Air conditioner and evaporator inlet header distributor therefor

Abstract

An air conditioner and evaporator inlet header distributor therefor are provided. The air conditioner may include an evaporator inlet header distributor to distribute a refrigerant expanded in an expansion mechanism to a plurality of refrigerant flow paths of an evaporator. The evaporator inlet header distributor may include a distributor body, a refrigerant inlet pipe to guide refrigerant expanded in the expansion mechanism to an inside of the distributor body, a plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes to discharge the refrigerant from the distributor body into the plurality of refrigerant flow paths, and a separating plate to separate the inside of the distributor body into a header flow path connected with the plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes and a refrigerant dispersing flow path connected with the refrigerant inlet pipe to guide an upper portion and a lower portion of the header flow path by dispersing the refrigerant. Accordingly, two-phase refrigerant may be uniformly distributed to the plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes using a simple structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner, comprising:
 an evaporator comprising a plurality of refrigerant flow paths that evaporate a refrigerant;   a compressor that compresses the refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator;   a condenser that condenses the refrigerant compressed in the compressor;   an expansion mechanism that expands the refrigerant condensed in the condenser; and   an evaporator inlet header distributor that distributes the refrigerant expanded in the expansion mechanism to the plurality of refrigerant flow paths,   wherein the evaporator inlet header distributor comprises:
 a distributor body; 
 at least one refrigerant inlet pipe that guides the refrigerant expanded in the expansion mechanism to an inside of the distributor body; and 
 a plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes that discharges the refrigerant of the distributor body into the plurality of refrigerant flow paths, wherein refrigerant is directed in two opposite directions as the refrigerant flows into the distributor body through the at least one refrigerant inlet pipe. 
   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , further comprising a separating plate that separates the inside of the distributor body into a header flow path connected with the plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes and a refrigerant dispersing flow path connected with the at least one refrigerant inlet pipe to guide refrigerant to an upper portion and a lower portion of the header flow path by dispersing the refrigerant. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein the two opposite directions are a substantially vertically upward direction and a substantially vertically downward direction. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein the header flow path and the refrigerant dispersing flow path are each connected at an upper side and a lower side thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein the separating plate comprises a top, which is separated from a top of the distributor body, and a bottom, which is separated from a bottom of the distributor body. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one refrigerant inlet pipe comprises a single refrigerant inlet pipe connected to one side of left and right sides of the distributor body, and wherein the plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes penetrates the other side of left and right sides of the distributor body, based on a vertical center axis of the distributor body. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner of  claim 6 , wherein inlet ends of the plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes extend a predetermined distance into the distributor body. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein the refrigerant inlet pipe has an outlet stage installed to be opposite to the separating plate. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein the separating plate extends substantially vertically within the distributor body. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein a distance of the separating plate from the at least one refrigerant inlet pipe is shorter than a distance of the separating plate from the plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one refrigerant inlet pipe comprises:
 a first refrigerant inlet pipe that guides the refrigerant expanded in the expansion mechanism to a first portion of the header flow path; and   an second refrigerant inlet pipe that guides the refrigerant expanded in the expansion mechanism to a second portion of the header flow path.   
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner of  claim 11 , wherein an outlet of the first refrigerant inlet pipe and an outlet of the second refrigerant inlet pipe face each other in a substantially vertical direction. 
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner of  claim 12 , wherein the first refrigerant inlet pipe is connected to a lower plate of the distributor body, and the second refrigerant inlet pipe is connected to a second plate of the distributor body. 
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner of  claim 12 , wherein the outlet of the lower refrigerant inlet pipe and the outlet of the upper refrigerant inlet pipe are located along a central vertical axis of the distributor body. 
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner of  claim 12 , wherein inlet ends of the plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes extend a predetermined distance into the distributor body. 
     
     
         16 . The air conditioner of  claim 12 , wherein the first refrigerant inlet pipe and the second refrigerant inlet pipe are branched from a separate refrigerant distributor. 
     
     
         17 . An air conditioner, comprising:
 an evaporator comprising a plurality of refrigerant flow paths that evaporate a refrigerant;   a compressor that compresses the refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator;   a condenser that condenses the refrigerant compressed in the compressor;   an expansion mechanism that expands the refrigerant condensed in the condenser; and   an evaporator inlet header distributor that distributes the refrigerant expanded in the expansion mechanism to the plurality of refrigerant flow paths, wherein the evaporator inlet header distributor comprises:
 a distribution body having a space defined in an inside thereof; 
 a refrigerant inlet pipe that guides the refrigerant expanded in the expansion mechanism to a lower portion of the space; and 
 a plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes by which refrigerant in the space is discharged to the plurality of refrigerant flow paths, wherein each of the plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes is connected with one of a plurality of liquid refrigerant suction lines to guide liquid refrigerant disposed in the lower portion of the space to the plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes, respectively. 
   
     
     
         18 . The air conditioner of  claim 17 , wherein the refrigerant inlet pipe has an outlet stage that is inclined toward to a lower portion of an inner peripheral surface of the distributor body or an upper surface of a lower plate of the distributor body. 
     
