Patent ID: 8231065

Claim:
A refrigerant system for handling a refrigerant, comprising: a compressor that includes a discharge port and a suction port; a condenser connected to receive the refrigerant from the discharge port of the compressor; an expansion device connected to receive the refrigerant from the condenser; an evaporator connected to receive the refrigerant from the expansion device; a flow device comprising a housing that defines an inlet for receiving the refrigerant from the evaporator and an outlet for releasing the refrigerant to the suction port of the compressor, the flow device includes a float disposed within the housing, the float moves from a lowered position to a raised uppermost position in response to a certain amount of liquid refrigerant being inside the housing, the float in the raised uppermost position engaging a hard stop and defining a restricted cross-sectional flow area, the float in the lowered position defining an open cross-sectional flow area, wherein the open cross-sectional flow area is between three and seven times greater than the restricted cross-sectional flow area such that the float provides the flow device with greater refrigerant flow resistance when the float is in the raised uppermost position than when the float is in the lowered position, and wherein the inlet and the outlet remain in fluid communication with each other to enable refrigerant flow through the housing regardless of whether the float is in the raised uppermost position or the lowered position; and a guide in sliding contact with at least one of the float and the housing to help guide the float as the float moves between the raised uppermost position and the lowered position.