Compressor Or Its Drive Controlled Patents (Class 62/228.1)
  • Patent number: 11959694
    Abstract: Cryocooler health monitoring systems and methods are provided. In one example, a method includes determining, for each setpoint temperature of a plurality of setpoint temperatures, a respective power applied to a cryocooler to set a cold tip of the cryocooler to the setpoint temperature. The method further includes determining a first load line associated with the cold tip based on the plurality of setpoint temperatures and the respective powers applied to the cryocooler. The method further includes determining a health metric associated with the cold tip based on the first load line and a reference load line associated with the cryocooler. Related devices and systems are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Teledyne FLIR Commercial Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore Conrad, Samuel S. Chapple, Roberto Olivo, Jeff Haller
  • Patent number: 11906187
    Abstract: A refrigerating cycle apparatus includes a refrigerating cycle device having a refrigerating cycle, the refrigerating cycle in which a refrigerant is compressed in a compressor and made to circulate, and by a heat exchanger, heat is absorbed from a low temperature heat source and heat is exhausted to a high temperature heat source, and a control device that controls operation of the refrigerating cycle device. An obtaining unit obtains an operation operating request that controls the refrigerating cycle device arranged in a structure's interior to a target state. An operation control unit, when the operation operating request transmitted from an outside is obtained, controls the refrigerating cycle device to the target state with lower operation capacity than operation capacity of the refrigerating cycle device of a case where the operation operating request is transmitted from the structure's interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11781760
    Abstract: The disclosed technology includes an integrated system including a space conditioning system, a liquid heating system, and a controller. The space conditioning system can include a refrigerant circuit fluidly connecting a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a third heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and a reversing valve such that refrigerant can flow through the circuit. The liquid heating system can include a liquid heating device and a liquid circuit configured to direct liquid from the liquid heating device through the first heat exchanger. The controller can be in electrical communication with the space conditioning system and the liquid heating system. The controller can be configured to determine a demand of the space conditioning system and the liquid heating system, and in response, output instructions to a plurality of valves to direct the refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit and direct the liquid through the liquid circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Baojie Mu, Sivakumar Gopalnarayanan
  • Patent number: 11754321
    Abstract: A refrigeration system, in particular a transport refrigeration system, comprising: a refrigerant circuit, which in particular works using CO2 as the refrigerant and in which there is guided a total mass flow of the refrigerant; a high-pressure-side heat exchanger arranged in the refrigerant circuit and cooling refrigerant compressed to a high pressure; at least one cooling stage which expands the principal mass flow from the intermediate-pressure collector to a low pressure in at least one cooling expansion member and in so doing makes refrigeration capacity available at a low-pressure-side heat exchanger; and a refrigerant compressor unit which compresses the principal mass flow from a low pressure to a high pressure, wherein the refrigerant compressor unit has a first compressor stage for compressing, to a medium pressure, the refrigerant of the principal mass flow supplied at low pressure, and a second compressor stage for compressing, to a high pressure, the refrigerant of the principal mass flow that ha
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: BITZER KUEHLMASCHINENBAU GMBH
    Inventors: Axel Friedrich, Andreas Becker
  • Patent number: 11699969
    Abstract: A compressor and a control method thereof are provided. The compressor includes a motor with a rotor of a permanent magnet. According to embodiments, the method of controlling the compressor includes: applying a detection current to the motor in response to a command of starting the compressor; detecting whether there is demagnetization of the permanent magnet of the rotor according to a response of the motor to the applied detection current; resetting an operating parameter of the compressor if there is the demagnetization; and starting the compressor according to the reset operating parameters. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, when the compressor is to be started, demagnetization is detected first, and the operating parameter are set accordingly, so as to suppress or avoid performance degeneration due to the demagnetization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Danfoss (Tianjin) Ltd.
