Of Expansion Valve Or Variable Restrictor Patents (Class 62/222)
  • Patent number: 11938783
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle device including a first pressure reducing valve, a first evaporator that exchanges heat between the refrigerant decompressed in the first pressure reducing valve and air, a second pressure reducing valve that is disposed in parallel with the first pressure reducing valve; a second evaporator in which the refrigerant decompressed in the second pressure reducing valve to absorbs heat from a battery; a third pressure reducing valve that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant evaporated in the second evaporator; and a controller configured to control opening degrees of the second pressure reducing valve and the third pressure reducing valve. The controller performs a limit control for controlling the opening degree of the second pressure reducing valve to an opening degree of smaller one of a battery cooling opening degree and an air cooling opening degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kengo Sugimura, Satoshi Ito, Satoshi Suzuki, Kosuke Shiratori
  • Patent number: 11802725
    Abstract: The air-conditioning apparatus includes the plurality of heat source apparatuses; a plurality of indoor units each including an indoor heat exchanger and each configured to perform one of cooling and heating operations; a relay device connected to the heat source apparatuses by a high pressure pipe and a low pressure pipe and configured to distribute refrigerant flowing therein from the heat source apparatuses to the plurality of indoor units; and a controller configured to control operations of the heat source apparatuses. The relay device includes a relay device temperature detecting unit configured to detect a temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the bypass pipe. During the heating main operation, the controller changes an opening degree of each of the outdoor side expansion devices based on the temperature detected by the relay device temperature detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Okano
  • Patent number: 11686490
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes techniques that enable a conditioned air system to automatically restore functionality and/or to operate at reduced functionality when a fault is detected, for example, to facilitate reducing likelihood that continuing operation with the fault present will decrease lifespan of the conditioned air system. To facilitate improving operation of the conditioned air system when a fault is present, the control system of the conditioned air system may utilize substitute sensor data and/or adjust its control algorithm. In this manner, the control system may facilitate improving operational reliability and/or availability of the conditioned air system, for example, by adaptively adjusting its operation to enable the conditioned air system to continue operating even when a fault is present, while reducing likelihood that the continued operation will reduce lifespan of the conditioned air system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Shawn A. Hern, Brian D. Rigg, Tom R. Tasker, Cody J. Kaiser, Andrew M. Boyd, Noel Grajeda-Trevizo
  • Patent number: 11441822
    Abstract: An air conditioner is provided with a refrigerant circuit that has a first refrigerant path to which a compressor, a first utilization-side heat exchanger, a first expansion valve, and a heat source-side heat exchanger are connected in order. A control unit controls the compressor and the first expansion valve. When the control unit receives a request for high-temperature air that temporarily increases the temperature of the hot air blown out through the first utilization-side heat exchanger, the control unit changes the control of the first expansion valve so that the temperature of a refrigerant that flows through the first utilization-side heat exchanger increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Motoki Takagi
  • Patent number: 11371758
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit, by pipes, connecting a compressor, a flow switching device, a first heat exchanger, an expansion device, and a second heat exchanger. As refrigerant to be circulated through the refrigerant circuit, any one of a refrigerant having saturated gas temperature under standard atmospheric pressure that is higher than that of R32 and a refrigerant mixture mainly composed of the refrigerant is used. The refrigerant circuit includes an internal heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant flowing through a refrigerant-inlet side of the second heat exchanger and the refrigerant flowing through a refrigerant-outlet side of the second heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Shin Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11333379
