Abstract: A blower assembly suitable for use in a vehicle heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a motor and a fan. The motor is configured to define an exit region where air that flows through the motor exits the motor. The centrifugal fan is configured to attach to a shaft of the motor. The fan defines a plurality of passageways configured to allow the air from the motor to pass through the fan. The passageways are configured to minimize noise caused by the air drawn through the motor.

Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a header, a plurality of tubes, and a distributor. The header is configured to define an inlet for the heat exchanger. The tubes extend away from and are fluidicly coupled to the header. The distributor is located within the header and is configured to distribute refrigerant flowing along a longitudinal axis from the inlet to the tubes via a plurality of openings defined by the distributor through a wall of the distributor. The openings include a first opening configured to direct refrigerant in a first direction, and a second opening configured to direct refrigerant in a second direction. The first direction and the second direction are selected such that refrigerant emitted from the first opening and the second opening substantially intersect each other.

Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a header, a plurality of tubes, and a distributor. The header is configured to define an inlet for the heat exchanger. The tubes extend away from and are fluidicly coupled to the header. The distributor is located within the header and is configured to distribute refrigerant flowing along a longitudinal axis from the inlet to the tubes via a plurality of openings defined by the distributor through a wall of the distributor. The openings include a first opening configured to direct refrigerant in a first direction, and a second opening configured to direct refrigerant in a second direction. The first direction and the second direction are selected such that refrigerant emitted from the first opening and the second opening substantially intersect each other.

Abstract: A blower assembly suitable for use in a vehicle heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a motor and a fan. The motor is configured to define an exit region where air that flows through the motor exits the motor. The centrifugal fan is configured to attach to a shaft of the motor. The fan defines a plurality of passageways configured to allow the air from the motor to pass through the fan. The passageways are configured to minimize noise caused by the air drawn through the motor.

Abstract: An automotive A/C compressor has a novel discharge valve design that can be easily installed even though the compressor shell is made up of only two housings, each of which integrates head, cylinder bore and discharge chamber, leaving no access between the integral head and bore. A plurality of cylindrical mounting bosses are molded into the heads, one central to each bore. The plane in which the end of each boss is located can be machined independently from the axially overlapping cylinder bore, which assures an intersection of the two. The discharge valve is sized to fit through the other end of the bore into abutment with the boss, and carries a seal that is likewise assured of sealing contact with the bore.

Abstract: A microprocessor based control for an automotive air conditioner receives inputs from transducers which measure suction gas pressure and temperature and ambient air temperature and provides outputs for compressor clutch control and instrument panel lights. The control includes a table of warning temperatures and critical temperatures of suction gas for various ranges of ambient temperature. The control is programmed to carry out the process of comparing compressor on times to a threshold and shutting down the compressor when the on times are repeatedly less than the threshold, looking up table values for warning temperature and critical temperature for the current ambient temperature, comparing suction gas temperatures to the table values and shutting down the compressor when the temperature is repeatedly above the critical temperature and giving a warning when the temperature is repeatedly above the warning temperature.

Abstract: A fluid pumping assembly including a control valve mounted in a control valve boss having an inlet exposed to the elevated discharge pressure of the discharge chamber and an outlet exposed to the reduced pressure of the crank case. The control valve is responsive to pressure differentials between the crank case and the discharge chamber and provides a fluid path between the crank case and the discharge chamber to allow lubricating fluid from the discharge chamber to be injected into the crank case through the fluid path provided by the control valve under the influence of the pressure differential existing between the crank case and the discharge chamber. The control valve boss partially bifurcates the discharge chamber to form first and second reservoirs such that oil is disposed on either side of the control valve boss in the first and second reservoirs.

Abstract: A swash plate compressor is disclosed having double acting pistons that reciprocate in aligned sets of horizontally extending bores of a cylinder block to compress gaseous refrigerant. An improved asymmetrical arrangement of suction or intake ports is provided in at least the bottommost piston. The ports extend longitudinally through the operating heads of the piston and are connected by an open channel so as to provide fluid communication through the piston. A matching valve disc with a flexible ring is included so as to provide unidirectional flow through the suction ports during the intake stroke. The suction ports are on a constant radius arc spaced 30.degree. apart and are excluded from the lower 120.degree. portion of the piston to form the asymmetrical arrangement. Liquid lubricant in the reservoir pool adjacent the bottom of the crankcase is sufficiently spaced from the ports so that it is prevented from being drawn through the suction ports and into the cylinder bore, thus eliminating slugging.

Abstract: A fluid pumping assembly including a control valve mounted in a control valve boss having an inlet exposed to the elevated discharge pressure of the discharge chamber and an outlet exposed to the reduced pressure of the crank case. The control valve is responsive to pressure differentials between the crank case and the discharge chamber and provides a fluid path between the crank case and the discharge chamber to allow lubricating fluid from the discharge chamber to be injected into the crank case through the fluid path provided by the control valve under the influence of the pressure differential existing between the crank case and the discharge chamber. The control valve boss partially bifurcates the discharge chamber to form first and second reservoirs such that oil is disposed on either side of the control valve boss in the first and second reservoirs.

Abstract: A refrigerant compressor assembly includes a shaft rotatably supported in a housing. A swash plate in disposed on the shaft, centrally within the housing. Three double-ended pistons are reciprocally supported on the swash plate within respective front and rear compression chambers for creating alternating compression and suction strokes in response to rotation of the swash plate. Refrigerant fluid discharged from the three front compression chambers is directed to a front discharge cavity and from the three rear compression chambers to a rear discharge cavity. The discharged fluid from the respective front and rear discharge cavities are each divided and then routed through equally restrictive flow passages to a primary and secondary mixing chamber. A first exhaust channel extends from the primary mixing chamber to an exhaust port of the compressor.

Abstract: An accumulator/dehydrator for a motor vehicle air conditioning system has a bleed valve that operates in parallel with a normal fixed area bleed hole to provide for increased lubricant flow to a compressor under low charge conditions.

Abstract: A swash plate compressor for a motor vehicle air conditioning system has a lubrication channel in each of its valve plate faces which is open partially along its length by one of the suction reed valves to connect the compressor's crankcase directly with one of the pumping chambers in parallel with this valve's suction port during the intake stroke and is then closed by this suction valve along with the suction port during the discharge stroke.

Abstract: A low charge protection method for an electronically controlled variable displacement compressor. In each period of compressor operation, a low charge test sequence is carried out to monitor the system performance once the system control pressure has been reduced below a specified level. In a set-up phase of the test, the compressor is down-stroked to near-minimum displacement for a predetermined time or until the system control pressure rises above a reference level. At such point, the compressor is up-stroked to near-maximum displacement to initiate a pull-down phase of the test. If the system pressure is reduced by specified amount within a reference interval, a failed test is indicated and the count in a nonvolatile counter is incremented. If the pull-down duration exceeds the reference interval, a passed test is indicated, and the count, if any, is decremented.

Abstract: A low refrigerant charge detecting device comprises a refrigerant superheat temperature transducer that senses refrigerant leaving the evaporator and provides a positional output indicative of the superheat temperature of the sensed refrigerant, an ambient air temperature transducer that senses ambient air and provides a positional output indicative of the ambient air temperature, and a low charge signal effecter that responds to both the positional outputs and provides a low charge signal at predetermined refrigerant superheat and ambient air temperatures.