Component assembly for refrigerating cycle and refrigerating cycle having the same

Abstract

At least two components for a refrigerating cycle are integrated into a component assembly before being fixed to an object. For example, a decompressing device and a gas-liquid separator are integrated into a component assembly, and then the component assembly is fixed to an object. Alternatively, the decompressing device and an internal heat exchanger are integrated into a component assembly, and then the component assembly is fixed to an object. As another example, the decompressing device, the gas-liquid separator and the internal heat exchanger are integrated into a component assembly, and then fixed to an object.

1 . A component assembly for a refrigerating cycle, comprising:
 a decompressing device for decompressing a high pressure refrigerant flowing through the refrigerating cycle into a low pressure refrigerant; and   a gas-liquid separator for separating the low pressure refrigerant into a liquid-phase refrigerant and a gas-phase refrigerant and accumulating surplus refrigerant therein, wherein   the decompressing device and the gas-liquid separator are integrated.   
   
   
       2 . The component assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the decompressing device includes a box-type expansion valve that defines a first refrigerant passage therein and has a temperature sensing part disposed in communication with the first refrigerant passage for sensing a temperature of the high pressure refrigerant flowing in the first refrigerant passage.   
   
   
       3 . The component assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the gas-liquid separator has a tank body, and   the decompressing device has a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet that are in communication with the first refrigerant passage, and   the decompressing device is disposed at an end of the tank body such that the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet are open in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the tank body.   
   
   
       4 . The component assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a support member that supports at least one of the decompressing device and the gas-liquid separator. 
   
   
       5 . The component assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the support member includes a fixing wall to be fixed to an object and a support wall that holds at least one of the decompressing device and the gas-liquid separator.   
   
   
       6 . The component assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the decompressing device and the gas-liquid separator are integrated before being fixed to a part of a vehicle. 
   
   
       7 . A refrigerating cycle comprising the component assembly according to  claim 1 . 
   
   
       8 . A component assembly for a refrigerating cycle, comprising:
 a decompressing device for decompressing a high pressure refrigerant flowing through the refrigerating cycle into a low pressure refrigerant; and   an internal heat exchanger for performing heat exchange between the high pressure refrigerant and the low pressure refrigerant, wherein the decompressing device and the internal heat exchanger are integrated.   
   
   
       9 . The component assembly according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a gas-liquid separator for separating the low pressure refrigerant into a liquid-phase refrigerant and a gas-phase refrigerant and accumulating surplus refrigerant therein, wherein   the gas-liquid separator is integrated with the decompressing device and the internal heat exchanger.   
   
   
       10 . The component assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the gas-liquid separator has a refrigerant outlet for discharging the gas-phase refrigerant,   the internal heat exchanger has a low pressure refrigerant inlet and a low pressure refrigerant passage that is in communication with the low pressure refrigerant inlet for allowing the low pressure refrigerant to flow, and   the refrigerant outlet of the gas-liquid separator and the low pressure refrigerant inlet of the internal heat exchanger are directly connected.   
   
   
       11 . The component assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the internal heat exchanger has a high pressure refrigerant passage for allowing the high pressure refrigerant to flow, and a high pressure refrigerant inlet and a high pressure refrigerant outlet that are in communication with the high pressure refrigerant passage, and   the high pressure refrigerant inlet and the high pressure refrigerant outlet of the internal heat exchanger are disposed adjacent to each other.   
   
   
       12 . The component assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the decompressing device has a first refrigerant passage, a temperature sensing part disposed in communication the first refrigerant passage for sensing a temperature of the high pressure refrigerant flowing through the first refrigerant passage, a second refrigerant passage, and an expansion valve part disposed in communication with the second refrigerant passage for decompressing the high pressure refrigerant flowing through the second refrigerant passage,   the decompressing device defines a first outlet at an end of the first refrigerant passage for discharging the high pressure refrigerant and a second inlet at an end of the second refrigerant passage for introducing the high pressure refrigerant into the second refrigerant passage, and   the first outlet of the decompressing device is directly connected to the high pressure refrigerant inlet of the internal heat exchanger and the second inlet of the decompressing device is directly connected to the high pressure refrigerant outlet of the internal heat exchanger.   
   
   
       13 . The component assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the internal heat exchanger has a heat exchanging part for performing the heat exchange, and   the heat exchanging part has a double passage pipe structure in which a high pressure refrigerant passage for allowing the high pressure refrigerant to flow and a low pressure refrigerant passage for allowing the low pressure refrigerant to flow are coaxially disposed.   
   
   
       14 . The component assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the decompressing device includes a box-type expansion valve that defines a first refrigerant passage therein and a temperature sensing part disposed in communication with the first refrigerant passage for sensing a temperature of the high pressure refrigerant flowing through the first refrigerant passage.   
   
   
       15 . The component assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein
 the gas-liquid separator has a tank body, and   the decompressing device has a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet that are in communication with the first refrigerant passage, and   the decompressing device is disposed at an end of the tank body such that the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet are open in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the tank body.   
   
   
       16 . The component assembly according to  claim 9 , further comprising a support member that supports at least one of the decompressing device, the internal heat exchanger and the gas-liquid separator. 
   
   
       17 . The component assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the support member includes a fixing wall to be fixed to an object and a support wall that holds at least one of the decompressing device, the internal heat exchanger and the gas-liquid separator.   
   
   
       18 . The component assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the decompressing device and the internal heat exchanger are integrated before being fixed to a part of a vehicle. 
   
   
       19 . A refrigerating cycle comprising the component assembly according to  claim 8 .