Component unit of air conditioning apparatus

Abstract

A component unit included in an air conditioning apparatus includes a heat exchanger including heat transfer tubes, a distributor having a first connecting end that opens downward in an up-down direction after the component unit is installed in the air conditioning apparatus, a refrigerant pipe having a second connecting end that opens upward in the up-down direction after the component unit is installed in the air conditioning apparatus. The distributor is connected to the heat exchanger and the refrigerant pipe and distributes refrigerant from the refrigerant pipe to the heat transfer tubes. The heat transfer tubes and the distributor are made of aluminum or aluminum alloy. The refrigerant pipe is made of copper or copper alloy. The second connecting end is connected to the first connecting end directly or through a metal pipe made of a material other than aluminum, aluminum alloy, copper, or copper alloy.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A component unit included in an air conditioning apparatus, the component unit comprising:
 a heat exchanger comprising heat transfer tubes;   a distributor having a first connecting end that opens downward in an up-down direction after the component unit is installed in the air conditioning apparatus;   a refrigerant pipe having a second connecting end that opens upward in the up-down direction after the component unit is installed in the air conditioning apparatus, wherein   the distributor is connected to the heat exchanger and the refrigerant pipe and distributes refrigerant from the refrigerant pipe to the heat transfer tubes,   the heat transfer tubes and the distributor are made of aluminum or aluminum alloy,   the refrigerant pipe is made of copper or copper alloy, and   the second connecting end is connected to the first connecting end directly or through a metal pipe made of a material other than aluminum, aluminum alloy, copper, or copper alloy.   
     
     
         2 . The component unit of  claim 1 , wherein the distributor further comprises:
 a distributor body that is connected to the heat exchanger and that distributes the refrigerant to the heat transfer tubes; and   a collecting pipe having one end connected to the distributor body, wherein the other end of the collecting pipe is the first connecting end.   
     
     
         3 . The component unit of  claim 2 , wherein the collecting pipe is below the distributor body in the up-down direction after the component unit is installed in the air conditioning apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The component unit of  claim 2 , wherein
 a part or an entirety of the collecting pipe is an upright pipe portion extending in the up-down direction, and   a lower end of the upright pipe portion in the up-down direction is the first connecting end.   
     
     
         5 . The component unit of  claim 4 , wherein the entirety of the collecting pipe is the upright pipe portion. 
     
     
         6 . The component unit of  claim 4 , wherein the upright pipe portion is straight. 
     
     
         7 . The component unit of  claim 6 , wherein the upright pipe portion extends in the up-down direction after the component unit is installed in the air conditioning apparatus. 
     
     
         8 . The component unit of  claim 1 , wherein
 the refrigerant pipe has an up-down portion, and   an upper end of the up-down portion in the up-down direction is the second connecting end.   
     
     
         9 . The component unit of  claim 8 , wherein the up-down portion is straight. 
     
     
         10 . The component unit of  claim 9 , wherein the up-down portion extends in the up-down direction after the component unit is installed in the air conditioning apparatus. 
     
     
         11 . The component unit of  claim 7 , wherein
 the refrigerant pipe has a straight pipe portion extending in the up-down direction,   an upper end of the straight pipe portion in the up-down direction is the second connecting end, and   the upright pipe portion and the straight pipe portion are arranged in a straight line.   
     
     
         12 . The component unit of  claim 8 , wherein the refrigerant pipe has a U-shaped pipe portion that is continuous with a lower end of the up-down portion of the refrigerant pipe in the up-down direction. 
     
     
         13 . The component unit of  claim 4 , wherein
 the collecting pipe meanders up and down, and   the portion of the collecting pipe is the upright pipe portion.   
     
     
         14 . The component unit of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant in a gas-liquid two-phase state or in a liquid single-phase state flows through the refrigerant pipe during an operation of the component unit. 
     
     
         15 . The component unit of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant in a gas single-phase state flows through the refrigerant pipe during an operation of the component unit. 
     
     
         16 . The component unit of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a casing that houses the heat exchanger, wherein 
 the first connecting end and the second connecting end are disposed inside the casing. 
 
     
     
         17 . The component unit of  claim 16 , wherein
 an opposite end of the refrigerant pipe opposite to the second connecting end is exposed to an outside of the casing, and   the refrigerant pipe includes a cover member that covers a portion of the refrigerant pipe and close a clearance between the refrigerant pipe and the casing.