Patents Examined by Kirstin U Oswald
  • Patent number: 11397030
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a rotary pressure exchanger fluidly coupled to a low pressure loop and a high pressure loop. The rotary pressure exchanger replaces a traditional bulk flow compressor. The rotary pressure exchanger is configured to receive the refrigerant at high pressure from the high pressure loop, to receive the refrigerant at low pressure from the low pressure loop, and to exchange pressure between the refrigerant at high pressure and the refrigerant at low pressure, and wherein a first exiting stream from the rotary pressure exchanger includes the refrigerant at high pressure in the supercritical state or the subcritical state and a second exiting stream from the rotary pressure exchanger includes the refrigerant at low pressure in the liquid state or the two-phase mixture of liquid and vapor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Energy Recovery, Inc.
    Inventors: Azam Mihir Thatte, Matthew Joseph Pattom
  • Patent number: 11378290
    Abstract: 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 device 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 device in the second mode. Refrigerant flows both from discharge line to gas reheat heat exchanger and then main refrigerant flow control device, and from discharge line to main refrigerant flow control device without flowing through the gas reheat heat exchanger in the third mode. Refrigerant may flow to the usage side and hot gas reheat heat exchanger in the heating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: DAIKIN APPLIED AMERICAS INC.
    Inventors: Marcos Locke, Benny DiMarco
  • Patent number: 11378321
    Abstract: An ice making machine is provided and includes: an ice tray, having a water storage recessed part; a drive part for reversing the ice tray around an axial line passing the ice tray between a water storage position and an ice separation position; and a frame, supporting the ice tray and the drive part. The ice tray includes a water receiving part protruded to an outer side in a portion which is moved to a lower side when the ice tray starts to turn to a CCW direction directing from the water storage position to the ice separation position. The frame includes a projected portion located on an upper side with respect to the water receiving part. The projected portion includes a water passage port for passing the water at a position overlapping with the water receiving part when being viewed in a Z-direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akio Ishimizu, Shunji Saito, Katsuhiko Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11378320
    Abstract: To provide an ice maker capable of suppressing damage to a frame. In an ice maker, an ice making tray, and a driving unit structured to cause the ice making tray to perform a flip operation and a twist operation are supported by a frame. With the frame, in an inner wall of a first side plate unit, there are provided a first inner wall portion extending in a first direction along the driving unit, and a second inner wall portion extending in the first direction along the ice making tray on the other side in a second direction with respect to the first inner wall portion, and in a step unit connecting the first inner wall portion and the second inner wall portion, there is provided a cutout serving as a through unit for passing a wire connected to the driving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunji Saito, Katsuhiko Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11371763
    Abstract: A method of operating a refrigeration system is provided. The method includes activating an evaporator heater (306), monitoring a pressure differential within the refrigeration system (308), when the pressure differential reaches a predetermined value (310), deactivating the evaporator heater (312), and activating one or more evaporator fans (314), after deactivating the evaporator heater, to cause a thermostatic expansion valve to open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Douglas Auyer, Gilbert B. Hofsdal, William C. Silliman, Raymond L. Senf, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11340004
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating and storing in a tank 22 a flowable slush 2 of frozen particles usable inter alia in Ice Pigging™ includes a control system 100 which is arranged to monitor an operating parameter OP of an agitator 23 in the storage tank. The control system initiates a slush comminution and separation or dewatering cycle when a control parameter CP based on the operating parameter OP reaches a threshold value CPt. The control parameter may represent a cumulative energy input to the storage tank 22. Comminution may be performed prior to separation, with the treatment cycle being terminated when a sensed rheometric parameter RP of the slush circulating in the treatment flowpath reaches a target value RPt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Suez International
    Inventors: Eric Allan Ainslie, Dominic George Ian Ash, Timothy John Deans, Martin Herbert
  • Patent number: 11313593
    Abstract: A compressor 12 for use in a refrigerant circuit 11 using a refrigerating machine oil 60 being free of phosphoric ester and a refrigerant mixture inclusive of 1,1,2-trifluoroetylene includes a rolling piston 32 and a vane 33 in contact with the rolling piston 32 in a slidable manner. The rolling piston 32 and the vane 33 are formed of a base metal, the base metal being steel, and the base metal is exposed at a contact portion between the rolling piston 32 and the vane 33.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hideaki Maeyama
  • Patent number: 11306956
    Abstract: A double pipe icemaker includes an inner pipe, and an outer pipe provided radially outside the inner pipe and coaxially with the inner pipe. The outer pipe allows a cooling target to flow in the inner pipe and a refrigerant to flow in a space between the inner and outer pipes. The outer pipe has a wall provided with at least one nozzle to jet the refrigerant into the space. The nozzle has a jet port. The jet port may allow the refrigerant to jet in a radial direction including at least an axial direction and a circumferential direction of the inner pipe. A shielding plate may be provided ahead of the jet port in a jetting direction such that the refrigerant hitting the shielding plate expands along a surface of the shielding plate in a radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahito Nakayama, Ryouji Matsue, Keisuke Nakatsuka, Satoru Ohkura, Takeo Ueno
  • Patent number: 11287173
    Abstract: A refrigerator is provided that includes a low energy defrost system and method for melting frost formed on an evaporator of a cooling system for the refrigerator. The low energy defrost system includes using air from the refrigerator compartment or external air adjacent the refrigerator to be directed to the evaporator and passed adjacent the evaporator coils to melt any frost formed thereon. As the air is above freezing temperature, it will melt any frost formed on the coils without the need of use an electrical heater. Re-cooled air from the melted frost may then be directed back into the refrigerator compartment to be used to aid in cooling the refrigerator compartment or keeping the refrigerator compartment at the programmed or predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Patrick J. Boarman
  • Patent number: 11280536
    Abstract: A method of controlling the temperature in cavities of a refrigerator (10) cooled by a refrigeration circuit having a compressor (18) and an evaporator (32) includes the steps of: monitoring the duty cycle of the compressor (18); determining whether the duty cycle is below a threshold; determining whether the temperature of the evaporator (32) is above a threshold; and if the duty cycle is below the threshold and if the evaporator temperature is above a threshold, activating the refrigeration circuit to start cooling of at least one of the refrigerator cavities. A refrigeration appliance (10) with a controller that activates the refrigeration circuit based on the monitored duty cycle of the compressor (18) and the evaporator temperature is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Raony Barrios, Marco Rotondo, Dennis Schenk, Eduardo Alves Cardoso
  • Patent number: 11266042
    Abstract: A refrigeration system and refrigeration method for a data center are disclosed. The refrigeration system includes: a first heat exchanger disposed on a back plate of an indoor cabinet of the data center, and a phase-change heat-exchange cooling tower disposed outdoor of the data center. The first heat exchanger and the phase-change heat-exchange cooling tower are communicated by a secondary refrigerant delivery pipeline. The phase-change heat-exchange cooling tower transfers heat carried in the secondary refrigerant into air and condenses the secondary refrigerant to a liquid again; the secondary refrigerant employs a phase-change heat-exchange working medium. An air pump is disposed in the phase-change heat-exchange cooling tower and on a by-pass of the secondary refrigerant delivery pipeline to pressurize the secondary refrigerant in gas-state delivered in the secondary refrigerant delivery pipeline to increase the condensing pressure for condensing the secondary refrigerant to a liquid again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: BEIJING BAIDU NETCOM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hu Tang, Xiaozhong Li, Binghua Zhang
  • Patent number: 11243015
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a high-pressure main header gas line; a low-pressure condensate discharge gas line; a condenser having a first port in gaseous communication with the high-pressure main header gas line; a second port in gaseous communication with the low-pressure condensate discharge gas line; a purge assembly in gaseous communication with the low-pressure condensate discharge gas line, the purge assembly is configured to purge air from the gas channeled through the low-pressure condensate discharge gas line; and an adiabatic air cooling system disposed within the condenser having a plurality of jet nozzles configured to inject a cooling gas within the condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Inventors: Marcos Braz, Daniel Braz
  • Patent number: 11215386
    Abstract: Refrigeration circuit (1a) comprising in the direction of flow of a circulating refrigerant: a compressor unit (2) comprising at least one compressor (2a, 2b, 2c); a heat rejecting heat exchanger/gas cooler (4); a high pressure expansion device (6); a receiver (8); an expansion device (10); an evaporator (12); and a low pressure gas-liquid-separation unit comprising at least two collecting containers (32, 34) which are configured for alternately separating a liquid phase portion from the refrigerant leaving the evaporator (12) and delivering the separated liquid refrigerant back to the receiver (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sascha Hellmann
  • Patent number: 11214126
    Abstract: An air-conditioning system of a motor vehicle having refrigerant circulation and coolant circulation. Refrigerant circulation comprises a compressor, a refrigerant-coolant heat exchanger operable as condenser/gas cooler for heat transfer between the refrigerant and the coolant, a first expansion element and a first refrigerant-air heat exchanger for conditioning the inflowing air for the passenger compartment. Coolant circulation is developed with a conveying device, a first coolant-air heat exchanger for heating the inflowing air for the passenger compartment, a second coolant-air heat exchanger and the refrigerant-coolant heat exchanger. Refrigerant circulation also includes a second refrigerant-air heat exchanger, operable exclusively as evaporator. Upstream of the second refrigerant-air heat exchanger in the direction of flow of the refrigerant, a second expansion element is disposed. The second expansion element and the second refrigerant-air heat exchanger are disposed within a first flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Hanon Systems
    Inventors: Martin Hötzel, Navid Durrani, Christoph Bara
  • Patent number: 11209206
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator including: a cabinet which has a storage chamber therein; an inner door which is rotatably connected to a front surface of the cabinet, opens and closes a portion of the storage chamber, and has an access hole of a predetermined size; an accommodation case which is mounted on a rear surface or the inner door, and has a front surface which is opened so as to communicate with the access hole and a rear surface which has a plurality of cool air holes which are vertically spaced apart from each other; an outer door which is rotatably connected to the inner door at a front side of the inner door and selectively opens and closes the access hole; a shielder which is movably coupled to the rear surface of the accommodation case to selectively shield the plurality of cool air holes; and a driver which is provided in the accommodation case for vertically moving the shielder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Donghoon Lee, Wookyong Lee
  • Patent number: 11193703
    Abstract: A method of operating a thermal system including at least a compressor, a condenser, a flow control valve, and at least one heat exchanger connected in a closed fluid loop charged with refrigerant. The method includes: regulating refrigerant pressure at a selected point within the fluid loop using a pressure regulating apparatus including: a main pressure regulator including a dome in fluid communication with a diaphragm that seals directly against at least one process void and at least one vent void; and a pilot pressure regulator in fluid communication with the dome so as to provide fluid thereto at a setpoint pressure. The setpoint pressure is maintained by the pilot pressure regulator utilizing refrigerant tapped from the fluid loop The refrigerant is tapped from a point upstream of the main pressure regulator and tapped refrigerant is returned to the fluid loop downstream of the main pressure regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Equilibar, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Matthew Heffner, Eugene Charles Jansen, Jeffrey Dean Jennings
  • Patent number: 11181310
    Abstract: In an ice maker, water from a water supply pipe passes through a water flow port provided in a frame and is poured into a water receiving unit protruding outward from an ice making tray 5. The frame includes a first water channel portion intersecting a direction of an axis and the water flow port is provided in a side surface of the first water channel portion on a side of the ice making tray. Further, the frame includes a convex unit functioning as a water blocking unit and provided in a position on the upstream side of the water flow port and along the side surface in which the water flow port is provided. As a result, it is possible to prevent or suppress water flowing in a direction different from the opening direction of the water flow port, from reaching the water flow port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takaji Harata, Katsuhiko Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11175063
    Abstract: A switching device for a multi-split air conditioner and a multi-split air conditioner having same. The switching device has a base, a drain tank, multiple damping pads, and multiple fixing members. The base has a bottom wall and side walls, the side walls surrounding the bottom wall and extending upward from the edge of the bottom wall. The drain tank is disposed in the base, and the bottom surface of the drain tank is vertically spaced apart from the bottom wall of the base. The multiple damping pads are disposed on the drain tank and arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the drain tank. The multiple fixing members are respectively disposed on the damping pads and are connected to the side walls of the base. The multiple fixing members are all spaced apart from the drain tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignees: GD MIDEA HEATING & VENTILATING EQUIPMENT CO., LTD., MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Rujiang Zhong, Zibao Zhuang, Wenjie Zhou
  • Patent number: 11149995
    Abstract: Disclosed is an evaporator including a case formed in an empty box type and having a storage chamber therein; a cooling tube formed on the case in a preset pattern and filled with refrigerant for cooling therein; a heating tube formed on the case in a preset pattern so as not to be overlapped with the cooling tube and filled with working fluid for defrosting therein; and a heating unit fixed to an external surface of the case corresponding to the heating tube and configured to heat the working fluid within the heating tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Kwangsoo Jung, Woocheol Kang, Geunhyung Lee, Gwinan Hwang
  • Patent number: 11149989
    Abstract: A system has a compressor, a heat rejection heat exchanger, first and second ejectors, first and second heat absorption heat exchangers, and first and second separators. The heat rejection heat exchanger is coupled to the compressor to receive refrigerant compressed by the compressor. The first ejector has a primary inlet coupled to the heat rejection exchanger to receive refrigerant, a secondary inlet, and an outlet. The first separator has an inlet coupled to the outlet of the first ejector to receive refrigerant from the first ejector. The first separator has a gas outlet coupled to the compressor to return refrigerant to the compressor. The first separator has a liquid outlet coupled to the secondary inlet of the ejector to deliver refrigerant to the first ejector. The first heat absorption heat exchanger is coupled to the liquid outlet of the first separator to receive refrigerant and to the secondary inlet of the first ejector to deliver refrigerant to the first ejector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Jinliang Wang, Parmesh Verma