The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 09, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 14, 2000
Brian Enderle, Dublin, OH (US);
Ranco Incorporated, Plain City, OH (US);
Abstract
A refrigerant flow-control valve is operable between a mid-flow condition, a low-flow condition, and a high-flow condition in response to an electronic control signal supplied thereto and a pressure drop across the valve. The valve includes a tubular-shaped body having an inlet and an outlet and forming a refrigerant passageway extending from the inlet to the outlet, a cylindrically-shaped restrictor secured within the tube and forming a first restriction, a cylindrically shaped end stop secured within the tube and spaced-apart from the restrictor, and a plunger within the tube between the restrictor and the end stop. The plunger forms a first valve-element flow passage between its outer periphery and the tube and carries a first valve element which movable between a first position closing the first valve-element flow passage and a second position opening the first valve-element flow passage. The second restriction has a greater resistance to refrigerant flow than the first restriction. A first biasing member is within the tube and resiliently urges the first valve element into the second position. A Solenoid coil is adapted to selectively move the first valve element to the first position in response to an electronic control signal supplied thereto. The valve also includes a cylindrically-shaped collar secured within the tube and forming a second valve-element flow passage and a poppet within the tube between the restrictor and the collar and carrying a second valve element The poppet is movable between a first position closing the second valve-element flow and a second position opening the second valve-element flow passage. The third restriction has a greater resistance to refrigerant flow than the first restriction and a lesser resistance to flow than the second restriction. A second biasing member within the tube resiliently urges the second valve element into the first position. The poppet is adapted to automatically move the second valve element to the second position in response to a pressure head across the flow-control valve.