Accumulator

Abstract

In an accumulator for use in a refrigerating cycle of a vehicle air conditioner or the like, to prevent a refrigerant liquid sucked inside returning to a compressor. A desiccant layer 12 is provided above the middle of a tank 11 to divide the main body into upper and lower chambers 13 and 14. A gas-liquid mixed refrigerant sucked into the lower chamber is subjected to gas-liquid separation in the desiccant layer 12, and only the refrigerant gas is transferred to the upper chamber 13 while the refrigerant liquid and the like are accumulated in the lower chamber 14. An outlet port 16 b of the refrigerant suction tube 16, through which the refrigerant is sucked into the main body, is opened within the lower chamber 14, and an inlet port 17 a of a refrigerant/oil discharge tube 17, through which refrigerant gas obtained by the gas-liquid separation in the desiccant layer 12 is discharged, is opened within the upper chamber 13. The desiccant layer 12 separates the outlet port 16 b of the refrigerant suction tube 16 from the inlet port 17 a of the refrigerant/oil discharge tube 17, so that the refrigerant liquid sucked through the refrigerant suction tube 16 is not directly sucked into the inlet port 17 a of the refrigerant/oil tube 17.

1 - 5 . (canceled) 
   
   
       6 . An accumulator comprising:
 a main body; and   a desiccant layer which is provided above a middle of the main body to divide the main body into upper and lower chambers; wherein   a gas-liquid mixed refrigerant sucked into the lower chamber is subjected to gas-liquid separation in the desiccant layer,   only the refrigerant gas is transferred to the upper chamber,   an outlet port of a refrigerant suction tube through which the refrigerant is sucked into the body is opened within the lower chamber; and   an inlet port of a refrigerant discharge tube through which the refrigerant gas obtained by the gas-liquid separation in the desiccant layer is discharged out of the main body is opened within the upper chamber.   
   
   
       7 . The accumulator according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the outlet port of the refrigerant suction tube is opened obliquely downward along a side surface of the main body.   
   
   
       8 . The accumulator according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the refrigerant discharge tube is bent in a substantially U-shape and has an outlet port opened outside of the upper chamber, and   the refrigerant discharge tube includes an oil return hole through which oil accumulated together with the refrigerant liquid is sucked, the oil return hole being formed in a bent part positioned in a bottom of the lower chamber.   
   
   
       9 . The accumulator according to  claim 6 , wherein the desiccant layer is filled with desiccant particles inside and fixed by perforated metals which are provided above and below the same and include a plurality of ventilation holes to bring the upper and lower chambers in communication with each other and transfer only the refrigerant gas. 
   
   
       10 . The accumulator according to  claim 6  further comprising:
 an oil separation layer which is provided in the lower chamber and separates the refrigerant liquid from the oil for accumulation, wherein   the oil separation layer is composed of a fiber or porous material.