AU750668B2

AU750668B2 - Panel structure of outdoor unit for separate type air conditioner

Info

Publication number: AU750668B2
Application number: AU23124/01A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Moon Kee Chung; In Hwa Jung; Dong Soo Moon
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2000-12-19
Filing date: 2001-02-20
Publication date: 2002-07-25
Anticipated expiration: 2021-02-20
Also published as: KR20020049062A; ITTO20010263A0; JP3740021B2; ES2199635A1; CN1360184A; ES2199635B2; KR100390429B1; CN1144980C; ITTO20010263A1; AU2312401A; JP2002195611A

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION NAME OF APPLICANT(S): LG Electronics Inc.

ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

INVENTION TITLE: Panel structure of outdoor unit for separate type air conditioner The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:e BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a separate type air conditioner, and more particularly, to a panel structure at sides, front and rear of a separate type air conditioner, which can suppress vibration from various components in an outdoor unit.

Background of the Related Art The separate type air conditioner is provided with an indoor unit having an evaporator for making heat exchange with room air to discharge cool air, and an outdoor unit for making heat exchange with external air to discharge hot air. Particularly, the outdoor unit is provided with a compressor, a motor, a fan, a condenser, and the like, enclosed by the front, and rear o-o panels that form an outer appearance of the outdoor unit.

When the outdoor unit is put into operation, there is vibration occurred from the components, such as the compressor, the motor, the fan, and the like(vibration causing components) and transmitted to the panel, inevitably. If the frequency of vibration coming from the vibration causing components is below a natural frequency of the panel, most of the vibration from the vibration causing components is cut off by a rigidity of the panel. However, if the natural frequency of the panel falls on a range of the frequency from the vibration causing components, the panel resonates to form a loud noise or to deform the panel. For preventing this, though a variety of methods, such as forming the panel with a thick plate or the like, for suppressing or absorbing the vibration from the components is suggested, most of the methods have problems in that an increased production cost and a drop of productivity are accompanied.

Consequently, as a method that costs low yet is productive, a method for applying forming to the panel is suggested for suppressing the vibration, which is known as an art in which a flat panel is pressed to recess a portion thereof by an equipment, such as a press or the like. The forming makes a section modulus of the panel greater to enhance a rigidity, and increase the natural frequency of the panel. The higher the natural frequency of the panel, the more difficult the S resonance of the panel with the vibration causing components, that enhances a vibration suppressing effect of the panel as much.

A related art panel of an outdoor unit for a separate type air conditioner having the ooooi forming applied thereto will be explained, with reference to FIGS. 1A 2B. FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a perspective view and a front view of a front panel, and FIG. 2A and 2B illustrate a perspective view and a front view of a rear panel and a side panel.

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the front panel 10 is provided with coupling parts 11 and 12 bent inward for coupling with a rear panel 20, a cover(not shown), a base(not shown) along sides thereof, an external air inlet 13 in one side portion(left side in FIGS. 1A and 1 B) of the front panel 10 opposite to a portion of the air conditioner where a fan(not shown) is fitted, and a coupling part 14 on an inside circumference of the external air inlet 13 for fitting a front grill (not shown) thereto. In order to enhance rigidity of the related art front panel 10, a first formed part 15 is provided in a portion the other side of the front panel 10(a right side in FIGS. 1A and 1 B) opposite to a portion a compressor(not shown) is fitted. Most of the first formed part 15 at a portion opposite to a portion the compressor is fitted has a vertically elongated rectangular form, because the compressor has the vertically elongated form.

2 Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B. the rear panel 20 is provided with side panels 30 bent forward at opposite sides of the rear panel 20, a front panel 10 coupling part 31 at each end of the side panels 30 for coupling with the rear panel 20 coupling part of the front panel 10, and a coupling part 21 or 32 on upper and lower sides of each of the rear panel 20 and the side panels 30 bent inward for coupling with the cover or the base. There are grills 50 in at least one side portion of the rear panel 20, and in at least one of the two side panels 30. Those grills 40 and serve the external air forcibly drawn into the outdoor unit through the external air inlet 13 by an outdoor unit fan to be subjected to heat exchange at a condenser(not shown) and discharged, S smoothly. Though FIG. 2A illustrates the grill 50 formed in only one side panel 30, there are cases when the grills 50 are formed in both of the side panels 30. The foregoing related art rear panel and the side panels 20 and 30 have a second formed part 22 in a portion opposite to a portion the compressor is fitted and the grills 40 and 50 are not formed, in the other side of the rear panel 20(a left side in FIGS. 2A and 2B) for enhancing rigidity. As explained, the portion opposite to a portion the compressor is fitted, the second formed part 22 has a 15 vertically elongated rectangular form owing to the form of the compressor, with a width in FIGS.

