Air-conditioner

Abstract

Provided is an air-conditioner in which dust and mold accumulated in a blower is significantly reduced, and which is thus easy to clean. The air-conditioner comprises: at least one intake port for suctioning air into the air-conditioner; a heat exchanger for adjusting temperature by exchanging heat with the air suctioned through the intake port; a bladeless fan for blowing air by generating air flow through an opening to which the air is guided and drawn to a Coandă surface; and at least one exhaust port for discharging the temperature-adjusted air to the outside of the air conditioner.

Description

Air conditioner

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioner that is difficult to accumulate dirt.

[0002] In recent years, as the temperature rises due to global warming, the usage rate of air conditioners has exploded, and the demand for air conditioner cleaning services has also increased simultaneously. Since air conditioner cleaning services require time and cost, in order to suppress the use of air conditioner cleaning services as much as possible, air conditioners with a cleaning function have been developed. However, the price of air conditioners with each function not only increases compared to ordinary types, but also the internal structure becomes more complex due to the increase in the number of parts, resulting in a significant increase in the cost during cleaning. If air conditioner cleaning is not regularly used, there is also a possibility that energy will be wasted.

[0003] Due to the rising temperature caused by global warming, the operating rate of air conditioners has increased significantly, and the dirt accumulation inside air conditioners has deteriorated year by year. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an air conditioner that can suppress the generation of dirt inside the air conditioner.

[0004] The air conditioner described in Patent Document 1 includes an evaporator, a drain pan disposed below the evaporator for receiving condensed water generated by operation, a supply device for supplying a chemical for suppressing dirt on the drain pan to the drain pan, and a control device for controlling the supply device. When dirt accumulates during the operation of the air conditioner, the air conditioner of Patent Document 1 automatically injects the chemical in the chemical container into the drain pan to remove the dirt. On the other hand, many prior art documents for reducing the dirt of air conditioners are measures for reducing the dirt of heat exchangers and filters, and a certain effect can be expected. However, there is no effective method for the dirt of the blower fan, which is also a main structure of the air conditioner. In many cases, although it is the main cause of dirt, there is no effective means other than air conditioner cleaning by operators.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-23607

[0006] Since existing technologies do not currently disclose any methods for effectively keeping the blades of blower fans and propeller fans clean by removing accumulated dirt, the objective is to develop a blower device that is less prone to dirt accumulation, as an alternative to blower fans.

[0007] An air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present invention may include at least one intake port for drawing air into the air conditioner, a heat exchanger for adjusting the temperature by exchanging heat with the air drawn in from the intake port, a fan without blades for blowing air by inducing air and generating an airflow through an opening that is drawn into the Coanda surface, and at least one exhaust port for discharging the temperature-adjusted air to the outside of the air conditioner.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioner may have a fan positioned before the heat exchanger in the airflow from the intake port to the exhaust port.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioner may have a fan positioned downstream of the heat exchanger in the airflow from the intake port to the exhaust port.

[0010] A heat exchanger according to one embodiment of the present invention may be characterized by being connected to an outdoor unit for circulating a refrigerant.

[0011] The air conditioner described in this disclosure prevents the accumulation of dirt such as dust and mold, significantly extending the interval between requests for professional cleaning.

[0012] This is a perspective view showing an example of an air conditioner with configuration examples for the first and second embodiments. This is an example of an exploded view of the air conditioner for the first and second embodiments. This is an example of a schematic diagram of the air conditioner viewed from the right side when the blower is located before the heat exchanger in the first embodiment. This is an example of a schematic diagram of the air conditioner viewed from the right side when the blower is located after the heat exchanger in the second embodiment. This is an example of an exploded view of the air conditioner for the third embodiment. (a) is an example of an enlarged view of the fan for the third embodiment. (b) is a schematic diagram of the fan viewed from the right side. This is an example of a schematic diagram of the air conditioner viewed from the right side in the third embodiment. (a) is an example of a diagram showing the closed state in which the intake and exhaust ports of the air conditioner for the fourth embodiment are closed. (b) is an example of a diagram showing the open state in which the upper part of the front wall and the lower wall of the air conditioner for the fourth embodiment are opened. This is a perspective view showing an example of the internal configuration of the air conditioner for the fourth embodiment. This is an example of a schematic diagram of the air conditioner according to the fourth embodiment, viewed from the right side. This is an example of a perspective view of the fan in the fourth embodiment. This is a top view of the fan in the fourth embodiment, showing an example of the airflow path of the fan.

