CN114811728B

CN114811728B - Indoor unit of air conditioner

Info

Publication number: CN114811728B
Application number: CN202210065601.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 崔成圭; 文圣国; 林栽用; 朴敏载
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2021-01-22
Filing date: 2022-01-20
Publication date: 2024-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 2042-01-20
Also published as: CN114811728A; KR20220106481A; KR102599568B1; KR20230115961A

Abstract

The invention provides an indoor unit of an air conditioner, comprising: a housing forming an outline; a front door module for opening and closing a front discharge port formed on the front surface of the housing or for converting the direction of the air flow; and a side door module for opening and closing a side discharge port formed on a side surface of the housing or for changing the direction of the air flow. The side door module includes: a side door that moves in the front-rear direction and opens and closes the side discharge port; a first driving portion that supplies driving force to the side door; and a support frame coupled to the housing and having a side discharge port for supporting the side door and the first driving unit. The side door includes: a cover plate extending from an upper end to a lower end of the housing by a prescribed width, and formed as one body; the reinforcing plate is attached to one surface of the cover plate and provided with a plurality of reinforcing plates for reinforcing the rigidity of the cover plate. The side door module may be coupled to the housing by a coupling mechanism such as a bolt. The side discharge port may be formed with a plurality of side blades for guiding the flow direction of the discharged air. At this time, the side blades may be formed integrally with the support frame.

Description

Indoor unit of air conditioner

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an indoor unit of an air conditioner, and more particularly, to an indoor unit of a floor air conditioner.

Background

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

In general, an air conditioner is a device for cooling/heating or purifying air in a room using a refrigeration cycle of a refrigerant including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion mechanism, and an evaporator in order to provide a more comfortable indoor environment to a user.

The indoor unit of the air conditioner is disposed in an indoor space where a user mainly stays, and blows air into the room through the indoor unit. Therefore, it is important to control the variation of the wind direction, speed, and air flow of the air blown from the indoor unit so that the user can feel comfortable.

In korean laid-open patent No. 10-2017-0010293 (prior art 1), a door unit is disclosed, which includes: a door leaf for opening and closing the opening; a door operating part for moving the door blade forward or backward; and a control unit for controlling the air discharged from the opening to move straight ahead of the opening or to be discharged from the opening in a radial shape by adjusting the distance between the door blade and the opening.

In korean laid-open patent No. 10-2019-0106716 (prior art 2), an indoor unit of an air conditioner is disclosed, which comprises: a proximity sensor for measuring a distance of a user located in front of the door panel; and a rear cover having a proximity sensor hole formed at one end thereof for disposing the proximity sensor, and disposed between the front glass and the display and maintaining a space for disposing the proximity sensor.

However, in the related art 1 and the related art 2, there is no disclosure of a structure for controlling changes in the direction, speed, and flow of air discharged from the side surface of the indoor unit of the air conditioner.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides an indoor unit of an air conditioner, which has a structure capable of easily controlling the direction of air discharged from a side surface and the change of air flow.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an indoor unit of an air conditioner provided with a side door having a structure that improves workability and durability and is inexpensive to manufacture, and that opens and closes a side discharge port for discharging air.

Further, an object of the present invention is to provide an indoor unit of an air conditioner having a structure in which a side door can be smoothly moved in a front-rear direction of the indoor unit.

The objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects and advantages of the present invention, which are not mentioned, can be understood by the following description, and can be further clearly understood by the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, it is readily apparent that the objects and advantages of the invention may be realized by the means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

An embodiment of an indoor unit of an air conditioner may include: a housing forming an outline; a front door module for opening and closing a front discharge port formed on the front surface of the housing or for converting the direction of the air flow; and a side door module for opening and closing a side discharge port formed in a side of the housing or for switching a direction of the air flow.

The side door module may be coupled to the housing by a coupling mechanism such as a bolt, and may be formed with a side ejection port. The side discharge port may be formed with a plurality of side blades for guiding the flow direction of the discharged air. At this time, the side blades may be formed integrally with the support frame.

The side door module may include a side door, a first driving part, and a support frame. The side door is movable in the front-rear direction of the casing of the indoor unit and opens and closes the side discharge port.

The side door may be provided to move in the front-rear direction with respect to the support frame. Therefore, when the side door moves forward of the housing with respect to the support frame, the side discharge port can be closed. When the side door moves rearward of the housing with respect to the support frame, the side discharge port can be opened.

The first driving part may be installed at the support frame, connected with the side door, and providing driving force to the side door.

The support frame is coupled to the housing, has a side discharge port formed therein, and is capable of supporting the side door and the first driving portion. The support frame may be coupled to the housing by a coupling mechanism such as a bolt, and may be provided so as not to move itself.

The first driving part may include a gear motor, a pinion, and a rack

The first driving part may include a housing coupled to the support frame. The gear motor is mounted inside the housing, receives electric power from the power source, and rotates the output shaft, whereby a rotational force can be provided to the pinion gear. In this case, the rotation and stop operation of the gear motor may be controlled by a control unit provided in the air conditioner.

The pinion is connected to the output shaft of the gear motor and is rotatable with the rotation of the output shaft of the gear motor.

The rack gear is engaged with the pinion gear and may convert a rotational force of the pinion gear into a linear reciprocating motion, and may include an engagement portion and a connection portion.

The side door moves in the front-rear direction with respect to the support frame as the first driving part operates, so that a side discharge port formed in the support frame can be closed, and the side door may include a cover plate and a reinforcing plate.

The cover plate may extend from the upper end to the lower end of the housing by a prescribed width, and may be formed as one body. The cover plate may be formed to have a length corresponding to the length of the support frame.

A first shape-sandwiching portion for interference-fit, shape-fit with the reinforcing plate may be formed at one end portion of the cover plate. The first shape sandwiching portion may be formed with a recessed portion for coupling with the second shape sandwiching portion formed in the reinforcing plate, and the first shape sandwiching portion may have a thicker shape as a whole due to the recessed portion.

The reinforcing plate may be attached to one face of the cover plate, may be provided in plural, and may reinforce the rigidity of the cover plate. For example, the reinforcing plate may be manufactured by injection molding.

The reinforcing plate is attached to the cover plate and suppresses bending (bending) of the cover plate, so that the rigidity of the cover plate can be reinforced, the side door can be operated smoothly, and the durability of the side door can be improved.

