Abstract: A condensate collection structure for collecting and evaporating liquid condensation from a refrigerator or freezer in which a bracket assembly attached to the refrigeration housing unit supports both a condenser tubing array and a removable condensate drain pan. The condenser tubing array extends within and adjacent the bottom of the condensate drain pan when the drain pan is attached to the bracket assembly.

Abstract: Test and diagnosis of an automotive air conditioning system (2) is performed by a device which comprises: temperature-sensing means (3) for sensing the ambient temperature, pressure-sensing means (4,5) for sensing the high and low side pressures of the system (2), data-storage means (62) for storing at least one set of reference values of refrigerant pressures and ambient temperatures and at least one set of malfunction diagnosis, a data processor (63) for comparing said sensed values of ambient temperature and refrigerant pressures with said stored reference values and for associating to each tern of sensed values at least one diagnosis, which is displayed on a display unit (7), an input unit (8) and an hand-heldable housing (10) for containing said sensing and data-storage means (3-5,62), said data processor (63) and said display and input units (7,8).

Abstract: A device for supplying water to a refrigerator icemaker for supplying bottled water to the icemaker in a refrigerator. The device for supplying water to a refrigerator icemaker includes a container having water therein. The container has a bottom wall, a top wall and a peripheral wall coupled thereto and extending between the top and bottom walls. The housing has a lumen therein. The top wall has an opening therein for access to the lumen. A peripheral lip is coupled to and extends away from an edge of the opening. A cover member for selectively coupling to the peripheral lip and cover member the opening has a first hole and a second hole extending therethrough. A first tubular member for supplying water to the refrigerator is elongate and has a first end fluidly coupled to the first hole and a second end fluidly coupled to an inlet of the refrigerator. A second tubular member for supplying air to the container is elongate and has a first end and a second end.

Abstract: In a casing unit of the automotive air conditioner, an expanding portion of a mixing door with which an air flow is brought into direct contact is curved toward an upstream side of the air flow in a convex fashion.

Abstract: The invention disclosed and claimed in this patent is an improved refrigerated speed rail apparatus. The speed rail permits organized storage of beverage containers and provides easy and rapid access to those containers. The included refrigeration system chills beverages stored in the speed rail apparatus thereby enhancing the flavor of those beverages.

Abstract: A thermostat assembly with a valve mounted to a carrier for installation in an engine thermostat housing. The carrier includes a body portion to which the valve is mounted. A pair of posts extend upward from the body portion and have snap tabs that seat in an annular groove in the thermostat housing. A handle extends from the side posts and includes legs that first project inward from the side posts and then upward to upper distal ends where a cross member connects the legs. The carrier is made of plastic such that when the legs are squeezed together, the side posts deflect to withdraw the snap tabs from the groove to withdraw the snap tabs and enable the carrier to be removed from the housing. The housing also includes an inwardly tapered portion that engages the body portion of the carrier to form a seal therebetween. Fluid pressure when the valve is closed deflects the carrier outward into firm engagement with the condiut.

Abstract: A food storage system mounted in a fresh food compartment of a refrigerator includes an enclosure defined by inner and outer housings, as well as a food receptacle slidably positioned in the inner housing. The inner and outer housings are spaced so as to define a zone therebetween within which air is forced to flow in order to cool the contents of the receptacle. A temperature sensor is mounted within the inner housing, with signals from the sensor being sent to a control unit used to regulate the operation of a damper for controlling the flow of cooling air into the food storage system and a fan for distributing the cooling air within the food storage system. The control system also operates the damper and fan based on signals indicative of the opening and closing of the receptacle, the opening and closing of a door associated with the fresh food compartment and also the overall operation of the refrigerator.

Abstract: An efficient method and system for dehumidifying an environment and refrigerating a second environment with a closed loop refrigeration system consisting of compressing refrigerant with a refrigeration compressor (10) to a high temperature and pressure, condensing the high pressure refrigerant to a liquid at a high temperature, circulating high pressure refrigerant through a heat exchanger (60) which is used to transfer energy from the liquid to an environment which is being air conditioned at a higher efficiency which contains the refrigerated environment (200). The liquid is then evaporated to a gas at a low pressure in a refrigeration evaporator coil (220).

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method for providing effective ozonation of water used in ice making equipment for the production of ice cubes and for the ozonation of ice retaining bins located within an ice/beverage dispenser for sanitizing and retarding the growth of microorganisms therein and in the drains associated therewith.

Abstract: An expansion device capable of preventing an abnormal increase in the high-pressure in a freezing cycle and having, as an integrated unit thereof, a mechanism capable of quickly responding to an abnormal increase in the high-pressure and the low-pressure is provided. A means for displacement (bellows) 28 which becomes displaced in correspondence to the high-pressure is linked to a valve element 24 of a restrictor valve mechanism 32 to displace a rod 34 provided with a safety valve mechanism 33.