[0013] <Embodiment> <Overview> Figure 1 is an example of a perspective view of the indoor unit of the air conditioner 10 according to the present disclosure. The air conditioner 10 according to this embodiment has a blower function that discharges airflow with adjusted temperature. The type of air conditioner 10 is not limited and may be, for example, an air conditioner, a cooler, a heater, a blower, a humidifier, a dehumidifier, an air purifier, etc. It may also be a wall-mounted air conditioner, a ceiling-embedded air conditioner, a suspended air conditioner, a floor-standing air conditioner, or a cassette-type air conditioner. Furthermore, the air conditioner 10 body according to this embodiment includes an air intake port 101, an exhaust port 102, a housing 103, etc. The air intake port 101 and the exhaust port 102 are installed in the housing 103 and connected to the air conditioner 10. Furthermore, although the position and orientation of each intake and exhaust port are not limited, the intake port 101 may be provided in a position that makes it easy to draw in air from the area to be temperature-controlled, and the exhaust port 102 may be provided in a position that makes it easy to send the temperature-controlled air to the area to be temperature-controlled. For the sake of convenience of explanation, common components mounted in the air conditioner 10 according to this embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and some repeated explanations are omitted. The air conditioner 10 according to this disclosure has a configuration in which the blower fan inside the air conditioner 10 is replaced with a bladeless fan, and other components may be the same as those of a conventional air conditioner 10. The components of the air conditioner 10 will be described in detail below.

[0014] The air intake port 101 is an air control port installed on the air conditioner 10 to draw in air from outside the air conditioner 10 into the air conditioner 10. In this embodiment, there are multiple air intake ports 101, which are formed across the upper part of the exterior of the air conditioner 10. However, the position, shape, and number of air intake ports 101 are not limited, and any configuration that draws in air from outside the air conditioner 10 into the air conditioner 10 is acceptable.

[0015] The exhaust port 102 is an opening installed in the air conditioner 10 that discharges air whose temperature has been regulated by the heat exchanger 104. In this embodiment, there are multiple exhaust ports, which are formed across the lower part of the front wall of the air conditioner. The temperature of the air drawn in from the intake port 101 is regulated by the heat exchanger 104 mounted on the air conditioner 10, and the temperature-regulated air may be discharged to the outside of the air conditioner 10 from the multiple exhaust ports 102. However, the position, shape, and number of exhaust ports 102 are not limited, and any configuration that discharges temperature-regulated air to the outside of the air conditioner 10 is acceptable. In addition, fins for controlling the direction of airflow may be provided at the exhaust port 102.

[0016] The housing 103 is configured to enclose and protect the internal components of the air conditioner 10 as its exterior. Specifically, the housing 103 according to this embodiment comprises an upper wall 1031, a front wall 1032, and side walls 1033 of the air conditioner 10. The housing 103 also comprises at least one air intake port 101 and an exhaust port 102. The material of the housing 103 in this disclosure may be stainless steel, which has good durability and corrosion resistance, or resin, which has advantages such as weight reduction or cost reduction of the air conditioner 10, but the material of the housing 103 is not limited to these. The housing 103 houses the internal components of the air conditioner 10 and may protect these components from the external environment.

[0017] Next, the internal components of the air conditioner 10 will be described. Figure 2 is an example of an exploded perspective view of the air conditioner 10 of this disclosure. The internal components of the air conditioner 10 of this disclosure include a heat exchanger 104, a fan 105, and a drain pan 106. However, it is not limited to these, and the air conditioner 10 according to this embodiment may be equipped with a filter to remove dust and mold from the air taken in from the air intake port 101, a humidifier for humidifying the air, a dehumidifier used for dehumidifying (reducing humidity) the air, and sensors for detecting various information about the air (for example, including air temperature information, degree information, etc.). Also, according to Figure 2, the assembly 1051 is equipped with an air diffuser as an air intake port, and the fan 105 is arranged inside the assembly 1051. When the fan 105 is operating, the indoor air is drawn into the assembly 1051 from the air diffuser port, and the airflow created by the fan 105 is sent out from a slit 111 provided on the wall surface of the nozzle 1053. The following describes the main configuration that performs the characteristic functions of the air conditioner 10 of this disclosure.

