With Sump Pressure Actuation Patents (Class 417/222.2)
  • Patent number: 7444921
    Abstract: A variable displacement compressor is disclosed. The compressor includes a crankcase for receiving a fluid. The crankcase has a plurality of compression chambers in which the fluid is compressed. A plurality of pistons disposed within the crankcase and are configured for reciprocal movement within the plurality of chambers to compress and pump the fluid. Further, a rotor assembly having a drive shaft and a rotor, wherein the rotor has a first pivot arm support member extending from a first surface of the rotor. A sleeve is slidably engaged with the drive shaft and configured for axial movement along a longitudinal axis of the drive shaft. A swash ring is coupled to the plurality of pistons and to the rotor by means of a pivot arm. Rotary motion of the swash ring and rotor causes reciprocal motion of the plurality of pistons within the plurality of chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Gregory Theodore, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7402027
    Abstract: A hydraulic machine-has a rotating group located within a housing and a port plate to control flow from the barrel of the rotating group to inlet and outlet ports. The port plate is sealed against one of the housing or barrel and sleeves extend between the other of the housing or barrel to accommodate misalignment between the barrel and housing as the barrel rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Haldex Hydraulics Corporation
    Inventor: George Kadlicko
  • Publication number: 20080145239
    Abstract: A variable displacement compressor includes a compressor housing, a rotary shaft, a lug plate, a swash plate, a hinge mechanism, a supply passage and a bleed passage. The compressor housing includes a pressure control chamber having a front region which extends between the swash plate and the lug plate, and a rear region on the opposite side of the swash plate as viewed from the lug plate. The rotary shaft has an axial bleed passage which forms part of the bleed passage and an inlet which is in communication with the axial bleed passage and opened to the front region of the pressure control chamber. At least one of the swash plate and the rotary shaft has a communication passage. The front region and the rear region of the pressure control chamber are in communication with each other through the communication passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Masakazu Murase, Hiroki Nagano, Tetsuhiko Fukanuma
  • Patent number: 7387501
    Abstract: To provide a control valve which is capable of maintaining the minimum operation of a variable displacement compressor, by causing a valve section thereof to be fully opened, irrespective of the expanded or compressed state of a bellows, even when the suction pressure of the compressor is high. In the control valve for a variable displacement compressor, a bellows is disposed between a pressure-sensing piston and a core in a pressure-sensing chamber, and a pressing force-transmitting member which is fixed to a plunger is interposed between the pressure-sensing piston and the bellows. Then, a spring which urges the pressing force-transmitting member toward a valve section is disposed between the pressing force-transmitting member and the bellows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: TGK Co., Ltd.,
    Inventor: Hisatoshi Hirota
  • Publication number: 20080138213
    Abstract: A capacity control valve of the present invention includes a valve body (40) integrally having a first valve portion (41) for opening/closing a discharge-side path for having a discharge chamber (11) communicate with a control chamber (12) and a second valve portion (42) for opening/closing a suction-side path for having a suction chamber (13) communicate with the control chamber (12), a pressure sensitive body (50) arranged in a third valve chamber (38) in the middle of the suction-side path, a valve seat body (53) provided at the pressure sensitive body (50), a third valve portion (43) connected to the valve body (40) for opening/closing the suction-side path by engagement and disengagement with the valve seat body (53) and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventors: Satoshi Umemura, Masaki Ota, Masahiro Kawaguchi, Ryosuki Cho, Keigo Shirafuji, Toshiaki Iwa
  • Patent number: 7381031
    Abstract: A control valve for a variable displacement compressor that is mounted on the variable displacement compressor to control pressure within a hermetic crankcase to thereby change the discharging capacity of a refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: TGK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Kawaguchi, Morimitsu Kajiwara
  • Patent number: 7371054
    Abstract: A swash-plate compression device of the variable capacity type used in a refrigerating system of a vehicle comprises a swash-plate compressor and a control valve for autonomously adjusting the pressure in a crank chamber of the compressor. The control valve is opened and closed to introduce some of a refrigerant, which is discharged from the compressor, into the crank chamber. The opening of the control valve is controlled in accordance with a target differential pressure between the actual discharge pressure of the discharged refrigerant and the mean internal pressure of the entire compression chambers of the compressor or between the actual discharge pressure and the peak value of the internal pressure of the compression chamber so that the actual capacity of the compressor is feedback-controlled to be adjusted to a target capacity therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventor: Masaki Shiina
