Refrigeration – Refrigeration producer – Compressor-condenser-evaporator circuit
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-29
2001-04-03
McDermott, Corrine (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Refrigeration producer
Compressor-condenser-evaporator circuit
C165S110000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209348
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a condenser equipped with a receiver, and more specifically to a condenser equipped with a receiver, suitable for use in a refrigerating cycle of an air conditioner for vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, in a vehicle air conditioner, the refrigeration cycle components, for example, a compressor, a condenser, a receiver, etc., are mounted on a vehicle as individual parts. However, due to recent space saving requirements accompanying the development of a compact engine compartment, a condenser integrally structured with a receiver has been proposed (for example, JP-A-8-35744, JP-A-8-110125), or, a condenser equipped with a receiver after manufacturing the condenser and the receiver separately from each other has been proposed. JP-A-8-75317, JP-A-9-184668 and JP-A-9-217967, all of which are incorporated by reference, in their entireties, show typical condensers equipped with receivers.
In such known condensers equipped with receivers, however, several problems exist in a communication portion between an outlet portion of a condenser and an inlet portion of a receiver. For example, in JP-A-8-75317, because a refrigerant pipe that is connected to an outlet portion of a condenser is drawn around, and a nut that is provided on an end of the refrigerant pipe is screwed to a connector provided on an inlet portion of a receiver, screwing operation is required, thus decreasing the workability for the assembly of the receiver to the condenser. In JP-A-9-184668, a connection block that is provided on a condenser and an attachment block that is provided on a receiver are connected by bolts with a liquid-tight condition. However, because an outlet portion of a condenser is usually provided at a lower position of the condenser, such as in the structure disclosed in JP-A-9-184668, detachment of the receiver from the condenser after the assembly on a vehicle may be difficult, thereby decreasing the maintainability. Moreover, because the receiver is fixed to the condenser only by the bolts for connecting the connection block and the attachment block, the connection strength may be poor. In JP-A-9-217967, the strength of the connection is improved, but the workability for the assembly of the receiver to the condenser is correspondingly decreased.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved structure for a condenser equipped with a receiver which may increase the workability for the assembly of the receiver to the condenser, as well as the strength of the connection between the receiver and the condenser. In addition, it is an object of the invention to increase the maintainability of the receiver after installation in a vehicle.
To achieve the foregoing and other objects, the structure of a condenser equipped with a receiver according to the present invention is herein provided. The condenser equipped with a receiver comprises an inlet portion for refrigerant of the receiver opening in an axial direction of the receiver, an outlet portion for refrigerant of the condenser communicating with the inlet portion for refrigerant of the receiver, and an insertion portion provided on either the inlet portion or the outlet portion. The insertion portion is inserted into the outlet portion or the inlet portion, and the inlet portion and the outlet portion are brought into contact with each other to make a gastight condition between the inlet portion and the outlet portion.
The condenser may comprise a multi-flow type heat exchanger including a pair of header pipes, a plurality of heat transfer tubes interconnecting the pair of header pipes, and a plurality of fins disposed between heat transfer tubes adjacent to each other. The receiver may be provided so as to extend in a direction parallel to a direction in which the heat transfer tubes extend. In this embodiment, the receiver may be fixed to a side member provided at one of outermost positions of the multi-flow type heat exchanger. Alternatively, the receiver may be provided so as to extend in a direction parallel to a direction in which one of the pair of header pipes extends. In this embodiment, the receiver may be fixed to one of the pair of header pipes directly or via a bracket.
The receiver may contain a desiccant and at least one filter. The receiver may have an auxiliary equipment such as a pressure switch or a fusible plug.
In the condenser equipped with a receiver according to the present invention, the receiver may be easily attached to the condenser while a gastight condition between the outlet portion of the condenser and the inlet portion of the receiver may be ensured, merely by moving the receiver in its axial direction, inserting the insertion portion into the outlet portion or the inlet portion and bringing the inlet portion into contact with the outlet portion. Further, the receiver may be easily detached from the condenser by moving the receiver in a direction opposite to the above-described inserting direction. Therefore, the workability for attaching the receiver to the condenser, and the maintainability after mounting the assembly on a vehicle (the detachment ability of the receiver), may be increased.
Moreover, because the receiver may be disposed in either a direction parallel to the heat transfer tubes or a direction parallel to the header pipe of the condenser, an optimum assembly direction may be selected in consideration of a space in an engine compartment of a vehicle and maintenance efficiency.
Furthermore, because the receiver may be fixed to the condenser on the side member or the header pipe of the condenser by an appropriate fixing method, the strength for fixing the receiver to the condenser may be increased while the maintainability is increased.
Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying figures.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4577469 (1986-03-01), Okura
patent: 4649719 (1987-03-01), Yanagisawa
patent: 5713217 (1998-02-01), Baba
patent: 5868002 (1999-02-01), Matsubayashi
patent: 6000465 (1999-12-01), Kawahara
patent: 404043271 (1992-02-01), None
patent: 406094330 (1994-04-01), None
patent: 8-035744 (1996-02-01), None
patent: 8-075317 (1996-03-01), None
patent: 8-110125 (1996-04-01), None
patent: 9-184668 (1997-07-01), None
patent: 9-217967 (1997-08-01), None
Kado Hirotaka
Shinmura Toshiharu
Baker & Botts L.L.P.
Jiang Chen-Wen
McDermott Corrine
Sanden Corporation
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