A second shape-sandwiching portion for interference-fit, shape-fit with the cover plate may be formed at one end portion of the reinforcing plate. The second shape sandwiching portion may be formed in a shape corresponding to the first shape sandwiching portion to be fitted in a recess portion formed in the first shape sandwiching portion of the cover plate to be coupled to the first shape sandwiching portion, and the second sandwiching portion has a thicker shape as a whole.

The side door may further include an attachment member. The attaching member is provided between the cover plate and the reinforcing plate, and is capable of attaching the reinforcing plate to the cover plate. The attaching member may be provided in plural, and may be, for example, a double-sided adhesive tape.

The side door module may further include a guide connector coupled to the side door and slidably supported by the support frame.

In response to this, a guide rail may be formed in the support frame, and the guide rail may be disposed in the longitudinal direction along the front-rear direction and at a position corresponding to the guide connector.

The guide connector coupled to the side door can smoothly move in the front-rear direction of the support frame along a guide rail provided to the support frame, and can open and close a side discharge port formed in the support frame.

The guide connector may include a first member, a second member, and a third member. The guide connector is fixedly coupled to the side door and movable along the front-rear direction of the housing together with the side door.

The first component may be coupled to a side door. The first member may be fixedly coupled to the side door by a coupling mechanism such as a bolt. The first, second and third members may be integrally formed.

The second member is formed to extend in the front-rear direction from the first member, and may be provided with a bent portion. The third member may be formed to be bent from an end portion of the second member, and a longitudinal direction of the third member may be arranged along a front-rear direction, and may be formed with a rail guide groove for mounting the rail.

The second member is provided with the bent portion, and therefore, the second member and the third member can form the avoidance groove so that interference with the side portion of the support plate can be avoided when moving in the front-rear direction. The guide connector can avoid interference with the support plate by the avoidance groove, so that the guide connector can smoothly move in the front-rear direction.

According to the indoor unit of an air conditioner of the present invention, since the first driving portion is provided that moves the side door in the front-rear direction by operating the gear motor, the side door is opened and closed at the side discharge port provided in the support frame, and thus, the change in the direction and the airflow of the air discharged from the side discharge port can be effectively controlled.

In addition, according to the indoor unit of an air conditioner of the present invention, the side door is formed in such a structure that the reinforcing plate is attached to the cover plate, so that the reinforcing plate reinforces the rigidity of the entire side door, thereby enabling smooth operation of the side door and improving durability.

In addition, according to the indoor unit of an air conditioner of the present invention, the reinforcing plate is formed in plural numbers, and the reinforcing plate is attached to the cover plate so that the total length of the reinforcing plate corresponds to the length of the cover plate, whereby the side door can be provided with sufficient rigidity, and the cost of the side door can be reduced.

In the indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present invention, the guide connector coupled to the side door can smoothly move in the front-rear direction of the support frame along the guide rail provided to the support frame, and can open and close the side discharge port formed in the support frame.

In addition to the effects described above, specific effects of the present invention will be described together with the following specific matters for carrying out the invention.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a part of components is omitted in an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

Fig. 3 is an exploded view illustrating an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a pair of side door modules of an embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing one side door module in fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of fig. 4 viewed from the AA direction.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view seen from the BB direction in fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing a state in which the side door moves in fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an exploded view showing a side door module of an embodiment.

Fig. 10 is an exploded view showing a side door of an embodiment.

Fig. 11 is a diagram showing a part of fig. 10 in an enlarged manner.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a side door module of an embodiment from a different angle than the previous figures.

Fig. 13 is a diagram showing a portion a of fig. 12 in an enlarged manner.

Fig. 14 is a view showing a cross section of a part of fig. 13.

Description of the reference numerals

A shell: front discharge port: 141

Front door module: 21. an outer panel: 211

Side door module: 22. side door: 221

Cover plate: 2211. a first clamping part: 2211a

Reinforcing plate: 2212. a second sandwiching portion: 2212a

An attachment member: 2213. a first driving section: 222

A gear motor: 2221. pinion gear: 2222

And (3) a rack: 2223. engagement portion: 2223a

A connecting part: 2223b support frame: 223

Guide rail: 2231. and (3) supporting a base: 2231a

Side discharge port: 224. side blade: 225

Guide connector: 226. a first component: 2261

A second component: 2262. third component: 2263

Guide rail guiding groove: 2263a avoidance groove: 2264

Front air supply module: 31. front air supply fan: 311

Detailed Description

The above objects, features and advantages will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and thus, a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can easily implement the technical ideas of the present invention. In the description of the present invention, if it is determined that detailed descriptions of known technologies related to the present invention may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals refer to the same or similar constituent elements.

Although first, second, etc. are used to describe various elements, these elements are not limited by these terms. The terms are used merely to distinguish one component from other components, and unless otherwise specifically indicated, a first component may be a second component.

Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the elements may be in the singular or the plural.

As used in this specification, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the present application, terms such as "comprising …" and "including" should not be construed as necessarily including all of the respective structural elements or steps described in the specification, but may not include a part of the structural elements or a part of the steps, or may include additional structural elements or steps.

Within the scope of the present specification, when described as "a and/or B" unless specifically stated to the contrary, A, B or a and B are meant, and when described as "C to D", unless specifically stated to the contrary, C is above and D is below.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a part of components is omitted in an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment. Fig. 3 is an exploded view illustrating an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

The present invention will be described below with reference to drawings for explaining an indoor unit of an air conditioner by way of examples of the present invention.

First, with reference to fig. 1 to 3, the overall structure of the components constituting the indoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention will be schematically described, and the structure of each component will be schematically described.

< integral Structure >

An indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a shell I, which forms an outline; a door assembly II for opening and closing a front discharge port 141 formed on the front surface of the housing I and side discharge ports formed on both sides or for reversing the direction of the air flow; an air supply fan assembly III which is arranged on the inner side of the shell I and forms air flow; a heat exchange unit IV for exchanging heat between the air flowing through the blower fan unit III and the refrigerant; a filter assembly VI for filtering air flowing into the inside of the housing I; a filter cleaning assembly VII for removing foreign materials attached to the filter assembly VI; and a humidifying component V for humidifying the air discharged to the outside of the casing I.

< Shell >

The housing i of an embodiment of the present invention may include: the rear upper case 11 has a suction port 111 formed at the rear thereof and a space for disposing the heat exchanger 41 formed at the inner side thereof; a base portion 12 disposed below the rear upper case 11, and having a space for disposing a part of the structure of the humidifying module v; a rear lower case 13 covering the rear and side of the base portion 12; and a front panel 14 disposed on the front surfaces of the rear upper case 11 and the rear lower case 13 in the form of openings.

