Patents Examined by Antonio R Febles
-
Patent number: 9651283Abstract: A refrigerant channel switching unit is disposed between a heat source unit and a utilization unit to switch flow of refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit. The refrigerant channel switching unit includes a first refrigerant pipe connected to a suction gas communicating pipe extending from the heat source unit, a second refrigerant pipe connected to a high-low pressure gas communicating pipe extending from the heat source unit, a third refrigerant pipe connected to a gas pipe extending to the utilization unit, a coupling portion, a first switch valve mounted to the first refrigerant pipe, and a second switch valve mounted to the second refrigerant pipe. The coupling portion is connected to the first, second and third refrigerant pipes. The First second and third are coupled through the coupling portion.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2014Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Akihiro Eguchi, Shigeki Kamitani
-
Patent number: 9651293Abstract: A cooled storing system for photo catalytic decomposition of ethylene is a reefer container or a refrigerator with a cooling unit including an evaporator, the surface of which is at least partly coated in TiO2. A UV-source is arranged so that light emitted therefrom falls on the surface provided with TiO2, whereby an active surface for photo catalysis is provided. When in use, an airflow created inside the system passes over the photocatalytic surface permitting decomposition of organic compounds such as ethylene present therein.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2011Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: KJAERULF PEDERSEN A/SInventor: Kristian Ehrhorn
-
Patent number: 9625199Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting and controlling ice bridge slab thickness and/or initiation of ice harvest following a freeze cycle. This adjusting and controlling is performed through the use of adjustable float clip assemblies which set the amount of water available for ice making in a batch process. The adjustable float clip assemblies provide an ice machine user with the ability to easily adjust the ice slab bridge thickness to a single or plurality of settings, and allow for changes in ice bridge slab thickness at the site of installation.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2013Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: MAINITOWOC FOODSERVICE COMPANIES, LLCInventors: Thomas H. Antoine, Curt R. Cayemberg, Dean M. Petersen, Mark P. Giebel
-
Patent number: 9581380Abstract: In a new flexible-monoblock refrigeration configuration arrangement, all of the refrigeration components are gathered within its one and only flexible chassis platform. These units are one piece, meaning that their condenser, refrigerant control assemblies, compressor and the evaporator are fixed to their one and only integrated flexible chassis. No refrigeration components are outside its enclosure. There is no need to perform any assembling or service to the refrigeration itself at the time of installation. The new flexible monoblock refrigeration system can be configured in many different forms using parallel rigidly interconnected side plates. The sub platforms are rigidly connected to the side plates so that all of the weight, forces and stress are borne by the side plates and none is transferred among the refrigeration elements, units or subassemblies.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2008Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Inventor: Carlos Quesada Saborio
-
Patent number: 9579951Abstract: An air conditioning device for air conditioning an interior and/or a component of an electric vehicle includes multiple fluid circuits having respective working media and configured for heating and cooling the electric vehicle. A first fluid circuit is designed for heating the interior of the electric vehicle via the first heat exchanger. A second fluid circuit is designed for heating the first evaporator. A third fluid circuit is designed for heating or cooling the interior of the electric vehicle. A fourth fluid circuit is designed for heating the interior of the electric vehicle via the first heat exchanger. A fifth fluid circuit is designed for cooling the heat source of the component of the electric vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2011Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBHInventor: Oliver Tschismar
-
Patent number: 9581295Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for cryogenic fluid delivery. The systems may include a pressure vessel containing a cryogenic fluid formed of liquid and vapor that is connected to a use device via a withdrawal line. The withdrawal line connects to the cryogenic fluid in the pressure vessel via two routes, a liquid tube and a vapor line. The vapor line may include a back-pressure regulator that opens the vapor line depending on pressure in the system. The withdrawal line may include a pressure relief valve that exerts pressure on the liquid tube. A bypass line may connect the withdrawal line to the liquid tube. The bypass line has a check valve that permits free flow of cryogen from the withdrawal line to the liquid tube via the bypass line while prohibiting cryogen flow from the pressure vessel through the bypass line. The methods employ the systems described herein.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2012Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: Chart Inc.Inventor: Erik Gustafson
-
Patent number: 9568224Abstract: It is an object to prevent a liquid refrigerant from being drawn into a compressor. A heat pump apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit in which a refrigerant circulates, and which is configured by sequentially connecting a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion valve, a second heat exchanger, and a third heat exchanger, and connecting a bypass flow path bypassing the third heat exchanger between the second heat exchanger and the compressor. The heat pump apparatus also includes a water circuit in which water circulates, and which is configured by sequentially connecting the third heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger, and a tank. In the heat pump apparatus, if there is a risk of the liquid refrigerant being drawn into the compressor, a three-way valve is controlled such that the refrigerant flows through the third heat exchanger to be heated by water and evaporated.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2013Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventor: Shinichi Uchino