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses an air conditioner controlling method and apparatus, as well as an air conditioner having the same. The method includes: determining that an outdoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner runs in an evaporator state; acquiring a state signal of a refrigerant of an indoor refrigerating unit; and adjusting an opening degree of an electronic expansion valve of an outdoor unit according to the state signal of the indoor refrigerating unit. This method may adjust the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve of the outdoor unit according to the state signal of the indoor refrigerating unit when the outdoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner runs in the evaporator state, thereby effectively improving the reliability of control, broadening the reliable operation range of the system, and reasonably distributing the refrigerant between the indoor refrigerating unit and the outdoor unit under a low temperature working condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignees: HEFEI MIDEA HEATING & VENTILATING EQUIPMENT CO., LTD., GD MIDEA HEATING & VENTILATING EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chunyuan Zheng, Zhijun Tan, Kun Yang, Mingren Wang
  • Patent number: 11326820
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for a TRS to automatically sense a voltage level and configuration of an input AC power provided by an AC power source and automatically adapt to the input AC power being used are provided. When the voltage level of an input AC power supplied to a TRS changes, the TRS can automatically detect the change of the voltage level, and adjust a winding configuration of a compressor motor of the TRS and a voltage level of the TRS based on the detected voltage level of the input AC power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Thermo King Corporation
    Inventor: Vaitheeswaran Kandasamy
  • Patent number: 11293647
    Abstract: The amount of refrigerant to be charged in a refrigerant circuit of an air conditioner is set to a range defined by a lower-limit charge amount and an upper-limit charge amount. The lower-limit charge amount is a charge amount with which a refrigerant supercooling degree is 0 deg and a refrigerant quality is 0 at a refrigerant outlet side of a supercooling heat exchanger when a cooling operation is performed under an overload condition in which the refrigerant is hardly condensed in an outdoor heat exchanger that functions as a condenser. On the other hand, the upper-limit charge amount is a charge amount with which a refrigerant supercooling degree is 0 deg and a refrigerant quality is 0 at a refrigerant outlet side of the outdoor heat exchanger when the cooling operation is performed under a rated condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: FUJITSU GENERAL LIMITED
    Inventors: Shintaro Sanada, Shunji Itakura, Yu Hirosaki
  • Patent number: 11273686
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to an electrified vehicle having a control strategy for managing battery and cabin cooling. A corresponding method is also disclosed. An example electrified vehicle includes a cabin thermal management system configured to thermally condition a cabin of the electrified vehicle. The cabin thermal management system includes a compressor. The vehicle further includes a battery thermal management system configured to thermally condition a battery of the electrified vehicle, and a controller configured issue an instruction to reduce the speed of the compressor based, at least in part, on a speed of the electrified vehicle and a temperature of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jennifer Helen Chang, Christopher Michael Kava, Craig Lechlitner, Brett Allen Dunn
  • Patent number: 11262101
    Abstract: A method of heating water in a water storage tank. The method includes: selecting an outlet port and an inlet port from at least three ports located in the tank at different heights along a vertical direction. The outlet port is below the inlet port. The method further includes extracting water from the outlet port, supplying the extracted water to an external heat exchanger configured for heating the extracted water, and delivering heated water from the heat exchanger to the selected inlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: ACTIVE HOME LTD.
    Inventor: Zvi Shtilerman
  • Patent number: 11209195
    Abstract: An air conditioner (1, 101) has a refrigerant circuit (10, 110) which is formed by connecting an outdoor unit (2, 102) and an indoor unit (3). The refrigerant circuit (10, 110) has a refrigerant sealed therein. The refrigerant contains a hydrofluorocarbon having a property of undergoing a disproportionation reaction. The refrigerant circuit (10, 110) includes a refrigerant shutoff mechanism (24, 41, 43, 46, 47, 48) that shuts off a flow of the refrigerant from the outdoor unit (2, 102) side to the indoor unit (3) side when the refrigerant in a portion of the refrigerant circuit (10, 110) within the outdoor unit (2, 102) meets a predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Eiji Kumakura, Tetsuya Okamoto
  • Patent number: 11022354
    Abstract: Noise that is generated from an indoor unit is suppressed when performing two-phase transport of refrigerant by using a liquid-pressure-adjusting expansion valve in an air conditioner including an outdoor unit, a plurality of indoor units each including an indoor heat exchanger, a relay unit that switches the plurality of indoor heat exchangers so that the indoor heat exchangers individually function as an evaporator or radiator for refrigerant, and a liquid-refrigerant connection pipe and a gas-refrigerant connection pipe that connect the outdoor unit and the indoor unit via the relay unit. The relay unit includes a relay expansion valve that further decompresses the refrigerant that has been decompressed by the liquid-pressure-adjusting expansion valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takuro Yamada, Yuusuke Nakagawa, Yuusuke Oka, Masahiro Honda
