Air conditioner for forming an air curtain

Claim 2

An air conditioner for forming an air curtain comprising: an air conditioning part for drawing in outside air, cooling or heating the drawn air, and discharging the cooled or heated air; an air curtain forming apparatus for admitting said cooled or heated air discharged from said air conditioning part, and spraying said cooled or heated air at plural positions or a specific position of an interior of a vehicle to form said air curtain for performing the cooling or heating operation, said air curtain forming apparatus having an air feeding part for drawing in said cooled or heated air from said air conditioning part or outside, and discharging said drawn air to a plurality of passageways, said air feeding part having an air-supply duct having a first inlet for admitting said air from outside in one end, second and third inlets for admitting said cooled and heated air in one side, a fourth inlet for drawing in said air from said air exhausting part in the other side, and a chamber at the other end thereof, said chamber having a plurality of air branch holes in a side wall thereof; first, second and third dampers for respectively opening and closing said first, second and third inlets; a blower installed between said first, second, third and fourth inlets and said chamber for drawing in said air; a plurality of first air branch tubes respectively connected to said plurality of air branch holes of said air-supply duct; an air spray nozzle part for admitting said air discharged from said plurality of passageways via a corresponding plurality of passageways, and spraying said admitted air at said plural positions of said interior of said vehicle to form said air curtain; an air suction nozzle part arranged in said interior of said vehicle opposite to said air spray nozzle part, and drawing in said air sprayed from said air spray nozzle part in said air curtain to discharge said air to a plurality of passageways; an air exhausting part for admitting said air discharged from said plurality of passageways of said air suction nozzle part, and recirculating said admitted air to said air feeding part or externally discharging said admitted air; a plurality of first automatic opening/closing parts installed between said plurality of passageways of said air feeding part and said plurality of passageways of said air spray nozzle part for opening or closing the air flow from said air feeding part to said air spray nozzle part for each passageway; a plurality of second automatic opening/closing parts installed between said plurality of passageways of said air suction nozzle part and said plurality of passageways of said air exhausting part for opening or closing the air flow from said air suction nozzle part to said air exhausting part for each passageway; a temperature/recognition sensing part for monitoring a temperature of said interior of said vehicle to output a temperature information signal, and monitoring the position of a passenger in said interior of said vehicle to output a passenger recognition signal; a mode selecting part for controlling the discharge of said cooled or heated air of said air conditioning part, and controlling the spraying position of said air curtain of said air curtain forming apparatus; a temperature/operation controlling part for outputting an air-amount regulation signal for regulating the amount of the air admitted to said interior of said vehicle, a cooling/heating selection signal for selecting the cooling or heating of said air drawn to said air conditioning part, and a preset temperature signal for setting a cooling temperature or heating temperature of said drawn air; and an air-conditioner controlling part for receiving said temperature information signal and passenger recognition signal of said temperature/recognition sensing part, said mode control signal of said mode selecting part, said air-amount regulation signal, cooling/heating selection signal and preset temperature signal of said temperature/operation controlling part to control said air conditioning part and air curtain forming apparatus.

Claim 3

The air conditioner for forming an air curtain as claimed in claim 1, wherein said air conditioning part comprises: an air conditioning duct having an air inlet on one end thereof and a plurality of air outlets on the other end thereof for admitting the air from outside, and discharging said admitted air to said air curtain forming apparatus; a first blower arranged to be opposite to said air inlet for drawing in said air from outside; an evaporator arranged on the rear of said first blower for cooling said admitted air during performing said cooling operation; a heater arranged on the rear of said evaporator for heating said admitted air during performing said heating operation; and a plurality of dampers for controlling the air flow in said air conditioning duct, and regulating the amount of said air discharged from said air conditioning duct.

Claim 4

The air conditioner for forming an air curtain as claimed in claim 2, wherein said air conditioning duct includes a cool-air outlet between said evaporator and heater, and a warm-air outlet and a plurality of air outlets on the rear of said heater, said cool-air outlet and warm-air outlet respectively being connected to a cool-air intake conduit and a warm-air intake conduit connected to said air curtain forming apparatus, said plurality of air outlets being connected to said interior of said vehicle.