[0018] The heat exchanger 104 is configured to exchange heat of the refrigerant with an outdoor unit installed outside or inside the air conditioner 10. This cools the heat exchanger 104, allowing the air that comes into contact with the heat exchanger 104 to be cooled. The outdoor unit in this disclosure may also be installed inside the air conditioner 10. In this case, the air conditioner 10 may operate independently. Specifically, the heat exchanger 104 according to this embodiment is a necessary component for heating or cooling the air drawn in from a plurality of air intake ports 101, and it brings the airflow outside the air conditioner 10 into contact with the airflow inside the air conditioner 10 to transfer heat with the refrigerant. Next, the heat exchanger 104 adjusts the temperature of the air that comes into contact with it. The operating state of the heat exchanger 104 varies depending on the operation of the air conditioner 10. When the air conditioner 10 is in cooling operation, the refrigerant flows into the heat exchanger 104 in a low-temperature liquid state, and when air drawn in from the intake port 101 comes into contact with the heat exchanger 104, heat in the air is transferred to the refrigerant. During the cooling operation, the air drawn in from the intake port 101 is cooled, and the fan 105 of the air conditioner 10 sends the cool air through the exhaust port 102 to the outside of the air conditioner 10. When the air conditioner 10 is in heating operation, the flow of the refrigerant is reversed, and refrigerant in a high-temperature gaseous state is injected into the heat exchanger 104, and heat is transferred to the air taken in from the intake port 101, warming the air. The heat exchanger 104 according to this embodiment is not limited, and the air conditioner 10 may be further equipped with a two-way valve or the like, which has two piping and connection ports, an inlet and an outlet. The heat exchanger 104 may also be equipped with a function to adjust the humidity inside the air conditioner 10.

[0019] The fan 105 draws in air from the intake port 101 and generates an airflow to discharge cooled or heated air from the exhaust port 102. The fan 105 is a so-called bladeless fan that has an annular nozzle 1053, generates a primary airflow from an opening in the nozzle 1053, and generates a secondary airflow inside the annular structure as the primary airflow flows along the wall surface of the nozzle 1053 to blow air. Specifically, the fan 105 according to this embodiment has a slit 111, and the air drawn in from the intake port 101 is drawn to the lower surface of the nozzle 1053 according to a predetermined airflow path to generate an airflow and form a Coanda surface 1052. The shape, configuration, and installation position of the fan 105 according to this embodiment are not limited, and the air drawn in from the multiple air intake ports 101 may have its temperature adjusted by the heat exchanger 104, be sent out from the slit 111 provided on the wall surface of the nozzle 1053, and be drawn into the wall surface below the slit 111 to generate an airflow. The fan 105 according to this disclosure may further include an assembly 1051 including an air diffuser to generate and control the airflow, in which case the assembly 1051 is provided inside the housing on the opposite side of the side wall 1033 of the air conditioner 10, and may adjust the airflow by drawing in air from outside the air conditioner 10.

[0020] The Coanda surface 1052 of the fan 105 according to this embodiment is a surface that attracts air jets and easily causes the Coanda effect. In addition, there are multiple types of air that are attracted to the nozzle 1053 according to this embodiment, and the air sucked in from the intake port 101 may flow along the Coanda surface 1052 formed by the exhaust of the slit 111 and be discharged from the exhaust port 102. Specifically, if the air sucked in from the intake port 101 is drawn into the Coanda surface 1052 formed by the exhaust of the slit 111 without its temperature being adjusted by the heat exchanger 104, the fan 105 may generate an unadjusted airflow and discharge it outside the air conditioner 10 via the exhaust port 102. When air drawn in from the intake port 101 is regulated by the heat exchanger 104 and drawn into the Coanda surface 1052 formed by the exhaust from the slit 111, the fan 105 may generate an airflow whose temperature has been regulated by the heat exchanger 104 and discharge it outside the air conditioner 10 via the exhaust port 102. In this case, the aforementioned airflow may generate a cool airflow and blow it outside the air conditioner 10 at the command of the user of the air conditioner 10, or it may generate a warm airflow and blow it outside the air conditioner 10.

[0021] The drain pan 106 is a tray for receiving condensation water that forms on the surface of the heat exchanger 104 during the cooling operation of the air conditioner 10. Specifically, when the air conditioner 10 is operating, air containing water vapor is drawn into the indoor unit, and this water vapor-containing air comes into contact with the heat exchanger 104 and is cooled. As the temperature of the air decreases, the amount of water vapor that the air can hold also decreases, and when it reaches the dew point temperature, the water vapor in the air drawn into the air conditioner 10 condenses into condensation water. In this case, the condensation water generated by the temperature change adheres to the surface of the heat exchanger 104 and flows down by gravity into the drain pan 106 installed below the heat exchanger 104. Generally, the condensation water collected in the drain pan 106 is discharged to the outside via a pipe called a drain hose, or to the outside through a drain port installed at the bottom of the indoor unit of the air conditioner 10.

[0022] The above describes the main configuration of the air conditioner 10 according to this embodiment. Note that the configuration of the air conditioner 10 is not limited to the above, and includes components for realizing functions such as a power supply unit, control circuit, and power cable, which are similar to those in known technology and are therefore omitted.

[0023] <First Embodiment> Figure 3 is an example of a schematic diagram of an air conditioner 10 viewed from the right side, showing an example of the positional relationship between the heat exchanger 104 and the fan 105 according to the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 3, in the first embodiment, the fan 105 is positioned to the lower left of the heat exchanger 104 in the airflow from the intake port 101 to the exhaust port 102 inside the air conditioner 10. Specifically, the air drawn in from the intake port 101 of the air conditioner 10 first passes through a filter mounted on the air conditioner 10 to remove dust and mold. The purified air is then guided to the fan 105 along the exhaust path, where the nozzle 1053 of the fan 105 generates an airflow. Subsequently, the generated airflow is drawn to the heat exchanger 104, causing the heat exchanger 104 to regulate its temperature. In this case, the warm or cool airflow, whose temperature has been adjusted by the heat exchanger 104, is discharged to the outside of the air conditioner 10 through the exhaust port 102 along a predetermined exhaust path.

[0024] <Second Embodiment> Now, each embodiment of the air conditioner 10 according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 4 is an example of a schematic diagram of the air conditioner 10 viewed from the right side, showing an example of the positional relationship between the heat exchanger 104 and the fan 105 according to this disclosure. As shown in Figure 4 in the side view from the right side, in the second embodiment, the fan 105 is positioned to the upper right of the heat exchanger 104 in the airflow from the intake port 101 to the exhaust port 102 inside the air conditioner 10. Specifically, the air drawn in from the intake port 101 of the air conditioner 10 first passes through a filter mounted on the air conditioner 10 to remove dust and mold. The purified air is then guided to the heat exchanger 104 along the exhaust path, where the heat exchanger 104 adjusts the temperature of the air. After that, the temperature-adjusted air is drawn to the fan 105, which generates an airflow through the nozzle 1053 of the fan 105 and discharges it from the exhaust port 102.

[0025] In the first and second embodiments, the airflow generated by the fan 105 is an airflow generated by the Coanda surface 1052 formed by the exhaust of air from the slit 111, which combines the air drawn in from the intake port 101 and the air inside the air conditioner 10. Next, as the first airflow flows out of the nozzle 1053 along the surface of the fan 105, it combines with air drawn in from the external environment to generate a second airflow. The generated second airflow may be discharged to the outside through the exhaust port 102. As a result, when the air conditioner 10 is in operation, dust and mold do not accumulate but are discharged to the outside as airflow.

[0026] The direction of the airflow generated by the air conditioner 10 is adjusted by a louver installed in front of the exhaust port 102 of the air conditioner 10. Specifically, a plurality of small motors are provided around the exhaust port 102 of the air conditioner 10, and the louver according to this embodiment adjusts the direction of the airflow vertically and horizontally by controlling the small motors. For example, if the louver is adjusted vertically (i.e., it is an up-and-down movable louver), the airflow blown out from the fan 105 may be discharged upward or downward along the fixed fins of the louver. Conversely, if the louver is adjusted horizontally (i.e., it is a left-and-right movable louver), the airflow blown out from the fan 105 may be discharged to the left or to the right along the fixed fins of the louver. The louver in this disclosure may include an automatic louver that automatically adjusts the airflow while moving left-and-right or up-and-down, and a fixed louver whose direction of airflow cannot be adjusted. The airflow generated by the air conditioner 10 is adjusted to distribute evenly throughout the entire room, and the airflow can be finely adjusted to send air appropriately to each part of the room.

