WO2009091097A1

WO2009091097A1 - Indoor unit for an air conditioner

Info

Publication number: WO2009091097A1
Application number: PCT/KR2008/000345
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chul Won Kim; Chang Seong Moon; Jeong Un Lyu
Original assignee: Carrier Corporation
Priority date: 2008-01-19
Filing date: 2008-01-19
Publication date: 2009-07-23

Abstract

The present invention relates to an indoor unit for an air conditioner. The indoor unit of the present invention includes a base (100); a body panel (300); a front part (400); and a cover (200). At least one hook-like first engaging part (120), the top end of which extends backwardly, is provided on each side on the upper portion of the base (100) and two or more second engaging parts (140) are provided in the rear end. The second engaging part (140) extends vertically and upwardly from the base (100) and has one or more engaging protrusions. The body panel (300) includes first openings in which the top end of said first engaging parts (120) are fitted, and second openings in which the engaging projections of said second engaging parts (140) are fitted.

Description

INDOOR UNIT FOR AN AIR CONDITIONER

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to an indoor unit for an air conditioner, in particular, to an indoor unit of a floor-type air conditioner. Background Art

[2] Generally, there are two types of air conditioners, i.e., a one-body type air conditioner and a split-type air conditioner. The one-body type air conditioners provide both cooling and heat-radiating functions with an integral body that is configured to be installed on a wall or a window. The split-type air conditioners include an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, each of which is equipped with a cooling device or a heat- radiating device. The indoor unit and the outdoor unit are separately installed inside and outside of a room, respectively, and connected with each other by a refrigerants piping.

[3] Figs. 1 and 2 show an indoor unit 10 for a conventional air conditioner. Fig. 1 shows a front view of the indoor unit 10 and Fig. 2 shows a partially-exploded view of the indoor unit 10 with a front part not shown. The indoor unit 10 provides a housing comprising a base 12, a body panel 14 disposed on the base 12, a front part 16 disposed on the front side of the body panel 14 and formed with an air discharge port at the upper portion of the front surface, and a cover 18 disposed at the upper portion of the body panel 14. In the housing, a heat-exchanger, a blower, a control panel, etc. are disposed.

[4] In a conventional indoor unit 10 of an air conditioner, the engagement of the base 12 with the body panel 14 and that of the body panel 14 with the cover 18 are achieved by screw engagements. In order to make such engagements reliable, a number of screws are required. Thus, the conventional indoor unit 10 of the air conditioner has a drawback in that the engagement between the body panel 14 and other components requires many components and is time-consuming. Further, due to such a drawback, an inventory management of the conventional indoor unit is more difficult and additional manufacturing costs are incurred.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[5] The present invention is designed to solve the aforementioned drawback of the conventional indoor unit by providing an indoor unit of an air conditioner in which a base can be conveniently and easily installed on a body panel. Technical Solution [6] The indoor unit of the present invention comprises a heat exchanger, a blower, and a housing accommodating thereof. The housing includes a base constituting a bottom portion of the indoor unit; a body panel disposed on said base and forming a rear surface and right and left side surfaces of the indoor unit; a front part disposed in front of said body panel; and a cover covering the indoor unit by engaging with said body panel and the upper portion of the front part. On the upper portion of the base, at least one first engaging part is provided on each side, wherein the top end of the first engaging part is extended backwardly. In one embodiment, the first engaging part has a hook-like structure.

[7] On the upper portion of the base, two or more second engaging parts are provided in the rear end. Each of the second engaging parts extends vertically from the base and the end of the second engaging part has one or more engaging protrusions. In one embodiment, the second engaging part has a post or column like structure.

[8] The body panel on each side includes a first opening, in which the top end portion of the first engaging part can be inserted or fitted. The body panel on the rear face includes two or more second openings in which the engaging protrusions of the second engaging parts can be inserted or fitted. The first engaging parts and the first openings are engaged by slanting the body panel such that its upper portion is lean forward compared to the lower portion thereof, or alternatively, by lowering the rear portion of the base. The second engaging parts and the second openings are engaged to each other by closely contacting the body panel onto the base, thereby engaging the body panel with the base.

