Multi-air conditioner

Abstract

A multi-air conditioner may comprise: an outdoor unit; a plurality of indoor units; a header module including an inlet pipe, branching to supply a refrigerant compressed by the outdoor unit, and a collection pipe for heat-exchanging the refrigerant by the plurality of indoor units collected at the outdoor unit; and connection kits detachably coupled between the header module and the plurality of indoor units. The connection kit may include: a connection inlet pipe; a connection collection pipe; connection regulating valves provided at the connection inlet pipe and the connection collection pipe to suppress the refrigerant from being supplied to the plurality of indoor units; and a connection bypass portion connecting the connection inlet pipe and the connection collection pipe to bypass, to the connection collection pipe, the refrigerant flowing into the connection inlet pipe.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-air conditioner, comprising:
 an outdoor unit;   a plurality of indoor units;   a header module comprising an inlet pipe branched and configured to supply refrigerant compressed by the outdoor unit to the plurality of indoor units and a collection pipe joined and configured to collect refrigerant heat-exchanged in the plurality of indoor units for return to the outdoor unit; and   a connection kit detachably coupled between the header module and the plurality of indoor units,   wherein the connection kit comprises:   a connection inlet pipe configured to introduce refrigerant from the inlet pipe of the header module to the plurality of indoor units;   a connection collection pipe configured to collect refrigerant from the plurality of indoor units to the collection pipe of the header module;   a connection regulating valve provided to the connection inlet pipe and the connection collection pipe and configured to suppress refrigerant from being supplied to the plurality of indoor units; and   a connection bypass portion connecting the connection inlet pipe and the connection collection pipe and configured to bypass refrigerant introduced into the connection inlet pipe to the connection collection pipe.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein
 the connection regulating valves comprise:   a connection inlet regulating valve provided to the connection inlet pipe; and   a connection collection regulating valve provided to the connection collection pipe.   
     
     
         3 . The multi-air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein
 the connection bypass portion comprises:   a connection bypass pipe; and   a connection bypass valve provided to the connection bypass pipe, and   wherein one end of the connection bypass pipe is disposed upstream of the connection inlet regulating valve provided to the connection inlet pipe.   
     
     
         4 . The multi-air conditioner of  claim 3 , wherein
 an other end of the connection bypass pipe is disposed downstream of the connection collection regulating valve provided to the connection collection pipe.   
     
     
         5 . The multi-air conditioner of  claim 3 , wherein
 the header module comprises:   a main inlet pipe configured to be supplied with refrigerant from the outdoor unit;   a branch inlet pipe branched from the main inlet pipe and connected to the connection inlet pipe of the connection kit;   a branch collection pipe connected to the connection collection pipe of the connection kit; and   a main collection pipe joined from the branch collection pipe and configured to collect refrigerant to the outdoor unit.   
     
     
         6 . The multi-air conditioner of  claim 5 , wherein
 the header module further comprises a bypass portion configured to connect the main inlet pipe and the main collection pipe.   
     
     
         7 . The multi-air conditioner of  claim 6 , wherein
 the bypass portion comprises:   a bypass pipe; and   a bypass valve provided to the bypass pipe,   wherein the multi-air conditioner further comprises:   a controller, comprising circuitry, configured to cause the multi-air conditioner to open and close the bypass valve, and   wherein the controller is configured to cause the multi-air conditioner to open the bypass valve based on the plurality of indoor units stopping operation.