초록 ▼

An air conditioner includes a compressor, a four-way valve, an indoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve, an outdoor heat exchanger which are connected via pipings to form a heat pump type refrigerant circuit, the four-way valve being switched over to select a heating or cooling mode of operation. T

An air conditioner includes a compressor, a four-way valve, an indoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve, an outdoor heat exchanger which are connected via pipings to form a heat pump type refrigerant circuit, the four-way valve being switched over to select a heating or cooling mode of operation. This air conditioner is further provided with a first and second branch pipes which extend from an outlet conduit of the compressor, the first branch pipe forming a first bypass pipe connected to an inlet conduit of the compressor. The first and second branch pipes have first and second valves, respectively. The air conditioner is also provided with a microcomputer for selectively opening and closing the second valve in response to the degree of superheating of discharged gaseous refrigerant after the first valve has been opened so that the discharged gaseous refrigerant is supplied to the outdoor heat exchanger to effect a defrosting operation while a heating operation is continued. When the degree of superheating of discharged gaseous refrigerant is low, a part of discharged gas is supplied to the inlet conduit so as to regulate the degree of superheating.

대표청구항 ▼

An air conditioner having a heat pump type of refrigerant circuit including a compressor, a four-way valve, an indoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve and an outdoor heat exchanger which are connected through conduits, the four-way valve being switched over to select heating or cooling mode of ope

An air conditioner having a heat pump type of refrigerant circuit including a compressor, a four-way valve, an indoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve and an outdoor heat exchanger which are connected through conduits, the four-way valve being switched over to select heating or cooling mode of operation of the air conditioner, wherein the air conditioner comprises: a first branch pipe extending from an outlet conduit of the compressor to form a first bypass pipe, and being connected to a conduit through which the expansion valve and the outdoor heat exchanger communicate with each other; a first valve disposed at the first branch pipe to open/close a passage therein; a second branch pipe extending from said outlet conduit of said compressor to form a second bypass pipe, and being connected to an inlet conduit of the compressor; a second valve disposed at the second branch pipe to open/close a passage therein; and means for selectively opening and closing the second valve, said selectively opening and closing means being adapted to open the second valve in response to a high degree of superheating of gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor after the first valve has been opened so that the discharged gaseous refrigerant is supplied to said outdoor heat exchanger to effect a defrosting operation while the heating mode of operation is continued.