Liquid storage device

Abstract

In one embodiment of the invention, at least one of the liquid storage tank and the flow channel groove of the liquid storage device is formed by stamping the plate, and the plate is selected, so that the light weight of the liquid storage device is facilitated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of fluid control technology, specifically to a liquid storage device. Background Technology

[0002] Thermal management systems often include liquid storage devices to store the refrigerant running in the refrigerant circuit. Liquid storage devices generally consist of a cylindrical tank and a head, which are formed by casting. Liquid storage devices also include non-circular liquid storage containers, whose tanks are generally also formed by casting. Liquid storage devices formed by casting are generally quite heavy. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this application is to provide a liquid storage device that facilitates the lightweighting of the liquid storage device.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, one embodiment of this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0005] A liquid storage device includes a first housing and a second housing, the first housing and the second housing being fixedly connected or mutually limitingly connected. The liquid storage device includes a liquid storage tank and a liquid storage cavity. At least a portion of the liquid storage tank is located in the first housing. The wall forming the liquid storage cavity includes the wall of the liquid storage tank and a portion of the wall of the second housing. The liquid storage device includes a flow channel groove. The liquid storage device has a flow channel, and the wall forming the flow channel includes the wall of the flow channel groove. At least one of the flow channel groove and the liquid storage tank is formed by stamping from a sheet metal.

[0006] In one embodiment provided in this application, at least one of the liquid storage tank and the flow channel groove of the liquid storage device is formed by stamping of sheet metal. Using sheet metal is beneficial for the lightweighting of the liquid storage device. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of one embodiment of the liquid storage device provided in this application;

[0008] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the liquid storage device from a second perspective;

[0009] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the liquid storage device;

[0010] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the third shell from one perspective;

[0011] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the partial connection structure of the second shell, the third shell, and the dispersing cup;

[0012] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the liquid storage device from a third-person perspective;

[0013] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the sectional structure of the middle AA section;

[0014] Figure 8 yes Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the middle BB;

[0015] Figure 9 yes Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the middle CC section;

[0016] Figure 10 yes Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the middle DD;

[0017] Figure 11 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the liquid storage device provided in this application;

[0018] Figure 12 yes Figure 11 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the liquid storage device from a second perspective;

[0019] Figure 13 yes Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the liquid storage device;

[0020] Figure 14 yes Figure 13 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the third shell from one perspective;

[0021] Figure 15 yes Figure 13 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the first shell from one perspective;

[0022] Figure 16 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the third embodiment of the liquid storage device provided in this application;

[0023] Figure 17 yes Figure 16 A schematic diagram of the exploded structure;

[0024] Figure 18 yes Figure 16 A structural diagram from the second perspective;

[0025] Figure 19 yes Figure 18 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the EE.

[0026] Symbol explanation:

[0027] 10. Liquid storage device; 1. First housing; 11. Liquid storage tank; 100. Liquid storage cavity; 110. Inlet; 111. Exhaust inlet; 112. Exhaust outlet; 113. Oil return port; 15. Flow channel groove; 151. First groove; 152. Second groove; 1520. Connecting port; 150. Flow channel; 1501. Exhaust flow channel; 15011. First exhaust flow channel; 15012. Second exhaust flow channel; 12. Outlet interface; 120. Outlet; 130. Mounting port; 14. Reinforcing part; 16. Side part; 18. Partition; 181. First partition; 182. Second partition ; 183, Third partition; 19, Chamber; 191, Inlet chamber; 1910, Inlet opening; 192, First outlet chamber; 193, Second outlet chamber; 1930, Outlet opening; 194, Gas-liquid separation chamber; 2, Second shell; 3, Third shell; 4, Dispersion cup; 41, Baffle; 411, Guide channel; 43, Liquid distribution section; 42, Cup wall; 44, First pipe; 440, Pressure relief port; 5, Filter element; 51, Base; 52, Filter screen; 6, Drying assembly; 60, Drying package; 61, Plug; 62, Snap ring; 63, Plug seat; Y, First direction; 8, Fourth shell. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0029] The terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth" used in this specification are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. The term "fixed connection or limiting connection" in this specification includes fixed connections such as welded, bonded, and threaded connections, and limiting connections such as snap-fit ​​connections.

