Other

E.f. Products, Inc.

James E Ferris

William J Quest

A system and method for dispensing a pressurized fluid from a container into an automobile air conditioning system. A moveable plunger in an interior of a housing may engage an automobile air conditioning system valve and pressurized container valve to allow refrigerant and lubricant to flow from the pressurized container into the automobile air conditioning system. A quick-connect coupling may be used to couple the housing to the automobile air conditioning system after the housing has been snapped onto the pressurized container. In addition, the moveable plunger may be biased toward the automobile air conditioning system valve by a spring to ensure the automobile air conditioning system valve is opened when the housing is coupled to the automobile air conditioning system.

Method and dispenser for pressurized containers used with automobile air conditioning systems

A supply canister is partially filled with a refrigerant circuit additive liquid and is partially evacuated. Additive liquid from the canister may be placed into the refrigerant circuit of an air conditioning system by (1) connecting the canister to the circuit after it has been emptied and a vacuum pressure created therein, (2) connecting the canister to the refrigerant circuit suction line during system operation, or (3) connecting the canister to the suction line with the system off, to thereby force refrigerant from the circuit into the canister, and then starting the system to cause the vacuum pressure in the suction line to draw the contents of the canister into the refrigerant circuit.

Apparatus and methods for placing an additive fluid into a refrigerant circuit

A refrigerant charging/pressure testing hose assembly meeting SAE standard J2196 is useable to both (1) check the pressure in a refrigerant circuit and, (2) if necessary, add refrigerant to the circuit. The assembly includes a length of refrigerant charging, hose having a quick disconnect coupler disposed at one end and connectable to a service fitting portion of the circuit, a piercing-type shutoff valve disposed at the other hose end and connectable to a refrigerant charging canister, a pressure gauge installed in a longitudinally intermediate portion of the hose, and a check valve installed in the hose between the shutoff valve and the pressure gauge and permitting flow through the hose only toward the quick coupler.

Refrigerant charging/pressure testing hose assembly

Apparatus methods and compositions for placing additive fluids into a refrigerant circuit

A refrigerant charging hose assembly has an aerosol shut-off valve connectable to a refrigerant canister and interconnected to a disconnect coupler fitting by a length of refrigerant charging hose, the body portion of the coupler fitting being economically formed from high tensile strength elastomeric plastic material. A spring-loaded, floatingly supported control pin member is shifted to open the disconnect coupler fitting when the pin member engages and depresses a corresponding pin member within an air conditioning system service fitting to which the coupler fitting is connected. when the coupler fitting is removed from the service fitting the coupler fitting pin member is spring-driven back to its original position in which a flange portion thereof closes the coupler fitting to prevent discharge of pressurized refrigerant therethrough from the canister.

Refrigerant charging hose assembly

An injection device is operable to force a treatment fluid into a refrigerant circuit having an R-134a service fitting thereon and includes a tubular container in which the treatment fluid is disposed. The container has an outlet structure with a body section adapted to sealingly receive and open the service fitting, and a rotatable nut portion operative to deform the body section and releasably lock it onto the service fitting. A hollow plunger member is threaded into the container and may be (1) threadingly advanced into the container to force the treatment fluid outwardly therefrom into the refrigerant circuit, or (2) serve as a conduit through which a pressurized driving fluid may be forced into the container to drive the treatment fluid into the refrigerant circuit. Inlet and outlet check valve structures are incorporated into the device to prevent undesirable fluid backflow therethrough. The inlet check valve structure includes an annular elastomeric sleeve member that has a flat cross-sectional shape around its periphery, circumscribes a tubular outlet portion of the plunger member, and functions to block side wall outlet openings therein in a manner preventing fluid backflow therethrough, while at the same time being fluid pressure-expandable in a radial direction to permit fluid flow through the outlet openings in the desired operative direction.

Refrigerant fluid injection apparatus

A compact device for sealingly storing, and subsequently delivering to the interior of a tire, a predetermined charge quantity of a tire leak sealant liquid includes a hollow liquid storage and transfer member, having an inlet fitting and an outlet fitting, within which the sealant liquid is disposed. When the hollow member is operatively interconnected between a pressurized air source and the tire's valve stem, pressurized air sequentially forces the entire sealant liquid charge volume into the tire and then flows into the tire through the storage and transfer member. Accordingly, the device may be utilized to repair and fully inflate a flat tire. A check valve structure incorporated in the device prevents fluid backflow through the storage and transfer member. The device may also be used to force other treatment liquids, such as a tire conditioner liquid, into the tire. In an alternate embodiment of the device, the storage and transfer member is filled with a refrigerant circuit treatment liquid and may be interconnected between a source of pressurized refrigerant and a refrigerant circuit fill valve to recharge the circuit and force the treatment liquid thereinto.