The rear upper case 11 is formed in a shape having an open front surface and an upper surface as a whole, and is disposed on the upper side of the rear lower case 13 and the base portion 12. A front panel 14, which will be described later, is disposed on the front surface of the opening of the rear upper case 11, and a top cover 15 is disposed on the upper surface of the opening of the rear upper case 11.

A heat exchanger 41, a front air blowing module 31, and side air blowing modules 32a, 32b, 32c may be formed in the rear upper case 11. As means for supporting these structures, a heat exchanger mounting member (not shown) for mounting the heat exchanger 41, a front air-blowing module mounting member (not shown) for mounting the front air-blowing module 31, and a side air-blowing module mounting member (not shown) for mounting the side air-blowing modules 32a, 32b, 32c may be disposed inside the rear upper case 11, respectively.

A suction port 111 is formed at the rear of the rear upper case 11, and a filter assembly vi may be disposed at the suction port 111 side. The filter assembly vi may include a plurality of filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, 62d disposed in a left-right direction behind the rear upper case 11.

Further, a guide rail-shaped movement guide 71 for guiding movement of the filter cleaner 72 in the up-down direction (U-D direction) is disposed between the plurality of filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, 62D disposed in the left-right direction at the rear of the rear upper case 11.

The movement guide 71 may be disposed to protrude rearward from the center of the plurality of filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, 62D disposed in the left-right direction, behind the rear upper case 11, and extend in the up-down direction (U-D direction).

On the other hand, an ionization portion (not shown) may be additionally disposed at a portion for mounting the guide 71 in the form of a rail at the rear of the rear upper case 11. The ionization section may function to receive a high voltage and discharge the high voltage, thereby ionizing the air flowing to the suction port 111.

Further, a refrigerant pipe hole 132 through which the refrigerant pipe 42 of the heat exchange unit iv penetrates may be formed in the rear lower surface of the rear lower case 13. Further, a power line hole 1312 through which a power line supplied from an external power source is passed may be formed at a rear lower surface of the rear lower case 13.

On the other hand, the base portion 12 may be disposed below the rear upper case 11, and a space for disposing the components of the humidifying module v, that is, the water tank 51, the heating portion (not shown), and the like may be formed inside the base portion 12. A power supply device (not shown) for winding a power cord connected to the filter cleaning unit vii may be disposed inside the base portion 12.

As shown in fig. 3, the base portion 12 may have a box shape with an open front face. On the outer periphery of the base portion 12, a rear lower case 13 and a part of a side door module 22 of the door assembly ii may be disposed.

Further, a power line through hole (not shown) through which a power line connected to the filter cleaning module vii is passed and a humidification flow path pipe through hole (not shown) through which a humidification flow path pipe (not shown) of the humidification module v is passed and extended may be formed in the base portion 12.

In addition, a rear upper case 11 may be mounted on an upper side of the base portion 12, and an additional support member for supporting other structures including the rear upper case 11 may be additionally mounted.

In a state where the base portion 12 and the rear upper case 11 arranged vertically are coupled, a front panel 14 is arranged on the front surfaces of the base portion 12 and the rear upper case 11.

The front panel 14 forms the front surface of the indoor unit, and as shown in the figure, a front discharge port 141 is formed at an upper position of the front panel 14, that is, at a position corresponding to the front air blowing module 31, and air having undergone heat exchange by the heat exchange unit iv is pressurized by the front air blowing module 31 and discharged from the front discharge port 141.

In addition, a camera sensor 142 for detecting a condition of the indoor space may be provided at the front panel 14. As shown by way of example, a camera sensor 142 may be provided at the upper end of the front panel 14.

The conditions of the indoor space may include, among others, the size of the indoor space, the number of persons in the indoor space, the positions of the indoor persons, and the like.

< door Assembly >

The door assembly II includes: the front door module 21 opens and closes the front discharge port 141 formed in the front panel 14, and changes the direction of the air flow discharged through the front discharge port 141; side door modules 22 for opening and closing side discharge ports 224a and 224b formed on both side surfaces, respectively; and a control vane module 23 for switching the direction of the air flow discharged through the side discharge ports 224a, 224 b.

The front door module 21 is provided to reciprocate in the front-rear direction between a rearmost position where a flow path of air discharged through the front discharge port 141 is closed and a frontmost position where a frontmost directed air flow is formed.

The operation mode in which the forward-directed airflow is generated in a state in which the front door module 21 protrudes to the forefront position may be defined as a direct wind operation mode to be distinguished from an indirect wind operation mode described later.

Further, the front door module 21 may stop at a coplanar position corresponding to an intermediate position between the rearmost position and the frontmost position. The coplanar position corresponds to a position where the front face of the front face panel 14 and the outer panel 211 disposed on the forefront side of the front door module 21 are substantially parallel.

When the front door module 21 is stopped at the coplanar position, the air discharged to the front discharge port 141 is directed to the air flow from the front discharge port 141 to the side of the radially outer portion due to the shape of the outer surface of the front door module 21, and is not discharged to the front. This mode of operation may be defined as an indirect wind mode of operation.

On the other hand, the outer panel 211 disposed on the forefront side of the door module 21 may be formed of a translucent material, and light generated by a display unit (not shown) provided inside the outer panel 211 may be irradiated to the outside through the outer panel 211. Accordingly, the outer panel 211 according to an embodiment of the present invention functions as a display that provides information to the user regarding the operation state of the indoor unit, the air quality state around the indoor unit, and the like.

The side door module 22 functions to open and close side discharge ports 224a and 224b formed on both side surfaces of the housing i.

That is, the side door module 22 functions to close the side discharge ports 224a and 224b in a state where the operation of the entire indoor unit is interrupted and in a state where only the front air blowing module 31 of the indoor unit is operated, that is, in a state where the side air blowing modules 32a, 32b, and 32c are not operated.

As described above, in a state in which the side air blowing modules 32a, 32b, and 32c are not operating, the side air outlets 224a and 224b are closed by the side door module 22, and thus, it is possible to effectively prevent the inflow of dust and the like into the inside through the side air outlets 224a and 224b and fixation, or the inflow of foreign matter and the like that may cause a failure.

The side door module 22 may include: a pair of side gates 221a and 221b that open and close side discharge ports 224a and 224b while moving in the front-rear direction (F-R direction); first driving portions 222a, 222b that provide driving forces to the respective side doors 221a, 221 b; and a pair of support frames 223a, 223b supporting the respective side doors 221a, 221b and the first driving portions 222a, 222b.

