Patent Grant
10228171
This application is a U.S. national stage application of International Application No. PCT/JP2014/076204 filed on Sep. 30, 2014, and is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-262662 filed on Dec. 19, 2013, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to an accumulator, an air-conditioning apparatus and a method for manufacturing an accumulator.
A conventional accumulators include a container that seals low pressure refrigerant, a low pressure refrigerant inlet tube that allows the low pressure refrigerant to flow into the container, and a U-shaped tube that allows the low pressure refrigerant in the container to flow out of the container, and the U-shaped tube is covered by an outer tube with a gap between the U-shaped tube and the outer tube. High pressure refrigerant passes through the gap between the U-shaped tube and the outer tube, and the high pressure refrigerant exchanges heat with the low pressure refrigerant in the container and the low pressure refrigerant in the U-shaped tube. This heat exchange allows the low pressure refrigerant in the container and the low pressure refrigerant in the U-shaped tube to be gasified and superheated, and the high pressure refrigerant passing through the gap between the U-shaped tube and the outer tube to be subcooled (for example, see Patent Literature 1).
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 61-83849 (line 14 in the upper left column to line 4 in the lower left column on page 3, and FIG. 1)
In the conventional accumulators, a straight tube is inserted in the outer tube and the outer tube is bent with the straight tube to form a turning back section of the U-shaped tube. Thus, it is difficult to ensure a gap between the U-shaped tube and the outer tube at the turning back section, causing a problem of low manufacturing efficiency. Further, there is a problem that how to apply such a conventional accumulator to air-conditioning apparatuses configured to switch heating operation and cooling operation by switching operation of a flow switching mechanism in a refrigerant circuit, which has become more complicated over the years, is not embodied.
The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and has an object of providing an accumulator with an improved manufacturing efficiency. Further, the present invention has an object of providing an air-conditioning apparatus having the same accumulator. Further, the present invention has an object of providing an air-conditioning apparatus in which application of the accumulator is embodied. Further, the present invention has an object of providing a method of manufacturing an accumulator with an improved manufacturing efficiency.
An accumulator according to the present invention is an accumulator connected to a refrigerant circuit and includes a container sealing low pressure refrigerant flowing through a low pressure side of the refrigerant circuit, a low pressure refrigerant inlet tube allowing the low pressure refrigerant to flow into the container, and a low pressure refrigerant outlet body including an upstream-side tubular section, a low pressure refrigerant turning back section communicating with a lower end of the upstream-side tubular section, and a downstream-side tubular section having a lower end communicating with the low pressure refrigerant turning back section in the container, and is configured to allow the low pressure refrigerant in the container to flow from an upper end of the upstream-side tubular section to an upper end of the downstream-side tubular section and to flow out of the container. At least a part of the upstream-side tubular section is covered by a first outer tube with a gap between the upstream-side tubular section and the first outer tube, at least a part of the downstream-side tubular section is covered by a second outer tube with a gap between the downstream-side tubular section and the second outer tube, the first outer tube and the second outer tube communicate with each other via a bridging tube, and high pressure refrigerant flowing through a high pressure side of the refrigerant circuit passes through the gap between the upstream-side tubular section and the first outer tube, the bridging tube, and the gap between the downstream-side tubular section and the second outer tube.
In the accumulator according to the present invention, the first outer tube and the second outer tube communicate with each other via the bridging tube, and thus the low pressure refrigerant turning back section does not need to be covered by the outer tube. Thus, it is not necessary to reliably ensure the gap in forming the turning back section of the low pressure refrigerant outlet body, thereby improving the manufacturing efficiency of the low pressure refrigerant outlet body.
With reference to the drawings, an accumulator according to the present invention will be described.
The configurations, operations, manufacturing process, and other descriptions below are merely examples, and an accumulator according to the present invention is not limited to such configurations, operations, a manufacturing process, and other descriptions. Detailed structures are simplified or omitted in the drawings as appropriate. Further, duplicated descriptions are simplified or omitted as appropriate.
An accumulator according to Embodiment 1 will be described below.
<Configuration and Operation of Accumulator>
The configuration and operation of the accumulator according to Embodiment 1 will be described below.
