Indoor device for cassette type air conditioner

• US 10,197,298 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2014
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• 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:
  US14/505,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20150093983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: 454248, 454283, 454292, 454297, 454296, 454331, 454332, 622591
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/0014 having two or more outlet openings
• 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 13/10 movable, e.g. dampers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/08 with separate ducts for supplied and exhausted air with provisions for reversal of the input and output systems
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/10 with air supply, or exhaust, through perforated wall, floor or ceiling outlet members for directing or distributing air into rooms or spaces, e.g. ceiling air-diffusers F24F13/06

Abstract

An indoor device for a cassette type air conditioner is provided. In the indoor device for the cassette type air conditioner, an outer edge of a suction grill extends to form inner lines of a plurality of discharge holes of a panel, and the suction grill may be opened while slidably moving without interfering with the panel according to a shape thereof.

Claims

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

a panel configured to be mounted in a ceiling of an indoor space to define an exterior of a bottom surface of the indoor device, the panel comprising a suction hole through which indoor air is suctioned into the indoor device, and a plurality of discharge holes to discharge air into the indoor space;

a plurality of vanes rotatably mounted in the plurality of discharge holes, respectively, to adjust a flow direction of the discharged air;

a suction grill mounted on the panel to cover the suction hole; and

at least one connection member having first and second ends mounted, respectively, on the panel and the suction grill to connect the panel to the suction grill, wherein the at least one connection member rotates while horizontally slidably moving to open or close the suction grill, wherein in a state in which the suction grill is fully opened, the first and second ends of the at least one connecting member are mounted to the suction grill and the panel, respectively, and the suction grill is suspended by the at least one connecting member and spaced apart from the panel, wherein an outer edge of the suction grill comprises a plurality of concave portions shaped to match, respectively, inner lines of the plurality of discharge holes, wherein the at least one connection member comprises a plurality of connection members provided at first and second lateral sides of the indoor device, wherein a panel-side mount, on which each of the plurality of connection members is slidably mounted, respectively, is disposed on each of first and second lateral sides of the panel, and wherein a grill-side mount to which each of the plurality of connection members is rotatably coupled, respectively, is disposed on each of first and second lateral sides of the suction grill, wherein each panel-side mount comprises;

an edge defined in each of the fir and second lateral sides of the panel to provide a space to accommodate the first end of the respective connection member;

a slot opened along a sliding movement direction of the respective connection member in the edge to guide movement of the respective connection member;

a bottom surface disposed at each of both sides of the slot to support the respective connection member; and

a restricter that protrudes from the bottom surface to restrict the movement of the respective connection member in a state in which the suction grill is closed or opened.

2. The indoor device according to claim 1, wherein ends of the plurality of discharge holes and the plurality of vanes have a shape that gradually decreases in width.

3. The indoor device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of concave portions contact inner sides of the plurality of vanes, respectively.

4. The indoor device according to claim 1, wherein the outer edge of the suction grill connects outer lines of the plurality of vanes, which are adjacent to each other, to each other.

5. The indoor device according to claim 1, wherein the outer edge of the suction grill further comprises a plurality of protrusions that extends, respectively, between the plurality of discharge holes.

6. The indoor device according to claim 5, wherein the panel further comprises a rounded groove having a closed loop shape that connects outer lines of the plurality of discharge holes, the plurality of vanes, and the plurality of protrusions.

7. The indoor device according to claim 6, wherein the rounded groove has a cross-section that is rounded to guide the air discharged from the plurality of discharge holes.

8. The indoor device according to claim 1, wherein the suction grill includes a suction portion, and the suction portion has a lattice shape due to a plurality of bars, which are disposed to cross each other in horizontal and vertical directions.

9. The indoor device according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of bars each has a width that gradually decreases in a downward direction.

10. The indoor device according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of bars each comprises:

an inclined portion having a width that gradually decreases in a downward direction; and

a vertical portion that extends from both sides of an upper end of the inclined portion in a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of the ceiling.

11. The indoor device according to claim 8, wherein a groove, which is recessed to collect dust or foreign substances, is defined in a top surface of each of the plurality of bars.

12. An indoor device of a cassette type air conditioner, the indoor device comprising:

a cabinet comprising a heat exchanger and a blower fan;

a panel mounted on a bottom surface of the cabinet, the panel comprising a suction hole in a central portion thereof and a plurality of discharge holes outside of the suction hole;

a suction grill mounted to cover the suction hole, the suction grill comprising a plurality of concave portions having a shape that corresponds, respectively, to a shape of inner lines of the plurality of discharge holes; and

