Description

Technical Field

The instant invention relates generally to injector infusers and more specifically it relates to an improved charging device for air conditioning and refrigeration systems.

Disclosure of the Invention

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved charging device that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.

Another object is to provide an improved charging device that will eliminate the need to use a refrigerant when a lubricant is infused into air conditioning and refrigeration systems.

An additional object is to provide a an improved charging device in which the infusion process when expedited is safer since there is no new refrigerant added, therefore any refrigerant loss through leakage is

minimized.

A further object is to provide an improved charging device that is simple and easy to use.

A still further object is to provide an improved charging device that is economical in cost to manufacture.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

Brief Description of the Drawing Figures

Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present

invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying

drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar

parts throughout the several views, and wherein;

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the prior art, showing a pressurized

tank with a refrigerant to propel lubricants into an air conditioning/

refrigeration system.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the instant invention, showing a liquid infused into the air conditioning /refrigeration system.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the instant invention per se.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 in Figure 3, showing the movement limiting assembly in greater detail.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the area indicated by arrow 5 in Figure 3, showing the ratchet mechanism in greater detail.

FIGURE 6 is a further enlarged perspective view taken in the direction

of arrow 6 in Figure 3 with parts broken away, showing the universal joint between the push rod and push plate.

List of Reference Numbers in the Drawing Figures

10 pressurized tank (prior art)

12 gauges to 10

14 line between 12 and 16

16 service fitting of 18

18 air conditioning /refrigeration system

20 improved charging device

22 vessel of 20

24 liquid in 22

26 liquid exit component of 20

dispensing facility of 20

cylindrical housing of 22

external threads on 30

first open end of 30

optional cap of 22

internal threads on 34

connector for 26

elongated tube between 38 and 16

disc shaped push plate of 28

second open end of 30

push rod on 42

driving assembly of 28

fixed arm of 46 on 30

pivot arm of 46 on 30

actuating arm of 46

fulcrum pin of 46

ratchet mechanism of 46

universal joint between 42 and 44

stationary hand grip on 48

movable hand grip on 52

sloping ratchet teeth of 56

transverse aperture in 52

hinged catch of 56

right angle handle on 44

limiting movement assemblage of 46

first retainer pin of 72 on 48

second retainer pin of 72 on 52

spring of 72 between 74 and 76

inverted U-shaped channel for 48

vertical slot in 84

84 side wall of 80

86 U-shaped channel for 52

88 vertical slot in 90

90 side wall of 86

92 rectangular plate of 72

94 hook on 92

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, Figure 1

illustrates the prior art. A pressurized tank 10 with refrigerant and /or oil

inside connected to gauges 12 is fluidly coupled via a line 14 to a service

fitting 16 of an air conditioning/ refrigeration system 18.

The instant invention shown in Figures 2 and 3, is an improved

charging device 20 comprising a vessel 22 for holding a liquid 24 therein. A

component 26 on the vessel 22 is for allowing the liquid 24 to exit therefrom. A facility 28 on the vessel 22 is for dispensing the liquid 24 in controlled

amounts through the exit component 26.

The vessel 22 includes a cylindrical housing 30 opened at both ends.

External threads 32 can be formed on the first open end 33 of the cylindrical

housing 30. An optional cap 34 having internal threads 36 can thread onto

the external threads 32 on the cylindrical housing 30. The liquid exit component 26 is a connector 38 centrally formed on the cap 34. The

connector 38 can typically engage with an end of an elongated tube 40 that can

fluidly connect with the service fitting 16 of the air conditioning /refrigeration

system 18.

The dispensing facility 28 consists of a disc shaped push plate 42 which

snugly fits into the second open end 43 of the cylindrical housing 30 in a

sliding manner. A push rod 44 is on the push plate. The push rod 44 extends

outwardly from the second open end 43 of the cylindrical housing 30. An assembly 46 is for driving the push rod 44 into the cylindrical housing 30 with

elevated levels of thrust, so that the push plate 42 will force the liquid 24 out

of the liquid exit component 26.

The driving assembly 46 includes a fixed arm 48 that extends

horizontally from a first lower side of the cylindrical housing 30. A pivot arm 50 extends at an angle downwardly from a second lower side of the

cylindrical housing 30 opposite from the fixed arm 48. An actuating arm 52 is provided. A fulcrum pin 54 connects a free end of the pivot arm 50 to one

end of the actuating arm 52, so that the actuating arm 52 extends below the

fixed arm 48. A ratchet mechanism 56 on the push rod 44 is operable by the

actuating arm 52, when the actuating arm 52 is manually pivoted towards the fixed arm 48. The push rod 44 will move up into the second open end 43 of

the cylindrical housing 30.

A universal joint 58, as shown in Figure 6, is between a bottom surface

of the push plate 42 and a top end of the push rod 44. The push rod 44 will always maintain a perpendicular position with respect to the actuating arm

52. A stationary hand grip 60 is on a free end of the fixed arm 48. A movable

hand grip 62 is on a free end of the actuating arm 52. A person can grasp the stationary hand grip 60 and the movable hand grip 62 with one hand and

squeeze together, so as to operate the ratchet mechanism 56.

The ratchet mechanism 56, as best seen in Figure 5, consists of a plurality of sloping ratchet teeth 64 extending along one side of the push rod

44. The actuating arm 52 has a transverse aperture 66 therethrough, so that

the push rod 44 can extend through the aperture 66. A hinged catch 68 on the

actuating arm 52 is to engage with the sloping ratchet teeth 64, to move the push rod 44 up into the second open end 43 of the cylindrical housing 30. A

right angle handle 70 is formed on a free end of the push rod 44 to manually

manipulate the push rod 44, to release the hinged catch 68 from the sloping ratchet teeth 64.

The driving assembly 46 further includes an assemblage 72 for limiting

movement of the actuating arm 52 towards the fixed arm 48, to slowly operate the ratchet mechanism 56. The limiting movement assembly 72, as best seen in Figure 4, includes a first retainer pin 74 extending downwardly from the fixed arm 48. A second retainer pin 76 extends upwardly from the

actuating arm 52 directly below the first retainer pin 74. A spring 78 extends between the first retainer pin 74 and the second retainer pin 76 to normally bias the actuating arm 52 away from the fixed arm 48.

The fixed arm 48 is an inverted U-shaped channel 80 having a pair of spaced apart vertical slots 82 in each side wall 84 of the U-shaped channel 80

adjacent the first retainer pin 74. The actuating arm 52 is a U-shaped channel

86 having a pair of spaced apart vertical slots 88 in each side wall 90 of the U-

shaped channel 86 adjacent the second retainer pin 76. A pair of rectangular plates 92 are provided. Each plate 92 has a pair of hooks 94 on each short end.

The hooks 94 on a first short end of each plate 92 can engage with the slots 82 in each side wall 84 of the fixed arm 48. The hooks 94 on a second short end

of each plate 92 can engage with the slots 88 in each side wall 90 of the actuating arm 52 to limit the movement of the actuating arm 52.

The liquid 24, as shown in Figure 2, can be an oil lubricant, a fluorescent additive or other liquid substances. A refrigerant is not used in the device 20. The liquid 24 can be added by the device 20 to sealed, pressurized or discharged automotive, industrial, commercial and domestic air conditioning or refrigeration systems. Other dispensing facilities, not

shown in the drawings, can be used to activate the push rod 44, such as an air operated or hydraulic ram, a compressed gas unit, an electric motor or by other means.

The cylindrical housing 30 can be substituted with a pre-filled disposable sealed cylindrical cartridge that holds the lubricant/ additive. The pre-filled disposable sealed cylindrical cartridge is threaded or attached in some manner to the rest of the device 20 and will operate identically as the

cylindrical housing 30.