Electricially heated jacket for refrigerant containers for charging air conditioners, freezers and heat pumps

Abstract

A one or two piece insulated jacket with electric heating elements is provided for placing around a portable cylinder of refrigerant for charging air conditioners and refrigerating units and heat pumps. A thermostat may be provided for regulating the current from a power source to the heating elements to control the temperature inside the insulated jacket. The insulated jacket may be extended across the bottom of the cylinder and a heating element placed there. The bottom of the jacket may have a pocket for a weighing scale to determine how much fluid has been used to charge an air conditioner. A method of transferring refrigerant utilizing a thermostatically controlled heating jacket around a refrigerant portable container is provided.

Description

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] An apparatus for heating refrigerant containers (e.g. portable cylinders) for charging air conditioners, heat pumps, freezers and heat pumps is provided. An insulated jacket made of flexible material with heating elements is placed around the refrigerant container and heated while the refrigerant or heat transfer fluid is being transferred from the container to a cooling unit or heat pump. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Air conditioners and heat pumps need to be charged with a heat transfer fluid (e.g. refrigerant) after they had been installed. Refrigerators and freezers usually come charged with a heat transfer fluid, but some large commercial units will need to be charged after they have been installed. Air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers and heat pumps need to be recharged with a refrigerant from time to time due to leaks in the system. R22 is a common refrigerant coolant that is used in cooling units, such as air conditioners and refri...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0004] An insulated jacket made of flexible material is provided for placing around a portable refrigerant container, such as a cylinder, while the refrigerant in the container is being transferred to a cooling unit, such as an air conditioner or refrigerator or a heat pump. The terms “refrigerant” and “heat transfer fluid” are used interchangeably. The insulated jacket has insulation adjacent the outside of the jacket and one or more electrical heating elements near the inside of the jacket. These heating elements are connected to an electrical cord which is plugged into a power source, such as an electrical outlet.

[0005] This jacket is wrapped around the refrigerant cylinder and the electrical cord is connected to an electrical outlet. Preferably, the temperature inside the insulated jacket is controlled by a thermostat. Preferably the temperature is maintained between 80 and 120° F. on the

Problems solved by technology

One of the problems frequently encountered in recharging cooling units with a refrigerant is that the refrigerant freezes due to its rapid expansion from being transferred so that it will no longer flow through the hose connecting the refrigerant container to the cooling unit.

When more than one refrigerant container must be used for charging a cooling unit, some refrigerant is lost and escapes into the atmosphere in the process of connecting and disconnecting the hoses to the refrigerant container.

This is not only an economic loss but also results in pollution of the atmosphere.

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