EP2184553B1

EP2184553B1 - Indoor unit of air conditioner

Info

Publication number: EP2184553B1
Application number: EP09250130A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Seung Hoon Yang
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2008-11-10
Filing date: 2009-01-19
Publication date: 2011-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 2029-01-19
Also published as: KR101507163B1; EP2184553A1; ATE522777T1; KR20100051954A; CN101737912B; ES2370105T3; CN101737912A

Abstract

Provided is an indoor unit of an air conditioner, including a main body including a chassis providing a rear surface, and a front frame coupled to a front portion of the chassis, a heat exchanger received in the main body, a fan received in the main body and forcing air to flow, and a moving sensor assembly movably provided at a lower portion of the main body and including a sensor for sensing motion of an object.

Description

BACKGROUND

Embodiments relate to an indoor unit of an air conditioner.
Generally, an air conditioner is a cooling/heating apparatus that cools or heats air within an inner space of a building, etc.
The air conditioner includes an outdoor unit receiving a compressor and an indoor unit installed at an indoor space to perform heat-exchange between indoor air and refrigerant. According to the types of air conditioners, the indoor unit and the outdoor unit may be integrated in one body.
An indoor heat exchanger, a fan assembly, and a filter for filtering sucked air are installed in the indoor unit (see for example patent document US-A-2004/00790 P4 ). The indoor unit is classified into a wall-mounted type, a floor-mounted type, and a window type according to an installation position thereof.
Specifically, in the case of the wall-mounted type indoor unit, discharge louvers are provided to a lower portion of the indoor unit to control a discharge direction of air.

SUMMARY

Embodiments provide an indoor unit of an air conditioner, which senses a person in an indoor space to control a discharge direction of air.
In one embodiment, an indoor unit of an air conditioner includes all the features of claim 1.
The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating operation of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment.
FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views illustrating a moving sensor assembly provided to an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific preferred embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical structural, mechanical, electrical, and chemical changes may be made without departing from the or scope of the invention. To avoid detail not necessary to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the description may omit certain information known to those skilled in the art. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an indoor unit 10 of an air conditioner according to one embodiment.
Referring to FIG. 1, the indoor unit 10 of the air conditioner includes a chassis 11, a main body, a base 12, and a front panel 14. A front surface of the chassis 11 is provided with a flow guide 111 for generating airflow. The main body includes a front frame 13 coupled to a front portion of the chassis 11. An intake grill 131 is provided to an upper surface of the front frame 13. The base 12 is rotatably coupled to a rear surface of the chassis 11 and fixed to a mounting wall surface. The front panel 14 is movably coupled to a front surface of the front frame 13.
The indoor unit 10 further includes an inner panel 15, a heat exchanger 19, a fan 20, and a discharge grill 16. The inner panel 15 is linked to a rear surface of the front panel 14 and rotatably provided to the front frame 13. The heat exchanger 19 is disposed between the front frame 13 and the chassis 11. The fan 20 is provided to a lower side of the heat exchanger 19 and sucks and discharges indoor air. The discharge grill 16 supports a lower end of the heat exchanger 19 and includes a discharge hole.
The indoor unit 10 further includes a discharge vane 21, a discharge louver 22, a bottom plate 23, and a holder member 24. The discharge vane 21 selectively covers the discharge hole. The discharge louver 22 is provided to the discharge hole and controls a discharge direction of air, together with the discharge vane 21. The bottom plate 23 covers piping passing through a lower end of the indoor unit 10. The holder member 24 is rotatably coupled to the chassis 11 and supports the piping. The discharge vane 21 and the discharge louver 22 may be driven by a motor (not shown).
Since the discharge vane 21 and the discharge louver 22 are adapted to control a discharge direction of air, both the discharge vane 21 and the discharge louver 22 may be referred to as a control member.
The indoor unit 10 further includes a pre-filter 17 and a dust-collecting filter 18. The pre-filter 17 filters air sucked through the front surface of the front frame 13 and the intake grill 131. The dust-collecting filter 18 is provided between the pre-filter 17 and the heat exchanger 19.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating operation of the indoor unit 10 of the air conditioner according to one embodiment.
Referring to FIG. 2, the discharge grill 16 with the discharge hole is provided to the lower portion of the indoor unit 10. That is, the discharge hole is disposed at a bottom surface of the indoor unit 10, and the discharge hole is provided with the discharge vane 21 and the discharge louver 22. Thus, sucked indoor air passes through the heat exchanger 19, and then is discharged to the bottom surface of the indoor unit 10.
Also, to suck indoor air, the front panel 14 is rotated and raised by a link member 26. Particularly, the front panel 14 is raised with its upper end inclined, by rotation of the link member 26. Thus, the indoor air is sucked into the main body through the intake grill 131 and through a space defined between the front frame 13 and the front panel 14. At this point, the inner panel 15 provided to the rear surface of the front panel 14 is still fixed to the front surface of the front frame 13.
A moving sensor assembly 27, sensing motion of a human body, is provided to a bottom edge of the indoor unit 10.
Particularly, the moving sensor assembly 27 is inserted into the indoor unit 10 when the indoor unit 10 does not operate, the moving sensor assembly 27 protrudes downward from the bottom surface of the indoor unit 10 when the indoor unit 10 operates. The moving sensor assembly 27 is rotatable a predetermined angle about a vertical axis.
As such, the moving sensor assembly 27 protrudes a predetermined length from the bottom surface of the indoor unit 10, and is rotatable in a left-and-right direction (horizontal direction), so that a range in sensing motion of a human body may be increased.
Hereinafter, configuration and operation of the moving sensor assembly 27 will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views illustrating the moving sensor assembly 27 provided to an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the moving sensor assembly 27 includes a frame 271 having a hollow part therein, a case 272 moving up and down, fitted to the hollow part, a plurality of moving sensors 277 disposed in the case 272, a motor bracket 274 fixed to the case 272, a rotary motor 278 (may be referred to as a second motor) placed on the motor bracket 274, a rotary bracket 275 rotating, connected to a rotation shaft of the rotary motor 278, an elevation motor 279 (may be referred to as a first motor) provided to an outer surface of the frame 271, and a pinion 273 provided to a rotation shaft of the elevation motor 279.
Particularly, a rack 272b engaging with the pinion 273 and disposed in an up-and-down direction on one side at an edge of the case 272, and a guide protrusion 272a protrudes on another side. A guide rail 276 is provided in the up-and-down direction to the frame 271. The guide rail 276 receives and guides the guide protrusion 272a, so that the case 272 stably moves up and down.
More particularly, both ends of the motor bracket 274 bend downward and coupled to an edge of the case 272. The rotary motor 278 is placed on an upper side of the motor bracket 274. Thus, the case 272 and the rotary motor 278 move up and down together. The rotary bracket 275 is received in the case 272, coupled to the rotation shaft of the rotary motor 278. The rotary bracket 275 rotates a predetermined angle in the left direction or the right direction according to driving of the rotary motor 278. The elevation motor 279, fixed to the frame 271, rotates the pinion 273. Then, the rack 272b engaging with the pinion 273 moves up and down. Since the rack 272b is integrated with the edge of the case 272 in a single body, the driving of the elevation motor 279 moves the case 272 up and down. The frame 271 is fixed to the bottom surface of the indoor unit 10.
For example, the moving sensor 277 may include an infrared sensor, but is not limited thereto.
Hereinafter, the operation of the moving sensor assembly 27 will now be described. First, when an operation signal is input to the indoor unit 10, the front panel 14 is raised to open a front intake opening, and the discharge vane 21 is rotated to open the discharge hole. Then, power is applied to the elevation motor 279, the pinion 273 connected to the rotation shaft of the elevation motor 279 rotates. After that, the rack 272b engaging with the pinion 273 moves down, and the case 272 protrudes from the bottom surface of the indoor unit 10. Thereafter, the rotary motor 278 is operated to rotate the rotary bracket 275, so that the moving sensor 277 rotates a predetermined angle in the left or right direction.
Movement of the discharge louver 22 and the discharge vane 21 can be controlled according to information sensed by the moving sensors 277.
The rotary bracket 275 may be provided with the moving sensors 277. The moving sensors 277 are disposed in different directions from each other to increase a sensing range.
The case 272 is removably coupled to the frame 271, so that an assembly including the case 272, the moving sensors 277, the motor bracket 274, and the rotary motor 278 can be replaced as a single module. In other words, when the case 272 is pulled upward, the guide protrusion 272a moves upward along the guide rail 276. When the guide protrusion 272a goes out of the guide rail 276, the case 272 is removed from the frame 271.
According to the above configuration, since the moving sensors 277 protrude downward a predetermined length from the bottom surface of the indoor unit 10, and rotate in the left and right directions, the sensing range thereof is greater than that of a sensing member fixed to the indoor unit 10 without protruding from the bottom surface of the indoor unit 10.
Also, movement of the discharge vane 21 and the discharge louver 22 can be controlled according to information sensed by the sensor. Thus, for example, air is discharged toward a person.
While movement of the discharge louver 22 and the discharge vane 21 are controlled according to sensed information of the moving sensors 277 in the embodiments, rotation speed of the fan 20 or temperature of discharged air may also be controlled.
That is, for example, when a person is not sensed by the moving sensor, the fan may be stopped, temperature of air discharged when cooling operation may be increased, or the temperature of air discharged when heating operation is decreased.
Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the scope of the appended claims

Claims

An indoor unit (10) of an air conditioner, the indoor unit (10) comprising:
a main body including a chassis (11) providing a rear surface, and a front (13) frame coupled to a front portion of the chassis;

a heat exchanger (19) received in the main body;

a fan (20) received in the main body and forcing air to flow; and

a moving sensor assembly (27) movably provided at a lower portion of the main body and including a sensor for sensing a person or motion of a person, characterised in that the sensor (277) is movable in an up-and-down direction of the main body, and

the moving sensor assembly (27) protrudes from a bottom surface of the main body when the main body operates.
The indoor unit according to claim 1, further comprising a control member controlling a discharge direction of heat-exchanged air passing through the heat exchanger,
wherein movement of the control member is controlled according to sensed information of the sensor.
The indoor unit according to claim 2, wherein operation of the fan or temperature of discharged air is controlled according to the sensed information of the sensor.
The indoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the sensor (277) is horizontally rotatable with respect to a vertical axis when the moving sensor assembly protrudes from the bottom surface of the main body.
The indoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the moving sensor assembly (27) comprises:
a frame fixed to the main body; and

a case movably coupled to the frame, wherein the sensor is received in the case.
The indoor unit according to claim 5, wherein the moving sensor assembly further comprises:
a rotary bracket received in the case in a state where the sensor is mounted to the rotary bracket;

a rotary motor providing a torque to the rotary bracket; and

a motor bracket fixed to the case and supporting the rotary motor.
The indoor unit according to claim 6, wherein the case, the sensor, the rotary bracket, the motor bracket, and the rotary motor are provided in a single module.
The indoor unit according to claim 6, wherein the moving sensor assembly (27) further comprises:
a rack (272b) extending in an up-and-down direction at an edge on a side of the case;

a pinion (273) engaging with the rack; and

an elevation motor (279) provided to a side of the frame and providing a torque to the pinion.
The indoor unit according to claim 8, wherein the moving sensor assembly further comprises:
a guide protrusion (272a) protruding an edge on another side of the case; and

a guide rail (276) extending the up-and-down direction on a side of the frame and receiving the guide protrusion.