Spraying device and method of controlling the same for improving thermal efficiency of air conditioner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12339018-B2
Application number	US-202418404480-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2024
Priority date	Jan 4, 2023
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

A spraying device, for spraying water onto an outdoor device of an air conditioner, including a water tank to store water, a first water level sensor to detect the water at a first water level, a second water level sensor to detect the water at a second water level, a nozzle to spray the water onto the outdoor device, and at least one processor configured to perform control to: with the stored water not being sprayed: start spraying the water onto the outdoor device, based on the water being detected at the first water level by the first water level sensor and the water being detected at the second water level by the second water level sensor, and with the stored water being sprayed: stop spraying the water onto the outdoor device, based on the water not being detected at the second water level by the second water level sensor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A spraying device for spraying water onto an outdoor device of an air conditioner, the spraying device comprising:
a water tank configured to store water;
a first water level sensor configured to detect the stored water at a first water level of the water tank;
a second water level sensor configured to detect the stored water at a second water level of the water tank that is lower than the first water level of the water tank;
a nozzle configured to spray the stored water onto the outdoor device;
a memory storing at least one instruction; and
at least one processor configured to execute the at least one instruction to:
with the stored water not being sprayed onto the outdoor device:
start spraying the stored water onto the outdoor device, in response to the stored water being detected at the first water level of the water tank by the first water level sensor and the stored water being detected at the second water level of the water tank by the second water level sensor, and

with the stored water being sprayed onto the outdoor device:
stop spraying the stored water onto the outdoor device, in response to the stored water not being detected at the second water level of the water tank by the second water level sensor.

2. The spraying device of claim 1 , wherein
the at least one instruction further includes to:
obtain a value of a supply current supplied to the outdoor device, and
the start of spraying starts spraying based on the value of the supply current being greater than or equal to a first reference current value and based on the stored water being detected at the first water level of the water tank by the first water level sensor and the stored water being detected at the second water level of the water tank by the second water level sensor.

3. The spraying device of claim 2 , wherein
the at least one instruction further includes to stop spraying based on the value of the supply current being less than the first reference current value.

4. The spraying device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a drain valve configured to drain the stored water from the water tank,
wherein the at least one instruction further includes to:
open the drain valve to drain the stored water from the water tank based on a reference drainage time having elapsed since the stopping of the spraying.

5. The spraying device of claim 4 , wherein
the at least one instruction further includes to:
close the drain valve based on a reference standby time having elapsed since the opening the drain valve and the value of the supply current being greater than or equal to a second reference current value, and
the second reference current value corresponds to the value of the supply current during an initial operation of the air conditioner in which the air conditioner starts operating.

6. The spraying device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a current sensor configured to measure the value of the supply current supplied to the outdoor device,
wherein the obtained value corresponds to the value of the supply current measured by the current sensor.

7. The spraying device of claim 2 ,
wherein the value of the supply current is obtained from the outdoor device.

8. The spraying device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a water supply valve configured to open and close, respectively, a supply of the stored water to the nozzle,
wherein the at least one instruction further includes to:
open the water supply valve to start the spraying of the stored water onto the outdoor device, and
close the water supply valve to stop the spraying of the stored water onto the outdoor device.

9. The spraying device of claim 8 , further comprising: an air pump configured to inject air into the nozzle,
wherein the at least one instruction further includes to:
with the water supply valve being open:
control the air pump to inject air into the nozzle.

10. The spraying device of claim 9 , wherein
the at least one instruction further includes to:
with the water supply valve being closed:
control the air pump to inject air into the nozzle for a first reference time after the water supply valve is closed, and
when the first reference time has elapsed since the water supply valve is closed, control the air pump to stop injecting air into the nozzle.

11. The spraying device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an indoor device of the air conditioner including a pipe configured to transport condensate water that is condensed by the indoor device, wherein
the water tank includes a water inlet connected to the pipe and configured to receive the condensate water transported from the indoor device through the pipe.

12. The spraying device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a step motor configured to rotate the nozzle,
wherein the at least one instruction further includes to:
control the step motor to rotate the nozzle.

13. The spraying device of claim 1 , wherein
the water tank includes a first stage and a second stage having a lower surface lower than a first stage lower surface and a drain hole configured to drain the stored water into the nozzle,
the second stage includes a narrower and deeper shape than the first stage,
the first water level sensor is configured to detect the stored water at the first water level of the water tank in the first stage, and
the second water level sensor is configured to detect the stored water at the second water level of the water tank in the second stage.

14. A method of controlling a spraying device for spraying water onto an outdoor device of an air conditioner, the method comprising:
detecting stored water at a first water level of a water tank of the spraying device by using a first water level sensor;
detecting the stored water at a second water level of the water tank that is lower than the first water level of the water tank by using a second water level sensor; and
with the stored water not being sprayed onto the outdoor device:
starting spraying the stored water onto the outdoor device, in response to the stored water being detected at the first water level of the water tank by the first water level sensor and the stored water being detected at the second water level of the water tank by the second water level sensor, and

with the stored water being sprayed onto the outdoor device:
stopping spraying the stored water onto the outdoor device, in response to the stored water not being detected at the second water level of the water tank by the second water level sensor.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
obtaining a value of a supply current supplied to the outdoor device,
wherein the starting spraying includes starting spraying based on the value of the supply current being greater than or equal to a first reference current value and based on the stored water being detected at the first water level of the water tank by the first water level sensor and the stored water being detected at the second water level of the water tank by the second water level sensor.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the stopping spraying includes stopping spraying based on the value of the supply current being less than the first reference current value.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising: opening a drain valve of the spraying device to drain the stored water from the water tank, based on a reference drainage time having elapsed since the stopping spraying.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
closing the drain valve of the spraying device to stop draini

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Oh Jeongkyo
• Kim Minji
• Kim Sewon
• Lee Hakjae
• Cho Jaeyoun

Classifications

• F24F11/64

  using pre-stored data · CPC title

• F24F13/222

  for evacuating condensate · CPC title

• F24F2140/30

  Condensation of water from cooled air · CPC title

• F24F11/70

  Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof · CPC title

• F24F11/63

  Electronic processing · CPC title