Patents by Inventor Takahito HIKONE

Takahito HIKONE has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11592223
    Abstract: A free cooling outdoor unit includes: a refrigerant circuit through which refrigerant circulates; a brine circuit through which brine circulates; a water circuit through which water circulates; a fan configured to send air to the second heat exchanger; a flow control valve configured to control a circulation amount of the brine in the brine circuit; a water temperature detection sensor configured to detect a water temperature in the water circuit; an outside air temperature sensor; and a controller configured to control, where the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than a freezing temperature of the brine, the circulation amount of the brine based on the water temperature such that a brine temperature is prevented from reaching a temperature equal to or lower than the freezing temperature of the brine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshio Yamano, Takahito Hikone, Kimitaka Kadowaki, Takuya Ito, Yasushi Okoshi
  • Patent number: 11506432
    Abstract: A cold water supply system cools water flowing through a water pipe, and supplies the water cooled to a cooling load, the cold water supply system including: an independent refrigerant circuit unit including a first compressor and a first water heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between refrigerant and the water to cool the water; a composite unit configured to cool the water, and a controller configured to control operation of the independent refrigerant circuit unit and operation of the composite unit, wherein the composite unit includes a free cooling unit including a pump and a second water heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between a heat medium and the water to cool the water, and a coupled refrigerant circuit unit including a second compressor and a third water heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between refrigerant and the water to cool the water, and the controller controls an operating frequency of the first compressor, an operating frequency of the second compressor, and an o
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takahito Hikone, Yasushi Okoshi, Takuya Ito
  • Publication number: 20220252281
    Abstract: A chilling unit includes a machine room unit to accommodate a compressor and a heat exchanger, and a plurality of air heat exchangers placed on top of the machine room unit. The air heat exchangers include a pair of air heat exchangers including two air heat exchangers opposite to each other in a lateral direction. They are inclined such that respective upper end portions of the two air heat exchangers have a spacing between each other greater than a spacing between respective lower end portions of the two air heat exchangers. In the lateral direction, the machine room unit has a top width greater than a heat-exchanger bottom width, the top width is one between side walls in a top face portion of the machine room unit, the bottom width is defined as a width between outer side faces of the respective lower end portions of the two air heat exchangers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: Naoya MUKAITANI, Shohei TAKENAKA, Takahito HIKONE, Kimitaka KADOWAKI, Yoshio YAMANO, Takuya ITO
  • Publication number: 20220252313
    Abstract: A chilling unit includes a casing, a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a heat-source heat exchanger, a first expansion unit, a second expansion unit, and a refrigerant-to-heat medium heat exchanger are connected by a refrigerant pipe and through which refrigerant flows, the refrigerant circuit being placed in the casing, and an injection circuit in which a portion between the first expansion unit and the second expansion unit is connected to the compressor by an injection pipe, the injection circuit being placed in the casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: Nobuhide SAKAMOTO, Takahito HIKONE, Kimitaka KADOWAKI
  • Publication number: 20220235982
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a refrigerant flow switching device, an air-side heat exchanger, an expansion valve, a water-side heat exchanger, and an accumulator are connected by refrigerant pipes and refrigerant is circulated. G/A is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold ?, where G [L] is a difference in volume between the air-side heat exchanger and the water-side heat exchanger, and A [L] is a volume of the refrigerant circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Takenori MATSUMOTO, Shohei TAKENAKA, Takahito HIKONE, Kimitaka KADOWAKI
  • Publication number: 20220221228
    Abstract: A chilling unit includes: air heat exchangers each including heat transfer tubes and fins; and a machine room unit on which the air heat exchangers are provided. The air heat exchangers each have a long-side portion that extends in a longitudinal direction of the machine room unit. The air heat exchangers includes a pair of air heat exchangers that are inclined such that a spacing between upper end portions of the heat exchangers is greater than a spacing between lower end portions thereof. In each pair, the long-side portion of at least one air heat exchanger has a heat-exchanger end portion located at a unit end portion of the machine room unit in the longitudinal direction, and from the heat-exchanger end portion, heat transfer tubes that protrudes from an outermost one of the fins in an arrangement direction thereof and that extend linearly in the lateral direction do not extend.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventor: Takahito HIKONE
  • Patent number: 11384972
    Abstract: A free cooling system includes a plurality of free cooling outdoor units each including a heat medium circuit, a controller, and a communication unit, the heat medium circuit being configured by connecting a heat medium pump, a first heat exchanger, and a heat source side of a second heat exchanger by pipes, a heat medium circulating in the heat medium circuit, the controller configured to control the heat medium pump, and the communication units performing communication with each other, wherein the plurality of free cooling outdoor units are coupled with each other by a load pipe that allows a load heat medium to flow to or flow out from a load side of each second heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Naoya Mukaitani, Takahito Hikone, Yoshio Yamano, Kimitaka Kadowaki, Takuya Ito, Yasushi Okoshi
  • Patent number: 11187439
