Indoor unit for air conditioning apparatus

Abstract

An indoor unit for an air conditioning apparatus is provided. The indoor unit includes a cross flow fan having a structure that can reduce noise and flow resistance of air passing through a heat exchanger in the indoor unit.

1 . An indoor unit for an air conditioning apparatus, comprising:
 a chassis, including:
 a stabilizer; and 
 a fan insertion groove formed at a first end of the stabilizer and a fan supporter provided at a second end of the stabilizer; 
   a cross flow fan supported in the chassis by the fan insertion groove and the fan supporter, and extending across a portion of the stabilizer, wherein the fan draws indoor air into the indoor unit and the stabilizer guides the indoor air through the indoor unit; and   a heat exchanger provided an inlet side of the cross flow fan so as to perform a heat exchange with the indoor air, wherein a ratio of a thickness T of a blade of the fan to a chord length L of the blade of the fan is greater than or equal to 0.088 and less than or equal to 0.132.   
     
     
         2 . The indoor unit of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of an inner diameter D 1  to an outer diameter D 2  of the fan is greater than or equal to 0.77 and less than or equal to 0.80. 
     
     
         3 . The indoor unit of  claim 1 , wherein an outer circumferential angle β 2  of the cross flow fan is greater than or equal to 30 degrees and less than or equal to 32 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The indoor unit of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of an insertion depth t of the fan to the chord length L of the blade is greater than or equal to 0.0044 and less than or equal to 0.0143. 
     
     
         5 . The indoor unit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a front frame coupled to the chassis so as to form an interior space of the indoor unit therebetween, wherein the fan and the heat exchanger are positioned in the interior space;   an inlet grill and an inlet port formed in the front frame, each at positions corresponding to respective portions of the heat exchanger so as to guide indoor air therethrough and into the heat exchanger;   a front panel movably coupled to the front frame so as to selectively open and close the inlet port; and   a discharge grill coupled to the front frame and positioned so as to define an outlet port together with the chassis.   
     
     
         6 . The indoor unit of  claim 5 , wherein the heat exchanger is positioned in the interior space between the inlet grill and the fan, and between the inlet port and the fan, such that rotation of the fan draws indoor air through the inlet grill and the inlet port and through the heat exchanger for heat exchange, and then draws heat exchanged air through the fan for discharge from the indoor unit through the outlet port. 
     
     
         7 . The indoor unit of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a louver rotatably positioned between an outlet of the fan and the outlet port, wherein the louver controls a lateral flow direction of heat exchanged air through the outlet port; and   a vane rotatably positioned at the outlet port, wherein the vane selectively opens and closes the outlet port and controls a vertical flow direction of heat exchanged air through the outlet port.   
     
     
         8 . The indoor unit of  claim 1 , wherein the fan includes a plurality of blades each having a predetermined curvature from a root end to a tip end thereof, and a mean camber line that bisects the thickness T of the blade and follows the predetermined curvature of the blade. 
     
     
         9 . The indoor unit of  claim 8 , wherein an inner circumferential angle β 1  is formed between a first line that connects a root end of the mean camber line and a center of the fan and a second line that extends tangentially through the root end of the blade, and an outer circumferential angle β 2  is formed between a third line formed as an extension of the mean camber line from a tip end of the blade and a fourth line that extends tangentially through the tip end of the blade. 
     
     
         10 . The indoor unit of  claim 8 , wherein the predetermined curvature of the blade includes a first predetermined curvature that defines a first surface of the blade, and a second predetermined curvature that defines a second surface of the blade opposite the first surface, wherein the first predetermined curvature is different from the second predetermined curvature such that the thickness T of the blade varies along the chord length.