Auxiliary HVAC System for a Vehicle
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsMark Gruenberg, Jianqing Xu, Shahid Bashir
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for decreasing the response time of a vehicle heating ventilation and air conditioning (“HVAC”) system is described. A fan circulates air through a HVAC casing. Circulating air through the HVAC casing creates a high-pressure zone within the HVAC casing. A thermal expansion valve is located outside of the HVAC casing. An outlet port is located on the HVAC casing to allow air to be ported from the high-pressure zone toward the thermal expansion valve. Air ported from the high-pressure zone may be directed toward the thermal expansion valve by a nozzle. The air increases the temperature of the thermal expansion valve and allows additional refrigerant to flow through the thermal expansion valve.
Claims8
An heating ventilation and air conditioning system including a thermal expansion valve that supplies a refrigerant to an evaporator, the system comprising:
- a casing defining an outlet port;
- and
- a fan that circulates air through the casing to create a high-pressure zone, wherein the thermal expansion valve is disposed outside the casing and the outlet port directs air from the high-pressure zone toward the thermal expansion valve.
A heating ventilation and air conditioning apparatus comprising:
- a casing for an evaporator;
- a fan that circulates air to create a high-pressure zone inside the casing;
- a thermal expansion valve disposed outside the casing that provides a refrigerant to the evaporator;
- and
- a nozzle in fluid flow communication with the high-pressure zone that directs air from the high-pressure zone to the thermal expansion valve.
An auxiliary heating ventilation and air conditioning apparatus for a rear portion of a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- a casing housing an evaporator, the casing defines an air inlet, and wherein a low-pressure zone receives air from the air inlet;
- a fan that circulates air from the low-pressure zone to a high-pressure zone;
- a thermal expansion valve disposed outside the casing;
- a nozzle disposed on the casing, that directs a portion of air from the high-pressure zone toward the thermal expansion valve to warm the thermal expansion valve;
- at least one refrigerant circulation line that provides refrigerant to the evaporator through the thermal expansion valve;
- and
- at least one vent for discharging air after circulating through the evaporator to the rear portion of the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.