Air conditioner

Abstract

An air conditioner including a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve, an indoor heat exchanger, a first fan, a second fan, and a cooling/heating conversion device. The compressor is configured to compress a refrigerant and including a first compressor and a second compressor. The outdoor heat exchanger is configured to exchange heat of the refrigerant with outdoor air, and includes a first and second heat exchanger. The expansion valve is configured to expand a refrigerant. The indoor heat exchanger is configured to exchange heat of the refrigerant with indoor air. The first fan and the second fan correspond to the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, respectively. The cooling/heating conversion device during a during a heating operation is connected in parallel to the first and second heat exchangers, and during a during a cooling operation is connected in series to the first and second heat exchangers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, wherein the compressor includes a first compressor and a second compressor;   an outdoor heat exchanger configured to exchange heat of the refrigerant with outdoor air, wherein the outdoor heat exchanger includes a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger;   an expansion valve configured to expand the refrigerant;   an indoor heat exchanger configured to include exchange heat of the refrigerant with indoor air;   a fan including a first fan and a second fan corresponding to the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, respectively; and   a cooling/heating conversion device, wherein during a heating operation the cooling/heating conversion device is connected in parallel to the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger and during a cooling operation, the cooling/heating conversion device is connected in series to the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling/heating conversion device is a four-way valve, and the four-way valve includes a first four-way valve provided between the compressor, and the indoor heat exchanger and the first heat exchanger and a second four-way valve provided between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein the first four-way valve is configured to move the refrigerant compressed by the compressor to the indoor heat exchanger or the first heat exchanger. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner of  claim 3 , wherein the first four-way valve configured to move the refrigerant from the indoor heat exchanger or the first heat exchanger to the compressor. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner of  claim 4 , wherein the second four-way valve is connected to each of the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, the expansion valve, and the compressor. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner of  claim 5 , wherein during the heating operation, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor is moved to the indoor heat exchanger through the first four-way valve and condensed by exchanging heat with the indoor air, and the refrigerant condensed in the indoor heat exchanger is moved to the expansion valve. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner of  claim 6 , wherein the second four-way valve is configured to disconnect the first heat exchanger from the second heat exchanger such that the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are connected in parallel. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner of  claim 7 , wherein:
 a part of the refrigerant is moved to the expansion valve and expanded is moved to the first heat exchanger through the second four-way valve, and   a remaining part of the refrigerant is moved to the second heat exchanger and evaporated by exchanging heat with the outdoor air.   
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the refrigerant evaporated in the first heat exchanger is moved to the compressor through the first four-way valve, and   the refrigerant evaporated in the second heat exchanger is moved to the compressor through the second four-way valve.   
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner of  claim 5 , wherein during the cooling operation, the second four-way valve is configured to connect the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger such that the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are connected in series and disconnects the expansion valve to the compressor. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the refrigerant compressed by the compressor is moved to the first heat exchanger through the first four-way valve and condensed by exchanging heat with the outdoor air, and   the refrigerant condensed in the first heat exchanger is moved to the second heat exchanger through the second four-way valve and condensed by exchanging heat with the outdoor air.   
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the refrigerant condensed in the second heat exchanger is moved to the expansion valve and expanded,   the refrigerant expanded in the expansion valve is moved to the indoor heat exchanger and evaporated by exchanging heat with the indoor air, and   the evaporated refrigerant is moved to the compressor through the first four-way valve.   
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling/heating conversion device is an on/off valve. 
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the first fan and the second fan are different sizes. 
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the first fan and the second fan include different rotation speeds. 
     
     
         16 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a plurality of compressors configured to compress a refrigerant;   a plurality of outdoor heat exchangers configured to exchange heat of the refrigerant with outdoor air;   an expansion valve configured to expand the refrigerant;   an indoor heat exchanger configured to exchange heat of the refrigerant with indoor air;   a plurality of fans provided to correspond to the plurality of outdoor heat exchangers; and   a cooling/heating conversion device, wherein during a heating operation the plurality of outdoor heat exchangers are connected in parallel, and during a cooling operation a portion of the plurality of outdoor heat exchangers are connected in series and a remaining portion of the plurality of outdoor heat exchangers are connected in parallel.   
     
     
         17 . The air conditioner of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of outdoor heat exchangers include a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, and a third heat exchanger. 
     
     
         18 . The air conditioner of  claim 17 , wherein the cooling/heating conversion device is a four-way valve, and the four-way valve includes a first four-way valve provided between a compressor of the plurality of compressors, and the indoor heat exchanger and the first heat exchanger and a second four-way valve provided between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, and the third heat exchanger is connected to a refrigerant pipe that connects the first four-way valve to the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         19 . The air conditioner of  claim 18 , wherein during the cooling operation, the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are connected in series, and the third heat exchanger is connected in parallel to the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         20 . The air conditioner of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of fans include different sizes or rotation speeds.