  • Patent number: 10989455
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for ensuring adequate and uniform cooling for any heat-generating device that experiences large heat pulses by integrating parallel expansion devices and their control directly into each of a discrete cooling load or cold plate. One of the parallel expansion devices is an integrated cartridge thermostatic expansion valve (TXV) and the other is an electrically-actuated valve. The TXV is positioned such that a sensing element is located directly within an exit refrigerant stream, thereby improving time-response of the valve and eliminating the need for a capillary tube. The electrically-actuated valve provides a sudden burst of refrigerant while the TXV is responding to sudden heat pulses and operates at the command of the heat generating system or triggered by a temperature rise. The disclosed operational method leads to an order of magnitude reduction in settling time after a heat pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Mainstream Engineering Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Sykes, Robert P. Scaringe, Gregory S. Cole
  • Patent number: 10935884
    Abstract: The pattern forming method, which is a photo-nanoimprint technology, includes in this order: laying a layer formed of a curable composition (A1) containing at least a polymerizable compound on a surface of a substrate; dispensing liquid droplets of a curable composition (A2) containing at least a polymerizable compound dropwise discretely onto the layer of (A1) to lay the liquid droplets; sandwiching a layer obtained by partially mixing (A1) and (A2) between a mold and the substrate; of irradiating the layer obtained by partially mixing (A1) and (A2) with light from a side of the mold to cure the layer in one stroke; and releasing the mold from the layer formed of the curable compositions after the curing, in which a value Vr/Vc obtained by dividing a volume of (A2) per shot area (Vr) by a volume of (A1) (Vc) is 4 or more and 15 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keiko Chiba, Shingo Ishida, Toshiaki Ando, Toshiki Ito, Timothy Brian Stachowiak, Weijun Liu
  • Patent number: 10935289
    Abstract: A heat exchanger or chiller may include a heat exchanger block having a first fluid channel for a coolant and a second fluid channel for a refrigerant, an expansion valve for controlling a mass flow rate of the refrigerant, and a connection flange having an inlet channel and an outlet channel for the refrigerant. The expansion valve may be designed as an electronic expansion valve. The inlet channel may be connected to the second fluid channel in a transition region of the inlet channel. The connection flange may have an insertion opening, which may communicate with the transition region of the inlet channel, and into which the expansion valve may be inserted such that the expansion valve may control the mass flow rate of the refrigerant in the transition region and evaporation of the refrigerant may first occur in the second fluid channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Inventors: Timo Feldkeller, Markus Wesner
  • Patent number: 10933718
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a vehicle configured to prevent oil entrapment within a refrigerant system of the vehicle. This disclosure also relates to a corresponding method. An example vehicle includes a refrigerant system configured to circulate fluid including a mixture of refrigerant and oil relative to an evaporator, a controller, and an electronic expansion valve upstream of the evaporator. The electronic expansion valve is responsive to instructions from the controller, and the controller is configured to instruct the electronic expansion valve to open to prevent entrapment of oil within the evaporator or refrigerant lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark G. Smith, Timothy Noah Blatchley
  • Patent number: 10900530
    Abstract: An expansion valve includes a valve main body having a valve chamber therein, a valve body arranged within the valve chamber, a valve body support member supporting the valve body, an urging member urging the valve body toward a valve seat, an actuating bar pressing the valve body in an opening direction of the valve against urging force generated by the urging member, and a vibration proof spring suppressing vibration of the valve body or the actuating bar. The actuating bar has an outer peripheral surface of which a part constitutes a contact surface slidably contacting with the vibration proof spring, and the contact surface has a shape by which the amount of deformation of the vibration proof spring becomes greater as the valve body goes towards a closing direction of the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIKOKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Tomizawa, Hiroshi Yokota, Shogo Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 10813243
