JP2009236473A - Adaptor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the entire cost for manufacture of both a cooling multi-service machine and a cooling-only machine and reducing the cost for manufacture of the cooling-only machine. <P>SOLUTION: An adapter is connected in place of a four-way selector valve in the following device including a compressor, first and second heat exchangers, first to fourth pipes 51-54, and a four-way selector valve. One ends of the first to fourth pipes 51-54 is connected to a suction port of the compressor, the first heat exchanger, a discharge port of the compressor, and the second heat exchanger, respectively. The adapter includes first and second pipes 21, 22 that are integral. The first pipe 21 is connected to only other ends 512, 522 of the first and second pipes 51, 52, respectively. The second pipe 22 is connected to only other ends 532, 542 of the third and fourth pipes 53, 54, respectively. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an adapter, and more particularly, to an adapter used for a cooling only machine.

  In addition to cooling / heating machines, cooling-only machines are manufactured. Piping is designed so that the cost and function are optimized regardless of whether the cooling / heating machine or the cooling-only machine is manufactured.

  However, in order to optimize the cooling / heating machine and the cooling-only machine, it is necessary to perform different piping designs. Moreover, the demand for the cooling only machine is less than that for the cooling / heating machine. For this reason, the whole cost regarding manufacture of both the cooling combined use machine and the cooling exclusive use machine has increased.

  Therefore, conventionally, a technique for sharing the piping design between the cooling / heating machine and the cooling-only machine has been proposed. Specifically, the same piping design and four-way switching valve as the cooling / heating machine are used in the cooling only machine. Then, the cooling-only machine is operated while the four switching valve is switched to the cooling operation state. Thereby, the same piping design can be used with the cooling combined use machine and the cooling dedicated machine.

In addition, the patent document relevant to this invention is shown below.
JP 2003-28544 A

  However, providing the four-way switching valve in the cooling-only machine reduces the overall cost of manufacturing both the cooling-only machine and the cooling-only machine, but in the cooling-only machine, the four-way switching valve is used for its original purpose. Therefore, the cost for manufacturing the cooling only machine increases.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to reduce the cost related to the manufacture of the cooling only machine while reducing the overall cost related to the manufacture of both the cooling combined use machine and the cooling only machine. The

  The adapter according to the present invention is connected in place of the switching unit in the following apparatus. Such an apparatus includes a compressor, first and second heat exchangers, first to fourth pipes, and a switching unit. The compressor has a suction port and a discharge port. The first heat exchanger functions as one of a condenser and an evaporator. The second heat exchanger functions complementarily with the first heat exchanger as one of a condenser and an evaporator. One end of each of the first to fourth pipes is connected to a suction port, a first heat exchanger, a discharge port, and a second heat exchanger. The switching unit connects the other ends of the third and fourth pipes while connecting the other ends of the first and second pipes, and the other ends of the first and fourth pipes. The aspect which connects each other end of 2nd and 3rd piping can be selectively performed, connecting.

  The adapter includes first and second tubes that are integrated. The first pipe connects only the other end of each of the first and second pipes. The second pipe connects only the other end of each of the third and fourth pipes.

  According to the adapter according to the present invention, the piping design of the device (cooling-only machine) with the adapter attached may be the same as the piping design of the device (cooling / heating machine) with the switching unit (four-way switching valve). Can be shared. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a cooling only machine by simply attaching an adapter instead of the switching unit. For this reason, the whole cost regarding manufacture of both the cooling / heating combined use machine and the cooling only machine can be reduced. In addition, since an inexpensive and manufacturable adapter is used for the cooling only machine, the cost for manufacturing the cooling only machine is also reduced.

  Furthermore, regarding the cooling only machine, since the first and second pipes are integrated, the degree of freedom of the first to fourth pipes is reduced. Therefore, it is possible to increase the strength of the first to fourth pipes against vibrations generated in the compressor and the first and second heat exchangers.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram conceptually showing a cooling / heating machine 100 that is an apparatus including a four-way switching valve 8. FIG. 2 is a diagram conceptually showing a cooling only machine 101 that is an apparatus including the adapter 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The cooling only machine 101 is obtained by connecting the adapter 2 instead of the four-way switching valve 8 while using the piping design of the cooling / heating machine 100 as it is.

  First, the cooling / heating machine 100 shown in FIG. 1 will be specifically described. The cooling / heating machine 100 includes a compressor 1, first and second heat exchangers 61 and 62, an expansion mechanism 3, first to fourth pipes 51 to 54, and a four-way switching valve 8.

  The compressor 1 has a suction port 11 and a discharge port 12, compresses the refrigerant sucked from the suction port 11, and discharges it from the discharge port 12.

  The first heat exchanger 61 functions as one of a condenser and an evaporator. The second heat exchanger 62 functions complementarily with the first heat exchanger 61 as one of a condenser and an evaporator. For example, when the first heat exchanger 61 functions as an evaporator, the second heat exchanger 62 functions as a condenser. On the other hand, when the first heat exchanger 61 functions as a condenser, the second heat exchanger 62 functions as an evaporator.

  The expansion mechanism 3 is connected between the first heat exchanger 61 and the second heat exchanger 62. The expansion mechanism 3 expands the refrigerant that flows from one of the first and second heat exchangers 61 and 62 to the other.