As shown in
The container 2 is preferably made up of a cap 2a and a shell 2b, and the low pressure refrigerant inlet tube 3, the low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4, the high pressure refrigerant inlet tube 5, and the high pressure refrigerant outlet tube 6 are fixed penetrating through through-holes formed in the cap 2a. With this configuration, the low pressure refrigerant inlet tube 3, the low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4, the high pressure refrigerant inlet tube 5, and the high pressure refrigerant outlet tube 6 can be mounted in the container 2 while the container 2 is open, and after that, the container 2 can be sealed by a simple operation of joining the cap 2a. Thus, manufacturing efficiency of the accumulator 1 can be improved.
The low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4 includes a first tube 11 that extends from an upper position to a lower position in the container 2, a U-shaped tube 12 that is connected to the lower end of the first tube 11 and a second tube 13 having a lower end connected to the U-shaped tube 12. As shown in
The first tube 11 the U-shaped tube 12, and the second tube 13 of the low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4 may be a unitary member, that is, a unitary U-shaped tube. In that case, a portion of the unitary U-shaped tube that corresponds to the first tube 11 corresponds to the “upstream-side tubular section” of the present invention. A portion of the unitary U-shaped tube that corresponds to the U-shaped tube 12 corresponds to the “low pressure refrigerant turning back section” of the present invention. A portion of the unitary U-shaped tube that corresponds to the area of the second tube 13 that is located in the container 2 corresponds to the “downstream-side tubular section” of the present invention.
The first tube 11, the U-shaped tube 12, and the second tube 13 of the low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4 are formed as separate members, and thus more members (such as the U-shaped tube 12) can be used in common by a plurality of accumulators 1 having different volumes compared with the case where the first tube 11, the U-shaped tube 12, and the second tube 13 are formed as a unitary U-shaped tube, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost. Further, in the case where the first tube 11, the U-shaped tube 12, and the second tube 13 are formed as a unitary U-shaped tube, both ends of the unitary U-shaped tube expand to a certain extent due to a spring effect of the turning back section. However, when the first tube 11, the U-shaped tube 12, and the second tube 13 are formed as separate members, expansion between both ends of the U-shaped tube 12 can be easily reduced or eliminated since the U-shaped tube 12 is formed as a separate member, and thus, expansion between the upper end of the first tube 11 and the upper end of the second tube 13 can be prevented. As a result, a sealing property of low pressure refrigerant in the container 2 can be improved and a productivity in manufacturing of the accumulator 1 can be improved.
At least a part of the first tube 11 is covered by a first outer tube 14 with a gap between the first tube 11 and the first outer tube 14. The first outer tube 14 is connected to the high pressure refrigerant outlet tube 6. At least a part of the second tube 13 is covered by a second outer tube 15 with a gap between the second tube 13 and the second outer tube 15. The second outer tube 15 is connected to the high pressure refrigerant inlet tube 5. The first outer tube 14 and the second outer tube 15 communicate with each other via a bridging tube 16. After the high pressure refrigerant enters the high pressure refrigerant inlet tube 5 into the gap between the second tube 13 and the second outer tube 15, it flows through the bridging tube 16, the gap between the first tube 11 and the first outer tube 14, and the high pressure refrigerant outlet tube 6 in sequence and exits the container 2. The flow path of the low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4 through which high pressure refrigerant flows is hereinafter referred to as a high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b.
The first outer tube 14 and the second outer tube 15 communicate with each other via the bridging tube 16, and thus the U-shaped tube 12 does not need to be covered by an outer tube. Thus, it is not necessary to reliably ensure the gap between the U-shaped tube 12 and the outer tube in forming the U-shaped tube 12, that is, the turning back section of the low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency of the low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4.
Further, low pressure refrigerant passing through the container 2 and the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a exchanges heat with high pressure refrigerant passing through the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b. This heat exchange promotes gasification and superheat of the low pressure refrigerant passing through the container 2 and the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a so that gas refrigerant that is sufficiently superheated and contains little liquid refrigerant flows out of the low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4, and promotes subcooling of the high pressure refrigerant passing through the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b so that liquid refrigerant that is sufficiently subcooled flows out of the high pressure refrigerant outlet tube 6.
Further, low pressure refrigerant passing through the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a and high pressure refrigerant passing through the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b flow in mutually opposite directions. Thus, compared with the case where they flow in the same direction, low pressure refrigerant passing through a downstream-side area of the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a has a large temperature difference to the high pressure refrigerant, and high pressure refrigerant passing through a downstream-side area of the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b has a large temperature difference to the low pressure refrigerant. This temperature difference improves heat exchange efficiency in the low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4 and further promotes gasification and superheat of the low pressure refrigerant passing through the container 2 and the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a and subcooling of the high pressure refrigerant passing through the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b.
Moreover, the first tube 11, the U-shaped tube 12, and the second tube 13 of the low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4 are formed as separate members, and thus more members (such as the U-shaped tube 12) can be used in common by a low pressure refrigerant outlet body of a type having the first tube 11 and the second tube 13 that are not covered by an outer tube, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost.
The first outer tube 14 preferably has a length larger than that of the second outer tube 15. With this configuration, gasification of low pressure refrigerant around the first tube 11 is further promoted, and thus liquid refrigerant is reliably prevented from entering the upper end of the first tube 11, and increase of pressure loss generated in the high pressure refrigerant passing through the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b due to the excessively long high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b can also be prevented.
The U-shaped tube 12 has an oil return hole 17. The oil return hole 17 is located at a lower position in the container 2, particularly, at a lower position relative to the bridging tube 16. The oil return hole 17 allows the oil accumulated at the bottom of the container 2, for example, lubricating oil for the compressor to flow into the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a and to flow out along with the low pressure refrigerant from the accumulator 1. The oil return hole 17 is formed in the U-shaped tube 12, which is not covered by an outer tube, and thus manufacturing efficiency of the low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4 can be improved. The oil return hole 17 corresponds to an “oil inlet flow path” of the present invention.
A downstream-side area of the second tube 13 is not covered by the second outer tube 15 and is connected to one end of a straw tube 18. The other end (distal end) of the straw tube 18 is located at a lower position in the container 2, particularly, at a lower position relative to the bridging tube 16. The straw tube 18 allows the oil accumulated at the bottom of the container 2, for example, lubricating oil for the compressor to be suctioned into the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a. The straw tube 18 is connected to the downstream-side area of the second tube 13 that is not covered by an outer tube, and thus manufacturing efficiency of the low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4 can be improved. Further, the straw tube 18 is connected to the area close to an outlet port of the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a, and thus head difference between both ends of the straw tube 18 increases and suctioning of the oil accumulated at the bottom of the container 2, for example, lubricating oil for the compressor is promoted. The straw tube 18 corresponds to the “oil inlet flow path” of the present invention.
The bridging tube 16 is located at an upper position relative to the oil return hole 17 and the distal end of the straw tube 18, and thus separation between oil, for example, lubricating oil for the compressor and liquid refrigerant in the container 2 is promoted. That is, as shown in
Moreover, the low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4 may include only one of the oil return hole 17 and the straw tube 18. In particular, when the flow rate of low pressure refrigerant passing through the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a largely varies depending on an operation state of the compressor or other factors, it is preferable that the low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4 includes the oil return hole 17 and the straw tube 18.
As shown in
<Method for Manufacturing Accumulator>
A method for manufacturing the accumulator according to Embodiment 1 will be described below.
As shown in
In S103, the high pressure refrigerant inlet tube 5 is joined to the second outer tube 15 by brazing or other methods and the high pressure refrigerant outlet tube 6 is joined to the first outer tube 14 by brazing or other methods. Then, in S104, test for hermetic sealing of the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b is performed. Through these processes, hermetic sealing property of the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b through which high pressure refrigerant passes can be reliably achieved compared with the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a.
In S105, the U-shaped tube 12 and the straw tube 18 are joined by brazing or other methods to form the low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4. Then, in S106, the support members 21 and 22 are fixed to the low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4. As shown in
In S107, the inner peripheral surface of the shell 2b and the outer peripheral surfaces 21a and 22a of the support members 21 and 22 are joined by welding or other methods. Then, in S108, the cap 2a having the low pressure refrigerant inlet tube 3 joined thereto in advance is positioned. Then, in S109, the cap 2a is joined to the shell 2b to seal the container 2.
A usage example of the accumulator according to Embodiment 1 will be described.
