U.S. patent application number 14/560502 was filed with the patent office on 2015-06-11 for outdoor unit of air conditioner.
This patent application is currently assigned to LG Electronics Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is LG Electronics Inc.. Invention is credited to Jaehyuk Jung.
Application Number | 20150159892 14/560502 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52016459 |
Filed Date | 2015-06-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150159892 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jung; Jaehyuk |
June 11, 2015 |
OUTDOOR UNIT OF AIR CONDITIONER
Abstract
An outdoor unit of an air conditioner includes an axial fan, a
motor rotating the axial fan and a motor supporter supporting the
motor. The motor supporter includes deflection parts deflecting an
air current sucked into the axial fan so as to have a rotating
direction component of the axial fan.
Inventors: |
Jung; Jaehyuk; (Changwon-si,
KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
LG Electronics Inc. |
Seoul |
|
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
LG Electronics Inc.
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
52016459 |
Appl. No.: |
14/560502 |
Filed: |
December 4, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
454/338 ;
415/213.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24F 1/38 20130101; F24F
1/40 20130101; F04D 29/646 20130101; F04D 19/002 20130101; F04D
29/541 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F24F 7/007 20060101
F24F007/007; F04D 19/00 20060101 F04D019/00; F04D 29/64 20060101
F04D029/64 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 5, 2013 |
KR |
10-2013-0150899 |
Claims
1. An outdoor unit of an air conditioner, the outdoor unit
comprising: an axial fan; a motor to rotate the axial fan in a
rotating direction; and a motor supporter supporting the motor,
wherein the motor supporter includes deflection parts deflecting an
air current sucked into the axial fan so as to have a rotating
direction component of the axial fan.
2. The outdoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the deflection
parts include a deflection surface arranged at a designated angle
from an axial direction of the axial fan to guide the air
current.
3. The outdoor unit according to claim 2, wherein the angle is an
acute angle.
4. The outdoor unit according to claim 2, wherein the deflection
parts include an air current contact surface contacting the air
current, the air current contact surface being arranged convex
toward an upstream side of the air current, wherein the air current
contact surface includes: a forward facing surface facing the
rotating direction of the axial fan; and a backward facing surface
facing a direction opposite to the rotating direction of the axial
fan, and wherein the deflection surface is provided on the forward
facing surface.
5. The outdoor unit according to claim 4, wherein the deflection
surface extends so as to be gradually closer to a rotating axis of
the axial fan in the direction of the rotating axis of the axial
fan.
6. The outdoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the deflection
parts include at least one deflection part provided above a
rotating axis of the motor and at least one deflection part
provided below the rotating axis of the motor, and wherein the at
least one deflection part provided above the rotating axis of the
motor and the at least one deflection part provided below the
rotating axis of the motor deflect the air current in opposite
directions.
7. The outdoor unit according to claim 1, wherein a vector
proceeding from a leading edge of the deflection part, which the
air current starts to contact, to a trailing edge of the deflection
part, from which the air current is separated, has the rotating
direction component of the axial fan.
8. The outdoor unit according to claim 7, wherein the leading edge
and the trailing edge are located on a streamlined closed path.
9. The outdoor unit according to claim 8, wherein, among a suction
surface and a pressure surface of the deflection part
interconnecting the leading edge and the trailing edge, the
pressure surface faces with the rotating direction of the axial
fan, and static pressure on the suction surface is lower than
static pressure on the pressure surface.
10. The outdoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the motor
supporter includes: a mount part to which the motor is mounted; and
support legs extending from the mount part, wherein the deflection
parts are provided on the support legs.
11. The outdoor unit according to claim 10, wherein the support
legs are separated from each other by a space through which the air
current is sucked, and wherein one of the support legs has a
deflection surface gradually becoming closer to a rotating axis of
the axial fan in the direction of the rotating axis of the axial
fan and provided at a part defining the space.
