KR102166447B1 - Service valve for connecting air-conditioning system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a service valve which can be used at a portion connecting a refrigerant pipe of an indoor unit of an air conditioner to an outdoor unit thereof. The service valve can be rotated as the piping direction of the refrigerant pipe is adjusted in accordance with the installation location of the outdoor unit such that the piping of the refrigerant pipe may be easily performed. After the refrigerant pipe is fastened, the refrigerant pipe is prevented from being turned such that a refrigerant may not be leaked from the connected portion. To this end, the service valve for connecting a refrigerant pipe of an air conditioner comprises: an outdoor unit connecting port (10) to which a valve tube (T) of an outdoor unit is connected; an indoor unit connecting port (20) to which a refrigerant pipe (P) connected to the indoor unit is separably coupled; a spindle port (30) into which a spindle (S) opening and closing the outdoor unit connecting port (10) is inserted; and an air-vent port (40) provided for the injection of a refrigerant or the air discharge of the refrigerant pipe. Here, the inside of the indoor unit connecting port (20) has three stepped protrusions, wherein an inner protrusion (21) has the distal end of the refrigerant pipe (P) inserted thereinto, and a middle protrusion (22) has a snap ring (23), a washer (24), and an O-ring (25) sequentially inserted thereinto, and an outer protrusion (26) has a rotation prevention ring (50) inserted thereinto for preventing the rotation of the refrigerant pipe (P). Furthermore, at the outer protrusion (26), a latching groove (26a) is formed such that a rotation prevention projection (54) radially formed on the outer edge of the rotation prevention ring (50) may be latched.

Description

Service valve for connecting air-conditioning system

The present invention relates to a service valve for use in a portion connecting a refrigerant pipe of an indoor unit to an outdoor unit of an air conditioner. The pipe of the refrigerant pipe is connected by rotating the service valve according to the piping direction of the refrigerant pipe according to the installation position of the outdoor unit. It is easy and concise, and by preventing the refrigerant pipe from rotating after fastening of the refrigerant pipe, leakage of the refrigerant from the connection portion is prevented.

In general, a refrigeration cycle of a refrigerator includes a compressor that compresses and discharges the refrigerant sucked at high pressure, a condenser that condenses the refrigerant discharged from the compressor by heat radiation, an expansion valve that expands the condensed refrigerant supplied from the condenser, and It comprises an evaporator to make the blown air cool by evaporating the refrigerant supplied from the expansion valve by heat exchange with blown air.

In the refrigeration cycle, service valves are respectively installed in the refrigerant pipes installed in the condenser and the expansion valve and the refrigerant pipes installed between the evaporator and the compressor to charge the refrigerant or supplement the insufficient refrigerant.

Meanwhile, the service valve installed on the outdoor unit side for an air conditioner includes an outdoor unit connection port to which a valve tube connected to the outdoor unit is welded, an indoor unit connection port to which a refrigerant pipe connected to the indoor unit is detachably coupled, and a spindle that opens and closes the outdoor unit connection port. And, an air vent port for injecting refrigerant or discharging air from the refrigerant pipe is provided.

The method of connecting the refrigerant pipe connected to the indoor unit connection port in such a service valve includes: first, a connection method in which the tip of the refrigerant pipe is expanded and the expanded part is pressed with a tightening nut to maintain airtightness; and, second, the indoor unit A method of connecting to maintain airtightness by inserting a snap ring and an O-ring into the connection port and fastening a tightening nut from the outside to press the O-ring has been used.

On the other hand, the method of expanding the tip of the refrigerant pipe has a problem of increasing the construction cost because it requires separate equipment and skilled technicians, and the method of inserting the snap ring and O-ring and fastening the tightening nut from the outside is separate. The refrigerant pipe made of copper pipes is not required, but the tightening nut must be tightened after inserting the refrigerant pipe with the tightening nut loosened due to the nature of the refrigerant pipe made of copper pipe. When the pipe is inserted, scratch marks are formed on the surface of the non-rigid copper pipe by the snap ring, and there is a concern that a microscopic refrigerant leakage through this part may occur.

