Plenum Type Patents (Class 236/13)
  • Patent number: 11808691
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments may relate generally to a micro airflow generator which does not use fan(s) or a heater to generate airflow (for example in a compact optical PM sensor). Rather, disclosed embodiments typically may use induced movement of a membrane/diaphragm element to generate air flow (wherein movement of the membrane in turn induces movement in air). For example, a membrane or diaphragm element could be driven by an (electronic) actuator element, such as an electro-magnetic actuator or piezo disc bender (or some other means of vibrating/moving the membrane element in a way which induced airflow). In some embodiments, the electro-magnetic actuator itself may include a membrane (such that the electro-magnetic actuator might encompass the membrane and the electronic actuator element, such as a magnet and corresponding coil) and/or the piezo disc bender might serve as both the membrane/diaphragm and the electronic actuator element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Chen Feng, Tao Chen, Jennifer Liu, Tong Shang
  • Patent number: 11802700
    Abstract: An air conditioning system is provided and includes a unit receptive of refrigerant having a moderate-to-low global warming potential (GWP) value for thermal interaction with a fluid, an enclosure, a fan disposed and configured for urging a flow of the fluid through the unit, a refrigerant detection sensor and a controller. The refrigerant detection sensor is disposed in the enclosure to be operable in a first mode in which a baseline response is established and a second mode in which refrigerant leak detection is executed based on the baseline response. The refrigerant detection sensor is further configured to generate a binary output of leak and non-leak signals in accordance with a result of the refrigerant leak detection. The controller is configured to control operations of the fan and the vent based on the binary output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lei Chen, Richard G. Lord
  • Patent number: 11754425
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present disclosure relate to non-intrusive tracking or locating of objects in a conduit from a single location. A system comprises a vessel comprising a pressurized fluid, a valve positioned to control a flow of the pressurized fluid into the conduit to induce at least one pressure wave directed at the object, a pressure transducer in fluid communication with the conduit, the pressure transducer positioned to measure at least one pressure response in the conduit due to contact of the at least one pressure wave with the object, and a system controller operable to: receive pressure data from the pressure transducer, wherein the pressure data includes the at least one pressure response and determines a distance of the object in the conduit, relative to a reference point, based on the at least one pressure response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Christopher Newman, Graham Peter Jack
  • Patent number: 11662142
    Abstract: An exemplary process air recirculation system, and an electric heater mixing apparatus is disclosed herein. Exemplary process air recirculation systems comprise the electric heating mixing apparatus. An exemplary electric heating mixing apparatus comprises: walls defining a first chamber having a first upstream opening and a first downstream opening, and a second chamber having a first upstream opening and a first downstream opening, wherein the second chamber is adjacently disposed to the first chamber, a first inlet damper disposed at the first upstream opening, a second inlet damper disposed at the second upstream opening, and a resistance-type electric air heater disposed in the first chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignees: CMPC Tissue S.A., Andritz Ltd.
    Inventors: Reinaldo Augusto Uribe Arancibia, George Z. Nowakowski
  • Patent number: 11454429
    Abstract: A method for operating cyclic process-based systems, with a hot-side reservoir (1) and a cold-side reservoir (2) for a fluid (3), and at least one heat exchanger unit (4) with mechanocaloric material, wherein the mechanocaloric material of the heat exchanger unit (4) is actively connected to the fluid (3) such that heat is transferred between the mechanocaloric material and the fluid (3). It is essential that the transfer of heat between the mechanocaloric material and the fluid (3) takes place essentially by latent heat transfer. A corresponding heat-transfer unit (4) and a corresponding apparatus are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Kilian Bartholome, Jan Horzella, Andreas Mahlke, Jan Konig, Marc Vergez
  • Patent number: 11306927
    Abstract: A fault detection system for detecting a flow restriction in an air handler is provided. The system includes a coil, air and liquid temperature sensors, a smart valve and a notification device. The coil is located in an air stream of the air handler. The air temperature sensors are located in the air stream, one sensor determining an air temperature of air upstream of the coil and another determines an air temperature downstream of the coil. The liquid temperature sensors determine a liquid temperature entering the coil and exiting the coil. The smart valve includes a controller in communication with the liquid temperature sensors and at least one of the air temperature sensors that uses the measured air temperature downstream of the coil and a valve actuator position to determine whether the coil is operating at a reduced capacity. The notification device communicates with the controller of the smart valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: BELIMO HOLDING AG
    Inventors: Ian Robert Dempster, Benjamin Paul Erpelding, Thomas Bennett Hartman, Chelsey Ann MacNeill
  • Patent number: 11255566
    Abstract: An electric fan powered register booster for a forced air vent in a HVAC system where the booster is configured to stop operation when either of the following events has occurred: 1) the current temperature in the booster has regressed from a recent stored extreme temperature or 2) a predetermined setpoint temperature is between the current temperature and the stored extreme temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Suncourt, Inc.
