Apparatus and method for indicating status of multi-phase vacuum-assisted recovery of refrigerant

A method for indicating status of an apparatus configured to service vehicular air conditioning systems, the apparatus comprising a compressor, a condenser, and a storage tank, the method comprising:

• removing, using the compressor, refrigerant from a vehicle during both a first phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle and a second phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle;
• assisting, by a vacuum pump, the compressor in removing refrigerant from the vehicle during the second phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle, wherein the vacuum pump is fluidly connected in series with the compressor during the second phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle;
• stopping, by one or more processors of the apparatus, the vacuum pump from assisting the compressor in removing refrigerant from the vehicle by disengaging the vacuum pump and afterwards illuminating, by the one or more processors, at least a first status light of one or more status lights to indicate a ready status of a recovery process that includes both the first phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle and the second phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle;
• closing, by the one or more processors, a first switch, wherein the one or more processors are configured to close the first switch to divert the refrigerant from the vehicle around the vacuum pump during the first phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle and opening, by the one or more processors, the first switch, wherein the one or more processors are configured to open the first switch during the second phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle to permit the refrigerant from the vehicle to flow to the vacuum pump;
• and
• opening, by the one or more processors, a second switch, wherein the one or more processors are configured to open the second switch during the first phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle to divert the refrigerant from the vehicle around the vacuum pump and closing, by the one or more processors, the second switch, wherein the one or more processors are configured to close the second switch during the second phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle,
• wherein the first switch includes a first valve and a first solenoid, and the second switch includes a second valve and a second solenoid, or wherein the first switch and the second switch are configured as a single three-way valve, and
• wherein the first status light is visible from 360 degrees around the apparatus in a respective horizontal plane projected outward from the first status light.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by one or more processors to control an apparatus configured to recover refrigerant from a vehicle to perform functions comprising:

• removing, using a compressor, refrigerant from a vehicle during both a first phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle and a second phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle;
• assisting, by a vacuum pump, the compressor in removing refrigerant from the vehicle during the second phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle, wherein the vacuum pump is fluidly connected in series with the compressor during the second phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle;
• and
• stopping the vacuum pump from assisting the compressor in removing refrigerant from the vehicle by disengaging the vacuum pump and afterwards illuminating at least a first status light of one or more status lights to indicate a ready status of a recovery process that includes both the first phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle and the second phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle;
• closing, by the one or more processors, a first switch, wherein the one or more processors executing the instructions are configured to close the first switch to divert the refrigerant from the vehicle around the vacuum pump during the first phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle and opening, by the one or more processors, the first switch, wherein the one or more processors executing the instructions are configured to open the first switch during the second phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle to permit the refrigerant from the vehicle to flow to the vacuum pump;
• and
• opening, by the one or more processors, a second switch, wherein the one or more processors executing the instructions are configured to open the second switch during the first phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle to divert the refrigerant from the vehicle around the vacuum pump and closing, by the one or more processors, the second switch, wherein the one or more processors executing the instructions are configured to close the second switch during the second phase of removing refrigerant from the vehicle,
• wherein the first switch includes a first valve and a first solenoid, and the second switch includes a second valve and a second solenoid, or wherein the first switch and the second switch are configured as a single three-way valve, and
• wherein the first status light is visible from 360 degrees around the apparatus in a respective horizontal plane projected outward from the first status light.