KR20100053330A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An air conditioner is provided to prevent the noise produced when a slider strikes against a cup and to prevent the damage to the cup and the slider. CONSTITUTION: An air conditioner comprises a compressor and a four way valve. The four way valve comprises a valve body(52), refrigerant pipes(60,62,64,66), caps(70,80), a slider(90), a refrigerant supply tool, shock-absorbing members(110,120). The refrigerant pipe is installed at the valve body to be projected in the radius direction and is connected to the refrigerant flow passage. The caps block the longitudinal end of the valve body. The slider is arranged at the inside of the valve body to be movable in the longitudinal direction and comprises a flow passage forming member. The refrigerant supply tool transfers the slider by the refrigerant. The shock-absorbing member is located between the slider and the cap and is installed in at least one of the slider and the cap.

Description

Air Conditioner

The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly to an air conditioner having a four-way valve for switching the flow path during cooling / heating.

In general, an air conditioner is a device that cools or heats a room using a refrigeration cycle including a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion device, and an indoor heat exchanger. The air conditioner is composed of a cooler that cools a room, or a cooling and heating function that cools or heats a room. It consists of an air conditioner (ie a heat pump).

When the air conditioner is configured as a combined air-conditioning and air-conditioning unit, the refrigerant including the four-way valve for changing the flow path of the refrigerant compressed in the compressor in accordance with the cooling operation and heating operation, the refrigerant compressed in the compressor during the cooling operation with the four-way valve and the outdoor heat exchanger As the outdoor heat exchanger acts as a condenser and the indoor heat exchanger acts as an evaporator as the circulation mechanism is circulated through the expansion mechanism, the indoor heat exchanger, and the four-way valve, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor expands with the four-way valve and the indoor heat exchanger during the heating operation. The indoor heat exchanger acts as a condenser and the outdoor heat exchanger acts as an evaporator as it is circulated to the compressor through the mechanism, the outdoor heat exchanger and the four-way valve.

The air conditioner as described above has a problem in that switching noise is generated by collision between metal materials inside the four-way valve during the cooling / heating switching.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to minimize the noise generated when switching of the four-way valve, to prevent damage to the four-way valve to provide an air conditioner to increase the life.

Air conditioner according to the present invention for solving the above problems is a compressor for compressing the refrigerant; The compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger are connected to respective refrigerant flow paths, allowing the refrigerant compressed in the compressor to flow to the outdoor heat exchanger while cooling the refrigerant evaporated in the indoor heat exchanger to the compressor, and compressing the compressor during heating. And a four-way valve for flowing the refrigerant to an indoor heat exchanger, wherein the four-way valve includes: a valve body formed in a hollow cylinder shape; A refrigerant pipe installed radially on the valve body and connected to the refrigerant passages; A cap blocking the longitudinal end of the valve body; A slider disposed in the valve body to move in a length direction and having a flow path forming member communicating two refrigerant pipes; A refrigerant supply mechanism connected to move the slider by the refrigerant; And a cushioning member installed on at least one of the slider and the cap so as to be positioned between the slider and the cap.

The buffer member includes an outer cylinder portion; It is formed in the outer cylinder portion and includes a through hole is formed in the inner plate portion is fastened to the cap and the fastening member.

The cap has a fastening hole opposite the through hole.

The cap is provided with a fastening portion having the fastening hole and inserted into the outer cylinder portion.

The buffer member is made of Teflon material.

The cap has an open surface facing the inside of the valve body, and a part of a circumference is exposed to the outside of the valve body, and the coolant supply mechanism is a portion of the circumference of the cap protruding to the outside of the valve body. And a refrigerant pipe passing through, wherein the buffer member has a diameter spaced apart from the circumference of the cap and the refrigerant pipe.

The buffer member has a length protruding into the valve body through the open surface of the cap.

The cap includes a first cap blocking a longitudinal end of the valve body; A second cap for blocking the other end of the longitudinal direction of the valve body, wherein the buffer member includes a first buffer member provided on the first cap, and a second buffer member provided on the second cap.

In the air conditioner according to the present invention configured as described above, the slider does not hit the cap when switching the cooling / heating passage, but is buffered by the cushioning member, thereby preventing noise generated when the slider hits the cap, and the cap There is an advantage to prevent damage to the slider.

 The air conditioner according to the present invention has an advantage that the buffer member is made of Teflon material and is not damaged by a high temperature and high pressure refrigerant, and has a high durability and a long service life.

The air conditioner according to the present invention has an advantage of minimizing noise because the outer cylinder of the buffer member is partially pressed by the slider to mitigate the impact.

Since the air conditioner according to the present invention contacts the slider in a fixed position where the buffer member is installed in the cap, the air conditioner can minimize the size of the coolant supply mechanism more than when installed in the slider and minimize the possibility of separation.

In the air conditioner according to the present invention, since the fastening portion formed in the cap is inserted into the shock absorbing member when the shock absorbing member is installed, the fastening operation of the fastening member is easy.

The air conditioner according to the present invention has an advantage in that the buffer member has a diameter spaced apart from the circumference of the cap and the refrigerant pipe to buffer the slider without disturbing the inflow of the refrigerant flowing from the refrigerant supply mechanism.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an air conditioner according to the present invention.

The air conditioner according to the present embodiment includes a compressor (1), an outdoor heat exchanger (2), an indoor heat exchanger (3), an expansion mechanism (4), and a four-way valve (5).

The compressor 1 compresses the refrigerant, and the suction refrigerant passage 11 through which the refrigerant is sucked into the compressor 1 and the discharge refrigerant passage 12 through which the compressed refrigerant is discharged are connected to the four-way valve 5, respectively. .

The suction refrigerant channel 11 is connected to the suction pipe 13 connected to the compressor 1, the accumulator 14 connected to the suction pipe 13 and storing the liquid refrigerant, and the four-way valve connected to the accumulator 14. And an accumulator connecting pipe 15 for guiding the refrigerant through the accumulator 14 to the accumulator 14.

The discharge refrigerant flow passage 12 is a discharge tube 16 connected to the compressor 1, an oil separator 17 connected to the discharge tube 16 to separate the refrigerant and oil, and an oil separator 17 connected to the oil It includes an oil separator connecting pipe (18) for guiding the refrigerant passing through the separator (17) to the four-way valve (5).

The oil separator 17 is connected to an oil recovery pipe 19 for guiding oil separated from the refrigerant from the oil separator 17 to the suction refrigerant flow path 11, and a capillary for adjusting the flow rate to the oil recovery pipe 19. Tee tubes are installed.

The outdoor heat exchanger (2) condenses the refrigerant flowing in the four-way valve (5) or evaporates the refrigerant flowing in the expansion mechanism (4). In the case of an air-cooled heat exchanger, outdoor air is supplied to the periphery of the outdoor heat exchanger (2). An outdoor blower 22 for blowing air is installed, and in the case of a water-cooled heat exchanger, a supply / drainer for supplying and draining water to the outdoor heat exchanger 2 is connected. Hereinafter, the outdoor heat exchanger 2 will be described as an air-cooled heat exchanger.

The outdoor blower 22 includes an outdoor fan 24 for promoting heat absorption or heat dissipation of the refrigerant and a fan motor 26 for rotating the indoor fan 24.

The outdoor heat exchanger 2 is connected to the four-way valve 5 and the outdoor heat exchanger-four-way valve connecting refrigerant passage 28.

The indoor heat exchanger (3) condenses the refrigerant flowing in the four-way valve (5) or evaporates the refrigerant flowing in the expansion mechanism (4), and the indoor blower that blows indoor air around the indoor heat exchanger (3). 32 is installed.

