Outdoor unit of air conditioner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12422156-B2
Application number	US-202318507752-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2023
Priority date	Dec 19, 2022
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

An outdoor unit of an air conditioner, including a cabinet; a heat exchange room inside the cabinet; a component room case at one side of the heat exchange room, including an opening in a first side of the component room case; a component room inside the component room case; an electric component in the component room; a case cover to cover the opening of the component room case; a sealing member between the component room case and the case cover; a duct at a second side of the component room case, and connected to the heat exchange room; and a duct hole in the second side of the component room case connecting the component room case and the duct. The component room case and the duct are configured so that a refrigerant in the component room flows through the duct hole, and then the duct, to outside of the cabinet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An outdoor unit of an air conditioner, comprising:
a cabinet;
a heat exchange room inside the cabinet and accommodating a heat exchanger;
a first component room case at one side of the heat exchange room, and including an opening in a first side of the first component room case;
a first component room inside the first component room case;
a first electric component in the first component room;
a first case cover configured to cover the opening of the first component room case;
a sealing member between the first component room case and the first case cover;
a duct at a second side of the first component room case, and connected to the heat exchange room; and
a first duct hole in the second side of the first component room case and connecting the first component room case and the duct,
wherein the first component room case and the duct are configured so that:
a refrigerant in the first component room flows through the first duct hole, and then through the duct, to outside of the cabinet; and

a discharge hose connecting the first component room case and the cabinet so that the refrigerant in the first component room flows from the first component room through the discharge hose to outside of the cabinet.

2. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner of claim 1 , further comprising:
a blow fan inside the heat exchange room and configured to move air,
wherein the refrigerant in the first component room flows through the discharge hose to outside of the cabinet in response to a rotation of the blow fan in a first rotation direction.

3. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner of claim 2 , wherein
the refrigerant in the first component room flows from the first component room through the first duct hole, then through the duct to the heat exchange room in response to a rotation of the blow fan in a second rotation direction.

4. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner of claim 3 , further comprising:
a second component room beside the first component room,
wherein the second component room is in a front area of the cabinet, and
the duct communicates with the heat exchange room, the first component room, and the second component room.

5. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner of claim 4 , further comprising:
a second component room case beside the first component room case, and including an opening in a first side of the second component room case, the second component room inside the second component room case; and
a second duct hole formed in a second side of the second component room case and connecting the second component room case and the duct,
wherein the first component room case includes a hose hole in a bottom of the first component room case connecting the discharge hose to the first component room case.

6. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner of claim 5 , wherein
the first duct hole includes a plurality of first duct holes,
the second duct hole includes a plurality of second duct holes,
the plurality of first duct holes are formed at upper and lower portions of the second side of the first component room case,
the plurality of second duct holes are formed at upper and lower portions of the second side of the second component room case, and
refrigerant in the second component room flows through second duct holes of the plurality of second duct holes formed at the lower portion of the second side of the second component room case, then through the duct, then through first duct holes of the plurality of first duct holes formed at the lower portion of the second side of the first component room case, and then through the hose hole to the discharge hose while the blow fan does not rotate.

7. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein
the sealing member includes:
a first sealing portion extending from between the first component room case and the first case cover to between the first case cover and the opening of the first component room case,
a second sealing portion extending from the first sealing portion toward inside of the first component room case,
a third sealing portion extending from the second sealing portion toward a center of the opening of the first component room case, and
a fourth sealing portion extending from the second sealing portion to contact an inner portion of the first component room case.

8. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner of claim 7 , wherein
the first case cover includes:
a cover portion configured to cover the first side of the first component room case,
a first protrusion protruding from the cover portion toward the inside of the first component room and configured to guide the sealing member between the first component room case and the first case cover, and
a second protrusion protruding from the first protrusion toward the inner portion of the first component room case and inserted between the first sealing portion and the third sealing portion.

9. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner of claim 8 , further comprising:
a second component room case beside the first component room case in a front area of the cabinet, and including an opening in a first side of the second component room case;
a second component room inside the second component room case;
a second electric component in the second component room; and
a second case cover configured to cover the opening of the second component room case,
wherein the sealing member includes:
a first sealing member between the first component room case and the first case cover, and
a second sealing member between the second component room case and the second case cover.

10. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner of claim 9 , further comprising:
an electric component box positioned inside the second component room case and accommodating the second electric component;
a heat transfer member positioned behind the electric component box and configured to receive heat generated in the second electric component;
a heat exchange fin positioned inside the duct and coupled to the heat transfer member to cool the second electric component; and
a third sealing member at a circumference of the heat transfer member.

11. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein
the cabinet includes a front panel,
the outdoor unit of the air conditioner further including:
a discharge hole in the front panel below the first component room, and configured to communicate inside of the cabinet with outside of the cabinet to prevent refrigerant inside the cabinet from flowing into the first component room, and
a guide inside the cabinet and adjacent to the front panel below the first component room, and configured to guide the refrigerant inside the cabinet to the discharge hole.

12. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner of claim 11 , wherein
the guide includes:
a base extending in an up-down direction,
a pair of panel portions at both respective sides of the base to accommodate a wire connected to the first electric component, and
a protrusion portion protruding in a front direction from the base and configured to guide the refrigerant to the discharge hole.

13. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner of claim 12 , further comprising:
a blocking member between the front panel and the protrusion portion, and configured to block the refrigerant inside the cabinet from flowing from a lower portion of the cabinet to the first component room.

14. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner of claim 13 , wherein
a portion of the front panel corresponding to the protrusion portion protrudes in the front direction, and
the discharge hole exten

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shin Kwangnam
• Sun Woong
• Park Jaechan
• Koh Jeonguk
• Yun Seungjin
• Pyo Soonjae

Classifications

• F24F1/20

  Electric components for separate outdoor units · CPC title

• F24F11/89

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• F24F1/22 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting thereof · CPC title

• F24F11/36 Primary

  to leakage of heat-exchange fluid · CPC title

• F24F1/56

  Casing or covers of separate outdoor units, e.g. fan guards · CPC title