CN105605674B

CN105605674B - Air conditioner

Info

Publication number: CN105605674B
Application number: CN201510772094.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 郑在林; 权俊锡; 金洛贤; 金成载; 辛纹先; 辛海均; 吴承原; 尹相淇; 尹渊燮; 郑敞祐; 千诚贤
Original assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date: 2014-11-12
Filing date: 2015-11-12
Publication date: 2020-11-06
Anticipated expiration: 2035-11-12
Also published as: KR20160056719A; CN105605674A; US20160131369A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an air conditioner, comprising: a main body including a case having an opening at a front surface thereof, a heat exchanger disposed in the case, and at least one fan disposed in front of the heat exchanger and configured to discharge air through the opening, the air exchanging heat through the heat exchanger; a stand disposed under the main body and configured to support the main body, wherein the main body is disposed to be inclined rearward at a predetermined angle.

Description

Air conditioner

Technical Field

Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to an air conditioner, and more particularly, to an air conditioner in which a lower portion of an upright type indoor unit is supported by a stand structure and a main body is tilted backward at a predetermined angle so that a blowing distance of discharged cool air is increased.

Background

Air conditioners are generally provided with a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator. Air conditioners use a refrigeration cycle of a refrigerant to cool or heat indoor air or purify indoor air to provide a comfortable indoor environment to users, and are generally classified into stand-alone air conditioners and integrated air conditioners.

The stand-alone air conditioner is configured to mount a cooling device/a radiator in an indoor unit, mount a radiator/a cooling device and a compressor in an outdoor unit, and connect the indoor unit and the outdoor unit separated from each other by a refrigerant pipe. The integrated type air conditioner is configured to integrate cooling and heat radiating functions in a single body and to place the single body in a hole formed in a wall of a house or a window by using a fixing device.

Recently, a floor type air conditioner constructed as follows has been widely used: the indoor unit is installed on the ground to discharge air drawn in through the air inlet by the rotating fan through the heat exchanger.

Such a conventional upright indoor unit stands on the ground in the form of a cabinet, and the lower portion of the upright indoor unit is mainly used for drawing air, for accommodating an air filter, or for gathering internal components.

Therefore, the conventional vertical indoor unit has a large volume, so that it may not effectively use the indoor space of the building and provide a beautiful appearance due to a uniform design.

In addition, since the main body is almost vertically placed on the ground and directly delivers cold air, the conventional vertical indoor unit has a problem in that a blowing distance is short. To overcome this problem, the wind is adjusted to an upward direction using the blades of the exhaust port. However, the discharge direction of the cool air and the direction of the blades do not match each other and resistance to decrease the intensity of the blast is generated in the air flow, so that there is a limit to the long-distance delivery of the cool air.

In addition, in order to install the conventional vertical type indoor unit, the connection duct extends from the indoor unit to a wall surface, and the surface of the connection duct is wound with an adhesive tape or the like, thereby defacing the appearance.

Disclosure of Invention

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention overcome the above disadvantages and other disadvantages not described above. Also, all of the disadvantages described above need not be overcome, and exemplary embodiments of the present invention may not solve any of the problems described above.

The present invention provides an air conditioner which reduces a space of a lower part of the air conditioner to utilize the space of the lower part of the air conditioner in various ways and maintains a state in which a main body is inclined backward at a predetermined angle to increase a blowing distance of cold air.

The present invention also provides an air conditioner that increases the beauty by hiding a connection duct from appearing in front of the air conditioner in order to prevent the appearance from being adversely affected.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an air conditioner includes: a main body including a case having an opening at a front surface thereof, a heat exchanger disposed in the case, and at least one fan disposed in front of the heat exchanger and configured to discharge air through the opening, the air exchanging heat through the heat exchanger; a stand disposed under the main body and configured to support the main body, wherein the main body is disposed to be inclined rearward at a predetermined angle.

The stand supports the main body when the main body is tilted.

The stent may include: a cabinet including a pipe configured to receive a drain hose and a refrigerant pipe, the drain hose being configured to drain condensed liquid water generated in the heat exchanger, and a pipe hole through which the pipe passes; a support connected to a lower portion of the cabinet.

The support may include a front bracket connected to a front of the cabinet and a rear bracket connected to a rear of the cabinet; the rear bracket is provided in such a manner that an upper portion of the rear bracket is inclined toward a rear surface of the cabinet.

The front supporter may include: a case bracket forming a bracket of the front bracket; a reinforcement member accommodated in the case bracket; a cover attached along an outside of the front bracket.

The rear bracket may include a pair of vertical brackets having upper ends connected to the cabinet.

The rear bracket may further include a horizontal bracket having both ends connected to the lower ends of the pair of vertical brackets.

The rear bracket may further include an outer shell plate to conceal the rear portion.

The duct may extend through the housing plate behind the housing plate.

The support may further include a pair of connection members for connection between the front bracket and the rear bracket.

A pair of vertical supports may have a space formed therein in a longitudinal direction of the vertical supports, and the duct may extend along any one of the spaces of the pair of vertical supports.

The support may include: a pair of vertical brackets connected to both sides of the front of the cabinet and extending downward; a pair of horizontal brackets connected to lower ends of the pair of vertical brackets and extending rearward from a lower end of each vertical bracket; a connecting bracket for connection between opposite ends of the pair of vertical brackets.

The support may include: a pair of covers connected along outer sides of the pair of vertical brackets; and a pair of reinforcing members respectively received in the pair of vertical brackets.

The conduit may extend along the interior of the support.

The support may further comprise a reinforcement member extending to the connecting bracket at the rear of the cabinet.

The conduit may extend along the interior of the reinforcement member and the connecting bracket.

The support may include a pair of side brackets connected to both sides of the cabinet and extending downward; each side bracket has a triangular appearance.

The pair of side brackets may further include a connecting bracket having both ends connected to the lower ends of the side brackets.