Advantageous Effects

[9] According to the present invention, assembling of the housing is achieved by the engagement of the first engaging parts with the first openings and that of the second engaging parts with the second openings. The upper portion of the body panel is slanted forwardly compared to the lower portion to engage the first engaging part and the first opening. Then, the body panel is moved closely to the base to engage the second engaging parts and the second openings automatically, thereby fixing the body panel onto the base. As such, the present invention provides an indoor unit for an air conditioner that is capable of swiftly and reliably engaging a body panel with a base by a simple movement, without any need for separate components for engagement, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and time, etc. Brief Description of the Drawings

[10] Fig. 1 is a front view of the conventional indoor unit.

[11] Fig. 2 is a partially-exploded view of the conventional indoor unit with a front part not shown. [12] Fig. 3 is a perspective view which shows an indoor unit for an air conditioner in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention with its front part exploded.

[13] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a base of the indoor unit for an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[14] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a body panel of the indoor unit for an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[15] Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a cover of an indoor unit for an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[16] Fig. 7 is a perspective view which illustrates the engagement of a body panel and a base according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[17] Fig. 8 is a perspective view which illustrates the engagement of a body panel and a cover according to one embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[18] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[19] Fig. 3 is a perspective view which shows an indoor unit for an air conditioner in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention with its front part exploded. The indoor unit 1 for an air conditioner of the present invention comprises: a heat exchanger, and a blower which are provided within a housing. The housing includes a base 100, a body panel 300, a front part 400 and a cover 200. The base 100 constitutes a bottom portion of the indoor unit 1. The body panel 300 has a rear surface and right and left side surfaces. The body panel 300 is opened at its front side. The body panel 300 has a cubic shape and engaged with the upper portion of the base 100. The cover 200 covers the indoor unit 1 by engaging with the upper portion of the body panel 300.

[20] The front part includes a pair of air intake frames 420 in the left and right downward portions, a pair of air discharge frames 440 in the left and right upper portions, and a front door 460 in the front. Each air intake frame 420 includes an air intake port and is engaged with the upside of the base 100 and the front corner flange of the body panel 300. Each air discharge frame 440 has an air discharge port, one end of which is engaged with the cover 200 and the other end is engaged with the air intake frame 420. The front door is located between the air intake frame 420 and the air discharge frame 440 and is engaged with them.

[21] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the base 100 and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the body panel 300. The base 100 has first engaging parts 120 and second engaging parts 140. As shown in Fig. 4, the lower portion of the first engaging part 120 extends vertically from the base 100 and the top end of the first engaging part 120 extends horizontally and backwardly, so the first engaging part 120 has a hook- like structure. The second engaging part 140 has a post or column-like structure and extends from the base 100 vertically. The second engaging part 140 has near the end an engaging protrusion protruding forwardly.

[22] In the embodiment shown, the first engaging parts 120 are disposed in both sides, respectively. Further, a pair of the second engaging parts 140 is disposed in the back portion of the base 100. The number of the first engaging parts 120 and/or the second engaging parts 140, if necessary, may be increased for more reliable engagement of the body panel 300 and the base 100.

[23] As illustrated in Figure 5, the body panel 300 includes, in the lower portion of the front corner flange, first openings 110a in which the top end of the first engaging part 120 will be fitted. Further, the body panel 300 includes, in the lower portion of the rear surface, second openings 110b in which the engaging protrusion of the second engaging part 140 of the base 200 will be fitted.

[24] As shown in Fig. 7, after the upper portion of the body panel 300 is slanted forwardly compared to the lower portion to engage the first engaging part 120 and the first opening 110a, the second engaging parts 140 are automatically fitted into the second opening 110b by closely contacting the body panel 300 onto said base 100. Accordingly, the base 100 may be engaged with the body panel 300 easily and reliably. In one embodiment, in order to engage the base 100 with the body panel reliably, the width Wi between an imaginary line connecting the two or more first engaging parts 120 and an imaginary line connecting the two or more second engaging parts 140 is less than the width W₂ between an imaginary line connecting the two or more first openings 110a and an imaginary line connecting said two or more second openings 110b. For such an engagement, the second engaging part 120 has proper resilience.

[25] The location, size, number and strength of the first engaging part 120 and the second engaging part 140 and the height and size of the engaging protrusion may be selected based on the size of the indoor unit, the material, strength and resilience of the body panel 300 and the base 100, etc.

