The present embodiments relate to an air conditioner in which a plurality of refrigerant tubes and service valves are supported by a support so that the plurality of refrigerant tubes and service valves are separately disposed at different positions over a base assembly of an outdoor unit.
In general, an air conditioner is a cooling/heating system that cools an indoor environment by continually performing a cycle of suctioning warm air from the indoor environment, performing heat exchange between the air and cold refrigerant, and expelling the cooled air back into the indoor environment. For heating, reverse conditions are employed to heat the indoor environment. The air conditioner performs sequential cycles using a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator.
Such air conditioners may be divided largely into split system air conditioners with an outdoor unit and an indoor unit installed separately from each other, and integrated air conditioners with the outdoor unit integrally installed with the indoor unit.
A relatively recent phenomenon is the widespread use of multi unit air conditioners that are effectively applied in households wanting to install two or more air conditioners, and in buildings with multiple offices that respectively require an air conditioner. A multi unit air conditioner connects one outdoor unit to a plurality of indoor units to achieve the same effect as installing a plurality of split system air conditioners.
Such various types of air conditioners include a plurality of refrigerant tubes guiding refrigerant flowing between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit. Service valves individually installed on the refrigerant tubes are installed at positions adjacent to each other. Hence, interference is caused by the adjacent service valves when serving is performed through each of service valves.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds