(19)
(11) EP 2 218 984 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
06.04.2011 Bulletin 2011/14

(43) Date of publication A2:
18.08.2010 Bulletin 2010/33

(21) Application number: 10001542.9

(22) Date of filing: 15.02.2010
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
F25B 31/00(2006.01)
F25B 13/00(2006.01)
F25B 49/00(2006.01)
F25B 13/00(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO SE SI SK SM TR
Designated Extension States:
AL BA RS

(30) Priority: 16.02.2009 KR 20090012519

(71) Applicant: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Yeongdeungpo-gu Seoul 150-721 (KR)

(72) Inventors:
  • Jeong, Ho Jong
    Seoul 153-023 (KR)
  • Song, Chi Woo
    Seoul 153-023 (KR)
  • Chung, Baik Young
    Seoul 153-023 (KR)
  • Oh, Sai Kee
    Seoul 153-023 (KR)

(74) Representative: TER MEER - STEINMEISTER & PARTNER GbR 
Patentanwälte Mauerkircherstrasse 45
81679 München
81679 München (DE)

   


(54) Air conditioner and method of controlling the same


(57) An air conditioner includes a plurality of compressors (120a, b, c), a common intake pipe (111), and a plurality of oil equalizing pipes (114a, b, c) that connect the compressors (120a, b, c) to the common intake pipe (111) such that oil existing above a reference oil level in the compressors (120a, b, c) can be transferred to the common intake pipe (111). An oil equalizing valve (135a, b, c) provided on at least two of the oil equalizing pipes (114a, b, c) controls oil flowing through the oil equalizing pipes, where at least two of the oil equalizing valves can be opened together during performance of oil equalizing operation such that amounts of the oil in at least two compressors can be equalized.







Search report