[0030] It should be noted that the directional terms such as up, down, left, right, front, and back mentioned in this specification are based on the orientation in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description. They are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0031] The present application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments:

[0032] Example 1:

[0033] Figures 1 to 10 This illustration shows an embodiment of a liquid storage device 10, which includes a first housing 1 and a second housing 2. The first housing 1 and the second housing 2 are fixedly connected or limitedly connected, and the first housing 1 and the second housing 2 are welded together, as shown below. Figure 3 As shown, the liquid storage device 10 includes a liquid storage tank 11 and a liquid storage cavity 100. At least a portion of the liquid storage tank 11 is located in the first housing 1. The wall forming the liquid storage cavity 100 includes the wall of the liquid storage tank 11 and a portion of the wall of the second housing 2. The liquid storage device 10 includes a flow channel groove 15 and a flow channel 150. The wall forming the flow channel 150 includes the wall of the flow channel groove 15. At least one of the flow channel groove 15 and the liquid storage tank 11 is formed by stamping from sheet metal. Using sheet metal and forming the flow channel groove 15 or the liquid storage tank 11 by stamping is beneficial for the lightweight design of the liquid storage device 10 compared to using casting or forging processes.

[0034] like Figure 3 As shown, in a specific embodiment, the liquid storage device 10 includes a first housing 1 and a second housing 2, which are welded together. A liquid storage tank 11 is located in the first housing 1, and the liquid storage cavity 100 includes the space enclosed by the liquid storage tank 11. The second housing 2 is a flat plate that covers the opening of the liquid storage tank 11, allowing the space between the liquid storage tank 11 and the second housing 2 to form a relatively closed liquid storage cavity 100. The liquid storage tank 11 is separately disposed on the first housing 1, and the liquid storage cavity 100 is formed by covering it with the flat plate structure of the second housing 2. The structure is simple, and the flat plate structure of the second housing 2 also facilitates its combination with other housings to form at least part of the flow channel 150 of the liquid storage device 10, making the functions of the liquid storage device 10 more diverse. The other housing can be a sheet metal that can be stamped to form the flow channel groove 15, which also contributes to the lightweight design of the liquid storage device 10.

[0035] Specifically, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the first housing 1 is formed into a liquid storage tank 11 by a stamping process. The first housing 1 is provided with a reinforcing part 14. The reinforcing part 14 is recessed from the inner wall of the liquid storage tank 11 in a direction away from the liquid storage tank 11. The reinforcing part 14 is distributed on the periphery of the liquid storage tank 11. The part of the first housing 1 that has been stamped and stretched has been locally reinforced to enhance the pressure bearing capacity of the first housing 1.

[0036] The liquid storage chamber 100 has an opening on its wall, including an inlet 110 and an outlet 120. The opening can be located in either the first housing 1 or the second housing 2. The opening can be a through-hole structure, with one side communicating with the liquid storage chamber 100 and the other side communicating with the flow channel 150 of the liquid storage device 10. The liquid storage device 10 can include an interface portion, which is fixedly or partially connected to the first housing 1 or the second housing 2. The opening of the liquid storage chamber 100 communicates with the interface portion. The interface portion includes a fixing portion for connecting to other equipment in the thermal management system, such as a connecting pipe screw. The liquid storage chamber 100 communicates with the channels of other equipment through the interface portion. For simplicity, the interface portion can be understood as the opening of the liquid storage chamber 100.

[0037] In one specific embodiment, the liquid storage device 10 further includes a third housing 3, which is located further away from the first housing 1 than the second housing 2. Figure 3 As shown, the first direction Y is defined as the direction in which the first housing 1, the second housing 2, and the third housing 3 are stacked sequentially. In other embodiments, at least a portion of the first housing 1, at least a portion of the second housing 2, and at least a portion of the third housing 3 may be stacked along the first direction Y. Figure 7 As shown, the first shell 1 and the second shell 2 are welded together, and the second shell 2 is welded together with the third shell 3. The second shell 2 is a flat plate and can cover the liquid storage tank 11 of the first shell 1, thereby forming the liquid storage cavity 100 of the liquid storage device 10. The third shell 3 includes a flow channel groove 15, which is recessed from the third shell 3 away from the second shell 2. The second shell 2 can also cover the flow channel groove 15, thereby forming the flow channel 150 of the liquid storage device 10. In this way, the liquid storage tank 11 and the flow channel groove 15 are formed by stamping on different shells, and the shell with a flat plate structure in the middle has a simple structure and is easy to process.

[0038] In other embodiments, the second housing 2 may include a flow channel groove 15, which is recessed from the second housing 2 in a direction away from the third housing 3. The second housing 2 with the flow channel groove 15 can cover the liquid storage tank 11, and the flow channel groove 15 can also have an opening in the second housing 2 to communicate with the liquid storage tank 11. The third housing 3, located on the other side of the second housing 2, can cover the flow channel groove 15 to form a flow channel 150.

