Patents Examined by William E. Wayner
  • Patent number: 5987907
    Abstract: A refrigerant circulation system of the present invention includes a compressor, a condenser, a evaporator, a throttle device and a control unit. The control unit controls a composition of a refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circulation system based on a temperature and pressure of the refrigerant of an inlet and outlet portion of the compressor, condenser, evaporator and throttle device. The control unit controls to open and close the throttle device to change the composition of the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circulation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Morimoto, Fujio Hitomi, Moriya Miyamoto, Hidekazu Tani, Tomohiko Kasai, Yoshihiro Sumida, Hitoshi Iijima
  • Patent number: 5927400
    Abstract: A device is described, for the adjustment of the flow rate of a liquid which circulates within thermal convectors or heat exchangers making up part of heating, conditioning or ventilation plants, or apparatus for the thermal treatment of products. The device comprises a body within which a movable shutter is provided, the position of which allows for adjusting the quantity of liquid flowing between at least an inlet duct and an outlet duct, the positioning of the shutter being obtained by way of a suitable actuator.The device comprises a control circuit and an instant flow rate and/or quantity meter of the liquid flowing in one of said ducts, for the automatic and continuous adjustment of the flow, by way of the appropriate positioning of the shutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Eltek S.p.a.
    Inventors: Elvio Bononi, Costanzo Gadini
  • Patent number: 5899081
    Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a temperature regulation system for providing heating and cooling for an interior of a truck. The temperature regulation system may be operated for an extended period of time without relying on the truck's engine or start battery for power. Therefore, the apparatus is ideal for heating and cooling a sleeping compartment within the truck while the engine is not running. The temperature regulation system comprises a climate control unit having a power control board, a control terminal having operator adjustable controls, a power inverter having a direct current input and an alternating current output, and a secondary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: White Consolidated Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: David K. Evans, Ernest E. Williams
  • Patent number: 5867995
    Abstract: A refrigeration system comprises an evaporator having an inlet and an outlet, a condenser, a compressor that is located between the evaporator and the condenser and that provides suction pressure at the evaporator outlet, an expansion valve that is connected to the evaporator inlet and that is operable to regulate a flow of refrigerant into the evaporator, a pressure regulator that is connected to the evaporator outlet and that is operable to limit the suction pressure to a regulated value, and a controller that coordinates operation of the pressure regulator with operation of the expansion valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Energy Controls International, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert J. Lewis
  • Patent number: 5857344
    Abstract: Atmospheric water extractor apparatus and method including a compressor an evaporator and one or more removable reservoirs for collecting drinkable water that has condensed on the evaporator.First and second chambers are provided separated by free-floating piston for alternately condensing refrigerant gas in the first chamber and storing refrigerant liquid in the second chamber, and condensing refrigerant gas in the second chamber, and storing refrigerant liquid in the first chamber. Lines inter-connecting the compressor, evaporator, condenser and the first and second chambers of the gas piston cylinder enable the compressor to alternately introduce refrigerant gas into the first chamber and move refrigerant liquid into the evaporative means by displacement of the free-floating piston and introduce refrigerant gas into the second chamber and move refrigerant liquid into the evaporator by first displacement of the free-floating piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Inventor: Richard A. Rosenthal
  • Patent number: 5850969
    Abstract: A method for controlling the temperature of a compartment of a refrigerator, the compartment utilizing at least two spaced apart temperature sensors, such that, even when one of the sensors malfunctions, the compartment is cooled without any degradation of efficiency. The sensors detect respective temperatures in the compartment. While the sensors are operating normally, the detected temperatures are stored. In the event one of the sensors malfunctions, an abnormal average temperature is calculated using: (i) previously stored temperatures of the abnormally operating sensor, and (ii) a temperature recently detected by the normally operating sensor. Thereafter, the calculated abnormal average temperature is compared with a reference temperature to control the operation of a fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eui-kyung Hong, Jae-in Kim, Seong-wook Jung
  • Patent number: 5845509
    Abstract: A plurality of variable speed centrifugal compressors operated in parallel form an HVAC or refrigeration system. The compressors are operated at proportionally synchronized speeds throughout their range of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Inventors: David N. Shaw, Giridhari L. Agrawal
  • Patent number: 5839654
    Abstract: Wireless control of an air conditioner or space heater by a portable, easily relocatable remote thermostat combined with a control signal transmitter which is placed on a table, desk or stand near an occupant of a room or office to set the operation of a cooling or heating source in order to maintain a more uniform level of air temperature comfort in the portion of the room where the thermostat is located. A wireless control receiver responsive to the transmitted control signal is included as a portion of a plug-in adapter module that plugs directly into an AC power wall receptacle. An ordinary window air conditioner or portable space heater is then merely plugged into the adapter module which provides ON and OFF control in response to the remote thermostat. A receiver is inclusible in a fixed-location wall thermostat, enabling the portable remote thermostat to maintain control of a centralized climate control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Innova Patent Trust
