KR20230115961A - Indoor apparatus of air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

An air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a front panel, a rear case disposed behind the front panel, a side door module disposed between the front panel and the rear case to open and close a side discharge port, and formed on the front panel. It includes a front door module that opens and closes a front discharge port, and a blowing fan assembly that discharges air through the front discharge port and the side discharge port, wherein the blowing fan assembly includes a front blowing module corresponding to the front door module, and the side door module. A plurality of side blowing wind modules are disposed in the vertical direction, and are disposed below the front blowing wind module, and the side door module extends from the upper end to the lower end of the front panel in a predetermined width. and a side door that opens and closes the side discharge port while moving in a forward and backward direction, a first driving unit that provides a driving force to the side door, coupled to the front panel and the rear case, the side discharge port is formed, the side door and A support frame supporting the first drive unit is included, and the first drive unit is disposed at upper and lower ends of the support frame, respectively.

Description

Indoor unit of air conditioner {INDOOR APPARATUS OF AIR CONDITIONER}

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

The information described in this section simply provides background information on the present invention and does not constitute prior art.

In general, an air conditioner is a device that cools/heats a room or purifies air by using a refrigerant cycle of a refrigerant composed of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator in order to create a more comfortable indoor environment for users.

An air conditioner installs an indoor unit in a room where a user mainly stays, and blows air into the room through the indoor unit. Therefore, it is important to control changes in wind direction, speed, and airflow of air ejected from the indoor unit so that the user can feel comfortable.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2017-0010293 (Prior Art 1) discloses a door blade that opens and closes an opening, a door operating unit that moves the door blade forward or backward, and a spaced distance between the door blade and the opening, Disclosed is a door unit including a controller that controls air discharged from an opening to be discharged straight ahead of the opening or radially from the opening.

In Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2019-0106716 (Prior Art 2), a proximity sensor for measuring the distance of a user located in front of a door panel, and a proximity sensor hole in which the proximity sensor is disposed at one end are formed, and a front glass Disclosed is an indoor unit of an air conditioner including a rear cover disposed between a display and a rear cover for maintaining a distance at which the proximity sensor is disposed.

However, prior art 1 and prior art 2 do not disclose a structure for controlling changes in wind direction, speed, and airflow of air discharged from the side of an indoor unit of an air conditioner.

An object of the present invention is to provide an indoor unit of an air conditioner having a structure capable of easily controlling the direction of air discharged from the side and the change in air flow.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an indoor unit of an air conditioner equipped with a side door for opening and closing a side discharge port through which air is discharged, having a structure in which operation performance and durability are improved and manufacturing cost is low.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an indoor unit of an air conditioner having a structure capable of smoothly moving a side door in the forward and backward directions 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 not mentioned above can be understood by the following description and will be more clearly understood by the examples of the present invention. It will also be readily apparent that the objects and advantages of the present invention may be realized by means of the instrumentalities and combinations indicated in the claims.

An embodiment of an indoor unit of an air conditioner includes a case forming an outer body, a front door module opening and closing a front discharge port formed on the front surface of the case or changing the direction of air flow, and opening and closing the side discharge port formed on the side surface of the case. Or it may include a side door module that changes the direction of the air flow.

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

The side door module may include a side door, a first driving unit, and a support frame. The side door may open and close the side discharge port while moving in the forward and backward directions of the case of the indoor unit.

The side door may be provided to move forward and backward with respect to the support frame. Therefore, when the side door moves toward the front of the case with respect to the support frame, the side discharge port can be closed. In addition, when the side door moves downward of the case with respect to the support frame, the side discharge port can be opened.

The first driving unit may be mounted on the support frame and connected to the side door to provide a driving force to the side door.

The support frame may be coupled to the case, have a side discharge port, and support the side door and the first driving unit. The support frame may be coupled to the case by, for example, a coupling mechanism such as a bolt, and may be provided so as not to move.

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

The first driving unit may have a casing coupled to the support frame. The gear motor is mounted inside the casing, receives power from a power source, and rotates an output shaft to provide rotational force to the pinion gear. At this time, the rotation and stop operation of the gear motor may be controlled by a controller provided in the air conditioner.

The pinion gear is connected to the output shaft of the gear motor and can rotate together as the output shaft of the gear motor rotates.

The rack gear meshes with the pinion gear, can convert rotational force of the pinion gear into linear reciprocating motion, and may include a meshing portion and a connecting portion.

The side door may move forward and backward with respect to the support frame as the first driving unit operates to open and close the side discharge port formed on the support frame, and may include a cover plate and a reinforcing plate.

The cover plate extends to a predetermined width from the top to the bottom of the case and may be integrally formed. The cover plate may be formed with a length corresponding to the length of the support frame.

One end of the cover plate may be formed with a reinforcing plate and an interference fit, a first shape-fitting portion for shape-fitting. The first shape-fitting portion may be formed with a depression for coupling the second shape-fitting portion formed on the reinforcing plate, and may have a thick overall shape due to this depression.

The reinforcing plate is attached to one surface of the cover plate, is provided in plurality, and can reinforce the rigidity of the cover plate. The reinforcing plate may be manufactured, for example, by injection molding.

The reinforcing plate is attached to the cover plate to suppress bending and bending of the cover plate, thereby reinforcing the rigidity of the cover plate so that the side door operates smoothly and the durability of the side door can be improved. .

One end of the reinforcing plate may be formed with a second shape fitting portion for interference fit and shape fit with the cover plate. The second shape-fitting portion is mounted on the recessed portion of the first shape-fitting portion formed on the cover plate and is formed in a shape corresponding to the first shape-fitting portion to be coupled to the first shape-fitting portion, and may have an overall thick shape.

The side door may further include an attachment member. The attachment member may be interposed between the cover plate and the reinforcing plate to attach the reinforcing plate to the cover plate. The attachment member may be provided in the same number as the plurality of attachment members, and may be provided with double-sided tape, for example.

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

Correspondingly, the support frame may be formed with a guide rail disposed in a longitudinal direction and disposed in a position corresponding to the guide connector.

The guide connector coupled to the side door can smoothly move in the front and rear directions of the support frame along guide rails provided on the support frame to open and close the side discharge ports formed on the support frame.

The guide connector may include a first piece, a second piece, and a third piece. The guide connector is fixedly coupled to the side door and can move in the forward and backward directions of the case together with the side door.

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

The second piece may be formed to extend from the first piece in the front-back direction, and may include a bent portion. The third piece is formed to be bent from the end of the second piece, and the longitudinal direction is disposed in the forward and backward directions, and a rail guide groove in which a guide rail is mounted may be formed.

The second piece has a bent portion, whereby the second and third pieces can form avoidance grooves to avoid interference with the side of the support plate when moving in the forward and backward directions. Due to the avoidance groove, the guide connector avoids the interference of the support plate and can move smoothly in the forward and backward directions.

In the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present invention, a first driving unit is provided that moves the side door in the forward and backward directions by operating by a gear motor, so that the side door opens and closes the side discharge port provided in the support frame, and discharges from the side discharge port. It is possible to effectively control the direction of air and the change of air flow.

In addition, in the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present invention, by manufacturing a side door having a structure in which a reinforcing plate is attached to a cover plate, the reinforcing plate reinforces the stiffness of the entire side door, so that the side door operates smoothly and durability is improved. It can be.

In addition, in the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present invention, a plurality of reinforcing plates are manufactured, and the reinforcing plates are attached to the cover plate so that the total length of the reinforcing plates corresponds to the length of the cover plate, so that the side door has sufficient rigidity. At the same time, the production cost of the side door can be reduced.

In addition, in the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present invention, the guide connector coupled to the side door smoothly moves in the forward and backward directions of the support frame along the guide rail provided on the support frame to open and close the side discharge port formed on the support frame. can do.

In addition to the effects described above, specific effects of the present invention will be described together while explaining specific details for carrying out the present invention.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an exemplary embodiment;
2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which some parts of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an exemplary embodiment are omitted.
3 is an exploded view showing an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an exemplary embodiment.
4 is a perspective view showing a pair of side door modules according to an embodiment.
5 is a perspective view showing one side door module in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a plan view viewed in the AA direction in FIG. 4 .
7 is a cross-sectional view viewed in the direction BB in FIG. 4;
8 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the side door is moved in FIG. 7 .
9 is an exploded view showing a side door module according to an embodiment.
10 is an exploded view showing a side door according to an embodiment.
FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 10 .
12 is a perspective view of a side door module according to an embodiment viewed from a different angle from the previous drawing.
FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of part A of FIG. 12 .
FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 13 .

The above objects, features and advantages will be described later in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and accordingly, those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs will be able to easily implement the technical spirit of the present invention. In describing the present invention, if it is determined that the detailed description of the known technology related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar components.

Although first, second, etc. are used to describe various components, these components are not limited by these terms, of course. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another component, and unless otherwise stated, the first component may be the second component, of course.

Throughout the specification, unless otherwise stated, each element may be singular or plural.

Singular expressions used herein include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this application, terms such as "consisting of" or "comprising" should not be construed as necessarily including all of the various components or steps described in the specification, and some of the components or some of the steps It should be construed that it may not be included, or may further include additional components or steps.

Throughout the specification, when "A and/or B" is used, this means A, B or A and B unless otherwise specified, and when used as "C to D", this means unless otherwise specified As long as there is no, it means C or more and D or less.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an exemplary embodiment; 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which some parts of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an exemplary embodiment are omitted. 3 is an exploded view showing an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an exemplary embodiment.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to drawings for explaining an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to embodiments of the present invention.

First, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 , the entire assembly structure constituting the indoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention will be schematically described, and the structure of each assembly will be schematically described.

<Overall composition>

The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention opens and closes the case (I) forming the outer body, the front outlet 141 formed on the front surface of the case (I) and the side outlets formed on both sides, or controls the direction of the air flow. A door assembly (II) that switches, a blower fan assembly (III) disposed inside the case (I) and forming an air flow, a heat exchange assembly (IV) that exchanges heat between the air flowing through the blower fan assembly (III) and the refrigerant, A filter assembly (VI) for filtering the air flowing into the case (I), a filter cleaning assembly (VII) for removing foreign substances adhered to the filter assembly (VI), and air discharged to the outside of the case (I) It is configured to include a humidifying assembly (V) for humidifying.

<case>

Case (I) according to an embodiment of the present invention has a rear upper case 11 forming a space in which a suction port 111 is formed at the rear and a heat exchanger 41 is disposed therein, and the rear upper case 11 ) and a base portion 12 that forms a space in which some components of the humidifying assembly V are disposed, a rear lower case 13 covering the rear and sides of the base portion 12, and a rear upper A front panel 14 disposed on the open front surface of the case 11 and the rear lower case 13 may be included.

The rear upper case 11 is formed to have a U-shape with open front and upper surfaces as a whole, and is disposed above the rear lower case 13 and the base portion 12 . A front panel 14 to be described below is disposed on the opened front surface, and a top cover 15 is disposed on the open upper surface.

The rear upper case 11 may form a space in which the heat exchanger 41, the front blowing module 31, and the side blowing wind modules 32a, 32b, and 32c are disposed. As a means for supporting these components, a heat exchanger mounting member (not shown) to which the heat exchanger 41 is mounted and a front blowing wind module mounting member to which the front blowing wind module 31 is mounted inside the rear upper case 11 (not shown) and a side blowing wind module mounting member (not shown) on which the side blowing wind modules 32a, 32b and 32c are mounted may be respectively disposed.

An inlet 111 is formed at the rear of the rear upper case 11, and a filter assembly VI may be disposed on the side of the inlet 111. The filter assembly VI may include a plurality of filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, and 62d disposed left and right at the rear of the rear upper case 11.

In addition, between the plurality of filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, and 62d arranged left and right at the rear of the rear upper case 11, there are rails for guiding the movement of the filter cleaner 72 in the vertical direction (U-D direction). A moving guider 71 is disposed.

The moving guider 71 protrudes rearward from the center of the plurality of filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, and 62d disposed left and right at the rear of the rear upper case 11 and extends in the vertical direction (U-D direction). can be arranged in this way.

Meanwhile, at the rear of the rear upper case 11, an ionization unit (not shown) may be additionally disposed at a portion where the rail-shaped movement guider 71 is mounted. The ionization unit serves to ionize the air flowing into the suction port 111 by receiving a high voltage and discharging it.

In addition, a refrigerant pipe hole 132 through which the refrigerant pipe 42 of the heat exchange assembly IV passes may be formed on a rear lower surface of the rear lower case 13 . Furthermore, a power line hole 1312 through which a power line supplying power from an external power source may be formed on a rear lower surface of the rear lower case 13 .

Meanwhile, the base part 12 is disposed below the rear upper case 11, forming a space inside in which the water tank 51, which is a component of the humidifying assembly V, and a heating unit (not shown) are disposed. In addition, a power supply device (not shown) around which a power line connected to the filter cleaning assembly VII may be disposed inside the base part 12 .

As shown in FIG. 3 , the base part 12 may have a box shape with an open front surface. The rear lower case 13 and a part of the side door module 22 of the door assembly II may be disposed on the outer circumference of the base part 12 .

In addition, in the base part 12, a power line through-hole (not shown) through which a power line connected to the filter cleaning assembly (VII) passes, and a humidifying passage pipe (not shown) of the humidifying assembly (V) extends through A humidification passage pipe through hole (not shown) may be formed.

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

In a state where the base part 12 and the rear upper case 11 are coupled, the front panel 14 is disposed on the front surface of the base part 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, the air that has been heat-exchanged by the heat exchange assembly (IV) is sent to the front blowing module 31 at a position corresponding to the front blowing module 31 as an upper position. A front discharge port 141 that is pressurized and discharged is formed.

In addition, a camera sensor 142 for detecting indoor space conditions may be installed on the front panel 14 . As exemplarily shown, the camera sensor 142 may be installed on top of the front panel 14 .

Here, the condition of the indoor space may include the size of the indoor space, the number of occupants present in the indoor space, and the location of occupants.

<Door Assembly>

The door assembly (II) includes a front door module 21 that opens and closes the front discharge port 141 formed on the front panel 14 and changes the direction of airflow discharged through the front discharge port 141, respectively formed on both sides of the door module 21. It includes a side door module 22 that opens and closes the side discharge ports 224a and 224b, and a control vane module 23 that changes the direction of airflow discharged through the side discharge ports 224a and 224b.

The front door module 21 is provided to reciprocate in the forward and backward directions between a rearmost position that closes the flow path of air discharged through the front discharge port 141 and a forwardmost position that forms a forward-directed air flow.

An operation mode in which a forward direction airflow is generated in a state in which the front door module 21 protrudes to the foremost position may be defined as a direct wind operation mode in order to be distinguished from an indirect wind operation mode described later.

Furthermore, the front door module 21 may be stopped at a mating position corresponding to an intermediate point between the rearmost position and the foremost position. The mating position corresponds to a position where the outer panel 211 disposed at the frontmost side of the front door module 21 is substantially level with the front surface of the front cabinet 14 .

When the front door module 21 is stopped at the mating position, the air discharged to the front discharge port 141 due to the shape of the outer surface of the front door module 21 is directed toward the outside in the radial direction from the front discharge port 141 instead of the front. It forms a side-directed airflow that is discharged. This operation mode may be defined as an indirect wind operation mode.

Meanwhile, the outer panel 211 disposed at the frontmost side of the door module 21 is made of a translucent material, and the light generated by the display unit (not shown) provided inside passes through the outer panel 211 to the outside. can be investigated with Accordingly, the outer panel 211 according to an embodiment of the present invention functions as a display that provides the user with information about the operating state of the indoor unit, the state of air quality around the indoor unit, and the like.

The side door module 22 serves to open and close the side discharge ports 224a and 224b formed on both sides of the case (I).

That is, the side door module 22 is installed on the side in a state in which the side blowing wind modules 32a, 32b, and 32c do not operate, such as a state in which the operation of the indoor unit as a whole is stopped and only the front blowing module 31 of the indoor unit is operated. It serves to close the outlets 224a and 224b.

In this way, in a state in which the side blowing wind modules 32a, 32b, and 32c do not operate, the side discharge ports 224a and 224b are closed through the side door module 22, so that fine dust and the like are discharged through the side discharge ports 224a and 224b. The inflow of foreign substances that can be fixed to the inside or cause a failure can be effectively blocked.

The side door module 22 is. A pair of side doors 221a and 221b that open and close the side discharge ports 224a and 224b while moving in the forward and backward directions (F-R direction) and a first driving unit 222a that provides driving force to each of the side doors 221a and 221b , 222b) and a pair of support frames 223a and 223b supporting the side doors 221a and 221b and the first driving units 222a and 222b.

