Accumulator for air conditioning system

Abstract

An air conditioning system of a vehicle includes a compressor and an evaporator, and an accumulator includes a canister having a chamber for receiving a refrigerant, an inlet tube coupled to the canister and the evaporator for receiving the refrigerant from the evaporator, a U-shaped pipe situated in the canister and having an inlet portion for receiving a gaseous component of the refrigerant, and having an outlet portion coupled to the compressor, and a filter device is attached to the inlet portion of the pipe for preventing debris from entering into the inlet portion of the pipe and for preventing the compressor from being damaged by the debris.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an accumulator for an automotive air conditioning system, and more particularly to an accumulator including a filter device attached to the accumulator inlet opening for preventing particles or dirt or debris from entering into the inlet opening and for preventing the accumulator from being damaged by the particles or dirt or debris.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] Typical automotive air conditioning systems comprise a compressor disposed in the engine compartment for compressing a refrigerant, and a condenser as a heat exchanger that sits in front of the engine radiator, a hot compressed refrigerant gas may enter into the condenser, the refrigerant easily releases its heat to the air rushing past the condenser fins. An evaporator is also a heat exchanger that sits in the passenger compartment, as the air flows past the evaporator fins, the refrigerant absorbs the heat and carries it away from the evaporator, and by removing the heat from the air, it becomes cooler, and the cooled air may enter into the passenger compartment. The expanded refrigerant is then returned to the compressor where it is again compressed and the cycle repeats.

[0005] The refrigerant loop is coupled to the compressor with a manifold having an inlet port communicating with the low pressure side of the compressor and an outlet port communicating with the high pressure side of the compressor. High pressure compressed refrigerant is delivered to the condenser through a hose coupled to the high pressure port, and the expanded refrigerant is delivered back to the compressor for recompression through a hose coupled to the low pressure port.

[0006] An evaporator and an accumulator will be coupled to the condenser and then coupled to the compressor, and the accumulator is provided for receiving the refrigerant from the evaporator and for acting as a liquid-gas separator in order to separate the liquid component of the refrigerant from the gaseous component before the gaseous component is returned to the compressor.

[0007] For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,035 to Amin et al. discloses one of the typical domed accumulators including a domed baffle plate in its interior adjacent the accumulator inlet opening for dispersing the liquid portion of the refrigerant to the sides of the accumulator and for accommodating the gaseous portion of the refrigerant in the upper region of the accumulator adjacent the accumulator inlet opening.

[0008] However, the accumulator inlet opening is opened, and particles or dirt or debris may also have a good chance to enter or to be blown into the accumulator inlet opening due to the high pressure within the accumulator such that the accumulator may also have a good chance to be damaged by the particles or dirt or debris inadvertently.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,844 to Lyman et al. discloses another typical liquid accumulator including an inlet end formed with a flared or trumpet shape that forms a baffle to prevent liquid entry into the return pipe.

[0010] However, similarly, the inlet end of the typical liquid accumulator is also opened, and particles or dirt or debris may also have a good chance to enter or to be blown into the inlet end of the typical liquid accumulator due to the high pressure within the accumulator such that the accumulator may also have a good chance to be damaged by the particles or dirt or debris inadvertently.

[0011] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional accumulators for automotives.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an accumulator including a filter device attached to the accumulator inlet opening for preventing particles or dirt or debris from entering into the inlet opening and for preventing the accumulator from being damaged by the particles or dirt or debris.

[0013] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an accumulator for an air conditioning system of a vehicle which comprises a compressor and an evaporator, the accumulator comprising a canister including a chamber formed therein for receiving a refrigerant, and including a ceiling, an inlet tube coupled to the canister and the evaporator for receiving the refrigerant from the evaporator and for allowing the refrigerant to be supplied into the chamber of the canister, a U-shaped pipe including a lower portion situated in a lower region of the chamber of the canister, and including an inlet portion situated adjacent the ceiling of the canister for receiving a gaseous component of the refrigerant, and including an outlet portion coupled to the compressor for supplying the gaseous component of the refrigerant to the compressor, and a filter device attached to the inlet portion of the pipe for preventing debris from entering into the inlet portion of the pipe and for preventing the compressor from being damaged by the debris.

