WO2006038123A2

WO2006038123A2 - An apparatus for treating the air in a room

Info

Publication number: WO2006038123A2
Application number: PCT/IB2005/003231
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giorgio Daolio
Original assignee: Omas S.R.L.
Priority date: 2004-10-08
Filing date: 2005-10-06
Publication date: 2006-04-13
Also published as: WO2006038123A3; ITBO20040617A1

Abstract

An apparatus (10) for treating the air in a room, in particular a room in a home or at a place of work. The apparatus is in the form of an air conditioner and comprises a supporting frame (12); means for extracting at least one air flow to be conditioned; means for conditioning the air extracted from the room; and means for emitting at least one flow of conditioned air. The apparatus further comprises means (14a, 14b) for mounting it on a wall surface (15a, 15b) in the room, enabling the front wall (11) of the apparatus (10) to be positioned at an angle (A) with respect to the surface (15a, 15b) of the wall on which the apparatus (10) is mounted.

Description

AN APPARATUS FOR TREATING THE AIR IN A ROOM

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an apparatus for treating the air in a room, in particular a room in a home or at a place of work.

The apparatus is preferably in the form of an air conditioner, especially an air conditioner of the split type.

Background Art

Wall-mounted air conditioners, that is to say, air conditioners fixed to the wall of a room whose temperature needs to be regulated, are well known. These prior art wall-mounted conditioners have a supporting frame with flat front and rear walls, parallel to each other and two short side walls, also flat, perpendicular to the front and rear walls.

These customary air conditioners are known as split type air conditioners and further comprise air extraction means which suck in room air to be conditioned, normally from below, and means for conditioning or cooling the room air, the conditioned air being then emitted, by suitable emitting means, as a single air flow which is diverted by a plurality of power-driven horizontal louvres.

Further, these prior art conditioners are connected, outside the room, to an outdoor unit in which the conditioning of the heat exchange fluid takes place. The outdoor unit suitably cools the heat exchange gas and returns cool, conditioned air to the environment inside the room. According to prior art, the indoor unit, that is, the part of the apparatus located inside the room to be conditioned, is mounted in a substantially central position, approximately half way along the wall it is mounted on, so as to convey the air flow to a substantially central part of the room in a direction perpendicular to the wall the conditioner is mounted on, in order to efficiently condition the room. Installing prior art conditioners according to this set-up, however, places restrictions on the positioning of furniture and other items of interior decor, and produces an unattractive spot in the overall aspect of the room.

Moreover, the cooling effect of an air conditioner of this type is achieved solely by an air flow substantially perpendicular to the wall the conditioner is mounted on, excluding the parts of the room furthest away from the conditioner where cooling takes much longer and is much less efficient.

Disclosure of the Invention

Therefore, this invention provides an apparatus for treating the air in a room, in particular a room in a home or at a place of work, preferably in the form of an air conditioner, particularly in the form of a conditioner of the split type. The apparatus comprises a supporting frame defining a front wall; means for extracting at least one air flow to be conditioned; means for conditioning the air extracted from the room; and means for emitting a flow of conditioned air. The apparatus is characterised in that it further comprises means for mounting it on a wall surface in the room, enabling the front wall of the apparatus to be positioned at an angle with respect to the wall surface on which the apparatus is mounted.

In this way, the apparatus can be positioned as required and, when necessary, the air flow can be directed in a desired direction so as to cool a particular area more quickly.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The advantageous technical characteristics of the invention, may be easily inferred from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention provided merely by way of example without restricting the scope of the inventive concept, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention; Figure 5 is a schematic cross sectional view of the apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 6 is a cutaway view of the front part of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 7 is another cutaway view showing in particular the internal parts at the back of the apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 8 is an exploded view of the parts of the supporting frame of the apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 9 is a top view showing an air conditioning assembly comprising a pair of apparatuses according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the back of the first preferred embodiment of the air conditioning assembly of apparatuses according to the invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

The accompanying drawings illustrate a first preferred embodiment 10 of an apparatus for treating the air in a room, in particular a room in a home or at a place of work.

This preferred embodiment of the apparatus is, in particular, an apparatus of the split type. More specifically, the apparatus is an air conditioner, and especially a wall-mounted indoor portion of the air conditioner associated with an outdoor portion where the heat exchange gas is cooled, the outdoor portion not being illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

More specifically, the apparatus is an air conditioner that may optionally be converted into a heat pump.

Looking more closely at the details, the first preferred embodiment of the conditioning apparatus comprises a supporting frame, labelled 12 in its entirety, which defines a front wall 11, a rear wall 13 and a first and a second side wall 15, 17. This preferred embodiment 10 of the apparatus basically comprises means for extracting from the room at least one air flow to be conditioned; means for conditioning the air extracted from the room; and means for emitting at least one flow of the air after it has been suitably conditioned.

In particular, according to an especially advantageous aspect of the invention, described with special reference to Figures 2 and 3, the apparatus comprises suitable means, labelled 14a, 14b, which enable the apparatus to be mounted in the room on a surface, labelled 15a in Figure 3, that is at an angle to the front wall 11 of the apparatus 10.

The reference character M in Figure 3, denotes a centre line, drawn in dot-dashed style, constituting a substantially transversal axis of symmetry of the apparatus. Advantageously, as shown in Figure 3, the front wall 11 has an outwardly convex arc-shaped profile defining a surface that extends in a substantially symmetrical manner in directions perpendicular or transversal to the centre line M extending longitudinally. According to this advantageous aspect, Figure 3 shows how the front wall 11 extends about a centre line M that is oriented at an angle and, more specifically, at an angle other than 90°, with respect to the mounting surface 15a of the wall bounding the room to be conditioned. Thus, the device according to the invention, unlike prior art split type air conditioners, can advantageously be mounted in positions that are convenient for directing the air flow towards specific parts of the room, other than at right angles.

