Patents Examined by Alexis Cox
  • Patent number: 10047970
    Abstract: An HVAC controller may be controlled in response to a natural language audio message that is not recognizable by the HVAC controller as a command, where the natural language audio message is translated into a command recognizable by the HVAC controller. The HVAC controller may be a thermostat and may include a housing that at least partially houses a control module, a microphone, a speaker, a display, and a voice recognition module. The voice recognition module recognizes a predetermined audible trigger from a recorded voice message or streamed voice message, and in response, provide one or more audio clips via the speaker and/or video clips via the display to assist users in operating the thermostat. A user may communicate with the thermostat via the thermostat and/or a remote device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Jay Nelson, Hari Thiruvengada, Preston Gilmer, Thomas Gessner, Martin Adamek, Martin Skala, Juraj Buno, Soumitri Kolavennu, Max Peterschmidt, Libor Horky
  • Patent number: 10047981
    Abstract: A system and method provides for controlling condensation generation in an air conditioning system for use in a bed (mattress). During active operation of the air conditioning system to generate conditioned air, the relative humidity of ambient air is measured and operation of one or more thermoelectric devices (TEDs) within the air conditioning system in response to the measured relative humidity is adjusted to control condensate buildup. During a subsequent drying operation, the relative humidity of the ambient air is measured and the drying operation is adjusted or otherwise controlled based on the measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: MARLOW INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Overton Parish, Leonard Recine, Kevin Garrett, Anthony Tran
  • Patent number: 10041721
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a method of managing defrost operations in HVAC systems. In one embodiment a primary defrost operation comprises allowing a cooling cycle of the heat pump and a secondary defrost operation comprises allowing fans of the heat pump to operate at a low speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Yi Qu, Bruce Perkins, Chris Mchugh, Mark Olsen
  • Patent number: 10040332
    Abstract: A vehicle including a vehicle body, an air conditioning unit, and a fairing. The vehicle body includes a roof having a front portion and a rear portion. The air conditioning unit is disposed within the vehicle body and includes a condenser configured to receive air from outside the vehicle body through an opening in the rear portion of the roof. The fairing is disposed over the rear portion of the roof and the opening thereby defining an interior volume between the fairing and the rear portion of the roof. The fairing includes a leading portion oriented toward the front portion of the roof. The leading portion has an air inlet such that when the vehicle moves in a forward direction air from outside the vehicle body enters the interior volume through the air inlet, passes through the opening, and passes through the condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: THERMO KING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wilson Samuel Jesudason Lawrence, Patil Raju
  • Patent number: 10041314
    Abstract: A drilling mud cooler includes a first mud heat exchanger that is adapted to receive a flow of drilling mud, a first closed-loop cooling system that is adapted to cool a first cooling fluid that is circulated through the first mud heat exchanger so as to reduce a temperature of the flow of drilling mud from a first temperature to a second temperature, a second mud heat exchanger that is adapted to receive the flow of reduced temperature drilling mud from the first mud heat exchanger, and a second closed-loop cooling system that is adapted to cool a second cooling fluid that is circulated through the second mud heat exchanger so as to further reduce the temperature of the flow of drilling mud from the second temperature to a third temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventor: Garry McCraw
  • Patent number: 10034575
    Abstract: A point-of-use food holding cabinet keeps food products hot and cold in different compartments, which are heated and refrigerated respectively. Solid state heat pumps such as Peltier devices absorb heat on one side and emit heat on the other. By configuring the solid state heat sinks appropriately, one compartment or shelf of a holding cabinet can be refrigerated while an adjacent compartment can be kept warm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: PRINCE CASTLE LLC
    Inventor: Loren Veltrop
  • Patent number: 10024588
    Abstract: An air-cooled air-conditioning apparatus including a heat source side heat exchanger comprising a plural number of heat source side heat exchanger parts that are connected together, and each of the heat source side heat exchanger parts is connected by a corresponding flow switching valve to a compressor. The air-cooled air-conditioning apparatus includes a controller configured to perform a defrosting operation in which a refrigerant discharged from the compressor is caused to flow separately through each of the heat source side heat exchanger parts by opening and closing the corresponding flow switching valves. The controller performs the defrosting operation on the basis of the heat exchanger capacity of each of the heat source side heat exchanger parts, the necessary heating capacity of each of the heat source side heat exchanger parts, and the arrangement of the heat source side heat exchanger parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naomichi Tamura, Tadashi Ariyama
  • Patent number: 10012417
    Abstract: A method of controlling a heat exchanger including thermoelectric coolers to maintain set point temperature of a chamber. The method includes receiving temperature data indicative of a temperature of the chamber and selectively controlling two or more subsets of thermoelectric coolers based on the temperature of the chamber. Selectively controlling the two or more subsets includes operating each thermoelectric cooler in a first subset at or near the point where the coefficient of performance is maximized (QCOPmax) by providing a current or voltage with amplitude corresponding to QCOPmax (ICOPmax, VCOPmax) when the temperature of the chamber is within a predefined steady state range including the set point temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Phononic, Inc.
