Refrigerant pipes for air conditioners

Abstract

The present invention facilitates the connection of the main pipe, the outdoor unit, and the indoor unit while ensuring durability, reduces vibration and noise that may occur during the operation of the air conditioner to provide a comfortable operating condition, and extends the lifespan of the refrigerant pipe for the air conditioner while continuously maintaining excellent quality; A main pipe having a length equal to the distance between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit constituting the air conditioner; An outdoor unit connection pipe provided on one side of the above main pipe to be connected to an outdoor unit; An indoor unit connection pipe provided at the other end of the above outdoor unit connection pipe to be connected to an indoor unit; It is characterized by including a joint connecting the main pipe, the outdoor unit connection pipe, and the main pipe and the indoor unit connection pipe.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerant pipe for an air conditioner, and more specifically, to providing an improved refrigerant pipe for an air conditioner that facilitates connection between an outdoor unit and an indoor unit while preventing damage to the refrigerant pipe to solve the problem of loss of function. Background Technology

[0002] Air conditioning units are broadly divided into outdoor and indoor units. The outdoor and indoor units are connected by refrigerant pipes to perform heat exchange, after which the cooled air passes through the indoor unit to maintain a comfortable indoor environment.

[0003] In order to connect the outdoor and indoor units as described above, various technologies are currently being incorporated into refrigerant pipes, ranging from methods that directly connect both ends of the pipe to the outdoor and indoor units to forms that utilize new technologies to enhance the functionality of the refrigerant pipe. Among these, representative prior art can be examined through patent literature as follows.

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes an inlet refrigerant pipe for an evaporator of an air conditioner having a multi-stage diameter that connects the capillary tube and the evaporator tube so as to induce the flow of refrigerant from the capillary tube for the expansion of a refrigeration cycle device, in which refrigerant circulates along a compressor, a condenser tube of a condenser, a capillary tube of an expansion, an evaporator tube and a suction tube of an evaporator and repeats a heat exchange process, said capillary tube and evaporator tube, wherein

[0005] The one end of the tube connected to the capillary tube is formed by plastically deforming the tube through a drawing process in which the one end of the tube is pulled through a hole in the die and tensioned by a jaw while the tube body is held by a clamp after fixing a die on one side, and the other end of the tube connected to the evaporator tube is formed by plastically deforming the tube through an expansion and re-contracting process in which a pair of core bars are sequentially pressed into the inside of the tube and the outside of the connection end after heating the tube end.

[0006] Patent Document 2 relates to a refrigerant pipe connecting the outlet side of an expansion valve and the inlet side of an evaporator as a component constituting an air conditioner, wherein

[0007] One end of the above refrigerant pipe is provided with a capillary section made of a capillary tube, and

[0008] The other end of the above refrigerant pipe is provided with a normal piping section having an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of the capillary section so that the flow rate of the refrigerant is maintained at a constant rate.

[0009] It is provided with a conical tapered section connecting the above capillary section and the above normal piping section,

[0010] One end of the tapered section has an inner diameter equal to the inner diameter of the capillary section, and the other end of the tapered section is configured to have an inner diameter equal to the inner diameter of the normal pipe section.

[0011] The length of the above-mentioned tapered section is configured to be at least 5 times and no more than 10 times the outer diameter of the above-mentioned normal piping section, and

[0012] The above tapered portion is characterized by having a length of 50 mm to 200 mm. Prior art literature

[0013] Patent Application No. 10 - 2007 - 0139608, Patent Registration No. 10 - 1621498 - 0000

[0014] doesn't exist. The problem to be solved

[0015] Among the prior art described above, Patent Document 1 relates to an inlet refrigerant tube for an evaporator of an air conditioner, in which, regarding the existing method of manufacturing an inlet evaporator tube in which multiple tubes of different micro-diameters were integrated by welding, a stepwise plastic processing method in which both sides of a single tube of a certain inner diameter are drawn and expanded is replaced, thereby enabling improved productivity by shortening production time and improved quality by reducing operating noise, as well as reducing product production costs and preventing environmental pollution by eliminating the need for a welding process.

