Vehicle air conditioning system

Claim 1

In combination with a vehicle, an air conditioning system comprising a compressor, an evaporator and a condenser connected in operative relationship, said vehicle including an engine, said engine being drivingly connected to the compressor, capillary tube refrigerant expansion means between the condenser and evaporator, said capillary tube refrigerant expansion means comprising a capillary tube connected at one end to the low pressure side of the system leading to the evaporator, a protective tube of larger diameter around said capillary tube, one end of said protective tube being adjacent to the evaporator and being closed, the other end of said protective tube being connected to the high pressure side of the system adjacent to the condenser, said capillary tube terminating short of said other end, a suction accumulator between the evaporator and compressor 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, heat exchange means provided on said suction accumulator, said heat exchange means comprising a jacket around the suction accumulator and spaced therefrom to provide for flow of refrigerant therearound in heat exchange relationship therewith, and means connecting said heat exchange means between said condenser and capillary tube refrigerant expansion means to provide heat exchange between the refrigerant from the condenser and the refrigerant from the evaporator in the suction accumulator.