The indoor blower 32 includes an indoor fan 34 that promotes heat absorption or heat dissipation of the refrigerant and a fan motor 36 that rotates the indoor fan 34.

The indoor heat exchanger 3 is connected to the four-way valve 5 and the indoor heat exchanger-four-way valve connecting refrigerant passage 38.

The expansion mechanism 4 is installed in the refrigerant pipe between the outdoor heat exchanger 2 and the indoor heat exchanger 3 to expand the condensed refrigerant, and the indoor condensed refrigerant is expanded in the outdoor heat exchanger 2 during cooling. Expansion valve 42, and the outdoor expansion valve 44 is the expansion of the refrigerant condensed in the indoor heat exchanger (3) during heating.

The four-way valve 5 allows the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 1 to flow into the outdoor heat exchanger 2 during the cooling operation or the defrosting operation of the air conditioner, and also the refrigerant evaporated by the indoor heat exchanger 3 to the compressor 1. To flow the refrigerant to the indoor heat exchanger (3) and to switch the flow path of the refrigerant to flow the refrigerant evaporated in the outdoor heat exchanger (2) to the compressor (1) during heating. The suction side of the compressor 1, the discharge side of the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger 2, the indoor heat exchanger 3, and the respective refrigerant passages 11, 12, 28, 38 are connected.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a four-way valve of an embodiment of the air conditioner according to the present invention, Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the four-way valve during the cooling operation or defrost operation of an embodiment of the air conditioner according to the present invention, Figure 4 is 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a four-way valve during heating operation of an embodiment of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

 The four-way valve 5 includes a valve body 52 formed in a hollow cylinder shape; Refrigerant pipes 60, 62, 64 and 66 installed radially in the valve body 50; Caps 70 and 80 that block the longitudinal ends of the valve body 50; A slider (90) disposed in the valve body (52) to move in the longitudinal direction and having a flow path forming member (88) communicating two refrigerant pipes (60, 62, 64, 66); A refrigerant supply mechanism (100) connected to move the slider (90) by the refrigerant; And buffer members 110 and 120 installed on at least one of the slider 90 and the cap 70 and 80 to be positioned between the slider 90 and the cap 70 and 80.

The valve body 52 forms an outer appearance of the periphery of the four-way valve 5, has a flow path through which the refrigerant passes, and both ends are formed with openings.

The refrigerant pipes 60, 62, 64, 66 are a first refrigerant pipe 60 connected to the refrigerant discharge passage 12 of the compressor 2, and an outdoor heat exchanger-four-way valve connection flow path 28. A second refrigerant pipe 62 connected to the second refrigerant pipe 62, a third refrigerant pipe 64 connected to the indoor heat exchanger-four-way valve connection flow path 38, and a refrigerant suction flow path 11 of the compressor 2. 4, the refrigerant pipe (66).

The caps 70 and 80 are installed at both ends of the valve body 52, and include a first cap 70 which blocks one end of the valve body 52 in the longitudinal direction; And a second cap 80 that blocks the other end of the valve body 52 in the longitudinal direction.

The caps 70 and 80 are opened with faces 71 and 81 facing the inside of the valve body 52, and some of the circumferences 72 and 82 are exposed to the outside of the valve body 50. On the other hand, the opposite surfaces of the open surfaces 71 and 81 are made of blocked plate portions 73 and 83.

 Caps 70 and 80 are provided with fastening portions 74 and 84 to which the buffer members 110 and 120 are fastened to fastening members 114 and 124 such as screws.

The fastening portions 74 and 84 are provided with fastening holes 75 and 85 facing the through holes 113 and 123, which will be described later, of the buffer members 110 and 120, and the shock absorbing members 110 and 120. ) Is formed to be inserted into the outer cylinder portion 112, 122 to be described later of the buffer member (110, 120).

The caps 70 and 80 form a refrigerant working space between the sliders 90 and are made of metal so as not to be damaged by the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant.

