Air conditioner

Abstract

An air discharge apparatus usable with an air conditioner includes a body formed with a suction opening and a discharge opening, a blowing fan arranged in the body to circulate air, and a partition to separate a suction path defined between the suction opening and the blowing fan from a discharge path defined between the blowing fan and the discharge opening. The partition has a vortex-restraint portion, which protrudes into the discharge path to occupy a portion of a bottom region of the cross sectional area of the discharge path, thereby serving to prevent generation of a vortex of air in the discharge path.

1 . An air conditioner comprising: 
 a body formed with a suction opening and a discharge opening;    a blowing fan arranged in the body to circulate air; and    a partition to separate a suction path defined between the suction opening and the blowing fan from a discharge path defined between the blowing fan and the discharge opening, the partition comprising a vortex-restraint portion, which protrudes into the discharge path to occupy a portion of a bottom region of a cross sectional area of the discharge path, to prevent generation of a vortex of air in the discharge path.    
   
   
       2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the vortex-restraint portion comprises a path-expanding portion to allow the cross sectional area of the discharge path to increase toward the discharge opening.  
   
   
       3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the path-expanding portion comprises a slope that is downwardly sloped toward the discharge opening.  
   
   
       4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the path-expanding portion comprises a step shape descending in a direction to the discharge opening.  
   
   
       5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the vortex-restraint portion is located in a predetermined region of the discharge path to exhibit a relatively low discharge flow rate.  
   
   
       6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 5 , wherein the vortex-restraint portion is located on a left side of a rotation center of the blowing fan when the blowing fan rotates clockwise.  
   
   
       7 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the air conditioner further comprises an indoor heat exchanger arranged beneath the partition; and    the partition comprises a flat plane portion formed at the front side of the vortex-restraint portion to come into contact with the indoor heat exchanger.    
   
   
       8 . An air conditioner comprising: 
 a body formed with a suction opening and a discharge opening;    a blowing fan arranged in the body to circulate air; and    a partition to separate a suction side of the blowing fan from a discharge side of the blowing fan to define an air discharge path along with the body, the partition mounted with a vortex-restraint member, which protrudes into the discharge path to prevent discharge air from flowing backward in a bottom region of the discharge path.    
   
   
       9 . The air conditioner according to  claim 8 , wherein the vortex-restraint member comprises a path-expanding portion to allow a cross sectional area of the discharge path to increase toward the discharge opening.  
   
   
       10 . The air conditioner according to  claim 8 , wherein the vortex-restraint member is located on a left side of a rotational center axis of the blowing fan when the blowing fan rotates clockwise.  
   
   
       11 . An air conditioner, comprising: 
 a body having a suction opening, a discharge opening, an uppercase, and a bottom plate;    a blowing fan disposed between the upper case and the bottom plate to generate an air path between the suction opening and the discharge opening; and    a partition disposed between the upper case and the bottom plate to divide the air path into a suction path from the suction opening to the blowing fan and a discharge path from the blowing fan to the discharge opening, and having a first surface spaced-apart from the upper case by a first distance to define a first cross-sectional area perpendicular to a discharge direction of the discharge path, and a second surface spaced-apart from the upper case by a second distance to define a second cross-sectional area perpendicular to the discharge direction of the discharge path.    
   
   
       12 . The air conditioner according to  claim 11 , wherein the second surface is disposed between the suction opening and the first surface, and the second cross-sectional area is greater than the first cross-sectional area.  
   
   
       13 . The air conditioner according to  claim 11 , wherein the first surface and the second surface are disposed in the discharge direction of the discharge path between the partition and the upper case.  
   
   
       14 . The air conditioner according to  claim 11 , wherein the first surface and the second surface are disposed in a line perpendicular to the discharge direction of the discharge path.  
   
   
       15 . The air conditioner according to  claim 14 , wherein the first cross-sectional area varies according to a distance from the suction opening.  
   
   
       16 . The air conditioner according to  claim 14 , wherein the first distance of the first surface from the upper case varies according to a distance from the blowing fan.  
   
   
       17 . The air conditioner according to  claim 11 , wherein the blowing fan generates first and second air currents along the discharge direction of the discharge path between the partition and the blowing fan, and the first and second surfaces form the discharge path with the upper case such that the first air current does not interfere with the second air current.  
   
   
       18 . The air conditioner according to  claim 11 , wherein the first air current is formed along the upper case, and the second air current formed along one of the first and second surfaces of the partition.