  • Patent number: 7364408
    Abstract: The invention provides a compressor with a shut off valve disposed between the crank case and the suction cavity. The valve is moveable between an open and closed position in response to the pressure in the discharge cavity of the compressor. The valve is an on/off valve and is operable rapidly depressurize the interior of the crank case when the compressor transitions from a minimum stroke. The valve can define first and second fluid pathways. The first fluid pathway can be larger than the second fluid pathway and be selectively opened and closed. The second fluid pathway can be permanently open and act as a bleed between the crank case and the suction cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Joseph Skinner, Joseph M. Bona
  • Patent number: 7320576
    Abstract: In a variable displacement swash plate type refrigerant compressor (10), a stopper (28) is provided for setting an initial angle of the inclination angle of a swash plate (23) when a drive shaft (19) is not driven. When the drive shaft (19) is driven by a driving power source of the compressor (10) under a non-operation condition of a refrigerant circuit, the stopper (28) is moved to permit the inclination angle of the swash plate (23) to be reduced from the initial angle in response to increase of compression work of the compressor (10) so as to suppress the increase of the compression work to save the driving power for the compressor (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventors: Anri Enomoto, Yoshihiro Ochiai
  • Patent number: 7293965
    Abstract: A limiter device is provided in a variable displacement compressor capable of varying a discharge displacement per revolution and compressing a fluid in a cycle. The limiter device includes an operating characteristic acquiring means for acquiring a predetermined characteristic during a compression operation of the compressor, and a varying means for varying the discharge displacement of the compressor to a minimum side when the predetermined characteristic obtained by the operating characteristic acquiring means exceeds a predetermined value. Thus, the limiter device can prevent the compressor from being brought into trouble such as locking and can protect a driving belt and other auxiliary equipment on a side of an engine, while it is unnecessary to provide a pulley with a limiter function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuo Tabuchi, Manabu Saiki, Masahito Yamashita, Junichi Ohguchi
  • Publication number: 20070243076
    Abstract: The control valve comprises a valve rod having a valve body part; a valve main body provided with a valve chamber having a valve port to/from which the valve body part contacts/separates, a discharge pressure refrigerant inlet for introducing the refrigerant from a compressor, and a refrigerant outlet communicating with a crank chamber of the compressor; an electromagnetic actuator having a plunger for moving the valve rod in the valve closing direction; a pressure sensing chamber in which suction pressure is introduced from the compressor; and a pressure sensitive response member for pressing the valve rod in the valve opening direction corresponding to the pressure in the pressure sensing chamber, wherein the valve rod is fitted to the plunger having a predetermined diametrical directional clearance so as not to be influenced from the lateral deviation and inclination of the plunger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Applicant: FUJIKOKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kume, Toru Watanuki, Daisuke Morisawa
  • Patent number: 7273356
    Abstract: There is disclosed a control valve device for a variable capacity type swash plate compressor for use in an air conditioning system. The device comprises an introducing passage for connecting a discharge chamber to a crank chamber in the compressor, and a control valve for adjusting a pressure in the crank chamber in an autonomous manner to control a discharge capacity of the compressor. The control valve includes a valve unit for opening/closing the introducing passage and an electromagnetic solenoid assembly for operating the valve unit. The control valve device further comprises a resistance variable mechanism for varying a resistance of the magnetic circuit in the assembly in accordance with a differential pressure of the refrigerant between two points defined between the compressor and a condenser of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Ochiai
  • Patent number: 7243502
    Abstract: In a control system of a variable displacement compressor, a pressure sensing means mechanically detects at least one pressure in the refrigerant circuit. A varying means varies a reference value for positioning a valve body. A pressure detector electrically detects the pressure detected by the pressure sensing means in the refrigerant circuit and/or physical quantity which correlates with the detected pressure. A calculator calculates a maximum value of urging force applied to the valve body by the varying means toward an increasing side of the displacement of the compressor. The urging force applied to the valve body is controlled not to exceed the maximum value toward the increasing side of the displacement. The displacement of the compressor is maximized by the pressure sensing means under the pressure for calculating the maximum value when the varying means applies urging force of the maximum value to the valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Satoshi Umemura, Yuji Hashimoto, Ryo Matsubara, Masakazu Murase, Tatsuya Koide