[26] In reference to Figures 4 and 5, on the upside of the base 100 a plurality of protrusions 160 are formed along a surface thereof engaged to the body panel 300. A flange horizontally extends from the corner of the lower portion of the body panel 300. The flange is formed with guide holes 110c corresponding to the protrusions 160. The height of the protrusion 160 is same or less than that of the second engaging part 120. In the course of standing upright the body panel 300 on the upper portion of the base 100 after slanting the body panel 300 for fitting the top end of the hook-like first engaging parts 120 on the base 100 into the first openings 110a, the protrusions 160 of the base 100 are firstly inserted into the guide holes 110c of the lower portion of the body panel 300, thereby leading the body panel 300 to be positioned accordingly. Thus, the engaging projections of the second engaging parts 140 on the base 100 can be more easily and precisely fitted into the second openings 110b of the body panel 300.

[27] Fig. 6 illustrates a perspective view of the cover 200 according to the indoor unit for the air conditioner of the present invention. The engagement of the cover 200 with the body panel 300 is similar to that of base 100. As shown in Fig. 6, the cover 200 includes third engaging parts 220 and fourth engaging parts 240. On the lower portion of the cover, at least one hook-like third engaging part 220 is provided on each side. The top end of which is backwardly and horizontally curved. The fourth engaging parts 240 has a flatwise and vertical post or column-like structure. The fourth engaging parts vertically and downwardly extend from the rear end of the cover 200 and have engaging projections, adjacent to the end thereof and forwardly protruding therefrom.

[28] As shown in Figure 5, the body panel 300 comprises third openings 120a at the top of its front edge flange portion for the fitting engagement of the top ends of the third engaging parts 220 of the cover 200. Further, the body panel includes fourth openings 120b at the top of its rear edge flange portion for the fitting engagement of the engaging projections of the fourth engaging parts 240 of the cover 200. As shown in Fig. 8, the front portion of the cover 200 is slanted highly compared to the rear portion to engage the third engaging part 220 and the third opening 120a. Then, by closely contacting the cover 200 onto the body panel 300, the fourth engaging parts 240 and the fourth openings 120b are engaged to each other. In such a manner, the cover 200 can be easily engaged with the body panel 300.

[29] Such an engagement method of the present invention, employing hook- like or post- like engagement structures, may also be applied to the engagement of the front part with other front part components and that of the front part components with the body panel 300, base 100, cover 200, etc. In this way, the present indoor unit for an air conditioner may provide a secure engagement structure, while requiring any or a minimum number of screws.

[30] While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, the present invention may be embodied in various manners. Those modifications will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art and naturally fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

[ 1 ] An indoor unit of an air conditioner comprising: a base constituting a bottom portion of the indoor unit; a body panel disposed on said base and forming a rear surface and right and left side surfaces of the indoor unit; a front part disposed in front of said body panel; and a cover covering the indoor unit by engaging with said body panel and the upper portion of the front part; wherein at least one hook-like first engaging part, the top end of which extends backwardly, is provided on each side on the upper portion of the base and two or more second engaging parts are provided in the rear end, the second engaging part extending vertically from the base and having one or more engaging protrusions, wherein said body panel includes first openings in which the rear extension portions of said first engaging parts are fitted, and second openings in which the engaging projections of said second engaging parts are fitted, wherein the upper portion of the body panel is slanted forward compared to the lower portion to engage the first engaging part and the first opening and then the body panel is moved closely to the base to engage the second engaging parts and the second openings.

[2] The indoor unit of Claim 1, wherein at least one hook-like third engaging part, the top end of which extends backwardly, is provided on each side on the lower portion of the cover and two or more second engaging parts are provided in the rear end, the second engaging part extending vertically and downwardly from the cover and having one or more engaging protrusions, wherein said body panel includes third openings in which the rear extension portions of said third engaging parts are fitted, and fourth openings in which the engaging projections of said fourth engaging parts are fitted, wherein the front portion of the cover is slanted highly compared to the rear portion to engage the third engaging part and the third opening and then the cover is moved closely to the body panel to engage the fourth engaging parts and the fourth openings.

[3] The indoor unit of Claims 1, wherein the base has a plurality of protrusions along a surface thereof engaged to the body panel, and wherein the body panel has guide holes corresponding to the protrusions.

[4] The indoor unit of Claim 1, wherein said front part includes an air intake frame comprising an air intake port, an air discharge frame comprising an air discharge port, the air intake frame and the air discharge frame engaged with the front surface of said body panel, and a front door disposed onto and engaged with the front surface of said air intake frame and discharge frame.

[5] The indoor unit of Claim 1, wherein the width between an imaginary line connecting said two or more first engaging parts and an imaginary line connecting said two or more second engaging parts is same or less than the width between an imaginary line connecting said two or more first openings and an imaginary line connecting said two or more second openings.