-
Patent number: 9568253Abstract: Technologies are generally described for devices, methods, and programs for heat dissipating utilizing flow of refrigerant. An example heat dissipating device includes a conductive chamber to receive a fluid refrigerant, and the conductive chamber itself includes an evaporation portion having an interior layer and an exterior layer that is in contact with a heat generating unit, a condensation portion, and a rotatable brush that is configured inside of the conductive chamber to have an axis that is parallel to the interior layer of the evaporation portion and that is further configured to sweep across the interior layer of the evaporation portion to form a thin film of the fluid refrigerant.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2014Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLCInventor: Hao Wang
-
Patent number: 9557087Abstract: An ice making tray has an array of individual ice cube compartments. A mechanical oscillating mechanism is coupled to the tray and rotates the tray from a horizontal plane in opposite directions along an axis through an angle ? of about 20° to 40°, such that water in the tray moves between ice cube compartments. The frequency of oscillation (?) is harmonically related to the frequency of movement of water in the tray and is about equal to or about twice the frequency of movement of water in the tray. In a preferred embodiment, the floor of the tray is a thermally conductive material in contact with a thermoelectric plate used to freeze the water as well as being subsequently heated to release the formed ice cubes.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2012Date of Patent: January 31, 2017Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Mark E. Thomas
-
Patent number: 9528754Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet having a temperature-controlled compartment defined therein and a plurality of electrical connectors disposed at a plurality of shelf mounting positions within the temperature-controlled compartment. The refrigerator appliance also includes a plurality of adjustable shelves each carrying at least one light emitting diode (LED), where each of the plurality of adjustable shelves is removably mounted in one of the plurality of shelf mounting positions such that the at least one LED is electrically coupled to one of the plurality of electrical connectors. The refrigerator appliance further includes a power supply circuit that is electrically coupled to the plurality of electrical connectors and that is configured to selectively supply power to only a subset of the plurality of electrical connectors.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2013Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventor: James Kerner
-
Patent number: 9523528Abstract: A refrigerator is provided including an ice making assembly. The ice making assembly includes a storage container that has a discharge zone including a crushing assembly for selectively crushing formed ice before dispensing the ice through the dispenser of the refrigerator. The crushing assembly includes both rotating and fixed crushing blades, and including crushing teeth for crushing the formed ice cubes therebetween. A diverter wedge may be positioned at or formed integrally with the fixed crushing blades such that the diverter wedge closes any gap between the rotating blades and the wall of the discharge zone. The diverter wedge can include a sloped portion to move any smaller or differently-shaped cubes from the outer edge of the discharge zone to between the crushing blades such that it is ensured that the cubes are crushed before being dispensed.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2013Date of Patent: December 20, 2016Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventor: Jerold M. Visin
-
Patent number: 9522589Abstract: A vehicular heat pump system may have two inside heat exchangers within an HVAC module, and may operate in mild cooling and mild heating modes. In mild cooling mode, a first isolation valve and a second isolation valve are fully open and closed, respectively, to direct the refrigerant flow to the first inside heat exchanger only. In mild heating mode, the first isolation valve and the second isolation valve are fully closed and fully open, respectively, to direct the refrigerant flow to the second inside heat exchanger only. In both modes, a first metering device is partially open to control the flow and expansion of the refrigerant, and a second metering device is fully closed to prevent the refrigerant from flowing between the inside heat exchangers. This staged operation of the heat pump system may reduce the risk of flash fog as well as reduce discharge air temperature spreads.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2012Date of Patent: December 20, 2016Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventor: Mark D. Nemesh
-
Patent number: 9513021Abstract: The rear side outer peripheral edge of a propeller fan rotated and driven by a motor, of a propeller fan drive unit, is surrounded by a bell mouth. An upper plate, a lower plate, a side plate, and a machine room plate constitute an air duct at the suction side, outside the radial direction of the propeller fan. The cross-section of the bell mouth, at a first position in the vicinity where a blade of the propeller fan is closest, and where the distance between the propeller fan and the plate constituting the air duct outside the radial direction is relatively narrow, is made to be such that an expansion angle ?1 of the bell mouth suction side is made small. The overlapped height Hb of the propeller fan and the bell mouth is made large against a cross-section at a second position where the distance between the propeller fan and a plate is relatively large. The shape of the cross-section of the bell mouth is made to change gradually between the first position and the second position.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2009Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATIONInventors: Yasuaki Kato, Takahide Tadokoro, Masanobu Baba, Hiroyuki Takada
-
