Air conditioner

Abstract

An air conditioner is provided that may minimize lengths of pipes connecting a plurality of indoor devices and an outdoor device, facilitate connection between respective refrigerant pipes through a distribution device, and omit a separate cable to transmit/receive a control signal between the plurality of indoor devices and the distribution device.

1 . An air conditioner, comprising:
 an outdoor device including a main controller, an outdoor heat exchanger, and a compressor;   a plurality of indoor devices, each of which includes an indoor heat exchanger; and   a distribution device connected to the outdoor device and the plurality of indoor devices, and including liquid and vapor refrigerant pipe assemblies provided with electronic expansion valves mounted thereon, and a sub controller that communicates with the main controller, wherein the electronic expansion valves are controlled by the main controller or the sub controller, selectively.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the distribution device is mounted or embedded in the outdoor device. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the distribution device further comprises a cover assembly that surrounds the refrigerant pipe assemblies. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 3 , wherein the cover assembly includes a first cover provided with a plurality of through holes that expose indoor device-side connection parts of the liquid and vapor refrigerant pipe assemblies to the outside. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein the cover assembly further comprises a second cover disposed opposite to the first cover and provided with an outer surface on which the sub controller is mounted. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 5 , wherein an entrance hole to pass cables connecting the electronic expansion valves and the sub controller is formed on the second cover. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner according to  claim 5 , wherein a slit to pass cables connecting the electronic expansion valves and the sub controller is formed on the second cover. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner according to  claim 5 , wherein the cover assembly further includes a third cover fastened to the second cover and forming a side surface, and the distribution device further includes a plurality of mounting brackets fastened to one of the second cover or the third cover to fix the distribution device to an installation surface. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner according to  claim 8 , wherein one of the plurality of mounting brackets is fastened to a fastening hole to fasten the second cover and the third cover. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein the sub controller includes a housing mounted on an outer surface of the second cover, and a substrate disposed within the housing and provided with a communication device mounted thereon. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of through holes comprise a plurality of first through holes and a plurality of second through holes, and wherein the first cover is divided in a widthwise direction into a first region provided with the plurality of first through holes and a second region provided with the plurality of second through holes. 
     
     
         12 . The air condition according to  claim 11 , wherein each second through hole is located between two neighboring first through holes. 
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner according to  claim 11 , wherein the first region is stepped with respect to the second region. 
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the distribution device is detachably mounted in the outdoor device case by a mounting member. 
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner according to  claim 14 , wherein the mounting member is configured to support a lower surface and at least two side surfaces of the distribution device. 
     
     
         16 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein each refrigerant pipe assembly includes a main pipe provided with an outdoor device-side connection part, and a plurality of branch pipes branched from the main pipe and, respectively, provided with the electronic expansion valves mounted thereon. 
     
     
         17 . The air conditioner according to  claim 16 , wherein the main pipe includes a pipe expansion part. 
     
     
         18 . The air conditioner according to  claim 16 , wherein the outdoor device-side connection part comprises an outdoor device side high pressure socket. 
     
     
         19 . The air conditioner according to  claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of branch pipes comprises a liquid branch pipe and a liquid connection pipe in communication with the electronic expansion valve. 
     
     
         20 . The air conditioner according to  claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of branch pipes further comprises an indoor device high pressure socket in communication with the liquid connection pipe. 
     
     
         21 . An air conditioner, comprising:
 an outdoor device including an outdoor device case, in which a main controller, an outdoor heat exchanger, and a compressor are disposed, wherein the outdoor device case is provided with an opening formed at one side;   a plurality of indoor devices, each of which includes an indoor heat exchanger; and   a distribution device detachably mounted in the outdoor device, and including liquid and vapor refrigerant pipe assemblies provided with electronic expansion valves mounted thereon, and a sub controller that communicates with the main controller, wherein the electronic expansion valves are controlled by the main controller or the sub controller, selectively.   
     
     
         22 . The air conditioner according to  claim 21 , wherein the distribution device further comprises a cover assembly that surrounds the refrigerant pipe assemblies. 
     
     
         23 . The air conditioner according to  claim 22 , wherein the cover assembly includes a first cover provided with a plurality of through holes that expose indoor device-side connection parts of the liquid and vapor refrigerant pipe assemblies to the outside. 
     
     
         24 . The air conditioner according to  claim 23 , wherein the cover assembly further comprises a second cover opposite to the first cover and provided with an outer surface on which the sub controller is mounted. 
     
     
         25 . The air conditioner according to  claim 24 , wherein an entrance hole to pass cables connecting the electronic expansion valves and the sub controller is formed on the second cover. 
     
     
         26 . The air conditioner according to  claim 24 , wherein a slit to pass cables connecting the electronic expansion valves and the sub controller is formed on the second cover. 
     
     
         27 . The air conditioner according to  claim 24 , wherein the sub controller includes a housing mounted on the outer surface of the second cover, and a substrate disposed within the housing and provided with a communication device mounted thereon. 
     
     
         28 . The air conditioner according to  claim 24 , wherein the distribution device further includes a plurality of mounting brackets fastened to the cover assembly to fix the distribution device to an installation surface at an outside of the outdoor device. 
     
     
         29 . The air conditioner according to  claim 21 , wherein a mounting member that supports the distribution device is provided at the opening of the outdoor device case. 
     
     
         30 . The air conditioner according to  claim 29 , wherein the mounting member is configured to support a lower surface and at least two side surfaces of the distribution device. 
     
     
         31 . The air conditioner according to  claim 21 , wherein each refrigerant pipe assembly includes a main pipe provided with an outdoor device-side connection part, and a plurality of branch pipes branched from the main pipe and, respectively, provided with the electronic expansion valves mounted thereon. 
     
     
         32 . The air conditioner according to  claim 31 , wherein the main pipe includes a pipe expansion part. 
     
     
         33 . The air conditioner according to  claim 31 , wherein the outdoor device-side connection part comprises an outdoor device side high pressure socket. 
     
     
         34 . The air conditioner according to  claim 31 , wherein each of the plurality of branch pipes comprises a liquid branch pipe and a liquid connection pipe in communication with the electronic expansion valve. 
     
     
         35 . The air conditioner according to  claim 34 , wherein each of the plurality of branch pipes further comprises an indoor device high pressure socket in communication with the liquid connection pipe. 
     
     
         36 . The air conditioner according to  claim 31 , wherein the plurality of branch pipes is exposed toward the opening of the outdoor device case. 
     
     
         37 . The air conditioner according to  claim 21 , further comprising a cover member that selectively opens and closes the opening of the outdoor device case. 
     
     
         38 . An air conditioner, comprising:
 a plurality of indoor devices;   an outdoor device including a compressor that compresses a refrigerant and a main controller to adjust amounts of the refrigerant discharged to the plurality of indoor devices; and   a distribution device including a sub controller that distributes the refrigerant discharged from the outdoor device to the plurality of indoor devices and then adjusts amounts of the distributed refrigerant, wherein amounts of the refrigerant distributed through the distribution device are adjusted by the main controller or the sub controller, selectively.