KR101250131B1 - Indoor unit for air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an indoor unit of an air conditioner in which a discharge panel for controlling the forward discharge of air is flowed by interaction of a link.

The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present invention comprises: a casing comprising a front frame and a main chassis; A front panel installed at the front of the casing to form a front appearance; A discharge vane installed at a lower end of the casing to guide downward discharge of air; A discharge panel movably installed at one side of the front panel and selectively shielding a front discharge port through which air is discharged forward; A panel driving means having a panel link hingedly rotatably coupled to the discharge panel and an axial link connected to the panel link, wherein the shaft link and the panel link are rotatably coupled to each other to form the discharge panel. It is characterized by controlling the flow.

According to the present invention as described above, there is an advantage that the ease of use is improved.

Air Conditioner, Indoor Unit, Panel, Drive, Link

Description

Indoor unit for air conditioner

1 is a perspective view showing an indoor unit of a general detachable air conditioner

Figure 2a and Figure 2b is a perspective view showing the upper and lower appearance of the preferred embodiment of the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a preferred embodiment of the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing the inside of the embodiment of the present invention.

5A to 5C are perspective views showing a state in which a discharge panel and a front upper panel are mounted on a front frame of the embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6a is a partial cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the left guide means shown in Figures 5a to 5c.

Figure 6b is a partial cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the right guide means shown in Figures 5a to 5c.

Figure 7 is a rear perspective view of the front panel constituting the embodiment of the present invention.

8 is a partial front perspective view of a discharge panel constituting an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the rear and the link of the discharge panel constituting an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 10a is a perspective view showing a state in which air is discharged only in front of the indoor unit in the embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 10b is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which air is discharged only in front of the indoor unit in the embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 11a is a perspective view showing a state in which air is discharged only below the indoor unit in the embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 11b is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which air is discharged only below the indoor unit in the embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 12a is a perspective view showing a state in which air is discharged simultaneously to the front and the bottom of the indoor unit in the embodiment of the present invention.

12B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which air is discharged simultaneously to the front and the bottom of the indoor unit in the embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

100. Indoor unit 102. Casing

110. Main chassis 112. Inlet

120. Main display unit 122. Discharge vane

124. Status Display 130. Front Frame

132.Suction grill 140.Display window

142. Status display window 144. Air filter

146. Electrostatic precipitator 150. Remote control receiver

152. Receiver hole 154. Cover

160.Front Panel 162.Deco Glass

164. Decor frame 170. Discharge panel

172. Front upper panel 180. Fastening groove

182. Supporting grooves 190,190 '. Panel driving means

192. Drive Motor 194. Drive Shaft

196. Link 196 '. Shaft link

196 ". Panel Link 198. Connecting Slit

200,200 '. Guide means 202, 202 '. Frame Guide

204,204 '. Panel guide 210. Link seat

212.Link shaft cover 220. Tightening protrusion

222. Supporting protrusion 230. Deco link

232. Link projection 240. Panel support

250. Panel Projection 252. Frame Projection

The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly, to an indoor unit of an air conditioner, in which a discharge panel for controlling the forward discharge of air is configured to flow by interaction of a link.

In general, the air conditioner is a device that cools the air and circulates it in the room for the purpose of air conditioning in the room. Such an air conditioner can be roughly classified into an integrated type in which all parts are provided in one unit, and a separate type divided into an indoor unit and an outdoor unit.

1 is a perspective view of an indoor unit of a general detachable air conditioner.

According to this, the indoor unit forms an exterior and is formed on the main chassis 1 mounted on the interior wall, the front panel 3 installed on the front of the main chassis 1, and the front panel 3. It consists of a suction grill (5a) and a discharge grill (7) provided at the lower end of the front panel (3).

A display unit 9 is provided between the suction grille 5a and the discharge grille 7 to display the current operating state or to induce a user's operation. On the other hand, a separate suction grill (5b) is also installed on the upper surface of the main chassis (1) to suck the indoor air.

The conventional separation type air conditioner has the following problems.

That is, since the air inside the indoor unit is discharged through the discharge grill 7 installed at the lower end of the front panel 3, the air is not discharged to the front of the indoor unit. Therefore, there is a problem that the air circulation of the indoor space is not smooth.

