Patent Publication Number: US-7716942-B2

Title: Service valve assembly and air conditioner having the same

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and particularly, to a service valve assembly and an air conditioner having the same capable of decreasing a flow passage resistance of a refrigerant and simplifying the construction of the air conditioner by coupling an outer filter drier to the air conditioner at the time of installation thereof or after-sales service therefor, filtering foreign materials such as moisture, welding oxide, or the like in a refrigerant pipe, and separating the filter drier from the air conditioner after completing the operation. 
   2. Background of the Related Art 
   In general, an air conditioner is used to maintain temperature, humidity, cleanliness, or the like to be appropriate for the use of areas, and to eliminate dust or harmful gas. For using it as a cooling apparatus, the air conditioner forms a cycle of absorbing indoor heat to maintain the inside at a low temperature, and then discharging the absorbed heat to the exterior. 
   As an example of the air conditioner, a multi-air conditioner, as shown in  FIG. 1 , comprises an outdoor unit  10  including a compressor  12  and an outdoor heat exchanger  14 , an indoor unit  30  including an indoor heat exchanger  31  disposed at each indoor space, and a distributing unit  20  including distribution valves  21  and  22  for connecting or blocking a passage between each indoor heat exchanger  31  and the outdoor unit  10 . 
   An operational principle of the multi-air conditioner will now be explained hereafter. In case of a complete cooling operation for operating every indoor unit in a cooling mode, the indoor heat exchanger  31  functions as an evaporator, and the outdoor heat exchanger  14  functions as a condenser. A refrigerant sequentially passes through the compressor  12 , a four-way valve  13  and the outdoor heat exchanger  14  of the outdoor unit  10 . The refrigerant then passes through an expansion valve  32  and the indoor heat exchanger  31  in each indoor unit  30  along a liquid line. Thereafter, the refrigerant is retrieved into an accumulator  11  along a low pressure vapor line  25 . The refrigerant is then divided into vapor and liquid to be delivered to the compressor  12 . 
   In case of a complete heating operation for operating every indoor unit in a heating mode, on the other hand, the indoor heat exchanger  31  functions as the condenser, and the outdoor heat exchanger  14  functions as the evaporator. The refrigerant passes through the compressor  12  along a high pressure vapor line  24  and is heat-exchanged in the indoor heat exchanger  14 . The refrigerant then passes through an expansion valve  15 , the indoor heat exchanger  14  and the four-way valve  13  along the liquid line  23  to be retrieved into the accumulator  11 . The refrigerant is then delivered to the compressor  12  again. 
   In the multi-air conditioner having such construction and principle, after the installation or repair service thereof, upon operating the multi-air conditioner, the refrigerant starts to circulate. Here, foreign materials such as moisture, welding oxide or the like within each connected refrigerant pipe circulate within the multi-air conditioner together with the refrigerant, and thereby are accumulated in the compressor  12  or the expansion valves  15  and  32 . In order to prevent the accumulation of the foreign materials, a filter (strainer)  18  is disposed at an upstream side of the compressor  12 , based upon the flow of the refrigerant, and a similar apparatus (not shown) thereto is disposed at an upstream side of the expansion valves  15  and  32 . 
   While driving the multi-air conditioner having such construction, the filter  18  is continuously mounted at a circulating system of the refrigerant. Accordingly, foreign materials accumulated in the filter  18  increase a flow passage resistance due to the refrigerant being circulated, which causes a freezing of the refrigerant, thereby decreasing the performance of the multi-air conditioner. 
   In order to reduce a mechanical friction of the compressor  12  and prevent the generation of heat, on the other hand, lubricating oil is mixed with the refrigerant for use. While performing a vacuum operation, if moisture contained in the refrigerant is not completely removed, the moisture is absorbed by the refrigerant and the lubricating oil to thereafter be an icy grain, which then causes various mechanical problems. Accordingly, a drier  17  is mounted in parallel in the liquid line  23  in order to completely remove the moisture contained in the refrigerant and the lubricating oil being circulated. 
