Patents Examined by Alexis K Cox
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Patent number: 10429102Abstract: An HVAC&R system including a pumping device configured to circulate a first two-phase medium, a plurality of secondary HVAC&R units, wherein at least one of the plurality of secondary HVAC&R units is operably coupled to the pumping device, and a primary HVAC&R unit operably coupled to at least one of the plurality of secondary HVAC&R units, wherein the pumping device, a portion of the plurality of secondary HVAC&R units, and a portion of the primary HVAC&R unit form a primary loop.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2017Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATIONInventors: Thomas D. Radcliff, Parmesh Verma, Dong Luo, Richard G. Lord, Michel Grabon
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Patent number: 10429112Abstract: A control method for a refrigerator includes driving a refrigerator compartment compressor that is configured to cool a refrigerator compartment; determining whether a temperature in the refrigerator compartment satisfies a first temperature; driving, based on the determination that a temperature in the refrigerator compartment satisfies the first temperature, a freezer compartment compressor that is configured to cool a freezer compartment; stopping the refrigerator compartment compressor; maintaining, after stopping the refrigerator compartment compressor, operation of the freezer compartment compressor; restarting the refrigerator compartment compressor; and varying a driving frequency of the refrigerator compartment compressor.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2016Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Namhun Kim, Buhwan Ahn
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Patent number: 10415863Abstract: A compressor control apparatus for a vehicle includes: a compressor configured to compress coolant of an air conditioner; a coolant temperature measurement unit configured to measure a coolant temperature; a data detector configured to detect state data for controlling the compressor; and a controller configured to determine an operation rate of the compressor based on the coolant temperature and the state data, and operate the compressor based on the operation rate of the compressor.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2016Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventors: Yeong Jun Kim, Yangbo Kang, Jeongbin Park
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Patent number: 10398153Abstract: A liquid nitrogen dispenser for frozen treats comprises an anodized mount, an anodized cover attached onto the anodized mount, an inlet integrated into the anodized cover, an outlet integrated into the anodized cover, a dispensing tube, a primary flow valve mounted in between the anodized cover and the anodized mount and in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet, a phase separator externally mounted to the anodized cover and in fluid communication with the outlet by the dispensing tube, an access hole traversing through the anodized cover, an annular gasket penetrating the access hole and peripherally pressed against the anodized cover and an insulating layer positioned around the primary flow valve, mounted across the anodized cover and pressed in between the anodized cover and the annular gasket.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2017Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Inventor: Miguel Angel Fernandez
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Patent number: 10352603Abstract: A cooling system includes a cooling tower, a refrigeration device, a cooling fan provided in the cooling tower, a cooling water pump which circulates cooling water between the cooling tower and the refrigeration device, an inlet temperature sensor which detects the cooling water temperature at an inlet of the cooling tower, an outlet temperature sensor which detects the cooling water temperature at an outlet of the cooling tower, and an inverter apparatus which variably controls the speed of the cooling fan or the cooling water pump. The output frequency of the inverter apparatus is reduced after the output frequency reaches an upper limit frequency. The inverter apparatus controls the cooling device based on a temperature differential between a temperature of the cooling water at the inlet and a temperature of the cooling water at the outlet.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2015Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventor: Hiroyuki Kono
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Patent number: 10330349Abstract: Thermal energy system, coupled to a building energy system, which selectively provides heating and/or cooling to a building.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2013Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: ERDA MASTER IPCO LIMITEDInventors: Dmitriy Zaynulin, Kevin Stickney
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Patent number: 10323870Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a valve and a controller. The valve is configured to control the flow of refrigerant into an evaporator, the refrigerant having an associated liquid setting comprising a temperature and a pressure at which the refrigerant flows through the valve. The controller is operable to adjust the liquid setting, the adjusted liquid setting comprising a temperature and a pressure selected to improve energy efficiency under conditions currently being experienced by the refrigeration system, wherein the controller is operable to adjust the temperature and the pressure simultaneously such that the adjustment does not interfere with operation of the valve.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2016Date of Patent: June 18, 2019Assignee: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLCInventors: Jonathan Douglas, Umesh Gokhale
