Air conditioner

Abstract

An air conditioner comprises: at least one outdoor unit having a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger; an air process unit including a heat exchanger connected to the outdoor unit by a refrigerant pipe, in which the air is heat exchanged, and a blower fan blowing the heat exchanged air; and a duct having one side connected to the air process unit and another side connected to a plurality of rooms, and introducing to the room, the air blown after heat exchange. Accordingly, the refrigerant pipe is shortened, which reduces a pressure loss and a head loss. Also, oil discharged outside of the compressor together with the compressor refrigerant is easily recovered, and the amount of accumulated refrigerant is reduced, thereby reducing the risk of suffocation due to leakage of a refrigerant.

1 . An air conditioner comprising: 
 at least one outdoor unit having a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger;    an air process unit including a heat exchanger connected to the outdoor unit by a refrigerant pipe, in which the air is heat exchanged, and a blower fan blowing the heat exchanged air; and    a duct having one side connected to the air process unit and another side connected to a plurality of rooms, and introducing to the room, the air blown after heat exchange.    
   
   
       2 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant pipe includes a main refrigerant pipe and an auxiliary refrigerant pipe, 
 wherein one side of the main refrigerant pipe is connected to the outdoor unit and its other side is connected to the auxiliary refrigerant pipe, and one side of the auxiliary refrigerant pipe is connected to the main refrigerant pipe and its other side is connected to the heat exchanger.    
   
   
       3 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the air process unit further comprises a humidifier humidifying the heat exchanged air.  
   
   
       4 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the air process unit further comprises a filter member removing foreign substances within the heat exchanged air.  
   
   
       5 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the air process unit further comprises an electric heater heating the heat exchanged air.  
   
   
       6 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the duct is provided with a plurality of discharge holes through which the heat exchanged air can be discharged.  
   
   
       7 . The air conditioner of  claim 6 , wherein the duct comprises: 
 an air supply duct allowing the air processed by the air process unit to be transferred to each room; and    a ventilation duct allowing the air of each room to be transferred to the air process unit.    
   
   
       8 . An air conditioner comprising: 
 at least one outdoor unit having a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger and an accumulator;    an air process unit including a cooling unit and a heating unit, each comprising a heat exchanger connected to the outdoor unit by a refrigerant pipe, in which the air is heat exchanged, and a blower fan blowing the heat exchanged air;    a duct having one side connected to the air process unit and another side connected to a plurality rooms, and introducing to the rooms, the air blown after heat exchange; and    a distribution unit distributing a refrigerant so as to allow part of the air process unit to perform cooling operation and allow another part to perform heating operation.    
   
   
       9 . The air conditioner of  claim 8 , wherein the air process unit further comprises a humidifier humidifying the heat exchanged air.  
   
   
       10 . The air conditioner of  claim 8 , wherein the air process unit further comprises a filter member removing foreign substances within the heat exchanged air.  
   
   
       11 . The air conditioner of  claim 8 , wherein the air process unit further comprises an electric heater heating the heat exchanged air.  
   
   
       12 . The air conditioner of  claim 8 , wherein the duct is provided with a plurality of discharge holes through which the heat exchanged air can be discharged.  
   
   
       13 . The air conditioner of  claim 12 , wherein the duct comprises: 
 a cooling duct supplying to each room, the air cooled in the cooling unit; and    a heating duct supplying to each room, the air heated in the heating unit.    
   
   
       14 . The air conditioner of  claim 8 , wherein the distribution unit comprises: 
 a high-pressure pipe having one side connected to a discharge side of the compressor and another side connected to the air process unit;    a low-pressure pipe having one side connected to an intake side of the accumulator and another side connected to the air process unit;    a liquid pipe having one side connected to the outdoor heat exchanger and another side connected to the air process unit;    a high-pressure valve installed on the high pressure pipe and opening and closing the high-pressure pipe; and    a low-pressure valve installed on the low-pressure pipe and opening and closing the low-pressure pipe.    
   
   
       15 . An air conditioner comprising: 
 at least one outdoor unit having a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger;    a heat exchange unit connected to the outdoor unit by a refrigerant pipe, in which water is heat exchanged; and    a fan coil unit connected to the heat exchange unit by a water pipe and installed at each room.    
   
   
       16 . The air conditioner of  claim 15 , wherein the refrigerant pipe comprises a main refrigerant pipe and an auxiliary pipe, 
 wherein one side of the main refrigerant pipe is connected to outdoor unit and its other side is connected to the auxiliary refrigerant pipe, and one side of the auxiliary refrigerant pipe is connected to the main refrigerant pipe and its other side is connected to the heat exchange unit.    
   
   
       17 . The air conditioner of  claim 15 , wherein the heat exchange unit comprises: 
 a water storage tank storing water; and    a heat exchanger received in the water storage tank.    
   
   
       18 . The air conditioner of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 a heater heating water within the water storage tank.    
   
   
       19 . The air conditioner of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 an opening and closing valve for opening and closing a flow path provided at one side of the fan coil unit.    
   
   
       20 . The air conditioner of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 a distribution unit distributing a refrigerant so as to allow part of the air process unit to perform cooling operation and allow the other part to perform heating operation.