The support may include four vertical brackets respectively disposed at four corners of a lower surface of the cabinet.

The duct may extend along the inside of any one of two vertical brackets provided at the rear of the cabinet.

The support is formed with a cylindrical shape whose section is gradually narrowed and then thickened downward.

The air conditioner may further include a flexible tube located at the rear of the cabinet, and the duct may extend along an inside of the flexible tube and may be formed to pass through a wall surface adjacent to the rear of the air conditioner.

The main body may be inclined at an angle equal to or greater than 1 degree, or equal to or less than 9 degrees, from an imaginary vertical line with respect to the ground.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an air conditioner includes: a main body including a case having an opening at a front surface thereof, a heat exchanger disposed in the case, and at least one fan disposed in front of the heat exchanger and configured to discharge air through the opening, the air exchanging heat through the heat exchanger; and a bracket provided under the main body and configured to support the main body such that the main body is configured to be tilted backward at a predetermined angle, wherein the bracket includes a cabinet and a support member configured to support the main body and the cabinet, and a front portion of the support member supports the main body such that the main body is tilted backward at an angle corresponding to or equal to a tilt angle of the main body.

Additional and/or other aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

Drawings

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention will become more apparent by describing specific exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

fig. 1A is a perspective view of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 1B is a side view of the air conditioner shown in fig. 1A;

fig. 2A is an exploded perspective view of the air conditioner shown in fig. 1A;

fig. 2B is an exploded perspective view of a front bracket of the air conditioner shown in fig. 1A;

fig. 3A is a perspective view showing a first modified example of the support member according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3B is a perspective view showing a second modified example of the supporting member according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3C is a perspective view showing a third modified example of the support member according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4A is a perspective view showing a fourth modified example of the support member according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4B is a perspective view showing a fifth modified example of the support member according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 5A is a perspective view of an air conditioner according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 5B is a rear view illustrating a rear of the air conditioner illustrated in fig. 5A;

fig. 5C is a side view illustrating the air conditioner shown in fig. 5A;

fig. 6A is an exploded perspective view illustrating the air conditioner illustrated in fig. 5A;

fig. 6B is an exploded perspective view illustrating a front bracket of the air conditioner illustrated in fig. 5A;

fig. 7A is a perspective view showing a first modified example of the supporting member according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 7B is a perspective view showing a second modified example of the supporting member according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 7C is a perspective view showing a third modified example of the supporting member according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 8A is a perspective view showing a fourth modified example of the supporting member according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 8B is an exploded perspective view illustrating the supporter shown in fig. 8A;

fig. 8C is a perspective view showing a fifth modified example of the supporting member according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 9A is a perspective view showing a sixth modified example of the support member according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 9B is a perspective view showing a seventh modified example of the supporting member according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 10 is a perspective view showing an eighth modified example of the supporting member according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 11A and 11B are perspective views showing a ninth modified example of the supporting member according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 12A is a perspective view showing a case where an outer skin is mounted on the support shown in fig. 5A, 7A and 7B to hide the duct;

fig. 12B is a perspective view showing a case where the duct is hidden by the support shown in fig. 8A;

fig. 12C is a perspective view illustrating a case where the duct is hidden by the support shown in fig. 8C;

fig. 13A and 13B are perspective views illustrating a case where a duct is hidden when the duct is extended directly from a cabinet or a main body.

Detailed Description

The exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be variously changed. Therefore, certain exemplary embodiments have been shown in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the disclosure is not limited to the particular exemplary embodiments, but includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Also, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the disclosure in unnecessary detail. In addition, the dimensions of the various elements in the drawings may be arbitrarily expanded or reduced to facilitate comprehensive understanding.

The terminology used in the present application is used for the purpose of describing exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. The singular descriptions may also include the plural as long as the meanings herein are not different. In this application, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" … specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or groups thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or groups thereof.

In exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, a "module" or "unit" performs at least one function or operation, and may be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. Also, in addition to "modules" or "units" implemented by specific hardware, a plurality of "modules" or a plurality of "units" may be integrated into at least one module and may be implemented by at least one processor (not shown).

Hereinafter, an air conditioner including a main body and a bracket related to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to fig. 1A to 2B, an air conditioner 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

Referring to fig. 1A and 2A, the air conditioner 100 includes a main body M1 and a bracket F1.

The main body M1 includes a case 110, a fan unit 120 including at least one fan formed therein, and a heat exchanger 129 and an air inlet 130 installed in the case 110.

The case 110 includes a front panel 111 and a rear panel 113, wherein the front panel 111 is formed with a plurality of openings 111a to expose the exhaust port 121a of the fan unit 120 through the front of the case 110, and the rear panel 113 is coupled to the rear of the front panel 111. The fan unit 120 is disposed between the front panel 111 and the rear panel 113, and the heat exchanger 129 is disposed at the rear of the fan unit 120.

The plurality of openings 111a may be formed in a circular form, and at least one of the openings 111a may be disposed in upward and downward directions of the front panel 111.

At least one air inlet 130 may be formed at the rear panel 113.

The fan unit 120 includes an exhaust port 121a, a driving motor (not shown), a fan 125, and a duct 124.

The air discharge opening 121a is formed between the plate 121b and the grill (not shown), and is formed in a ring shape to discharge air to the outside by the fan 125. In the present invention, although not shown, it is needless to say that the interval between the disks 121b and the grill (not shown) may be adjusted, or the number or shape of the wings (not shown) of the grill (not shown) may be adjusted, to adjust the volume amount of air discharged through the air outlet port 121 a.

The fan 125 conveys the air introduced into the case 110 out of the air conditioner 100, and the fan 125 is rotatably connected to the driving motor and surrounded by the duct 124.

At least one duct 124 is formed in a circular form to surround the fan 125 and form an air path for allowing air drawn by the fan 125 to flow toward the air outlet 121 a.