The slider 90 is provided with a bracket 91 in which the flow path forming member 88 is installed, and a pressure of the refrigerant supplied to the inside of the first cap 70 from the refrigerant supply mechanism 100 by being installed at one end of the bracket 91. The second pressure plate 93 installed at the other end of the first pressure plate 92 and the bracket 91 to which the pressure is applied, and the pressure of the refrigerant supplied from the refrigerant supply mechanism 100 to the inside of the second cap 80 is acted on. More).

The first and second pressure plates 92 and 93 are members which are pressurized by the refrigerant and are made of metal so as not to be damaged by the refrigerant having a high temperature and high pressure.

The coolant supply mechanism 100 includes a circumference of the first coolant pipe 102 and the caps 70 and 80 through which the coolant in the coolant discharge passage 12 of the compressor 2 or the coolant in the first coolant pipe 60 flows. The second and third refrigerant pipes 104 and 106 disposed through the portions exposed to the outside of the valve body 52 and the refrigerant flowing through the first refrigerant pipe 102 are removed. And a solenoid valve 108 to selectively flow into one of the two or three refrigerant pipes 104 and 106.

One end of the first refrigerant pipe 102 is connected to the refrigerant discharge passage 12 or the first refrigerant pipe 60 of the compressor 2, and the other end thereof is connected to the inlet end of the solenoid valve 108.

The second refrigerant pipe 104 is disposed such that one end is connected to one outlet end of the solenoid valve 108 and the other end penetrates through the first cap 70.

One end of the third refrigerant pipe 106 is connected between the other outlet of the solenoid valve 108 and the other end thereof is penetrated through the second cap 80.

The shock absorbing members 110 and 120 do not directly contact the slider 90 and the cap 70 and 80 when the slider 90 is moved, and thus are generated when the slider 90 and the cap 70 and 80 are in contact with each other. In order to prevent noise, in particular, a portion of the caps 70 and 80 located inside the valve body 52 and the pressure plates 92 and 93 of the slider 90 are provided so as not to contact each other.

The shock absorbing members 110 and 120 may be made of a rubber elastic material, may be made of a Teflon material having heat resistance and a low coefficient of friction, and may not be damaged by the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant compressed by the compressor 1. It is preferably made of a material.

The shock absorbing members 110 and 120 may be installed on the pressure plates 92 and 93 of the slider 90, and may be installed on the caps 70 and 80, but the pressure plates of the slider 90 may be provided. 92 and 93, when the weight of the slider 90 is increased, the size of the refrigerant supply mechanism 100 must be increased to supply a large amount of refrigerant, and when the slider 90 moves, the slider ( 90 is likely to be separated, and conversely, when installed in the caps 70 and 80, it is not necessary to increase the size of the refrigerant supply mechanism 100, and the cap is fixed together with the caps 70 and 80. The possibility of separation from 70 and 80 is minimized and will be described below as being installed in the cap 70 and 80.

The shock absorbing members 110 and 120 include a first shock absorbing member 110 installed in the first cap 70 and a second shock absorbing member 120 installed in the second cap 80.

The buffer members 110 and 120 are formed in the outer cylinder portions 112 and 122, and the through-holes 113 and 123 are formed in the outer cylinder portions 112 and 122, and the caps 70, 80, screws, and the like. The inner plate portion 115, 125 is fastened to the fastening member 114,124 of the.

The inner plate portions 115 and 125 are formed of the outer cylinder portions 112 and 122 so that when the slider 90 comes into contact with the outer cylinder portions 112 and 122 and is pressed, the outer cylinder portions 112 and 122 may be partially buffered. It is formed approximately in the center.

The fastening members 114 and 124 such as screws are inserted into the outer cylinder portions 112 and 122 to penetrate through the through holes 113 and 123 of the inner plate portions 115 and 125 so that the caps 70 and 80 are separated. It is fastened to the fastening part 74 (84).

