Air conditioner and method for controlling same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12320538-B2
Application number	US-201917309071-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2019
Priority date	Nov 23, 2018
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

An air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner includes a housing with separate channels, a heat exchanger, two fans, a driver, and a controller. The heat exchanger exchanges heat with air in one channel, while the two fans expel air from separate channels. The driver operates the fans, and the controller regulates their operation based on indoor and outdoor temperatures, selectively activating a second fan of the two fans according to preset temperature conditions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An air conditioner comprising:
a housing internally comprising a first channel and a second channel which are different in inlets and outlets and isolated from each other;
a heat exchanger provided in the first channel and configured to exchange heat with air;
a first fan provided in the first channel and configured to emit air, of which heat is exchanged with the heat exchanger, to an outside of the housing in an indoor space;
a second fan provided in the second channel and configured to emit air, which moves along the second channel, to the outside of the housing;
a driver configured to drive each of the first fan and the second fan; and
a controller configured to control the driver to operate the first fan based on an indoor temperature and an outdoor temperature, and selectively operate the second fan based on a time section in which at least one of the indoor temperature or the outdoor temperature satisfies a preset temperature condition,
wherein the preset temperature condition comprises a condition about whether the indoor temperature is higher than a first threshold or the outdoor temperature is higher than a second threshold,
wherein the controller identifies whether the time section satisfying the preset temperature condition is a cooling section where the heat exchanger and the first fan operate for cooling, and
operates the second fan based on the time section identified as the cooling section,
wherein the controller identifies whether the time section dissatisfying the preset temperature condition is an initial cooling section, in which the heat exchanger initially operates, among the cooling sections,
wherein the controller prevents the second fan from operating based on the time section identified as the initial cooling section but operates the second fan based on the time section identified as not the initial cooling section, and
wherein the controller prevents the second fan from operating based on the time section dissatisfying the preset temperature condition and identified as not the cooling section.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein the controller prevents the second fan from operating based on the time section satisfying the preset temperature condition and identified as not the cooling section.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein the second fan is disposed below the first fan.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect the indoor temperature or the outdoor temperature,
wherein the controller obtains information about the indoor temperature or the outdoor temperature from the sensor.

5. A method of controlling an air conditioner, comprising:
driving a heat exchanger provided in a first channel to exchange heat with air of the first channel;
driving a first fan provided in the first channel based on an indoor temperature and an outdoor temperature to emit the heat-exchanged air of the first channel to an outside of a housing of the air conditioner in an indoor space; and
selectively driving a second fan provided in a second channel different in an inlet and an outlet from the first channel and isolated from the first channel, based on a time section in which at least one of the indoor temperature or the outdoor temperature satisfies a preset temperature condition,
wherein the preset temperature condition comprises a condition about whether the indoor temperature is higher than a first threshold or the outdoor temperature is higher than a second threshold,
wherein the selectively driving the second fan comprises:
identifying whether the time section satisfying the preset temperature condition is a cooling section where the heat exchanger and the first fan operate for cooling,
operating the second fan based on the time section identified as the cooling section,
identifying whether the time section dissatisfying the preset temperature condition is an initial cooling section, in which the heat exchanger initially operates, among the cooling sections,
preventing the second fan from operating based on the time section identified as the initial cooling section but operating the second fan based on the time section identified as not the initial cooling section, and
preventing the second fan from operating based on the time section dissatisfying the preset temperature condition and identified as not the cooling section.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:
preventing the second fan from operating based on the time section satisfying the preset temperature condition and identified as not the cooling section.

7. An air conditioner comprising:
a housing internally comprising a first channel and a second channel which are different in inlets and outlets and isolated from each other;
a heat exchanger provided in the first channel and configured to exchange heat with air;
a first fan provided in the first channel and configured to emit air, of which heat is exchanged with the heat exchanger, to an outside of the housing in an indoor space;
a second fan provided in the second channel and configured to emit air, which moves along the second channel, to the outside of the housing;
a driver configured to drive each of the first fan and the second fan; and
a controller configured to control the driver to operate the first fan based on an indoor temperature and an outdoor temperature, and selectively operate the second fan based on a time section in which at least one of the indoor temperature or the outdoor temperature satisfies a preset temperature condition,
wherein the outlet of the second channel is disposed above the second fan.

8. An air conditioner comprising:
a housing internally comprising a first channel and a second channel which are different in inlets and outlets and isolated from each other;
a heat exchanger provided in the first channel and configured to exchange heat with air;
a first fan provided in the first channel and configured to emit air, of which heat is exchanged with the heat exchanger, to an outside of the housing in an indoor space;
a second fan provided in the second channel and configured to emit air, which moves along the second channel, to the outside of the housing;
a driver configured to drive each of the first fan and the second fan;
a controller configured to control the driver to operate the first fan based on an indoor temperature and an outdoor temperature, and selectively operate the second fan based on a time section in which at least one of the indoor temperature or the outdoor temperature satisfies a preset temperature condition; and
a punching-hole plate coupled to the housing to cover the outlet of the first channel and comprising a plurality of punching holes to emit air,
wherein the first fan is disposed between the heat exchanger and the punching-hole plate.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hwang Jun
• Kim Taewoo
• Lee Sangwoo
• Park Seungjun
• Cho Hyeongkyu
• Joo Youngju
• Seo Hyeongjoon

Classifications

• F24F1/0033

  having two or more fans · CPC title

• F24F1/005

  mounted on the floor; standing on the floor · CPC title

• F24F2110/10

  Temperature · CPC title

• F24F13/082

  Grilles, registers or guards · CPC title

• F24F11/63

  Electronic processing · CPC title