Hose free sensor system for refrigerant unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10281183-B2
Application number	US-201514913834-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 19, 2015
Priority date	Jan 20, 2014
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

A hoseless sensor system for a refrigerant unit includes a plurality of hoseless sensors for sensing system parameters of the refrigerant unit, and a portable electronic device configured to receive the system parameters from the hoseless sensors and to calculate system conditions for the refrigerant based on the system parameters. The plurality of hoseless sensors includes a hoseless first pressure sensor and a hoseless second pressure sensor, and a hoseless first temperature sensor and a hoseless second temperature sensor. The temperature sensors are temperature sensor clamps. Each temperature sensor clamp includes a clamping portion configured to clamp on a tube of the refrigerant unit, the clamping portion including a sensor element to measure temperature about the tube. The clamping portion further includes a plurality of clamping teeth, and adjacent clamping teeth interlock in an overlapping configuration when the clamp closes inward beyond a threshold point.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensor system for a refrigerant unit comprising:
a plurality of sensors for sensing system parameters of the refrigerant unit; and
a portable electronic device configured to receive the system parameters from the plurality of sensors and to calculate system conditions for the refrigerant based on the system parameters;
wherein:
the plurality of sensors comprises a first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor, and a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor;
the first and second temperature sensors each comprises a temperature sensor clamp having a clamping portion configured to clamp on a tube of the refrigerant unit, the clamping portion including a sensor element to measure temperature about the tube;
each temperature sensor clamp further comprises a handle and integrated electronics, and the integrated electronics are incorporated into the handle and in electrical connection with the sensor element; and
there are no external physical connections among the plurality of sensors and the portable electronic device.

2. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first pressure sensor and first temperature sensor are sensors for a high side of the refrigerant system;
the second pressure sensor and the second temperature sensor are sensors for the low side of the refrigerant system; and
the system conditions calculated by the portable electronic device comprise superheat and subcooling for the refrigerant system.

3. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the clamping portion of each temperature sensor clamp includes a plurality of clamping teeth, and adjacent clamping teeth interlock in an overlapping configuration when the clamps closes inward beyond a threshold point.

4. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the clamping portion of each temperature sensor clamp includes a perforated gripping portion for gripping the tube of the refrigerant unit.

5. The sensor system of claim 4 , wherein the gripping portion comprises a grating, wherein when the clamping portion clamps the tube, the grating scores the tube to clean and grip the tube.

6. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the integrated electronics include at least one of a power source, a light emitting indicator, and a wireless interface pair button.

7. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the integrated electronics and the plurality of sensors are sealed from environmental elements.

8. The sensor system claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second pressure sensors comprises a flare quick connection for connecting the pressure sensors to the refrigerant unit.

9. The sensor system of claim 8 , wherein the first and second pressure sensors further comprise an integrated charging port.

10. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device is configured to receive the system parameters from the plurality of sensors over a wireless interface.

11. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device comprises:
a communications interface for wirelessly receiving the system parameters from the plurality of sensors;
a memory storing a program application for calculating system conditions; and
a processor device configured to receive the sensor parameters via the communications interface, and to execute the program application to calculate the system conditions based on the system parameters.

12. A temperature sensor clamp for sensing temperature in a refrigerant unit, the temperature sensor clamp comprising:
a clamping portion configured to clamp on a tube of the refrigerant unit, the clamping portion including a sensor element to measure temperature about the tube, and
a handle and integrated electronics, and the integrated electronics are incorporated into the handle and in electrical connection with the sensor element;
wherein the temperature sensor clamp has no external physical electrical or fluidic connections.

13. The temperature sensor clamp of claim 12 , wherein the clamping portion includes a perforated gripping portion for gripping the tube of the refrigerant unit.

14. The temperature sensor clamp of claim 13 , wherein the gripping portion comprises a grating, wherein when the clamping portion clamps the tube, the grating scores the tube to clean and grip the tube.

15. The temperature sensor clamp of claim 12 , wherein the integrated electronics include at least one of a battery, a light emitting indicator, and a wireless interface pair button.

16. The temperature sensor clamp of claim 12 , wherein the clamping portion includes a plurality of clamping teeth, and adjacent clamping teeth interlock in an overlapping configuration when the clamp closes inward beyond a threshold point.

Assignees

• Parker Hannifin Corp

Inventors

• Parker Christian D
• Plassmeyer Timothy A
• Ruether James D
• Dunn Jason T
• Ellis Shawn D

Classifications

• F25B2700/21

  Temperatures · CPC title

• F25B49/00 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• F25B2700/19

  Pressures · CPC title