Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
  • F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
  • F24F1/0007—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units
  • F24F1/0043—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units characterised by mounting arrangements
  • F24F1/0057—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units characterised by mounting arrangements mounted in or on a wall
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
  • F24F13/00—Details common to, or for air-conditioning, air-humidification, ventilation or use of air currents for screening
  • F24F13/20—Casings or covers
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
  • E03B—INSTALLATIONS OR METHODS FOR OBTAINING, COLLECTING, OR DISTRIBUTING WATER
  • E03B7/00—Water main or service pipe systems
  • E03B7/09—Component parts or accessories
  • E03B7/10—Devices preventing bursting of pipes by freezing
  • E03B7/12—Devices preventing bursting of pipes by freezing by preventing freezing
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
  • F24F11/00—Control or safety arrangements
  • F24F11/50—Control or safety arrangements characterised by user interfaces or communication
  • F24F11/52—Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
  • F24F11/00—Control or safety arrangements
  • F24F11/50—Control or safety arrangements characterised by user interfaces or communication
  • F24F11/56—Remote control

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly, to an indoor unit of an air conditioner for allowing pictures or photographs displayed at the front thereof to be easily interchanged, thus providing the functional benefits of an air conditioner with an added aesthetic factor for interior decoration.
• the compression, condensing, and expansion stages occur in an outdoor unit of an air conditioner; and the evaporation stage occurs in an indoor unit by virtue of a blower fan and a heat exchanger.
• Air conditioners are grouped into two basic types: single unit air conditioners that consist of a single unit which performs the entire refrigeration cycle, installed in a wall opening such as a window, and split system air conditioners that have a separate indoor and outdoor unit that are respectively installed indoors and outdoors.
• Such air conditioner indoor units have front portions that function only as covers. That is, a front cover installed at the front of an indoor unit functions to prevent components, such as a blower fan, heat exchanger, etc., from being exposed to the outside, as well as preventing electrocution or injury of children who may otherwise stick their hands inside the unit. Accordingly, the front of an indoor unit has a monotonous and stoic feel, and does not harmonize well with an interior.
• the present invention provides an air conditioner indoor unit with a structure that allows easy installation and removal of pictures or photographs to and from its blank front cover, so that the unit fulfills its air con- ditioning duties, as well as complements the decor of an interior space.
• an air conditioner including: a front frame including a discharge port formed on at least one side thereof; a base coupled at a rear of the front frame and forming at least one intake port for suctioning indoor air; a blower fan installed between the front frame and the base for suctioning the indoor air through a rear thereof and discharging the indoor air through a front thereof; and a panel assembly installed at a front of the front frame for allowing an interchanging of an image.
• An advantage of the air conditioner according to the present invention is that it performs not only the functions of an indoor unit according to the related art, but also allows the display of easily interchangeable images such as art prints and family portraits at the front thereof, to become a piece of furniture complimenting the interior of a room.
• FIG. 1 is a frontal perspective view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present invention
• FIG. 2 is rear perspective view of the indoor unit in Fig. 1 ;
• FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the interior structure of the indoor unit in Fig. 1 ;
• Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a panel assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
• Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a panel assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
• Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a panel assembly according to the third embodiment of the present invention;
• Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a panel assembly according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention;
• Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing an indoor unit of an air conditioner with a panel assembly according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an indoor unit of an air conditioner with a panel assembly according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 1 is a frontal perspective view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present invention
• Fig. 2 is rear perspective view of the indoor unit in Fig. 1
• Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the interior structure of the indoor unit in Fig. 1.
• the indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner includes a front frame 120, a panel assembly 200 mounted at the front of the front frame 120 and holding a picture or a photograph within, and a base 160 coupled to the rear of the front frame 120, for protecting components within.
• the front frame 120 has a side discharge port 121 formed at its side and a lower discharge port 123 formed at its bottom.
• a louver 122 is installed between the front frame 120 and the panel assembly 200 to open and close the side discharge port 121.
• the indoor unit 100 includes a blower fan 130 installed at the rear of the front frame 120 to suction indoor air, a motor (not shown) installed at the rear of the front frame 120 and connected to the blower fan 130 to rotate the blower fan 130, and a guide plate 140 for guiding air suctioned by the blower fan 130 towards the discharge ports.
