Patents Examined by Alexandra Elve
  • Patent number: 9314802
    Abstract: Disclosed is a spraying tube device capable of, even in a case where a spray solution having low latent heat is used in a falling film type evaporator, uniformly spraying the spray solution to a heat-transfer tube, and a heat exchanger using the spraying tube device. The spraying tube device includes: a spraying tube configured to eject a spray solution M upward through ejection holes arranged along a tube axis C; a cover arranged above the spraying tube and configured to receive the ejected spray solution M and cause the spray solution M to flow through a space S between the cover and the spraying tube to flow downward on an outer surface of the spraying tube, and fins configured to uniformize in a tube axis C direction a distribution of the spray solution M having flowed downward from the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Okumura, Naoki Miyake, Tadashi Takemura, Kyoko Takemura
  • Patent number: 9316424
    Abstract: A cooling system has a plurality of separate cooling stages including an upstream cooling stage having an upstream cooling circuit and a downstream cooling stage including a downstream cooling circuit, which are each a direct expansion cooling circuit including a tandem compressor. Each tandem compressor includes a fixed capacity compressor and a variable capacity compressor. A controller controls the fixed capacity compressor and variable capacity compressor of each tandem compressor based on a Call for Cooling, which of a plurality of ranges the Call for Cooling falls within, and whether the Call for Cooling is ramping up or ramping down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Liebert Corporation
    Inventors: Zhiyong Lin, Roger Noll, John F. Judge, Gary A. Helmink, Benedict J. Dolcich, Daniel J. Schutte, Timothy J. Schrader
  • Patent number: 9310106
    Abstract: A heat pump system includes a refrigerant circuit and a controller. The refrigerant circuit has usage units connected to a heat source unit. The usage units have first usage-side heat exchangers and second usage-side heat exchangers. The heat source unit has heat-source-side heat exchanger and a compressor. The controller causes the heat-source-side heat exchanger to function as an evaporator or as a radiator in accordance with an overall heat load of the usage units when the heating operation or the cooling operation has been set for each of the usage units. The aqueous medium is heated by heat radiation of the refrigerant in the first usage-side heat exchangers in the heating operating, and is cooled by evaporation of the heat-source-side refrigerant in the second usage-side heat exchangers in the cooling operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignees: Daikin Industries, Ltd., Daikin Europe N.V.
    Inventor: Masahiro Honda
  • Patent number: 9310107
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit having a plurality of expansion devices that controls a flow rate of the refrigerant flowing in each of a plurality of heat exchangers related to heat medium; a heat medium circuit having the heat exchangers related to heat medium and a use side heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the heat medium and air; heat medium flow switching devices disposed on an inflow side and an outflow side of the use side heat exchanger to mix or diverge the heat medium pertaining to the heat exchangers related to heat medium; and a controller that controls at least the heat medium flow switching device on the inflow side or the outflow side that controls the amount of heat exchange in each of the heat exchangers related to heat medium during cooling only operation mode or heating only operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Yamashita, Yuji Motomura
  • Patent number: 9303895
    Abstract: A plate assembly includes upper and lower plates. The upper plate has down turned inner and outer edges receiving inner and outer edges of the lower plate. In this manner lateral shifting is facilitated. The upper and lower plates have upturned left and right side edges. Left and right outer supports have upper ends slidably received on the upturned left and right side edges. The outer supports have lower ends positionable against a region beneath a sill of a window opening. A support bar has a central section attached to the lower surface of the lower plate adjacent to the inner edge. Telescoping sections are slidably received in the central section. The telescoping sections have forwardly extending clamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Inventor: Merritt A. A. Grant
  • Patent number: 9296966
    Abstract: High-pressure feed gas is chilled and expanded to condense a portion of the feed gas into a C2+ enriched liquid phase and a C2+ depleted vapor phase. The liquid phase is expanded to provide additional cooling for the feed gas and deethanizer reflux prior to being fed to the deethanizer while the vapor is combined with residue gas of a deethanizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John Mak
  • Patent number: 9298195
