Indoor unit for an air conditioner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12313293-B2
Application number	US-201916980760-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2019
Priority date	Mar 16, 2018
Publication date	May 27, 2025
Grant date	May 27, 2025

Abstract

An indoor unit for an air conditioner in which the water level of a steam generator is linked with the water level of a supply chamber for supplying water to the steam generator, and a supply floater, which is lowered or raised according to the water level of the supply chamber, opens and closes a supply flow channel for supplying water to the supply chamber. The indoor unit for an air conditioner can control the water supply through the level of water stored in the steam generator.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A humidification assembly included in an air conditioner, comprising:
a water tank;
a water supply assembly holding the water tank such that water in the water tank flows inwards, and which drains the water flowing inwards through a chamber housing pipe;
a steam generator to evaporate water therein and to produce humidified air;
a drain assembly including a drain pump to drain water suctioned through a drain inlet; and
a water connection pipe to allow the chamber housing pipe, the steam generator, and the drain inlet to communicate with each other,
wherein the water connection pipe comprises:
a first connection pipe connected with the chamber housing pipe, through which water drained from the water supply assembly flows;
a second connection pipe connected with the steam generator, through which water suctioned into the steam generator and water drained from the steam generator flow;
a third connection pipe connected with the drain inlet, through which water suctioned into the drain assembly flows; and
a three-way pipe connected with the first connection pipe, the second connection pipe, and the third connection pipe,
wherein, when the drain pump operates, the water is drained from the water supply assembly through the first connection pipe and the water is drained from the steam generator through the second connection pipe and are mixed at the three-way pipe, and the mixed water is suctioned through the third connection pipe toward the drain pump,
wherein the steam generator comprises a humidification housing forming a water storage space where water is stored and where stored water is evaporated, and a water pipe connected between the humidification housing and the second connection pipe,
wherein the chamber housing pipe comprises a first end communicated with the water supply assembly and the second end connected to the first connection pipe,
wherein the second end of the chamber housing pipe is higher than the water pipe, and the first end of the chamber housing pipe is higher than the second end of the chamber housing pipe,
wherein the water supply assembly comprises a supply chamber configured to temporarily store water supplied by the water tank, and a supply floater disposed in the supply chamber and configured to move in an up-down direction depending on a level of the water stored in the supply chamber,
wherein a water level of the supply chamber and a water level of the humidification housing are substantially same, and
wherein the supply floater is configured to close a middle hole which forms a part of a supply flow channel which is configured to guide water supplied by the water tank to the supply chamber based on the water level of the humidification housing reaches a highest water level.

2. The humidification assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first connection pipe is longer than the third connection pipe.

3. The humidification assembly of claim 1 , wherein the drain inlet is disposed lower than the chamber housing pipe.

4. The humidification assembly of claim 1 , wherein the steam generator further comprises:
a steam heater, disposed in the humidification housing, to heat water in the water storage space.

5. The humidification assembly of claim 1 , wherein the humidification housing provided with an air suction port, through which air is suctioned into the water storage space, in a first area on an upper surface thereof, and provided with a humidified air discharge port, through which the humidified air is discharged, is formed in a second area spaced apart from the first area on the upper surface, wherein the water pipe is disposed closer to the air suction port than to the humidified air discharge port.

6. The humidification assembly of claim 1 , wherein the water pipe is disposed higher than the drain inlet.

7. The humidification assembly of claim 1 , wherein the water tank is disposed further forwards than the drain assembly, and the steam generator is disposed in a lateral direction of the water tank, and
wherein the water pipe is disposed closer to the drain inlet than to the chamber housing pipe while being disposed between the chamber housing pipe and the drain inlet with respect to a front-rear direction.

8. An air conditioner comprising:
a cabinet; and
a humidification assembly disposed in the cabinet,
wherein the humidification assembly comprises:
a water tank;
a water supply assembly holding the water tank such that water in the water tank flows inwards, and which drains the water flowing inwards through a chamber housing pipe;
a steam generator to evaporate water therein and to produce humidified air;
a drain assembly including a drain pump to drain water suctioned through a drain inlet; and
a water connection pipe to allow the chamber housing pipe, the steam generator, and the drain inlet to communicate with each other,
wherein the water connection pipe comprises:
a first connection pipe connected with the chamber housing pipe, through which water drained from the water supply assembly flows;
a second connection pipe connected with the steam generator, through which water suctioned into the steam generator and water drained from the steam generator flow;
a third connection pipe connected with the drain inlet, through which water suctioned into the drain assembly flows; and
a three-way pipe connected with the first connection pipe, the second connection pipe, and the third connection pipe,

wherein, when the drain pump operates, the water is drained from the water supply assembly through the first connection pipe and the water is drained from the steam generator through the second connection pipe and are mixed at the three-way pipe, and the mixed water is suctioned through the third connection pipe toward the drain pump.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Bae Junseok
• Lee Younggu
• Jang Hwanhak
• Kim Kangyoung
• Kim Moonshin
• Mun Seongkuk

Classifications

• F24F13/20 Primary

  Casings or covers · CPC title

• F24F11/00

  Control or safety arrangements · CPC title

• F24F6/02

  by evaporation of water in the air · CPC title

• F24F6/00

  Air-humidification {, e.g. cooling by humidification} · CPC title

• F16K31/20

  actuating a lift valve · CPC title