  • Patent number: 7210911
    Abstract: A controller for a variable displacement compressor that maintains high displacement while preventing excessive increase in discharge pressure. The controller includes a pressure sensing mechanism for detecting pressure of a suction pressure region in the compressor. A suction pressure controlling means controls the displacement of the compressor so that the pressure detected by the pressure sensing mechanism is converged to a predetermined suction pressure setting. A sensor detects pressure of a discharge pressure region in the compressor. A discharge pressure controlling means controls the displacement of the compressor so that the pressure detected by the sensor is converged to a predetermined discharge pressure setting. When the pressure detected by the sensor is greater than a threshold pressure, an ECU switches the control of the compressor from control with the suction pressure controlling means to control with the discharge pressure controlling means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Masaki Ota, Masakazu Murase, Satoshi Umemura, Tatsuya Hirose
  • Patent number: 7207784
    Abstract: When a hybrid compressor starts being driven by an electric motor, the electric current of a capacity control valve is applied at an initial control electric current SS that is greater than a control electric current S, which is from the state of a refrigerating circuit. This triggers a swash plate of the hybrid compressor to be rapidly inclined. Thereafter, the electric current of the displacement control valve is applied at the control electric current S. This structure enables the displacement of the hybrid compressor to rapidly recover when the hybrid compressor starts being driven by the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kimihiko Sato, Nobuhiro Miura, Yasutane Hijikata, Masato Komura
  • Patent number: 7204098
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a structure for separating oil from a refrigerant gas containing the oil. The refrigerant gas is discharged from a refrigerant compressor which forms a part of refrigerating cycle to an external refrigerant circuit. The oil separation structure includes a separation chamber in which the oil is separated from the discharge refrigerant gas having a cylindrical inner surface, and a plurality of introduction passages through which the discharge refrigerant gas is introduced into the separation chamber. The oil is separated by centrifugal action from the discharge refrigerant gas by turning the discharge refrigerant gas introduced into the separation chamber along the cylindrical inner surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Yoshinari Yamada, Suguru Hirota, Hajime Kurita
  • Patent number: 7179063
    Abstract: In a reciprocating-piston machine, in particular a refrigerant compressor for a motor vehicle air-conditioning system, including a machine shaft rotatably supported in a housing, a plurality of pistons arranged circularly around the machine shaft in the housing, and an annular pivoting disc driven by the machine shaft and engaging the pistons via a joint arrangement, the pivoting disc being connected in an articulated manner to the machine shaft via a driver for transmitting the machine shaft drive forces to the pistons and mounted on a machine shaft-supported sliding body so as to be pivotable about a hinge axis oriented transversely to the machine shaft, the sliding body has an elongated recess which is open at one axial end for receiving the driver and the sliding body further includes at its inside adjacent the machine shaft a cavity, which is in communication with a bore forming a discharge passage extending through the machine shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignees: DaimlerChrysler AG, ObristEngineering GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Cäsar, Peter Kuhn
  • Patent number: 7172393
    Abstract: A multi-cylinder compressor includes a valve plate having a plurality of cylinder suction ports formed therethrough, and a plurality of cylinder bores centered on an arc having a radius (R). The cylinder bores are substantially equally spaced from each other, and have a diameter (D). The compressor also includes a suction chamber having a substantially annular shape and adapted to be in fluid communication with each of the cylinder bores via the suction ports. Moreover, a center of a first of the suction ports is radially offset in a predetermined direction from a center of a predetermined suction port by a first angle, in which the predetermined suction port has a diameter (d), and the first angle equals {[(360°/N)·([N?1]?n)]+X°}.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas E. Adams, Yoshinobu Ichikawa, Jeongil Park, Werner Soedel
  • Patent number: 7144227
    Abstract: In a reciprocating-piston machine, in particular a refrigerant compressor for a motor vehicle air-conditioning system, comprising a machine shaft rotatably supported in a housing with a plurality of pistons arranged circularly around the machine shaft and an annular pivoting disc extending around, and being driven by, the machine shaft, wherein the annular pivoting disc engages the pistons via a joint arrangement disposed on a driver extending from the shaft for transmitting shaft drive forces to the pistons, the annular pivoting disc being supported by a sliding body mounted on a shaft and being pivotable about a hinge axis oriented transversely to the machine shaft, the joint arrangement of the driver is located outside a main center-plane, which extends perpendicularly to the hinge axis and through the axis of rotation of the machine shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignees: DaimlerChrysler AG, Obrist Engineering GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Cäsar, Peter Kuhn
  • Patent number: 7137267
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a variable displacement compressor has an information detector and a controller. The information detector detects information about the thermal load on the refrigeration circuit. The controller determines a target value that reflects the displacement of the compressor based on the information about the thermal load detected by the information detector, and outputs the target value as a command value. When determining that the compressor is in a heavy load state based on information about a load on the compressor, the controller changes the command value to a value that causes the displacement of the compressor to become smaller than a displacement that corresponds to the determined target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Masakazu Murase, Masahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroaki Kayukawa, Satoshi Umemura
  • Patent number: 7121811
    Abstract: The object is to provide a capacity control valve for a variable displacement compressor, which is not adversely affected by pressure from a pressure-regulating chamber. The cross-sectional area of a valve hole of a high pressure-side valve seat for introducing discharge pressure Pd of a variable displacement compressor into a pressure-regulating chamber is A, the cross-sectional area of a valve hole of a low pressure-side valve seat for introducing pressure Pc1 (=Pc2) of the pressure-regulating chamber into a suction chamber is B, and the average cross-sectional area of a refrigerant passage assumed when a low-pressure valve element is open during most of control time of actual operation is b. A and B are set to A<B to make the effective pressure receiving area (?A) of the high pressure-side valve and the effective pressure receiving area (?B?b) of the low pressure-side valve approximately equal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: TGK Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisatoshi Hirota
  • Patent number: 7077380
    Abstract: A capacity control valve is inserted in a flow path connecting a discharge chamber and a crank chamber of a variable capacity compressor and provided with a valve unit and a drive unit. The valve unit has a valve element for opening/closing the flow path or a valve passage of the valve unit. The drive unit has a movable core or plunger for driving the valve element and a communicating path that is formed in the plunger and connects chambers located in both sides of the plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignees: Eagle Industry Co., Ltd., Sanden Corporation
    Inventors: Norio Uemura, Toshiaki Iwa, Katsuya Shirai, Keigo Shirafuji, Yukihiko Taguchi
  • Patent number: 7063511
    Abstract: An integrated capacity control valve for a variable capacity refrigerant compressor includes an integral pressure sensor that is continuously coupled to a discharge port of the valve for measuring the refrigerant discharge pressure. A plunger of the control valve is disposed within a passage coupling the compressor crankcase to the discharge port, and is positioned by pneumatic and electric control elements to regulate the refrigerant suction pressure. The plunger has intersecting axial and lateral bores that define a continuous passage between the discharge port and a cavity in which the pressure sensor is retained so that the sensor is continuously exposed to the discharge pressure regardless of the plunger position, and refrigerant discharge pressure in the lateral bore produces a bias force on the plunger that compensates the pneumatic suction pressure setpoint for a pressure drop between the evaporator and the suction port of the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Martin Urbank, Karma Vir Sangwan, Ernesto Jose Gutierrez
  • Patent number: 7037087
    Abstract: An object of the capacity control valve is to provide a constant, stable control of the pressure load without fluctuations. Also another object is to improve an energy efficiency of the drive torque of the rotary shaft by means of a control of the pressure load. In this arrangement, the solenoid coil section controls as a reference value of pressure load which is calculated by taking a sum of a pressure differential between the discharge pressure and the pressure in the control chamber, multiplied by the area of the open passage of the first valve seat, and a pressure differential between the pressure in the control chamber and the suction pressure, multiplied by the area of the open passage of the second valve seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Eagle Industry Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Norio Uemura, Yoshihiro Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7021901
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a variable displacement compressor which is capable of using a solenoid control valve which does not require a large solenoid force. The compressor is configured such that an electromagnetic proportional flow rate control valve is arranged in a refrigerant passage leading from a discharge chamber to a condenser, that a differential pressure regulating valve is arranged in a refrigerant passage leading from the discharge chamber to a crank chamber, and that a fixed orifice is arranged in a refrigerant passage leading from the crank chamber to a suction chamber, whereby the differential pressure regulating valve senses a differential pressure Pd, Pd? generated across the electromagnetic proportional flow rate control valve, for control of pressure introduced into the crank chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: TGK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisatoshi Hirota, Tomokazu Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 7018179
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a capacity control valve for a variable displacement compressor, which is not adversely affected by pressure from a pressure-regulating chamber. A three-way valve structure is formed in which a high-pressure valve element and a low-pressure valve element are integrally formed at both ends, and valve seats with valve holes having the same diameter are arranged in a manner opposed to the respective valve elements. A discharges pressure is supplied from the upstream side of the valve seat, and a suction pressure is supplied from the downstream side of the valve seat. Pressures from a pressure-regulating chamber are received at the downstream side of the high-pressure valve element and the upstream side of the low-pressure valve element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: TGK Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisatoshi Hirota
  • Patent number: 7014428
    Abstract: A control system for a variable displacement compressor uses a mechanical valve to minimize energy consumption in an air conditioning system. The control system can also provide instantaneous indications to the vehicle controller of air conditioning power consumption to avoid engine loading. Controls are also used to contain oil within the compressor and to minimize its presence downstream of the compressor into the gas cooler and evaporator parts of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Srinivas S. Pitla, Yong Huang, Vipen Khetarpal
  • Patent number: 7004729
    Abstract: A compressor, in particular for air conditioning systems in motor vehicles, having a housing, a housing sealing cover, a drive shaft with bearings and a drive device for pistons that are displaced back and forth. The drive device transfers the rotational displacement of the drive shaft into the back-and-forth displacement of the pistons. The compressor also includes a cylinder block, in which the pistons that are displaced back and forth take in and compress coolant, a valve device, in addition to a valve plate with intake and discharge valves comprising intake and discharge chambers for an intake pressure zone and a discharge pressure zone. A cylinder head may be a separate element from the housing, in pot-shaped form, or the housing sealing cover. The intake and discharge chambers, the valve device, and the cylinder block may be situated in the closed side of the pot-shaped housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: LuK Fahrzeug-Hyrdaulik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Georg Weber, Peter Barth, Jean-Claude Gnaly, Volker Seipel
  • Patent number: 7004734
    Abstract: An inlet port 15 is divided into a plurality of holes 15a, 15b, 15c, 15 by ribs 61a, 61b, 61c. For example, when liquid refrigerant is compressed within a compression chamber, the inlet valve 21 receives excessive load which is about to bend the inlet valve 21 largely toward the suction chamber side. However, the inlet valve 21 is supported by the ribs 61a, 61b, 61c, and therefore the inlet valve 21 is hardly bent, but the inlet port 21 is positively closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Zexel Valco Climate Control Corporation
    Inventors: Ryosuke Izawa, Minoru Kanaizuka, Katsuhiko Arai, Katsumi Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 6974311
    Abstract: A control valve for a variable displacement compressor has a solenoid, a pressure sensing mechanism, and a valve mechanism. The solenoid has a first end and a second end and a cylindrical body. The pressure sensing mechanism is located on the first end of the solenoid. The pressure sensing mechanism has a pressure sensing chamber and a diaphragm. The diaphragm is displaced in accordance with the pressure in the pressure sensing chamber. The valve mechanism is located on the second end of the solenoid. The cylindrical body has a support end, which supports the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Pacific Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Sakai, Satoru Okada
  • Patent number: 6966195
    Abstract: To provide an air conditioning system which simultaneously eliminates shortage of lubricating oil of a variable displacement compressor and degradation of cooling efficiency of the system. An air conditioning system is configured to have a variable displacement compressor under flow rate control by a proportional flow rate control solenoid valve forming a variable orifice in a discharge-side refrigerant flow passage, and a constant differential pressure valve for controlling a differential pressure (PdH?PdL) across the variable orifice, developed depending on a flow rate Qd of refrigerant, to a constant level, and an expansion valve of a normal charge type. By providing the expansion valve of the normal charge type, it is possible to always hold refrigerant at an outlet of an evaporator in a superheated state, whereby even during low load operation, high cooling efficiency can be maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: TGK Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Saeki
  • Patent number: 6953325
