Ford Motor Company Limited

Norman Henry Dolinski

Manfred Koberstein

Gerhard Allan Dage

Robert W Matteson

Jayendra J Amin

Chhotubhai Nagarji Patel

Ronald Charles Muir

Thomas B Harris

John H Blair

Michael D Smith

George E Peck

There is disclosed herein an accumulator for an automotive air conditioning system. The accumulator includes a sump for collecting oil to be provided to the air conditioning compressor. There is also disclosed an outlet tube in the accumulator, the tube having a flange opening and a necked-down portion a predetermined distance from the flange opening.

Accumulator for vehicle air conditioning system

An apparatus for detecting is disclosed for detecting a low level of refrigerant circulating through a motor vehicle refrigerant circuit. The apparatus comprises an electronic logic module, and a pressure transducer and a thermistor preferably located in the refrigerant circuit between the compressor and the evaporator. The pressure transducer generates a signal indicative of the refrigerant pressure, from which the module derives a saturation temperature of the refrigerant. The saturation temperature is compared with the measured temperature to determine if a superheat condition exists indicative of low refrigerant charge exists. When the refrigerant remains at a predetermined level of superheating, the compressor clutch is disengaged to interrupt circulation through the refrigerant circuit. In an alternative embodiment, a pair of thermistors are respectively situated proximate an inlet and an outlet of an evaporator, and the module interrupts circulation when the outlet thermistor indicates a temperature more than a predetermined amount greater than the inlet thermistor. In a third embodiment, a pressure switch in the refrigerant circuit generates a signal when a predetermined pressure is reached, and the module interrupts circulation if the temperature of the medium at the predetermined pressure corresponds to a superheat condition.

Low refrigerant charge detection system

An accumulator for use in an air conditioning system for an automotive vehicle includes a refrigerant processing cartridge with an outer casing, a desiccant, a filter, a separator, and a regulator for controlling the pressure of the refrigerant within the air conditioning system.

Automotive air conditioning system accumulator with refrigerant

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Grosse Pointe Woods, MI, United States of America

Norman Henry Dolinski