Patents Examined by A. Flanigan
  • Patent number: 9669499
    Abstract: A double-wall pipe includes an outer pipe, and an inner pipe disposed inside the outer pipe. An outer wall of the inner pipe has thereon a ridge portion, which defines a groove portion extending in a longitudinal direction of the inner pipe. The outer pipe and the inner pipe are bent to have a straight portion extending straightly, and a bend portion bent from the straight portion. In the straight portion, the outer pipe has an inside diameter that is larger than an outside diameter of an imaginary cylinder defined by an outer surface of the ridge portion of the inner pipe. Furthermore, the ridge portion of the inner pipe contacts an inside surface of the outer pipe to be radially squeezed and held by the outer pipe, in the bend portion. The double-wall pipe can be suitably used for a refrigerant cycle device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, DENSO AIRS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumiaki Nakamura, Yoshiaki Takano, Shun Kurata, Takahisa Suzuki, Takashi Ono, Hiroki Naganawa, Kinji Ochiai, Hiroki Ohara
  • Patent number: 9671168
    Abstract: A heat exchanger arrangement, for example for an internal combustion engine, having a brazed radiator block (1) which has flow paths (10) formed from pairs of plates and has flow ducts (3) between the plate pairs (P), wherein in each case at least one plate (11) of each plate pair has a plate elongation (12), and wherein the brazed radiator block is arranged in a housing (2) and, at its circumference, is sealed off with respect to the housing. To improve the sealing action between the radiator block (1) and the housing (2), it is provided according to the invention that the plate elongations (12) are formed such that a prescribed dimension of the brazed radiator block (1) can be set by means of deformation of the plate elongations (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Rainer Glück
  • Patent number: 9664458
    Abstract: A supporting structure for vapor chamber includes a first and a second plate member, a supporting member, and a working fluid. The first and the second plate member together define a chamber between them. The supporting member is located in the chamber, and has at least one base portion and a plurality of supporting portions, such that a plurality of passages is formed on the supporting member. The working fluid is filled in the chamber to flow through the passages. With these arrangements, the supporting structure for vapor chamber can overcome the problems of deformation caused by thermal expansion or pressure and uncontrollable bottom flatness as found in the prior art and can be manufactured at reduced labor and time cost while provides upgraded heat transfer efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sheng-Huang Lin
  • Patent number: 9664429
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a driving coupler to transmit a driving force and a connecting member to transmit the driving force of the driving coupler to a transfer member. The connecting member is rotated when interference with the driving coupler occurs in a process of connecting with the driving coupler and idles within a predetermined angle range regardless of the transfer member. With this constitution, even when ice cubes are loaded by the transfer member, the connecting member may be smoothly rotated. Thus, the driving coupler and the connecting member may be smoothly connected without an impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jin Jeong, Do Hyung Kim, Kook Jeong Seo, Bong Su Son, Byung Suk An, Do Yun Jang, Kyoung Ki Park
  • Patent number: 9664420
    Abstract: A secondary coolant refrigeration system powered primarily by a photovoltaic source and by an alternating current (AC) source as a backup is disclosed. The secondary coolant refrigeration system has a pump for pumping secondary coolant fluid through a secondary coolant fluid loop. The system includes a variable frequency drive for controlling the speed of the pump. The variable frequency drive includes drive circuitry configured to provide variable frequency power to the pump via an output interface. The variable frequency drive also includes a first interface configured to receive power from the photovoltaic source and a second interface configured to receive power from the AC source. The circuit is further configured to cause the variable speed drive to be powered by the photovoltaic source when the power received from the first interface is adequate and by the AC source when the power received from the first interface is not adequate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Bittner, John E. Bittner
  • Patent number: 9658000
    Abstract: A thermal connector configured to be placed within a recess of a heat sink between the heat sink and a heat generating component and transfer heat from the component to the heat sink, including a heat spreader configured to fit within the recess of the heat sink, a spring configured to sit between the heat spreader and with the heat sink and bias the heat spreader towards and away from the heat sink, a flexible membrane attached to the heat sink and the heat spreader and seal off the recess, and a phase change material that fills the recess, wherein the flexible membrane contains the phase change material and allows it to contract or expand in response to the movement of the heat spreader towards or away from the heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Abaco Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Graham Charles Kirk, Stuart Connolly, Tao Deng, Zeshan Jabar Hussain, Binoy Milan Shah
  • Patent number: 9657973
    Abstract: A refrigeration system is powered primarily by a photovoltaic source and by an alternating current (AC) source as a backup. A variable frequency drive is used for controlling a powered component of the refrigeration system. The variable frequency drive includes drive circuitry configured to provide variable frequency power via an output interface, a first interface configured to receive power from the photovoltaic source, a second interface configured to receive AC power from the AC source, a DC bus coupled to the drive circuitry and configured to transmit power to the drive circuitry. The drive circuitry receives power from the first interface when the power from the photovoltaic source is adequate to power the drive circuitry and receives power from the second interface when the power from the photovoltaic source is not adequate to power the drive circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Bittner, John E. Bittner