    Abstract: A safety device limits the pressure in an axial-piston compressor with variable piston displacement. The compressor has as wobble plate or swash plate whose tilt angle can be variably controlled by the pressure differential between the high pressure in the discharge pressure zone and the pressure in the piston-drive chamber. The safety device consists of a valve arranged in a connector channel between the discharge pressure zone and the pressure zone of the piston-drive chamber. When the discharge pressure exceeds a given pressure limit, the safety device responds by allowing an increased flow of pressure medium from the discharge pressure zone to the piston-drive chamber. The influx of pressure medium into the piston-drive chamber causes a reduction of the tilt angle of the swash plate or wobble plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignees: LuK Fahrzeug-Hydraulik GmbH & Co., KG, Behr GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Georg Weber, Michael Sickelmann, Tilo Schäfer, Christoph Walter, Hans-Joachim Krauss, Harald Raiser, Frank Obrist
  • Patent number: 6939112
    Abstract: A variable displacement compressor includes a suction chamber, a discharge chamber, and a crank chamber. The compressor also includes a first path for allowing communication between the crank chamber and the discharge chamber, and a second path for allowing communication between the crank chamber and the suction chamber. Moreover, the compressor includes a valve assembly. The valve assembly includes a valve positioned within the first path, and the valve assembly controls a pressure in the crank chamber by varying a position of the valve. The compressor also includes an orifice mechanism. The orifice mechanism includes a plate having a hole formed therethrough, and an elongated member positioned within the hole. Specifically, the elongated member is movable within the hole, and an annulus of the orifice mechanism is defined between the elongated member and an interior surface of the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiko Taguchi
  • Patent number: 6926501
    Abstract: A housing for a hydraulic pump is provided. The pump has an input shaft connected to a swashplate, a plurality of pistons, a plurality of check valves, and a metering device having an actuator. The housing includes a first housing member having a fluid inlet, a shaft bore adapted to receive the input shaft, and a swashplate bore adapted to receive the swashplate. A second housing member has a plurality of cylinders adapted to slidably receive the plurality of pistons and a plurality of check valve bores that are in fluid communication with the cylinders and are adapted to receive the plurality of check valves. The second housing member also includes an actuator bore configured to receive at least a portion of the actuator, a collector cavity in fluid communication with each of the check valve bores, and a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the collector cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventor: Ashraf B. Abdelrahman
  • Patent number: 6923626
    Abstract: A variable displacement compressor has a housing, a drive shaft, a rotor, a swash plate, a piston and a decelerating mechanism. The housing includes a cylinder bore and supports the drive shaft. The rotor is secured to the drive shaft. The swash plate is operatively connected to the rotor and the drive shaft so as to rotate therewith and varies its inclination angle relative to the drive shaft. The piston is connected to the swash plate so as to reciprocate in the cylinder bore with rotation of the swash plate. A stroke of the piston varies in accordance with the inclination angle of the swash plate. The deceleration mechanism between the rotor and the swash plate decelerates the inclination speed of the swash plate in a range from a near maximum inclination angle to the maximum inclination angle when the swash plate inclines to increase the stroke of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Masaki Ota, Tomohiro Wakita, Tomoji Tarutani, Hirotaka Kurakake, Yoshinobu Ishigaki, Kazuhiro Nomura, Yoshinori Inoue, Satoshi Umemura, Kazuhiko Minami
  • Patent number: 6908290
    Abstract: A compressor for an automotive air conditioning system includes a cylinder head that comprises a mixing chamber, suction chamber and discharge chamber. The cylinder head comprises a first annular wall defining a mixing chamber and a second annular wall disposed about the first annular wall and spaced apart therefrom to define the suction chamber that communicates with the suction ports to the cylinder chambers. The discharge chamber is disposed about the second annular wall and communicates with the discharge ports. Refrigerant flows through the mixing chamber in a swirling or other turbulent pattern and into suction chamber through circumferentially spaced openings. By providing the mixing chamber and isolating the mixing chamber from the suction chamber, pressure pulsation resulting from opening of the suction ports to admit refrigerant is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Srinivas S. Pitla, Vipen Khetarpal
  • Patent number: 6902379
    Abstract: A variable displacement compressor and a displacement control valve for use in such compressors, varies the displacement of the compressor by closing or opening a control path between a discharge chamber or a suction chamber and a crank chamber. The valve includes a valve body for closing or opening the control path; a control rod; and a rod passage receiving the control rod. A first end of the control rod is affixed to the valve body, and the control rod extends from the valve body to a solenoid for urging the valve body to close or open the control path. The control rod is tapered, such that a first cross-sectional area of the control rod proximate to the valve body is greater than a second cross-sectional area of the control rod proximate to the solenoid to close or open the control path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Takai
