Air Conditioner

This application is a bypass continuation application of International Application No. PCT/KR2024/002834, filed on Mar. 6, 2024, which claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0052258, filed on Apr. 20, 2023 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0077115, filed on Jun. 15, 2025 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

The disclosure relates to an air conditioner with an improved structure.

An air conditioner is an apparatus for performing at least one of functions of air purifying, ventilation, humidity adjustment, cooling, heating, etc. in a space to be air-conditioned.

The air conditioner cools or heats the space by using a cooling cycle. The air conditioner includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, an evaporator, and pipes. Refrigerants circulate the compressor, the condenser, the expansion device, and the evaporator along the pipes.

Air conditioners may be classified into split type air conditioners and window type air conditioners. The split type air conditioners include an indoor unit placed indoors and an outdoor unit placed outdoors. In the window type air conditioners, an indoor unit and an outdoor unit are installed together in a single housing.

Provided is an air conditioner with a structure capable of being easily serviced.

Provided is an air conditioner from which an indoor fan assembly is separated and/or replaced in one step without having to disassemble the entire configuration.

Provided is an air conditioner capable of being easily maintained and repaired.

Provided is an air conditioner in which a fan motor is easily maintained and repaired.

Provided is an air conditioner with reduced service costs.

Provided is an air conditioner with reduced service difficulty.

Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the presented embodiments.

According to an aspect of the disclosure, an air conditioner includes: a housing including a rear case facing an exterior environment and a front case facing an interior environment and detachably coupled to the rear case; a first inlet formed in the rear case and configured to allow outside air to flow in; a first heat exchanger configured to exchange heat with the outside air flowed in through the first inlet; a first outlet configured to discharge the outside air passed through the first heat exchanger; a first fan assembly configured to cause the outside air to circulate between the first inlet and the first outlet, the first fan assembly including a first fan and a first fan motor configured to drive the first fan; a second inlet in the front case and configured to allow indoor air to flow in; a second heat exchanger configured to exchange heat with the indoor air flowed in through the second inlet; a second outlet configured to discharge the indoor air that is passed through the second heat exchanger; and a second fan assembly configured to cause the indoor air to circulate between the second inlet and the second outlet, the second fan assembly including a second fan and a second fan motor configured to drive the second fan, wherein, in a state where the front case is separated from the rear case, the second fan assembly is separable in an upward direction.

The second heat exchanger and the first fan assembly may be disposed around at least a portion of the second fan assembly, and, in the state where the front case is separated from the rear case, the second fan assembly may be separable in the upward direction from a space formed by the second heat exchanger and the first fan assembly.

The second fan assembly may further include: a base supporting the second fan; a motor holder supporting the second fan motor; and a frame configured to guide at least one of the indoor air flowing into the second fan or the indoor air discharged from the second fan, a first end of the frame being coupled to the base and a second end of the frame being coupled to the motor holder, and the second fan assembly may be separable from the space while the second fan, the second fan motor, the base, the motor holder, and the frame may be coupled to each other.

The second fan assembly may further include a first side portion facing the second inlet, a front portion facing the second outlet, a second side portion opposite to the first side portion, and a rear portion opposite to the front portion, the second heat exchanger may cover the first side portion and a part of the front portion, and the first fan assembly may cover a part of the second side portion and the rear portion.

The second fan assembly may further include a base supporting a lower portion of the second fan, and the second fan motor may be detachably coupled to an upper portion of the second fan.

The first fan assembly may further include: a frame accommodating the first fan and at least a portion of the first fan motor; and a motor cover covering a front portion of the first fan motor and detachably coupled to the frame.

In a state where the motor cover is separated from the frame after the front case is separated from the rear case, the first fan motor may be separable from the frame in a front direction.

The first fan may include a motor coupling portion, the first fan motor may include a motor shaft coupled to the motor coupling portion, and, in a state where the motor cover is separated from the frame after the front case is separated from the rear case, the motor coupling portion and the motor shaft may be exposed from a front side of the first fan assembly.

An inner surface of the motor cover may be connected to an inner surface of the frame such that the motor cover is coupled to the frame to form a flow path through which the outside air flows.

The first fan assembly may further include: a frame accommodating the first fan and at least a portion of the first fan motor; and a fan cover covering an upper portion of the first fan, the fan cover may be detachably coupled to the frame, and, in a state where the fan cover is separated from the frame after the front case is separated from the rear case, the first fan may be separable upward from the frame.

The air conditioner may further include a compressor positioned below the second fan assembly.

The first fan assembly may further include a first frame extending along an extension direction of the first fan and configured to guide the outside air, and the second fan assembly may further include a second frame in contact with the first frame, extending along an extension direction of the second fan, and configured to guide the indoor air.

The first frame may include a hook groove, the second frame may include a hook having a bent downward shape, and the hook may be configured to be caught by the hook groove.

The first frame and the second frame may partition the first fan and the second fan from each other.

The first heat exchanger may be a condenser, and the second heat exchanger may be an evaporator.

According to an aspect of the disclosure, an air conditioner includes: a housing including an inlet communicating with an exterior environment and an outlet distinguished from the inlet and communicating with an interior environment; a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat with outside air flowed into the housing through the inlet; a frame configured to guide the outside air between the inlet and the outlet; a fan positioned inside the frame; a fan motor configured to transfer a driving force to the fan; an open part exposing a part of a front portion of the frame; and a motor cover covering the open part and detachably coupled to the frame, wherein, in a state where the motor cover is separated from the frame, the fan motor may be accessed through the open part.

