Indoor device for cassette type air conditioner

• US 10,047,972 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2014
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jeong, Changhoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): May, Elizabeth M
• Application Number:
  US14/504,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20150090429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 454248, 454283, 454292, 454297, 454296, 454331, 454332, 622591
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/0011 characterised by air outlets
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/0047 mounted in the ceiling or at the ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/084 with mounting arrangements, e.g. snap fasteners for mounting to the wall or duct
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/085 including an air filter
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/20 Casings or covers

Abstract

An indoor device for a cassette type air conditioner is provided. In the indoor device, a suction grill restricter to couple the suction grill to a panel to prevent outer edges of the suction grill from drooping may be provided to maintain a more stable coupling state, preventing dew condensation and noise from occurring.

Claims

1. An indoor device for a cassette type air conditioner, the indoor device comprising:

a cabinet, in which a heat exchanger and a blower fan are mounted, the cabinet being configured to be installed on a ceiling in an indoor space;

a panel that defines a bottom surface of the cabinet, the panel having at least one suction hole and at least one discharge hole;

a suction grill mounted to cover the at least one suction hole;

at least one fixing member disposed at a first side of the suction grill, the at least one fixing member being fixed to a first side of the panel to restrict movement of the first side of the suction grill;

at least one switching member disposed on a second side of the suction grill and facing the at least one fixing member, the at least one switching member being selectively fixed to a second side of the panel to restrict movement of the second side of the suction grill; and

a suction grill restricter disposed on each of third and fourth sides of the suction grill between the at least one fixing member and the at least one switching member, the suction grill restricters being coupled to each of third and fourth sides of the panel to restrict movement of the third and fourth sides of the suction grill, wherein at least one connection member is disposed between the panel and the suction grill, wherein the suction grill is rotated by the at least one connection member to open the suction hole, wherein the at least one connection member is disposed closer to the at least one fixing member than the at least one connection member is to the at least one switching member, wherein the at least one connection member is disposed closer to the suction grill restricters than the at least one connection member is to the at least one switching member, and wherein the at least one switching member includes;

a fixed portion fixed to the suction grill;

a manipulation portion that extends from the fixed portion to move the fixed portion; and

an elastic portion, having a plate shape which is inclined or curved, that extends to each of both sides of the manipulation portion and contacts a support wall when the manipulation portion is manipulated, wherein the support wall protrudes from the upper surface of the suction grill, and wherein the elastic portion is elastically deformed when manipulated to be in contact with the support wall.

2. The indoor device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fixing member and the at least one switching member comprises a plurality of fixing members and a plurality of switching members disposed to be laterally spaced apart from each other, respectively.

3. The indoor device according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the at least one switching member is exposed through a suction hole defined in the suction grill to allow a user to perform opening and closing operations of the suction grill.

4. The indoor device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fixing member comprises a fixed piece that extends outwardly and is inserted into the panel.

5. The indoor device according to claim 1, wherein the panel further comprises a panel bracket mounted along a circumference of the suction hole, the suction grill restricters being coupled with the panel bracket to restrict movement of the suction grill.

6. The indoor device according to claim 5, wherein each of the suction grill restricters is in the form of a hook, and wherein the panel bracket comprises a pair of inwardly recessed coupling portions, on which the hooks are hooked.

7. The indoor device according to claim 6, wherein each of the coupling portions and the pair of suction grill restricters are disposed at a middle portion of the side of the suction grill and panel.

8. The indoor device according to claim 1, wherein each suction grill restricter comprises:

an extension that extends upward from the suction grill; and

a hook that protrudes laterally from an end of the extension, the hook being hooked on the panel, wherein the hook has an inclined upper surface.

9. The indoor device according to claim 1, wherein at least one panel-side mount, on which the at least one connection member is slidably mounted, is disposed on at least one of the first and second sides of the panel, and wherein at least one grill-side mount, to which the at least one connection member is rotatably coupled, is disposed on at least one of the first and second sides of the suction grill.

10. The indoor device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one panel-side mount comprises a pair of panel-side mounts provided on each of the first and second sides of the panel and disposed symmetrical with respect to each other, and wherein the at least one connection member is selectively mounted on one of the pair of panel-side mounts according to an opening direction of the suction grill.

11. The indoor device according to claim 1, wherein a filter guide, on which a filter case to accommodate an air filter is mounted, is disposed on each of the third and fourth sides of the suction grill, and wherein the suction grill restricters are integrated with the filter guide.

27. The indoor device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fixing member is configured to be completely separated from the panel when the suction grill is removed from the panel.

