Claims:1. An air-cooling device comprising a swiveling control panel assembly (1); a
main body (10) comprising at least one section for pivotal mounting of the
5 control panel assembly (1);
a. wherein the swiveling control panel assembly (1) is pivotally
connected within the main body (10) in a manner such that it is
enabled to be displaced from or to back its original position relative
to an axis within the main body (10).
10 2. The air-cooling device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the movements of
the control panel assembly (1) are provided manually or by electrical means.
3. The air-cooling device (1) as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the movements
of the control panel assembly (1) is moved automatically with PCB
programming.
15 4. The air-cooling device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the control panel
includes a display for users to view and control the operation of the aircooling
device.
5. The air-cooling device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the control panel
assembly (1) includes a housing (14).
20 6. The air-cooling device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the control panel
assembly (1) includes a display panel (11) secured to the housing (14).
7. The air-cooling device as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the display panel (11)
includes tabs (11A) to be inserted into slots (14A) provided on the housing
(14) so as to affix the display panel (11) to the housing (14).
25 8. The air-cooling device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein one end of the control
panel assembly (1) is pivotally mounted to the main body (10) of the aircooling
device for enabling swiveling movement of the control panel
assembly (1) within the main body.
9. The air-cooling device as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the movements of
30 the control panel assembly (1) are provided by a stepper motor mounted to
the main body (10) adjacent to the housing (14) of the control panel, so as
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to drive the control panel in an upward or downward movement within the
main body (10).
10. The air-cooling device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the housing (14) of
the control panel assembly (1) is adapted to accommodate a power PCB and
a key PCB for controlling 5 the operation of the air-cooling device.
, Description:DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
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[0014] In line with the above summary, the following description of a number of
specific and alternative embodiments is provided to understand the inventive features
of the present invention. It shall be apparent to one skilled in the art, however that
this invention may be practiced without such specific details. Some of the details
10 may not be described at length so as not to obscure the invention. For ease of
reference, common reference numerals will be used throughout the figures when
referring to the same or similar features common to the figures.
[0015] As illustrated in FIG. 1, in one aspect, the present invention provides an air15
cooling device comprising a swiveling control panel assembly (1); a main body (10)
comprising at least one section for pivotal mounting the control panel assembly (1);
wherein the swiveling control panel is pivotally connected to main body (10) in a
manner such that it is enabled to be displaced from or to back its original position
relative to an axis. In the preferred embodiment, the movements of the pivoting
20 control panel assembly (1) is moved manually or by electrical means; whereby with
electrical means, the movement may be facilitated by PCB programming.
[0016] In the preferred embodiment, the air-cooling device includes a display panel
(11) for users to view and control the operation of the air-cooling device. The display
25 may comprise of menus or control menus for controlling the air-cooling device. A
user would be able to view and administer data or information, whereby it is
anticipated that all information can be represented in the form of info graphics,
buttons of which the user may press or touch and in response the device operates
accordingly.
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[0017] The main body (10) of the air-cooling device is generally rectangular or in
any other shape comprising at least one portion – a cut out portion accordingly
adapted to receive the control panel (1) such that the panel (1) is able to swivel
upwardly and downwardly within the space or cut-out portion of the main body (10).
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[0018] The control panel assembly (1) includes a hollow control panel housing (14)
whereby the control panel housing (14) is removably affixed to the display panel
(11). The control panel housing (14) can be considered as a base section for the
control panel assembly (1) is sized accordingly to accommodate the electrical means
10 and components. To affix the display panel (11) to the main body (10), the internal
peripheral area of the main body (10) is formed with grooves or inlets (10A),
accordingly sized to receive tabs (11A) from the display panel (11), whereby upon
inserted or slotted into the respective inlets the display panel (11) is affixed to the
housing (14).
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[0019] The movements of the control panel assembly (1) is provided by a stepper
motor mounted to the base (14) of the control panel, so as to drive the control panel
in an upward or downward movement. There may be a button or switch to activate
the movement of the control panel assembly (1), whereby the button may be activated
20 via control menu on the display. FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B provide illustrations of the
panel assembly (1) in an opened and closed position respectively, relative to the main
body (10) of the air-cooling device.
[0020] Accordingly, the control panel assembly (1) is able to rotate or swivel freely
25 within the main body (10) of the air-cooling device. It is pivotally mounted on at
least one end to the main body (10), whereby the movement is driven by the stepper
motor (12) mounted to the main body (10) adjacent to the housing (14), such that it
provides upward and downward movements to the base (14), and thereby the same
movements to the control panel assembly (1). The stepper motor (12) facilitates the
30 movement of the control panel assembly (1) in which the motor (12) may be secured
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to the external lateral surfaces of the base (14) as shown in FIG. 3 to enable
movement.
[0021] Now referring to FIG. 4A, the display panel (11) includes tabs (11A)
accordingly sized to fit the slots (14A 5 ) provided on the base (14), as shown in FIG.
4B. The control module (17) therefore is fixed to the display panel (11), configured
to send signals and instructions to the air-cooling device based on touch-buttons, in
which the control module (17) may include capacitive sensing means.
10 [0022] The control panel in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the
present invention may be used for any suitable cooling devices – preferably a stand
alone or portable evaporative cooling devices.
[0023] In one embodiment, the display panel and the main body of the cooling
15 device may be constructed from a single sheet of plastics material or whichever
material suitable for this purpose, and can be manufactured by any suitable
conventional process.
[0024] As would be apparent to a person having ordinary skilled in the art, the afore20
described methods and components may be provided in many variations,
modifications or alternatives to existing panels. The principles and concepts disclosed
herein may also be implemented in various manner which may not have been
specifically described herein but which are to be understood as encompassed within
the scope and letter of the following claims.
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