The heat exchanger 129 is disposed between the fan unit 120 and the air inlet 130, and evaporates (or condenses) refrigerant to absorb heat from air introduced through the air inlet 130 or to transfer heat to the air introduced from the air inlet 130. The heat exchanger 129 is fixed to the main body M1 by fixing devices provided at one side of the upper and lower ends of the interior of the case 110.

A drain pipe 161 for discharging condensed liquid water generated in the heat exchanger 129 and a refrigerant pipe for connection between the indoor heat exchanger 129 and the outdoor heat exchanger 129 (not shown) are connected to one end of the heat exchanger 129.

The air inlet 130 is provided at the rear of the air conditioner 100 to guide outdoor air to be introduced into the air conditioner 100. The at least one air inlet 130 may be formed at the rear, side, or the like of the rear panel 113.

The bracket F1 is provided at a lower portion of the main body M1 to support the main body M1 with respect to the ground, and includes a cabinet 160 connected with the main body M1, a support B1 for supporting the main body M1 and the cabinet 160, and a duct 170.

The cabinet 160 is disposed under the main body M1, connected to the support B1 and supported by the support B1. The cabinet 160 is configured in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped form to connect the front and

rear brackets

140 and 150 to the front and rear, respectively, and includes a drain hose 161, a refrigerant pipe 163, a cabinet cover 165, a pipe hole 167, a main body connector 168, and a front bracket connector 169.

When the air conditioner 100 performs a cooling operation for cooling air, the drain hose 161 serves to outwardly drain condensed liquid water formed by moisture in the air condensing and dropping out of the air conditioner 100 during the cooling of the air in the heat exchanger 129, and the drain hose 161 is connected to a duct 170 inside the cabinet 160.

The refrigerant pipe 163 is used for connection between the indoor heat exchanger 129 and the outdoor heat exchanger (not shown), and is received by the pipe 170 together with the drain hose 161 inside the cabinet 160 and extended out of the air conditioner 100.

The cabinet cover 165 may cover side and rear surfaces of the cabinet 160. In addition, a duct hole 167 for passing the duct 170 therethrough is formed at the rear surface of the cabinet cover 165, and the upper end of the rear bracket 150 is fixedly coupled to the rear surface of the cabinet cover 165.

The tube hole 167 may allow a duct 170 formed to pass through the inside of the cabinet 160 and receive the drain hose 161 and the refrigerant pipe 163 therein to extend out of the air conditioner 100, and may be formed at any position of the rear surface of the cabinet cover 165 according to the shape of the rear bracket 150.

The main body connector 168 is formed at an upper portion of the cabinet 160 so that the main body M1 is fixedly connected to the cabinet 160, and may be connected to the main body M1 using a screw connection structure or a male-female connection structure, but is not limited thereto.

The front bracket connection 169 may fixedly connect the front of the cabinet 160 to the front bracket 140 and may be connected to the front bracket 140 using a screw connection structure, but is not limited thereto.

The support B1 includes a front bracket 140 connected to the front of the cabinet 160 and a rear bracket 150 connected to the rear of the cabinet 160.

The air conditioner 100 according to the present invention is configured in such a manner that: the support member B1 supports the main body M1 with a bracket structure. Accordingly, although maintaining a height similar to that of the conventional air conditioner, an open space is formed at a lower portion of the air conditioner 100, so that an underlying space can be used, a floor is easily cleaned, an excellent appearance is achieved, and an indoor space can also be seen large.

Referring to fig. 2A and 2B, the front bracket 140 is connected to the front of the cabinet 160 to support the main body M1 and the cabinet 160, and further includes a front bracket cover 141. The front bracket 143 includes a case bracket 143a, a reinforcing member 143b, a side surface cover 143c, a lower surface cover 143d, a reinforcing bracket 143e, and a front bracket coupling member 143 f.

The front bracket cover 141 is coupled to an upper portion of the front bracket 140 to cover the front bracket 140 and the cabinet 160, thereby forming an external appearance of the air conditioner 100. The front bracket cover 141 may be connected to the front bracket 140 by a male and female connector 141a or a screw 141c, but is not limited thereto. The external appearance 141b of the front supporter cover 141 may be formed like a quadrangle, but is not limited thereto.

The case bracket 143a forms a base bracket of the front bracket 143 and is connected to the front of the cabinet 160. The side and lower surfaces of the case bracket 143a may be curved to receive the reinforcing member 143 b.

The reinforcing member 143b is inserted into the case holder 143a to reinforce the strength of the case holder 143 a. Accordingly, the load of the main body M1 and the cabinet 160 can be sufficiently supported by the support member B1, wherein the support member B1 is thin compared to the prior art, and the support member B1 is formed in a stable structure with respect to bending, shearing and deformation. The reinforcement member 143b may be formed as an iron bracket, but is not limited thereto.

The side surface cover 143c and the lower surface cover 143d cover the case bracket 143a and the reinforcing member 143b and form outer surfaces of side surfaces and a lower surface of the front bracket 143.

The reinforcing bracket 143e may be formed at a portion corresponding to the middle height of the front bracket 143 to fix the front bracket cover 141 or to reinforce the front bracket 143 against bending and deformation.

Front bracket connectors 143f are formed at both sides of the upper portion of the front bracket 143 to fixedly connect the front bracket 143 to the cabinet 160.

Referring to fig. 2A, the rear bracket 150 includes a pair of

vertical brackets

151a and 151b, a horizontal bracket 151c, a rear bracket cover 151d, a rear bracket coupler 151e, and a rear bracket tube hole 151 f.

A pair of

vertical brackets

151a and 151b are fixedly coupled to the rear of the cabinet cover 165 by a rear bracket coupling 151e, and are disposed to be inclined toward the rear surface of the cabinet 160. In addition, the rear bracket 150 may not include a horizontal bracket 151c to connect lower ends of the pair of

vertical brackets

151a and 151 b. When the rear supporter 150 does not include the horizontal supporter 151c, the pair of

vertical supporters

151a and 151b support the main body M1 and the cabinet 160 in a cylindrical structure. The rear bracket cover 151d forms a rear bracket tube hole 151f through which the duct 170 passes.

