U.S. patent application number 11/963361 was filed with the patent office on 2008-07-03 for air conditioning system treatment applicator.
Invention is credited to Ronald E. LeClair, John Dale Willis.
Application Number | 20080156002 11/963361 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40344782 |
Filed Date | 2008-07-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080156002 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Willis; John Dale ; et
al. |
July 3, 2008 |
Air Conditioning System Treatment Applicator
Abstract
An applicator for introducing an air conditioning system
treatment into an air conditioning system refrigerant flow path.
The applicator comprises a reservoir carrying the treatment, the
reservoir having first and second caps closing first and second
reservoir openings, each of the first and second caps including a
hose fitting. First and second hoses are connected between
respective first and second valves in the refrigerant flow path and
the respective first and the second fittings. A pressure
differential between the first and the second valves (a higher
pressure at the first valve than at the second valve) forces the
treatment from the reservoir through the second hose into the
second valve in the refrigerant flow path.
Inventors: |
Willis; John Dale;
(Lakeland, FL) ; LeClair; Ronald E.; (Ft. Pierce,
FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BEUSSE WOLTER SANKS MORA & MAIRE, P. A.
390 NORTH ORANGE AVENUE, SUITE 2500
ORLANDO
FL
32801
US
|
Family ID: |
40344782 |
Appl. No.: |
11/963361 |
Filed: |
December 21, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60871267 |
Dec 21, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/77 ; 141/2;
62/292 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C08G 77/20 20130101;
F25B 45/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/77 ; 62/292;
141/2 |
International
Class: |
F25B 45/00 20060101
F25B045/00; B65B 3/04 20060101 B65B003/04 |
Claims
1. An applicator for introducing an air conditioning system
treatment into an air conditioning system refrigerant flow path
through first and second hoses connected between the refrigerant
flow path and the applicator, the flow path further comprising
first and second serial valves, the applicator comprising: a
reservoir carrying the treatment; first and second caps closing the
reservoir; a first and a second fitting within the respective first
and second caps; wherein the first and the second hoses are
connected between the respective first and second valves and the
first and the second fittings, and wherein a pressure differential
between the first and the second valves forces the treatment from
the reservoir through the second hose into the refrigerant flow
path.
2. The applicator of claim 1 wherein the first end cap comprises
fingers extending from an interior surface of the first end cap
into an interior region of the reservoir.
3. The applicator of claim 1 further comprising an agitator within
the reservoir for agitating the treatment to promote mixing of the
treatment and the refrigerant.
4. The applicator of claim 1 wherein the reservoir comprises a
hollow tubular element, and wherein the first and the second caps
are disposed at opposing ends of the tubular element.
5. The applicator of claim 1 wherein the first and the second
valves each comprise a normally-dosed pin that is moved to an open
condition when the first and the second hoses are connected to the
respective first and second valves.
6. The applicator of claim 1 wherein the first and the second
valves each comprise a Schrader valve.
7. The applicator of claim 1 wherein the first and the second
valves are disposed at the respective high and low pressure sides
of a compressor in the refrigerant flow path.
8. The applicator of claim 7 wherein flow of refrigerant from the
high pressure side to the low pressure side through the reservoir
forces the treatment from the reservoir through the second hose
into the refrigerant flow path.
9. The applicator of claim 7 wherein a pressure differential
between the first and the second valves, with the pressure greater
at the first valve than at the second valve, forces the treatment
from the reservoir through the second hose into the refrigerant
flow path.
10. A method of introducing an air conditioning system treatment in
a reservoir into an air conditioning system refrigerant Bow path,
the method comprising: connecting a first opening in the reservoir
to a first end of a first hose; connecting a second end of the
first hose to a first valve in the refrigerant flow path;
connecting a second opening in the reservoir to a first end of a
second hose; connecting a second end of the second hose to a second
valve in the refrigerant low path, wherein a pressure at the first
valve is greater than a pressure at the second valve; and opening
the first and the second valves to create a higher pressure at the
first opening than a pressure at the second opening, wherein a
pressure difference forces the treatment from the second opening
into the refrigerant flow path.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of connecting the
second end of the first hose to the first valve opens the first
valve and the step of connecting the second end of the second hose
to the second valve opens the second valve.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein one or both of the first and the
second hoses further comprises a respective third and fourth valve,
the method further comprising opening the third and the fourth
valves.
13. A method for loading an air conditioning system treatment into
an applicator comprising a tubular reservoir, the method
comprising: positioning the reservoir in a vertical orientation
having an upper end above a lower end, the upper end open to the
atmosphere and the lower end terminated in a lower end cap having a
lower fitting therein; attaching a supply hose to the tower
fitting; injecting treatment into the reservoir through the supply
hose, during the injecting process air escapes through the upper
end; detecting treatment leaving the upper end; closing the upper
end by attaching an upper end cap thereto; removing the supply hose
from the lower fitting; and attaching a tower fitting cap to the
lower fitting.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the upper end cap comprises an
upper fitting open to the atmosphere and a transparent drain hose
connected to the upper fitting, and wherein the step of detecting
treatment leaving the upper end further comprises visually
detecting treatment within the transparent drain hose.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein the upper end cap comprises
upper fitting open to the atmosphere, and wherein the step of
closing the upper end further comprises attaching a fitting cap to
the upper fitting.
Description
[0001] The present application claims the benefit under Section
119(e) of the provisional application filed on Dec. 21, 2008 and
assigned application No. 60/871,267.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to air conditioning
systems and specifically to an applicator for injecting an air
conditioning system treatment into the system's coolant path.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] An air conditioning system provides a cooing effect
according to a closed thermal refrigeration cycle. As illustrated
in FIG. 1, an air conditioning system 10 comprises three primary
components, a compressor 14, a condenser 18 and an evaporator 22
interconnected by pipes 26 carrying a refrigerant. The refrigerant
alternates between a liquid state and a gas state as it circulates
through a high-pressure section and a low-pressure section of the
system 10.
[0004] A pressurized liquid refrigerant, such as Freon, enters the
evaporator 22 via an expansion valve 32 that lowers the liquid
pressure, allowing the refrigerant to vaporize (boil) at a lower
temperature, thus ensuring that the refrigerant absorbs a maximum
quantity of heat as it passes through the evaporator coif. As the
reduced-pressure, liquid absorbs heat from the air (the cold
refrigerated space) surrounding the evaporator 22 the refrigerant
temperature reaches its boiling point and evaporates to a gas.
[0005] From the evaporator 22, the low-pressure gas flows to the
compressor 14 where the gas is compressed to a high-pressure state.
The higher pressure permits the gas to give up more heat (than a
lower pressure gas), ensuring that the gas condenses to a liquid
state during the next stage (condenser) of the refrigerate cycle.
From the compressor 14, the pressurised gas enters the condenser 18
where the gas condenses to a high-pressure liquid, giving up heat
to the warm environment surrounding the condenser 18. The
refrigerant then returns to the evaporator 22 via the expansion
valve 32 as a low pressure liquid.
[0006] An electric motor or an internal combustion engine (not
shown) supplies fee mechanical rotational energy required to
operate the compressor 14 to compress the vapor and circulate the
refrigerant Power consumed by the air conditioning system 10 is
directly related to the energy required to operate the compressor
14 and in turn related to compressor Motional forces that must be
overcome by the electric motor or the internal combustion engine.
Higher frictional forces raise the power consumption of the
compressor 14. Generally, a lubricating oil is added to the system
to circulate with the refrigerant to reduce these frictional
forces.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The present invention can be more easily understood and the
advantages and uses thereof more readily apparent when the
following detailed description of the present invention is read in
conjunction with the figures wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art air conditioning system.
[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates an applicator of the present invention
for loading an air conditioning system treatment into the air
conditioning system of FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 3 illustrates elements associated with a process for
loading the treatment into an air conditioning system.