The side doors 221a and 221b are movably supported from a forwardmost position completely closing the side discharge ports 224a and 224b to a rearward position completely opening the side discharge ports 224a and 224b. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the side doors 221a and 221b of the case (I) are formed to form a sense of aesthetics for the user and a sense of unity between the front panel 14 and the rear upper case 11. It extends from the top to the bottom to cover the entirety with a predetermined width, and the outer surfaces of the side doors 221a and 221b are configured to have a material and shape that can form a sense of homogeneity with the rear upper case 11 and the front panel 14. can

For movable support of the side doors 221a and 221b, a guide connector having one end attached to the side doors 221a and 221b and the other end slidably supported by the support frames 223a and 223b may be further provided. there is.

Illustratively, the first driving units 222a and 222b, the gear motor, the pinion gear connected to the output shaft of the gear motor, and the rotational force of the pinion gear to drive the side doors 221a and 221b in an electric manner, linear reciprocating motion It can be configured to include a rack gear that converts to.

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

On the other hand, as described above, the side doors 221a and 221b are provided in a form extending from the upper end to the lower end of the case (I). Therefore, since the height is very large compared to the width of the side doors 221a and 221b, it is difficult to effectively drive the individual side doors 221a and 221b with only a single driving unit.

Therefore, two first driving units 222a and 222b are provided for each of the individual side doors 221a and 221b, and as shown, they are disposed adjacent to the top and bottom of the individual side doors 221a and 221b, respectively. it is desirable

The support frames 223a and 223b rotatably support the side doors 221a and 221b and, together with the rear upper case 11 and the rear lower case 13, form part of both sides of the case I. More specifically, the support frames 223a and 223b may be disposed between the rear upper case 11 and the front panel 14 .

In addition, side discharge ports 224a and 224b extending in the vertical direction (U-D direction) are formed in the support frames 223a and 223b.

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

The plurality of side vanes 225a and 225b may be integrally formed with the support frames 223a and 223b. The plurality of side vanes 225a and 225b according to an embodiment of the present invention are disposed and fixed obliquely toward the front, and may guide air discharged to the outside of the case in a forward direction. Therefore, in a state in which the control vane module 23 described later does not operate, the air discharged through the side discharge ports 224a and 224b forms a forward directed airflow by the plurality of side vanes 225a and 225b.

Meanwhile, vanes performing the same function as the side vanes 225a and 225b provided in the support frames 223a and 223b may be formed on members other than the support frames 223a and 223b. Illustratively, it is also possible to configure the side vanes to be integrally formed on the side surfaces of the discharge guides 326 of the side blowing wind modules 32a, 32b, and 32c to be described later.

Of course, as shown in FIG. 3, it is also possible to configure the support frames 223a and 223b to have the side vanes 225a and 225b and the discharge guide 326 to have the side vanes 3261 at the same time.

The control vane module 23 serves to convert the forward direction airflow discharged through the side discharge ports 224a and 224b into a sideward direction airflow.

As described above, the air discharged from the side outlets 224a and 224b is forward directed by the side vanes 225a and 225b of the support frames 223a and 223b or the side vanes 3261 of the discharge guide 326. will form

The control vane module 23 serves as a vane for changing the direction of the forward directed airflow. As shown in FIG. 3, the direction of the forward directed airflow is changed by the plate-shaped control vanes 231a and 231b disposed adjacent to the front sides of the side discharge ports 224a and 224b.

More specifically, the control vanes (231a, 231b) of the control vane module (23) are operating in the direct wind mode in which the side blowing wind modules (32a, 32b, 32c) form a forward-directed airflow. A hidden state or a hidden state is maintained in the storage position on the rear side. Therefore, the control vanes 231a and 231b do not affect the airflow of the air discharged through the side discharge ports 224a and 224b, and the discharged air maintains a forward direction airflow.

However, when a control vane driver (not shown) is actuated to switch from the direct wind mode to the indirect wind mode, the control vanes 231a and 231b start to move horizontally from the above-mentioned storage position to the direction exposed to the outside.

When the horizontal movement is started, the control vanes 231a and 231b are stopped after the movement to the final deployed position is completed.

When the movement of the control vanes (231a, 231b) is completed to the final deployed position, the air discharged through the side discharge ports (224a, 224b) is resisted by the control vanes (231a, 231b), and in particular, the side discharge ports (224a, 224b) The air passing through the front end side of 224b) directly collides with the control vanes 231a and 231b, and the moving direction is changed.

At this time, among the air discharged through the side discharge ports 224a and 224b, the air passing through the front end side has the fastest flow rate, so the air whose moving direction is changed while colliding with the control vanes 231a and 231b moves toward the rear side. It affects the direction of movement of the exhausted air. Due to this influence, the air passing through the side discharge ports 224a and 224b changes its movement direction as a whole to form a lateral directed air flow.

3 shows an embodiment in which one left control vane 231a and one right control vane 231b are provided corresponding to the left side discharge port 224a and the right side discharge port 224b, respectively. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it will be seen that a modified example in which the left control vane 231a and the right control vane 231b are divided into a plurality of pieces is also possible.

The control vane driving unit (not shown) converts a gear motor, a pinion gear (not shown) connected to the output shaft of the gear motor, and the rotational force of the pinion gear into linear reciprocating motion so as to drive the control vanes 231a and 231b in an electrical manner. It may be configured to include a rack gear (not shown) that converts.

The gear motor is configured to be firmly supported by a separate bracket (not shown), and the rack gear engaged with the pinion gear is formed integrally with or separately from the control vanes 231a and 231b to form the control vanes 231a and 231b. can be attached to As will be described later, a plurality of fastening holes 231h may be formed in the control vanes 231a and 231b so that rack gears may be attached using fastening means such as bolts.

