Abstract: A defroster restrains a vane jump that takes place when an evaporator is defrosted in a refrigerant circuit using a so-called internal intermediate-pressure type double-stage compression rotary compressor. The defroster includes a rotary compressor that discharges a refrigerant gas that has been compressed by a first rotary compressing unit into a hermetic vessel and further compresses the discharged intermediate-pressure refrigerant gas, a gas cooler, an expansion valve, and an evaporator. To defrost the evaporator, the refrigerant gas discharged from the second rotary compressing unit is introduced into the evaporator without decompressing it by the expansion valve. Furthermore, the refrigerant gas discharged from the first rotary compressing unit is introduced into the evaporator. At the same time, an electromotive unit of the rotary compressor is run at a predetermined number of revolutions.

Abstract: A control device includes a first passage, a second passage, a third passage, a displacement control valve and an auxiliary valve. The displacement control valve is placed in the first passage. The auxiliary valve includes a valve chamber, a spool valve and an urging means. The spool valve is slidably accommodated in the valve chamber. The spool valve divides the valve chamber into a first pressure chamber and a second pressure chamber, to communicate the first pressure chamber with the first passage and to communicate the second pressure chamber with the second passage. The urging means is placed in the valve chamber for urging the spool valve toward the first pressure chamber. The third passage communicates with the first pressure chamber and/or the second pressure chamber by the movement of the spool valve.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and single controller for receiving constant and individualized in information from a plurality of air control systems. A single controller is capable of controlling and interacting with at least two separate air control systems to control an environmental characteristic, and in the process, reduces the costs associated with the manufacturing and every day operation of the individual systems. In addition, the controller is capable of intelligently communicating with the input and output devices of the system, and particularly with each individually interfaced appliance, such that the controller can adaptively control the system through the use of stored historical data.

Abstract: A temperature control system utilizes detected occupancy and activity levels to automatically condition a response of an HVAC system to a difference between a setpoint temperature and an actual temperature within a zone. The illustrated example includes an infrared sensor that provides at least one signal indicating the activity and occupancy levels in the zone. A neural network processes the sensor signal to provide an indication of the occupancy and activity levels to a controller. The controller automatically adjusts at least one control parameter of the HVAC system to compensate for changes in the occupancy or activity levels that would affect the temperature comfort setting in the zone.

Abstract: A refrigerated enclosure, for example a household refrigerator, having improved appearance and functionality by including a view panel, for example a glass window in a door of the refrigerated enclosure, a door switch, a controller, and an intermittent fan for removing moisture that condenses on the view panel. The refrigerated enclosure may also include interchangeable components, for example exterior panels, for coordinating or matching the appearance of the refrigerated enclosure to the surroundings into which the refrigerated enclosure is placed.

Abstract: A method for controlling at least one electronic expansion valve coupled to an economizer in a refrigeration system in order to dynamically control the refrigeration system operating conditions and in order to accommodate more than one set of operating conditions. The system can also be used to control the capacity of the system. More specifically, the method can include determining the required capacity of the system and adjusting the flow of refrigerant through the electronic expansion valve to adjust the actual capacity of the system toward the required capacity of the system. In another aspect of the invention, the system is operated to maintain the power of the system below a threshold value (e.g., below a max rated horsepower).

Abstract: A power distributing mechanism distributes a power at a first axis from the engine to a second axis coupled to a motor generator, and a third axis coupled to a compressor for air conditioning. A clutch mechanism provides the connection/disconnection of the second axis to/from the third axis, and a lock mechanism provides the locking and unlocking of rotation of the third axis. The control unit inhibits switching operations of the clutch mechanism and lock mechanism for a startup transition period of the engine and a to-stop transition period of the engine and controls the inverter to suppress the operation of the motor generator in the generator mode for a startup transition period of the compressor and a to-stop transition period of the compressor, while the engine is running.

Abstract: An air comfort control device is disclosed, which has a furnace with a furnace fan, an air conditioner with an air conditioner fan positioned remote from the furnace fan, and a temperature controller responsive to temperature changes in air in a partially enclosed environment, wherein the temperature controller sends a fan output signal to both the furnace fan and the air conditioner fan to run together to circulate air through the partially enclosed environment. The thermostat controller may also provide for multiple operation settings, including both automatic and manual options. The air comfort control device may also have a motor controller capable of sending more than one voltage to a blower motor to set a furnace fan at more than one speed. The motor controller can be produced separate from an ignition controller where the ignition controller sets the gas valve to a high position or a low position.

Abstract: The present invention provides an airflow control loop that uses averaged airflow measurements without the problems that are normally encountered with averaging measurements, such as the delay introduced into the airflow control loop. This is accomplished, in the present invention, through a predictive control scheme. The predictive control scheme of the airflow control loop calculates the damper sensitivity, calculates the damper runtime needed to achieve setpoint, and then runs the damper for the determined period of time. In addition to the unique airflow control loop used to maintain the constant airflow into the room, the present invention also implements a digital form of proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) control to maintain the room temperature. The digital form of PID control uses non-linear gains which vary according to how far the measured temperature is from setpoint.