   The drier  17  does not have to be continuously disposed in the multi-air conditioner as the apparatus for removing the moisture after installing the multi-air conditioner or after-sales services. For being continuously mounted, deterioration of the drier  17  may cause a decrease in performance of the multi-air conditioner and the construction of the multi-air conditioner system may be complicated. 
   BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Therefore, an object of the present invention is directed to basically solving a problem in a blocking of a circulating system of an air conditioner due to moisture and foreign materials, and a simplifying a construction of the system by providing a filter and a drier which are removable. 
   To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided an air conditioner having a service valve assembly which comprises: a connection body connected with a refrigerant pipe of a refrigerant circuit and having a penetration passage through which the refrigerant flows; a opening/closing unit provided at the connection body and having a blocking hole for opening/closing the passage of the refrigerant flowing through the penetration passage; a plurality of ports disposed at the connection body, respectively, by a particular interval therebetween, connected with the penetration passage, and having an opened end portion, respectively; and a filter unit removably coupled to each end portion of the ports such that the refrigerant flowing through the penetration passage is bypassed to the ports to be then filtered thereby. 
   The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
     In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is a view illustrating a construction of a multi-air conditioner system of the related art; 
       FIG. 2  is a horizontal sectional view illustrating a service valve assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a view illustrating a construction of an air conditioner system having a service valve assembly according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a service valve assembly at a side of a low pressure vapor line; 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a varied embodiment of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a service valve assembly at a side of a liquid line; and 
       FIG. 7  is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a varied embodiment of  FIG. 6 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
   A service valve assembly according to the present invention is related to a technique in which a plurality of ports are provided at a connection body which is connected with a refrigerant pipe of a refrigerant circuit, and the ports provide passages through which the refrigerant is bypassed to an external apparatus and then re-introduced. 
   Also, the present invention provides an air conditioner having a service valve assembly having a plurality of ports at a connection body which is connected to a refrigerant pipe of a refrigerant circuit, and a filter unit removably connected with the ports, respectively, thereby filtering moisture and foreign materials within the refrigerant pipe. 
   Hereinafter, the service valve assembly and an air conditioner having the same in accordance with embodiments of the present invention will now be explained in detail with reference to attached drawings, and a detailed explanation with respect to related functions or components will be omitted. 
     FIG. 2  is a horizontal sectional view illustrating a service valve assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated therein, a service value assembly  100  according to the present invention comprises a connection body  140  disposed to be connected with a refrigerant pipe (not shown) of a refrigerant circuit and having a penetration passage  141  through which the refrigerant flows, an opening/closing unit  150  provided at the connection body  140  and having a blocking hole  151  for opening/closing the passage of the refrigerant flowing through the penetration passage  141 , and a plurality of ports disposed at the connection body  140 , respectively, by a particular interval therebetween, connected with the penetration passage  141 , and each of which has an opened end portion to allow an external apparatus (not shown) to be removable therefrom. 
   The ports preferably include a first port  160  for providing a passage so that the refrigerant flowing along the penetration passage  141  of the connection body  140  can be introduced therein, and a second port  170  for providing a passage so that the refrigerant containing moisture and foreign materials can be bypassed to the external apparatus to thereafter be discharged therethrough. The first and second ports  160  and  170  are removable from the connection body  140 , respectively. 
   The ports  160  and  170  have valves  161  and  171 , respectively, for opening/closing the passage for the refrigerant therein. The passage is opened or blocked by opening or closing the valves  161  and  171 . 
   The valves  161  and  171  may be disposed in various forms if they can open or block the passage of the refrigerant flowing along the ports  160  and  170 . 
   A blocking hole  151  for opening/closing the passage of the refrigerant is provided at the center of the opening/closing unit  150 . Accordingly, it is possible to open or block the passage for the refrigerant by opening/closing the blocking hole  151 . The blocking hole  151  can also be disposed in various forms for opening/closing the passage. 
   In the service valve assembly having such construction, the external apparatus (not shown) is connected with the first port  160  and the second port  170 , respectively, to bypass the refrigerant thereto. The end portions of each of the first and second ports  160  and  170  are opened to thus facilitate the removing of the external apparatus. 
