Patent · US Expired

Refrigeration cycle for vehicle air conditioner

US6244060A · kind A · utility

12Cited by
4References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 10, 2000
Grant dateJun 12, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 10, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02B30/70
  • WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A refrigeration cycle for a vehicle air conditioner has a bypass passage between a compressor and an evaporator. In a heating mode, high-temperature gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor is directly introduced into the evaporator through the bypass passage while bypassing a condenser to improve a heating performance of the air conditioner. When a refrigerant recovery mode in which refrigerant staying in the condenser is forced to be discharged and introduced into the evaporator is set, a passage between the condenser and the evaporator in which a thermostatic expansion valve is disposed is controlled to be opened a predetermined amount. As a result, refrigerant staying in the condenser is securely returned to the evaporator even when a temperature of outside air is extremely low and the expansion valve is closed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.