    Abstract: It is impossible to avoid the increase in device cost and maintenance cost in order to cool a plurality of heat sources efficiently using a natural-circulation type phase-change cooling device; therefore, a phase-change cooling device according to an exemplary aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of heat receiving units configured to hold respectively refrigerant receiving heat from a plurality of heat sources; a condensing unit configured to generate refrigerant liquid by condensing and liquefying refrigerant vapor of the refrigerant evaporated in the heat receiving units; a refrigerant vapor transport structure connecting the heat receiving units to the condensing unit and configured to transport the refrigerant vapor; and a refrigerant liquid transport structure connecting the heat receiving units to the condensing unit and configured to transport the refrigerant liquid, wherein the refrigerant liquid transport structure includes a main-liquid-pipe connected to the condensing unit, a refrig
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Shoujiguchi, Minoru Yoshikawa, Masaki Chiba, Arihiro Matsunaga, Masanori Sato
  • Patent number: 10774942
    Abstract: [Object] An electric valve control device capable of preventing a start delay of an electric valve control (an opening degree control) by shortening a waiting period of a system control device and an electric valve device including the same are provided. [Solving Means] An electric valve control device 11 outputs a signal indicating an end or an interruption of an initialization operation to an air conditioner ECU 16 after the initialization operation of the electric valve 9 ends or is interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIKOKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshio Ogawa, Kiyoharu Satou, Akihiro Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10767907
    Abstract: A decentralized condenser evaporator system includes a condenser system, a controlled pressure receiver, a subcooler system, and an evaporator system. The condenser system is positioned to receive a compressed gaseous refrigerant from a centralized compressor system. The condenser system is configured to condense the compressed gaseous refrigerant into a liquid refrigerant. The controlled pressure receiver is positioned to receive and store the liquid refrigerant. The subcooler system is positioned to receive the liquid refrigerant from the controlled pressure receiver. The subcooler system is configured to sub-cool the liquid refrigerant into a sub-cooled liquid refrigerant. The evaporator system is positioned to receive the sub-cooled liquid refrigerant from the subcooler system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Thomas P. Carter, Bruce L. Griffith
  • Patent number: 10677502
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a heat transport apparatus includes an evaporator, a cooling unit, a channel structure, and a heating mechanism. The evaporator vaporizes a refrigerant by heat generated by a heat-generating element. The cooling unit is provided above the evaporator and cools and condenses the refrigerant vaporized in the evaporator. The channel structure constitutes a channel through which the refrigerant circulates between the evaporator and the cooling unit. The heating mechanism heats the cooling unit and suppresses solidification of the refrigerant at the cooling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takuya Hongo, Rei Kimura, Tomonao Takamatsu, Chikako Iwaki, Hideki Horie
  • Patent number: 10617832
    Abstract: An adapter for delivering an atomized spray from a syringe. The adapter includes an adapter guide including a side wall, an interior surface of the side wall defining a through-bore and a shoulder in the through-bore. A pin guide is located in the through-bore. The pin guide includes a seat and a sleeve extending from the seat. A spring positioned around the pin guide sleeve and between the pin guide seat and the shoulder, wherein the spring and the sleeve provide a passageway there between. A pin extends from the pin guide seat and through the passageway. Affixing the adapter onto a syringe provides an atomizing delivery device. A method of dispensing an atomized spray from a syringe is provided by affixing the adapter to the syringe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Barrett Wade Mangold, Terrence Francis Alger, II, Albert M. Zwiener
  • Patent number: 10603669
    Abstract: An agitator ball mill with a fluid circuit, which includes a grinding container and a casing container disposed around the latter uniformly spaced apart axially with a cavity formed between the containers. The fluid circuit is led at at least one flange through at least one flange lead-through introduced there, wherein a first opening of the at least one flange lead-through is constituted in a side wall of the corresponding flange lying orthogonal to the outer surface of the casing container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: NETZSCH-Feinmahltechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Philipp Rath, Lars-Peter Weiland
  • Patent number: 10598414
    Abstract: A method for controlling a variable capacity ejector unit (7) arranged in a refrigeration system (1) is disclosed. An ejector control signal for the ejector unit (7) is generated, based on an obtained temperature and an obtained pressure of refrigerant leaving a heat rejecting heat exchanger (3), or on the basis of a high pressure valve control signal for controlling an opening degree of a high pressure valve (6) arranged fluidly in parallel with the ejector unit (7). The ejector control signal indicates whether the capacity of the ejector unit (7) should be increased, decreased or maintained. The capacity of the ejector unit (7) is controlled in accordance with the generated ejector control signal. The power consumption of the refrigeration system (1) is reduced, while the pressure of the refrigerant leaving the heat rejecting heat exchanger (3) is maintained at an acceptable level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: DANFOSS A/S