[0039] In other embodiments, the flow channel groove 15 of the second housing 2 can also be recessed from the second housing 2 away from the first housing 1, so that the third housing 3 and the first housing 1 are located on the same side of the second housing 2. The second housing 2 and the third housing 3 together cover the liquid storage tank 11. In addition, the third housing 3 covers the flow channel groove 15 to form a flow channel 150. Similarly, openings are made on the third housing 3 to achieve communication between the flow channel 150 and the liquid storage chamber 100. In this embodiment, the base materials of the first housing 1, the second housing 2, and the third housing 3 are all made of sheet metal. The first housing 1 is formed into the liquid storage tank 11 by stamping, and the third housing 3 is formed into the flow channel groove 15 by stamping. The second housing 2 acts as a partition plate to cover the liquid storage tank 11 and the flow channel groove 15 respectively. This structure is beneficial to the lightweight design of the liquid storage device 10.

[0040] like Figure 1 As shown, the interface portion of the liquid storage device 10 includes an outlet interface portion 12, the interface of which is the outlet 120 of the liquid storage device 10, and the outlet interface portion 12 is welded to the first housing 1. Specifically, the first housing 1 includes a side portion 16 away from the second housing 2, the side portion 16 being disposed opposite to the bottom wall of the liquid storage tank 11, and the outlet interface portion 12 being welded to the side portion 16.

[0041] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the liquid storage chamber 100 also includes an opening on the second housing 2. The opening on the second housing 2 is a through-hole structure. Specifically, the opening includes an inlet 110, an exhaust inlet 111, and an exhaust outlet 112 of the liquid storage device 10. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the third housing 3 has another opening corresponding to the inlet 110. The second housing 2 and the third housing 3 are overlapped, and the opening of the second housing 2 and the opening of the third housing 3 together form the inlet 110 of the liquid storage device 10. In other embodiments, the opening position can be correspondingly provided with an inlet interface portion, which is used to connect with other equipment of the thermal management system. In this embodiment, the liquid storage device 10 includes a fourth housing 8 (not shown). The fourth housing 8 is located on the side of the third housing 3 away from the second housing 2. The fourth housing 8 is provided with a second flow channel groove recessed away from the third housing 3. The third housing 3 covers the second flow channel groove of the fourth housing 8 to form the second flow channel of the liquid storage device 10, and the inlet 110 communicates with the second flow channel.

[0042] In this embodiment, the outlet 120 of the liquid storage chamber 100 is connected to the inlet of the compressor in the thermal management system, and the inlet 110 of the liquid storage chamber 100 is connected to the outlet of the evaporator in the thermal management system, such as... Figures 4 to 8As shown, the flow channel 150 of the liquid storage device 10 includes an exhaust flow channel 1501, and the flow channel groove 15 of the third housing 3 includes an exhaust groove. The wall forming the exhaust flow channel 1501 includes the wall of the exhaust groove and a portion of the wall of the second housing 2. The exhaust inlet 111 and exhaust outlet 112 of the second housing 2 are respectively connected to the exhaust flow channel 1501. In addition, the exhaust inlet 111 is connected to the liquid storage chamber 100, and the exhaust outlet 112 is connected to the outlet 120 of the liquid storage chamber 100. In this embodiment, along the first direction Y, the exhaust groove overlaps with the liquid storage tank 11. The exhaust groove is located on the outside of the liquid storage tank 11 and is formed separately by splicing plates, which simplifies the structure of the liquid storage device 10. In other embodiments, the outlet 120 of the liquid storage chamber 100 is connected to the inlet of the expansion device in the thermal management system, the inlet 110 of the liquid storage chamber 100 is connected to the outlet of the condenser in the thermal management system, and the flow channel 150 of the liquid storage device 10 may include a liquid suction channel, which is connected to the bottom of the liquid storage chamber 100 along the direction of gravity.

[0043] In other embodiments, the flow channel groove 15 and the liquid storage tank 11 are arranged to overlap along the first direction Y. The flow channel 150 formed by the flow channel groove 15 is not used as the exhaust flow channel 1501. This arrangement makes full use of the peripheral space of the liquid storage cavity 100 to arrange the flow channel 150, which is beneficial to improving the space utilization rate of the liquid storage device 10.

[0044] Specifically, such as Figure 3 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 As shown, the liquid storage device 10 includes a first pipe 44, one end of which is connected to an exhaust outlet 112, and the other end is connected to an outlet 120. In this embodiment, only the exhaust outlet is shown in the flow channel groove 15 of the third housing 3. In other embodiments, the flow channel groove 15 of the third housing 3 also includes a third flow channel groove, which can be combined with the second housing 2 or the fourth housing 8 (not shown) to form a third flow channel (not shown) of the liquid storage device 10 for connecting other equipment of the thermal management system. In other embodiments, the third flow channel groove can also be arranged in the extension area of ​​any one of the first housing 1, the second housing 2, and the fourth housing 8, and the adjacent housing can cover the opening of the flow channel groove 15 to form a flow channel 150.

[0045] In this embodiment, as Figure 4As shown, the exhaust channel 1501 has a U-shaped structure, with the opening of the U facing the opposite direction of gravity. The two sides of the U-shaped structure are at the same height. Correspondingly, the exhaust inlet 111 and exhaust outlet 112 are connected to the exhaust channel 1501 at both ends, meaning that the exhaust inlet 111 and exhaust outlet 112 are at the same height along the direction of gravity. In other embodiments, the height of the exhaust inlet 111 and exhaust outlet 112 can be unrestricted, and there can be a certain height difference between them. The U-shaped exhaust channel 1501 has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture.

[0046] like Figure 3 and Figure 10 As shown, the liquid storage device 10 includes a filter element 5, which includes a base 51 and a filter screen 52. The filter screen 52 is fixedly connected to the base 51 or is an integral structure. The filter screen 52 and the base 51 can be integrally formed by insert molding or by assembly. In this embodiment, as shown... Figure 10 As shown, the filter element 5 is welded to the second housing 2, and at least a portion of the filter screen 52 is located in the liquid storage chamber 100. The filter screen 52 has several mesh openings (not shown) to facilitate the passage of lubricating oil. In this embodiment, the base 51 is preferably a metal part, and the base 51 is welded to the second housing 2.

[0047] like Figure 3 and Figure 10 As shown, the opening on the second housing 2 also includes an oil return port 113. One side of the oil return port 113 is connected to the exhaust channel 1501, and the other side is connected to the inner cavity of the filter element 5. When the thermal management system is not running, the lubricating oil in the liquid refrigerant in the liquid storage chamber 100 is deposited at the bottom. When the thermal management system is running, the gaseous refrigerant in the exhaust channel 1501 can carry away the lubricating oil deposited in the liquid refrigerant through the filter screen 52, thereby helping to reduce the oil shortage problem when the compressor is running in the thermal management system. In other embodiments, the filter element 5 can also be welded to the third housing 3, or welded to both the second housing 2 and the third housing 3 simultaneously. For example, when the structure of the third housing 3 matches the design of the flow channel groove 15 of the second housing 2, and is only used to cover the flow channel groove 15, the third housing 3 is similar to a long strip plate, and the width of the third housing 3 is approximately the width of the flow channel groove 15. When the width of the third housing 3 cannot completely cover the radial direction of the base 51 of the filter element 5, part of the base 51 of the filter element 5 is welded to the second housing 2.

[0048] like Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 7As shown, the liquid storage device 10 includes a drying assembly 6, which includes a drying package 60, a plug 61, a retaining spring 62, and a plug seat 63. The plug seat 63 supports the drying package 60, and its inner cavity communicates with the liquid storage chamber 100. The drying package 60 is placed in the inner cavity of the plug seat 63 to dry the medium in the liquid storage chamber 100. The plug 61 seals the opening on the plug seat 63 for placing the drying package 60. The plug 61 has a double-layer sealing groove around its periphery, and the plug 61 is sealed to the plug seat 63. The retaining spring 62 is used to fix the plug 61 and the plug seat 63. Figure 7 As shown, the side 16 of the first housing 1 is provided with an installation port 130. The plug seat 63 of the drying assembly 6 passes through the installation port 130. The plug seat 63 is welded to the first housing 1 and the second housing 2 respectively, so that the inner cavity of the plug seat 63 located between the first housing 1 and the second housing 2 is in communication with the liquid storage chamber 100. In this embodiment, the peripheral wall forming the inner cavity of the plug seat 63 has multiple openings, which facilitates the drying package 60 located in the inner cavity to fully contact the medium in the liquid storage chamber 100, thereby drying the medium in the liquid storage chamber 100.

[0049] like Figure 3 , Figures 5-9 As shown, the liquid storage device 10 includes a dispersing cup 4, which is fixedly connected or limited to the second housing 2 and / or the first housing 1. In this embodiment, the dispersing cup 4 is welded to the first housing 1 and the second housing 2 respectively. Along the direction of gravity, the inlet 110 of the liquid storage device 10 is positioned near the upper end. Similarly, the dispersing cup 4 is located within the liquid storage chamber 100 and is positioned near the inlet 110. Along the direction of gravity, the inlet 110 is located above the dispersing cup 4, and the dispersing cup 4 can impede the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant entering the liquid storage chamber 100 from the inlet 110, thereby improving the refrigerant separation effect. Specifically, as... Figure 3 As shown, the dispersing cup 4 includes a baffle 41 and a cup wall 42. The cup wall 42 extends from the baffle 41 toward the direction of gravity and is arranged around at least part of the outer periphery of the baffle 41, forming a semi-enclosed structure in this embodiment. Figure 8 As shown, there is a gap between the cup wall 42 and at least part of the wall of the liquid storage tank 11, which facilitates the entry of liquid refrigerant undergoing gas-liquid separation in the liquid distribution cup 4 into the lower cavity of the liquid storage chamber 100 through the gap. Figure 3 and Figure 8As shown, along the first direction Y, the semi-enclosed cup wall 42 and the exhaust inlet 111 are overlapped, or in other words, along the direction of gravity, the lowest point of the exhaust inlet 111 is not lower than the lowest point of the cup wall 42. In this way, when the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant input from the inlet 110 impacts the wall of the liquid storage tank 11, the cup wall 42 can play a certain blocking role, reducing the splashing of liquid refrigerant through the exhaust inlet 111 into the exhaust channel 1501. If the liquid refrigerant enters the compressor of the thermal management system through the exhaust channel 1501, it may cause liquid slugging and damage the compressor.

[0050] Specifically, such as Figure 3 and Figure 9 As shown, the dispersing cup 4 includes a distributing section 43, which is fixedly connected to or integrally formed with a baffle 41. In this embodiment, the distributing section 43 and the baffle 41 are integrally formed. The baffle 41 is conical, and the distributing section 43 is located at the top of the baffle 41, closer to the inlet 110 relative to the baffle 41. The baffle 41 has at least one guide groove 411 extending from the distributing section 43 to the cup wall 42 along the radial direction of the liquid storage device 10. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the guide groove 411 extends from the distributing section 43 to the cup wall 42, and there are multiple guide grooves 411 arranged radially from the distributing section 43, which can achieve a good guiding effect. Furthermore, the liquid separator 43 is positioned close to the inlet 110. When a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant is introduced into the inlet 110, the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant will first collide with the liquid separator 43 to perform the first gas-liquid separation. The liquid separator 43 will then introduce the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant into different guide channels 411. The liquid refrigerant will be guided by the guide channels 411 to collide with the peripheral wall of the liquid storage tank 11 to perform the second gas-liquid separation. The liquid refrigerant will then flow along the peripheral wall of the liquid storage tank 11 into the lower cavity of the liquid storage chamber 100.

[0051] In this embodiment, as Figure 3 , Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 8As shown, the first pipe 44, which communicates with the exhaust channel 1501, is integrally formed with the liquid distribution cup 4. A portion of the baffle 41 of the liquid distribution cup 4 serves as the wall of the first pipe 44. The first pipe 44 has an opening in the cup wall 42 of the liquid distribution cup 4. One end of the cup wall 42 with the opening, or one end of the first pipe 44, is welded to the first housing 1, so that the opening of the first pipe 44 in the cup wall 42 communicates only with the outlet 120 of the liquid storage device 10. The other end of the liquid distribution cup 4 is welded to the second housing 2. As described above, this semi-enclosed liquid distribution cup 4 forms a relatively closed inner cavity, preventing the gas-liquid two-phase flow input from the inlet 110 from easily splashing to the exhaust inlet 111 located in the inner cavity of the liquid distribution cup 4. The integral formation of the first pipe 44 and the liquid distribution cup 4 reduces the number of parts, which is beneficial for the processing and manufacturing of the liquid storage device 10, helps reduce manufacturing costs, and also facilitates the compact arrangement of the liquid storage device 10.

[0052] In addition, such as Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown, the first pipe 44 includes a pressure relief port 440. A groove is formed at one end of the first pipe 44, and the groove is welded to the second housing 2 to form a complete pressure relief port 440. The setting of the pressure relief port 440 allows the exhaust flow channel 1501 and the channel of the first pipe 44 to communicate with the liquid storage chamber 100, which helps to reduce the phenomenon of severe negative pressure in the first pipe 44 and the exhaust flow channel 1501 when the compressor is first started, and helps to improve the stability of the thermal management system operation.

[0053] Example 2

[0054] Figures 11-13 A second embodiment of the liquid storage device 10 of this application is presented. The main difference between Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 1 lies in the different processing methods of the first housing 1. The following description focuses on the distinguishing features.

[0055] In this embodiment, as Figure 13 and Figure 14 As shown, the first housing 1 is formed into a liquid storage tank 11 through an extrusion process. Compared to Embodiment 1, the liquid storage tank 11 is formed through an extrusion process, which improves the pressure-bearing capacity of the first housing 1 and reduces processing costs. Furthermore, the flow channel groove 15 of the liquid storage device 10 is disposed on the third housing 3, and the flow channel groove 15 is formed by stamping sheet metal, which also contributes to the lightweight design of the liquid storage device 10. In other embodiments, the flow channel groove 15 can be disposed on the second housing 2.

[0056] In this embodiment, as Figure 15As shown, the liquid storage chamber 100 does not contain a dispersing cup 4. The liquid storage tank 11 contains multiple chambers 19, some of which are interconnected. The chambers 19 are used to achieve the gas-liquid separation function of the liquid storage device 10. Specifically, by setting a partition 18, the liquid storage tank 11 is roughly divided into five rows and three columns of crisscrossing chambers 19. The liquid storage device 10 includes a first partition 181, which divides the chambers 19 into a first row of chambers and a second row of chambers. The second row of chambers includes four gas-liquid separation chambers 194, and the first row of chambers 19 includes an inlet chamber 191, a first outlet chamber 192, and a second outlet chamber 193.

[0057] like Figure 15 As shown, the wall of the inlet chamber 191 opposite to the inlet 110 is reinforced to facilitate gas-liquid separation. Along the direction of gravity, the inlet chamber 191 connects to the gas-liquid separation chamber 194 through the inlet opening 1910 on the first partition 181. The first partition 181 separates the first outlet chamber 192 and the gas-liquid separation chamber 194. The liquid storage device 10 includes a second partition 182, which separates the first outlet chamber 192 and the inlet chamber 191. The first outlet chamber 192 is not directly connected to the inlet chamber 191, nor is it directly connected to the gas-liquid separation chamber 194. In other words, the first outlet chamber 192 and the inlet chamber 191 are independently configured, and the first outlet chamber 192 and the gas-liquid separation chamber 194 are also independently configured. This configuration helps reduce the mixing of liquid refrigerant into the exhaust channel 1501, thereby reducing the damage to the compressor caused by liquid slugging.

[0058] In this embodiment, the first outlet chamber 192 is equivalent to the first pipe 44 in Embodiment 1. The cavity of the first outlet chamber 192 is connected to the exhaust outlet 112 on the second housing 2, and the cavity of the first outlet chamber 192 is connected to the outlet 120. The second outlet chamber 193 is located on the side of the first row away from the inlet chamber 191. The second outlet chamber 193 is connected to the gas-liquid separation chamber 194 through the outlet opening 1930 on the first partition 181. That is, the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant enters the inlet chamber 191, enters the gas-liquid separation chamber 194 adjacent to the inlet chamber 191 through the inlet opening 1910 of the first partition 181, and after the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant has undergone gas-liquid separation in the multiple gas-liquid separation chambers 194 in the second row, the gas phase refrigerant preferentially enters the second outlet chamber 193 through the outlet opening 1930. The second outlet chamber 193 is connected to the exhaust inlet 111, and the gas phase refrigerant flows through the exhaust channel 1501 and then flows out from the first outlet chamber 192 and back to the compressor. The chambers 19 in the third to fifth rows include chambers 19 capable of storing liquid and achieving basic gas-liquid separation.

[0059] like Figure 15As shown, the liquid storage device 10 includes a third partition 183, which separates the first outlet chamber 192 and the second outlet chamber 193. In this embodiment, the liquid storage device 10 has a pressure relief port 440. A groove is formed at the bottom of the third partition 183, and the groove is welded to the second housing 2 to form a complete pressure relief port 440. The first outlet chamber 192 and the second outlet chamber 193 are connected through the pressure relief port 440. The setting of the pressure relief port 440 allows the exhaust channel 1501 and the cavity of the first outlet chamber 192 to be connected to the liquid storage chamber 100, which helps to reduce the phenomenon of severe negative pressure in the first outlet chamber 192 and the exhaust channel 1501 when the compressor is first started, and helps to improve the stability of the thermal management system operation.

[0060] In this embodiment, as Figure 13 and Figure 15 As shown, the inlet chamber 191, the first outlet chamber 192, and the second outlet chamber 193 are located in the same row. Correspondingly, the inlet 110 corresponding to the inlet chamber 191, the exhaust outlet 112 corresponding to the first outlet chamber 192, and the exhaust inlet 111 corresponding to the second outlet chamber 193 on the second housing 2 are also located in the same row; in other words, they are located at the same height along the direction of gravity. Of course, in other embodiments, there may be a height difference between the inlet 110, the exhaust outlet 112, and the exhaust inlet 111.

[0061] In this embodiment, the exhaust channel 1501 has a U-shaped structure. The design of the exhaust channel 1501 is basically the same as that in Embodiment 1. The difference is that the path of the exhaust channel 1501 is longer than that in Embodiment 1, and the position and height of the exhaust inlet 111 and exhaust outlet 112 corresponding to the exhaust channel 1501 are different from those in Embodiment 1.