In the air conditioner 100 according to the present invention, the front bracket 140 is backwardly tilted at about the preset angle α, and since the front bracket 140 is backwardly tilted, the main body M1 is also backwardly tilted at an angle as much as the front bracket 140 is tilted. Therefore, the air conditioner 100 according to the present invention may discharge cool air upward at an angle β (corresponding to or equal to the inclination angle α) based on an axis parallel to the ground such that the distance to transport the cool air is more distant than that of the conventional air conditioner in a vertical direction, and the discharge direction of the air corresponds to the inclination direction of the air conditioner 100, thereby minimizing air resistance.

The air conditioner 100 may be inclined backward by an angle equal to or greater than 1 degree, or equal to or less than 9 degrees. For example, the inclination angle may be 3 degrees, but is not limited thereto.

Fig. 3A to 3C are perspective views showing first to third modified examples of the support member B1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The first to third modified examples are almost the same as the basic configuration of the first embodiment shown in fig. 1A to 2B except for the part of the rear bracket 150. In the first to third modified examples, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Fig. 3A shows a perspective view of a first modified example of the support member B1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The rear supporter 153 includes a pair of

vertical supporters

153a and 153 b. An upper end of each of the pair of

vertical brackets

153a and 153b may be connected to the cabinet 160 and inclined at a predetermined angle toward a rear surface of the cabinet 160 to prevent the air conditioner 100 from falling down.

Fig. 3B shows a perspective view of a second modified example of the support member B1 according to the first embodiment of the invention. The rear bracket 155 according to the second modified example includes a horizontal bracket 155c and connecting

members

145b and 145e in addition to the components in the first modified example.

The front bracket 145 is configured in such a manner that: the pair of

vertical brackets

145a and 145b are inclined rearward at the same angle as the main body M1 based on the ground, and an end of each of the

vertical brackets

145a and 145b is connected to one horizontal bracket 145 c. The rear bracket 155 may be inclined at a predetermined angle toward the rear surface of the cabinet 160, and may include a pair of vertical brackets 155a and 155b and a horizontal bracket 155c for connecting the lower ends of the vertical brackets 155a and 155b, respectively.

Both ends (positioning sides) of each of the

horizontal brackets

145c and 155c are connected to and reinforced by a pair of connecting

members

145b and 145 e. Therefore, the support member B1 according to the second modified example of the present invention can contact the ground with a wide contact area to stably support the air conditioner 100.

Fig. 3C shows a perspective view of a third modified example of the support member B1 according to the first embodiment of the invention. The rear bracket 157 according to the third modified example may further include

cover plates

157b and 157c to hide the duct 170. The third modified example and the rear bracket 150 can also be applied to the first modified example and the second modified example according to the exemplary embodiment.

The rear bracket 157 includes a pair of vertical brackets 157a, at least one cover plate (i.e., cover

plates

157b and 157c to cover upper and lower portions of the vertical brackets 157 a), a duct cover 157d, and a duct hole 157 e.

The

cover plates

157b and 157c cover the entire rear bracket 157 to hide the duct so that the duct does not appear in front of the air conditioner 100. A tube hole 157e is formed in either one of the

cover plates

157b and 157c to extend the tube 170 outward. The duct 170 may extend from the lower surface of the cabinet 160, and in this case, a duct cover 157d may also be formed between the lower portion of the cabinet 160 and the rear bracket 157, so that the duct 170 does not appear in front of the air conditioner 100.

Fig. 4A and 4B are perspective views showing fourth and fifth modified examples of the supporting member B1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The fourth and fifth modified examples are almost the same as the basic configuration of the first embodiment shown in fig. 1A to 2B except for the part of the rear bracket 150. In the fourth and fifth modified examples, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Fig. 4A is a perspective view showing a fourth modified example of the support member B1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The support 147 is configured without the rear bracket 150 to support the air conditioner 100. The supporting member 147 includes a pair of vertical brackets 147a, a pair of horizontal brackets 147b, and a connecting bracket 147 c.

A pair of vertical brackets 147a are connected to both sides (sides) of the front of the cabinet 160 and configured to tilt the main body M1 backward at the same angle as a preset angle. A pair of vertical brackets 147a is formed at the front of the support member B1 and is configured to extend downward such that the respective lower ends of the pair of vertical brackets 147a are connected to the pair of horizontal brackets 147B.

A pair of horizontal brackets 147b are connected to the lower ends of the pair of vertical brackets 147a, respectively, and extend rearward from the lower end of each vertical bracket 147 a. The pair of horizontal brackets 147b extends a sufficient length to stably support the air conditioner 100. The rear end of each horizontal bracket 147b is connected to the connecting bracket 147 c.

The connecting bracket 147c is configured in such a manner: both ends of the connecting bracket 147c are respectively connected to each end of the pair of horizontal brackets 147b to reinforce the strength of the supporting member 147 and also stably support the air conditioner 100 with respect to the ground.

Fig. 4B is a perspective view showing a fifth modified example of the supporting member B1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The fifth modified example includes a reinforcing member 147e in addition to the components of the fourth modified example.

The reinforcing member 147e may extend from the rear of the cabinet 160 to the connecting bracket 147c according to the fourth modified example and effectively support the load concentrated on the rear of the cabinet 160. Further, the inside of the reinforcement member 147e may be formed to be hollow to hide the duct 170.

Hereinafter, the operation of the air conditioner 100 according to the above-described configuration of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In response to the power being supplied to the air conditioner 100, a controller (not shown) may transmit a control command according to a driving mode selected by a user to drive the air conditioner 100.

