Outdoor unit of an air conditioner and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

An outdoor unit of an air conditioner of the present invention includes a printed circuit board on which a heat generating element is mounted, a radiating block which contacts the heat generating element and includes a refrigerant path through which refrigerant passes, and a refrigerant tube connected to the radiating block to communicate with the refrigerant path. Material costs of the refrigerant tube can be reduced, and radiation performance can be improved by utilization of the whole surface of the refrigerant path as a surface for heat exchange.

1 . An outdoor unit of an air conditioner, comprising:
 a printed circuit board on which a heat generating element is mounted;   an electric component box in which the printed circuit board is installed;   a radiating block made of aluminum-based material, which contacts the heat generating element and includes a refrigerant path through which refrigerant passes; and   a plurality of tube parts connected to the radiating block to communicate with the refrigerant path and spaced apart from each other with the refrigerant path being disposed therebetween,   wherein the plurality of tube parts include a hybrid coupling tube part composed of a first tube section made of aluminum-based material and communicating with the refrigerant path and a second tube section made of copper-based material and connected to the first tube section.   
     
     
         2 . The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of tube parts is partially fitted in the refrigerant path. 
     
     
         3 . The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant path includes a plurality of refrigerant paths formed in the radiating block. 
     
     
         4 . The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of tube parts include a return tube part made of aluminum-based material for guiding refrigerant introduced through one of the plurality of refrigerant paths into another one of the plurality of refrigerant paths. 
     
     
         5 . The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein the hybrid coupling tube part includes a plurality of hybrid coupling tube parts joined to the radiating block,
 wherein one of the plurality of hybrid coupling tube parts is connected to one of the plurality of refrigerant paths and another one of the plurality of heteroconjuction tube parts is connected to another one of the plurality of refrigerant paths.   
     
     
         6 . An outdoor unit of an air conditioner, comprising:
 a printed circuit board on which a heat generating element is mounted;   a radiating block contacting the heat generating element and including a refrigerant path through which refrigerant passes; and   a refrigerant tube part joined to the radiating block to communicate with the refrigerant path.   
     
     
         7 . The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 6 , wherein the refrigerant path is formed between opposite sides of the radiating block. 
     
     
         8 . The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 6 , wherein the refrigerant path is longitudinally formed in the radiating block. 
     
     
         9 . The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 6 , wherein the refrigerant tube part includes a plurality of tube parts which are spaced apart from each other with the refrigerant path being disposed therebetween. 
     
     
         10 . The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of tube parts is partially fitted in the refrigerant path. 
     
     
         11 . The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 9 , wherein the refrigerant path includes a plurality of refrigerant paths formed in the radiating block. 
     
     
         12 . The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of tube parts include a return tube part for guiding refrigerant introduced through one of the plurality of refrigerant paths into another one of the plurality of refrigerant paths. 
     
     
         13 . The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 12 , wherein the return tube part is made of the same material as that of the radiating block. 
     
     
         14 . The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of tube parts include a hybrid coupling tube part composed of a first tube section made of the same material as that of the radiating block and a second tube section made of a different material than the radiating block,
 wherein the first tube section is joined to the radiating block.   
     
     
         15 . The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to  claim 14 , wherein the refrigerant path includes a plurality of refrigerant paths formed in the radiating block, and
 wherein the hybrid coupling tube part includes a plurality of hybrid coupling tube parts joined to the radiating block,   wherein one of the plurality of hybrid coupling tube parts is connected to one of the plurality of refrigerant paths and another one of the plurality of hybrid coupling tube parts is connected to another one of the plurality of refrigerant paths.   
     
     
         16 . A method of manufacturing an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, comprising:
 extruding aluminum-based material to form a radiating block including a plurality of refrigerant paths;   welding a return tube part made of aluminum-based material to the radiating block in such a manner that the return tube part communicates with the plurality of refrigerant paths and welding hybrid coupling tube parts, each of which is composed of a first aluminum tube section and a second copper tube section connected to the first aluminum tube section, to the radiating block in such a manner that the first aluminum tube sections communicate with the plurality of refrigerant paths; and   connecting the second copper tube sections to refrigerant pipes of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner.