Patents Examined by Alexis K Cox
  • Patent number: 11460366
    Abstract: A refrigeration servicing system includes an apparatus and user equipment in electronic communication with the apparatus. The apparatus includes a body having a first end and a second end, wherein a passage extends within the body from the first end to the second end. A recess is formed within the body at the second end. The body comprises an inlet at the first end configured to directly engage with a portion of the refrigeration system, a conduit in fluid communication with the inlet, and a plunger. The conduit and plunger are each positioned in the passage. The apparatus also includes a housing at least partially positioned in the recess and in fluid communication with the conduit. The housing includes a sensor configured to directly contact the fluid and measure a parameter of the fluid. A method of servicing a refrigeration system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Energizer Auto, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth Alan Pistone, Vincent Carrbba
  • Patent number: 11435125
    Abstract: A refrigerant system includes a compressor configured to pressurize a refrigerant fluid. The compressor includes a sump portion. A heater is situated to heat at least the sump portion. A controller is configured to selectively operate the heater to apply heat to at least the sump portion while the compressor is off and continue operating the heater when the compressor turns on until a temperature of the compressor or a temperature of fluid discharged from the compressor satisfies at least one criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Charles A. Cluff
  • Patent number: 11435766
    Abstract: A cooling system includes a controller, a plurality of sensor sub-units, a plurality of solid-state cooling sub-units and a heat exchanger. The sensor sub-units are configured to be thermally connected to a heat source. The heat source has a plurality of sub-regions that correspond with each of the sensor sub-units. Each solid-state cooling sub-unit corresponds with and thermally connects to one of the sensor sub-units and is configured to dissipate heat from the sub-regions of the heat source. The heat exchanger is configured to dissipate heat from the sub-regions of the heat source and waste heat. The controller, based on temperatures sampled from the plurality of sensor sub-units and predictions made by an optimizer, is configured to determine the one or more sub-regions of the heat source to cool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Maxwell Labs Inc
    Inventor: Jacob A. Balma
  • Patent number: 11415333
    Abstract: A fresh air cooling and ventilating system can include a whole house fan for introducing fresh air into a building structure. The fresh air cooling and ventilating system can include a whole house fan and/or a controller. The controller can be operably in communication with an air conditioning system and coordinate the usage of the fresh air cooling and ventilating system and the air conditioning system to reduce overall energy consumption. The system can be automated to run with no or minimal user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: QC MANUFACTURING, INC.
    Inventors: Dana Charles Stevenson, Dane Stevenson, Dustin Martin Stevenson
  • Patent number: 11384610
    Abstract: A method for cooling drilling mud includes controlling operation of a first closed-loop cooling system to cool a flow of drilling mud when a first temperature of the flow of drilling mud exceeds a first predetermined mud set point temperature, and controlling operation of a second closed-loop cooling system to further cool the flow of drilling mud when a second temperature of the flow of drilling mud that has been cooled by the first closed-loop cooling system exceeds a second predetermined mud set point temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.
    Inventor: Garry McCraw
  • Patent number: 11384961
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a flash tank, a first low side heat exchanger, a second low side heat exchanger, a first compressor, a second compressor, an expansion valve, a desuperheater, a sensor, and a controller. The first compressor compresses a refrigerant from the second low side heat exchanger. The desuperheater removes heat from the refrigerant from the first compressor. The second compressor compresses a mixture of the refrigerant from the first low side heat exchanger and the refrigerant from the first compressor. The expansion valve, actionable by the sensor and the controller, controls a flow of the refrigerant to the first low side heat exchanger such that the flow of refrigerant to the first low side heat exchanger is increased when a temperature of the mixture exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
    Inventor: Shitong Zha
  • Patent number: 11353252
    Abstract: A method of controlling an HVAC circuit, comprises allowing refrigerant to circulate within the HVAC circuit, wherein the HVAC circuit comprises an evaporator coil, a condenser coil, at least one fan configured to provide airflow to the condenser coil, at least one expansion valve, and at least one compressor. The method continues by receiving a temperature measurement and determining based on the temperature measurement, a minimum fan speed configured to avoid pressure spikes within the condenser coil. The method concludes by sending a signal to the at the least one fan to direct the at least one fan to spin at a rate greater than or equal to the minimum fan speed when the measured temperature is less than a predetermined temperature, wherein, when the refrigerant circulates through the condenser coil, the minimum fan speed is greater than zero rotations per minute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: David Mackey, Aylan Him, Zer Kai Yap
