Air conditioner

Abstract

An air conditioner includes a housing having a first inlet and a second inlet; a front panel disposed on a front side of the housing; a first outlet provided in the front panel; a second outlet provided adjacent to the front panel; a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat with air suctioned through the first inlet; a first blower configured to discharge the air having exchanged the heat toward the first outlet; a second blower configured to discharge air suctioned through the second inlet; a duct configured to guide the air discharged from the second blower to be discharged through the second outlet, the duct including a first duct outlet port communicably connected with the second outlet and a second duct outlet port communicably connected with the second outlet; and a valve provided in the duct and configured to control a flow of air flowing toward the first duct outlet port and a flow of air flowing toward the second duct outlet port.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a housing having a first inlet and a second inlet;   a front panel disposed on a front side of the housing;   a first outlet provided in the front panel;   a second outlet provided adjacent to the front panel;   a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat with air suctioned through the first inlet;   a first blower configured to discharge the air having exchanged the heat toward the first outlet;   a second blower configured to discharge air suctioned through the second inlet;   a duct configured to guide the air discharged from the second blower to be discharged through the second outlet, the duct comprising a first duct outlet port communicably connected with the second outlet and a second duct outlet port communicably connected with the second outlet; and   a valve provided in the duct and configured to control a flow of air flowing toward the first duct outlet port and a flow of air flowing toward the second duct outlet port.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the valve comprises:
 a damper plate; and   a driver configured to tilt or translate the damper plate.   
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein the driver comprises a first linear actuator and a second linear actuator, and each of the first linear actuator and the second linear actuator comprises a connecting shaft coupled to the damper plate. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner of  claim 3 , wherein each of the first linear actuator and the second linear actuator is fixed to a surface of the duct. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein the duct comprises a main flow section communicably connected with the first duct outlet port and the second duct outlet port, and configured to receive air from the second blower,
 wherein the second duct outlet port is provided under the first duct outlet port, and   wherein the damper plate is provided at a position corresponding to the second duct outlet port.   
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner of  claim 5 , wherein, as the damper plate is tilted so that an upper end of the damper plate moves toward the second duct outlet port and a lower end of the damper plate moves away from the second duct outlet port, a flow rate of air flowing toward the first duct outlet port decreases and a flow rate of air flowing toward to the second duct outlet port increases. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner of  claim 5 , wherein, as the damper plate is translated so that the damper plate is moved toward the second duct outlet port, a flow rate of air flowing toward the first duct outlet port increases and a flow rate of air flowing toward the second duct outlet port decreases. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner of  claim 5 , wherein, as the damper plate is tilted so that an upper end of the damper plate moves away from the second duct outlet port and a lower end of the damper plate moves toward the second duct outlet port, a flow rate of air flowing toward to the first duct outlet port and a flow rate of air flowing toward the second duct outlet port decrease. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the valve comprises:
 a first damper plate configured to open and close the first duct outlet port; and   a second damper plate configured to open and close the second duct outlet port.   
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner of  claim 9 , wherein each of the first damper plate and the second damper plate is hinge coupled to one surface of the duct. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner of  claim 10 , wherein a flow rate of a first discharge flow path is controlled based on an opening extent of the first damper plate, and
 wherein a flow rate of a second discharge flow path is controlled based on an opening extent of the second damper plate.   
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein the duct comprises a pair of ducts, and
 wherein the valve comprises a pair of valves disposed on each of the pair of ducts.   
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner of  claim 12 , wherein the pair of valves have different orientations. 
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger does exchange heat with the air suctioned through the second inlet. 
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner of  claim 14 , wherein the air discharged from the second outlet moves air discharged from the first outlet away from the front panel. 
     
     
         16 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a housing in which a first wind path and a second wind path are provided, the first wind path and the second wind path being separated from each other;   a heat exchanger provided on the first wind path;   a first blower configured to form an air flow in the first wind path;   a second blower configured to supply air in the second wind path;   a duct configured to form the second wind path and comprising a first duct outlet port and a second duct outlet port; and   a valve disposed in the duct and configured to selectively divide the second wind path into a first flow path connected to the first duct outlet port and a second flow path connected to the second duct outlet port.   
     
     
         17 . The air conditioner of  claim 16 , wherein the valve comprises a damper plate and a driver configured to tilt or translate the damper plate. 
     
     
         18 . The air conditioner of  claim 17 , wherein the driver comprises a first linear actuator and a second linear actuator, and each of the first linear actuator and the second linear actuator comprises a connecting shaft coupled to the damper plate. 
     
     
         19 . The air conditioner of  claim 17 , wherein the driver is further configured to divide the second wind path so that air discharged from the second blower is supplied to the first flow path and is not supplied to the second flow path. 
     
     
         20 . The air conditioner of  claim 17 , wherein the driver is further configured to divide the second wind path so that air discharged from the second blower is supplied to the second flow path and is not supplied to the first flow path.