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:
Dec. 27, 2016
Filed:
Nov. 08, 2010
Yohei Kato, Tokyo, JP;
Makoto Saito, Tokyo, JP;
Naoki Wakuta, Tokyo, JP;
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An air-conditioning apparatus, including a refrigerant circuit connecting a compressor, a heat source side heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and a use side heat exchanger in order with a refrigerant piping. A compressor heater is provided for heating the compressor when the compressor is not in operation. A compressor temperature sensor is provided for detecting a compressor temperature. A refrigerant temperature detection sensor is provided for detecting a refrigerant temperature in the compressor. A controller is configured to estimate an amount of liquid refrigerant in the compressor by integrating the temperature difference between the compressor temperature and the refrigerant temperature during a period in which the compressor temperature becomes lower than the refrigerant temperature, and control the heating operation, which is carried out by the compressor heater, on the basis of the estimated liquid refrigerant amount when the compressor is not in operation.