    Inventors: Shizhong Ji, Li Yao, Wanzhen Liu
  • Patent number: 11686265
    Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) may monitor wet stack residue buildup of a diesel engine. Once the wet stack residue accumulates to a certain amount, the IED may perform a mitigation procedure. Additionally, tracking wet stack residue buildup may allow an IED to attempt to prevent or reduce accumulation of the wet stack residue. The IED may track an operating power level of the diesel engine to estimate the rate of residue buildup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Ellery A. Blood, Scott M. Manson
  • Patent number: 11668496
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system. The HVAC system includes an air handling unit configured to transfer heat between a refrigerant and an airflow, a first heat exchanger configured to receive the refrigerant from the air handling unit and transfer heat between the refrigerant and a first working fluid, a cooling bank including a vessel and a coil disposed in the vessel, wherein the coil is configured receive the first working fluid from the first heat exchanger and configured to transfer heat between the working fluid and a second working fluid within the vessel, and a second heat exchanger configured to receive the second working fluid and to transfer heat between the second working fluid and the airflow, wherein the second heat exchanger is disposed upstream of the air handling unit with respect to a flow path of the airflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Vinoraj Rajendran, Anil V. Bhosale, Arun K. Tiwari
  • Patent number: 11486600
    Abstract: An air conditioner includes an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The outdoor unit includes: a DC motor; an inrush-current prevention relay having a coil and a contact provided on a supply line of an AC power supply as a power supply of the outdoor unit, in which the contact is in an electrically-disconnected state when any current does not flow through the coil and is in an electrically-connected state when a current flows through the coil; a PTC connected in parallel to the contact; and a temperature protector provided on a supply line of a relay-driving power supply as a power supply of the inrush-current prevention relay, which is in an electrically-connected state when a temperature of the DC motor is lower than a predetermined temperature, but is in an electrically-disconnected state when the temperature of the DC motor reaches a predetermined temperature or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Takagi, Toshiya Sugiyama, Keishi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11480372
    Abstract: An air conditioning system can be toggled between a heating mode, in which heat is withdrawn from a source (e.g., a geothermal source) and deposited into a conditioned space (e.g., a building), and a cooling mode, in which heat is withdrawn from the conditioned space and deposited into the source. The air conditioning system uses a combination of efficiency-enhancing technologies, including injection of superheated vapor into the system's compressor from an economizer circuit, adjustable compressor speed, the use of one or coaxial heat exchangers and the use of electronic expansion valves that are continuously adjustable from a fully closed to various open positions. A controller may be used to control the system for optimal performance in both the heating and cooling modes, such as by disabling the economizer circuit and vapor injection when the system is in the cooling mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: WATERFURNACE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Timothy A. Hammond, Robert R. Brown
  • Patent number: 11384965
    Abstract: During a first cooling operation, a compressor is in an operational state, a liquid pump is in a non-operational state, and an amount of refrigerant allowing for existence of a liquid surface of the refrigerant in a refrigerant tank is accumulated in the refrigerant tank. During a second cooling operation, the compressor is in the non-operational state, the liquid pump is in the operational state, and the amount of the refrigerant allowing for the liquid surface of the refrigerant in the refrigerant tank is accumulated in the refrigerant tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Ito, So Nomoto
  • Patent number: 11313570
    Abstract: Provided are a method and device for controlling electric heating of an air conditioner compressor. The method may include: first request information is transmitted to a corresponding database server at an interval of a second preset duration, as to acquire weather forecast data of an area where an air conditioner is located within an upcoming third preset duration; the weather forecast data returned by the database server is received and stored in a built-in database of the air conditioner; it is monitored to learn that a shutdown duration of the air conditioner compressor exceeds a first preset duration, as to acquire the weather forecast data stored in the built-in database of the air conditioner; and a control strategy is generated according to the weather forecast data, to control the air conditioner compressor to start and stop electric heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES, INC. OF ZHUHAI
    Inventors: Mingzhu Dong, Hui Zhang, Qunbo Liu, Yaodong Li, Kai Yu, Handong Xue, Yingsheng Fu, Ke Xu, Fang Wang, Yi Ni
  • Patent number: 11293677