[0016] Patent Document 2 relates to technical content for providing a pipe for an evaporator of an air conditioner and a method for manufacturing the pipe, wherein durability is improved and diffusion noise is significantly reduced or eliminated by improving the connection structure between the capillary section and the normal piping section of the refrigerant pipe.

[0017] Generally, the entire refrigerant pipe connecting the outdoor unit and the indoor unit of an air conditioner is made of copper material, so that even if the location of the outdoor unit and the location of the indoor unit, especially the part connected to the outdoor unit and connected to the indoor unit, has severe bending curvature, there is no risk of damage and the connection is easy.

[0018] However, due to the rapid increase in copper material costs and the resulting increase in production burden, the design has been changed to use copper for both ends connecting the outdoor and indoor units and aluminum for the remaining parts in order to alleviate the economic burden on consumers caused by rising installation costs.

[0019] As mentioned above, although it was possible to reduce costs by using different materials of copper and aluminum, cracks frequently occur in the connection (joint) parts of the copper and aluminum during the bending process of the parts connecting the outdoor unit and the indoor unit, or in severe cases, they break and separate, which does not provide ease of construction (installation) work.

[0020] In addition, even if there is no damage to the refrigerant pipe during the installation (connection) process, the connection points are not free from various problems, such as damage to the connection points and inability to perform their functions due to accumulated fatigue from external shocks or vibrations during use as well as shocks and vibrations occurring during the operation of the air conditioner. means of solving the problem

[0021] Accordingly, the present invention is designed to solve the above-mentioned problems and comprises a main pipe (110) having a length equal to the distance between an outdoor unit (105) and an indoor unit (106) constituting an air conditioner;

[0022] An outdoor unit connection pipe (120) provided on one side of the main pipe (110) to be connected to an outdoor unit (105);

[0023] An indoor unit connection pipe (121) provided at the other end of the outdoor unit connection pipe (120) to be connected to an indoor unit (106);

[0024] Characterized by including a joint (130) connecting the main pipe (110), the outdoor unit connection pipe (120), and the main pipe (110) and the indoor unit connection pipe (121);

[0025] It is possible to achieve the objective of facilitating the connection between the main pipe, outdoor unit, and indoor unit while ensuring durability, reducing vibration and noise that may occur during the operation of the air conditioner to provide a comfortable user experience, and extending the lifespan of the refrigerant pipes for the air conditioner while continuously maintaining excellent quality. Effects of the invention

[0026] The present invention provides ease of installation work by allowing smooth bending of both ends during the process of connecting the outdoor unit and indoor unit of an air conditioner with a refrigerant pipe, while eliminating concerns about damage such as deformation or bending of the connection part between the copper material and the aluminum material.

[0027] The present invention has the effect of significantly reducing vibrations or noise that may occur due to refrigerant circulation during the use of refrigerant pipes, thereby maintaining comfort for users, as well as providing ease of installation and maintenance.

[0028] The present invention has various effects, such as improving the corrosion resistance of refrigerant pipes to prevent a decrease in durability due to electrochemical corrosion even during long-term use, thereby extending the lifespan, as well as simultaneously securing the rigidity and flexibility of refrigerant pipes to continuously maintain excellent quality. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0029] FIG. 1 is an exemplary photograph illustrating a refrigerant pipe for an air conditioner to which the technology of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an important part of a refrigerant pipe for an air conditioner to which the technology of the present invention is applied. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an important part of a refrigerant pipe for an air conditioner to which the technology of the present invention is applied. FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing part A of a refrigerant pipe for an air conditioner to which the technology of the present invention is applied. FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing part B of a refrigerant pipe for an air conditioner to which the technology of the present invention is applied. FIG. 6 is an exemplary diagram illustrating the usage state of a refrigerant pipe for an air conditioner to which the technology of the present invention is applied. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0030] The preferred configuration and operation of the present invention for achieving the above objective in relation to the attached drawings are described below.

