Refrigerant connection pipe and air conditioner

Abstract

This application provides a refrigerant connection pipe and an air conditioner, relating to the technical field of refrigeration equipment. The refrigerant connection pipe includes multiple end connection pipes and a connecting pipe. One end of each end connection pipe is used to connect to the refrigerant interface of the refrigeration equipment. The connecting pipe connects the other ends of the multiple end connection pipes to guide the refrigerant from one end connection pipe to another. The connecting pipe is designed to be flexible. In this embodiment, by providing the connecting pipe, it can be constructed using materials other than pure copper pipes, such as copper tubing, reducing costs. The flexible design of the connecting pipe allows it to be easily bent into the desired shape, reducing the difficulty of installation. Furthermore, during production and transportation, the refrigerant connection pipe can be coiled, reducing the space occupied during transport.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of refrigeration equipment, specifically to a refrigerant connection pipe and an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, refrigerant connection pipes in refrigeration equipment, especially those in air conditioners, such as the refrigerant connection pipes connecting the compressor and the heat exchanger, and the refrigerant connection pipes connecting the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger, are generally made of copper pipes. However, copper pipes are expensive and relatively soft. After repeated bending, copper pipes are prone to deformation, causing local blockages.

[0003] The first thought was to replace some of the copper pipes with stainless steel pipes to reduce the cost of the refrigerant connection pipes. However, stainless steel pipes are very hard and difficult to bend during installation, making installation difficult. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application provides a refrigerant connection pipe and an air conditioner, aiming to reduce the installation difficulty of the refrigerant connection pipe while reducing costs.

[0005] On one hand, embodiments of this application provide a refrigerant connection pipe, including:

[0006] Multiple end-connecting pipes, one end of which is used to connect to the refrigerant interface of the refrigeration equipment; and

[0007] A connecting pipe connects the other end of a plurality of said end connecting pipes to guide refrigerant from one of said end connecting pipes to another said end connecting pipe, and said connecting pipe is configured to bend back and forth.

[0008] In some embodiments, the elongation of the connecting tube is 55% to 65%; and / or,

[0009] The Vickers hardness of the connecting tube is 90–300 HV.

[0010] In some embodiments, the end connecting tube is a copper tube; and / or,

[0011] The connecting pipe is a copper-nickel alloy steel pipe.

[0012] In some embodiments, one of the connecting pipe and the end connecting pipe is provided with a plug section so that the other can be plugged into the plug section.

[0013] In some embodiments, the length of the plug segment is greater than or equal to 10 mm; and / or,

[0014] The end of the plug segment is flared outwards.

[0015] In some embodiments, the inner wall of the plug segment is provided with a groove.

[0016] In some embodiments, the groove extends in a spiral shape and has at least three turns along the circumference of the insertion segment.

[0017] In some embodiments, the plug segment is formed in the connecting pipe, and the connecting pipe further includes a connecting segment connecting a plurality of the plug segments, wherein the diameter of the connecting segment is smaller than the diameter of the plug segment.

[0018] In some embodiments, the refrigerant connection pipe further includes:

[0019] A connecting nut, fitted onto the end connecting pipe, is used for a threaded connection with the refrigerant interface of the refrigeration equipment; and...

[0020] The dust plug is detachably installed on the connecting nut via threads.

[0021] On the other hand, embodiments of this application provide an air conditioner, including:

[0022] Outdoor unit;

[0023] Indoor unit; and,

[0024] A refrigerant connection pipe is connected to the refrigerant interface of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit respectively, and the refrigerant connection pipe is any of the refrigerant connection pipes described above.

