Air conditioner

• US 20060201042A1
• Filed: 01/27/2006
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Ji Hoon, Yoo, Joong Gil
• Application Number:
  US11/340,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20060201042A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 40/725
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/027 mounted in wall openings, e.g. in windows
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/20 Casings or covers

Abstract

There is provided an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes a front frame, a cabinet, indoor and outdoor blower fans, a rotating drive motor, a heat exchanger portion, and a panel assembly. The front frame includes an intake slot for suctioning indoor air through. The cabinet is coupled at a rear of the front frame and includes an intake slot for suctioning outdoor air through. The indoor blower fan and the outdoor blower fan respectively suction the indoor air and the outdoor air. The rotating drive motor is axially connected to the indoor and outdoor blower fans. The heat exchanger portion includes an indoor heat exchanger for heat exchanging the suctioned indoor air and an outdoor heat exchanger for heat exchanging the suctioned outdoor air. The panel assembly is installed in front of the front frame for allowing replacing of an image.

Claims

1. An air conditioner comprising:

a front frame including an intake slot formed at a side thereof for suctioning indoor air through;

a cabinet coupled at a rear of the front frame and including an intake slot formed at a side thereof for suctioning outdoor air through;

an indoor blower fan installed within the front frame for suctioning the indoor air;

an outdoor blower fan installed within the cabinet for suctioning the outdoor air;

a rotating drive motor axially connected to the indoor blower fan and the outdoor blower fan;

a heat exchanger portion including an indoor heat exchanger for heat exchanging the suctioned indoor air and an outdoor heat exchanger for heat exchanging the suctioned outdoor air; and

a panel assembly installed a predetermined distance forward from the front frame for allowing a replacing of an image.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the panel assembly includes:

a front panel installed at a front of the front frame;

an art panel received at a front of the front panel and having a picture or photograph attached thereon; and

a front cover covering a front of the art panel.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein the front cover is detachably or pivotably coupled to the front panel.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein the front cover is coupled to the front panel through a hinge.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 2, further comprising at least one cohering member provided on at least one of a rear of the front cover and the front of the front panel, the cohering member for cohering the front cover to the front panel.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein the cohering member is a magnet or a hook.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the panel assembly includes:

a front panel coupled to the front frame; and

an art panel inserted into the front panel.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 7, wherein the front panel has an insertion slot formed on an edge portion thereof for inserting the art panel through;

and

a cavity formed within for receiving the art panel.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the panel assembly includes:

a front panel;

a front cover pivotably coupled at a front of the front panel;

an art panel received at the front of the front panel and having an image attached thereto; and

a pivoting axis for pivotably mounting the front cover to the front panel.

10. The air conditioner according to claim 9, wherein the panel assembly further includes a movement preventing member formed at a location opposite to the pivoting axis for preventing a movement of the front cover with respect to the front panel.

11. The air conditioner according to claim 9, wherein the panel assembly further includes:

a latch hook formed on the front panel at a location opposite to the pivoting axis, the latch hook for preventing a movement of the front cover with respect to the front panel; and

a latch receiver formed on the front cover for receiving the latch hook.

12. The air conditioner according to claim 9, wherein the panel assembly further includes:

a latch hook formed on the front cover at a location opposite to the pivoting axis, the latch hook for preventing a movement of the front cover with respect to the front panel; and

a latch receiver formed on the front panel for receiving the latch hook.

13. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the panel assembly is one of an LCD (liquid crystal display), PDP (plasma display panel), or OLED (organic light emitting diode).

14. The air conditioner according to claim 13, wherein the panel assembly includes a data transferring portion formed on a portion thereof for transferring digital data, and the panel assembly displays an image derived from the digital data.

15. An air conditioner comprising

a front frame forming an intake slot at a side thereof for suctioning indoor air through;

a cabinet coupled at a rear of the front frame and including an intake slot formed at a side thereof for suctioning outdoor air through;

an indoor blower fan installed within the front frame for suctioning the indoor air;

an outdoor blower fan installed within the cabinet for suctioning the outdoor air;

a rotating drive motor axially connected to the indoor blower fan and the outdoor blower fan;

a heat exchanger portion including an indoor heat exchanger for heat exchanging the suctioned indoor air and an outdoor heat exchanger for heat exchanging the suctioned outdoor air;

a front panel installed at a predetermined distance from a front of the front frame;

a front cover pivotably or detachably installed on the front panel; and

an art panel received in the front panel.

16. The air conditioner according to claim 15, wherein the front cover pivots by means of a hinge in a forward direction to the front panel, or the front cover rotates in a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction on a pivoting axis with respect to the front panel.

17. The air conditioner according to claim 15, wherein the front cover is coupled to the front panel by a hook or a magnet.

18. The air conditioner according to claim 15, wherein the front cover and the front panel are coupled by means of a latch hook and a latch receiver.

19. An air conditioner comprising:

a front frame forming an intake slot at a side thereof for suctioning indoor air through;

a cabinet coupled at a rear of the front frame and including an intake slot formed at a side thereof for suctioning outdoor air through;

an indoor blower fan installed within the front frame for suctioning the indoor air;

an outdoor blower fan installed within the cabinet for suctioning the outdoor air;

a rotating drive motor axially connected to the indoor blower fan and the outdoor blower fan;

a heat exchanger portion including an indoor heat exchanger for heat exchanging the suctioned indoor air and an outdoor heat exchanger for heat exchanging the suctioned outdoor air;

a front panel installed at a predetermined distance from a front of the front frame; and

an art panel inserted inside the front panel, wherein

the front panel includes an insertion slot formed on an edge portion thereof for inserting the art panel through, and a cavity formed in an inside thereof for receiving the art panel.

20. An air conditioner comprising:

a front frame forming an intake slot on a side thereof for suctioning indoor air through;

a cabinet coupled at a rear of the front frame and including an intake slot formed at a side thereof for suctioning outdoor air through;

an indoor blower fan installed within the front frame for suctioning the indoor air;

an outdoor blower fan installed within the cabinet for suctioning the outdoor air;

a rotating drive motor axially connected to the indoor blower fan and the outdoor blower fan;

a heat exchanging portion including an indoor heat exchanger for heat exchanging the suctioned indoor air and an outdoor heat exchanger for heat exchanging the suctioned outdoor air;

a panel assembly formed of one of an LCD (liquid crystal display), PDP (plasma display panel), and OLED (organic light emitting diode), and installed at a predetermined distance from a front of the front frame; and

a data transferring portion provided at a portion of the panel assembly for transferring digital data.