Air conditioner having variable air volume control device

Abstract

Provided is an air conditioner including a variable air volume control device. The air conditioner includes: an indoor unit main body including a main outlet through which air is discharged; a blower placed in the indoor unit main body and blowing air toward the main outlet; and a controller adjusting a second discharge rate of air in an air cleaning mode independently of a first discharge rate of air in a heating or cooling mode, wherein the second discharge rate of air is varied within a range different from a range in which the first discharge rate of air is varied.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner comprising:
 an inlet configured to receive air into the air conditioner;   an outlet configured to discharge the air from the air conditioner;   a blower configured to blow the air toward the outlet;   a blower motor configured to drive the blower; and   a controller configured to control a motor speed step of the blower motor,   wherein the number of the motor speed step in an air cleaning mode is different from the number of the motor speed step in a cooling mode, and   wherein the minimum of a second discharge rate of the air in the air cleaning mode is lower than the minimum of a first discharge rate of the air in the cooling mode.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an air purifying element configured to purify the air introduced into the air conditioner.   
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a remote control configured to generate an input signal.   
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a compressor and a heat exchanger configured to operate in the cooling mode.