Air conditioning apparatus

Abstract

An air conditioning apparatus includes a casing and a dividing cosmetic panel. The casing has a suction port and a discharge port. The dividing cosmetic panel has a plurality of dividing panels and an opening/closing moveable mechanism for varying the positions of the dividing panels relative to the suction port. The opening/closing moveable mechanism switches between a state in which the dividing panels are disposed in proximity to each other, thereby blocking air flow through the suction port, and a state in which the dividing panels are separated from each other to allow ventilation through the suction port.

1 . An air conditioning apparatus disposed above a space to be air conditioned, the air conditioning apparatus comprising:
 a casing having a first ventilation port, and a second ventilation port through which air passing through the first ventilation port passes; and   a panel component having a panel including at least a first panel and a second panel, and a moveable mechanism to vary the relative position of the first ventilation port and the panel,   the moveable mechanism switching between a first state in which air flow through the first ventilation port is blocked by having one end of the first panel and one end of the second panel positioned in proximity to each other, and a second state in which the one end of the first panel and the one end of the second panel move away from each other to positions different from the first state and air flow through at least part of the first ventilation port is allowed.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioning apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein
 in the first state, a surface of the first panel and a surface of the second panel are disposed in proximity to a surface of the first ventilation port, and   in the second state, the surface of the first panel and the surface of the second panel are disposed at positions farther from the surface of the first ventilation port than in the first state.   
     
     
         3 . An air conditioning apparatus disposed above a space to be air conditioned, the air conditioning apparatus comprising:
 a casing having a first ventilation port, and a second ventilation port through which air passing through the first ventilation port passes; and   a panel component having at least two a first panel being configured to turn around a first rotating shaft on an end, and a second panel being configured to turn around a second rotating shaft on an end, and a moveable mechanism to vary the relative positions of the first ventilation port and the panel,   the moveable mechanism switching between a first state in which a surface of the first panel and a surface of the second panel are oriented in substantially the same direction as the primary ventilation direction in the first ventilation port, and air flow through the first ventilation port is blocked due to the surface of the first panel and the surface of the second panel being positioned in substantially the same plane, and a second state in which the first panel whose axis is the first rotating shaft and the second panel whose axis is the second rotating shaft both turn, allowing air flow through at least part of the first ventilation port due to the orientation of the surface of the first panel and the orientation of the surface of the second panel being positioned so as to overlap each other when viewed from a direction substantially perpendicular to the primary ventilation direction in the first ventilation port.   
     
     
         4 . The air conditioning apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , wherein
 the panel component further has a panel frame in which a panel slide space is provided and in which air flow through the first ventilation port is blocked with the first panel and the second panel in the first state,   the casing further has a casing support part to support the panel frame,   the first panel further has a first sliding end which is an end on an opposite side of the first rotating shaft and which slides relative to the panel slide spaces,   the first rotating shaft is rotatably supported relative to the casing support part,   the second panel further has a second sliding end which is an end on an opposite side of the second rotating shaft and which slides relative to the panel slide space, and   the second rotating shaft is rotatably supported relative to the casing support part.   
     
     
         5 . The air conditioning apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , wherein
 the panel component further has a panel support part to support the casing, and a panel frame to block air flow through the first ventilation port with the first panel and second panel,   the casing further has a casing slide space,   the first panel further has a first sliding end which is an end on an opposite side of the first rotating shaft and which slides relative to the casing slide space,   the first rotating shaft is rotatably supported relative to the panel support part,   the second panel further has a second sliding end which is an end on an opposite side of the second rotating shaft and which slides relative to the casing slide space, and   the second rotating shaft is rotatably supported relative to the panel support part.   
     
     
         6 . An air conditioning apparatus disposed above a space to be air conditioned, comprising:
 a casing having a first ventilation port, and second ventilation port through which the air passing through the first ventilation port passes; and   a panel component having a first panel, a second panel disposed so that one end thereof constitutes a first common rotating shaft shared by one end of the first panel, and a moveable mechanism to vary the relative position of the first ventilation port and the panel,   the moveable mechanism switches switching between a first state in which a surface of the first panel and a surface of the second panel are oriented in substantially the same direction as the primary ventilation direction in the first ventilation port, and air flow through the first ventilation port is blocked due to the surface of the first panel and the surface of the second panel being positioned on substantially the same plane, and a second state in which the first panel and second panel both turn around the first common rotating shaft, and air flow through at least part of the first ventilation port is allowed due to the orientation of the surface of the first panel and the orientation of the surface of the second panel being positioned so as to overlap each other when viewed from a direction substantially perpendicular to the primary ventilation direction in the first ventilation port.   
     
