Air conditioner and method of controlling an air conditioner

Abstract

An air conditioner and a method of controlling an air conditioner are provided. The air conditioner may include a main body that defines an outer appearance of the air conditioner, at least one indoor heat exchanger disposed within the main body, a plurality of branch tubes that guides a refrigerant into the at least one indoor heat exchanger, a circulation tube connected to the plurality of branch tubes to guide the refrigerant, a bypass tube that connects one of the plurality of branch tubes to the circulation tube, and a branch tube valve disposed in the one of the plurality of branch tubes to adjust a flow of the refrigerant flowing into the one of the plurality of branch tubes. The one of the plurality of branch tubes may have a diameter less than a diameter of each of the remaining branch tubes. In a cooling mode, the refrigerant may be introduced from the circulation tube into the at least one indoor heat exchanger through the one of the plurality of branch tubes. In a heating mode, the refrigerant may be discharged from the at least one indoor heat exchanger into the circulation tube through the bypass tube.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner, comprising:
 a main body that defines an outer appearance of the air conditioner;   at least one indoor heat exchanger disposed within the main body;   a plurality of branch tubes that guides a refrigerant introduced into the at least one indoor heat exchanger;   a circulation tube connected to the plurality of branch tubes to guide the refrigerant;   a bypass tube that connects one of the plurality of branch tubes to the circulation tube; and   a branch tube valve disposed in the one of the plurality of branch tubes to adjust a flow of the refrigerant flowing in the one of the plurality of branch tubes, wherein the one of the plurality of branch tubes has a diameter less than a diameter of each of the remaining branch tubes.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein in a cooling mode, the refrigerant is introduced from the circulation tube into the at least one indoor heat exchanger through the one of the plurality of branch tubes, and in a heating mode, the refrigerant is discharged from the at least one indoor heat exchanger into the circulation tube through the bypass tube. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the branch tube valve enables flow of the refrigerant in the cooling mode and blocks flow of the refrigerant in the heating mode. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one indoor heat exchanger comprises a plurality of heat exchangers vertically spaced apart from each other, and wherein the plurality of branch tubes are connected to the plurality of heat exchangers, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein the one of the plurality of branch tubes is connected to a heat exchanger having a smaller amount of air flowing therethrough among the plurality of heat exchangers. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the bypass tube has a diameter greater than a diameter of the one of the plurality of branch tubes. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein a branch tube of the plurality of branch tubes at a lowermost position has a diameter less than a diameter of a tube at an uppermost position. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein a bypass valve that adjusts a flow of the refrigerant flowing into the bypass tube is disposed in the bypass tube. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner according to  claim 8 , wherein the bypass valve blocks a flow of the refrigerant in the cooling mode and enables the refrigerant to flow in the heating mode. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner according to  claim 8 , wherein the bypass valve comprises a check valve that prevents the refrigerant from being introduced into the at least one indoor heat exchanger through the bypass tube in the cooling mode. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the branch tube valve comprises one of a solenoid valve, an electric expansion valve, or a check valve. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the branch tube valve comprises a check valve that prevents the refrigerant from being discharged from the at least one indoor heat exchanger through the one of the plurality of branch tubes in the heating mode. 
     
     
         13 . An air conditioner, comprising:
 a main body that defines an outer appearance of the air conditioner;   a circulation tube in which a refrigerant flows;   a first heat exchanger disposed in the main body;   a first branch tube that guides the refrigerant from the circulation tube into the first heat exchanger in a cooling mode;   a second heat exchanger disposed above the first heat exchanger;   a second branch tube that guides the refrigerant from the circulation tube into the second heat exchanger in the cooling mode; and   a bypass tube that bypasses the refrigerant, which is introduced from the first heat exchanger into the first branch tube, into the circulation tube in a heating mode, wherein the first branch tube has a diameter less than a diameter of the second branch tube.   
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner according to  claim 13 , wherein a branch tube valve that selectively opens or closes the first branch tube is disposed in the first branch tube, and a bypass valve that selectively opens or closes the bypass tube is disposed in the bypass tube. 
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner according to  claim 13 , wherein the bypass tube has a diameter greater than a diameter of the first branch tube. 
     
     
         16 . The air conditioner according to  claim 13 , wherein the bypass tube has the same diameter as a diameter of the second branch tube. 
     
     
         17 . A method for controlling an air conditioner comprising a plurality of indoor heat exchangers, a plurality of branch tubes, respectively, connected to the plurality of indoor heat exchangers, and a refrigerant circulation tube connected to the plurality of branch tubes, the method comprising:
 selectively closing a first branch tube of the plurality of branch tubes having a small diameter than the remaining branch tubes of the plurality of branch tubes on a basis of an operation mode of the air conditioner; and   allowing a refrigerant discharged from the plurality of indoor heat exchangers to bypass the first branch tube, thereby selectively closing a bypass tube that guides the refrigerant into the circulation tube on the basis of the operation mode of the air conditioner.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the air conditioner further includes a branch tube valve disposed in the first branch tube and a bypass valve disposed in the bypass tube, and wherein, when one of the bypass valve or the branch tube valve is opened, the other one is closed. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein, when the air conditioner is in a cooling mode, the bypass valve is turned off or closed, and the branch tube valve is turned on or opened. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein, when the air conditioner is in a heating mode, the bypass valve is turned on or opened, and the branch tube valve is turned off.