Air conditioner and ventilation apparatus for the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021108813-A1
Application number	US-202017069085-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 13, 2020
Priority date	Oct 11, 2019
Publication date	Apr 15, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

An air conditioner includes a main body including a body fan, a heat exchanger, and a body housing. A ventilation hose connects the main body to outdoor air. A ventilation module is attached to an outer side of the body housing, and includes a ventilation fan. The ventilation module switches between an exhaust mode in which indoor air is exhausted to the outdoors through the ventilation hose and an air supply mode in which outdoor air is supplied to the main body through the ventilation hose.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An air conditioner comprising:
a main body, configured to be located in an indoor environment, including
a body fan located in an interior of the main body, and
a heat exchanger located in the interior of the main body; and
a ventilation module attached to an exterior of the main body, the ventilation module including
a ventilation hose connecting the ventilation module to an outdoor environment and configured to allow air to flow between the indoor environment and the outdoor environment, and
a ventilation fan,
wherein the ventilation module is configured to switch between an exhaust mode in which air from the indoor environment is exhausted to the outdoor environment through the ventilation hose and an air supply mode in which air from the outdoor environment is supplied to the indoor environment through the ventilation hose.

2 . The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the ventilation module includes a module housing configured to accommodate the ventilation fan in an interior of the module housing, the module housing includes
a module suction/discharge port to which the ventilation hose is coupled, a module suction port configured to suction air to the module housing, and a module discharge port configured to discharge air to the indoor environment, and
wherein the main body includes
a body suction port configured to suction air to the main body, and
a body discharge port configured to discharge air to the indoor environment, and
wherein the module discharge port is located adjacent to the body suction port.

3 . The air conditioner of claim 2 , wherein the module suction/discharge port is located at an exterior of the main body.

4 . The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the ventilation module includes
a first damper configured to allow an inlet of the ventilation fan to communicate with one of the module suction port and the module suction/discharge port, and a second damper configured to allow an outlet of the ventilation fan to communicate with one of the module suction/discharge port and the module discharge port.

5 . The air conditioner of claim 4 , wherein, in the exhaust mode, the first damper is configured to allow the inlet of the ventilation fan to communicate with the module suction port, and the second damper is configured to allow the outlet of the ventilation fan to communicate with the module suction/discharge port.

6 . The air conditioner of claim 4 , wherein, in the air supply mode, the first damper is configured to allow the inlet of the ventilation fan to communicate with the module suction/discharge port, and the second damper is configured to allow the outlet of the ventilation fan to communicate with the module discharge port.

7 . The air conditioner of claim 4 , wherein the ventilation module includes,
a suction flow path configured to guide air suctioned through the module suction port to the inlet of the ventilation fan, a discharge flow path configured to guide air discharged through the outlet of the ventilation fan to the module discharge port, and a suction/discharge flow path configured to guide air suctioned through the module suction/discharge port to the inlet of the ventilation fan, or guide air discharged through the outlet of the ventilation fan to the module suction/discharge port.

8 . The air conditioner of claim 4 , wherein the first damper includes,
a cylindrical damper body having a bottom surface in a circular shape and a side surface extending from a rim of the bottom surface to be perpendicular to the bottom surface; and a rotation shaft portion formed at a center of the bottom surface to rotate the cylindrical damper body.

9 . The air conditioner of claim 8 , wherein the cylindrical damper body includes,
an inner space, a damper inlet formed on the side surface to allow air to be introduced into the inner space, and a damper outlet formed on a side opposite to the bottom surface to allow air to flow out of the inner space.

10 . The air conditioner of claim 4 , wherein the second damper includes,
a shielding plate and a rotation shaft portion formed at one edge of the shielding plate to rotate the shielding plate.

11 . The air conditioner of claim 4 , wherein the first damper includes
a shielding plate and a rotation shaft portion formed at one edge of the shielding plate to rotate the shielding plate.

12 . An air conditioner comprising:
a main body, configured to be installed in an indoor environment, including
a heat exchanger, and
a body fan; and
a ventilation module, coupled to the main body, including
a ventilation fan,
a module housing configured to accommodate the ventilation fan in an interior of the module housing, the module housing including
a module suction port to suction air from the indoor environment to the module housing,
a module discharge port to discharge air to the indoor environment, and
a module suction/discharge port to suction air from an outdoor environment or discharge air to the outdoor environment,

a first damper configured to allow an inlet of the ventilation fan to communicate with one of the module suction port and the module suction/discharge port, and
a second damper configured to allow an outlet of the ventilation fan to communicate with one of the module suction/discharge port and the module discharge port.

13 . The air conditioner of claim 12 , wherein the ventilation module is configured to switch between an exhaust mode in which air from the indoor environment is exhausted to the outdoor environment and an air supply mode in which air from the outdoor environment is supplied to the indoor environment.

14 . The air conditioner of claim 13 , wherein, in the exhaust mode, the first damper is configured to allow the inlet of the ventilation fan to communicate with the module suction port, and the second damper is configured to allow the outlet of the ventilation fan to communicate with the module suction/discharge port.

15 . The air conditioner of claim 13 , wherein, in the air supply mode, the first damper is configured to allow the inlet of the ventilation fan to communicate with the module suction/discharge port, and the second damper is configured to allow the outlet of the ventilation fan to communicate with the module discharge port.

16 . The air conditioner of claim 12 , wherein the first damper includes
a cylindrical damper body having a bottom surface in a circular shape, and a side surface extending from a rim of the bottom surface to be perpendicular to the bottom surface, and a rotation shaft portion formed at a center of the bottom surface to rotate the cylindrical damper body.

17 . The air conditioner of claim 16 , wherein the cylindrical damper body includes,
an inner space, a damper inlet formed on the side surface to allow air to be introduced into the inner space, and a damper outlet formed on a side opposite to the bottom surface to allow air to flow out of the inner space.

18 . The air conditioner of claim 12 , wherein the second damper includes a shielding plate and a rotation shaft portion formed at one edge of the shielding plate to rotate the shielding plate.

19 . A ventilation apparatus comprising:
a ventilation hose connecting the ventilation apparatus to an outdoor environment; and a ventilation module including
a housing having
a suction port,
a discharge port, and
a suction/discharge port to which the ventilation hose is coupled,

a ventilation fan disposed inside the housing,

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cho Sungjune
• Na Seonuk
• Koo Hyungmo
• Kim Youjae
• Kim Joonhyoung
• KIM Hyunah
• Sim Jaehyoung
• Jang Eomji
• Cho Dongho

Classifications

• F24F2221/36

  Modules, e.g. for an easy mounting or transport · CPC title

• F24F13/28

  Arrangement or mounting of filters · CPC title

• F24F13/10

  movable, e.g. dampers · CPC title

• F24F13/0218

  Flexible soft ducts, e.g. ducts made of permeable textiles · CPC title

• F24F8/192

  by electrical means, e.g. by applying electrostatic fields or high voltages · CPC title