Patents Examined by Ljiljana (Lil) V Ciric
  • Patent number: 7845392
    Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly has a first heat exchanger with a first heat radiating area receiving a first cooling fluid, a second heat exchanger with a second heat radiating area receiving a second cooling fluid and a third heat radiating area receiving a third cooling fluid. In use, the difference in temperature between the first cooling fluid entering and exiting the first heat radiating area is greater than the difference in temperature between the second cooling fluid entering and exiting the second heat radiating area and greater than the difference in temperature between the third cooling fluid entering and exiting the third heat radiating area. The temperature of the second cooling fluid flowing through the second heat radiating area is higher than the temperature of the third cooling fluid flowing through the third heat radiating area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Michiko Morita
  • Patent number: 7841386
    Abstract: An anti-breaking structure of an end closure of a heat pipe is formed at a tapered end of the heat pipe, and a soldering joint is formed at an upper end of the anti-breaking structure. The anti-breaking structure includes an uneven rib coupled longitudinally between the tapered end and the soldering joint, and two wing portions extended outward from the left and right outer sides of the uneven rib, and one surface of the uneven rib is convex and another backside surface of the uneven rib is concave, and both uneven rib and wing portions are formed by pressing the heat pipe to constitute the anti-breaking structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Chaun-Choung Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Tony Wang, Meng-Cheng Huang
  • Patent number: 7836943
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a heat transfer surface to transfer heat to or from a working fluid, a manifold region with a plurality of internal walls defining a plurality of inlet and outlet passages, and a heat transfer region disposed between the manifold region and the heat transfer surface. The internal walls are substantially normal to the heat transfer surface for directing working fluid in a normal direction, and include a plurality of alternating inflow and outflow portions in fluid communication with corresponding inlet passages and outlet passages. Adjacent inflow and outflow portions are in fluid communication with each other. A heat transfer structure is disposed in each of the plurality of inflow portions and extend between the internal walls of the inflow portion, the heat transfer structure being in thermal communication with the heat transfer surface to transfer heat between the working fluid and the heat transfer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Mikros Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Javier A. Valenzuela
  • Patent number: 7836945
    Abstract: An exhaust gas heat exchanger system of a combustion engine has a bypass duct and a heat exchanger duct with a heat exchanger. A valve is controlled by determining when heat is to be transferred from exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust system to the heat exchanger. When heat is to be transferred, the valve is switched into a first position in which all of the exhaust gas flows through the heat exchanger duct. A pressure drop across the heat exchanger system is monitored either directly or indirectly. If the pressure drop reaches a predefined limit, the valve is switched into an intermediate position, resulting in a smaller portion of the exhaust gas flowing through the heat exchanger duct than when the valve is in the first position and a remaining portion flowing through the bypass duct, thereby reducing the pressure drop across the heat exchanger system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Emcon Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Gregg Speer
  • Patent number: 7832464
    Abstract: An independent mixing valve sub-assembly which includes a casing defining a cold bias inlet, a hot bias inlet and a second zone inlet and a mechanism for mechanically attaching the casing to the housing of a HVAC module with the cold bias inlet, the hot bias inlet and the second zone inlet of the mixing valve sub-assembly in sealing engagement with a cold bias outlet, a hot bias outlet, and a second zone outlet of a HVAC module, respectively. The mixing valve sub-assembly may provide one or more streams of temperature-controlled air. Accordingly, different mixing valve sub-assemblies may be attached to one universal HVAC module to provide varying numbers of temperature zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Charles Kinmartin, Garrett Wade Hoehn, Ardeean Scoccia, Debashis Ghosh
  • Patent number: 7832465
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a multiple zone climate control system which includes a HVAC unit that supplies conditioned air to more than one zone, a zone controller in each zone, a central controller, one or more air flow rate regulating devices in each zone, and a digital wireless network connecting the air flow rate regulating devices, zone controllers and the central controller. The multiple zone climate control system is capable of energy efficiently regulating temperature in each zone independently as well as providing other air conditioning functions such as humidifying, cleaning and filtering air in each zone independently. The multiple zone climate control system can be installed in a single zone climate control system to convert it into a multiple zone climate control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Inventors: Shazhou Zou, Victor W Wang, Jian Mao, Tianxin Wang
