# US 10,502,469 B2 · Accumulator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,469 B2 - Document ID: US10502469B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/709,211 - Filed: 2017-09-19 - Published: 2018-10-25 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2017-04-21 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Sejin Ku; Hyungjin Park; Sangmyung Byun; Gyeongsu Jin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502469B2 ## CPC - F25B 43/006: {Accumulators} - F25B 2500/12: Sound - F25B 2500/13: Vibrations - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS ## Abstract An accumulator having a case which forms a space in which liquid refrigerant and gaseous refrigerant are accommodated, a suction pipe connected to a first side of the case, a connection pipe that connects a second side of the case to a suction side of the compressor, and a gas-liquid separation pipe disposed inside the case to guide the gaseous refrigerant to the connection pipe, and in which the gas-liquid separation pipe is disposed inside the case and is separated from the connection pipe. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An accumulator that is connectable to a compressor, comprising: a case to hold a liquid refrigerant and a gaseous refrigerant; a suction pipe provided at a first side of the case; a connection pipe for connecting a second side of the case to a suction side of the compressor; and a gas-liquid separation pipe provided inside the case to guide the gaseous refrigerant to the connection pipe, and wherein the gas-liquid separation pipe is separate from the connection pipe, and wherein a discharge end of the gas-liquid separation pipe is spaced apart from the suction end of the connection pipe by a predetermined distance in an upward direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The accumulator of claim 1, wherein the gas-liquid separation pipe extends a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the case. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The accumulator of claim 2, wherein a central axis of the gas-liquid separation pipe and a central axis of the case overlap with each other. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The accumulator of claim 3, wherein a central axis of the suction pipe and a central axis of the gas-liquid separation pipe overlap with each other. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The accumulator of claim 1, further comprising: a liquid refrigerant inflow preventing plate that is provided inside the case to support the discharge end of the gas-liquid separation pipe. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The accumulator of claim 5, wherein the liquid refrigerant inflow preventing plate is horizontally disposed inside the case, and wherein the gas-liquid separation pipe extends upwardly from the liquid refrigerant inflow preventing plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The accumulator of claim 6, wherein an oil recovery hole is formed at a side of the liquid refrigerant inflow preventing plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The accumulator of claim 6, wherein the liquid refrigerant inflow preventing plate is spaced apart from a lower end portion of the case by a predetermined distance in an upward direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The accumulator of claim 5, wherein the liquid refrigerant inflow preventing plate separates an inner cavity of the case into a first cavity and a second cavity, the first cavity being located above the second cavity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The accumulator of claim 9, wherein the liquid refrigerant inflow preventing plate comprises a plate having a through hole through which the gas-liquid separation pipe passes. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The accumulator of claim 10, wherein the plate comprises an oil recovery hole through which oil in the first cavity may be received into the second cavity. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The accumulator of claim 10, wherein the liquid refrigerant inflow preventing plate further comprises an inner extension portion that extends upwardly from an outer edge of the through hole and surrounds a portion of the gas-liquid separation pipe. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The accumulator of claim 10, wherein the liquid refrigerant inflow preventing plate further comprises an outer extension portion that extends upwardly from an outer edge of the plate, and wherein an outer circumferential surface of the outer extension portion is attached to an inner circumferential surface of the case. ### Claim 14 (depends on 5) The accumulator of claim 5, wherein the case comprises: a cylindrical body; an upper cap that covers an upper end portion of the body; and a lower cap that covers a lower end portion of the body, and wherein the liquid refrigerant inflow preventing plate is attached to an inner circumferential surface of the body or an inner circumferential surface of the lower cap, the liquid refrigerant inflow preventing plate disposed to separate an inner cavity of the body and an inner cavity of the lower cap. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The accumulator of claim 14, wherein the connection pipe extends horizontally and extends inside the case through a side surface of the lower cap. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The accumulator of claim 14, wherein the connection pipe comprises: a horizontal portion that extends horizontally; and a bent portion that is bent at an end portion of the horizontal portion, and wherein the connection pipe extends inside the case through a side surface of the lower cap or through a bottom surface of the lower cap. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The accumulator of claim 16, wherein the suction end of the connection pipe that extends inside the lower cap is bent in an upward direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The accumulator of claim 1, further comprising: a screen member disposed between the suction pipe and the gas-liquid separation pipe to separate the liquid refrigerant from the gaseous refrigerant. ### Claim 19 (depends on 5) The accumulator of claim 5, further comprising: a vibration preventing plate disposed above the liquid refrigerant inflow preventing plate, wherein the vibration preventing plate supports the gas-liquid separation pipe. ### Claim 20 An accumulator that is connectable to a compressor, comprising: a case to hold a liquid refrigerant and a gaseous refrigerant; a suction pipe provided at a first side of the case; a connection pipe for connecting a second side of the case to a suction side of the compressor; a gas-liquid separation pipe provided inside the case to guide the gaseous refrigerant to the connection pipe; and a liquid refrigerant inflow preventing plate provided inside the case to support the discharge end of the gas-liquid separation pipe, wherein the gas-liquid separation pipe is separate from the connection pipe, and wherein an oil recovery hole is formed at a side of the liquid refrigerant inflow preventing plate.