     
         19 . The air conditioner of  claim 18 , wherein the refrigerant inlet pipe is obliquely disposed on a circumferential portion of the distributor body. 
     
     
         20 . The air conditioner of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a partition wall installed in the space to separate liquid refrigerant and gaseous refrigerant.   
     
     
         21 . The air conditioner of  claim 20 , wherein a gap is provided between the partition wall and an inner peripheral surface of the distributor body, and the plurality of liquid refrigerant suction lines penetrates the gap. 
     
     
         22 . The air conditioner of  claim 20 , wherein a height of the partition wall from a lower plate of the distributor body is higher than an outlet stage of the refrigerant inlet pipe. 
     
     
         23 . The air conditioner of  claim 20 , wherein an inlet stage of a refrigerant outlet pipe of the plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes located at a lowermost side has a height from a lower plate of the distributor body higher than the partition wall. 
     
     
         24 . The air conditioner of  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes communicate with an upper portion of the space. 
     
     
         25 . The air conditioner of  claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of liquid refrigerant suction lines is connected to its respective refrigerant outlet pipe at a location separated from an inlet stage of the respective refrigerant outlet pipe. 
     
     
         26 . The air conditioner of  claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of liquid refrigerant suction lines has an internal cross-sectional area smaller than an internal cross-sectional area of the respective refrigerant outlet pipe. 
     
     
         27 . The air conditioner of  claim 17 , wherein a bottom of each of the plurality of liquid refrigerant suction lines is separated from a lower plate of the distributor body. 
     
     
         28 . The air conditioner of  claim 17 , wherein a top of each of the plurality of liquid refrigerant suction lines is connected to a portion of its respective refrigerant outlet pipe located inside of the distributor body. 
     
     
         29 . The air conditioner of  claim 17 , wherein a first end of each of the plurality of liquid refrigerant suction lines is connected to a lower plate of the distributor body or a lower portion of a circumferential portion of the distributor body, and a second end of each of the plurality of liquid refrigerant suction lines is connected to a portion of its respective refrigerant outlet pipe located outside of the distributor body. 
     
     
         30 . An air conditioner, comprising:
 an evaporator having a plurality of refrigerant flow paths that evaporate a refrigerant;   a compressor that compresses the refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator;   a condenser that condenses the refrigerant compressed in the compressor;   an expansion mechanism that expands the refrigerant condensed in the condenser; and   an evaporator inlet header distributor that distributes the refrigerant expanded in the expansion mechanism to the plurality of refrigerant flow paths, wherein the evaporator inlet header distributor comprises:
 a plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes connected to the plurality of refrigerant flow paths; 
 a distributor body having a header flow path to which the plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes is connected, and a return flow path connected to an upper side and a lower side of the header flow path; and 
 a refrigerant inlet pipe that guides the refrigerant expanded in the expansion mechanism to one of the header flow path or the return flow path, wherein a central longitudinal axis of the distribution body extends in a substantially vertical direction. 
   
     
     
         31 . The air conditioner of  claim 30 , wherein the refrigerant inlet pipe is installed in a lower portion of the distributor body. 
     
     
         32 . The air conditioner of  claim 31 , wherein an outlet of the refrigerant inlet pipe is formed at a top of the refrigerant inlet pipe and extends into the header flow path. 
     
     
         33 . The air conditioner of  claim 31 , wherein the return flow path guides the refrigerant to flow into an upper side of the header flow path or to a lower side of the header flow path. 
     
     
         34 . The air conditioner of  claim 30 , wherein a separating plate is provided inside of the distributor body, the header flow path and the return flow path being divided by the separating plate. 
     
     
         35 . The air conditioner of  claim 34 , wherein an inlet of the plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes is disposed opposite to the separating plate. 
     
     
         36 . The air conditioner of  claim 35 , wherein the inlet of each of the plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes extends a predetermined distance into the distributor body. 
     
     
         37 . The air conditioner of  claim 34 , wherein a top of the separating plate is separated from a top of the distributor body, and a bottom of the separating plate is separated from a bottom of the distributor body 
     
     
         38 . The air conditioner of  claim 30 , wherein the return flow path comprises a separate pipe connected to an upper portion and a lower portion of the distributor body. 
     
     
         39 . The air conditioner of  claim 38 , wherein the return flow path is connected to the upper at a location lower than a position of an uppermost side refrigerant outlet pipe of the plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes. 
     
     
         40 . The air conditioner of  claim 38 , wherein the return flow path is connected to the lower portion at a location lower than a position of an lowermost side refrigerant outlet pipe of the plurality of refrigerant outlet pipes. 
     
     
         41 . The air conditioner of  claim 30 , wherein the refrigerant inlet pipe guides the refrigerant expanded in the expansion mechanism to the header flow path. 
     
     
         42 . The air conditioner of  claim 30 , wherein the refrigerant inlet pipe guides the refrigerant expanded in the expansion mechanism to the return flow path