WO2020216678A1

WO2020216678A1 - Filter arrangement for air-conditioner

Info

Publication number: WO2020216678A1
Application number: PCT/EP2020/060779
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chao ZHENG; Zongsheng WANG
Original assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag
Priority date: 2019-04-26
Filing date: 2020-04-16
Publication date: 2020-10-29
Also published as: CN111854138A

Abstract

A filter arrangement for an air conditioner (100) is provided. The filter arrangement comprises a panel (103) configured to be arranged in the air flow of the air conditioner. The panel comprises at least one pocket (104,105) configured to receive an air filter (106,107). The filter arrangement as described herein provides the benefit to easy access and replace a filter. Also, it becomes possible to filter different pollutions or perform other filtration by separating filter arrangement into several cells and applying different kinds of filtrations for the different cells. Hereby the filtration efficiency can be increased. Also, the filter arrangement allows for an air conditioner to operate as a combination of air purifier and air conditioner.

Description

FILTER ARRANGEMENT FOR AIR-CONDITIONER

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to an air conditioner. In particular the present invention relates to a filter arrangement for an air conditioner.

BACKGROUND

Air conditioning is a collective expression for conditioning air into a desired state. It could be heating the air during cold periods, cooling the air during warmer periods or for cleaning the air if it contains unwanted particles.

However, the expression air conditioning is most often used when

emphasizing cooling. As a product, air conditioners can look and be used in various ways, but they all share the same basic technology. The air- conditioner comprises a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and typically also an expansion device.

There are different types of air-conditioners. One type of air-conditioner can be referred to as a split air-conditioner. In a split air conditioner, the condenser and the evaporator are located in two different separated units that are interconnected via pipes to circulate a refrigerant from one unit to the other.

Another type of air-conditioner can be referred to as a Packaged Air

Conditioner. A Packaged Air Conditioner (AC) can be said to be a type of self- contained system, in which all the cooling cycle components, such as the compressor, condenser, expansion device, evaporator and control system are enclosed in a single package.

Most air-conditioners are provided with an air filter for filtering the air passing through the air conditioner. In particular, air can be filtered in the indoor part of the air conditioner when the air-conditioner is of a split type. The filter is typically located inside or above but before the heat exchanger to collect dust or particles to provide better air quality in the indoor space where the air conditioner is located. Further, air conditioners typically have a pre- filter that is welded together with air inlet plastic part. The pre- filter can filter bigger solid particles from going through and access into the air- conditioner system.

There is a constant desire to improve air conditioners. Hence, there exists a need for an improved air conditioner.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved air- conditioner. In particular, it is an object to improve the filtering in an air- conditioner.

These objects and or others are obtained by an air conditioner and a filter as set out in the appended claims.

A filter arrangement is provided that is accessed easily in terms of assembly and disassembly which work like a drawer with a sliding movement.

Professional filters can be used in the pockets/drawers. The pockets can be separated. Hereby several pieces with different dimensions for different pollutions filtration, number and size of filter pieces can be changed to suit different working requirements.

The filters can be made to collect PM 2.5, VOC particles etc. and to operate together with a mesh filter which already exist. The air conditioner can then be made to work with the functionality of combination of an air purifier and an air conditioner.

Using the filter arrangement as described herein there is no need to take out the air inlet part while cleaning or replacing the filtration but only the panel has to be opened and the filters ejected. This can be achieved by driving a motor. The filters can then easily be removed for maintenance or

replacement.

The filters can be separated into several cells for different professional filters application according to working conditions and requirements where only one filter does not suffice.

An air conditioner provided with the filter arrangement as described herein can be set to cool/heat a room and at the same time filter the air. For example, small particle or gas pollutions like PM2.5 or TVOC

(order/formaldehyde/pollen/) can be filtered. The filters can also be easily changed to serve any need such as PM10 purification or Anti-Pollen/Allergen or Anti-Bacteria/Virus or Deodorization.

In accordance with one embodiment, a filter arrangement for an air conditioner is provided. The filter arrangement comprises a panel configured to be arranged in the air flow of the air conditioner. The panel comprises at least one pocket configured to receive an air filter. Hereby it is obtained that filters can be easily accessed for cleaning or exchange thereof.

In accordance with one embodiment, the panel is configured to be located at the air inlet of the air-conditioner. Hereby the panel is placed at an easy to access location.

In accordance with one embodiment, the panel comprises a pre-filter welded as an integrated part of the panel. Hereby pre-filtering can take place in the same structure where filtration is performed making it easy to control the filtering. In accordance with one embodiment, at least two pockets are provided in the panel. Hereby multiple filters can be used at the same time.

In accordance with one embodiment, the filter arrangement comprises a motor drive configured to open the panel. Hereby the opening of the filter arrangement can be facilitated.

In accordance with one embodiment, the filter arrangement comprises a motor drive configured to eject a filter placed in a pocket when the panel is in an open position. Hereby a filter in a pocket can be removed more easily.

The invention also extends to an air conditioner having a filter in accordance with the above. In particular, the air-conditioner can be a split air- conditioner with the filter unit is mounted on the air inlet of the indoor unit of the split air-conditioner. Further, when the filter arrangement comprises at least two pockets, different types of filters can be placed in the at least two pockets. Hereby simultaneous filtration of different type can take place in a single unit. The filters can be provided with a grip for easy removal thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of an air-conditioner.

