Patents Examined by Aaron Isenstadt
  • Patent number: 9288932
    Abstract: Cooling systems and methods are provided which include a heat sink having a housing with a compartment, a coolant inlet, and a coolant outlet. The housing is configured for a coolant to flow from the coolant inlet through the compartment to the coolant outlet, wherein the coolant is transferring heat extracted from one or more electronic components. The heat sink further includes one or more heat pipes having a first portion disposed within the compartment of the housing and a second portion disposed outside the housing. The heat pipe(s) is configured to extract heat from the coolant flowing through the compartment, and to transfer the extracted heat to the second portion disposed outside the housing. The second portion outside the housing is disposed to facilitate conducting the extracted heat into the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Milnes P. David, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 9273909
    Abstract: An electronic device has a heat source and a thermal module. The thermal module includes a plurality of radiating fins respectively provided with a through hole, and a heat pipe structure having a pipe body. The pipe body has a vaporizing section in contact with the heat source and a condensing section extended through the radiating fins via the through holes thereon. The vaporizing section has a first pipe thickness and is internally provided with a first wick structure to define a first flow channel. The condensing section has a second pipe thickness smaller than the first pipe thickness, and is internally provided along part of its length with at least one second wick structure to define at least one second flow channel communicating with the first flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: ASIA VITAL COMPONENTS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chun-Ming Wu
  • Patent number: 9267737
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to heat exchangers with flow distribution manifolds divided into an inlet section and a distribution section by a distributor. The inlet section may have a relatively small cross-sectional area that promotes mixed phase flow of liquid and vapor refrigerant. The manifolds may be used with multichannel tubes with flow path inlet sections that allow refrigerant to enter the flow paths through an outer wall of the tubes. In certain embodiments, a portion of the outer wall is removed to expose the flow paths to a distribution chamber within the inlet manifold. The multichannel tubes extend into the distribution section to partition the distribution section into a series of distribution chambers defined by a pair of adjacent tubes, the distributor, and the inlet manifold. Within each distribution chamber, the refrigerant may be directed into the multichannel tubes through the inlet sections of the multichannel tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Jerome Anthony Matter, III, Jeffrey Lee Tucker
  • Patent number: 9261308
    Abstract: Cooling apparatuses and methods of fabrication thereof are provided to facilitate two-phase, immersion-cooling of one or more electronic components. The cooling apparatus includes a housing having a compartment within which dielectric fluid is disposed which facilitates immersion-cooling of the electronic component(s). A liquid-cooled heat sink is associated with the housing and cools a cooling surface exposed within the compartment. One or more pumps are disposed within the compartment and configured to pump dielectric fluid liquid within the compartment towards the cooling surface to facilitate cooling the liquid within the compartment below a saturation temperature of the dielectric fluid. The heat sink includes or is coupled to condensing and sub-cooling regions exposed within the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Milnes P. David, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 9243853
    Abstract: A heat exchanger comprising substantially square (rectangle) conduits featuring a screw like turbulator designed for square conduits. The tubes are designed for reclaiming heat from waste fluids. The tubes are substantially parallel to the flow direction of the waste fluid, thus resulting in a simple and cost effective construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: ECODRAIN INC.
    Inventor: David Velan
  • Patent number: 9234530
    Abstract: Towards recovering thermal energy, an accumulator buffers a working fluid over an energy recovery cycle that includes two processes: one in which working fluid is accumulated in the accumulator at increasing pressure and the other that draws working fluid from the accumulator at decreasing pressure. Heat storage fluid is displaced in a storage fluid conduit towards a heat storage region in response to increasing pressure in the accumulator and towards a reservoir region in response to decreasing pressure in the accumulator. One or more heat exchange conduits traverse the storage fluid conduit to come in thermal contact with the heat storage fluid where they transfer heat to the heat storage fluid during the first process of the energy recovery cycle and transfer heat from the heat storage fluid during the other process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Exelis Inc.
