JP2001324097A - Automatic stopping device of gas charge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inexpensive automatic stopping device of gas charge allowing improvement of accuracy of a filling amount of a refrigerant using apparatus. SOLUTION: This automatic stopping device comprises a meter 1 having a placing surface 1a for receiving a gas cylinder 3 for reserving refrigerant gas, measuring weigh of the gas cylinder 3, and outputting a signal related to its measured value, a hose 2 of which one end is connected to a gas delivery hole 4 provided in the gas cylinder 3 and the other end receives refrigerant gas made to flow out of the gas delivery hole 4, an automatic stopping means 10 that has a gas flow passage connected to the other end of the hose 2 and a solenoid valve for closing the gas flow passage and closes the gas flow passage with the solenoid valve based on the signal related to the measured value outputted from the meter 1, and a hose 5 connecting an outlet 10b of the gas flow passage of the automatic stopping means 10 with a refrigerant reserving part of an air conditioner 7. The automatic stopping means 10 is disposed out of the meter so as to shorten length of the hose 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to, for example, R-410
The present invention relates to a gas charge automatic stop device that automatically stops gas charging at the end of charging when a gas containing a mixed refrigerant such as A is charged into a refrigerant-using device such as a refrigerator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a refrigerant is filled in a device using a refrigerant such as a refrigerator or an air conditioner (hereinafter, referred to as an air conditioner), the refrigerant is temporarily transferred from its storage container to a charging cylinder and then charged. After the transfer and filling, a method of measuring the filling amount of the refrigerant storage unit of the equipment using the refrigerant while visually reading the liquid level visible from an observation window provided in the cylinder is generally used.

[0003] In recent years, mixed refrigerants such as R-410A have been mainly used as refrigerants due to the worldwide movement of global environmental protection. For this reason, inconvenience is caused in filling using the charging cylinder described above. Specifically, when the refrigerant is transferred from the refrigerant storage container to the charging cylinder, the refrigerant foams inside the cylinder, so that the liquid level cannot be read, making it difficult to perform proper charging.

[0004] Regardless of the type of the refrigerant, when the charging cylinder is transferred and charged, the refrigerant is slightly discharged to the atmosphere in order to balance the pressure in the charging cylinder and the pressure in the refrigerant container. That is the current situation.

[0005] Therefore, when charging a mixed refrigerant such as R-410A using a charging cylinder, the weight of the entire storage container containing the refrigerant is weighed, and based on the measured value, actual gas charging is performed. It has been changed to a weighing method that performs filling while grasping the amount.

[0006]

By the way, in the case of the above-mentioned weighing method, it is necessary to continuously measure during the filling operation, and since it is not very efficient, a function for automatically stopping the filling is provided. Weighing instruments have appeared.

[0007] As shown in FIG.
An automatic stop valve 101 for stopping automatic filling is built in, and when the measured value matches a set value set to generate a signal for closing the automatic stop valve 101, the automatic stop valve 101 is closed. . The filling operation by the measuring device 100
A tip of a hose 102 extended from the measuring device 100 is connected to a discharge port 104 of a Freon gas cylinder 103 placed on the measuring device 100, and Freon gas is supplied to the measuring device 100 via the hose 102, Hose 10 connecting meter 100 and air conditioner outdoor unit 110 as a refrigerant-using device
5, the CFC supplied to the measuring device 100 is supplied to the outdoor unit 110 of the air conditioner, and the supplying is performed until the weight of the CFC 103 reaches the set value of the measuring device 100.

A manifold 106 is provided in the middle of the hose 105 to remove air from a pipe for gas flow from the CFC gas cylinder 103 to the outdoor unit 110 using a vacuum pump or the like.

However, the measuring device 100 has a drawback that it becomes considerably expensive because of the provision of the automatic stop valve 101. Further, when the filling operation is performed using the measuring device 100, there is a disadvantage that the accuracy of the filling amount of the equipment using the refrigerant deteriorates. The reason is as follows. That is, the measured value by the measuring device 100 decreases as the refrigerant using device is filled with the predetermined Freon gas,
When the measured value matches the weight value set in the measuring device 100 in advance, the auto stop valve 101 is operated to close the gas flow path, and the hose 102 from the measuring device 100 to the discharge port 104 of the Freon gas cylinder 103 is closed. Freon gas remains. The Freon gas remaining in the hose 102 is supposed to be originally charged into the refrigerant storage section of the refrigerant-using device, but should not be charged into the refrigerant storage portion of the refrigerant-using device because the auto stop valve 101 is closed. Therefore, as a result, an error is generated with respect to the target filling amount based on the measured value. When the auto stop valve 101 is closed, the CFC remaining from the auto stop valve 101 to the refrigerant storage unit of the refrigerant using device is charged into the refrigerant storing unit by operating the refrigerant using device.