    Abstract: A cooler system includes a plurality of cooler units; a condensed water flow path, an aqueous medium in the condensed water flow path sequentially flowing through each of the cooler units; a cooling water flow path, an aqueous medium in the cooling water flow path sequentially flowing through each of the cooler units in a flow direction opposite to a flow direction of the aqueous medium in the condensed water flow path; a plurality of current sensors used for detecting working currents of the cooler units; water temperature sensors used for detecting an entering water temperature and a leaving water temperature of the cooling water flow path; at least one virtual temperature sensor arranged between the cooler units and used for acquiring a middle water temperature between the cooler units; and a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Xing Cai, Zhongjian Li, Yuanming Yuan, Zongtao Lu, Junqiang Fan, Shufu Ding, Hong Zhang
  • Patent number: 11201538
    Abstract: Provided is a power conversion device capable of directly performing a protection operation according to the state of a cooler. A control unit includes: a semiconductor switching element loss calculation unit which calculates a loss in a semiconductor switching element with use of a switching state of the semiconductor switching element, and a current detection value or a voltage detection value; and a cooler state estimation unit which estimates a state of a cooler on the basis of a loss calculation value from the semiconductor switching element loss calculation unit and a temperature detection value from a temperature detector. The control unit limits current flowing to the semiconductor switching element on the basis of the state of the cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuro Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 11002454
    Abstract: An HVAC system includes a controller communicatively coupled to a subcool sensor, an outdoor temperature sensor, a compressor, and a blower of the HVAC system. For a first period of time, the controller periodically determines subcool values. For each determined subcool value, a corresponding compressor speed, outdoor temperature, and blower speed are determined. A baseline database is generated with baseline values associated with normal operation of the HVAC system. Following the first period of time, subcool values are determined based on the subcool signal. For each subcool value, a corresponding compressor speed, outdoor temperature, and blower speed are determined. The controller determines whether each subcool value satisfies a criteria based on the baseline database. If the criteria are not satisfied for at least a threshold time, the system is determined to be operating under a fault condition, and a corresponding alert is transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Amita Brahme, Umesh Gokhale
  • Patent number: 10989456
    Abstract: An HVAC system includes an evaporator. A compressor is fluidly coupled to the evaporator via a suction line. A condenser is fluidly coupled to the compressor via a discharge line. The condenser includes a first pass and a second pass. A common manifold fluidly couples the first pass and the second pass. A charge compensator is fluidly coupled to the common manifold above a maximum liquid level of the common manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Giles, Rakesh Goel, Siddarth Rajan
  • Patent number: 10941969
    Abstract: A control method for a refrigerator includes sensing a temperature of a storage room; operating a cool air supply at a cooling power when the sensed temperature of the storage room is equal to or above a first reference temperature; operating the cool air supply at a delay power, which is less than the cooling power, when the sensed temperature of the storage room is equal to or below a second reference temperature, which is less than the first reference temperature while the cool air supply is operating at the cooling power; and adjusting the cooling power or the delay power of the cool air supply according to the temperature of the storage room while the cool air supply is operating at the delay power, and operating the cool air supply at the determined adjusted cooling power or delay power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Myungjin Chung, Kyeongyun Kim, Kyungseok Kim, Soyoon Kim, Seunguk Ahn, Kyunghun Cha
  • Patent number: 10914481
    Abstract: A duct-type air conditioning system, a control method and a device for an indoor ventilator thereof. The control method comprises the following steps: upon turning on the duct-type air conditioning system, acquiring an indoor temperature and a set temperature recorded the last time the duct-type air conditioning system was turned off, and acquiring a present set temperature (S1) according to the indoor temperature and the set temperature recorded the last time the system was turned off; detecting a real-time indoor temperature, according to the present indoor temperature and the present set temperature, calculating a temperature difference between the present indoor temperature and the set temperature, and generating an air velocity adjustment instruction according to the temperature difference, controlling, according to the air velocity adjustment instruction, the indoor ventilator to adjust the air supply velocity (S4) of an indoor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Inventors: Fudang Wei, Ming Song, Yiyang Mo, Geng Luo
  • Patent number: 10838032
    Abstract: The present application relates to heat management and control of new energy vehicle, particularly to an active cooling power calibrating method and system for energy storing unit. The application aims at resolving the problem that the existing active cooling power calibrating experiment for energy storing unit executed in a wind tunnel cabin, is inefficient and costly. The active cooling power calibrating method for energy storing unit of the present application mainly comprises the steps of: improving inlet temperature of the energy storing unit to a target temperature with a heating device; cooling the energy storing unit with a cooling system in a way of maintaining the inlet temperature at the target temperature; calibrating parameters of the cooling system when the inlet temperature is kept stable at the target temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: NIO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Guoling Kong, Bin He
  • Patent number: 10837669
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a technology for a sensor network, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, machine-type communication (MTC) and internet of things (IoT). The present invention can be applied in intelligent services (smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car or connected car, health care, digital education, retail business, security and safety-related services, and the like) utilizing said technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyungjae Kim, Kwanwoo Song, Gunhyuk Park, Jeongil Seo, Daeeun Yi, Hyejung Cho
  • Patent number: 10753661
    Abstract: An air conditioning system can be toggled between a heating mode, in which heat is withdrawn from a source (e.g., a geothermal source) and deposited into a conditioned space (e.g., a building), and a cooling mode, in which heat is withdrawn from the conditioned space and deposited into the source. The air conditioning system uses a combination of efficiency-enhancing technologies, including injection of superheated vapor into the system's compressor from an economizer circuit, adjustable compressor speed, the use of one or coaxial heat exchangers and the use of electronic expansion valves that are continuously adjustable from a fully closed to various open positions. A controller may be used to control the system for optimal performance in both the heating and cooling modes, such as by disabling the economizer circuit and vapor injection when the system is in the cooling mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: WaterFurnace International, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy A. Hammond, Robert R. Brown
  • Patent number: 10670316
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit including a first refrigeration circuit having a first compressor and a first condenser, a second refrigeration circuit having a second compressor and a second condenser, a first fan configured to generate airflow over the first condenser, a second fan configured to generate airflow over the second condenser, an evaporator common to the first refrigeration circuit and the second refrigeration circuit, and a controller configured to control operation of the HVAC unit according to an active staging operation of a plurality of staging operations, wherein the plurality of staging operations comprises at least three stages of operation in which each of the first and second compressors individually operates in a selection of at least two compression settings and each of the first and second fans individually operates in a selection of at least two speed settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Kevin M. Cao, Randal H. Edmunds, Steven M. Maddox, David B. Woodward
  • Patent number: 10663199
    Abstract: An HVAC system includes an evaporator. A compressor is fluidly coupled to the evaporator via a suction line. A condenser is fluidly coupled to the compressor via a discharge line. The condenser includes a first pass and a second pass. A common manifold fluidly couples the first pass and the second pass. A charge compensator is fluidly coupled to the common manifold above a maximum liquid level of the common manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Giles, Rakesh Goel, Siddarth Rajan
  • Patent number: 10625561
    Abstract: Methods and systems for coordinated zone operation of the MTRS are provided. The method includes a MTRS controller determining whether a first zone environmental condition difference between a first zone measured environmental condition and a first zone desired set point environmental condition is greater than a first threshold. The method also includes the MTRS controller coordinating operation of the first environmental condition unit and the second environmental condition unit when the first zone environmental condition difference is determined to be greater than the first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Thermo King Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Neu, James E. Conde, Brett Heberer, Wayne Donnellan
  • Patent number: 10511220
    Abstract: Disclosed is a control device controlling an operation of an active filter which is connected in parallel with a load at an installation point (P) with respect to an AC power source and which supplies a compensation current (Ic) to the installation point (P) so as to compensate for a harmonic component of a load current (Io) flowing through the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Reiji Kawashima
  • Patent number: 10378809
    Abstract: A domestic refrigeration appliance having a housing in which a cooling compartment is provided, and is closable by a first door which is movably arranged on the housing. The appliance further having a dispensing unit having an output unit and an ice maker. The dispensing unit is configured for the output of liquid and/or molded ice elements and is arranged on the first door. A rear side of the first door facing toward the cooling compartment has a receptacle protruding toward the cooling compartment, in which receptacle the dispensing unit is arranged. The first door is pivotably arranged with at least one multiple-joint hinge on the housing. The multiple-joint hinge has a mechanism with which, during the pivoting movement of the first door, the first door is also displaced in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Karl-Friedrich Laible
