Air Conditioning Circuit Control Using a Thermostatic Expansion Valve and Sequence Valve
AssigneeAutomotive Components Holdings, LLC
InventorsZheng D. Lou, Thomas J. Joseph
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A valve assembly for an air conditioning system includes a liquid line port pressurized at a discharge pressure, an evaporator inlet port pressurized at a suction pressure, a sequence valve for controlling a first flow path between the liquid line port and an outlet in response to a differential between the discharge pressure and the suction pressure, and a thermostatic expansion valve that includes an actuator and an expansion valve member for controlling a second flow path between the outlet and the evaporator inlet port in response to a pressure differential across the actuator.
Claims17
A valve assembly for an air conditioning system, the valve assembly comprising:
- a liquid line port pressurized at a discharge pressure, an evaporator inlet port pressurized at a suction pressure, and an outlet port between the liquid line port and the evaporator inlet port;
- a sequence valve located downstream of the liquid line port and upstream of the outlet port, the sequence valve regulating a first flow path between the liquid line port and the outlet port in response to a differential between the discharge pressure and the suction pressure;
- and
- a thermostatic expansion valve located downstream of the outlet port and upstream of the evaporator inlet port, the thermostatic expansion valve including an actuator that moves in response to a pressure differential between a charge pressure and the suction pressure, and an expansion valve member that regulates a second flow path between the outlet port and the evaporator inlet port in response to movement of the actuator.
A valve assembly for an air conditioning system, the valve comprising:
- a valve body including a liquid line port pressurized at a discharge pressure and an evaporator inlet port pressurized at a suction pressure;
- a sequence valve located within the valve body and including an inlet port through which fluid flows from the liquid line port into the valve body, a valve seat, a sequence valve member for engaging the valve seat and closing the inlet port and for disengaging the valve seat and opening the inlet port, a SV spring chamber, a SV set spring located in the SV spring chamber and urging the sequence valve member toward engagement with the valve seat, and an outlet port able to communicate with the liquid line port when the inlet port is open;
- and
- a thermostatic expansion valve located within the valve body and including an actuator that moves in response to a pressure differential between a charge pressure and the suction pressure, and an expansion valve member that regulates a flow path between the outlet port and the evaporator inlet port in response to movement of the actuator.
A valve assembly for use in an air conditioning system that includes:
- a compressor whose intake side is pressurized at a suction pressure and discharge side is pressurized at a discharge pressure, a condenser communicating with the discharge side and with a liquid line port, and an evaporator communicating with the intake side and with an evaporator inlet port, comprising:
- a sequence valve including an inlet port through which fluid flows from condenser outlet side, a sequence valve member for controlling the inlet port, and an outlet port that connects the condenser outlet side and the liquid line port when the inlet port is open;
- and
- a thermostatic expansion valve including an actuator that moves in response to a pressure differential between a charge pressure and the suction pressure, and an expansion valve member that controls a flow path between the outlet port and the evaporator inlet port in response to movement of the actuator.
A valve assembly for use in an air conditioning system that includes:
- a compressor whose intake side is pressurized at a suction pressure and discharge side is pressurized at a discharge pressure, a condenser communicating with the compressor discharge side and with a liquid line port, and an evaporator communicating with the compressor intake side and with an evaporator inlet port, comprising:
- a thermostatic expansion valve including an actuator that moves in response to a pressure differential between a charge pressure and the suction pressure, and an expansion valve member that controls a flow path between the liquid line port and an thermostatic expansion valve outlet;
- and
- a sequence valve located in series flow relationship between the thermostatic expansion valve and the evaporator, including an inlet port through which fluid flows from the thermostatic expansion valve outlet, a sequence valve member for controlling the inlet port, and an outlet port that connects the evaporator inlet port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.