Water Patents (Class 237/34)
  • Patent number: 10195922
    Abstract: A motor vehicle (1) with a passenger compartment (3) and a motor chamber (2). A substantially closed area (7) is arranged in the motor chamber (2), and the area (7) is connected to the passenger compartment (3) via at least one first air outlet opening (18) in order to supply air from the area (7) into the passenger compartment (3). The area (7) is additionally connected to the air outside of the motor vehicle (1) via at least one air inlet opening (13) in order to supply air from outside of the motor vehicle into the area (7). Furthermore, the area (7) is connected to at least one second air outlet opening (14) in order to discharge air out of the area (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: WEIDPLAS GmbH
    Inventors: Piero Dal Vecchio, Armin Muller, Christian Bolsterli, Stefan Harke
  • Patent number: 9890756
    Abstract: A heating and cooling system for an internal combustion engine comprising a heat storage circuit and a radiator circuit, and a method of controlling such a system are disclosed. The heat storage circuit comprises a heat storage container in which engine coolant is stored and allowed to flow into and out of. The radiator circuit comprises a radiator for flow of the engine coolant, and the radiator has a radiator inlet connected via an upstream radiator conduit to a coolant outlet of the engine, and a radiator outlet connected via a downstream radiator conduit to a coolant inlet of the engine. A bypass conduit is connected between the upstream radiator conduit and the downstream radiator conduit to allow coolant to bypass the radiator. A thermostat controlled valve is arranged in the upstream radiator conduit at a coolant outlet of the engine and connected to the bypass conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Stefan Mats Sundemo, Kaj Johansson, John Nilsson, Rikard Rigdal, Bengt Salekarr
  • Patent number: 8807445
    Abstract: A method of auxiliary heater pump control in a vehicle including a heater core and an auxiliary pump in a heater core branch of a vehicle coolant system is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: determining if a power plant is on, the power plant being connected to the coolant system; calculating an estimated heating power required to meet HVAC system heating requirements that is a function of mass air flow, specific heat, and a change in temperature in a passenger compartment; determining if the calculated estimated heating power required is greater than a minimum required heating power that will be able to maintain thermal comfort in the passenger compartment of the vehicle; and if the calculated estimated heating power required is greater than the minimum required heating power and the power plant is not on, activating the auxiliary pump to pump a coolant through the heater core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Marcelo X. Ribadeneira, Lawrence P. Ziehr
  • Patent number: 8740105
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device (12) for an engine-independent heater (3) that heats a liquid heat transfer medium of a heat transfer medium circuit (1) especially for motor vehicles. Said control device (12) reduces a heater (3) capacity when an actual temperature gradient ((dT/dtIst) of the heat transfer medium is equal to or exceeds a temperature gradient threshold value ((dT/dt)Schwell). The control device (12) determines the temperature gradient threshold value ((dT/dt)Schwell) dynamically in accordance with a difference in temperature (??) between a target temperature (?Soll) of the heat transfer medium and an actual temperature (?Ist) of the heat transfer medium. The invention further relates to a heater (3), a heating system (1), and a method for controlling the inventive heater (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Webasto AG
    Inventors: Nikolaus Gerhardt, Karl Göttl, Markus Griner
  • Patent number: 8561580
    Abstract: In an engine, a block-side flow path for circulating cooling water to cool a cylinder block, and a head-side flow path for circulating cooling water to cool a cylinder head are formed. A head-side outlet temperature of cooling water flowing out of the head-side flow path is adjusted by using a water pump that pressure sends the cooling water to both the block-side flow path and the head-side flow path. A block-side outlet temperature of cooling water flowing out of the block-side flow path is adjusted by a first thermostat that changes a flow amount of the cooling water flowing out of the block-side flow path. The cooling water flowing out of the block-side flow path is used as a heat source of first and second heater cores for heating air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Nobuharu Kakehashi, Michio Nishikawa, Mitsunobu Uchida
  • Patent number: 8480006
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a supplemental heating system including a liquid heat generator having a hydrodynamic chamber for selectively heating a fluid. The hydrodynamic chamber having an inlet port for delivering the fluid to the hydrodynamic chamber, and a discharge port for removing heated fluid from the hydrodynamic chamber. The inlet port is fluidly connected to a first check valve and the discharge port is fluidly connected to a second check valve. The first check valve adapted to receive an input from the second check valve. The first check valve operable to close the fluid path between the first check valve and the inlet port in response to an input received from the second check valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ventech, LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy J. Sanger, Franco Garavoglia
  • Patent number: 8469283