Fig. 2 is a view of an air conditioner with an open panel at the air intake. Fig· 3 is a view of an air conditioner with an open panel, with filters in an ejected position, and Fig. 4 is a view of a filter arrangement comprising a panel for an air- conditioner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. For example, like or similar components of different embodiments can be exchanged between different embodiments. For example, the filter arrangement with the pocket as described herein is shown mounted on an indoor unit of a split air- conditioner, but the filter arrangement could equally be mounted on any type of air conditioner. Also, the filter arrangement is described as being placed on the air intake of the air conditioner, but it is also envisaged that the filter arrangement can be located at the air-exhaust. Some components can be omitted from different embodiments. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description.

In Fig. 1 an air conditioner 100 is depicted. The air-conditioner 100 is shown as an indoor unit for a split air conditioner, but the teachings herein are equally applicable to other types of air-conditioners such as portable stand alone types of air conditioners. The air conditioner 100 comprises a panel 103. The panel 103 is located in the air flow through the air conditioner. The panel 103 can be located over the air intake of the air conditioner 100. In accordance with some embodiments the panel 103 is located over the air output from the air conditioner 100.

When the panel 103 is closed, air or at least some air going through the air conditioner must pass through the panel 103. In accordance with one embodiment, the panel 103 can have a a pre-filter that is welded together with together with the panel. The pre-filter can be a mesh filter. The panel 103 can be moulded in a plastics material and the panel 103 can then have the pre-filter moulded as an integral part of the panel 103. In Fig. 2, the panel 103 is shown in an open position. The panel 103 is provided with at least one pocket 104, 105. In accordance with some embodiments at least two pockets 104, 105 are provided. In some

embodiments three or even more pockets 104, 105 are provided in the panel 103. The pocket 104, 105 is configured to receive an air filter. An air filter placed in a pocket 104, 105 will be positioned in the air-flow through the air conditioner when the panel 103 is in a closed position. The filter to be placed in a pocket 104, 105 can be any type of filter designed to filter a particular type of particles from the air flowing through the air conditioner. The filters placed in the pockets can for example one or more of a HEPA, Sandwich, HAF, IFD, Active Carbon filter. The filters can for example be designed to filter particles or pollen/allergens or virus/bacteria or be deodorizing.

Closing and opening of the panel 103 can take place manually. In accordance with some embodiments, the opening mechanism can be motorized. A motor is then arranged to open (and close) the panel in response to an input from a user. In such an embodiment, the filter arrangement as described herein comprises a motor drive configured to open (and close) the panel 103.

In Fig. 3, the air conditioner 100 is shown with the panel 103 open and with filters 106, 107 ejected from pockets where the filters are located when in use. The filters can be ejected by manually dragging the filters 106, 107 out from the pockets. In accordance with some embodiments the ejection of filters can be motorized. In such embodiments, the filter arrangement as described herein comprises a motor drive can be configured to eject a filter placed in a pocket when the panel is in an open position. There can in accordance with some embodiments be hooks provided on the filter case to hold a filter frame when the panel 103 is open. The motor used to eject the filters when filter ejection is motorized can be located at the backside to rotate the filter case to a predetermined position. The filters 106, 107 can be provided with a grip such as a tag or similar to facilitate taking out a filter and by dragging the filter holding the grip.

In Fig. 4, a filter arrangement comprising the panel 103 with pockets 104, 105 configured to receive an air filter is shown. When only one pocket 104,105 is provided, the user can select the type of filter most useful at a particular time to insert in the pocket 104, 105. If two or more pockets 104, 105 are provided it is possible for the user to use different types of filters simultaneously.

Hereby the air conditioner can perform different types of filtration

simultaneously. If for example one filter is selected to filter particles another filter can be selected to filter bacteria or to deodorize the air. The filter arrangement described herein therefore enables the air-conditioner to perform multiple filtration tasks simultaneously.

The filter arrangement as described herein can provide the benefit to easy access and replace a filter. Also, it becomes possible to filter different pollutions or perform other filtration by separating filter arrangement into several cells and applying different kinds of filtrations for the different cells. Hereby the filtration efficiency can be increased. Also, the filter arrangement allows for an air conditioner to operate as a combination of air purifier and air conditioner

Claims

1. A filter arrangement for an air conditioner (100), the filter arrangement comprising: a panel (103) configured to be arranged in the air flow of the air conditioner, the panel comprising at least one pocket (104,105) configured to receive an air filter (106,107).

2. The filter arrangement according to claim l, wherein the panel is configured to be located at the air inlet of the air-conditioner.

3. The filter arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the panel comprises a pre-filter welded as an integrated part of the panel.

4. The filter arrangement according to any one of claims 1 - 3, wherein at least two pockets (104, 105) are provided in the panel.

5. The filter arrangement according to any one of claims 1 - 4, wherein the filter arrangement comprises a motor drive configured to open the panel.

6. The filter arrangement according to any one of claims 1 - 5, wherein the filter arrangement comprises a motor drive configured to eject a filter placed in a pocket when the panel is in an open position.

7. An air conditioner comprising a filter arrangement according to any one of claims 1 - 6.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 7, wherein the air conditioner is a split air conditioner and where the filter arrangement is mounted on the air inlet of the indoor unit of the split air-conditioner.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 7 or 8, wherein filters are located in the pockets.

10. The air conditioner according to claim 9, wherein the when the filter arrangement comprises at least two pockets, different types of filters are placed in said at least two pockets.

11. The air conditioner according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the filters are provided with a grip for easy removal of a filter.