12. The outdoor unit according to claim 10, wherein the deflection
parts include a deflection surface arranged at a designated angle
from the axial direction of the axial fan to guide the air current,
wherein the support legs include: upper support legs extending
upward from the mount part; and lower support legs extending
downward from the mount part, and wherein a deflection surface
provided on one of the upper support legs and a deflection surface
provided on one of the lower support legs face opposite directions
based on a fixed coordinate system.
13. The outdoor unit according to claim 12, wherein the air current
passes through spaces between the support legs.
14. The outdoor unit according to claim 10, wherein a vector from a
leading edge of the deflection part, which the air current starts
to contact, to a trailing edge of the deflection part, from which
the air current is separated, has the rotating direction component
of the axial fan, wherein the support legs include: upper support
legs extending upward from the mount part; and lower support legs
extending downward from the mount part, and wherein a first vector
proceeding from the leading edge to the trailing edge of one of the
upper support legs and a second vector proceeding from the leading
edge to the trailing edge of one of the lower support legs have
direction components of different signs based on a fixed coordinate
system.
15. The outdoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the motor
supporter includes: a mount part to which the motor is mounted;
upper support legs extending upward from the mount part; and lower
support legs extending downward from the mount part, wherein the
upper support legs and the lower support legs include the
deflection parts, and wherein the upper support legs and the lower
support legs deflect the air current in opposite directions.
16. An outdoor unit of an air conditioner, the outdoor unit
comprising: a housing; an axial fan for producing an air current
within the housing, the axial fan including: a fan blade; and a
motor to rotate the fan blade in a rotation direction; and a motor
supporter supporting the motor, the motor supporter including: a
mount part to which the motor is mounted; an upper support leg
extending upward from the mount part; and a lower support leg
extending downward from the mount part, wherein the upper support
leg includes an upper deflection part configured to deflect a first
portion of the air current in a first direction, wherein the lower
support leg includes a lower deflection part configured to deflect
a second portion of the air current in a second direction opposite
to the first direction, and wherein the first direction and the
second direction extend in a same direction as the rotation
direction of the fan blade.
17. The outdoor unit according to claim 16, wherein the upper
deflection part and the lower deflection part each include a
deflection surface arranged at an acute angle with respect to an
axial direction of the axial fan to guide the air current.
18. The outdoor unit according to claim 17, wherein the upper
deflection part and the lower deflection part each include an air
current contact surface contacting the air current, the air current
contact surface protruding toward an upstream side of the air
current.
19. The outdoor unit according to claim 18, wherein the air current
contact surface includes: a forward facing surface facing the
rotation direction of the fan blade; and a backward facing surface
facing a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the fan
blade, and wherein the deflection surface is provided on the
forward facing surface.
20. An axial fan assembly comprising: a fan blade for producing an
air current; a motor to rotate the fan blade in a rotation
direction; and a motor supporter supporting the motor, the motor
supporter including: a mount part to which the motor is mounted; an
upper support leg extending upward from the mount part, the upper
support leg including an upper deflection part configured to
deflect a first part of the air current in a first direction; and a
lower support leg extending downward from the mount part, the lower
support leg including a lower deflection part configured to deflect
a second part of the air current in a second direction opposite to
the first direction, wherein the first direction and the second
direction extend in a same direction as the rotation direction of
the fan blade.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119
to Korean Application No. 10-2013-0150899, filed on Dec. 5, 2013,
the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated in by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an outdoor unit of an air
conditioner.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating an outdoor unit of
a general air conditioner. FIG. 9 is a view illustrating inner
elements of the outdoor unit of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a view
illustrating a motor support structure in FIG. 8. With reference to
FIGS. 8 to 10, an air conditioner is an apparatus which exchanges
heat between a refrigerant and surrounding air during a circulation
process in which the refrigerant is compressed, condensed,
expanded, and evaporated, to condition indoor air. Such an air
conditioner may include an indoor unit installed indoors and
conditioning indoor air through heat exchange with the indoor air
and an outdoor unit installed outdoors and exchanging heat with
outdoor air.