     
         7 . The air conditioning apparatus as recited in  claim 6 , wherein
 the panel component further has a third panel, and a fourth panel disposed so that one end thereof constitutes a second common rotating shaft shared by an end of the third panel, and   the moveable mechanism is such that, in the first state, the surface of the first panel, the surface of the second panel, the surface of the third panel, and the surface of the fourth panel are oriented in substantially the same direction as the primary ventilation direction in the first ventilation port, and air flow through the first ventilation port is blocked due to the surface of the first panel, the surface of the second panel, the surface of the third panel, and the surface of the fourth panel being positioned in substantially the same plane; and, in the second state, the first panel and second panel assume a substantially overlapping state as a result of both rotating around the first common rotating shaft, while the third panel and fourth panel assume a substantially overlapping state as a result of both rotating around the second common rotating shaft.   
     
     
         8 . The air conditioning apparatus as recited in  claim 6 , wherein
 the panel component further has a panel frame in which a panel slide space is provided and in which air flow through the first ventilation port is blocked with the first panel and the second panel in the first state,   the casing further has a casing support part to support the panel frame,   the first panel further has a first sliding end which is an end on an opposite side of the common rotating shaft and which slides relative to the panel slide spaces,   the second panel further has a second sliding end which is an end on an opposite side of the common rotating shaft and which slides relative to the panel slide space, and   the common rotating shaft is rotatably supported relative to the panel support part.   
     
     
         9 . The air conditioning apparatus as recited in  claim 6 , wherein
 the panel component further has a panel support part to support the casing, and a panel frame to block air flow through the first ventilation port with the first panel and second panel,   the casing has a casing slide space,   the first panel further has a first sliding end which is an end on an opposite side of the common rotating shaft and which slides relative to the casing slide space,   the second panel further has a second sliding end which is an end on an opposite side of the common rotating shaft and which slides relative to the casing slide space, and   the common rotating shaft is rotatably supported relative to the panel support part.   
     
     
         10 . An air conditioning apparatus disposed above a space to be air conditioned, the air conditioning apparatus comprising:
 a casing having a first ventilation port, a blocking part provide to the first ventilation port and partially blocking ventilation, and a second ventilation port through which air passing through the first ventilation port passes; and   a panel component having panels whose shapes correspond to the first ventilation port, blocking corresponding openings whose shapes correspond to the blocking part, and a moveable mechanism to vary the relative position of the first ventilation port and the panel,   the moveable mechanism switching between a first state in which peripheral edges of the panels are disposed so as to correspond with a peripheral edge of the first ventilation port, peripheral edges of the blocking corresponding openings are disposed so as to correspond with peripheral edges of the blocking part, and air flow through the first ventilation port is blocked, and a second state in which a positional relationship between the peripheral edges of the panels and the peripheral edge of the first ventilation port as well as a positional relationship between the peripheral edges of the blocking corresponding openings and the peripheral edges of the blocking part are different from the first state in which air flow is allowed through at least part of the first ventilation port.   
     
     
         11 . The air conditioning apparatus as recited in  claim 10 , wherein
 the first ventilation port functions as a suction port leading into the casing, and   the second ventilation port functions as a discharge port leading out of the casing.   
     
     
         12 . The air conditioning apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein
 the moveable mechanism moves the panel and the casing away from each other in the second state, and widens the second ventilation port.   
     
     
         13 . The air conditioning apparatus as recited in  claim 12 , wherein
 the moveable mechanism disposes the panel in the second state at a position where the second ventilation port is covered in a plan view.   
     
     
         14 . The air conditioning apparatus as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising
 an angle adjustment mechanism to vary the angle of inclination of the panel in relation to the casing, the panel being in proximity to the second ventilation port in the second state.   
     
     
         15 . The air conditioning apparatus as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising
 a flap to adjust the orientation of air flow passing through the second ventilation port, the flap being positioned between the casing and the panel in the second state.   
     
     
         16 . The air conditioning apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein
 the panel has a surface formed in a substantially flat shape, and covers the first ventilation port in a substantially planar shape in the first state.   
     
     
         17 . The air conditioning apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein
 the first ventilation port functions as a suction port leading into the casing, and   the second ventilation port functions as a discharge port leading out of the casing.   
     
     
         18 . The air conditioning apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , wherein
 the first ventilation port functions as a suction port leading into the casing, and   the second ventilation port functions as a discharge port leading out of the casing.   
     
     
         19 . The air conditioning apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein
 the moveable mechanism moves the panel and the casing away from each other in the second state, and widens the second ventilation port.   
     
     
         20 . The air conditioning apparatus as recited in  claim 6 , wherein
 the first ventilation port functions as a suction port leading into the casing, and   the second ventilation port functions as a discharge port leading out of the casing.