  • Patent number: 6886355
    Abstract: An air-conditioning system with a refrigerant medium circulating in a refrigerant loop has a variable-stroke compressor with a high-pressure outlet chamber, a drive chamber and an intake suction chamber. A first valve regulates a first flow of refrigerant medium from the high-pressure outlet chamber to the drive chamber, and a second valve regulates a second flow of refrigerant medium from the drive chamber to the intake suction chamber. The first and second valves operate independently of each other under the control of a control unit, and the variable stroke of the compressor is controlled by the first and/or second flow of refrigerant medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: LuK Fahrzeug-Hydraulik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Frank Obrist, Tilo Schafer, Georg Weber
  • Patent number: 6863503
    Abstract: A variable capacity compressor like a swash plate type where a pressurized fluid is fed to a control pressure chamber such as a swash plate chamber to apply a backpressure to a piston etc. and the backpressure is changed by the capacity control valve, wherein the valve is streamlined and reduced in cost by providing a simple valve such as a two-way solenoid valve as a capacity control valve in a feed path to or discharge path from the control pressure chamber. By controlling the duty ratio of the valve, it is possible to smoothly change the capacity of the compressor. Further, a torque sensor is provided at a drive shaft, and the valve is controlled by a control unit to change the discharge capacity of the compressor in accordance with that detection value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Mikio Matsuda, Motohiko Ueda
  • Patent number: 6848262
    Abstract: A compressor device for a refrigerant cycle includes a compressor and a control unit. The compressor is provided with a displacement changing mechanism for changing its displacement. The control unit changes a current value supplied to the displacement changing mechanism, thereby relatively changing the displacement of the compressor. In the compressor device, when a rotational speed of a vehicle engine is lower than a predetermined rotational speed, the control unit controls an upper limit of the current value between a first predetermined value and a maximum value. Accordingly, a displacement specification of the compressor device can be normalized for vehicle engines having different power outputs, while engine stall can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Michiyasu Nosaka
  • Publication number: 20040258536
    Abstract: A displacement control mechanism controls displacement of a variable displacement type compressor that forms a refrigerant circulation circuit for an air conditioning apparatus. The displacement is decreased as a pressure in a crank chamber rises while being increased as the pressure in the crank chamber falls. The displacement control mechanism includes a bleed passage, a supply passage, a first control valve and a second control valve. The second control valve includes a back pressure chamber, a valve chamber, a valve body, a spring and a second valve portion. The second valve portion is provided with the back surface of the valve body. The second valve portion closes an opening of an introduction passage in the back pressure chamber when the first valve portion maximizes the opening of the bleed passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Masaki Ota, Hiroyuki Yoshida, Hidenori Iida, Toshiki Honjo
  • Publication number: 20040253121
    Abstract: A torque receiving member is fixed to a rotary shaft of a compressor. A pulley, which is rotated by an external drive source, is rotatably supported by a housing of the compressor. The pulley is substantially coaxial with the torque receiving member. A rubber damper is located between the pulley and the torque receiving member. The rubber damper absorbs rotational vibration transmitted from the torque receiving member to the pulley. The pulley has a dynamic damper. The dynamic damper includes rollers, which swing like pendulums to reduce rotational vibration of the pulley. Stress produced due to displacement between the axis of the pulley and the torque receiving member is reduced by the rubber damper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Masaki Ota, Masahiro Kawaguchi, Taku Adaniya, Akinobu Kanai, Tomoharu Arai, Takeshi Kawata
  • Publication number: 20040253118
    Abstract: A piston type compressor includes a suction valve mechanism. The suction valve mechanism includes a rotary valve coupled to a rotary shaft. A valve timing adjusting apparatus is capable of changing a relative rotational phase, which is a rotational phase of the rotary valve relative to the rotary shaft. Therefore, the compressor is capable of adjusting the valve timing of the rotary valve and has a reduced size in the axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Yoshinori Inoue, Junichi Takahata, Hisato Kawamura, Kenji Mochizuki, Shigeki Kawachi
  • Patent number: 6823687
    Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner, a variable displacement compressor has a control valve for continuously changing a discharge capacity of the compressor, and a control unit calculates an electrical value DT to be applied to the control valve based on the following formula of DT=DT(n−1)+Kp[(En−En−1)+C/(Ti×En)]. In this formula, En=Te−Teo, Kp=Kp′/(Ph×Ph′), Ti=Ti′/(Ph×Ph″), C is a sampling cycle, n is a positive number, Kp′, Ti′, Ph′ and Ph″ are constants, Ph is a refrigerant pressure at a high pressure side, Te is a detected air temperature at an air outlet of the evaporator, and Teo is a target evaporator air temperature that is calculated based on an outside air temperature Tam. Accordingly, the compressor can be stably controlled in a wide thermal load range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shigenobu Fukumi, Hiroyuki Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20040234383
    Abstract: The invention provides a compressor with a shut off valve disposed between the crank case and the suction cavity. The valve is moveable between an open and closed position in response to the pressure in the discharge cavity of the compressor. The valve is an on/off valve and is operable rapidly depressurize the interior of the crank case when the compressor transitions from a minimum stroke. The valve can define first and second fluid pathways. The first fluid pathway can be larger than the second fluid pathway and be selectively opened and closed. The second fluid pathway can be permanently open and act as a bleed between the crank case and the suction cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Timothy Joseph Skinner, Joseph M. Bona
  • Publication number: 20040228738
    Abstract: A by-pass device in a variable displacement compressor has a by-pass passage, a valve body and a deformable separator. The by-pass passage interconnects a discharge pressure region with a crank chamber for releasing refrigerant from the discharge pressure region to the crank chamber. The valve body is arranged in the by-pass passage for opening and closing the by-pass passage. The deformable separator separates a back pressure region from the by-pass passage without sliding. The valve body is urged from a side of an opened position where the valve body is spaced from a valve seat toward a side of a closed position where the valve body contacts with the valve seat by pressure applied from the back pressure region to the separator. The valve body is moved from the closed position to the opened position by deforming the deformable separator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Inventors: Yuji Hashimoto, Satoshi Umemura, Masakazu Murase, Tatsuya Koide
  • Publication number: 20040223856
    Abstract: A high-pressure fuel supply pump for an internal combustion engine includes a pump housing and an electromagnetic actuator mechanism that can adjust the fluid quantity supplied by the fuel supply pump. The actuator mechanism is integrated into the pump housing so that a magnetic circuit of the actuator mechanism is closed by at least a region of the pump housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Rembold, Wolfgang Bueser, Martin Benda, Bernd Schroeder
  • Patent number: 6810786
    Abstract: In an air-conditioning compressor with a revolving wobble plate driven by a driving shaft, the variable piston stroke height is regulated by directing pressure medium to flow from the high-pressure outlet compartment to the piston-drive compartment and/or from the piston-drive compartment to the intake suction compartment of the compressor. The driving shaft has a tubular end portion extending into a recess of the cylinder head. The medium flow from the high-pressure area to the piston-drive compartment is routed along the outside of the end portion, while the flow from the piston-drive compartment to the intake area is routed through the hollow channel inside the end portion. A flow-resisting element is arranged between the outside of the end portion and the wall of the recess in the cylinder head, so that the flow resistance towards the cylinder head is significantly greater than in the direction towards the driving compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Luk Fuhrzeug-Hydraulik GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventor: Jan Hinrichs
  • Patent number: 6807818
    Abstract: When a compressor apparatus is operated at a maximum displacement for 60 minutes or longer, an ECU controls a pressure control valve to gradually change the refrigerant pressure in a swash plate chamber in a manner that gradually reduces the displacement of the compressor apparatus. In this way, it is possible to create a state, in which a relatively large pressure difference is created between a refrigerant inlet side and the swash plate chamber. Thus, refrigerant oil accumulated in the swash plate chamber can be returned to the refrigerant inlet side of the compressor apparatus at the time of gradually reducing the displacement of the compressor apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Satohisa Yoshida, Koji Yamashita, Shigeki Ohya, Makoto Umebayashi
  • Publication number: 20040202552
    Abstract: In a control valve for a variable capacity compressor, coolant that is sucked in from a suction chamber through a suction conduit is compressed and delivered to a delivery chamber through a delivery conduit and the coolant pressure is controlled by an electromagnetic control valve. Opening/closing control of a gas supply valve body (gas supply side) that communicates with the delivery conduit and a crank chamber and of an extraction valve body (extraction side) that communicates with the crank chamber and the suction conduit is performed in accordance with the suction coolant pressure of the suction conduit. A crank chamber communication port communicates with the extraction valve chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Toshiki Okii, Yoshiyuki Kume, Toru Watanuki