[0006] The outdoor unit may include a casing 2 having a bottom
surface 2a, a heat exchanger 20 performing heat exchange between a
refrigerant and outdoor air, an axial fan 10 forcibly blowing the
outdoor air to perform effective contact between the outdoor air
and the heat exchanger 20, and a motor 30 rotating the axial fan
10. In case of an air conditioner used for both cooling and
heating, a heat exchanger provided in an outdoor unit acts as a
condenser during cooling and acts as an evaporator during heating.
Suction holes 3 through which outdoor air is sucked into the
outdoor unit and a discharge hole 4 through which air blown by the
axial fan 10 is discharged to the outside may be formed on the
casing 2.
[0007] The motor 30 is supported at the inside of the casing 2 by a
motor supporter 40. Flow resistance caused by interference between
an air current sucked into the axial fan 10 and the motor supporter
40 lowers the performance of the axial fan 10 and particularly,
increases noise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide an air
conditioner which may improve performance of a fan and reduce
generation of noise.
[0009] The objects of the present invention are not limited to the
above-mentioned objects and other objects that have not been
mentioned above will become evident to those skilled in the art
from the following description.
[0010] To achieve the above objects, there is provided an outdoor
unit of an air conditioner according to an exemplary embodiment of
the present invention including an axial fan, a motor rotating the
axial fan, and a motor supporter supporting the motor, wherein the
motor supporter includes deflection parts deflecting an air current
sucked into the axial fan so as to have a rotating direction
component of the axial fan.
[0011] The deflection part may include a deflection surface having
a designated angle from the axial direction of the axial fan to
guide the sucked air current. The angle may be an acute angle.
[0012] An air current contact surface of the deflection part
contacting the sucked air current may be convex toward the upstream
side of the sucked air current, the air current contact surface may
include a forward facing surface facing the rotating direction of
the axial fan and a backward facing surface facing the opposite
direction to the rotating direction of the axial fan, and the
deflection surface may be formed on the forward facing surface.
[0013] The deflection surface may extend so as to be gradually
closer to the rotating axis of the axial fan in the direction of
the rotating axis.
[0014] The deflection parts may include at least one deflection
part provided above the rotating axis of the motor and at least one
deflection part provided below the rotating axis of the motor, and
the at least one deflection part provided above the rotating axis
of the motor and the at least one deflection part provided below
the rotating axis of the motor may deflect the sucked air current
in opposite directions.
[0015] A vector proceeding from a leading edge of the deflection
part, which the sucked air current starts to contact, to a trailing
edge of the deflection part, from which the air current is
separated, may have the rotating direction component of the axial
fan. The leading edge and the trailing edge may be located on a
streamlined closed path. Among a suction surface and a pressure
surface of the deflection part interconnecting the leading edge and
the trailing edge, the pressure surface may face the rotating
direction of the axial fan and static pressure on the suction
surface may be lower than static pressure on the pressure
surface.
[0016] The motor supporter may include a mount part in which the
motor is mounted and support legs extending from the mount part and
connected to a designated fixing body to support the motor, and the
deflection parts may be formed on the support legs.
[0017] The support legs may be prepared in at least one pair and
separated from each other by a space into which the sucked air
current is sucked, and one of the at least one pair of the support
legs may have a deflection surface gradually becoming closer to the
rotating axis in the direction of the rotating axis and formed at a
part defining the space. The deflection surface may include a
deflection surface having a designated angle from the axial
direction of the axial fan to guide the sucked air current, the
support legs may include upper support legs extending upward from
the mount part and lower support legs extending downward from the
mount part, and a deflection surface formed on the upper support
leg and a deflection surface formed on the lower support leg may
face opposite directions based on a fixed coordinate system. A
vector from a leading edge of the deflection part, which the sucked
air current starts to contact, to a trailing edge of the deflection
part, from which the air current is separated, may have the
rotating direction component of the axial fan, the support legs may
include upper support legs extending upward from the mount part and
lower support legs extending downward from the mount part, and a
first vector proceeding from the leading edge to the trailing edge
of the upper support leg and a second vector proceeding from the
leading edge to the trailing edge of the lower support leg may have
direction components of different signs based on a fixed coordinate
system.
