Patents Examined by Tavia Sullens
  • Patent number: 11143433
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a drain pan configured to receive liquid condensate from a horizontal evaporator coil above the drain pan and a drain pan extension coupled to the drain pan. A pin on the front and rear sides of the drain pan extension is fitted and movable within a corresponding notch in the front and rear sides of the drain pan. The drain pan extension is securably configurable in a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the drain pan extension extends above the drain pan at a first predefined angle relative to the drain pan. In the second configuration, at least a portion of the drain pan extension extends beyond the left pan side of the drain pan at a predefined angle, which may be selected for improved capture of liquid condensate from the horizontal evaporator coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Advanced Distributor Products LLC
    Inventors: John Bauer, Michael Denley
  • Patent number: 11142038
    Abstract: A transport refrigeration unit for use with a transport trailer includes a structural framework mountable to a wall of the transport trailer, a condenser heat exchanger unit mounted to the structural framework, an evaporator housing separated from the condenser heat exchanger by a distance, and at least one condenser fan assembly positioned aft of the condenser heat exchanger unit and forward of the evaporator housing. The at least one condenser fan assembly includes a fan casing and a fan rotor rotatable relative to the fan casing about an axis. The fan rotor has a plurality of fan blades. A shroud is coupled to a radially outer end of the plurality of fan blades. The shroud includes an axially oriented protrusion extending from a distal end of the shroud towards the fan casing and a clearance is formed between the protrusion and the casing defining a convoluted flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Richie C. Stauter
  • Patent number: 11134703
    Abstract: A machine for liquid or semi-liquid food products, including: a container for containing a liquid or semi-liquid food product; a thermal treatment system, equipped with at least one heat exchanger associated with the container for absorbing or releasing heat to the liquid or semi-liquid food product inside the container; a stirrer positioned inside the container; a dispensing device, including: a supporting element having a front wall; an outlet channel, formed in the supporting element and in fluid communication with the container; a shutter which is movable inside the channel between a closed position of the outlet channel and an open position of the outlet channel; a lever having a first end operatively connected to the shutter to allow the movement between the above-mentioned closed position of the outlet channel and the open position of the outlet channel and also having a second end configured for being gripped by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: ALI GROUP S.R.L.—CARPIGIANI
    Inventors: Andrea Cocchi, Roberto Lazzarini
  • Patent number: 11125483
    Abstract: A refrigeration system for a temperature-controlled storage device includes a refrigeration circuit that circulates a refrigerant, a separate cooling circuit that circulates a coolant, and a controller. The refrigeration circuit includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator. The cooling circuit includes a pump, a control valve, and a heat removing device in fluid communication with the condenser via the coolant. The controller is operatively coupled to the control valve and configured to identify a coolant temperature differential setpoint, monitor a temperature of the coolant provided to the condenser by the cooling circuit, calculate a coolant temperature differential based on the temperature of the coolant provided to the condenser, and operate the control valve to modulate a flow of the coolant through the condenser to drive the coolant temperature differential to the coolant temperature differential setpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Swofford, Neil J. Rathje, Jules G. Choueifati
  • Patent number: 11079123
    Abstract: A modular, cooling device for providing cool air to a body and/or an external environment comprises a first body portion combining a cooling medium and air passageways therethrough. The first body portion may be detached from second and third body portions and placed in a freezer to refreeze the cooling media, and reattached for further use. The second body portion may include a material that absorbs condensate that forms within the air passageways. The third body portion may include a fan for driving air into the cooling device, through the air passageways and out of the cooling device. When passing through the air passageways, a heat transfer is produced between the passing air and the cooling medium, cooling the passing air. The fan speed may be varied to adjust air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Inventors: Robert William Nelson, Richard Hunton
  • Patent number: 11073314
    Abstract: A falling film evaporator includes a housing and a plurality of evaporator tubes located in the housing. A liquid refrigerant distribution system is positioned in the housing and includes a manifold having a plurality of manifold outlet openings and a baffle positioned between the manifold and a distribution vessel and comprising a plurality of baffle openings. The distribution vessel has a plurality of distribution vessel openings for conveying the liquid refrigerant onto evaporator tubes when in use. A method of operating an evaporator includes conveying a two-phase vapor and liquid refrigerant mixture to a manifold and spraying the mixture out of the manifold through a plurality of manifold openings toward a distribution vessel. The mixture in impinged on a baffle located between the manifold and the distribution vessel and the liquid refrigerant is separated from the mixture via the impingement. The liquid refrigerant is collected at the distribution vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Marcel Christians, Bryce Kirk Moore
  • Patent number: 11067226
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to vaporizer systems including two-phase heat transfer devices for vaporizing liquids and methods of using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Inventors: John Rizopoulos, Zupeng Huang, Scott Schroeder
  • Patent number: 11067299
    Abstract: A packaged terminal air conditioner unit includes an inlet conduit coupled to a compressor at an accumulator of the compressor. An outlet conduit is coupled to the compressor at a discharge of the compressor. The discharge of the compressor is positioned at a top portion of the compressor. The outlet conduit extends upwardly along a vertical direction from the discharge of the compressor between a pair of angled segments of the inlet conduit. The pair of angled segments of the inlet conduit is positioned above the compressor along the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Dustin Henderson, Robert William Jewell, Tal Abraham Ohayon
  • Patent number: 11067320
    Abstract: A gas recovery system for a compressor, said gas recovery system being equipped with: a distillation column that brings a supply gas in a liquid state into contact with a mixed gas, thereby cooling and liquefying a process gas in the mixed gas, and heating and gasifying the liquid supply gas; a process gas recovery line that is connected to the lower part of the distillation column and recovers the liquid process gas discharged from the distillation column; and a supply gas recovery line that is connected to the upper part of the distillation column and recovers the gaseous supply gas discharged from the distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPRESSOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Watanabe, Koichi Mizushita, Tomoaki Takeda, Yasushi Mori
  • Patent number: 11060773
    Abstract: A refrigerating device includes a refrigerant circuit through which a refrigerant flows. A refrigerant collection container through which the refrigerant flows in a refrigeration cycle operation is detachably provided in the refrigerant circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Shigeharu Taira
  • Patent number: 11060788
    Abstract: A household refrigeration appliance has a housing in which there is embodied a receiving space for foodstuffs, a first door and a second door separate therefrom. The doors closing a front-side receiving opening of the receiving space to the front. A door stop bar is disposed externally to the doors which is arranged in the receiving opening and is connected by a first end to a first boundary wall and by a second end to a second boundary wall. Wherein in the closed state the doors abut against the door stop bar on the front side, and have a frame heating which is arranged on the door stop bar for the purpose of heating the door stop bar. A heating line of the frame heating is arranged behind a front panel of the door stop bar and is thermally coupled to the front panel by the heat-conducting transmission medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Lindel, Michael Krapp, Thomas Bischofberger
  • Patent number: 11035601
    Abstract: A refrigerator that includes a main body, an ice-making chamber formed inside the main body, an ice-making tray to store ice-making water and generate ice, and a refrigerant pipe installed so that at least a part thereof is in contact with the ice-making tray, wherein a refrigerant flows in the refrigerant pipe, wherein the ice-making tray includes an ice-making cell that stores ice-making water, and a temperature sensor accommodation portion that accommodates a temperature sensor that measures temperature of water or ice stored in the ice-making cell, and the temperature sensor accommodation portion includes an accommodation portion that is formed in a groove shape, and has an open upper side so that the temperature sensor moves in or out, and a fixing portion which is coupled to a wire connected to a part of the temperature sensor or to the temperature sensor and fixes a position of the temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jin Jeong, Yong Sung Yoon, Chang Uo Hong, Bong Su Son, Young Il Song, Min Seob Yook, Do Yun Jang, Moon Gyo Jung
  • Patent number: 11029072
    Abstract: A cooling device including a freezing cycle including a compressor, a condenser, a pressure reducing means, and an evaporator is provided. In the cooling device, the condenser includes a first condenser and a second condenser independent from each other, the second condenser being positioned at a downstream side of the first condenser in a refrigerant channel, and the first condenser and the second condenser are connected to each other through a dew condensation preventing pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Hirai, Makoto Kobayashi, Masanaga Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11022331
    Abstract: An HVAC system with a reheat coil is described, the system includes a compressor, a micro-channel condenser and an evaporator. A reversing valve is connected to the compressor, the micro-channel condenser and the reheat coil. The reversing valve is used to direct the refrigerant from the compressor to the micro-channel condenser in a normal mode, and to direct the refrigerant from the compressor to the reheat coil in a reheat mode. The reversing valve can be switched from normal mode to reheat mode when a high pressure condition is detected at an input to the micro-channel condenser, and switched back from reheat mode to normal mode when the high pressure condition has resolved or an amount of time has passed. In the normal mode the refrigerant is returned from the reheat coil into a refrigerant line between the evaporator and the compressor through a restrictor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Clara, Eric Perez, Walter E. Davis, II
  • Patent number: 11015826
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a system includes at least one of a cooling system and a heating system, an automation controller, a sensor, and a switch. The automation controller provides a first input indicating a first temperature set point. The sensor detects a temperature of a second space proximate the sensor and provides a second input indicating the temperature of the second space and a second temperature set point. The switch activates at least one of the cooling system and the heating system based on the second temperature set point in response to a determination that the second input overrides the first input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Anuradha Sundararajan, John Manby, Anna Vishinsky, Alan E. Bennett, Rosa Maria Leal
  • Patent number: 10989422
    Abstract: Dehumidification efficiency in an air processing system can be increased by mixing cooled exhaust air with incoming fresh air prior to cooling the incoming air to reduce its moisture content. Cooling the incoming air brings it closer to its dewpoint, allowing a cooling element to use more of its capacity for reducing latent heat than sensible heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Inventor: William R. Chase, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10987994
    Abstract: An air-conditioning system and method of climate control for a fuel cell vehicle are provided herein. The system and method include a vacuum enclosure having an adsorber and an evaporator/condenser assembly. A conduit and valve system operates the air-conditioning system in two modes of operation to provide uninterrupted cooling to a passenger cabin, among other things. In one mode of operation, the adsorber is regenerated using waste heat from a fuel cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Furqan Zafar Shaikh, Sunil Katragadda, Michael Levin, William Frederick Sanderson, Craig Winfield Peterson
  • Patent number: 10969158
    Abstract: A household refrigerator has a receiving space for food, a back panel delimiting the receiving space at the back, a no-frost unit, and an air channel arranged behind the back panel and connected to the no-frost unit and has an outlet opening by which cold air from the no-frost unit can be introduced into the receiving space. A suction opening is provided by way of which air can be sucked out of the receiving space by the no-frost unit. The outlet opening and the suction opening are arranged at different levels. A baffle plate is arranged vertically between the outlet opening and the suction opening. The plate is arranged on the back panel and extends forwards in the direction of a loading opening, so cold air blown into the receiving space via the outlet opening flows around a leading edge of the baffle plate that faces the loading opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Lindel, Thomas Schaefer, Marcus Wehlauch
  • Patent number: 10955164
    Abstract: Systems, assemblies, and methods include features for selecting a fan speed priority setting to facilitate dehumidification of a space while maintaining a comfortable temperature in the building across a range of cooling loads. In one example, an electronic assembly may operate a multi-speed fan at a lower fan speed or higher fan speed based, at least in part, on a current cooling load on the cooling system of the building and a dehumidification high fan speed priority setting entered by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Ademco Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Klein, Robert Schnell, David Schultz
  • Patent number: 10935283
    Abstract: An air conditioner unit includes a compressor, an exterior coil, a main interior coil, a main expansion device, a reheat interior coil and a reheat expansion device. The reheat interior coil is positioned adjacent the main interior coil. The main expansion device is connected in series between the exterior coil and the main interior coil, and the reheat expansion device is connected in series between the main expansion device and the reheat interior coil. A reheat valve is operable to selectively adjust a flow direction through the reheat interior coil. The reheat valve is a four-way valve, and one port of the four-way valve is blocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Dustin Henderson, Bryan Isaac D'Souza, Robert William Jewell, Timothy Scott Shaffer