Patent Publication Number: US-7712330-B2

Title: Receiver dryer and receiver dryer integrated condenser

Description:
The present application is based on and claims priority of Japanese patent applications Nos. 2005-209481 filed on Jul. 20, 2005 and 2005-265607 filed Sep. 13, 2005, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a receiver dryer for storing and drying a refrigerant for an air conditioner and a receiver dryer integrated condenser. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   A receiver dryer which is provided in an air conditioner for a motor vehicle to store and dry a refrigerant is required to decrease the number of parts and achieve a smaller size and lighter weight. 
   Japanese Patent Publication No. 11-2475 discloses a receiver dryer of this type. 
   Japanese Patent Publication No. 11-211275 discloses a receiver dryer assembled integrally to a condenser. 
   The above-described conventional receiver dryers have a construction in which the opening of a tank is closed by a closing member, and the closing member and a connector are connected to each other by bolts. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An object of the present invention is to provide a receiver dryer in which a closing member and the like are omitted, the number and weight of parts are reduced, and the installation construction is simplified, and a receiver dryer integrated condenser. 
   To achieve the above object, a receiver dryer in accordance with the present invention has a function of storing a refrigerant used for an air conditioner and removing water in the refrigerant, includes a bottomed cylindrical body; a joint portion which includes a reduced-diameter portion having a passing hole of the refrigerant on the opening side of the body and is provided with a hole for allowing the refrigerant to pass through in a taper surface formed integrally by drawing; a desiccant charged in the body; a filter for preventing the desiccant from flowing out; and a strainer inserted in a tip end portion of the joint portion, and is constructed so as to have a joint construction in which the joint portion is fixed to a condenser by a mechanical fixing means. 
   The above-described taper-shaped portion need not necessarily be a taper if it can have a joint construction for fixing, which has a hole for allowing the refrigerant to pass through, the desiccant and the filter, and the strainer, and needless to say, can have a shape such that the diameter is decreased by a step shape. 
   The joint construction can include a ring-shaped protruding portion formed in the outer periphery portion of the body by bulging and a fixing member for fixing the protruding portion to the condenser. Also, the joint construction can be threads that are formed on the body and are engaged threadedly with the condenser. 
   Further, the joint construction can include a groove formed in the body and a fixing member for fixing the groove to the condenser. 
   By these joint constructions, the thickness of joint portion which has conventionally been needed for threadedly connecting the receiver dryer to the condenser can be decreased, so that a design can be made so that the joint portion has the same thickness as that of the body. 
   Also, to achieve the above object, a receiver dryer integrated condenser in accordance with the present invention is configured so that the receiver dryer includes a bottomed cylindrical body; a joint portion which includes a stepped reduced-diameter portion having a passing hole of the refrigerant on the opening side of the body and is provided with a hole for allowing the refrigerant to pass through in a taper surface formed integrally by drawing; a desiccant charged in the body; a filter for preventing the desiccant from flowing out; and a strainer inserted in a tip end portion of the joint portion, an opening portion of the condenser in which the joint portion of the receiver dryer is inserted communicates with a refrigerant inflow passage and a refrigerant outflow passage, and an outer shape of the joint portion of the receiver dryer and an inner shape of the opening portion of the condenser include a stepped hole for defining a space that accommodates an O-ring for sealing the receiver dryer and the condenser. 
   The receiver dryer in accordance with the present invention can configure an assembly by assembling the receiver dryer integrally to the refrigerant condenser and the like, which are other components of an air conditioner, by the joint portion. By this configuration, a smaller size and a lighter weight of air conditioner and a reduction in cost thereof can be achieved. 
   Also, the receiver dryer integrated condenser of the present invention can configure an assembly by assembling the sealing O-ring integrally to the refrigerant condenser, which is another component of an air conditioner, by the joint portion. By this configuration, a smaller size and a lighter weight of air conditioner and a reduction in cost thereof can be achieved. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an explanatory view showing a general configuration of a receiver dryer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an explanatory view showing another example of a receiver dryer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is an explanatory view showing an assembly process of a receiver dryer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is an explanatory view showing still another example of a receiver dryer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is an explanatory view showing various examples of a joint construction of a receiver dryer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is an explanatory view showing various examples of a joint construction of a receiver dryer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is an explanatory view showing another example of a construction in which a receiver dryer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is installed to a condenser; 
       FIG. 8  is an explanatory view showing still another example of a construction in which a receiver dryer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is installed to a condenser; 
       FIG. 9  is an explanatory view showing a configuration of a receiver dryer integrated condenser in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 10  is an enlarged view of a joint portion shown in  FIG. 9 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1  shows a basic construction of an assembly in which a receiver dryer  10  is integrated with a condenser  1 . 
   The condenser  1  has two refrigerant passages  2  and  3 . In an opening portion  4  of the condenser  1 , a joint portion of the receiver dryer is inserted, and the joint portion is sealed by seal members  5  and  6 . The receiver dryer  10  is fixed to the condenser  1  by a mounting fixture  7 . 