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Patent number: 10309405Abstract: A circulator blower controller for a circulator blower of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a building includes an interface configured to receive a demand signal with an operating mode from a thermostat. A switching circuit selectively connects power to a tap of a motor of the circulator blower. A data store configured to store a mapping from a speed to the tap. For each tap, a processor observes power consumed by the circulator blower while power is connected to the tap by the switching circuit. The processor determines the mapping by sorting the taps based on observed power consumption. The processor selects a first speed based on the demand signal from the thermostat. The processor identifies a first tap from the mapping based on the first speed and generates the tap selection signal to control the switching circuit to connect power to the first tap.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2016Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: EMERSON ELECTRIC CO.Inventors: Jeffrey N. Arensmeier, Paul Layton, Jacob Nielson
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Patent number: 10309672Abstract: A thermostat for controlling an HVAC system includes wiring terminals adapted and configured to make an electrical connection with an HVAC system wires such as common, heating and cooling control and return wires. The making of the connection with a common wire actuates switching open a loop of an electrical circuit used for power harvesting. The wiring terminal includes actuation of a moveable part of the terminal so as to accommodate the common wire that in turn actuates the switching open the power harvesting loop. More than one other loop can be switched. The wiring terminal can be used to automatically connect and/or disconnect Rc and Rh circuits when one or both Rc and Rh wires are present. The wiring terminal can be used for electronically sensing the presence of the HVAC system wire.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2016Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: Google LLCInventors: John Benjamin Filson, Daniel Adam Warren, Anthony Michael Fadell, Sheng-Nan Yu
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Patent number: 10309700Abstract: A high pressure compressor may include a casing in which a refrigerant discharged from a compression device is filled into an inner space provided with a drive motor, a suction pipe directly connected to a suction port of the compression device, a discharge pipe in communication with the inner space of the casing, a first valve provided at the discharge pipe or the suction pipe to control a flow of the discharged refrigerant from a high pressure side to a low pressure side when the drive motor is stopped, a bypass pipe connected between a discharge side and a suction side based on the compression device, and a second valve provided at the bypass pipe to move the refrigerant at the high pressure side to the low pressure side through the bypass pipe, thereby allowing a differential pressure operation to continue when the compressor is stopped.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2016Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Jingyu Lee, Jeonghyeon Park, Yeongcheol Ko
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Patent number: 10302363Abstract: In one embodiment, a cooling system includes a thermosyphon cooler that cools a cooling fluid through dry cooling and a cooling tower that cools a cooling fluid through evaporative cooling. The thermosyphon cooler uses natural convection to circulate a refrigerant between a shell and tube evaporator and an air cooled condenser. The thermosyphon cooler is located in the cooling system upstream of, and in series with, the cooling tower, and is operated when the thermosyphon cooler is more economically and/or resource efficient to operate than the cooling tower. According to certain embodiments, factors, such as the ambient temperature, the cost of electricity, and the cost of water, among others, are used to determine whether to operate the thermosyphon cooler, the cooling tower, or both.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2016Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: James W. Furlong, Joseph W. Pillis, Delmar E. Lehman
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Patent number: 10295262Abstract: In one embodiment, a cooling system includes a thermosyphon cooler that cools a cooling fluid through dry cooling and a cooling tower that cools a cooling fluid through evaporative cooling. The thermosyphon cooler uses natural convection to circulate a refrigerant between a shell and tube evaporator and an air cooled condenser. The thermosyphon cooler is located in the cooling system upstream of, and in series with, the cooling tower, and is operated when the thermosyphon cooler is more economically and/or resource efficient to operate than the cooling tower. According to certain embodiments, factors, such as the ambient temperature, the cost of electricity, and the cost of water, among others, are used to determine whether to operate the thermosyphon cooler, the cooling tower, or both.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2016Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: James W. Furlong, Joseph W. Pillis, Delmar E. Lehman
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Patent number: 10295239Abstract: A system includes a refrigerant circuit including a compressor, a condenser, an expander, an electric motor configured to drive the compressor, and a controller configured to control a motor drive to drive the electric motor. The controller is configured to first evaluate whether the compressor is idle based upon a control state of the controller being configured not to operate the motor drive to drive the motor, second, in response to an affirmative evaluation that the compressor is idle, evaluate a risk of undesired or un-commanded compressor rotation based upon a combination of two or more system conditions, each of the two or more system conditions indicating the risk of undesired or un-commanded compressor rotation, and third, in response to an affirmative evaluation of the risk of undesired or un-commanded compressor rotation, control the motor drive to oppose rotation of the compressor.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2015Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: Trane International Inc.Inventors: Nathan Thomas West, Benjamin James Sykora, David Marshall Foye, Dennis Myron Beekman, Korwin Jay Anderson, Robert Bakkestuen