    Inventor: David J Forman
  • Patent number: 11054170
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system that includes a return air section of an HVAC unit configured to receive a return airflow from a conditioned space. The HVAC system also includes an outdoor air section of the HVAC unit configured to receive an outdoor airflow from an environment surrounding the HVAC unit. Furthermore, the (HVAC) system includes a panel dividing the return air section and the outdoor air section. The panel includes a bypass damper actuatable to enable mixing of the return airflow and the outdoor airflow to produce a mixed airflow in the outdoor air section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Arun S. Palle, Pankaj B. Avhad, Dnyanesh C. Deshmukh
  • Patent number: 11022989
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system including a sensor system configured to detect heat indications within a plurality of areas of a conditioned space, wherein the sensor system comprise a thermal light detector, and a controller configured to receive feedback from the sensor system and, based on the feedback, control airflow distribution, via an airflow distribution system, such that airflow management for each of the plurality of areas is individually correlated to a heat indication detected for the respective area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: AIR DISTRIBUTION TECHNOLOGIES IP, LLC
    Inventors: Jason T. Letterman, David G. Pich, Virginia M. Sivie, Kazim C. Demirhan, Hajo C. M. Siemers
  • Patent number: 10775068
    Abstract: A system and a method for managing an air quality, and an analysis server are provided. The system for managing an air quality includes an air cleaner for measuring the quality of ambient air, transmitting air quality measurement data, and controlling at least one of an air cleaning function, a dehumidification function, and a humidification function on the basis of a received solution; and an analysis server for analyzing the air quality measurement data, received from the air cleaner, to derive an air quality type and providing, to the air cleaner, the predefined solution, according to the derived air quality type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: COWAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Byong-Hyoek Lee, Tae-Hyun Kim, Ye-Suk Shin, Hyun-Jun Yun, Jong-Cheol Kim, Sang-Hyeon Kang
  • Patent number: 10495337
    Abstract: A thermostat for a building zone includes at least one of a model predictive controller and an equipment controller. The model predictive controller is configured to obtain a cost function that accounts for a cost of operating HVAC equipment during each of a plurality of time steps, use a predictive model to predict a temperature of the building zone during each of the plurality of time steps, and generate temperature setpoints for the building zone for each of the plurality of time steps by optimizing the cost function subject to a constraint on the predicted temperature. The equipment controller is configured to receive the temperature setpoints generated by the model predictive controller and drive the temperature of the building zone toward the temperature setpoints during each of the plurality of time steps by operating the HVAC equipment to provide heating or cooling to the building zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Robert D. Turney, Matthew J. Ellis, Michael J. Wenzel, Mohammad N. ElBsat, Juan Esteban Tapiero Bernal, Brennan H. Fentzlaff
  • Patent number: 10490429
    Abstract: A substrate carrier is described that uses a proportional thermal fluid delivery system. In one example the apparatus includes a heat exchanger to provide a thermal fluid to a fluid channel of a substrate carrier and to receive the thermal fluid from the fluid channel, the thermal fluid in the fluid channel to control the temperature of the carrier during substrate processing. A proportional valve controls the rate of flow of thermal fluid from the heat exchanger to the fluid channel. A temperature controller receives a measured temperature from a thermal sensor of the carrier and controls the proportional valve in response to the measured temperature to adjust the rate of flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip Criminale, Justin Phi, Dan A. Marohl, Sergio Fukuda Shoji, Brad L. Mays
  • Patent number: 10465925
    Abstract: An air handler unit (AHU) in communication with a building automation system (BAS) or through direct programming of one or more smart valves within the AHU operates to meter an amount of water that flows through a coil in the AHU. In one embodiment, the BAS transmits a temperature setpoint signal to the smart valve and allows the smart valve to control its valve position without additional input from the BAS. In another embodiment, the AHU includes a master smart valve and a second valve. The BAS provides the temperature setpoint signal to the master smart valve, which in turn provides another temperature setpoint signal to the second valve. The second valve may take the form of a slave smart valve or a slave non-smart valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: BELIMO HOLDING AG
    Inventors: Ian Robert Dempster, Benjamin Paul Erpelding, Thomas Bennett Hartman, Chelsey Ann MacNeill
  • Patent number: 10219490
    Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a cyclone separator for separating keratin particles originating from poultry out of a gas, in particular air. The separated particles comprise down particles. The invention furthermore relates to a climate chamber for hatching eggs and/or keeping poultry. Said climate chamber comprises a substantially closed compartment having two opposite side walls provided with one or more passages; as well as a substantially closed duct which extends outside the compartment and connects one of said side walls to the other of said side walls so as to form a substantially closed circuit together with the compartment. Said climate chamber furthermore comprises a cyclone separator, the inlet of which ends in the substantially closed duct and the outlet of which ends outside the closed duct for discharging into the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: HatchTech Group B.V.
    Inventor: Tjitze Meter
  • Patent number: 10220668
    Abstract: The present teachings provide for an HVAC assembly. A first flue can be configured to fluidly couple a first heat exchanger to a mixing flue. A second flue can be configured to fluidly couple a second heat exchanger to the mixing flue. A door can inhibit fluid communication through the second flue when in a first position. The door can inhibit fluid communication through the first flue when in a second position. The door can permit fluid communication through the first and second flues when in a third position. The third flue can be configured to fluidly couple the first heat exchanger to a portion of the second flue downstream of the second heat exchanger and upstream of the mixing flue when the door is in the third position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nicholas Mazzocco, Daniel Okray, Ryan Rosenburg
  • Patent number: 10154615
    Abstract: A conditioning unit of the indirect free cooling type, particularly for conditioning computing centers, of the type comprising: an air/air heat exchanger, inside which two air flows, exchange heat: a primary air flow from and toward an environment to be air-conditioned, and a secondary air flow, or process flow, drawn from outside, first fans for moving the primary air flow, second fans for moving the secondary air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: EMERSON NETWORK POWER S.R.L.
    Inventor: Pierpaolo Barbato
  • Patent number: 10143205
    Abstract: The invention disclosed herein relates to methods for controlling pressurized air streams within a food-processing oven. In this invention, two or more pressurized air streams are caused to collide creating a turbulent airflow in a third and separate direction. One or more dampers are used to control the location and direction of the third resultant flow allowing treated air to be moved at designated speeds to and from specific locations within the oven for controlled lengths of time. The resulting airflow may be directed horizontally across horizontally laid product or vertically across vertically hung products thereby minimizing times where treated air is blocked by the either product or its support racks. This yields improved product uniformity, consistency, temperature, and moisture content while improving food safety and product yield with reduced processing time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Inventor: Guy E. Buller-Colthurst
  • Patent number: 10137757
    Abstract: Air conditioning systems for heating and air conditioning a motor vehicle including a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a first flow channel, a second flow channel, and a flow guidance element fixed on the second heat exchanger or a retaining device. A flow is able to pass around both heat exchangers along the second flow channel and around only the first heat exchanger along the first flow channel. The flow guidance element projects into a branching region where air inside the system branches at an angle with respect to a face of the second heat exchanger, and the flow guidance element influences such air in the region between the heat exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: MAHLE INTERNATIONAL GMBH
    Inventor: Vincenzo Venezia
  • Patent number: 10094581
    Abstract: A fan assembly includes a nozzle and a body on which the nozzle is mounted. The nozzle has a rear section having at least one first air inlet, at least one first air outlet, and a first interior passage for conveying air from the at least one first air inlet to the at least one first air outlet; and a front section having at least one second air inlet, at least one second air outlet, and a second interior passage for conveying air from the at least one second air inlet to the at least one second air outlet. A first air flow through the first interior passage and a second air flow through the second interior passage are each generated within the body. At least one of the temperature, humidity, and electrical charge of the second air flow is changed before it enters the second interior passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventors: Mark Joseph Staniforth, Jude Paul Pullen
  • Patent number: 9879610