    Inventor: Keith C. Sneddon
  • Patent number: 9227482
    Abstract: A vehicle cabin air conditioning apparatus including an airflow selecting mechanism movable between a first position to provide a first airflow mode and a second position to provide a second airflow mode. The airflow selecting mechanism restricts first airflow from flowing from a first airflow conduit to a second airflow conduit when in the first position, and permits the first airflow from flowing from the first airflow conduit to the second airflow conduit when in the second position. An electronic control unit is configured to control a first blower based on a user set front cabin airflow level and a second blower based on a user set rear cabin airflow level when in the first airflow mode. The electronic control unit controls the first blower based on the user set front cabin airflow level and the user set rear cabin airflow level when in the second airflow mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel J. DiGasbarro, David A. Korenchuk, Masahide Honda, Patrick J. Gannon, James Stander
  • Patent number: 9222736
    Abstract: A heat exchanger including a first plate and a second plate spaced apart from the first plate that defines a first gap between inner surfaces of the first plate and the second plate in which a first fluid circulates, where a major portion of the first gap is free of obstructions, where a second fluid contacts an outer surface of the first or second plate for heat exchange with the first fluid, where a first peripheral wall on the periphery of the first gap has a curved profile inside the first gap, and at least one inlet is radially positioned with respect to the first gap and injects the first fluid in the gap, and least one outlet is centrally positioned in one of the first and the second plate to enable the first fluid to exit the first gap, where first fluid circulates in a swirling flow in the major portion of the first gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: VALORBEC SOCIETE EN COMMANDITE, REPRESENTEE PAR GESTION VALEO S.E.C.
    Inventors: Georgios H. Vatistas, Mohamed Fayed
  • Patent number: 9222731
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heat exchanger plate (106) having first surface portions (210) located along first plate edges (220) and comprising first contacting regions (214), and second surface portions (212) located along second plate edges (222). The first surface portions (210) are bent to a first side yielding a first partial fluid channel (230), and the second surface portions (212) are bent to a second side yielding a second partial fluid channel (232). The first contacting regions (214) define a plane (S). The heat exchanger plate (106) has corner surface portions (224) comprising first corner edge portions (226) and second corner edge portions (228). At least two corner surface portions (224) are bent inward with respect to the first partial fluid channel (230) such that their first corner edge portions (226) are in the plane (S), while their second corner edge portions (228) are perpendicular to the plane (S).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: DINULESCU, Mircea
    Inventor: Mircea Dinulescu
  • Patent number: 9200853
    Abstract: Disclosed is a heat transfer assembly for a rotary regenerative preheater. The heat transfer assembly, includes, a plurality of heat transfer elements stacked in spaced relationship to each other in a manner such that each notch from a plurality of notches of one of the heat transfer element rests on respective flat sections from a plurality of flat sections of the adjacent heat transfer elements to configure a plurality of closed channels, each isolated from the other, wherein each of the channels has a configuration in a manner such that each of corrugation sections from a plurality of corrugation sections of one of the heat transfer elements faces respective undulation sections from a plurality of undulation sections of the adjacent heat transfer elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: ARVOS TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Kevin James O'Boyle, James David Seebald, Jeffery E. Yowell
  • Patent number: 9151542
    Abstract: A heat exchanger may include a connection plate for fastening to a component and a plurality of pan elements stacked on top of each other and soldered together adjacent to the connection plate. At least one of the pan elements may be arranged directly adjacent to the connection plate may have an outwardly protruding, flange-like rim configured to rest against the connection plate and stiffen the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Otahal
  • Patent number: 9140503
    Abstract: A primary fluid flow loop and a secondary fluid flow loop fluidly coupled to the primary fluid flow loop. The secondary fluid flow loop exchanges heat with at least one of a heat source and a heat load. The secondary fluid flow loop includes an inlet and an outlet fluidly coupling the primary fluid flow loop to the secondary fluid flow loop. A fluid flow meter coupled to the primary fluid flow loop. A first temperature sensor coupled to the primary fluid flow loop, the first temperature sensor measures the temperature of a fluid flowing in the primary fluid flow loop upstream of the inlet of the secondary fluid flow loop. A second temperature sensor coupled to the primary fluid flow loop, the second temperature sensor measures the temperature of the fluid flowing in the primary fluid flow loop downstream of the outlet of the secondary fluid flow loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: SolarLogic, LLC
    Inventors: Fredric Milder, Bristol Stickney
  • Patent number: 9134077
    Abstract: An exemplary heat sink assembly includes a heat sink, a connecting member, and a mounting member. A mounting hole and a receiving hole are defined in the heat sink and communicating with each other. The connecting member is adapted for fixing the heat sink. The connecting member includes a connecting section and an extending section extending from the connecting section. The mounting member fixes the connecting member to the heat sink. The connecting section is received in the receiving hole of the heat sink, the extending section is protruding from the heat sink, and the mounting member extends through the mounting hole and engaging with the connecting section to fix the connecting member to the heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignees: FURUI PRECISE COMPONENT (KUNSHAN) CO., LTD., Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhen Tang, Jin-Huai Zhou
