Patent Description:
In the related art, an air-conditioning apparatus has a ventilation assembly configured to realize a fresh air function of indoor and outdoor air exchange. When the air-conditioning apparatus having the ventilation assembly operates in an environment with a large temperature difference between indoor and outdoor, due to the poor sealing performance of the ventilation assembly, condensation often appears on the ventilation assembly, and drips to the floor and wall, thus damaging the indoor home environment and affecting the user experience.

<CIT> relates to an integrated intelligent furniture cabinet comprising a furniture cabinet body, an air purifying and filtering assembly, an air conditioner evaporator, an impeller, a motor, an air inlet, an air outlet, a circuit board device and a control panel. The furniture cabinet body is provided with an airtight work cavity. The air inlet communicates with the airtight work cavity. The air purifying and filtering assembly, the air conditioner evaporator, the impeller and the motor are installed in the airtight work cavity. The air outlet communicates with the airtight work cavity. The control panel is installed on the front side face of the furniture cabinet body. The circuit board device is installed in the furniture cabinet body. The motor and the control panel are electrically connected with the circuit board device. The furniture cabinet body is further provided with an air quality detecting sensor and a temperature sensor. The air quality detecting sensor and the temperature sensor are electrically connected with the circuit board device.

The present invention provides a ventilation assembly and an air conditioning apparatus.

According to the invention, a ventilation assembly is provided, including: a volute, a surface of the volute being provided with a mounting port; a filter assembly arranged in the mounting port or in a portion of the volute adjacent to the mounting port; and a sealing member arranged with the mounting port or with the portion of the volute adjacent to the mounting port, and configured to seal a gap between the filter assembly and the mounting port.

Optionally, the sealing member has a shape substantially the same with a shape of the gap between the filter assembly and the mounting port.

The filter assembly includes a bracket, a part of the bracket adjacent to the mounting port is configured to have a shape substantially the same with a shape of the mounting port to cover the mounting port, and the sealing member is arranged between the bracket and the volute and has a shape substantially the same with a shape of a gap between the bracket and the mounting port.

Optionally, a positioning groove is provided at the mounting port of the volute along a periphery of the mounting port, and the sealing member is arranged in the positioning groove.

Preferably, a thickness of the sealing member is slightly larger than a width of the positioning groove, so that the sealing member is clamped in the positioning groove through an interference fit with the positioning groove.

Optionally, a difference between inner and outer radiuses of the sealing member is slightly greater than a distance between a top and a bottom of the positioning groove, so that the sealing member is in an interference fit with the filter assembly.

Preferably, a first positioning rib and a second positioning rib are provided at the mounting port of the volute, and the positioning groove is formed between the first positioning rib and the second positioning rib.

Optionally, a distance between an end face of the first positioning rib facing the mounting port and an end face of the first positioning rib connected to the volute is smaller than a difference between inner and outer radiuses of the sealing member; a distance between an end face of the second positioning rib facing the mounting port and an end face of the second positioning rib connected to the volute is larger than the difference between the inner and outer radiuses of the sealing member.

An air channel communicated with the mounting port is provided in the volute. The bracket includes: a mounting part having a shape substantially the same with the shape of the mounting port to cover the mounting port; and a supporting part connected with the mounting part, arranged in the air channel, and configured to support a filter screen fixedly connected with the supporting part. The sealing member is arranged between the mounting part and the volute.

Optionally, the bracket further includes an operating member arranged with a surface facing away from the air channel.

In an embodiment, the filter assembly is arranged transversely in the air channel, and a sectional area of the filter assembly is greater than or equal to a sectional area of the air channel.

The ventilation assembly further includes a fan assembly arranged in the volute and configured to drive air to flow by rotation, and the fan assembly has an air output surface communicated with the air channel.

Optionally, the ventilation assembly further includes a fastening structure, the fastening structure includes a first fastener arranged with the volute and a second fastener arranged with the filter assembly, and the first fastener and the second fastener are configured to be engaged with each other to prevent the filter assembly from being separated from the volute.

Preferably, the first fastener includes a snap, the second fastener includes a protrusion or a mounting groove, and the snap is configured to be engaged with the protrusion or the mounting groove.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, an air conditioning apparatus is provided, including the ventilation assembly according to the invention.

The technical solutions provided by the present invention can have the following beneficial effects.

As can be seen from the present invention, the sealing member is used for sealing the gap between the filter assembly and the mounting port, so that the sealing performance at the mounting port is improved, the air flow entering the volute from the outside is prevented from leaking out from the gap between the filter assembly and the volute when the ventilation assembly operates, the condensation generated when the ventilation assembly operates in an environment with a large temperature difference between indoor and outdoor is greatly reduced, and the user experience is improved.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and illustrative only and shall not limit the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appending claims.

