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US 2011/0214436 A1Published application
Air conditioning system recharging method and apparatus
AssigneeBosch Automotive Service Solutions Inc.
InventorsWilliam Brown, Mark McMasters
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of charging or recharging an air conditioning wherein an initial amount of refrigerant is introduced, followed by additional introductions of refrigerant during injection pulses. The pulse periods are adjusted dynamically during the charging/recharging process based on feedback obtained after each pulse related to how much refrigerant was transferred during the previous pulse. Also, a system for implementing the above-mentioned method.
Claims20
A method of charging an air conditioning system, the method comprising:
- determining a desired amount of refrigerant to be used in the air conditioning system;
- transferring less than the desired amount of the refrigerant to the air conditioning system;
- adding an incremental amount of the refrigerant to the air conditioning system during an initial pulse period;
- dividing a value representing a remaining amount of the refrigerant needed to attain the desired amount by a value representing the incremental amount of the refrigerant to obtain a result;
- multiplying the result by the initial pulse period to determine a subsequent pulse period;
- and
- adding a subsequent incremental amount of the refrigerant to the air conditioning system during the subsequent pulse period.
4 more elements
An air conditioning recharging system, the system comprising:
- a refrigerant reservoir configured to contain a refrigerant;
- a sensor configured to monitor how much of the refrigerant is in the reservoir;
- an input device configured to receive information about a desired amount of the refrigerant to be used in an air conditioning system;
- a connector configured to be attached to the air conditioning system of the vehicle and to transfer the refrigerant to the air conditioning system;
- a valve configured to control flow of the refrigerant between the recharging system and the air conditioning system;
- an actuator configured to control the valve;
- and
- a processor that is in communication with the input device, the sensor and the actuator, wherein the processor is configured to;
- signal the actuator to open the valve for an initial loading period such that less than the desired amount of the refrigerant is transferred to the air conditioning system,
- signal the actuator to open the valve for an initial pulse period such that an incremental amount of the refrigerant is added to the air conditioning system,
- obtain information from the sensor regarding how much of the refrigerant was transferred to the air conditioning system during the initial loading period and during the initial pulse period,
- divide a value representing a remaining amount of the refrigerant needed to attain the desired amount by a value representing the incremental amount of the refrigerant to obtain a result,
- multiply the result by the initial pulse period to determine a subsequent pulse period, and
- signal the actuator to open the valve for the subsequent pulse period such that a subsequent incremental amount of the refrigerant has been added to the air conditioning system.
11 more elements
An air conditioning recharging system, the system comprising:
- means for determining a desired amount of refrigerant to be used in an air conditioning system;
- means for transferring less than the desired amount of the refrigerant to the air conditioning system;
- means for adding an incremental amount of the refrigerant to the air conditioning system during an initial pulse period;
- means for dividing a value representing a remaining amount of the refrigerant needed to attain the desired amount by a value representing the incremental amount of the refrigerant to obtain a result;
- means for multiplying the result by the initial pulse period to determine a subsequent pulse period;
- and
- means for adding a subsequent incremental amount of the refrigerant to the air conditioning system during the subsequent pulse period.
4 more elements
The air conditioning recharging system of claim 19, further comprising:
- means for dividing a value representing an updated remaining amount of the refrigerant needed to attain the desired amount by a value representing the subsequent incremental amount to obtain an updated result;
- means for multiplying the updated result by the subsequent pulse period to obtain an updated pulse period;
- and
- means for adding an additional incremental amount of the refrigerant to the air conditioning system during the updated pulse period.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.