    Inventors: Jesse W. Edwards, Robert Joseph Therrien, M. Sean June
  • Patent number: 10006678
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a intermediate heat exchangers operating as a condenser or an evaporator and allows each intermediate heat exchanger to exchange heat between a refrigerant heated or cooled in a refrigeration cycle on a heat source side and a heat transfer medium flowing through a heat transfer medium circuit on a use side such that heat energy produced on the heat source side is transmitted to use side heat exchangers. A controller calculates the heat transfer medium temperature difference between a heat transfer medium inlet and outlet temperatures. When a detected value of a heat transfer medium temperature detecting device deviates from a predetermined range, the controller changes the target heat transfer medium temperature difference and controls a heat transfer medium flow control device, such that the heat transfer medium temperature difference reaches the changed target heat transfer medium temperature difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Keisuke Takayama, Koji Azuma, Yuji Motomura
  • Patent number: 10006680
    Abstract: An evaporator with a cool storage function includes a plurality of refrigerant flow tubes. The flow tubes are spaced apart from one another in a thickness direction to form spaces among the plurality of refrigerant flow tubes. Outer fins are disposed in a first part of the spaces and are joined to the plurality of refrigerant flow tubes. The cool storage material container contains a cool storage material and is disposed in a second part of the spaces other than the first part. An inner fin is disposed within the cool storage material container and has crest portions extending along a longitudinal direction of the flow tubes, trough portions extending along the longitudinal direction, and connection portions connecting the crest portions and the trough portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: KEIHIN THERMAL TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Hirayama, Osamu Kamoshida
  • Patent number: 9995517
    Abstract: An operation control apparatus of air-conditioning apparatus having an outdoor unit and an indoor unit includes a controller programmed to execute energy conservation control of the air conditioning apparatus. The controller includes at least one required temperature calculation part calculating a required evaporation temperature or a required condensation temperature based on either a current amount of heat exchanged in a usage-side heat exchanger of the indoor unit and a greater amount of heat exchanged in the usage-side heat exchanger than the current amount, or an operating state amount that yields the current amount of heat exchanged in the usage-side heat exchanger and an operating state amount that yields the greater amount of heat exchanged in the usage-side heat exchanger than the current amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kousuke Kibo, Kazuhiko Tani, Masahiro Oka, Shinichi Kasahara, Yasuyuki Aisaka, Shingo Ohnishi
  • Patent number: 9999163
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide high-efficiency cooling in a data center in response to a cooling and/or humidity demand using a system having multiple cooling loops to allow for a higher chilled liquid temperature of a first chilled liquid loop, while maintaining data center room temperature and humidity control. Specifically, the system includes a plurality of integrated cooling systems each comprising one or more specifically sized chillers and a liquid loop to address the cooling demand. A free cooling heat exchanger is coupled to the first liquid loop for use when a wet-bulb temperature surrounding the data center is at or below a free cooling set point of the first chilled liquid loop. The system isolates humidity control components to a second chilled liquid loop, and enables greater control of the first chilled liquid loop of the data center to meet specific IT loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Wally Karrat, Bret W. Lehman, Ronald J. Licare, Daniel Pare
  • Patent number: 9995496
    Abstract: An air supply system and a method for controlling operation of an air supply system for supplying a conditioned air flow at a setpoint air temperature to a climate controlled space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard G. Lord, Guy A. DeLuca, Michael J. Froehlich
  • Patent number: 9994751
    Abstract: An absorptive refrigeration method that employs a refrigerant comprising one or more hydrofluoroolefin or hydrochlorofluoroolefin refrigerants, and an oil selected from the group consisting of a polyalkyene glycol oil, a poly alpha olefin oil, a mineral oil and a polyolester oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Ryan J. Hulse, Rajiv Ratna Singh