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an exemplary supplemental heating system including a hydrodynamic heater and a heat exchanger. The hydrodynamic heater includes a hydrodynamic chamber disposed within an interior cavity of the hydrodynamic heater. The hydrodynamic chamber is operable for selectively heating a fluid present within the hydrodynamic chamber when the heating apparatus is connected to a fluid supply source. The hydrodynamic heater includes an inlet port fluidly connected to a discharge port of the heat exchanger, and a discharge port fluidly connected to an inlet port of the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a heat exchanger core disposed within an interior cavity of the heat exchanger. A wall at least partially defines the interior cavity of the hydrodynamic heater and the interior cavity of the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Ventech, LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy J. Sanger, Franco Garavoglia
  • Patent number: 8464963
    Abstract: A system for supplying supplemental heat to a vehicle, particularly a vehicle with a diesel engine, A driven viscous plate with different viscous clutch faces on either side is provided between the engine and the coolant pump. One side clutches to the engine structure (ground) to generate heat, and the other side clutches to the coolant pump to vary the pump drive. The two sides are controlled by a valve operated by signals from the engine computer. The valve varies the supply of viscous fluid from a common reservoir independently to both sides of the driven viscous plate. The signal from the engine control unit is based on the instantaneous desired supplemental heat and coolant flow. In another embodiment, two separate viscous clutches are utilized and positioned on opposite sides of the coolant pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Roth, Olaf E. Weber
  • Patent number: 8371512
    Abstract: A motor vehicle has a low exhaust heat engine (ME) for driving the driven wheels and a system for conditioning the air temperature of the passenger compartment (CAB). The conditioning system includes a reversible heat pump (PAC) which conditions in temperature respectively a distribution loop (DI) and an exhaust loop (RE) through which flows a coolant. The distribution loop (DI) is connected to an exchanger (H2) with the air entering the space compartment (CAB) and is connectable via an electromagnetic valve (EV1) to another exchanger (H1) with the air entering the passenger compartment (CAB). The exhaust loop (RE) is connected to an exchanger (F1) with the outside air. The exhaust loop being further connected to the engine (ME) for exchanging heat with the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Dow Kokam France SAS
    Inventor: Alain Douarre
  • Patent number: 8302876
    Abstract: A preferred embodiment supplemental heating system is fluidly connectable to a vehicle cooling system and includes a liquid heat generator operable for heating a cooling fluid delivered to the supplemental heating system from the vehicle's cooling system. The liquid heat generator includes a discharge passage connectable to a heater core of the vehicle and a inlet passage connectable to the vehicle's cooling system. The supplemental heating system further includes a control valve having an inlet connectable to an exit passage of a heater core of the vehicle, a discharge passage fluidly connected to the liquid heat generator, and a second discharge passage connectable to the vehicle's cooling system. The control valve is operable for controlling the proportion of cooling fluid exiting the heater core that is returned to the vehicle's cooling system and recirculated back to the liquid heat generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Ventech, LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy J. Sanger, Franco Garavoglia
  • Publication number: 20120091214
    Abstract: A controller in a heat management system is capable of managing unlimited hydronic heat sources and unlimited heating zones, each located within a desired area and each controlled by temperature sensors in bi-directional electronic/electrical communication with the controller. A user interface can be included with the controller (or interact with the controller) and be in bi-directional electrical/electronic communication with the controller. In such a way, one or more users can manage the heating of domestic water and the heating of zones or areas in which the one or more users live via the controller. The controller in the heat management system may be used for controlling hydronic heating systems installed in RV, marine and home applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventor: James M. Rixen
  • Patent number: 8113440
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an exemplary supplemental heating system including a liquid heat generator having a hydrodynamic chamber for selectively heating a fluid. The supplemental heating system further includes a manifold having an inlet passage fluidly connectable to a discharge passage of a heat exchanger, a first discharge passage fluidly connectable to an engine cooling system, and a second discharge passage fluidly connected to an inlet passage of the hydrodynamic chamber. A control valve comprising a spool slideably disposed within the manifold controls distribution of the fluid between the manifold inlet passage and the first manifold discharge passage, and the manifold inlet passage and the manifold second discharge passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Ventech LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy J. Sanger, Franco Garavoglia
  • Patent number: 8052066