  • Patent number: 10378794
    Abstract: A calculating section 103 calculates a target COP that is a maximum COP that the centrifugal chiller can achieve using an arithmetic expression in which an actual device loss is given as a correction term to an expression that represents a COP characteristic under an ideal lossless environment. Since the arithmetic expression for calculating the target COP includes the heat exchange loss of the evaporator as a correction term, the heat exchange loss being calculated using a function having a load factor as a parameter, the heat exchange loss of the evaporator is reflected in the target COP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES THERMAL SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshie Togano, Kenji Ueda
  • Patent number: 10254034
    Abstract: A domestic refrigeration appliance includes a refrigerator compartment set to a first target temperature by a regulation or control unit, an ice maker compartment being separated from the refrigerator compartment by an inner insulation layer and set to a second target temperature by the regulation or control unit and an ice maker in the ice maker compartment. The regulation or control unit can switch between a normal ice making mode and a reduced-power ice making mode in which the target temperature in the ice maker compartment lies between the target temperature in the refrigerator compartment and the target temperature in the ice maker compartment in the normal ice making mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Karl-Friedrich Laible
  • Patent number: 10253653
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an exhaust chamber cooling apparatus measures output of a generator driven by a steam turbine, a temperature in an exhaust chamber of the turbine, and a pressure in a condenser that changes steam from the turbine back to water. The apparatus further outputs a first signal when it is detected that a measurement value of the output is larger than a first setting value and a measurement value of the temperature is larger than a second setting value, and a second signal when it is detected that the measurement value of the output is smaller than the first setting value and a measurement value of the pressure or a calculation value obtained from the measurement value of the pressure is larger than a third setting value. The apparatus further controls supply of a cooling fluid into the chamber, based on the first or second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Nozomi Tsukuda, Daisuke Ishikawa, Koki Nishimura
  • Patent number: 10240523
    Abstract: The heat pump includes a terminal block box housing a terminal block for supplying an electric power to at least one electrical device. The terminal block box is supported and made rotatable in a horizontal direction by a hinge. The terminal block box is located between a portion of side plates of a package and electromagnetic valves located on the side of the portion of the side plates. As a result, maintain of electrical devices can easily be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shohei Amakawa, Keisuke Taharabaru
  • Patent number: 10234178
    Abstract: An evaporator for a cooling system has a slab coil having a plurality of refrigerant circuits with each refrigerant circuit being a fin-and-tube assembly that extends across the slab coil. At least one of the refrigerant circuits has a mini-slab circuit extender that has a fin-and-tube assembly that extends across only a portion of the fin-and-tube assembly of that refrigerant circuit and is disposed in front of that portion of the fin-and-tube assembly of that refrigerant circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Vertiv Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel J. Schutte
  • Patent number: 10220674
    Abstract: A vehicle heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can reduce a load applied to a vehicle powertrain during certain conditions. The system can include a compressor operable based on a first target evaporator outlet (TEO) temperature map. Systems and methods can determine if an HVAC system is activated, and whether an engine water temperature meets a forced HVAC recirculation intake threshold. Responsive to determining that the engine water temperature meets the forced HVAC recirculation intake threshold, it can be determined if the engine water temperature meets a first threshold. Responsive to the recirculation mode air source being selected, determining if at least one measured vehicle condition meets predetermined criteria. Responsive to determining that the engine water temperature meets the first threshold, the compressor can be operated based on a second TEO temperature map, the second TEO temperature map including higher TEO temperatures than the first TEO temperature map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: David W. Cosgrove, Hidekazu Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 10214078
    Abstract: A vehicle heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can reduce a load applied to a vehicle powertrain during certain conditions. The system can include a fixed compressor operable between an ON state and in an OFF state. Systems and methods can determine whether an engine water temperature meets a forced HVAC recirculation intake threshold. Responsive to determining that the engine water temperature meets the forced HVAC recirculation intake threshold, it can be determined if the engine water temperature meets a high water temperature threshold. Responsive to determining that the engine water temperature meets the high water temperature threshold, it can be determined if an ambient temperature meets an ambient temperature threshold. Responsive to determining that the ambient temperature does not meet the ambient temperature threshold, the compressor can be operated according to an AC cut cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: David W. Cosgrove, Hidekazu Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 10175275
