Conduit assembly for service port of air conditioning unit

Abstract

Apparatus includes a conduit assembly configured to be selectively connectable to a service port of an air conditioning unit. An actuator assembly is configured to selectively urge disconnection between the conduit assembly and the service port of the air conditioning unit. This is done in such a way that activation of the actuator assembly, in use, reduces, at least in part, an amount of inadvertent departure of a refrigerant flow from the conduit assembly and the service port while the actuator assembly, in use, disconnects the conduit assembly from the service port.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a conduit assembly being configured to be selectively connectable to a service port of an air conditioning unit, in which the conduit assembly is configured to be utilized with a refrigerant-service device; and   an actuator assembly being configured to selectively urge disconnection of the conduit assembly from the service port of the air conditioning unit in such a way that activation of the actuator assembly, in use, reduces, at least in part, an amount of inadvertent departure of a refrigerant flow from the conduit assembly and the service port while the actuator assembly, in use, disconnects the conduit assembly from the service port.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first connector being configured to be mountable to the conduit assembly; and   the first connector also being configured to be selectively fluidly connectable to, and also being configured to be disconnected from, the service port of the air conditioning unit; and   a second connector being configured to be mountable to the conduit assembly; and   the second connector also being configured to be selectively fluidly connectable to, and to be disconnected from, a hose assembly of the refrigerant-service device.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first connector being configured to be mountable to the conduit assembly, and   the first connector being configured to be selectively fluidly connectable to, and also being configured to be disconnected from the service port of the air conditioning unit; and   a first valve device securely positioned in the conduit assembly; and   wherein the first valve device is configured to be in fluid communication with the interior of the conduit assembly; and   wherein the first valve device is also configured to selectively permit fluid communication of the refrigerant flow between the interior of the conduit assembly and the service port of the air conditioning unit.   
     
     
         4 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a conduit assembly having a conduit channel, and the conduit assembly being configured to be selectively connectable to, and also being configured to be selectively disconnected from, a service port of an air conditioning unit, in which the conduit assembly is configured to be utilized with a refrigerant-service device; and   the conduit channel of the conduit assembly being configured to fluidly receive a refrigerant flow from the service port of the air conditioning unit once the conduit assembly, in use, is selectively connected to the service port of the air conditioning unit; and   an actuator assembly being configured to cooperate with the conduit assembly, and the actuator assembly also being configured to be selectively activated and selectively deactivated; and   the actuator assembly also being configured to, in response to activation of the actuator assembly, selectively urge disconnection of the conduit assembly from the service port of the air conditioning unit after the conduit assembly, in use, is selectively connected to the service port, in such a way that activation of the actuator assembly, in use, urges physical disconnection of the conduit assembly from the service port, and reduces, at least in part, an amount of inadvertent departure of the refrigerant flow from the conduit assembly and the service port while the actuator assembly, in use, disconnects the conduit assembly from the service port.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the actuator assembly is positioned in a spaced-apart relationship from a disconnection location in which the conduit assembly and the service port become disconnected by the actuator assembly.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the actuator assembly is also configured to selectively connect the conduit assembly to the service port of the air conditioning unit   in such a way that the actuator assembly, in use, selectively permits fluid communication of the refrigerant flow from the service port of the air conditioning unit to the interior of the conduit assembly.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the actuator assembly is also configured to selectively prevent fluid movement, of the refrigerant flow from the service port of the air conditioning unit to the interior of the conduit assembly after the conduit assembly, in use, is selectively connected to the service port.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the actuator assembly is also configured to selectively urge fluid movement of the refrigerant flow from the service port of the air conditioning unit to the interior of the conduit assembly once the conduit assembly, in use, is selectively connected to the service port.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a second connector being configured to be mountable to the conduit assembly, and the second connector being configured to be selectively fluidly connectable to, and to be disconnected from, a hose assembly of the refrigerant-service device; and   a first valve device being securely positioned in the conduit assembly; and   wherein the first valve device is configured to be in fluid communication with the interior of the conduit assembly once the first valve device, in use, is securely positioned in the conduit assembly; and   wherein the first valve device is also configured to selectively permit fluid communication of the refrigerant flow between the interior of the conduit assembly and the service port of the air conditioning unit.   
     
     
         10 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a conduit assembly having a first end portion, and the conduit assembly being configured to fluidly receive and also being configured to fluidly convey a refrigerant flow, in which the conduit assembly is configured to be utilized with a refrigerant-service device; and   a first connector being configured to be mountable to the first end portion of the conduit assembly, and the first connector being configured to be selectively fluidly connectable to, and also being configured to be disconnected from, a service port of an air conditioning unit; and   a first valve device being securely positioned at the first end portion of the conduit assembly; and   the first valve device being configured to be in fluid communication with the interior of the conduit assembly once the first valve device, in use, is securely positioned at the first end portion of the conduit assembly; and   the first valve device being configured to selectively permit fluid communication of the refrigerant flow between an interior of the conduit assembly and the service port of the air conditioning unit once the first valve device, in use, is securely positioned at the first end portion of the conduit assembly, and once the conduit assembly is fluidly connected to the service port of the air conditioning unit; and   an actuator assembly being coupled to the first connector; and   the actuator assembly also being configured to selectively urge disconnection of the conduit assembly from the service port of the air conditioning unit after the conduit assembly, in use, is selectively connected to the service port, in such a way that activation of the actuator assembly, in use, urges physical disconnection of the conduit assembly from the service port, and reduces, at least in part, an amount of inadvertent departure of the refrigerant flow from the conduit assembly and the service port while the actuator assembly, in use, disconnects the conduit assembly from the service port.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the actuator assembly is positioned in a spaced-apart relationship from a disconnection location in which the conduit assembly and the service port become disconnected by the actuator assembly.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the actuator assembly is also configured to selectively urge actuation of the first connector between a flow state and a no-flow state once the actuator assembly, in use, is coupled to the first connector, and once the conduit assembly is fluidly connected to the service port of the air conditioning unit.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein:
 in a flow state, the first valve device, in use, selectively permits fluid communication of the refrigerant flow between the interior of the conduit assembly and the service port of the air conditioning unit once the first connector, in use, is fluidly connected to the service port.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein:
 in a no-flow state, the first valve device, in use, selectively prevents fluid communication of the refrigerant flow between the interior of the conduit assembly and the service port of the air conditioning unit.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the conduit assembly also has a second end portion spaced apart from the first end portion; and   the second end portion of the conduit assembly includes a hose assembly of the refrigerant-service device.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the conduit assembly also has a second end portion spaced apart from the first end portion.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a second connector being configured to be mountable to the second end portion of the conduit assembly.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the second connector also being configured to be selectively fluidly connectable to, and to be disconnected from, a hose assembly of the refrigerant-service device.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a second valve device configured to be in fluid communication with the interior of the conduit assembly once the second valve device, in use, is securely positioned at the second end portion of the conduit assembly.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the second valve device is also configured to selectively permit fluid communication of the refrigerant flow between the interior of the conduit assembly and the hose assembly of the refrigerant-service device once the second connector is fluidly connected to the hose assembly of the refrigerant-service device.