The reference character T in Figure 3 denotes a line, drawn in dot dashed style, perpendicular to the centre line M. The line T is tangent to the curved profile described by the front wall at the latter's midpoint.

With these mounting means, the apparatus according to the invention can be installed in such a way that the line T makes a defined angle, labelled A in Figure 3, with a wall 15a on which it is mounted.

As may also be inferred from Figure 3 and as described in more detail below, the apparatus is mounted at the same angle A also with respect to another wall 15b, at right angles to the first wall 15a.

According to this preferred embodiment, as will become more evident below, the flow of conditioned air is emitted at an angle other than 90° with respect to the wall on which the apparatus is mounted.

Thus, the air conditioning apparatus according to the invention may be unobtrusively mounted in a corner of the room, in a high up position, near the ceiling, where it does not interfere with furniture or other objects in the room which may be positioned even below it.

Preferably, the aforementioned angles made by the centre line M with the mounting wall surfaces 15a and 15b and by the transversal line T with the surfaces 15a and 15b are all substantially equal to 45°. It will be understood, however, that the means for mounting the apparatus according to the invention may be such that these angles differ from those in the preferred embodiment described here. In particular, according to an especially advantageous aspect, the mounting means 14a, 14b are fitted to a surface 16 of the frame 12, said surface making a defined angle with the centre line M, this angle being substantially equal to 45°.

Further, the mounting means 14a, 14b are fitted to a surface 16 of the frame 12, said surface making a defined angle with the rear wall 13 of the apparatus, this angle being, preferably, substantially equal to 45°.

As shown in the drawings, the invention also contemplates the provision of means 18a, 18b for mounting the apparatus on a surface 15b of a wall bounding the room, said means 18a, 18b being provided on at least one second frame 12 surface 20 that also makes a defined angle with the centre line M or, similarly, with the rear wall 13 of the apparatus 10. These angles with the centre line M or with the rear wall 13 are also preferably 45°. Thus, as stated above, the apparatus according to the invention can be mounted in a corner of the room and is securely supported in convenient and advantageous fashion. As illustrated, the first and the second surface 20 equipped with the mounting means 14a, 14b and 18a, 18b make an angle substantially equal to 90° with each other.

As may be inferred from the accompanying drawings, each of the frame 12 surfaces 16, 18 equipped with the wall mounting means, are provided on respective side walls 15, 17 of the apparatus, and, more specifically, on rear portions of the respective side walls 15, 17.

As illustrated, each side wall 15, 17 of the apparatus comprises a respective main portion 22, 24 that extends at an angle to the centre line M in such a way that the portions 22 and 24 make an angle of approximately 90° with each other.

As shown in the drawings, each rear portion 16, 20 of the respective side wall 15, 17, on which the mounting means are located extends in parallel with and radially spaced or offset from, the main portion 22, 24 of the side wall 15, 17, to which it is joined by a respective short portion, labelled 26, 28 in the drawings, that is perpendicular to it, that is to say, parallel with the centre line M. Each short perpendicular joining portion 26, 28 of the respective side wall 15, 17 is placed over a respective arc-shaped frame portion, labelled 30 and 32, respectively, which covers the joining portion almost entirely and extends over a rear portion of the main central part 22, 24 of the respective side wall 15, 17. As illustrated, these side walls 15, 17 also comprise a short front surface 34, 36 that connects the inclined central portion 22, 24, of the side wall 15, 17 to a respective lateral edge of the front wall of the wall 11. These front connecting surfaces of the side walls extend, as shown in particular in Figure 3, in a direction parallel with the centre line M or perpendicular to the rear wall 13.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, especially Figure 2, the frame 12 comprises a narrow rear wall 13 that extends in a direction perpendicular to the centre line M and is equipped with further means for mounting on a respective surface.

When required, these rear wall 13 mounting means, labelled 38a, 38b, enable the apparatus according to the invention to also be fixed to a room wall that is substantially perpendicular to the centre line M, that is, parallel with the transversal line T. This feature is not shown explicitly in the accompanying drawings. This makes the apparatus suitable for a plurality of uses, according to the user's specific requirements.

The mounting means on the perpendicular rear wall 13 also enable the apparatus to be used in modular combination with at least one other similar apparatus, as illustrated in Figure 10 and as will become more apparent from the rest of this specification. The mounting means on the respective surfaces 15, 17 and 13 of the apparatus comprise a first mounting element 14a, 18a, 38a and a second mounting element 14b, 18b, 38b which are vertically spaced and arranged in substantially symmetrical fashion about an imaginary horizontal plane of symmetry of the apparatus, not illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings.

This advantageous arrangement of the mounting elements makes it possible to turn the apparatus over by 180° without making substantial changes to its design.

In practice, the versatility of the apparatus according to the invention is reflected also in the fact that it can be mounted vertically as illustrated in the drawings or turned upside down through 180°.

As shown in Figure 2, each of the mounting elements 14a,

14b, 18a, 18b, 38a and 38b consists of a protruding portion of the respective wall, having respective holes 14', 18' in the mounting elements 14a, 14b, 18a, 18b and a pair of spaced holes 38' and 38" in the mounting elements 38a, 38b.

Into these holes suitable pins or other connecting means fixed to the wall of the room in which the air conditioner is mounted can easily be inserted.