    Abstract: A thermally actuated power element comprising an actuator having a guide, defining a generally cylindrical bore extending between first and second guide ends. The guide first end has a generally convex valve member projecting radially between the bore and a valve member periphery, defining a plurality of substantially identical flow depressions. The flow depressions are configured radially intermediate the cylindrical bore and the periphery, while an annular valve member seal surface extends between a radial boundary of the flow depressions and the periphery. A piston having axially opposed first and second piston ends is partially received in the generally cylindrical cavity. A generally concave cup defines a cavity and contains a thermally active pellet, and a diaphragm is received in the guide second end intermediate the cup and said piston. A generally cylindrical return member engages the guide adjacent the periphery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Rostra Vernatherm, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin W. Lamb, Kenneth Lionello
  • Patent number: 9297566
    Abstract: A control system for a refrigeration appliance is provided. The control system uses a linear model that is designed to minimize or remove excess enthalpy from one or more compartments and/or features of the appliance. At least one variable speed compressor is operated at a speed that will remove excess enthalpy within a desired time period while also operating at an optimized speed for energy efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bahman Abbasi, Keith Wesley Wait
  • Patent number: 9297558
    Abstract: A refrigerating system including an air conditioning system and a cooler system is provided. An air conditioner-side refrigerant passage may be connected to a cooler-side refrigerant passage to allow refrigerant to flow between the air conditioning system and the cooler system. Thus, if a cooler-side compressor experiences abnormal operation, cooler-side refrigerant may be compressed by an air conditioner-side compressor so as to maintain cooling performance of the refrigerating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jae Heuk Choi, Yoon Ho Yoo, Do Yong Ha, Baik Young Chung
  • Patent number: 9291376
    Abstract: An auxiliary heater control device can be readily attached to a hot water heating system configured with a simple water circuit without a hot water storage tank, and is capable of preventing freezing of circulating water such that use of an auxiliary heater is minimized. When a sensed temperature tS sensed by a temperature sensor is in a range, a control device increases a rotational speed of a circulation pump. When the sensed temperature tS is in a range, the control device increases the rotational speed of the circulation pump and lowers an operating frequency of a compressor. When the sensed temperature tS is in a range, the control device increases the rotational speed of the circulation pump, lowers the operating frequency of the compressor, and activates an auxiliary heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Ushijima, Kazutaka Suzuki, Koji Matsuzawa, Nobuaki Uehara
  • Patent number: 9291377
    Abstract: An air conditioning system. The system includes apparatus for circulating a refrigerant in a path, further having apparatus for compressing the refrigerant and generating heat in the refrigerant. The system further includes apparatus for providing a driving force to the apparatus for compressing in response to the generated heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Inventor: Richard J. Cathriner
  • Patent number: 9285153
    Abstract: A high performance refrigerator or freezer includes a cabinet with a refrigerated interior, a first evaporator cover separating a first evaporator compartment within the cabinet from the refrigerated interior, and a refrigeration fluid circuit having a first evaporator located within the first evaporator compartment, a second evaporator, and a three-way valve enabling selective communication of refrigerant to one or both of the evaporators. The second evaporator includes an air diffuser that receives chilled air from the first evaporator compartment and delivers the chilled air into the refrigerated interior. During normal operation, the three-way valve only directs refrigerant into the first evaporator such that the first evaporator cools the cabinet and the chilled air from the first evaporator passively defrosts the second evaporator by sublimation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Thermo Fisher Scientific (Asheville) LLC
    Inventors: J. Antonio Contreras Lafaire, Ralph Hegedus
  • Patent number: 9285126
    Abstract: Modular, prefabricated radiant panel, having a sandwich structure including a thermally insulating rear layer (1), a front layer acting as mechanical support and outer surface finish, and two radiant pipes (4) integrated in the panel for the flow of a heat-carrying fluid. The radiant pipes (4) are housed in preformed grooves (2) in the thermally insulating rear layer. In the same layer there are further provided two parallel, longitudinal grooves (3) for the housing of a pair of headers (5) which supply the radiant pipes (4). The headers (5) housed in the grooves (3) cross the entire panel and end in correspondence of the opposite short sides thereof, where they are connected to the radiant pipes (4) via T-junctions (6), a free mouth of which faces outwards for connection via sleeves (7) to T-junctions (6) of other panels, both directly and through connection pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: ROBERTO MESSANA
    Inventor: Guido Buttignol
  • Patent number: 9285152
