IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,296,641
Granted Patent B2
US 12,296,641 · App. 17/691,270 · Granted May 13, 2025

Connection module

Inventors: Masakazu Morimoto (Kariya, JP); Yasuhiro Mizuno (Kariya, JP); Masaki Uchiyama (Kariya, JP); Yuki Sugiyama (Kariya, JP)
Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
B60H1/00342B60H1/00571F25B41/40F25B41/42
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,296,641
App. No.
17/691,270
Granted
May 13, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A plurality of components of a refrigeration cycle are connected to a connection module. The connection module includes a body having a refrigerant flow path that constitutes a part of a refrigerant flow path in the refrigeration cycle. The refrigerant flow path includes a high-temperature-side flow path and a low-temperature-side flow path. The high-temperature-side flow path has a connection port to which a high-temperature-side component of the plurality of components, through which a high-pressure refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle flows, is connectable. The low-temperature-side flow path has a connection port to which a low-temperature-side component of the plurality of components, through which a refrigerant having a lower temperature than the high-pressure refrigerant flows, is connectable.

Claims (26)

1. A connection module to which a plurality of components of a refrigeration cycle are connected, the connection module comprising

a body having a refrigerant flow path that constitutes a part of a path for a refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle, wherein

the refrigerant flow path includes

a high-temperature-side flow path having a connection port to which a high-temperature-side component of the plurality of components is connected, through which the refrigerant of the high-temperature-side flow path having a high-pressure flows, and

a low-temperature-side flow path having a connection port to which a low-temperature-side component of the plurality of components is connected, through which the refrigerant of the low-temperature-side flow path having a lower temperature than the refrigerant of the high-temperature-side flow path flows, wherein

the refrigerant is configured to refrigerate machine oil,

the low-temperature-side component is an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant of the low-temperature-side flow path having a lower pressure than the refrigerant of the high-temperature-side flow path,

the refrigerant flow path has an inlet side connection port that guides the refrigerant having a low-pressure to an inflow port of the evaporator and an outlet side connection port connected to an outflow port of the evaporator,

the outlet side connection port is located below the inlet side connection port in a gravitational direction of the body,

the low-temperature-side component has a main evaporator connected separately from the evaporator, and

the low-temperature-side flow path extending from the outlet side connection port includes a main connection port connected to an outflow port of the main evaporator and an inhibiting portion that restricts the refrigerant having a low-pressure having flowed in from the main connection port from flowing into the outlet side connection port.

2. The connection module according to claim 1 , wherein the high-temperature-side component is a heat medium refrigerant heat exchanger integrated with the body through the connection port of the refrigerant flow path to condense the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle having a high-pressure to heat a heat medium.

3. The connection module according to claim 1 , wherein the low-temperature-side component is an evaporator integrated with the body through the connection port of the refrigerant flow path to absorb heat to evaporate the refrigerant.

4. The connection module according to claim 1 , wherein the body includes a heat transfer inhibiting portion having a groove shape provided between the high-temperature-side flow path and the low-temperature-side flow path and having lower thermal conductivity than the body.

5. The connection module according to claim 4 , wherein the heat transfer inhibiting portion includes a deformation absorber defined in part by the groove shape for absorbing deformation of the body adjacent to the high-temperature-side flow path and deformation of the body adjacent to the low-temperature-side flow path.

6. The connection module according to claim 1 , wherein

the low-temperature-side component further includes a secondary evaporator through which the refrigerant having a low-pressure flows when the refrigerant having a low-pressure flows through at least the main evaporator, and

the low-temperature-side flow path extending from the outlet side connection port includes an auxiliary connection port connected to an outflow port of the secondary evaporator, and the auxiliary connection port is located downstream of the main connection port in a flow of the refrigerant having a low-pressure in the low-temperature-side flow path.

7. The connection module according to claim 1 , wherein the body has an attachment portion having a recessed shape to allow a part of a heating expansion valve to control the flow of the refrigerant to enter the refrigerant flow path.

8. The connection module according to claim 1 , wherein a flow path cross-sectional area at a bent portion in the refrigerant flow path is larger than a flow path cross-sectional area at a straight portion in the refrigerant flow path.

9. The connection module according to claim 1 , wherein

the refrigerant flow path has a specific refrigerant flow path in which the refrigerant flows through a specific component added as the component of the refrigeration cycle, and

the specific refrigerant flow path is disposed in the body.

10. The connection module according to claim 1 , wherein the body has an attachment portion having a recessed shape to allow a part of a three-way joint to control the flow of the refrigerant to enter the refrigerant flow path.

11. The connection module according to claim 1 , wherein the inhibiting portion that restricts the refrigerant having a low-pressure having flowed in from the main connection port from flowing into the outlet side connection port is defined in part by the refrigerant flow path extending downward from the outlet side connection port.

12. The connection module according to claim 1 , wherein the inhibiting portion that restricts the refrigerant having a low-pressure having flowed in from the main connection port from flowing into the outlet side connection port is a check valve arranged in the refrigerant flow path.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: MORIMOTO, MASAKAZU; MIZUNO, YASUHIRO; UCHIYAMA, MASAKI; SUGIYAMA, YUKI
To: DENSO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059221/0634 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2019-166783 · Sep 13, 2019 · national
JP 2020-146775 · Sep 1, 2020 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2020033617 · Sep 4, 2020
Related Publication 20220194167A1 · Jun 23, 2022
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Cited By (1)
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