Claim 5

The air conditioner for forming an air curtain as claimed in claim 1, wherein said air spray nozzle part comprises: a plurality of air branch tubes for forming passageways correspondent to said plurality of first air branch tubes via said plurality of first automatic opening/closing parts; and a plurality of air spray nozzles respectively connected to said plurality of second air branch tubes, and installed to said plural positions of said interior of said vehicle.

Claim 6

The air conditioner for forming an air curtain as claimed in claim 4, wherein said plurality of air spray nozzles are respectively arranged over the doors in said interior of said vehicle, between a driver's seat and an assistant driver's seat, between said driver's seat and a rear seat, and between said assistant driver's seat and rear seat.

Claim 7

The air conditioner for forming an air curtain as claimed in claim 4, wherein said plurality of air spray nozzles respectively is an elongated hollow body having an opening lengthwisely opened in one side, an air suction hole connected to one of said plurality of second air branch tubes in the central upper portion, and a neck portion lengthwisely provided on a prescribed portion thereof.

Claim 8

The air conditioner for forming an air curtain as claimed in claim 4, wherein said air suction nozzle part comprises: a plurality of air suction nozzles arranged to said interior of said vehicle to be opposite to said plurality of air spray nozzles; and a plurality of third air branch tubes respectively connected to said plurality of air suction nozzles for discharging said air drawn from said plurality of air suction nozzles.

Claim 9

The air conditioner for forming an air curtain as claimed in claim 7, wherein said plurality of air suction nozzles respectively includes a plurality of air suction holes in the upper portion, and an exhaust hole connected to one of said plurality of air branch tubes in the bottom center portion.

Claim 10

The air conditioner for forming an air curtain as claimed in claim 7, wherein said air exhausting part comprises; a discharge duct having a chamber with a side wall including a plurality of air branch holes on one end thereof, and a first exhaust opening for externally discharging said air and a second exhaust opening connected to a circuitous tube for recirculating said air to said air feeding part on the other end thereof; first, second and third dampers for selectively opening and closing said first and second exhaust openings; a third blower installed between said first and second exhaust openings and said chamber for discharging said air; and a plurality of fourth air branch tubes respectively connected to said plurality of second automatic opening/closing parts, and then said plurality of air branch holes of said discharge duct for forming a plurality of passageways.