The present invention has been made to solve such problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive automatic gas charge stopping device that can improve the accuracy of the filling amount of equipment using a refrigerant. And

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An automatic gas charge stopping device according to the present invention fills a refrigerant storage portion of a refrigerant-using device with a refrigerant gas stored in a gas cylinder and automatically stops gas charging when the charging is completed. An automatic charging stop device, comprising a mounting surface on which the gas cylinder is mounted, a measuring device for measuring a weight of the gas cylinder and outputting a signal relating to a measured value thereof, and a gas discharge device provided on the gas cylinder. A first pipe member having one end connected to the outlet and guiding the refrigerant gas flowing out of the gas discharge port to the other end side; a gas flow path connected to the other end of the first pipe member; A stop means for closing the flow path, an automatic stop means for closing the gas flow path based on a signal related to the measurement value output from the measuring device, and a gas flow path of the automatic stop means Outlet and equipment using refrigerant A second pipe member connected to the refrigerant storage unit, wherein the automatic stop means is disposed outside the measuring device to shorten the length of the first pipe member. .

According to the present invention, since the automatic stop means is provided outside the measuring instrument, the length of the first pipe member connecting the gas discharge port of the gas cylinder and the automatic stop means can be shortened. Even if the automatic stop means operates and the gas flow path is closed, the amount of the refrigerant gas remaining in the first pipe member decreases,
The accuracy of the filling amount of the equipment using the refrigerant can be improved. In addition, a general digital display is possible because the weighing device and the automatic stop means are separate units, and the weighing device can weigh up to the desired weight and output the weighed value as an electric signal. In the case where a measuring instrument capable of externally outputting a signal is already provided, it is only necessary to separately purchase an automatic stopping means, and it is possible to provide an inexpensive gas charge automatic stopping device.

[0013] In the gas charge automatic stop device of the present invention, the length of the first pipe member may be shorter than the length from the mounting surface of the measuring device to the gas discharge port of the gas cylinder.

In this configuration, if the automatic stop means is provided in the measuring instrument, the first stop is set to a length which cannot be achieved at all.
Can be shortened, the amount of the refrigerant gas remaining in the first pipe member can be reduced, and the accuracy of the filling amount of the equipment using the refrigerant can be improved.

In the automatic gas charge stopping device according to the present invention, the stopping means includes a solenoid valve and a control circuit for controlling the opening and closing of the solenoid valve based on a signal relating to a measured value output from the measuring device. It can be.

Further, in the automatic gas charge stopping device of the present invention, one end of a signal line for sending a signal relating to a measured value output from the measuring device and input to the automatic stopping means is fixed to the automatic stopping means, , A dedicated mating connector that is connected only to the connector provided on the measuring instrument may be attached to the free end side of the measuring instrument.

In this configuration, since the mating connector provided on the automatic stop means side is dedicated to the connector provided on the measuring instrument side, it is possible to securely connect without mistake. It becomes possible.

In the automatic gas charge stopping device according to the present invention, a manifold is provided in the middle of the second pipe member, and the refrigerant storage of the refrigerant-using equipment is performed through the manifold from the gas discharge port of the gas cylinder. The gas flow path up to the section can be exhausted.

In this configuration, for example, if vacuum is evacuated through the manifold, the gas flow path from the gas discharge port of the gas cylinder to the refrigerant storage section of the refrigerant-using equipment can be exhausted, so that other gases may be mixed. There is an advantage that the filling can be performed without using.

Further, in the automatic gas charge stopping device according to the present invention, it is possible to employ a structure in which the refrigerant gas foams when transferred and charged into a charging cylinder.

[0021] Even if the refrigerant gas foamed by such transfer charging to the charging cylinder is used in the present invention,
Since the confirmation of the filling amount according to the present invention is performed based on the cylinder weight, the refrigerant using equipment can be filled without any trouble. The refrigerant gas is not limited to R-410A described above.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining a configuration of an automatic gas charge stopping device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

This gas charge automatic stop device has a mounting surface 1a on which a gas cylinder 3 is mounted, and a measuring device 1 for measuring the weight of the gas cylinder 3 and a gas discharge port 4 provided in the gas cylinder 3. One end is connected and its gas outlet 4
A hose 2 serving as a first pipe member for guiding the refrigerant gas flowing out from the other end to the other end side, and an automatic valve disposed outside the measuring device 1 and having a gas inlet 10a connected to the other end of the hose 2 A stopping means 10, a hose 5 as a second pipe member connecting between a gas outlet 10b of the automatic stopping means 10 and a refrigerant storage part of an air conditioner 7 as a refrigerant using device, and a manifold 6 provided in the middle of the hose 5 And

The measuring device 1 counts a change in weight of the gas cylinder 3 placed upright on the mounting surface 1a as a minimum unit of a count value, for example, one count per gram. It has a function to output a valve close signal when the number reaches a preset count number. The set count number is set by the setting unit provided in the measuring device 1.
It can be set by the operator. The valve closing signal is output to the automatic stop means 10 via the code line 14.