12. An indoor device for a cassette type air conditioner configured to be installed on a ceiling in an indoor space, the indoor device comprising:

a panel exposed through the ceiling, the panel having at least one suction hole and at least one discharge hole;

a vane rotatably mounted in each of the at least one discharge hole to guide a flow direction of discharged air;

a suction grill openably mounted on a bottom surface of the panel, the suction grill being disposed to cover the at least one suction hole; and

a suction grill restricter that protrudes from each of first and second sides of the suction grill, the suction grill restricters being inserted into the suction hole and hooked on the panel, wherein an outer edge of the suction grill includes at least one concave portion that corresponds to an inner line of the at least one discharge hole, wherein a fixing member is disposed at a third side of the suction grill, the fixing member being fixed to a third side of the panel to restrict movement of the third side of the suction grill, wherein a switching member is disposed on a fourth side of the suction grill and facing the fixing member, the switching member being selectively fixed to a fourth side of the panel to restrict movement of the fourth side of the suction grill, wherein a connection member is disposed between the panel and the suction grill, wherein the suction grill is rotated by the connection member to open the suction hole, wherein the at least one connection member is disposed closer to the at least one fixing member than the at least one connection member is to the at least one switching member, wherein the at least one connection member is disposed closer to the suction grill restricters than the at least one connection member is to the at least one switching member, and wherein the at least one switching member includes;

a fixed portion fixed to the suction grill;

a manipulation portion that extends from the fixed portion to move the fixed portion; and

an elastic portion, having a plate shape which is inclined or curved, that extends to each of both sides of the manipulation portion and contacts a support wall when the manipulation portion is manipulated, wherein the support wall protrudes from the upper surface of the suction grill, and wherein the elastic portion is elastically deformed when manipulated to be in contact with the support wall.

13. The indoor device according to claim 12, wherein each suction grill restricter is disposed at a middle portion of the suction grill.

14. The indoor device according to claim 12, wherein each suction grill restricter is in the form of a hook shape, a top surface of which is inclined to contact the panel when the suction grill is closed.

15. The indoor device according to claim 12, wherein each suction grill restricter comprises:

an extension that extends upward from a top surface of the suction grill; and

a hook that protrudes laterally from an end of the extension to contact of the panel.

16. The indoor device according to claim 12, wherein the panel further comprises a panel bracket having a central portion opened to correspond to the at least one suction hole, and wherein the suction grill restricters are hooked on the panel bracket.

17. The indoor device according to claim 12, wherein the at least one discharge hole comprises a plurality of discharge holes, each having a vane rotatably mounted therein, and wherein the outer edge of the suction grill comprises a plurality of protrusions that extend, respectively, between the plurality of discharge holes grill.

18. The indoor device according to claim 17, wherein the panel further comprises a rounded groove having a closed loop shape, which connects outer lines of the plurality of discharge hole, outer lines of the plurality of vane, and outer lines of the plurality of protrusions.

19. The indoor device according to claim 12, wherein ends of each of the at least one discharge hole and vane are gradually narrowed.

20. An indoor device for an air conditioner, the indoor device comprising:

a case, in which are disposed a heat exchanger and a fan;

a panel disposed at a bottom of the case, wherein the case is configured to be mounted in a ceiling of an indoor space with the panel viewable to a user, the panel comprising a suction hole disposed at a central portion of the panel and a plurality of discharge holes that extend along sides of the panel between the suction hole and an outer edge of the panel;

a suction grill mounted to cover the suction hole;

at least one fixing member disposed at a first side of the suction grill, the at least one fixing member being fixed to a first side of the panel to fix the first side of the suction grill to the panel;

at least one switching member disposed on a second side of the suction grill and facing the at least one fixing member, the at least one switching member being selectively fixed to a second side of the panel to fix the second side of the suction grill to the panel; and

a pair of suction grill restricters disposed, respectively, at a central portion of third and fourth sides of the suction grill, the pair of suction grill restricters being coupled to third and fourth sides of the panel to fix the third and fourth sides of the suction grill to the panel, wherein at least one connection member is disposed between the panel and the suction grill, wherein the suction grill is rotated by the at least one connection member to open the suction hole, wherein the at least one connection member is disposed closer to the at least one fixing member than the at least one connection member is to the at least one switching member, wherein the at least one connection member is disposed closer to the suction grill restricters than the at least one connection member is to the at least one switching member, and wherein the at least one switching ember includes;

a fixed portion fixed to the suction grill;

a manipulation portion that extends from the fixed portion to move the fixed portion, and an elastic portion, having a plate shape which is inclined or curved, that extends to each of both sides of the manipulation portion and contacts a support wall when the manipulation portion is manipulated, wherein the support wall protrudes from the upper surface of the suction grill, and wherein the elastic portion is elastically deformed when manipulated to be in contact with the support wall.

21. The indoor device according to claim 20, wherein the at least one fixing member and the at least one switching member comprises a plurality of fixing members and a plurality of switching members disposed to be laterally spaced apart from each other, respectively.

22. The indoor device according to claim 20, wherein the suction grill is rotatably mounted on the panel.

23. The indoor device according to claim 22, wherein at least a portion of the at least one switching member is exposed through a suction hole defined in the suction grill to allow a user to perform opening and closing operations of the suction grill.

24. The indoor device according to claim 20, wherein the at least one fixing member comprises a fixed piece that extends outwardly and is inserted into the panel.

25. The indoor device according to claim 20, wherein the panel further comprises a panel bracket mounted along a circumference of the suction hole, the pair of suction grill restricters being coupled to the panel bracket to fix the suction grill to the panel.

26. The indoor device according to claim 20, wherein each suction grill restricter comprises:

an extension that extends upward from the suction grill; and

a hook that protrudes laterally from an end of the extension, the hook being hooked on the panel, wherein the hook has an inclined upper surface.

28. The indoor device according to claim 20, wherein the at least one fixing member is configured to be completely separated from the panel when the suction grill is removed from the panel.