Patent Publication Number: US-5425247-A

Title: Wind direction alteration device for use in air conditioning apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a wind direction alteration device for use in an integral type air conditioning apparatus. 
     2. Description of the Related Arts 
     The construction of a main body of a conventional integral type air conditioning apparatus is described below with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. The main body of the air conditioning apparatus comprises an outer casing 101 and a base plate 102 removably accommodated in the outer casing 101. A partitioning plate 105 partitioning the inside of the main body of the air conditioning apparatus into an indoor side 103 and an outdoor side 104 is installed on the base plate 102. The outdoor side 104 comprises a compressor 106; an outdoor heat exchanger 107; an outdoor fan 108; a fan motor 109 for driving the outdoor fan 108; an outdoor inlet 110 which is opened on the outdoor side 104; an outdoor outlet 111; and an outdoor ventilation circuit. The indoor side 103 comprises an indoor heat exchanger 112; an indoor fan 113 installed on the fan motor 109 and driven thereby; an indoor inlet 114 which is opened on the indoor side 103; an indoor outlet 115; an indoor ventilation circuit accommodating the indoor heat exchanger 112 and the indoor fan 113. A refrigerant cycle is constituted by the compressor 106; the outdoor heat exchanger 107; a decompression device 116; and the indoor heat exchanger 112 connected to each other sequentially. The base plate 102 is inserted into the outer casing 101 in the direction from the front thereof, namely, in the direction from the indoor side and then, a front grill 117 is fixed to the main body. 
     A wind direction alteration device is described below referring to FIG. 8. A crank-shaped shaft extending from a wind direction alteration motor 118 disposed outside the indoor outlet 115 extends through an opening 120 formed at the indoor outlet 115, thus being guided through the indoor outlet 115. The thickness of the leading end portion thereof is set to be smaller than that of other portions thereof by stepping the shaft 119 in the vicinity of the leading end portion thereof. The upper end 119a of the thick portion of the shaft 119 is flat and holds a connecting rod 121. The narrow shaft 119b disposed upward from the upper end of the shaft 119 penetrates through an elongated opening 122 formed in the connecting rod 121. A pair of shafts 124 (upper portions of the shafts 124 are not shown in FIG. 8) disposed at a lower end of each blade 123 are held by bearings 125 (upper portions of the bearings 125 are not shown in FIG. 8) provided above and below the indoor outlet 115. In this manner, the blades 123 are disposed above and below the indoor outlet 115 and are rotatable on the shafts 124. A pair of connecting shafts 126 connecting each blade 123 and the connecting rod 121 to each other is formed on the blade 123. Openings 127 through which the connecting shafts 126 of the blades 123 penetrate are formed at a front portion of the connecting rod 121. The front portion of the connecting rod 121 is held by the connecting shafts 126 extending through the openings 127, and the rear portion thereof is held by the upper end 119a of the thick portion of the shaft 119. In this manner, the wind direction alteration device is constituted by the wind direction alteration motor 118, the connecting rod 121, and the blade 123. With the rotation (shown by an arrow) of the shaft 119, the end portion 119b of the shaft 119 reciprocates along the elongated opening 122 of the connecting rod 121 with the connecting rod 121 reciprocating crosswise as shown by an arrow 129. Then, the blade 123 makes a reciprocating motion crosswise with the blade 123 rotating on the shaft 124. 
     The wind direction alteration device has, however, a large clearance in the sliding-contact portion and is disposed in the ventilation circuit. Therefore, the connecting rod is shaken by wind, thus generating chatter. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a wind direction alteration device, for use in an integral type air conditioning apparatus, in which has a simple construction and yet prevents chatter from being generated. 
     In accomplishing these and other objects, there is provided a wind direction alteration device, for use in an integral type air conditioning apparatus in which the diameter of a connecting shaft of a blade penetrating through an opening formed in a connecting rod is greater than that of the opening in a range above and below the opening. 
     The opening of the connecting rod is elongated and constricted in the center thereof. 
     Three or more projections are formed on the opening through which the connecting shaft penetrates. A portion, holding the connecting rod, formed on a shaft of a wind direction alteration motor is disposed beyond a vertical movable range of the connecting rod. 
     A portion, of the connecting rod, in contact with the portion of the shaft which holds the connecting rod is inclined. 
     A rib is formed on the inner surface of the elongated opening, of the connecting rod, through which the shaft of the wind direction alteration motor extends, such that the rib is parallel with the direction in which the elongated opening is formed. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, the connecting rod is sandwiched between upper and lower portions of the connecting shaft. In this manner, the connecting rod can be prevented from being shaken vertically. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, the connecting shaft of the blade extends through one of the circular portions of the elongated opening and then, moved to the other circular portion thereof so that the connecting rod is sandwiched between the upper and lower portions of the connecting shaft. 
     According to still another aspect of the present invention, the contact area between the connecting rod and the connecting shaft is very small. 
     According to a further aspect of the present invention, shearing load is applied to the connecting rod. 
     According to a still further aspect of the present invention, a constant shearing load is applied to the connecting rod. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, the formation of the rib reduces the contact area between the connecting rod and the connecting shaft. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other objects and features of the present invention will become clear from the following description taken in conjunction with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1a is a perspective view showing principal portions of a wind direction alteration device for use in an integral type air conditioning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 1b is a side view partly in vertical section showing principal portions of the wind direction alteration device of FIG. 1a; 
     FIG. 2 is a front view showing principal portions of the wind direction alteration device of FIG. 1a; 
     FIG. 3a is a front view showing principal portions of the wind direction alteration device of FIG. 1a; 
     FIG. 3b is a perspective view showing principal portions of the wind direction alteration device of FIG. 1a; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view partly in vertical section showing principal portions of the wind direction alteration device of FIG. 1a; 
     FIG. 5a is a side view partly in vertical section showing principal portions of the wind direction alteration device of FIG. 1a; 
     FIG. 5b is a perspective view showing principal portions of the wind direction alteration device of FIG. 1a; 
     FIG. 6a is a front view showing principal portions of the wind direction alteration device of FIG. 1a; 
     FIG. 6b is a side view partly in vertical section showing principal portions of the wind direction alteration device of FIG. 1a; 
     FIG. 7 is a transverse front view showing a conventional air conditioning apparatus of integral type; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing principal portions of a wind direction alteration device of the integral type air conditioning apparatus of FIG. 7. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Before the description of the present invention proceeds, it is to be noted that like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the accompanying drawings. 
     An integral type air conditioning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to FIGS. 1 through 6. 
     The construction of the main body of the integral type air conditioning apparatus is the same as that of the conventional integral type air conditioning apparatus. Therefore, the description of the construction of the main body of the integral type air conditioning apparatus is omitted herein. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, above and below a connecting opening 4 formed in a connecting rod 3, a connecting shaft 2 formed on a blade 1 has a receiving portion 2a and a pressing portion 2b, the diameters of which are larger than that of the connecting opening 4, respectively. The vertical movement of the connecting rod 3 is regulated by the receiving portion 2a and the pressing portion 2b when the connecting rod 3 is connected with the blade 1. Accordingly, a wind direction alteration motor (not shown) may be disposed above a wind direction alteration device. 
     Referring to FIG. 2 showing a method for connecting portions, the connecting opening 4 formed in the connecting rod 3 comprises an insertion portion 4a; a sliding-contact portion 4b; and a constricted portion 4c. The diameter of the insertion portion 4a is greater than that of the pressing portion 2b of the blade 1. The diameter of the sliding-contact portion 4b is smaller than that of the receiving portion 2a and the pressing portion 2b of the blade 1. The diameter of the constricted portion 4c is smaller than that of a sliding-contact portion 2c of the connecting shaft 2. The pressing portion 2b of the connecting shaft 2 is penetrated through the insertion portion 4a and then, moved to the sliding portion 4b. The diameter of the constricted portion 4c is smaller than that of the sliding-contact portion 2c of the connecting shaft 2. Therefore, in connecting the connecting portions, the constricted portion 4c is expanded by utilizing the elastic force of the connecting rod 3. After the connecting portions are connected to each other, the constricted portion 4c is not removed from the sliding-contact portion 2c because the diameter of the constricted portion 4c is smaller than that of the sliding-contact portion 2c. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3a and 3b showing the wind direction alteration device, projections 5 are formed to project into the sliding-contact portion 4b of the connecting opening 4 formed in the connecting rod 3. The sliding-contact portion 2c of the connecting shaft 2 is brought into contact with the sliding-contact portion 4b of the connecting opening 4 at only the peripheral portions of the projections 5. Therefore, the contact area between the connecting rod 3 and the connecting shaft 2 is very small and thus frictional resistance of the projections 5 to the sliding-contact portion 2c is small. As a result, the clearance between the sliding-contact portions 4b and 2c is made to be almost zero. Accordingly, generation of chatter can be prevented. 
     FIG. 4 shows the relationship between the position of the connecting rod 3 and that of a shaft 6 of the wind direction alteration motor (not shown). In this embodiment, a pressing portion 6a of the shaft 6 is disposed below a downward movable range 7 (shown by two-dot chain line) of the connecting rod 3. Consequently, shearing load is applied to the connecting rod 3 which is thus flexed downward. Due to the elastic force of the connecting rod 3, no clearance is generated between the upper surface 3a of the connecting rod 3 and the pressing portion 6a of the shaft 6. 
     FIGS. 5a and 5b show the wind direction alteration device in which the upper surface 3a of the connecting rod 3 to be brought in contact with the pressing portion 6a of the shaft 6 is inclined. As shown in FIG. 4, the pressing portion 6a of the shaft 6 of the wind direction alteration motor is disposed below the downward movable range 7 (two-dot chain line) of the connecting rod 3 as described above. With the rotation of the wind direction alteration motor, the shaft 6 moves crosswise in FIG. 5. Therefore, the inclination of the upper surface 3a of the connecting rod 3 allows the connecting rod 3 to be flexed downward by a constant distance. In this manner, unbalanced abrasion can be prevented. 
     FIGS. 6a and 6b show the configuration of an elongated opening 8, formed on the connecting rod 3, for use in the wind direction alteration motor. A rib 9 is formed in parallel with the elongated opening 8. In this construction, only the leading end of the rib 9 contacts the sliding-contact portion 6b of the shaft 6 in a very small area. Therefore, frictional resistance is small. As a result, the clearance between the sliding-contact portions 6b and 2c is made to be almost zero. Accordingly, generation of chatter can be prevented. 
     As apparent from the foregoing description of the present invention, the wind direction alteration device comprising the wind direction alteration motor, the blade, and the connecting rod has a simple construction and yet the engaging portion between component parts can be prevented from being shaken. Thus, the generation of chatter can be prevented. 
     Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications will be to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims unless they depart therefrom.