In the accumulator 1 of the following usage example, the first outer tube 14 and the second outer tube 15 may not communicate with each other via the bridging tube 16 as long as at least a part of the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a is covered by an outer tube. That is, for example, the accumulator 1 may include an outer tube that covers the U-shaped tube 12 with a gap between the U-shaped tube and the outer tube so that the first outer tube 14 and the second outer tube 15 communicates with each other via the outer tube.
As shown in
The air-conditioning apparatus 50 includes a refrigerant circuit 51 that connects the accumulator 1, a compressor 61, the four-way valve 62, indoor heat exchangers 63a and 63b, an expansion device 64, and an outdoor heat exchanger 65 by a pipe including extension pipes 66 and 67, and a controller 52 that controls an operation of the refrigerant circuit 51. Only one of the indoor heat exchangers 63a and 63b may be provided. The four-way valve 62 may be any other mechanism that can switch a circulation direction of refrigerant discharged from the compressor 61. The four-way valve 62 corresponds to a “first flow switching mechanism” of the present invention. The expansion device 64 corresponds to a “first expansion device” of the present invention.
After flowing through the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a of the accumulator 1, the refrigerant is suctioned into the compressor 61. The high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b of the accumulator 1 is connected so that the high pressure refrigerant outlet tube 6 connected to the first outer tube 14 communicates with the expansion device 64, and the high pressure refrigerant inlet tube 5 connected to the second outer tube 15 communicates with the indoor heat exchangers 63a and 63b.
During heating operation, the controller 52 switches the flow path of the four-way valve 62 as indicated by the solid line shown in
During cooling operation, the controller 52 switches the flow path of the four-way valve 62 as indicated by the dotted line shown in
That is, when the refrigerant circuit 51 performs heating operation, the low pressure refrigerant passes through the container 2 and the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a before being suctioned into the compressor 61, and the high pressure refrigerant flows into the expansion device 64 after passing through the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b. As a result, gasification and superheat of the low pressure refrigerant passing through the container 2 and the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a can be reliably achieved by using the high pressure refrigerant before being expanded in the expansion device 64 that generates a large pressure difference, and thus gas refrigerant that is sufficiently superheated and contains little liquid refrigerant reliably flows out of the low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4. Thus, it is possible to prevent failure or decrease in operation efficiency of the compressor 61, although the refrigerant circuit 51 is configured to switch heating operation and cooling operation by switching operation of the four-way valve 62. Further, subcooling of the high pressure refrigerant passing through the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b can be reliably achieved by using the low pressure refrigerant before being pressurized in the compressor 61 that generates a large pressure difference, and thus it is possible to reduce the pressure loss generated in the outdoor heat exchanger 65 by decreasing the refrigerant quality on the inlet side of the outdoor heat exchanger 65, although the refrigerant circuit 51 is configured to switch heating operation and cooling operation by switching operation of the four-way valve 62. Moreover, heat exchange efficiency of the outdoor heat exchanger 65 can be improved by enhancing a refrigerant distribution performance of the outdoor heat exchanger 65.
Further, when the refrigerant circuit 51 performs heating operation, the low pressure refrigerant passing through the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a and the high pressure refrigerant passing through the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b flow in mutually opposite directions. As a result, compared with the case where they flow in the same direction, gasification and superheat of the low pressure refrigerant passing through the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a and subcooling of the high pressure refrigerant passing through the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b can be further reliably achieved. Thus, it is possible to further prevent failure and decrease in operation efficiency of the compressor 61 and to further promote reduction in pressure loss generated in the outdoor heat exchanger 65 and improvement of heat exchange efficiency of the outdoor heat exchanger 65, although the refrigerant circuit 51 is configured to switch heating operation and cooling operation by switching operation of the four-way valve 62.
In particular, when the refrigerant circuit 51 performs heating operation, the high pressure refrigerant that has passed through the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b flows into the expansion device 64, and the low pressure refrigerant passing through the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a and the high pressure refrigerant passing through the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b flow in mutually opposite directions. During heating operation, air that exchanges heat with refrigerant in the evaporator tends to have low temperature compared with that during cooling operation, and thus superheat of refrigerant tends to be difficult. Thus, preferential improvement in heat exchange efficiency in the low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4 during heating operation makes it possible, at a low cost, to prevent failure and decrease in operation efficiency of the compressor 61 and promote reduction in pressure loss generated in the outdoor heat exchanger 65 and improvement of heat exchange efficiency of the outdoor heat exchanger 65.