  • Patent number: 11326828
    Abstract: A refrigerator including a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion unit that constitute a refrigeration cycle, an evaporator that evaporates a refrigerant that has passed through the expansion unit, a heating unit that provides heat for defrosting the evaporator, and a frost sensor unit that is provided at one side of the evaporator to sense the amount of frost on the evaporator, the frost sensor unit including a sound-source transmitting unit that generates a sound-source of a first volume to the evaporator, and a sound-source receiving unit that receives a sound-source of a second volume formed after the sound-source transmitted by the sound-source transmitting unit reflects from or passes through the evaporator, and a controller that controls the heating unit to generate heat, when the difference between the first volume and the second volume reaches a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Yonghwan Eom, Hoyoun Lee, Youngjin Kim
  • Patent number: 11313607
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a duct module, wherein the duct modules include a front panel and a rear panel coupled to each other in the front-rear direction and forming a flow path, a plurality of flow path forming protrusions extending from a front surface of the front panel to form a flow path therebetween, and a sealing surface extending parallel to the rear surface of the front panel from front ends of the plurality of flow path forming protrusions and in surface contact with the rear surface of the front panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joo Yong Lee, Sun Gi Hong, Il Sung Bae, Joo Hee Song, Byung Kwan Yang
  • Patent number: 11293678
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a controller that is configured to perform operations including driving a refrigerator compartment compressor, determining whether a sensed temperature in the refrigerator compartment satisfies a first temperature, driving, based on the sensed temperature in the refrigerator compartment satisfying the first temperature, a freezer compartment compressor, stopping the refrigerator compartment compressor, maintaining, after stopping the refrigerator compartment compressor, operation of the freezer compartment compressor, restarting the refrigerator compartment compressor, and varying a driving frequency of the refrigerator compartment compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Namhun Kim, Buhwan Ahn
  • Patent number: 11287783
    Abstract: A thermal management system and method for a vehicle includes a cooling system having a variable cooling capacity and which is connectable to a heat-producing system of the vehicle. A control system is configured to increase the cooling capacity of the cooling system to a first predetermined level in response to the at least one input indicating an increase in the future heat load of the heat-producing system when a temperature of the cooling system is at least a predetermined temperature and the cooling system is operating below the first predetermined level. The control system is also configured to inhibit increasing the cooling capacity of the cooling system to the first predetermined level in response to the at least one input indicating an increase in the future heat load of the heat-producing system when the temperature of the cooling system is less than the predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Engineered Machined Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd M. Steinmetz, Michael P. Lasecki
  • Patent number: 11280507
    Abstract: An air-conditioner which performs an appropriate control in the event of a leak of refrigerant. The air-conditioner includes a refrigerant circuit, a refrigerant leak sensor which senses a leak of refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit, an indoor fan which delivers air to the indoor heat exchanger, and an indoor control circuit which, upon sensing a leak of refrigerant by the refrigerant leak sensor, controls the indoor fan based on whether the refrigerant sealed in the refrigerant circuit is flammable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI-JOHNSON CONTROLS AIR CONDITIONING, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Yoneyama, Shunji Sasaki, Yoshiyuki Yamanashi, Atsuhiko Yokozeki
  • Patent number: 11274785
    Abstract: A vacuum adiabatic body includes: a first plate member defining at least one portion of a wall for a first space; a second plate member defining at least one portion of a wall for a second space having a different temperature from the first space; a sealing part sealing the first plate member and the second plate member to provide a third space that has a temperature between the temperature of the first space and the temperature of the second space and is in a vacuum state; a supporting unit maintaining the third space; a heat resistance unit for decreasing a heat transfer amount between the first plate member and the second plate member; and an exhaust port through which a gas in the third space is exhausted, wherein the third space includes a first vacuum space part and a second vacuum space part having a lower height than the first vacuum space part, and an addition mounting part having parts mounted therein is provided at an outside of the second vacuum space part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Wonyeong Jung, Myoungju Kang, Deokhyun Youn
  • Patent number: 11248828
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a valve and a controller. The valve is configured to control the flow of refrigerant into an evaporator, the refrigerant having an associated liquid setting comprising a temperature and a pressure at which the refrigerant flows through the valve. The controller is operable to adjust the liquid setting, the adjusted liquid setting comprising a temperature and a pressure selected to improve energy efficiency under conditions currently being experienced by the refrigeration system, wherein the controller is operable to adjust the temperature and the pressure simultaneously such that the adjustment does not interfere with operation of the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan Douglas, Umesh Gokhale