[0018] The support legs may be provided in plural and the sucked
air current may pass through spaces between the support legs
provided in plural.
[0019] The motor supporter may include a mount part in which the
motor is mounted, upper support legs extending upward from the
mount part and lower support legs extending downward from the mount
part, and the upper support legs and the lower support legs may
correspond to the deflection parts and deflect the sucked air
current in opposite directions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] Arrangements and embodiments may be described in detail with
reference to the following drawings in which like reference
numerals refer to like elements and wherein:
[0021] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating direction components of an air
current sucked from an outdoor unit to an axial fan of an air
conditioner in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention;
[0022] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a motor supporter in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) are views comparatively illustrating a
sucked air current in a conventional air conditioner and a sucked
air current in an air conditioner in accordance with one embodiment
of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a motor supporter in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5A-5A of
FIG. 4;
[0026] FIG. 5B is an enlarged view of the cross-section of a
deflection part of FIG. 5A;
[0027] FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating static pressures according to
air volumes if the motor supporter of FIG. 4 is applied and if a
conventional motor supporter is applied;
[0028] FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b) are graphs illustrating power
consumption and generated noise according to air volumes if the
motor supporter of FIG. 4 is applied and if the conventional motor
supporter is applied;
[0029] FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating an outdoor unit of
a general air conditioner;
[0030] FIG. 9 is a view illustrating inner elements of the outdoor
unit of FIG. 8; and
[0031] FIG. 10 is a view illustrating a motor support structure in
FIG. 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0032] The advantages, features and methods for achieving those of
embodiments may become apparent upon referring to embodiments
described later in detail together with attached drawings. However,
embodiments are not limited to the embodiments disclosed
hereinafter, but may be embodied in different modes. The
embodiments are provided for perfection of disclosure and informing
a scope to persons skilled in this field of art. The same reference
numbers may refer to the same elements throughout the
specification.
[0033] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating direction components of an air
current sucked from an outdoor unit to an axial fan of an air
conditioner in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention. FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a motor supporter in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 3(a)
and 3(b) are views comparatively illustrating a sucked air current
in a conventional air conditioner and a sucked air current in an
air conditioner in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention.
[0034] First, with reference to FIG. 1, direction components which
will be described later are defined.
[0035] In FIG. 1, a circle represents a rotating orbit of an axial
fan 10, and {circumflex over (X)}, and {circumflex over (Z)}
represent respective axes of an X-Y-Z fixed coordinate system when
the axial direction of the axial fan 10 is defined as {circumflex
over (Z)}. Further, a vector V on an XY plane of the fixed
coordinate system is converted into a rotating coordinate system
including a rotating direction component {circumflex over (t)} and
a radial direction component {circumflex over (r)} of the axial fan
10. Here, V represents a direction component of an air current
sucked in the axial fan 10. An angle .theta. is an angle rotated in
a positive (+) direction from the axis and about the axis
{circumflex over (Z)} (in the counterclockwise rotating direction
of the axial fan 10 in FIG. 1).
[0036] V will be defined below.
V =V1{circumflex over (r)}+V2{circumflex over (t)}=V sin
.theta.{circumflex over (r)}+V cos .theta.{circumflex over (t)}
[0037] As known from the above Equation, the vector V has a
rotating direction component V2. The outdoor unit of the air
conditioner of the present invention includes a motor supporter
deflecting an air current sucked in the axial direction {circumflex
over (Z)} of an axial fan 10 so as to have a rotating direction
component. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will
be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0038] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3(b), an outdoor unit of an air
conditioner in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention includes an axial fan 10, a motor 30 rotating the axial
fan 10, and a motor supporter 100 supporting the motor 30.