The side doors 221a and 221b are supported so as to be movable from a foremost position where the side discharge ports 224a and 224b are completely closed to a rearmost position where the side discharge ports 224a and 224b are completely opened. As shown in fig. 1 to 3, the side doors 221a, 221b extend from the upper end to the lower end of the housing i so as to entirely cover a predetermined width, thereby giving a sense of beauty to the user, and the side doors 221a, 221b are integrally formed with the front panel 14 and the rear upper case 11, and the outer surfaces of the side doors 221a, 221b may have a material and shape capable of forming the same texture as the rear upper case 11 and the front panel 14.

In order to movably support the side doors 221a, 221b, a guide connector may be further provided, one end of which is attached to the side doors 221a, 221b and the other end of which is slidably supported to the support frames 223a, 223b.

As an example, the first driving units 222a and 222b may include: a gear motor; a pinion gear connected to an output shaft of the gear motor; and a rack that converts the rotational force of the pinion gear into linear reciprocating motion, so that the side doors 221a, 221b can be driven electrically.

The gear motor may be firmly fixed to the support frames 223a, 223b corresponding to the fixing members, and the rack engaged with the pinion gear may be firmly fixed to the inner side surfaces of the side doors 221a, 221b.

On the other hand, as described above, the side doors 221a and 221b are provided so as to extend from the upper end to the lower end of the housing i. Therefore, the height of the side doors 221a, 221b is formed very large with respect to the width thereof, so that it is difficult to efficiently drive each side door 221a, 221b with only a single driving portion.

Accordingly, two first driving portions 222a, 222b are provided for each side door 221a, 221b, respectively, and are preferably disposed adjacent to the upper and lower ends of each side door 221a, 221b, respectively, as shown in the drawing.

The support frames 223a, 223b rotatably support the side doors 221a, 221b while forming a part of both side surfaces of the outer case i together with the rear upper case 11 and the rear lower case 13. In more detail, the support frames 223a, 223b may be disposed between the rear upper case 11 and the front panel 14.

Side discharge ports 224a and 224b extending in the up-down direction (U-D direction) are formed in the support frames 223a and 223 b.

As shown in the drawing, a plurality of side blades 225a and 225b for guiding the flow direction of the discharged air may be disposed at the side discharge ports 224a and 224b.

The plurality of side blades 225a, 225b may be integrally formed with the support frames 223a, 223b. The plurality of side blades 225a, 225b according to an embodiment of the present invention are disposed and fixed obliquely forward, so that air discharged to the outside of the housing can be directed forward. Therefore, in a state where the control vane module 23 described later does not function, the air discharged through the side discharge ports 224a and 224b is formed to be directed forward to the air flow by the plurality of side vanes 225a and 225 b.

On the other hand, the blades that perform the same function as the side blades 225a, 225b provided on the support frames 223a, 223b may be formed on other members instead of the support frames 223a, 223b. As an example, the side blades may be formed integrally with the side surfaces of the discharge guides 326 of the side air blowing modules 32a, 32b, and 32c described later.

Of course, as shown in fig. 3, the side blades 225a and 225b may be provided to the support frames 223a and 223b, and the side blade 3261 may be provided to the discharge guide 326.

The control vane module 23 functions to convert the forward-directed airflow discharged through the side discharge ports 224a and 224b into the side-directed airflow.

As described above, the air discharged to the side discharge ports 224a and 224b is directed forward by the side blades 225a and 225b of the support frames 223a and 223b or the side blades 3261 of the discharge guide 326.

As described above, the control blade module 23 functions as a blade for switching the direction of the front-pointing airflow. As shown in fig. 3, the forward direction airflow is switched by the plate-shaped control vanes 231a and 231b disposed adjacent to the front side of the side discharge ports 224a and 224 b.

More specifically, when the side air blowing modules 32a, 32b, and 32c are operated in the direct air mode in which the air flow is directed forward, the paper blades 231a and 231b in the ports of the control blade module 23 are kept in a state or a hidden state in the storage position on the rear surface side of the front panel 14. Therefore, the control vanes 231a, 231b do not affect the air flow of the air discharged through the side discharge ports 224a, 224b, and the discharged air keeps the front direction of the air flow.

When the control blade driving unit (not shown) is operated to switch from the direct wind mode to the indirect wind mode, the control blades 231a and 231b start to move horizontally from the storage position in the direction of exposure to the outside.

After the start of the horizontal movement, the control blades 231a, 231b stop after moving to the final deployment position.

When the control blades 231a, 231b are moved to the final deployment position, the air discharged through the side discharge ports 224a, 224b is subjected to the resistance of the control blades 231a, 231b, and in particular, the air passing through the front end sides of the side discharge ports 224a, 224b directly collides with the control blades 231a, 231b while changing the moving direction.

At this time, the flow velocity of the air passing through the front end portion side is the fastest among the air discharged through the side discharge ports 224a and 224b, and therefore, the air having shifted the moving direction while colliding with the control blades 231a and 231b affects the moving direction of the air discharged from the rear side. Under this influence, the air passing through the side discharge ports 224a and 224b is converted in moving direction as a whole to form a side-directed air flow.

Fig. 3 shows an embodiment in which one left control vane 231a and one right control vane 231b are provided corresponding to the left discharge port 224a and the right discharge port 224b, respectively. The present invention is not limited to this, and modifications may be made in which the left control blade 231a and the right control blade 231b are each divided into a plurality of pieces.

The control blade driving section (not shown) may include: a gear motor; a pinion (not shown) connected to an output shaft of the gear motor; a rack (not shown) converts the rotational force of the pinion gear into linear reciprocating motion, and thereby the control blades 231a, 231b can be driven electrically.

The gear motor is firmly supported by an additional bracket (not shown), and a rack engaged with the pinion may be formed integrally with the control blades 231a, 231b or separately formed and attached to the control blades 231a, 231b. As described later, a plurality of fastening holes 231h may be formed in the control blades 231a, 231b so that racks can be attached to the control blades 231a, 231b by a fastening mechanism such as bolts.

< air supply Fan Assembly >

The air supply fan assembly III includes: a front air supply module 31 that discharges air to a front discharge port 141 of the indoor unit; the side air blowing modules 32a, 32b, 32c discharge air to side discharge ports 224a, 224b on both sides of the indoor unit.

