Unitary air conditioner

• US 20060156746A1
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Jeong Taek, Lee, Won Hee, Hwang, Yoon Jei, Hyun, Seung Youp
• Granted Patent: US 7,513,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/186
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/86 by controlling compressors within refrigeration or heat pump circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/871 by controlling outdoor fans
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

A unitary air conditioner comprises a 1-stage thermostat for generating an operation signal for the unitary air conditioner or a stop signal for the unitary air conditioner, a 1-stage indoor unit having an indoor fan, which is rotated according the operation signal from the 1-stage thermostat, a variable-capacity outdoor unit configured to be operated according to the 1-stage thermostat, the variable-capacity outdoor unit having a compressor and an outdoor fan, the operation stage of which is changed according to the operation state of the variable-capacity outdoor unit, and an indoor fan control device for controlling the indoor according to the operation stage of the variable-capacity outdoor unit to change the operation state of the indoor fan. The 1-stage indoor unit is operated along with another unit having different stages, and variable control is accomplished, although the 1-stage indoor unit is used, so long as the indoor fan control device is added to the unitary air conditioner. Consequently, a more efficient air conditioning system is accomplished.

Claims

1. A unitary air conditioner comprising:

a 1-stage thermostat for generating an operation signal for the unitary air conditioner or a stop signal for the unitary air conditioner;

a 1-stage indoor unit having an indoor fan, the indoor fan being rotated according the operation signal from the 1-stage thermostat;

a variable-capacity outdoor unit configured to be operated according to the 1-stage thermostat, the variable-capacity outdoor unit having a compressor and an outdoor fan, the operation stage of the compressor and the outdoor fan being changed according to the operation state of the variable-capacity outdoor unit; and

an indoor fan control device for controlling the indoor according to the operation stage of the variable-capacity outdoor unit to change the operation state of the indoor fan.

2. The air conditioner as set forth in claim 1, wherein the indoor fan is configured to be rotated at least in a high or low operation stage by an indoor fan motor.

3. The air conditioner as set forth in claim 1, wherein the 1-stage indoor unit has an indoor unit control device for receiving a signal from the 1-stage thermostat, outputting a control signal to an indoor fan motor, by which the indoor fan is rotated, and transmitting a signal to the variable-capacity outdoor unit.

4. The air conditioner as set forth in claim 1, wherein the compressor mounted in the variable-capacity outdoor unit is an inverter type compressor or comprises a plurality of constant-speed compressors.

5. The air conditioner as set forth in claim 1, wherein the variable-capacity outdoor unit includes an outdoor unit control device for variably controlling the operation stage of the compressor and the outdoor fan according to the operation state of the variable-capacity outdoor unit.

6. The air conditioner as set forth in claim 5, wherein the outdoor unit control device comprises:

a signal input part for receiving the signal from the 1-stage thermostat through an indoor unit control device mounted in the 1-stage indoor unit;

an operation state determination and control part for recognizing the signal from the signal input part and the operation state of the compressor or the outdoor fan to change the operation stage of the compressor and the outdoor fan; and

a signal output part for outputting a signal to the indoor fan control device based on a signal from the operation state determination and control part.

7. The air conditioner as set forth in claim 6, wherein the operation state determination and control part is configured to store or recognize the previous operation state or the current operation state of the compressor or the outdoor fan and to select one of operation stages for the compressor or the outdoor fan, which include high, middle, and low operation stages, according to a control algorithm, based on the previously stored or recognized operation state in the next operation.

8. The air conditioner as set forth in claim 1, wherein the indoor fan control device is mounted in the 1-stage indoor unit for controlling the indoor fan according to a signal from an outdoor unit control device mounted in the variable-capacity outdoor unit.

9. The air conditioner as set forth in claim 1, wherein the indoor fan control device comprises a relay switch for controlling the operation state of the indoor fan.

10. The air conditioner as set forth in claim 1, wherein the indoor fan control device comprises a 2-speed kit having a relay switch for controlling the indoor fan motor to be driven in a high or low operation stage.

11. A unitary air conditioner comprising:

a 2-stage thermostat for generating one of plural operation signals for the unitary air conditioner or a stop signal for the unitary air conditioner;

a 1-stage indoor unit having an indoor fan, the indoor fan being rotated according the operation signal from the 2-stage thermostat;

a variable-capacity outdoor unit having a compressor and an outdoor fan, the operation stage of the compressor and the outdoor fan being changed according to the signal from the 2-stage thermostat; and

an indoor fan control device for controlling the indoor according to the operation stage of the variable-capacity outdoor unit to change the operation state of the indoor fan.

12. The air conditioner as set forth in claim 11, wherein the indoor fan is configured to be rotated at least in a high or low operation stage by an indoor fan motor.

13. The air conditioner as set forth in claim 11, wherein the 1-stage indoor unit has an indoor unit control device for receiving a signal from the 2-stage thermostat, outputting a control signal to an indoor fan motor, by which the indoor fan is rotated, and transmitting a signal to the variable-capacity outdoor unit.

14. The air conditioner as set forth in claim 11, wherein the compressor mounted in the variable-capacity outdoor unit is an inverter type compressor or comprises a plurality of constant-speed compressors.

15. The air conditioner as set forth in claim 11, wherein the variable-capacity outdoor unit includes an outdoor unit control device for variably controlling the operation stage of the compressor and the outdoor fan according to the operation state of the variable-capacity outdoor unit.

16. The air conditioner as set forth in claim 15, wherein the outdoor unit control device comprises:

a signal input part for receiving the signal from the 2-stage thermostat through an indoor unit control device mounted in the 1-stage indoor unit;

an operation state determination and control part for recognizing the signal from the signal input part and the operation state of the compressor or the outdoor fan to change the operation stage of the compressor and the outdoor fan; and

a signal output part for outputting a signal to the indoor fan control device based on a signal from the operation state determination and control part.

17. The air conditioner as set forth in claim 16, wherein the operation state determination and control part is configured to store or recognize the previous operation state or the current operation state of the compressor or the outdoor fan and to select one of operation stages for the compressor or the outdoor fan, which include high, middle, and low operation stages, according to a control algorithm, based on the previously stored or recognized operation state in the next operation.

18. The air conditioner as set forth in claim 11, wherein the indoor fan control device is mounted in the 1-stage indoor unit for controlling the indoor fan according to a signal from an outdoor unit control device mounted in the variable-capacity outdoor unit.

19. The air conditioner as set forth in claim 11, wherein the indoor fan control device comprises a relay switch for controlling the operation state of the indoor fan.

20. The air conditioner as set forth in claim 11, wherein one of the operation signals is directly transmitted to an outdoor unit control device mounted in the variable-capacity outdoor unit from the 2-stage thermostat not through the 1-stage indoor unit.