[0031] FIG. 1 is an exemplary photograph illustrating a refrigerant pipe for an air conditioner to which the technology of the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an important part of a refrigerant pipe for an air conditioner to which the technology of the present invention is applied, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an important part of a refrigerant pipe for an air conditioner to which the technology of the present invention is applied, FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing part A of a refrigerant pipe for an air conditioner to which the technology of the present invention is applied, FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing part B of a refrigerant pipe for an air conditioner to which the technology of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 6 is an exemplary diagram illustrating the usage state of a refrigerant pipe for an air conditioner to which the technology of the present invention is applied.

[0032] A refrigerant pipe (100) for an air conditioner to which the technology of the present invention is applied comprises a main pipe (110) having a length equal to the distance between an outdoor unit (105) and an indoor unit (106) constituting the air conditioner, an outdoor unit connection pipe (120) connected to one side of the main pipe (110) via a joint (130) to be connected to the outdoor unit (105), and an indoor unit connection pipe (121) connected to the other end of the outdoor unit connection pipe (120) via a joint (130) to be connected to the indoor unit (106).

[0033] The above main tube (110) is made of aluminum material to reduce costs, and an EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) coating layer (111) is formed on the outside of the above main tube (110) with a thickness of 0.5 mm or more, which is lightweight, has excellent elasticity and shock absorption, so that the adhesion with the aluminum material can be strengthened.

[0034] On the outside of the EVA coating layer (111), a PE (Polyethylene) coating layer (112) having excellent chemical resistance and durability is formed with a thickness of 0.8 mm or more, and an adhesion promoting layer (113) is formed between the EVA coating layer (111) and the PE coating layer (112) so that the EVA coating layer (111) and the PE coating layer (112) can maintain a strong bond.

[0035] The above adhesion-promoting layer (113) uses a silane-based coupling agent (3-Methylacryloxyvinyl Silane) to enhance the interfacial bonding strength of the resin, thereby ensuring that the main tube (110) as a whole has chemical resistance and durability.

[0036] The above outdoor unit connection pipe (120) and indoor unit connection pipe (121) are made of a copper material that is durable, can withstand the pressure of the refrigerant, and is easy to weld airtight, and have a straight main pipe connection part (122) formed so as to be connected to both ends (115) of the main pipe (110), and on the outer side (in the direction of the outdoor unit or indoor unit) of the main pipe connection part (122) a corrugated part (123) is formed to provide ease of bending when connected to the outdoor unit (105) or the outdoor unit (106), and on the outer side of the corrugated part (123) have a straight device connection part (124) so ​​as to be substantially connected to the outdoor unit (105) or the indoor unit (106).

[0037] The above corrugated portion (123) is formed with an inner corrugated portion (125) and an outer corrugated portion (126) to facilitate bending and reduce damage to the joint portion (130) so as to determine the direction of the main pipe (110) by connecting to the outdoor unit (105) or the outdoor unit (106), and has a straight portion (127) maintaining a predetermined distance between the inner corrugated portion (125) and the outer corrugated portion (126).

[0038] The above inner and outer corrugated portions (125, 126) may be formed by repeating mountain-shaped or semicircular corrugations in a direction perpendicular to the axis center of the outdoor and indoor unit connection pipes (120, 121) to facilitate bending, but they may also be formed by repeating corrugations (128) in a diagonal direction to the axis center.

[0039] When forming the above-mentioned wrinkles (128) in a diagonal shape, it is desirable to form the inner and outer wrinkle portions (125, 126) with different wrinkle directions to have a phase difference of 180° so that they can absorb shock and vibration in a mutually complementary manner without hindering bending.

[0040] It would be preferable to form the outer corrugation portion (126) longer than the inner corrugation portion (125) so that the bending can be made easier during the process of connecting the outdoor unit (105) and the indoor unit (106).

[0041] The above joint (130) forms a connection part (132) by inserting an outdoor unit connection pipe (120) and an indoor unit connection pipe (121) into an expanded section (131) that expands both ends of the main pipe (110) and compressing them, and a joint tube (135) made of EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) material is attached to the outside of the expanded section (131) and the connection part (132).