The shock absorbing members 110 and 120 have a length that penetrates through the open surfaces 71 and 81 of the caps 70 and 80 to protrude into the valve body 52. A diameter spaced apart from the circumferences 72 and 82 and the two and three refrigerant pipes 104 and 106.

Hereinafter, the operation of the present invention configured as described above is as follows.

First, the compressor 1 is driven during the operation of the air conditioner, and the refrigerant in the suction refrigerant flow path 11 is sucked into the compressor 1 and compressed into a gas refrigerant having a high temperature and high pressure. The refrigerant compressed by the compressor 1 is discharged to the discharge refrigerant passage 12 and then flows through the first refrigerant pipe 60 of the four-way valve 5 to the valve body 52, where the first refrigerant pipe ( Some of the refrigerant passing through 60 flows into the first refrigerant pipe 102 of the refrigerant supply mechanism 100.

When the air conditioner is a cooling operation or a defrosting operation, the solenoid valve 108 of the refrigerant supply mechanism 100 is operated in a cooling mode, and the refrigerant flowing into the first refrigerant pipe 102 passes through the solenoid valve 108. Flows into the third refrigerant pipe 106 and flows into the second cap 80 from the third refrigerant pipe 106.

As described above, the high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant introduced into the second cap 80 presses the second pressure plate 93 of the slider 90 in the direction in which the first cap 70 is positioned, and the slide 90 is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the valve body 52 is moved from the inside to the right, and the first pressure plate 92 is gradually closer to the first cap 70.

The first pressure plate 92 is in contact with the outer cylinder portion 112 of the first shock absorbing member 110 when the first pressure plate 92 is in close proximity to the first cap 70, and the first pressure plate 92 partially presses the outer cylinder portion 112 of the first shock absorbing member 110. Movement in the direction of the cap 70 is limited.

When the first pressure plate 92 and the first shock absorbing member 110 are contacted as described above, the first pressure plate 92 is not in contact with a portion of the first cap 70 positioned inside the valve body 52. , The four-way valve (5) minimizes the noise generated when switching to the cooling operation.

When the slider 90 moves as described above, that is, when the first pressure plate 92 contacts the first buffer member 110, the first refrigerant pipe 60, the flow path forming member 88, and the second refrigerant pipe ( 62 communicates with the third refrigerant pipe 64, the space between the first and second pressure plates 92 and 93 of the slider 90, and the fourth refrigerant pipe 66 communicate with each other.

When the slider 90 is moved as described above, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 1 includes the four-way valve 5, the outdoor heat exchanger 3, the expansion mechanism 4, the indoor heat exchanger 2, and the four-way valve 5. In order to pass through in order to be sucked into the compressor (1), the indoor heat exchanger (2) to cool the indoor air.

On the other hand, when the air conditioner is a heating operation, the solenoid valve 108 of the refrigerant supply mechanism 100 is operated in the heating mode, and the refrigerant introduced into the first refrigerant pipe 102 passes through the solenoid valve 108 and is discharged. 2 flows into the refrigerant pipe 104 and flows into the first cap 70 from the second refrigerant pipe 104.

As described above, the high temperature and high pressure gas refrigerant introduced into the first cap 70 presses the first pressure plate 92 of the slider 90 in the direction in which the second cap 80 is positioned, and the slide 90 is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the inside of the valve body 52 is moved to the left, and the second pressure plate 93 is gradually closer to the second cap 80.

The second pressure plate 93 is in contact with the outer cylinder portion 122 of the second shock absorbing member 120 when the second pressure plate 93 is close to the second cap 80, and while pressing the outer cylinder portion 122 of the second shock absorbing member 120 partially. Movement in the direction of the cap 80 is limited.

When the second pressure plate 93 and the second shock absorbing member 120 as described above, the second pressure plate 93 is not in contact with the portion of the second cap 80 that is located inside the valve body 52, The four-way valve 5 minimizes the noise generated when switching to the heating operation.