Abstract: A multi-stage pressure distribution and pressure regulation system. The system includes at least one heating and cooling load having a supply side and a return side, a heat source supply system for supplying thermo-fluid to the at least one heating and cooling load, and a booster pumping system including at least one booster pump for transferring the thermo-fluid from the heat source supply system to the supply side of the at least one heating and cooling load for maintaining a predetermined head pressure. The multi-stage system also includes at least one pressure regulating system including at least one pressure reducing and sustaining device for reducing the pressure of the thermo-fluid flowing from the return side of the at least one heating and cooling load and sustaining the pressure at the predetermined head pressure.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling temperature within a vehicle cabin include monitoring various temperature sensors to determine current operating conditions, determining a desired temperature or temperature range based on occupant input, dynamically estimating a temperature gradient based on changes in the current operating conditions over a predetermined time, predicting when the desired temperature or temperature range will be attained based on the gradient and the current operating conditions, and controlling a heating/cooling system based on the predicted time. Controlling the heating/cooling system may include shutting off the system at a predicted time, or turning on the system at a predicted time. The process of prediction can be linear, non-linear, or empirical, i.e., based on a table.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating a gas-fired heater to maintain temperature within a zone. The gas-fired heater is modulated between a higher firing rate and a lower firing rate within a pseudo steady-state mode until a current firing rate exceeds a predetermined maximum time period ttrans. The gas-fired heater is then modulated between an updated higher firing rate and an updated lower firing rate within a transient mode until an updated current firing rate exceeds a predetermined maximum time period tdiag. Finally, the higher firing rate and the lower firing rate are redefined in a diagnostic mode until the gas-fired heater returns to the pseudo steady-state mode.

Abstract: A ventilation and air-conditioning system uses a first variable-air-volume system to cool and dehumidify fresh outside air and deliver it through a first duct to a mixing box located downstream. The system also uses a second variable-air-volume system to further cool and dehumidify recycled air and deliver it through a second duct to the mixing box where the fresh and recycled air are able to mix prior to ventilation into a room or office. The system uses a carbon dioxide sensor and a temperature sensor to provide feedback signals to a control system, which in turn regulates fan speeds and damper openings in order to provide optimal cooling and ventilation and to conserve energy when cooling and ventilation requirements are low.

Abstract: A controller that monitors air conditioning operation and performs calculations to determine when operation of the building's circulating fan would improve comfort levels. Based on the results of those calculations, the controller periodically operates the circulating fan throughout a subsequent period of time to moderate temperature and humidity levels. Excessive operation of the circulating fan is avoided. The controller is considered useful for generally improving human comfort levels in sleeping areas and particularly in residential structures consisting of more than a single story.

Abstract: A controller controls a physical variable such as temperature of a controlled system. A variable calculator calculates and output a manipulated variable on the controlled system based on of a target value such as a target temperature and a feedback value such as the measured temperature of the controlled system. A dead-time compensator provides a dead-time compensated output using a model simulating the controlled system having a dead time and an idealized model having no dead time, based on the manipulated variable outputted from the variable calculator to carry out an ordinary control and a dead-time compensated control. A switch functions to select the dead-time compensated control by providing a dead-time compensated output to the variable calculator or an ordinary control providing no dead-time compensated output to the variable calculator. The dead-time compensated control is carried out at least during set point response of the controller.

Abstract: A control valve includes an accommodation cylinder, a coil, a stator, a plunger, and a valve body. Electromagnetic force is generated between the stator and the plunger and the plunger moves relative to the stator. The valve body adjusts the opening degree of a valve hole. A flat surface and a peripheral wall are formed in an end of the stator. The peripheral wall has a tapered cross-section with an inclined inner surface. The inclined inner surface and the flat surface define a recess. The plunger has a frustum portion. The frustum portion includes a flat distal surface and an annular inclined surface. The taper angle of the peripheral wall is equal to or less than twenty degrees. The diameter of the flat distal surface of the frustum portion is equal to or greater than eighty percent of the largest diameter of the annular inclined surface.

Abstract: A set back timer for an air conditioner is provided with a display screen (15) for the representation of information about normal and set back operations of the air conditioner, wherein a normal operation time period display (53) indicating a time period of the day during which period a normal operation is carried out and a set back time period display (64) indicating a time period in the normal operation time period during which period a set back operation is carried out are displayed independently of each other on the display screen (15). Such arrangement enables an air conditioner user to easily and correctly confirm, at a glance, the relationship between a normal operation time period and a set back operation time period in the normal operation time period for the day, and the contents of a setting can be confirmed remarkably easily, thereby contributing to improvements in air conditioner operability.

Abstract: Upon a selector operation of a valve such as a four-way selector valve provided in a refrigerating cycle for selecting a channel of fluid, prevention of environmental pollution and energy saving and the like are effectively achieved. A sliding valve is coupled with a piston in a housing of a channel selector valve provided in a refrigerating cycle and the sliding valve moves due to a difference in pressure and so on at both sides of the piston, thereby a channel of fluid is selected. A processing section of a control device is constituted with microcomputers of an indoor and outdoor control sections, while a detecting section of the control device includes temperature sensor, detection means for detecting pressure, detection means for detecting flow rate, detection means for detecting voltage/current, and detection means for detecting frequency.

Abstract: A thermostat reading enhancer is provided which includes an enhancer body adapted to be positioned adjacent a thermostat. The enhancer body can have at least portions thereof abuttingly contacting a mounting surface and retained in a position between the thermostat and the mounting surface or retained in a positioned adjacent the thermostat. The enhancer body also has substantially larger enhancer indicia than indicia on the adjacent thermostat visibly displayed on a surface thereof. The enhancer indicia align with the thermostat indicia in such a way that the enhancer indicia correspond directly to thermostat controls and settings. Methods of retrofitting an existing thermostat, installing and using a thermostat with enhanced reading are also provided.

Abstract: A temperature responsive refrigerated transport container having a self contained refrigeration plant in which a short range radio transmits a sensed temperature to a remote operator panel using an identity code with the panel controlling the plant via a radio transmitter using an operating signal generated at the panel.