Air Conditioner having refrigerant leakage alarming function based on the senses of human

(19)

(11)

EP 0 872 693 A3

(12)	EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)	Date of publication A3:
	12.12.2001 Bulletin 2001/50

(43)	Date of publication A2:
	21.10.1998 Bulletin 1998/43

(21)	Application number: 98106979.2

(22)	Date of filing: 16.04.1998

(51)	International Patent Classification (IPC)⁷: F24F 11/00

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
	Designated Extension States:
	AL LT LV MK RO SI

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Priority:

17.04.1997 JP 11517797
17.04.1997 JP 11517897

(71)	Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC Co., Ltd.
	Moriguchi-shi, Osaka 570 (JP)

(72)	Inventors:
	Suzuki, Takahiro Ohra-gun, Gunma (JP) Fukami, Yugo Ohra-gun, Gunma (JP) Akutu, Masanori Isezaki-shi, Gunma (JP) Ishikawa, Atuyumi Ohta-shi, Gunma (JP) Ishigaki, Shigeya Ohra-gun, Gunma (JP)

(74)	Representative: Glawe, Delfs, Moll & Partner
	Patentanwälte Postfach 26 01 62 80058 München 80058 München (DE)

(54)	Air Conditioner having refrigerant leakage alarming function based on the senses of human

(57) According to an air conditioner (1) of the present invention, a smell element is added to refrigerant used in a refrigerant circuit, and dye is added to at least one of the refrigerant and refrigerant machine oil (lubricant). The smell element provides irritant smell to the refrigerant, and the dye provides bright color such as red or yellow to the refrigerant and/or the refrigeration machine oil. When the refrigerant leaks from an element of the refrigerant circuit, the irritant smell or the color of the refrigerant (refrigeration machine oil) enables inhabitants to easily recognize the refrigerant leakage.

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