US 12,135,146 B2
Air conditioner unit or sterilization light assembly and methods of operation
Craig Benjamin Williams, Louisville, KY (US); and Timothy Scott Shaffer, La Grange, KY (US)
Assigned to Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed by Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed on Jul. 22, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/382,702.
Prior Publication US 2023/0028978 A1, Jan. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. F24F 8/22 (2021.01); A61L 9/20 (2006.01); F24F 1/0328 (2019.01); F24F 11/00 (2018.01); F24F 140/50 (2018.01)
CPC F24F 8/22 (2021.01) [A61L 9/20 (2013.01); F24F 1/0328 (2019.02); F24F 11/00 (2013.01); A61L 2209/111 (2013.01); A61L 2209/12 (2013.01); A61L 2209/16 (2013.01); F24F 2140/50 (2018.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An air conditioner unit for conditioning an indoor space, the air conditioner unit comprising:
a housing defining an indoor portion and an outdoor portion, the housing further defining an exhaust outlet downstream from the indoor portion to exhaust air therefrom;
an outdoor heat exchanger assembly disposed in the outdoor portion and comprising an outdoor heat exchanger;
an indoor heat exchanger assembly disposed in the indoor portion and comprising an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor fan;
a compressor in fluid communication with the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger to circulate a refrigerant between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger;
a sterilization light assembly disposed within the indoor portion; and
a controller in operable communication with the indoor fan and the sterilization light assembly, the controller being configured to initiate a sterilizing operation comprising
directing activation of the indoor fan to motivate air through the indoor portion,
detecting activation of the indoor fan to motivate air through the indoor portion, and
directing activation of the sterilization light assembly to transmit an ultraviolet light emission within the indoor portion based on detected activation of the indoor fan,
wherein detecting activation of the indoor fan comprises monitoring a current to the indoor fan, the monitored current simultaneously powering the indoor fan and the sterilization light assembly such that the indoor fan is activated to rotate together with the transmitted ultraviolet light emission from the sterilization light assembly.