Air conditioner

Abstract

The air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a base panel having an inlet formed in one side thereof, and an outlet formed in another side thereof; a variable panel disposed under the base panel and changed in shape to open and close the inlet and the outlet; and a driving device disposed on the base panel and changing a shape of the variable panel, thereby allowing the variable panel to cover the entire lower surface of base panel. In addition, the variable panel may open and close the inlet and the outlet. The variable panel includes: a fixed part disposed between the inlet and the outlet, and fixed in position vertically relative to the base panel; a cover part spaced apart from the fixed part and disposed at a lower side of the inlet or the outlet; and a variable part disposed between the fixed part and the cover part, and changing an inclination angle of the cover part.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a base panel having an inlet formed in one side thereof, and an outlet formed in another side thereof;   a variable panel disposed under the base panel and changed in shape to open and close the inlet and the outlet; and   a driving device disposed on the base panel and changing a shape of the variable panel,   wherein the variable panel comprises:   a fixed part disposed between the inlet and the outlet, and fixed in position vertically relative to the base panel;   a cover part spaced apart from the fixed part and disposed at a lower side of the inlet or the outlet; and   a variable part disposed between the fixed part and the cover part, and changing an inclination angle of the cover part.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the variable part is made of a deformable material. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the variable part and the cover part are made of different materials. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the driving device is coupled to the cover part or the variable part, so as to change a position of the cover part. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the variable panel comprises a plurality of bridges connecting the cover part and the fixed part, and spaced apart from each other in a left-right direction. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner of  claim 5 , wherein a vertical height of the bridges is less than a vertical height of the fixed part. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner of  claim 6 , wherein the variable part is disposed on an upper side of the bridges. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner of  claim 5 , wherein a lower surface of the bridges is formed as a flat surface to be connected to the fixed part and the cover part, and an upper surface of the bridges is formed in a serration shape. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner of  claim 5 , wherein the fixed part comprises a fixed hook protruding upward from the fixed part, so as to fix the vertical height of the fixed part. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner of  claim 9 , wherein the fixed hook is disposed at a point where the bridges intersect the fixed part. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , further comprising a cover panel disposed under the variable panel to cover a lower surface of the variable panel. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a bracket movably mounted on the variable panel and coupled to the driving device; and   a bracket guider disposed on the cover part and guiding movement of the bracket.   
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner of  claim 12 , wherein the bracket guider comprises a fastening part fastened to the variable panel, and a guide part disposed on one side of the fastening part and guiding movement of the bracket,
 wherein the guide part is bent upward from both ends that are perpendicular to a moving direction of the bracket, so as to guide movement of the bracket.   
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner of  claim 13 , wherein the bracket comprises a moving plate that moves forward and backward along the guide part, and a coupling plate coupled to one side of the driving device,
 wherein the coupling plate protrudes upward from one side of the moving plate.   
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet and the outlet are opened and closed simultaneously or together by the variable panel. 
     
     
         16 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a base panel having an inlet formed in one side thereof, and an outlet formed in another side thereof;   a variable panel disposed under the base panel and changed in shape to open and close the inlet and the outlet; and   a driving device disposed on the base panel and changing a shape of the variable panel,   wherein the variable panel comprises:   a rigid body made of a rigid material and having a bending hole formed in some region thereof; and   a flexible body made of a deformable material and disposed in the bending hole.   
     
     
         17 . The air conditioner of  claim 16 , wherein the flexible body is injection-molded into the bending hole of the rigid body. 
     
     
         18 . The air conditioner of  claim 16 , wherein the rigid body comprises a first plate disposed on one side of the flexible body, a second plate disposed on another side of the flexible body, a central rib disposed between the first plate and the second plate, and a bridge connecting the first plate and the second plate to the central rib. 
     
     
         19 . The air conditioner of  claim 18 , wherein the bending hole comprises a first bending hole formed in one of a front side and a rear side of the central rib, and a second bending hole formed in a remaining one of the front side and the rear side of the central rib,
 wherein the flexible body is disposed in each of the first bending hole and the second bending hole.   
     
     
         20 . The air conditioner of  claim 16 , wherein the rigid body has a groove extending from the bending hole in a front-rear direction,
 wherein the groove is formed in each of a lower surface and an upper surface of the rigid body.   
     
     
         21 . The air conditioner of  claim 16 , wherein:
 an upper groove, which is connected to the bending hole and in which the flexible body is disposed, is formed in the upper surface of the rigid body; and   a lower groove, which is connected to the bending hole and in which the flexible body is disposed, is formed in the lower surface of the rigid body.   
     
     
         22 . The air conditioner of  claim 21 , wherein the upper groove and the lower groove are formed at positions spaced apart from each other in a left-right direction. 
     
     
         23 . The air conditioner of  claim 21 , wherein an area of the lower groove is smaller than an area of the upper groove. 
     
     
         24 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a base panel having an inlet formed in one side thereof, and an outlet formed in another side thereof;   a variable panel disposed under the base panel and changed in shape to open and close the inlet and the outlet; and   a driving device disposed on the base panel and changing a shape of the variable panel,   wherein the variable panel comprises:   a fixed plate which is fixed in position vertically relative to the base panel; and   a variable plate disposed on one side of the fixed plate, an inclination angle between the variable plate and the fixed plate being changed so as to open and close the inlet or the outlet; and   a hinge rotatably connecting the variable plate to the fixed plate.   
     
     
         25 . The air conditioner of  claim 24 , further comprising a cover panel disposed under the variable panel to cover a lower surface of the variable panel. 
     
     
         26 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a base panel having an inlet formed in one side thereof, and an outlet formed in another side thereof;   a variable panel disposed under the base panel and changed in shape to open and close the inlet and the outlet; and   a driving device disposed on the base panel and changing a shape of the variable panel,   wherein the variable panel comprises:   a fixed part disposed between the inlet and the outlet, and fixed in position vertically relative to the base panel; and   a variable part spaced apart from the fixed part and disposed under the inlet and the outlet, and changing an inclination angle to open and close the inlet and the outlet.   
     
     
         27 . The air conditioner of  claim 26 , wherein the variable part is made of a deformable material. 
     
     
         28 . The air conditioner of  claim 26 , wherein the variable part extends from the fixed part in a front-rear direction. 
     
     
         29 . The air conditioner of  claim 26 , wherein the variable part extends from the fixed part in a front-rear direction. 
     
     
         30 . The air conditioner of  claim 26 , wherein when the variable part is changed in shape, a vertical separation distance between the base panel and a front end and a rear end of the variable part is changed. 
     
     
         31 . The air conditioner of  claim 11 , wherein the cover panel is removably mounted to the variable panel.