Hitachi, Ltd.

Tosikazu Ito

Reijiro Takahashi

Kenichi Chonan

Kiyoshi Horibe

Kiyomi Komathuzaki

Masanori Musoh

Toshiki Iijima

A vacuum actuator having a vacuum chamber and an atmospheric chamber separated from each other by a diaphragm, and an actuator rod connected at one end to the diaphragm and extending across the atmospheric chamber to the outside of the actuator so as to be connected to an object to be actuated. At least one annular solenoid coil is mounted on the upper surface of the upper wall of the case defining the vacuum chamber, with the axis of the solenoid coil extending substantially at a right angle to the axis of the actuator rod. A plunger of the annular solenoid coil is adapted to be moved in one and the other directions along the axis of the annular solenoid coil. The end of the plunger is adapted to be moved into and out of a control pressure chamber of valve case. A port for introducing a vacuum from a vacuum passage into the control pressure chamber and a port for introducing the atmospheric pressure into the same are formed in the valve case coaxially with each other. A valve member disposed between these ports and displaceable by the plunger selectively opens and closes these ports. The pressurized fluid in the control pressure chamber is introduced into the vacuum chamber through a passage interconnecting the control pressure chamber and the vacuum chamber, to thereby produce a force which acts on the diaphragm.

Vacuum actuator

An actuator control apparatus used for the control or the like of an air-conditioning system installed in a motor vehicle comprises a pressure source capable of producing alternately a negative pressure and the atmospheric pressure, a decision circuit for determining whether vacuum or the atmospheric pressure is to be applied to the vacuum actuators, control means responding to the output of the decision means for connecting the actuator to be supplied with the negative pressure to the pressure source during a period in which the pressure source produces the negative pressure and connecting the actuator to be supplied with the atmospheric pressure to the pressure source during a period in which the pressure source produces the atmospheric pressure.

Apparatus for controlling actuators operative under negative pressure

A vacuum actuator having a vacuum chamber and an atmospheric chamber separated from each other by means of a diaphragm, and an actuator rod connected at its one end to the diaphragm and extending across the atmospheric chamber to the outside of the actuator so as to be connected to an object to be actuated. An annular solenoid coil is mounted on the upper surface of the upper wall of the case defining the vacuum chamber, in such a manner that the axis of the solenoid coil extends substantially at a right angle to the axis of the actuator rod. A plunger disposed in the annular solenoid coil is adapted to be moved in one and the other directions along the axis of the annular solenoid coil. The end of the plunger is adapted to be moved into and out of a valve case in which is defined a control pressure chamber. A port for introducing a vacuum from a vacuum passage into the control pressure chamber and a port for introducing the atmospheric pressure into the same are formed in the valve case coaxially with each other. A valve member disposed between these ports is adapted to be displaced by the plunger so as to selectively open and close these ports. The pressurized fluid in the control pressure chamber is introduced into the vacuum chamber through a passage interconnecting the control pressure chamber and the vacuum chamber, thereby to produce a force which acts on the diaphragm.

An automobile air conditioner of a reheat air mix type, having an evaporator disposed in a duct and a heater core disposed in the duct at the downstream side of the evaporator. Chilled air passages are formed between both sides of the heater core and the surfaces of opposing walls of the duct. The chilled air passages are extended to form a first duct leading to an upper air outlet to the room of automobile and a second duct leading to a lower air outlet opening to the room. A part of the warmed air coming from the heater core is delivered to the first duct while the other part is delivered to the second duct. The air conditioner further has a first air mix damper for controlling the ratio between the flow rate of chilled air flowing into the heater core and the flow rate of the chilled air flowing into the first duct, and a second air mix damper for controlling the ratio between the flow rate of chilled air introduced into the second duct and the flow rate of warmed air flowing from the heater core into the second duct.

Automobile air conditioner

A temperature controlling apparatus is provided for use in systems such as a motor vehicle air conditioner. In the temperature controlling apparatus, a cycling clutch and a re-heated air mixing system are selectively used in accordance with the environmental condition. The cycling clutch system temperature control is effected in summer season to control an operating period of time of a compressor, and the re-heated air mixing system temperature control is effected in spring or autumn season to dehumidify the air and in winter season by means of an air mixing door after stopping the compressor thereby controlling an amount of the intake air which is to be re-heated.

Temperature control apparatus for a motor vehicle air conditioner

An evaporator including a side plate formed with a number of openings each having rigidly secured therein the upper end portion of one of a number of U-shaped refrigerant tubes, a cover plate attached to the upper surface of the side plate and formed, by recessing its inner surface, with a plurality of bend sections each intercommunicating the upper end portions of the two tubes of the adjacent U-shaped refrigerant tubes forming a set, a distributor section for supplying a suitable refrigerant to refrigerant passages provided by the U-shaped tubes and the bend sections, a manifold section for collecting the refrigerant from the refrigerant passages and discharging same therefrom, and an expansion valve section extending between the distributor section and the manifold section in a manner to intercommunicate the two sections, and an expansion valve assembly mounted in the expansion valve section. In this evaporator, the refrigerant supplied through a high pressure refrigerant pipe connected to the cover plate passes through a valve section of the expansion valve assembly into the distributor section, from which the refrigerant flows through the tortuous refrigerant passages provided by the U-shaped tubes and the bend sections. The refrigerant changes into a gaseous state while flowing through the refrigerant passages, and the gaseous refrigerant is collected in the manifold section, from which it passes through a control section of the expansion valve assembly into a low pressure refrigerant pipe.

Evaporator

An evaporator comprising a tube plate having a number of through holes to which the upper ends of a plurality of U-tubes are fixed, a first cover plate secured to the tube plate and having a plurality of through holes aligned to some through holes of the tube plate, a second cover plate secured to the first cover plate and defining in cooperation therewith passages for introducing and distributing refrigerant, and an expansion valve assembly installed through the first and second cover plates and having a constriction formed therein. The first cover plate defines connecting passages and a collecting passage for the refrigerant in cooperation with the tube plate. The constriction in the expansion valve assembly is communicated with the refrigerant-introducing passage, and the control section of the expansion valve assembly is communicated with the refrigerant-collecting passage, so that the refrigerant flows through a high-pressure piping into the refrigerant-introducing passage and the vaporized refrigerant passes through the refrigerant-collecting passage and leaves the evaporator into a low-pressure piping.

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Ibaraki, Japan

Tosikazu Ito