Patents Examined by Gordon Jones
  • Patent number: 11502021
    Abstract: A flatpack air chiller device is disclosed. In embodiments, the air chiller device includes a primary chiller or pre-chiller subsystem and a secondary or main chiller subsystem within a housing. The pre-chiller subsystem receives and chills ambient air via cold-side contact with a primary thermoelectric device and directs the pre-chilled ambient airstream to the hot side of a secondary thermoelectric device. The secondary or main chiller subsystem is connected to a recirculating air stream, e.g., circulating through the interior airspaces, compartments, or bays of a galley structure. The pre-chilled ambient airstream absorbs heat from the secondary hot side to progressively chill the recirculating air stream, which is in contact with the cold side of the secondary thermoelectric device before recirculation back into the galley structure interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter J. L. Burd
  • Patent number: 11492126
    Abstract: An aircraft galley chiller is adapted to fit within a service column of the aircraft. The condenser is elongated, oriented vertically, and includes a bank of fans to increase airflow. The evaporator is also elongated and includes a bank of fans. The evaporator and condenser are oriented with the same plane to produce a footprint that fits within the service column. The evaporator includes a heater element to periodically heat and de-ice the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter J. L. Burd
  • Patent number: 11459127
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a structure configured to receive and transport thermal energy. The structure includes one or more materials configured to undergo a solid-solid phase transformation at a specified temperature or in a specified temperature range. The one or more materials form a heat input region configured to receive the thermal energy and a cold sink interface region configured to reject the thermal energy. The structure also includes one or more thermal energy transfer devices embedded in at least part of the one or more materials. The one or more thermal energy transfer devices are configured to transfer the thermal energy throughout the one or more materials and at least partially between the heat input region and the cold sink interface region. The one or more materials are also configured to absorb and store excess thermal energy in response to a temperature excursion associated with a thermal transient event and to release the stored thermal energy after the thermal transient event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Tuan L. Duong, Avram Bar-Cohen
  • Patent number: 11454461
    Abstract: A syngas loop boiler includes a casing that surrounds a tube bundle, wherein the tube bundle includes a plurality of tubes. One end of each of the tubes is joined to a tube-sheet provided with corresponding tube-sheet inlet holes for inletting the syngas in the boiler, wherein each tube-sheet inlet hole is internally provided with at least a protective sleeve welded at both ends to corresponding surfaces of the tube-sheet inlet hole. Each tube-sheet inlet hole is provided with a first respective weld overlay placed at the inlet mouth of the tube-sheet inlet hole, so that a first end of each protective sleeve is welded to the first weld overlay. Each tube-sheet inlet hole is internally provided with at least a bore groove that contains a respective in-bore second weld overlay, so that the second end of the protective sleeve is welded to the in-bore second weld overlay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: ALFA LAVAL CORPORATE AB
    Inventors: Marco Colombo, Silvio Sarti
  • Patent number: 11408680
    Abstract: A microchannel evaporator includes a plurality of microchannels. Each of the plurality of microchannels includes a first end and a second end. A first end-tank is coupled to each first end of the plurality of microchannels and a second end-tank is coupled to each second end of the plurality of microchannels. An inlet is coupled to the first end-tank for receiving a fluid into the microchannel evaporator and an outlet is coupled to the second end-tank for expelling the fluid from the microchannel evaporator. Each microchannel of the plurality of microchannels is substantially U-shaped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Hyfra Industriekuhlanlagen GmbH
    Inventor: Berthold Adomat
  • Patent number: 11408646
    Abstract: A ladder-structural gravity-assisted-heat-pipe geothermal energy recovery system without liquid-accumulation effect, comprises a ladder-structural gravity-assisted heat pipe, a condenser, and a liquid tank. The ladder-structural gravity-assisted heat pipe comprises a return pipe, an outer pipe and an inner pipe. The return pipe is provided in a space between the outer pipe and the inner pipe and communicated with the liquid tank, and the space between the outer pipe and the inner pipe is divided to form a ladder structure. A liquid working medium flows from the liquid tank through the return pipe into each section sequentially, absorbs heat from a high-temperature rock through a wall of the outer pipe, vaporizes into a gaseous working medium, gets into the inner pipe, and rises to the condenser to condense and flows to the liquid tank to circulate. Such design greatly improves the heat transfer efficiency in geothermal energy recovery using ultra-long heat pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: GUANGZHOU INSTITUTE OF ENERGY CONVERSION, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Fangming Jiang, Wenbo Huang, Wenjiong Cao, Yiwei Wang
  • Patent number: 11408618
    Abstract: Provided is an indoor unit of an air-conditioner including: an indoor unit body configured to be provided in a ceiling; a suction port attached to a lower surface of the indoor unit body; a panel including a blow port for blowing conditioned air into a room; and a louver provided at the blow port of the panel to change an air sending direction. The panel includes an outer frame provided outside the blow port and provided with a substantially horizontal flat portion, and a protruding portion provided on the flat portion of the outer frame and protruding vertically downward. A lower end of the protruding portion is positioned vertically above a lower end of the louver. A lower end of an inner flow path wall surface forming a flow path wall surface inside the blow port is positioned vertically below the lower end of the louver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI-JOHNSON CONTROLS AIR CONDITIONING, INC.