As shown in FIG. 2, the automatic stop means 10 includes a gas flow path 11 connected to the other end of the hose 2, and an automatic stop valve provided in the gas flow path 11 and comprising, for example, a solenoid valve. And a control circuit 13 for closing the auto stop valve 12 based on a valve closing signal output from the measuring device 1. The control circuit 13 inputs a valve closing signal via the code line 14 and is electrically connected to a power supply 15 via another code line 16. The cord wire 14 has its base end fixed to the automatic stop means 10 side, and has a dedicated mating connector 14a which can be connected only to the connector 1b provided on the measuring instrument 1 attached to the tip end. And the mating connector 14a
Is connected to the connector 1b of the measuring device 1, whereby the valve closing signal is input.

The control circuit 13 is composed of, for example, a relay circuit. The relay circuit operates based on a valve closing signal from the measuring device 1 to turn on the current output and close the auto stop valve 12. Note that the control circuit 13 and the auto stop valve 12 may be configured to close the auto stop valve 12 when the relay is operated to turn off the current output.

The length of the hose 2 is shorter than the length from the mounting surface 1a to the gas discharge port 4 of the gas cylinder 3 when the gas cylinder 3 is mounted on the mounting surface 1a. The manifold 6 has a plurality of inlets and outlets which can be opened and closed, respectively. These inlets and outlets are set in a predetermined state, and a vacuum pump is used to evacuate the gas outlets of the gas cylinder 3 via the hoses 2 and 5. The air present in the gas passage from the air conditioner 4 to the refrigerant storage of the air conditioner 7 can be removed. At the time of evacuation, the on-off valve provided on the gas discharge port 4 of the gas cylinder 3 and the on-off valve provided on the refrigerant storage portion of the air conditioner 7 are both closed. When the vacuum is not performed, the manifold 6 opens and closes both the on-off valve provided on the gas discharge port 4 of the gas cylinder 3 and the on-off valve provided on the refrigerant storage portion of the air conditioner 7. The refrigerant gas stored in the gas cylinder 3, for example, a mixed refrigerant of R-410A can be supplied from the discharge port 4 to the refrigerant storage part of the air conditioner 7.

A charging operation by the gas charge automatic stop device thus configured will be described.

First, the gas cylinder 3 is placed on the mounting surface 1a of the measuring instrument 1, and the hose 2 connects the gas discharge port 4 of the gas cylinder 3 to the gas inlet 10a of the automatic stopping means 10.
Further, a hose 5 having a manifold 6 connects the gas outlet 10b of the automatic stop means 10 to the refrigerant storage of the air conditioner 7. Also, the mating connector 14a is connected to the connector 1b.
Connect. Further, the setting section of the measuring device 1 is operated to set the set count number. This setting is performed, for example, by setting a value smaller than the initial measured value of the gas cylinder 3 by a desired amount according to the capacity of the refrigerant storage unit.

After that, the manifold 6 is set in a predetermined state and a vacuum is drawn to remove air existing in the gas passage from the gas discharge port 4 of the gas cylinder 3 to the refrigerant storage part of the air conditioner 7. At this time, the gas passage from the gas discharge port 4 of the gas cylinder 3 to the refrigerant storage part of the air conditioner 7 is in a communicating state. Thereafter, the inlet / outlet of the manifold 6 where the evacuation has been performed is closed, and the gas discharge port 4 and the open / close valve of the refrigerant storage unit are both opened to start charging. Thus, weighing by the weighing device 1 is started.

Thereafter, when the count number associated with the measurement by the measuring device 1 reaches the set count number, the measuring device 1 outputs a valve closing signal to the automatic stop means 10. In response to this signal, the control circuit 13 operates and the automatic stop valve 1
Close 2 Along with this, R-410A as a refrigerant gas remains inside the hose 2, but as described above, the length of the hose 2 is such that the gas cylinder 3 is mounted on the mounting surface 1a.
In this state, since the length is shorter than the length from the mounting surface 1a to the gas discharge port 4 of the gas cylinder 3, the error in the charged amount due to the remaining refrigerant gas is very small. The shorter the length of the hose 2 is, the smaller the amount of the refrigerant gas remaining in the hose 2 becomes.

Therefore, in the case of the present embodiment, the automatic stop means 10 is disposed outside the measuring device 1 to shorten the hose 2, so that the automatic stop valve 12 is closed and the refrigerant remaining in the hose 2 Since the amount of gas can be reduced, the accuracy of the filling amount can be improved.
In addition, since the measuring device 1 and the automatic stopping device 10 are separated from each other, a person who has the measuring device 1 in the past only needs to purchase only the automatic stopping device 10 newly. An automatic charge stop device can be provided. Further, since the mating connector 14a is a dedicated connector that can be connected only to the connector 1b, it is possible to reliably connect the automatic stop means 10 to the predetermined measuring instrument 1 without mistake. Further, when vacuum is evacuated through the manifold 6, the gas flow path from the gas discharge port 4 of the gas cylinder 3 to the refrigerant storage part of the air conditioner 7 can be exhausted. Can be filled.

In the above-described embodiment, R-410A is used as the refrigerant gas. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and another refrigerant gas which foams upon transfer and filling to the charging cylinder is used. The same can be applied to.

In the above-described embodiment, the setting unit for closing the auto stop valve 12 is disposed on the measuring device 1 side. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the automatic stop unit 1 is not limited thereto.
Although the circuit configuration is different on the 0 side, a setting unit may be provided.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the refrigerant gas is charged into the air conditioner 7 is taken as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is applicable to electric appliances such as refrigerators using the refrigerant gas. The same can be applied to the above.

[0037]

As described above in detail, in the case of the present invention, the automatic stopping means is provided outside the measuring instrument, and the length of the first pipe member connecting the gas discharge port of the gas cylinder and the automatic stopping means is reduced. Since the amount of refrigerant gas remaining in the first pipe member is small even when the gas passage is closed due to the operation of the automatic stop means due to the shortened length, the accuracy of the filling amount of the equipment using the refrigerant is improved. I can make it. In addition, a general digital display is possible because the weighing device and the automatic stop means are separate units, and the weighing device can weigh up to the desired weight and output the weighed value as an electric signal. In the case where a measuring instrument capable of externally outputting a signal is already provided, it is only necessary to separately purchase an automatic stopping means, and it is possible to provide an inexpensive gas charge automatic stopping device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining a configuration of a gas charge automatic stop device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of an automatic stop means provided in the gas charge automatic stop device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining a configuration of a conventional gas charge automatic stop device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Measuring device 1a Mounting surface 2 Hose (1st pipe member) 3 Gas cylinder 6 Manifold 7 Air conditioner 10 Automatic stop means 12 Solenoid valve 13 Control circuit

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A gas charge automatic stop device for charging a refrigerant storage portion of a refrigerant-using device with a refrigerant gas stored in a gas cylinder and automatically stopping gas filling at the end of the charging, wherein the gas cylinder is mounted. A measuring device having a mounting surface for measuring the weight of the gas cylinder and outputting a signal related to the measured value; one end connected to a gas discharge port provided in the gas cylinder, and flowing out of the gas discharge port. A first pipe member for guiding the refrigerant gas to the other end side, a gas flow path connected to the other end of the first pipe member, and a stopping means for closing the gas flow path. Automatic stopping means for closing the gas flow path based on a signal related to the measurement value output from the measuring device, and between the outlet of the gas flow path of the automatic stopping means and the refrigerant storage unit of the refrigerant using device. A second pipe member to be connected, Serial first gas charge automatic stop device the automatic stop means in order to shorten the length of the tubular member is characterized in that it is disposed outside the meter. 2. The gas charge automatic stop device according to claim 1, wherein the length of the first pipe member is shorter than the length from the mounting surface of the measuring device to the gas discharge port of the gas cylinder. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said stopping means comprises a solenoid valve and a control circuit for controlling opening and closing of said solenoid valve based on a signal relating to a weighing value output from said measuring device. 3. The gas charge automatic stop device according to 2. 4. One end of a signal line for sending a signal relating to a weighing value output from the measuring device and input to the automatic stopping device is fixed to the automatic stopping device, and the free end of the signal line is connected to the measuring device. 4. The gas charge automatic stop device according to claim 1, wherein a dedicated mating connector that is connected only to the provided connector is attached. 5. A configuration in which a manifold is provided in the middle of the second pipe member, and a gas flow path from a gas discharge port of a gas cylinder to a refrigerant storage unit of a refrigerant-using device can be exhausted through the manifold. The gas charge automatic stop device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: 6. The gas charge automatic stop device according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant gas foams when transferred and charged into a charging cylinder.