In addition, even when the front panel (3) and the like to flow up and down to discharge the air to the front is composed of a gear-type drive means consisting of a rack and pinion, there is a problem that the manufacturing cost and load of the product is excessive .

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and to provide an indoor unit of an air conditioner capable of discharging air forward and downward.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an indoor unit of an air conditioner, in which a discharge panel for controlling forward discharge of air is flowed by interaction of a link.

The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present invention for achieving the above object, the casing consisting of the front frame and the main chassis; A front panel installed at the front of the casing to form a front appearance; A discharge vane installed at a lower end of the casing to guide downward discharge of air; A discharge panel movably installed at one side of the front panel and selectively shielding a front discharge port through which air is discharged forward; A panel driving means having a panel link hingedly rotatably coupled to the discharge panel and an axial link connected to the panel link, wherein the shaft link and the panel link are rotatably coupled to each other to form the discharge panel. It is characterized by controlling the flow.

The discharge panel is characterized by controlling the front discharge of the air by selectively shielding the front discharge port formed in the front lower end of the front frame.

The panel driving means includes a drive motor installed at a rear surface of the front frame to generate rotational power; A drive shaft installed at left and right sides of the front frame and transmitting power generated from the drive motor; And a link connecting the drive shaft and the discharge panel.

The link is characterized in that for converting the rotational movement of the drive shaft to the vertical movement to transfer to the discharge panel.

The link has a configuration, the shaft link is fixedly coupled to the drive shaft and the panel link is hinged to the discharge panel rotatably, characterized in that the shaft link and the panel link is detachably fastened to each other do.

The discharge panel is characterized in that the vertical movement is guided by one or more guide means.

The guide means is formed in a structure corresponding to each other on the front frame and the discharge panel, it characterized in that it has a configuration comprising a frame guide and a panel guide coupled to the sliding flow.

On one surface of the discharge panel, when the discharge panel flows up and down, the front panel and the discharge panel is characterized in that the panel projection is further formed to be spaced apart from each other.

On one surface of the discharge panel, when the discharge panel moves up and down, it is characterized in that the frame projection is further formed so that the front frame and the discharge panel is spaced apart from each other.

According to the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present invention having such a configuration, there is an advantage that the ease of use is improved.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 2a and 2b is a perspective view of the air conditioner indoor unit according to the present invention in a perspective view, Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present invention, Figure 4 in the present invention The indoor unit cross section of the air conditioner is shown.

As shown in these figures, the indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner is formed in a substantially rectangular cylinder, and the overall skeleton is formed by the casing 102. That is, as shown in the back frame and the rough skeleton of the rear half, the overall skeleton is formed by the casing 102 consisting of the main chassis 110 and the front frame 130 to be described below.

More specifically, the main chassis 110 is located on the rear side of the rear chassis to form a rear exterior, and the front chassis 110 " located in front of the rear chassis 110 '. Divided by)

The upper surface of the main chassis 110 is formed with a suction port 112 through which the indoor air flows up and down, and the suction port 112 is shielded by the suction grill 132 which will be described below.

The front chassis 110 " is provided with a plurality of parts. That is, a blower fan 114 for generating a flow of air, a motor assembly 116 for providing rotational power to the blower fan 114, and a heat exchanger. A number of parts, such as a heat exchanger 118, which take place are installed.

The blowing fan 114 is preferably composed of a cross flow fan formed to the left and right long, the air flowing through the inlet 112 to the outside through the discharge vane 122 to be described below to the outside of the indoor unit 100. The flow of air is forced to be discharged.

The motor assembly 116 is installed on the right side of the blowing fan 114, as shown, to generate rotational power by the power applied from the outside. Therefore, this rotational power is transmitted to the blowing fan 114.

The heat exchanger 118 is installed at the front of the front chassis portion 110 ″ to allow the air introduced through the suction port 112 to exchange heat, and is formed long to the left and right like the blower fan 114. , And has a plurality of bent structures to surround the front and the upper side of the blowing fan 114.

The main display unit 120 is formed to the left and right of the front upper end of the front chassis 110. The main display unit 120 is a portion for displaying various information to the outside, and the front upper panel to be described below. And selectively shielded by 172.

The discharge vane 122 is installed at the lower end of the casing 102. That is, more specifically, the discharge vane 122 is provided at the lower end of the front chassis 110. Of course, the discharge vane 122 may be installed over the lower end of the front frame 130 to be described below. The discharge vane 122 is rotatably installed to guide the air forcedly blown by the blowing fan 114 to be discharged downward of the indoor unit 100.

The discharge vanes 122 are configured to flow by separate driving means (not shown), and are simultaneously or selectively opened and closed with the discharge panel 170 and the front upper panel 172 to be described below.

A status display unit 124 is further provided on the lower right front side of the front chassis 110. The state display unit 124 is a part for displaying an operation state of the air conditioner or a setting state of the air conditioner to the outside. to be.

The front frame 130 is installed in front of the main chassis 110. The front frame 130 forms a first half frame of the indoor unit 100 and is coupled to surround the front chassis 110 ″ of the main chassis 110.

Suction grill 132 is formed on the upper surface of the front frame 130. The suction grill 132 shields the upper side of the suction port 112 of the main chassis 110 when the front frame 130 and the main chassis 110 are coupled to each other. A slit of is formed.

The front surface of the front frame 130 is formed with a filter support portion 134 and a dust collector support portion 136 to support the air filter 144 and the electrostatic precipitator 146, which will be described below. In addition, the check hole 138 penetrates back and forth near the front right end of the front frame 130. An inspection plate 138 'is selectively mounted on the inspection opening 138. Thus, the access plate 138 ′ opens and closes the access port 138.

The display window 140 is formed at the upper front of the front frame 130. The display window 140 has a size corresponding to the size of the main display unit 120 of the main chassis 110, it is preferably made of a transparent material. Therefore, the information displayed on the main display unit 120 can be viewed from the front of the front frame 130.

The status display window 142 is formed on the lower right front side of the front frame 130. The status display window 142 is also preferably made of a transparent material like the display window 140, and is formed to have a size corresponding to the status display unit 124 of the main chassis 110. Therefore, the information displayed on the status display unit 124 can be viewed from the front of the front frame 130.

An air filter 144 and an electrostatic precipitator 146 are mounted on the front frame 130. The air filter 144 serves to filter foreign matter in the air introduced through the suction port 112 and is installed over the front and the front of the front frame 130. Therefore, the air filter 144 is made of an elastic material and is mounted to have a rounded curved shape when viewed from the side as shown in FIG. 4.

The electrostatic precipitator 146 collects foreign substances such as dust in the air by ionization using electricity applied from the outside, and is installed at the rear side of the air filter 144 and supported by the dust collector support unit 136. do.

The bottom surface of the front frame 130 is provided with a remote control receiver 150 as shown in Figure 2b. The remote control receiver 150 has a circular button shape, and receives a signal transmitted from a remote controller, which is a separate structure, to operate and adjust the air conditioner. The reason why the remote control receiver 150 is provided on the bottom surface of the front frame 130 is to allow the indoor unit 100 to be installed at a high position on the wall surface of the indoor space.

The front panel 160 is installed in front of the casing 102, more specifically in front of the front frame 130. The front panel 160 is formed of a rectangular flat plate to form a front appearance of the indoor unit 100, and a deco glass 162 having a transparent or predetermined color, and a deco frame 164 on which the deco glass 162 is mounted. ), Etc.

The decor frame 164 and the decor glass 162 is preferably configured to have a shape and size corresponding to each other. The decoglass 162 may be attached to the decoframe 164 by an adhesive member, or may be installed in close contact or spaced apart by a separate fastening means.

The discharge panel 170 is provided below the front panel 160. The discharge panel 170 has a size corresponding to the left and right length of the front panel 160, and is configured to be movable up and down by the lower panel driving means 190 'to be described below.

The front upper panel 172 is further provided above the front panel 160. The front upper panel 172 also has a size corresponding to the left and right length of the front panel 160, like the discharge panel 170, so as to be able to flow up and down by the upper panel driving means 190 to be described below. Is installed.

5A to 5C, the discharge panel 170 and the front upper panel 172 are mounted on the front frame 130, respectively. That is, FIGS. 5A and 5B are perspective views of the front frame 130 viewed from the front upper side and the bottom side thereof, and FIG. 5C shows a rear perspective view of the front frame 130.

As shown in these figures, the front upper panel and the lower panel of the front frame 130 and the front upper panel 172 which can be moved up and down individually or simultaneously by the panel driving means 190 and 190 ', which will be described below. Panels 170 are each mounted.