[0039] The motor supporter 100 supports the motor 30 at the rear of
the axial fan 10. The motor supporter 100 may include support legs
110 and 120 supporting the motor 30. Further, the motor supporter
100 may include a mount part 130 into which the motor 30 is
inserted. The support legs 110 and 120 may extend from the mount
part 130 and be connected to a designated fixing body, such as a
casing 2, to support the motor 30.
[0040] The support legs 110 and 120 may be provided in plural so as
to distribute load applied from the motor 30. In this embodiment, a
pair of support legs 110 separated from each other is provided on
the upper portion of the mount part 130 and a pair of support legs
120 separated from each other is provided on the lower portion of
the mount part 130, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. An
air current flows through separation spaces S1 and S2 between the
support legs 110 and 120. Hereinafter, among the support legs 110
and 120, support legs extending upward from the mount part 130 will
be referred to as upper support legs 110 and support legs extending
downward from the mount part 130 will be referred to as lower
support legs 120.
[0041] Joint plates 141 and 142 may be formed at ends of the
support legs 110 and 120 and be combined with the casing 2.
Hereinafter, among the joint plates 141 and 142, a joint plate
interconnecting ends of at least one pair of upper support legs 110
and combined with the upper surface (not shown) of the casing 2
will be referred to as an upper joint plate 141, and a joint plate
interconnecting ends of at least one pair of lower support legs 120
and combined with the bottom surface 2a of the casing 2 will be
referred to as a lower joint plate 142.
[0042] The motor supporter 100 includes deflection parts D
deflecting an air current sucked in the axial fan 10 (i.e., a
sucked air current) so as to have a rotating direction component
{circumflex over (t)} of the axial fan 10. The deflection parts D
may be formed on the support legs 110 and 120.
[0043] At least one deflection part D may be provided above a
rotating axis of the motor 30 and at least one deflection part D
may be provided below the rotating axis. The deflection part D
provided above the rotating axis and the deflection part D provided
below the rotating axis deflect the sucked air current in opposite
directions.
[0044] The deflection part D may include a surface guiding the
sucked air current, i.e., a deflection surface 111 or 121 formed at
a designated angle .alpha. from the axial direction {circumflex
over (Z)} of an axial fan 10. The angle .alpha. may be an acute
angle. Since the deflection surface 111 or 121 forms an acute angle
.alpha. from the axial direction {circumflex over (Z)} of an axial
fan 10, at least one of the upper support legs 110 has a deflection
surface 111 that gradually becomes closer to the rotating axis in
the axial direction {circumflex over (Z)}. Which one of the upper
support legs 110 has the deflection surface 111 that gradually
becomes closer to the rotating axis in the axial direction
{circumflex over (Z)} is determined in consideration of the
rotating direction of the axial fan 10. In this embodiment, the
deflection surface 111 that gradually becomes closer to the
rotating axis in the axial direction {circumflex over (Z)} is
formed at a part, defining the space S1, of the right upper support
leg 110 of one pair of upper support legs 110 in FIG. 2.
[0045] In the same manner, at least one of the lower support legs
120 has a deflection surface 121 that gradually becomes closer to
the rotating axis in the axial direction {circumflex over (Z)}.
Since directions in which the sucked air current needs to be
deflected in the upper region and the lower region based on the
mount part 130 are opposite to each other, the deflection surface
121 of the lower support leg 120 that gradually becomes closer to
the rotating axis in the axial direction {circumflex over (Z)} is
formed at a part, defining the space S2, of the left lower leg 120
of one pair of lower support legs 120 in FIG. 2, on the contrary to
the upper support legs 110.