As illustrated in particular in Figures 3 and 4, the frame

12 of the apparatus also comprises a top transversal wall 19 and a bottom transversal wall 21 which have the shape of irregular hexagons, that is to say, having sides 15, 17 that diverge towards the front of the apparatus.

The top and bottom transversal walls 19, 21 each have a respective dome-shaped portion 40, 42 defining means for housing air movement means, in particular the ends of these means, which have a plurality of circumferentially distributed radial grooves 43 extending past the perimetric circular profile of the dome- shaped protruding portion. According to another aspect, the apparatus advantageously comprises mounting means 14, 14b and/or 18a, 18b that are suitable for mounting the apparatus on a wall surface 15a, 15b with the side wall 22 and/or 24 of the apparatus parallel, or at least substantially parallel, with the respective mounting surface 15a, 15b.

Looking more closely at the technical details of the apparatus, with reference to the means for conditioning the air, it should be noticed that, according to another advantageous aspect of the invention, these air conditioning means comprise a large evaporator 35, illustrated in detail in Figures 5 and 6, consisting of a plurality of ducts through which an air cooling gas is passed. As shown in particular in Figure 5, the evaporator has protruding from it a fitting 37 for a duct 41a that delivers the heat exchange gas in the heated condition, and a fitting 39 for a duct 41b that returns the heat exchange gas from an outdoor cooling circuit. The outdoor circuit or unit for cooling the heat exchange gas is not illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings since it may be of any suitable type known to an expert in the trade. As illustrated, according to an especially advantageous aspect, this evaporator 35 has a general rectangular shape for intercepting the flow of air to be conditioned and extends in a mainly vertical direction, that is to say, with its long side vertical. With reference to the general configuration of the apparatus, the evaporator 35 extends symmetrically in a vertical direction about an imaginary horizontal plane of symmetry of the apparatus.

This means the apparatus has a large cooling surface, though limited in width, which provides high cooling efficiency while at the same time allowing the apparatus to be mounted in confined spaces. As shown in particular in Figures 5 and 6, the evaporator 35 extends in a direction substantially transversal to the axis of symmetry M, and is positioned in an asymmetrical position in a horizontal or transversal direction, with respect to the axis of symmetry M.

In practice, the evaporator 35 is advantageously positioned beside an outlet portion of a conditioned air outlet channel, as explained in more detail below, between an inner wall 66a defining said channel and the outer front side wall 34 of the frame 12. As illustrated, the evaporator fittings 37, 39 extend from the back, on the side of the evaporator that is opposite the outlet channel, as clearly illustrated in Figure 5.

According to another advantageous aspect, in order to guarantee high air intake and emission flow rates, the invention contemplates the provision of extraction means, consisting of a radial fan 44 which is positioned downstream of the evaporator 35 and extracts the air to be conditioned by the latter, and which delivers conditioned air to an outlet channel 66, described in more detail below, that expels it in a tangential direction substantially along the full height of the fan.

In especially advantageous manner, the extraction and emission fan 44 has a substantially vertical longitudinal axis L, shown in Figures 6 and 7, enabling the transversal dimensions to be reduced while allowing high flow rates to be achieved. Although the upright position of the air movement means 44 is especially preferred, other positions are imaginable, provided the axis of rotation L is not horizontal, to achieve the same advantages in terms of reduced horizontal or transversal dimensions for the air treatment apparatus according to the invention.

The air movement means also comprise a motor 44a which is connected through a shaft 44b to the air movement fan 44 and the top end of which extends under the dome shaped portion 40, whilst its lower end has respective rotation and supporting means - not illustrated in detail in the drawings - that extend inside the lower dome shaped portion 42 of the lower transversal portion of the apparatus. As may be inferred in particular from Figure 6, the emission means, in an equally advantageous manner, comprise a large chamber

43, located upstream of the evaporator 35, and of the extraction means 44 downstream of the evaporator 35, said chamber 43 extending in a mainly vertical direction.

The chamber 43 is substantially symmetrical about a horizontal plane through the centre of the apparatus, whilst it extends substantially asymmetrically with respect to the centre line M. The chamber 43 is substantially contained between the outwardly convex rear face of the front wall 11 of the apparatus and the inside wall 66a, in particular the front section of this wall that defines the outlet channel for the conditioned air.

At the back, this chamber 43 for collecting the incoming air flows, is delimited by a large filter 45, upstream of the evaporator 35, through which all the air flowing into the apparatus passes.

The filter 45 has a general rectangular shape and, as illustrated, extends upstream of the evaporator 35 in a mainly vertical direction.

The filter 45 is positioned symmetrically about a horizontal axis or middle plane, whereas it is positioned asymmetrically with respect to the centre line M of the apparatus and extends alongside the front wall of the inside of the conditioned air outlet channel, in a direction substantially transversal or perpendicular to the axis of symmetry M.

As illustrated, in particular in Figures 3 and 4, the filter makes an angle of less than 90° with the centre line M.

According to one advantageous aspect, means are provided for removing the filter 45, said means being in the form of suitable guides 45a, 45b designed to hold the filter 45 in place while allowing it to slide out when necessary.

In practice, the guide means 45a, 45b consist of U-shaped profiles with a longitudinal internal cavity in which a respective lateral edge of the filter 45 can be slid and held in place by friction against the guide means themselves.

To enable the filter to be pulled out, these means for removing the filter comprise an opening 45c that gives onto the bottom wall 21 of the apparatus and provides access to a protruding end 45" of the filter.

