Control Device for Refrigeration or Air Conditioning Systems

• US 20080282715A1
• Filed: 04/20/2005
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Europe GmbH
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric GmbH & Co. Ohg (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Nejad, Ali R., Kowanz, Bernd, Aue, Peter, Bersch, Hans-Jurgen
• Granted Patent: US 7,711,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/159
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/83 by controlling the supply of heat-exchange fluids to heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/21 Refrigerant outlet evaporator temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/2513 Expansion valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 41/34 with the valve member being actuated by electric means, e.g. by piezoelectric actuators
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/02 for compression type machines, plants or systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

The invention relates to a control unit for a refrigeration or air conditioning device, comprising a main processor that is situated in a housing and that controls the temperature, fan and/or the defrosting process of a refrigeration or air conditioning device. Contact points for a co-processor, which is separate from the main processor and is suitable for controlling an electronic expansion valve, are located in said housing.

Claims

1. A control device for an air conditioning or refrigeration unit, comprising:

a main processor provided inside a housing for the control of at least one of temperature, a fan and a defrosting procedure of an air conditioning or refrigeration unit in dependence on respectively prevailing input values, and

contact points that are provided inside the housing for a coprocessor separate from the main processor, with respective input and output signals of the coprocessor being associated with said contact points, with at least one contact point being provided for coprocessor input signals made available by at least one of temperature sensors and pressure sensors of a coolant circuit and one contact point being provided for a coprocessor output signal for the control of an electronic expansion valve provided in the coolant circuit.

2. A control device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the main processor and the coprocessor are provided on a common main board which is arranged inside the common housing.

3. A control device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the coprocessor is made as an integrated hybrid circuit to be connected directly to the contact points of the main board or as a chip.

4. A control device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the coprocessor is arranged on a small board which can be coupled to the main board via the contact points of the main board.

5. A control device in accordance with claim 1, wherein contact points of the main processor and coprocessor are connected to one another via data lines.

6. A control device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the coprocessor is configurable via the main processor, with in particular coolant circuit parameters such as overheating, suction pressure limitation and coolant type being able to be preset by the main processor.

7. A control device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a common input medium is associated with the main processor and the coprocessor and programs which run both in the main processor and the coprocessor can be influenced by the common input medium.

8. A control device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a common data interface is associated with the main processor and the common processor which is accessible from the outside of the housing and via which programs which run both in the main processor and the coprocessor can be influenced.

9. A control device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a common display medium is associated with the main processor and the coprocessor via which output signals of both the main processor and the coprocessor can be displayed.