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US 12,607,367 B2Granted
Air conditioner
AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.
InventorsJusu Kim, Sungoh Choi, Beomchan Kim, Youngheon Kwon, Yeoji Jung, Dongkeun Yang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air conditioner is provided that may include a case having a supply flow path formed therein and through which outside air flows into an interior space, a first heat exchanger disposed on the supply flow path, in which refrigerant flows, and that exchanges heat between the air and the refrigerant, a second heat exchanger disposed downstream of the second heat exchanger on the supply flow path, in which refrigerant selectively flows, and that exchanges heat between the air and the refrigerant, and a refrigerant distributer configured to send the refrigerant to the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger.
Claims20
An air conditioner, comprising:
- a case having a supply flow path formed therein and through which air flows into an interior space;
- a first heat exchanger disposed on the supply flow path, in which refrigerant flows, and that exchanges heat between the air and the refrigerant;
- a second heat exchanger disposed downstream of the first heat exchanger on the supply flow path, in which the refrigerant selectively flows, and that exchanges heat between the air and the refrigerant;
- and
- a refrigerant distributer configured to send the refrigerant to the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger,
- wherein the refrigerant distributer is provided in at least one indoor unit and includes:
- a liquid pipe connected to each of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger and through which liquid refrigerant flows;
- a first pipe connected to each of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger and in which vapor phase refrigerant flows;
- a second pipe in which gas refrigerant discharged from the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger flows;
- a first pipe valve disposed on the first pipe and configured to send the refrigerant flowing in the first pipe to the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger;
- and
- a second pipe valve disposed on the second pipe and configured to open and close the second pipe,
- wherein the first pipe is branched into a (1-1)th pipe connected to the first heat exchanger and a (1-2)th pipe connected to the second heat exchanger,
- wherein the first pipe valve includes a (1-1)th valve disposed in the (1-1)th pipe and configured to open and close the (1-1)th pipe, and a (1-2)th valve disposed in the (1-2)th pipe and configured to open and close the (1-2)th pipe,
- wherein when the (1-1)th valve opens the (1-1)th pipe, the (1-2)th valve closes the (1-2)th pipe,
- wherein when the (1-2)th valve opens the (1-2)th pipe, the (1-1)th valve closes the (1-1)th pipe,
- wherein when the (1-1)th valve is opened, the refrigerant that passed through the first heat exchanger passes through the second heat exchanger,
- wherein when the (1-2)th valve is opened, the refrigerant that passed through the second heat exchanger passes through the first heat exchanger,
- wherein the second pipe includes a first parallel pipe and a second parallel pipe branched and combined in the refrigerant distributer
- wherein the second pipe valve includes a first parallel pipe valve configured to open and close the first parallel pipe, and a second parallel pipe valve configured to open and close the second parallel pipe,
- wherein when the (1-1)th valve opens the (1-1)th pipe and the (1-2)th valve closes the (1-2)th pipe, the first parallel pipe valve and the second parallel pipe valve close, respectively, the first parallel pipe and the second parallel pipe, and
- wherein when the (1-2)th valve opens the (1-2)th pipe and the (1-1)th valve closes the (1-1)th pipe, the first parallel pipe valve and the second parallel pipe valve open, respectively, the first parallel pipe and the second parallel pipe.
19 more elements
An air conditioner, comprising:
- a case having a supply flow path formed therein and through which air flows into an interior space;
- a first heat exchanger disposed on the supply flow path, in which refrigerant flows, and that exchanges heat between the air and the refrigerant;
- a second heat exchanger disposed downstream of the first heat exchanger on the supply flow path, in which the refrigerant selectively flows, and that exchanges heat between the air and the refrigerant;
- and
- a refrigerant distributer configured to send the refrigerant to the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger,
- wherein the refrigerant distributer includes:
- a liquid pipe connected to each of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger and through which liquid refrigerant flows, wherein the liquid pipe is branched into a first liquid pipe connected to the first heat exchanger and a second liquid pipe connected to the second heat exchanger;
- a first pipe connected to each of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger and in which vapor phase refrigerant flows;
- a second pipe in which gas refrigerant discharged from the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger flows;
- a first pipe valve disposed on the first pipe and configured to send the refrigerant flowing in the first pipe to the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger;
- and
- a second pipe valve disposed on the second pipe and configured to open and close the second pipe,
- wherein the first pipe is branched into a (1-1)th pipe connected to the first heat exchanger and a (1-2)th pipe connected to the second heat exchanger;
- wherein the first pipe valve includes a (1-1)th valve disposed in the (1-1)th pipe and configured to open and close the (1-1)th pipe and a (1-2)th valve disposed in the (1-2)th pipe and configured to open and close the (1-2)th pipe,
- wherein when the (1-1)th valve opens (1-1)th pipe, the (1-2)th valve closes the (1-2)th pipe,
- wherein when the (1-2)th valve opens (1-2)th pipe, the (1-1)th valve closes the (1-1)th pipe, and
- wherein when the (1-1)th valve is opened, the refrigerant that passed through the first heat exchanger passes through the second heat exchanger,
- wherein when the (1-2)th valve is opened, the refrigerant that passed through the second heat exchanger passes through the first heat exchanger,
- wherein the second pipe includes a first parallel pipe and a second parallel pipe branched and combined in the refrigerant distributer
- wherein the second pipe valve includes a first parallel pipe valve configured to open and close the first parallel pipe, and a second parallel pipe valve configured to open and close the second parallel pipe,
- wherein when the (1-1)th valve opens the (1-1)th pipe and the (1-2)th valve closes the (1-2)th pipe, the first parallel pipe valve and the second parallel pipe valve close, respectively, the first parallel pipe and the second parallel pipe, and
- wherein when the (1-2)th valve opens the (1-2)th pipe and the (1-1)th valve closes the (1-1)th pipe, the first parallel pipe valve and the second parallel pipe valve open, respectively, the first parallel pipe and the second parallel pipe.
19 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.