Patent Publication Number: US-10788245-B2

Title: Refrigerant recovery pump with an improved input port

Description:
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application 62/452,195, filed Jan. 30, 2017. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTIONS 
     The inventions described below relate to the field of refrigerant recovery devices for cooling systems. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS 
     Servicing of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems requires the recovery of the refrigerant charging the cooling system. 
     SUMMARY 
     The devices and methods described below provide for a refrigerant recovery system using a direct current (DC) motor and digital display and controls enabling an automatic self-test mode to insure proper operation prior to starting to service an HVAC system and a maintenance assist mode to diagnose and suggest maintenance for optimum performance of the refrigerant recovery system. 
     The refrigerant recovery system includes a locknut system on the input port to keep the nipple and filter screen secured to the input port as hoses are connected and disconnected from the input port nipple. The refrigerant recovery system also includes an integrated cable securing system to prevent a loose or hanging power cord to present a hazard. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a refrigerant recovery system. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a right side view of the refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a left side view of the refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a back view of the refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom-left perspective view of the refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is a front view of the refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1  showing the cord storage. 
         FIG. 10  is a bottom-right perspective view of the refrigerant recovery system showing cord storage of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a top view of the handle for the refrigerant recovery system with cord storage. 
         FIG. 12  is a section view of the handle of  FIG. 11  taken along A-A. 
         FIG. 13  is a section view of the handle of  FIG. 11  taken along B-B. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the handle of  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 15  is an exploded perspective view of the components of the input port. 
         FIG. 16  is an exploded side view of the components of the input port. 
         FIG. 17  is a section view of the components of the exploded input port of  FIG. 16  taken along C-C. 
         FIG. 18  is a section view of the input port of  FIG. 16  showing the locking nut engaged. 
         FIG. 19  is a section view of the input port of  FIG. 16  showing the locking nut disengaged. 
         FIG. 20  is an exploded view of the refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 21  is a perspective view of the internal components of refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 22  is a side view of view of the internal components of refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 23  is a flow chart of the self-test system. 
         FIG. 24  is a flow chart of the maintenance assistant system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of refrigerant recovery system  1  which includes input port  4 , output port  5 , manual valve control  6 , handle  7  and electrical power port  8 . Refrigerant recovery system  1  also includes direct current (DC) motor  9 , operably connected to pump  13  and digital control system  10 . Digital control system  10  is operably connected to the DC motor and valve control  6  to automatically monitor and control refrigerant recovery system  1 . Digital control system  10  is also operatively connected to display screen  11  and enables operator input using buttons or other devices such as buttons  12 . 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a right side view of the refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a left side view of the refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 5  is a top view of the refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 7  is a back view of the refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 8  is a bottom-left perspective view of the refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1 . Housing  2  is sized and configured to encompass the operating components of refrigerant recovery system  1  which are secured to base plate/chassis  15 . 
       FIG. 9  is a front view of the refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1  illustrating cord storage using cord slot  7 S. Power cord  18  emerges from housing  2  through power port  8  and engages cord slot  7 S. 
       FIG. 10  is a bottom-right perspective view of the refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 9 . 
       FIGS. 11, 12, 13 and 14  are close-up views of handle  7 . Cord slot  7  is sized and configured to frictionally engage power cord  18 . 
       FIGS. 15, 16 and 17  are exploded close-up views of components of input port  4  of refrigerant recovery system  1 . Input port  4  is operably connected to pump  13  and includes input connector  20  and mesh filter  21  to prevent contaminants from entering input connector and damaging the pump or the recovery system. Mesh filter  21  and O-ring  22  secured between the input connector  20  and input nipple  23 . In the course of regular use, users are routinely attaching and removing hoses from the input nipple which generally results in the nipple coming loose from the input port and leaking or falling off and losing the mesh screen and or the O-ring. 
     Input connector  20  includes shoulder  20 X. Lock nut  24  engages exterior threads on input nipple  23 . When input nipple  23  fully engages input connector  20 , lock nut  24  is rotated until it frictionally engages shoulder  20 X to lock input nipple  23  to input connector  20  as illustrated in  FIG. 18 . Input connector  20 , mesh filter  21  and O-ring  22  may be serviced or replaced by disengaging lock nut  24  from shoulder  20 X as illustrated in  FIG. 19 . Once the lock nut is disengaged, input nipple  23  may be disengaged from input connector  20 . 
       FIG. 20  is an exploded view of refrigerant recovery system  1 . 
       FIG. 21  is a perspective view of the internal components of refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1  illustrating valve housing  30  and connecting gears  30 X that engage manual valve control  6  which controls the operation of pump  13 . 
       FIG. 22  is a side view of view of the internal components of refrigerant recovery system of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 23  is a flow chart of self-test mode  31 . Self-test mode  31  is an automatic self-test algorithm that exists in digital control system  10  and provides instructions to the digital control system to insure proper operation prior to starting to service an HVAC system. 
       FIG. 24  is a flow chart of maintenance assistant mode  33 . Maintenance assist mode  33  is an automatic algorithm that exists in digital control system  10  and provides instructions to the digital control system to diagnose and suggest maintenance for optimum performance of the refrigerant recovery system. 
     While the preferred embodiments of the devices and methods have been described in reference to the environment in which they were developed, they are merely illustrative of the principles of the inventions. The elements of the various embodiments may be incorporated into each of the other species to obtain the benefits of those elements in combination with such other species, and the various beneficial features may be employed in embodiments alone or in combination with each other. Other embodiments and configurations may be devised without departing from the spirit of the inventions and the scope of the appended claims.