Accumulator with inlet diffuser\diverter

Abstract

An accumulator for use in a motor vehicle air conditioning system. The accumulator comprises an accumulator housing, an outlet fluid pipe assembly and an inlet fluid pipe assembly. The accumulator housing has a top wall, a bottom wall and a side wall connecting the top wall to the bottom wall. The outlet fluid pipe assembly has an inlet end. The inlet fluid pipe assembly includes a tubular first portion and a diverter/diffusing portion configured to direct refrigerant flowing through the first portion towards the sidewall and downwardly away from the top wall of the accumulator housing. The first tubular portion has an axis offset from the inlet end of the outlet fluid pipe assembly.

1 . An accumulator for use in a motor vehicle air conditioning system, said accumulator comprising: 
 an accumulator housing having a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall connecting the top wall to the bottom wall;    an outlet fluid pipe assembly having an inlet end; and    an inlet fluid pipe assembly includes a tubular first portion and a diverter/diffusing portion configured to direct refrigerant flowing through said first portion towards the sidewall and downwardly away from the top wall of the accumulator housing, said first tubular portion having an axis offset from said inlet end of said outlet fluid pipe assembly.    
     
     
         2 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said inlet fluid pipe has an outlet opening, the distance from said inlet end of the outlet fluid pipe assembly to the top wall of the accumulator housing is greater than the distance from the outlet end of the inlet fluid pipe assembly to the top wall of the accumulator housing.  
     
     
         3 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said inlet fluid pipe assembly is mounted to the top wall of the accumulator housing.  
     
     
         4 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said outlet fluid pipe assembly is mounted to the sidewall of the accumulator housing.  
     
     
         5 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said outlet fluid pipe assembly is U-shaped.  
     
     
         6 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a single pipe forms both the first portion and said diverter/deflector portion.  
     
     
         7 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said first portion of said inlet pipe assembly has an axis approximately parallel to the axis of the accumulator housing.  
     
     
         8 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said diverter/diffuser portion of said inlet pipe assembly has an axis greater than 0 degree and less than 90 degrees from the axis of the first portion.  
     
     
         9 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said diverter/diffuser portion has an axis between 10 to 80 degrees from the axis of the first portion.  
     
     
         10 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said diverter/diffuser portion has an axis between 15 to 45 degrees from the axis of the first portion.  
     
     
         11 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said diverter/diffuser portion has an outlet opening, the cross-sectional area of the outlet opening is greater than the average cross-sectional area perpendicular to the axis of the first portion.  
     
     
         12 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the average cross-sectional area perpendicular to the axis of the diverter/diffuser portion is approximately equal to the average cross-sectional area of the axis of the axis of the first portion.  
     
     
         13 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the plane of said outlet opening is approximately parallel to the axis of the accumulator housing.  
     
     
         14 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the plane of said outlet opening is approximately parallel to the axis of the first portion.  
     
     
         15 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said diverter/diffuser portion is formed by unfolding a section of said single pipe.  
     
     
         16 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said diverter/diffuser portion is a separate component attached to the first portion.  
     
     
         17 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said diverter/diffuser portion is conical or frusto-conical shaped.  
     
     
         18 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said inlet pipe assembly further includes a mounting ring and a plurality of posts connecting said ring to said diverter/diffuser portion.  
     
     
         19 . An accumulator assembly for use in a motor vehicle air conditioning system, said accumulator assembly comprising: 
 an accumulator housing having a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall connecting the top wall to the bottom wall;    an outlet fluid pipe assembly;    an inlet fluid pipe assembly; and    an inlet fitting attached to said top wall of said accumulator housing, a first straight fluid passage having a concave terminal end defined in said inlet fitting, a second straight fluid passage having a concave terminal end defined in said inlet fitting, said inlet fluid pipe assembly has a tubular portion insertable into an opening of said second straight fluid passage, said first straight fluid passage intersects said second fluid passage to allow refrigerant to flow from said first straight fluid passage to said second straight fluid passage and into said inlet fluid pipe assembly.    
     
     
         20 . An accumulator assembly as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the diameter of said first straight passage is approximately equal to the inner diameter of said tubular portion of said inlet fluid pipe assembly.  
     
     
         21 . An accumulator assembly as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the diameter of said first straight passage is less than the inner diameter of said tubular portion of said inlet fluid pipe assembly.  
     
     
         22 . An accumulator for use in a motor vehicle air conditioning system, said accumulator comprising: 
 an accumulator housing having a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall connecting the top wall to the bottom wall;    an outlet fluid pipe assembly having an inlet end; and    an inlet fluid pipe assembly includes a tubular first portion and a diverter/diffusing portion configured to direct refrigerant flowing through said first portion towards the sidewall and upwardly towards the top wall of the accumulator housing, said first tubular portion having an axis offset from said inlet end of said outlet fluid pipe assembly.    
     
     
         23 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 22  wherein said diverter/diffuser portion has an outlet opening, the cross-sectional area of the outlet opening is greater than the average cross-sectional area perpendicular to the axis of the first portion.  
     
     
         24 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 23  wherein the bottom edge of the diverter/diffuser portion extends further from the axis of the vertical portion than the top edge of the diverter/diffuser portion from the axis of the vertical portion.  
     
     
         25 . The accumulator as claimed in  claim 23  wherein the diverter/diffuser portion includes a sub-portion, the outlet end defines a plane between 30 degrees to 60 degrees from a plane perpendicular to the axis of the sub-portion.