Claims
- 1. An accumulator for use in an air-conditioning system wherein a partially vaporized refrigerant is circulated, said accumulator comprising:
- a housing defining an internal chamber, said housing comprising a first portion and a second portion, said first and second portions of said housing each having a closed end and an open end, said open end of one of said first and second portions of said housing having an inwardly extending annular flange defining an opening, said inwardly extending annular flange being a baffle member to impede the flow of said partially vaporized refrigerant, such that said baffle member causes said partially vaporized refrigerant to circulate within said internal chamber of said housing;
- an inlet tube passing through said housing and into said internal chamber; and
- an outlet tube passing through said housing and into said internal chamber, said outlet tube having a refrigerant inlet port spaced a predetermined distance from said closed end of said first portion, whereby said baffle member located within said internal chamber of said housing impedes the flow of incoming partially vaporized refrigerant causing it to circulate within said internal chamber until said partially vaporized refrigerant completely vaporizes such that the completely vaporized refrigerant flows past said baffle member and into said refrigerant inlet port of said outlet tube.
- 2. The accumulator of claim 1, wherein said inwardly extending annular flange is an integral part of said housing and lies within a middle two-thirds of said housing.
- 3. The accumulator of claim 1, wherein said inlet tube further comprises an outlet port located in said second portion of said housing.
- 4. The accumulator of claim 1, wherein said outlet tube is a U-shaped tube having a bight portion therein, said bight portion of said outlet tube being located within said second portion of said housing and positioned a predetermined distance from said closed end of said second portion of said housing; and
- said bight portion having an oil pick-up orifice located therein to draw within a vapor stream being discharged from said accumulator a predetermined amount of lubricating oil collecting at said closed end of said second portion of said internal chamber.
- 5. The accumulator of claim 1 wherein said first portion of said housing has an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture therein, said inlet tube passing through said inlet aperture and said outlet tube passing through said outlet aperture.
- 6. The accumulator of claim 5 wherein said first portion of said housing defines a first chamber region of said internal chamber, said second portion of said housing and said baffle member define a second chamber region of said internal chamber and wherein said outlet tube has a bight portion therein, said bight portion being located within said second chamber region of said internal chamber and positioned a predetermined distance from said closed end of said second portion of said housing.
- 7. The accumulator of claim 6 wherein said housing is a cylinder having a predetermined diameter, said inwardly extending annular flange defining a centrally located hole is a flat ring-shaped member having a major diameter and a minor diameter, said major diameter being substantially equal to said predetermined diameter of said housing and said minor diameter being between fifty and ninety-five percent that of said major diameter, whereby said inwardly extending annular flange presents a substantial impediment between said second portion of said internal chamber and said first portion of said internal chamber.
- 8. The accumulator of claim 6 further comprising:
- a desiccant material containing member located in said second portion of said internal chamber, and wherein said inlet tube has an outlet end located in said second portion of said housing and said desiccant material containing member is juxtaposed said outlet end of said inlet tube.
- 9. The accumulator of claim 7 wherein said housing is a cylinder having a predetermined diameter, a closed top end, and a closed bottom end, said closed top end defining a top wall, said closed bottom end defining a bottom wall; and
- said inwardly extending annular flange is located substantially within a middle one-third of said housing; said inwardly extending annular flange is a generally flat ring-shaped member having a major diameter and a minor diameter, said major diameter being substantially equal to said predetermined diameter of said housing at the location of said inwardly extending annular flange; said minor diameter ranging from about fifty percent to about ninety-five percent of said major diameter, whereby said baffle member presents a substantial impediment to a flow of refrigerant between said second portion of said internal chamber and said first portion of said internal chamber.
- 10. The accumulator of claim 9 wherein said baffle member has a concave surface in a cross section taken in a plane passing through an axis of said flat ring-shaped member, said concave surface being disposed toward said second portion of said internal chamber, whereby a partially vaporized refrigerant passing upwardly toward said baffle member is caused to circulate toward said second portion of said internal chamber.
- 11. The accumulator of claim 10 wherein said baffle member is an integral part of said housing and lies within a middle two-thirds of said housing as measured along a vertical axis of said accumulator.
- 12. The accumulator of claim 10 wherein said housing is formed of an upper cylindrical member and a lower cylindrical member; and wherein said baffle member is formed integrally with one of said upper and lower cylindrical members at one end thereof.
- 13. The accumulator of claim 1 wherein said baffle member further comprises an extension member proximate said opening of said inwardly extending annular flange defining said baffle member, said extension member being positioned to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to said inwardly extending annular flange.
- 14. A method of making an accumulator for an air-conditioning system, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing first and second cylindrical cup-shaped members, each having an open end and a closed end;
- selecting one of said first and second cylindrical cup-shaped members to constitute an upper portion of said accumulator;
- selecting the other of said first and second cylindrical cup-shaped members to constitute a lower portion of said accumulator;
- forming an inlet tube having a discharge end;
- forming an outlet tube having a vapor inlet end;
- attaching said inlet and outlet tubes to said upper portion of said accumulator such that said discharge end of said inlet tube extends beyond said open end of said upper portion, and such that said vapor inlet end of said outlet tube is located a predetermined distance from said closed end of said upper portion;
- forming said open end of said lower portion to turn inward to provide a generally ring-shaped baffle member; and
- joining together said open ends of said upper and said lower portions to thereby provide an enclosed vapor chamber having a baffle member positioned intermediate said closed ends of said upper and said lower portions of said accumulator.
- 15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:
- forming a scallop in said baffle member; and
- aligning one of said inlet and said outlet tubes in said scallop in said baffle member.
- 16. A method of making an accumulator for an air-conditioning system, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing first and second cylindrical cup-shaped members, each having an open end and a closed end;
- making an inlet hole and an outlet hole in said first cylindrical cup-shaped member;
- inserting an inlet tube in said inlet hole of said first cylindrical cup-shaped member;
- inserting an outlet tube in said outlet hole of said first cylindrical cup-shaped member;
- forming an open end of one of said first and second cup-shaped members to turn inward to provide a generally ring-shaped baffle member; and
- joining together said first and second cup-shaped members at said open ends to thereby provide an enclosed vapor chamber having a baffle member positioned intermediate said closed ends of said first and second cup-shaped members of said accumulator.
- 17. The method of claim 16 wherein said forming step further comprises the step of:
- forming said open end of one of said first and second cup-shaped members to have a concave cross section facing said closed end of said second cup-shaped member.
- 18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:
- forming a scallop in said baffle member; and
- aligning said inlet tube in said scallop.
- 19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:
- forming a scallop in said baffle member; and
- aligning said outlet tube in said scallop.
- 20. The method for making an accumulator for an air conditioner of claim 16 wherein said step of forming an open end in one of said first and second cup-shaped members to turn inward further comprises the step of forming said open end to turn downward toward said closed end of said cup-shaped member.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation in part of parent application Ser. No. 07/879,808, filed May 7, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,370, issued Feb. 1, 1994.
US Referenced Citations (8)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
879808 |
May 1992 |
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