Air conditioner for vehicle, using flammable refrigerant

• US 5,660,051 A
• Filed: 09/06/1996
• Issued: 08/26/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishida, Shin, Sakakibara, Hisayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): DOERRLER, WILLIAM CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US08/706,674
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 62/133, 62/129, 62/126, 62/239, 62/241, 62/244, 62/509, 62/114, 62/61, 62/161, 62/162, 62/295, 62/298, 62/299
• US Class Current: 62/133
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00764 the input being a vehicle driving condition, e.g. speed B60H1/00828, B60H1/00864 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3208 Vehicle drive related control of the compressor drive means, e.g. for fuel saving purposes

Abstract

In an air conditioner according to the present invention, the first and second electromagnetic valves are disposed at the outlet port and the inlet port of the condenser, which is disposed at a position away from the passenger compartment and may be easily damaged by the outer force when the vehicle collides. The first and second electromagnetic valves are closed when the outer force applied to the vehicle is equal to a predetermined value or more. In this way, an amount of leaking refrigerant is as much as the amount accumulated in the air conditioning devices at most, thus making it possible to reduce the leakage of the refrigerant.

Claims

1. An air conditioner for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, said air conditioner cooling air by evaporation latent heat of refrigerant, comprising:

air conditioning equipments for forming a refrigerating cycle in which said refrigerant flows, at least one of which is positioned away from said passenger compartment and may be damaged by outer force, said one of air conditioning equipments having an inlet port for receiving said refrigerant and an outlet port for discharging said refrigerant;

outer force detecting means for detecting outer force applied to said vehicle; and

a valve device including two valves disposed at said inlet port and said outlet port, respectively, said two valves being closed when outer force detected by said outer force detecting means is equal to a predetermined value or more.

2. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said outer force detecting means detects an acceleration of said vehicle as a parameter of outer force when said vehicle collides.

3. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said one of air conditioning equipments is a condenser for condensing said refrigerant.

4. An air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising:

a blower for generating air flow to be cooled by evaporation latent heat of refrigerant toward said passenger compartment, said blower being stopped when outer force detected by said outer force detecting means is equal to said predetermined value or more.

5. An air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising:

a clutch for transmitting driving force to said air conditioning equipments, said clutch stopping transmitting driving force to said air conditioning equipments when outer force detected by said outer force detecting means is equal to said predetermined value or more.

6. An air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein said air conditioning equipments include a compressor for compressing said refrigerant, and said clutch transmits driving force to said compressor.

7. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said one of said air conditioning equipments is disposed at a front part of said vehicle.

8. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said refrigerant is flammable.

9. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said two valves are electrically operated electromagnetic valves.

10. A air conditioner for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, said air conditioner cooling air by evaporation latent heat of refrigerant, comprising:

a condenser disposed at a front part of said vehicle and having an inlet port for receiving said refrigerant, an outlet port for discharging said refrigerant, and a core portion for condensing said refrigerant;

outer force detecting means for detecting outer force applied to said vehicle; and

a valve device including two valves disposed at said inlet port and said outlet port, respectively, said two valves being closed when outer force detected by said outer force detecting means is equal to a predetermined value or more.

11. An air conditioner according to claim 10, wherein said outer force detecting means detects an acceleration of said vehicle as a parameter of outer force when said vehicle collides.

12. An air conditioner according to claim 10, further comprising:

a blower for generating air flow to be cooled by evaporation latent heat of refrigerant toward said passenger compartment, said blower being stopped when outer force detected by said outer force detecting means is equal to said predetermined value or more.

13. An air conditioner according to claim 10, further comprising:

a clutch for transmitting driving force to said air conditioning equipments, said clutch stopping transmitting driving force to said air conditioning equipments when outer force detected by said outer force detecting means is equal to said predetermined value or more.

14. An air conditioner according to claim 13, wherein said air conditioning equipments include a compressor for compressing said refrigerant, and said clutch transmits driving force to said compressor.

15. An air conditioner according to claim 10, wherein said refrigerant is flammable.

16. An air conditioner according to claim 10, wherein said two valves are electrically operated electromagnetic valves.

17. An air conditioner for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, said air conditioner cooling air by evaporation latent heat of flammable refrigerant, comprising:

air conditioning equipments for forming a refrigerating cycle in which said refrigerant flows, at least one of which is positioned away from said passenger compartment and may be damaged by outer force, said one of air conditioning equipments having an inlet port for receiving said refrigerant and an outlet port for discharging said refrigerant;

damage detecting means for detecting a physical damage of said one of air conditioning equipment; and

a valve device including two valves disposed at said inlet port and said outlet port, respectively, said two valves being closed when physical damage detected by said damage detecting means is equal to a predetermined value or more.

18. An air conditioner according to claim 17, wherein said damage detecting means includes outer force detecting means for detecting outer force applied to said vehicle.

19. An air conditioner according to claim 18, wherein said outer force detecting means detects an acceleration when said vehicle collides.