As an example, the blower fan assembly iii according to an embodiment of the present invention may include one front blower module 31 and three side blower modules 32a, 32b, 32c. The front air blowing module 31 and the side air blowing modules 32a, 32b, 32c are arranged in front of the heat exchange unit iv.

The front air blowing module 31 is disposed above the side air blowing modules 32a, 32b, 32c. The front blower module 31 discharges air to a front discharge port 141 formed in the front panel 14.

The front air supply module 31 may include a front air supply fan 311, a front Fang Songfeng motor 312, and a fan housing 313. The front air blowing module 31 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be operated in a direct air mode in which the discharged air is discharged forward a long distance by the front air blowing housing 313, the structural shape of the front door module 21, and the position of the front door module 21 described above, or in an indirect air mode in which the air is discharged radially outward from the front discharge port 141.

The side air blowing modules 32a, 32b, 32c are disposed below the front air blowing module 31. The side air supply modules 32a, 32b, 32c according to an embodiment of the present invention may be arranged in plural. The side air blowing modules 32a, 32b, and 32c can discharge the discharged air through the side discharge ports 224a and 224b, respectively.

Each of the side air blowing modules 32a, 32b, 32c may include side air blowing fans 321a, 321b, 321c, side air blowing motors 322a, 322b, 322c, side air blowing fan housings 323, suction guides 325a, 325b, 325c, and discharge guides 326.

The side air blowing modules 32a, 32b, 32c may be disposed in front of the heat exchanger 41, and the heat-exchanged air may be sucked through the side suction guides 324 and may be discharged to the side discharge ports 224a, 224b via the discharge guides 326.

The direction of the air flow to be discharged by the side air blowing modules 32a, 32b, and 32c can be determined by the side blades 225a and 225b of the side outlets 224a and 224b or the side blade 3261 of the discharge guide 326. As described above, the air flow defined by the side blades 225a, 225b of the side discharge ports 224a, 224b or the side blade 3261 of the discharge guide 326 is set in advance to be directed forward.

< Heat exchange Assembly >

The heat exchange assembly iv serves to exchange heat between indoor air sucked into the rear upper case 11 and the refrigerant.

The heat exchange assembly iv may include: a heat exchanger 41 through which a refrigerant that exchanges heat with indoor air flows; and a refrigerant pipe (not shown) forming a refrigerant flow path so that the refrigerant can flow into the heat exchanger 41 or be discharged from the heat exchanger 41.

The refrigerant pipe may include: a refrigerant inflow pipe 42 through which the refrigerant flowing into the heat exchanger 41 flows; and a refrigerant discharge pipe (not shown) through which the refrigerant discharged from the heat exchanger 41 flows.

The heat exchanger 41 is disposed behind the blower fan assembly iii. The heat exchanger 41 may be disposed between the inlet 111 and the outlets 224a, 224b, 141, thereby exchanging heat with air flowing inside the indoor unit. The heat exchanger 41 is disposed between the filter unit vi and the blower fan unit iii.

As shown in fig. 3, the heat exchanger 41 may have a length corresponding to the height of the side air blowing modules 32a, 32b, 32c and the front air blowing module 31 arranged up and down.

The heat exchanger 41 may be disposed inside the rear upper case 11. The heat exchanger 41 may be fastened to a heat exchanger fastening portion (not shown) formed inside the rear upper case 11.

< humidifying Assembly >

The humidifying unit v can discharge humidified air to the outside of the indoor unit. The humidifying assembly v may include: a water tank 51 for storing water; a heating unit (not shown) for receiving and heating water in the water tank 51; a humidification discharge nozzle (not shown) having a humidification discharge port (not shown) for discharging heated humidification air; and a humidification flow path pipe (not shown) for guiding the humidified air heated by the heating unit to the humidification discharge nozzle.

< Filter Assembly >

The filter assembly vi serves to remove foreign matter contained in the air flowing into the suction port 111.

The filter assembly vi is movably disposed behind the rear upper case 11. The filter assembly vi is disposed at the suction port 111 formed at the rear of the rear upper case 11, and can filter the indoor air flowing into the suction port 111. The filter assembly vi is movably disposed at the rear upper case 11.

Referring to fig. 2, a filter assembly vi according to an embodiment of the present invention includes filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, 62d for removing foreign substances from air sucked into a suction port 111. The filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, 62d of the filter assembly vi may be disposed at the suction port 111, or may be disposed outside of the rear upper case 11 in terms of side.

The filter assembly vi of one embodiment of the present invention comprises: filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, 62d for removing foreign substances in flowing air; a filter mounting member (not shown) for mounting the filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, 62d; and a moving member (not shown) for changing the position of the filter mounting member.

The filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, 62d may be of the following construction: when the filter module is disposed at the suction port, the filter module may be introduced into or withdrawn from the filter mounting member in the width direction of the filter module formed in the left-right direction.

The filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, 62d of an embodiment of the present invention may include: first filter modules 62a, 62b for covering left sides of the suction ports 111 of the rear upper case 11; and second filter modules 62c, 62d for covering the right side of the suction port 111 of the rear upper case 11.

The first filter modules 62a, 62b may be disposed to cover the left side of the suction port 111, or may be disposed to the left side of the left side surface of the rear upper case 11. The second filter modules 62c, 62d may be disposed to cover the right side of the suction port 111, or may be disposed right of the right side surface of the rear upper case 11.

When the first filter modules 62a and 62b and the second filter modules 62c and 62d are disposed at the suction port 111, a surface is formed to which the filter cleaner 72 can be moved.

The filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, 62d are detachably disposed on the filter mounting member. The filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, 62d can filter foreign substances in the air flowing to the suction port 111.

The filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, 62d of an embodiment of the present invention may include: a pre-filter 621 for filtering larger dust in the air flowing to the suction port 111; a dust-collecting filter unit (not shown) for collecting dust from the air particles ionized by the ionization unit and filtering the air; and a deodorizing filter unit (not shown) for removing the odor in the air.

The filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, 62d of an embodiment of the present invention may further include a filter housing 622, a pre-filter 621 being mounted to the filter housing 622, the filter housing 622 being mounted to the filter mounting member. A plurality of suction holes are formed in the filter housing 622 along the direction in which the pre-filter 621 is mounted. The face of the filter housing 622 for mounting the pre-filter 621 may include vertical ribs 6221 and horizontal ribs 6222.

The vertical ribs 6221 and the horizontal ribs 6222 form a lattice shape with each other, and can strengthen the rigidity of the filter case 622. The pre-filter 621 is formed in a mesh screen shape, and can filter large-sized foreign matters in the air flowing into the filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, 62 d.

The lower end 60a of the filter assembly vi may be disposed at an upper side of the rear lower case 13. When the filter cleaner 72 of the filter cleaning unit vii described later is disposed at the lowermost end in the movement range in which the filter cleaner 72 can move along the movement guide 71, the lower end 60a of the filter unit vi is disposed above the upper end of the filter cleaner 72.

< Filter cleaning Assembly >

The filter cleaning unit vii is movable in the up-down direction behind the filter unit vi, and can remove foreign matter outside the filter unit vi. The filter cleaning assembly vii can remove foreign substances trapped in the pre-filters 621 of the filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, 62 d.

The filter cleaning assembly vii comprises: a filter cleaner 72 that moves in the up-down direction (U-D direction) behind the filter assembly vi to remove foreign materials trapped in the filter assembly vi; a movement guide 71 guiding movement of the filter cleaner 72; and a power supply device 73 that supplies power to the filter cleaner 72.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a pair of side door modules 22 of an embodiment. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing one side door module 22 in fig. 4.

The side door modules 22 may be provided in pairs and one on each side of the indoor unit. In the previous drawings, the respective components of the pair of side door modules 22 are distinguished by reference numerals such as "a", "b", etc., but in the following, the same reference numerals may be given to the components of the same names for the sake of clear explanation.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of fig. 4 viewed from the AA direction. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view seen from the BB direction in fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing a state in which the side door 221 moves in fig. 7.

The indoor unit of the air conditioner of the embodiment may include: a shell I, which forms an outline; a front door module 21 for opening and closing a front discharge port 141 formed in the front surface of the housing i or for changing the direction of the air flow; and a side door module 22 for opening and closing a side discharge port 224 formed in a side surface of the housing I or for turning the direction of the air flow.

At this time, the side door module 22 may be coupled to the housing i by a coupling mechanism such as a bolt, and may be formed with a side discharge port 224. As described above, the side discharge port 224 may be formed with a plurality of side vanes 225 for guiding the flow direction of the discharged air. At this time, the side blade 225 may be formed integrally with the support frame 223.

The side door module 22 may include a side door 221, a first driving part 222, and a support frame 223. The side door 221 is movable in the front-rear direction along the casing i of the indoor unit, and opens and closes the side discharge port 224.

The side door 221 may be disposed to move in the front-rear direction with respect to the support frame 223. Therefore, as shown in fig. 6, when the side door 221 moves forward of the housing i with respect to the support frame 223, the side discharge port 224 can be closed. As shown in fig. 7, when the side door 221 moves rearward of the housing i with respect to the support frame 223, the side discharge port 224 can be opened.

The first driving part 222 may be mounted on a support frame 223, connected to the side door 221, and supplying driving force to the side door 221.

The support frame 223 is coupled to the housing i, has the side discharge port 224 formed therein, and is capable of supporting the side door 221 and the first driving portion 222. The support frame 223 may be coupled to the housing i by a coupling mechanism such as a bolt, and may be provided so as not to move itself.

Accordingly, the side door 221 can open and close the side discharge port 224 formed in the support frame 223 by moving in the front-rear direction of the housing i with respect to the support frame 223. Referring to fig. 12, the side discharge port 224 may be formed in the support frame 223 so that its longitudinal direction is aligned in the longitudinal direction of the support frame 223, that is, in the up-down direction of the housing i.

The side discharge port 224 may be formed in all or a part of the support frame 223 in the up-down direction of the support frame 223, and the position and length of the side discharge port 224 in the support frame 223 may be appropriately selected in consideration of performance and operation characteristics of the indoor unit.

The number of side blades 225 provided in the side discharge port 224, the inclination angle with respect to the front of the casing i, and the like may be appropriately selected in consideration of the performance and operation characteristics of the indoor unit.

The first driving part 222 may include a gear motor 2221, a pinion gear 2222, and a rack bar 2223.

The first driving part 222 may include a housing coupled to the support frame 223. The gear motor 2221 is mounted inside the housing, receives electric power from a power source, and rotates the output shaft, whereby a rotational force can be provided to the pinion gear 2222. At this time, the rotation and stop operation of the gear motor 2221 may be controlled by a control unit provided in the air conditioner.

The pinion gear 2222 is connected to the output shaft of the gear motor 2221, and can rotate together with the rotation of the output shaft of the gear motor 2221.

The rack 2223 is engaged with the pinion gear 2222, and may convert a rotational force of the pinion gear 2222 into a linear reciprocating motion, and the rack 2223 may include an engagement portion 2223a and a connection portion 2223b.

The engagement portion 2223a may be engaged with the pinion gear 2222. Referring to fig. 7 and 8, the pinion 2222 is radially arranged in the front-rear direction of the housing i and has a linear shape, and gear teeth engaged with the pinion 2222 may be linearly arranged along the length direction thereof. Accordingly, the engagement portion 2223a can linearly reciprocate in the front-rear direction with the rotation of the pinion gear 2222.

One end of the connection portion 2223b is connected to the engagement portion 2223a, and the other end thereof may be coupled to the side door 221. At this time, the connection portion 2223b may be integrally formed with the engagement portion 2223 a.

The connection portion 2223b may be formed to be bent from one end portion of the engagement portion 2223 a. The connection portion 2223b may be arranged in the longitudinal direction of the module. Accordingly, the connection portion 2223b can linearly reciprocate in the front-rear direction with the rotation of the pinion 2222.

The other end portion of the connection portion 2223b may be coupled to the side door 221. For example, the connection portion 2223b may be coupled to a thicker portion of the cover plate 2211 constituting the side door 221, that is, a thicker portion of the first sandwiching portion 2211a and the reinforcing plate 2212, that is, the second sandwiching portion 2212a, by a coupling mechanism such as a bolt.

Accordingly, as shown in fig. 7 and 8, the side door 221 coupled to the connection portion 2223b can linearly reciprocate in the front-rear direction of the housing i together with the engagement portion 2223a and the connection portion 2223b as the motor and pinion 2222 rotate, so that the side discharge port 224 can be opened and closed.

The first driving part 222 may be provided in plural to smoothly move the side door 221 in the front-rear direction. Since the side door 221 is disposed very long in the up-down direction of the indoor unit, it may be difficult to smoothly move the side door 221 in the front-rear direction using one first driving portion 222.

