EP2557370B1

EP2557370B1 - Indoor unit of air conditioner

Info

Publication number: EP2557370B1
Application number: EP11765029.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hui Zhang; Shaolin Chen; Jianqun Yang; Wenwei Ji; Zhi MENG; Jian Li; Liu CAO
Original assignee: Gree Electric Appliances Inc of Zhuhai
Current assignee: Gree Electric Appliances Inc of Zhuhai
Priority date: 2010-04-07
Filing date: 2011-03-25
Publication date: 2020-05-20
Anticipated expiration: 2031-03-25
Also published as: ES2824847T3; CN201666646U; EP2557370A1; WO2011124111A1; US20130023194A1; KR101667090B1; KR20130038854A; EP2557370A4; JP5848323B2; RU2012146841A; RU2541434C2; JP2013524154A

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present application relates to an indoor unit of an air conditioner, and particularly, to an indoor unit of an air conditioner with optimized performance and distinct effects.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Generally, the air conditioner is an apparatus which utilizes an air cooler, a heater or an air purifier to cool, warm or purify a room, such that an internal environment of the room is more favorable. The air conditioner is provided with a ventilating device, an air cooling and heating device and an air purifier. The ventilating device circulate the air in the room, that is, absorbs air from the room, performs heat exchanging or purifies the air, and then discharges the air into the room. Improvements have been continually made to the air conditioner in the prior art. Generally, an indoor unit of the air conditioner includes: a rear shell enclosing side portions and a rear portion of the air conditioner, and a panel body arranged in front of the rear shell and closely connected to the rear shell. The rear shell and the panel body define an inner chamber of the air conditioner in which a heat exchanger, a control element and a ventilating component are provided. The panel body is usually fixedly connected to the rear shell via screws or in a snap-fit connecting manner. Since air conditioner market becomes increasing mature, the requirement on the energy-saving performance of the air condition is higher and higher. There is a need to make improvements to the air conditioner so as to develop an air conditioner with a higher energy efficiency ratio, to meet the requirement of the trend.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present application is to provide an indoor unit of an air conditioner which has a simple structure, improves the performance of the air conditioner and increases the energy efficiency ratio.
In order to achieve the above object, it is provided according to the present application the following technical solution.
An indoor unit of the air conditioner including: a panel body enclosing side portions and a top portion of the air conditioner and being configured for installing a front panel, a rear shell enclosing a rear portion of the air conditioner, and the front panel arranged in the front of the air conditioner and closely connected to the panel body. The rear shell, the panel body and the front panel define an inner chamber of the air conditioner in which a heat exchanger, a control element, a ventilating component are provided. A lower portion of the front panel is provided with an air outlet. An air deflector is mounted on the front panel or is arranged on the panel body to open or close the air outlet. A vortex forming device is provided at a bottom surface of the air outlet.
The vortex forming device is configured as a serrated surface with a plurality of concave grooves.
To sum up, the present application has advantageous effects, for example:
In the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present application, since the vortex forming device is provided at the bottom surface of the air outlet and the vortex forming device is configured as a serrated surface with a plurality of concave grooves, air flow passing through the heat exchanger can form a vortex flow at the serrated surface, which can ensure the temperature at the air outlet being relatively uniform, thereby can avoid the formation of condensate water due to a partially large temperature difference, and thus can reduce occurrence of dew-congealing.
Document D1 ( JPH06147527A ) discloses a room unit of an air conditioner comprising a pair of opposed guide walls which are vertically opposed to guide the air from a fan provided in a diffuser. A recess if formed near a diffusing end of the wall. A vortex part of a state that indoor air is engulfed in the recess is formed to limit a condensing area in this part, and further a water absorber is disposed oppositely to the vortex part.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a side structural schematic view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present application;
Fig. 2 is a perspective structural schematic view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present application;
Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a skirt structure of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present application;
Fig. 4 is an overall structural schematic view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present application;
Fig. 5 is a structural schematic view of a panel body of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present application;
Fig. 6 is a structural schematic view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present application, in which a bottom surface of an air outlet of a panel body is shown;
Fig. 7 is a front structural schematic view of a panel body of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present application;
Fig. 8 is a structural schematic view of a panel body of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present application; and
Fig. 9 is a rear structural schematic view of a panel body of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present application.

Reference numerals:

1. front panel	2. panel body	10. front panel skirt structure
20. panel body skirt structure	11. first combining surface	12. second combining surface
13. third combining surface	21. fourth combining surface	22. fifth combining surface
23. sixth combining surface	24. seventh combining surface	25. serrated surface
26. air-damping rib	27. rear boss	28. side plate
9. rear frame	291. opening	3. air deflector
4. ventilating component	5. heat exchanger	51. copper pipe
52. fin

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present application provides an indoor unit of an air conditioner. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6, the indoor unit of the air conditioner includes: a panel body 2 enclosing side portions and a top portion of the air conditioner and being configured for installing a front panel, a rear shell enclosing a rear portion of the air conditioner, and the front panel 1 arranged in the front of the air conditioner and closely connected to the panel body. The rear shell, the panel body 2 and the front panel 1 define an inner chamber of the air conditioner in which a heat exchanger 5, a control element, and a ventilating component 4 are provided. A lower portion of the front panel 1 is provided with an air outlet. An air deflector is mounted on the front panel 1 or is arranged on the panel body 2 for opening or closing the air outlet. A vortex forming device is provided at a bottom surface of the air outlet.
The vortex forming device is configured as a serrated surface 25 with a plurality of concave grooves. Air flow passing through the heat exchanger 5 can formed a vortex flow at the serrated surface 25, which can ensure a relatively uniform temperature at the air outlet, thereby can avoid the formation of condensate water due to a partially large temperature difference, and thus can reduce occurrence of dew-congealing phenomenon.
As shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 7 and 8, air-damping ribs 26 are provided on the panel body 1 in a region between the front panel and the heat exchanger.
The air-damping ribs 26 include more than one horizontal air-damping rib.
The air-damping ribs 26 further include more than one connecting strip distributed at intervals in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal air-damping ribs.
The heat exchanger 5 includes fins 52 and a plurality of copper pipes 51 penetrating through the fins 52. The horizontal air-damping ribs are arranged in front of a gap between two adjacent copper pipes 51, which are close to an air outlet region of the ventilating component 4, of the heat exchanger 5.
The rear shell is mounted at a rear portion of the panel body 2. A lower portion of a front portion of the panel body 2 is closely connected to a bottom portion of the front panel 1. Side surfaces of the indoor unit of the air conditioner are of a "U" shape structure. Front, rear and bottom surfaces of a lower portion of the indoor unit of the air conditioner are formed by more than one curved surface.
The front panel 1 includes, from the top to the bottom in sequence, a first combining surface 11, a second combining surface 12 and a third combining surface 13. A sectional profile line of the first combining surface 11 is of a straight line or an arc line with a curvature approaching to zero. A sectional profile line of the second combining surface 12 is of a curved line with a curvature gradually increased from upper to lower, and the maximum curvature is less than or equal to 0.025. A sectional profile line of the third combining surface 13 is of a curved line with a curvature gradually decreased from upper to lower, and the minimum curvature is larger than 0.0005.
An assembly of the panel body 2 and the rear shell includes, from front to rear in sequence, a fourth combining surface 21, a fifth combining surface 22, a sixth combining surface 23 and a seventh combining surface 24.
Sectional profile lines of the fourth combining surface 21, the fifth combining surface 22, the sixth combining surface 23 and the seventh combining surface 24 have different curvatures, respectively, such that a bottom of the air conditioner has an arc transition structure.
As shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 9, the front panel 1 covers the front portion of the panel body 2, and a width of the front panel 1 is larger than a width of the front portion of the panel body 2, thereby forming a front panel skirt structure 10 at at least one side of bonding portion of the front panel 1 and the panel body 2. As shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the panel body 2 includes: a rear frame 29 at a rear portion of the panel body 2, and a left side plate 28 and a right side plate 28. At least one side of the rear frame 29 extends beyond corresponding side plate 28 at the same side, thereby forming a panel body skirt structure 20. The front panel skirt structure 10 and the panel body skirt structure 20 are connected to form a "U" shape side decorative edge of the indoor unit of the air conditioner.
Preferably, each of a left side and a right side of the bonding portion of the front panel 1 and the panel body 2 is formed with the skirt structure 10, and each of a left side and a right side of the panel body 2 is formed with the panel body skirt structure 20, such that each of a left side and a right side of the indoor unit has a decorative edge.
Top portions of the front panel 1 and the rear frame 29 are higher than a top surface of the rear shell.
Widths L2 of the front panel skirt structure 10 and the panel body skirt structure 20 are ranged from 2 millimeter (mm) to 8mm, and preferably are 4mm. A height H1 of the front panel skirt structure 10 and a height H2 of the panel body skirt structure 20 are ranged from 3mm to 10mm, and preferably are 8mm.
As shown in Fig. 6, a back portion of the panel body 2 is formed with an opening 291 for installing the rear shell, and is provided with a rear boss 27 at a lower edge of the opening 291. After the air conditioner is mounted, the rear boss 27 abuts against a wall surface, to form an installing space for a drain pipe and a refrigerant connecting pipe between the rear shell and the wall surface.
The rear boss 27 is arranged in a transverse direction, and has upward bending portions at left and right ends thereof.
A size of the rear boss 27 in a horizontal direction is less than that of the rear frame 29.
The above embodiments are not intended to limit the present application. Various improvements and variations made by the person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the present application, are deemed to fall into the protection scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