  • Patent number: 11187447
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit, through which refrigerant is circulated, including a compressor, a heat source side heat exchanger, a first expansion device, and a load side heat exchanger, a controller controlling the refrigerant circuit, and a bypass pipe that branches off from a high-pressure pipe extending from the compressor to the first expansion device and that is connected to a low-pressure pipe on a suction side of the compressor. The apparatus further includes a precooling heat exchanger that is provided in the bypass pipe and that cools the refrigerant diverted to the bypass pipe, a second expansion device that is provided in the bypass pipe and that reduces a pressure of the refrigerant cooled by the precooling heat exchanger, and a refrigerant cooler that is provided in the bypass pipe and that cools the controller with the refrigerant reduced in pressure by the second expansion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takanori Koike, Osamu Morimoto, Kazuyoshi Shinozaki, Hiroyuki Okano
  • Patent number: 11175072
    Abstract: A notifier notifies a user of a warning when a ratio of first refrigerant is different from a suitable value, the ratio being determined from a first difference between a first temperature and a second temperature and from a second difference between a third temperature and a fourth temperature. The first temperature is a temperature of a non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture between a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger. The second temperature is a temperature of the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture between the second heat exchanger and a first expansion valve. The third temperature is a temperature of the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture between a first decompressor and a first connecting point. The fourth temperature is a temperature of the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture between a second decompressor and the first connecting point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kosuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11175684
    Abstract: A thermostatic single-control cartridge is provided with ceramic discs with a member for controlling a flow rate and a temperature of a mixed fluid by moving a thermostatic element, thus adjusting the temperature of the mixed fluid between end adjustment positions, an overtravel spring inserted between a regulating slide valve and the thermostatic element being compressed by an overtravel between the end adjustment positions. A retractable blocking system temporarily blocks the temperature adjustment of the mixed fluid in intermediate position of the control member between the end adjustment positions, so as to cut the overtravel in half in the intermediate position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: VERNET
    Inventor: Jean Chamot
  • Patent number: 11118590
    Abstract: A circulator blower controller for a circulator blower of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a building includes an interface configured to receive a demand signal with an operating mode from a thermostat. A switching circuit selectively connects power to a tap of a motor of the circulator blower. A data store configured to store a mapping from a speed to the tap. For each tap, a processor observes power consumed by the circulator blower while power is connected to the tap by the switching circuit. The processor determines the mapping by sorting the taps based on observed power consumption. The processor selects a first speed based on the demand signal from the thermostat. The processor identifies a first tap from the mapping based on the first speed and generates the tap selection signal to control the switching circuit to connect power to the first tap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Jeffrey N. Arensmeier, Paul Layton, Jacob Nielson
  • Patent number: 11105539
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The system includes a primary heat transfer loop configured to be disposed at least partially outside of a building, and the primary heat transfer loop includes a heat exchanger, a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, where the refrigerant is reactive, a condenser configured to receive and condense the refrigerant, and an expansion device configured to reduce a temperature of the refrigerant. The system further includes a secondary heat transfer loop configured to circulate a two-phase fluid at least partially inside the building, wherein the two-phase fluid is less reactive than the refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: Douglas A. Kester
  • Patent number: 11105620
    Abstract: A method for determining a pipe diameter of a liquid-side connection pipe in a refrigeration apparatus includes causing a computer to obtain a heating capacity, maximum heating load, and maximum cooling load; causing the computer to determine a pipe diameter of the liquid-side connection pipe by reducing a reference pipe diameter based on either a value obtained by dividing the maximum heating load by the maximum cooling load or a value obtained by subtracting the maximum heating load from the heating capacity; and installing the refrigeration apparatus using the liquid-side connection pipe having the determined pipe diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takuro Yamada, Yuusuke Nakagawa, Masahiro Honda