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Patent number: 10268219Abstract: An adapter to connect an industry standard low-voltage thermostat to a central HVAC system with a mains-voltage fan coil unit. The adapter detects the operating conditions of the thermostat, and only switches a power connection to the fan coil unit on if it is capable of heating while in heating mode or cooling while in cooling mode.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2014Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Inventor: Oliver Markus Haynold
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Patent number: 10260792Abstract: The dry ice bag for use with a cooler is a device that receives a piece of dry ice, and which is placed inside of a cooler in order to cool said cooler. The dry ice bag includes a mesh opening along a bottom surface that is selectively exposed via a flap member in order to regulate the amount of cold that escapes from the dry ice bag. The dry ice bag also includes a securing member on a top surface such that the entire device is suspended from underneath a top surface of the cooler thereby enabling cold air to descend.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2016Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Inventor: Andrew Kyle Frank
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Patent number: 10240839Abstract: An exemplary system includes a compressor, a condenser, an expander, and an evaporator fluidly coupled to form a vapor-compression circuit, and an electric motor configured to drive the compressor. An inverter having a plurality of switching elements is configured to provide an output voltage to the electric motor through operation of the switching elements. A waste heat recovery circuit is configured to transfer waste heat from the inverter to a load. A controller is configured provide switching commands to the switching elements of the inverter. The controller is further configured to sense a condition of the system, determine a heat production requirement based at least in part upon the system condition, and to vary the number of switching commands per unit time based at least in part upon the heat production requirement.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2015Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: Trane International LLC.Inventors: Benjamin James Sykora, Nathan Thomas West, Pavak Mehta
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Patent number: 10174977Abstract: A system including a setpoint module, a summer, a control module, and an expansion valve module. The setpoint module is configured to indirectly control sub-cooling of a condenser by adjusting a superheat setpoint based on (i) a return air temperature setpoint or a supply air temperature setpoint, and (ii) an outdoor ambient temperature. The summer is configured to determine an error between the superheat setpoint and a superheat level of a compressor. The control module is configured to generate a control signal based on the error. The expansion valve module is configured to electronically control a state of an expansion valve based on the control signal.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2014Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: Vertiv CorporationInventors: Zhiyong Lin, Benedict J. Dolcich, John F. Judge
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Patent number: 8056355Abstract: The invention relates to a HVAC drainage system. There is a need for an HVAC drainage system which operates well in a vehicle which moves over rough terrain. An HVAC unit is mounted at a central portion of an inner roof panel over an air inlet opening. A collection recess is formed by the panel and surrounds the air inlet opening. Concentric walls formed by the inner roof panel in the collection recess surrounding the HVAC unit. Each wall has one or more gaps formed therein. The gaps in adjacent walls are mis-aligned with respect to each other so that fluid is prevented from flowing in a straight line through gaps in adjacent walls. Drainage ports are formed in the inner roof panel. Drainage grooves formed in the inner roof panel communicate the collection recess with corresponding drainage ports.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2008Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventors: Paul Thomas Bruss, Kyle D. Seibold
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Patent number: 7992396Abstract: A method of analyzing a refrigeration system (1) comprising at least one compressor (4), at least one condenser (5) and at least two refrigeration entities (2), each comprising at least one evaporator (9). Based on information relating to the gas production by the evaporators (9) it is determined whether or not two or more evaporators (9) are running in a synchronized manner, i.e. are switching between an active and an inactive state at least substantially simultaneously. In case two or more evaporators (9) are running in a synchronized manner, the refrigeration system (1) may be controlled in order to desynchronize the evaporators (9). This may, e.g., be done by changing a cut-in temperature and/or a cut-out temperature for one of the corresponding refrigeration entities (2). Synchronization causes undesired variations in the suction pressure, and preventing synchronization therefore results in a more appropriate control of the refrigeration system (1). Reduces wear on the compressors (4).Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2006Date of Patent: August 9, 2011Assignee: Danfoss A/SInventors: Claus Thybo, Lars Finn Sloth Larsen
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Patent number: 7984617Abstract: A method of controlling compressor for refrigerator and apparatus thereof are disclosed to control an operation of the compressor by optimum efficiency by changing freezing capacity of the compressor. The apparatus controls a rotation direction of the compressor installed in the refrigerator and changes the freezing capacity of the compressor in accordance with the rotation direction of the compressor, thereby effectively controlling the operation of the compressor.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2003Date of Patent: July 26, 2011Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Do-Hyung Kim, Young-Kwon Kim