Vehicle air conditioning system with suction accumulator

Claim 1

A vehicle air conditioning system for an engine driven vehicle which includes a vehicle cooling system with a source of hot water forming a part thereof during operation thereof, comprising a compressor driven by the vehicle engine, an evaporator and a condenser connected in operative relationship, capillary tube refrigerant expansion means between the condenser and evaporator, and a suction accumulator between the evaporator and compressor, said suction accumulator comprising a casing, an inlet to the casing, an outlet from the casing, a generally Ushaped tube having a first leg connected to and extending from said outlet towards the lower portion of the casing and a second leg extending from the first leg towards the upper portion of the casing and terminating in an open end for the passage of gas through the U-shaped tube, said U-shaped tube having an opening therein adjacent the lower portion of the casing to draw liquid from the casing and expel it into the casing outlet at a metered rate, said casing inlet being connected to the outlet of the evaporator and said casing outlet being connected to the inlet of the compressor, heat exchange means on said suction accumulator, and means connecting the heat exchange means with the source of hot water forming part of the vehicle cooling system whereby said system may be operated continuously throughout the year in a loaded condition and whereby the system effectively operates when the compressor operates at variable speeds, the condenser is subjected to variable ambient temperatures, and the evaporator is subjected to a variable load.