[0027] <Third Embodiment> A third embodiment of the air conditioner 10 will now be described using Figures 5, 6, and 7. Figure 5 is an example of an exploded view of the air conditioner 10 in the third embodiment. The air conditioner 10 according to the third embodiment is similar in configuration to the air conditioner 10 in the second embodiment and comprises a housing 103, a heat exchanger 104, a fan 105, and a drain pan 106.

[0028] Specifically, the fan 105 of the third embodiment has an upper structure and a lower structure, each structure further comprising a slit 111 for discharging air drawn into the air conditioner 10 and a louver 108 for adjusting the airflow direction. The air drawn into the air conditioner 10 is cooled by a heat exchanger 104 and then discharged to the outside through the slit 111. When the air conditioner 10 in the third embodiment is not operating, the upper and lower structures of the fan 105 are closed. When the air conditioner 10 is operating, the upper and lower structures of the fan 105 may be opened so that the temperature-controlled air is discharged to the outside of the air conditioner 10 through the slit 111. In this case, the jet of air discharged from the slit 111 is attracted to the surfaces of the upper and lower structures, forming a Coanda surface and causing the Coanda effect. The slit 111 in this embodiment is shaped like a cut and has the function of drawing in indoor air and returning it to the air conditioner 10 or discharging it outside.

[0029] Next, the internal structure of the fan 105 will be explained using Figure 6. Figure 6 is an example of a fan 105 according to the third embodiment. Figure 6(a) is an example of an enlarged view of the lower structure of the fan 105 of this disclosure. The lower structure of the fan 105 has a built-in louver 108 for adjusting the wind direction in the left-right direction, and a slit 111 for discharging temperature-controlled air to the outside is provided on the Coanda surface. In this case, the louver 108 of this disclosure adjusts the air to be discharged to the outside of the air conditioner 10 in a predetermined direction. For example, if the louver 108 is a left-right louver, and the direction of the louver 108 swings left and right, the air conditioner 10 may draw air into the air conditioner 10 and discharge temperature-controlled air to the outside depending on the direction of the louver 108. Furthermore, the lower structure of the fan 105 also includes a configuration for fixing the louver 108 (hereinafter referred to as fixing part). The louvers 108 are fixed in place by fixing components and adjust the airflow direction in conjunction with the movement of the fixing components. Figure 6(b) is an example of a schematic diagram of the lower structure of the fan 105 of the present disclosure viewed from the right side. After the temperature-controlled air is drawn into the lower structure of the present disclosure, its airflow direction is adjusted to the direction of the louvers 108 and discharged to the outside of the air conditioner 10 through the slits 111. The upper structure of the fan 105 in Figure 5 is the same as the lower structure shown in Figure 6(a) but inverted (the slits of the upper structure are provided on the back surface of the upper structure), so for the sake of convenience, the description of the upper structure will be omitted.

[0030] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the air conditioner 10 in the third embodiment, viewed from the right side. As shown in Figure 7, the fan 105 in the third embodiment is positioned inside the air conditioner 10 in the airflow from the intake port 101 to the exhaust port 102, around the exhaust port 102. Specifically, the air drawn in from the intake port 101 of the air conditioner 10 is first drawn to the heat exchanger 104 to have its temperature adjusted. When the heat exchanger 104 adjusts the temperature of the air, the drain pan 106 collects the condensation water generated by the heat exchanger 104. After that, the temperature-adjusted air is discharged to the outside of the air conditioner 10 via the slit 111 by the fan 105 along a predetermined exhaust path.

[0031] Furthermore, the air conditioner 10 in the third embodiment may be further equipped with a filter 107 for removing dust and mold contained in the intake air. The filter 107 may be located outside the air intake port 101, or it may be located behind the air intake port 101. When the filter 107 is installed outside the air intake port 101, dust and mold contained in the air outside the air conditioner 10 are removed before being drawn into the air conditioner 10, and the air conditioner 10 may discharge relatively clean air to the outside. Also, since the filter 107 is attached externally, it is easy for the user to clean.