    Abstract: A pneumatic system 131 for use with gas turbine engines 10 and aircraft 100. The pneumatic system 131 comprises a first engine core compressor bleed offtake in the form of an engine handling bleed offtake 140, and a second engine core compressor bleed offtake in the form of first and second cabin bleed offtake 132, 134, the handling bleed being configured to supply higher pressure air than the cabin offtakes 132, 134. The system 131 comprises a turbocompressor 144 comprising an air compressor 148 driven by a turbine 146. The handling bleed offtake 140 is in fluid communication with the turbocompressor air turbine 146 to thereby drive the air turbine 146, and the cabin bleed offtakes 132, 134 are in fluid communication with the turbocompressor air compressor 148 such that air from the offtakes 132, 134 is compressed by the turbocompressor air compressor 148.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Thierry Moes
  • Patent number: 9840126
    Abstract: A front and rear integrated vehicle HVAC system includes a front HVAC portion with a front blower and a front vent outlet, and a rear HVAC portion with a rear blower and a rear vent outlet. The system includes a controller that determines a minimum voltage to be supplied to the rear blower to prevent an inverse air flow from being expelled from the rear outlet and/or a rear blower air intake. A voltage supplied to the rear blower is then set as the greater of the minimum rear blower voltage and a current rear blower voltage. The inverse air flow is air flow in the front HVAC portion generated by the front blower and intended for the front vent outlet that seeps into the rear HVAC portion and is expelled from the rear vent outlet and/or the rear blower air intake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Kanemaru, Shinji Kakizaki
  • Patent number: 9632547
    Abstract: A cooling module for cooling at least two server modules that are configured to house a plurality of servers, the cooling module including a housing having an interior containing air, an intake into the housing, an outlet from the housing, at least one fan configured to move the air from the intake to the outlet and at least one sprayer configured to spray a mist into the air in the interior for evaporative cooling of the interior. Also a system formed of the cooling module, first and second server modules and a plenum connecting the outlet of the cooling module and intakes of the first and second server modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: CommScope, Inc. of North Carolina
    Inventors: Walter Mark Hendrix, Deepak Kumar Sivanandan
  • Patent number: 9509130
    Abstract: Both a miniature circuit breaker with short-circuit self-locking function and a miniature circuit breaker with position state detection function include: a first miniature circuit and a miniature circuit breaker operation output device. A motor, an action unit and a control unit are located within the casing of the miniature circuit breaker operation output device. The motor outputs a torque, the action unit obtains the torque and the torque is converted into the closing or breaking operation of the first miniature circuit breaker, the control unit controls the rotation and stop of the motor. A position state detection mechanism is located within the casing of the miniature circuit breaker operation output device of the miniature circuit breaker with position state detection function and triggers the control unit to stop the motor when the closing or breaking operation of the first miniature circuit breaker reaches the specified position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: HUBEI SHENGJIA WIRING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jiasheng Wan
  • Patent number: 9488369
    Abstract: A gas mixing device has a plurality of interleaved rows of adjustable louvers. When at least two flowing gas streams are received that are desired to be mixed, the louvers of each row directs the gas streams in a direction different from that of the adjacent rows, mixing the gas streams. When effectively only a single flowing gas stream is received, the louvers are positioned vertically thereby reducing the pressure drop across the gas mixing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Mitchell B. Cohen, Todd D. Hellewell
  • Patent number: 9187918
    Abstract: A high-rise building has a stairwell, an air supply shaft, inlet openings connecting the air supply shaft to the stairwell, and a pressure system for keeping the stairwell free from smoke. The stairwell is vertically divided into several partial spaces. The separation is performed by at least one partition. Each partition has a door enabling a passage from one partial space of the stairwell into an adjacent partial space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: SWISS RALTEC GMBH
    Inventors: Horst A. Ermer, Hans Gaida
  • Publication number: 20150136377
    Abstract: A control method for a heat transfer system, wherein the heat transfer system comprises a supply conduit (12), at least one load circuit (2) and a heat transfer device (6; 28) between the supply conduit and the at least one load circuit, wherein a supply flow (qS) in the supply conduit (12) is detected on the basis of a desired entry-side load temperature (Tref), of an actual entry-side load temperature (TL) which is detected in the load circuit (2) and of a load flow (qL) in the load circuit (2), as well to as a heat transfer system, in which such a control method is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Carsten Skovmose KALLESØE, Brian Kongsgaard NIELSEN