Accordingly, the plurality of first driving portions 222 may be provided, and each of the first driving portions 222 may be disposed at intervals in the vertical direction of the housing i along the longitudinal direction of the side door 221.

Referring to fig. 5, in the embodiment, two first driving portions 222 are provided, which are disposed at the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the side door module 22, respectively. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the first driving unit 222 may be provided with three or more.

In the embodiment, the first driving portion 222 is provided to move the side door 221 in the front-rear direction by operating the gear motor 2221, so that the side door 221 can effectively control the change in the direction and the air flow of the air discharged from the side discharge port 224 by opening and closing the side discharge port 224 provided to the support frame 223.

Fig. 9 is an exploded view showing a side door module 22 of an embodiment. Fig. 10 is an exploded view showing a side door 221 of an embodiment. Fig. 11 is a diagram showing a part of fig. 10 in an enlarged manner.

The side door 221 moves in the front-rear direction with respect to the support frame 223 as the first driving part 222 operates, so that a side discharge port 224 formed in the support frame 223 may be closed, and the side door 221 may include a cover plate 2211 and a reinforcing plate 2212.

The cover 2211 may extend from an upper end to a lower end of the housing i by a prescribed width, and may be formed as one body. The cover plate 2211 may be formed to have a length corresponding to the length of the support frame 223.

For example, the cover plate 2211 may be manufactured by an extrusion process that can easily form a long plate. The cover 2211 may be formed to be thin in thickness to reduce manufacturing costs, manufacturing time, weight, etc.

A first sandwiching portion 2211a for interference fit and shape fit with the reinforcing plate 2212 may be formed at one end of the cover plate 2211. The first sandwiching portion 2211a may have a recess portion formed therein for coupling with the second sandwiching portion 2212a formed in the reinforcing plate 2212, and the first sandwiching portion 2211a may have a thicker shape as a whole due to such a recess portion.

The cover 2211 is movable in the front-rear direction of the housing i by operation of the first driving part 222, and can open and close the side discharge port 224 formed in the support frame 223.

The reinforcement plate 2212 may be attached to one side of the cover plate 2211, may be provided in plurality, and may reinforce the rigidity of the cover plate 2211. For example, the reinforcement plate 2212 may be manufactured by injection molding.

The reinforcement plate 2212 is attached to the cover plate 2211 and suppresses bending or bending (bonding) of the cover plate 2211, so that the rigidity of the cover plate 2211 can be reinforced, the side door 221 can be smoothly operated, and the durability of the side door 221 can be improved.

A second sandwiching portion 2212a for interference fit, form fit with the cap plate 2211 may be formed at one end of the reinforcing plate 2212. The second sandwiching portion 2212a may be formed in a shape corresponding to the first sandwiching portion 2211a to be coupled to the first sandwiching portion 2211a by being mounted in a recess formed in the first sandwiching portion 2211a of the cover plate 2211, and the second sandwiching portion 2212a has a thicker shape as a whole.

The weight of the entire side door 221 is preferably reduced so that the side door 221 can operate smoothly and the manufacturing cost of the side door 221 can be reduced. Accordingly, as described above, the cover plate 2211 in the side door 221 can be made thinner as a whole.

However, if the cover 2211 is made thinner, the cover 2211 may be bent or curved during the operation of the side door 221, so that the side door 221 is difficult to operate and the durability is reduced.

Therefore, by forming the side door 221 such that the reinforcing plate 2212 is attached to the cover plate 2211, the reinforcing plate 2212 can increase the rigidity of the entire side door 221, and the side door 221 can operate smoothly and can have improved durability.

The side door 221 may further include an attachment member 2213. The attaching member 2213 is provided between the cover plate 2211 and the reinforcing plate 2212, and can attach the reinforcing plate 2212 to the cover plate 2211. The attachment member 2213 may be provided in plural, and the attachment member 2213 may be, for example, a double-sided adhesive tape.

The attaching member 2213 is not an essential structure of the side door 221. In another embodiment, the cover plate 2211 and the reinforcement plate 2212 may also be joined by an interference fit, a form fit, or the reinforcement plate 2212 may be attached to the cover plate 2211 by an adhesive without the attachment member 2213.

The plurality of the reinforcement plates 2212 may be arranged along a length direction thereof, and a total length thereof has a length corresponding to the cover plate 2211. At this time, the total number of the reinforcing plates 2212, the length of each may be appropriately selected.

The reinforcing plate 2212 is provided in plural, and when the reinforcing plate 2212 is integrally manufactured with a length corresponding to the cover plate 2211, the reinforcing plate 2212 may be deformed during the manufacturing process and the cost may be increased.

Accordingly, in the embodiment, the reinforcing plate 2212 is made in plural, and the reinforcing plate 2212 is attached to the cover plate 2211 in such a manner that the total length of the reinforcing plate 2212 corresponds to the length of the cover plate 2211, whereby the cost of the side door 221 can be reduced while the side door 221 is made sufficiently rigid.

A reinforcing plate 2212 may be attached to a surface of the cover plate 2211 facing the side spouts 224. With this structure, the reinforcement plate 2212 may have a structure attached to the inner side surface of the side door 221.

Therefore, the reinforcing plate 2212 is not easily found when the user observes the outside of the indoor unit, and the neat outer side surface of the cover plate 2211 can be mainly found when the user observes the side door 221. When observing the indoor unit, the user can see the clean side door 221 due to this structure, and thus can improve the aesthetic feeling.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the side door module 22 of an embodiment from a different angle than the previous figures. Fig. 13 is a diagram showing a portion a of fig. 12 in an enlarged manner. Fig. 14 is a view showing a cross section of a part of fig. 13.

The side door module 22 may further include a guide connector 226, and the guide connector 226 is coupled to the side door 221 and slidably supported by the support frame 223.

In response, a rail 2231 may be formed in the support frame 223, and the rail 2231 may be disposed in a longitudinal direction along a front-rear direction and at a position corresponding to the guide connector 226.

The guide connector 226 coupled to the side door 221 is smoothly movable in the front-rear direction of the support frame 223 along a guide rail 2231 provided to the support frame 223, and opens and closes a side discharge port 224 formed in the support frame 223.

The guide connector 226 may include a first member 2261, a second member 2262, and a third member 2263. The guide connector 226 is fixedly coupled to the side door 221, and is movable along the front-rear direction of the housing i together with the side door 221.

The first member 2261 may be coupled to the side door 221. The first member 2261 may be fixedly coupled to the side door 221 by a coupling mechanism such as a bolt. The first member 2261, the second member 2262, and the third member 2263 may be integrally formed.

