Air conditioner

Abstract

An air conditioner includes: a main body including a heat exchanger and a blower fan, a panel frame assembled to the main body, a grille panel positioned on one side of the panel frame, a blade arranged to be spaced apart from the grille panel by a specified distance and to be rotatable relative to the panel frame, an intermediate panel positioned between the grille panel and the blade, a plurality of first holes arranged in the intermediate panel and capable of discharging air delivered from the blower fan, and a plurality of second holes arranged in the blade and capable of discharging air delivered from the blower fan.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a main body including a heat exchanger and a blower fan;   a panel frame assembled to the main body;   a grille panel positioned on one side of the panel frame;   a blade arranged to be spaced apart from the grille panel by a specified distance and to be rotatable relative to the panel frame;   an intermediate panel positioned between the grille panel and the blade;   a plurality of first holes arranged in the intermediate panel and configured to discharge air delivered from the blower fan; and   a plurality of second holes arranged in the blade and configured to discharge air delivered from the blower fan.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first flow path positioned between the main body and the intermediate panel, extending along one direction, and configured to move first air discharged from the main body therethrough; and   a plurality of flow limiting portions arranged in the first flow path and spaced apart from each other by a specified distance along the one direction.   
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein
 a cross-sectional area of the first flow path decreases along the one direction, and   each of the plurality of flow limiting portions extends to have a specified height along another direction perpendicular to the one direction, and   respective heights of the plurality of flow limiting portions decrease along the one direction.   
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner of  claim 3 , wherein
 the plurality of flow limiting portions comprise a first flow limiting portion and a second flow limiting portion arranged adjacent to each other along the one direction, and   a first height of the first flow limiting portion extending along the other direction and a second height of the second flow limiting portion are configured such that a flow rate of the first air passing through the second flow limiting portion is less than 50% of a flow rate of the first air passing through the first flow limiting portion.   
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner of  claim 4 , wherein a ratio, of the second height of the second flow limiting portion to a first height of the first flow limiting portion is in a range of 50% to 100%. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner of  claim 3 , wherein
 the plurality of flow limiting portions are arranged adjacent to each other along the one direction, and   a number of the plurality of flow limiting portions is configured so that a flow rate of the first air passing through a flow limiting portion at a most distant position along the one direction is at least 10% but not more than 15% of a flow rate of the first air flowing into the first flow path.   
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein each of a plurality of flow limiting portions is arranged to have a specified inclination angle with respect to the main body. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of flow limiting portions is configured to be rotatable at a specified inclination angle relative to the main body. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of first holes has a diameter of at least 0.1 millimeters (mm) but not more than 10 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of second holes has a diameter of at least 0.1 mm but not more than 10 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of second holes extends to have a specified inclination angle with respect to a direction of gravity in a windless mode in which the blade blocks an air outlet. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the specified inclination angle of each of the plurality of second holes is at least 0° but not more than 24°. 
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the blade is rotatable at an angle of at least 0° but not more than 87° relative to the panel frame. 
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein
 two ends of the blade are supported on the panel frame, and   an intermediate blade region positioned between the two ends of the blade is bent to have a specified curvature along the direction of gravity.   
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner of  claim 14 , wherein
 in a windless mode in which the blade blocks the air outlet provided in the panel frame ( 31 ), an intermediate region of the panel frame between the two ends of the panel frame is arranged to face the intermediate blade region positioned between the two ends of the blade, and   the intermediate region of the panel frame has a curved shape having a radius of curvature of at least 25,000 mm but not more than 50,000 mm.   
     
     
         16 . The air conditioner of  claim 7 , wherein
 the plurality of flow limiting portions comprise a first flow limiting portion and a second flow limiting portion arranged adjacent to each other along the one direction, and   a first height of the first flow limiting portion extending along the other direction and a second height of the second flow limiting portion are configured such that a flow rate of the first air passing through the second flow limiting portion is less than 50% of a flow rate of the first air passing through the first flow limiting portion.   
     
     
         17 . The air conditioner of  claim 7 , wherein
 the plurality of flow limiting portions are arranged adjacent to each other along the one direction, and   a number of the plurality of flow limiting portions is configured so that a flow rate of the first air passing through a flow limiting portion at a most distant position along the one direction is at least 10% but not more than 15% of a flow rate of the first air flowing into the first flow path.   
     
     
         18 . The air conditioner of  claim 8 , wherein
 the plurality of flow limiting portions comprise a first flow limiting portion and a second flow limiting portion arranged adjacent to each other along the one direction, and   a first height of the first flow limiting portion extending along the other direction and a second height of the second flow limiting portion are configured such that a flow rate of the first air passing through the second flow limiting portion is less than 50% of a flow rate of the first air passing through the first flow limiting portion.   
     
     
         19 . The air conditioner of  claim 18 , wherein
 the plurality of flow limiting portions are arranged adjacent to each other along the one direction, and   a number of the plurality of flow limiting portions is configured so that a flow rate of the first air passing through a flow limiting portion at a most distant position along the one direction is at least 10% but not more than 15% of a flow rate of the first air flowing into the first flow path.   
     
     
         20 . The air conditioner of  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of second holes extends to have a specified inclination angle with respect to a direction of gravity in a windless mode in which the blade blocks an air outlet.