RECEIVER AND AIR CONDITIONER INCLUDING THE SAME

Abstract

 The present disclosure relates to a receiver and an air conditioner including the same.
The receiver of the present disclosure includes: a housing having a space therein; an inflow pipe supplying a fluid to the housing; and an outflow pipe discharging the fluid stored in the housing to the outside, and the outflow pipe is inserted into the housing by a predetermined length or more, and a plurality of outflow holes are formed in the outflow pipe in a direction extending to the inside of the housing.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a receiver, and more particularly, to a receiver which may jointly discharge oil and refrigerant stored therein.

BACKGROUND

[0002] In an air conditioner, a required refrigerant amount may be different when an operation mode such as a cooling operation or a heating operation is changed. Further, a refrigerant amount required for the operation may also vary depending on a load degree of the operated air conditioner.

[0003] The air conditioner may include a receiver that operates the air conditioner while adjusting the refrigerant amount according to the change in the operation mode or the load degree. The receiver has a space storing refrigerant therein.

[0004] Further, an inflow pipe through which the refrigerant flows in and an outflow pipe through which the refrigerant flows out may be connected to the receiver.

[0005] In the receiver, not only the refrigerant but also oil may be stored together. The refrigerant and the oil stored in the receiver may be formed and stored in different layers. Accordingly, when the refrigerant stored in the receiver is discharged, only the refrigerant is discharged to the outside, so there may be a problem in that the oil is accumulated in the receiver. This lower the performance of a compressor, and cause a problem that a refrigerant amount stored in the receiver is reduced.

[0006] Korean Patent Registration No. KR10-255111 discloses an integrated structure in which the refrigerant stored in the receiver is discharged to an accumulator, but does not present an appropriate structure for recovering oil layer-separated and stored therein.

SUMMARY

[0007] In view of the above, the present disclosure provides a receiver that appropriately discharges all fluids stored in the receiver, and stored in a layer-separation state.

[0008] The present disclosure also provides a receiver with a structure in which internal fluids may be smoothly discharged regardless a location of a slit or a hole formed in an outflow pipe.

[0009] The present disclosure also provides a receiver with a structure in which the outflow pipe may be deeply inserted into an internal space of the receiver.

[0010] The objects of the present disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned objects, and other objects, which are not mentioned above, will be apparent to a person having ordinary skill in the art from the following description.

[0011] In order to achieve the object, an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: an accumulator temporarily storing refrigerant, and supplying gas-phase refrigerant to a compressor.

[0012] The air conditioner includes a receiver disposed above the accumulator, and having a space storing the refrigerant.

[0013] The receiver includes a housing having a space therein. The receiver includes an inflow pipe supplying the refrigerant to the housing. The receiver includes an outflow pipe discharging the refrigerant stored in the housing to the accumulator. The outflow pipe may discharge a fluid stored in the housing to the outside. The outflow pipe is inserted into the housing by a predetermined length or more. A plurality of outflow holes are formed in the outflow pipe in a direction extending to the inside of the housing. Accordingly, two or more fluids layer-separated and stored in the housing may be appropriately discharged.

[0014] A length with which the outflow pipe is inserted into the housing may be formed to be equal to or more than a half of a length with which the housing is formed in a vertical direction.

[0015] The outflow pipe extends inside the housing in a vertical direction.

[0016] A length with which the outflow pipe extends inside the housing in the vertical direction may be formed to be equal to or more than a half of the length with which the housing is formed in the vertical direction.

[0017] In the housing, an outflow pipe hole is formed at a location where the outflow pipe is disposed. The plurality of outflow holes may have diameters which decrease in a direction adjacent to the outflow pipe hole.

[0018] An interval at which the plurality of outflow holes are spaced apart from each other may increase in the direction adjacent to the outflow pipe hole.

[0019] The housing includes an upper wall, a lower wall disposed to be spaced downwards from the upper wall, and a circumference wall connecting the upper wall and the lower wall. The outflow pipe penetrates the upper wall and extends downwards. A length with which the outflow pipe extends downwards from the upper wall may be formed to be larger than a half of a length with which the circumference wall extends in the vertical direction.