at least one connection member having first and second ends mounted, respectively, on the panel and the suction grill to connect the panel to the suction grill, wherein the at least one connection member rotates while horizontally slidably moving to open or close the suction grill, wherein in a state in which the suction grill is fully opened, the first and second ends of the at least one connecting member are mounted to the suction grill and the panel, respectively, and the suction grill is suspended by the at least one connecting member and spaced apart from the panel, wherein the at least one connection member comprises a plurality of connection members provided at first and second lateral sides of the indoor device, wherein a panel-side mount, on which each of the plurality of connection members is slidably mounted, respectively, is disposed on each of first and second lateral sides of the panel, and wherein a grill-side mount to which each of the plurality of connection members is rotatably coupled, respectively, is disposed on each of first and second lateral sides of the suction grill, wherein each panel-side mount comprises;

an edge defined in each of the first and second lateral sides of the panel to provide a space to accommodate the first end of the respective connection member;

a slot opened along a sliding movement direction of the respective connection member in the edge to guide movement of the respective connection member;

a bottom surface disposed at each of both sides of the slot to support the respective connection member; and

a restricter that protrudes from the bottom surface to restrict the movement of the respective connection member in a state in which the suction grill is closed or opened.

13. The indoor device according to claim 12, wherein a pair of the panel-side mounts is symmetrically provided on both of first and second longitudinal sides of the panel, and wherein the plurality of connection members is selectively mounted on one of the pair of the panel-side mounts according to an opening direction of the suction grill.

14. The indoor device according to claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of connection members comprises:

an upper bent portion slidably mounted on the panel;

a lower bent portion rotatably coupled to the suction grill; and

an intermediate connection portion that connects the upper bent portion to the lower bent portion, and wherein the upper bent portion is bent upward with respect to the intermediate connection portion, and the lower bent portion is bent downward in a direction opposite to the upper bent portion.

15. The indoor device according to claim 12, wherein a connection member insertion hole, through which the respective connection member is accessible, is further defined at one end of the slot.

16. The indoor device according to claim 15, wherein the bottom surface is inclined downward in a direction to be lowered toward the connection member insertion hole.

17. The indoor device according to claim 12, wherein the restricter comprises:

a first restricter disposed at a first end of the slot to restrict the movement of the respective connection member in a state in which the suction grill is fully opened; and

a second restricter disposed at a side of the slot and spaced apart from the first restricter to restrict the movement of the respective connection member in a state in which the suction grill is fully closed.

18. The indoor device according to claim 17, wherein the second restricter comprises:

an inclined surface, which is inclined in a downward direction in which the respective connection member slidably moves when the suction grill is opened; and

a vertical surface that extends from an upper end of the inclined surface in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface, wherein the respective connection member contacts the vertical surface to restrict slidable movement of the connection member in a state in which the suction grill is fully closed.

19. The indoor device according to claim 12, wherein at least one fixing member, which protrudes in a backward direction and is inserted into the panel when the suction grill is closed to restrict movement of the suction grill, is disposed on a top surface of the suction grill.

20. The indoor device according to claim 19, wherein at least one switching member to allow an end of the suction grill to be selectively coupled to or released from the panel according to a user'"'"'s manipulation is disposed on a side of the suction grill that faces the at least one fixing member.

21. 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 extends along edges of the panel between the suction hole and an outer edge of the panel;

a plurality of vanes rotatably mounted in the plurality of discharge holes, respectively, to adjust a flow direction of the discharged air;

a suction grill mounted on the panel to cover the suction hole; and

at least one connection member having first and second ends mounted, respectively, on the panel and the suction grill to connect the panel to the suction grill, wherein the at least one connection member rotates while horizontally slidably moving to open or close the suction grill, wherein in a state in which the suction grill is fully opened, the first and second ends of the at least one connecting member are mounted to the suction grill and the panel, respectively, and the suction grill is suspended by the at least one connecting member and spaced apart from the panel, wherein an outer edge of the suction grill comprises a plurality of concave portions disposed to correspond, respectively, to inner lines of the plurality of discharge holes and a plurality of protrusions disposed between the plurality of discharge holes, wherein the panel further comprises a rounded groove having a closed loop shape that connects outer lines of the plurality of discharge holes, the plurality of vanes, and the plurality of protrusions, wherein the at least one connection member comprises;

an upper bent portion slidably mounted on the panel;

a lower bent portion rotatably coupled to the suction grill; and

an intermediate connection portion that connects the upper bent portion to the lower bent portion, and wherein the upper bent portion is bent upward with respect to the intermediate connection portion, and the lower bent portion is bent downward in a direction opposite to the upper bent portion.

22. The indoor device according to claim 21, wherein the rounded groove has a cross-section that is rounded to guide the air discharged from the plurality of discharge holes.

23. The indoor device according to claim 21, wherein ends of the plurality of discharge holes and the plurality of vanes have a shape that gradually decreases in width.

24. The indoor device according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of concave portions contact inner sides of the plurality of vanes, respectively.

25. The indoor device according to claim 21, wherein the outer edge of the suction grill connects outer lines of the plurality of vanes, which are adjacent to each other, to each other.

26. The indoor device according to claim 21, wherein the suction grill is rotatably mounted on the panel so as to provide selective opening and closing of the suction hole.