EXPANDER AND HEAT PUMP USING THE SAME

(19)

(11)

EP 1 953 337 A8

(12)	CORRECTED EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION
	published in accordance with Art. 153(4) EPC

(15)	Correction information:
	Corrected version no 1 (W1 A1)

(48)	Corrigendum issued on:
	15.10.2008 Bulletin 2008/42

(43)	Date of publication:
	06.08.2008 Bulletin 2008/32

(21)	Application number: 06822522.6

(22)	Date of filing: 27.10.2006

(51)

International Patent Classification (IPC):

F01C 1/356^(2006.01)
F01C 21/18^(2006.01)
F25B 11/02^(2006.01)

F01C 13/04^(2006.01)
F04C 23/02^(2006.01)

(86)	International application number:
	PCT/JP2006/321561

(87)	International publication number:
	WO 2007/052569 (10.05.2007 Gazette 2007/19)

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	DE FR GB

(30)

Priority:

31.10.2005 JP 2005317688
31.10.2005 JP 2005317690

(71)	Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
	Kadoma-shi Osaka 571-8501 (JP)

(72)

Inventors:

HASEGAWA, Hiroshi c/o Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd
2-1-61 Shiromi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 540-6207 (JP)
MATSUI, Masaru c/o Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd
2-1-61 Shiromi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 540-6207 (JP)
OKAICHI, Atsuo c/o Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd
2-1-61 Shiromi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 540-6207 (JP)
TAMURA, Tomoichiro c/o Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd
2-1-61 Shiromi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 540-6207 (JP)
OGATA, Takeshi c/o Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd
2-1-61 Shiromi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 540-6207 (JP)
MATSUI, Keizo c/o Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd
2-1-61 Shiromi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 540-6207 (JP)
MATSUYAMA, Tetsuya c/o Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd
2-1-61 Shiromi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 540-6207 (JP)

(74)	Representative: Eisenführ, Speiser & Partner
	Patentanwälte Rechtsanwälte Postfach 10 60 78 28060 Bremen 28060 Bremen (DE)

(54)	EXPANDER AND HEAT PUMP USING THE SAME

(57) An expander of the invention includes: n-number of rotary type fluid mechanisms (where n is an integer equal to or greater than 2), a first suction port (41b) for sucking a working fluid into a suction-side space (55a) of a first fluid mechanism (41), a communication port (43a) connecting a discharge-side space (55b) of a k-th fluid mechanism (where k is an integer from 1 to n-1) and a (k + 1)-th suction-side space (56a) to form a single space, and a discharge port (51a) for discharging the working fluid from the discharge-side space of an n-th fluid mechanism. The expander further includes a second suction port (72f) being capable of changing its connecting position to the suction-side space (55a) of the first fluid mechanism (41), for sucking the working fluid into the suction-side space (55a).