[0020] The outflow pipe may penetrate the lower wall and extend downwards.

[0021] The length with which the outflow pipe extends downwards from the upper wall may be formed to be larger than a half of the length with which the circumference wall extends in the vertical direction.

[0022] The outflow pipe may penetrate the circumference wall and extend in an upper direction.

[0023] The outflow pipe includes an inner outflow pipe disposed inside the housing. The inner outflow pipe may be disposed to be inclined in the upper direction inside the housing.

[0024] The inner outflow pipe may have a form of being bent in the upper direction inside the housing.

[0025] The outflow pipe may be connected to the circumference wall at a lower side of a vertical center of the circumference wall, and a length with which the outflow pipe disposed inside the housing extends in the vertical direction inside the housing may be formed to be larger than a half of the length with which the circumference wall extends in the vertical direction.

[0026] The outflow pipe includes a connection pipe connected to the housing. The outflow pipe includes an extension pipe extending in the upper direction inside the housing.

[0027] A plurality of outflow holes may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the extension pipe in an extended direction of the extension pipe.

[0028] The outflow pipe may include a reduction pipe connecting the connection pipe and the extension pipe, and having a pipe diameter which is reduced in the direction of the extension pipe. A pipe diameter of the extension pipe may be formed to be smaller than a pipe diameter of the connection pipe.

[0029] An outflow pipe slit extending in a direction extending to the inside of the housing may be formed in the outflow pipe.

[0030] An end portion of the outflow pipe may have a closed form.

[0031] The housing may include a circumference wall extending above the accumulator, and an upper wall covering an upper end of the circumference wall. The outflow pipe may have a form of being connected to a lower portion of the circumference wall and extending upwards inside the housing.

[0032] The outflow pipe and the inflow pipe may be connected to the circumference wall.

[0033] The outflow pipe may be connected to the circumference wall at a location equal to or lower than the inflow pipe. Details of other embodiments will be included in the detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

[0034] According to the receiver of the present disclosure, there are one or more following effects.

[0035] First, each of two fluids stored in the receiver in a layer-separation state can be discharged. That is, when the refrigerant and the oil are stored inside the receiver, there is advantage in that the amount of oil used in a compressor can be prevented from being reduced.

[0036] Second, there is an advantage in that sizes or intervals of a plurality of outflow holes formed in the outflow pipe are made to be different, so the fluid can be discharged even at a location away from an outflow pipe hole. Further, there is an advantage in that the receiver has a form of a slit, a size and a location of the slit is made to be different, so the fluid can be discharged even at the location away from the outflow pipe hole.

[0037] Third, there is also an advantage in that a pipe diameter of the outflow pipe extended from the inside of the receiver is made to be smaller than a pipe diameter of the outflow pipe hole formed in the receiver to increase an insertion depth of the outflow pipe into the receiver.

[0038] The effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned effect, and other effects not mentioned above will be clearly understood to those skilled in the art from the description of the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] 

FIG. 1 is a diagram for describing a structure of a receiver according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for describing a structure of a receiver according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for describing a structure of a receiver according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing a structure of a receiver according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a part of an air conditioner including a receiver and an accumulator according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a part of an air conditioner including a receiver and an accumulator according to a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for describing specific structures of the receiver and the accumulator according to the sixth embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for describing a structure in which outflow holes are formed in the receiver and the accumulator according to the sixth embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a part of an air conditioner including a receiver and an accumulator according to a seventh embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] Advantages and features of the present disclosure, and methods for accomplishing the same will be more clearly understood from embodiments described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments set forth below, and may be embodied in various different forms. The present embodiments are just for rendering the disclosure of the present disclosure complete and are set forth to provide a complete understanding of the scope of the present disclosure to a person with ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present disclosure pertains, and the present disclosure ill only be defined by the scope of the claims. Throughout the whole specification, the same reference numerals denote the same elements.