  • Patent number: 9134076
    Abstract: A radiator including: a plurality of radiation fins; and a radiation fin support base having a heater element mounted to one surface thereof and a plurality of parallel fin grooves to which the radiation fins are installed and a projection configured to fix the radiation fin formed to the other surface thereof, wherein a top of the projection pushes one side surface of the radiation fin to push the other side surface of the radiation fin toward a side surface of the fin groove, and wherein the fin groove and the projection are each divided in a plurality of pieces in a longitudinal direction of the fin groove, and each of the divided fin grooves and each of the divided projections have a same length in the longitudinal direction of the fin groove and are paired with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yoshihara, Masaki Goto, Toru Kimura
  • Patent number: 9052147
    Abstract: A loop heat pipe structure includes an evaporator and a first pipe. The evaporator has a first chamber, a first wick layer, and a bottom. The first wick layer is provided in the first chamber. The first pipe includes a first inlet and a first outlet communicably connected to the evaporator. The first inlet internally defines a second chamber communicable with the first wick layer. By providing the second chamber outside the evaporator, the evaporator can have a reduced overall height without creating very high vapor pressure in the evaporator, enabling the loop heat pipe structure to have upgraded heat dissipation efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Asia Vital Components (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Xiang, Xiao-Xiang Zhou
  • Patent number: 9046311
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of automotive heat exchangers, and, in particular, to heat exchanger tanks with headers. This invention eliminates the need for use of an inner flange on the header using a collar that also acts as a rib, thereby providing a compact foot plus header tank arrangement with lower stress on the gasket mating surface of the header and tank. The present invention also provides a method for providing improved headering means for automotive heat exchangers with plastic tanks and headers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Valeo, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Powers, Scot Carapellatti, Alan Day, Philippe Faille, Michel Guerand
  • Patent number: 9021825
    Abstract: An apparatus for maintaining the temperature of a fluid in a container includes a body having a cavity and a seal assembly adapted to engage and temporarily seal the container; a second fluid located and sealed in the cavity and having a freezing point below 0° C.; and the body and the seal assembly have no apertures through which the fluid or the second fluid flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Hewy Wine Chillers, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin R. Hewitt, Roy Paul Prosise
  • Patent number: 9016351
    Abstract: An aircraft includes a heat exchanger between a first fluid that flows into the narrow pipes of the exchanger and that is able to contain solid elements that can melt, and, a second fluid to be cooled. The heat exchanger includes a device for preheating the first fluid upstream from the pipes of the exchanger, a number of pipes arranged in at least one plane that intersects the direction of flow of the first fluid, whereby the spacing between two adjacent pipes is suitable for retaining the solid elements of large dimensions and for allowing them to pass only when they have melted at least partially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignees: Airbus Operations, Airbus
    Inventors: Pierre Guillaume, Patrick Lair
  • Patent number: 9003818
    Abstract: A heat pump-type hot water supply apparatus may be provided that includes: a refrigeration cycle circuit (including a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, expansion devices, and an indoor heat exchanger); a hot water supply heat exchanger connected to the refrigeration cycle circuit to use the first refrigerant discharged from the compressor for a hot water supply; a cascade heat exchanger connected to the refrigeration cycle circuit to allow the first refrigerant passing through the hot water supply heat exchanger to evaporate a second refrigerant and thereafter, to be condensed, expanded, and evaporated in the refrigeration cycle circuit; a heat storage compressor compressing the second refrigerant evaporated in the cascade heat exchanger, a heat storage tank to heat water using the second refrigerant compressed by the heat storage compressor, and a heat storage expansion device to expand the second refrigerant condensed in the heat storage tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hwanjong Choi, Noma Park, Heewoong Park
  • Patent number: 8959937
    Abstract: In a method for operating a cooling system for cooling food on board an aircraft, a partial amount of refrigerant, which, in the rest state, is stored in a receiving space of a refrigerant container in the gaseous state of aggregation, is discharged from the receiving space of the refrigerant container into a cooling circuit of the cooling system. The partial amount of the refrigerant is directed into a liquefier arranged in the cooling circuit and converted to the liquid state of aggregation. The partial amount of the refrigerant liquefied by the liquefier is directed through a heat exchanger arranged in the receiving space of the refrigerant container. The remaining refrigerant, stored in the receiving space of the refrigerant container in the gaseous state of aggregation, is converted to the liquid state of aggregation by heat energy transfer to the partial amount of the refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Markus Piesker