  • Patent number: 7832461
    Abstract: An exemplary cooling method may comprise thermally coupling a network of cooling lines to each of a plurality of heat exchangers in a cooling system. The method may also comprise providing a first connection from a network of cooling lines to a first fluid source and a second connection from the network of cooling lines to an optional second fluid source. The method may also comprise delivering cooling fluid through the network of cooling lines to each of the plurality of heat exchangers whether the network of cooling lines is connected only to the first fluid source or to both the first and second fluid sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Christian L. Belady, Vance Murakami, Robert Allen Pereira
  • Patent number: 7827810
    Abstract: An air conditioner includes a case having an inlet provided at a front surface thereof to suck in air and an outlet provided at a lower surface thereof to discharge the air, and at least one displaying member provided at an outer border of the inlet so as to display operating information and control operation of the air conditioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Inn Ku Hur, Chang Yoon Woo, Ju Ho Ock, Jae Buem Bae
  • Patent number: 7828049
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes left and right header tanks disposed in parallel; top and bottom side plates that couple respectively both ends of the pair of the header tanks; a first plurality of tubes connected between the pair of the header tanks at both ends that are disposed in a region nearer the bottom side plate as a condenser; and a second plurality of tubes that are disposed in a region nearer the top side plate as an oil cooler. Each tube in the second tubes has a cross-sectional shape identical to that of each tube in the first tubes and the top side plate is formed to have a squared U-shaped cross section so that a return pipe communicating with the second tubes can be disposed along a groove having the squared U-shaped cross section of the top side plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Yamamoto, Ryouichi Sanada, Junji Kato
  • Patent number: 7828046
    Abstract: Hybrid wicking materials are used in high performance heat pipes where a bi-modal distribution of pore sizes offers advantages over a homogeneous monolithic porous structure. This wick is comprised of sintered metal powder formed on a foam, felt, screen or mesh metal substrate. A fine pore structure is formed by the metal powder while the substrate is comprised of large pores. The large pores are several times, preferably five times to several orders of magnitude larger in size than the small pores. The sintered powder metal and the metal substrate may be made of nickel, copper, molybdenum, niobium, aluminum, iron, cobalt, titanium and alloys based on these metals. This provides a wicking material with axial and radial variations in pore size for optimized performance under both horizontal and against gravity orientations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Inventors: Xiao Huang, George Stephen Franchi
  • Patent number: 7828050
    Abstract: A vehicle seat air-conditioner includes a seat on which an occupant sits, a seat temperature adjustment device that adjusts the temperature of a conditioned gas, a blower that supplies the conditioned gas to the seat, a seat covering layer provided on a surface of the seat and facing the seated occupant, and a flow channel provided on an underside of the seat covering layer that pass the conditioned gas that is introduced by the blower. The vehicle seat air-conditioner is adapted to convey heat of the conditioned gas to an occupant side of the seat covering layer by directly blowing out a portion of the introduced conditioned gas to the occupant side of the seat covering layer, and to perform heat exchange with the occupant side of the seat covering layer by circulating a portion of a remainder of the conditioned gas through the flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hidenori Esaki
  • Patent number: 7823626
    Abstract: A refrigerated oven having a cooking chamber in which is provided a heating elements and a refrigeration unit chamber in which is provided a refrigeration unit. The refrigeration unit is fluidly connected to the cooking chamber. Both the heating element and the refrigeration unit are selectively operable to either cool or heat the cooking chamber to thereby cool or heat a food item located therein. The refrigeration unit as preferably modular refrigeration unit that the slid into and out of the refrigeration unit chamber. Preferably, the refrigeration unit includes an evaporator that is thermally isolate is from a condenser. The condenser as preferably conductively coupled to a base supporting the elements of the modular refrigeration unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Dianne D. Mueller, Ralph Tate, Jr., Brent A. Junge, Joseph L. Coleman, Jan M. Watson, Steven R. Cawley
  • Patent number: 7806168
    Abstract: A device, method, and system for a fluid cooled micro-scaled heat exchanger is disclosed. The fluid cooled micro-scaled heat exchanger utilizes a micro-scaled region and a spreader region with a highly thermally conductive material and sized to yield high heat dissipation and transfer area per unit volume from a heat source. The micro-scaled region preferably comprises microchannels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Cooligy Inc
    Inventors: Girish Upadhya, Richard Herms, Peng Zhou, Kenneth Goodson, James Hom
  • Patent number: 7809965
