Heat pump

Abstract

A heat pipe provided with an outdoor unit having a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger, a plurality of indoor units provided to be driven at a cooling mode or a heating mode. an indoor unit mode control unit to control the each of the plurality of indoor units to be driven at a cooling mode or a heating mode. and a flow path conversion apparatus connected to a first refrigerant pipe and a second refrigerant pipe connected from the outdoor unit, connected to a high pressure gas pipe and a low pressure gas pipe connected to the indoor unit mode controlling unit, and configured to change the flow path of a refrigerant by selectively connect all or some of the first refrigerant pipe, the second refrigerant pipe, the high pressure gas pipe, and the low pressure gas pipe according to the mode at which the indoor units are driven.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat pump, comprising:
 an outdoor unit having a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger;   a plurality of indoor units, each of the indoor units configured to be driven at one of a cooling mode and a heating mode;   an indoor unit mode control unit configured to control each of the plurality of indoor units to be driven at one of the cooling mode and the heating mode; and   a flow path conversion apparatus connected to the outdoor unit through a first refrigerant pipe and a second refrigerant pipe, connected to the indoor unit mode control unit through a high pressure gas pipe and a low pressure gas pipe, and configured to change a flow path of a refrigerant by selectively connecting at least one of the first refrigerant pipe and the second refrigerant pipe to the high pressure gas pipe and the low pressure gas pipe according to a mode at which the indoor units are driven.   
     
     
         2 . The heat pump of  claim 1 , wherein the outdoor unit further comprises a first flow path conversion valve connected to the compressor, the first refrigerant pipe, and the second refrigerant pipe, and configured to connect the compressor to one of the first refrigerant pipe and the second refrigerant pipe. 
     
     
         3 . The heat pump of  claim 2 , wherein the outdoor unit further comprises:
 an accumulator connected to the compressor; and   a circulation pipe to sequentially connect the first flow path conversion valve, the accumulator, and the compressor.   
     
     
         4 . The heat pump of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a third refrigerant pipe to sequentially connect the second refrigerant pipe, the outdoor heat exchanger, and the indoor unit mode control unit.   
     
     
         5 . The heat pump of  claim 3 , wherein the flow path conversion apparatus comprises:
 a second flow path conversion valve connected to each of the first refrigerant pipe, the high pressure gas pipe, and the low pressure gas pipe, and configured to connect the first refrigerant pipe to one of the high pressure gas pipe and the low pressure gas pipe;   a first valve installed at the second refrigerant pipe configured to connect the first flow path conversion valve and the high pressure gas pipe; and   a second valve installed at a connecting pipe connecting the second refrigerant pipe and the low pressure gas pipe.   
     
     
         6 . The heat pump of  claim 5 , wherein the connecting pipe is connected in between the first valve and the first flow path conversion valve at the second refrigerant pipe. 
     
     
         7 . The heat pump of  claim 6 , wherein the flow path conversion apparatus further comprises a control apparatus to control the first flow path conversion valve, the first valve, and the second valve, and
 when the plurality of indoor units is altogether driven at the cooling mode, the control apparatus controls the first flow path conversion valve to connect the compressor and the second refrigerant pipe and to connect the circulation pipe to the first refrigerant pipe, and controls the second flow path conversion valve to connect the first refrigerant pipe and the low pressure gas pipe.   
     
     
         8 . The heat pump of  claim 7 , wherein the control apparatus, when the plurality of indoor units is driven at the cooling mode altogether, controls both the first valve and the second valve to be closed. 
     
     
         9 . The heat pump of  claim 6 , wherein the flow path conversion apparatus further comprises a control apparatus configured to control the first flow path conversion valve, the first valve, and the second valve, and
 when the plurality of indoor units is altogether driven at the heating mode, the control apparatus controls the first flow path conversion valve to connect the compressor and the first refrigerant pipe and to connect the circulation pipe to the second refrigerant pipe, and the second flow path conversion valve to connect the first refrigerant pipe and the high pressure gas pipe.   
     
     
         10 . The heat pump of  claim 9 , wherein the control apparatus, when the plurality of indoor units is driven at the heating mode altogether, controls both the first valve and the second valve to be closed. 
     
     
         11 . The heat pump of  claim 6 , wherein the flow path conversion apparatus further comprises a control apparatus configured to control the first flow path conversion valve, the first valve, and the second valve, and
 when a number of the indoor units driven at the cooling mode is greater than a number of the indoor units driven at the heating mode, the control apparatus controls the first flow path conversion valve to connect the compressor and the second refrigerant pipe and to connect the circulation pipe to the first refrigerant pipe, and the second flow path conversion valve to connect the first refrigerant pipe and the low pressure gas pipe.   
     
     
         12 . The heat pump of  claim 11 , wherein the control apparatus, when the number of the indoor units driven at the cooling mode is greater than the number of the indoor units driven at the heating mode, controls the first valve to be open and the second valve to be closed. 
     
     
         13 . The heat pump of  claim 6 , wherein the flow path conversion apparatus further comprises a control apparatus configured to control the first flow path conversion valve, the first valve, and the second valve, and
 when a number of the indoor units driven at the heating mode is greater than a number of the indoor units driven at the cooling mode, the control apparatus controls the first flow path conversion valve to connect the compressor and the first refrigerant pipe and to connect the circulation pipe to the second refrigerant pipe, and the second flow path conversion valve to connect the first refrigerant pipe and the high pressure gas pipe.   
     
     
         14 . The heat pump of  claim 13 , wherein when the number of the indoor units driven at the heating mode is greater than the number of the indoor units driven at the cooling mode, the control apparatus controls the first valve to be closed and the second valve to be open. 
     
     
         15 . The heat pump of  claim 6 , wherein the first flow path conversion valve and the second flow path conversion valve are provided in a form of a 4-way valve.