    Inventors: Kenneth Bank Madsen, Jan Prins, Kristian Fredslund
  • Patent number: 10527330
    Abstract: In a refrigeration cycle device, a compressor, a heat exchanger serving as a condenser, an expansion valve, and a heat exchanger serving as an evaporator are connected in order through refrigerant piping to form a refrigeration cycle. The refrigeration cycle device includes an evaporation temperature sensor provided between the expansion valve and the exchanger serving as the evaporator. The opening degree of the expansion valve is controlled such that an evaporation temperature detected by the evaporation temperature sensor reaches a control target value of the evaporation value. As a result, the refrigeration cycle device capable of achieving enhanced controllability while preventing liquid back to the compressor is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sachio Sekiya, Masanao Kotani
  • Patent number: 10465964
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a discharge temperature sensor that detects a discharge temperature of refrigerant discharged from a compressor, and a controller that controls the opening degree of an expansion valve. The controller computes an amount of variation of the discharge temperature resulting from varying the opening degree of the expansion valve, computes a ratio of the amount of variation of the discharge temperature to an amount of variation of the opening degree of the expansion valve, and determines the opening degree to be set to the expansion valve on the basis of the opening degree of the expansion valve that causes a change of the ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yohei Kato, Kiyoshi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 10422562
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first compressor, a first load, a second compressor, a second load, and a heat exchanger. The first compressor compresses a first refrigerant. The first load uses the first refrigerant to remove heat from a space proximate the first load. The first load sends the first refrigerant to the first compressor. The second compressor compresses a second refrigerant. The second load uses the second refrigerant to remove heat from a space proximate the second load. The second load sends the second refrigerant to the second compressor. The heat exchanger receives the first refrigerant from the first compressor and receives the second refrigerant from the second compressor. The heat exchanger transfers heat from the first refrigerant to the second refrigerant. The heat exchanger discharges the first refrigerant to the first load and discharges the second refrigerant to the second compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
    Inventors: Augusto J. Pereira Zimmermann, Robert H. Austin, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10345022
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus is configured to melt a large amount of adhering frost while maintaining an appropriate operation of a compressor by setting a defrosting operation time period depending on a low pressure of the compressor. The air-conditioning apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit including the compressor, a refrigerant flow switching device, a heat source-side heat exchanger, an expansion device, and a use-side heat exchanger, which are connected via a refrigerant pipe to form a refrigeration cycle, a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure on a suction side of the compressor, and a controller configured to control, in a defrosting operation, the refrigerant flow switching device to supply compressed refrigerant from the compressor to the heat source-side heat exchanger, compare a value detected by the pressure sensor with a first threshold value, and change the defrosting operation time period based on a result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kohei Najima
  • Patent number: 10337803
    Abstract: A circuit includes an evaporator receiving heat from a hot body; a condenser transmits heat to a cold body, a working fluid flows through a first conduit in vapour phase from the evaporator to the condenser, and flows through a second conduit in liquid phase, from the condenser to the evaporator. A first evaporator portion is in fluid communication with the second conduit and acts as a compensation chamber. A second evaporator portion is in fluid communication with the first conduit and contains the vapour phase. A porous wick moves the working fluid from the first evaporator portion to the second evaporator portion. A first flow controller interrupts or allows flow when fluid temperature in the elevator is respectively lower or higher than a first threshold. A second flow controller interrupts or allows flow when the temperature in the condenser is respectively higher or lower than a second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: ALENIA AERMACCHI S.p.A.