Furthermore, as shown in
As shown in
The flow switching mechanism 68 includes a check valve 71, a check valve 72, a check valve 73, and a check valve 74, and operates so that the high pressure refrigerant that has passed through the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b flows into the expansion device 64 both in a case where the refrigerant circuit 51 performs heating operation and in a case where the refrigerant circuit 51 performs cooling operation. That is, the pipe on an upstream-side of the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b and the pipe on a downstream-side of the expansion device 64 are connected to the flow switching mechanism 68 so that the flow switching mechanism 68 guides the refrigerant that flows out of the indoor heat exchangers 63a and 63b during heating operation to flow into the high pressure refrigerant inlet tube 5 and the refrigerant that flows out of the outdoor heat exchanger 65 during cooling operation to flow into the high pressure refrigerant inlet tube 5. Further, the flow switching mechanism 68 may be other mechanism such as a four-way valve. When the flow switching mechanism 68 is made up of the check valve 71, the check valve 72, the check valve 73, and the check valve 74, the control system is simplified.
That is, in both cases where the refrigerant circuit 51 performs heating operation and where the refrigerant circuit 51 performs cooling operation, the low pressure refrigerant passes through the container 2 and the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a before being suctioned into the compressor 61, and the high pressure refrigerant flows into the expansion device 64 after passing through the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b. As a result, in both cases where the refrigerant circuit 51 performs heating operation and where the refrigerant circuit 51 performs cooling operation, gasification and superheat of the low pressure refrigerant passing through the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a and subcooling of the high pressure refrigerant passing through the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b can be reliably achieved. Thus, it is possible to prevent failure or decrease in operation efficiency of the compressor 61 and to promote reduction in pressure loss generated in the evaporator and improvement of heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator, although the refrigerant circuit 51 is configured to switch heating operation and cooling operation by switching operation of the four-way valve 62.
Moreover, in both cases where the refrigerant circuit 51 performs heating operation and where the refrigerant circuit 51 performs cooling operation, the low pressure refrigerant passing through the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a and the high pressure refrigerant passing through the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b flow in mutually opposite directions. As a result, in both cases where the refrigerant circuit 51 performs heating operation and where the refrigerant circuit 51 performs cooling operation, gasification and superheat of the low pressure refrigerant passing through the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a and subcooling of the high pressure refrigerant passing through the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b can be further reliably achieved. Thus, it is possible to further prevent failure or decrease in operation efficiency of the compressor 61 and to further promote reduction in pressure loss generated in the evaporator and improvement of heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator, although the refrigerant circuit 51 is configured to switch heating operation and cooling operation by switching operation of the four-way valve 62.
Further, as shown in
In that case, in both cases where the refrigerant circuit 51 performs heating operation and where the refrigerant circuit 51 performs cooling operation, the high pressure refrigerant flows into either of the expansion device 69 and the expansion device 64 after passing through the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b. As a result, in both cases where the refrigerant circuit 51 performs heating operation and where the refrigerant circuit 51 performs cooling operation, it is possible to prevent failure or decrease in operation efficiency of the compressor 61 and to promote reduction in pressure loss generated in the evaporator and improvement of heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator, although the refrigerant circuit 51 is configured to switch heating operation and cooling operation by switching operation of the four-way valve 62. Furthermore, although
The accumulator according to Embodiment 2 will be described below.
The description duplicated with that for the accumulator according to Embodiment 1 is simplified or omitted as appropriate.
<Configuration and Operation of Accumulator>
The configuration and operation of the accumulator according to Embodiment 2 will be described below.
As shown in
In particular, when the high pressure refrigerant passing through the high pressure refrigerant flow path 4b and the low pressure refrigerant passing through the low pressure refrigerant flow path 4a flow in mutually opposite directions, that is, when the high pressure refrigerant flows from the gap between the second tube 13 and the second outer tube 15 to the gap between the first tube 11 and the first outer tube 14, gasification of the low pressure refrigerant around the first tube 11 is promoted, thereby further reliably preventing the liquid refrigerant from entering the upper end of the first tube 11.