     FIG. 3  is a view illustrating a construction of an air conditioner system having the service valve assembly according to the present invention. The explanation for the same construction as that of the related art will be omitted. As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , a multi-air conditioner having a service valve assembly according to the present invention includes an outdoor unit  210  having an accumulator  211 , a compressor  212 , a four-way valve  213 , an outdoor heat exchanger  214  and an expansion valve  215 , an indoor unit  230  having an indoor heat exchanger  231  and an expansion valve  232  installed at each indoor area; and a distributing unit  220  including distribution valves  221  and  222  for connecting or blocking a passage of each refrigerant pipe  223 ,  224  and  225  between each indoor heat exchanger  231  and the outdoor unit  210 . Service valve assemblies  200  and  300  are disposed at each refrigerant pipe  225  and  223  at the side of the outdoor unit  210 . 
     FIG. 4  is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a service valve assembly at a side of a low pressure vapor line. As illustrated therein, the service valve assembly  200  includes a connection body  240  connected with a refrigerant pipe  225  through which the refrigerant flows, and having a penetration passage  241  through which the refrigerant flows, an opening/closing unit  250  disposed at the connection body  240  and having a locking blocking hole  251  for opening and blocking the passage for the refrigerant flowing along the penetration passage  241 ; a plurality of ports  260  and  270  disposed at the connection body  240 , respectively, by a particular interval therebetween, and having an opened end portion, respectively; and a filter unit  290  removably coupled to each end portion of the ports  260  and  270  such that the refrigerant flowing along the penetration passage  241  is bypassed to the ports  260  and  270  to be then filtered thereby. 
   The connection body  240  is connected with the refrigerant pipe  225  at the side of the low pressure vapor line through which the refrigerant flows, and has the penetration passage  241  through which the refrigerant can then flow. 
   The ports  260  and  270  include a first port  260  for providing a passage so that the refrigerant flowing in the connection body  240  can be introduced therein, and a second port  270  for providing a passage so that the refrigerant containing moisture and foreign materials is filtered by the filter unit  290  and the filtered refrigerant can then be discharged therethrough. The end portions of the ports  260  and  270  are opened, and thus the ports  260  and  270  can be attached to or removed from the connection body  240  and the filter unit  290  can also be attached to or removed from the ports  260  and  270 . 
   The ports  260  and  270  have valves  261  and  271  therein for opening/closing the refrigerant passage. By opening/closing the valves  261  and  271 , the passage can be opened or blocked. 
   The valves  261  and  271  can be disposed in various forms if they can open or block the passage within the ports  260  and  270 . 
   A blocking hole  251  for opening/closing the refrigerant passage can be provided at the center of the opening/closing unit  250 . Accordingly, it is possible to open or block the refrigerant passage by opening/closing the blocking hole  251 . The blocking hole  251  can also be disposed in various forms for opening/closing the passage. 
   The filter unit  290  includes a first connection pipe  291  removably connected with the end portion of the first port  260  such that the refrigerant introduced into the first port  260  can flow therethrough; a filter drier  293  disposed at the first connection pipe  291  for filtering moisture and foreign materials from the refrigerant flowing through the first connection pipe  291 ; and a second connection pipe  292  removably connected with the end portion of the second port  270  such that the refrigerant can flow to be discharged outwardly therethrough. 
   The filter unit  290  has been provided with the first connection pipe  291 , the filter drier  293  and the second connection pipe  292 . However, as shown in  FIG. 5 , which shows a varied embodiment of the present invention, the filter unit  290  may further include a manifold gauge  294  and a vacuum pump  295  provided for injecting the refrigerant and measuring pressure. 
   A structure of the service valve assembly provided at the side of the low pressure vapor line and functions thereof have been explained. However, as illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a service valve assembly having the same functions is also provided at the side of the liquid line, for which detailed explanation will thus be omitted. 
   A procedure for removing moisture and foreign materials in the air conditioner having the service valve assembly according to the present invention having such construction will now be explained with reference to  FIGS. 3 ,  5  and  7 . 