• the guide plate 140 has an upper air guide 141 for guiding indoor air suctioned by the blower fan 130 to the side discharge port 121, a lower air guide 142 for guiding the air to the lower discharge port 123, and an air directing vane 144 for controlling the direction of air discharged from the side discharge port 121.
• An air guide hole 145 is formed at the central portion of the guide plate 140 for guiding the air suctioned by the blower fan 130.
• An electrical component portion 147 such as a printed circuit board (PCB) is formed at the top of the guide plate 140 to house electrical components.
• a discharge vane 143 is installed at the lower discharge port 123 to control the direction in which air is discharged from the lower discharge port 123.
• the indoor unit 100 further includes a heat exchanger 150 installed at the back of the guide plate 140 to exchange heat with the suctioned air, a filter 170 installed behind the heat exchanger 150 to filter impurities from the suctioned air, and a base 160 having the filter 170 inserted at the front thereof and an intake port 161 at central and/ or peripheral portions thereof for suctioning air.
• the heat exchanger 150 has a refrigerant tubing 151 that is bent a plurality of times for refrigerant to flow through, and cooling fins arranged along the outer surface of the refrigerant tubing 151.
• a filter insertion slot 163 is formed at the lower edge portion of the base 160 for inserting the filter 170 into.
• a drain pan 180 is installed below the heat exchanger 150 to receive water that condenses on and drips down from the surface of the heat exchanger 150, and a tubing cover 190 installed below the drain pan 180.
• the drive motor operates to turn the blower fan 130.
• the louver 122 and the discharge vane 143 operate to open the side discharge port 121 and the lower discharge port 123.
• the air directing vane 144 pivots back and forth in a clockwise and a counter-clockwise direction at a predetermined angle.
• the rotating blower fan 130 suctions indoor air through the intake port 161.
• the indoor air suctioned through the intake port 161 passes through the filter 170 and is removed of impurities, and passes through the heat exchanger 150, whereupon its temperature drops.
• the air that passes through the heat exchanger 150 passes through the guide plate 140, and is discharged back into the indoor space through the side discharge port 121 and the lower discharge port 123 of the front frame 120 by being guided by the upper air guide 141 and the lower air guide 142.
• the air that is discharged through the side discharge port 121 and the lower discharge port 123 is evenly distributed inside the indoor space by means of the oscillating air directing vane 144 and the discharge vane 143.
• a picture, photograph, etc. is interchangeably installed on the panel assembly 200 formed at the front of the front frame 120, so that the indoor unit not only performs air conditioning duties, but also decorates the interior.
• Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a panel assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
• the panel assembly 200 includes a front panel 210 received at the front of a front frame 120 (refer to Fig. 3), an art panel 230 detachably mounted at the front portion of the front panel 210 and having a picture or photograph attached thereon, and a front cover 220 for preventing impurities from settling on the art panel 230 and protecting the art panel 230 from damage caused by collisions with external objects.
• an art panel receptacle 211 is formed at the front of the front panel
• the front cover 220 is pivotably mounted to the front panel 210 by means of a hinge 240.
• a magnet 221 is installed on an inner edge of the front cover 220. Accordingly, when the front cover 220 is closed, the magnetic force of the magnet 221 prevents the front cover 220 from easily detaching from the front panel 210.
• the front cover 220 may pivot on the left, right, top or bottom.
• the front cover 220 may have a plurality of magnets 221 formed on its rear surface, so that the front cover 220 can be completely detached from the front panel 210. Accordingly, the magnetic force of the magnets 221 causes the front cover 220 to couple with the front panel 210.
• the size and number of magnets may be altered to provide a suitable cohering force between the front cover 220 and the front panel 210. That is, by adjusting the cohering force to a suitable level, a user is able to easily detach the front cover 220, while the front cover 220 is prevented from autonomously detaching from the front panel 210 and falling to the floor.
• the front panel 210 may be detachably coupled or permanently fixed to the front frame 120.
• the front cover 220 may be formed of a transparent material.
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a panel assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
• the panel assembly 200 is characterized by the front cover 220 being coupled to the front panel 210 by hooks.
• the front cover 220 has a hinge 240 on one edge thereof for pivotably coupling it to the front panel 210, and at least one hook 222 formed at the opposite edge.
