# US 7,743,627 B2 · Vehicle air conditioning system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,743,627 B2 - Document ID: US7743627B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/200,065 - Filed: 2005-08-10 - Published: 2007-02-15 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2005-08-10 - Assignees: Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc. - Inventors: Ronald Eisenhour - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7743627B2 ## CPC - F25B 1/10: with multi-stage compression (with cascade operation F25B7/00) - B60H 1/3223: {characterised by the arrangement or type of the compressor (B60H1/3222 takes precedence)} - F04B 25/00: Multi-stage pumps - F04B 27/0804: {having rotary cylinder block} - F04B 27/1036: {Component parts, details, e.g. sealings, lubrication} - F04B 27/1081: {Casings, housings} - F04B 41/06: Combinations of two or more pumps - F04C 18/3441: {the inner and outer member being in contact along one line or continuous surface substantially parallel to the axis of rotation} - F04C 23/006: {having complementary function} - F04D 25/16: Combinations of two or more pumps {; Producing two or more separate gas flows} - F25B 1/04: with compressor of rotary type ({F25B1/005,} F25B1/10 take precedence) - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) - F04C: ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS (engines F03C); ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) ## Abstract A vehicle air conditioning system includes a pressure reducing device that is operatively coupled to a condenser downstream therefrom. An evaporator is operatively coupled to the pressure reducing device downstream therefrom. A refrigerant flow booster is operatively coupled to the evaporator downstream therefrom and a compressor is operatively coupled to the refrigerant flow booster downstream therefrom, the compressor also being operatively coupled to the condenser upstream therefrom. The refrigerant flow booster increases the flow of gaseous refrigerant to the compressor, in particular, when the compressor is operating at slower speeds. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle air conditioning system comprising: a condenser being configured to receive a refrigerant in a compressed state and remove heat from at least a portion of the refrigerant; a pressure reducing device in fluid communication with the condenser to receive the refrigerant, and configured to reduce pressure of the refrigerant from the condenser; an evaporator in fluid communication with the pressure reducing device to receive the refrigerant, and configured to evaporate at least a portion of the refrigerant; and a compressor assembly including a housing, a refrigerant flow booster having an inlet in fluid communication with the evaporator, and configured to boost the pressure of the refrigerant from the evaporator and an outlet refrigerant passageway, and a compressor configured to compress the refrigerant and having an outlet to deliver the refrigerant in the compressed state to the condenser, the compressor having an inlet refrigerant passageway, the refrigerant flow booster and the compressor being integrally formed as a single unit within the housing, with the outlet refrigerant passageway and the inlet refrigerant passageway being directly connected to one another and contained completely within the housing between the inlet of the refrigerant flow booster and the outlet of the compressor for conveying the refrigerant from a booster chamber of the refrigerant flow booster directly into an interior of the compressor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle air conditioning system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the compressor includes a single drive shaft that supplies rotary power to both the refrigerant flow booster and the compressor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle air conditioning system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the refrigerant flow booster includes an impeller rotor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle air conditioning system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the refrigerant flow booster includes at least one piston. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle air conditioning system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the refrigerant flow booster is a vane gas pump. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle air conditioning system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the refrigerant flow booster compresses the refrigerant less than the compressor compresses the refrigerant. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle air conditioning system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the compressor and the refrigerant flow booster are in fluid communication with one another such that refrigerant flowing from the refrigerant flow booster flows directly to the compressor free of any temperature or pressure altering devices or additional refrigerant flows between the compressor and the refrigerant flow booster. ### Claim 8 A vehicle air conditioning system comprising: a condenser being configured to receive a refrigerant in a compressed state and remove heat from at least a portion of the refrigerant; a pressure reducing device in fluid communication with the condenser to receive the refrigerant, and configured to reduce pressure of the refrigerant from the condenser; an evaporator in fluid communication with the pressure reducing device to receive the refrigerant, and configured to evaporate at least a portion of the refrigerant; a refrigerant flow booster in fluid communication with the evaporator, and configured to boost the pressure of the refrigerant from the evaporator; a compressor configured to receive the refrigerant from the refrigerant flow booster, compress the refrigerant, and deliver the refrigerant in the compressed state to the condenser, the compressor being operatively connected to a first power source and the refrigerant flow booster being operatively connected to a second power source such that the booster and the compressor are separately powered, the compressor and the refrigerant flow booster being in fluid communication with one another such that refrigerant flowing from the refrigerant flow booster flows directly to the compressor free of any temperature or pressure altering devices or additional refrigerant flows between the compressor and the refrigerant flow booster; and a controller operatively connected to the refrigerant flow booster and the second power source such that power to the refrigerant flow booster is selectively controlled to operate the refrigerant flow booster. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle air conditioning system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to control the refrigerant flow booster in response to power output level of the first power source. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The vehicle air conditioning system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to control the refrigerant flow booster in response to an operating speed of the compressor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The vehicle air conditioning system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the refrigerant flow booster and the compressor are separate mechanisms connected by a line. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The vehicle air conditioning system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the refrigerant flow booster includes an impeller rotor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The vehicle air conditioning system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the refrigerant flow booster includes at least one piston. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The vehicle air conditioning system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the refrigerant flow booster is a vane gas pump. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The vehicle air conditioning system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the refrigerant flow booster compresses the refrigerant less than the compressor compresses the refrigerant. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The vehicle air conditioning system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the first power source is an internal combustion engine of a vehicle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The vehicle air conditioning system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to operate the refrigerant flow booster in response to detection of the first power source operating below a predetermined power output level and controller is configured such that the refrigerant flow booster is not operated in response to the first power source operating above the predetermined power output level. ### Claim 18 A vehicle air conditioning system comprising: a condenser being configured to receive a refrigerant in a compressed state and remove heat from at least a portion of the refrigerant; a pressure reducing device in fluid communication with the condenser to receive the refrigerant, and configured to reduce pressure of the refrigerant from the condenser; an evaporator in fluid communication with the pressure reducing device to receive the refrigerant, and configured to evaporate at least a portion of the refrigerant; a refrigerant flow booster in fluid communication with the evaporator, and configured to boost the pressure of the refrigerant from the evaporator; a compressor configured to receive the refrigerant from the refrigerant flow booster, compress the refrigerant, and deliver the refrigerant in the compressed state to the condenser, the compressor being operatively connected to an internal combustion engine of a vehicle equipped with the vehicle air conditioning system and the refrigerant flow booster being operatively connected to a second power source such that the booster and the compressor are separately powered; and a controller operatively connected to the refrigerant flow booster and the second power source, the controller being configured to operate the refrigerant flow booster in response to detection of the internal combustion engine operating below a predetermined power output level and controller being configured such that the refrigerant flow booster is not operated in response to the internal combustion engine operating above the predetermined power output level. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The vehicle air conditioning system as set forth in claim 18, wherein the compressor and the refrigerant flow booster are in fluid communication with one another such that refrigerant flowing from the refrigerant flow booster flows directly to the compressor free of any temperature or pressure altering devices or additional refrigerant flows between the compressor and the refrigerant flow booster. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The vehicle air conditioning system as set forth in claim 18, wherein the second power source is a battery within the vehicle.