<Blower fan assembly>

The blowing fan assembly (III) includes a front blowing module 31 for discharging air through the front outlet 141 of the indoor unit, side blowing modules 32a and 32b for discharging air through the side outlets 224a and 224b on both sides of the indoor unit, 32c).

The blowing fan assembly (III) according to an embodiment of the present invention may illustratively include one front blowing module 31 and three side blowing modules 32a, 32b, and 32c. The front blowing module 31 and the side blowing wind modules 32a, 32b and 32c are disposed in front of the heat exchanging assembly IV.

The front blowing wind module 31 is disposed above the side blowing wind modules 32a, 32b and 32c. The front blowing module 31 discharges air through the front discharge port 141 formed on the front panel 14 .

The all-broadcasting wind module 31 may include an all-broadcasting fan 311, an all-broadcasting wind motor 312, and a fan housing 313. The air blowing module 31 according to an embodiment of the present invention is air discharged through the structural shape of the front blowing housing 313 and the aforementioned front door module 21 and the position selection of the front door module 21. It may be operated in a direct wind mode in which air is discharged to a long distance from the front or in an indirect wind mode in which air is discharged from the front discharge port 141 toward the outside in a radial direction.

The side blowing wind modules 32a, 32b and 32c are disposed below the front blowing wind module 31. A plurality of side air wind modules 32a, 32b, and 32c according to an embodiment of the present invention may be arranged vertically. Each of the side blowing wind modules 32a, 32b, and 32c may discharge air through the side air outlets 224a and 224b.

Each of the side blowing wind modules 32a, 32b, 32c includes side blowing wind fans 321a, 321b, 321c, side blowing wind motors 322a, 322b, 322c, side blowing wind fan housing 323, suction guides 325a, 325b, 325c), and a discharge guide 326.

The side blowing wind modules 32a, 32b, and 32c are disposed in front of the heat exchanger 41, suck the heat-exchanged air through the side suction guide 324, and pass through the discharge guide 326 to the side discharge ports 224a and 224b. can be discharged with

The air flowing by the side blowing wind modules 32a, 32b, 32c is directed by the side vanes 225a, 225b of the side discharge ports 224a, 224b or the side vanes 3261 of the discharge guide 326. can be determined As described above, the air flow determined by the side vanes 225a and 225b of the side discharge ports 224a and 224b or the side vane 3261 of the discharge guide 326 is preset as a forward-directed air flow.

<Heat Exchange Assembly>

The heat exchanging assembly (IV) serves to exchange heat with the refrigerant from indoor air sucked into the rear upper case (11).

The heat exchange assembly (IV) may include a heat exchanger 41 through which a refrigerant exchanging heat with indoor air flows, and a refrigerant pipe (not shown) forming a refrigerant flow path so that the refrigerant flows into or is discharged from the heat exchanger 41. there is.

The refrigerant pipe may include a refrigerant inlet 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 blowing fan assembly III. The heat exchanger 41 is disposed between the suction port 111 and the discharge port 22 or 141 to exchange heat with air flowing inside the indoor unit. In addition, the heat exchanger 41 is disposed between the filter assembly (VI) and the blowing fan assembly (III).

As shown in FIG. 3 , the heat exchanger 41 may have a plurality of side blowing wind modules 32a, 32b and 32c and a length corresponding to a height at which the front blowing wind modules 31 are disposed vertically.

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

<humidification assembly>

The humidifying assembly V may discharge humidified air to the outside of the indoor unit. The humidification assembly (V) includes a water tank 51 for storing water, a heating unit (not shown) for receiving and heating water from the water tank 51, and a humidification discharge port (not shown) for discharging heated humidified air. A nozzle (not shown) and a humidification passage pipe (not shown) for guiding humidified air heated by a heating unit) to a humidification discharge nozzle) may be included.

<Filter assembly>

The filter assembly (VI) serves to remove foreign substances included in the air introduced into the inlet 111 .

The filter assembly (VI) is movably disposed at the rear of the rear upper case (11). The filter assembly VI is disposed in the inlet 111 formed at the rear of the rear upper case 11 to filter indoor air flowing into the inlet 111 . The filter assembly (VI) is movably disposed on 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, and 62d for removing foreign substances in the air sucked through the inlet 111. In the filter assembly VI, the filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, and 62d may be disposed in the suction port 111 or may be disposed outside the lateral surface of the rear upper case 11.

Filter assembly (VI) according to an embodiment of the present invention is equipped with a filter module (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d) for removing foreign substances in the flowing air and a filter module (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d) are mounted. It includes a member (not shown) and a moving member (not shown) that changes the position of the filter mounting member.

The filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, and 62d may have a structure that is drawn into or drawn out from the filter mounting member in the width direction of the filter module formed on the left and right sides when the filter module is disposed at the suction port.

The filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, and 62d according to an embodiment of the present invention include the first filter modules 62a and 62b covering the left side of the inlet 111 of the rear upper case 11 and the rear upper case It may include second filter modules 62c and 62d covering the right side of the inlet 111 of (11).

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

When both the first filter modules 62a and 62b and the second filter modules 62c and 62d are disposed in the suction port 111, the filter cleaner 72 forms a movable surface.

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

The filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, and 62d according to an embodiment of the present invention include a pre-filter 621 that filters out large dust in the air flowing into the inlet 111 and an ionization unit to collect ionized air particles to air It may include a dust collection filter unit (not shown) for filtering, and a deodorization filter unit (not shown) for removing odors in the air.

The filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, and 62d according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a filter case 622 in which the pre-filter 621 is mounted and which is mounted on the filter mounting member. A plurality of suction holes are formed in the filter case 622 in a direction in which the pre-filter 621 is mounted. The filter case 622 may include a vertical rib 6221 and a horizontal rib 6222 on a surface on which the pre-filter 621 is mounted.

The vertical ribs 6221 and the horizontal ribs 6222 form a lattice shape, and the rigidity of the filter case 622 can be reinforced. The pre-filter 621 has a mesh shape, and can filter large-sized foreign substances in the air flowing into the filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, and 62d.

The lower end 60a of the filter assembly VI may be disposed above the rear lower case 13 . When the lower end 60a of the filter assembly (VI) is disposed at the lowest end in the movement range in which the filter cleaner 72 of the filter cleaning assembly (VII) to be described below can move along the moving guider 71, the filter cleaner It is arranged above the upper end of (72).

<Filter cleaning assembly>

The filter cleaning assembly (VII) moves up and down on the rear surface of the filter assembly (VI), and can remove foreign substances on the outside of the filter assembly (VI). The filter cleaning assembly VII removes foreign substances caught in the pre-filter 621 of the filter modules 62a, 62b, 62c, and 62d.

The filter cleaning assembly (VII) moves up and down (U-D direction) from the rear of the filter assembly (VI), and guides the movement of the filter cleaner (72) and the filter cleaner (72) to remove foreign substances stuck in the filter assembly (VI). It may be configured to include a moving guider 71 that does, and a power supply unit 73 that supplies power to the filter cleaner 72.

4 is a perspective view showing a pair of side door modules 22 according to 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, one on each side of the indoor unit. In the previous drawings, each part of the pair of side door modules 22 was distinguished using signs such as "a" and "b", but in the following, for a clear description, the same sign will be used for parts with the same name. can

FIG. 6 is a plan view viewed in the AA direction in FIG. 4 . 7 is a cross-sectional view viewed in the direction BB in FIG. 4; 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the side door 221 is moved in FIG. 7 .

The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment includes a case (I) forming an outer body and a front door module (21) that opens and closes the front discharge port (141) formed on the front surface of the case (I) or changes the direction of the air flow. and a side door module 22 that opens and closes the side discharge port 224 formed on the side surface of the case (I) or changes the direction of air flow.

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

The side door module 22 may include a side door 221 , a first driving unit 222 and a support frame 223 . The side door 221 can open and close the side discharge port 224 while moving in the forward and backward directions of the case (I) of the indoor unit.

The side door 221 may be provided to move forward and backward with respect to the support frame 223 . Accordingly, when the side door 221 moves toward the front of the case I with respect to the support frame 223, the side discharge port 224 can be closed as shown in FIG. 6. In addition, when the side door 221 moves downward of the case I with respect to the support frame 223, as shown in FIG. 7, the side discharge port 224 can be opened.

The first driving unit 222 may be mounted on the support frame 223 and connected to the side door 221 to provide driving force to the side door 221 .

The support frame 223 is coupled to the case (I), the side discharge port 224 is formed, and the side door 221 and the first driving part 222 can be supported. The support frame 223 may be coupled to the case (I) by, for example, a coupling mechanism such as a bolt, and may be provided so as not to move.

Therefore, the side door 221 can open and close the side discharge port 224 formed in the support frame 223 by moving in the front and rear directions of the case (I) with respect to the support frame 223 . Referring to FIG. 12 , the side discharge ports 224 may be formed on the support frame 223 such that the longitudinal direction thereof is arranged in the vertical direction of the case I, which is the longitudinal direction of the support frame 223.

The side discharge port 224 may be formed on all or part of the support frame 223 in the vertical direction of the support frame 223. It may be appropriately selected in consideration of performance and operating characteristics.

In addition, the number of side vanes 225 provided in the side discharge port 224 and the inclination angle of the case I relative to the front may be appropriately selected in consideration of the performance and operating characteristics of the indoor unit.

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

The first driving unit 222 may have a casing coupled to the support frame 223 . The gear motor 2221 is mounted inside the casing, receives power from a power source, rotates an output shaft, and provides rotational force to the pinion gear 2222 . At this time, the rotation and stop operation of the gear motor 2221 may be controlled by a controller provided in the air conditioner.

The pinion gear 2222 is connected to the output shaft of the gear motor 2221 and can rotate together as the output shaft of the gear motor 2221 rotates.

The rack gear 2223 meshes with the pinion gear 2222, converts rotational force of the pinion gear 2222 into linear reciprocating motion, and may include a meshing portion 2223a and a connecting portion 2223b. .

The meshing portion 2223a may be coupled with the pinion gear 2222 . 7 and 8, the pinion gear 2222 is disposed in the longitudinal direction of the case (I) in the longitudinal direction, has a linear shape, and the gear meshing with the pinion gear 2222 is linear in the longitudinal direction. can be arranged as Accordingly, the meshing portion 2223a may linearly reciprocate in the forward and backward directions as the pinion gear 2222 rotates.

One end of the connecting part 2223b may be connected to the engagement part 2223a, and the other end may be coupled to the side door 221. In this case, the connecting portion 2223b may be integrally manufactured with the engagement portion 2223a.

The connecting portion 2223b may be formed to be bent from one end of the meshing portion 2223a. The longitudinal direction of the connecting portion 2223b may be disposed in the front-rear direction of the assembly. Accordingly, as the pinion gear 2222 rotates, the connecting portion 2223b may linearly reciprocate in the forward and backward directions.

The other end of the connecting portion 2223b may be coupled to the side door 221 . For example, the first fitting part 2211a, which is the thick part of the cover plate 2211 constituting the side door 221, and the second fitting part 2212a, which is the thick part of the reinforcing plate 2212, are coupled with bolts, etc. The connecting part 2223b may be coupled using a mechanism.

