Distributor, heat exchanger, and refrigeration cycle apparatus

A distributor for distributing fluid to a plurality of fluid outlets, the fluid flowing from a fluid inlet, the distributor comprising:

• a plurality of branching flow paths having an upstream branching flow path, and downstream branching flow paths located closer to the plurality of fluid outlets than is the upstream branching flow path, the upstream branching flow path having ends, the downstream branching flow paths each having a center;
• and
• an intermediate flow path provided between the upstream branching flow path and at least one of the downstream branching flow paths, the intermediate flow path connecting the upstream branching flow path and the at least one of the downstream branching flow paths,
• the upstream branching flow path, the intermediate flow path, and the at least one of the downstream branching flow paths are each provided respectively on individual stacked plates,
• the distributor being formed in such a manner that the fluid flows in a direction from the fluid inlet to the plurality of branching flow paths,
• the intermediate flow path having one end directly connected to one of the ends of the upstream branching flow path and an other end directly connected to the center of the at least one of the downstream branching flow paths,
• the intermediate flow path causing the fluid flowing from the one end to change a flow direction of the fluid into a direction orthogonal to a stacking direction of the stacked plates and then flow from the one end to out of the other end without the fluid being branched in the intermediate flow path.