Patents Examined by Kirstin U Oswald
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Patent number: 11965672Abstract: A heat pump system includes a compressor, a usage side heat exchanger, a heat source side heat exchanger, an expansion mechanism, a main refrigerant flow control valve switchable between cooling and heating modes, a gas reheat heat exchanger, a fan, and a secondary refrigerant flow control device switchable between first, second, and third modes. Refrigerant flows from the compressor discharge line to the main refrigerant flow control device in the first mode. Refrigerant flows from discharge line to gas reheat heat exchanger and then main refrigerant flow control valve in the second mode. Refrigerant flows both from discharge line to gas reheat heat exchanger and then main refrigerant flow control valve, and from discharge line to main refrigerant flow control valve without flowing through the gas reheat heat exchanger in the third mode. Refrigerant flows to the usage side and hot gas reheat heat exchanger in the heating mode.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2022Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: DAIKIN APPLIED AMERICAS INC.Inventors: Marcos Locke, Benny DiMarco
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Patent number: 11959686Abstract: Provided is a refrigerator including a cabinet having a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment defined therein, and an ice-maker disposed in the freezing compartment, wherein the ice-maker includes a cold-air hole for receiving cold air, an upper tray having a plurality of hemispherical upper chambers defined therein, a lower tray pivotably disposed below the upper tray, wherein the lower tray has a plurality of lower chambers defined therein respectively connected to the upper chambers by pivoting, wherein each of the lower chambers and each of the upper chambers connected with each other define an ice chamber for forming spherical ice therein, a driver for pivoting the lower tray, and at least one shield formed on an outer face of the upper tray and corresponding to at least one of the ice chambers respectively, thereby to reduce the cold-air from invading the at least one corresponding ice chamber.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2019Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Yonghyun Kim, Jinil Hong, Hyunji Park, Seunggeun Lee
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Patent number: 11959687Abstract: An icemaker appliance includes a container defining a liquid reservoir, an ice mold selectively received within a portion of the liquid reservoir, a temperature sensor provided within the liquid reservoir and configured to monitor a temperature of the liquid, a water level sensor provided within the liquid reservoir and configured to determine a level of the liquid within the container, and a controller attached to the container, the controller being operably connected with the temperature sensor and the water level sensor, the controller including a wireless communication module configured to wirelessly communicate with a remote terminal.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2022Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.Inventor: Charles Benjamin Miller
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Patent number: 11946682Abstract: A water-dispensing device includes a reservoir tank, a dispense pump, one or more dispense valves, a spigot in selective fluid communication with the reservoir tank via at least the dispense pump and the dispense valves, an ice maker, an ice making, and an ice tank. The ice tank includes a melt tray in fluid communication with the ice maker. A melt pump is connected between the melt tray and the reservoir tank. A controller is configured to, upon receiving a signal to perform a water dispensing operation: (a) open one of the one or more dispense valves, (b) activate the dispense pump to move water from the reservoir tank toward the spigot, (c) if the ice making valve is not open, open the ice making valve, and (d) activate the melt pump to move water from the melt tray toward the reservoir.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2023Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: QUENCH USA, INC.Inventors: Theodore Hertz, Andrew Troy Nuttall
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Patent number: 11927361Abstract: An indoor unit includes a housing that houses an electrical-component storage box that includes a body portion, a lid portion, and an engagement mechanism portion that engages the body portion and the lid portion with each other in a detachable manner. The lid portion covers an open region on a side of the body portion. The engagement mechanism portion includes an engagement claw portion provided at one of the body and lid portions and an engagement hole portion into which the claw portion is inserted, and which is formed at the other of the body and lid portions.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2019Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Hiroki Nakashima, Keisuke Tomomura, Tatsuo Furuta
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Patent number: 11892220Abstract: A refrigerator of the present disclosure can include an ice making cell, a heater configured to supply heat to the ice making cell during an ice making process, and a controller configured to control the heater. The process for controlling the heater includes a basic heating process and an additional heating process that is performed after the basic heating process. In the basic heating process, the controller performs control so that a heating amount of the heater varies according to a mass per unit height of water in the ice making cell. In at least partial section of the additional heating process, the controller controls the heater to operate with a heating amount that is equal to or less than a heating amount of the heater in the basic heating process.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2019Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Donghoon Lee, Wookyong Lee, Seungseob Yeom, Donghoon Lee, Yongjun Bae, Sunggyun Son, Chongyoung Park
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Patent number: 11892221Abstract: The present invention relates to a refrigerator. A refrigerator according to the present invention may comprises a first tray assembly forming one part of ice-making cells, and a second tray assembly forming the other part of same. Following the start of ice making process, so that ice can be produced in the direction of ice-making cells formed by any one tray assembly, from among the first and second tray assemblies, to the ice-making cells formed by the other tray assembly, the other tray assembly comprises a first surface forming a part of the ice-making cells, and a second surface extending from the first surface and supported by at least one surface of the one assembly.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2019Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Donghoon Lee, Wookyong Lee, Sunggyun Son, Donghoon Lee, Seungseob Yeom, Yongjun Bae, Chongyoung Park
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Patent number: 11885550Abstract: Provided is a refrigerator including a cabinet having a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment defined therein, and an ice maker disposed in the freezing compartment, wherein the ice maker includes an upper tray made of an elastic material, and having a plurality of hemispherical upper chambers defined therein, a lower tray made of an elastic material, wherein the lower tray comes into contact with the upper tray by pivoting to define a plurality of spherical ice chambers therebetween, a driver for pivoting the lower tray to open and close the upper tray and the lower tray, and each rib formed along a circumference of each upper chamber or each lower chamber in contact with each other.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2022Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Yonghyun Kim, Jinil Hong, Hyunji Park
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Patent number: 11879673Abstract: Air sourced or water sourced packaged self-contained heat pump units having indoor and outdoor sections are provided. The heat pump unit distributes its total charge of refrigerant between a main refrigerant system and a refrigerant charge control system while keeping the total charge of refrigerant in the heat pump unit constant. The refrigerant charge control system has a refrigerant reservoir, an inlet conduit, and an outlet conduit that extends into the reservoir such that its lowest point is close to the bottom of the reservoir.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2019Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: UNITED ELECTRIC COMPANY. L.P.Inventor: Felipe Leon
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Patent number: 11874042Abstract: An ice maker includes an upper assembly including a plurality of hemispherical upper chambers, a lower assembly disposed below and pivotably coupled relative to the upper assembly, wherein the lower assembly includes a plurality of hemispherical lower chambers, a driver configured to pivot the lower assembly, a pair of rotating parts disposed at both sides of the lower assembly, a first pivoting arm pivotally mounted on one of the rotating parts, a second pivoting arm pivotally mounted on the other of the rotating parts and connected to the driver, a connection shaft connecting the first pivoting arm to the second pivoting arm, a first elastic member having one end connected to the first pivoting arm and the other end connected to the lower assembly, and a second elastic member having one end connected to the second pivoting arm and the other end connected to the lower assembly.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2022Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Yonghyun Kim, Jinil Hong, Hyunji Park
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Patent number: 11874051Abstract: An ice-shaping device includes a base having an inside surface and an outside surface. The inside surface defines a first ice molding cavity while the outside surface defines a channel. The ice-shaping device includes a cover having an inside surface and an outside surface. The inside surface defines a second ice molding cavity that cooperates with the first ice molding cavity. The cover includes a protrusion on the inside surface that cooperates with the channel. The cover is movable with respect to the base. When in a closed position, the base is located within an interior space of the cover defined by the inside surface of the cover. As the cover is moved from an open position to the closed position, the protrusion cooperates with the channel providing a physical interference to inhibit rotation of the cover with respect to the base.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2022Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: COURTRIGHT ENGINEERING COMPANY, LLCInventors: Brock Steere, Brian Steere, Mark Stahl
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Patent number: 11874038Abstract: A method of operating a refrigeration system is provided. The method includes activating an evaporator heater, monitoring a pressure differential within the refrigeration system, when the pressure differential reaches a predetermined value, deactivating the evaporator heater, and activating one or more evaporator fans, after deactivating the evaporator heater, to cause a thermostatic expansion valve to open.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2022Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATIONInventors: Douglas Auyer, Gilbert B. Hofsdal, William C. Silliman, Raymond L. Senf, Jr.
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Patent number: 11867445Abstract: In a method for controlling an ice maker, a motor rotates an ejector finger relative to an ice tray in a first direction and in a second direction opposite the first direction to discharge ice from the ice tray. When an error condition occurs, the ice maker enters a first error mode, during which an ice maker heater is turned on until the temperature of the ice tray reaches a predetermined temperature or until an ice maker heater error correction time elapses. When the ejector finger is at a home position, the motor rotates in the second direction until the ejector finger is not at the home position or for a first predetermined number of steps, whichever occurs first, and then rotates in the first direction until the ejector finger is at the home position.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2021Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.Inventors: Zhuochen Shi, Raony Barrios
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Patent number: 11858313Abstract: A device for temperature control for a motor vehicle, includes a diffractive optical element disposed on a surface of the motor vehicle, and a radiator. The diffractive optical element couples in incident radiation and conducts the coupled-in incident radiation away from an area of the motor vehicle to be cooled. The radiator includes an absorber to absorb the coupled-in incident radiation which is conducted to the absorber from the diffractive optical element. The radiator releases energy based on the coupled-in incident radiation absorbed by the absorber.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2022Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignees: AUDI AG, VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Mark Bennemann, Tobias Moll
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Patent number: 11859893Abstract: A refrigerator including a main body having a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment, a refrigerating compartment door rotatably coupled to the main body to open and close at least a part of the refrigerating compartment, an ice-making compartment, an ice maker disposed in the ice-making compartment to make ice, a dispenser to dispense ice, an auxiliary door to open and close the ice-making compartment, and a cold air duct connecting the ice-making compartment to the freezing compartment to cool the ice-making compartment. The ice maker including an ice-making tray that is rotatable and a cold air guide that is deformable and restorable and fixed to the ice-making tray.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2020Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Jin Jeong, Kyoungki Park, Kwanyeol Lee
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Patent number: 11859873Abstract: A fluid cooling apparatus capable of improving liquefaction efficiency of a fluid by appropriately cooling the fluid in various temperature ranges through a simple process.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2017Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: SAMSUNG HEAVY IND. CO., LTDInventors: Donghun Lee, Mungyu Kim, Joonho Min, Hyunki Park, Chihun Lee
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Patent number: 11841180Abstract: Provided is a refrigerator. The refrigerator may include a first tray assembly defining a portion of an ice making cell and a second tray assembly defining another portion of the ice making cell. The one tray assembly of the first and second tray assemblies may include a first portion that defines at least a portion of the ice making cell and a second portion extending from a predetermined point of the first portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2019Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Donghoon Lee, Wookyong Lee, Seungseob Yeom, Donghoon Lee, Yongjun Bae, Sunggyun Son, Chongyoung Park
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Patent number: 11835280Abstract: A system and method for reducing the refrigerant charge in a refrigeration system by preheating the liquid refrigerant before it is introduced to the evaporator inlet. When refrigerant liquid is introduced to the evaporator inlet, a portion of the refrigerant liquid vaporizes. This refrigerant vapor displaces refrigerant liquid at the inlet of the evaporator. As more refrigerant vapor is introduced, the amount of liquid inside the evaporator is reduced. A heat exchanger is placed before the liquid refrigerant inlet of the evaporator to generate more vapor when the refrigerant enters the evaporator.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2018Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: EVAPCO, INC.Inventor: Greg Derosier
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Patent number: 11828477Abstract: A heat exchanger includes: a surface with a water-repellent coating. The surface has a surface structure that includes protrusions. Condensed water droplets, each having a droplet diameter that allows a subcooled state to be maintained even under a predetermined freezing condition, combine with one other on the surface and generate an energy. The surface structure uses the energy to remove the combined condensed water droplets from the surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2018Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Tomohiro Nagano, Hirokazu Fujino, Kaori Yoshida, Isao Fujinami, Deb Kumar Mondal, Hiroki Yamaguchi
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Patent number: 11808506Abstract: An ice making machine has a framework-shaped frame which encloses an ice making tray and a drive unit and a fixing portion which fixes the frame to an inner wall surface in a freezing compartment. The frame includes a first frame portion and a second frame portion opposed to each other in an X-axis direction and a third frame portion and a fourth frame portion opposed to each other in a Y-axis direction. The fixing portion protrudes upward from the third frame portion. The third frame portion contacts the inner wall surface when the frame is fixed to the freezing compartment. The fourth frame portion includes a plate portion which extends in the X-axis direction with a thickness direction directed to the Y-axis direction and connects the first frame portion and the second frame portion to each other and a plurality of ribs provided on the plate portion.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2022Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATIONInventor: Yuta Oshima