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle can be driven using both of respective driving forces from an engine and a motor. A heating mechanism of an air conditioning apparatus uses thermal energy from cooling water of the engine to heat the interior of a passenger compartment. An ECU takes into consideration engine efficiency from the standpoint of fuel economy enhancement to primarily determine the driving force share ratio between the engine and the motor. Further, the ECU calculates a preset temperature corresponding to a cooling water temperature necessary for desired heating as well as a control target temperature in which the preset temperature is reflected, and corrects the primarily determined driving force share ratio to increase the share of the driving force of the engine by an amount according to a deviation between the cooling water temperature measured by a water temperature sensor and the control target temperature. Heating performance can thus be ensured promptly without deterioration of fuel economy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideto Watanabe, Yasuo Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20090078784
    Abstract: Combined heating/hot water system (10) for a vehicle (12), comprising an air heating device (14), at least one air duct (20, 22, 24), by means of which the air heating device (14) is connected by air to an interior (30) of the vehicle (12) for heating, a fan (18), by means of which air heated in the air heating device (14) may be introduced into the interior (30) of the vehicle (12) for heating, a hot water reservoir (16) arranged in a recess (15) in the air heating device (14), a first pipe duct (36), by means of which the hot water reservoir (16) may be hydraulically connected to a tap (34) in the vehicle (12) and a second pipe duct (38), by means of which the hot water reservoir (16) is hydraulically coupled to a water tank (32), wherein at least one of the pipe ducts (36, 38) is arranged in one of the air ducts (20, 22, 24).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventor: Alessandro Fiumidinisi
  • Publication number: 20090071428
    Abstract: In a warm-up system that pre-warms up of an engine (E) by transferring heat from a heat source to an engine cooling water circulation circuit (1) of a vehicle, a residential hot water circuit (2) that uses a household heat source is provided as the heat source, and a one-touch connector (3) is provided in the engine cooling water circulation circuit (1) and the residential hot water circuit (2). The one-touch connector (3) connects the two circuits (1, 2) prior to start-up of the engine (E) such that heat is transferred to the engine cooling water circulation circuit (1), and disconnects the two circuits (1, 2) following heat transfer in preparation for start-up of the engine (E).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Inventors: Naohisa Kamiyama, Shiro Nakajima, Satoshi Tamagawa, Ryoichi Hori
  • Publication number: 20090008464
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device (12) for an engine-independent heater (3) that heats a liquid heat transfer medium of a heat transfer medium circuit (1) especially for motor vehicles. Said control device (12) reduces a heater (3) capacity when an actual temperature gradient ((dT/dtIst) of the heat transfer medium is equal to or exceeds a temperature gradient threshold value ((dT/dt)Schwell). The control device (12) determines the temperature gradient threshold value ((dT/dt)Schwell) dynamically in accordance with a difference in temperature (??) between a target temperature (?Soll) of the heat transfer medium and an actual temperature (?Ist) of the heat transfer medium. The invention further relates to a heater (3), a heating system (1), and a method for controlling the inventive heater (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventors: Nikolaus Gerhardt, Karl Gottl, Markus Griner
  • Patent number: 5299329
    Abstract: A hot water camping or other outdoor shower releasably mounted to a motor vehicle utilizes water-to-water heat exchange through a heat exchanger mounted in-line with the vehicle heater core, and circulates the shower water with an electric water pump through removable hoses. The apparatus may use any source of water such as a lake or stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Inventor: Mark Constantini
  • Patent number: 4984125
    Abstract: In a gas-filled arrester, a pair of main electrodes and a ground electrode are air-tightly fitted to an insulating tubular member. A springy, electrically-conductive short-circuiting element having an arcuate shape is fitted around the outer wall of the ground electrode. The short-circuiting element includes extension portions extending along the outer wall of the insulating tubular member to the respective main electrodes, and these extension portions are made to face the main electrodes by utilization of spring characteristics thereof with a certain gap maintained and with a thermally-fusible spacer interposed. With this construction, if the arrester is overheated, the spacer is thermally fused by heat and therefore the extension portions electrically contact the main electrodes due to the spring characteristics thereof. Since the main electrodes are thus short-circuited to the ground electrode, the arrester is prevented from failing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1991
    Assignee: Sankosha Corporation
    Inventor: Yukio Uwano
  • Patent number: 4260103
    Abstract: A water cooling loop is connected to cool an engine of a railway car or the like and includes a heat exchanger. A system for heating a compartment includes a pump for pumping water to heating elements. The water from the pump is selectively pumped through a first path which includes the heat exchanger or through a second path which by-passes the heat exchanger dependent upon the temperature condition inside the car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1981
    Assignee: The Budd Company
    Inventor: James M. Herring, Jr.