    Inventor: Harold J. Weber
  • Patent number: 5836165
    Abstract: An adaptive feedforward vibration control system reduces vibrations at fundamental and harmonic frequencies of matched reciprocating pistons, such as back-to-back compressor pistons in Stirling cycle cryocooler, by driving the pistons with correction signals. The system is also applicable to reducing the vibrations generated by a pair of opposite expander and balancer pistons in a cryocooler. The correction signals are computed iteratively to increase their accuracy, and need only be updated relatively infrequently to adjust the pistons' motions, thereby enabling the use of a relatively slow microprocessor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Hughes Electronics
    Inventors: Shaun L. Champion, Yeong-Wei A. Wu, Michael H. Kieffer
  • Patent number: 5833134
    Abstract: A wireless remote temperature sensing and control thermostat system for regulating air ducted air conditioning systems incorporating a normal mode and a remote control mode, including a combination thermostat and radio-frequency receiver unit, a radio-frequency transmitter, and an adjustable register. In the normal mode, a reference temperature is set by the thermostat for the temperature throughout the entire air conditioned structure. In the remote control mode, the local temperature sensing and control functions of the thermostat are disabled and the transmitter unit will take over the temperature sensing at the remote site which, in turn, then will control the thermostat unit. As a result, the users will be able to more accurately control their own personal environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Inventors: Tienhou Joseph Ho, Le Tang
  • Patent number: 5832736
    Abstract: A counterflow heat exchanger has a pair of disklike end plates between which there are disposed a multiplicity of disklike heat transfer walls. The heat transfer walls have peripheral flanges which are fluid-tightly joined to each other to provide spaces between the walls. There are a first and a second pair of spaced openings defined through each heat transfer wall for the passage of a first and a second fluid respectively therethrough. Each heat transfer wall is additionally fluid-tightly joined to an adjacent heat transfer wall on one side thereof at their edges bounding the first pairs of openings, and to another adjacent heat transfer wall on another side thereof at their edges bounding the second pairs of openings, so that two sets of flow paths for the two fluids are formed alternately by and between the heat transfer walls. The two pairs of openings in each heat transfer wall are situated adjacent the peripheral flange thereof for uniform fluid distribution throughout each flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Orion Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masuo Yoshioka, Hiromoto Ohta, Tsuyoshi Maruyama
  • Patent number: 5832740
    Abstract: A heat exchanger has an inner pipe inside of which a product travels, the inner pipe having a perforated lateral wall, an outer pipe surrounding the inner pipe and formed as a jacket, a plurality of flanges extending between the inner pipe and the outer pipe to form a plurality of segments, a plurality of supply passages each communicating with a segment of first group of segments for supplying a cooling liquid into a space between the outer pipe and the inner pipe, a plurality of discharge passage each communicating with one segment of a second group of the segments for discharging the cooling liquid from a space between the outer pipe and the inner pipe, each of the segments of the first group with which one of the supply passages is connected being located between two segments of the second group with which the discharge passages are connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Metalframe S.R.L.
    Inventor: Antonio Gautiero
  • Patent number: 5829262
    Abstract: In a refrigerating cycle in which a constant speed type compressor, an indoor heat exchanger and an outdoor heat exchanger are connected one by one by means of piping, a receiver is provided between the indoor and outdoor heat exchangers, and no capacity control mechanism is provided for the compressor, a gas-liquid flow rate regulating device is associated with the receiver for regulating at least either of liquid flow rate and gas flow rate of a cooling fluid which flows into and out of the receiver. This causes a quantity of excess refrigerant stored in the receiver to change to thereby vary an effective quantity of refrigerant circulating through the refrigerating cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazumoto Urata, Kensaku Oguni, Takeshi Endo
  • Patent number: 5826434
    Abstract: A heat recovery and dehumidifier system for ventilating fresh air to a conditioned space. The system is comprised of an enthalpy wheel or body for treating incoming fresh air to remove heat and moisture therefrom and a duct for introducing fresh air to a first segment of the enthalpy wheel or body. An evaporator coil is in communication with the enthalpy wheel or body to receive fresh air having heat and moisture removed therefrom, the evaporator coil further lowering the temperature of said fresh air and a subcooling coil is provided in communication with the evaporator coil to receive fresh air from said evaporator coil, said subcooling coil treating the fresh air to provide conditioned fresh air having the temperature thereof raised after leaving the evaporator coil, the subcooling coil in communication with said space to be conditioned to supply the conditioned fresh air thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: NovelAire Technologies, L.L.C.
    Inventors: William A. Belding, Spencer K. Goland
  • Patent number: 5826433
    Abstract: A high-efficiency refrigeration system (10) with total heat reclaim capacity comprises one or more compressors (11) for compressing a refrigerant gas to a desirable operating pressure. A bi-directional valve (14) communicates the compressed gas from the compressor (11) to condensers (19) for cooling the gas, when required, or to heat reclaim coils (21-23) to extract heat from the gas for heating air locally. A modulating valve (40) adjusts the pressure of the refrigerant gas at the compressors (11) and dependent on outside temperature. A refrigerant liquid/gas reservoir (28) receives liquid and vapor gas from the condensers (19) and the heat exchange coils (21-23) independently from one another whereby these liquid refrigerants will mix freely in the reservoir (28). A heat exchange coil (46) is connected between an outlet (45) of the refrigerant liquid/gas reservoir (28) and evaporators (48) whereby to cool liquid refrigerant gas from the reservoir to feed the evaporators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Inventor: Serge Dube
  • Patent number: 5822997
    Abstract: A thermal conditioning system is provided which is configured for setback operations. The source of thermal conditioning is preferably a gas driven heat pump. Control is provided such that during the recovery process, the operation of the heat pump is varied to accommodate changes in loading on the system. In addition, the control apparatus is configured to vary the start time of the recovery period as a function of recent system performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Gas Research Institute
    Inventor: William G. Atterbury
  • Patent number: 5823006
    Abstract: An air conditioning system for heating and cooling a room includes an indoor heat exchanger unit which has a housing and two separate heat exchangers disposed therein. Those two heat exchangers have different heat transmission areas and are connected by refrigerant pipes to respective outdoor heat exchangers. Valving is provided which enables either or both of the indoor heat exchangers to function as evaporators during a cooling mode, or to function as condensers during a heating mode. In other operating modes, either of the indoor heat exchangers functions as an evaporator while the other indoor heat exchanger simultaneously functions as a condenser to heat and humidify the room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nack-Hun Jung
  • Patent number: 5823000
    Abstract: A fluid flow control mechanism for use in a refrigerant circuit of vehicle has a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator connected to each other in series. The fluid control mechanism includes a passageway control device having an actuating chamber therein and controlling to change the size of an opening of the inlet of the compressor in response to a pressure difference between the inlet of the compressor and the actuating chamber. A valve control device connects the actuating chamber of the passageway control device with the outlet of the compressor and the inlet of the compressor to minimize a pressure difference between the inlet of the compressor and the actuating chamber when the vehicle accelerates. The fluid flow control mechanism reduces the excessive load on the compressor caused by the vehicle accelerating while simultaneously preventing torque shock when the compressor is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventor: Kazubiko Takai
  • Patent number: 5819554
    Abstract: A rotating vane machine is described in which compression and energy recovery expansion is obtained within one compact design. The machine is operated in conjunction with a new thermodynamic cycle which approaches the ideal reversed Carnot cycle to optimize efficiency. The new cycle simplifies control, and enables the rotating machinery to be of simple construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Refrigeration Development Company
    Inventor: John Stewart Glen
  • Patent number: RE36242
    Abstract: A single lightweight thermoelectric module (TEM) is mounted in a housing in turn mounted centrally atop a helmet to be worn by a worker in a hot atmosphere. The heat abstraction side of the TEM is disposed within the housing, the heat dissipation side dissipates heat to the ambient atmosphere. It has been found that the personal comfort of the worker is surprisingly improved by flowing a very small stream, 3-15 SCFM, of cooled air across only his face if the temperature of the air stream is in the range from about 1.degree. F. to 7.degree. F. cooler than the ambient air. This discovery allowed the air duct carrying cooled air from downstream the heat abstraction side of the TEM to be less than about 1 ft long, presenting substantially insignificant pressure drop of air flowing through the duct. This allows the use of a miniature fan means to blow the air through the housing. Two thermistors sense the temperature of air upstream and downstream, respectively, of the heat abstraction side of the TEM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Inventor: Yair J. Apisdorf