   The receiver dryer  10  has a body  100  made by forging a metallic material and a joint portion  110  formed on the open end side of the body  100 . The body  100  is filled with a desiccant  120 , and a filter  130  made of nonwoven fabric cloth is inserted in the body  100 . On the opposite side of the filter  130 , a reinforcing plate  140  made of punching metal or the like is inserted, and is fixed by a notch or a spinning portion K 1 . 
   The joint portion  110  is formed into a tapered shape, and in the opening portion thereof at the tip end, a plastic-made strainer  150  is attached to prevent foreign matters in the flowing-out refrigerant from passing through. The taper surface is formed with a hole  112  through which the refrigerant flows in. 
     FIG. 2  shows an example in which the joint portion  110  is constructed by a member  102  that is separate from the body  100 . The joint member  102  is fabricated by pressing, and is joined to the body  100  by a welding portion W 1 . 
     FIG. 3  is an explanatory view showing an assembly process of a receiver dryer in accordance with the present invention. 
   The body  100  having the hole  112  for refrigerant in the vicinity of the open end is prepared. After the desiccant  120  has been put in the body  100 , the filter  130  and the reinforcing plate  140  are inserted, and a notch portion K 1  is formed by pressing a notch forming tool T 1  from the outside of the body  100 . This notch portion may be a plurality of points at the outer periphery, or may be a continuous groove. 
   Next, the opening portion is drawn into a tapered shape with a spinning tool ST to form the joint portion  110 . The strainer  150  is inserted in an opening portion  113  of the joint portion  110 , by which the receiver dryer is completed. 
     FIGS. 4(   a ) and  4 ( b ) show an example in which the body is made by an aluminum pipe. 
     FIG. 4(   a ) shows a construction in which a tip end portion  202  of an aluminum-pipe body  200  is drawn by spinning, and is sealed by a welding portion W 2 . 
     FIG. 4(   b ) shows a construction in which a tip end portion  220  of the aluminum-made body  200  is drawn by spinning, and a bolt  230  is welded. By the use of this bolt  230 , the body  200  is fixed to a mounting fixture  250  fixed on the condenser  1  side with a nut  240 . 
   The internal construction of the body  200  is the same as that of the body  100  in the above-described example. 
     FIGS. 5 and 6  show various joint constructions for fixing the receiver dryer in accordance with the present invention to the condenser  1  side. 
     FIG. 5(   a ) shows a joint construction in which a ring-shaped protruding portion  304  is formed on a body  300  of the receiver dryer by bulging, and a C ring  306  is fitted in the inlet portion of the opening portion  4  for joint of the condenser  1 , by which the receiver dryer is fixed. 
   The tip end of the body  300  is formed into a tapered shape, and a hole  302  through which the refrigerant sent from the inflow passage  2  passes is provided in the taper surface. The strainer  150  is inserted in the tip end portion of the body facing to the refrigerant outflow passage  3 . Also, the two seal members  5  and  6  are disposed. 
     FIG. 5(   b ) shows a joint construction in which a round thread portion  314  is formed at the tip end of the large-diameter portion of a body  310 , by which the receiver dryer is fixed to the condenser  1  by being screwed in the condenser  1 . Other constructions are the same as those of the above-described example. 
     FIG. 5(   c ) shows a joint construction in which a thread portion  324  is formed at the tip end of the taper portion of a body  320 , by which the receiver dryer is screwed in the condenser  1 . 
     FIG. 5(   d ) shows a joint construction in which a ring-shaped protruding portion  334  is formed on a body  330  by bulging, by which the body  330  is fixed to the condenser  1  by a cap nut  336 . 
     FIG. 6  shows other examples of joint constructions of the receiver dryer in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 6(   a ) shows a joint construction in which a ring-shaped protruding portion  404  is formed on a body  400  by bulging, and a crimping portion  406  is provided at the inlet of the opening portion  4  of the condenser  1 , by which the body  400  is fixed. 
     FIG. 6(   b ) shows a joint construction in which a groove  414  is formed in a body  410 , and set screws  416  are turned in the condenser  1 , by which the body  410  is fixed. 
     FIG. 6(   c ) shows a joint construction in which a groove  424  is formed in a body  420 , and a spacer  426  is inserted in a groove in the condenser  1 , by which the body  420  is fixed. 
     FIG. 6(   d ) shows a joint construction in which a groove  434  is formed in a body  430 , and a retaining ring  436  is used, by which the body  430  is fixed. 
     FIG. 7  shows an example of an assembling means for fixing the receiver dryer in accordance with the present invention to the condenser. 
   At a middle position of the body  100  of the receiver dryer  10 , a spinning portion K 1  for fixing the reinforcing plate  140  is provided. A mounting portion  500  is provided on the condenser  1  side, and a ring band  510  for fixing is wound around the outer periphery of the body  100 , by which the receiver dryer  10  is assembled to the condenser  1  by using a bolt  520  and a nut  522 . 
