IP Library Granted Patent US 8,146,707
Granted Patent B2
US 8,146,707 · App. 12/641,646 · Granted Apr 3, 2012

Air conditioner

Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,146,707
App. No.
12/641,646
Granted
Apr 3, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An air conditioner includes a cabinet configured to define an outer appearance of the air conditioner. The air conditioner also includes a front panel coupled to the cabinet and having an intake hole. The air conditioner further includes a fan assembly positioned within the cabinet and configured to guide a flow of air in the cabinet. The air conditioner further includes an intake panel configured to move to open or close the intake hole in response to a control signal. In addition, the air conditioner includes at least one noise reducing part positioned in the intake panel and configured to reduce a noise having at least one frequency bandwidth.

Claims (53)

1. An air conditioner, comprising:

a cabinet configured to define an outer appearance of the air conditioner;

a front panel coupled to the cabinet and having an intake hole and at least one discharge hole;

a fan assembly positioned within the cabinet and configured to guide a flow of air in the cabinet;

an intake panel movably coupled to the front panel and configured to move to open or close the intake hole in response to a control signal; and

at least one noise reducing part positioned in the intake panel and configured to reduce a noise having at least one frequency bandwidth,

wherein the intake panel is spaced apart from the front panel to open the intake hole,

wherein the intake panel comprises a first panel, and a second panel coupled to an upper portion of the first panel;

wherein an outer surface of the second panel and an outer surface of the intake panel defines at least a portion of an intake passage for air flow when the intake panel is moved to a position in which the intake panel is spaced apart from the front panel;

wherein the air passes through the intake passage without passing through the intake panel;

wherein the at least one noise reducing part comprises a noise reducing chamber and a connection passage configured to pass noise generated in the cabinet to the noise reducing chamber; and

wherein the connection passage passes through the second panel.

2. The conditioner of claim 1 , wherein air enters the intake passage prior to passing through the intake hole.

3. The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the at least one noise reducing part comprises multiple noise reducing parts that each comprises a noise reducing chamber and a connection passage such that multiple noise reducing chambers are positioned in the intake panel and multiple connection passages are positioned in the intake panel and configured to pass noise generated in the cabinet to the multiple noise reducing chambers.

4. The conditioner of claim 3 , wherein the multiple noise reducing chambers positioned in the intake panel have different sizes and are configured to reduce noise of different frequency bandwidths.

5. The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein a part of the intake panel is recessed downwardly to define the noise reducing chamber.

6. The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the

first panel is configured to include the noise reducing chamber.

7. The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the noise is generated by an operation of the fan assembly.

8. The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the noise reducing part is configured to be a resonator.

9. The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the noise reducing part is configured to shift a phase of the noise generated in the cabinet of the air conditioner.

10. The air conditioner of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of noise reducing parts positioned in the intake panel and configured to reduce noises having multiple frequency bandwidths.

11. The air conditioner of claim 10 , wherein a first noise reducing part configured to reduce a noise having a first frequency bandwidth and a second noise reducing part is configured to reduce a noise having a second frequency bandwidth that is different than the first frequency bandwidth.

12. The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the intake panel has a guide surface configured to guide a flow of air into the cabinet through the intake hole.

13. An air conditioner comprising:

a cabinet configured to define an outer appearance of the air conditioner;

a front panel coupled to the cabinet and having an intake hole and at least one discharge hole;

a fan assembly positioned within the cabinet and configured to guide a flow of air in the cabinet;

an intake panel movably coupled to the front panel and configured to move to open or close the intake hole in response to a control signal; and

at least one noise reducing part positioned between the intake panel and the front panel and configured to reduce a noise having at least one frequency bandwidth, the at least noise reducing part being coupled to the intake panel,

wherein the intake panel is spaced apart from the front panel to open the intake hole;

wherein an intake passage for air flow is defined between an outer surface of the front panel and an outer surface of the intake panel when the intake panel is moved to a position in which the intake panel is spaced apart from the front panel;

wherein the air passes through the intake passage without passing through the intake panel,

wherein the at least one noise reducing part comprises a noise reducing chamber and a connection passage configured to pass noise generated in the cabinet to the noise reducing chamber; and

wherein the noise reducing chamber is formed at the intake panel and the connection passage is formed at the at least one noise reducing part, the connection passage passes through the at least one noise reducing part.

14. The air conditioner of claim 13 , wherein the noise reducing part is configured to be a resonator.

15. The air conditioner of claim 13 , wherein the noise reducing part is configured to shift a phase of the noise generated in the cabinet of the air conditioner.

16. The air conditioner of claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of noise reducing parts positioned in the intake panel and configured to reduce noises having multiple frequency bandwidths.

17. The air conditioner of claim 16 , wherein a first noise reducing part configured to reduce a noise having a first frequency bandwidth and a second noise reducing part is configured to reduce a noise having a second frequency bandwidth that is different than the first frequency bandwidth.

18. The air conditioner of claim 13 , wherein the intake panel has a guide surface configured to guide a flow of air into the cabinet through the intake panel.

19. The air conditioner of claim 13 , wherein the noise reducing part is positioned on the intake panel.

20. An air conditioner, comprising:

a cabinet configured to define an outer appearance of the air conditioner;

a front panel coupled to the cabinet and having an intake hole and at least one discharge hole;

a fan assembly positioned within the cabinet and configured to guide a flow of air in the cabinet;

an intake panel movably coupled to the front panel and configured to move to open or close the intake hole in response to a control signal; and

at least one noise reducing part positioned in the intake panel and configured to reduce a noise having at least one frequency bandwidth,

wherein the intake panel is spaced apart from the front panel to open the intake hole,

wherein the intake panel comprises a first panel, and a second panel coupled to an upper portion of the first panel,

wherein an outer surface of the front panel and an outer surface of the intake panel defines at least a portion of an intake passage for air flow when the intake panel is spaced apart from the front panel,

wherein the air conditioner is configured such that the air passes through the intake passage without passing through the intake panel,

wherein the at least one noise reducing part comprises a noise reducing chamber and a connection passage configured to pass noise generated in the cabinet to the noise reducing chamber, and

wherein the connection passage is configured to pass through the second panel.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 22, 2009
From: CHOI, IN HO; PARK, JONG CHAN; CHOI, HAN LIM; CHOI, DONG WHAN; YIM, NAM SIK
To: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Reel/Frame 023686/0169 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2009-0001996 · Jan 9, 2009 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100175411A1 · Jul 15, 2010