Refrigeration cycle device

Abstract

To provide a refrigeration cycle device that has a refrigerant flow path with a structure to form a counter flow of air and refrigerant not only during cooling, but also during heating, and that allows low-pressure two-phase refrigerant to flow through a liquid pipe and can thereby reduce the amount of refrigerant needed. The refrigeration cycle device includes: an outdoor unit 1 including a compressor 5 , a four-way valve 6 , an outdoor heat exchanger 7 , and an outdoor expansion valve 9 , the four-way valve 6 being configured to switch between cooling operation and heating operation; an indoor unit 2 including an indoor heat exchanger 12 and an indoor expansion valve 14 ; and a gas pipe 3 and a liquid pipe 4 configured to connect the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit 2 ; and at least either one of a first bridge circuit 10 having a configuration including a plurality of flow path opening-closing units 11 to allow the refrigerant to flow through the outdoor heat exchanger 7 in the same direction both during the cooling operation and during the heating operation, and a second bridge circuit 15 having a configuration including a plurality of flow path opening-closing units 16 to allow the refrigerant to flow through the indoor heat exchanger 12 in the same direction both during the cooling operation and during the heating operation.

1 . A refrigeration cycle device comprising:
 an outdoor unit including a compressor, a four-way valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, and an outdoor expansion valve, the four-way valve being configured to switch between cooling operation and heating operation;   an indoor unit including an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor expansion valve; and   a gas pipe and a liquid pipe configured to connect the outdoor unit and the indoor unit to form a refrigerant circuit, the refrigerant circuit being filled with refrigerant, wherein
 the refrigeration cycle device comprises at least either one of 
 a first bridge circuit accommodated in the outdoor unit, the first bridge circuit having a configuration including a plurality of flow path opening-closing units to allow the refrigerant to flow through the outdoor heat exchanger in a same direction both during the cooling operation and during the heating operation, a flow path opening-closing unit of the plurality of flow path opening-closing units, installed in a flow path connecting the liquid pipe and an outlet side of the outdoor heat exchanger, being the outdoor expansion valve, and 
 a second bridge circuit having a configuration including a plurality of flow path opening-closing units to allow the refrigerant to flow through the indoor heat exchanger in a same direction both during the cooling operation and during the heating operation, a flow path opening-closing unit of the plurality of flow path opening-closing units, installed in a flow path connecting the liquid pipe and an outlet side of the indoor heat exchanger, being the indoor expansion valve, 
   wherein the liquid pipe is configured to allow the refrigerant to flow from the outdoor unit to the indoor unit in the cooling operation and allow the refrigerant to flow from the indoor unit to the outdoor unit in the heating operation.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigeration cycle device of  claim 1 , wherein the first bridge circuit includes a first check valve located in series to the outdoor expansion valve and configured to stop the refrigerant from flowing through the outdoor expansion valve during the heating operation. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigeration cycle device of  claim 1 , wherein the second bridge circuit includes a second check valve located in series to the indoor expansion valve and configured to stop the refrigerant from flowing through the indoor expansion valve during the cooling operation. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigeration cycle device of  claim 1 ,wherein the second bridge circuit includes a rectification unit on an upstream side of the indoor expansion valve, the rectification unit being configured to allow the refrigerant to flow in a uniform state. 
     
     
         5 . A refrigeration cycle device comprising: 
 an outdoor unit including a compressor, a four-way valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, and an outdoor expansion valve, the four-way valve being configured to switch between cooling operation and heating operation;   a plurality of indoor units each including an indoor heat exchanger and a solenoid valve; a first bridge circuit accommodated in the outdoor unit, the first bridge circuit having a configuration including a plurality of flow path opening-closing units to allowrefrigerant to flow through the outdoor heat exchanger in a same direction both during the cooling operation and during the heating operation, a flow path opening-closing unit of the plurality of flow path opening-closing units, installed in a flow path connecting a liquid pipe and an outlet side of the outdoor heat exchanger, being the outdoor expansion valve;   a second bridge circuit to which each of the plurality of indoor units is connected in parallel, the second bridge circuit having a configuration including a plurality of flow path opening-closing units to allow the refrigerant to flow through each of the plurality of indoor units in a same direction both during the cooling operation and during the heating operation, the second bridge circuit including an indoor expansion valve in a flow path connecting the liquid pipe and an outlet side of each of the plurality of indoor units; and   a gas pipe and a liquid pipe configured to connect the outdoor unit and the second bridge circuit to form a refrigerant circuit, the refrigerant circuit being filled with refrigerant.   
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The refrigeration cycle device of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant is a non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture made up of two or more types of refrigerants with different boiling points.