of the air conditioner  1000  by fasteners (for example, screws, bolts, rivets, or the like). For example, referring to  FIGS. 2 and 7 , the fixation bracket  2  is provided with a connection member  22  which is provided with a fixation hole  221 , and the chassis  200  of the air conditioner  1000  is provided with a connecting hole corresponding to the fixation hole  221 . In some other embodiments of the present application, the fixation bracket  2  may be welded to the housing of the air conditioner  1000 . 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, the fixation bracket  2  is formed with an accommodation groove  21  with an opening facing downward, and the damping pad  1  is adapted to be accommodated in the accommodation groove  21 . Thus, the damping pad  1  may be limited by the accommodation groove  21 , such that the connection between the fixation bracket  2  and the damping pad  1  is more stable and reliable, thereby firmly fixing the refrigerant pipe  300  to the housing, preventing the refrigerant pipe  300  from shaking during the operation of the air conditioner  1000 , and avoiding the vibration and noises caused by the contact of the pipelines. 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, at least one inner wall surface of the accommodation groove  21  is in an abutting fit with the damping pad  1 . That is, one or more inner wall surfaces of the accommodation groove  21  is in an abutting fit with the damping pad  1 , or each of the inner wall surfaces of the accommodation groove  21  is in an abutting fit with the damping pad  1 . Thus, the connection reliability of the fixation bracket  2  and the damping pad  1  may be further improved. 
     According to some embodiments of the present application, the fixation bracket  2  is configured as a plastic part, a sheet metal part, a rubber part, or a silicone part, which realizes easy processing and low costs. 
     The air conditioner  1000  consistent with embodiments of the second aspect of the present application includes the damping assembly  100  consistent with embodiments of the first aspect of the present application. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the air conditioner  1000  may be configured as a window air conditioner, but is not limited thereto. 
     In the air conditioner  1000  consistent with embodiments of the second aspect of the present application, by providing the damping assembly  100  consistent with embodiments of the above-mentioned first aspect of the present application, the noises caused by the contact of the refrigerant pipes  300  during the operation of the air conditioner  1000  are reduced, and the use comfortability of the air conditioner  1000  is improved. At the same time, the structure of the air conditioner  1000  may be made more compact and the reduction of an overall volume of the air conditioner  1000  is facilitated. 
     In the description of the present specification, reference throughout this specification to “an embodiment,” “some embodiments,” “exemplary embodiment,” “example,” “specific example” or “some examples” means that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. In the specification, the schematic expressions to the above-mentioned terms are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the described particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. 
     Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and illustrated, it shall be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, alternatives and variants without departing from the principle and idea of the present disclosure are acceptable. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims and its equivalents. cm What is claimed is: