US 12,420,611 B2
Bypass for heat pump systems
Sanjog Dilip Gawade, Irvine, CA (US); Ming Ma, Tustin, CA (US); and Sushant More, Irvine, CA (US)
Assigned to Rivian IP Holdings, LLC, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed by Rivian IP Holdings, LLC, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 14, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/540,701.
Prior Publication US 2025/0196569 A1, Jun. 19, 2025
Int. Cl. B60H 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC B60H 1/005 (2013.01) [B60H 1/00278 (2013.01); B60H 2001/00307 (2013.01); B60H 2001/00928 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a heat pump system comprising:
a first refrigerant path from an evaporator to a compressor, the first refrigerant path passing through an accumulator;
a second refrigerant path from the evaporator to the compressor, wherein the second refrigerant path bypasses the accumulator;
a flow control mechanism operable to switch a flow of a refrigerant between the first refrigerant path and the second refrigerant path; and
control logic configured to operate the flow control mechanism, based on an environmental condition and a charging mode of a vehicle, to switch the flow of the refrigerant between the first refrigerant path and the second refrigerant path.