Air conditioning system charging apparatus

• US 20050247069A1
• Filed: 05/07/2004
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Technical Chemical Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Technical Chemical Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Dudley, Newton Howard
• Application Number:
  US10/841,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20050247069A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/77
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00585 Means for monitoring, testing or servicing the air-conditioning
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2345/001 Charging refrigerant to a cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 45/00 Arrangements for charging or discharging refrigerant

Abstract

An air conditioning system charging apparatus. In a described embodiment, an air conditioning system charging apparatus includes a flexible conduit, a quick connect connector attached to one end of the conduit and a coupler attached to an opposite end of the conduit. The coupler includes a check valve which prevents pressure in the conduit from escaping. The quick connect connector does not include a valve.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system charging apparatus, comprising:

a flexible conduit having first and second opposite ends;

a quick connect connector attached at the first end of the conduit; and

a coupler attached at the second end of the conduit, the coupler including a check valve.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the check valve permits fluid flow into the second end of the conduit, but prevents fluid flow out of the second end of the conduit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the quick connect connector is free of any valve which opens when the connector is connected to a service port of an air conditioning system.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the quick connect connector is configured for operative connection to a service port of an R-134a air conditioning system.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the coupler is configured for operative connection to a container of a substance for dispensing into an air conditioning system.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a valve of the container is opened, thereby permitting the substance to flow through the check valve into the conduit, when the coupler is connected to the container.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a tubular prong formed on the coupler opens a valve of the container, thereby permitting the substance to flow through the check valve into the conduit, when the coupler is connected to the container.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conduit is free of any check valve between the connector and the coupler.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connector opens a valve in a service port of an air conditioning system when the connector is connected to the service port, thereby permitting fluid communication between the conduit and a refrigerant line of the air conditioning system, without opening any valve in the connector.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a container of a substance for dispensing into the air conditioning system, a valve of the container being opened when the coupler is operatively connected to the valve.

11. A method of charging an air conditioning system, the method comprising the step of:

connecting a quick connect connector to a service port of the air conditioning system, without opening any valve in the connector.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of attaching a first end of a flexible conduit to the connector, and wherein the connecting step further comprises providing fluid communication between the service port and the conduit.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of attaching a coupler to a second end of the conduit, and wherein the connecting step further comprises preventing pressure in the conduit from escaping through the coupler.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the preventing step further comprises utilizing a check valve in the coupler to prevent pressure in the conduit from escaping.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of connecting the coupler to a container of a substance for dispensing into the air conditioning system.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of connecting the coupler further comprises opening a valve of the container, thereby permitting the substance to flow through the check valve into the conduit.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of connecting the coupler further comprises threading the coupler to the container.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of opening the valve further comprises inserting a tubular prong formed on the coupler into the valve.