  • Patent number: 8960269
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes: a bypass valve; a stack of standard tubes; and, in the stack, a pair of stacked-together adapter tubes. Each standard tube end has spaced-apart walls including openings. Each adapter tube end has: a wall including an opening; and a passage. At one end of the pair, the passages communicate with one another and the openings communicate with the openings in adjacent standard tubes; at the other end, the openings communicate with the openings in adjacent standard tubes. The valve includes a plug with opposed plug walls, one plug wall having one of an inlet and outlet, the plug being disposed with its walls between and at said other end of the pair and with the inlet and outlet communicating with the passages. An actuator is adjacent to the plug and has a reciprocating plunger for selectively blocking at least said one of the inlet and outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Dana Canada Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Cheadle, Yuri Peric, Doug Vanderwees
  • Patent number: 8936202
    Abstract: A system for heating a facility is provided. The system includes a first inlet from a district heating system. A heating system is arranged having a condensate outlet. A hyper-condensate recycler is provided having a second inlet coupled to the condensate outlet and a third inlet coupled to the first inlet. The hyper-condensate recycler includes a first outlet. A separator having a fourth inlet is coupled to the first outlet, the separator further having a second outlet fluidly coupled to the first inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignees: Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc., Hudson Fisonic Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Kremer, Vladimir V. Fisenko, A. Arthur Kressner, Joseph Carbonara, Edward Gerard Ecock
  • Patent number: 8397527
    Abstract: This invention integrates energy saving lighting with energy saving HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning). This system is termed by the inventor “ILAC” (Integrated Lighting and Air Conditioning). An ILAC system includes light fixtures mounted in a ceiling and, emitting lamp heat into a plenum and visible light into a room. A central computer controls both lighting and HVAC systems. In a COOL mode an HVAC unit cools the room through a supply air duct and return air duct, and the lamp heat exits the plenum through an exhaust duct. In a HEAT mode the HVAC heats the room through the same supply air duct, a ceiling-to-plenum duct carries the heated room air into the plenum, and an HVAC return air duct carries room and plenum heat back into the HVAC unit that uses less power to heat the lamp-warmed return air. In a thermostat-controlled OFF mode, warm room air convects through the ceiling duct into the plenum and exhausts through a plenum exhaust duct along with lamp-heated plenum air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Inventor: Jack V. Miller
  • Patent number: 8302874
    Abstract: When the detected temperature by the first temperature sensor is greater than the preset temperature value, the controller controls the airflow capacity of the waste heat inputted into the first intake apparatus to be reduced and controls the airflow capacity of the cold air inputted into the second intake apparatus to increase, therefore, the temperature of the waste heat inputted into the first intake apparatus is reduced. When the detected temperature by the first temperature sensor is less than the preset temperature value, the controller controls the heater to heat the waste heat inputted into the first intake apparatus, when the detected temperature by the first temperature sensor reaches the preset temperature value, the controller controls the first valve to open, to output the waste heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Zh-Wei Jian
  • Patent number: 8209066
    Abstract: Outside air enters a ram air scoop on an aircraft frame, and is ducted to a ram air control valve. The air control valve outputs a desired air mass flow to a cyclone air-water separator which removes moisture and produces a dry air flow. A heater assembly heats the dry air to a desired temperature and directs the heated air into an equipment bay enclosure on the aircraft. The relative humidity of the heated air is sensed by an air moisture sensor which produces a corresponding signal. Other sensors disposed near a payload in the bay enclosure produce corresponding air temperature and air pressure signals. All the sensor signals are input to a processor or controller configured to activate the air control valve and the heater assembly according to set points for temperature and humidity that are specified for the payload in the bay enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventor: Michel Engelhardt
  • Patent number: 8091623
    Abstract: The invention relates to an air mixer vent (5), designed in particular for a motor vehicle air conditioning system (1). Said vent comprises an air deflector element (15), which is located on the air mixer vent (5) and protrudes from a surface of said vent (5), the latter (5) being configured as a partially cylindrical vent or having a curved cross-section in relation to the pivoting axis (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Roland Hackl, Thorsten Möllert, Thomas Zeller