In addition, a lower portion of the front frame 130 is cut at a predetermined portion upward to form a front discharge port 174. That is, the front discharge port 174 is formed between the left end of the front frame 130 from the status display window 142 formed on the lower right side of the front frame 130.

Therefore, the air discharged by the blower fan 114 is discharged to the front of the indoor unit 100 through the front discharge port 174. That is, the front discharge port 174 is selectively shielded by the discharge panel 170. When the discharge panel 170 moves upward, the front discharge port 174 is opened to allow the air to discharge forward. Done.

A receiving unit hole 152 into which the remote control receiver 150 is inserted is formed at the bottom of the front frame 130. (See FIG. 5B) That is, the receiving unit hole 152 is formed at the right end of the bottom of the front frame 130. ) Is penetrated up and down. A cover 154 surrounding the remote control receiver 150 is further provided below the remote control receiver 150. The cover 154 of the remote control receiver 150 is preferably made of a transparent material to enable internal perspective.

In addition, a plurality of fastening grooves 180 and support grooves 182 are formed on the front surface of the front frame 130. The fastening groove 180 and the support groove 182 are portions into which the fastening protrusion 220 and the support protrusion 222 of the front panel 160 to be described below are inserted into the fastening groove 180 and the support groove ( 182) the quantity and the forming position need not be specified. That is, as long as the fastening protrusions 220 and the support protrusions 222 of the front panel 160 to be described below are formed in a number corresponding to the positions corresponding to each other, the positions and quantities thereof are limited. There is no.

Panel driving means 190 and 190 ′ for forcing up and down flow of the front upper panel 172 and the discharge panel 170 are respectively installed on the rear surface of the front frame 130. That is, the upper panel driving means 190 for forcing the vertical movement of the front upper panel 172 is provided near the upper rear side of the front frame 130, the discharge is near the lower rear of the front frame 130 The lower panel driving means 190 ′ forcing the up and down movement of the panel 170 is provided. The upper panel driving means 190 and the lower panel driving means 190 ′ have the same configuration and shape as each other and are installed symmetrically with each other.

The panel driving means (190, 190 ') is to control the flow of the front upper panel 172 and the discharge panel 170 by the interaction of the link, near the rear left end or right end of the front frame 130. A drive motor 192 installed to generate rotational power, a drive shaft 194 installed on the rear of the front frame 130 to the left and right to transmit power generated from the drive motor 192, and the drive shaft ( 194 and a link 196 connecting the front upper panel 172 or the discharge panel 170 to each other.

The drive motor 192 is attached to the rear of the front frame 130, it is preferably made of a step motor. The drive shaft 194 extends from the center axis of the drive motor 192 to transmit rotational power of the drive motor 192 to the link 196. The drive shaft 194 is formed long over the rear left end and the right end of the front frame 130, the link 196 is rotatably connected to both ends of the drive shaft 194.

The drive shaft 194 is rotatably installed at the rear of the front frame 130. Therefore, a plurality of shaft supports 195 as shown in the rear of the front frame 130 is formed, so that the drive shaft 194 is rotatably supported.

The link 196 is composed of a plurality of parts, and converts the rotational movement of the drive shaft 194 into a vertical movement to be transmitted to the discharge panel 170 or the front upper panel 172. Specifically, the link 196 is one end of the shaft link 196 'fixedly coupled to the drive shaft 194, the panel is hinged rotatably coupled to the discharge panel 170 or the front upper panel 172. Link 196 ", the shaft link 196 'and the panel link (196") is coupled to each other rotatably.

Accordingly, the shaft link 196 'and the panel link 196 "form a straight line or have a predetermined angle therebetween, so that the discharge panel 170 or the front upper panel 172 flows up and down. do.

In more detail, as illustrated in FIG. 5C, connecting slits 198 are vertically formed at left and right side ends of the front frame 130, and the panel links 196 "are formed through the connecting slits 198. One end of) is connected to the discharge panel 170 or the front upper panel 172.

Therefore, when the angle θ between the shaft link 196 'and the panel link 196 "becomes relatively small by the rotational power of the drive motor 192 as shown in FIG. 5C, the discharge panel 170 Or the front upper panel 172 moves up and down, ie, the discharge panel 170 moves upwards to open the front discharge port 174, and the front upper panel 172 moves downwards. The display window 140 is exposed to the outside.

