IP Library Granted Patent US 11,022,338
Granted Patent B2
US 11,022,338 · App. 15/745,698 · Granted Jun 1, 2021

Air conditioner

Inventors: Sung Hyun Chun (Suwon-si, KR); Jin Gyun Kim (Seongnam-si, KR); Seong Deok Cheon (Suwon-si, KR); Sung Bum Kang (Suwon-si, KR); Jun Seok Kwon (Anyang-si, KR); Sung Jae Kim (Seongnam-si, KR); Jong Whal Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Ji Hong Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Seung Won Oh (Seongnam-si, KR); Sang Ki Yoon (Suwon-si, KR); Yeon Seob Yun (Suwon-si, KR); Won Hee Lee (Yongin-si, KR); Chang Sik Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Hyun Joo Jeon (Hwaseong-si, KR); Jae Rim Jung (Asan-si, KR); Chang Woo Jung (Suwon-si, KR); Weon Seok Choi (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
F24F13/10F24F1/005F24F1/0014F24F11/0001F24F11/72F24F13/06F24F13/24F24F2221/54
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,022,338
App. No.
15/745,698
Granted
Jun 1, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An air conditioner of present invention comprises a housing having an outer panel forming the exterior and an opening formed on the outer panel, a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat with air flowing into the housing, and a door unit configured to open or close the opening by moving forward or backward from the opening through which the heat exchanged air is discharged. Wherein the door unit comprises a door blade configured to open or close the opening, a door operating part configured to move the door blade forward or backward, and a controller configured to control the air discharged from the opening to be moved forward from the opening in a straight line or to be discharged radially from the opening by controlling a distance between the door blade and the opening.

Claims (56)

1. An air conditioner comprising:

a housing having an outer panel forming an exterior and an opening formed on the outer panel;

a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat with air flowing into the housing; and

a door unit configured to open and close the opening by moving forward or backward from the opening through which the heat exchanged air is discharged, wherein the door unit comprises:

a door blade configured to open and close the opening, wherein the door blade contacts the outer panel to close the opening, and

a door operator configured to move the door blade forward or backward using a rotational force provided to the door operator by a power transfer part,

wherein the door unit is configured to control the air discharged from the opening to be discharged forward from the opening in a direction relatively perpendicular to a plane on which the opening is disposed or to be discharged radially from the opening by controlling a distance between the door blade and the opening.

2. The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the door unit is structured for the discharged air to move forward from the opening when the door blade is a first distance away from the opening.

3. The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the door unit is structured for the discharged air to be radially discharged from the opening when the door blade is a second distance away from the opening.

4. The air conditioner of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first discharger formed with the opening and connected to the opening; and

a second discharger for discharging air through the outer panel,

wherein the heat exchanged air is selectively discharged to one of the first discharger and the second discharger.

5. The air conditioner of claim 4 , wherein the second discharger is formed on the outer panel and comprises a plurality of discharging holes formed to penetrate the inside and outside of the outer panel.

6. The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the door operator comprises:

an outer housing having a gear part formed on a bottom surface of the outer housing and having at least one first guide diagonally formed at an angle to a side surface of the outer housing, wherein the power transfer part is configured to drive the gear part;

an inner housing arranged inside the outer housing and having a coupling protrusion formed to be inserted to the first guide and moved along the first guide; and

a housing cover having a second guide therein to guide the coupling protrusion to be moved in a parallel direction to a moving direction of the door blade, and coupled to the inner housing and the door blade.

7. The air conditioner of claim 6 , wherein the outer housing is configured to be relatively rotated outside the inner housing that is fixed.

8. The air conditioner of claim 6 , wherein the door operator is configured to move the housing cover and the door blade forward or backward as the coupling protrusion is moved forward or backward along the first guide and the second guide when the inner housing is rotated.

9. The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein:

the door blade comprises a first blade and a second blade in a form of a ring enclosing the outside of the first blade, and

the first blade and the second blade form a plurality of discharging fluid paths by sequentially moving forward or backward from the opening.

