Abstrict There is a disclosed herein a retaining clip for a desiccant bag
used in an accumulator of an air conditioning system for an automotive
vehicle. The retaining clip is hinged at one end and surrounds the
bag of desiccant. The clip includes integrally formed tube engaging
mechanisms for matingly engaging the refrigerant tubes within the
housing of the accumulator.
Claims What is claimed is:
1. An accumulator for use in an air conditioning system for an
automotive vehicle, comprising:
a housing having two portions joined together in abutting relationship
at a predefined seam location to define a closed chamber, said housing
having an upper housing wall and a lower housing wall;
an inlet tube extending through said upper wall of said housing;
an outlet tube extending through said upper wall of said housing
and extending through said housing substantially the entire length
thereof, said outlet tube having first and second pipe portions
connected by a curved portion disposed at a lower extremity of said
housing, said second pipe portion extending upwardly through said
housing to a point proximate said upper wall of said housing;
retaining means surrounding an adsorbent device for securing said
adsorbent device between said first and second pipe portions of
said outlet tube, said means comprising a jaw-like member including
a first sidewall and a second sidewall, each of said first and second
sidewalls comprising a generally arcuate member having a generally
planar base portion and a pair of walls extending generally perpendicularly
therefrom, said first and second sidewalls being hingedly connected
at one end thereof for relative movement therebetween and connectable
at an opposite end thereto.
2. An accumulator according to claim 1 wherein each one of said
pair of sidewalls includes tube engaging means formed integrally
therewith for mating engagement with said first and second pipe
portions.
3. An accumulator according to claim 2 wherein said tube engaging
means is formed on said generally planar base portions of each of
said first and second sidewalls.
4. An accumulator according to claim 3 wherein said tube engaging
means comprises an arcuate shaped groove molded in each of said
first and second sidewalls, the diameter of said groove being slightly
smaller than the diameter of said first and second pipe portions
for mating engagement therewith.
5. An accumulator according to claim 1 wherein said jaw-like member
is generally rectangular.
6. An accumulator according to claim 1 wherein said jaw-like member
is generally cylindrical.
7. An accumulator according to claim 1 wherein said first sidewall
includes a tab disposed on a vertical wall thereof, said tab including
a plurality of indentations adapted to engage a plurality of ribs
disposed on a facing wall of said second sidewall.
8. An accumulator according to claim 7 wherein said tab is releaseably
engageable with said plurality of ribs.
9. An accumulator according to claim 1 wherein said adsorbent
device comprises a flexible bag of dessicant.
10. An accumulator according to claim 1 wherein said retaining
means is interposed between said first and second pipe portions
proximate said predefined seam location.
11. An accumulator according to claim 1 wherein said retaining
means includes a diameter smaller than the diameter of said adsorbent
device so as to form said adsorbent device into an hourglass configuration.
12. An accumulator for use in an air conditioning system for an
automotive vehicle, comprising:
a cylindrical housing having two cylindrical portions joined together
in abutting relationship at a predefined seam location to define
a closed chamber, said housing having an upper housing wall and
a lower housing wall;
an inlet tube extending through said upper wall of said housing;
an outlet tube extending through said upper wall of said housing
and extending through said housing substantially the entire length
thereof, said outlet tube having first and second pipe portions
connected by a curved portion disposed at a lower extremity of said
housing, said second pipe portion extending upwardly through said
housing to a point proximate said upper wall of said housing;
retaining means surrounding a flexible bag of dessicant material
for securing said bag between said first and second pipe portions
of said outlet tube proximate said predefined seam location, said
means comprising a generally rectangular jaw-like member including:
a first sidewall hingedly connected to a second sidewall, each
of said first and second sidewalls comprising a generally U-shaped
member having a generally planar base portion and a pair of walls
extending generally perpendicularly therefrom, said first sidewall
including a tab disposed on one of said walls and including a plurality
of indentations for mating engagement with a plurality of ribs disposed
on a wall of said second sidewall; and
an arcuate shaped groove molded in each of said first and second
sidewalls, the diameter of said groove being slightly smaller than
the diameter of said first and second pipe portions for mating engagement
therewith.
