IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0871315
(2010-08-30)
|
등록번호 |
US-8424318
(2013-04-23)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
29 |
초록
▼
Method and apparatus for refrigerant flow control are disclosed. One exemplary apparatus for controlling refrigerant flow comprises: at least one refrigerant inlet; at least one refrigerant outlet; a first valve coupled between the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet; and a second valve cou
Method and apparatus for refrigerant flow control are disclosed. One exemplary apparatus for controlling refrigerant flow comprises: at least one refrigerant inlet; at least one refrigerant outlet; a first valve coupled between the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet; and a second valve coupled between the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet; wherein at least one of the first valve and the second valve is rotatable, and the first valve and the second valve comprise one or more cooperative openings to allow refrigerant to pass from the refrigerant inlet, through the first and second valves, and out of the refrigerant outlet.
대표청구항
▼
1. An apparatus for controlling refrigerant flow, comprising: at least one refrigerant inlet;at least one refrigerant outlet;a first valve coupled between the at least one refrigerant inlet and the at least one refrigerant outlet; anda second valve coupled between the at least one refrigerant inlet
1. An apparatus for controlling refrigerant flow, comprising: at least one refrigerant inlet;at least one refrigerant outlet;a first valve coupled between the at least one refrigerant inlet and the at least one refrigerant outlet; anda second valve coupled between the at least one refrigerant inlet and the at least one refrigerant outlet;wherein at least one of the first valve and the second valve is rotatable, and the first valve and the second valve comprise one or more cooperative openings to allow refrigerant to pass from the at least one refrigerant inlet, through the first valve and the second valve, and out of the at least one refrigerant outlet, andwherein the at least one of the first valve and the second valve is rotatable such that a rate of flow of refrigerant from the at least one refrigerant outlet is selectively: an approximately zero percent refrigerant flow rate;an approximately one hundred percent refrigerant flow rate; andat least one refrigerant flow rate between the approximately zero percent refrigerant flow rate and the approximately one hundred percent refrigerant flow rate. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least a second refrigerant outlet to allow refrigerant to pass from the at least one refrigerant inlet, through the first valve and the second valve, and out of one or more of the refrigerant outlets. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising at least a second refrigerant inlet to allow refrigerant to pass from one or more of the refrigerant inlets, through the first valve and the second valve, and out of one or more of the refrigerant outlets. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a mechanism for rotating at least one of the first valve and the second valve in response to a control signal. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more cooperative openings of the first valve and the second valve are formed therein such that selective alignment via rotation of at least one of the first valve and the second valve corresponds to selective rates of flow of refrigerant from the at least one refrigerant outlet. 6. The apparatus of claim, 5, wherein the first valve comprises a first set of one or more openings and the second valve comprises a second set of one or more openings. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least one of the openings of the first set of one or more openings and the second set of one or more openings comprises a discrete hole feature. 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least one of the openings of the first set of one or more openings and the second set of one or more openings comprises a continuous slot feature. 9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein selective alignment of at least one opening of the first set of one or more openings and at least one opening of the second set of one or more openings corresponds to one refrigerant flow rate between the approximately zero percent refrigerant flow rate and the approximately one hundred percent refrigerant flow rate. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein selective alignment of others of the first set of one or more openings and the second set of one or more openings corresponds to other refrigerant flow rates between the approximately zero percent refrigerant flow rate and the approximately one hundred percent refrigerant flow rate. 11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a housing. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one refrigerant inlet and the at least one refrigerant outlet are formed along one axial line of the housing. 13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one refrigerant inlet and the at least one refrigerant outlet are formed in perpendicular relation to one another on the housing. 14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one refrigerant inlet and the at least one refrigerant outlet are formed on one side of the housing. 15. A refrigerator appliance comprising: a refrigerant flow control device comprising: at least one refrigerant inlet; at least one refrigerant outlet; a first valve coupled between the at least one refrigerant inlet and the at least one refrigerant outlet; and a second valve coupled between the at least one refrigerant inlet and the at least one refrigerant outlet; wherein at least one of the first valve and the second valve is rotatable, and the first valve and the second valve comprise one or more cooperative openings to allow refrigerant to pass from the at least one refrigerant inlet, through the first valve and the second valve, and out of the at least one refrigerant outlet; anda mechanism for rotating at least one of the first valve and the second valve in response to a control signal,wherein the at least one of the first valve and the second valve is rotatable such that a rate of flow of refrigerant from the at least one refrigerant outlet is selectively: an approximately zero percent refrigerant flow rate;an approximately one hundred percent refrigerant flow rate; andat least one refrigerant flow rate between the approximately zero percent refrigerant flow rate and the approximately one hundred percent refrigerant flow rate. 16. The refrigerator appliance of claim 15, further comprising a microprocessor for generating the control signal. 17. The refrigerator appliance of claim 16, wherein the microprocessor generates the control signal in response to an indication of an operating condition in the refrigerator appliance. 18. The refrigerator appliance of claim 15, wherein the mechanism rotates at least one of the first valve and the second valve so as to selectively align the one or more cooperative openings of the first valve and the second valve corresponding to selective rates of flow of refrigerant from the at least one refrigerant outlet. 19. The refrigerator appliance of claim 15, further comprising at least one evaporator, wherein the at least one refrigerant outlet is coupled to the at least one evaporator. 20. A method of controlling a flow of a refrigerant in an appliance, comprising: directing a rotary valve to one or more flow rate operating positions in relation to a stationary valve;wherein the rotary valve and the stationary valve comprise one or more cooperative openings to allow refrigerant to pass from a refrigerant inlet, through the rotary and stationary valves, and out of a refrigerant outlet so as to provide one or more refrigerant flow rates, andwherein the one or more flow rate operating positions comprise: an approximately zero percent refrigerant flow rate position;an approximately one hundred percent refrigerant flow rate position; andat least one refrigerant flow rate position between the approximately zero percent refrigerant flow rate and the approximately one hundred percent refrigerant flow rate.
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