[0046] The sucked air current is guided by the deflection surfaces
111 and 121 and thus, an air current having a rotating direction
component {circumflex over (t)} is formed. In more detail, an air
current contact surface 115 or 125 of the deflection part D
contacting the sucked air current may be convex toward the upstream
side of the sucked air current. In this case, the deflection
surface 111 or 121 is formed on a forward facing surface of the air
current contact surface 115 or 125, facing the rotating direction
of the axial fan 10 (the leftward direction in an area above the
mount part 130 and in the rightward direction in an area below the
mount part 130, in FIG. 2), and a backward facing surface 112 or
122 is formed at a part of the air current contact surface 115 or
125, facing the opposite direction to the rotating direction of the
axial fan 10. The deflection surface 111 or 121 and the backward
facing surface 112 or 122 may be connected by a connection surface
113 or 123.
[0047] The backward facing surface 112 or 122 extends from the
connection surface 113 or 123 substantially in parallel with the
axial direction {circumflex over (Z)} from the upstream side to the
downstream side of the air current. Therefore, the angle .alpha.
between the deflection surface 111 or 121 and the axial direction
{circumflex over (Z)} is greater than the angle between the
backward facing surface 112 or 122 and the axial direction
{circumflex over (Z)}. As exemplarily shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b),
in the conventional air conditioner, sucked air has a component in
the opposite direction to the rotating direction of an axial fan,
but, in this embodiment of the present invention, sucked air is
deflected by the deflection surfaces 111 and 121 and thus has the
rotating direction component {circumflex over (t)} of the axial fan
10.
[0048] As exemplarily shown in FIG. 2, the deflection surfaces 111
and 121 formed on the support legs 110 and 120 face the rotating
direction {circumflex over (t)} of the axial fan 10 based on the
rotating coordinate system, but the deflection surface 111 formed
on the upper support leg 110 and the deflection surface 121 formed
on the lower support leg 120 face opposite directions based on the
fixed coordinate system.
[0049] FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a motor supporter in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
5A is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5A-5A of FIG. 4. FIG.
5B is an enlarged view of the cross-section 210(S) of a deflection
part of FIG. 5A.
[0050] With reference to FIG. 4 and FIGS. 5A and 5B, an outdoor
unit of an air conditioner in accordance with another embodiment of
the present invention includes an axial fan 10, a motor 30 rotating
the axial fan 10, and a motor supporter 200 supporting the motor
30.
[0051] The motor supporter 200 supports the motor 30 at the rear of
the axial fan 10. The motor supporter 200 may include support legs
210 and 220 supporting the motor 30. Further, the motor supporter
200 may include a mount part 230 into which the motor 30 is
inserted. The support legs 210 and 220 may extend from the mount
part 230 and be provided in plural so as to distribute load applied
from the motor 30. The support legs 210 and 220 are separated from
each other, and an air current flows through separation spaces
between the support legs 210 and 220. The support legs 210 and 220
may include at least one of upper support legs 210 extending upward
from the mount part 230 and lower support legs 220 extending
downward from the mount part 230.
[0052] Joint plates 241 and 242 may be formed at ends of the
support legs 210 and 220 and be combined with the casing 2.
Hereinafter, among the joint plates 241 and 242, a joint plate
interconnecting ends of the upper support legs 210 and combined
with the upper surface (not shown) of the casing 2 will be referred
to as an upper joint plate 241 and a joint plate interconnecting
ends of the lower support legs 220 and combined with the bottom
surface 2a of the casing 2 will be referred to as a lower joint
plate 242.
[0053] Reinforcing ribs 251 and 252 interconnecting the support
legs 210 and 220 may be further provided between the mount part 230
and the joint plates 241 and 242. The reinforcing ribs 251 and 252
may include an upper reinforcing rib 251 interconnecting the upper
support legs 210 and a lower reinforcing rib 252 interconnecting
the lower support legs 220.
[0054] The motor supporter 200 includes deflection parts D'
deflecting an air current sucked in the axial fan 10 (i.e., a
sucked air current) so as to have a rotating direction component
{circumflex over (t)} of the axial fan 10. The deflection parts D'
may be formed on the support legs 110 and 120.
