Patent ID: 7281909
Filing Date: 2007-10-16
Classification: B60H,F04C,F25B

Abstract:
1. A hybrid compressor system for a refrigeration cycle system of a vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine and an electric power source, the hybrid compressor system comprising: an electric motor that is rotated when the motor is energized by electric power supplied from the power source; a compressor device that compresses refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle system and is connected to the engine and the motor to selectively receive drive force from one or both of the engine and the motor; and a control apparatus that controls the motor, wherein: a clutch is provided only between the engine and the compressor in the hybrid compressor system to enable and disable transmission of a drive power from the engine to the compressor; when the engine is operated in an idling mode in a stopped state of the vehicle, the control apparatus selects and executes one of a plurality of operational modes, which includes first and second operational modes, to adjust engine load; the control apparatus energizes the motor to drive the compressor device by the motor alone without using the power from the engine by decoupling the clutch to disable the transmission of the power from the engine to the compressor in the first operational mode; the control apparatus energizes the motor to drive the compressor device in cooperation with the engine through use of the power from the engine by coupling the clutch in the second operational mode; the vehicle is of a type that normally stops the engine when the vehicle is temporarily stopped; and when the engine is operated in the idling mode in the temporarily stopped state of the vehicle due to an operational state of an auxiliary device driven by the engine or due to thermal load state of the refrigeration cycle system, the control apparatus energizes the motor.