• the front panel 210 has a hook receptacle 213 formed thereon for receiving the hook 222 inserted therein.
• the hook 222 may be formed on the front panel 210, and the hook receptacle 213 may be formed on the front cover 220.
• Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a panel assembly according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
• the panel assembly 200 is characterized by the front cover 220 being completely detachable from the front panel 210.
• a hook is used instead of a hinge 240 for coupling the front cover
• hooks 222 and hook receptacles 213 are formed on the front of the front panel 210.
• the locations of the hooks 222 and hook receptacles 213 may be interchanged.
• the hooks 222 may be formed on the front panel 210
• the hook receptacles 213 may be formed on the front cover 220.
• a user presses the front cover 220 against the front of the front panel 210 so that the hooks 222 formed on the back of the front cover 220 insert into the hook receptacles 213.
• the front cover 220 is pulled in an opposite forward direction.
• a magnet may be used in this embodiment instead of the hook assembly. That is, a plurality of magnets may be installed on the rear surface of the front cover 220 and/or the front surface of the front panel 210, so that the front cover 220 attaches to the front panel 210 by means of magnetic force.
• Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a panel assembly according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
• the panel assembly 200 includes a cavity formed inside the front panel 210 for inserting the art panel 230 into, where the art panel 230 is inserted into the front panel 210 through a top or a side thereof.
• the front panel 210 is formed of a transparent material that allows its interior to be seen from the outside.
• a cavity having a three-dimensional size corresponding to that of the art panel 230 is formed within the front panel 210.
• An insertion slot 214 is formed at the top or at a side of the front panel 210 to insert the art panel 230 through.
• FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an indoor unit of an air conditioner with a panel assembly according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.
• the panel assembly 200 includes a front panel 210 mounted on the front of the front frame 120, a pivoting axis 250 provided on a portion of the front of the front panel 210, a front cover 220 coupled at the front of the front panel 210 by means of the pivoting axis 250 so that it can rotate in a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction with respect to the front panel 210, and an art panel 230 mounted to the front portion of the front panel 210 and protected by the front cover 220. Also, as in the previous embodiments, a picture or photograph is attached to the front of the art panel 230.
• a latch hook 215 is formed on the front of the front panel 210 at a location opposite to the pivoting axis 250 to prevent the front cover 220 from moving. Also, a latch receiver 223 is formed on the back of the front cover 220 in order to insert the latch hook 215 therein and prevent the front cover 220 from moving. Again, it is obvious that the latch hook 215 may be formed on the front cover 220, and the latch receiver 223 may be formed on the front panel 210.
• FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an indoor unit of an air conditioner with a panel assembly according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.
• the indoor unit 100 of an air conditioner according to the present invention is characterized in that the front panel 210 attached to the front of the front frame 120 is a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP), or an organic light emitting diode (OLED).
• LCD liquid crystal display
• PDP plasma display panel
• OLED organic light emitting diode
• a digital data transfer portion is formed at one end of the front panel
• a display device 216 is formed on the front of the front panel 210 to display images derived from digital signals. Images from digital signals transferred through the cable 310 are displayed on the display device 216.
• a user does not need to directly install a picture or photograph, but can save a large quantity of pictures, photographs, or other digital imagery as digital files and selectively display these images on the display device 216.
• the front panel 210 can function as the panel assembly 200.
• the above structure of the air conditioner indoor unit can augment the interior decoration of a room, and thus has a high industrial applicability.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
• Air Filters, Heat-Exchange Apparatuses, And Housings Of Air-Conditioning Units (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=36129845

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (12)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (17)

• 2005
  • 2005-02-23 KR KR1020050015159A patent/KR20060093985A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
• 2006
  • 2006-01-13 WO PCT/KR2006/000159 patent/WO2006090981A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2006-01-27 US US11/340,580 patent/US20060185382A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2006-01-30 EP EP06250498A patent/EP1703223B1/en not_active Not-in-force
  • 2006-01-30 DE DE602006005527T patent/DE602006005527D1/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-01-30 ES ES06250498T patent/ES2322498T3/es active Active
  • 2006-01-30 AT AT06250498T patent/ATE425422T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-02-21 CN CNB2006100086775A patent/CN100451463C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-02-23 CN CNU2006200031180U patent/CN200968677Y/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (3)

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