  • Patent number: 7967063
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus has a cool-side door device and a heating-side door device between an evaporator and a heater core. The cool-side door device is configured to open and close a cool air passage through which a cool air generated by the evaporator flows. The heating-side door device is configured to open and close a heating air passage through which the cool air flows to be heated by the heater core. At least one of the cool-side door device and the heating-side door device is constructed of a plurality of doors. The plurality of doors is configured to begin to open successively when being opened from a fully closed condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sato, Toshihiko Muraki
  • Patent number: 7954540
    Abstract: A HVAC assembly includes a temperature mixing valve that comprises a shaft, an upper paddle, a lower paddle, and a yielding means. The upper paddle and the lower paddle attach to the shaft. The yielding means applies a force to keep the upper paddle sealed to prevent cold air in a cold air inlet from entering a mixing zone and the lower paddle moves away from a shared sealing boundary over a predetermined angle of rotation before the upper paddle initially moves to allow cold air to enter the mixing zone. Movement of the lower paddle away from the shared sealing boundary allows cold air to enter a hot air inlet and admix with hot air to mix in the mixing zone to produce non-stratified air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Garrett Wade Hoehn
  • Patent number: 7866174
    Abstract: A refrigerator having a cold air circulating apparatus includes: a main body, which is provided with a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment for preserving food items, and a temperature controlled compartment for preserving food items, separately from the freezer and the refrigerator compartments; a first cooling unit formed at the rear side of the freezer compartment for supplying cold air into the freezer compartment; a second cooling unit formed at the rear side of the refrigerator compartment for providing cold air into the refrigerator compartment; a cold air circulating device for circulating air inside the temperature controlled compartment by using the first cooling unit or the second cooling unit; and a control unit for controlling operations of the cold air circulating device to thereby regulate temperature inside the temperature controlled compartment, based on a user-set temperature for the temperature controlled compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Daewoo Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hak Jae Jung
  • Patent number: 7854135
    Abstract: The described method and apparatus pertains namely to the HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) industry, though its many functions extend into any and all forms of air-fluid movement, metering, distribution, and containment. Essentially, the scope of operation of the method and apparatus encompasses all forms of scientific and engineering measurement dealing with fluid dynamics, fluid statics, fluid mechanics, thermal dynamics, and mechanical engineering as they pertain to precise, articulated control of air-fluid distribution and delivery. The described method and apparatus offers complete, comprehensive, and correct utilization of air-fluid movers and terminal devices under unique sensor logic control, from initial lab testing stages through to equipment cataloguing, selection, design and construction of any and all air-fluid distribution systems in entirety, whereas previously there was no such cohesive, total and terminal method of control for these systems or their components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Inventor: Daniel Stanimirovic
  • Patent number: 7802734
    Abstract: The described method and apparatus pertains namely to the HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) industry, though its many functions extend into any and all forms of air-fluid movement, metering, distribution, and containment. Essentially, the scope of operation of the method and apparatus encompasses all forms of scientific and engineering measurement dealing with fluid dynamics, fluid statics, fluid mechanics, thermal dynamics, and mechanical engineering as they pertain to precise, articulated control of air-fluid distribution and delivery. The described method and apparatus offers complete, comprehensive, and correct utilization of air-fluid movers and terminal devices under unique sensor logic control, from initial lab testing stages through to equipment cataloguing, selection, design and construction of any and all air-fluid distribution systems in entirety, whereas previously there was no such cohesive, total and terminal method of control for these systems or their components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Inventor: Daniel Stanimirovic
  • Patent number: 7775451