    Abstract: A computer system including a processor and a fan. The computer system can determine a power usage of the computer system and throttle the processor if the power usage corresponds to operating the fan at an increased acoustic level. The processor is throttled to cool the computer system prior to operating the fan at the increased acoustic level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Gregory P. Ziarnik, Mark D. Tupa
  • Patent number: 7802615
    Abstract: A sound-abating flow disruptor quiets a PTAC refrigerant system by disturbing the airflow between an energized electric heater and an adjacent fan wheel. In some embodiments, the flow disruptor is a perforated metal plate that attenuates a whistle, which appears to be caused by vortex shedding in the confined area between the energized heater and the fan. In some cases, the heater comprises selectively energizable heating elements of various wattage. The heating elements closest to the fan wheel are the lower wattage ones to minimize the heat near the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Ferdy Martinus, William B. Rockwood
  • Patent number: 7798204
    Abstract: A centrifugal condenser in an engine has a stacked arrangement of interleaved plates surrounding a central core. Exhaust steam from the engine is directed through interior cavities of the plates while external cooling air from intake blowers circulates over outer surfaces of the plates to cool the plates and condense the steam on the opposite inner side of the plates. The water condensation is returned to a collection pan or sump for subsequent use in the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Cyclone Power Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Harry Schoell
  • Patent number: 7793706
    Abstract: An HVAC assembly including an HVAC case disposed in a passenger compartment of a vehicle includes a first air mix door. The first air mix door is movable between open and closed positions and adapted to adjust a temperature of air blown into a front passenger compartment. A second air mix door is movable between open and closed positions and adapted to adjust a temperature of air blown into a rear passenger compartment. The HVAC assembly further includes a motor and a mechanical linkage operably coupling the motor with the first and second air mix door whereby movement of the motor corresponds to movement of both the first and second air mix doors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Archibald, Jason Hendry
  • Patent number: 7789130
    Abstract: A system air fans integrated control apparatus for a computer system which has a plurality of heat sources and a plurality of air fans corresponding to the heat sources includes a plurality of detection units to detect the heat sources and output a plurality of temperature alteration parameter signals, a signal integration and determination circuit to receive and interpret the temperature alteration parameter signals to determine a rotation speed regulation signal, and an air fan driving circuit which is linked to the signal integration and determination circuit and an external driving power source. Upon receiving the rotation speed regulation signal the driving power of the external driving power source to the air fans is regulated synchronously. Thereby multiple heat sources are detected at the same time and multiple air fans are integrated to perform heat dissipating to reduce accumulating heat in the system environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Topower Computer Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Michael Chen
  • Patent number: 7789127
    Abstract: Heat transfer tubes for evaporators in air conditioning and refrigeration systems, each tube including: a tube body (1); outer fins (2) extending on an outer wall surface of the tube body (1) and having outer fin walls opposite to the outer fin walls of the adjacent outer fins; channels (6) located between the adjacent fins (2) so as to constitute channel chambers; fin top platforms (3) on respective tops of the outer fins (2), the fin top platforms (3) including fin top edges (3a) extending from both sides of the fin top platforms (3) so that the channel chambers form a cavity structure as a whole; channel chamber openings constituted by gaps between the adjacent fin top edges (3a) of the fin top platforms (3) of the outer fins; and lateral fins (4) arranged on portions or substantially middle portions of the outer fin walls of the outer fins (2) in a height direction of the outer fins (2) and at intervals in an spreading direction of the outer fins (2), so that the cavity structure is formed into a double c
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignees: Jiangsu Cuilong Precision Copper Tube Corporation, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology
    Inventors: Minghua Lu, Chunming Zhang, Xiaoyu Cui, Xing Luo, Hugen Ma
  • Patent number: 7789125
    Abstract: An extended impingement cooling structure to cool outside an air supply plenum comprises an inner wall; an impingement sheet; a series of supports to maintain the inner wall in spaced relation to the impingement sheet, and a baffle supported between the inner wall and the impingement sheet. The baffle has a collector plenum area that receives impingement cooling air from the air supply plenum and a channel in fluid communication with the collector plenum and extending outside the air supply plenum with openings to allow impingement cooling air to pass therethrough and having a series of lands extending into the channel wherein the lands are located in proximity to impingement cooling air outlets in the inner wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Robert R. Mayer, Charles D. Stoner