Minimal Waste Refrigerant Delivery Device

Abstract

A minimal waste refrigerant delivery device for delivering refrigerant to a vehicle's air conditioning system. The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device has a first end adapted to attach to a cannister of refrigerant and a second end adapted to be releasably coupled directly to the vehicle's air conditioning system charging port. A pressure measuring gauge is provided for measuring the pressure of the vehicle's air conditioning system when connected to the vehicle's charging port. The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device is specifically adapted to be coupled directly to the vehicle's servicing port thereby eliminating the need for a hose and minimizing the amount of refrigerant that is wasted when disconnecting the device from the vehicle's charging port. A valve actuator is provided to selectively allow or inhibit flow of refrigerant from the pressurized refrigerant container through the minimal waste refrigerant delivery device to the vehicle's charging system.

Having thus described the aforementioned invention, what is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A minimal waste refrigerant delivery device for charging an air conditioning system with refrigerant, said minimal waste refrigerant delivery device comprising:
 a valve body having an internal bore and a first fluid port adapted to be releasably coupled to a discharge port of a pressurized refrigerant supply cannister wherein said first fluid port is in fluid communication with said internal bore, said valve body further having a second fluid port adapted to be releasably coupled directly to a service port of said air conditioning system, wherein said second fluid port is in fluid communication with said internal bore, wherein said first fluid port and said second fluid port are selectively in fluid communication with one another, said valve body further having a third fluid port in fluid communication with said second fluid port;   a valve disposed within said internal bore for selectively preventing fluid communication between said first fluid port and said second fluid port;   a pressure-measuring gauge operatively connected to said third fluid port; and   a valve actuator carried by said valve body for actuating said valve.   
     
     
         2 . The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device of  claim 1  wherein said discharge port of said pressurized refrigerant supply cannister is defined by an externally threaded cylindrical outlet. 
     
     
         3 . The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device of  claim 2  wherein said discharge port of said pressurized refrigerant supply cannister is adapted to be punctured. 
     
     
         4 . The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device of  claim 2  wherein said discharge port of said pressurized refrigerant supply cannister includes a self-sealing valve. 
     
     
         5 . The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device of  claim 4  wherein said self-sealing valve of said pressurized refrigerant supply cannister includes a spring-loaded gating device that is depressed to open and close the pressurized refrigerant supply cannister. 
     
     
         6 . The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device of  claim 1  wherein said valve disposed within said internal bore is a gate valve. 
     
     
         7 . The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device of  claim 1  wherein said valve disposed within said internal bore is a plug valve. 
     
     
         8 . The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device of  claim 1  wherein said valve disposed within said internal bore is a ball valve. 
     
     
         9 . The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device of  claim 1  wherein said valve disposed within said internal bore is selected from a group consisting of a gate valve, a plug valve or a ball valve. 
     
     
         10 . The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device of  claim 1  wherein said valve disposed within said internal bore is a trigger-trigger actuated linear valve. 
     
     
         11 . A minimal waste refrigerant delivery device for charging an air conditioning system with refrigerant, said minimal waste refrigerant delivery device comprising:
 a pressurized refrigerant supply cannister adapted for containing a refrigerant that can be discharged into an air conditioning system in a liquid state, said pressurized refrigerant supply cannister having a discharge port;   a valve body having an internal bore and a first fluid port adapted to be releasably coupled to said discharge port of said pressurized refrigerant supply cannister wherein said first fluid port is in fluid communication with said internal bore, said valve body further having a second fluid port adapted to be releasably coupled directly to a service port of said air conditioning system, wherein said second fluid port is in fluid communication with said internal bore, wherein said first fluid port and said second fluid port are selectively in fluid communication with one another, said valve body further having a third fluid port in fluid communication with said second fluid port;   a valve disposed within said internal bore for selectively preventing fluid communication between said first fluid port and said second fluid port;   a pressure-measuring gauge operatively connected to said third fluid port; and   a valve actuator carried by said valve body for actuating said valve.   
     
     
         12 . The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device of  claim 11  wherein said discharge port of said pressurized refrigerant supply cannister is defined by an externally threaded cylindrical outlet. 
     
     
         13 . The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device of  claim 12  wherein said discharge port of said pressurized refrigerant supply cannister is adapted to be punctured. 
     
     
         14 . The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device of  claim 12  wherein said discharge port of said pressurized refrigerant supply cannister includes a self-sealing valve. 
     
     
         15 . The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device of  claim 12  wherein said self-sealing valve of said pressurized refrigerant supply cannister includes a spring-loaded gating device that is depressed to open and close the pressurized refrigerant supply cannister. 
     
     
         16 . The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device of  claim 11  wherein said valve disposed within said internal bore is a gate valve. 
     
     
         17 . The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device of  claim 11  wherein said valve disposed within said internal bore is a plug valve. 
     
     
         18 . The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device of  claim 11  wherein said valve disposed within said internal bore is a ball valve. 
     
     
         19 . The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device of  claim 11  wherein said valve disposed within said internal bore is selected from a group consisting of a gate valve, a plug valve or a ball valve. 
     
     
         20 . The minimal waste refrigerant delivery device of  claim 11  wherein said valve disposed within said internal bore is a trigger-actuated linear valve.