Claim 11

An air conditioner for forming an air curtain comprising: an air conditioning part for drawing in outside air, cooling or heating the drawn air, and discharging the cooled or heated air, said air conditioning part comprising: an air conditioning duct having an air inlet on one end thereof and a plurality of air outlets on the other end thereof for admitting the air from outside, and discharging said admitted air to said air curtain forming apparatus, a first blower arranged to be opposite to said air inlet for drawing in said air from outside, an evaporator arranged on the rear of said first blower for cooling said admitted air during performing said cooling operation, a heater arranged on the rear of said evaporator for heating said admitted air during performing said heating operation, and a plurality of dampers for controlling the air flow in said air conditioning duct, and regulating the amount of said air discharged from said air conditioning duct; an air curtain forming apparatus for admitting said cooled or heated air discharged from said conditioning part, and spraying said coded or heated air at plural positions or a specific position of an interior of a vehicle to form said air curtain for performing the cooling or heating operation, said air curtain forming apparatus comprising: an air feeding part for drawing in said cooled or heated air from said air conditioning part or outside, and discharging said drawn air to a plurality of passageways, said air feeding part having an air-supply duct having a first inlet for admitting said air from outside in one end, second and third inlets for admitting said cooled and heated air in one side, a fourth inlet for drawing in said air from said air exhausting part in the other side, and a chamber at the other end thereof, said chamber having a plurality of air branch holes in a side wall thereof, first, second and third dampers for respectively opening and closing said first, second and third inlets, a second blower installed between said first, second, third and fourth inlets and said chamber for drawing in said air, and a plurality of first air branch holes of said air-supply duct, an air spray nozzle part for admitting said air discharged from said plurality of passageways via a corresponding plurality of passageways, and spraying said admitted air at said plural positions of said interior of said vehicle to form said air curtain, an air suction nozzle part arranged in said interior of said vehicle opposite to said air spray nozzle part, and drawing in said air sprayed from said air spray nozzle part in said air curtain to discharge said air to a plurality of passageways, an air exhausting part for admitting said air discharged from said plurality of passageways of said air suction nozzle part, and recirculating said admitted air to said air feeding part or externally discharging said admitted air, a plurality of first automatic opening/closing parts installed between said plurality of passageways of said air feeding part and said plurality of passageways of said air spray nozzle part for opening or closing the air flow from said air feeding part to said air spray nozzle part for each passageway, and a plurality of second automatic opening/closing parts installed between said plurality of passageways of said air suction nozzle part and said plurality of passageways of said air exhausting part for opening or closing the air flow from said air suction nozzle part to said air exhausting part for each passageway; a temperature/recognition sensing part for monitoring a temperature of said interior of said vehicle to output a temperature information signal, and monitoring the position of a passenger in said interior of said vehicle to output a passenger recognition signal; a mode selecting part for controlling the discharge of said cooled or heated air of said air conditioning part, and controlling the spraying position of said air curtain of said air curtain forming apparatus; a temperature/operation controlling part for outputting an air-amount regulation signal for regulating the amount of the air admitted to said interior of said vehicle, a cooling/heating selection signal for selecting the cooling or heating of said air drown to said air conditioning part, and a preset temperature signal for setting a cooling temperature or heating temperature of said drawn air; and an air-conditioner controlling part for receiving said temperature information signal and passenger recognition signal of said temperature/recognition sensing part, said mode control signal of said mode selecting part, said air-amount regulation signal, cooling/heating selection signal and preset temperature signal of said temperature/operation controlling part to control said air conditioning part and air curtain forming apparatus.

Claim 12

An air conditioner for forming an air curtain comprising: an air conditioning part for drawing in outside air, cooling or heating the drawn air, and discharging the cooled or heated air, said air conditioning part comprising: an air conditioning duct having an air inlet on one end thereof and a plurality of air outlets on the other end thereof for admitting the air from outside, and discharging said admitted air to said air curtain forming apparatus, a first blower arranged to be opposite to said air inlet for drawing in said air from outside, an evaporator arranged on the rear of said first blower for cooling said admitted air during performing said cooling operation, a heater arranged on the rear of said evaporator for heating said admitted air during performing said heating operation, and a plurality of dampers for controlling the air flow in said air conditioning duct, and regulating the amount of said air discharged from said air conditioning duct; an air curtain forming apparatus for admitting said cooled or heated air discharged from said conditioning part, and spraying said coded or heated air at plural positions or a specific position of an interior of a vehicle to form said air curtain for performing the cooling or heating operation, said air curtain forming apparatus comprising: an air feeding part for drawing in said cooled or heated air from said air conditioning part or outside, and discharging said drawn air to a plurality of passageways, said air feeding part having an air-supply duct having a first inlet for admitting said air from outside in one end, second and third inlets for admitting said cooled and heated air in one side, a fourth inlet for drawing in said air from said air exhausting part in the other side, and a chamber at the other end thereof, said chamber having a plurality of air branch holes in a side wall thereof, first, second and third dampers for respectively opening and closing said first, second and third inlets, a second blower installed between said first, second, third and fourth inlets and said chamber for drawing in said air, and a plurality of first air branch holes of said air-supply duct, an air spray nozzle part for admitting said air discharged from said plurality of passageways via a corresponding plurality of passageways, and spraying said admitted air at said plural positions of said interior of said vehicle to form said air curtain, an air suction nozzle part arranged in said interior of said vehicle opposite to said air spray nozzle part, and drawing in said air sprayed from said air spray nozzle part in said air curtain to discharge said air to a plurality of passageways, an air exhausting part for admitting said air discharged from said plurality of passageways of said air suction nozzle part, and recirculating said admitted air to said air feeding part or externally discharging said admitted air, a plurality of first automatic opening/closing parts installed between said plurality of passageways of said air feeding part and said plurality of passageways of said air spray nozzle part for opening or closing the air flow from said air feeding part to said air spray nozzle part for each passageway, and a plurality of second automatic opening/closing parts installed between said plurality of passageways of said air suction nozzle part and said plurality of passageways of said air exhausting part for opening or closing the air flow from said air suction nozzle part to said air exhausting part for each passageway; a temperature/recognition sensing part for monitoring a temperature of said interior of said vehicle to output a temperature information signal, and monitoring the position of a passenger in said interior of said vehicle to output a passenger recognition signal; a mode selecting part for controlling the discharge of said cooled or heated air of said air conditioning part, and controlling the spraying position of said air curtain of said air curtain forming apparatus; a temperature/operation controlling part for outputting an air-amount regulation signal for regulating the amount of the air admitted to said interior of said vehicle, a cooling/heating selection signal for selecting the cooling or heating of said air drown to said air conditioning part, and a preset temperature signal for setting a cooling temperature or heating temperature of said drawn air; and an air-conditioner controlling part for receiving said temperature information signal and passenger recognition signal of said temperature/recognition sensing part, said mode control signal of said mode selecting part, said air-amount regulation signal, cooling/heating selection signal and preset temperature signal of said temperature/operation controlling part to control said air conditioning part and air curtain forming apparatus.

