# US 8,539,788 B2 · Ventilating and air conditioning apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,539,788 B2 - Document ID: US8539788B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/303,126 - Filed: 2007-07-10 - Published: 2009-07-30 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2006-07-12 - Assignees: Panasonic Corporation - Applicants: Yoshimasa Katsumi; Hiroyuki Kondou; Mitunori Matubara; Masafumi Tsubouchi - Inventors: Yoshimasa Katsumi; Hiroyuki Kondou; Mitunori Matubara; Masafumi Tsubouchi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8539788B2 ## CPC - F24F 1/022: comprising a compressor cycle - 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 - F25B 13/00: Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle (defrosting cycles F25B47/02) - F25B 47/022: {hot gas defrosting} - F25B 2313/008: Refrigerant heaters - F25B 2313/02341: during cooling - F25B 2313/02343: during dehumidification - F25B 2313/02344: during heating - F25B 2313/02741: using one four-way valve - F25B 2600/11: Fan speed control - 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 ventilating and air conditioning apparatus includes a circulating fan for sucking air from a sucking port open to a first indoor space and blowing the air through a blowout port into the first indoor space, a ventilating fan for sucking air from an exhausting port open to a second indoor space and evacuating the air to the outdoors for ventilation, and a refrigerant circuit formed of a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, a first heat exchanger for exchanging heat of air blown into the first indoor space by the circulating fan with the refrigerant, an expanding mechanism for expanding the refrigerant, and a second heat exchanger for exchanging heat of air blown into the second indoor space by the ventilating fan with the refrigerant. The compressor, first heat exchanger, expanding mechanism, and second heat exchanger are coupled together with pipes for the refrigerant to circulate therethrough in this order. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A ventilating and air conditioning apparatus comprising: a circulating fan for sucking air through a sucking port open to a first indoor space and blowing air through a blowout port open to the first indoor space; a ventilating fan configured to suck air through an exhausting port open to a second indoor space and the sucking port open to the first indoor space and evacuate the air to outdoors for carrying out ventilation; a refrigerant circuit including: a compressor for compressing a refrigerant; a first heat exchanger for exchanging heat of the air blown into the first indoor space by the circulation fan with the refrigerant; an expanding mechanism for expanding the refrigerant; and a second heat exchanger for exchanging heat of air sucked from the second indoor space by the ventilating fan with the refrigerant, wherein the compressor, the first heat exchanger, the expanding mechanism, and the second heat exchanger are coupled to each other with pipes for the refrigerant to circulate therethrough in this order, the ventilating and air conditioning apparatus further comprising a flow-path switching valve for switching a circulating direction of the refrigerant firstly to the compressor, secondly to the second heat exchanger, then to the expanding mechanism, and then to the first heat exchanger in this order, wherein the refrigerant in the second heat exchanger radiates heat to air to be evacuated to the outdoors by the ventilating fan, and the refrigerant in the first heat exchanger absorbs heat from air to be circulated in the first indoor space by the circulating fan for cooling the first indoor space. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the refrigerant in the second heat exchanger absorbs heat from air to be evacuated to the outdoors, and the refrigerant in the first heat exchanger radiates heat to air to be circulated in the first indoor space for heating the first indoor space. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a decompressing device in a pipe of the first heat exchanger for decompressing the refrigerant flowing in the pipe, wherein the refrigerant on a downstream side of the decompressing device absorbs heat from air blown by the circulating fan, and then the refrigerant on an upstream side of the decompressing device radiates heat for dehumidifying the first indoor space. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ventilating fan is operated for heating, cooling, or dehumidifying the first indoor space with a greater air volume of the ventilating fan than an air volume to be produced by only the ventilating fan for ventilating the second indoor space. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the exhausting port sucks air that has been conditioned by an air-conditioner disposed outside the first indoor space. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a ventilation path connecting the first indoor space to a sucking side of the ventilating fan; and a shutter for opening and closing the ventilation path, wherein the shutter is set to a closed state for air-conditioning the first indoor space, and the shutter is set to an open state for ventilating or drying the first indoor space. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 6, wherein the refrigerant in the second heat exchanger absorbs heat from air sucked from the first indoor space and to be evacuated to the outdoors through the ventilation path for drying the first indoor space. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 6, wherein the ventilation path communicates with the first indoor space via the sucking port. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The ventilating and air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: an auxiliary heater for heating at least a part of air blown by the circulating fan. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 9, wherein the auxiliary heater is a radiation type heater for dispersing radiant heat in the first indoor space. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a pre-heater for pre-heating air before the air is supplied to the second heat exchanger by the ventilating fan. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flow-path switching valve is switched based on a temperature of the refrigerant in the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a bypass circuit which branches off from the refrigerant circuit running from a discharging side of the compressor to the expanding mechanism, and merges into the refrigerant circuit running from the expanding mechanism to a sucking side of the compressor; and an on-off valve for opening and closing the bypass circuit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a refrigerant heating device disposed in parallel with or in series with the second heat exchanger in the refrigerant circuit for heating the refrigerant. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 14, wherein the refrigerant heating device is a refrigerant heater which heats the refrigerant with electric heat. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 14, wherein the refrigerant heating device is a refrigerant-hydrothermal exchanger which heats the refrigerant by exchanging heat between the refrigerant and hot water supplied from a water heater. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 16, wherein the hot water to be supplied to the refrigerant-hydrothermal exchanger is heated by a heat-pump type water heater. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 16, wherein the hot water having undergone a heat-exchange with the refrigerant in the refrigerant-hydrothermal exchanger is evacuated through a drain pipe which evacuates dew water occurred in the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 16, wherein water at an ordinary temperature is supplied to the refrigerant-hydrothermal exchanger so that the refrigerant can radiate heat in the refrigerant-hydrothermal exchanger. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a controller for controlling the ventilating fan to decrease an air volume when a temperature in the first indoor space is higher than a first given temperature or lower than a second given temperature which is lower than the first given temperature. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 20, wherein the controller controls the ventilating fan to decrease an air volume step by step. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 20, wherein the controller controls the ventilating fan to decrease an air volume to an equal level to an air volume produced by operating only the ventilating fan for ventilating the second indoor space. ### Claim 23 A ventilating and air conditioning apparatus comprising a main unit configured to be installed in a ceiling portion of a first indoor space, the main unit configured to be connected with an outdoor exhausting duct for coupling the main unit to outdoors and a second exhausting duct for coupling the main unit to a second indoor space, the main unit comprising: a circulating fan disposed in a circulation path for sucking air through a portion of a sucking port open to the first indoor space and blowing air through a blowout port open to the first indoor space; a ventilating fan disposed in a ventilation path for sucking air through an exhausting port coupled to the second exhausting duct and through another portion of the sucking port and evacuating the air to outdoors for carrying out ventilation; and a refrigerant circuit including: a compressor for compressing a refrigerant; a first heat exchanger disposed in the circulation path for exchanging heat of the air blown into the first indoor space by the circulation fan with the refrigerant; an expanding mechanism for expanding the refrigerant; and a second heat exchanger disposed in the ventilation path for exchanging heat of air from the second indoor space with the refrigerant, wherein the refrigerant circuit further includes a flow path switching valve for controlling the refrigerant flow so that the refrigerant flows, during a heating cycle, from the compressor to the first heat exchanger, to the expanding mechanism, to the second heat exchanger, and back to the compressor, and, during a cooling cycle, from the compressor to the second heat exchanger, to the expanding mechanism, to the first heat exchanger and back to the compressor. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a shutter disposed in the ventilation path in vicinity of the another portion of the sucking port for opening and closing the ventilation path, the shutter operatively opened so that the ventilating fan can suck air through the another portion of the sucking port and evacuate the air outdoors through the outdoor exhausting duct. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 23, wherein the refrigerant circuit further comprises: a first bypass circuit connecting an output of the flow path switching valve to the second heat exchanger, the first bypass circuit including a first on-off valve for opening and closing the first bypass circuit; and a second bypass circuit connecting an output of the first heat exchanger to the flow path switching valve, the second bypass circuit including a second on-off valve for opening and closing the second bypass circuit and a refrigerant heating device. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 25, wherein the main unit is operative during a dehumidify operation to: close the shutter and the first on-off valve; open the second on-off valve; and control the flow path switching valve so that the refrigerant flows from the compressor to the first heat exchanger and back to the compressor. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 25, wherein the main unit is operative during a frost removal operation to: close the shutter, the first on-off valve, and the second on-off valve; halt the circulating fan and the ventilating fan; and control the flow path switching valve so that the refrigerant flows from the compressor to the second heat exchanger to melt frost attached to the second exchanger, to the expanding mechanism, to the first heat exchanger and back to the compressor. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 25, wherein the main unit is operative during a frost removal and heating operation to: open the first on-off valve and the second on-off valve; and control the flow path switching valve so that refrigerant flows from the compressor and a first portion of the refrigerant branches to the first heat exchanger and a second portion of the refrigerant branches to the first bypass circuit, the first portion of the refrigerant branched to the first heat exchanger to radiate heat to the air circulated by the circulating fan and then flowing to the second bypass circuit to be heated by the refrigerant heating device, the second portion of the refrigerant flowing to the second heat exchanger to melt frost attached to the second exchanger and returning to the compressor. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) The ventilating and air conditioning apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a wall portion disposed within the main unit for forming the circulation path and the ventilation path, the circulation path connecting the portion of a sucking port to the blowout port open to the first indoor space, the ventilation path connecting another portion of the sucking port open to the first indoor space to a sucking side of ventilating fan.