[0014] The filter device includes a receptacle disposed in the canister and having a mouth fitted to the inlet portion of the pipe, and having a compartment formed in the receptacle and formed by an outer peripheral wall and communicating with the inlet portion of the pipe for receiving and supplying the gaseous component of the refrigerant to the inlet portion of the pipe.

[0015] The receptacle includes a filter screen attached onto the outer peripheral wall of the receptacle for shielding the compartment of the receptacle and for preventing the debris from entering into the compartment of the receptacle.

[0016] The receptacle includes an inner peripheral flange, and the filter screen is secured to the inner peripheral flange. The receptacle may further include at least one reinforcing rib, and the filter screen is secured to the reinforcing rib.

[0017] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] FIG. 1 is a plan schematic view illustrating an air conditioning system of an automobile including an accumulator in accordance with the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the accumulator;

[0020] FIG. 3 is a partial cross sectional view of the accumulator, taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

[0021] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a filter device for attaching to the accumulator; and

[0022] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the filter device for the accumulator, taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0023] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIG. 1, illustrated is an air conditioning system 1 for such as an automobile or vehicle (not shown), and the air conditioning system 1 comprises a compressor 10 disposed in the engine compartment for compressing a refrigerant and for delivering the compressed refrigerant to a condenser 11, and the compressed refrigerant will be expanded in the condenser 11 for chilling the condenser 11, and air will be blown through the chilled condenser 11 which cools the air, and the cooled air will then flow into the passenger compartment to cool the vehicle. The expanded refrigerant is then supplied to an orifice tube or expander 12 which may lower the pressure of the refrigerant, and then supplied to an evaporator 14 which may change the status of the refrigerant from liquid to gas.

[0024] The gaseous refrigerant may include a lowered pressure and will then be returned to the compressor 10 where the refrigerant is again compressed and the cycle repeats. The air conditioning system 1 further comprises, in accordance with the present invention an accumulator 3 coupled between the compressor 10 and the evaporator 14 and provided for receiving the evaporated refrigerant from the evaporator 14 and for acting as a liquid-gas separator in order to separate the liquid component of the refrigerant from the gaseous component before the gaseous component is returned to the compressor 10. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the accumulator 3 includes a cylindrical canister 30 having a lower housing 31 and an upper casing 32 secured together at an overlapping juncture or annual weld 33 for forming an enclosed chamber 34 in the canister 30 of the accumulator 3.

[0025] The accumulator 3 includes an inlet fitting or tube 35 coupled to the canister 30 and the evaporator 14 for receiving the evaporated refrigerant 80 from the evaporator 14 and for allowing the refrigerant 80 to be flown or supplied into the chamber 34 of the cylindrical canister 30, and includes a U-shaped pipe 40 having a curved lower portion 41 received or situated in the lower region of the chamber 34 of the cylindrical canister 30, and having an inlet portion 42 extended upwardly into the upper casing 32 and adjacent the top or ceiling 36 of the cylindrical canister 30 for receiving the evaporated or gaseous component of the refrigerant 80, and having an outlet portion 43 extended outwardly through the upper casing 32 and coupled to the compressor 10 for supplying the evaporated or gaseous component of the refrigerant 80 to the compressor 10 and to be compressed by the compressor 10 again. The above-described structure is typical and will not be described in further details.