[0062] In this embodiment, as Figure 15 As shown, guide vanes are provided at the connection points between the gas-liquid separation chambers 194. These vanes prevent the refrigerant medium from smoothly entering one gas-liquid separation chamber 194 from another, thereby increasing the residence time of the medium in the gas-liquid separation chamber 194 and forming vortices near the vanes, which further enhances the gas-liquid separation of the two-phase refrigerant. Additionally, guide vanes are also provided at the connection point between the gas-liquid separation chamber 194 and the second outlet chamber 193, near the second outlet chamber 193.

[0063] In other embodiments, the flow channel groove 15 of the liquid storage device 10 includes a fourth flow channel groove, which is disposed in the extension region of the first housing 1. Similar to the liquid storage tank 11, the fourth flow channel groove can be formed by an extrusion process. The second housing 2 can cover the opening of the fourth flow channel groove to form the flow channel 150 of the liquid storage device 10. That is, the liquid storage device 10 can include both stamped and extruded flow channel grooves 15. The stamped flow channel groove 15 can be formed by stamping sheet metal, which is beneficial for the lightweighting of the liquid storage device 10. The extruded flow channel groove 15 has a simple processing technology, which is beneficial for cost reduction of the liquid storage device 10, and the extruded flow channel groove 15 has relatively good pressure-bearing performance. The flow channel groove 15 formed by stamping can be provided on the second housing 2 and / or the third housing 3. The flow channel groove 15 can be covered by the adjacent housing to form a flow channel 150. For example, the flow channel groove 15 can be stamped on the second housing 2. The opening of the flow channel groove 15 can face the first housing 1 or the third housing 3. The first housing 1 can cover the flow channel groove 15 with the opening facing the first housing 1, and the third housing 3 can cover the flow channel groove 15 with the opening facing the third housing 3.

[0064] In this embodiment, as Figure 13 As shown, the plug seat 63 of the liquid storage device 10 differs from that in Embodiment 1. The plug seat 63 does not have a structure located within the liquid storage chamber 100 because the liquid storage tank 11 formed by compression is divided into multiple chambers 19, and the walls of the chambers 19 can provide some support for the drying package 60 of the drying assembly 6. The drying package 60 is placed in the chamber 19 of the liquid storage tank 11 through the mounting port 130 of the first housing 1. The plug 61 seals the plug seat 63 and is sealed to it, and the plug 61 and the plug seat 63 are fixed by a retaining spring 62. Specifically, one of the chambers 19 in the third row is used to place the drying package 60. The drying package 60 is positioned in the middle of the liquid storage tank 11, which facilitates full contact with the medium in the liquid storage chamber 100, thereby drying the medium in the liquid storage chamber 100.

[0065] Example 3

[0066] Figures 15-18 A third embodiment of the liquid storage device 10 of this application is presented. The first housing 1 is not shown in this embodiment, but the structure of the first housing 1 in this embodiment is similar to that in embodiment one or embodiment two.

[0067] In this embodiment, the exhaust inlet 111 and the exhaust outlet 112 are arranged along the direction of gravity, with the exhaust inlet 111 being higher than the exhaust outlet 112. The arrangement of the liquid dispersing cup 4 in Embodiment 1 can be adapted to match the arrangement of the exhaust inlet 111 and the exhaust outlet 112, or the first pipe 44 and the liquid dispersing cup 4 can be set separately. The arrangement of the chamber 19 in Embodiment 2 can be adapted to match the arrangement of the exhaust inlet 111 and the exhaust outlet 112.

[0068] The following section provides a detailed description of the exhaust channel 1501, which differs from those in Embodiments 1 and 2.