As illustrated, the filter access opening 45c gives onto the bottom wall 47' of a recess 47 made in the bottom wall 21 of the apparatus.

As illustrated, the recess 47 is made at the front of the apparatus and is longitudinally delimited by the lower edge of the front wall 11 and an opposite transversal, or rather, substantially transversal, wall 47" shown in Figure 3, and by short side walls 47a, 47b.

A similar recess 49 is made in the top wall 19 of the apparatus. This recess, too, is delimited by a top end portion of the front wall 11 and a corresponding substantially transversal wall 49". At the bottom 49' of the recess 49, there is an opening 45d that provides access to a corresponding end 45" of the filter 45.

As illustrated, the top recess 45 is transversally delimited by short side walls 49a, 49b. Thanks to this arrangement of the filter access means, the filter can be removed just as easily when the filter is in the position shown in the illustrations as when it is turned upside down through 180°.

The filter 45 can be removed by simply pulling it out in a vertical direction and, once cleaned or substituted with a new filter, it can be easily slid back into place.

Since these access means are located on both sides, the filter can be removed from both sides of the apparatus.

Means 46 are advantageously provided for letting air flow in from the front.

These means for letting air flow in from the front, indicated by the arrows F, comprise an inlet surmounted or delimited by an inlet grill 46 that extends over the front wall 11 of the apparatus. The grill consists of a plurality of holes 47 which are formed in the plastic surface of the front wall and which lead into the above mentioned common extraction chamber 43. As illustrated, the grill 46 extends in the central section of the front wall 11 and is substantially symmetrical about a horizontal middle plane and about the transversal centre line M.

According to another advantageous aspect, means are also provided for letting air flow in from the side.

The means for letting air flow in from the side comprise an inlet surmounted or delimited by an inlet grill 50 located in the side wall 15 and, more specifically, in the front perpendicular portion 34 of the side wall 15 at a longitudinally narrow recess 34' in the latter.

As shown in Figure 1, the lateral grill 50 has a plurality of holes 51 which lead into the extraction chamber 43 from the side.

As illustrated, the lateral grill 50 is shorter in height than the front grill 46 although it too is substantially symmetrical about a horizontal middle plane of the apparatus.

The lateral grill 50 allows a side air flow, indicated by the arrows S, to enter the side of the extraction chamber 43, thus permitting a good flow to the evaporator 35 even in the area at the side of the latter.

It is thus possible to make the best use of the cooling surface of the evaporator 35, by providing a transversally uniform flow that is well distributed over the entire width of the evaporator. Means 54 are also advantageously provided for letting air flow in from above, as indicated by the arrows U. These means for letting air flow in from above comprise an inlet surmounted or delimited by a grill 54 that extends over the top wall 19, and more specifically, at the recess 49 in the top wall 19, said grill 54 extending at an angle converging towards the back of the apparatus, as shown clearly in the cutaway view of Figure 6.

The grill 54 consists of a plurality of strips 54' that define, between them, respective holes 55 leading into the extraction chamber 43 from above. As illustrated, the grill 54 extends over a front central portion of the top wall 19, being transversely extended more on the side opposite that where the conditioned air inlet means are located, that is to say, towards the part where the evaporator 35 lies.

The upper grill 54 supplies a good air flow to the area at the top of the evaporator 35, making it possible to make the best use of the latter's cooling surface.

Means are also provided for letting air flow in from below, as indicated by the arrows D. The advantageous means for letting air flow in from below comprise an inlet surmounted or delimited by a grill 58 located on the bottom wall 21 of the apparatus, and, more specifically, in the area at the front of it.

Like the upper grill 54, the bottom grill 58 consists of a plurality of inclined strips 58', defining respective elongated holes 59 leading into the bottom of the extraction chamber 43.

The grill 58 also extends at an angle and converges towards the back and is located inside the recess 47 made in the bottom wall 21 of the apparatus.

More specifically, as illustrated, both the upper grill 54 and the bottom grill 58 extend and are positioned at the front of the respective openings 45d, 45c that give access to the respective end of the filter 45.

As illustrated, the bottom grill 58 extends over a front central portion of the bottom wall 21, being transversely asymmetrical and extended more on the side of the apparatus where the conditioned air outlet means are not located. The grill that lets in the air from below greatly improves air cooling efficiency because it enables a considerable part of the total air flow to reach the bottom section of the cooling surface of the evaporator 35.

According to a further advantageous aspect, emission means are provided for letting air flow out from the front, indicated by the arrow E.

These emission means 62 for letting air flow out from the front comprise a conditioned air outlet opening 64 located next to the means 46 for letting air flow in from the front. As illustrated, this opening 64 gives directly onto the front wall 11, is located on one side of the latter and extends in a vertical direction beside the air inlet area 46 for a considerable length.

In practice, the air flow outlet opening 64 has an upright elongated shape, rectangular in this embodiment, with the long sides extending vertically and the short sides horizontally. As may be inferred in particular from Figures 5, 6 and 7, the opening 64 gives directly onto the end of an emission channel

66 that extends between the fan 44 and the opening 64, following a substantially curved path.

The emission channel 66 has a vertically elongated shape, being much longer in a vertical direction than it is wide in the direction transversal to that. The emission channel 66 is bounded by a curved inner side wall 66a which separates it from the zones that receive the flows of air to be conditioned and the related cooling means, whilst on the outer side, the emission or outlet channel 66 is bounded by a curved surface 66b substantially defined on the inside of the shaped side wall 17.

As may be observed with reference to Figure 6, the air outlet channel 66 is bounded at the top and bottom ends by substantially horizontal walls, of which only the bottom wall 66c is shown in Figure 6 and in Figure 3.

Advantageously, the side wall or outer surface 66b of the outlet channel has a rear curved section 66'b that extends behind the fan 44 starting substantially from the opposite transversal end of the fan 44. According to yet another aspect, the air flow outlet means comprise flow diverting means 68 located inside the outlet channel

66.

More specifically, the means for diverting the emitted flow inside the outlet channel 66 are located in the vicinity of the outlet opening 62 and can be adjusted through the outlet opening

62 itself.

In particular, the air flow diverting means 68 are designed to divert the emitted flow vertically in a required angular direction. The diverting means comprise a plurality of narrow louvres

69 that can be operated simultaneously using appropriate operating means. As illustrated, the louvres 69 are pivoted at respective points 69' on the inner side wall 66a of the outlet channel 66 in such a way that they can turn in a vertical plane about a substantially horizontal pivot pin or axis 69". The parallel louvres 69 are connected by a substantially vertical rod 70 that can be moved up or down using a respective handle 71 located at the end of the rod or another handle 73 at the opposite end of the rod in such a way as to simultaneously vary the angle of the louvres. As illustrated, the louvres 69 that divert the air flow according to a required vertical direction are equally spaced substantially along the full height of the outlet channel 66.

Advantageously, means 74 for diverting the conditioned air flow in a horizontal direction are also provided. These means for horizontally diverting the conditioned air flow comprise a wide flap 74 located on the outside surface of the frame and pivoted about a vertical axis 76 at the side wall 17 of the frame, in the vicinity of the front edge of the frame.

This wide flap 74 for diverting the conditioned air flow moves from a fully open position, illustrated in Figure 3, in which the air flowing out of the channel 66 through the outlet opening 62 is diverted forwards in a direction substantially parallel to the centre line M of the apparatus. In this position, the flap 74, or rather, its air flow diverting surface or portion, extends in a direction substantially parallel with the corresponding front section 36 of the side wall it is connected to and with the centre line M of the apparatus.

As illustrated, the outlet opening 62, or rather, the perimeter or outer edge defining it, and the diverting flap 64 in the open condition make a predetermined angle of less than 90°.

The flap 74 that diverts the air flow horizontally, extending vertically for the full height of the front wall of the apparatus and being slightly curved to match the curvature of and close the air outlet opening, is connected to appropriate motorising means which, upon receiving a suitable command when necessary, cause it to move at a constant predetermined speed between the aforementioned open position and a closed position, shown in Figure 4. These motorising control means are not illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

On the side opposite the one occupied by the flap 74 there is a matching panel that is the same size as and looks like the flap when the flap is in the closed condition. This panel, which is also slightly curved and whose edge protrudes slightly, is labelled 75 in the drawings.

According to another aspect, the invention contemplates the provision of means 80 for displaying the operating conditions of the apparatus. These display means consist of a small display unit

80, with a general quadrangular shape, on which information such as temperature or other data relating to the apparatus is shown.

The display means 80 are advantageously located in a central position at the front 11 of the apparatus. Thus, the apparatus can be turned upside down without changing the position of the display means, so the user has a uniform view of the display means, whichever way the apparatus is mounted.

As illustrated, the front wall 11 of the apparatus has a quadrangular hole 82 at the centre of it, surrounded by the holes 47 forming part of the inlet grill 46, and having the front of the display unit 80 extending through it.

Figure 8 shows an exploded view of the supporting frame in the preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention. This preferred embodiment of the frame consists of a plurality of parts made of moulded plastic.

As shown in Figure 8, a block 102 defines the rear wall and side walls of the frame, as well as the outer transversal surface 66b of the cooled air outlet channel.

The reference numeral 104 denotes a block defining the front wall 11 of the apparatus.

The panel 104 has a hole 82 to accommodate the quadrangular display cover, labelled 80'. The display unit is further supported by a plastic block 81 applied to the inside of the panel 104 and associated with a supporting strip 106 extending transversally with a curved configuration following the curvature of the front wall 11 of the apparatus. The strip 106 is connected on each side to straight guide strips 45a and 45b which are suitably fastened to the evaporator 35 (not shown in Figure 8) by means of screws (not illustrated) inserted in respective eyelets 145.

The reference numeral 45 in Figure 8 denotes the aforementioned filter, having a plurality of filtering surfaces mounted on a suitable frame with lateral end portions or strips 146, 147 that slide in the guides 45a, 45b. The filter block 45 comprises a first and a second end portion 148, 149 with respective inlet openings 150, 151 made in them.

The reference numerals 108 and 110 respectively denote the top and bottom ends of the supporting frame.

The ends 108, 110 are moulded to form suitably shaped blocks defining means for accommodating the air movement fan 44 and for the passage of its shaft through the holes 109 and 111, and defining also the recesses in which the top and bottom grills at the top and bottom walls of the apparatus are made.

The reference numeral 112 in Figure 8 denotes a part that retains the fan 44 motor, whilst the reference numerals 19 and 21 denote the panels that define the top and bottom walls of the apparatus. The reference numerals 75 and 74 in Figure 8 respectively indicate the panel defining the flap for diverting the air flow horizontally and the fixed side panel on the front wall of the apparatus.

The reference numerals 114 and 116 in turn indicate the superposed portions defining the outer section of the side wall of the apparatus.

The reference numeral 118, on the other hand, denotes a block that defines the internal separating surface between the channel and the air flow inlet area. Figures 9 and 10 illustrate a second preferred configuration for using the apparatus according to the invention. Figure 9 shows how a single apparatus according to the invention can be used as a modular element in an air conditioning assembly where a plurality of apparatuses - in this case, a first and a second apparatus - can be combined.