[0041] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described with reference to drawings for describing a receiver according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0042] First, a receiver according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1.

[0043] The receiver 10 of the present disclosure may include a housing 12 forming a space storing a fluid therein, an inflow pipe 30 connected to one side of the housing 12, and an outflow pipe 40. connected to the other side of the housing 12.

[0044] The housing 12 may include an upper wall 14, a lower wall 18 disposed to be spaced downwards from the upper wall 14, and a circumference wall 16 connecting the upper wall 14 and the lower wall 18. The housing 12 may have a pillar-shaped form.

[0045] An inflow pipe hole 22 formed to be connected to the inflow pipe 30 and an outflow pipe hole 20 formed to be connected to the outflow pipe 40 may be formed in the housing 12.

[0046] The inflow pipe hole 22 and the outflow pipe hole 20 are formed in the upper wall 14.

[0047] The inflow pipe 30 may supply a fluid to the inside of the housing 12. Refrigerant and oil may be supplied to the inside of the housing 12 may be supplied through the inflow pipe 30. The refrigerant with the oil may flow into the inside of the housing 12 through the inflow pipe 30.

[0048] Apart of the inflow pipe 30 may be disposed to be inserted into the housing 12. The inflow pipe 30 may include an inner inflow pipe 32 disposed inside the housing 12. Aplurality of inflow holes 30a formed in a longitudinal direction may be formed in the inner inflow pipe 32.

[0049] The outflow pipe 40 may discharge the fluid stored in the housing 12 to the outside. The outflow pipe 40 may discharge 2-phase fluids stored in the housing 12. The outflow pipe includes an inner outflow pipe 44 disposed inside the housing 12.

[0050] The inner outflow pipe 44 may have a structure of extending in a vertical direction inside the housing 12. A length with which the inner outflow pipe 33 extends inside the housing 12 may be formed to be equal to or more than a half of a vertical direction 12H of the housing 12. A length 44H with which the inner outflow pipe 33 extends inside the housing 12 in the vertical direction may be formed to be equal to or more than a half of the vertical direction 12H of the housing 12.

[0051] The length 44H with which the inner outflow pipe 33 extends in the vertical direction may be formed to be equal to or more than 70 % of the length with which the housing 12 is formed in the vertical direction.

[0052] A hole or a slit may be formed in the inner outflow pipe 44.

[0053] A plurality of outflow holes 40a may be formed in the inner outflow pipe 44. The plurality of outflow holes 40a are disposed to be spaced apart from each other in an extended direction of the inner outflow pipe 44.

[0054] Diameters of the plurality of outflow holes 40a may be formed to be larger as the plurality of outflow holes 40a move away from the outflow pipe hole 20. Although not illustrated in the drawing, an end portion of the inner outflow pipe 44 may be blocked.

[0055] Hereinafter, a receiver 10 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

[0056] The receiver according to the second embodiment is described mainly with a difference from the receiver according to the first embodiment described in FIG. 1.

[0057] The housing 12 includes an upper wall 14, a lower wall 18, and a circumference wall 16. The inflow pipe hole 22 and the outflow pipe hole 20 are formed in the upper wall 14. The inflow pipe 30 is connected to the housing 12 through the upper wall 14. The outflow pipe 40 may be inserted into the housing 12 through the outflow hole 20 of the upper wall 14.

[0058] An inflow pipe slit 30b may be formed the inflow pipe 30 in a direction in which the inflow pipe 30 extends inside the housing 12. The outflow pipe 40 includes the inner outflow pipe 44 disposed inside the housing 12.

[0059] An inflow pipe hole 22 formed to be connected to the inflow pipe 30 and an outflow pipe hole 20 formed to be connected to the outflow pipe 40 may be formed in the housing 12.

[0060] An outflow pipe slit 40b is formed in the inner outflow pipe 44 in an extended direction of the inner outflow pipe 44. The outflow pipe slit 40b is formed in the extended direction of the inner outflow pipe 44. The outflow pipe slit 40b is formed at a location spaced apart from the outflow pipe hole 20.

