WO2009005210A2

WO2009005210A2 - Outdoor unit of air conditioner

Info

Publication number: WO2009005210A2
Application number: PCT/KR2008/001518
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sung-Tae Lee; Seong-Min Kang
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2007-07-05
Filing date: 2008-03-18
Publication date: 2009-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 2010-01-05
Also published as: KR100813213B1; EP2165121A4; EP2165121B1; ES2400005T3; WO2009005210A3; EP2165121A2; CN101688682B; CN101688682A

Abstract

Provided is an outdoor unit of an air conditioner. The outdoor unit includes a first panel and a second panel, an air discharge hole, a blower fan, and a guide portion. The first and second panels form an appearance. The air discharge hole is formed in the first panel. The blower fan discharges air through the air discharge hole. The guide portion is integrally formed with the first panel to guide discharging of air.

Description

Description OUTDOOR UNIT OF AIR CONDITIONER

Technical Field

[1] The present embodiments relate to an outdoor unit of an air conditioner.

Background Art

[2] Generally, an air conditioner is an apparatus cooling/heating an indoor space using a compressor, a condenser, an expander, and an evaporator. [3] The air conditioner includes an indoor unit installed inside the indoor space and an outdoor unit installed outside an outdoor space. The indoor unit and the outdoor unit can be integrally formed depending on the kind of the air conditioner. [4] An indoor heat exchanger and an indoor fan are provided to the indoor unit. A compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, and an outdoor fan are provided to the outdoor unit. [5] In detail, the outdoor unit includes a front panel forming a front appearance. Also, an air discharge hole through which air is discharged is formed in the front panel. Also, a guide portion guiding air blown by the outdoor fan is installed on the inner surface of the front panel. The guide portion is assembled to the front panel using a plurality of coupling members such as screws. [6] According to a related art indoor unit of an air conditioner, since the guide portion requires the plurality of coupling members so that the guide portion is coupled to the front panel, the number of parts increases and the number of operations increases due to coupling of screws. Also, a portion of the guide portion overlaps the front panel in a back-and-forth direction, so that manufacturing costs increase.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem [7] Embodiments provide an outdoor unit of an air conditioner where a guide portion guiding blown air is integrally formed with a front panel.

Technical Solution [8] In one embodiment, an outdoor unit of an air conditioner includes: a first panel and a second panel forming an appearance; an air discharge hole formed in the first panel; a blower fan discharging air through the air discharge hole; and a guide portion guiding the discharging of the air, the guide portion being integrally formed with the first panel. [9] The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. Advantageous Effects

[10] Since the guide portion is integrally formed with the first panel (front panel) according to a proposed embodiment, a part for coupling the guide portion is not required, the assembling process of the outdoor unit is simple, and there is no portion where a bell mouse and the front panel overlap each other in a back-and- forth direction, so that manufacturing costs reduce.

[11] Also, since a straight line portion protrudes from the first panel to the rear and a sloped portion extends from the straight line portion to the inside of the straight line portion, the first panel can be easily taken out from a mold. That is, an injection molding operation of the first panel is easily performed.

[12] Also, since a discharge grill is integrally formed with the guide portion, the strength of the guide portion and the discharge grill is reinforced. Brief Description of the Drawings

[13] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

[14] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the front panel illustrated in FIG. 1.

[15] FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the front panel illustrated in FIG. 1.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[16] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[17] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the front panel illustrated in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the front panel illustrated in FIG. 1.

[18] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the outdoor unit 1 of the air conditioner includes a casing forming an appearance. The casing is formed in a hexahedral shape on the whole.

[19] The casing includes a plurality of members. The casing a base 4 on which legs are formed, a second panel 6 forming the both lateral side- appearance and the rear side appearance of the outdoor unit 1, and a first panel 10 forming the front appearance and the upper appearance of the outdoor unit 1. The first panel 10 can be called a front panel, and the second panel 6 can be called a rear panel.

[20] The first panel 10 includes a front plate 12 forming the front appearance, and an upper plate 14 forming the upper appearance. The front plate 12 and the upper plate 14 are integrally injected-molded using a material such as a synthetic resin.

[21] Also, air intake holes 2 are formed in the second panel 6, and an air discharge hole is formed in the front plate 12 of the first panel 10.

[22] In detail, a suction grill 8 protecting the insides of the air intake holes 2 is formed on the second panel 6, and a discharge grill 16 protecting the inside of the air discharge hole 3 is formed on the front plate 12 of the first panel 10.

[23] An outdoor heat exchanger 36 allowing outdoor air and refrigerant inside casing to exchange heat with each other is installed inside the casing 1. The outdoor heat exchanger 36 is located inside the air intake holes 2.

[24] Also, an outdoor fan and a motor (not shown) are installed inside the casing 1 to allow outdoor air to be suctioned through the air intake holes 2 and discharged through the air discharge hole 3. Also, a compressor 38 compressing refrigerant is installed inside the casing 1.

[25] Meanwhile, a guide portion 20 guiding airflow is injection-molded integrally with the first panel 10.

[26] In detail, the opening area of the guide portion 20 decreases to be a constant level from the rear to the front, that is, toward a portion close to the air intake hole 3. That is, the opening area of the guide portion 20 at the rear end is greater than that of the guide portion 20 at the front end.

[27] The guide portion 20 protrudes from the front plate 12 of the first panel 10 to the rear. The guide portion 20 can be formed such that the opening area of the inside increases toward the rear. Unlike this, the guide portion 20 can include a straight line portion 30 protruding from the front plate 12 of the first panel 10 to the rear, and a sloped portion 32 extending from the rear end of the straight line portion 30 to the inner space of the straight line portion 30 such that an inner opening area decreases toward the front.

[28] In the case where the guide portion 20 directly protrudes from the front plate 12 of the first panel 10 to the rear, it may be difficult to take out the first panel 10 from a mold for manufacturing the first panel 10 due to the shape of the guide portion 20. On the other hand, in the case where the guide portion 20 includes the straight line portion 30 and the sloped portion 32, it is relatively easy to take out the first panel 10 from a mold. Accordingly, integrally forming the first panel 10 and the guide portion 20 can be easily performed.

[29] The straight line portion 30 serves as a connection portion connecting the front plate

12 of the first panel 10 with the guide portion 20 so that the guide portion 20 can be integrally formed with the front plate 12 of the first panel 10.

[30] The straight line portion 30 protrudes from the front plate 12 to the rear in a ring shape.

[31] Meanwhile, a portion 17 of the discharge grill 16 extends toward the guide portion

20 and is located in a space 31 between the straight line portion 30 and the sloped portion 32. The portion 17 of the discharge grill is integrally formed with the sloped portion 32.

[32] Also, another portion 18 of the discharge grill 16 is integrally formed with the front end of the straight line portion 30.

[33] That is, since the guide portion 20 is integrally formed with the discharge grill 16, it is not shaken or easily destroyed by vibration or impact. The guide portion 20 reinforces strength in cooperation with the discharge grill 16.

[34] Referring to FIG. 3, the first panel 10 includes the front plate 12 and the upper plate

14 integrally formed with each other. Upper strength reinforcing ribs 40 perpendicular to the front plate 12 and the upper plate 14 are formed on the first panel 10.

[35] Also, rear strength reinforcing ribs 42 protrude from the front plate 12 of the first panel 10.

[36] Reference numeral 44 of FIG. 3 denotes a base coupling portion formed on the lower portion of the front plate 12 of the first panel 10. The base coupling portion is coupled to the base 4 using a coupling member such as a screw.

[37] According to the above-described outdoor unit, the front plate 12, the upper plate 14, the guide portion 20, and the discharge grill 16, and the strength reinforcing ribs 40 and 42 are integrally injection-molded by putting a material such as a synthetic resin into a mold for manufacturing the front panel.

[38] After that, the above-injection molded first panel 10 is coupled to the base 4, and then the second panel 6 is coupled to at least one of the first panel 10 and the base 4.

[39] Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

[1] An outdoor unit of an air conditioner, the outdoor unit comprising: a first panel and a second panel forming an appearance; an air discharge hole in the first panel; a blower fan discharging air through the air discharge hole; and a guide portion guiding the discharging of the air, the guide portion being integrally formed with the first panel.

[2] The outdoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the first panel comprises an upper plate forming an upper appearance, and a front plate forming a front appearance, the front plate being integrally formed with the upper plate, and the air discharge hole and the guide portion being formed in and on the front plate.

[3] The outdoor unit according to claim 2, wherein the guide portion comprises a straight line portion protruding from the front plate, and a sloped portion extending from an end of the straight line portion to an inside of the straight line portion.

[4] The outdoor unit according to claim 3, wherein the straight line portion has a ring shape on the whole.

[5] The outdoor unit according to claim 3, wherein the sloped portion extends from the end of the straight line portion toward the air discharge hole.

[6] The outdoor unit according to claim 3, further comprising a discharge grill at the air discharge hole, the discharge grill being integrally formed with the guide portion.

[7] The outdoor unit according to claim 6, wherein the discharge grill is integrally formed with the straight line portion.

[8] The outdoor unit according to claim 7, wherein a portion of the discharge grill is located in a space between the straight line portion and the sloped portion.

[9] The outdoor unit according to claim 6, wherein the discharge grill is integrally formed with the sloped portion.