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a temperature prediction circuit that predicts the temperature of a power semiconductor device having a built-in switching transistor. The temperature prediction circuit includes: a delay circuit that stores a history of electric power values for a specific number of times, the electric power values being calculated based on the steady loss and switching loss of the switching transistor; and a circuit that calculates the temperature prediction value of the power semiconductor device based on the value of the delay circuit and a time factor corresponding to a temperature heat dissipation characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Makoto Tsurumaru
  • Patent number: 10145593
    Abstract: An air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner may include a subcooling heat exchanger that evaporates a refrigerant, a compressor that compresses the refrigerant, an injection flow channel through which the evaporated refrigerant flows into the compressor, an injection valve that opens and closes the injection flow channel, an oil separator that separates oil from refrigerant discharged from the compressor, and an oil injection line, which communicates at a first end thereof with the oil separator and at a second end thereof with the injection flow channel so as to guide the oil separated by the oil separator toward the injection flow channel. The oil separated by the oil separator may selectively flow into the compressor through the oil injection line and the injection flow channel in accordance with a mode of operation of the air conditioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Seungjun Lee, Juhyeong Lee
  • Patent number: 10047965
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system comprises a plurality of sensors, a plurality of tandem compressor assemblies that each comprise a first compressor and a second compressor, and a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of sensors and the plurality of tandem compressor assemblies. The controller determines an increase in a cooling demand of a structure associated with the HVAC system based on data received from at least one of the plurality of sensors. Also, the controller compares an ambient temperature outside of the structure to a first threshold. In response to determining that the ambient temperature is greater than the first threshold, the controller operates the HVAC system in a first mode and in response to determining that the ambient temperature is less than the first threshold, the controller operates the HVAC system in a second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: David Mackey, Der-Kai Hung, Aylan Him, Hong Lin
  • Patent number: 10012424
    Abstract: The refrigeration apparatus includes a controller. The controller performs normal operation control for controlling drive of the exterior fan and the compressor in order to bring the interior temperature to a target temperature, dehumidification control in which the interior humidity is adjusted to a predetermined target range of the high-humidity region, and power-saving control which is implemented by the control of drive of the exterior fan and the compressor such that a change in the interior temperature is kept within a temperature range based on the target temperature. The controller switches from the dehumidification control to the power-saving control in the case where the interior humidity has become a lower limit value of the target range of the high-humidity region or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kiichirou Satou, Hisaaki Takaoka
  • Patent number: 10001307
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerating compartment temperature sensor, a cooling apparatus, in a state when driving time points of a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment are synchronized, to maintain an inside temperature of the refrigerating compartment by performing a cooling operation of the refrigerating compartment on the basis of a cut-off temperature of the refrigerating compartment that is varied by a difference between a temperature of the refrigerating compartment at a driving time point of the refrigerating compartment that is sensed by the refrigerating compartment temperature sensor and a cut-in temperature of the refrigerating compartment, and a control unit to control the driving of the cooling apparatus by varying the cut-off temperature of the cooling apparatus according to the difference between the temperature of the refrigerating compartment at the driving time point of the refrigerating compartment and the cut-in temperature of the refrigerating compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yong Han Kim, Jong-Eon Si, Su-Cheol Yoo, Ha-Jin Jeong, Jae Hee Baek, Chang Wan Han
  • Patent number: 9958188
    Abstract: An air conditioner and a method of operating an air conditioner are provided. The air conditioner may include a heat pump having a water-refrigerant heat exchanger that condenses or evaporates a refrigerant by heat exchange with heat source water; a heat source water flow path connected to the water-refrigerant heat exchanger; a pump installed on the heat source water flow path; a variable flow valve installed on the heat source water flow path; and a variable flow valve controller that controls an opening degree of the variable flow valve. The variable flow valve controller may include a heat source water minimum flow manipulator that manipulates a minimum flow rate of the heat source water and regulates the opening degree of the variable flow valve according to the manipulation of the heat source water minimum flow manipulator. Accordingly, a user or installation personnel may selectively regulate power consumption and efficiency as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Changhwan Cho, Hongseok Choi, Sunyoung Kang, Junhyeon Hwang