Reference will now be made in detail to the illustrative embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the accompanying drawings, same numerals in different drawings indicate the same or similar elements, unless otherwise indicated. The embodiments described in the following illustrative embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with the present disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of devices consistent with some aspects of the present disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

As shown in <FIG>, in an air conditioning apparatus in the related art, taking an air conditioner as an example, a ventilation assembly is provided in an indoor unit <NUM> of the air conditioner, one end of an air input pipe <NUM> of the indoor unit <NUM> is communicated with the ventilation assembly, and the other end of the air input pipe <NUM> is connected with a wind shield <NUM> for guiding an air flow from an outdoor environment into the air input pipe <NUM>.

When the temperature difference between indoor and outdoor is large (for example, the outdoor temperature is lower than -<NUM>), a cold air flow entering the ventilation assembly may leak out from a gap of the ventilation assembly due to a poor sealing condition of the ventilation assembly in the related art. Warm air in the air conditioning apparatus liquefies when it meets the cold air flow, thereby resulting in condensation. When the condensation is significant, the condensation can form water droplets, which may drip to an indoor floor of a user, and even flow to a wall to form water stains, thus affecting the user experience.

Referring to <FIG>, in an embodiment of the present invention, a ventilation assembly is provided, including a volute <NUM>, a filter assembly <NUM>, and a sealing member <NUM>. A surface of the volute <NUM> is provided with a mounting port <NUM>. The filter assembly <NUM> is arranged in the mounting port <NUM> or in a portion of the volute <NUM> adjacent to the mounting port <NUM>. The filter assembly <NUM> is configured to filter out pollutant particles such as dust or smoke in air flowing through an air channel <NUM> so as to purify the air.

The sealing member <NUM> is positioned at the mounting port <NUM> or at the portion of the volute <NUM> adjacent to the mounting port <NUM>, and is configured to seal a gap between the filter assembly <NUM> and the mounting port <NUM>. Or, the sealing member <NUM> is located between the filter assembly and the volute, and cooperates with the filter assembly to seal the mounting port.

In the above embodiment of the present invention, the sealing member <NUM> can seal the gap between the filter assembly <NUM> and the mounting port <NUM>, so as to enhance the sealing performance at the mounting port <NUM>, and prevent the air flow entering the volute from the outside from leaking out from the gap between the filter assembly <NUM> and the volute <NUM> when the ventilation assembly operates, thus greatly reducing the condensation generated when the temperature difference between indoor and outdoor is large, and improving the user experience.

As can be understood, in an embodiment of the present invention, the ventilation assembly further includes a fan assembly <NUM> arranged in the volute <NUM> and configured to drive the air to flow by rotation.

In some examples of the present disclosure, the mounting port <NUM> may serve as an air inlet of the air channel <NUM>. In this case, an air input face of the fan assembly <NUM> facing the mounting port <NUM>. In some embodiments of the present invention, the mounting port <NUM> may also serve as an air outlet of the air channel <NUM>. In this case, an air output face of the fan assembly <NUM> facing the mounting port <NUM>. Or, In some examples of the present disclosure, as shown in <FIG>, the mounting port <NUM> may not be the air inlet nor the air outlet, but may be an opening arranged between the air inlet and the air outlet. In this case, the air output face or the air input face of the fan assembly <NUM> may face the mounting port <NUM>.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the sealing member has a shape substantially the same with a shape of the gap between the filter assembly and the mounting port to seal the gap between the filter assembly and the mounting port.

In some examples of the present disclosure, the sealing member <NUM> is made of an elastic material such as rubber, plastic, silica gel or the like, and the sealing member <NUM> of the elastic material can seal the gap at the mounting port <NUM> with the elasticity of the material, which is conducive to improving the sealing effect.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the filter assembly <NUM> includes a bracket <NUM>, a part of the bracket <NUM> adjacent to the mounting port <NUM> is formed to have a shape substantially the same with that of the mounting port <NUM> to cover the mounting port <NUM>. The sealing member is arranged between the bracket <NUM> and the volute <NUM> and has a shape substantially the same with a shape of a gap between the bracket <NUM> and the mounting port <NUM> so as to form a sealing for the gap between the volute <NUM> and the bracket <NUM> at the mounting port <NUM>.

