Variable-damper multi-function heat pump air conditioner

Abstract

A variable-damper multi-function heat pump air conditioner includes a housing defining a lower chamber and an upper chamber with a respective indoor-facing/outdoor-facing inlet and indoor-facing/outdoor-facing outlet, a lower damper and an upper damper respectively mounted in the lower chamber and the upper chamber, and an evaporator and a condenser of an air-conditioning system respectively mounted in the lower chamber at two opposite sides so that the air conditioner can run under the mode of cooling function in hot weather, the mode of heating function in cold weather, the mode of indoor-air and outdoor-air exchanging with/without cooling function in hot weather, the mode of indoor-air and outdoor-air exchanging with/without heating function in cold weather, the mode of one-fan-operation-only energy-saving quiet indoor-air and outdoor-air exchanging function, or the mode of dehumidifying with heating function in cold and humid weather by means of selectively controlling the operation of fans of the air-conditioning system and the positions of the upper and lower dampers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A variable-damper multi-function heat pump air conditioner, comprising a housing and an air-conditioning system mounted in said housing, said air-conditioning system comprising a closed-loop refrigeration cycle formed of an evaporator, a condenser and a compressor, a first fan disposed at one lateral side relative to said evaporator, a second fan disposed at one lateral side relative to said condenser, and a control unit for controlling the operation of said closed-loop refrigeration cycle, said first fan and said second fan, wherein:
 said housing comprises a transverse partition plate, an upper chamber and a lower chamber separated by said transverse partition plate, an upper damper pivotally mounted in said upper chamber, a lower damper pivotally mounted in said lower chamber, an indoor-facing outlet and an outdoor-facing outlet respectively located at opposing front side and back side of said upper chamber, an indoor-facing inlet and an outdoor-facing inlet respectively located at opposing front side and back side of said lower chamber; the angular position of said upper damper and the angular position of said lower damper are adjustable to define a cold air passage and a hot air passage separately in said housing; said evaporator and said first fan are disposed in said cold air passage; said condenser and said second fan are disposed in said hot air passage; said cold air passage and said hot air passage each defining an air inlet end and an air outlet end; when said air inlet end of said cold air passage is connected to said indoor-facing inlet and said outdoor-facing inlet of said lower chamber, said air inlet end of said hot air passage is connected to said outdoor-facing inlet and said indoor-facing inlet of said lower chamber; when said air outlet end of said cold air passage is connected to said indoor-facing outlet and said outdoor-facing outlet of said upper chamber, said air outlet end of said hot air passage is connected to said outdoor-facing outlet and said indoor-facing outlet of said upper chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The variable-damper multi-function heat pump air conditioner as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said evaporator and said condenser are respectively disposed in said lower chamber at two opposite sides; said first fan and said second fan are respectively disposed above said evaporator and said condenser; said first fan and said second fan are respectively disposed in said upper chamber at two opposite sides for drawing cold air or hot air into said upper chamber. 
     
     
         3 . A variable-damper multi-function heat pump air conditioner, comprising a housing and an air-conditioning system mounted in said housing, said air-conditioning system comprising a closed-loop refrigeration cycle formed of an evaporator, a condenser and a compressor, a first fan disposed at one lateral side relative to said evaporator, a second fan disposed at one lateral side relative to said condenser, and a control unit for controlling the operation of said closed-loop refrigeration cycle, said first fan and said second fan, wherein:
 said housing comprises a transverse partition plate, an upper chamber and a lower chamber separated by said transverse partition plate, an upper damper pivotally mounted in said upper chamber, a lower damper pivotally mounted in said lower chamber, an indoor-facing outlet and an outdoor-facing outlet respectively located at opposing front side and back side of said upper chamber, an indoor-facing inlet and an outdoor-facing inlet respectively located at opposing front side and back side of said lower chamber; the angular position of said upper damper and the angular position of said lower damper are adjustable to define a cold air passage and a hot air passage separately in said housing; said evaporator and said first fan are disposed in said cold air passage; said condenser and said second fan are disposed in said hot air passage; said cold air passage and said hot air passage each define an air inlet end and an air outlet end; said upper chamber comprises an outlet door controllable by said control unit to close/open said outdoor-facing outlet; said lower chamber comprises an inlet door controllable by said control unit to close/open said outdoor-facing inlet; said upper damper and said lower damper are respectively disposed perpendicular to said outdoor-facing outlet and said outdoor-facing inlet; the air inlet ends of said cold air passage and said hot air passage are connected to said indoor-facing inlet of said lower chamber;   the air outlet ends of said cold air passage and said hot air passage are connected to said indoor-facing outlet of said upper chamber.   
     
     
         4 . The variable-damper multi-function heat pump air conditioner as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said evaporator and said condenser are respectively disposed in said lower chamber at two opposite sides; said first fan and said second fan are respectively disposed above said evaporator and said condenser; said first fan and said second fan are respectively disposed in said upper chamber at two opposite sides for drawing cold air and hot air into said upper chamber.