Pressurized fluid-drivable device for injecting a treatment liquid

A refrigerant system gas pressure check gauge with a valve head opening having a valve pin and shaped to fit on and over the low pressure suction side valve fitting of a refrigeration system, auto or home, with colored zones and safety markings with worded indications including safety danger warnings. The colored zones and safety markings directly match precise pressure zones on the valve stem.

Air conditioner test gauge with pressure zone markings

A removable, in-place pressure check gauge connectable to the normally closed low pressure test and service valve fitting in the refrigerant circuit of a car air conditioning system has a hollow cylindrical body with first and second open opposite ends. The first end has secured thereto a connection fitting that may be threaded onto the test and service valve, and functions to hold the valve in an open position to admit pressurized refrigerant into the gauge body. The refrigerant exerts a pressure force on a seal element supported for axial movement within the body against the biasing force of a compression spring therein. Pressure-caused movement of the seal element toward the second body end is operative to move an elongated pressure indicating rod from a retracted position within the body outwardly through the second body end to an extended position indicative of the refrigerant pressure. Visual determination of the refrigerant pressure is facilitated by numerical pressure markings and color-coded pressure zone indicia formed on the pressure indicating rod and corresponding to similar pressure indicia on the exterior of the gauge body. After the refrigerant pressure reading has been taken in this manner the indicating rod is manually pushed back into the gauge body and the closure cap is replaced to reseal the second body end and retain the indicating rod in its retracted position within the gauge body.

Removable, in-place refrigerant pressure check gauge

A portable air conditioner drier and chemical additive system feeder particularly useful for home and auto air conditioning systems. The unit is an in-line filter/drier with an input flexible line section and an output flexible line section connectable from a system high pressure fitting to the refrigerant system suction side valve fitting so that a portion of the system pumps high pressure gas output through the filter/drier for a short contaminant, moisture, and air removal running period of time generally to an extent of twenty to forty minutes. The filter/drier unit includes a screw top container that seals against leakage when threaded down normally containing a screen and filter material with a fill of desiccant particles cartridge which can be removed and replaced. With the filter desiccant cartridge removed and the container top open chemical additive fluids may be poured in with the unit attached to the low pressure fitting, the top threaded down again and the high pressure side reconnected to the system high pressure fitting or to a refrigerant material supply can to force flow the chemical additive fluids to the air conditioning system. A high pressure fitting adapter is used on the input flexible line section for connection to a system high pressure valve fitting of some systems.

Air conditioner auxiliary filter/drier refrigerant and chemical additive

A universal refrigerant system gas pressure check gauge with a valve head opening about a valve pin within the valve head opening that is shaped to fit on and over the low pressure suction side valve fitting of a refrigeration system with the valve stem of the refrigeration system suction side valve fitting engaging and being depressed by the gauge valve pin to open the valve. A resiliently compressible washer is held in the gas pressure check gauge valve head opening with a center opening in the washer that does not close on the valve pin in order that refrigerant gas may pass on through into valve head and gauge stem internal passages. The resiliently compressible washer is of such thickness as to be engaged and resiliently compressed by the end of the refrigeration system suction side valve fitting as the valve stem is being depressed by the gauge valve pin thereby sealing the valve fitting to the check gauge to insure that refrigerant materials leak very little if at all. The rectangular gauge indicator stem has at least one side with indication pressure zones- low, norm, hi, danger, and hi-pressure that are color coded as well, along with at least one other side pressure indication numbered. A tire valve stem insert guide is provided for the check gauge that when placed in the check gauge converts the gauge from a refrigerant check gauge to a tire check gauge and at least one side of the gauge indicator stem is pressure numbered for use of the check gauge as a tire gauge.

Air conditioner refrigerant check gauge insert convertible to a tire

A universal refrigerant system check gauge adapter in the form of an instrument of semi rigid yet flexible plastic having a bottom tube that is received in a valve head opening of a pressure gauge and about a valve pin within the valve head opening. The top end of the adapter has an opening shaped to fit on and over the low pressure suction side valve fitting of a refrigeration system. Internal projections within the bottom extended tube engage the end of the check gauge valve pin and a center projection within the adapter top end opening engages the valve stem of the refrigeration system suction side valve fitting so that as the check gauge is pushed toward the refrigeration valve fitting the refrigeration system valve is opened and refrigeration gases propelled from the refrigeration system enter the check gauge passing through the center opening of a resiliently compressible washer and through a port opening in the valve head. The end of the bottom tube compresses the resiliently compressible washer as the valve pin is brought into engagement with the ends of the internal projections thereby sealing the adapter to the check gauge and the adapter top end opening so fits the refrigeration system valve fitting that refrigerant materials leak very little if at all. The rectangular gauge indicator stem has at least one side that indicating pressure zones add: low, safe, high, and danger that are color coded as well. Other sides of the indicator stem are pressure numbered for use of the check gauge as a tire gauge without the adapter in place.

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Richardson, TX, United States of America

James E Ferris