[0025] In the embodiments of this application, by setting the connecting pipe, the connecting pipe can be made of a form other than pure copper pipe, such as copper pipe, for example, copper-nickel alloy steel pipe, thereby reducing the copper content in the refrigerant connection pipe and reducing costs. The connecting pipe is designed to be bent back and forth, making it easy for installers to bend it into the shape they want, thus reducing the difficulty of installing the refrigerant connection pipe. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the refrigerant connection pipe provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0028] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A partial cross-sectional view of the refrigerant connection pipes in the middle;

[0029] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle;

[0030] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A structural diagram of the connecting pipe in the diagram;

[0031] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A magnified view of a section at point B in the middle;

[0032] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 The structural diagram of the end connecting pipe.

[0033] Explanation of key component symbols:

[0034] 100 Refrigerant connection pipe 10 End connecting pipe 20 Connecting pipe 21 Plug-in section 22 groove 30 Connecting nut 40 Dust plug 50 thermal insulation cotton 23 Connected segment Detailed Implementation

[0035] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0036] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this application, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0037] "A and / or B" includes the following three combinations: A only, B only, and a combination of A and B.

[0038] The use of "applies to" or "configured to" in this application implies open and inclusive language, which does not exclude the applicability to or configuration to devices performing additional tasks or steps. Additionally, the use of "based on" implies openness and inclusivity, because processes, steps, calculations, or other actions "based on" one or more of the stated conditions or values ​​may in practice be based on additional conditions or values ​​beyond those stated.

[0039] In this application, the term "exemplary" is used to mean "used as an example, illustration, or description." Any embodiment described as "exemplary" in this application is not necessarily to be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments. The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use this application. Details are set forth in the following description for purposes of explanation. It should be understood that those skilled in the art will recognize that this application can be made without using these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and processes are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the description of this application with unnecessary detail. Therefore, this application is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is consistent with the broadest scope of the principles and features disclosed in this application.

[0040] Currently, refrigerant connection pipes in refrigeration equipment, especially those in air conditioners, such as the refrigerant connection pipes connecting the compressor and the heat exchanger, and the refrigerant connection pipes connecting the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger, are generally made of copper pipes. However, copper pipes are expensive and relatively soft. After repeated bending, copper pipes are prone to deformation, causing local blockages.

[0041] The first thought was to replace some of the copper pipes with stainless steel pipes to reduce the cost of the refrigerant connection pipes. However, stainless steel pipes are very hard and difficult to bend during installation, making installation difficult.

[0042] Please see Figures 1 to 6 In this regard, an embodiment of the present application provides a refrigerant connection pipe 100, including a plurality of end connection pipes 10 and a connecting pipe 20. One end of the end connection pipe 10 is used to connect to the refrigerant interface of an air conditioner, and the connecting pipe 20 connects the other ends of the plurality of end connection pipes 10 to guide the refrigerant of one end connection pipe 10 to another end connection pipe 10. The connecting pipe 20 is designed to be bend back and forth.

[0043] It should be noted that the number of multiple end connecting pipes 10 is not limited; it can be two, three, or four, and is not limited here. In some embodiments, the number of end connecting pipes 10 is two, and the specific implementation of the refrigeration equipment is not limited; it can be an air conditioner, a refrigerator, etc., and is not limited here. In some embodiments, the refrigeration equipment is an air conditioner, and in this case, the number of end connecting pipes 10 can be two. One end connecting pipe 10 is connected to the refrigerant interface of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, and the other end connecting pipe 10 is connected to the refrigerant interface of the indoor unit of the air conditioner, thereby realizing the refrigerant conduction between the indoor heat exchanger and the compressor or the outdoor heat exchanger. Of course, in some multi-split air conditioners, the number of end connecting pipes 10 can also be set to multiple, such as three, four, five, etc., thereby realizing the refrigerant communication between one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units.

[0044] Specifically, the connecting pipe 20 is designed to be bent back and forth, meaning that it can be bent repeatedly with minimal deformation. Specifically, the connecting pipe 20 can be made flexible, or its elongation rate can be set to 55%–65%, giving it good toughness and allowing installers to bend it by hand during installation, reducing the difficulty of installation. More specifically, "bending back and forth" means that after multiple bends, such as three or five bends, its diameter can still maintain more than 60% of its original diameter without breaking.

[0045] It is important to emphasize that stainless steel pipes are currently very hard, making them difficult to bend during installation. Pure copper pipes, such as red copper pipes, are softer than stainless steel pipes. Although they can be bent, they are prone to significant deformation or breakage after repeated bending. Therefore, they cannot be bent repeatedly. Aluminum pipes, on the other hand, are somewhat brittle and are prone to shattering after repeated bending.

[0046] In the embodiments of this application, by setting the connecting pipe 20, the connecting pipe 20 can be constructed in a form other than pure copper pipe, such as copper pipe, for example, copper-nickel alloy steel pipe, thereby reducing the copper content in the refrigerant connection pipe 100 and reducing costs. The connecting pipe 20 is designed to be bent back and forth, making it easy for installers to bend it into the desired shape, thus reducing the difficulty of installing the refrigerant connection pipe 100. In the production and transportation process, the refrigerant connection pipe 100 can also be made into a spiral structure similar to Archimedes, thereby reducing the space occupied during transportation.

[0047] It should be emphasized that when the refrigerant connection pipe 100 is coiled, the minimum diameter of the coil should be greater than 100mm to avoid irreversible deformation caused by the coiling.

[0048] In some embodiments, the elongation of the connecting pipe 20 is 55% to 65%.

[0049] It should be noted that elongation refers to the percentage of the total deformation ΔL of the gauge length after the specimen fractures under tension to the original gauge length L: δ=ΔL / L×100%. Elongation is an important indicator for measuring the plasticity of a material. The larger the value, the greater the plastic deformation that the material can withstand before fracture.

[0050] In the scheme of this embodiment, the elongation rate of the connecting pipe 20 is greater than or equal to 55%, which makes it easy to be bent. On the one hand, it is easy for installers to bend it into the desired shape. On the other hand, during the production and transportation process, the refrigerant connecting pipe 100 can also be made into a spiral structure similar to Archimedes, thereby reducing the space occupied during transportation.

[0051] However, the elongation rate of the connecting pipe 20 is less than or equal to 65%, which does not prevent its soft texture from being easily deformed, resulting in poor stability during the refrigerant transmission process.

[0052] The hardness of the connecting pipe 20 is not limited and can be any value selected based on actual conditions. In some embodiments, the Vickers hardness of the connecting pipe 20 is 90-300 HV. In this embodiment, the Vickers hardness of the connecting pipe 20 is less than or equal to 300 HV, which allows installers to easily bend the connecting pipe 20 by hand. The Vickers hardness of the connecting pipe 20 is greater than or equal to 90 HV, which allows the connecting pipe 20 to maintain a certain hardness, thereby adapting to the high-pressure environment under refrigerant operation and improving the stability of refrigerant conduction.

[0053] In some embodiments, the end connecting pipe 10 is a copper pipe.

[0054] It should be noted that the specific form of the copper tube is not limited; it can be made of red copper, brass, etc., and no restrictions are imposed here.

[0055] In this embodiment, the end connecting pipe 10 is made of copper. Copper is relatively soft and can deform to a certain extent when connected to the refrigerant interface of the refrigeration equipment, thus making the connection tighter.

[0056] In some embodiments, the connecting pipe 20 is a copper-nickel alloy steel pipe.

[0057] Specifically, the chemical composition of copper-nickel alloy steel pipes is shown in the table below:

[0058]

[0059] The component not listed in the table is iron.

[0060] In the technical solution of this embodiment, by setting the connecting pipe 20 as a copper-nickel alloy steel pipe with an elongation of ≥55% and a Vickers hardness of <300HV, it can be easily bent, which can improve the ease of installation and transportation, and its cost is lower than that of copper pipe.

[0061] The connection method between the connecting pipe 20 and the end connecting pipe 10 is not limited, and can be welding, snap-fitting, bonding, etc., and is not limited here.