[0011] FIG. 4 illustrates elements associated with a process for
loading the treatment into the applicator of the present
invention.
[0012] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate another embodiment of an end cap
for use with the applicator of FIG. 2.
[0013] In accordance with common practice, the various described
device features are not drawn to scale, but are drawn to emphasize
specific features relevant to the invention. Like reference
characters denote like elements throughout the figures and
text.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0014] Before describing in detail the exemplary methods and
apparatuses related to an air conditioning system treatment
applicator, it should be observed that the present invention
resides primarily in a novel and non-obvious combination of
elements and process steps. So as not to obscure the disclosure
with details that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the
art, certain conventional elements and steps have been presented
with lesser detail, while the drawings and the specification
describe in greater detail other elements and steps pertinent to
understanding the invention.
[0015] The following embodiments are not intended to define limits
as to the structure or method of the invention, but only to provide
exemplary constructions. The embodiments are permissive rather than
mandatory and illustrative rather than exhaustive.
[0016] An air conditioning system treatment is described in a
co-pending and co-owned patent application entitled Air
Conditioning System Treatment filed on Nov. 16, 2006 and assigned
application Ser. No. 11/560,506. which is hereby incorporated by
reference.
[0017] The system treatment described in the patent application is
loaded into an air conditioning system, such as the prior art air
conditioning system 10 of FIG. 1, using an applicator 100 as
illustrated in FIG. 2. The applicator 100 comprises a hollow
elongated reservoir 104, such as a tubular member, carrying the air
conditioning system treatment. In one embodiment the reservoir
holds about 6.5 ounces of treatment. The process of loading the
treatment into the reservoir 100 is described below. Each end of
the reservoir 104 is dosed by an end cap 108 and 110. Each end cap
108/110 further comprises a fitting 112 for connecting the
applicator 100 to an existing air conditioning system for adding
the treatment within the reservoir 104 to the system's refrigerant
path. A fitting cap 114 is removably affixed to each fitting
112.
[0018] FIG. 3 illustrates the elements associated with dispensing
the air conditioning treatment from the applicator 100 to an air
conditioning system, such as the air conditioning system 10 of FIG.
1. Each fitting 112 (not visible in FIG. 3) removably receives a
first end of a hose 126A or 126B. A second end of a hose 126A is
connected to a normally-closed Schrader valve 122A (referred to as
an air conditioning system service port) at the high pressure
outlet of the compressor 14. Typically the high-side pressure is
about 155 psi. A second end of the hose 126B is connected to a
normally-closed Schrader valve 1228 at the low pressure inlet (or
low side having a pressure of about 65 psi) of the compressor 14.
Thus as can be seen, the reservoir 104 is connected across the
compressor inlet and outlet ports. Each hose 126A and 126B further
comprises a shut-off valve 130 for controlling the low of fluid
therethrough. Only one valve 130 is required according to the
present invention.
[0019] The operation of connecting each hose 126A/126B to its
respective valve 122A/122B actuates a condition-controlling pin
that opens the valve 122A/122B. The technician then purges the
hoses 126 of air according to techniques known in the art. The
technician opens the shut-off valves 130, permitting the air
conditioning refrigerant to flow from the valve 122A (the high
pressure side) through the reservoir 104 and back into the air
conditioning system 120 at the valve 122B (the low pressure side),
in a direction illustrated by arrowheads 140. As the refrigerant
flows through the reservoir 104 the high-side pressure overcomes
the pressure within the reservoir 104 and forces the air
conditioning treatment fluid from the reservoir 104 into the air
conditioning system. Generally, the process of loading the
treatment into the air conditioning system takes less than about 20
seconds. The reservoir 104 may comprise a clear material permitting
the technician to determine when all the treatment has been removed
from the reservoir 100. The technician then closes the valves 130
to isolate the applicator 100 from the air conditioning system. The
hoses 126 are removed, causing the valves 122A and 122B to return
to their normally closed state.