The prior art related to the present invention includes a service valve for air conditioning refrigerant pipe connection of Korean Patent No. 1440223, a service valve for refrigerator of utility model registration No. 226675, a refrigerant pipe connection valve for air conditioner and refrigerator of the same registration No. 305354, Patent Publication No. An air conditioner system having a service valve of 2010-37783 and a service valve for an air conditioner, a service valve for an air conditioner of Pupil No. 2011-16557, and a service valve coupling structure for heterogeneous refrigerant pipes of Pupil No. 2011-65245 are disclosed. As described above, the service valves according to the prior art still use a refrigerant pipe expansion method or a connection method using a snap ring, an O-ring, and a tightening nut.

Meanwhile, since the service valve according to the prior art is shipped fixed to one side of the outdoor unit, the refrigerant pipe needs to be bent to connect the refrigerant pipe connected to the indoor unit depending on the installation location of the outdoor unit. There is a problem in that the refrigerant pipe is twisted at the refrigerant pipe connection part of the service valve during the process of bending or moving the position of the outdoor unit, resulting in a microscopic refrigerant leakage phenomenon.

Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1440223 (2014.09.03.) Korean Registered Office No. 226675 (2001.03.28.) Korean Registered Office No. 305354 (2003.02.11.) Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1067445 (2011.09.19.) Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1153412 (2012.05.30.) Korean Patent Publication No. 2011-65245 (2012.03.27.)

The present invention was conceived to solve the above problems, and the object of the present invention is to firstly change the direction of the service valve to the refrigerant pipe piping direction regardless of the installation position of the outdoor unit. It is to provide a service valve for connecting an air conditioner refrigerant pipe that may not be excessively extended or bent in order to connect to it.

Second, in the present invention, when the refrigerant pipe connected to the service valve is twisted or rotated due to a positional movement of the outdoor unit or other reasons after the refrigerant pipe is connected, the refrigerant pipe is not manufactured in a circular shape. An air conditioner having an improved structure that can prevent refrigerant leakage from the connection area by having a fastening structure that can prevent the refrigerant pipe connected to the service valve from rotating due to external force because the leakage of refrigerant occurs in the tightening part. It is to provide a service valve for connecting a refrigerant pipe.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an outdoor unit connection port to which a valve tube of the outdoor unit is connected, an indoor unit connection port to which a refrigerant pipe connected to the indoor unit is detachably coupled, and a spindle into which a spindle for opening and closing the outdoor unit connection port is inserted. A service valve for connecting an air conditioner refrigerant pipe having a port and an air vent port for injecting refrigerant or discharging air from the refrigerant pipe;

The interior of the indoor unit connection port forms a step of 3 steps, the end of the refrigerant pipe is inserted into the inner end, and the snap ring, washer, and O-ring are sequentially inserted into the middle end, and the outer end is to prevent rotation of the refrigerant pipe. An anti-rotation ring is inserted, and a locking groove is formed in the outer end of the outer end of the anti-rotation ring to which a rotational anti-rotation jaw is formed,

The rotation preventing ring has a through hole formed inside so that the refrigerant pipe is inserted, an O-ring contact portion and a stepped portion in contact with the O-ring are formed in front of the inside, and a cut groove of a predetermined length is formed radially on the outside, and the A contraction rib is formed on the inside of the tip of the split piece divided by the incision to contract by pressing the refrigerant pipe, and on the outside of the contraction rib is a contraction rib by contact with a tightening nut coupled to a male thread formed outside the indoor unit connection port. A tapered surface is formed to shrink the inner diameter of the

The tightening nut has a female screw portion screwed to the male screw portion of the indoor unit connection port, and the female screw portion contacts a tapered surface formed outside the shrink rib of the rotation preventing ring so that the shrink rib presses the outer side of the refrigerant pipe to bite. It provides a service valve for connecting a refrigerant pipe of an air conditioner having a tapered surface to be used.

In a preferred embodiment, the outdoor unit connection port and the spindle port are each of an inner bending type so that the valve tube and the spindle are non-separable inside the port, so that the valve tube rotates at the outdoor unit connection port, and the spindle moves forward and backward inside the spindle port. Let it work.

According to the present invention, since the refrigerant pipe rotation prevention hole is inserted into the indoor unit connection port, the refrigerant pipe is prevented from rotating even if the position of the outdoor unit is moved while the nut is fastened or other external force moves the refrigerant pipe. There is an advantage that the airtightness of the unit is not disturbed, so that there is no problem of leakage of refrigerant.The connection port of the outdoor unit is made in a structure that can rotate 360 degrees regardless of the tube, so it is attached to the outside of the outdoor unit regardless of the installation location of the outdoor unit. By rotating the service valve, the indoor unit connection port can be aligned in the optimal direction to connect the refrigerant pipe connected to the indoor unit, thus minimizing the length of the refrigerant pipe and eliminating the need to bend the refrigerant pipe, simplifying and concise connection work. There are advantages such as being able to do it.