  • Patent number: 9903629
    Abstract: A heat pump device includes: a compressor including a compression mechanism compressing a refrigerant and a motor driving the compression mechanism; an inverter unit applying a voltage for driving the motor; an inverter control unit generating a driving signal for driving the inverter unit; and temperature sensors detecting temperatures of the compressor, wherein the inverter control unit includes a normal operation mode in which a refrigerant is compressed by performing a normal operation of the compressor and a heating operation mode in which a heating operation of the compressor is performed by applying, to the motor, a high-frequency voltage, and in the heating operation mode, the inverter control unit determines an amplitude and a phase of a voltage command for generating the high-frequency voltage on a basis of a temperatures detected by the temperature sensors and a necessary amount of heat specified in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shota Kamiya, Kazunori Hatakeyama, Kenta Yuasa, Shinya Matsushita, Shinsaku Kusube, Tsutomu Makino
  • Patent number: 9885509
    Abstract: A method for monitoring gas pressure in a heat rejecting heat exchanger in a cooling circuit is disclosed. The present capacity of one or more compressors in the cooling circuit compared to a maximum capacity of the one or more compressors is established. If the present capacity of the one or more compressors is at least at a level corresponding to a pre-set percentage of the maximum capacity, a period of time elapsed from a point in time where the compressor capacity reached said level is established. If the established period of time has a duration which is longer than a pre-set period of time, then it is concluding that the cooling medium is in a gas loop operational mode, allowing an operator or a controller to adjust operation of the cooling plant such that the cooling medium is brought out of the gas loop operational mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Danfoss A/S
    Inventors: Kenneth Bank Madsen, Frede Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9810228
    Abstract: A centrifugal refrigerant compressor system includes an impeller connected to a shaft. A diffuser is arranged on a downstream side of the impeller and is configured to regulate refrigerant flow exiting the impeller. A magnetic bearing supports the shaft. A sensing element is configured to produce an output relating to a shaft condition. A controller is configured to receive the output and determine an undesired impeller operating condition based upon the shaft condition. The controller is configured to command the diffuser to a desired state in response to the undesired impeller operating condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: DANFOSS A/S
    Inventors: Lin Sun, Jose Alvares, Mogens Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 9793787
    Abstract: A motor driving device and an air conditioner including the same are disclosed. The disclosed motor driving device includes a multi-level converter to receive AC power, thereby outputting multi-level power, the multi-level converter including plural diodes and plural switching elements, plural capacitors for storing the multi-level power from the multi-level converter, and a gate drive signal generator to generate gate drive signals for the switching elements of the multi-level converter. The gate drive signal generator includes a gate drive power source to supply a gate drive voltage, a gate driver to generate the gate drive signals, using the gate drive voltage, a gate capacitor connected to both terminals of the gate driver, and a gate switching element connected between one end of the gate capacitor and one end of one of the plural capacitors. Accordingly, gate drive signals for the multi-level converter can be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Wonwoo Cho, Gwigeun Park
  • Patent number: 9776217
    Abstract: The centrifugal compressor is provided with a casing, a rotating shaft which is supported inside the casing, an impeller which is arranged on the rotating shaft and rotates to compress a fluid, and a washing liquid injection device which injects a washing liquid into a flow path formed by the impeller and the casing. The washing liquid injection device is provided with a plurality of nozzles which are arranged along a circumferential direction of the rotating shaft to inject the washing liquid into the flow path and a plurality of chambers which communicate with each corresponding nozzle among the plurality of nozzles and supply the washing liquid to the corresponding nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignees: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD., MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPRESSOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro Nakaniwa
  • Patent number: 9780683
    Abstract: A converter full-wave rectifies a single-phase voltage, and outputs the rectified voltage across DC power supply lines. An inverter receives the rectified voltage, and supplies a three-phase AC current to an inductive load. A power buffer circuit is connected between the DC power supply lines. The power buffer circuit includes a discharge circuit and a charge circuit. The discharge circuit includes a capacitor and a switch connected in series to each other. The discharge circuit is configured, for example, by a boost chopper, and includes a switch, a reactor, and a diode. The power buffer circuit provides and receives part of pulsations of a power input into the converter to and from the DC power supply lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Sakakibara, Naoya Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9746224