According to an aspect of the disclosure, an air conditioner includes: a housing including a rear case and a front case detachably coupled to the rear case; a first heat exchanger positioned inside the housing and configured to exchange heat with the outside air; a first fan assembly including a first fan facing at least a portion of the first heat exchanger, a first fan motor configured to drive the first fan; a second heat exchanger positioned inside the housing and configured to exchange heat with the indoor air; and a second fan assembly including a second fan facing at least a portion of the second heat exchanger and a second fan motor configured to drive the second fan, wherein, in a state where the front case is separated from the rear case, the first fan motor of the first fan assembly is separable in a front direction and the second fan assembly is separable in an upward direction.

The second heat exchanger and the first fan assembly may be disposed around at least a portion of the second fan assembly.

The second fan assembly may include: a base supporting the second fan; a motor holder supporting the second fan motor; and a frame configured to guide at least one of the indoor air flowing into the second fan or the indoor air discharged from the second fan, and a first end of the frame may be coupled to the base and a second end of the frame may be coupled to the motor holder.

The second fan assembly may further include a base supporting a lower portion of the second fan, and the second fan motor may be detachably coupled to an upper portion of the second fan.

Various embodiments of the disclosure and terms used herein are not intended to limit the technical features described herein to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutions of the corresponding embodiments.

In describing of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related elements.

The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the items unless clearly indicated otherwise in a related context.

In the disclosure, phrases, such as “A or B”, “at least one of A and B”, “at least one of A or B”, “A, B or C”, “at least one of A, B and C”, and “at least one of A, B, or C” may include any one or all possible combinations of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase among the phrases.

As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

In addition, the terms ‘portion’, ‘part’, ‘module’ and ‘member’ may be implemented in hardware or software. Depending on the embodiments, a plurality of ‘portions’, ‘parts’, ‘modules’, and ‘members’ may be implemented as a single element, or a single ‘portions, ‘part’, ‘module’, or ‘member’ may include a plurality of elements.

As used herein, the terms “1st” or “first” and “2nd” or “second” may use corresponding components regardless of importance or order and are used to distinguish one component from another without limiting the components. When an element (e.g., a first element) is referred to as being “(functionally or communicatively) coupled” or “connected” to another element (e.g., a second element), the first element may be connected to the second element, directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third element.

It will be understood that when the terms “includes”, “comprises”, “including”, and/or “comprising” are used in the disclosure, they specify the presence of the specified features, figures, steps, operations, components, members, or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, figures, steps, operations, components, members, or combinations thereof.

When a given element is referred to as being “connected to”, “coupled to”, “supported by” or “in contact with” another element, it is to be understood that it may be directly or indirectly connected to, coupled to, supported by, or in contact with the other element. When a given element is indirectly connected to, coupled to, supported by, or in contact with another element, it is to be understood that it may be connected to, coupled to, supported by, or in contact with the other element through a third element.

It will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on” another element, it may be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present.

An air conditioner according to various embodiments is a device that performs functions such as purification, ventilation, humidity control, cooling or heating in an air conditioning space (hereinafter referred to as “indoor space”), and in particular a device having at least one of these functions.

According to an embodiment, an air conditioner may include a heat pump device to perform a cooling function or a heating function. The heat pump device may include a refrigeration cycle in which a refrigerant is circulated through a compressor, a first heat exchanger, and an expansion device and a second heat exchanger. All of the components of the heat pump device may be embedded in a single housing forming an exterior of an air conditioner, which includes a window-type air conditioner or a portable air conditioner. On the other hand, some components of the heat pump device may be divided and embedded in a plurality of housings forming a single air conditioner, which includes a wall-mounted air conditioner, a stand-type air conditioner, and a system air conditioner.

The air conditioner including the plurality of housings may include at least one outdoor unit installed outdoors and at least one indoor unit installed indoors. For example, the air conditioner may be provided such that a single outdoor unit and a single indoor unit are connected by a refrigerant pipe. Alternatively, the air conditioner may be provided such that a single outdoor unit is connected to two or more indoor units by a refrigerant pipe. Alternatively, the air conditioner may be provided such that two or more outdoor units and two or more indoor units are connected by a plurality of refrigerant pipes.

The outdoor unit may be electrically connected to the indoor unit. For example, information (or commands) for controlling the air conditioner may be received through an input interface provided in the outdoor unit or the indoor unit. The outdoor unit and the indoor unit may operate simultaneously or sequentially in response to a user input.

The air conditioner may include an outdoor heat exchanger provided in the outdoor unit, an indoor heat exchanger provided in the indoor unit, and a refrigerant pipe connecting the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger.

The outdoor heat exchanger may be configured to exchange heat between a refrigerant and air from outdoor through a phase change of the refrigerant (e.g., evaporation or condensation). For example, while the refrigerant is condensed in the outdoor heat exchanger, the refrigerant may radiate heat to the outdoor air. While the refrigerant flowing in the outdoor heat exchanger evaporates, the refrigerant may absorb heat from the outdoor air.

The indoor unit is installed indoors. For example, according to the arrangement method of the indoor unit, the air conditioner may be classified into a ceiling-type indoor unit, a stand-type indoor unit, a wall-type indoor unit, and the like. For example, the ceiling-type indoor unit may be classified into a 4-way type indoor unit, a 1-way type indoor unit, a duct type indoor unit and the like according to a method of discharging air.

Similarly, the indoor heat exchanger may be configured to exchange heat between a refrigerant and outdoor air through a phase change of the refrigerant (e.g., evaporation or condensation). For example, while the refrigerant evaporates in the indoor unit, the refrigerant may absorb heat from the indoor air. The indoor space may be cooled by blowing the indoor air cooled through the cooled indoor heat exchanger. While the refrigerant is condensed in the indoor heat exchanger, the refrigerant may radiate heat to the indoor air. The indoor space may be heated by blowing the indoor air heated through the high-temperature indoor heat exchanger.