[0042] The thickness (T) of the above-mentioned connecting tube (135) is made thicker than the thicknesses (T1, T2) of the main tube (110), the outdoor unit connecting tube (120), and the indoor unit connecting tube (121) so as to prevent deformation of the connecting part (132) during the connection process.

[0043] The length (L) of the above-mentioned connecting tube (135) wrapping the main tube (110), the outdoor unit connecting tube (120), and the indoor unit connecting tube (121) is made longer than the diameters (D1, D2) of the main tube (110), the outdoor unit connecting tube (120), and the indoor unit connecting tube (121) so that it can adequately respond to the stress generated during the bending process.

[0044] In particular, it is desirable that the connecting tube (135) protrudes more in the direction of the main tube (110) than in the direction of the outdoor unit connecting tube (120) and the indoor unit connecting tube (121), so that it wraps around the main tube (110), which has lower strength, and thus is more effective in preventing deformation or damage to the outdoor unit connecting tube (120) and the indoor unit connecting tube (121), which have higher strength.

[0045] In addition, regarding the specifications (thickness, diameter, length, pitch, etc.) of the main pipe (110), outdoor unit connection pipe (120), indoor unit connection pipe (121), and corrugation (128) to which the technology of the present invention is applied, since they may vary depending on the type of air conditioner, the length of the main pipe (110) being installed, the installation location, etc., they are not indicated numerically.

[0046] The usage state of the refrigerant pipe (100) for an air conditioner to which the technology of the present invention as described above is applied is as follows.

[0047] The outdoor unit connection pipe (120) connected to one side of the main pipe (110) is connected to the outdoor unit (105) constituting the air conditioner, and the indoor unit connection pipe (121) connected to the other end of the main pipe (110) is connected to the indoor unit (106) for use. In this process, in order to facilitate connection with the outdoor unit (105) and the outdoor unit (106), the bending is easily performed by the corrugation (128) formed in the corrugated portion (123) constituting the outdoor unit and indoor unit connection pipes (120, 121), thereby providing ease of connection.

[0048] In particular, since bending is freely performed by the corrugated portion (123), the bending influence is not transmitted to the joint portion (130) connecting the main pipe (110) and the outdoor unit and indoor unit connection pipes (120, 121), so the risk of damage or deformation of the connection portion (130) due to bending can be eliminated.

[0049] In this way, the connection between the refrigerant pipe (100) for the air conditioner, the outdoor unit (105), and the indoor unit (106) can be facilitated, and damage to the refrigerant pipe (100) during the connection process can be prevented, thereby preventing interference with the operation of the air conditioner.

[0050] In addition, in the present invention, the main tube (110) is formed to have an EVA coating layer (111) on the outside and a PE coating layer (112) on top thereof, thereby ensuring the insufficient durability of the main tube (110) made of aluminum material, and the EVA coating layer (111) and the PE coating layer (112) maintain a strong bonding force through an adhesion promoting layer (113) between the EVA coating layer (111) and the PE coating layer (112), thereby ensuring durability even during long-term use.

[0051] In the case of the above outdoor unit and indoor unit connection pipes (120, 121), a corrugated section (123) is formed to facilitate bending during the connection process, and the shape of the corrugations (128) formed on the inner and outer corrugated sections (125, 126) constituting the corrugated section (123) is formed in a diagonal shape and has different phases from each other, thereby enabling the effect of smoothly absorbing and canceling out shocks and vibrations that occur during the refrigerant circulation process or are conducted from the outside.

[0052] In addition, the outer surface of the joint (130) to which the main pipe connection part (122) for connecting the main pipe (110) and the outdoor unit and indoor unit connection pipes (120, 121) is connected is finished with an EVA material connecting tube (135) so that the joint (130) is prevented from being damaged or deformed by force transmitted from the outside or by bending during the bending process, thereby ensuring safety and stability at the same time.

[0053] The present invention, as described above, has advantages such as facilitating the connection of the main pipe, outdoor unit, and indoor unit while ensuring durability, reducing vibration and noise that may occur during the operation of the air conditioner to provide a comfortable user experience, and extending the lifespan of the refrigerant pipe for the air conditioner while continuously maintaining excellent quality. Explanation of the symbols

[0054] 100; Refrigerant pipe for air conditioners 105; Outdoor unit 106; Indoor unit 110; Main Hall 111; EVA coating layer 112; PE coating layer 113; Adhesion-promoting layer 120; Outdoor unit connection pipe 121; Indoor unit connection pipe 122; Main pipe connection 123; corrugated part 125; medial fold 126; Lateral joint 128; wrinkles 130; joint 135; coupling tube

Claims

Claim 1 A main pipe (110) made of aluminum material having a length equal to the distance between an outdoor unit (105) and an indoor unit (106) constituting an air conditioner; an outdoor unit connection pipe (120) provided on one side of the main pipe (110) to be connected to the outdoor unit (105); and an indoor unit connection pipe (121) provided at the other end of the main pipe (110) to be connected to the indoor unit (106); A refrigerant pipe for an air conditioner comprising a main pipe (110), an outdoor unit connection pipe (120), and a joint (130) connecting the main pipe (110) and an indoor unit connection pipe (121); wherein an EVA coating layer (111) having excellent lightweight properties, elasticity, and shock absorption properties is formed on the outside of the main pipe (110), and a PE coating layer (112) having excellent chemical resistance and durability is formed on the outside of the EVA coating layer (111); wherein the outdoor unit connection pipe (120) and the indoor unit connection pipe (121) are formed with a straight main pipe connection part (122) that can be connected to both ends (115) of the main pipe (110) using a copper material that can withstand the pressure of the refrigerant, has excellent durability, and is easy to airtight weld; and wherein the outside of the main pipe connection part (122) provides ease of bending when connected to an outdoor unit (105) or an indoor unit (106). It includes a corrugated section (123) formed to enable connection; and a device connection section (124) formed in a straight shape on the outer side of the corrugated section (123) to substantially connect to an outdoor unit (105) or an indoor unit (106); the corrugated section (123) includes an inner corrugated section (125) and an outer corrugated section (126) formed to facilitate bending and reduce damage to the joint section (130) so as to determine the direction of the main pipe (110) by connecting to the outdoor unit (105) or an indoor unit (106); and a straight section (127) maintaining a predetermined distance between the inner corrugated section (125) and the outer corrugated section (126); and the joint section (130) is formed by inserting and compressing an outdoor unit connection pipe (120) and an indoor unit connection pipe (121) into an expanded section (131) that expands both ends of the main pipe (110). Connecting part (132);A refrigerant pipe for an air conditioner, characterized by: a bonding tube (135) made of EVA material that is bonded to the outside of the expansion portion (131) and the connection portion (132); the length (L) of the bonding tube (135) that wraps around the main pipe (110), the outdoor unit connection pipe (120), and the indoor unit connection pipe (121) being longer than the diameters (D1, D2) of the main pipe (110), the outdoor unit connection pipe (120), and the indoor unit connection pipe (121); and the bonding tube (135) protruding further in the direction of the main pipe (110) than in the direction of the outdoor unit connection pipe (120) and the indoor unit connection pipe (121) to prevent the main pipe (110) from being deformed or damaged. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 delete Claim 4 delete Claim 5 A refrigerant pipe for an air conditioner according to claim 1; wherein an adhesion-promoting layer (113) of a silane coupling agent (3-Methylacryloxyvinyl Silane) is formed between the EVA coating layer (111) and the PE coating layer (112) to enhance the interfacial bonding strength of the resin, thereby enabling the EVA coating layer (111) and the PE coating layer (112) to maintain a strong bonding strength. Claim 6 A refrigerant pipe for an air conditioner according to claim 1; wherein the direction of the corrugations (128) constituting the inner and outer corrugations (125, 126) is formed to have a phase difference of 180° so as to absorb shock and vibration in a mutually complementary manner; and wherein the length of the outer corrugation (126) is formed to be longer than that of the inner corrugation (125) in consideration of the connection characteristics with the outdoor unit (105).

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