[0020] In one embodiment an agitating element 116 (see FIG. 2) is
disposed within the reservoir 104 for agitating the treatment to
promote mixing of the treatment and the refrigerant during the
removal process.
[0021] According to another (optional) embodiment for injecting the
treatment into the refrigerant system, the treatment is mixed with
a pressurized canister of refrigerant. When connected to the valve
1228, the pressure within the canister forces the refrigerant and
the treatment from the canister into the air conditioning system.
Such a canister 200 is illustrated in phantom in FIG. 3 connected
to the valve 1228 via a hose 202. Disadvantageously, this injection
method introduces some refrigerant into the air conditioning
system, along with the treatment, and therefore may not be
desired.
[0022] Because air in the refrigerant path 124 is not desired, to
avoid injecting air into the refrigerant path, it is preferred to
purge all air from the reservoir 104 during or after filling the
reservoir 104 with the air conditioning treatment. To accomplish
this purging according to one embodiment, the applicator 100 is
oriented in a vertical position during the treatment filling
process. The upper and lower fitting caps 114 are removed from the
respective upper and lower fittings 112 and treatment is pumped
into the reservoir 104 from the bottom through a lower hose 150
(see FIG. 4) connected to the lower fitting 112. The fluid flows
vertically upwardly through the reservoir 104 eventually reaching
the upper fitting 112. An upper hose 152 connected to the upper
fitting 112 carries air from the reservoir 104 as the air
conditioning treatment fluid enters. Preferably the upper hose 152
comprises a transparent material permitting visual detection of the
air or the treatment within the upper hose 152. The loading process
is terminated when the treatment is detected within the upper hose
152.
[0023] The upper hose 152 is then removed and the upper fitting cap
114 (see FIG. 2) is removably affixed to the upper fitting 112. The
lower hose 150 is removed from the lower fitting 112 and the lower
fitting cap 114 is removably affixed to the lower fitting 112. Note
that it is not necessary to invert the applicator 100 prior to
removing the lower hose 150 as the pressure differential between
the upper and lower ends of the reservoir 104 retains the treatment
within the reservoir 104. The applicator 100 is now ready for use
as described above; the reservoir 104 is filled with the air
conditioning treatment and air has been evacuated from the
reservoir 104.
[0024] In one embodiment each fitting 112 is formed integral with
its respective end cap 108/110. In another embodiment each cap
108/110 comprises a polyvinyl chloride cap into which the fitting
112 is adhesively inserted. The end caps 112 are further adhesively
affixed to the reservoir 104 according to known techniques,
including use of an adhesive.
[0025] In another embodiment, an end cap 170 (particularly for use
as the upper end cap 108 when oriented as illustrated in FIG. 4)
comprises fins or fingers 180 extending inwardly into the reservoir
104 (from an inside surface of an upper region 170A). The end cap
170 further comprises wall surfaces 107B (extending along an
exterior surface of the reservoir 104). See FIG. 5 illustrating a
view into an interior of the end cap 170 and FIG. 6 illustrating a
side view of the end cap 170. In the latter view it is assumed that
the end cap 170 comprises a transparent material and thus the
fingers 180 are visible.
[0026] After completing the process of filling the reservoir 104
with the treatment, as described above, the end cap 170 may be
affixed to the reservoir 104 in lieu of the end cap 108. The
fingers 180 extending into the interior region of the reservoir 104
ensure that substantially all the air is evacuated therefrom by
forcing and remaining air through the upper fitting 112.
[0027] While the present invention has been described with
reference to preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those
skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalent
elements may be substituted for the elements thereof without
departing from the scope of the invention. The scope of the present
invention further includes any combination of elements from the
various embodiments set forth herein. In addition, modifications
may be made to adapt a particular situation to the teachings of the
present invention without departing from its essential scope.
Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the
particular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention will
include alt embodiments falling within the scope of the appended
claims.
* * * * *