[0061] The length 44H with which the inner outflow pipe 33 extends in the vertical direction may be formed to be equal to or more than 70 % of the length with which the housing 12 is formed in the vertical direction. The outflow pipe slit 40b may be formed in a range which is equal to or more than 70% of the length with which the inner outflow pipe 44 is formed in the vertical direction.

[0062] The outflow pipe slit 40b have a form in which the outflow pipe slit 40b is narrowed as being adjacent to the direction of the outflow pipe hole 20. That is, a width 40bw with which the outflow pipe slit 40b is formed in a circumferential direction of the inner outflow pipe 44 may have a form to be narrowed as being disposed adjacent to the outflow pipe hole 20.

[0063] Referring to FIG. 3, the outflow pipe 40 having the plurality of outflow holes 40a may be connected to the lower wall 18 of the housing 12. Further, referring to FIG. 4, the outflow pipe 40 having the outflow pipe slit 40b may be connected to the lower wall 18 of the housing 12.

[0064] The form of the outflow pipes 40 in FIGS. 3 and 4 may be the same as the form of the outflow pipe 40 in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0065] Hereinafter, an air conditioner including the receiver 10 formed integrally with the accumulator 60 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 9.

[0066] The air conditioner may be an apparatus that makes the refrigerant flow, and heat-exchange the refrigerant through a compressor (not illustrated). The air conditioner may heat-exchange the flowing refrigerant. The air conditioner may include the accumulator 60 that temporarily stores the refrigerant supplied to the compressor, and supplies gas-phase refrigerant to the compressor. The air conditioner may include the receiver 10 that stores or discharges the refrigerant in order to adjust a refrigerant amount required for operating.

[0067] The receiver 10 of the present disclosure may have a structure of being disposed above the accumulator 60. The receiver 10 may be formed integrally with the accumulator 60.

[0068] Referring to FIG. 5, the receiver 10 may be disposed above the accumulator 60.

[0069] The receiver 10 may include an inflow pipe 30 through which the refrigerant flows in and an outflow pipe 40 through which the refrigerant is discharged.

[0070] The receiver 10 is disposed above the accumulator 60. The housing 12 of the receiver 10 is disposed above the accumulator 60. The housing 12 of the receiver 10 may be formed integrally with the accumulator 60.

[0071] The lower wall 18 of the housing 12 may be disposed to be in contact with an upper side of the accumulator 60. The inflow pipe 30 may be connected to the circumference wall 16 of the housing 12. The inflow pipe 30 may be disposed at a lower portion of the circumference wall 16. An inflow pipe valve 35 that opens/closes the flow of the refrigerant to the inflow pipe 30 may be disposed at one side of the inflow pipe 30 extending to the outside of the receiver 10.

[0072] The outflow pipe 40 may be connected to the circumference wall 16 of the housing 12.

[0073] The refrigerant discharged through the outflow pipe 40 is supplied to the accumulator 60. The outflow pipe 40 is connected to the accumulator 60. The outflow pipe 40 includes an inner outflow pipe 44 disposed inside housing 12, and an outer outflow pipe 42 disposed outside the housing 12, and connected to the accumulator 60.

[0074] An outflow pipe valve 43 is disposed in the outer outflow pipe 42 supplying the refrigerant stored in the receiver 10 to the accumulator 60 or stopping the supply.

[0075] The outflow pipe 40 is connected to the housing 12 at the lower portion of the circumference wall 16. Referring to FIGS. 5 to 6, the outflow pipe 40 may be connected to a lower end portion of the circumference wall 16. Accordingly, the refrigerant stored in the receiver 10 may be maximally discharged.

[0076] The outflow pipe 40 may be connected to the circumference wall 16 at a location equal to or lower than the inflow pipe 30.

[0077] The inner outflow pipe 44 may have a structure of extending in an upper direction inside the housing 12.

