Patent ID: 7574872

Claim:
A variable capacity air conditioner comprises: a compressor provided with a bypass pipe connector connected with a refrigerant inlet, a refrigerant outlet and a bypass valve; a condenser configured to condense refrigerant infused by being discharged from the compressor; an expansion device configured to reduce pressure of the refrigerant condensed by the condenser to an evaporable state; an evaporator configured to evaporate the refrigerant expanded by the expansion device by heat exchange with ambient air; a refrigerant circulation pipe connected to the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet and configured to form a refrigerant circulation route by being connected to the condenser, the expansion device and the evaporator; a bypass pipe mounted so as to connect the bypass pipe connector of the compressor to connect to the refrigerant circulation pipe; and at least one open/close valve configured to selectively open and close the bypass pipe so that refrigerant compression quantity of the compressor can be adjusted in response to an operation mode, wherein the bypass pipe comprises a first bypass pipe with one end connected to a refrigerant circulation pipe at the refrigerant inlet side of the compressor and an other end contiguously connected to the bypass pipe connector of the compressor; and a second bypass pipe for connecting the refrigerant circulation pipe of the refrigerant outlet side of the compressor to the first bypass pipe.