[0032] <Fourth Embodiment> A fourth embodiment of the air conditioner 10 of the present disclosure will now be described. Figure 8 shows an example of the air conditioner 10 according to the present disclosure drawing in air. Figure 8(a) shows the closed state in which the intake port 101 and exhaust port 102 are closed. When the air conditioner 10 in the fourth embodiment is not operating, the upper cover of the front wall of the air conditioner 10 may cover the exhaust port 102. Figure 8(b) shows the open state in which the upper cover of the front wall of the air conditioner 10 and the filter 107 are open. When the upper part of the front wall of the air conditioner 10 is open, the air conditioner 10 discharges temperature-controlled air from the exhaust port 102 provided in the upper cover of the front wall. When the filter 107 of the air conditioner 10 is open, the user can remove and clean the filter 107. Furthermore, when the air conditioner 10 according to the fourth embodiment is operating, the upper cover on the front wall of the air conditioner 10 is open, and the lower filter 107 is closed. In this case, the air conditioner 10 in the fourth embodiment draws in indoor air from the intake port 101 attached to the bottom of the air conditioner 10, and discharges the temperature-controlled air from the exhaust port 102 provided on the top of the front wall of the air conditioner 10. In this case, since the temperature-controlled air is drawn in from the bottom of the air conditioner 10, dust and mold in the air accumulate on the filter 107 installed at the bottom of the air conditioner 10 and fall down.

[0033] Figure 9 is a perspective view of the air conditioner 10 in the fourth embodiment. The air conditioner 10 of this disclosure includes an air intake port 101, an exhaust port 102, a heat exchanger 104, a fan 105, a drain pan 106, a blower fan 109, and a slit 111. The heat exchanger 104 of this disclosure is configured to adjust the temperature of the air blown out by the fan 105, and the condensation water generated during temperature adjustment is collected in the drain pan 106. In this embodiment, the upper duct 20 and lower duct 30 for discharging the temperature-adjusted air to the outside straddle the heat exchanger 104, and the blower fan 109 draws in indoor air from the bottom of the blower fan 109 and discharges it to the outside of the air conditioner 10 through the slit 111 having a Coanda surface, which is mounted on the upper duct 20 and the lower duct 30. In this embodiment, the upper duct 20 and lower duct 30 are pipes for transporting gas. The gas, whose temperature has been adjusted by the heat exchanger 104, may be discharged from above to the exhaust port 102 via the upper duct 20 and from below to the exhaust port 102 via the lower duct 30. The air conditioner 10 and fan 105 of this disclosure will now be described.

[0034] Figure 10 is an example of a schematic diagram of the air conditioner 10 in the fourth embodiment, viewed from the right side. As shown in Figure 10, the exhaust port 102 and filter 107 are located directly below the fan 105. When the air conditioner 10 is operating, it draws in air from outside the air conditioner 10 and removes dust and mold through the filter 107. After that, the air from which dust and mold have been removed is drawn in through the intake port 101 to the fan 105 inside the air conditioner 10 and blown out to the heat exchanger 104 by the blower fan 109. The upper duct 20 and lower duct 30 in this embodiment are equipped with slits 111 having a Coanda surface, and may also be used to discharge air to the outside of the air conditioner 10 through the exhaust port 102, crossing over the heat exchanger 104. Furthermore, the lengths of the upper duct 20 and the lower duct 30, and the size of the exhaust port of the slit 111 are not limited. The upper and lower ducts, which are equipped with the slit 111, extend from the top of the fan 105, across the heat exchanger 104, to the vicinity of the exhaust port 102. The air discharged from the slit 111, which has a Coanda surface, is directly discharged to the outside of the air conditioner 10 via the exhaust port 102. Since the slit 111 is located downstream of the heat exchanger 104, dust and mold are less likely to accumulate.