On the contrary, when the angle θ between the shaft link 196 'and the panel link 196 "becomes relatively large or the shaft link 196' and the panel link 196" are aligned, the discharge is performed. The panel 170 moves downward and the front upper panel 172 moves upward. Accordingly, the front discharge port 174 is shielded by the discharge panel 170, and the display window 140 is shielded by the front upper panel 172 to be displayed on the main display unit 120. Can not be recognized from outside (in front of the room).

A link guide 199 is further formed on the rear side of the connection slit 198 (front in FIG. 5C). That is, the link guide 199 is a portion in which the panel support 240 to be described below is accommodated and slidingly moved. That is, it guides the vertical movement of the panel support 240 to which one end of the panel link 196 "is fastened.

The front frame 130 is further provided with guide means (200, 200 ') for guiding the vertical flow of the discharge panel 170. The guide means (200, 200 '), the left guide means 200 is provided on the relatively left (left in Fig. 5a, the right in Fig. 5c), and relatively right (right in Fig. 5a, left in Fig. 5c) It is provided in and is divided into the right guide means 200 'provided symmetrically with the left guide means 200.

And, the guide means (200, 200 '), as shown in the cross section in Figures 6a and 6b, the front frame 130 and the discharge panel 170 are formed in a structure corresponding to each other sliding flow The frame guides 202 and 202 'and panel guides 204 and 204' are possibly coupled. That is, the frame guides 202 and 202 'are integrally formed on the front frame 130, and the panel guides 204 and 204' are integrally formed on the discharge panel 170.

6A and 6B, the frame guides 202 and 202 'and the panel guides 204 and 204' of both sides are symmetrically formed. That is, the left frame guide 202 and the left panel guide 204 are formed in the left guide means 200, respectively, and the right frame guide 202 ′ and the right panel guide 204 are formed in the right guide means 200 ′. ') Are formed respectively.

The left panel guide 204 extends downwardly from the bottom of the discharge panel 170 and then vertically bent to the right to have a '┗' shape, and the right panel guide 204 'is the discharge panel 170. ) Extends vertically downward from the bottom of the bottom surface, and then vertically bent to the left to have a '┛' shape.

In addition, the left frame guide 202 vertically protrudes upward from the top surface of the front frame 130, and is formed to extend vertically to the left to have a '┓' shape, the right frame guide 202 'the front It protrudes vertically from the upper surface of the frame 130, and then extends vertically to the right to have a '우측' shape.

Accordingly, the left panel guide 204 and the left frame guide 202 slide in a state in which they are mated to each other, and the right panel guide 204 'and the right frame guide 202' are also in a state in which the sliding flows. Done.

The reason for forming the components of the left guide means 200 and the right guide means 200 'such that they are symmetrical with each other is one side (left or right) during sliding flow of the discharge panel 170 and the front frame 130. This is to prevent the discharge panel 170 and the front upper panel 172 from being removed from the front frame 130 by preventing the phenomenon from being drawn.

Link seating portions 210 are formed at the front left and right side ends of the front frame 130. The link seating portion 210 is a portion in which the panel link 196 ″, which will be described below, is selectively seated.

The link shaft cover 212 is formed at a lower end of the link seat 210. The link shaft cover 212 is a portion to which the link protrusion 232 formed at one end of the panel link 196 "to be described below is inserted and walked. The upper portion of the link shaft cover 212 is partially opened. That is, the link shaft cover 212 is formed in the shape of a hook when viewed from the side, the upper portion is configured to be opened so that the link projection 232 of the panel link 196 ", which will be described below, to be accessible. .

The switch groove 214 is formed on the right side of the front frame 130. An operation switch (not shown) is installed in the switch groove 214. The operation switch is to force the air conditioner to be driven or stopped by a user's operation.

On the other hand, the operation switch as described above may be provided separately to the side of the front frame 130, may be provided integrally with the remote control receiver 150. That is, an operation switch for turning on / off an air conditioner is inserted into the receiver hole 152 formed at the bottom of the front frame 130, and the remote controller is installed inside the operation switch. It may be configured to have a built-in remote control receiver 150 for receiving the outgoing signal. In this case, the cover of the operation switch is made of a transparent material that can be seen inside.

7 illustrates a rear perspective view of the front panel 160.

As shown in the drawing, a plurality of fastening protrusions 220 and support protrusions 222 are formed on the rear surface of the front panel 160. That is, three fastening protrusions 220 are formed at the center and the left and right ends of the front panel 160 to protrude rearwards, respectively. The fastening protrusion 220 is a portion to be inserted into the fastening groove 180 of the front frame 130, the end of the fastening protrusion 220 is further formed a predetermined protrusion projecting downward the fastening protrusion 220 ) Is inserted into the fastening groove 180 is preferably configured so as not to be removed unless an external force is applied.

The support protrusion 222 is formed in the lower back half of the front panel 160. Like the fastening protrusion 220, the support protrusion 222 is formed to protrude rearward from the rear surface of the front panel 160 and is inserted into the support groove 182 of the front frame 130.

As shown in the drawing, the support protrusion 222 has a hook shape and is configured to be rotatable in the predetermined range while being inserted into the support groove 182 of the front frame 130. That is, the front panel 160 is configured to open by rotating at a predetermined angle forward from the front frame 130, the support protrusion 222 is the center of rotation when the front panel 160 is rotated forward.

On the other hand, both ends of the front panel 160 is provided with a decor link 230 for controlling the front rotation of the front panel 160, respectively. That is, the decor links 230 are rotatably installed at the left and right sides of the rear upper end of the front panel 160 to connect the front frame 130 and the front panel 160.

The decor links 230 may be composed of two links, one link or three or more links as shown. Then, one end (the upper end in FIG. 7) of the decor link 230 is hinged to the front panel 160, and the other end (the lower end in FIG. 7) is the link shaft cover 212 of the front frame 130. It is rotatably inserted and fastened to.

Therefore, one end (the lower end in FIG. 7) of the decor link 230 has a link protrusion 232 protruding laterally. The link protrusion 232 is inserted into the link shaft cover 212 of the front frame 130 and walked. The link protrusion 232 is inserted into and removed from the upper opening of the link shaft cover 212. That is, as described above, since the upper portion of the link shaft cover 212 is opened, the link protrusion 232 enters and exits through the opened portion.

8 and 9 show detailed configurations of the discharge panel 170 and the link 196, respectively. That is, a front perspective view of the discharge panel 170 is partially shown in FIG. 8, and a rear perspective view of the discharge panel 170 and an exploded perspective view of the link 196 are respectively shown in FIG. 9.

As shown in these figures, the panel support 240 is formed at both ends of the discharge panel 170, respectively. The panel support 240 is a portion for supporting the discharge panel 170 to be mounted on the front frame 130. The panel support 240 is inserted into an end portion of the link guide 199 and guided up and down.

A link fastening hook 242 is formed at the rear end of the panel support 240. The link fastening hook 242 is made of a hook having a circular groove therein, as shown in the end portion of the link 196 is fastened.

A fixing groove 244 is further formed on the bottom surface of the panel support 240. That is, as shown in the fixing groove 244 is a portion recessed upwardly from the bottom surface of the panel support 240 is a portion that selectively receives the lower end of the connection slit 198. That is, when the discharge panel 170 moves downward, when the lower end of the connection slit 198 is inserted into the fixing groove 244, the discharge panel 170 no longer flows downward.

A plurality of panel protrusions 250 are further formed on the front surface of the discharge panel 170. That is, a plurality of panel protrusions 250 protruding a predetermined portion toward the front is formed on the front surface of the discharge panel 170. The panel protrusion 250 serves to allow the front panel 160 and the discharge panel 170 to be spaced apart from each other when the discharge panel 170 flows up and down. That is, the discharge panel 170 and the front panel 160 do not directly contact each other, and the front end portion of the panel protrusion 250 and the rear surface of the front panel 160 are in contact with each other.

The frame protrusion 252 is formed on the rear surface of the discharge panel 170. The frame protrusion 252 allows the front frame 130 and the discharge panel 170 to be spaced apart from each other when the discharge panel 170 moves up and down. That is, when the discharge panel 170 flows up and down, the rear end of the frame protrusion 252 and the front frame 130 come into contact with each other.

The reason for forming the panel projections 250 and the frame projections 252 on the front and rear surfaces of the discharge panel 170 as described above is the discharge panel 170 and the discharge panel 170 when the discharge panel 170 flows. This is to reduce the contact friction force by making the contact area between the front panel 160 and the front frame 130 smaller. That is, when the panel protrusion 250 and the frame protrusion 252 are in contact with each other as compared with the case in which the entire front and rear surfaces of the discharge panel 170 are in contact with the front panel 160 and the front frame 130, the discharge is performed. This is because the vertical flow of the panel 170 can be made more smoothly.

Meanwhile, one end of the panel link 196 "described above is rotatably fastened to the link fastening hook 242 of the panel support 240. Referring to FIG. 9, the panel link 196" will be described in detail. The first link shaft 196 "a rotatably inserted into the link fastening hook 242 is formed to protrude to the left side of the lower left side of the link link hook 242, and the shaft link A second link shaft 196 ″ b that is engaged with one end of 196 ′ protrudes to the right.

In addition, a hook-shaped elastic hook 196'a is formed at a lower end of the shaft link 196 ', and a fixed hook 196'b is formed at an upper end thereof. The second link shaft 196 ″ b of the panel link 196 ″ is inserted into the elastic hook 196 ′ a so as to be rotatable. The drive shaft 194 is inserted into and fixed to the fixing hook 196'b.

Hereinafter, the operation of the indoor unit of the air conditioner as described above.

First, when a user operates an air conditioner by operating the operation switch (not shown) or a remote controller while power is applied from the outside, the air conditioner operates according to a preset state.

At this time, the blowing fan 114 is rotated by the rotational power of the motor assembly 116 to generate a suction force, the air of the outside (indoor space) by the suction force through the suction grill 132 indoor unit 100 ) Flows inside.

The air introduced into the indoor unit 100 via the suction grill 132 passes through the air filter 144, the electrostatic precipitator 146, and the like, and foreign substances in the air are removed. The air passing through the air filter 144 and the electrostatic precipitator 146 exchanges heat with the refrigerant inside the heat exchanger 118 via the heat exchanger 118. (For example, in the case of a cooling operation, the air is cooled. being)

Air passing through the heat exchanger 118 is forced out by the blowing fan 114 and guided by the discharge vane 122. The air guided by the discharge vanes 122 is discharged downward or forward of the indoor unit 100. That is, since the discharge panel 170 and the discharge vane 122 may be simultaneously or selectively flowed, the discharged air may be selectively discharged forward and downward as well as simultaneous discharge downward and forward.

The discharge panel 170 selectively shields the front lower end of the front frame 130, that is, the front discharge port 174, to control the forward air discharge, and the discharge vane 122 controls the downward discharge of the air. This is possible because That is, when the discharge vane 122 is rotated and opened downward, the air forcedly discharged by the blower fan 114 is discharged downward, and the discharge vane 122 is not opened and the discharge panel 170 is not opened. Moving upwards, the air is discharged only to the front of the indoor unit 100 through the front discharge port 174.

In more detail, first, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, air may be set to be discharged only to the front of the indoor unit 100.

In this case, the discharge vane 122 is not opened as shown in FIG. 10B, and the discharge panel 170 moves upward by the lower panel driving means 190 ′. That is, when the angle between the shaft link 196 'and the panel link 196 "is narrowed by the operation of the drive motor 192, the discharge panel 170 is the guide means (200, 200') Guided by the to move to the upper side of the front frame 130.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 10A, the front discharge port 174 and the status display window 142 are exposed to the front, and air is discharged forward through the front discharge port 174. Then, the user can recognize the operating state of the air conditioner displayed on the status display window 142 from the front.

When the discharge panel 170 is moved upward by the above process, the panel support 240 of the discharge panel 170 has a link fastening hook 242 inserted into the link guide 199. Flows to

In this case, the front and rear surfaces of the discharge panel 170 do not directly contact the front panel 160 and the front frame 130. That is, the panel protrusion 250 is in contact with the rear surface of the front panel 160, and the frame protrusion 252 is in contact with the front frame 130, respectively. In this case, the vertical flow of the discharge panel 170 is made more smoothly.

11A and 11B schematically show an operating state when the air is set to be discharged only below the indoor unit 100.

In this case, the discharge vane 122 is opened as shown in FIG. 11B, and the discharge panel 170 maintains the closed state.