  • Patent number: 9989322
    Abstract: A heat recovery device such as an EGHR device includes a bypass valve, a gas/liquid heat exchanger and a flow duct. The flow duct has an open top and an open bottom. A top surface of the duct seals to a surface surrounding an opening of a gas flow conduit, such as an exhaust pipe. A duct wall extends from the top surface to the bottom surface, to which the heat exchanger is secured. The flow duct provides a passage through gas flows between the gas flow conduit and the heat exchanger. The bypass valve is mounted in the flow duct and is movable between a bypass position and a heat exchange position. The bypass valve may be mounted adjacent to the top or bottom of the duct, and may be a butterfly-type valve, a one-sided flap valve, or a pair of one-sided flap valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Dana Canada Corporation
    Inventors: Brian E. Cheadle, John G. Burgers, Ihab Edward Gerges, Kenneth M. A. Abels
  • Patent number: 9982929
    Abstract: An air conditioner includes a main refrigerant circuit where refrigerant flows in order of a compressor, outdoor heat exchanger, expansion valve, and indoor heat exchanger. An injection circuit is configured such that the refrigerant diverges between the outdoor heat exchanger and indoor heat exchanger in the main refrigerant circuit and returns to the compressor having a pressure between a suction pressure of compressor and a discharge pressure of compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hisashi Takeichi
  • Patent number: 9981051
    Abstract: Systems and methods for disinfecting a storage area and/or items within a storage area can include at least one ultraviolet radiation source configured to generate ultraviolet radiation directed within a storage area and a monitoring and control system. The monitoring and control system can be configured to monitor at least one of the storage area or a set of items located in the storage area and control ultraviolet radiation generated by the at least one ultraviolet radiation source based on the monitoring by delivering targeted ultraviolet radiation to at least one designated zone within the storage area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Shur, Maxim Shatalov, Timothy James Bettles, Yuri Bilenko, Saulius Smetona, Alexander Dobrinsky, Remigijus Gaska
  • Patent number: 9976766
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a time constant calculation unit that estimates a response time constant at a time when an opening degree of an expansion device is changed on the basis of specifications of a compressor that forms a refrigeration cycle of the air-conditioning apparatus, specifications of a load side heat exchanger, and an operating state quantity of the air-conditioning apparatus, a control constant calculation means that calculates at least one of a control gain of the opening degree of the expansion device and a control interval on the basis of a calculation result of the time constant calculation means, and a control constant change means that changes a control constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kosuke Tanaka, Hiroaki Makino, Akinori Sakabe, Tadashi Ariyama
  • Patent number: 9970665
    Abstract: A heat pump system with a hybrid heating system is disclosed. The heat pump system includes a first housing comprising a heat exchanger, a compressor, and a fan. The heat pump system also includes a second housing that includes a supplemental heat source that is activated when the outside air falls below a certain temperature. The second housing includes a series of dampers that permit recirculation of the air passing through the first housing so that the supplemental heat source can provide heat to the recirculated air. The supplemental heat source increases the heating capacity of the heat pump system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC US, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph Bush, So Nomoto
  • Patent number: 9964324
    Abstract: A first fan controlling section of a controller circuit is configured to control a first blower fan so as to induce the discharge of the airflow of a cool air through a first air outlet defined in a first enclosure of an indoor unit of the air conditioner. A second fan controlling section is configured to control second blower fans so as to induce the discharge of the airflows of a room air through second air outlets, respectively, defined in a pair of second enclosures disposed on the opposite sides of the first enclosure. An enclosure attitude controlling section is configured to change the respective attitude of the second enclosures relative to the first enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: FUJITSU GENERAL LIMITED
    Inventors: Ritsushi Taira, Shinji Sugiyama, Kenji Haruyama, Syun Iwano, Fumiaki Tanaka