Patents Examined by Cassey D Bauer
  • Patent number: 10514194
    Abstract: A refrigerating appliance includes a refrigerant line having a compressor and a condenser. A thermal exchange media is delivered from the condenser and through the refrigerant line to at least a freezer evaporator of a plurality of evaporators, wherein the thermal exchange media leaving the freezer evaporator defines spent media that is returned to the compressor. A multi-directional outlet valve selectively delivers the thermal exchange media to the freezer evaporator, wherein the multi-directional outlet valve also selectively delivers the thermal exchange media to at least one secondary evaporator of the plurality of evaporators to define a partially-spent media that is delivered to the freezer evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Amit A. Avhale, Rishikesh Vinayak Kulkarni, E. Calvin Pickles, Yan Zhang, Vijaykumar Sathyamurthi
  • Patent number: 10512192
    Abstract: Two-phase immersion cooling systems can be used to cool electronic components submerged within a dielectric working fluid, but are susceptible to costly losses of working fluid when the cooling systems are opened to allow access to the electronic components for service or replacement. By selectively sealing certain portions of the cooling systems, loss of vaporized working fluid can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Inventor: Mark Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 10502445
    Abstract: A single-package, wall-mount air conditioner is provided with an economizer unit having a pair of vertical conduits for delivering fresh outside air to a pair of blowers and a damper system that can be selectively positioned to open and close the conduits. The damper system also opens and closes return air recirculation openings through which return air is delivered to the blowers. When the air conditioner is operating in an economizer cooling mode, the return air recirculation openings are partially or completely closed and some or all of the return air is discharged outwardly and upwardly from the air conditioner in a manner to impede any entrainment of the discharged return air with the fresh outside air that is entering the air conditioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Airxcel, Inc.
    Inventors: Thompson Joshua Matambo, Paul Franklin Fay, William James Wilson, Vikas Dhummi Chandrashekar
  • Patent number: 10502462
    Abstract: A magnetocaloric thermal generator having a primary circuit fluidically connecting first and second stages of magnetocaloric elements using a heat transfer primary fluid flowing alternately back and forth. The stages being subjected to variable magnetic field of a magnetic system. The primary system includes a cold side and a hot side to which the magnetocaloric elements of the stages are fluidically connected. At least the cold side of the primary circuit has an outlet point connected to another point of the primary circuit, referred to as the injection point, on the hot side by a bypass pipe allowing the primary fluid to be displaced only from the outlet point towards the injection point. The magnetocaloric thermal generator is used in a method for cooling the secondary fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: COOLTECH APPLICATIONS
    Inventor: Christian Muller
  • Patent number: 10495378
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for super-cooling a contained fluid by exposing a portion of the contained fluid to a temperature below a freezing point of the liquid while exposing a second portion of the contained fluid to a warmer temperature. The present invention establishes a temperature differential between the ambient air or fluid temperature within the cooler and a portion of a receiving element which receives a beveraged container. By creating a temperature differential, convection flow of the beverage within the packaged beverage occurs allowing the liquid beverage to achieve a temperature below its freezing point while being maintained in a liquid state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: BUZ BOX, LLC
    Inventors: Michael W Spivey, Johnny A. Melton, Jr., William E. Craver, III
  • Patent number: 10493818
    Abstract: When performing dehumidification heating of a space to be air-conditioned, a refrigeration cycle device is switched to a refrigerant circuit in which a flow of a refrigerant flowing out of an interior radiator is branched, and one of the branched refrigerants is decompressed by an interior expansion valve to evaporate in an interior evaporator, while the other of the branched refrigerants flows into a high-pressure side refrigerant passage of an internal heat exchanger and is then decompressed by an exterior expansion valve to evaporate in an exterior heat exchanger. Further, in the refrigerant circuit, a flow of the refrigerant flowing out of the interior evaporator and a flow of the refrigerant flowing out of the exterior heat exchanger are merged into a low-pressure side refrigerant passage of the internal heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mikiharu Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 10495360
    Abstract: A heat pump device includes a compression mechanism for compressing refrigerant, a motor for driving the compression mechanism, a shell housing the compression mechanism and the motor, a discharge muffler located outside the shell, a first pipe connecting the compression mechanism to the discharge muffler, and a thermal insulator (a first thermal insulating material and a second thermal insulating material). The shell and the discharge muffler are spatially located next to each other without being in contact with each other. The thermal insulator is at least partially located in a space where a distance between an outer surface of the shell and an outer surface of the discharge muffler is minimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Keisuke Takayama, Hiroyuki Tachibana, Toru Koide
