IP Library Granted Patent US 12693054
Granted Patent B2
US 12693054 · App. 19/098,105 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Refrigerant flow path module and heat source unit

Inventors: Atsushi Kinoshita (Osaka, JP); Fumiaki Koike (Osaka, JP); Junichi Hamadate (Osaka, JP); Noriko Hoshiyama (Osaka, JP); Asahi Ono (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
F25B41/26F25B13/00F25B41/24F25B2313/006F25B2313/02741
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12693054
App. No.
19/098,105
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A refrigerant flow path module includes: a first pipe portion having a cylindrical flow path and connected to a discharge pipe through which a refrigerant discharged from a compressor of a refrigerant circuit flows; and a second pipe portion having a cylindrical flow path and connected to a suction pipe through which a refrigerant to be sucked into the compressor flows. The first pipe portion and the second pipe portion are integrally formed. An end of the first pipe portion is connected to an end of the discharge pipe. An end of the second pipe portion is connected to an end of the suction pipe.

Claims (61)

1 . A refrigerant flow path module comprising:

a first pipe portion having a cylindrical flow path and connected to a discharge pipe through which a refrigerant discharged from a compressor of a refrigerant circuit flows; and

a second pipe portion having a cylindrical flow path and connected to a suction pipe through which a refrigerant to be sucked into the compressor flows, wherein

the refrigerant circuit comprises:

a first heat exchanger;

a second heat exchanger; and

a flow path switching valve that switches a refrigerant flow path from the compressor to the first heat exchanger and a refrigerant flow path from the compressor to the second heat exchanger,

the first pipe portion and the second pipe portion are integrally formed separately from the flow path switching valve,

a first end of the first pipe portion is connected to an end of the discharge pipe,

a second end of the first pipe portion is connected to the flow path switching valve,

a first end of the second pipe portion is connected to an end of the suction pipe, and

a second end of the second pipe portion is connected to the flow path switching valve.

2 . The refrigerant flow path module according to claim 1 , further comprising a coupling portion disposed between the first pipe portion and the second pipe portion and formed integrally with the first pipe portion and the second pipe portion.

3 . The refrigerant flow path module according to claim 1 , wherein

the refrigerant flow path module further comprises:

a third pipe portion having a cylindrical flow path and through which a refrigerant flows from the flow path switching valve to the first heat exchanger, and

a fourth pipe portion having a cylindrical flow path and through which a refrigerant flows from the flow path switching valve to the second heat exchanger,

the first pipe portion, the second pipe portion, the third pipe portion, and the fourth pipe portion are integrally formed,

an end of the third pipe portion is connected to an end of a refrigerant pipe through which a refrigerant flows from the flow path switching valve to the first heat exchanger, and

an end of the fourth pipe portion is connected to an end of a refrigerant pipe through which a refrigerant flows from the flow path switching valve to the second heat exchanger.

4 . The refrigerant flow path module according to claim 3 , further comprising:

the flow path switching valve, wherein

the flow path switching valve comprises a rotary valve body that switches and that connects the first pipe portion to either the third pipe portion or the fourth pipe portion, and

the first pipe portion, the second pipe portion, the third pipe portion, and the fourth pipe portion extend in a same direction from the flow path switching valve.

5 . The refrigerant flow path module according to claim 1 , comprising a material containing aluminum as a main component.

6 . A heat source unit comprising:

the refrigerant flow path module according to claim 1 ; and

the compressor.

7 . The heat source unit according to claim 6 , further comprising:

a casing that accommodates the compressor and the refrigerant flow path module, wherein

the refrigerant flow path module is fixed to either the casing or a member attached to the casing.

8 . The heat source unit according to claim 7 , wherein

the refrigerant flow path module is fixed to an attachment member attached to the casing, and

the attachment member attaches a shutoff valve to the casing, wherein the shutoff valve connects a refrigerant pipe disposed outside the heat source unit to a refrigerant pipe disposed inside the heat source unit among refrigerant pipes constituting the refrigerant circuit.

9 . A heat source unit comprising:

the refrigerant flow path module according to claim 4 ; and

the compressor, wherein

the first pipe portion, the second pipe portion, the third pipe portion, and the fourth pipe portion of the refrigerant flow path module extend upward from the flow path switching valve.

10 . The refrigerant flow path module according to claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant flow path module is fixed to either a casing that accommodates the compressor and the refrigerant flow path module or a member attached to the casing.

11 . The refrigerant flow path module according to claim 1 , further comprising

a coupling portion that couples the first pipe portion and the second pipe portion between the first pipe portion and the second pipe portion, wherein

the coupling portion extends over an entire length of the first pipe portion in a longitudinal direction of the first pipe portion, and

the coupling portion extends over an entire length of the second pipe portion in a longitudinal direction of the second pipe portion.

12 . A refrigerant flow path module comprising:

a first pipe portion having a cylindrical flow path and connected to a discharge pipe through which a refrigerant discharged from a compressor of a refrigerant circuit flows,

wherein

the refrigerant circuit comprises:

the compressor;

a first heat exchanger;

a second heat exchanger; and

a flow path switching valve that switches a refrigerant flow path from the compressor to the first heat exchanger and a refrigerant flow path from the compressor to the second heat exchanger;

a second pipe portion having a cylindrical flow path and connected to a suction pipe through which a refrigerant to be sucked into the compressor flows;

a third pipe portion having a cylindrical flow path, connected to the flow path switching valve, and through which a refrigerant flows from the flow path switching valve to the first heat exchanger;

a fourth pipe portion having a cylindrical flow path, connected to the flow path switching valve, and through which a refrigerant flows from the flow path switching valve to the second heat exchanger; and

the flow path switching valve of the refrigerant circuit, wherein

the flow path switching valve comprises a rotary valve body that switches and that connects the first pipe portion to either the third pipe portion or the fourth pipe portion,

the first pipe portion, the second pipe portion, the third pipe portion, and the fourth pipe portion extend in a same direction from the flow path switching valve, and

at least two of the first pipe portion, the second pipe portion, the third pipe portion, and the fourth pipe portion are integrally formed at portions of the at least two of the first pipe portion, the second pipe portion, the third pipe portion, and the fourth pipe portion protruding from the flow path switching valve.

13 . The refrigerant flow path module according to claim 12 , further comprising

a coupling portion, wherein

the coupling portion integrally couples the at least two of the first pipe portion, the second pipe portion, the third pipe portion, and the fourth pipe portion over an entire length of at least one of the at least two of the first pipe portion, the second pipe portion, the third pipe portion, and the fourth pipe portion.