Air conditioner having a movable panel that opens and closes discharge ports

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9255722-B2
Application number	US-201313954160-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2013
Priority date	Oct 10, 2012
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

An air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner may include a case, a first discharging port provided at a first side of the case and a second discharging port provided at a second side of the case, each selectively discharging air therefrom based on an operation mode of the air conditioner. A movable panel connected to the case may be movable between the first discharging port and the second discharging port. A transfer direction of the movable panel may also be determined based on the operation mode of the air conditioner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air conditioner, comprising:
a case including a front portion, the front portion including:
a first discharge port provided at a first side of the front portion of the case and configured to selectively discharge air; and
a second discharge port provided at a second side of the front portion of the case and configured to selectively discharge air;

a movable panel coupled to the front portion of the case and configured to reciprocally slide between the first discharge port and the second discharge port, wherein the movable panel is configured to slide to partially open the first and second discharge ports or fully open one of the first discharge port or the second discharge port corresponding to a plurality of operation modes;
a first discharge panel moveably coupled to and disposed at the first side of the front portion of the case, to selectively open and close at least a portion of the first discharge port;
a second discharge panel moveably coupled Co and disposed at the second side of the front portion of the case, to selectively open and close at least a portion of the second discharge port;
a pair of discharging vanes provided at each of the first and second discharging ports wherein the pair of discharging vanes is arranged longitudinally and in parallel in the first discharging port and in the second discharging port, wherein a first hinge axis and a second hinge axis are provided at leading and trailing edges of each of the pair of discharging vanes, respectively, such that two horizontal axes of rotation are defined for each discharging vane;
a first rack having a first end connected to the first hinge axis of a corresponding discharge vane;
a second pivoting rack having a first end connected to the second hinge axis of the corresponding discharge vane;
a plurality of pinions respectively engaged with the first pivoting rack and the second pivoting rack; and
a plurality of drive motors that rotates the plurality of pinions.

2. The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of operation modes includes at least a cooling mode and a heating mode.

3. The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the movable panel is sized to close a portion of the first discharge port and a portion of the second discharge port when the movable panel is oriented at a first position.

4. The air conditioner of claim 3 , wherein the first position is a center position of the front portion of the case.

5. The air conditioner of claim 3 , wherein the movable panel is sized to fully close one of the first discharge port or the second discharge port when the movable panel is oriented at a second position.

6. The air conditioner of claim 5 , wherein the second position is a biased position from a center of the front portion of the case toward one of the first side or the second side of the front portion of the case.

7. The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the first side of the front portion of the case is an upper portion of the front portion of the case, and wherein the second side of the front portion of the case is a lower portion of the front portion of the case.

8. The air conditioner of claim 7 , wherein the movable panel is configured to slide in an upward direction or in a downward direction.

9. The air conditioner of claim 5 , wherein each of the first discharge port and the second discharge port is divided into a plurality of discharge areas, wherein the first discharge panel is sized to selectively open or close one of the plurality of discharge areas of the first discharge port, and wherein the second discharge panel is sized to selectively open or close one of the plurality of discharge areas of the second discharge port.

10. The air conditioner of claim 9 , wherein when the movable panel is at the first position, the movable panel is configured to close the other of the plurality of discharge areas of the first and second discharge ports.

11. The air conditioner of claim 9 , wherein when the movable panel is at the second position, the movable panel is configured to fully close the plurality of discharge areas which is defined in one of the first discharge port or the second discharge port.

12. The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the first pivoting rack and the second pivoting rack each has a predetermined curvature and crosses one another, and wherein the first pivoting rack and the second pivoting rack are separated from one another in a direction corresponding to the axes of rotation.

13. The air conditioner of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of discharge grills having a mesh structure.

14. The air conditioner of claim 13 , wherein the pair of discharge vanes is rotatably provided in front of the pair of discharge grills in the first and second discharge ports, respectively.

15. The air conditioner of claim 14 , wherein the pair of discharge vanes is mounted between the pair of discharge grills and the first and second discharge panels, respectively.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Hyunjung
• Jeon Jongsun
• Kim Moonsung
• Choi Jaeseung
• Kim Hayoung

Classifications

• F24F13/1486

  characterised by bearings, pivots or hinges · CPC title

• F24F2013/1473

  with cams or levers · CPC title

• F24F2221/54

  Heating and cooling, simultaneously or alternatively · CPC title

• F24F2221/26

  improving the aesthetic appearance · CPC title

• F24F13/20 Primary

  Casings or covers · CPC title