  One end 511 of the first pipe 51 is connected to the suction port 11. One end 521 of the second pipe 52 is connected to one end 611 of the first heat exchanger 61. One end 531 of the third pipe 53 is connected to the discharge port 12. One end 541 of the fourth pipe 54 is connected to one end 621 of the second heat exchanger 62.

  The four-way switching valve 8 can selectively switch the connection relationship between the other ends 512 to 542 of the first to fourth pipes 51 to 54 between the mode A and the mode B.

  In the four-way switching valve 8 in the aspect A, the other ends 532 of the third and fourth pipes 53 and 54 are connected to the other ends 512 and 522 of the first and second pipes 51 and 52, respectively. 542 is connected. On the other hand, the four-way switching valve 8 in the aspect B is connected to the other ends 512 and 542 of the first and fourth pipes 51 and 54, and is connected to the other ends of the second and third pipes 52 and 53, respectively. 522 and 532 are connected.

  By switching the four-way switching valve 8 to the mode A, the refrigerant flows in the direction of the arrow 111. That is, the refrigerant flows through the compressor 1, the second heat exchanger 62, the expansion mechanism 3, and the first heat exchanger 61 in this order. Thereby, the 1st heat exchanger 61 functions as an evaporator, and the 2nd heat exchanger 62 functions as a condenser. Therefore, when the first heat exchanger 61 is provided as, for example, an indoor unit as a use-side heat exchanger, the cooling / heating combined machine 100 performs the cooling operation.

  On the other hand, by switching the four-way switching valve 8 to the mode B, the refrigerant flows in the direction of the arrow 112. That is, the refrigerant flows through the compressor 1, the first heat exchanger 61, the expansion mechanism 3, and the second heat exchanger 62 in this order. Thereby, the 1st heat exchanger 61 functions as a condenser, and the 2nd heat exchanger 62 functions as an evaporator. Therefore, when the 1st heat exchanger 61 is provided, for example in the indoor unit as a use-side heat exchanger, heating / cooling combined machine 100 performs heating operation.

  Next, the adapter 2 connected instead of the four-way switching valve 8 will be described. FIG. 3 is a perspective view specifically showing the adapter 2. The adapter 2 includes first and second tubes 21 and 22.

  The first pipe 21 connects only the other ends 512 and 522 of the first and second pipes 51 and 52, respectively. The second pipe 22 connects only the other ends 532 and 542 of the third and fourth pipes 53 and 54, respectively.

  The first and second tubes 21 and 22 are integrated. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, both the first and second tubes 21, 22 are fixed to a fixing plate 41 for the first and second tubes 21, 22 with a fastener 42. For the plate 41, for example, a metal plate is employed. For example, a clamp is employed as the fastener 42. In addition, the first and second tubes 21 and 22 may be fixed to the plate 41 by brazing, welding, screwing, or the like.

  According to the adapter 2 described above, the piping design of the cooling only machine 101 (FIG. 2) to which the adapter 2 is attached may be the same as the piping design of the cooling / heating machine 100 (FIG. 1) to which the four-way switching valve 8 is attached. Design can be shared. Therefore, only by attaching the adapter 2 instead of the four-way switching valve 8, the cooling-only machine 101 can be obtained. For this reason, the whole cost regarding manufacture of both the cooling / heating combined use machine 100 and the cooling only machine 101 can be reduced. Moreover, since the adapter 2 that can be manufactured at low cost is used for the cooling-only machine 101, the cost for manufacturing the cooling-only machine 101 is also reduced.

  Furthermore, since the first and second pipes 21 and 22 are integrated with respect to the cooling-only machine 101, the degree of freedom of the first to fourth pipes 51 to 54 decreases. Therefore, the strength of the first to fourth pipes 51 to 54 against vibrations generated in the compressor 1 and the first and second heat exchangers 61 and 62 can be increased.

It is the figure which showed notionally the cooling / heating machine 100 provided with a four-way switching valve. It is the figure which showed notionally the cooling only machine provided with the adapter concerning embodiment of this invention. It is the perspective view which showed the adapter concretely.

Explanation of symbols

1 Compressor 2 Adapter 8 Four-way switching valve (switching unit)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Suction port 12 Discharge port 21,22 1st and 2nd pipe | tube 51-54 1st thru | or 4th piping 61,62 1st and 2nd heat exchanger 511-541 One end 512-542 Other end

Claims (1)

A compressor (1) having a suction port (11) and a discharge port (12); a first heat exchanger (61) functioning as one of a condenser and an evaporator; and a condenser and an evaporator As either one of the second heat exchanger (62) functioning in a complementary manner with the first heat exchanger, the respective one ends (511, 521, 531 and 541) are the inlet and the first heat. The first to fourth pipes (51 to 54) connected to the exchanger, the discharge port, and the second heat exchanger, and the other ends (512, 512) of the first and second pipes 522) and the other end (532, 542) of each of the third and fourth pipes, and the other end (512, 542) of each of the first and fourth pipes. ) While connecting the other end (52 of each of the second and third pipes). , The apparatus having a selectively executable switching unit (8) and a mode for connecting the 532), an adapter (2) which is connected in place of the switching unit,
A first pipe (21) for connecting only the other end (512, 522) of each of the first and second pipes;
A second pipe (22) that connects only the other end (532, 542) of each of the third and fourth pipes;
The first and second tubes are integrated;
adapter.

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