13. An apparatus for retaining an adsorbent device between a pair
of tubular members in an accumulator of an automotive air conditioning
system, comprising:
a pair of generally planar, opposite facing sidewalls, each sidewall
having a tube engaging means formed integrally therewith for mating
engagement with said tubular members;
a third side interconnecting one end of said pair of sidewalls
and including hinge means for relative open and close movement of
said pair of sidewalls; and
a fourth side interconnecting an opposite end of said pair of sidewalls
and including locking means for securing said retaining means around
said adsorbent device.
14. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said tube engaging
means comprises an arcuate shaped groove molded in each of said
pair of sidewalls, the diameter of said groove being slightly smaller
than the diameter of said tubular members for mating engagement
therewith.
15. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said locking means
comprises a tab formed on said fourth side, said tab having a plurality
of indentations adapted to matingly engage a plurality of ribs formed
proximate thereto.
16. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said hinge means
comprises a living hinge.
17. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said apparatus
is generally rectangular.
18. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said apparatus
includes a diameter smaller than the diameter of said adsorbent
device so as to form said adsorbent device into an hourglass configuration.
19. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said apparatus
is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting
essentially of nylons, ABS and polypropylene.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to accumulators for automotive
air conditioning systems. More particularly, the present invention
relates to a retaining clip for securing a desiccant bag in such
an accumulator.
2. Disclosure Information
It is known to place an adsorbent device such as a flexible bag
of desiccant, in an accumulator of an automotive air conditioning
system to adsorb undesirable substances from the refrigerant. Numerous
ways of securing the adsorbent device in position have been proposed,
such as by flaps, harnesses, and wires. Typically, the flaps or
harnesses are attached to the refrigerant pipes by threading the
pipe through an aperture in a flap attached to a casing of the adsorbent
device such as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4116649. It has also
been known to mechanically wire the adsorbent device between the
refrigerant pipes. In such a configuration, it is necessary to first
surround the adsorbent device with a piece of heat resistant material
to protect the device during fabrication of the accumulator. One
such mechanism is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4474035 assigned to
the assignee of the present invention, the disclosure of which is
hereby incorporated by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a retaining clip for
a desiccant bag which maintains the bag in the proper location and
which protects the bag from excessive heat given off during welding.
It is a feature of the present invention to retain a desiccant
bag of an accumulator in position between the refrigerant pipes
and to protect it from the heat generated during the fabrication
process without the use of a tie wire assembly and a heat resistant
foil around the bag.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the desiccant
bag can be snapped into its proper position between the refrigerant
pipes of the accumulator with very little labor.
In one principal aspect of the present invention, there is provided
an accumulator for use in an automotive air conditioning system
for an automotive vehicle comprising a housing having two portions
joined together in abutting relationship at a predefined seam location
to define a closed chamber, the housing having an upper housing
wall and a lower housing wall. The accumulator further includes
an inlet tube extending through the upper wall of the housing and
an outlet tube extending through the upper wall of the housing and
extending through the housing substantially the entire length thereof.
The outlet tube includes first and second pipe portions connected
by a curved portion disposed at a lower extremity of the housing,
the second pipe portion extending upwardly through the housing to
a point proximate the upper wall of the housing. The accumulator
also includes retaining means surrounding an adsorbent device for
securing the device between the first and second pipe portions of
the outlet tube. The retaining means comprises a jaw-like member
including a first sidewall and a second sidewall, each of the first
and second sidewalls comprising a generally arcuate member having
a generally planar base portion and a pair of walls extending generally
perpendicularly therefrom. The first and second sidewalls are hingedly
connected at one end thereof for relative movement therebetween
and connectable to one another at an opposite end thereof. Each
one of the pair of sidewalls also includes tube engaging means formed
integrally therewith for mating engagement with the first and second
pipe portions of the outlet tube.