As the fan 125 formed in the fan unit 124 rotates, external air is introduced through the air inlet 130 formed at the rear of the air conditioner 100. In this case, the outside air becomes cold air by absorbing heat from the outside air by the heat exchanger 129, and the cold air is discharged to the front of the air conditioner 100 by the fan 125.

Since the main body M1 is inclined backward at about a preset angle, the cool air is discharged upward at an angle corresponding to or the same as the above angle based on an axis parallel to the ground. Accordingly, the cool air is discharged farther than the conventional air conditioner, thereby improving the efficiency of the air conditioner 100.

During the heat absorption, the heat exchanger 129 generates condensed liquid water, and the condensed liquid water is collected by the drain hose 161 and discharged to the outside through the pipe 170.

Referring to fig. 5A to 13B, the components of the second embodiment are almost the same as those of the first embodiment except for a stand F2 placed vertically on the ground. Further, the second embodiment may have various configurations of the support member B2, and thus the duct 270 may be configured in various ways. In the second embodiment, the same components as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In the second embodiment, the stand F2 is configured to be perpendicular to the ground and supports the main body M2 to tilt the main body M2. The main body M2 is inclined rearward at about a preset angle α. Therefore, like the air conditioner 100 according to the first embodiment, the cool air may be discharged upward at an angle β (corresponding to or equal to the inclination angle α) based on an axis parallel to the ground, so that the cool air is delivered a longer distance than a conventional air conditioner placed vertically. Further, the discharge direction of the air corresponds to the inclined direction of the air conditioner 200, thus minimizing air resistance.

The backward tilting angle α of the air conditioner 200 may be equal to or greater than 1 degree, or equal to or less than 9 degrees. For example, the inclination angle may be 3 degrees, but is not limited thereto.

Referring to fig. 5A to 6B, an air conditioner 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

Referring to fig. 5A and 5C, the air conditioner includes a main body M2 and a bracket F2.

The main body M2 includes a case 210, a fan unit 220 including at least one fan formed therein, and a heat exchanger 229 air inlet 230 installed in the case 210.

The case 210 includes a front panel 211 formed with a plurality of openings 211a to expose the air outlet 221a of the fan unit 220 through the front of the case 210, and a rear panel 213 is connected to the rear of the front panel 211. The fan unit 220 is disposed between the front panel 211 and the rear panel 213, and the heat exchanger 229 is disposed at the rear of the fan unit 220.

The plurality of openings 211a may be formed in a circular form, and at least one of the openings 211a may be disposed in upward and downward directions of the front panel 211.

At least one air inlet 230 may be formed in the rear panel 213.

The fan unit 220 includes an exhaust port 221a, a driving motor (not shown), a fan 225, and a duct 224.

The exhaust port 221a is formed between the dish plate 221b and the grill (not shown), and is formed in a ring shape to exhaust air outward by the fan 225. In the present invention, although not shown, it is needless to say that the interval between the disks 221b and the grill (not shown) may be adjusted, or the number or shape of the wings (not shown) of the grill (not shown) may be adjusted, to adjust the volume amount of air discharged through the air outlet 221 a.

The fan 225 conveys the air introduced into the case 210 out of the air conditioner 200, and the fan 225 is rotatably connected to the driving motor and surrounded by the duct 224.

At least one duct 224 is formed in a circular form to surround the fan 225 and form an air path for allowing air sucked by the fan 225 to flow toward the air outlet 221 a.

The heat exchanger 229 is disposed between the fan unit 220 and the air inlet 230, and evaporates (or condenses) refrigerant to absorb heat from air introduced through the air inlet 230 or to transfer heat to the air from the air inlet 230. The heat exchanger 229 is fixed to the main body M2 by fixing devices provided at one side of the upper and lower ends of the inside of the case 210.

A drain pipe 261 for discharging condensed liquid water generated in the heat exchanger 229 and a refrigerant pipe for connection between the indoor heat exchanger 229 and the outdoor heat exchanger are connected to one end of the heat exchanger 229.

The air inlet 230 is provided at the rear of the air conditioner 200 to guide outdoor air to be introduced into the air conditioner 200. The at least one air inlet 230 may be formed at the rear, side, etc. of the rear panel 213.

The bracket F2 is provided at a lower portion of the main body M2 to support the main body M2 with respect to the ground, and includes a cabinet 260 connected to the main body M2, a support B2 for supporting the main body M2 and the cabinet 260, and a duct 270.

The cabinet 260 is disposed under the body M2, connected to the support B2 and supported by the support B2. The cabinet 260 is configured in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped form to connect the front and

rear brackets

240 and 250 to the front and rear, respectively, and includes a drain hose 261, a refrigerant pipe 263, a cabinet cover 265, a pipe hole 267, a body connector 268, and a front bracket connector 269.

When the air conditioner 200 performs a cooling operation for cooling air, the drain hose 261 serves to outwardly drain condensed liquid water formed by condensing and dropping moisture in the air out of the air conditioner 200 during cooling the air in the heat exchanger 229, and the air conditioner 200 is connected to the duct 270 inside the cabinet 260.

The refrigerant pipe 263 is used for connection between the indoor heat exchanger 229 and the outdoor heat exchanger (not shown), and is received by a pipe 270 together with the drain hose 261 and extends out of the air conditioner 200.

The cabinet cover 265 may cover side and rear surfaces of the cabinet 260. In addition, an upper end of the rear bracket 250 is fixedly coupled to a rear surface of the cabinet cover 265, and a tube hole 267 for passing the duct 270 therethrough is formed at the rear surface of the cabinet cover 265.

The tube hole 267 may allow a pipe 270 accommodating the drain hose 261 and the refrigerant tube 263 to extend out of the air conditioner 200 from the inside of the cabinet 260, and may be formed at any position of the rear surface of the cabinet cover 265 according to the shape of the rear bracket 250.

The main body connector 268 is formed at an upper portion of the cabinet 260 such that the main body M2 is fixedly connected to the cabinet 260, and may be connected to the main body M2 using a screw connection structure or a male-female connection structure, but is not limited thereto.

