Heat pump valve assembly
First Claim
1. A heat pump, comprising:
- a magnet generating a magnetic field;
a regenerator housing comprising a body and a stage, the body defining a chamber, the stage comprising a magneto-caloric material disposed within the chamber, the regenerator housing movable along a lateral direction between a first position and a second position relative to the magnet, the stage positioned within the magnetic field of the magnet when the regenerator housing is in the first position, the stage positioned remote from the magnetic field of the magnet when the regenerator housing is in the second position;
a pump operable to flow working fluid through the chamber of the regenerator housing;
a valve assembly for regulating a flow of the working fluid from the pump through the chamber of the regenerator housing, the valve assembly comprisinga pair of inlet conduits extending along the lateral direction from the regenerator housing, the inlet conduits of the pair of inlet conduits spaced apart from each other on the regenerator housing along a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the lateral direction;
a pair of outlet conduits extending along the lateral direction from the regenerator housing, the outlet conduits of the pair of outlet conduits spaced apart from each other on the regenerator housing along the transverse direction;
a valve body assembly defining a plurality of shafts, each shaft of the plurality of shafts receiving a respective conduit of the pair of inlet conduits and the pair of outlet conduits, the conduits of the pair of inlet conduits and the pair of outlet conduits slidable within the shafts of the plurality of shafts when the regenerator housing moves between the first and second positions.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A heat pump includes a regenerator housing that is movable along a lateral direction relative to a magnet. A valve assembly is provided for regulating a flow of the working fluid from a pump through the regenerator housing. The valve assembly includes a pair of inlet conduits that extend along the lateral direction from the regenerator housing. A pair of outlet conduits also extends along the lateral direction from the regenerator housing. A valve body assembly defines a plurality of shafts that each receives a respective conduit of the pair of inlet conduits and the pair of outlet conduits. The conduits of the pair of inlet conduits and the pair of outlet conduits are slidable within the shafts of the plurality of shafts.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A heat pump, comprising:
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a magnet generating a magnetic field; a regenerator housing comprising a body and a stage, the body defining a chamber, the stage comprising a magneto-caloric material disposed within the chamber, the regenerator housing movable along a lateral direction between a first position and a second position relative to the magnet, the stage positioned within the magnetic field of the magnet when the regenerator housing is in the first position, the stage positioned remote from the magnetic field of the magnet when the regenerator housing is in the second position; a pump operable to flow working fluid through the chamber of the regenerator housing; a valve assembly for regulating a flow of the working fluid from the pump through the chamber of the regenerator housing, the valve assembly comprising a pair of inlet conduits extending along the lateral direction from the regenerator housing, the inlet conduits of the pair of inlet conduits spaced apart from each other on the regenerator housing along a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the lateral direction; a pair of outlet conduits extending along the lateral direction from the regenerator housing, the outlet conduits of the pair of outlet conduits spaced apart from each other on the regenerator housing along the transverse direction; a valve body assembly defining a plurality of shafts, each shaft of the plurality of shafts receiving a respective conduit of the pair of inlet conduits and the pair of outlet conduits, the conduits of the pair of inlet conduits and the pair of outlet conduits slidable within the shafts of the plurality of shafts when the regenerator housing moves between the first and second positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A heat pump, comprising:
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a magnet generating a magnetic field; a regenerator housing comprising a body and a pair of stages, the body defining a pair of chambers spaced apart from each other along a lateral direction within the body, each stage of the pair of stages comprising a magneto-caloric material disposed within a respective chamber of the pair of chambers, the regenerator housing movable along the lateral direction between a first position and a second position relative to the magnet, a first stage of the pair of stages positioned within the magnetic field of the magnet and a second stage of the pair of stages positioned remote from the magnetic field of the magnet when the regenerator housing is in the first position, the first stage positioned remote from the magnetic field of the magnet and the second stage positioned within the magnetic field of the magnet when the regenerator housing is in the second position; a pump operable to flow working fluid; a valve assembly for regulating a flow of the working fluid from the pump through the pair of stages, the valve assembly comprising four valve bodies, each valve body of the four valve bodies defining a pair of shafts; four inlet conduits extending along the lateral direction from the regenerator housing, a respective inlet conduit of the four inlet conduits received and slidable within a first shaft of each valve body of the four valve bodies; four outlet conduits extending along the lateral direction from the regenerator housing, a respective outlet conduit of the four outlet conduits received and slidable within a second shaft of each valve body of the four valve bodies. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification