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Air conditionerRelated Patent Categories: Refrigeration, Atmosphere And Sorbent Contacting TypeAir conditioner description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060191279, Air conditioner. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and, more particularly, to an air conditioner wherein it is possible to blow air to both a regeneration flow path and a dehumidification flow path using only one blowing fan, thereby achieving a reduction in the number of constituent elements, and thus, reducing the installation costs. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Generally, air conditioners are used to form more comfortable indoor environments for users. Such an air conditioner includes a dehumidifier for dehumidifying a confined space, for example, a room, a humidifier for humidifying the room, and a ventilator for ventilating the room. The dehumidifier removes moisture from indoor air using moisture absorbing and releasing functions of a dehumidifying rotor made of a desiccant. [0005] FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a configuration of a conventional dehumidifier. [0006] As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional dehumidifier includes a dehumidifier body 2, a dehumidifying rotor 5 arranged in the interior of the dehumidifier body 2 and adapted to absorb moisture from ambient air or to release the absorbed moisture to the ambient air, a dehumidification flow path 4 defined in the interior of the dehumidifier body 2 such that the dehumidification flow path 4 extends through the dehumidifying rotor 5 at one side of the dehumidifying rotor 5, to guide indoor air to be dehumidified by the dehumidifying rotor 5, and a first blowing fan 8 arranged in the dehumidification flow path 4, to force the indoor air to flow along the dehumidification flow path 4. The dehumidifier also includes a regeneration flow path 10 defined in the interior of the dehumidifier body 2 such that the regeneration flow path 10 extends through the dehumidifying rotor 5 at the other side of the dehumidifying rotor 5, to guide circulating air to dry the dehumidifying rotor 5, and a second blowing fan 12 arranged in the regeneration flow path 10, to force the circulating air to flow along the regeneration flow path 10. The dehumidifier further includes a heater 14 arranged in the regeneration flow path 10, to heat the circulating air, a condenser 16 arranged in the regeneration flow path 10, to condense moisture absorbed from the circulating air by the dehumidifying rotor 5, and a motor which rotates the dehumidifying rotor 5. [0007] The dehumidifying rotor 5 is divided into an absorption portion 6 corresponding to the side of the dehumidifying rotor 5, through which the dehumidification flow path 4 extends, and a regeneration portion 7 corresponding to the side of the dehumidifying rotor 5, through which the regeneration flow path 10 extends. The absorption portion 6 absorbs moisture contained in the indoor air passing through the dehumidification flow path 4, whereas the regeneration portion 7 releases the moisture absorbed by the absorption portion 6 to the circulating air. [0008] After being used for a predetermined time, the dehumidifying rotor 5 is rotated by the motor 18 such that the positions of the absorption portion 6 and regeneration portion 7 are reversed. [0009] A drain pan 20 is arranged beneath the condenser 16, to collect condensed water produced in the condenser 16. [0010] Hereinafter, operation of the conventional dehumidifier having the above-mentioned configuration will be described. [0011] When the first blowing fan 8 operates, indoor air enters the interior of the dehumidifier body 2, and then flows along the dehumidification flow path 4 to sequentially pass through the condenser 16 and the absorption portion 6 of the dehumidifying rotor 5. Accordingly, the absorption 6 of the dehumidifying rotor 5 absorbs moisture from the indoor air, so that the indoor air is dehumidified. The dehumidified air is then discharged to the room. [0012] Meanwhile, when the second blowing fan 12 operates, air present in the regeneration flow path 10, namely, circulating air, is forced to circulate the regeneration flow path 10. Accordingly, the circulating air is heated by the heater 14, and is then forced to pass through the regeneration portion 7 of the dehumidifying rotor 5. As a result, the regeneration portion 7 of the dehumidifying rotor 5 is dried by the circulating air. That is, the regeneration portion 7 of the dehumidifying rotor 5 releases moisture to the circulating air, so that the circulating air is humidified. The humidified air is then introduced into the condenser 16. [0013] The circulating air introduced into the condenser 16 heat-exchanges with the indoor air passing around the condenser 16. As a result, the circulating air, which is hot and humid, is condensed in the condenser 16. Condensed water produced in the condenser 16 is discharged to the drain pan 20. [0014] However, the above-mentioned conventional dehumidifier has problems of high installation costs and a limitation in reducing the size of the dehumidifier because the dehumidifier uses separate blowing fans to blow indoor air and circulating air, respectively, namely, the first and second blowing fans 8 and 12. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0015] The present invention has been made in view of the problems incurred in the related art, and it is an object of the invention to provide an air conditioner which can perform both a dehumidifying function a humidifying function, thereby being capable of achieving a reduction in installation costs and size. [0016] In accordance with the present invention, this object is accomplished by providing an air conditioner comprising: a dehumidifying rotor divided into an absorption portion adapted to absorb moisture from air and a regeneration portion adapted to release moisture to air; a dehumidification flow path defined to extend through the absorption portion and adapted to guide air, to be dehumidified by the absorption portion, to pass through the absorption portion; a regeneration flow path defined to extend through the regeneration portion and adapted to guide air, to be humidified by the regeneration portion, to pass through the regeneration portion; and a blowing fan which sucks air from a room or from the outdoors, and forces a fraction of the sucked air to flow along the dehumidification flow path while forcing the remaining fraction of the sucked air to flow along the regeneration flow path. [0017] The blowing fan may include an inlet, through which the air is sucked into blowing fan, and a plurality of outlets, through each of which the air sucked through the inlet is discharged into an associated one of the dehumidification flow path and the regeneration flow path. [0018] The blowing fan may be arranged in the dehumidification flow path. [0019] The inlet and the first outlet may communicate with the dehumidification flow path, and the second outlet may communicate with the regeneration flow path. [0020] The blowing fan may comprise a centrifugal fan including a scroll housing provided with the inlet, the first outlet, and the second outlet, and an impeller rotatably mounted in the scroll housing. [0021] The first outlet and the second outlet may be arranged perpendicular to each other. [0022] The first outlet and the second outlet may be divided from each other by a flow guide mounted to the scroll housing. Continue reading about Air conditioner... Full patent description for Air conditioner Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Air conditioner patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Air conditioner or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Evaporative coolers Next Patent Application: Refrigerant cycle unit Industry Class: Refrigeration ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Air conditioner patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.48442 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Canon USA , Celera Genomics , Cephalon, Inc. , Cingular Wireless , Clorox , Colgate-Palmolive , Corning , Cymer , 174 |
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