Accordingly, the front discharge port 174 and the status display window 142 are not exposed to the front as shown in FIG. 11A, and the air introduced from above through the suction grill 132 passes through internal components and then discharges the vanes ( It is guided by 122 and discharged below the indoor unit 100.

On the other hand, Figure 12a and 12b is a state when the air is set to be discharged simultaneously to the front and the bottom of the indoor unit 100 is shown.

In this case, the discharge vane 122 is opened downward as shown in FIG. 12B, and at the same time, the discharge panel 170 also moves upward by the lower panel driving means 190 ′. That is, the discharge vane 122 is rotated and opened downward by a separate motor operation, not shown, and the shaft link 196 'and the panel link 196 "are opened by the operation of the driving motor 192. When the angle θ becomes narrow, the discharge panel 170 is guided by the guide means 200 and 200 ′ and moves above the front frame 130.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 12A, the air inside the indoor unit 100 is discharged simultaneously to the front and the bottom of the indoor unit 100 through the front discharge port 174 and the discharge vane 122. In addition, since the status display window 142 is exposed to the front, the user can directly recognize the operating state of the air conditioner displayed on the status display window 142 from the front outside of the indoor unit 100.

The scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and many other modifications based on the present invention will be possible to those skilled in the art within the scope of the present invention.

In the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present invention as described above, the discharge panel is provided on the lower side of the front panel forming the front appearance, the discharge vane for guiding the downward discharge of the air is rotatably installed. . Therefore, since it is possible to discharge the air at the same time or selectively forward or downward if necessary, there is an advantage that the ease of use is improved.

In the present invention, the discharge panel is configured to flow by a plurality of links. Therefore, there is an advantage that the manufacturing cost and load of the product is reduced compared to the general panel driving means by the rack and pinion.

In the present invention, a plurality of panel protrusions and frame protrusions protrude from the front and rear surfaces of the discharge panel, respectively. Therefore, when the discharge panel flows, the panel protrusion and the frame protrusion contact the front panel and the front frame, respectively, so that the up and down flow of the discharge panel is relatively higher than the case where the front panel or the front frame is in full contact with the front and rear surfaces of the discharge panel. The effect is made smoothly.

Claims (9)

A casing comprising a front frame and a main chassis; A front panel installed at the front of the casing to form a front appearance; A discharge vane installed at a lower end of the casing to guide downward discharge of air; A discharge panel movably installed at one side of the front panel and selectively shielding a front discharge port through which air is discharged forward; A panel driving means having a panel link hingedly rotatably coupled to the discharge panel and an axial link connected to the panel link; The shaft link and the panel link is rotatably coupled to each other indoor unit of the air conditioner, characterized in that for controlling the flow of the discharge panel. The method of claim 1, wherein the discharge panel, An indoor unit of the air conditioner, by selectively shielding the front discharge port formed in the front lower end of the front frame, the front discharge of air. The method of claim 1, wherein the panel driving means, A drive motor installed at a rear side of the front frame and generating rotational power; A drive shaft installed at left and right sides of the front frame and transmitting power generated from the drive motor; And a link connecting the drive shaft and the discharge panel to the indoor unit of the air conditioner. The method of claim 3, wherein the link, The indoor unit of the air conditioner, characterized in that for converting the rotational movement of the drive shaft to the up and down movement to the discharge panel. The method of claim 1, wherein the link, An axial link having one end fixedly coupled to the drive shaft; It has a configuration including a panel link that is hinged rotatably with the discharge panel, Indoor shaft of the air conditioner, characterized in that the shaft link and the panel link is detachably fastened to each other. The method of claim 5, wherein the discharge panel, Indoor unit of the air conditioner, characterized in that the vertical movement is guided by one or more guide means. The method of claim 6, wherein the guide means, The indoor unit of the air conditioner, wherein the front frame and the discharge panel are formed to have a structure corresponding to each other, and include a frame guide and a panel guide coupled to each other so as to allow sliding flow. According to claim 1, One surface of the discharge panel, When the discharge panel flows up and down, the indoor unit of the air conditioner, characterized in that the front panel and the discharge panel further comprises a panel projection to be spaced apart from each other. The method of claim 1 or 8, wherein one surface of the discharge panel, When the discharge panel moves up and down, the indoor unit of the air conditioner, characterized in that the frame projection is further formed so that the front frame and the discharge panel is spaced apart from each other.

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