    Abstract: The invention relates to a variable flow mixing valve for use in a Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning module. The module is particularly suited for use in a vehicle. The variable flow mixing valve includes drive means which drive a mixing door and a baffle between various positions in order to allow a relatively warm flow of air, from a first chamber, to mix with a relatively cool flow of air from a second chamber. The baffle and door are linked in such a way as to provide an aperture therebetween through which, in use, the first and/or second flows of air pass. A parking area is also provided for the baffle and is shaped in order to reflect airflow back toward the first and second chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederic Leoni
  • Publication number: 20080179408
    Abstract: Systems and methods to regulate the amount of outdoor air that is introduced into a building. These systems and methods use the cooling coil control signal which is a function of the load on the cooling coil. These systems and methods utilize extremum seeking control logic to vary the flow of outdoor air into the building in response to these load determinations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventor: John E. Seem
  • Publication number: 20070262161
    Abstract: A power saving apparatus is applied in a temperature regulator. The temperature regulator comprises a compressor. The power saving apparatus is electrically connected to the temperature regulator. The power saving apparatus comprises a sensor, a processing unit and a switching unit. The sensor is for sensing temperatures to generate a sensing signal. The processing unit is connected to the sensor for receiving the sensing signal to generate a switching instruction. The switching unit switches the compressor into an operation status or a silence status based on the switching instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Publication date: November 15, 2007
    Inventor: Philip Davies
  • Patent number: 7275586
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heating or air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle, by which individual zones of the vehicle interior can be supplied with separately temperature-controlled air. An improved heating or air-conditioning system, which requires just a small amount of installation space, feeds differently temperature-controlled air to a plurality of air-conditioning zones. Despite the small amount of installation space, optimum mixing of cold air and warm air takes place in the heating or air-conditioning system, with the result that the air emerging from air-outlet openings in a respective air-conditioning zone have a constant temperature over the outlet cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Oliver Beck, Michael Förster, Christian Grömmer, Norbert Wöcht
  • Patent number: 7201220
    Abstract: An air conditioner for automotive vehicles is disclosed. The flow rates of air supplied to an evaporator (4) and a heater (5) are adjusted by rotationally displacing a scroll casing (2b) and thus changing an air flow from a blower (2) to a predetermined direction. The air-mix door can thus be eliminated to allow a smaller size of an air-conditioner casing (3) (air-conditioning unit (1)). Also, the ratio between cool air flow rate and hot air flow rate is adjusted by rotationally displacing the scroll casing (2b) with a spur gear (2c) and, therefore, the size and the production cost of the air conditioner can be reduced as compared with a conventional system in which an air-mix door is swung by a link mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Tokunaga, Koji Ito, Masakazu Nagaya
  • Patent number: 7061202
    Abstract: An automobile servomotor controller includes a master control unit having a master control circuit for transmitting a designation signal and a slave unit having a motor and a control circuit which controls driving of a motor by outputting an operation signal to a driving device depending upon said designation signal. The slave unit is constructed by a same feedback control unit having a non-feedback control unit for inhibiting the operation of the motor until a target is changed by an input of a new designation signal with a target reached state and a feedback control unit for driving the motor to reach a target state by detecting a present position value with a position detecting device, and a control inhibiting signal for inhibiting the feedback control is individually provided to the designation signal transmitted from the master control circuit to the non-feedback control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Sunaga, Futoshi Araki, Kaoru Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7017659
    Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning system adjusts the temperature at an outlet by a combined amount of air flowing through a first bypass passage adjusted by an air mixing door and air flowing through a second bypass passage adjusted by a cool air adjusting door independently of the first bypass. A cool air adjusting door control unit adjusts the opening of the cool air adjusting door so that the temperature detected by a discharge temperature sensor comes closer to a target discharge temperature for precise control of discharge temperature, and also causes the cool air adjusting door to be fully open when the opening of the air mixing door determined by an air mixing door opening setting unit is equal to or smaller than a predetermined degree of opening, so as to maintain a steady amount of air discharged from the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Isao Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 7005821