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 , the side door 221 coupled to the connecting portion 2223b rotates as the motor and the pinion gear 2222 rotate, and the engaging portion 2223a and the connecting portion Together with the part 2223b, the side discharge port 224 can be opened and closed by linearly reciprocating in the forward and backward directions of the case (I).

In order to smoothly move the side door 221 in the forward and backward directions, the first driving unit 222 may be provided in plurality. Since the side door 221 is disposed quite long in the vertical direction of the indoor unit, it may be difficult to smoothly move the side door 221 in the forward and backward directions using one first driving unit 222 .

Therefore, the first driving unit 222 is provided in plurality, and each of the first driving units 222 is disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction of the case I along the longitudinal direction of the side door 221. can

Referring to FIG. 5 , in the embodiment, two first driving units 222 are provided, and are respectively disposed at the upper and lower ends of the side door module 22 . However, it is not limited thereto, and the number of first driving units 222 may be three or more.

In the embodiment, the side door 221 is provided with a side discharge port provided in the support frame 223 by providing a first driving unit 222 that moves the side door 221 forward and backward by being operated by a gear motor 2221. By opening and closing the 224, the direction of the air discharged from the side discharge port 224 and the change in air flow can be effectively controlled.

9 is an exploded view showing the side door module 22 according to an embodiment. 10 is an exploded view showing a side door 221 according to an embodiment. FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 10 .

The side door 221 moves forward and backward with respect to the support frame 223 as the first driving unit 222 operates, and can open and close the side discharge port 224 formed on the support frame 223, and the cover A plate 2211 and a reinforcing plate 2212 may be included.

The cover plate 2211 extends from the upper end to the lower end of the case (I) with a predetermined width and may be integrally formed. The cover plate 2211 may have a length corresponding to the length of the support frame 223 .

The cover plate 2211 may be manufactured by, for example, an extrusion process that can easily form a long plate material. The cover plate 2211 may be formed with a relatively thin thickness in order to reduce manufacturing cost, manufacturing time, load, and the like.

At one end of the cover plate 2211, a first fitting portion 2211a for interference fit and shape fit with the reinforcing plate 2212 may be formed. The first fitting part 2211a may be formed with a depression for coupling the second fitting part 2212a formed in the reinforcing plate 2212, and may have a thick overall shape due to this depression.

The cover plate 2211 may move in the forward and backward directions of the case I by the operation of the first driving unit 222 to open and close the side discharge port 224 formed in the support frame 223 .

The reinforcing plate 2212 is attached to one surface of the cover plate 2211, is provided in plurality, and can reinforce the rigidity of the cover plate 2211. The reinforcing plate 2212 may be manufactured by injection molding, for example.

The reinforcing plate 2212 is attached to the cover plate 2211 and suppresses bending and bending of the cover plate 2211, thereby reinforcing the rigidity of the cover plate 2211 and opening the side door ( 221 can operate smoothly, and the durability of the side door 221 can be improved.

A second fitting portion 2212a may be formed at one end of the reinforcing plate 2212 for interference fit or shape fit with the cover plate 2211 . The second fitting part 2212a is mounted on the recessed part of the first fitting part 2211a formed in the cover plate 2211 and is coupled to the first fitting part 2211a. It is formed in a shape corresponding to, and may have a thick shape as a whole.

In order to smoothly operate the side door 221 and to lower the manufacturing cost of the side door 221, it is appropriate that the load of the entire side door 221 is lightly provided. Therefore, as described above, the cover plate 2211 of the side door 221 may be manufactured with a relatively thin thickness as a whole.

However, when the cover plate 2211 is made thin, the cover plate 2211 is bent or bent during the operation of the side door 221, making it difficult to operate the side door 221 and reducing durability.

Therefore, by manufacturing the side door 221 having a structure in which the reinforcing plate 2212 is attached to the cover plate 2211, the reinforcing plate 2212 reinforces the rigidity of the entire side door 221, and the side door 221 operation can be smoothed and durability can be improved.

The side door 221 may further include an attachment member 2213. The attachment member 2213 may be interposed between the cover plate 2211 and the reinforcing plate 2212 to attach the reinforcing plate 2212 to the cover plate 2211 . The attachment member 2213 may be provided in the same number as the plurality of attachment members 2213, and may be provided with, for example, double-sided tape.

However, the attachment member 2213 is not an essential component of the side door 221. In another embodiment, the cover plate 2211 and the reinforcing plate 2212 are coupled to each other by an interference fit or a form fit without the attachment member 2213, or the reinforcing plate 2212 is attached to the cover plate 2211 by an adhesive. may be attached.

The plurality of reinforcing plates 2212 may be arranged in a longitudinal direction to have a total length corresponding to that of the cover plate 2211 . At this time, the total number of reinforcing plates 2212 and each length may be appropriately selected.

A plurality of reinforcing plates 2212 are provided. When the reinforcing plate 2212 is integrally manufactured with a length corresponding to that of the cover plate 2211, deformation of the reinforcing plate 2212 may occur during the manufacturing process, Production costs may increase.

Therefore, in the embodiment, by manufacturing a plurality of reinforcing plates 2212 and attaching the reinforcing plates 2212 to the cover plate 2211 so that the total length of the reinforcing plates 2212 corresponds to the length of the cover plate 2211. , The side door 221 can have sufficient rigidity and at the same time, the production cost of the side door 221 can be lowered.

The reinforcing plate 2212 may be attached to a surface of the cover plate 2211 facing the side discharge port 224 . Due to this structure, the reinforcing plate 2212 may have a structure attached to the inner surface of the side door 221 .

