Distributor and air conditioner including the same

Abstract

An air conditioner including a distributor capable of adjusting the distribution of fluid flow to branched pipes is provided. The air conditioner includes a distributor configured to distribute a fluid flowing therethrough, and a heat exchanger including refrigerant pipes through which the fluid distributed by the distributor flows, the heat exchanger configured to heat exchange the fluid with air. The distributor includes an outer pipe having a cylindrical shape through which the fluid passes, and branched pipes. Each of the branched pipes includes one end connected to the outer pipe by being inserted into the outer pipe and includes a fluid passing part provided to allow the fluid to flow in or out. At least two branched pipes are configured such that at least one of an insertion length and a diameter of the fluid passing part inserted into the outer pipe are different from each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a distributor configured to distribute a fluid flowing therethrough; and   a heat exchanger including a plurality of refrigerant pipes through which the fluid distributed by the distributor flows, the heat exchanger configured to heat exchange the fluid with air,   wherein the distributor includes:
 an outer pipe having a cylindrical shape through which the fluid passes, and 
 a plurality of branched pipes, 
   wherein each of the plurality of branched pipes includes one end connected to the outer pipe by being inserted into the outer pipe and comprises a fluid passing part provided to allow the fluid to flow in or out, and   wherein at least two branched pipes among the plurality of branched pipes are configured such that at least one of a diameter of the fluid passing part or an insertion length inserted into the outer pipe is different from each other.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid passing part comprises at least one of:
 a reduced flow path part formed at the one end of each of the branched pipes, or   a hole formed on one surface of each of the branched pipes inserted into the outer pipe.   
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the diameter of the fluid passing part comprises at least one of:
 an inner diameter of the reduced flow path part, or   a diameter of the hole.   
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer pipe is formed in at least one of a circular cylindrical shape or a rectangular cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer pipe comprises a protrusion provided on an inner surface of the outer pipe. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 5 , wherein the protrusion is provided on the inner surface of the outer pipe corresponding to an insertion direction of each of the branched pipes. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner according to  claim 5 , wherein the protrusion is provided at a position corresponding to a position to which each of the branched pipes is connected on the inner surface of the outer pipe. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer pipe comprises a plurality of protrusions provided to be spaced apart from each other along a circumferential direction of an inner surface of the outer pipe. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner according to  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of protrusions is formed in at least one of a triangular shape or a trapezoidal shape. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer pipe is twisted about an axis extending in a longitudinal direction of the outer pipe. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 another outer pipe having a cylindrical shape; and   a plurality of other branched pipes,   wherein each of the plurality of the other branched pipes is connected to the other outer pipe and comprises a reduced flow path part inserted into the other outer pipe,   wherein the other outer pipe is twisted about an axis extending in a longitudinal direction of the other outer pipe, and   wherein at least two other branched pipes among the plurality of the other branched pipes are each configured such that at least one of an inner diameter of the reduced flow path part or the insertion length inserted into the other outer pipe are different from each other.   
     
     
         12 . A distributor for distributing a fluid to each of a plurality of refrigerant pipes provided in a heat exchanger of an air conditioner, the distributor comprising:
 an outer pipe having a cylindrical shape through which the fluid passes; and   a plurality of branched pipes,   wherein each of the plurality of branched pipes includes one end connected to the outer pipe by being inserted into the outer pipe and comprises a fluid passing part provided to allow the fluid to flow in or out, and   wherein at least two branched pipes among the plurality of branched pipes are configured such that at least one of a diameter of the fluid passing part or an insertion length inserted into the outer pipe is different from each other.   
     
     
         13 . The distributor according to  claim 12 , wherein the fluid passing part comprises at least one of:
 a reduced flow path part formed at the one end of each of the branched pipes, or   a hole formed on one surface of each of the branched pipes inserted into the outer pipe.   
     
     
         14 . The distributor according to  claim 13 , wherein the diameter of the fluid passing part comprises at least one of:
 an inner diameter of the reduced flow path part, or   a diameter of the hole.   
     
     
         15 . The distributor according to  claim 12 , wherein the outer pipe comprises a protrusion provided on an inner surface of the outer pipe. 
     
     
         16 . The distributor according to  claim 15 , wherein the protrusion is provided on the inner surface of the outer pipe corresponding to an insertion direction of each of the branched pipes. 
     
     
         17 . The distributor according to  claim 15 , wherein the protrusion is provided at a position corresponding to a position to which each of the branched pipes is connected on the inner surface of the outer pipe. 
     
     
         18 . The distributor according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the outer pipe comprises a plurality of protrusions provided to be spaced apart from each other along a circumferential direction of an inner surface of the outer pipe, and   wherein the plurality of protrusions is formed in at least one of a triangular shape or a trapezoidal shape.   
     
     
         19 . The distributor according to  claim 12 , wherein the outer pipe is twisted about an axis extending in a longitudinal direction of the outer pipe. 
     
     
         20 . The distributor according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 another outer pipe having a cylindrical shape; and   a plurality of other branched pipes,   wherein each of the plurality of branched pipes is connected to the other outer pipe and comprises a reduced flow path part inserted into the other outer pipe,   wherein the other outer pipe is twisted about an axis extending in a longitudinal direction of the other outer pipe, and   wherein at least two other branched pipes among the plurality of the other branched pipes are each configured such that at least one of an inner diameter of the reduced flow path part or an insertion length inserted into the other outer pipe are different from each other.