2A and 2B smaller than a width of the vertically elongated rectangular form in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

The formation of the first and second formed parts 15 and 22 in portions of the front and rear panels, portions opposite to a portion the compressor is fitted increase section modulus of the panels 10 and 20, to enhance rigidity of the panels 10 and 20, that in turn improves a vibration absorbing effect: However, the application of the first and second formed parts to the related art front and rear panels has been formed, not in optimal portions which can suppress the vibration of the outdoor unit the best, but in appropriate portions having adequately large areas, in the front P.OPERDH23124-01 rcspl.do-31/05,02 -4and rear panels opposite to a portion the compressor is fitted merely based on intuition of the designer. Though the application of the local first and second forming parts shows an increased rigidity of the front and rear panels compared to a case the formed parts are not applied, since the formed parts are not applied to decisive parts to the rigidity of the front and the rear panels, the rigidity, i.e. natural frequencies, of the front and rear panels inclusive of the side panels are not optimized. Therefore, if the vibration from the vibration causing components of the outdoor unit can not be suppressed by the application of the first and second formed parts provided to the front and rear panels, the vibration can not but be reduced by using means that accompany a high cost and drop of productivity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention there is provided a panel structure of an air conditioner including: •a front panel having an air inlet in one side portion, and a first formed part in a side ~portion opposite to a compressor of the air conditioner; and a rear panel having a grill in one side portion and a second formed part in an other *side portion opposite to the compressor, wherein the front panel includes a third formed part around the air inlet and the placement of the formed parts relative to the panels is selected to enhance rigidity and reduce vibration of the panels during operation of the air conditioner.

Preferably, the panel structure further includes side panels at both sides of the rear panel coupled to the front panel having a grill in at least one of the side panels; a fourth formed part around the or each grill; and a fifth formed part on selected ribs of the grill.

e It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following 25 detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

P:'OPER\DH23124-01 rspl .doc-31 05/02 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention: In the drawings: FIG. 1A illustrates a perspective view of a related art front panel of an outdoor unit for e an air conditioner: FIG. 1B illustrates a front view of a related art front panel of an outdoor unit for an air conditioner; FIG. 2A illustrates a perspective view of a related art rear and side panels of an outdoor unit for an air conditioner; FIG. 2B illustrates a front view of a related art rear panel of an outdoor unit for an air conditioner; FIG. 3A illustrates a perspective view of a front panel of an outdoor unit for an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3B illustrates a front view of a front panel of an outdoor unit for an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3C illustrates an enlarged view of part in FIG. 3A; FIG. 3D illustrates an enlarged view of'II' part in FIG. 3A; FIG. 4A illustrates a perspective view of rear and side panels of an outdoor unit for an "15 air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4B illustrates a front view of a rear panel of an outdoor unit for an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4C illustrates an enlarged view of'III' part in FIG. 4A; FIG. 4D illustrates an enlarged view of 'IV' part in FIG. 4A; FIG. 5A illustrates an example showing variations of shapes of related art rear and side panels of an outdoor unit for a separate type air conditioner when first to third order natural frequencies are applied thereto; and, FIG. 5B illustrates an example showing variations of shapes of rear and side panels of an outdoor unit for a separate type air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention when first to third order natural frequencies are applied thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Components of the present invention identical to the related art are given the same reference symbols. In the present invention, main stress is laid upon rigidity enhancement of a panel structure by changing a shape of the formed part and application of new formed part. FIG. 3A illustrates a perspective view of a front panel of an outdoor unit for an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3B illustrates a front view of a front panel of an outdoor unit for an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3C illustrates an enlarged view of part in FIG. 3A, FIG. 3D illustrates an enlarged view of 'II' part in FIG. 3A, FIG. 4A illustrates a perspective view of rear and side panels of an outdoor unit for an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4B illustrates a front view of a rear panel of an outdoor unit for an air conditioner in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4C illustrates an enlarged view of'III' part in FIG. 4A, and FIG. 4D illustrates an enlarged view of 'IV' part in FIG. 4A.

Referring to FIGS. 3A 4D, the front panel 10 of the present invention has an air inlet 13 in one side portion, and a first formed part 15 in the other side portion opposite to a compressor, and the rear panel 20 has a grill 40 in one side portion and a second formed part in the other side portion opposite to the compressor. There are side panels 30 at both edges of the rear panel 20 coupled to the front panel 10 having a grill 50 at least one of the side panels The front, rear and side panels form a basic outdoor unit panel structure for a separate type air conditioner of the present invention.

In order to reinforce a panel rigidity of a portion which is the most weak to vibration found out by vibration analyses based on the basic outdoor unit panel structure, a third formed part 16 is provided around the air inlet 13, a fourth formed parts 41 and 51 are provided in the grills 40 and 50, and fifth formed parts are provided to some of ribs 42 and 52 of the grills 40 and Particularly, as upper and lower portions of the front, rear, and side panels are weak to i vibration, it is favorable that edges of the first to fourth formed parts 15, 16,22, 41, and formed close to edges of the front, rear, and side panels 10, 20 and 30. Taking the fact that the front, rear, and side panels 10, 20 and 30 are rectangular, it is favorable that the first to fourth .:.ooi formed parts 15, 16, 22, 41 and 51 are rectangular. The above basic outdoor unit panel structure of the present invention increases section modulus of the edges of the front, rear, and side panels 20 and 30, which enhances suppression of vibration in the upper and lower part of the panels.

It is preferable that the fourth formed parts 41 and 51 are formed to the grills 40 and 15 as well as to the vicinity of edges of adjacent front and side panels, because the fourth formed parts only to the grills 40 and 50 can not provide an adequate section modulus.

It is preferable that the ribs 42 and 52 in the fifth formed parts 43 and 53 have widths greater than other adjacent ribs 44, 45, 55 which are not formed. However, if the unformed adjacent ribs 44, 45, and 55 have adequate widths enough to apply a forming process, it is not necessarily required to define that the widths of the ribs 42 and 52 to which the fifth formed part 43 and 53 applied are greater than the unformed adjacent ribs 44, 45, and In the meantime, though the fifth formed parts 43 and 53 are formed to vertical ribs 42 and 52 in FIGS. 4A 4D, formation of the fifth formed parts 43 and 53 are not necessarily limited only to the vertical ribs 42 and 52, but applicable only to horizontal ribs 45 and 55, or some or all of the vertical and horizontal ribs 42, 52; 45, 55, for enhancing section modulus.

The first to fifth formed parts 15, 16, 22, 41, 51, 43, 53 may be recessed in one direction, or alternately, or in any directions according to the intention of the designer. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the direction of recess of the first and third formed parts and 16 are set to be opposite for the sake of good looking. In detail, in front view of the front panel 10, the first formed part 15 is convex, and the third formed part is concave, to form a section of a boundary of the first and third formed parts 15 and 16 to be stepped(see FIG. 3D).

Alikely, the fourth and fifth formed parts 41, 51; 43, 53 are also recessed alternately for providing a good looking for the rear and side panels 20 and 30 having the grills 40 and ooo..i formed therein. Particularly, convex fourth formed parts 41, 51 and concave fifth formed parts 43, 53 provide better looking appearance.

Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, if the rear panel 20 is required to have a greater rigidity, the second formed part may be divided into two. In detail, the second formed part is divided into two vertically elongated rectangular parts 22 and 23, to provide facing edges thereof more which increase a section modulus that enhances the rigidity of the rear panel In the meantime, it is preferable that distances between edges of the first to fourth formed parts 15, 16, 22, 41, and 51 and edges of the front, rear, and side panels 10, 20 and 30 are limited to 5 20mm taking a formability coming from the first to fourth formed parts 15, 16, 22, 41, and 51 into account. If the distance is below 5mm, the edges of the panel is rolled owing to a thickness of the panel itself, which deteriorates formability of the first to fourth formed parts 16, 22, 41, and 51. If the distance is greater than 20mm, there is an excessive gap between the edges of the first to fourth forming parts 15, 16, 22, 41, and 51 and the edges of the front, rear and side panels 10, 20 and 30, such that a section modulus increase owing to the first to fourth forming parts 15, 16, 22, 41, and 51 is difficult to expect. That is, the distance between the formed parts and the edges 5 20mm satisfies both the formability and section modulus of the panels. This is applicable to a distance between edges of the ribs 42 and 52 and edges of the fifth formed parts 43 and 53 as it is, to have a gap of 5 15mm between the edges of the ribs 42 and 52 and the edges of the fifth formed part. It is known from experiments that it is preferable that a distance between edges of the formed parts are less than the foregoing distances. That is, it is preferable that opposite edges of the first and third formed parts 15 and 16 and adjacent edges Sof the second and fourth formed parts 22 and 41 are limited to 5 Though the distances may vary with sizes and structures of the systems, and panel ooooo thicknesses, the distance can be applicable to the separate type air conditioner the applicant manufactures and the air conditioners in market. Therefore, if required, though precise distances can be found for every system by using the vibration analyses suggested in the present invention.

Table 1 shows comparisons of vibrations of the rear and side panels applied to an outdoor unit of the present invention and the related art obtained from vibration analyses.

Tablel Vibration Mode Related Art The Present Invention First natural frequency 2.3Hz 2.6Hz Second natural frequency 3.1Hz 5.6Hz Third natural frequency 5.5Hz 7.2Hz Referring to FIG. 5B, a result of deformation analyses of the rear and side panels for first to third order natural vibration shows that the deformation of the present invention is smaller than the related art, thereby understanding that a vibration suppression effect of the present invention is enhanced.

As has been explained, by finding a position of the panel the most weak to vibration by using vibration analyses, and providing formed parts to the weak parts, the panel structure of an outdoor unit for a separate type air conditioner of the present invention can form a panel having a maximum rigidity. That is, the panel with a maximum rigidity can increase the natural frequency of the panel, that suppresses vibration of the panel. Eventually, the panel structure of an outdoor unit for a separate type air conditioner of the present invention can suppress vibration ::at a low cost without accompanying deterioration of productivity.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can S. be made in the panel structure of an outdoor unit for a separate type air conditioner of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations ofthis invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

o# Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", Sand variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Claims

1. A panel structure of an air conditioner including: a front panel having an air inlet in one side portion, and a first formed part in a side portion opposite to a compressor of the air conditioner; and a rear panel having a grill in one side portion and a second formed part in an other side portion opposite to the compressor, wherein the front panel includes a third formed part around the air inlet and the placement of the formed parts relative to the panels is selected to enhance rigidity and reduce vibration of the panels during operation of the air conditioner.

2. A panel structure as claimed in claim 1, further including side panels at both sides of the rear panel coupled to the front panel having a grill in :at least one of the side panels; a fourth formed part around the or each grill; and a fifth formed part on selected ribs of the grill.

3. A panel structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein edges of the front, rear and side panels are adjacent to edges of the first to fourth formed parts. S- 4. A panel structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first to fourth formed parts are rectangular. 0. 5. A panel structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first and third formed *2ri 25 parts are recessed in opposite directions. Ik P:\OPERIDH23124-01 r-pl .do-31/05/02 -13-

6. A panel structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first formed part is convex, and the third formed part is concave.

7. A panel structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the fourth formed part is formed adjacent the grill as well as to the vicinity of edges of adjacent front and side panels.

8. A panel structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein the fourth and fifth formed parts are recessed in opposite directions.

9. A panel structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein the fourth formed part is convex, and the fifth formed part is concave. i1 f 10. A panel structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein the ribs with the fifth formed part are vertical. S*11. A panel structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the ribs with the fifth formed part have widths greater than adjacent ribs which are not formed.

12. A panel structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the first "and third formed parts have edges adjacent to each other, and the second and fourth formed parts have edges adjacent to each other.

13. A panel structure as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second formed part 25 has two vertically elongated rectangular parts disposed side by side.

14. A panel structure as claimed in claim 13, wherein edges of the first to fifth formed parts are distanced from edges of the front, rear and side panels by substantially to P:\OPER\DH23124-01 rcspl.doc-31/05/02 14- A panel structure as claimed in claim 14, wherein an edge of one of the ribs having the fifth formed part is distanced from an edge of the associated fifth formed part by substantially 5 to

16. A panel structure as claimed in claim 14, wherein edges of adjacent formed parts are distanced by substantially 5 to

17. the drawings. A panel structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to DATED THIS 31st day of May, 2002 LG Electronics Inc. by DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys for the Applicants S