Therefore, when the user looks at the outside of the indoor unit, the reinforcing plate 2212 cannot be easily found, and when the user looks at the side door 221, the user can mainly find the clean outer surface of the cover plate 2211. . Due to this structure, the user can see the neat side door 221 when looking at the indoor unit, so that aesthetics can be enhanced.

12 is a perspective view of the side door module 22 according to an embodiment viewed from a different angle from the previous drawing. FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of portion A of FIG. 12 . FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 13 .

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

Correspondingly, a guide rail 2231 may be formed in the support frame 223 in a longitudinal direction and disposed in a position corresponding to the guide connector 226 .

The guide connector 226 coupled to the side door 221 smoothly moves in the forward and backward directions of the support frame 223 along the guide rail 2231 provided on the support frame 223, and The formed side discharge port 224 can be opened and closed.

The guide connector 226 may include a first piece 2261 , a second piece 2262 and a third piece 2263 . The guide connector 226 is fixedly coupled to the side door 221 and, together with the side door 221, can move in the forward and backward directions of the case (I).

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

The second piece 2262 is formed to extend in the front-back direction from the first piece 2261, and may include a bent portion. The third piece 2263 is formed to be bent from an end of the second piece 2262, is disposed longitudinally in a longitudinal direction, and has a rail guide groove 2263a in which the guide rail 2231 is mounted. there is.

The second piece 2262 has a bent portion, whereby the second piece 2262 and the third piece 2263 have an avoidance groove 2264 that avoids interference with the side of the support plate when moving in the forward and backward directions. can form Due to the avoidance groove 2264, the guide connector 226 avoids interference with the support plate and can smoothly move forward and backward.

Meanwhile, a part of the guide rail 2231 may be formed to protrude from the side of the support plate, and a support base 2231a supporting the lower side of the guide connector 226 may be formed at the protruding portion of the guide rail 2231. there is. The support base 2231a may be integrally formed with the guide rail 2231 .

The support base 2231a may serve to support the side door 221 together with the guide rail 2231 so that the side door 221 smoothly moves in the forward and backward directions with respect to the support plate 218.

The rail guide groove 2263a may be disposed in a longitudinal direction of the case I in a longitudinal direction.

Therefore, the rail guide groove 2263a is slidably mounted on the guide rail 2231 disposed in the longitudinal direction of the case I in the longitudinal direction, so that the third piece 2263 is guided by the guide rail 2231. It can move smoothly in the forward and backward directions. Therefore, the side door 221 can also move smoothly in the forward and backward directions of the case (I).

A plurality of guide connectors 226 may be provided, and each of the guide connectors 226 may be spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction of the case I along the longitudinal direction of the side door 221 .

Accordingly, a plurality of guide rails 2231 are provided, and each of the guide rails 2231 may be disposed at a position corresponding to each of the guide connectors 226 along the longitudinal direction of the support frame 223. there is.

Since a plurality of guide connectors 226 and guide rails 2231 are disposed in the longitudinal direction of the side door module 22, the side door 221 can more smoothly move in the forward and backward directions of the side assembly. The number of guide connectors 226 and guide rails 2231 may be appropriately selected.

Referring to FIG. 14 , the rail guide grooves 2263a may be provided as a pair, and each of the rail guide grooves 2263a may be provided to be symmetrical to each other in the vertical direction. Due to this structure, the guide connector 226 can be manufactured and used without distinction between left and right.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4 , in the pair of side door modules 22 provided on the left and right sides of the indoor unit, the guide connectors 226 can be mounted without distinguishing between the left and right sides.

Due to this structure, since the guide connector 226 can be manufactured and used without distinguishing between the left side and the right side, the manufacturing time and cost of the guide connector 226 can be saved, and the guide connector 226 can be installed in an indoor unit. Installation time can also be reduced.

As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to the drawings illustrated, but the present invention is not limited by the embodiments and drawings disclosed in this specification, and various modifications are made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. It is obvious that variations can be made. In addition, although the operational effects according to the configuration of the present invention have not been explicitly described and described while describing the embodiments of the present invention, it is natural that the effects predictable by the corresponding configuration should also be recognized.

Case: Ⅰ Front outlet: 141
Front door module: 21 Outer panel: 211
Side door module: 22 Side door: 221
Cover plate: 2211 1st fitting: 2211a
Reinforcing plate: 2212 2nd fitting part: 2212a
Attachment member: 2213 First driving part: 222
Gearmotor: 2221 Pinion Gear: 2222
Rack Gear: 2223 Gearing: 2223a
Connecting part: 2223b Support frame: 223
Guide rail: 2231 Support base: 2231a
Side outlet: 224 Side vane: 225
Guide connector: 226 1st piece: 2261
2nd piece: 2262 3rd piece: 2263
Rail guide groove: 2263a Avoidance groove: 2264
All-broadcasting module: 31 All-broadcasting fan: 311

Claims (1)

front panel;
a rear case disposed behind the front panel;
a side door module disposed between the front panel and the rear case to open and close the side discharge port;
a front door module opening and closing a front discharge port formed on the front panel; and
A blowing fan assembly for discharging air through the front discharge port and the side discharge port;
The blower fan assembly
a front blowing module corresponding to the front door module; and
Including a side blowing wind module corresponding to the side door module,
A plurality of side blowing wind modules are disposed in a vertical direction and are disposed below the front blowing wind module,
The side door module includes a side door that extends from the upper end to the lower end of the front panel to a predetermined width and opens and closes the side discharge port while moving in the forward and backward directions;
a first driving unit providing a driving force to the side door;
A support frame coupled to the front panel and the rear case, having the side discharge port formed therein, and supporting the side door and the first driving unit,
The first driving unit is an air conditioner disposed at upper and lower ends of the support frame, respectively.