Patent number: 9510695Abstract: Described is a display chiller including internally a containment compartment (3) equipped with shelves (7), a front opening (5) for allowing access to the containment compartment (3), and at least a pair of doors (6) hinged about respective axes (X) and openable towards the inside of the containment compartment (3) so as to use the gap (8) existing between the shelves (7) and the doors (6) and designed for the circulation of cooling air.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2012Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: INDUSTRIE SCAFFALATURE ARREDAMENTI—ISA S.R.L.Inventor: Marco Giulietti
-
Patent number: 9500398Abstract: An ice maker assembly includes an ice making apparatus for an appliance with an ice making tray having a water basin formed by a metallic ice forming plate and at least one perimeter sidewall extending upwardly from a top surface of the ice forming plate. The ice making tray also has a grid with at least one dividing wall. The at least one perimeter sidewall and the at least one dividing wall and the top surface of the ice forming plate form at least one ice compartment having an upper surface and a lower surface. An ice body is formed in the at least one ice compartment. Moreover, the at least one perimeter sidewall and the at least one dividing wall form a draft angle with the top surface of the ice forming plate, of about 17° to about 25° degrees.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2012Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Mark E. Thomas, Lindsey Ann Wohlgamuth
-
Patent number: 9494361Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes: an outdoor unit including a compressor, a first refrigerant flow path switching device, and a heat-source-side heat exchanger; a heat medium relay unit including an intermediate heat exchanger, an expansion device, a second refrigerant flow path switching device, and a pump; and at least one indoor unit including a use-side heat exchanger. A refrigerant pipe connects the compressor, the first refrigerant flow path switching device, the expansion device, the second refrigerant flow path switching device, and the intermediate heat exchanger, thereby making up a refrigeration cycle. A heat medium pipe connects the intermediate heat exchanger and the use-side heat exchanger, thereby making up a heat medium circulation circuit in which a heat medium different from the refrigerant circulates. The first refrigerant flow path switching device is switched to execute a defrost operation mode.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2012Date of Patent: November 15, 2016Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Takeshi Hatomura, Koji Yamashita, Hiroyuki Morimoto
-
Patent number: 9493102Abstract: A multi-functional touch cooling cup holder includes an annular socket that can accommodate a beverage can or water bottle. At the top of the socket there is a bended edge that is larger than a cylinder of the socket and at the bottom of the socket there is an annular bottom cap. On the cylinder of the socket there is a vertical slot, within which there is a control circuit of the cup holder that is equipped with IC chip. A thermal radiator is installed under the bottom cap. The radiator contains multiple paralleled radiation fins and a cooling fan. A thermoelectric cooler that is installed between the thermal radiator and the thermal conductor and is electrically connected with the control circuit of the cup holder. The cooling side of the thermoelectric cooler faces up, the thermal side faces down and is adhered to the top of the thermal radiator.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2010Date of Patent: November 15, 2016Assignee: eMoMo Technology Co., Ltd.Inventor: Wenji Tang
-
Patent number: 9476622Abstract: A part replacement method replaces a part of a refrigeration cycle apparatus including a compressor, a heat source side heat exchanger, an expansion device, a heat exchanger related to heat medium, and first and second refrigerant flow closing devices. The first and second refrigerant flow closing devices control a flow of a refrigerant into and out of an outdoor unit accommodating the compressor and the heat source side heat exchanger. The method includes a pump-down step of closing the first refrigerant flow closing device, allowing the refrigerant in a pressure reduction section to flow into the outdoor unit and reducing a pressure in the reduction section until a set pressure or time is reached, a flow closing step of closing the second refrigerant flow closing device, and a part replacement step of removing the part from the refrigerant circuit by heating to replace the part.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2010Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventor: Koji Yamashita
-
Patent number: 9476629Abstract: A clear ice maker having an ice tray with a thermally conductive cold plate, where the cold plate has a top surface and a bottom surface, with a thermoelectric cooling device thermally coupled to the bottom surface. Water is dispensed onto the top surface, and the bottom surface is cooled such that a portion of the water adjacent the top surface is frozen, to form a layer of ice. Then the ice tray is oscillated about a transverse axis of the ice tray, such that the water freezes in successive layers from the top surface of the cold plate upwards.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2012Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventor: Patrick J. Boarman
-
Patent number: 9464833Abstract: A method for converting a refrigerant recovery unit from use with a first refrigerant to use with a second refrigerant includes the steps of opening, with a controller, solenoids along a refrigerant path to remove residue of the first refrigerant into a holding vessel, operating a vacuum pump, as indicated by the controller, to further remove the residue of the first refrigerant from the refrigerant path, introducing, via the controller, an amount of the second refrigerant into the refrigerant path, determining, with a refrigerant identifier, a purity of the second refrigerant in the refrigerant path. A kit is also provided to convert the refrigerant recovery unit for use with the first refrigerant to the second refrigerant.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2012Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions Inc.Inventors: Mark McMasters, Tim Wagaman