The second member 2262 is formed to extend in the front-rear direction from the first member 2261, and may be provided with a bent portion. The third member 2263 may be formed to be bent from an end of the second member 2262, and the third member 2263 may be disposed in a longitudinal direction thereof and may be formed with a rail guide groove 2263a for mounting the rail 2231.

The second member 2262 is provided with a bent portion, and thus, the second member 2262 and the third member 2263 may form an avoidance groove 2264 so that interference with the side portion of the support frame 223 may be avoided when moving in the front-rear direction. By the avoidance grooves 2264, the guide connector 226 can avoid interference with the support frame 223, and can smoothly move in the front-rear direction.

On the other hand, a portion of the guide rail 2231 may be formed to protrude from a side surface of the support frame 223, and a support base 2231a supporting a lower side of the guide connector 226 may be formed at a protruding portion of the guide rail 2231. The support base 2231a may be integrally formed with the rail 2231.

The support base 2231a may function together with the guide rail 2231 to support the side door 221 such that the side door 221 smoothly moves in the front-rear direction with respect to the support frame 223.

The longitudinal direction of the rail guide groove 2263a may be disposed along the front-rear direction of the housing i.

Accordingly, the rail guide groove 2263a is slidably attached to the rail 2231 disposed in the longitudinal direction along the front-rear direction of the housing i, and the third member 2263 is guided by the rail 2231 so as to be smoothly movable in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the side door 221 can also move smoothly in the front-rear direction of the housing i.

The guide connectors 226 may be provided in plural, and each of the guide connectors 226 may be disposed at a distance from each other in the up-down direction of the housing i along the longitudinal direction of the side door 221.

Thus, a plurality of guide rails 2231 may be provided, and each guide rail 2231 may be disposed at a position corresponding to each guide connector 226 along the longitudinal direction of the support frame 223.

Since the guide connector 226 and the guide rail 2231 are arranged in plural along the length direction of the side door module 22, the side door 221 can move more smoothly in the front-rear direction of the side assembly. The number of guide connectors 226 and guide tracks 2231 may be appropriately selected.

Referring to fig. 14, the rail guide grooves 2263a are provided in a pair, and each of the rail guide grooves 2263a may be disposed to be symmetrical to each other in the up-down direction. With this structure, the guide connector 226 can be manufactured and used without distinction between left and right.

Accordingly, as shown in fig. 4, the guide connector 226 may be installed at a pair of side door modules 22 respectively provided at the left and right sides of the indoor unit without distinguishing between the left and right sides.

With this configuration, the guide connector 226 can be manufactured and used without distinction between the left side and the right side, so that the manufacturing time and cost of the guide connector 226 can be saved, and the working time for installing the guide connector 226 in the indoor unit can be reduced.

As described above, the present invention is described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and drawings disclosed in the present specification, and it is obvious that various modifications can be made by one skilled in the art within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. Even when the embodiments of the present invention are described above, the operational effects of the configuration according to the present invention are not clearly described, and effects that can be predicted by the corresponding configuration should be recognized.

Claims

1. An indoor unit of an air conditioner, comprising:

a housing forming an outline;

a front door module for opening and closing a front discharge port formed at the front surface of the housing or for converting the direction of the air flow; and

a side door module for opening and closing a side discharge port formed on a side of the housing or for changing a direction of an air flow,

the side door module includes:

a side door that moves in the front-rear direction and opens and closes the side discharge port;

a first driving portion that supplies a driving force to the side door;

a support frame coupled to the housing, the support frame having the side discharge port formed therein and supporting the side door and the first driving unit; and

a guide connector coupled to the side door and slidably supported to the support frame,

the side door includes:

a cover plate extending from an upper end to a lower end of the housing by a prescribed width, and formed as one body;

the support frame is formed with a guide rail, the guide rail is disposed along the longitudinal direction and at a position corresponding to the guide connector,

the guide connector includes:

a first member coupled to the side door;

a second member formed to extend in the front-rear direction from the first member, and provided with a bent portion; and

A third member formed to be bent from an end portion of the second member, the third member being disposed in a longitudinal direction along a front-rear direction, a rail guide groove being formed for mounting the rail,

by providing the second member with the bent portion, the second member and the third member form an avoidance groove for avoiding interference of the support frame.

2. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein,

the side door includes a reinforcing plate attached to one face of the cover plate and provided in plural to reinforce rigidity of the cover plate,

the plurality of reinforcing plates are arranged along a length direction, and the total length has a length corresponding to the cover plate.

3. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein,

the reinforcing plate is attached to a surface of the cover plate facing the side discharge port.

4. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein,

the first driving section includes:

a gear motor providing a rotational force;

a pinion gear connected to an output shaft of the gear motor; and

and a rack engaged with the pinion gear to convert a rotational force of the pinion gear into a linear reciprocating motion.

5. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein,

the rack includes:

a meshing part combined with the pinion; and

and a connecting portion having one end connected to the engagement portion and the other end coupled to the side door.

6. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein,

the first driving portions are provided in plural, and each of the first driving portions is disposed at a distance from each other in the vertical direction of the housing along the longitudinal direction of the side door.

7. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein,

the longitudinal direction of the rail guide groove is arranged along the front-rear direction.

8. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein,

the rail guide grooves are provided in a pair, and each of the rail guide grooves is provided to be symmetrical to each other in the up-down direction.

9. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein,

the guide connectors are provided in plural, each of the guide connectors is disposed at a spacing from each other in the up-down direction of the housing along the length direction of the side door,

the guide rails are provided in plural numbers, and each guide rail is arranged at a position corresponding to each guide connector along the length direction of the support frame.

10. An indoor unit of an air conditioner, comprising:

a housing having an outer shape and a front discharge port formed on the front surface;

a front air supply module disposed inside the housing and configured to discharge air to the front discharge port; and

the side door module includes:

a first driving portion that supplies a driving force to the side door;

a support frame coupled to the housing and supporting the side door and the first driving part; and

the side door includes:

a cover plate extending from an upper end to a lower end of the housing by a prescribed width, and formed as one body; and

a plurality of reinforcing plates attached to one surface of the cover plate for reinforcing rigidity of the cover plate,

The guide connector includes:

a first member coupled to the side door;

11. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 10, wherein,

the plurality of reinforcing plates are arranged along the length direction, and the total length of the reinforcing plates has a length corresponding to the cover plate,