1 is a perspective view of a service valve according to the present invention,
2 is an exploded perspective view of the service valve shown in FIG. 1,
3 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of FIG. 2;
4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments that do not limit the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the service valve 1 according to the present invention has a cross shape like a conventional service valve for an air conditioner outdoor unit, which is an outdoor unit connection port 10 to which the valve tube T of the outdoor unit is connected. ), an indoor unit connection port 20 to which a refrigerant pipe P connected to the indoor unit is detachably coupled, a spindle port 30 into which a spindle S for opening and closing the outdoor unit connection port 10 is inserted, and a refrigerant It is provided with an air vent port 40 for injecting or discharging air from the refrigerant pipe.

In the present invention, the outdoor unit connection port 20 and the spindle port 30 are formed of an inner bending type, not a bolt or nut tightening type, so that the valve tube T and the spindle S are inside the ports 10 and 30. The valve tube (T) and the spindle (S) are designed to be rotated or moved forward and backward within each port (10,30).

In addition, a cap C is screwed to the air vent port 40.

In the present embodiment, the valve tube T includes a flange portion 12 for fixing the outdoor unit and an insertion portion 14 inserted into the outdoor unit connection port 10, and the insertion portion 14 In order to prevent leakage of refrigerant even if the service valve 1 rotates outside the outdoor unit, a plurality of O-rings 16 are provided in the outdoor unit connection port ( The service valve 1 can be freely rotated in a state where the end of 10) is inner bent and cannot be separated. Therefore, by turning the service valve 1 according to the installation position of the outdoor unit or the connection direction of the refrigerant pipe, that is, the indoor unit connection port 20 You can switch the direction of left or right.

In the drawing, reference numeral W denotes a welded portion between the valve tube T and the flange portion 12.

In this embodiment, the interior of the indoor unit connection port 20 has a step of 3 steps, the end of the refrigerant pipe P is inserted into the inner end 21 with the narrowest inner diameter, and the snap ring is inserted into the middle end 22 (23), washer (24) and O-ring (25) are inserted in sequence, and a rotation preventing ring (50) for preventing rotation of the refrigerant pipe (P) is inserted into the outer end (26). The outer end (26) is formed with a locking groove (26a) in which the anti-rotation protrusion (54) is formed radially on the outer periphery of the anti-rotation ring (50), so that the anti-rotation ring (50) itself is also inserted into the outer end (26). In this state, rotation is impossible, and the rotation preventing ring 50 serves to prevent rotation of the refrigerant pipe P by fastening the tightening nut 60.

The rotation preventing ring 50 has a through hole 51 formed inside so that the refrigerant pipe P is inserted, and an O-ring contact portion 52 and a stepped step 53 in contact with the O-ring 24 at the inner front side. ) Is formed, and a rotational bump 54 is formed radially outside the stepped jaw 53.

In addition, a cutting groove 55 of a predetermined length is formed radially outside the rotation preventing ring 50, and a refrigerant pipe (P) inside the tip of the split piece 56 divided by the cutting groove 55 A contraction rib 57 for contracting by pressing is formed, and a contraction rib 57 is formed on the outside of the contraction rib 57 by contact with a tightening nut 60 coupled to a male thread 27 formed outside the indoor unit connection port 20. A tapered surface 58 is formed to allow the inner diameter of the shrink rib 57 to shrink.

The tightening nut 60 is formed with a female screw portion 61 that is screwed to the male screw portion 27 of the indoor unit connection port 20, and the rotation preventing ring 50 is inside the female screw portion 61. A tapered surface 62 is formed to contact the tapered surface 58 formed outside the contraction rib 57 so that the contraction rib 57 presses and bites the outside of the refrigerant pipe P.

With this configuration, when the refrigerant pipe (P) is inserted into the indoor unit connection port (20) and the tightening nut (60) is tightened, the refrigerant pipe (P) is prevented from being separated by the snap ring (23) and the indoor unit connection port (20). When the rotation of the rotation prevention ring 50 inserted in the outer end 26 of the rotation prevention ring 50 is suppressed, when the contraction rib 57 of the rotation prevention ring 50 is pressed inward, the outside of the refrigerant pipe P is pressed and crushed. Therefore, the refrigerant pipe (P) connected to the indoor unit connection port (20) can be prevented from rotating arbitrarily. The tightening portion of the refrigerant pipe (P), that is, to the indoor unit, is connected by the movement of the position of the outdoor unit or the action of other external forces. Even if the part connected to the port 20 is twisted, the refrigerant pipe (P) does not rotate and remains in its original tightened state, so a minute gap is generated in the tightening part due to the rotation of the refrigerant pipe (P). It is possible to effectively prevent the phenomenon that the refrigerant leaks through the gap.

In addition, since the service valve 1 of the present invention is capable of rotating freely toward the outdoor unit connection port 10, the indoor unit connection port to which the refrigerant pipe P is connected by rotating the service valve 1 according to the installation location of the outdoor unit. Since the direction of (20) can be changed, the connection of the refrigerant pipe (P) is simple and connected without the inconvenience of having to connect the refrigerant pipe (P) unnecessarily long and bend it toward the indoor unit connection port (20). There are also advantages such as being able to concise.

1: service valve
10: Outdoor unit connection port
12: flange portion
14: insert
16: O-ring
20: indoor unit connection port
21: inner end
22: middle stage
23: snap ring
24: washer
25: O-ring
26: outer end
26a: locking groove
27: male thread
30: spindle port
40: air vent port
50: anti-rotation ring
51: through hole
52: O-ring contact
53: step
54: rotation bump
55: incision groove
56: split piece
57: shrink rib
58: tapered surface
60: tightening nut
61: female thread
62: tapered surface
C: cap
P: refrigerant pipe
S: spindle
T: valve tube
W: weld

Claims (3)

The outdoor unit connection port 10 to which the valve tube T of the outdoor unit is connected, the indoor unit connection port 20 to which the refrigerant pipe P connected to the indoor unit is detachably coupled, and the outdoor unit connection port 10 are opened and closed. A service valve for connecting an air conditioner refrigerant pipe having a spindle port 30 into which the spindle S is inserted and an air vent port 40 for injecting a refrigerant or discharging air from the refrigerant pipe;
The interior of the indoor unit connection port 20 forms a step of three stages, and the end of the refrigerant pipe (P) is inserted into the inner end (21), and the snap ring (23), the washer (24) and the five -Rings 25 are inserted in sequence, and a rotation preventing ring 50 for preventing rotation of the refrigerant pipe P is inserted into the outer end 26, and the rotation preventing ring 50 is inserted at the outer end 26. ) A locking groove (26a) is formed on the outer side of the radially formed rotation bump (54),
The rotation preventing ring 50 has a through hole 51 formed inside so that the refrigerant pipe P is inserted, and an O-ring contact portion 52 and a stepped step 53 in contact with the O-ring 24 at the inner front side. ) Is formed, and an incision groove 55 of a predetermined length is formed radially on the outside, and a refrigerant pipe (P) is pressed and contracted inside the tip of the split piece 56 divided by the incision groove (55). A contraction rib 57 is formed, and a contraction rib 57 is formed outside the contraction rib 57 by contact with a tightening nut 60 coupled to a male threaded portion 27 formed outside the indoor unit connection port 20. A tapered surface 58 is formed to allow the inner diameter of the to shrink,
The tightening nut 60 has a female threaded portion 61 that is screwed to the male threaded portion 27 of the indoor unit connection port 20, and the rotation preventing ring 50 is retracted inside the female threaded portion 61. A tapered surface 62 is formed to contact the tapered surface 58 formed outside the rib 57 so that the contraction rib 57 presses and bites the outside of the refrigerant pipe P,
The outdoor unit connection port 10 and the spindle port 30 have an inner bending type so that the valve tube T and the spindle S are non-separable inside the ports 10 and 30, respectively, and the valve tube T is connected to the outdoor unit. A service valve for connecting an air conditioner refrigerant pipe, characterized in that rotation is made in the port (10), and the spindle (S) moves forward and backward in the spindle port (30).
delete The method according to claim 1,
The valve tube T includes a flange portion 12 for fixing the outdoor unit and an insertion portion 14 inserted into the outdoor unit connection port 10, and the insertion portion 14 includes a service valve ( A service valve for connecting a refrigerant pipe of an air conditioner, characterized in that a plurality of O-rings (16) are provided to prevent leakage of refrigerant even if 1) rotates outside the outdoor unit.

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