  • Patent number: 9651291
    Abstract: Disclosed are an ice maker and a refrigerator including the ice maker. An exemplary ice making tray of the ice maker or refrigerator includes an ice separating protrusion that extends outwardly from one surface. The refrigerator includes ice separating levers connected by hinges to the tray housing, with the ice making tray therebetween, and at least one of which has a groove that rotates an ice separating protrusion of the ice making tray together while rotating around the hinges, and includes a handle that is longer than the ice making tray, in front of the ice making tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Dongbu Daewoo Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Byung Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 9651317
    Abstract: A first header collecting pipe is divided into an upper space corresponding to an upper heat exchange region and a lower space corresponding to a lower heat exchange region. The lower space is divided into a plurality of communication spaces corresponding respectively to auxiliary heat exchange parts of the lower heat exchange region. A second header collecting pipe is divided into a communication space corresponding to both of a first main heat exchange part and the third auxiliary heat exchange part, and into communication spaces corresponding respectively to other main heat exchange parts and the other auxiliary heat exchange parts. Each of pairs of communication space and communication space is connected to an associated one of communication pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masanori Jindou, Yoshio Oritani, Hirokazu Fujino, Toshimitsu Kamada
  • Patent number: 9651315
    Abstract: A heat exchanger and fins thereof are provided. The fin includes a plurality of first fin units and a plurality of second fin units which are arranged in parallel and alternately, and each first fin unit includes a first louver facing an inflow direction of fluid, and each second fin unit includes a second louver facing the inflow direction of the fluid, the first louver and the second louver are arranged in parallel, and the first louver and the second louver are staggered in the inflow direction of the fluid to form a first space between the first louver and the second louver, and at least one of first louvers or at least one of second louvers has a varied width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Hangzhou Sanhua Research Institute Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kai Cui, Linjie Huang, Xiaodong Zhou, Xiaoyang Xu, Zhou Lv
  • Patent number: 9643742
    Abstract: An ice distribution system and method according to which ice-filled bags are distributed within a unit such as, for example, an ice merchandiser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: REDDY ICE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mark C. Metzger
  • Patent number: 9638472
    Abstract: A cooling recover system and method are disclosed. A fluid, such as water, is chilled and provided to a cooling coil to cool and dehumidify air passing over the cooling coil. The fluid is output from the cooling coil through an outlet, and at least a portion of the fluid from the outlet of the cooling coil is provided to an inlet of a heat transfer coil to reheat air passing over the heat transfer coil. The fluid is warmed as it passes through the cooling coil, which warmer temperature serves to reheat the air passing over the heat transfer coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Inventor: Scot M. Duncan
  • Patent number: 9631876
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a stack of heat exchanger plate pairs that each define an internal volume and include an inlet and an outlet such that a first medium flows from the inlet to the outlet along a flow axis. The inlets together form an inlet header through the heat exchanger plate pairs and the outlets together form an outlet header through the heat exchanger plate pairs. The heat exchanger also includes an array of fins disposed between and in thermal contact with adjacent heat exchanger plate pairs. The array of fins defines flow channels between the adjacent heat exchanger plate pairs such that a second medium flows through the flow channels along the flow axis. One end of the array of fins includes a cut-out area which causes a first portion of the array of fins to be positioned laterally from either the inlet header or the outlet header.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventors: Mark James Zima, Prasad Shripad Kadle, Veeraj Chopra, Debangshu Majumdar
  • Patent number: 9624022
    Abstract: Performance of heat insulation between the outside of a storage container and the inside of a storage chamber is effectively improved. The storage container includes a container body having an opening, a door member closing the opening in an openable and closable manner, and a temperature-controlled unit having a function of making a temperature inside a storage chamber 2 enclosed by the container body and the door member be different from a temperature outside the storage chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ide, Yuka Utsumi, Yasuyuki Umenaka, Takashi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9612027
    Abstract: Cooling system and method suitable for cooling a blast furnace with a cooling fluid during its operation. The cooling system includes a source of a gaseous fluid that feeds the gaseous fluid to multiple flow paths. A liquid is atomized into each of the multiple flow paths, within which the atomized liquid is mixed with the gaseous fluid to form a mist. The system further includes means for selectively closing each of the multiple flow paths while at least one other of the multiple flow paths remains open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: CIM-Tech, Inc.
    Inventors: Rudy C. Tolkamp, Brian P. Greubel
  • Patent number: 9603285
    Abstract: A coolant supply unit includes a plurality of pumps, a casing that includes a coolant inlet port, a plurality of branch ports that respectively convey coolant to the plurality of pumps, a plurality of flow merging ports through which the coolant from the plurality of pumps merges, and a coolant outlet port; and a separating wall that is provided inside the casing and that separates the inside of the casing into a distribution chamber that is in communication with the inlet port and the branch ports, and a flow merging chamber that is in communication with the flow merging ports and the outlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Masumi Suzuki, Michimasa Aoki, Jie Wei
  • Patent number: 9593887
    Abstract: A heat dissipation structure with heat pipes arranged in two spaced and partially overlapped layers is disclosed to include a radiation fin set, a heat-dissipation spacer placed on the radiation fin set and defining opposing first surface and second surface, a first heat dissipation layer including multiple first heat pipes with respective first segments thereof placed on the first surface of the heat-dissipation spacer, and a second heat dissipation layer including multiple second heat pipes with respective first segments thereof placed on the second surface of the heat-dissipation spacer. At least a part of the first segment of at least one first heat pipe of the first heat dissipation layer is disposed overlapped on at least a part of the first segment of at least one second heat pipe of the second heat dissipation layer in a parallel manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: TAI-SOL ELECTRONICS CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yun-Yeu Yeh, Sheng-Chin Chan
  • Patent number: 9593891
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heat exchanger with a first and a second collecting tank, with at least one tube arranged between the two collecting tanks, each having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. At least one tube end is in fluid communication with a collecting tank and is connected to the collecting tank via a form-fitting and/or integrally bonded connection, wherein the opening is surrounded by an opening edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: MAHLE INTERNATIONAL GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Moser, Caroline Schmid, Nikolaus Daubitzer, Holger Schroth, Heiko Neff, Dominique Raible, Anton Kierig, Thomas Schiehlen, Stefan Hirsch, Nic Sautter
  • Patent number: 9587862
    Abstract: A condenser includes a first header tank, a second header tank, a third header tank, a plurality of first heat exchange tubes, a plurality of second heat exchange tubes, a refrigerant passable tubular body, and a desiccant container. The first header tank is provided on one side of the condenser and has a gas-liquid separation function. The plurality of first heat exchange tubes extend in an extending direction between the first header tank and the third header tank to connect the first header tank and the third header tank. The refrigerant passable tubular body is provided in the first header tank. An upper end of the refrigerant passable tubular body is located above an upper end of the plurality of first heat exchange tubes. The desiccant container is provided above the refrigerant passable tubular body in the first header tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: KEIHIN THERMAL TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shingo Suzuki, Kazumi Tokizaki, Yoshihiko Seno, Takayuki Fujii
  • Patent number: 9581343
    Abstract: An air-conditioning unit for air-conditioning an air flow may include a multipart housing including a first housing part and a second housing part arranged on top of the first housing part. The housing may further include an air-conditioning segment and a blower segment defining an axis of rotation. The blower segment may have a blower for driving the air flow. A suction chamber and a pressure chamber may be disposed in the blower segment, and the suction chamber and the pressure chamber may be open with respect to one another via a connecting opening. The blower may have an impeller arranged in the connecting opening. The impeller may include a suction side facing towards the suction chamber and a pressure side facing towards the pressure chamber. The housing may further include a connecting duct for fluidically connecting the blower segment to the air-conditioning segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Berger, Michael Herrmann, Holger Laux