# US 12,007,142 B2 · Air conditioner > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,142 B2 - Document ID: US12007142B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/551,768 - Filed: 2021-12-15 - Published: 2022-06-23 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-12-17 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Beomchan Kim; Jusu Kim; Eunseong Pack; Yeongpin Chu; Janghoon Shin; Jaeik Jang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007142B2 ## CPC - F24F 3/153: with subsequent heating, i.e. with the air, given the required humidity in the central station, passing a heating element to achieve the required temperature - F24F 3/065: {with a plurality of evaporators or condensers} - F25B 40/02: Subcoolers - F25B 41/24: Arrangement of shut-off valves for disconnecting a part of the refrigerant cycle, e.g. an outdoor part - F25B 41/40: Fluid line arrangements - F24F 2003/144: {by dehumidification only} - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS ## Abstract An air conditioner may include a case having a supply channel therein through which external air flows into an interior space; a first heat exchanger disposed on the supply channel and in which the air and refrigerant exchange heat; a second heat exchanger disposed at a downstream side of the first heat exchanger in the supply channel, and in which the air and refrigerant exchange heat; and a refrigerant distributor that sends refrigerant to the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger. The refrigerant distributor may include a liquid pipe connected with the first heat exchanger and through which liquid-state refrigerant flows; a first gas pipe connected to the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger and through which gas-state refrigerant flows; a second gas pipe through which gas-state refrigerant discharged from the first heat exchanger flows; a first gas pipe valve disposed on the first gas pipe and that sends refrigerant flowing through the first gas pipe to the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger; and a second gas pipe valve disposed on the second gas pipe and that opens and closes the second gas pipe. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An air conditioner, comprising: a case having a supply channel therein through which external air flows into an interior space; a first heat exchanger disposed in the supply channel and in which the air and refrigerant exchange heat; a second heat exchanger disposed at a downstream side of the first heat exchanger in the supply channel, and in which the air and refrigerant exchange heat; and a refrigerant distributor that sends refrigerant to the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger, wherein the refrigerant distributor includes: a liquid pipe through which liquid-state refrigerant flows, wherein the liquid pipe is connected to a first side of each of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger; a first gas pipe through which gas-state refrigerant discharged from the compressor flows, wherein the first gas pipe is connected to a second side of each of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger; a second gas pipe through which gas-state refrigerant flowing into a compressor flows, wherein the second gas pipe is connected to the second side of the first heat exchanger; a first gas pipe valve disposed on the first gas pipe and that sends refrigerant flowing through the first gas pipe to the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger; and a second gas pipe valve disposed on the second gas pipe and that opens and closes the second gas pipe, wherein the first gas pipe is divided into a 1-1 gas pipe connected to the first heat exchanger and a 1-2 gas pipe connected to the second heat exchanger, wherein the first gas pipe valve includes a 1-1 valve disposed on the 1-1 gas pipe and that opens and closes the 1-1 gas pipe, and a 1-2 valve disposed on the 1-2 gas pipe and that opens and closes the 1-2 gas pipe, wherein the second gas pipe includes a first parallel gas pipe and a second parallel gas pipe that are divided and joined in the refrigerant distributor, wherein the second gas pipe valve includes a first parallel gas pipe valve that opens and closes the first parallel gas pipe and a second parallel gas pipe valve that opens and closes the second parallel gas pipe, wherein the 1-1 gas pipe is connected to the first parallel gas pipe, and wherein the 1-1 gas pipe is connected to the first heat exchanger through the second gas pipe. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein the 1-1 valve closes the 1-1 gas pipe when refrigerant flows to the second gas pipe. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein the second gas pipe further includes a pressure adjustment gas pipe that diverges at an upstream side of the first parallel gas pipe and the second parallel gas pipe and converges at a downstream side of the first parallel gas pipe and the second parallel gas pipe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The air conditioner of claim 3, wherein a pressure adjustment gas pipe valve that opens and closes an internal channel of the pressure adjustment gas pipe is disposed on the pressure adjustment gas pipe, and wherein the first parallel gas pipe valve and the second parallel gas pipe valve close the first parallel gas pipe valve and the second parallel gas pipe, and the pressure adjustment gas pipe valve opens the pressure adjustment gas pipe when flow of refrigerant is stopped. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are configured such that a flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the first heat exchanger is larger than a flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the second heat exchanger. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The air conditioner of claim 1, further comprising: a connection gas pipe that connects the first gas pipe and the second gas pipe; and a connection gas pipe valve that opens and closes the connection gas pipe. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein a subcooler disposed in the liquid pipe to expand and heat exchange with a first portion of refrigerant flowing through the liquid pipe is disposed on the liquid pipe. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The air conditioner of claim 7, wherein the subcooler includes a first subcooler, and a second subcooler disposed at an upstream side of the first subcooler on the liquid pipe, and wherein refrigerant diverging from the liquid pipe sequentially flows through the first subcooler and the second subcooler. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The air conditioner of claim 7, further comprising a divergence pipe that diverges from the liquid pipe and connected to the subcooler, wherein refrigerant flowing through the divergence pipe passes through the subcooler via a subcooling expansion valve and then flows to the second gas pipe. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein when the first heat exchanger heats air flowing through the supply channel, the refrigerant distributor is configured to stop supplying refrigerant to the second heat exchanger. ### Claim 11 An air conditioner, comprising: an outdoor unit that includes a compressor that compresses refrigerant and an outdoor heat exchanger in which refrigerant and external air exchange heat; and a plurality of indoor units connected with the outdoor unit through a plurality of refrigerant pipes and that adjusts a temperature of the air flowing into an interior space, wherein the plurality of indoor units each includes: a case having a supply channel therein through which external air flows into the interior space; a first heat exchanger disposed in the supply channel and in which the air and refrigerant exchange heat; a second heat exchanger disposed at a downstream side of the first heat exchanger in the supply channel, and in which the air and refrigerant exchange heat; and a refrigerant distributor connected with the plurality of refrigerant pipes and that sends refrigerant flowing from the outdoor unit to the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger, wherein the refrigerant distributor includes: a liquid pipe through which liquid-state refrigerant flows, wherein the liquid pipe is connected to a first side of each of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger; a first gas pipe through which gas-state refrigerant discharged from the compressor flows, wherein the first gas pipe is connected to a second side of each of the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger; a second gas pipe through which gas-state refrigerant flowing into the compressor flows, wherein the second gas pipe is connected to the second side of the first heat exchanger; a first gas pipe valve disposed on the first gas pipe and that sends refrigerant flowing through the first gas pipe to the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchange; and a second gas pipe valve disposed on the second gas pipe and that opens and closes the second gas pipe, wherein the first gas pipe is divided into a 1-1 gas pipe connected to the first heat exchanger and a 1-2 gas pipe connected to the second heat exchanger; wherein the first gas pipe valve includes a 1-1 valve disposed on the 1-1 gas pipe and that opens and closes the 1-1 gas pipe, and a 1-2 valve disposed on the 1-2 gas pipe and that opens and closes the 1-2 gas pipe, wherein the second gas pipe includes a first parallel gas pipe and a second parallel gas pipe that are divided and joined in the refrigerant distributor, wherein the second gas pipe valve includes a first parallel gas pipe valve that opens and closes the first parallel gas pipe and a second parallel gas pipe valve that opens and closes the second parallel gas pipe, wherein the 1-1 gas pipe is connected to the first parallel gas pipe, and wherein the 1-1 gas pipe is connected to the first heat exchanger through the second gas pipe. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The air conditioner of claim 11, wherein the 1-1 valve closes the 1-1 gas pipe when refrigerant flows to the second gas pipe. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The air conditioner of claim 11, wherein the second gas pipe further includes a pressure adjustment gas pipe that diverges at an upstream side of the first parallel gas pipe and the second parallel gas pipe and converges at a downstream side of the first parallel gas pipe and the second parallel gas pipe. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The air conditioner of claim 13, wherein a pressure adjustment gas pipe valve that opens and closes an internal channel of the pressure adjustment gas pipe is disposed on the pressure adjustment gas pipe, and wherein the first parallel gas pipe valve and the second parallel gas pipe valve close the first parallel gas pipe valve and the second parallel gas pipe, and the pressure adjustment gas pipe valve opens the pressure adjustment gas pipe when flow of refrigerant is stopped. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The air conditioner of claim 11, wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are configured such that a flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the first heat exchanger is larger than a flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the second heat exchanger. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The air conditioner of claim 11, further comprising: a connection gas pipe that connects the first gas pipe and the second gas pipe; and a connection gas pipe valve that opens and closes the connection gas pipe. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The air conditioner of claim 11, wherein a subcooler is disposed in the liquid pipe to expand and generate heat exchange with a first portion of refrigerant flowing through the liquid pipe.