[0026] The accumulator 3 in accordance with the present invention further comprises a filter device 50 attached to the accumulator inlet portion 42 of the pipe 40 for preventing particles or dirt or debris from entering into the inlet portion 42 of the pipe 40 and for preventing the accumulator 3 and/or the compressor 10 from being damaged by the particles or dirt or debris. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the filter device 50 includes a receptacle 51 for fitting or engaging into the upper casing 32 or the upper portion of the cylindrical canister 30, and having a mouth 52 attached or engaged or fitted or secured onto the inlet portion 42 of the pipe 40, and having a compartment 53 formed in the receptacle 51 and formed or defined by an outer peripheral wall 54 and communicating with the inlet portion 42 of the pipe 40 for receiving the evaporated or gaseous component of the refrigerant 80 and for supplying the evaporated or gaseous component of the refrigerant 80 to the inlet portion 42 of the pipe 40.

[0027] The filter device 50 further includes a filter screen 55 attached onto the outer peripheral wall 54 of the receptacle 51 for shielding the compartment 53 of the receptacle 51 and for preventing particles or dirt or debris from entering into the compartment 53 of the receptacle 51 and thus for preventing the particles or dirt or debris from entering into the compressor 10. As shown in FIG. 5, the receptacle 51 may include an inner peripheral flange 56 and one or more reinforcing ribs 57 molded or formed in the upper portion of the receptacle 51, and the filter screen 55 may be attached or engaged onto the upper portion of the receptacle 51 and secured to the upper portion of the receptacle 51 and/or the inner peripheral flange 56 and the reinforcing ribs 57 by such as the ultrasonic welding processes.

[0028] It is to be noted that, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the outer peripheral wall 54 of the receptacle 51 may be formed into any suitable outer contour or configuration or structure or shape and arranged for allowing the outer peripheral wall 54 of the receptacle 51 to be snugly fitted into the upper casing 32 or the upper portion of the cylindrical canister 30 and to be secured and retained in the upper casing 32 or the upper portion of the cylindrical canister 30 with the upper casing 32 and/or the outlet portion 43 of the pipe 40 and/or the inlet portion 42 of the pipe 40 without additional fasteners or latches and thus for allowing the filter device 50 to be easily and readily attached or fitted or engaged into the canister 30 without additional tools or fasteners.

[0029] Accordingly, the accumulator in accordance with the present invention includes a filter device attached to the accumulator inlet opening for preventing particles or dirt or debris from entering into the inlet opening and for preventing the accumulator from being damaged by the particles or dirt or debris.

[0030] Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. An accumulator for an air conditioning system of a vehicle which comprises a compressor and an evaporator, said accumulator comprising: a canister including a chamber formed therein for receiving a refrigerant, and including a ceiling, an inlet tube coupled to said canister and said evaporator for receiving the refrigerant from said evaporator and for allowing the refrigerant to be supplied into said chamber of said canister, a U-shaped pipe including a lower portion situated in a lower region of said chamber of said canister, and including an inlet portion situated adjacent said ceiling of said canister for receiving a gaseous component of the refrigerant, and including an outlet portion coupled to the compressor for supplying the gaseous component of the refrigerant to the compressor, and a filter device attached to said inlet portion of said pipe for preventing debris from entering into said inlet portion of said pipe and for preventing the compressor from being damaged by the debris.

2. The accumulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said filter device includes a receptacle disposed in said canister and having a mouth fitted to said inlet portion of said pipe, and having a compartment formed in said receptacle and formed by an outer peripheral wall and communicating with said inlet portion of said pipe for receiving and supplying the gaseous component of the refrigerant to said inlet portion of said pipe.

3. The accumulator as claimed in claim 2, wherein said receptacle includes a filter screen attached onto said outer peripheral wall of said receptacle for shielding said compartment of said receptacle and for preventing the debris from entering into the compartment of said receptacle.

4. The accumulator as claimed in claim 3, wherein said receptacle includes an inner peripheral flange, and said filter screen is secured to said inner peripheral flange.

5. The accumulator as claimed in claim 3, wherein said receptacle includes at least one reinforcing rib, and said filter screen is secured to said at least one reinforcing rib.