[0069] In this embodiment, the liquid storage device 10 includes a second housing 2, a third housing 3, and a fourth housing 8. The three housings are assembled to form a coaxial tube-shaped exhaust channel 1501. The coaxial tube-shaped exhaust channel 1501 has a compact structure. When the installation space of the liquid storage device 10 is limited, a coaxial tube structure exhaust channel 1501 with a smaller footprint can be selected. Specifically, the third housing 3 includes a first groove 151, and the fourth housing 8 includes a second groove 152. The bottom of the second groove 152 is provided with a connecting opening 1520. At least part of the second groove 152 is located in the cavity of the first groove 151. In other words, along the extension direction of the housing, the first groove 151 and the second groove 152 overlap. Alternatively, a first surface is defined as the extension plane of the housing, and a second surface is defined as perpendicular to the first surface. The projections of the first groove 151 and the second groove 152 on the first surface overlap, and the projections of the first groove 151 and the second groove 152 on the second surface also overlap. The exhaust channel 1501 includes a first exhaust channel 15011 and a second exhaust channel 15012. The wall forming the first exhaust channel 15011 includes the wall of the first groove 151 and the wall of the third housing 3. The wall forming the second exhaust channel 15012 includes the wall of the second groove 152 and the wall of the second housing 2. In this embodiment, after the third housing 3 and the fourth housing 8 are welded together, the second groove 152 is completely placed inside the cavity of the first groove 151. The first exhaust channel 15011 is connected to the second exhaust channel 15012 through the connecting port 1520. The second housing 2 is provided with an exhaust inlet 111, an exhaust outlet 112, and an oil return port 113. The exhaust inlet 111 is connected to the first exhaust channel 15011, the exhaust outlet 112 is connected to the second exhaust channel 15012, and the oil return port 113 is connected to the first exhaust channel 15011 and the second exhaust channel 15012 at the position of the connecting port 1520. Along the first direction Y, the exhaust inlet 111 is positioned directly opposite the first groove 151, the exhaust outlet 112 is positioned directly opposite the second groove 152, and the oil return port 113 is positioned directly opposite the connecting port 1520.

[0070] In other embodiments, the first groove 151 and the second groove 152 can be stamped on a housing at the same time. Similarly, a connecting port 1520 is provided at the bottom of the second groove 152 to connect the exhaust channels 1501 on both sides of the housing. Cover plates are provided on both sides of the housing to form channels 150. Exhaust inlet 111, exhaust outlet 112, and oil return port 113 are provided on the cover plates.

[0071] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate this application and are not intended to limit the technical solutions described in this application. Although this specification has described this application in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still make modifications or equivalent substitutions to the application. All technical solutions and improvements that do not depart from the spirit and scope of this application should be covered within the scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A liquid storage device, comprising a first housing (1) and a second housing (2), the first housing (1) and the second housing (2) being fixedly connected or limitedly connected, the liquid storage device (10) comprising a liquid storage tank (11), the liquid storage device (10) having a liquid storage cavity (100), at least a portion of the liquid storage tank (11) being located in the first housing (1), the wall forming the liquid storage cavity (100) comprising the wall of the liquid storage tank (11) and a portion of the wall of the second housing (2), the liquid storage device (10) comprising a flow channel groove (15), the liquid storage device (10) having a flow channel (150), the wall forming the flow channel (150) comprising the wall of the flow channel groove (15), at least one of the flow channel groove (15) and the liquid storage tank (11) being formed by stamping from sheet metal.

2. The liquid storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid storage tank (11) is located in the first housing (1), and the liquid storage tank (11) is formed by stamping sheet metal. At least part of the second housing (2) is a flat plate.

3. The liquid storage device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The liquid storage device (10) includes a reinforcing part (14) which is recessed from the inner wall of the liquid storage tank (11) in a direction away from the liquid storage tank (11).

4. The liquid storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid storage tank (11) is located in the first housing (1), and the liquid storage tank (11) is formed by extrusion. The second housing (2) includes the flow channel groove (15), which is formed by stamping sheet metal.

5. The liquid storage device according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The liquid storage device (10) includes a third housing (3), the flow channel groove (15) is located at least one of the second housing (2) and the third housing (3), defining a first direction (Y), at least a portion of the first housing (1), at least a portion of the second housing (2), and at least a portion of the third housing (3) are stacked along the first direction (Y), and at least a portion of the flow channel groove (15) and the liquid storage tank (11) overlap along the first direction (Y).

6. The liquid storage device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second housing (2) is a flat plate, and the flow channel groove (15) is located in the third housing (3), which is farther away from the first housing (1) than the second housing (2).

7. The liquid storage device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The flow channel (150) includes an exhaust flow channel (1501), one end of which is connected to the liquid storage chamber (100), and the other end of which is connected to the inlet of the compressor.

8. The liquid storage device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The exhaust channel (1501) is a U-shaped structure, or the exhaust channel (1501) is a coaxial tube structure.

9. The liquid storage device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The liquid storage device (10) includes a dispersing cup (4), which is fixedly or limitedly connected to at least one of the first housing (1), the second housing (2), and the third housing (2). The liquid storage device (10) includes an inlet (110), and the dispersing cup (4) is located near the inlet (110).

10. The liquid storage device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, The liquid storage device (10) includes a filter element (5), at least a portion of which is located in the liquid storage chamber (100). The filter element (5) includes a base (51) and a filter screen (52). The base (51) is fixedly connected or limited to the second housing (2) and / or the third housing (3). The liquid storage device (10) includes an oil return port (113), which is connected to the U-shaped bend of the exhaust channel (1501) or to the communication port (1520) of the liquid storage device (10).

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