[0062] In some embodiments, one of the connecting pipe 20 and the end connecting pipe 10 is provided with a plug section 21 so that the other can be plugged into the plug section 21.

[0063] It should be noted that either the connecting pipe 20 or the end connecting pipe 10 is provided with a plug section 21. It can be either the connecting pipe 20 or the end connecting pipe 10 that is provided with the plug section 21. No limitation is made here.

[0064] In the scheme corresponding to this embodiment, by setting the plug section 21, at least a portion of the connecting pipe 20 and the end connecting pipe 10 are inner and outer sleeves when they are connected. Subsequently, the inner and outer sleeve portions can be welded or bonded, thereby increasing the welding or bonding area and improving the stability of the connection between the two.

[0065] Furthermore, the length of the plug segment 21 is greater than or equal to 10mm. This setting can effectively increase the contact area between the two, and can improve the bonding or welding area in the subsequent bonding or welding process, making the connection more stable.

[0066] The opening end of the plug segment 21 may have the same width as the other parts, or it may have a different width; this is not limited here. In some embodiments, the end of the plug segment 21 is flared outwards. This configuration, with the opening end of the plug segment 21 flared outwards, makes the plugging process smoother and facilitates subsequent welding or bonding processes.

[0067] Specifically, in a further embodiment, the length of the outwardly flared portion is 0.5 to 2 mm, which can guide another movement during the insertion process, thereby improving the smoothness of the insertion process.

[0068] Of course, the angle of inclination of the specific flared bevel is not limited and can be any angle set according to actual needs. In some embodiments, the included angle between the extension lines of the inner walls of the two bevels at the opening end is 90°.

[0069] The inner wall of the plug section 21 can be smooth or it can have some protrusions or grooves 22, which is not limited here.

[0070] In some embodiments, the inner wall of the plug segment 21 is provided with a groove 22. Correspondingly, in the scheme of this embodiment, by providing a groove 22 on the inner wall of the plug segment 21, the welding depth between the connecting pipe 20 and the end connecting pipe 10 can be increased during the welding process, thereby improving the welding stability between the two and ensuring the airtightness of the connection between the two.

[0071] The shape of the groove 22 is not limited; it can be arranged in a complete circle or can continuously surround the insertion segment 21 multiple times. No limitation is made here.

[0072] In some embodiments, the groove 22 extends in a spiral shape and has at least three turns along the circumference of the insertion segment 21.

[0073] In the solution of this embodiment, by setting the groove 22 to extend in a spiral shape, on the one hand, the spiral shape is easier to process, and on the other hand, the spiral shape is more evenly distributed in the length direction of the insertion segment 21 compared to the shape of a complete circle. Furthermore, the groove 22 is provided with at least three circles along the circumference of the insertion segment 21, ensuring that the length of the groove 22 is long enough to further improve the welding strength.

[0074] In some embodiments, the plug segment 21 is formed in the connecting pipe 20.

[0075] It should be noted that, since the diameter of the plug section 21 is relatively large, if it is placed on the end connecting pipe 10, the copper content of the end connecting pipe 10 will inevitably increase the overall copper usage of the refrigerant connecting pipe 100, resulting in a lower cost.

[0076] By placing the plug section 21 on the connecting pipe 20, and inserting the end connecting pipe 10 into the connecting pipe 20 in actual operation, and since the connecting pipe 20 has a low copper content, the amount of copper used can be reduced and costs can be lowered compared to the solution of placing it on the end connecting pipe 10.

[0077] Furthermore, the connecting pipe 20 also includes a connecting section 23 that connects multiple plug segments 21, wherein the diameter of the connecting section 23 is smaller than the diameter of the plug segments 21. This configuration allows the end connecting section to abut against the end wall of the connecting section 23 after the plug segment 21 is inserted, thereby limiting its insertion and preventing it from being inserted too much into the connecting pipe 20.