Abstract: A heating and/or air conditioning device for a motor-vehicle passenger compartment has an air-inlet chamber and a blower for installation in a rear part of the vehicle, a treatment and distribution device for installation in a front part of the passenger compartment), and a connecting duct for connecting the blower to the treatment and distribution device.

Abstract: A thermostatic expansion valve for a vehicle air-conditioning system includes a valve body with a condenser passage and an evaporator passage, and a power element supported on one end of the body. The power element includes a diaphragm and a pressure pad disposed against the lower surface of the diaphragm. The pressure pad includes a valve stem engaging a valve assembly in the valve body to control the flow of refrigerant between the condenser and evaporator. The valve assembly includes i) a plunger retainer threadably received in the condenser passage, ii) a plunger moveably connected to the plunger retainer and having a throttling member controlling the flow through an orifice in the metering passage, and iii) a spring extending between the plunger retainer and the plunger and biasing the plunger, and hence the throttling member, toward the orifice.

Abstract: An air conditioning system includes an exterior condenser having a heat exchange coil. Spray head structure on the condenser is arranged to spray water from a water supply onto the heat exchange coil. A control device periodically energizes the water supply whereby water is supplied to the spray head and onto the exchange coil to clean and cool the coil. The water supply may comprise a condensate reservoir and pump assembly, and conduit for delivery of condensate from the drain of an interior evaporator to the reservoir. Alternatively, the water supply may comprise tap water under pressure. When condensate is used, tap water under pressure may serve as a supplemental supply to the reservoir.

Abstract: An expansion valve of a refrigerating cycle contains a compressor with variable capacity that hunts the flow of the refrigerant as soon as the expansion valve starts to open in a condition where the capacity of the compressor is varied. The variation of the cross-section of the passage of the refrigerant in the expansion over a selected amount of the moving stroke of a valve body of the expansion valve is less than the variation of the cross-section with another moving stroke amount of the valve body 53. The stroke section or stroke range with the reduced gradient of the variation of the cross-section extends between a position E in a fully closed state and a position F in a middle part of the opening stroke of the expansion.

Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser system (10) includes a compressor (20), a condenser (30), a display case (100) having an evaporator (40), an expansion device (50), and an evaporator pressure control device (60) connected in a closed refrigerant circuit via refrigerant lines (12, 14, 16 and 18). The evaporator pressure control device (60) operates to maintain the pressure in the evaporator at a set point pressure so as to maintain the temperature of the refrigerant expanding from a liquid to a vapor within the evaporator (40) at a desired temperature. A controller (90) operatively associated with the evaporator pressure control device (60) maintains the set point pressure at a first pressure for the refrigerant equivalent to a first refrigerant temperature during a first refrigeration mode and at a second pressure for the refrigerant equivalent to a second refrigerant temperature about 2 to about 12 degrees warmer than the first temperature during a second refrigerant mode.

Abstract: A system comprises a facility for which snow is used, a snow producing unit for producing snow from water, and a collection section for collecting meltwater and supplies the collected meltwater to the snow producing unit as water used for producing snow. According to such a system, since snow is again produced from meltwater and used, artificial snow can be supplied to a facility for which artificial snow is used without using a large amount of water.

Abstract: An expansion valve adapted to achieve a stable operation in case of variations of the pressure of a high-pressure refrigerant is actuated by a power element transmitting an opening force to a valve body via a rod located between the power element and the power body by applying couple forces to the rod and generating a retarding force for the rod while the rod is guided in the direction of its shaft line

Abstract: A thermoelectric heat pump fluid circuit apparatus (10) for alternately delivering hot and cold fluids to an end device (12) such as a therapeutic wrap or pad. The apparatus includes a heat pump (14), a fluid circuit (16) coupled with the heat pump and having a fluid contained therein, a pump (18) interposed in the fluid circuit for circulating the fluid therein, and a valve (20) interposed in the fluid circuit for selectively delivering fluid from the fluid circuit to a device coupled with the apparatus.

Abstract: A display freezer including a display case defining an interior space; an evaporator cover assembly located in the interior space and separating the interior space into a display portion and an evaporator portion, a fan plenum having therein an inlet communicating with the display portion of the interior space and an outlet spaced from the inlet and communicating between the evaporator portion and the display portion of the interior space; a fan operable to create a flow of air through the inlet and the outlet; a first baffle located adjacent the inlet and a second baffle and defining a serpentine path extending from the inlet for conducting the flow of air in the evaporator portion and an evaporator coil assembly located in the evaporator portion between the inlet and the outlet.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus, such as a consumer display unit 400, comprises a covered tray 403 or other compartment for accommodating consumer product to be kept cool, and a housing 420 for accommodating a replaceable charge of dry ice out of contact with the product. A tubular element 421 communicates between the covered tray and the housing 420 to allow cold air and carbon dioxide to flow from the dry ice to the product.