   At this time, if a protruding portion corresponding to the spinning portion K 1  is provided on the inside of the ring band  510 , the axial movement of the body  100  can also be prevented surely. 
     FIG. 8  shows another example of an assembling means for fixing the receiver dryer in accordance with the present invention to the condenser. 
   The tip end portion on the opposite side to the joint portion  110  of the body  100  of the receiver dryer  10  is formed so as to have a small diameter to form a stepped portion  100   a . A mounting portion  600  is provided on the condenser  1  side, and a ring band  610  is wound, by which the receiver dryer  10  is assembled to the condenser  1  by using a bolt  620  and a nut  622 . 
   Since the receiver dryer  10  is fixed to the condenser  1  by utilizing the stepped portion  100   a , the axial movement of the body  100  can also be prevented surely. 
   In the above-described examples, the example in which the joint portion of the receiver dryer is fixed to the condenser by a mechanical means and the example in which the body portion of the receiver dryer is fixed to the condenser by a mechanical means have been explained separately. However, it is a matter of course that the receiver dryer can be assembled to the condenser by using both of the fixing means. 
     FIG. 9  shows an example of an assembly in which a receiver dryer is integrated with the condenser  1 . 
   The condenser  1  has the two refrigerant passages  2  and  3 . In the opening portion  4  of the condenser  1 , the joint portion of the receiver dryer is inserted, and the joint portion is sealed by the O-rings  5  and  6 . A receiver dryer  10   a  is fixed to the condenser  1  by the mounting fixture  7 . 
   The receiver dryer  10   a  has the body  100  made by forging a metallic material and the joint portion  110  formed on the open end side of the body  100 . The body  100  is filled with the desiccant  120 , and the filter  130  made of nonwoven fabric cloth is inserted in the body  100 . On the opposite side of the filter  130 , the reinforcing plate  140  made of punching metal or the like is inserted, and is fixed by the notch or the spinning portion K 1 . 
   The joint portion  110  is formed into a tapered shape, and in the opening portion thereof at the tip end, the integrally molded plastic strainer  150  is attached to prevent foreign matters in the flowing-out refrigerant from passing through. The taper surface is formed with the hole  112  through which the refrigerant flows in. 
     FIG. 10  shows a construction for assembling the joint portion  110  at the tip end of the body  100  of the receiver dryer  10   a  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention to the condenser  1 . The joint portion  110  has a taper portion  111  formed by drawing, and the taper portion  111  is provided with the hole  112  for allowing the refrigerant to pass through. At the tip end of the taper portion  111 , a neck portion  114  is formed. 
   Between the body  100  and the taper portion  111 , a first step portion  116  and a first cylindrical portion  117  having a smaller diameter are formed. In the outer periphery portion of the cylindrical portion  117 , the first O-ring  5 , which is a seal member, is fitted. The condenser  1  is formed with a first stepped hole  5   b  that provides a space S for accommodating the first O-ring  5 . By providing this stepped hole  5   b , the annular groove for accommodating the O-ring can be omitted. 
   This first O-ring  5  prevents the refrigerant that flows in through the refrigerant passage  2  from passing through the outer periphery portion of the cylindrical portion  117  and leaking to the outside of the condenser  1 . 
   The neck portion  114  at the tip end of the body  100  is inserted in the opening portion communicating with the refrigerant outflow passage  3 . 
   Between the taper portion  111  and the neck portion  114  of the joint portion  110 , a second cylindrical portion  115  having a larger diameter than the neck portion  114  is provided. Between the second cylindrical portion  115  and the neck portion  114  is provided a second step portion  113 . The second O-ring  6  is installed in the outer periphery portion of the neck portion  114  by utilizing this step portion  113 . 
   On the condenser  1  side, a second stepped hole  6   a  that provides a space S for accommodating the second O-ring  6  is formed. By providing this stepped hole  6   a , the annular groove for accommodating the second O-ring  6  can be omitted. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , since the end portion on the opposite side of the body  100  is fixed by the mounting fixture  7 , the first O-ring  5  supported by the step portion  116  and the second O-ring  6  supported by the step portion  113  can be held surely. 
   As the configuration of the mounting fixture for fixing the body  100  to the condenser  1  side, various types can be employed. 
   The strainer  150  is inserted in the neck portion  114  of the body  100 . 
   The strainer  150  has a cylindrical portion  152  having a flange  153  and a mesh portion  154 , and is manufactured integrally by molding a resin. 
   As described above, the receiver dryer in accordance with the present invention is configured so that the body, which is a cylindrical vessel for storing and drying a refrigerant, is fixed directly to the condenser or directly to the condenser with the joint portion being provided on the body. By this configuration, the receiver dryer can be assembled integrally to the condenser, so that not only simplified construction but also smaller size and lighter weight can be achieved.