    Abstract: A method for freeze protection for a temperature control system, and a temperature control system for controlling the temperature of a temperature-controlled space at a set point temperature. The method includes monitoring a discharge air temperature, monitoring a return air temperature, setting a target temperature to equal the set point temperature, controlling the return air temperature at the target temperature, and adjusting the target temperature based on the return air temperature when the discharge air temperature drops to one of at or below freezing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: THERMO KING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ulrich Fink, Alan D. Gustafson
  • Patent number: 9272602
    Abstract: A method for controlling torque of an air conditioner compressor is disclosed. In one example, the air conditioner compressor is a variable displacement compressor. The method may provide may improve vehicle acceleration response while at the same time providing cooling capacity to a vehicle cabin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Eric Rollinger, Jeffrey Allen Doering, Hugh Hamilton, Brent Jacobsen, Steve Pryor Perry
  • Patent number: 9267726
    Abstract: Device for cool drying gas includes a heat exchanger whose primary part is the evaporator of a cooling circuit. The gas to be dried is guided through the secondary part of the heat exchanger to cool the gas and to condense water vapor out of the gas. At least one bypass pipe is provided with a control valve which is controlled by a control unit as a function of signals received from a measuring element for measuring the lowest gas temperature (LAT) or the dew point of the gas in the secondary part of the heat exchanger. The measuring element is positioned directly inside the secondary part of the heat exchanger. Also provided is a measuring element for measuring the temperature of the coolant in the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: ATLAS COPCO AIRPOWER, N.V.
    Inventors: Frits Cornelis A. Baltus, Johan Hendrik R. De Herdt, Frank Jacques E. Roelants
  • Patent number: 9250021
    Abstract: The device relates to a heat exchanger in which heat transfer between heating water passing through the inside of heat exchanging pipes and combustion gas is efficiently performed. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat exchanging pipes, through the inside of each of which heating water passes. The cross-section of each of the heat exchanging pipes has protrusions and recessions alternately arranged in the width direction of the heat exchanging pipe, so as to extend the flow path for the combustion gas passing between the heat exchanging pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Kyungdong Navien Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Mo Kim, Young Sik Choi
  • Patent number: 9243834
    Abstract: Provided is a refrigerator, which includes a main body, a door, an evaporator, a defrosting heater, a defrosting sensor, and a control part. The main body includes a food storage space and an evaporation compartment. The door selectively closes the food storage space. The evaporator is disposed in the evaporation compartment. The defrosting heater is disposed at a side of the evaporator to remove frost from an outer surface of the evaporation compartment or the evaporator. The defrosting sensor is disposed at a side of the evaporation compartment or the evaporator to sense a frost formation amount. The control part receives a sensed value transmitted from the defrosting sensor, and controls an operation of the defrosting heater according to the sensed value. A sensing period of the defrosting sensor is varied according to a frost formation amount sensed by the defrosting sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Seojung Kim, Yonghwan Eom, Kyeongyun Kim
  • Patent number: 9239195
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for a vehicle may include a heat radiating portion provided with first and second connecting lines formed alternately by stacking plates, and receiving first and second operating fluids into the first and second connecting lines. The heat exchanger also includes a bifurcating portion connecting an inflow hole for flowing one operating fluid of the first and second operating fluids with an exhaust hole for exhausting the one operating fluid, and the bifurcating portion is adapted for the one operating fluid to bypass the heat radiating portion according to a temperature of the one operating fluid. The heat exchanger further includes a valve unit mounted corresponding to the inflow hole and adapted to flow the one operating fluid selectively to the heat radiating portion or the bifurcating portion according to the temperature of the one operating fluid flowing in the inflow hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jae Yeon Kim, Wan Je Cho, Young Jun Kim, Yong Woong Cha
  • Patent number: 9234676
    Abstract: A hot water supply apparatus associated with a heat pump is provided. The hot water supply apparatus may employ a cascade heat pump including a two-stage cycle to perform a hot water supply operation. Refrigerants flowing through a heat side heat exchanger and a usage side heat exchanger may be heat-exchanged with water. Thus, the hot water supply operation may be continuously performed, without a defrosting operation, and hot water supply performance and heating performance may be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Byungsoon Kim, Jahyung Koo, Kyongmin Kwon