In some embodiments of the present invention, an air channel <NUM> communicated with the mounting port <NUM> is provided inside the volute <NUM>, and the filter assembly <NUM> further includes a filter screen mounted to the bracket <NUM> and arranged in the air channel <NUM>.

The bracket <NUM> has a larger mechanical strength than the filter screen, the bracket <NUM> is configured to support the filter screen, and the filter screen is mounted to the volute <NUM> through the bracket <NUM>.

In some examples of the present disclosure, the filter screen may be arranged entirely within the air channel <NUM>, and at least part of the bracket <NUM> is arranged at the mounting port <NUM> for covering the mounting port <NUM> and for sealing the mounting port <NUM> together with the sealing member <NUM>.

In some examples of the present disclosure, the part of the bracket <NUM> covering the mounting port <NUM> has a substantially plate-shaped structure, a bottom surface of the plate-shaped structure faces the air channel <NUM>, and the filter screen is in contact with the bottom surface of the plate-shaped structure.

In some examples of the present disclosure, at least part of the filter assembly <NUM> is exposed outside the volute <NUM>.

In actual applications, after a long-term use, the filter assembly <NUM> tends to be clogged due to the accumulation of excessive particulate matters, thereby affecting the filtering effect. Thus, the filter assembly <NUM> needs to be periodically cleaned or replaced. Since at least part of the filter assembly <NUM> is exposed outside the volute <NUM>, it is convenient to detach the filter assembly <NUM> so as to realize the replacement or cleaning of the filter assembly <NUM>.

In some examples of the present disclosure, part of the bracket <NUM> of the filter assembly <NUM> is exposed outside the volute <NUM> and a user may take the filter screen out of the mounting port <NUM> by detaching the bracket <NUM>.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the bracket <NUM> includes an operating member arranged with a surface facing away from the air channel <NUM>. The operating member may be a tab. Or, as shown in <FIG>, the operating member may be a slot <NUM> formed in the bracket <NUM>, and the user may detach the filter assembly <NUM> from the mounting port <NUM> by pulling the tab or hooking the slot <NUM>. Thus, the arrangement of the operating member facilitates the replacement of the filter assembly <NUM>.

In some embodiments of the present invention, a positioning groove <NUM> is provided at the mounting port <NUM> of the volute <NUM> along a periphery or an edge of the mounting port <NUM>, and the sealing member <NUM> is arranged in the positioning groove <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the positioning groove <NUM> surrounds the mounting port <NUM>, the positioning groove <NUM> receives the sealing member <NUM>, and a positioning rib of the positioning groove <NUM> supports the sealing member <NUM>.

In some examples of the present disclosure, the sealing member <NUM> includes a sealing ring.

The sealing ring is substantially annular. Generally, the shape of the sealing member <NUM> is substantially the same with the shape of the positioning groove <NUM>. For example, when the positioning groove <NUM> has a square ring shape, the sealing member <NUM> also has a square ring shape, and when the positioning groove <NUM> has a circular ring shape, and the sealing member <NUM> also has a circular ring shape.

In some embodiments of the present invention, a thickness of the sealing member <NUM> is slightly greater than a width of the positioning groove <NUM>, and the sealing member <NUM> is in an interference fit with the positioning groove <NUM> so as to be clamped in the positioning groove, thereby ensuring that the sealing member <NUM> tends not to get loose after assembling. In some embodiments, the sealing member <NUM> and the positioning groove may have an interference fit of <NUM> to <NUM>.

In some embodiments of the present invention, a difference between inner and outer radiuses of the sealing member <NUM> is slightly greater than a distance between a top and a bottom of the positioning groove <NUM> (e.g., <NUM>) so that the sealing member <NUM> is in an interference fit with a mounting part <NUM> of the bracket <NUM> in the filter assembly <NUM> so as to realize the sealing at the mounting port <NUM>.