    Abstract: A system includes an error module configured to integrate a difference between a superheat signal and a superheat setpoint to generate an error signal, wherein the superheat signal indicates suction superheat values of a compressor. A comparison module is configured to compare the error signal to a first predetermined threshold to generate a first comparison signal based on the comparison. A zero-crossing module is configured to compare a first count value to a second predetermined threshold to generate a second comparison signal. The first count value is generated based on at least one comparison between the superheat signal and the superheat setpoint. A setpoint module is configured to adjust the superheat setpoint based on the first comparison signal and the second comparison signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Liebert Corporation
    Inventors: Zongtao Lu, Zhiyong Lin, Craig Ward, Benedict J. Dolcich, John F. Judge
  • Patent number: 9696045
    Abstract: An air conditioner including: a converter circuit that is on an electronic substrate and converts an alternating current to a direct current; an inverter circuit that is on the electronic substrate and converts a direct current converted by the converter circuit to an alternating current to operate a motor that drives a compressor; an inverter control circuit that is on the electronic substrate and drives the inverter circuit; and a temperature detector that detects an outside air temperature input to the inverter control circuit, wherein the inverter control circuit includes a locked energization control unit, and the locked energization control unit performs AC locked energization or DC locked energization on the motor in accordance with the outside air temperature detected by the temperature detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoru Ichiki
  • Patent number: 9683772
    Abstract: A refrigeration apparatus controller calculates a refrigeration load of a refrigeration apparatus, and a load signal (S) containing load information indicating a magnitude of the refrigeration load is output from a communication device to an engine controller. The engine controller controls a speed of rotation of a generator engine based on the load signal (S).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Ikemiya, Kazuma Yokohara, Hisaaki Takaoka, Masaaki Takegami
  • Patent number: 9644870
    Abstract: An engine driven heat pump is such that when a self-sustaining switch is turned on during power failure, and a self-sustaining signal is received, it switches to a self-sustaining mode and start an engine and a generator, and when output power from an inverter is received, it supplies the output power to a power supply circuit and a battery charging circuit by means of an independent power supply relay, and it supplies the output power to the outside via an independent output unit, and during the supply of the output power, it maintains cutoff with respect to connection between a system, and the power supply circuit and the battery charging circuit by means of a system cutoff relay and maintain the output of the output power until the self-sustaining signal is interrupted, and it recovers the connection when power is restored and the output power is interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shohei Amakawa, Masaya Horibe, Kyoko Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9641115
    Abstract: An air moving system including an electric motor, a load coupled to the electric motor, and a motor drive controller coupled to the electric motor is provided. A DC voltage generated from an AC input voltage provided to the electric motor tends towards zero at about twice a frequency of the AC input voltage. The motor drive controller includes an adjustment control module configured to receive a measurement of an instantaneous motor current value for the electric motor, determine a flux component value based on the instantaneous motor current value, and determine, based at least in part on the flux component value and a flux component demand value, an adjusted flux component demand value that causes the motor drive controller to adjust an operation such that an average flux component value based on the flux component value is substantially similar to the flux component demand value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
    Inventor: Ludovic Andre Chretien
  • Patent number: 9541307
    Abstract: A thermoregulation apparatus for a solar thermal energy capture system comprising a piping infrastructure in fluid communication with a fluid storage tank and one or more solar thermal energy collectors. The thermoregulation apparatus comprises: (i) a thermostatically actuated valve interposed the piping infrastructure downstream from the one or more solar energy collectors and upstream from the fluid storage tank, and (ii) piping for interconnecting the thermostatically actuated valve with the piping infrastructure, and the fluid storage tank. The thermostatically actuated valve can be configured for diverting the flow of working fluid away from the fluid storage tank when the temperature of the working fluid is below a selected set point for actuating the valve, and for diverting the flow of working fluid to the fluid storage tank when the temperature of the working fluid is about or greater than the selected set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Trathom Corporation
    Inventor: Tom Jackman