Patent ID: 6848624

Claim:
A thermostatic expansion valve, comprising: a valve body having a metering passage fluidly connecting a condenser outlet port and an evaporator inlet port, and a return passage fluidly connecting an evaporator outlet port and a compressor inlet port, said valve body also including a control passage fluidly-connected to said return passage; a power element mounted to said valve body, said power element including diaphragm housing portions supporting a diaphragm, one housing portion together with one surface of the diaphragm defining a head chamber for containing a fluid charge, and another housing portion together with another surface of the diaphragm cooperating with the body and defining a diaphragm chamber, the control passage fluidly connecting the diaphragm chamber with the return passage; a valve in a valve bore extending between the metering and return passages, said valve having a valve element disposed in said metering passage moveable from a first position preventing fluid flow through the metering passage to a second position allowing fluid flow through the metering passage; and a pressure pad having a thermal conductivity of at least about 800 BTU-in/hr-ft 2 -° F. (115 W/m-K), and a density of at least about 0.3 lb/in 3 (8 g/cm 3 ), and disposed at least partially in said return passage, said pressure pad including i) a body, ii) an enlarged head at one end of the pressure pad body disposed against the diaphragm and moveable in conjunction therewith, and iii) a pin integral with and extending away from another end of the pressure pad body, and operatively connected to said valve.