It should be noted that the thickness of the sealing member <NUM> is defined in a direction perpendicular to a plane where the sealing member <NUM> is, and the inner and outer radiuses of the sealing member <NUM> are defined in the plane where the sealing member <NUM> is. Accordingly, the width of the positioning groove <NUM> is defined in the direction perpendicular to the plane where the sealing member <NUM> is, and the distance between the top and the bottom of the positioning groove <NUM> is defined in the plane where the sealing member <NUM> is and in a direction parallel to a radial direction of the sealing member <NUM>. That is, the top and the bottom of the positioning groove <NUM> are defined in the direction parallel to the radial direction of the sealing member <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, when the ventilation assembly is assembled, the sealing member <NUM> is first placed in the positioning groove <NUM>, and then the filter assembly <NUM> is placed in the mounting port <NUM>. Then, a pressure is applied to the filter assembly <NUM>, the filter assembly <NUM> presses the sealing member <NUM>, and the sealing member <NUM> of the elastic material is deformed after being pressed. Since the difference between the inner radius and the outer radius of the sealing member <NUM> is larger than the distance between the top and the bottom of the positioning groove <NUM>, the sealing member <NUM> which is not pressed may protrude out of the top of the positioning groove <NUM>, and the sealing member <NUM> which is pressed to deform may generate a reactive force to the mounting part <NUM> of the bracket <NUM> in the filter assembly <NUM>, so that the sealing member <NUM> and the filter assembly <NUM> are tightly fitted with each other, thus realizing the sealing of the mounting port <NUM>.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the ventilation assembly further includes a fastening structure, and the fastening structure includes a first fastener arranged with the volute <NUM> and a second fastener arranged with the filter assembly <NUM>. The first fastener and the second fastener are engaged after at least part of the filter assembly <NUM> is inserted into the air channel <NUM>, so as to prevent the filter assembly <NUM> from being separated from the volute <NUM>. The fastening structure is configured to reinforce the connection of the filter assembly <NUM> and the volute <NUM> so as to further secure the sealing effect of the filter assembly <NUM> and the sealing member <NUM> on the mounting port <NUM>.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the first fastener includes a snap, the second fastener includes a protrusion or a mounting groove, and the snap is engaged with the protrusion or the mounting groove.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the volute <NUM> is provided with two positioning ribs on a side wall at the mounting port, i.e. a first positioning rib <NUM> and a second positioning rib <NUM>, and the two positioning ribs extend circumferentially along the mounting port <NUM>. The positioning groove <NUM> is formed between the first positioning rib <NUM> and the second positioning rib <NUM>.

In some examples of the present disclosure, the first positioning rib <NUM> and the second positioning rib <NUM> have the same size, only referring to <FIG> and <FIG>.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the first positioning rib <NUM> and the second positioning rib <NUM> have different sizes. Specifically, a distance between an end face <NUM> of the first positioning rib <NUM> facing the mounting port <NUM> and an end face <NUM> of the first positioning rib <NUM> connected to the volute <NUM> is smaller than the difference between the inner radius and the outer radius of the sealing member <NUM>, and a distance between an end face <NUM> of the second positioning rib <NUM> facing the mounting port <NUM> and an end face <NUM> of the second positioning rib <NUM> connected to the volute <NUM> is larger than the difference between the inner radius and the outer radius of the sealing member <NUM>, only referring to <FIG> and <FIG>.

In some embodiments of the present invention, a part of the first positioning rib <NUM> and a corresponding part of the second positioning rib <NUM> may have the same size, and another part of the first positioning rib <NUM> and another corresponding part of the second positioning rib <NUM> may have different sizes, referring to <FIG> in combination with <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, when the sealing member <NUM> is arranged in the positioning groove <NUM>, an upper surface of the sealing member <NUM> abuts against the first positioning rib <NUM>, and a lower surface of the sealing member <NUM> abuts against the second positioning rib <NUM>. Since the distance between the end face <NUM> of the second positioning rib <NUM> facing the mounting port <NUM> and the end face <NUM> of the second positioning rib <NUM> connected to the volute <NUM> is larger than the difference between the inner radius and the outer radius of the sealing member <NUM>, the second positioning rib <NUM> has a position limiting function to the sealing member and prevents the sealing member <NUM> from inadvertently falling into the volute through the mounting port <NUM> during mounting.

It should be noted that the upper surface and the lower surface of the sealing member <NUM> are defined in the direction perpendicular to the plane where the sealing member <NUM> is.

In some embodiments of the present invention, an air channel <NUM> communicating with the mounting port <NUM> is provided in the volute. The bracket <NUM> includes a mounting part <NUM> and a supporting part <NUM>. The mounting part <NUM> covers the mounting port <NUM>. The supporting part <NUM> is connected with the mounting part <NUM> and arranged in the air channel <NUM>, and the filter screen is connected with the mounting part <NUM> and/or the supporting part <NUM>. The sealing member <NUM> is arranged in a gap between the mounting part <NUM> and the volute <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the mounting part <NUM> has a shape and a size substantially matching with those of the mounting port <NUM> so as to cover the mounting port <NUM>, and the supporting part <NUM> has a shape and a size slightly smaller than those of the mounting port, so that when the filter assembly <NUM> is mounted, the supporting part <NUM> can pass through the mounting port <NUM> to be arranged in the air channel <NUM>, and the mounting portion <NUM> does not pass through the mounting port <NUM> to enter the air channel <NUM>, but is stuck at the mounting port <NUM>. The mounting part <NUM> may be a plate-shaped structure.