    Inventors: Taku Iwase, Tomohiko Sato, Yoko Sato, Kunihito Kawamura, Koutarou Nomura, Naoyuki Fushimi, Shinji Nakahata
  • Patent number: 11402163
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a fin structure including a main body and at least one minor structure. The main body includes a main plate and two side plates. The main plate has at least one through hole. The two side plates are respectively connected to two opposite sides of the main plate and protrude from the main plate. The at least one minor structure protrudes from the main plate and is located at a side of the main plate. The at least one minor structure is spaced apart from the two side plates. The at least one minor structure partially covers the at least one through hole. The at least one minor structure has a length, in a longitudinal direction of the main plate, less than a length of the at least one through hole of the main plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: COOLER MASTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chia-Yu Lin
  • Patent number: 11402158
    Abstract: A loop heat pipe includes: an evaporator configured to evaporate working fluid; a condenser configured to condense the working fluid; a liquid pipe which connects the evaporator and the condenser; a vapor pipe which connects the evaporator and the condenser and forms a loop together with the liquid pipe; and a porous body which is provided in the liquid pipe and configured to reserve liquid-phase working fluid. The liquid pipe includes an injection inlet through which the working fluid is injected. A first end of the porous body is located between the injection inlet and the evaporator. A second end of the porous body which is opposite to the first end is located between the injection inlet and the condenser. At least a portion of the porous body which is provided between the injection inlet and the evaporator fills the inside of the liquid pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: SHINKO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Machida
  • Patent number: 11384987
    Abstract: An apparatus includes first and second microchannel heat exchangers and first and second pipes. The first heat exchanger includes a first inlet, a second inlet, a first tube, a second tube, a first outlet, and a second outlet. Refrigerant at the first inlet is directed through the first tube to the first outlet and the first pipe. Refrigerant at the second inlet is directed through the second tube to the second outlet and the second pipe. The second heat exchanger includes a third inlet, a fourth inlet, a third tube, a fourth tube, a third outlet, and a fourth outlet. The third inlet directs refrigerant from the first pipe through the third tube towards the third outlet. The fourth inlet directs the refrigerant from the second pipe through the fourth tube towards the fourth outlet. The first pipe overlaps the second pipe between the two heat exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Vijaykumar Sathyamurthi, Der-Kai Hung, Hong Lin
  • Patent number: 11377218
    Abstract: A system includes a primary heat exchanger with a first passage connected to a hot fluid source, a second passage connected to the first passage, and a third passage connected to the second passage and an outlet line. A compressor inlet is connected to the outlet line. A secondary heat exchanger is connected to a compressor outlet. First and second turbines are connected to an outlet of the secondary heat exchanger. A first load heat exchanger is connected to the first turbine. A second load heat exchanger is between the second turbine and a system outlet. A first valve connects the hot fluid source to the second and third passages. A second valve connects the first and second passages with the outlet line. A third valve is between the secondary heat exchanger and the second turbine. A fourth valve is between the first load heat exchanger and the system outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Alan Retersdorf
  • Patent number: 11379021
    Abstract: A heat dissipation module suitable for an electronic device is provided. The electronic device has a heat source. The heat dissipation module includes an evaporator and a pipe assembly. An internal space of the evaporator is divided into a first space and a second space, and the heat source is thermally contacted with the second space. The pipe assembly is connected to the evaporator to form a loop. A working fluid is filled in the loop. The working fluid in liquid receiving heat from the heat source is transformed into vapor and flows to the pipe assembly. Then, the working fluid in vapor is transformed into liquid by dissipating heat in the pipe assembly and flows to the first space of the evaporator. The working fluid in liquid is stored in the first space and is used for supplying to the second space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Acer Incorporated
    Inventors: Yung-Chih Wang, Cheng-Wen Hsieh, Wen-Neng Liao
  • Patent number: 11340013
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for liquefying natural gas. The apparatus for liquefying natural gas includes a gas compressor configured to receive and compress the natural gas from a natural gas feed stream, a heat exchanging unit configured to cool a high-pressure natural gas passing through the gas compressor through heat exchange, an expansion valve configured to expand the cooled natural gas passing through the heat exchanging unit, a hold-up drum configured to phase-separate a gas-liquid mixture produced by passing through the expansion valve and divide the gas-liquid mixture into a liquefied natural gas and a cryogenic recycle gas having nitrogen content greater than that of the liquefied natural gas so as to discharge the liquefied natural gas and the cryogenic recycle gas, and a bypass line configured to provide the recycle gas discharged from the hold-up drum to the heat exchanging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignees: SUNG-IL ENCARE Co., Ltd., KOGAS-TECH, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology
    Inventors: Jang-ik Park, Ta Kwan Woo, Taehee Kang, Heeseung Na, Hweeung Kwon, Gaehyun Nam, Young Cheol Lee, Dong-Ha Lim
  • Patent number: 11340026
    Abstract: A heat storage sheet includes a resin matrix and a heat storage material that is dispersed in the resin matrix. The heat storage sheet has a tensile strength of 0.1 MPa or more and a tensile elongation at break of 10% or more, as measured in accordance with the method of JIS K6251.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: DIC Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Fujisaki, Yuko Koseki
  • Patent number: 11333442
    Abstract: A brazeable metal sheet material for heat exchanger components is used for producing a heat exchanger by a controlled atmosphere brazing process. The metal sheet material is made up of a core material with a brazing layer at least on one side and a corrosion-reducing intermediate layer arranged between the brazing layer and the core material. The core material consists of an Al3000-series alloy or an Al6000-series alloy having a magnesium content of 0.1% to 1.5% by weight. The brazing layer consists of an Al4000-series alloy having a maximum of 0.2% magnesium by weight. The corrosion-reducing intermediate layer consists of an Al1000-series alloy or an Al7000-series alloy having 0.1% to 1.5% magnesium by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Thomas Feldhege, Markus Holmgren, Guenther Frischknecht
  • Patent number: 11325441
    Abstract: The seat air conditioner configured to supply conditioning air to a seat in a vehicle cabin includes a refrigeration cycle, an air blower, and a conditioning air supply unit. The refrigeration cycle includes a compressor that compresses and discharges a refrigerant, a heat emitting portion that emits heat of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor to generate a warm air, a decompressor that decompresses the refrigerant flowing out of the heat emitting portion, and a heat absorbing portion that evaporates the refrigerant decompressed by the decompressor to generate a cold air. The air blower blows air to exchange heat with the refrigerant. The conditioning air supply unit supplies each of the warm air generated by the heat emitting portion and the cold air generated by the heat absorbing portion as the conditioning air to the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeru Kawano, Koji Ota, Aun Ota
  • Patent number: 11320180
    Abstract: A thermoelectric cryogenic material storage container including: an inner container containing cryogenic liquid material; a supply pipe connected to the inner container to supply the cryogenic liquid material from the outside to the inner container; an outer container for accommodating the inner container to be spaced apart from each other; a discharge pipe provided to be connected to the inner container to discharge a vaporized material of the cryogenic liquid material vaporized in the inner container to the outside of the outer container; and at least one thermoelectric module provided to have one side in contact with the outer side of the supply pipe and the other side in contact with the outer side of the discharge pipe. When current is supplied to the thermoelectric module, the other side becomes a heating side, and the one side becomes a cooling side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Hylium Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Seo Young Kim
  • Patent number: 11306924
    Abstract: Disclosed is an indoor unit of an air conditioner including: a casing; a cross-flow fan arranged in the casing and having a fan rotor and a tongue portion extending in an axial direction along an outer periphery of the fan rotor below the fan rotor and forward of a center axis of the fan rotor to define a suction port, the cross-flow fan forming in the casing an air flow directed from the rear to the front; and a heat exchanger arranged upstream of the fan in a direction of the air flow and having an inclined portion inclined to be positioned further downward toward a front side. The heat exchanger is arranged such that a front end of the inclined portion is located below the fan rotor and between a foremost portion and center axis of the fan rotor in a front-to-back direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Jinfan Ryuu, Takashi Kashihara, Hironobu Teraoka
  • Patent number: 11286049
    Abstract: A system may include an aircraft galley, which may include a standard unit meal box compartment configured to hold a standard unit meal box. The standard unit meal box compartment may include a door at a front of the standard unit meal box compartment and an air chiller near a rear of the standard unit meal box compartment. The air chiller may be configured to provide chilled air within the standard unit meal box compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter J. L. Burd
  • Patent number: 11274834
    Abstract: A heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and an air conditioner having the same include a heat transfer tube through which a refrigerant passes, a fin having a mounting hole in which the heat transfer tube is installed, and a fin collar extending from the mounting hole and being in contact with the heat transfer tube by the expansion of the heat transfer tube, wherein the fin collar includes a base portion provided adjacent to the fin and extending to be bent at a first curvature radius, and a distal end located on the opposite side of the base portion and extending to be bent at a second curvature radius smaller than the first curvature radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang mu Lee, Hyun young Kim, Akihiro Fujiwara