An indoor unit of an air conditioner comprising: a panel body (2) enclosing side portions and a top portion of the air conditioner and being configured for installing a front panel, a rear shell enclosing a rear portion of the air conditioner, and the front panel (1) arranged in the front of the air conditioner and closely connected to the panel body, wherein the rear shell, the panel body (2) and the front panel (1) define an inner chamber of the air conditioner in which a heat exchanger (5), a control element, a ventilating component (4) are provided; a lower portion of the front panel (1) is provided with an air outlet, and an air deflector is mounted on the front panel (1) or is arranged on the panel body (2) to open or close the air outlet,
characterized in that,
a vortex forming device is provided on a bottom surface of the panel body (2) at the air outlet, wherein the surface of the panel body (2) is perpendicular to two side surfaces of the indoor unit of the air conditioner, and the vortex forming device is configured as a serrated face (25) with a plurality of concave grooves.
The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein air-damping ribs (26) are provided on the panel body (1) in a region between the front panel and the heat exchanger.
The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein the air-damping ribs (26) comprises more than one horizontal air-damping rib.
The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the air-damping ribs (26) comprises more than one connecting strip distributed at intervals in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal air-damping ribs.
The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein the heat exchanger (5) comprises fins (52) and a plurality of copper pipes (51) penetrating through the fins, and the horizontal air-damping ribs are arranged in front of a gap between two adjacent copper pipe (51), which are close to an air outlet region of the ventilating component (4), of the heat exchanger (5).
The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the rear shell is mounted at a rear portion of the air conditioner, the panel body (2) is closely connected to the front panel (1), side surfaces of the indoor unit of the air conditioner are of a "U" shape structure, and front, rear and bottom surfaces of a lower portion of the indoor unit of the air conditioner are formed by more than one curved surface.
The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 6, wherein the front panel (1) comprises, from top to bottom in sequence, a first combining surface (11), a second combining surface (12) and a third combining surface (13), wherein a sectional profile line of the first combining surface (11) is of a straight line or an arc line with the curvature approaching to zero; a sectional profile line of the second combining surface (12) is of a curved line with the curvature gradually increased from upper to lower, the maximum curvature being less than or equal to 0.025; and a sectional profile line of the third combining surface (13) is of a curved line with the curvature gradually decreased from upper to lower, the minimum curvature being larger than 0.0005.
The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 7, wherein the front panel (1) covers the front portion of the panel body (2), and a width of the front panel (1) is larger than a width of the front portion of the panel body (2), thereby forming a front panel skirt structure (10) at at least one side of a bonding portion of the front panel (1) and the panel body (2); the panel body (2) comprises: a rear frame (29) at a rear portion of the panel body (2), and a left side plate (28) and a right side plate (28), and at least one side of the rear frame (29) extends beyond corresponding side plate (28), thereby forming a panel body skirt structure (20); and the front panel skirt structure (10) and the panel body skirt structure (20) are connected to form a "U" shape side decorative edge of the indoor unit of the air conditioner.
The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 8, wherein a back portion of the panel body (2) is formed with an opening (291) for installing the rear shell, and is provided with a rear boss (27) at a lower edge of the opening (291).