Accumulator with oil vanes/indentations

Abstract

An accumulator for an air conditioning system has a passage for oil to travel from an orifice to an outlet. To improve the percentage of oil flowing from the orifice to the outlet and/or the rate of flow, one or more oil vanes extend from or near the orifice to or near the outlet. Alternatively, instead of oil vanes, indentations could be used.

1 . An accumulator for an air conditioning system comprising an outlet, a passage for oil to travel towards the outlet, an orifice to allow oil to enter the passage, and one or more oil vanes projecting from a surface of the passage, but not projecting across the passage, the one or more oil vanes extending from or near the orifice towards the outlet.  
   
   
       2 . The accumulator of  claim 1  comprising two oil vanes, extending from or near opposite edges of the orifice.  
   
   
       3 . The accumulator of  claim 2  further comprising an outer body and a liner located inside and spaced from the outer body wherein the passage comprises a gap formed between the liner and the outer body.  
   
   
       4 . The accumulator of  claim 3  wherein the surface of the passage from which the oil vanes project is an outer surface of the liner.  
   
   
       5 . The accumulator of  claim 3  wherein the surface of the passage from which the oil vanes project is an inner surface of the outer body.  
   
   
       6 . The accumulator of  claim 1  wherein the passage is one of a J-tube, a trumpet tube, a centre tube, and a pick-up tube.  
   
   
       7 . The accumulator of  claim 1  wherein the one or more oil vanes extend longitudinally along the surface.  
   
   
       8 . The accumulator of  claim 1  wherein the one or more oil vanes extend helically along the surface.  
   
   
       9 . The accumulator of  claim 1  wherein the one or more oil vanes extend from or near the orifice to or near the outlet.  
   
   
       10 . An accumulator for an air conditioning system comprising an outlet, a passage for oil to travel towards the outlet, an orifice to allow oil to enter the passage, and one or more indentations formed within a surface of the passage, the one or more indentations extending from or near the orifice towards the outlet.  
   
   
       11 . The accumulator of  claim 10  comprising two indentations, extending from or near opposite edges of the orifice.  
   
   
       12 . The accumulator of  claim 10  further comprising an outer body and a liner located inside and spaced from the outer body wherein the passage comprises a gap formed between the liner and the outer body.  
   
   
       13 . The accumulator of  claim 12  wherein the one or more indentations are formed within an outside surface of the liner.  
   
   
       14 . The accumulator of  claim 12  wherein the one or more indentations are formed within an inner surface of the outer body.  
   
   
       15 . The accumulator of  claim 10  wherein the passage is one of a J-tube, a trumpet tube, a centre tube, and a pick-up tube.  
   
   
       16 . The accumulator of  claim 10  wherein the one or more indentations extend longitudinally along the surface.  
   
   
       17 . The accumulator of  claim 10  wherein the one or more indentations extend helically along the surface.  
   
   
       18 . The accumulator of  claim 10  wherein the one or more indentations extend from or near the orifice to or near the outlet.