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:
Mar. 29, 2011
Filed:
May. 22, 2008
Jan LU, Troy, MI (US);
Harry E. Eustice, Troy, MI (US);
Edwin J. Stanke, Pontiac, MI (US);
GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A refrigerant expansion assembly, and method of operation, for use in a vehicle air conditioning system is disclosed. An orifice channel connects an orifice inlet port to an orifice outlet port and includes a valve seat. A variable orifice assembly is mounted in the orifice channel and includes a fixed orifice passage extending axially through a variable orifice body having a sealing flange that can seal against a valve seat via an orifice spring. An orifice bypass valve includes a check ball biased against a ball seat by a bypass spring and selectively allows some of the refrigerant to bypass the variable orifice assembly. The refrigerant expansion assembly may also include a burst disk downstream of the variable orifice assembly.