Patent ID: 6109046
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: B60H

Abstract:
An apparatus for controlling air temperature in a cabin of a motor vehicle, comprising a fluid circuit having a first branch, a second branch, and a third branch, an evaporator and a variable capacity compressor in the first branch, a condenser in the second branch, the second and third branches being in parallel with each other, and being coupled in fluid communication with the first branch so as to constitute with the first branch, respectively, a cooling loop and a heating loop, an expansion device interposed between the condenser and the evaporator in the cooling loop, a fluid flow switching valve coupled with the first, second and third branches for selectively passing fluid from the first branch into the second branch and from the first branch to the third branch, a control unit coupled to the compressor for providing specific control of the output capacity of the compressor, whereby the fluid flow rate in the heating loop may be regulated by varying the output capacity of the compressor and selectively transferring fluid from the heating loop to the second branch when the apparatus is operating in a heating mode.