Heat Pump Circuit for Vehicles

Abstract

A heat pump circuit for heating a vehicle passenger compartment and/or a vehicle component is provided. The heat pump circuit includes an electrical heating device arranged to heat a refrigerant flowing through the heat pump circuit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat pump circuit for a vehicle, comprising:
 a vehicle;   a circuit in the vehicle through which a heat pump is arranged to circulate a refrigerant medium provided for transferring heat to at least one of a passenger cabin of the vehicle and a vehicle component; and   an electric heater device arranged to heat the refrigerant medium flowing through the heat pump circuit.   
     
     
         2 . The heat pump circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat pump circuit includes a first refrigerant medium branch and a second refrigerant medium branch parallel to the first refrigerant medium branch. 
     
     
         3 . The heat pump circuit according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the heat pump is a refrigerant medium compressor,   the heat pump circuit includes a first heat exchanger,   the refrigerant medium compressor includes a pressure output connected to an input of the first heat exchanger, and   the first heat exchanger is configured to directly or indirectly release heat from the refrigerant medium to the at least one of the passenger cabin and the vehicle component.   
     
     
         4 . The heat pump circuit according to  claim 3 , wherein a branching point is provided in the heat pump circuit downstream in a direction of flow of the refrigerant medium from the first heat exchanger and upstream of the first and second refrigerant medium branches. 
     
     
         5 . The heat pump circuit according to  claim 4 , wherein the heat pump circuit includes a second heat exchanger arranged in the first refrigerant medium branch, the second heat exchanger being configured to permit flow of air through the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         6 . The heat pump circuit according to  claim 5 , wherein the electric heater device is arranged in the second refrigerant medium branch. 
     
     
         7 . The heat pump circuit according to  claim 6 , wherein the second refrigerant medium branch has a refrigerant medium tube through which refrigerant medium flows, the refrigerant medium tube being arranged to be heated by the electric heater device. 
     
     
         8 . The heat pump circuit according to  claim 7 , wherein at least one expansion element is arranged downstream in the direction of flow of the refrigerant medium from the first heat exchanger and upstream of the second heat exchanger and the electric heater device. 
     
     
         9 . The heat pump circuit according to  claim 8 , wherein a first expansion element of the at least one expansion element is arranged in the first refrigerant medium branch upstream of the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         10 . The heat pump circuit according to  claim 9 , wherein a second expansion element of the at least one expansion element is arranged in the second refrigerant medium branch upstream of the electric heater device. 
     
     
         11 . The heat pump circuit according to  claim 10 , wherein at least one shut-off device is included in at least one of the first refrigerant medium branch and the second refrigerant medium branch, the at least one shut-off device being configured to permit selective shut-off of refrigerant medium flow. 
     
     
         12 . A heat pump circuit according to  claim 11 , wherein air does not directly flow around or through components of the second refrigerant medium branch.