Air conditioner

Abstract

There is provided an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes a front frame, a base, a blower fan, and a panel assembly. The front frame includes a discharge port formed on at least one side thereof. The base is coupled at a rear of the front frame and forms at least one intake port for suctioning indoor air. The blower fan is installed between the front frame and the base for suctioning the indoor air through a rear thereof and discharging the indoor air through a front thereof. The panel assembly is installed at a front of the front frame for allowing an interchanging of a picture, photograph, etc.

1 . An air conditioner comprising: 
 a front frame including a discharge port formed on at least one side thereof;    a base coupled at a rear of the front frame and forming at least one intake port for suctioning indoor air;    a blower fan installed between the front frame and the base for suctioning the indoor air through a rear thereof and discharging the indoor air through a front thereof; and    a panel assembly installed at a front of the front frame for allowing an interchanging of an image.    
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel assembly includes: 
 a front panel attached to a front of the front frame;    an art panel mounted at a front of the front panel and having the image attached thereto; and    a front cover made of a transparent material mounted at a front of the art panel and coupled to the front panel.    
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the front cover is pivotably coupled to the front panel.  
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the panel assembly further includes a hinge for allowing the front cover to pivot from an edge of the front panel at a predetermined angle to the front panel.  
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the panel assembly further includes a pivoting axis for rotatably mounting the front cover thereto and allowing the front cover to rotate in a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction with respect to the front panel.  
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 5 , wherein the panel assembly further includes: 
 a latch hook formed at a location opposite to the pivoting axis on the front panel, for preventing a movement of the front cover with respect to the front panel; and    a latch receiver formed on the front cover for receiving the latch hook therein.    
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the panel assembly further includes at least one magnet attached to at least one of a rear of the front cover and the front of the front panel, the magnet for cohering the front cover to the front panel.  
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the panel assembly further includes: 
 at least one hook formed on a rear of the front cover; and    at least one hook receptacle formed on the front of the front panel for the hook to be inserted therein.    
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the front cover is detachably mounted to the front panel through a hook or a magnet.  
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel assembly is detachably coupled to the front frame.  
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel assembly includes: 
 an art panel having an image attached thereto; and    a front panel having a cavity for receiving the art panel therein, and an insertion slot formed at a top or a side thereof for inserting the art panel through.    
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel assembly is formed with one of an LCD (liquid crystal device), PDP (plasma display panel), and OLED (organic light emitting diode).  
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner according to  claim 12 , wherein the panel assembly includes: 
 a display device for displaying a digital image on a front thereof; and    a data transferring part formed on an edge thereof for transferring digital data.    
     
     
         14 . An air conditioner comprising: 
 a front frame forming at least one discharge port on a periphery thereof;    a base coupled at a rear of the front frame and forming at least one intake port for suctioning indoor air;    a blower fan installed between the front frame and the base for suctioning the indoor air through a rear thereof and discharging the indoor air through a front thereof;    a heat exchanger disposed at a front of the base for exchanging heat between the suctioned indoor air and refrigerant; and    a panel assembly including a front panel installed on a front of the front frame, a front cover pivotably or rotatably installed on a front of the front panel, and an art panel inserted between the front panel and the front cover.    
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner according to  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 a pivoting member for pivotably coupling the front cover to a side of the front panel; and    a cohering member for cohering the front cover to the front panel.    
     
     
         16 . The air conditioner according, to  claim 15 , wherein the cohering member is a hook or a magnet.  
     
     
         17 . The air conditioner according to  claim 14 , wherein the panel assembly is detachably mounted to the front frame.  
     
     
         18 . An air conditioner comprising: 
 a front frame forming at least one discharge port on a periphery thereof;    a base coupled at a rear of the front frame and forming at least one intake port for suctioning indoor air;    a blower fan installed inside the base for suctioning the indoor air through the intake port and discharging the indoor air through the discharge port;    a heat exchanger disposed at a front of the base for exchanging heat between the suctioned indoor air and refrigerant; and    a panel assembly including a front panel installed on a front of the front frame, a front cover detachably installed on a front of the front panel, and an art panel mounted at the front of the front panel.    
     
     
         19 . The air conditioner according to  claim 18 , wherein the front cover is detachably installed on the front panel through a hook or a magnet.  
     
     
         20 . An air conditioner comprising: 
 a front frame forming at least one discharge port on a periphery thereof;    a base coupled at a rear of the front frame and forming at least one intake port for suctioning indoor air;    a blower fan installed between the front frame and the base for suctioning the indoor air through a rear thereof and discharging the indoor air through a front thereof;    a heat exchanger disposed at a front of the base for exchanging heat between the suctioned indoor air and refrigerant; and    a panel assembly including a front panel made of a transparent material and installed on a front of the front frame, and an art panel inserted inside the front panel.    
     
     
         21 . An air conditioner comprising: 
 a front frame forming at least one discharge port on a periphery thereof;    a base coupled at a rear of the front frame and forming at least one intake port for suctioning indoor air;    a blower fan installed between the front frame and the base for suctioning the indoor air through a rear thereof and discharging the indoor air through a front thereof;    a heat exchanger disposed at a front of the base for exchanging heat between the suctioned indoor air and refrigerant; and    a panel assembly installed at a front of the front frame, wherein the panel assembly is formed with one of an LCD (liquid crystal display), PDP (plasma display panel), and OLED (organic light emitting diode), and the panel assembly includes a data transferring part formed on a side thereof for transferring digital data.