[0055] In the deflection part D', a vector {circumflex over (V)}c
proceeding from a leading edge LE of the deflection part D', which
the sucked air current starts to contact, to a trailing edge TE of
the deflection part D', from which the air current is separated,
has the rotating direction component {circumflex over (t)} of the
axial fan 10. That is, the cross-section of the deflection part D',
i.e., the cross-section of the deflection part D' taken long the YZ
plane, may have the shape of a streamlined closed path or an
airfoil and, in this case, the vector {circumflex over (V)}c is
defined according to a chord connecting the leading edge LE to the
trailing edge TE of the deflection part D'.
[0056] Among an upper surface (or a suction surface) U and a lower
surface (or a pressure surface) L interconnecting the leading edge
LE to the trailing edge TE of the deflection part D', the lower
surface L faces with the rotating direction of the axial fan 10 and
the upper surface U faces the opposite direction to the rotating
direction of the axial fan 10. The velocity of the air current on
the upper surface U is higher than the velocity of the air current
on the lower surface L and thus, the static pressure on the upper
surface U is lower than the static pressure on the lower surface
L.
[0057] The air current flows through separation spaces between the
support legs 210 and 220. The support legs 210 and 220 may include
at least one of the upper support legs 210 extending upward from
the mount part 230 and lower support legs 220 extending downward
from the mount part 230.
[0058] A first vector proceeding from the leading edge LE to the
trailing edge TE of the upper support leg 210 and a second vector
proceeding from the leading edge LE to the trailing edge TE of the
lower support leg 220 face the rotating direction of the axial fan
10 based on the rotating coordinate system, but have direction
components of different signs based on the fixed coordinate system.
That is, the first vector has a component of a positive value and
the second vector has a component of a negative value.
[0059] FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating static pressures according to
air volumes if the motor supporter of FIG. 4 is applied and if a
conventional motor supporter is applied. FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b) are
graphs illustrating power consumption and generated noise according
to air volumes if the motor supporter of FIG. 4 is applied and if
the conventional motor supporter is applied.
[0060] With reference to FIG. 6, according to experimentation,
static pressure if the motor supporter in accordance with the
present invention is applied (with reference to a curve (a')) is
increased, as compared to static pressure if the conventional motor
supporter is applied (with reference to a curve (a)), and flow
resistance if the motor supporter in accordance with the present
invention is applied (with reference to a curve (b')) is decreased,
as compared to flow resistance if the conventional motor supporter
is applied (with reference to a curve (b)). Therefore, although the
conventional outdoor unit may be operated at an air volume F so as
to generate proper static pressure and flow resistance, the outdoor
unit in accordance with the present invention may be operated at an
increased air volume F' while generating static pressure and flow
resistance similar to those of the conventional outdoor unit.
Increase in static pressure and decrease in flow resistance improve
performance of the axial fan 10. As exemplarily shown in FIGS. 7(a)
and 7(b), it is understood that the outdoor unit in accordance with
the present invention lowers power consumption and reduces a level
of generated noise, as compared to the conventional outdoor
unit.
[0061] As apparent from the above description, an outdoor unit of
an air conditioner in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention may reduce resistance on a flow path of an air current
sucked into an axial fan.
[0062] Further, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner in
accordance with the embodiment of the present invention may
increase performance of the axial fan, particularly, static
pressure of the axial fan.
[0063] Further, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner in
accordance with the embodiment of the present invention may reduce
generated noise.
[0064] Further, since a unit to guide the air current sucked into
the axial fan is implemented by a motor supporter, the outdoor unit
of the air conditioner in accordance with the embodiment of the
present invention does not require any separate guide unit, such as
a vane or an orifice, and may thus improve air blowing performance
without great change of the structure of a conventional outdoor
unit.
[0065] Although embodiments have been described with reference to a
number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood
that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by
those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope
of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various
variations and modifications are possible in the component parts
and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within
the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims.
In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts
and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to
those skilled in the art.
* * * * *