    Abstract: In a servomotor controller, when a comparing circuit (70) detects that a position of an object to be controlled has been achieved to a target position, an operation inhibiting signal generating section (71) supplies an operation inhibiting signal (71a) to an operation permitting/inhibiting signal-processing section (66), and obtains an operation stopped state of an H bridge-driving processing section (67) for controlling driving of a motor. A LIN communication processing section (61) receives information to a self address supplied from a superordiante device, and outputs a forced operation (recovery) request (61R) in the received information. The operation state of the H bridge-driving processing section (67) is obtained through an operation permitting trigger signal generating section (65) and the operation permitting/inhibiting signal-processing section (66) through the H bridge-driving processing section (67).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Sunaga, Futoshi Araki, Kaoru Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6971440
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heating or air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle, by which individual zones of the vehicle interior can be supplied with separately temperature-controlled air. An improved heating or air-conditioning system, which requires just a small amount of installation space, feeds differently temperature-controlled air to a plurality of air-conditioning zones. Despite the small amount of installation space, optimum mixing of cold air and warm air takes place in the heating or air-conditioning system, with the result that the air emerging from air-outlet openings in a respective air-conditioning zone have a constant temperature over the outlet cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Oliver Beck, Michael Forster, Christian Grommer, Norbert Wocht
  • Patent number: 6945323
    Abstract: An automotive air conditioning system includes: an air conditioning duct having an outlet; an evaporator; a heater core; an air mix door that divides air passing through the air conditioning duct into to pass through the heater core and to bypass the heater core; an outlet air temperature sensor; a control unit; a primary bypass passageway defined by the air mix door; a secondary bypass passageway different from the primary bypass passageway; and a cold air controlling door that controls an air flow rate in the secondary bypass passageway. The control unit sets an opening for the air mix door to obtain air conditioned to the target outlet air temperature when the cold air controlling door is opened to an initial opening and controls the opening to cause a temperature detected by the outlet air temperature sensor to approach a target outlet air temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Isao Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 6921047
    Abstract: A mixer includes a fresh air tube defining a passage having an inlet receiving conditioned air from an air conditioning pack. The fresh air tube includes an outlet providing mixed air to a cabin of the aircraft. An outer tube at least partially surrounds the fresh air tube and receives recirculated air from the cabin. Multiple holes in the fresh air tube fluidly connect the outer tube to the fresh air tube. The warm recirculation air surrounds the portion of the fresh air tube to heat it preventing ice from forming. The warm recirculation air entering the fresh air tube through the holes homogeneously mixes with the conditioned air from the pack to provide a uniform mixture of air within the fresh air tube, which further ensures the prevention of ice build up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand
    Inventors: Charles J. McColgan, Donald R. Desmarais, Jr., Christopher G. Haddad, Thomas M. Zywiak
  • Patent number: 6849234
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling operation of an ultraviolet air treatment device including an ultraviolet lamp positioned to treat air within an air handling system that operates in either an on state or an off state. The method includes activating the ultraviolet lamp, and determining the operational state of the air handling system. The ultraviolet lamp is deactivated upon expiration of a predetermined time period during which the air handling system remains in the off state. The predetermined time period is preferably 30-60 minutes, preferably 40 minutes for residential applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Tracy L. Lentz, Timothy J. Kensok, Jeffrey M. Hammer, Mark E. Stout, Richard N. Metzger, Jon W. Orr
  • Patent number: 6789617
    Abstract: The invention provides an air mixing damper apparatus and an air conditioning apparatus for vehicles where the temperature of discharged air can be changed linearly with respect to the operation of an actuator lever. A rotation speed adjustment mechanism is disposed between a plate door type air mixing damper 43A for opening and closing an air introducing face 42a of a heater core 42, and a rotation type lever 48 for an actuator 47 driving the air mixing damper 43A, for adjusting the rotation speed at an initial opening stage X and a final opening stage Z of the air mixing damper 43A, to a speed lower than at an intermediate opening stage Y.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Hashizume, Hideto Noyama, Shiro Matsubara