Sealed refrigeration system and appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10281170-B2
Application number	US-201615237680-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2016
Priority date	Aug 16, 2016
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

A sealed refrigeration system and appliance are provided. The sealed refrigeration system may include a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and a check valve assembly. The compressor may be operable to compress refrigerant, while the condenser may be disposed in downstream fluid communication with the compressor to condense refrigerant received from the compressor. The evaporator may be disposed in fluid communication between the condenser and the compressor. The check valve assembly may be disposed in fluid communication between at least two components of the sealed refrigeration system. The check valve assembly may include a valve body defining a circuit inlet, a circuit outlet, and a charge port. The circuit outlet may be downstream from the circuit inlet to direct refrigerant therefrom. The charge port may be between the circuit inlet and the circuit outlet to receive refrigerant therethrough.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sealed refrigeration system comprising:
a compressor operable to compress refrigerant;
a condenser disposed in downstream fluid communication with the compressor to condense refrigerant received from the compressor;
an evaporator disposed in fluid communication between the condenser and the compressor;
a check valve assembly disposed in fluid communication between at least two components of the sealed refrigeration system, the check valve assembly including a valve body defining
a circuit inlet to direct refrigerant from the compressor within the sealed refrigeration system,
a circuit outlet downstream from the circuit inlet to direct refrigerant therefrom, and
a charge port between the circuit inlet and the circuit outlet to receive refrigerant therethrough;

a process tube extending through the charge port in fluid communication with the valve body;
a one-way valve mechanism disposed within the valve body between the circuit inlet and the circuit outlet, the one-way valve mechanism being pivotable forward in a first downstream direction to prevent fluid from flowing rearward in a second upstream direction opposite from the first downstream direction; and
a seat disposed in a stationary rearward position from the one-way valve mechanism within the valve body to brace the one-way valve mechanism against rotation in the second upstream direction,
wherein the valve body is formed as a hollow cylinder body defining an external first diameter, wherein the charge port defines an external second diameter that is less than the external first diameter.

2. The sealed refrigeration system of claim 1 , wherein the check valve assembly is disposed in fluid communication between the compressor and the condenser.

3. The sealed refrigeration system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a first copper conduit extending between the circuit inlet and the compressor in fluid communication therewith; and
a second copper conduit extending between the circuit outlet and the condenser in fluid communication therewith.

4. The sealed refrigeration system of claim 1 , wherein the one-way valve mechanism is disposed upstream from the charge port.

5. The sealed refrigeration system of claim 1 , wherein the one-way valve mechanism is disposed downstream from the charge port.

6. An appliance comprising:
a heat exchange body including a sidewall defining an interior volume for receiving a fluid; and
a sealed refrigeration system positioned in thermal engagement with the heat exchange body, the sealed refrigeration system comprising
a compressor operable to compress refrigerant,
a condenser disposed in downstream fluid communication with the compressor to condense refrigerant received from the compressor,
an evaporator disposed in fluid communication between the condenser and the compressor,
a check valve assembly disposed in fluid communication between at least two components of the sealed refrigeration system, the check valve assembly including a valve body defining a circuit inlet, a circuit outlet downstream from the circuit inlet, and a charge port between the circuit inlet and the circuit outlet to receive refrigerant therethrough,
a process tube disposed through the charge port in fluid communication with the valve body to deliver refrigerant to the check valve assembly,
a one-way valve mechanism disposed within the valve body between the circuit inlet and the circuit outlet, the one-way valve mechanism being pivotable forward in a first downstream direction to prevent refrigerant from flowing rearward in a second upstream direction opposite from the first downstream direction, and
a seat disposed in a stationary rearward position from the one-way valve mechanism within the valve body to brace the one-way valve mechanism against rotation in the second upstream direction,

wherein the valve body is formed as a hollow cylinder body defining an external first diameter, wherein the charge port defines an external second diameter that is less than the external first diameter.

7. The appliance of claim 6 , wherein the check valve assembly is disposed in fluid communication between the compressor and the condenser.

8. The appliance of claim 7 , further comprising:
a first copper conduit extending between the circuit inlet and the compressor in fluid communication therewith; and
a second copper conduit extending between the circuit outlet and the condenser in fluid communication therewith.

9. The appliance of claim 6 , wherein the one-way valve mechanism is disposed upstream from the charge port.

10. The appliance of claim 6 , wherein the one-way valve mechanism is disposed downstream from the charge port.

11. A water heater appliance comprising:
a tank including a sidewall defining an interior volume; and
a sealed system for heating water within the interior volume, the sealed system comprising
a compressor operable to compress refrigerant,
a condenser positioned on the tank and disposed in downstream fluid communication with the compressor to condense refrigerant received from the compressor,
an evaporator disposed in fluid communication between the condenser and the compressor,
a check valve assembly disposed in fluid communication between at least two components of the sealed system, the check valve assembly including a valve body defining a circuit inlet, a circuit outlet downstream from the circuit inlet, and a charge port between the circuit inlet and the circuit outlet to receive refrigerant therethrough,
a process tube disposed through the charge port in fluid communication with the valve body to deliver refrigerant to the check valve assembly, and
a one-way valve mechanism disposed within the valve body between the circuit inlet and the circuit outlet, the one-way valve mechanism being pivotable forward in a first downstream direction to prevent refrigerant from flowing rearward in a second upstream direction opposite from the first downstream direction, and
a seat disposed in a stationary rearward position from the one-way valve mechanism within the valve body to brace the one-way valve mechanism against rotation in the second upstream direction,

wherein the valve body is formed as a hollow cylinder body defining an external first diameter, wherein the charge port defines an external second diameter that is less than the external first diameter.

12. The water heater appliance of claim 11 , wherein the check valve assembly is disposed in fluid communication between the compressor and the condenser.

13. The water heater appliance of claim 12 , further comprising:
a first copper conduit extending between the circuit inlet and the compressor in fluid communication therewith; and
a second copper conduit extending between the circuit outlet and the condenser in fluid communication therewith.

14. The water heater appliance of claim 11 , wherein the one-way valve mechanism is disposed upstream from the charge port.

15. The water heater appliance of claim 11 , wherein the one-way valve mechanism is disposed downstream from the charge port.

16. The water heater appliance of claim 11 , wherein the sealed system further comprises:
a throttling device disposed in fluid communication between the condenser and the evaporator.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Sukumaran Mogan
• Rajamanickam Saravanan
• Hutchison Gregory Leon
• Constance Alan G

Classifications

• F25B1/00

  Compression machines, plants or systems with non-reversible cycle (F25B3/00, F25B5/00, F25B6/00, F25B7/00, F25B9/00 take precedence) · CPC title

• F24H4/04 Primary

  Storage heaters · CPC title

• F24H9/2007

  for water heaters · CPC title

• F24H15/421

  using pre-stored data · CPC title

• F24H15/37

  of electric heaters · CPC title