[0078] Referring to FIG. 5, the inner outflow pipe 44 is disposed to be inclined upwards at the lower portion of the circumference wall 16. Referring to FIG. 6, the inner outflow pipe 44 is formed to be bent upwards at the lower portion of the circumference wall 16.

[0079] A length 44H with which the inner outflow pipe 44 extends inside the housing 12 in the vertical direction may be formed to be equal to or more than a half of the direction 12H with which the housing 12 extends in the vertical direction.

[0080] Referring to FIGS. 7 to 8, the outflow pipe 40 connected to the housing 12 of FIG. 6 will be specifically described.

[0081] Referring to FIG. 7, the inner outflow pipe 44 includes a connection pipe 46 connected to the housing 12, a reduction pipe 48 extending to the inside of the housing from the connection pipe 46, and having a reduced pipe diameter, and an extension pipe 60 extending in the upper direction at an end portion of the reduction pipe 48.

[0082] The connection pipe 46 may be disposed in a horizontal direction to the housing 12.

[0083] The outflow pipe slit 40b may be formed in the extension pipe 50 in an extended direction of the extension pipe 50. The outflow pipe slit 40b have a form in which the outflow pipe slit 40b has a width which increases upwards.

[0084] Referring to FIG. 7, the outflow pipe slit 40b may be formed in the inner outflow pipe 44 in the extended direction of the inner outflow pipe 44.

[0085] A diameter 50D of the extension pipe 50 is formed to be smaller than a diameter 20D of the outflow pipe hole 20 formed in the circumference wall 16.

[0086] Referring to FIG. 7, an area of the outflow pipe slit 40b formed in the extension pipe 50 may be formed at 30 % to 200% compared to a flow path sectional area of the extension pipe 50.

[0087] When an area of the outflow pipe slit 40b formed in the extension pipe 50 is smaller than 30% of the flow path sectional area of the extension pipe 50, a speed at which the oil or refrigerant flows out may be too slow. Further, when the area of the outflow pipe slit 40b formed in the extension pipe 50 is larger than 200% of the flow path sectional area of the extension pipe 50, only a fluid positioned at a lower portion may be discharged through the outflow pipe.

[0088] The outflow pipe slit 40b is formed in an extended direction of the extension pipe 50. A width 40bw of the outflow pipe slit 40b may be formed to be smaller than the diameter 50D of the extension pipe 50.

[0089] A length 50L with which the extension pipe 50 extends inside the housing 12 in the vertical direction may be formed to be equal to or more than 70% of a length with which the circumference wall 16 extends in the vertical direction.

[0090] Referring to FIG. 8, it is also possible that the plurality of outflow holes 40a are formed in the inner outflow pipe 44.

[0091] The plurality of outflow holes 40a are disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the extended direction of the extension pipe 50. A sectional area of the outflow hole 40a may be formed to be smaller than a flow path sectional area formed inside the extension pipe 50.

[0092] A spacing interval of the plurality of outflow holes 40a may be formed to be smaller as the plurality of outflow holes 40a are adjacent to an upper end portion of the inner outflow pipe 44. Further, as another example, diameters or areas of the plurality of outflow holes 40a may be formed to be larger as the plurality of outflow holes 40a are adj acent to the upper end portion of the inner outflow pipe 44.

[0093] A configuration of the outflow pipe 40 described in FIGS. 7 to 8 may also be applied to the outflow pipe 40 illustrated in FIG. 5. That is, the inner outflow pipe 44 illustrated in FIG. 5 may also have the connection pipe 46, the reduction pipe 48, and the extension pipe 50, and the outflow pipe slit 40b or the plurality of outflow holes 40a may be formed in the extension pipe 50.

[0094] Referring to FIG. 9, the outflow pipe 40 may be connected to the upper wall 14 of the receiver 10 disposed above the accumulator 60. The form of the outflow pipe applied to FIG. 9 may be the same as the form of the outflow pipe described in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0095] While the embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the aforementioned specific embodiments, various modifications may be made by a person with ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from the subject matters of the present disclosure that are claimed in the claims, and these modifications should not be appreciated individually from the technical spirit or prospect of the present disclosure.