When the slider 90 moves as described above, that is, when the second pressure plate 93 contacts the second buffer member 120, the first refrigerant pipe 60, the flow path forming member 88, and the third refrigerant pipe ( 64 communicates with the second refrigerant pipe 62, the space between the first and second pressure plates 92 and 93 of the slider 90, and the fourth refrigerant pipe 66 communicate with each other.

When the slider 90 is moved as described above, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 1 includes the four-way valve 5, the indoor heat exchanger 3, the expansion mechanism 4, the outdoor heat exchanger 2, and the four-way valve 5. Are sequentially passed through and sucked into the compressor (1), where the outdoor heat exchanger (2) heats the indoor air.

1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an air conditioner according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a four-way valve of an embodiment of an air conditioner according to the present invention,

Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the four-way valve during the cooling operation or defrost operation of an embodiment of the air conditioner according to the present invention,

Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the four-way valve during the heating operation of one embodiment of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols on main parts of the drawings>

2: compressor 5: four-way valve

11: suction refrigerant passage 12: discharge refrigerant passage

28: Refrigerant flow path connecting the outdoor heat exchanger to the four-way valve

38: Refrigerant flow path between indoor heat exchanger and four-way valve

52: valve body 60: first refrigerant pipe

62: second refrigerant pipe 64: third refrigerant pipe

66: fourth refrigerant pipe 70: first cap

72: circumference 73: plate

73: fastening portion 80: second cap

82: circumference 83: plate

84: fastening portion 88: flow path forming member

90: slide 91: bracket

92: first pressure plate 94: second pressure plate

100: refrigerant supply mechanism 104: first refrigerant pipe

106: second refrigerant pipe 110: first buffer member

112: cylindrical portion 114: fastening member

115: inner plate portion 120: second buffer member

122: cylindrical portion 124: fastening member

125: inner plate

Claims (8)

A compressor for compressing the refrigerant; The compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger are connected to respective refrigerant flow paths, allowing the refrigerant compressed in the compressor to flow to the outdoor heat exchanger while cooling the refrigerant evaporated in the indoor heat exchanger to the compressor, and compressing the compressor during heating. Four-way valve for flowing the refrigerant to the indoor heat exchanger, The four-way valve and the valve body formed in a hollow cylinder shape; A refrigerant pipe installed radially on the valve body and connected to the refrigerant passages; A cap blocking the longitudinal end of the valve body; A slider disposed in the valve body to move in a length direction and having a flow path forming member communicating two refrigerant pipes;  A refrigerant supply mechanism connected to move the slider by the refrigerant; And a buffer member installed on at least one of the slider and the cap so as to be positioned between the slider and the cap. The method of claim 1, The buffer member includes an outer cylinder portion; And an inner plate formed in the outer cylinder and having a through hole formed therein and fastened to the cap and the fastening member. The method of claim 2, The cap has an air conditioner having a fastening hole facing the through hole. The method of claim 3, wherein The cap has the fastening hole and the air conditioner having a fastening portion is inserted into the outer cylinder portion. The method of claim 1, The buffer member is an air conditioner made of Teflon. The method of claim 1, The cap has an open surface facing the inside of the valve body and a part of a circumference thereof is exposed to the outside of the valve body, The refrigerant supply mechanism includes a refrigerant pipe penetrating a portion protruding to the outside of the valve body of the circumference of the cap, The buffer member is an air conditioner having a diameter spaced apart from the circumference of the cap and the refrigerant pipe. The method of claim 6, The cushioning member has a length extending through the open surface of the cap to the interior of the valve body. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The cap includes a first cap blocking a longitudinal end of the valve body; A second cap blocking the other end of the valve body in the longitudinal direction; The buffer member includes an air conditioner including a first buffer member installed on the first cap and a second buffer member installed on the second cap.

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