    Inventor: Antonio Moscatelli
  • Patent number: 10071019
    Abstract: The invention relates to a portable apparatus for regulating the temperature of medicaments in solid or liquid form. A temperature-regulating apparatus according to the invention comprises a housing with at least one accommodating chamber, with at least one temperature-regulating device for regulating the temperature of the accommodating chamber, in particular a thermoelectric temperature-regulating device, with at least one inputting means capable of registering an insertion of a medicament container into the accommodating chamber or an immediately imminent insertion, and of controlling the temperature-regulation of the accommodating chamber depending thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Inventor: Peter Lüpges
  • Patent number: 10000109
    Abstract: Air conditioning systems and methods for a vehicle having a start-stop engine system. The systems and methods cool the vehicle's passenger cabin when the vehicle's engine and air conditioning compressor are off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventor: Adam Gilley
  • Patent number: 9976782
    Abstract: Standalone and self-contained cooling systems using compressed liquid and/or gas C02 containers positioned in an insulated or non-insulated vessel and consisting of a specially designed unit where the containers are vertically positioned in an upright or upside-down position. The liquid and/or gas CO2 coolant is then released into capillary tube(s) embedded into a heat transfer plate or heat exchanger thus leveraging the C02 coolant properties. The temperature is controlled by a metering C02 releasing system encompassing an electronic control device which can be operated remotely and/or via a touch screen and which sends alerts when pre-defined thresholds are exceeded. The invention's metering C02 releasing system may be triggered by an electronic or a thermostatic valve or may be triggered manually or by an electronic solenoid. The invention's cooling system also encompasses check valves, which avoid liquid and/or gas C02 from escaping when removing or replacing C02 containers individually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignees: Frostime LLC, NDSU Research Foundation
    Inventors: Mark Holzwanger, Xianghong Henry Liu, Heng Hu, Harry Holzwanger, Maria Grazia Verardi, Robert A. Sailer, Justin Hoey
  • Patent number: 9874383
    Abstract: An air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner includes a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, an oil separator for separating an oil of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor to collect the separated oil into the compressor, a condenser for condensing the refrigerant separated from the oil separator, and a supercooling part in which a main refrigerant that is the refrigerant condensed by the condenser is heat-exchanged with a branch refrigerant branched from the main refrigerant. At least a portion of the oil collected into the compressor passes through the supercooling part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jaehwa Jung, Chiwoo Song
  • Patent number: 9855821
    Abstract: A heat pump system for a vehicle having a complex valve device including a three-way valve, an on-off valve, expansion means and connection blocks are formed integrally with one another, the three-way valve part being connected to the refrigerant circulation line of an inlet of the exterior heat exchanger such that the refrigerant selectively bypasses the exterior heat exchanger, the on-off valve part being connected to an inlet of the bypass line to open and close the bypass line. Connection blocks connect the three-way valve part and the on-off valve part with the refrigerant circulation line of an outlet of the exterior heat exchanger to communicate with each other. Expansion means are connected to an inlet of the three-way valve part to selectively expand refrigerant discharged from an interior heat exchanger. All functions of the heat pump system are thus conducted through a refrigerant control of the complex valve device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Sungho Kang, Hakkyu Kim, Sangki Lee, Youngho Choi, Jungjae Lee
  • Patent number: 9845987
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cooling device (1) comprising more than one cabinet (2, 102, 202) wherein items to be cooled are placed and which are positioned separately, a compressor (5) providing the cooling cycle to be performed, and more than one valve (6, 106, 206) providing the refrigerant pumped from the compressor (5) to be determined, to which cabinet (2, 102, 202) and in which amount it will be directed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: ARCELIK ANONIM SIRKETI
    Inventors: Mehmet Oturak, Emre Arisoy, Veysi Ercan, Ilkin Tacan, Alper Mirza
  • Patent number: 9816639
    Abstract: A drive control device performs a mode change with a constant current between a first mode in which an opening degree of a refrigerant passage is changed in a first flow region where a flow rate of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant passage is lower than or equal to a predetermined value and a second mode in which the opening degree of the refrigerant passage is changed in a second flow region where the flow rate of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant passage is higher than the predetermined value. The drive control device increases a value of the constant current at the mode change to be larger than a value of a constant current when the opening degree of the refrigerant passage is changed in the first mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuuya Suzuki, Tatsuhiro Matsuki, Kazuaki Takemoto