[Detailed Description of Main Elements]

[0096] 

10 :	receiver	12 :	housing
12a :	space	14 :	upper wall
16 :	circumference wall	18 :	lower wall
30 :	inflow pipe	40 :	outflow pipe
42 :	outer outflow pipe	43 :	outflow pipe valve
44 :	inner outflow pipe	46 :	connection pipe
48 :	reduction pipe	50 :	extension pipe
60 :	accumulator

Claims

1. A receiver comprising:

a housing having a space therein;

an inflow pipe supplying a fluid to the housing; and

an outflow pipe discharging the fluid stored in the housing to the outside,

wherein the outflow pipe is inserted into the housing by a predetermined length or more, and

a plurality of outflow holes are formed in the outflow pipe in a direction extending to the inside of the housing.

2. The receiver of claim 1, wherein a length with which the outflow pipe is inserted into the housing is formed to be equal to or more than a half of a length with which the housing is formed in a vertical direction.

3. The receiver of claim 1, or 2, wherein the outflow pipe extends inside the housing in the vertical direction.

4. The receiver of claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein a length with which the outflow pipe extends inside the housing in the vertical direction is formed to be equal to or more than a half of the length with which the housing is formed in the vertical direction.

5. The receiver of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein in the housing, an outflow pipe hole is formed at a location where the outflow pipe is disposed, and
the plurality of outflow holes have diameters which decrease in a direction adjacent to the outflow pipe hole.

6. The receiver of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein in the housing, the outflow pipe hole is formed at the location where the outflow pipe is disposed, and
an interval at which the plurality of outflow holes are spaced apart from each other increases in the direction adjacent to the outflow pipe hole.

7. The receiver of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the housing includes an upper wall, a lower wall disposed to be spaced downwards from the upper wall, and a circumference wall connecting the upper wall and the lower wall,

the outflow pipe penetrates the upper wall and extends downwards, and

a length with which the outflow pipe extends downwards from the upper wall is formed to be larger than a half of a length with which the circumference wall extends in the vertical direction.

8. The receiver of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the housing includes an upper wall, a lower wall disposed to be spaced downwards from the upper wall, and a circumference wall connecting the upper wall and the lower wall, and
the outflow pipe penetrates the lower wall and extends downwards.

9. The receiver of claim 8, wherein the length with which the outflow pipe extends downwards from the upper wall is formed to be larger than a half of the length with which the circumference wall extends in the vertical direction.

10. The receiver of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the housing includes an upper wall, a lower wall disposed to be spaced downwards from the upper wall, and a circumference wall connecting the upper wall and the lower wall, and
the outflow pipe penetrates the circumference wall and extends in an upper direction.

11. The receiver of claim 10, wherein the outflow pipe includes an inner outflow pipe disposed inside the housing, and
the inner outflow pipe is disposed to be inclined in the upper direction inside the housing.

12. The receiver of claim 10, or 11, wherein the outflow pipe includes an inner outflow pipe disposed inside the housing, and
the inner outflow pipe has a form of being bent in the upper direction inside the housing.

13. The receiver of claim 10, 11, or 12, wherein the outflow pipe is connected to the circumference wall at a lower side of a vertical center of the circumference wall, and
a length with which the outflow pipe disposed inside the housing extends in the vertical direction inside the housing is formed to be larger than a half of the length with which the circumference wall extends in the vertical direction.

14. The receiver of any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the outflow pipe includes a connection pipe connected to the housing, and an extension pipe extending in the upper direction inside the housing, and
a plurality of outflow holes are disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the extension pipe in an extended direction of the extension pipe.

15. The receiver of claim 14, wherein the outflow pipe further includes a reduction pipe connecting the connection pipe and the extension pipe, and having a pipe diameter which is reduced in the direction of the extension pipe, and
a pipe diameter of the extension pipe is formed to be smaller than a pipe diameter of the connection pipe.

Drawing