In this way, it is possible to enhance the air conditioning capacity by simply making an assembly consisting of a first and a second individual apparatus or unit suitably associated with each other.

The air conditioning assembly illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 thus comprises a first and a second air conditioning unit having the characteristics of the conditioner according to the first preferred embodiment described above and, for convenience, not described in detail again, the first and second air conditioning units 310, 410 being mounted in such a way that their respective axes of symmetry M are substantially at 90° to each other.

Thus, each of the emitted air flows is diverted in an appropriate direction, preferably at 90° to the other.

Hence, the flow emitted by the first conditioning unit 310 and that emitted by the second conditioning unit 410 can be suitably directed in opposite directions at right angles to each other so as to obtain a more uniform cooling effect in the room where the conditioning assembly is mounted.

In practice, the flaps 74 for diverting the air flows horizontally can be moved from a position where they are substantially perpendicular to the wall 15', on which the conditioning assembly is mounted, and where each flap 74 almost closes the respective air outlet opening, to a position where the flaps 74 are fully open and divert the air flows in opposite lateral directions at an angle of 90° to each other. The air conditioning assembly illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 therefore offers very high conditioning efficiency, with large quantities of air flowing into it and over the conditioning surfaces.

The assembly also comprises a mounting bracket, labelled 202 in its entirety in Figures 9 and 10. If necessary, the bracket 202 might also be used to mount a single conditioning unit, where considered sufficient under specific circumstances, the single unit thus being mounted in such a way that its axis of symmetry makes a defined angle with a straight wall surface, labelled 15 in Figure 9.

Although, the bracket 202 is preferably used to mount two conditioning units, situations are also imaginable where this mounting bracket can be applied to a wall surface in a room having a plurality of conditioning units according to the first preferred embodiment described above, so that the conditioning units are spaced at desired intervals and, hence, the conditioned air flows are directed at desired angular intervals from each other.

More specifically, the bracket illustrated here consists of a first, upper mounting element 204 and a second, lower mounting element 206, vertically distanced from each other.

More specifically, this bracket consists of a first, upper mounting element 204 and a second, lower mounting element 206, vertically distanced from each other.

The mounting elements 204, 206 each comprise a perpendicular portion 208, in the form of a profile, extending between the inclined lateral surfaces of the units 310, 410, to which they are suitably connected.

Further, each of the mounting elements comprises a portion 210 which extends at an angle to the wall surface it is mounted on, and more specifically, at an angle of 45°, and is designed to be associated with the mounting means 38a, 38b on the rear wall of the conditioning unit 310.

Looking in more detail, the mounting elements 204, 208 each comprise a first and a second portion 210, 211 which make an angle of 90° with each other and which are designed to engage the rear of the respective units 310, 410. The numeral 212 in Figure 10 denotes a portion to be fastened to the wall of the room where the air conditioning assembly is mounted. The portion 212 extends in a direction parallel to the wall surface 15' the assembly is mounted on and has suitable means for fastening it to the wall, comprising, in particular, a first, a second and a third protruding portion 214, 216, 218 with respective holes or slots 220 into a which a pin driven into the wall can be inserted. As illustrated, each of the fastening elements is located at a different height from the others. In this preferred embodiment, a single air conditioning apparatus is 52 cm high, 34 cm wide and 26 cm deep or long. Other sizes are imaginable, however. Viewed from above, the apparatus according to the invention has a general triangular shape, or rather, the general shape of the sector of a circle, suitably adapted to allow air into it from the sides, even if the apparatus is mounted in a corner. Furthermore, this configuration makes it possible to produce extremely compact, small-sized air conditioning apparatuses.

The invention described can be modified and adapted in several ways without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover, all the details of the invention may be substituted by technically equivalent elements.

Claims

1. An apparatus (10) for treating the air in a room, in particular a room in a home or at a place of work, preferably in the form of an air conditioner, particularly in the form of an apparatus of the split type; the apparatus comprising a supporting frame (12) defining a front wall (11); means for extracting at least one air flow to be conditioned; means for conditioning the air extracted from the room; and means for emitting a flow of conditioned air; the apparatus being characterised in that it further comprises means (14a, 14b) for mounting it on a wall surface (15a) in the room, enabling the front wall (11) of the apparatus (10) to be positioned at an angle (A) with respect to the room wall surface (15a) on which the apparatus (10) is mounted.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that it further comprises means (14a, 14b) for mounting it on a wall surface (15a) in the room, enabling the apparatus (10) to be mounted with its centre line (M) at a defined angle to the surface (15a) of the wall in the room where the apparatus (10) is mounted.

3. The apparatus according to either of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that it further comprises means (14a, 14b) for mounting it on a wall surface (15) in the room, and being provided on at least one frame (12) surface (16) at an angle to the front wall (11) of the apparatus (10).

4. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that it further comprises means (18a, 18b) for mounting it on a wall surface (15b) in the room, and being provided on at least one second frame (12) surface (20) at an angle to the front wall (11) of the apparatus (10) .

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, characterised in that the first frame surface (16) and the second frame surface (20) equipped with the mounting means (14a, 14b and 18a, 18b) make an angle of approximately 90° with each other.

6. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that each of the surfaces (16, 18) equipped with the mounting means defines a part of a respective side wall (15, 17) of the apparatus.

7. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that each of the surfaces (16, 18) equipped with the mounting means is located at the back of a respective side wall (15, 17) of the apparatus.

8. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that each side wall (15, 17) of the apparatus comprises a respective main portion (22, 24) that extends at an angle to a centre line (M) .

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterised in that each rear surface (16, 20) of the respective side wall (15, 17) of the apparatus is perpendicularly spaced from the respective main portion (22, 24) of the side wall (15, 17) .

10. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the front wall (11) of the apparatus is arc-shaped, with the convex side towards the front.

11. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a narrow rear wall (13) .

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a rear wall (13) equipped with means (38a, 38b) for mounting on a corresponding wall surface. 13. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the mounting means on the respective surfaces (16, 20,

13) of the apparatus comprise a first mounting element (14a, 18a, 38a) and a second mounting element (14b, 18b, 38b) which are vertically spaced and arranged symmetrically about the vertical centre line of the apparatus.

14. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a transversal top and/or bottom wall (19, 21) with a respective relief portion (40, 42) to define means for housing the air movement means.

15. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the means for conditioning the air comprise a large evaporator (35) that has protruding from it a fitting (37) for a delivery duct (41a) and a fitting (39) for a return duct (41b) to and from an outdoor heat exchange gas conditioning circuit.

16. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the air conditioning means comprise an evaporator (35) extending in a mainly vertical direction.

17. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the air conditioning means comprise an evaporator (35) positioned asymmetrically in a horizontal or transversal direction about the centre line (M) of the apparatus.

18. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the air conditioning means comprise an evaporator (35) positioned alongside the conditioned air outlet channel.

19. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises means (37, 39) for fitting a delivery duct (41a) and a return duct (41b) to and from an outdoor heat exchange gas cooling circuit, said means being located on the side opposite the side from which the conditioned air outlet channel extends.

20. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the air extraction and outlet means comprise at least one extraction and emission fan (44) having a longitudinal axis (L) , the fan (44) being positioned with the longitudinal axis (L) extending in a substantially vertical direction.

21. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the inlet means comprise a large chamber (43) located upstream of the extraction means (44) and having at least one air flow leading into it.

22. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the inlet means comprise a chamber (43) located upstream of the extraction means (44) and extending in a mainly vertical direction.

23. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the air inlet means comprise a chamber (43) that extends symmetrically in a vertical direction about a horizontal plane of symmetry of the apparatus.

24. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the air inlet means comprise a chamber (43) that extends asymmetrically in a transversal direction with respect to the centre line (M) of the apparatus.

25. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the air inlet means comprise a chamber (43) that extends alongside the inside wall defining the conditioned air outlet channel.

26. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the inlet means comprise a large filter (45) for incoming air.

27. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the inlet means comprise a filter (45) extending in a mainly vertical direction.

28. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the air inlet means comprise a filter (45) that extends symmetrically in a vertical direction about the horizontal plane of symmetry of the apparatus.

29. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that the air inlet means comprise a filter (45) that extends asymmetrically in a transversal direction with respect to the centre line (M) of the apparatus.

30. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 26 to 29, characterised in that the air inlet means comprise a filter (45) that defines a transversal intercepting surface.

31. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises means for removing the filter (45) in the form of suitable guides (45a, 45b) designed to hold the filter (45) in place while allowing it to slide out when necessary.

32. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises means for removing the filter (45) which in turn comprise an opening (45c) that provides access to the end of the filter where the wall (19) is.

33. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises means for removing the filter which in turn comprise a second opening (45d) that provides access to the end of the filter (45) where the wall (21) is.

34. The apparatus according to claim 33, characterised in that the removing means comprise a first and a second access opening (45c, 45d) at opposite end walls (19, 21) of the apparatus.

35. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from

32 to 34, characterised in that the access opening (45c) at a respective end of the filter gives onto the end wall of a recess (49) in the bottom wall (19) of the apparatus.

36. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from

33 to 35, characterised in that the second access opening (45d) at a respective end of the filter gives onto the end wall of a recess (47) in the bottom wall (21) of the apparatus.

37. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 31 to 36, characterised in that the guide means comprise a first guide (45a) and a second guide (45b) which hold the lateral edges of the flat filter (45) in place by friction.

38. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 31 to 37, characterised in that the guide means (45a, 45b) extend vertically.

39. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises means (46) for letting air flow in from the front.

40. The apparatus according to claim 39, characterised in that the means for letting air flow in from the front comprise an inlet grill (46) located in the front wall (11) .

41. The apparatus according to claim 40, characterised in that the inlet grill (46) located in the front wall (11) comprises a plurality of holes (47) leading into the extraction chamber (43) .

42. The apparatus according to claim 40 or 41, characterised in that the inlet grill (46) located in the front wall (11) extends in the central section of the front wall (11) .

43. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises means (50) for letting air flow in from the side.

44. The apparatus according to claim 43, characterised in that the means for letting air flow in from the side comprise an inlet grill (50) located in the side wall (15) .

45. The apparatus according to claim 44, characterised in that the means for letting air flow in from the side comprise an inlet grill (50) located in the front section (34) of the side wall (15) .

46. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises means (54) for letting air flow in from above.

47. The apparatus according to claim 46, characterised in that the means for letting air flow in from above comprise an inlet grill (54) located in the top wall (19) .

48. The apparatus according to claim 47, characterised in that the inlet grill (54) located in the top wall (19) comprises a plurality of holes (55) leading into the extraction chamber (43) .

49. The apparatus according to claim 47 or 48, characterised in that the inlet grill (54) located in the top wall (19) is made at a recess (47) in the top wall (19) of the apparatus.

50. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 47 to 49, characterised in that the inlet grill (54) located in the top wall (19) is made in front of the opening (45c) giving access to one end of the filter (45) .

51. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 47 to 50, characterised in that the inlet grill (54) extends in the central section of the top wall (19) in transversely asymmetrical fashion.

52. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises means (58) for letting air flow in from below.

53. The apparatus according to claim 52, characterised in that the means for letting air flow in from below comprise an inlet grill (58) located in the bottom wall (21) .

54. The apparatus according to claim 53, characterised in that the inlet grill (58) located in the top wall (21) comprises a plurality of holes (59) leading into the extraction chamber (43).

55. The apparatus according to claim 53 or 54, characterised in that the inlet grill (58) located in the bottom wall (21) is made at a recess (49) in the bottom wall (21) .

56. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 53 to 55, characterised in that the inlet grill (58) located in the bottom wall (21) is made in front of the opening (45c) giving access to one end of the filter (45) .

57. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises means (62) for letting air flow out.

58. The apparatus according to claim 57, characterised in that the means (62) for letting air flow out comprise a conditioned air outlet opening (64) located next to the means (48) for letting air flow in from the front.

59. The apparatus according to claim 57 or 58, characterised in that the conditioned air outlet opening (64) is located in the front wall (11) .

60. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 57 to 59, characterised in that the outlet means comprise a wide outlet channel (66) extending between the fan (44) and the outlet opening (62) .

61. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 57 to 60, characterised in that an outer side wall (66b) of the outlet channel (66) extends behind the fan (44) .

62. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises means for diverting the air flowing out.

63. The apparatus according to claim 62, characterised in that the means (68) for diverting the air flowing out are located in the outlet channel (66) .

64. The apparatus according to claim 63, characterised in that the means (68) for diverting the air flowing out, inside the outlet channel (66), are located in the vicinity of the outlet opening (62) .

65. The apparatus according to claim 63 or 64, characterised in that the means (68) for diverting the air flowing out, inside the outlet channel (66) , can be adjusted through the outlet opening (62) itself.

66. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 63 to 65, characterised in that the means (68) for diverting the air flowing out are designed to divert the outgoing air flow in a direction that lies in a vertical plane.

67. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 63 to 66, characterised in that the means (68) for diverting the air flowing out comprise a plurality of parallel louvres (69) .

68. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 63 to 67, characterised in that it comprises means for simultaneously actuating the parallel louvres (69) .

69. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 63 to 68, characterised in that the louvres (69) are pivoted at respective points on the inner side wall (66a) of the outlet channel (66) .

70. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 63 to 69, characterised in that the means for simultaneously actuating the parallel louvres (69) comprise a rod (70) connecting the louvres (69) to a handle (71) .

71. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 63 to 70, characterised in that the parallel louvres (69) are equally spaced in height.

72. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 62 to 71, characterised in that the means for diverting the flow of conditioned air comprise means (74) for diverting the air flow in a direction that lies in a horizontal plane.

73. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 62 to 72, characterised in that the means for diverting the flow of conditioned air comprise a wide diverting flap (74) .

74. The apparatus according to claim 73, characterised in that the diverting flap (74) is pivoted about a vertical axis (76) .

75. The apparatus according to claim 73 or 74, characterised in that it comprises power-driven means for actuating the diverting flap (74) .

76. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 73 to 75, characterised in that the diverting flap (74) defines means for closing the conditioned air outlet opening (64) .

77. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 73 to 76, characterised in that the side inlet means (50) are located on the side opposite the outlet means (62) .

78. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises display means (80) .

79. The apparatus according to claim 78, characterised in that the display means (80) are located in a central position in the central wall (11) of the apparatus.

80. The apparatus according to claim 78 or 79, characterised in that the front wall (11) has a hole (82) at the centre of it, surrounded by the grill (46) and having the front of the display (80) extending through it.

81. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises supporting means consisting of a bracket (102) for mounting at least one apparatus to a room wall surface.

82. The apparatus according to claim 81, characterised in that the mounting means (202) support the apparatus at an angle to the wall surface it is mounted on.

83. The apparatus according to claim 82, characterised in that the supporting means (102) are designed to mount a first and a second apparatus in such a way that they are preferably at 90° to each other.

84. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 81 to 83, characterised in that the supporting means comprise a first and a second mounting element (204, 206) which are vertically distanced from each other.

85. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 81 to 84, characterised in that the mounting element has a perpendicular portion (208) .

86. The apparatus according to claim 85, characterised in that the supporting means comprise a perpendicular portion extending between the central lateral surfaces of the first and second apparatuses.

87. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 81 to 86, characterised in that the supporting means comprise a portion (210) that extends at an angle to the wall mounting surface.

88. The apparatus according to claim 87, characterised in that the supporting means comprise a portion (210) that extends at an angle to the wall mounting surface to engage the rear wall of the apparatus.

89. The apparatus according to claim 87 or 88, characterised in that the supporting means comprise a first and a second portion that extend at an angle of 90° to each other and at an angle of 45° to the mounting wall surface.

90. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 87 to 89, characterised in that the supporting means comprise a mounting portion that extends in a direction parallel to the mounting wall surface in the room where the air conditioner operates.

91. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims or according to the preamble to claim 1, characterised in that it comorises means (14, 14b, 18a, 18b) for mounting the apparatus to a wall surface, said means being suitable for mounting the apparatus with the side wall (22, 24) parallel, or substantially parallel, with the respective mounting surface.

92. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims from 57 to 91, characterised in that the air flow outlet means (62) have an elongated air flow outlet opening (64) extending vertically.