Further, the bridging tube 16 may not include the aperture 16a, and the cross sectional area of the flow path of the bridging tube 16 itself may be smaller than the cross sectional area of the flow path of the gap between the first tube 11 and the first outer tube 14 and the cross sectional area of the flow path of the gap between the second tube 13 and the second outer tube 15. Further, the bridging tube 16 may include a flow control valve instead of the aperture 16a. That is, the cross sectional area of the flow path of at least a part of the bridging tube 16 may be smaller than the cross sectional area of the flow path of the gap between the first tube 11 and the first outer tube 14 and the cross sectional area of the flow path of the gap between the second tube 13 and the second outer tube 15.
The accumulator according to Embodiment 3 will be described below.
The description duplicated with that for the accumulator according to Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2 is simplified or omitted as appropriate.
<Configuration and Operation of Accumulator>
The configuration and operation of the accumulator according to Embodiment 3 will be described below.
As shown in
The lower ends of the fins 16b are located at an upper position relative to the oil return hole 17 and the distal end of the straw tube 18. With this configuration, the oil accumulated at the bottom of the container 2, for example, lubricating oil for the compressor and liquid refrigerant are prevented from being heated by the fins 16b, and thus oil components that are not separated are prevented from increasing. This prevention promotes two-layering of oil in the container 2 of, for example, lubricating oil for the compressor and liquid refrigerant. As a result, oil returning property of oil in the accumulator 1, for example, lubricating oil for the compressor is improved, thereby further improving reliability of prevention of failure of compressor or other troubles.
Although Embodiments 1 to 3 have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the description of these embodiments. For example, combination of all or parts of these embodiments is also possible.
1 accumulator 2 container 2a cap 2b shell 3 low pressure refrigerant inlet tube 4 low pressure refrigerant outlet body 4a low pressure refrigerant flow path 4b high pressure refrigerant flow path 5 high pressure refrigerant inlet tube 6 high pressure refrigerant outlet tube 11 first tube 12 U-shaped tube 13 second tube 14 first outer tube 15 second outer tube 16 bridging tube 16a aperture 16b fin 17 oil return hole 18 straw tube 21, 22 support member 21a, 22a outer peripheral surface 50 air-conditioning apparatus 51 refrigerant circuit 52 controller 61 compressor 62 four-way valve 63a, 63b indoor heat exchanger 64 expansion device 65 outdoor heat exchanger 66, 67 extension pipe 68 flow switching mechanism 69 expansion device 71 to 74 check valve
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-262662 | Dec 2013 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2014/076204 | 9/30/2014 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2015/093126 | 6/25/2015 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6681597 | Yin et al. | Jan 2004 | B1 |
| 20060010905 | Gu | Jan 2006 | A1 |
| 20060213220 | Takahashi et al. | Sep 2006 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 54-108454 | Jul 1979 | JP |
| 56-144279 | Oct 1981 | JP |
| 61-083849 | Apr 1986 | JP |
| 2004-156896 | Jun 2004 | JP |
| 2005-098581 | Apr 2005 | JP |
| 2006-273049 | Oct 2006 | JP |
| 2009-150573 | Jul 2009 | JP |
| 2011-163671 | Aug 2011 | JP |
| Entry |
|---|
| Machine Translation of JPU56-144279. |
| Machine Translation of JP 2005-098581. |
| Office Action dated May 10, 2016 in the corresponding JP Application No. 2013-262662 (with English translation). |
| Office Action dated Jul. 5, 2016 issued in corresponding CN patent Application No. 201410785635.7 (and English translation). |
| Office Action dated Dec. 6, 2016 issued in corresponding JP patent Application No. 2013-262662 (and English translation). |
| Australian Office Action dated Mar. 9, 2017 issued in corresponding AU application No. 2014368147. |
| Extended European Search Report dated Jun. 21, 2017 issued in corresponding EP application No. 14870798.7. |
| International Search Report of the International Searching Authority dated Dec. 22, 2014 for the corresponding international application No. PCT/JP2014/076204 (and English translation). |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20160245563 A1 | Aug 2016 | US |