  • Patent number: 9732992
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus that can prevent freezing of a heat transfer medium even when using a non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture. The air-conditioning apparatus is designed such that when a heat exchanger serves as a cooler that cools a heat transfer medium, it controls a heat medium passage reversing device. This is so that, when a heat transfer medium flowing through a heat medium flow passage will not be frozen, a refrigerant flowing through a refrigerant flow passage and the heat transfer medium flowing through the heat medium flow passage are in counter flow. It is also to control the heat medium passage reversing device so that, when there is a possibility of freezing the heat transfer medium flowing through the heat medium flow passage, the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow passage and the heat transfer medium flowing through the heat medium flow passage are in parallel flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9733009
    Abstract: A refrigerant is provided that may include at least one compressor that compresses a refrigerant, a condenser that condenses the refrigerant compressed in the at least one compressor, a first expansion device that decompresses the refrigerant condensed in the condenser, a gas/liquid separator that separates the refrigerant decompressed in the first expansion device into a liquid refrigerant and a gaseous refrigerant, first and second evaporators, to which the liquid refrigerant separated in the gas/liquid separator may be introduced, and a second expansion device disposed at an inlet-side of the second evaporator to decompress the refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sangbong Lee, Jangseok Lee, Hyoungkeun Lim, Myungjin Chung, Minkyu Oh
  • Patent number: 9714786
    Abstract: A cooling system is disclosed. The cooling system may have an evaporator, an evaporator fan, a condenser, and at least one compressor. The compressor may be either a single speed or a variable speed compressor. In addition, the system can use a mechanical or electrical pulsed operation refrigerant flow control valve for controlling refrigerant flow to the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Rocky Research
    Inventors: Uwe Rockenfeller, Kaveh Khalili
  • Patent number: 9347567
    Abstract: A valve apparatus for the vehicle that may be disposed in a vehicle to exhaust operating fluid, which flows therein, to the outside, may include a main body that has at least one exhaust port and input port and the operating fluid flows there in through the input port, and an opening/closing unit that may be disposed in the main body, wherein the opening/closing unit selectively fluid-connects one of the at least a exhaust port with the input port according to a temperature of the operating fluid such that the inflow operating fluid may be exhausted to the outside through the exhaust port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Jae Yeon Kim, Wan Je Cho
  • Patent number: 9328931
    Abstract: A heating and/or cooling system for maintaining an environment at a desired temperature. The heating and/or cooling system includes a heat pump, a temperature sensor disposed to measure a temperature of the environment, and a system controller. The system controller may be configured to control a condensing temperature within the condenser such that the condensing temperature is set as low as possible while maintaining the condensing temperature a predetermined amount above the desired temperature that is being maintained. The system controller may also be configured to control the evaporating valve in order to vary, based on the measured temperature, an evaporating temperature in order to reduce the difference between the evaporating and condensing temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: ESG POOL VENTILATION LTD
    Inventor: Anthony Robinson
  • Patent number: 9261300
    Abstract: A method of controlling an HVAC system electronic expansion valve (EEV) includes determining an optimal EEV position for the HVAC system as a function of a variable related to an ambient environment enthalpy and operating the HVAC system as a function of the optimal EEV position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Hunter Ian Golden, Jason Thomas LeRoy, Raymond Walter Rite
  • Publication number: 20150135752
    Abstract: A refrigerating apparatus includes a high-temperature side circuit and a low-temperature side circuit connected to each other via a cascade condenser, a low-temperature side second flow control valve that turns a refrigerant, passing through a liquid pipe connecting between a cooling unit and other circuit parts in a low-temperature side circuit b, into a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant, and an expansion tank connected to the suction side of a low-temperature circuit compressor via a tank electromagnetic valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Sugimoto, So Nomoto, Tomotaka Ishikawa, Takashi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9032749
    Abstract: This invention relates to a multi-room air conditioning system with a plurality of indoor expansion valves. A method for sequencing the initialization of each indoor expansion valve upon system startup is disclosed. The method includes the following steps: 1. Initializing expansion valves corresponding to active indoor units, 2. Turning on the compressor, 3. Adjusting the indoor expansion valves corresponding to active indoor units, 4. Initializing and adjusting indoor expansion valves corresponding to inactive indoor units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazunori Korenaga, Takeshi Kuramochi, Yoshio Yajima
  • Publication number: 20150128630
    Abstract: An evaporator set, preferably for a thermally driven adsorption device. In an evaporator set that can be connected an easily output-scalable modular thermally driven condenser set and, as a result, can be used simultaneously as a heat or cold store, a liquid collector is connected via a blockable expansion valve with an evaporator for cooling a fluid, wherein the liquid collector, the expansion valve and the evaporator form a structural unit, and wherein the liquid collector has a fluid inlet for and the evaporator a fluid outlet to a thermally driven condenser set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Roland BURK
  • Patent number: 9021823
    Abstract: A system, compressor, and method that cools an electronics module with a low-pressure refrigerant. The system, compressor, and method utilize a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the low pressure refrigerant and communicates with the electronics module. Based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, the electronics module controls a liquid dry out point of the refrigerant that is used to cool the electronics module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jean-Luc M. Caillat
  • Publication number: 20150114017
    Abstract: The disclosed refrigeration-cycle equipment comprises a main circuit and an evaporation-side circulation circuit. The main circuit includes i) a compressor that compresses refrigerant vapor, ii) a condensation mechanism that condenses the refrigerant vapor, and iii) an evaporative mechanism that stores refrigerant liquid and that evaporates the refrigerant liquid. The evaporation-side circulation circuit includes a heat exchanger for heat absorption and a decompression mechanism. The refrigerant returns to the evaporative mechanism after the refrigerant absorbing heat in the heat exchanger for heat absorption and the pressure of the refrigerant being reduced in the decompression mechanism. The refrigeration-cycle equipment further has an interaction mechanism that prevents droplets contained in the refrigerant having returned from the evaporation-side circulation circuit to the evaporative mechanism from being fed into the compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: YOSHIMI HAYASHI, TOMOICHIRO TAMURA, MAMORU NISHIBU, TAKAHIRO MATSUURA, BUNKI KAWANO, IORI MARUHASHI
  • Publication number: 20150107286
    Abstract: The present invention provides a heat pump that includes: a compressor, a switching valve, an indoor heat exchanger, a first expansion valve, and an outdoor heat exchanger, wherein the outdoor heat exchanger includes: a primary heat exchanging unit connected with the first expansion valve through a refrigerant pipe and through which outdoor air exchanges heat; a secondary heat exchanging unit connected with the switching valve through a refrigerant pipe, disposed behind the primary heat exchanging unit in the flow direction of outdoor air, and through which the outdoor air, which has exchanged heat through the primary heat exchanging unit, exchanges heat; a connection pipe that connects the primary heat exchanging unit and the secondary heat exchanging unit with each other; and a second expansion valve that is disposed in the connection pipe. Therefore, it is possible to improve both cooling performance and heating performance with minimum parts and a simple structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Geunho JIN, Kiwon SEO, Jongchul HA, Minsu PARK
  • Publication number: 20150107282
    Abstract: The invention discloses a controller for a vapour compression system for cooling a refrigerated space. The system comprises a circuit for circulation of a refrigerant between a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator. An expansion valve controls a flow of the refrigerant into the evaporator and thereby cooling of the refrigerated space. The control system is adapted to control the expansion valve based on a first temperature in the circuit between the evaporator and the compressor and a second temperature determined in the refrigerated space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: Danfoss A/S
    Inventors: Roozbeh Izadi-Zamanabad, Harald Alnor
  • Patent number: 9003819
    Abstract: A heat pump apparatus includes: a refrigerant circuit which includes a compressor, an utilization-side heat exchanger, a first expansion valve, and an outdoor heat exchanger; an injection pipe which includes a solenoid switching valve and a second expansion valve; and an objective supercooling degree table which stores objective supercooling degrees according to condensing pressure in the refrigerant circuit and rotation number of the compressor. In the heat pump apparatus, liquid refrigerant is injected to the compressor by way of the injection pipe. The heat pump apparatus switches between a first case where the liquid refrigerant is injected to the compressor and a second case where the liquid refrigerant is not injected, and a value of the objective supercooling degree is changed between the first case and the second case to control the first expansion valve based on the value of the objective supercooling degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Fujitsu General Limited
    Inventors: Atsushi Itagaki, Takashi Sugiyama, Toshiyuki Fuji