There is also disclosed herein an apparatus for retaining an adsorbent
device such as a flexible bag of desiccant, between a pair of tubular
members in an accumulator of an automotive air conditioning system.
The apparatus comprises a pair of generally planar, opposite facing
sidewalls, each sidewall having a tube engaging means formed integrally
therewith for mating engagement with tubular members. The apparatus
further includes a third side interconnecting one end of the pair
of sidewalls and including hinge means for relative open and close
movement of the pair of sidewalls as well as a fourth side interconnecting
an opposite end of the pair of sidewalls and including locking means
for securing the retaining means around the adsorbent device. In
one embodiment of the invention, the tube engaging means comprises
an arcuate-shaped groove molded in each pair of sidewalls, the diameter
of the groove being slightly smaller than the diameter of the tubular
members for mating engagement therewith. The locking means may comprise
a tab formed on the fourth side, the tab having a plurality of indentations
adapted to matingly engage a plurality of ribs formed proximate
thereto.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent from the following detailed description
and claims which follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an accumulator assembly showing
the improvement of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG.
1.
FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the retaining clip of the present
invention.
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the retaining clip of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show an accumulator
assembly for use in an automotive air conditioning system of the
type known in the art and such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4474035
the disclosure of which at column 2 lines 30-column 4 line 10
is hereby incorporated by reference. As is well understood to one
of ordinary skill in the art, but not shown in the drawings, the
air conditioning system includes a compressor, the output of which
flows to a condenser through a liquid line with an orifice tube
(such as in a known, clutch cycling orifice tube configuration),
then to an evaporator and then to the accumulator of the present
invention and finally back to the compressor. As is shown in FIGS.
1 and 2 the accumulator includes a cylindrical housing 10 comprising
an upper portion 12 and a lower portion 14. The portions 12 and
14 are joined together in abutting relationship at a predefined
seam location 16 by means of an overlapping brazed or welded juncture.
The lower end of the accumulator is closed by a lower wall 18 and
the upper end of the accumulator is closed by a domed upper wall.
An inlet tube 22 is received within an opening formed in the center
of the domed wall 20 and is brazed at 24. An outlet tube 26 extends
through another opening in the domed wall 20 adjacent to inlet tube
22 and it too is brazed to provide a pressure seal and a permanent
juncture with the wall 20 as shown at 28.
Outlet tube 26 extends vertically adjacent the inner wall of the
accumulator and is curved at its lowermost portion 30 the curved
portion being situated in the lowermost region in the accumulator
adjacent to lower wall 18. The tube includes a first pipe portion
34 at a second pipe portion 36 interconnected by the curved portion
30 and extends upwardly from the curved portion 30 to its inlet
point 32. The inlet of the tube at point 32 is located within the
interior of a domed baffle 38 such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4474035.
The construction and configuration of the baffle 38 is well known
to those skilled in the art, therefore, no further description thereof
is deemed necessary. See U.S. Pat. No. 4474035 at column 2 lines
54-68 for a complete description of an exemplary baffle.
At the base of the accumulator portion 14 there is located an oil
return orifice and filter assembly 44 structured as is commonly
known in the art. The assembly comprises a plastic housing which
is apertured and which includes a screen within the plastic housing.
One end of the housing is curved so that it surrounds outlet tube
26. The portion of the housing that surrounds the outlet tube is
split and the ends are fastened together by a fastener to facilitate
quick assembly. As will readily be apparent to one of ordinary skill
in the art, any known oil return orifice and filter assembly may
be used with the present invention, and the present invention not
being meant to be limited to the assembly described herein.