The supporting part <NUM> arranged in the air channel <NUM> can better support the filter screen arranged with the supporting part <NUM>, so that the problems of deformation of the filter screen or the like caused by a high air flowing speed in the air channel <NUM> are reduced.

As shown in <FIG>, the supporting part <NUM> is a rectangular frame. In some examples of the present disclosure, the supporting part <NUM> may also have a T shape, a grid shape, an arch shape, a closed or unclosed ring shape, etc..

In some examples of the present disclosure, the supporting part <NUM> and the mounting part <NUM> together form a mounting opening <NUM>, and the filter screen is arranged in the mounting opening <NUM>.

In some examples of the present disclosure, as shown in <FIG>, the supporting part <NUM> and the mounting part <NUM> together form a closed annular structure, the filter screen has a shape substantially the same with a shape of the annular structure, and a cross-sectional area of the filter screen is greater than or equal to a cross-sectional area of the annular structure to ensure that the filter screen completely covers the mounting opening <NUM> to ensure the filtering effect.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the filter assembly <NUM> is arranged transversely in the air channel <NUM>.

The filter assembly <NUM> transversely arranged in the air channel <NUM> can be in contact with the air flow in the largest area, so that the filtering effect is guaranteed.

In some embodiments of the present invention, in order to further ensure the filtering effect of the filter assembly <NUM>, a sectional area of the filter assembly <NUM> is greater than or equal to a sectional area of the air channel <NUM>.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the ventilation assembly further includes a fan assembly <NUM> arranged in the volute <NUM>, and an air output surface of the fan assembly <NUM> is communicated with the air channel <NUM>.

The present disclosure also provides an air conditioning apparatus including the ventilation assembly according to any one of the above embodiments. The air conditioning apparatus may be a fresh air ventilator, an air purifier, an air conditioner or an air humidity conditioning apparatus, etc..

The beneficial effects of the present disclosure can be verified by a following simulation experiment, and the simulation experiment has a general process: the volute <NUM> is placed on an experimental table, a fan is added at the mounting port <NUM> of the air channel <NUM> to blow against the mounting port <NUM>, and after a period of time, the condensation generation of an indoor unit arranged indoors of the air conditioning apparatus is observed. As can be seen from a result of the experiment, the improvement effect of the condensation at the mounting port <NUM> is significant in this example, compared with the volute <NUM> which is not provided with the sealing member <NUM>.

The features disclosed in the product embodiments provided by the present disclosure may be combined arbitrarily to obtain a new product embodiment without conflict.

Claim 1:
A ventilation assembly, comprising:
a volute (<NUM>), a surface of the volute (<NUM>) being provided with a mounting port (<NUM>);
a filter assembly (<NUM>) arranged in the mounting port (<NUM>) or in a portion of the volute (<NUM>) adjacent to the mounting port (<NUM>), and configured to filter air; and
a sealing member (<NUM>) arranged with the mounting port (<NUM>) or with the portion of the volute (<NUM>) adjacent to the mounting port (<NUM>), and configured to seal a gap between the filter assembly (<NUM>) and the mounting port (<NUM>),
wherein the filter assembly (<NUM>) comprises a bracket (<NUM>), a part of the bracket (<NUM>) adjacent to the mounting port (<NUM>) is configured to have a shape substantially the same with a shape of the mounting port (<NUM>) to cover the mounting port (<NUM>);
the sealing member (<NUM>) is arranged between the bracket (<NUM>) and the volute (<NUM>) and has a shape substantially the same with a shape of a gap between the bracket (<NUM>) and the mounting port (<NUM>),
wherein an air channel (<NUM>) communicated with the mounting port (<NUM>) is arranged in the volute (<NUM>), and the ventilation assembly further comprises a fan assembly (<NUM>) arranged in the volute (<NUM>) and configured to drive air to flow by rotation,
the bracket (<NUM>) comprises:
a mounting part (<NUM>) having a shape substantially the same with the shape of the mounting port (<NUM>) to cover the mounting port (<NUM>); and
a supporting part (<NUM>) connected with the mounting part (<NUM>), arranged in the air channel (<NUM>) and configured to support a filter screen connected with the supporting part (<NUM>),
the sealing member (<NUM>) is arranged between the mounting part (<NUM>) and the volute (<NUM>),
characterized in that the fan assembly (<NUM>) having an air output surface communicated with the air channel (<NUM>).