Refrigeration – With vehicle feature
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-16
2001-06-05
Buiz, Michael (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
With vehicle feature
C062S244000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240738
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a refrigerant relief device for a vehicle air conditioner and particularly relates to a refrigerant relief device for a vehicle air conditioner provided with a so-called air conditioning cycle.
In the air conditioning cycle of a vehicle air conditioner, a refrigerant is forcedly fed to a condenser by a compressor. In the condenser, the refrigerant is cooled by the heat exchange between the refrigerant and the external air, and then reaches a liquid tank. In the liquid tank, the refrigerant is subjected to gas-liquid separation, the pressure of the refrigerant is reduced by an expansion valve and the refrigerant is supplied to an evaporator. The evaporator conducts the heat exchange between the supplied refrigerant and the air conditioner blow so as cool the blow. The refrigerant heated by the heat exchange in the evaporator reaches the compressor and is forcedly fed again to make the above-stated cycle.
In recent years, various global or environmental issues arise and attract public attention. In this connection, as for the above-stated air conditioning cycle, the change of types of refrigerants used for air conditioning is demanded for fear of the destruction of the ozone layer or the like. As a new refrigerant, carbon dioxide is proposed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the studies of the inventors of the present invention, however, when carbon dioxide is used as a refrigerant, the pressure of a passage having the high pressure in the air conditioning cycle, for example, the pressure of a passage from the discharge portion of the condenser to the expansion valve, is disadvantageously high relative to that in case of using a conventional refrigerant. This tendency is by no means desirable in consideration that the area in which the air conditioning cycle functions is within a vehicle applied with various external forces and sometimes an impact depending on the travel condition or the like.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerant relief device for a vehicle air conditioner capable of surely, promptly reducing the pressure of the air conditioning cycle when required.
A refrigerant relief device for a vehicle air conditioner according to the present invention is provided with a detection section detecting an impact applied to the vehicle, and a relief section relieving a refrigerant at a high-pressure side of an air conditioning cycle of the vehicle air conditioner to an outside of the air conditioning cycle when the sensor detects the impact.
Also, in other words, a refrigerant relief device for a vehicle air conditioner according to the present invention, is provided with detection means for detecting an impact applied to the vehicle, relief means for relieving a refrigerant at a high pressure side of an air conditioning cycle of the vehicle air conditioner to an outside of the air conditioning cycle, and control means for controlling the relief means so as to relieve the refrigerant at the high pressure side of the air conditioning cycle to the outside of the air conditioning cycle when the detection means detects the impact.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3933005 (1976-01-01), Beltz
patent: 4133186 (1979-01-01), Brucken et al.
patent: 5794915 (1998-08-01), Shimizu et al.
patent: 9-76741 (1997-03-01), None
Kato Yuichi
Kikuchi Koji
Ogihara Satoshi
Ali Mohammad M.
Buiz Michael
McDermott & Will & Emery
Nissan Motor., LTD.
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