   In the service valve assembly installed in each refrigerant pipe  223  and  225  of the low pressure vapor line and the liquid line, the first connection pipe  291  and  391  and the second connection pipe  292  and  392  of the filter unit  290  and  390  are connected, respectively, with the first port  260  and  360  and the second port  270  and  370 , thereby constructing a passage. Here, the filter unit  290  and  390  may be disposed such that the refrigerant flowing out of the indoor unit  230  and the distributing unit  220  can pass through the filter drier  293  and  393  of the filter unit  290  and  390 . 
   Next, the vacuum pump  295  and  395  provided at the manifold gauge  294  and  394  is used to vacuumize each refrigerant pipe  223  and  225  and to charge the refrigerant. 
   Afterwards, in the service valve assembly  200  installed in the refrigerant pipe  225  at the side of the low pressure vapor line, the blocking hole  251  provided at the opening/closing unit  250  is closed, and the manifold gauge  294  provided at the filter unit  290  and the valves  261  and  271  of the ports  260  and  270  are opened. Accordingly, the air conditioner is operated in a cooling mode for a particular time duration. According to the cooling operation, the refrigerant is introduced into the first port  260  and filtered by the filter drier  293  to thereafter be discharged outwardly through the second port  270 . Accordingly, the moisture and foreign materials contained in the refrigerant within the low pressure vapor line can be removed. 
   Thereafter, the manifold gauge  294  and the valves  261  and  271  of the ports  260  and  270  are closed, and the blocking hole  251  of the opening/closing unit  250  is opened. Then, the filter unit  290  of the service valve assembly  200  is removed (separated) from the refrigerant pipe  225 . 
   In the service valve assembly  300  installed at the refrigerant pipe  223  at the side of the liquid line, in addition, the blocking hole  351  provided at the opening/closing unit  350  is closed and the manifold gauge provided at the filter unit  390  and the valves  361  and  371  of the ports  360  and  370  are opened. Accordingly, the air conditioner is operated in a heating mode for a particular time duration. According to the heating operating, the refrigerant is introduced into the first port  360  and filtered by the filter drier  393 , to thereafter be discharged outwardly through the second port  370 . Accordingly, the moisture and foreign materials contained in the refrigerant within the liquid line can completely be removed. 
   Finally, the manifold gauge  394  of the filter unit  390  and the valves  361  and  371  of the ports  360  and  370  are closed and the blocking hole  351  of the opening/closing unit  350  is opened. Thereafter, the filter unit  390  of the service valve assembly  300  is removed (separated) from the refrigerant pipe  223 , thereby completing the operation. 
   As aforementioned, after an installation of the air conditioner or after-sales services therefor, the service valve assembly is preferably disposed at both the low pressure vapor line and the liquid line of a circulation system of the refrigerant to thus perform the removing of moisture and foreign materials from the refrigerant. Also, it is also possible to install the service valve assembly according to the present invention at any one of the low pressure vapor line or the liquid line to perform the removing thereof. 
   In addition, the service valve assembly is sequentially disposed at the low pressure vapor line and the liquid line in series, and then the refrigerant is bypassed only to the first port to thus perform a vacuum operation for the refrigerant or charging operation therefor. In another case, the refrigerant is bypassed to both the first and second ports at the same time to thus remove the moisture and foreign materials from the refrigerant. 
   Even for the air conditioner which is usually used in a cooling mode, the service valve assembly according to the present invention is installed at any one of the low pressure vapor line and the liquid line or at both the low pressure vapor line and the liquid line at the same time, and it is accordingly possible to remove the moisture and foreign materials through the filter unit. 
   In the air conditioner having such service valve assembly, the filter drier can be removed from the refrigerant passage, by which the flow passage resistance due to the moisture and foreign materials filtered by the filter drier may not basically be generated. A simple construction of the air conditioner can also be expected. In addition, while performing after-sales services for the air conditioner such as replacing the refrigerant or the like, the refrigerant can easily be processed. 
   As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.