Air conditioner

Abstract

An air conditioner is provided that may include a heat exchanger including a plurality of refrigerant tubes, a distributor disposed at one side of the heat exchanger to divide a refrigerant into a plurality of flow paths, a plurality of capillary tubes that extends from the distributor toward the plurality of refrigerant tubes, and a bypass tube that extends from the plurality of refrigerant tubes. The bypass tube may allow the refrigerant to bypass the distributor, thereby guiding a flow of the refrigerant toward an outlet of the distributor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner, comprising:
 a heat exchanger comprising a plurality of refrigerant tubes;   a distributor disposed at one side of the heat exchanger to divide a refrigerant into a plurality of flow paths;   a plurality of capillary tubes that extends from the distributor toward the plurality of refrigerant tubes; and   at least one bypass tube that extends from the plurality of refrigerant tubes, wherein the at least one bypass tube allows the refrigerant to bypass the distributor, thereby guiding a flow of the refrigerant toward an outlet of the distributor.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one branch tube connected to one capillary tube of the plurality of capillary tubes and the at least one bypass tube. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one branch tube is connected to one refrigerant tube of the plurality of refrigerant tubes, and wherein the at least one branch tube comprises:
 a first branch that guides a refrigerant passing through the one refrigerant tube to the one capillary tube; and   a second branch that guides the refrigerant passing through the one refrigerant tube to the at least one bypass tube.   
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a distributor connection tube connected to the distributor to introduce the refrigerant into the distributor during a heating operation; and   a connection tube that extends from the at least one bypass tube to the distributor connection tube.   
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , further comprising a check valve disposed in the connection tube to guide the refrigerant in the connection tube in one direction. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 5 , wherein the check valve restricts a flow of the refrigerant from the distributor connection tube toward the at least one bypass tube when the heat exchanger functions as an evaporator. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises an outdoor heat exchanger. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner according to  claim 7 , further comprising a main expansion valve disposed at one side of the outdoor heat exchanger, wherein the distributor connection tube is disposed between the main expansion valve and the distributor. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner according to  claim 5 , further comprising a combination tank disposed on the connection tube and in which the refrigerant passing through the at least one bypass tube is mixed. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one bypass tube is connected to one side of the plurality of refrigerant tubes, at which side a speed of external air passing through the heat exchanger is greater than a predetermined wind speed. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner according to  claim 10 , further comprising a blower fan disposed above the heat exchanger to blow the external air, wherein the heat exchanger extends in a vertical direction, and wherein the side of the plurality of refrigerant tubes at which side the speed of the external air is greater than the predetermined wind speed is disposed at an upper portion of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner according to  claim 9 , further comprising a storage tank disposed on the connection tube to store a liquid refrigerant condensed in the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner according to  claim 12 , wherein the check valve is disposed between the connection tube and the combination tank. 
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one bypass tube comprises a plurality of bypass tubes. 
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises an indoor heat exchanger, and wherein the air conditioner further comprises a turbo fan that blows indoor air toward the indoor heat exchanger. 
     
     
         16 . An air conditioner, comprising:
 a heat exchanger comprising a plurality of refrigerant tubes;   a distributor that divides a refrigerant to introduce the divided refrigerant into the heat exchanger during a heating operation;   a distributor connection tube disposed at an inlet-side of the distributor;   a plurality of capillary tubes that extends from the distributor to the plurality of refrigerant tubes;   at least one branch tube comprising a first branch connected to at least one of the plurality of capillary tubes;   at least one bypass tube connected to a second branch of the at least one branch tube; and   a connection tube that extends from the distributor connection tube to the at least one bypass tube.   
     
     
         17 . The air conditioner according to  claim 16 , further comprising a check valve installed on the connection tube to restrict a flow of the refrigerant in the connection tube. 
     
     
         18 . The air conditioner according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one bypass tube comprises a plurality of bypass tubes, and wherein a combination tank that mixes the refrigerants flowing through the plurality of bypass tubes with each other is disposed on the connection tube. 
     
     
         19 . The air conditioner according to  claim 16 , further comprising a storage tank disposed on the connection tube, wherein the storage tank is disposed at a position corresponding to a refrigerant tube of the plurality of refrigerant tubes disposed at a lower portion of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         20 . The air conditioner according to  claim 16 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises an outdoor heat exchanger or an indoor heat exchanger.