The front bracket coupling 269 may fixedly couple the front of the cabinet 260 to the front bracket 240 and may couple the front bracket 240 using a screw coupling structure, but is not limited thereto.

The support B2 includes a front bracket 240 connected to the front of the cabinet 260 and a rear bracket 250 connected to the rear of the cabinet 260.

The air conditioner 200 according to the present invention is configured in such a manner that: the support member B2 supports the main body M2 in a bracket structure. Accordingly, although maintaining a height similar to that of the conventional air conditioner, an open space is formed at a lower portion of the air conditioner 200, so that an underlying space can be used, a floor is easily cleaned, an excellent appearance is achieved, and an indoor space can also be seen large.

Referring to fig. 6A and 6B, the front bracket 240 is connected to the front of the cabinet 260 to support the main body M2 and the cabinet 260, and may include a cover 241 and a front bracket member 243. The front bracket member 243 includes a case bracket 243a, a reinforcement member 243b, a side surface cover 243c, a lower surface cover 243d, a reinforcement bracket 243e, and a front bracket coupler 243 f.

A cover 241 is coupled to an upper portion of the front bracket 240 to cover the front bracket 240 and the cabinet 260, thereby forming an external appearance of the air conditioner 200. The cover 241 may be connected to the front frame member 243 by a male and female connector 241a or a screw 241c, but is not limited thereto. The appearance 241b of the cover 241 may be formed in a quadrangular-like shape, but is not limited thereto.

The case bracket 243a forms a base bracket of the front bracket member 243 and is connected to the front of the cabinet 260. The side and lower surfaces of the case supporter 243a may be curved to receive the reinforcement member 243 b.

The reinforcing member 243b is inserted into the case holder 243a to reinforce the strength of the case holder 243 a. Accordingly, the load of the main body M2 and the cabinet 260 can be sufficiently supported by the support member B2, wherein the support member B2 is thin compared to the prior art, and the support member B2 can form a stable structure with respect to bending, shearing and deformation. The reinforcement member 243b may be formed as an iron bracket, but is not limited thereto.

The side surface covers 243c and the lower surface cover 243d cover the case supporter 243a and the reinforcement member 243b and form outer surfaces of side surfaces and a lower surface of the front support member 243.

The reinforcing bracket 243e may be formed at a portion corresponding to the middle height of the front support member 243 to fix the cover 241 or reinforce the front support member 243 against bending and deformation.

Front bracket connectors 243f are formed at both sides of an upper portion of the front bracket member 243 to fixedly connect the front bracket member 243 to the cabinet 260.

Referring to fig. 6A, the rear bracket 250 includes a pair of

vertical brackets

251a and 251b, a horizontal bracket 251c, a rear bracket cover 251d, a rear bracket coupler 251e, and a rear bracket tube hole 251 f.

A pair of

vertical brackets

251a and 251b are fixedly coupled to the rear of the cabinet cover 265 by a rear bracket coupling 251e and are disposed to be inclined toward the rear surface of the cabinet 260. In addition, the rear bracket 250 may not include a horizontal bracket 251c to connect lower ends of the pair of

vertical brackets

251a and 251 b. When the rear supporter 250 does not include the horizontal supporter 251c, a pair of

vertical supporters

251a and 251b support the main body M2 and the cabinet 260 in a cylindrical shape. The rear bracket cover 251d forms a rear bracket hole 251f through which the duct 271 passes.

Fig. 7A to 7C are perspective views showing first to third modified examples of the support member B2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The first to third modified examples are almost the same as the basic configuration of the second embodiment shown in fig. 5A to 6B except for the part of the rear bracket 250. In the first to third modified examples, the same components as those in the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Fig. 7A shows a first modified example of the support member B2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Rear bracket 250 includes a pair of

vertical brackets

253a and 253 b. An upper end of each of the pair of

vertical brackets

253a and 253b may be connected to the cabinet 260 and inclined at a predetermined angle toward a rear surface of the cabinet 260 to prevent the air conditioner 200 from falling down.

Fig. 7B shows a second modified example of the supporting member B2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The rear bracket 250 according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a horizontal bracket 255c and

coupling members

245b and 245e, in addition to the components in the second modified example.

The front bracket 245 is configured in such a manner that: a pair of

vertical brackets

245a and 245d are inclined rearward at the same angle as the main body M2 based on the ground, and both ends of each of the

vertical brackets

245a and 245d are connected to one horizontal bracket 245 c. The rear bracket 255 may be inclined at a predetermined angle toward the rear surface of the cabinet 260, and may include a pair of vertical brackets 255a and 255b and a horizontal bracket 255c for connecting the lower ends of both the vertical brackets 255a and 255 b.

Both ends of each of the

horizontal brackets

245c and 255c are connected to and reinforced by a pair of connecting

members

245b and 245 e. Therefore, the support member B2 according to the second modified example of the present invention can contact the ground with a wide contact area to stably support the air conditioner 200.

Fig. 7C shows a third modified example of the support member B1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The rear bracket 250 according to the third modified example may further include

cover plates

257b and 257c to hide the duct 270. The third modified example and the rear bracket 250 can also be applied to the first modified example and the second modified example according to the exemplary embodiment.

The rear bracket 257 includes a pair of vertical brackets 257a, at least one cover plate (i.e., cover

plates

257b and 257c to cover upper and lower portions of the vertical brackets 257 a), a duct cover 257d, and a duct hole 257 e.

The

cover plates

257b and 257c cover the entire rear mount 257 to hide the duct so that the duct does not appear in front of the air conditioner 200. A tube hole 257e is formed in any one of the

cap plates

257b and 257c to extend the tube 270 outward. The duct 270 may extend from the lower surface of the cabinet 260, and in this case, the duct cover 257d may also be formed between the lower portion of the cabinet 260 and the rear bracket 257 such that the duct 270 does not appear in front of the air conditioner 200.