10. The air conditioner of claim 9 , wherein:

the door blade comprises a third blade in a form of a ring enclosing the outside of the second blade, and

the first blade, the second blade, and the third blade form a plurality of discharging fluid paths by sequentially moving forward or backward from the opening.

11. The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein an inside of the housing forming the opening comprises a curved portion formed to be curved toward the outside of the housing.

12. An air conditioner comprising:

a housing having an outer panel forming an exterior and an opening formed on the outer panel;

a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat with air flowing into the housing;

a first discharger formed with the opening and connected to the opening;

a second discharger configured to:

discharge air through the outer panel, and

discharge air at a different wind velocity from that of air discharged from the first discharger; and

a door unit configured to open and close the opening through which heat exchanged air is discharged, the door unit comprising:

a door blade configured to open and close the opening, wherein the door blade contacts the outer panel to close the opening, and

a door operator configured to move the door blade using a rotational force provided to the door operator by a power transfer part.

13. The air conditioner of claim 12 , wherein:

the door blade comprises a flexible material; and

the door operator is further configured to slide the door blade on the opening in a radial direction of the opening.

14. The air conditioner of claim 12 , wherein:

the door blade has a form of a disc and comprises an elastic material, and

the door operator is further configured to change a diameter of the door blade by moving forward and backward.

15. The air conditioner of claim 12 , wherein the heat exchanged air is discharged through the first discharger when the door unit opens the opening and discharged through the second discharger when the door unit closes the opening.

16. A door unit comprises disposed in an air discharger of a housing of an air conditioner, the door unit comprising:

a door blade configured to open and close an opening of the housing, wherein the door blade is configured to contact an outer panel of the housing to close the opening; and

a door operator configured to move the door blade forward or backward using a rotational force provided to the door operator by a power transfer part the door operator comprising:

an outer housing having a first guide diagonally formed at an angle to a side surface of the outer housing and configured to be rotated by the power transfer part, and

an inner housing coupled to the door blade and arranged inside the outer housing, the inner housing having a coupling protrusion formed to be inserted to the first guide and moved along the first guide,

wherein the door unit is configured to control air discharged from the opening to be discharged forward from the opening in a direction relatively perpendicular to a plane on which the opening is disposed or to be discharged radially from the opening by controlling a distance between the door blade and the opening.

17. The door unit of claim 16 , wherein the door unit is structured for the discharged air to move forward from the opening when the door blade is a first distance away from the opening.

18. The door unit of claim 16 , wherein the door unit is structured for the discharged air to be radially discharged from the opening when the door blade is a second distance away from the opening.

19. The door unit of claim 16 , wherein:

the outer housing comprises a gear part formed on a bottom surface of the outer housing and configured to be driven by the power transfer part, and

the door operator further comprises a housing cover having a second guide therein to guide the coupling protrusion to be moved in a parallel direction to a moving direction of the door blade, and coupled to the inner housing and the door blade.

20. The door unit of claim 19 , wherein the door operator is configured to move the housing cover and the door blade forward or backward as the coupling protrusion is moved forward or backward along the first guide and the second guide when the inner housing is rotated.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 24, 2018
From: CHUN, SUNG HYUN; KIM, JIN GYUN; CHEON, SEONG DEOK; KANG, SUNG BUM; KWON, JUN SEOK; KIM, SUNG JAE; KIM, JONG WHAL; KIM, JI HONG; OH, SEUNG WON; YOON, SANG KI; YUN, YEON SEOB; LEE, WON HEE; LEE, CHANG SIK; JEON, HYUN JOO; JUNG, JAE RIM; JUNG, CHANG WOO; CHOI, WEON SEOK
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 045894/0470 →
Priority Claims (2)
KR 10-2015-0102003 · Jul 17, 2015 · national
KR 10-2016-0017023 · Feb 15, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180209687A1 · Jul 26, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,372,253