Claim 13

The air conditioner for forming an air curtain as claimed in claim 10, wherein said air conditioning duct includes a cool-air outlet between said evaporator and heater, and a warm-air outlet and a plurality of air outlets on the rear of said heater, said cool-air outlet and warm-air outlet respectively being connected to a cool-air intake conduit and a warm-air intake conduit connected to said air curtain forming apparatus, said plurality of air outlets being connected to said interior of said vehicle.

Claim 14

The air conditioner for forming an air curtain as claimed in claim 10, wherein said air spray nozzle part comprises: a plurality of air branch tubes for forming passageways correspondent to said plurality of first air branch tubes via said plurality of first automatic opening/closing parts; and a plurality of air spray nozzles respectively connected to said plurality of second air branch tubes, and installed to said plural positions of said interior of said vehicle.

Claim 15

The air conditioner for forming an air curtain as claimed in claim 12, wherein said plurality of air spray nozzles are respectively arranged over the doors in said interior of said vehicle, between a driver's seat and an assistant driver's seat, between said driver's seat and a rear seat, and between said assistant driver's seat and rear seat.

Claim 16

The air conditioner for forming an air curtain as claimed in claim 12, wherein said plurality of air spray nozzles respectively is an elongated hollow body having an opening lenghwisely opened in one side, an air suction hole connected to one of said plurality of second air branch tubes in the central upper portion, and a neck portion lengthwisely provided on a prescribed portion thereof.

Claim 17

The air conditioner for forming an air curtain as claimed in claim 12, wherein said air suction nozzle part comprises: a plurality of air suction nozzles arranged to said interior of said vehicle to be opposite to said plurality of air spray nozzles; and a plurality of third air branch tubes respectively connected to said plurality of air suction nozzles for discharging said air drawn from said plurality of air suction nozzles.

Claim 18

The air conditioner for forming an air curtain as claimed in claim 15, wherein said plurality of air suction nozzles respectively includes a plurality of air suction holes in the upper portion, and an exhaust hole connected to one of said plurality of air branch tubes in the bottom center portion.

Claim 19

The air conditioner for forming an air curtain as claimed in claim 15, wherein said air exhausting part comprises; a discharge duct having a chamber with a side wall including a plurality of air branch holes on one end thereof, and a first exhaust opening for externally discharging said air and a second exhaust opening connected to a circuitous tube for recirculating said air to said air feeding part on the other end thereof; first, second and third dampers for selectively opening and closing said first and second exhaust openings; a third blower installed between said first and second exhaust openings and said chamber for discharging said air; and a plurality of fourth air branch tubes respectively connected to said plurality of second automatic opening/closing parts, and then said plurality of air branch holes of said discharge duct for forming a plurality of passageways.