# US 11,112,156 B2 · Refrigeration apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,112,156 B2 - Document ID: US11112156B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/346,442 - Filed: 2016-10-31 - Published: 2020-02-27 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-31 - Assignees: Hefei Hualing Co., Ltd.; Hefei Midea Refrigerator Co., Ltd.; Midea Group Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Hefei Hualing Co., Ltd.; Hefei Midea Refrigerator Co., Ltd.; Midea Group Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Gaowei Xu; Huawei Zhang; Zengwu Qing; Rui Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11112156B2 ## CPC - F25B 41/22: between evaporator and compressor - F25B 31/00: Compressor arrangements - F25B 45/00: Arrangements for charging or discharging refrigerant - F25B 49/02: for compression type machines, plants or systems - F25B 49/022: {Compressor control arrangements} - F25B 2400/061: the capacity of the first system being different from the second - F25B 2400/16: Receivers - F25B 2400/19: Pumping down refrigerant from one part of the cycle to another part of the cycle, e.g. when the cycle is changed from cooling to heating, or before a defrost cycle is started - F25B 2500/26: characterised by the startup of the refrigeration cycle - F25B 2600/0261: external to the compressor - F25B 2600/2519: On-off valves - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS ## Abstract A refrigeration apparatus, comprising: a compressor, the compressor being provided with an air exhaust opening and an air return opening; a condenser, a first end of the condenser being connected to the air exhaust opening; an evaporator, a first end of the evaporator being connected to the air return opening, a throttling element being connected in series between a second end of the evaporator and a second end of the condenser; a first control valve, the first control valve being connected in series between the evaporator and the compressor; an air suction device, a gas port of the air suction device being connected between the first control valve and the air return opening; and a control device, the control device being connected to the compressor, the first control valve, and the air suction device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A refrigeration apparatus, comprising: a compressor comprising an air exhaust opening and an air return opening; a condenser having a first end connected with the air exhaust opening; an evaporator having a first end connected with the air return opening, a throttling element being connected in series between a second end of the evaporator and a second end of the condenser; a first control valve having an open state and a closed state, the first control valve being connected in series between the evaporator and the compressor; and an air suction device having a gas port connected between the first control valve and the air return opening, wherein when the compressor is not activated the first control valve is closed and the air suction device sucks a refrigerant gas between the air return opening and the first control valve, and when the compressor is activated the first control valve is opened and the refrigerant gas in the air suction device is discharged to the air return opening, the air suction device including: a first cylinder and a second cylinder spaced apart from each other; a first piston being disposed in the first cylinder dividing the first cylinder into a first chamber and a second chamber, the first piston being moveable in the first cylinder, the first chamber being provided with the gas port, and the second chamber being in communication with the external environment; a second piston disposed in the second cylinder dividing the second cylinder into a third chamber and a fourth chamber, the second piston being moveable in the second cylinder, the third chamber being in communication with the external environment, and the fourth chamber being filled with a liquid to be heated, wherein a piston rod of the second piston is connected with a piston rod of the first piston to allow the first piston and the second piston to move synchronously; and a heating member located adjacent to the second cylinder, the heating member heats and gasifies the liquid in the fourth chamber of the second cylinder to suck the refrigerant gas into the first chamber of the first cylinder. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating member is an electric heating wire. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the electric heating wire has a part extending into the fourth chamber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second cylinder has a cross sectional area smaller than a cross sectional area of the first cylinder. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first control valve is configured as a solenoid valve. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second control valve connected in series between the air exhaust opening and the condenser, the second control value is configured in such a way that the refrigerant gas flows unidirectionally from the air exhaust opening to the condenser. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second control valve is a one-way valve. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the throttling element is a capillary tube.