Fig. 8A and 8B are views showing fourth and fifth modified examples of the supporting member B2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The fourth and fifth modified examples are almost the same as the basic configuration of the second embodiment shown in fig. 5A to 6B except for the part of the rear bracket 250. In the fourth to fifth modified examples, the same components as those of the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Fig. 8A is a view showing a fourth modified example of the supporting member B2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The support 247 is configured without the rear bracket 250 to support the air conditioner 200. The supporting member 247 includes a pair of vertical brackets 247a, a pair of horizontal brackets 247b, and a connecting bracket 247 c.

A pair of vertical brackets 247a are connected to both sides of the front of the cabinet 260 and configured to be perpendicular to the ground. A pair of vertical brackets 247a are formed at the front of the supporting member 247 and configured to extend downward. The lower ends of the pair of vertical brackets 247a are connected to the pair of horizontal brackets 247 b.

A pair of horizontal brackets 247b are respectively connected to the lower ends of the pair of vertical brackets 247a and extend rearward from the lower end of each vertical bracket 247 a. The pair of horizontal brackets 247b extend a sufficient length to stably support the air conditioner 200. The rear end of each horizontal bracket 247b is connected to a connecting bracket 247 c.

The connecting bracket 247c is configured in such a manner: both ends of the connecting bracket 247c are respectively connected to each end of the pair of horizontal brackets 247b to reinforce the strength of the supporting member 247 and also stably support the air conditioner 200 with respect to the ground.

Fig. 8B is an exploded perspective view showing the support member 247. The supporting member 247 includes covers 247a ', 247b ', and 247c ' and a reinforcing member 247d in addition to the components of the fourth modified example of the present invention.

The covers 247a ', 247b ' and 247c ' cover the pair of vertical brackets 247a, the pair of horizontal brackets 247b and the connecting brackets 247c to form the external appearance of the supporting member 247. A reinforcing member 247d is received in the bent portion of each bracket to reinforce the supporting member 247. Accordingly, the support 247 may stably support the main body M2 and the cabinet 260 with respect to the ground. The reinforcement member 247d may be formed as an iron bracket, but is not limited thereto.

Fig. 8C is a view showing a fifth modified example of the supporting member B2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The fifth modified example of the invention includes a reinforcement member 247e in addition to the fourth modified example of the invention.

The reinforcement member 247e may extend from the rear of the cabinet 260 to the connection bracket 247c according to the fourth modified example, and may effectively support the load concentrated on the rear of the cabinet 260. Further, the inside of the reinforcement member 247e may be formed to be hollow to hide the duct 270.

Fig. 9A to 11B are sixth to ninth modified example views showing a support member according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The sixth to ninth modified examples are almost the same as the basic configuration of the second embodiment shown in fig. 5A to 6B except for the part of the support member B2. In the sixth to ninth embodiments, the same components as those of the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Fig. 9A is a view showing a sixth modified example of the supporting member B2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The sixth modified example of the present invention is configured in such a manner that: the support B2 is not configured with the front bracket 240 or the rear bracket 250, and includes a pair of side surface brackets 249.

A pair of side surface brackets 249 may be respectively connected to both sides of the cabinet 260 and extend downward, and each side surface bracket 249 may have a triangular appearance, and the inside of the side surface bracket 249 is hollow. In this case, the pair of side surface brackets 249 may include two

inclined brackets

249a and 249 b. The lower ends of the two

inclined brackets

249a and 249b are connected by a base 249c to support the main body M2 and the cabinet 260 with respect to the ground.

Fig. 9B is a diagram showing a seventh modified example of the supporting piece B2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The assembly of the seventh modified example is almost the same as the sixth embodiment except for the connection position and the part of the support 248.

The support 248 may be connected to a lower surface of the cabinet 260, but is not limited thereto. Needless to say, the support 248 may be connected to both sides of the cabinet 260.

The support 248 includes a carrier (coordination) 248d connected to a lower surface of the cabinet 260, a pair of side brackets 248a connected to both sides of the carrier 248d and extending downward, bases 248b for supporting lower surfaces of the side brackets 248a, and a connection bracket 248c for connection between the bases 248 b.

Fig. 10 is a view showing an eighth modified example of the supporting member B2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The eighth modified example is configured with four

vertical supports

244a, 244b, 254a, and 254 b.

Four

vertical supports

244a, 244b, 254a, and 254b are connected to four corners of the cabinet 260 and extend downward, respectively, to support the main body M2 and the cabinet 260. The four

vertical supports

244a, 244b, 254a and 254b may contact the ground at a predetermined inclination angle to stably support the main body M2 and the cabinet 260.

Fig. 11A shows a ninth modified example of the support member B2 according to the second embodiment of the invention. The ninth modified example is configured with a cylindrical shape.

Support 290 includes a carrier 291, a cylinder 293, and a base 295.

A carrier 291 is attached to the lower surface of the cabinet 260, and a column 293 extends below the carrier 291. The column 293 is shaped like a column having a cross section that gradually narrows and then widens downward, but is not limited thereto. The lower end of the cylinder 293 is connected to a base 295 having a disk shape to stably support the main body M2 and the cabinet 260 with respect to the ground.

Fig. 11B is the same as the ninth modified example except for the shape of the pedestal 297. The base 297 has a square disk shape to more firmly support the main body M2 and the cabinet 260.

Fig. 12A shows the structure of the pipe 270 in fig. 7C. In the second embodiment (fig. 5A), the first modified example (fig. 7A), and the second modified example (fig. 7B) of the present invention, the rear bracket 250 may be configured similarly to fig. 12A.

The pipe 271 may receive a refrigerant pipe 263 and a drain hose 261 for draining condensed liquid water generated in the heat exchanger 229, and is formed to pass through the cabinet 260 to extend outward through the pipe hole 253e of the rear bracket 253. Therefore, the duct 271 does not appear in front of the air conditioner 200, and thus does not adversely affect the indoor design and appearance of the air conditioner 200.

Needless to say, in the second embodiment (fig. 5A), the first modified example (fig. 7A), and the second modified example (fig. 7B) of the present invention, the above-described hidden structure is used, and also, the duct 271 may be inserted into any of the inner spaces of the vertical stands of the rear stand 250, or the duct 271 may be attached to the rear surface of the vertical stand to be hidden. An inserted or attached conduit 271 may extend outwardly from the lower end of the vertical support.

Fig. 12B shows a conduit 271 formed in the support 247 of fig. 8A.

The duct 271 may extend along the inside of any one of the two vertical brackets 247a at one side of the rear of the cabinet 260, and then may extend outward from one end of the connection bracket 247 c.

Fig. 12C shows a conduit 271 formed in the support 247 of fig. 8C.

The duct 271 may extend downward along the inside of the reinforcement member 247e at the rear of the cabinet 260 and then may extend outward from one end of the connection bracket 247 c.

Although not shown, in fig. 9A to 10, the pipe 271 may extend along the inside of any one of the stands. Further, needless to say, the pipe 271 may extend along the inside of the column 293 of fig. 11A and 11B.

Fig. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing a structure configured in such a manner: the duct 270 extends directly from the rear surface of the cabinet 260 to a wall surface proximate to the rear surface of the cabinet 260 without passing through the support B2 and extends through the wall surface 280.

As shown in fig. 13A, the duct 273A may be configured to extend directly from the upper portion or body M2 of the cabinet 260 such that the duct 273A is hidden in front of the air conditioner 200. As shown in fig. 13B, although the duct 273a is exposed to the front of the air conditioner 200, the duct 273a is covered with the flexible pipe 273B to prevent the indoor design from being adversely affected.

Hereinafter, the operation of the above-described air conditioner 200 according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The operation of the air conditioner 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention is the same as that of the air conditioner 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, the same components as those of the first embodiment are denoted by corresponding reference numerals.

In response to the power being supplied to the air conditioner 200, the controller (not shown) may transmit a control command according to a driving mode selected by a user to drive the air conditioner 200.

As the fan 225 formed at the fan unit 224 rotates, external air is introduced through the air inlet 213 formed at the rear of the air conditioner 200. In this case, the outside air becomes cold air by absorbing heat from the outside air by the heat exchanger 229, and the cold air is discharged toward the front of the air conditioner 200 by the fan 225.

Since the main body M2 is inclined backward at about a preset angle, the cool air is discharged upward at an angle corresponding to or the same as the above angle based on an axis parallel to the ground. According to the nature of the relative downward movement of the cool air in the space, the cool air may be discharged farther than the conventional air conditioner when the cool air is discharged upward at a predetermined angle.

During the absorption of heat, the heat exchanger 229 generates condensed liquid water, and the condensed liquid water is collected by the drain hose 229 and discharged outside through the pipe 270.

The foregoing exemplary embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. Also, the description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention is intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the claims, and many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, comprising:

a main body including a case having an opening on a front surface thereof, a heat exchanger provided in the case, and at least one fan provided in front of the heat exchanger and configured to discharge air through the opening, the air exchanging heat through the heat exchanger;

a support disposed under the body and configured to support the body,

wherein the body is disposed to be inclined backward at a predetermined angle in a range of 3 to 9 degrees,

wherein the air discharged through the opening of the main body is discharged upward at an angle corresponding to the predetermined angle,

wherein, the support includes:

a cabinet including a pipe configured to receive a drain hose and a refrigerant pipe, the drain hose being configured to drain condensed liquid water generated in the heat exchanger, and a pipe hole through which the pipe passes;

a support having a hollow portion therein and connected to a lower portion of the cabinet and configured to provide a substantially open space under a bottom of the cabinet for easy cleaning of a support surface,

wherein the conduit extends along a hollow portion of the support.

2. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bracket supports the main body to tilt the main body.

3. The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein:

the support includes a front bracket connected to a front of the cabinet and a rear bracket connected to a rear of the cabinet;

wherein the rear bracket is provided in such a manner that an upper portion of the rear bracket is inclined toward a rear surface of the cabinet.

4. The air conditioner of claim 3, wherein the front bracket comprises:

a case bracket forming a bracket of the front bracket;

a reinforcement member accommodated in the case bracket;

a cover attached along an outside of the front bracket.

5. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 3, wherein the rear bracket includes a pair of vertical brackets having upper ends connected to the cabinet, and a horizontal bracket having both ends connected to lower ends of the pair of vertical brackets.

6. The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein the support member comprises:

a pair of vertical brackets connected to both sides of the front of the cabinet and extending downward;

a pair of horizontal brackets connected to lower ends of the pair of vertical brackets and extending rearward from a lower end of each vertical bracket;

a connecting bracket for connection between opposite ends of the pair of vertical brackets.

7. The air conditioner of claim 6, wherein the support member comprises:

a pair of covers connected along outer sides of the pair of vertical brackets;

a pair of reinforcing members received in the pair of vertical brackets, respectively.

8. The air conditioner of claim 7, wherein the support further comprises a reinforcement member extending to the connection bracket at a rear of the cabinet.

9. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 8, wherein the duct extends along an inside of the reinforcement member and the connection bracket.

10. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support member includes a pair of side brackets connected to both sides of the cabinet and extending downward;

wherein each side bracket has a triangular appearance.

11. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support member includes four vertical brackets provided at four corners of a lower surface of the cabinet, respectively.

12. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 11, wherein the duct extends along an inside of any one of two vertical brackets provided at a rear of the cabinet.

13. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supporter is formed in a cylindrical shape having a section that is tapered and then widened downward.

14. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a flexible tube located at a rear of the cabinet, wherein the duct extends along an inside of the flexible tube and is formed to pass through a wall surface adjacent to a rear of the air conditioner.