As further shown in FIG. 1 the accumulator of the present invention
includes an adsorbent device, such as a flexible bag of desiccant
42 interposed between the first pipe portion 34 and the second pipe
portion 36 of the outlet pipe 26. As will be explained in greater
detail below, the desiccant bag 42 is retained in its proper location
by a retaining clip 44. The flexible desiccant bag 42 may be fabricated
from any of a number of known materials. The adsorbent or desiccant
in the bag may be any of a known type of adsorbent, such as a silicate
gel, metal alumino silicate, alumina, calcium sulfate, activated
charcoal, or any other desired compound in bead, pellet or granular
form depending upon the circumstance of its use.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the retaining clip surrounds the flexible
bag of material and secures the bag 42 between the first and second
pipe portions, 34 36 respectively. The retaining clip 44 of the
present invention is shown in further detail in FIGS. 3 and 4. The
retaining clip 44 comprises a jaw like member including a first
sidewall 46 and a second sidewall 48. Each of the first and second
sidewalls, 46 48 respectively, comprise a generally arcuate member
having a generally planar base portion 50 and a pair of walls 52
54 extending generally perpendicularly from the base portions 50.
The first and second sidewalls 46 48 are hingedly connected at
56 for relative open and close movement therebetween. The hinge
56 is a living hinge and comprises hinge means for connecting the
first and second sidewalls 46 48.
On the opposite side to the hinge 56 of clip 44 the retaining
clip 44 includes locking means such as shown by tab 58. Tab 58 is
disposed on one of the walls 54 extending from the base portion
50. The tab includes a plurality of indentations 60 configured to
matingly engage a plurality of ribs 62 formed on a wall 54' of the
second sidewall 48. A detent mechanism 64 may be formed on the wall
54' to assure proper positioning of the tab with respect to the
ribs 62. As shown in FIG. 4 the tab 58 and rib 62 are meant to
be securely interlocked, but alternatively, may be fabricated so
as to releaseably engage each other to provide for quick and easy
replacement of the clip 44 from the bag 42. As can also be seen
in FIG. 4 the rib portion 62 of sidewall portion 54 is meant to
be interposed between tab 58 and the end of wall 54 in the space
designated as 65. This can clearly be seen in the view of FIG. 2.
Referring back to FIGS. 3 and 4 the retaining clip 44 further
includes a pair of arcuate-shaped grooves 66 formed integrally with
each planar portion 50 of the first and second sidewalls 46 48
respectively. The grooves 66 have a diameter slightly less than
the diameters of the first and second pipe portions, 34 36 of outlet
tube 26 to matingly engage therewith. As such, the arcuate grooves
66 form tube engaging means for mating engagement with the first
and second pipe portions, 34 36 of the outlet tube 26.
The diameter of the retaining clip 44 is slightly less than the
diameter of the flexible bag of desiccant material as shown in FIG.
1. This results in the retaining clip 44 forming the desiccant bag
42 in an hour glass configuration when secured around the bag 42.
By doing so, the retaining clip 44 protects the bag from excessive
heat given off during joining of the upper portion 12 to the lower
portion 14 of the housing 10. The retaining clip 44 is placed such
that it is proximate the weld seam location 16 to provide further
heat protection for the bag during the welding process. As such,
it should be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the
retainer clip is fabricated from a heat resistant material, such
as glass filled nylons, polyesters, polypropylene, ABS, or other
known synthetic polymeric materials.
It should be apparent that many variations and modifications of
the present invention are possible without departing from the spirit
and scope of the present invention. For example, the retaining clip
44 may be generally rectangular or generally cylindrical or configured
in any of a number of known shapes. The retaining clip is fabricated
in an injection molding fabrication process and other known fabrication
processes may be utilized as well. The clip 44 may range in length
from approximately 1-3 inches, the preferred size being approximately
two inches and may be utilized in any type of automotive air conditioning
accumulator. These and other modifications will, no doubt, occur
to those skilled in the art. It is the following claims, including
all equivalents which define the scope of my invention. |