IP Library Granted Patent US 12,392,507
Granted Patent B2
US 12,392,507 · App. 18/178,154 · Granted Aug 19, 2025

Outdoor unit of air conditioner

Inventors: Katsutoshi Mori (Fuji, JP); Ken Miura (Fuji, JP)
Assignee: Carrier Japan Corporation
F24F1/24F25B6/02F25B40/02H05K7/20254H05K7/20272H05K7/20927
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,392,507
App. No.
18/178,154
Granted
Aug 19, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, this outdoor unit of an air conditioner includes a compressor, a heat exchanger, an expansion valve, a blower fan, electrical components, and a heat sink. The heat exchanger includes a first group constituted of at least one of the plurality of heat exchangers and a second group constituted of at least one of the plurality of heat exchangers not belonging to the first group. The expansion valve includes a first expansion valve and a second expansion valve. The heat sink is arranged on the flow path of the refrigerant on the upstream side of a confluence position of the refrigerant branches condensed by the heat exchangers of the first group and the second group and on the downstream side of the second expansion valve.

Claims (15)

1. An outdoor unit of an air conditioner comprising: a compressor which discharges a refrigerant into a flow path; a four-way valve; a heat exchanger; an expansion valve; a blower fan; electrical components which control the compressor and the blower fan; and a heat sink which cools the electrical components by the refrigerant, wherein

the heat exchanger is formed in such a manner that a plurality of heat exchangers are connected in parallel with each other, and includes a heat exchanger of a first group constituted of at least one of the plurality of heat exchangers and a heat exchanger of a second group constituted of at least one of the plurality of heat exchangers not belonging to the first group,

the expansion valve includes a first expansion valve which adjusts a degree of supercooling of the heat exchanger of the first group and a second expansion valve which adjusts a degree of supercooling of the heat exchanger of the second group, and

when the second group of heat exchangers functions as a condenser, the heat sink is arranged on the flow path of the refrigerant on the upstream side of a confluence position of the refrigerant condensed by the heat exchangers of the first group and the second group and on the downstream side of the second expansion valve,

when the second group of heat exchangers functions as an evaporator, the heat sink is arranged on the flow path of the refrigerant on the downstream side of the confluence position and on the upstream side of the second expansion valve.

2. The outdoor unit of an air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein

an overall area of the heat exchanger of the first group is greater than or equal to an overall area of the heat exchanger of the second group, and an overall cubic volume of the heat exchanger of the first group is greater than or equal to an overall cubic volume of the heat exchanger of the second group.

3. The outdoor unit of an air conditioner of claim 2 , wherein

a target degree of supercooling of the refrigerant in the heat exchanger of the second group is greater than a target degree of supercooling of the refrigerant in the heat exchanger of the first group.

4. The outdoor unit of an air conditioner of claim 3 , wherein

in sequence from below in a vertical direction, the heat exchanger of the second group, the heat exchanger of the first group, and the blower fan are arranged in the order mentioned.

5. The outdoor unit of an air conditioner of claim 2 , wherein

in sequence from below in a vertical direction, the heat exchanger of the second group, the heat exchanger of the first group, and the blower fan are arranged in the order mentioned.

6. The outdoor unit of an air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein

in sequence from below in a vertical direction, the heat exchanger of the second group, the heat exchanger of the first group, and the blower fan are arranged in the order mentioned.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 14, 2025
From: TOSHIBA CARRIER CORPORATION
To: CARRIER JAPAN CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 071271/0076 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 17, 2023
From: MORI, KATSUTOSHI; MIURA, KEN
To: TOSHIBA CARRIER CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064627/0770 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2020033679 · Sep 4, 2020
Related Publication 20230204232A1 · Jun 29, 2023
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