[0035] Next, an oblique view and airflow path of the fan 105 according to the fourth embodiment will be described using Figures 11 and 12. Figure 11 is a perspective view of an example configuration of the fan 105 in the fourth embodiment. The fan 105 of this disclosure is equipped with a blower fan 109 and a motor 110. The motor 110 brakes the blower fan, so that air drawn in from an intake port located directly below the fan 105 is discharged by the blower fan 109 from an exhaust port at the top of the fan 105 to the heat exchanger 104. In addition, the air discharged by the operation of the blower fan 109 passes through the left and right sides inside the fan 105 according to this embodiment and is discharged from a slit 111 mounted on the fan 105 to an exhaust port 102 according to a predetermined airflow path. Figure 12 is a top view of the fan 105 in the fourth embodiment, and is a diagram showing an example of the airflow path of the fan 105. Specifically, the fan 105 is equipped with a motor 110 for driving a blower fan 109, and housings containing the blower fans 109 are located to the left and right of the motor 110. In this case, when the motor 110 is operated, outside air from the air conditioner 10 is drawn into the left housing 115A through an air intake 101 located at the bottom of the left housing 115A, which houses the left blower fan 109, and into the right housing 115B through an air intake 101 located at the bottom of the right housing 115B, which houses the right blower fan 109. Air drawn in from the bottom of the left housing 115A is discharged to the upper air passage 114A and the lower air passage 114B via the left air passage 113 by the operation of the blower fan 109. The mechanism of the right housing 115B, which houses the right blower fan 109, is the same as that of the left housing 115A. Air drawn in from the bottom of the right housing 115B may be discharged to the upper air passage 114A and the lower air passage 114B via the right air passage 112 by the operation of the blower fan 109. Next, the gas collected in the upper air passage 114A and the lower air passage 114B may be discharged to the outside of the air conditioner 10 through a slit 111 having a Coanda surface. In this case, the air drawn into the inside of the fan 105 may be air whose temperature has been adjusted by the heat exchanger 104.The air intake port of the fan 105, which has a Coanda surface, may have the same configuration as the air intake port 101 of the air conditioner 10, and may draw air from outside the air conditioner 10 into the left housing 115A and the right housing 115B. Alternatively, it may have a different configuration from the air intake port 101 of the air conditioner 10 and may be installed in a different location, such as the bottom or side of the air conditioner 10. In this case, the air from outside the air conditioner 10 may be drawn into the air conditioner 10, and then the air intake port of the fan 105 may draw that air into the left housing 115A and the right housing 115B.

[0036] Furthermore, the filter 107 of this disclosure may be divided into a high-quality filter 1071 and a standard filter 1072. Specifically, the high-quality filter 1071 is a special filter for effectively removing fine dust and mold, and has the ability to remove foreign matter with higher precision than the standard filter 1072, but is relatively more expensive. The standard filter 1072 is a part for catching foreign matter such as dust, dirt, and pollen contained in the outside air, but its precision in removing foreign matter and its price are relatively lower compared to the high-quality filter 1071. The filter 107 installed in the air conditioner 10 of this disclosure may be freely changed depending on the indoor air conditions and cost performance.

[0037] In the fourth embodiment, when the fan 105 is placed after the heat exchanger 104, the air pressure is less likely to be applied to the tip of the heat exchanger 104. As a result, dust and mold contained in the air drawn into the air conditioner 10 from the bottom of the air conditioner 10 are less likely to accumulate on the heat exchanger 104, and dirt buildup is reduced. In addition, the air conditioner 10 may use the condensation water generated when it operates in cooling mode to wash away the dust and mold accumulated on the heat exchanger 104.

[0038] Furthermore, the drain pan 106 disclosed in each embodiment may have a simple, linear shape and may have the function of receiving condensation water generated when the air conditioner 10 is operating, washing away dust and mold, and discharging it to the outside of the air conditioner 10.

[0039] The air conditioner 10 according to each of the above embodiments is connected to an outdoor unit (not shown). The outdoor unit of this disclosure has functions similar to those of a general outdoor unit, mainly performing functions such as refrigerant compression, refrigerant cooling, refrigerant expansion, and refrigerant recirculation, and uses the refrigerant to discharge heat from the room to the outside. Specifically, the air conditioner 10 absorbs heat from the air with a heat exchanger 104, transfers it to the refrigerant, and that refrigerant is sent to the outdoor unit, where the heat contained in the refrigerant is released to the outside via a condenser (so-called condenser) mounted on the outdoor unit. In this case, since the refrigerant releases heat to the outside, it may be changed from a gas to a liquid under high temperature and high pressure conditions.

[0040] Furthermore, identical or equivalent components, processes, and signals shown in each drawing shall be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations shall be omitted as appropriate. In addition, some components that are not explanatoryly important in each drawing shall be omitted from the display.

[0041] <Supplement> Although the air conditioner 10 according to each embodiment described above has been explained, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various modifications will be described below.

[0042] (1) In the above embodiment, the air conditioner 10 of the present disclosure may be equipped with an automatic cleaning function. For example, the inside of the air conditioner 10 may be further equipped with a dryer that blows air to remove moisture from the inside after the air conditioner 10 has been in operation. The dryer may vaporize the moisture that has accumulated inside the air conditioner 10 and discharge it to the outside as water vapor through the exhaust port 102, thereby preventing the growth of mold and bacteria.

[0043] (2) In the above embodiment, the air conditioner 10 of the present disclosure may be equipped with a voice control function. The air conditioner 10 according to the present embodiment further has a voice recognition terminal. A user may utter a command or a command by voice, and the air conditioner 10 may analyze the voice command or voice command of the user and execute a corresponding action. The method of acquiring voice information is not limited, and the user may input his or her voice information into the terminal in a mobile terminal (for example, a smart home device, a mobile phone, a voice assistant, etc.) and store it in the databases of the air conditioner 10 and the mobile terminal. Thereafter, after the air conditioner 10 identifies the voice information of the user, a signal indicating the command of the user may be transmitted to the air conditioner 10 to cause the air conditioner 10 to execute a function.

[0044] (3) In the above embodiment, the air conditioner 10 of the present disclosure may be in a pattern that fits into the ceiling. In a crowded place such as a hospital or a restaurant, a device having a function of air intake and exhaust is required. In this case, the fan 105 of the present disclosure further provides an intake duct indicating a passage or a pipe for sucking air, and the air conditioner 10 may suck air from the outside into the inside of the air conditioner 10, adjust the cold and warm temperature of the air in the intake duct, and realize air replacement. Also, in this modification example, no fan is mounted at the center of the air conditioner 10, and the heat exchanger 104 is inclined obliquely at a certain angle, so that the generated condensed water during operation may be discharged to the outside of the air conditioner 10. The indoor air is sucked into the inside through the intake port 101 disposed at the center of the air conditioner 10 main body, and the temperature is adjusted by the heat exchanger 104. Thereafter, the air whose temperature has been adjusted may be sent out as cold air or warm air into the room from the four-direction exhaust ports 102 installed around the intake port 101.

[0045] (4) In the above embodiment, the air conditioner 10 of the present disclosure may further be equipped with an air quality monitoring function outside the air conditioner 10, a sterilization function, a deodorization function, a dehumidification function, an energy saving mode control function, a silent operation function, a compact design function, an automatic air direction adjustment function, a temperature and humidity balance control function, a remote control function, a dual compressor technology, etc.

[0046] (5) In addition, in the functions or control procedures of each component of this disclosure, the processing methods and procedures may be partially omitted, new parts added, or procedures replaced or rearranged. Processing procedures that have undergone such omissions, additions, or changes in order are also included in the scope of this disclosure, as long as they do not deviate from the purpose of this exhibit.

[0047] 10 Air conditioner 101 Intake port 102 Exhaust port 103 Housing 1031 Top wall 1032 Front wall 1033 Side wall 104 Heat exchanger 105 Fan 1051 Assembly 1052 Coanda surface 1053 Nozzle 106 Drain pan 107 Filter 108 Louver 109 Blower fan 110 Motor 111 Slit 112 Right airflow path 113 Left airflow path 114A Upper airflow path 114B Lower airflow path 115A Left housing 115B Right housing 20 Upper duct 30 Lower duct

Claims

1. An air conditioner comprising: at least one air intake port for drawing air into the interior of the air conditioner; a heat exchanger that adjusts the temperature by performing heat exchange with the air drawn in from the air intake port; a fan without blades that guides the air and generates an airflow through an opening that is drawn into the Coanda surface to blow air; and at least one exhaust port for discharging the temperature-adjusted air to the outside of the air conditioner.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that the fan is positioned before the heat exchanger in the airflow from the intake port to the exhaust port.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that the fan is positioned downstream of the heat exchanger in the airflow from the intake port to the exhaust port.

4. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the heat exchanger is connected to an outdoor unit for circulating a refrigerant.

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