    Abstract: A heat source system includes heat source apparatuses each with refrigerant circuit and water heat exchanger. A water supply header pipe merges and supplies, to a load, water flowing in from the heat exchangers. A water return header pipe splits, into the heat exchangers, water flowing in from the load. Pumps feed water to the heat exchangers. A bypass pipe with bypass valve connects the supply and return header pipes. A differential pressure gauge measures a water pressure difference between supply and return. A controller determines the number of heat source apparatuses to operate, from heat generated by refrigerant circuits and heat required, determines whether an operating frequency of the pump connected to a heat source apparatus to be operated is a minimum frequency, and controls the pump operating frequency and/or an opening degree of the bypass valve such that the water pressure difference falls within a target range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takahito Hikone, Takuya Ito
  • Patent number: 11143434
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes: a compressor configured to compress refrigerant and discharge the refrigerant to a refrigerant pipe; an air heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between air and the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe; an expansion valve configured to adjust pressure of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe; a water heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between water supplied from the water return header pipe and the refrigerant and send out the water to the water delivery header pipe; an outlet pressure sensor provided on a water outlet side of the water heat exchanger and configured to measure water pressure; and a controller, in which the controller controls an opening degree of the bypass valve such that a value of water pressure measured by the outlet pressure sensor is equal to a preset target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takahito Hikone, Yasushi Okoshi, Takuya Ito
  • Publication number: 20210262714
    Abstract: A cold water supply system cools water flowing through a water pipe, and supplies the water cooled to a cooling load, the cold water supply system including: an independent refrigerant circuit unit including a first compressor and a first water heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between refrigerant and the water to cool the water; a composite unit configured to cool the water, and a controller configured to control operation of the independent refrigerant circuit unit and operation of the composite unit, wherein the composite unit includes a free cooling unit including a pump and a second water heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between a heat medium and the water to cool the water, and a coupled refrigerant circuit unit including a second compressor and a third water heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between refrigerant and the water to cool the water, and the controller controls an operating frequency of the first compressor, an operating frequency of the second compressor, and an o
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Takahito HIKONE, Yasushi OKOSHI, Takuya ITO
  • Publication number: 20210247118
    Abstract: A free cooling outdoor unit includes: a refrigerant circuit through which refrigerant circulates; a brine circuit through which brine circulates; a water circuit through which water circulates; a fan configured to send air to the second heat exchanger; a flow control valve configured to control a circulation amount of the brine in the brine circuit; a water temperature detection sensor configured to detect a water temperature in the water circuit; an outside air temperature sensor; and a controller configured to control, where the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than a freezing temperature of the brine, the circulation amount of the brine based on the water temperature such that a brine temperature is prevented from reaching a temperature equal to or lower than the freezing temperature of the brine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Yoshio YAMANO, Takahito HIKONE, Kimitaka KADOWAKI, Takuya ITO, Yasushi OKOSHI
  • Publication number: 20210123650
    Abstract: A free cooling system includes a plurality of free cooling outdoor units each including a heat medium circuit, a controller, and a communication unit, the heat medium circuit being configured by connecting a heat medium pump, a first heat exchanger, and a heat source side of a second heat exchanger by pipes, a heat medium circulating in the heat medium circuit, the controller configured to control the heat medium pump, and the communication units performing communication with each other, wherein the plurality of free cooling outdoor units are coupled with each other by a load pipe that allows a load heat medium to flow to or flow out from a load side of each second heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventors: Naoya MUKAITANI, Takahito HIKONE, Yoshio YAMANO, Kimitaka KADOWAKI, Takuya ITO, Yasushi OKOSHI
  • Publication number: 20200096238
    Abstract: A heat source system includes a plurality of heat source apparatuses each including a refrigerant circuit including a water heat exchanger; a water supply header pipe; a water return header pipe; a plurality of pumps; a bypass pipe configured to connect the water supply header pipe and the water return header pipe; a bypass valve; a differential pressure gauge configured to measure a water pressure difference between pressure of water supplied to the load and pressure of water returning from the load; and a controller, where the controller determines the number of heat source apparatuses to be operated, among the plurality of heat source apparatuses, from an amount of heat generated and an amount of heat required, and controls, according to a result of determination, one of the operating frequency of the pump and an opening degree of the bypass valve such that the water pressure difference falls within a target range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Takahito HIKONE, Takuya ITO
  • Publication number: 20190353401
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes: a compressor configured to compress refrigerant and discharge the refrigerant to a refrigerant pipe; an air heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between air and the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe; an expansion valve configured to adjust pressure of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe; a water heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between water supplied from the water return header pipe and the refrigerant and send out the water to the water delivery header pipe; an outlet pressure sensor provided on a water outlet side of the water heat exchanger and configured to measure water pressure; and a controller, in which the controller controls an opening degree of the bypass valve such that a value of water pressure measured by the outlet pressure sensor is equal to a preset target value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Takahito HIKONE, Yasushi OKOSHI, Takuya ITO
  • Patent number: D998769
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Akizuki, Katsunori Horiuchi, Yuji Tarumi, Shoichi Hirano, Toru Kuriyama, Takuya Ito, Yoshio Yamano, Takahito Hikone, Shohei Takenaka, Takenori Matsumoto, Naoya Mukaitani, Junichi Miyai