[0078] Please see Figure 3 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the refrigerant connection pipe 100 further includes a connecting nut 30 and a dust plug 40. The connecting nut 30 is sleeved on the end connecting pipe 10 and is used for threaded connection with the refrigerant interface of the refrigeration equipment. The dust plug 40 is detachably installed on the connecting nut 30 by means of threads.

[0079] In the embodiments of this application, by providing the connecting nut 30, a detachable connection between the refrigerant connecting pipe 100 and the refrigerant interface can be achieved through the rotation of the connecting nut 30, and the threaded connection has good airtightness. Furthermore, by providing the dust plug 40, when the refrigerant connecting pipe 100 is not installed on the refrigeration equipment, the dust plug 40 can be installed on the connecting nut 30 to seal the open end of the refrigerant connecting pipe 100, preventing dust from entering the interior of the refrigerant connecting pipe 100.

[0080] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments, in order to insulate the refrigerant connection pipe 100, insulation cotton 50 is provided on the outside of the end connection pipe 10 and / or the connecting pipe 20. By providing the insulation cotton 50, the refrigerant in the refrigerant connection pipe 100 can be insulated, thereby improving the heat exchange effect of the refrigeration equipment.

[0081] This utility model also proposes an air conditioner, which includes an indoor unit, an outdoor unit, and a refrigerant connection pipe 100. The specific structure of the refrigerant connection pipe 100 is as described in the above embodiments. Since this air conditioner adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, and will not be described in detail here. The refrigerant connection pipe 100 includes multiple end connection pipes 10 and a connecting pipe 20. One end of the end connection pipe 10 is used to connect to the refrigerant interface of the refrigeration equipment; the connecting pipe 20 connects the other ends of the multiple end connection pipes 10 to guide the refrigerant of one end connection pipe 10 to another end connection pipe 10, and the connecting pipe 20 is designed to bend back and forth.

[0082] The refrigerant connection pipe and air conditioner provided in the embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. A refrigerant connection pipe, characterized in that, include: Multiple end connecting pipes, one end of which is used to connect to the refrigerant interface of the refrigeration equipment; as well as, A connecting pipe connects the other end of a plurality of said end connecting pipes to guide refrigerant from one of said end connecting pipes to another said end connecting pipe, and said connecting pipe is configured to bend back and forth.

2. The refrigerant connection pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elongation of the connecting tube is 55% to 65%; and / or, The Vickers hardness of the connecting tube is 90–300 HV.

3. The refrigerant connection pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The end connecting pipe is a copper pipe; and / or, The connecting pipe is a copper-nickel alloy steel pipe.

4. The refrigerant connection pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, One of the connecting pipe and the end connecting pipe is provided with a plug section so that the other can be plugged into the plug section.

5. The refrigerant connection pipe according to claim 4, characterized in that, The length of the connector segment is greater than or equal to 10 mm; and / or, The end of the plug segment is flared outwards.

6. The refrigerant connection pipe according to claim 4, characterized in that, The inner wall of the plug section is provided with a groove.

7. The refrigerant connection pipe according to claim 6, characterized in that, The groove extends in a spiral shape, and there are at least three turns of the groove along the circumference of the insertion section.

8. The refrigerant connection pipe according to claim 4, characterized in that, The plug segment is formed in the connecting pipe, and the connecting pipe further includes a connecting segment connecting multiple plug segments, wherein the diameter of the connecting segment is smaller than the diameter of the plug segment.

9. The refrigerant connection pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The refrigerant connection pipe also includes: A connecting nut, fitted onto the end connecting pipe, is used for a threaded connection with the refrigerant interface of the refrigeration equipment; and... The dust plug is detachably installed on the connecting nut via threads.

10. An air conditioner, characterized in that, include: Outdoor unit; Indoor unit; as well as, A refrigerant connection pipe is connected to the refrigerant interface of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit respectively, and the refrigerant connection pipe is the refrigerant connection pipe as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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