  • Patent number: 10480837
    Abstract: A refrigeration apparatus includes a compressor, a heat-source-side heat exchanger operable as a refrigerant evaporator or radiator, and a usage-side heat exchanger operable as a refrigerant evaporator or radiator. The heat-source-side heat exchanger is disposed inside a heat source unit having an exhaust port and an outdoor fan in an upper part, and an intake port in a side part. The heat-source-side heat exchanger includes first and second heat-source-side heat exchangers. Adjustable first and second heat-source-side flow rate adjusting valves are connected to liquid sides of the first and second heat-source-side heat exchangers, respectively. In a defrost operation in order to defrost the first and second heat-source-side heat exchangers, the opening degrees of the first and second heat-source-side flow rate adjusting valves are controlled so as to achieve a defrost flow rate ratio at which more refrigerant flows to the second heat-source-side heat exchanger than during an air-cooling operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junya Minami, Masahiro Oka
  • Patent number: 10480871
    Abstract: A heat exchanger having a heat exchanger core which is configured as a plate stack has a flange plate including at least one upper partial plate facing the heat exchanger core and at least one lower partial plate facing away from the heat exchanger core. The flange plate can include a supercooling passage which is bounded by at least one partial plate in the stacking direction of the partial plates and which receives a flow of refrigerant during the operation of the heat exchanger. A high variability can be provided thanks to the compact and flexible design, by means of which the most diverse of requirements can be achieved with no major design changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: MODINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Tobias Mueller, Stefan Mueller-Lufft
  • Patent number: 10480817
    Abstract: The duct-type indoor unit of an air conditioner includes: a casing including a first surface and a second surface opposing each other, an inlet duct connection part which is formed in the first surface and to which an inlet duct is connected, and an outlet duct connection part which is formed in the second surface and to which an outlet duct is connected; a partition member partitioning interior of the casing into a first space on an inlet side and a second space on an outlet side, the partitioning member having an opening communicating the first space with the second space; a heat exchanger arranged inside the first space; and a centrifugal fan having an impeller with backward curved blades, the impeller being positioned inside the second space to suck in air in the first space through the opening. The impeller has a rotating shaft parallel to the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Kashihara, Takahiro Yamasaki, Kaname Maruyama
  • Patent number: 10472072
    Abstract: A sensor supply tube assembly is provided for disposition within a compressor outlet through which a main flowpath is defined and a sensor port transversely coupled to the compressor outlet. The sensor supply tube assembly includes first and second tubes. The first tube is formed to direct main flowpath fluid from the compressor outlet and through a portion of the sensor port and includes first and second ends disposed within the sensor port and the compressor outlet, respectively, and a curved section interposed between the first and second ends. The second tube includes a sleeve tightly fittable between the first end and the sensor port and a base. The base has an exterior surface from which the sleeve extends and which is disposed and configured to non-rotatably abut with an interior surface of the compressor outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Craig M. Beers, Christopher McAuliffe, Harold W. Hipsky
  • Patent number: 10473365
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a thermoelectric heat pump includes a heat transfer region having an array of thermoelectric modules, a waste channel in substantial thermal communication with a high temperature portion of the heat transfer region, and a main channel in substantial thermal communication with a low temperature portion of the heat transfer region. An enclosure wall provides a barrier between fluid in the waste channel and fluid in the main channel throughout the interior of the thermoelectric heat pump. In some embodiments, the waste fluid channel and the main fluid channel are positioned and shaped such that differences in temperature between fluids disposed near opposite sides of the enclosure wall are substantially decreased or minimized at corresponding positions along the channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: GENTHERM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Lon E. Bell, Robert W. Diller
  • Patent number: 10465989
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for a marine engine has a housing with an internal cavity. Twisted tubes snake back and forth inside the cavity and carry a first fluid to cool a second engine cooling fluid flowing through the cavity. Each of the twisted tubes has a plurality of ridges to increase the surface area of the tube exposed to the second fluid. Dividers inside the cavity direct the flow of the second fluid through the cavity. The housing may have a removable cover to access the housing cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Indmar Products Company Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin J. Kimball, Rachel M. Mashburn, Jason C. Stimmel, Jason Vetzel
  • Patent number: 10464391
    Abstract: A thermoelectric system and method provides distributed localized heating, cooling, or both heating and cooling. The thermoelectric system includes a plurality of thermoelectric assemblies. Each thermoelectric assembly comprises a plurality of thermoelectric elements, and each thermoelectric assembly is in thermal communication with a first working fluid and in thermal communication with a region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly. Each thermoelectric assembly is selectively operable either to heat the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly by transferring heat from the first working fluid to the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly or to cool the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly by transferring heat from the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly to the first working fluid. Each thermoelectric assembly is operable independently from operation of other thermoelectric assemblies of the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: GENTHERM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Lon E. Bell, John LaGrandeur
  • Patent number: 10457399
    Abstract: An aircraft air conditioning system including an ambient air supply line having a first end connected to an ambient air inlet and a second end connected to a mixer of the aircraft air conditioning system so as to supply ambient air to the mixer. A first compressor is arranged in the ambient air supply line and is configured to compress the ambient air flowing through the ambient air supply line. A bleed air supply line allows a flow of bleed air bled off from an engine or an auxiliary power unit therethrough. A bleed air turbine is driven by the bleed air flowing through the bleed air supply line and is coupled to the first compressor so as to drive the first compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Holger Bammann, Frank Klimpel, Hans Brunswig
  • Patent number: 10458685
    Abstract: An absorption subcooler comprises a first heat exchanger operable to receive refrigerant from a compressor of a refrigeration system and apply a first cooling stage to the refrigerant. The absorption subcooler is further operable to discharge the refrigerant to a gas cooler operable to apply a second cooling stage to the refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
    Inventors: Carlton Wilkerson, Bucky William Edwards, Masood Ali
  • Patent number: 10451357
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for the operation of a mixing container of a latent heat storage unit, whereby a heat storage fluid changes between a liquid phase and a solid phase, and has a higher density than a heat transfer fluid. In this method, by virtue of the geometry of the mixing container as well as the flow path of the heat storage fluid and the heat transfer fluid through the mixing container, the solid and the liquid heat storage fluids are concentrated after being mixed with the heat transfer fluid and they are subsequently separated from the heat transfer fluid at a boundary layer and withdrawn from the heat storage fluid by a flow induced below the boundary layer in the direction of an ice reservoir via a pipeline, and subsequently, the liquid heat storage fluid is separated from the solid heat storage fluid in the ice reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: OPTIMIZE GMBH
    Inventor: Wulf Kraneis
  • Patent number: 10450489
    Abstract: A process for cooling or heating a fluid or a body by means of a vapor compression circuit including a centrifugal compressor and containing a heat-transfer fluid, the heat-transfer fluid including at least two compounds selected from 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoropropene, 1,1-difluoroethane and 3,3,3-trifluoropropene, in which: the ratio of the Mach number of the centrifugal compressor to the Mach number which the centrifugal compressor has under the same operating conditions if the heat-transfer fluid is replaced with 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane in the vapor compression circuit is greater than or equal to 0.97 and less than or equal to 1.03; the compression ratio of the centrifugal compressor is less than or equal to the compression ratio which the centrifugal compressor has under the same operating conditions if the heat-transfer fluid is replaced with 1,1,12-tetrafluorethane in the vapor compression circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: ARKEMA FRANCE
    Inventor: Wissam Rached
  • Patent number: 10443900
    Abstract: Embodiments as disclosed herein are directed to a heat pump that employs at least two different refrigerants, each of which is optimized for either a cooling operation mode or a heating operation mode. The embodiments as disclosed herein can help increase the capacity and/or efficiency of a heat pump in both the cooling operation mode and the heating operation mode. In addition, the embodiments as disclosed herein may also eliminate the need for a ground source in a relatively low ambient temperature environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Stephen A. Kujak, Kenneth J. Schultz, Ronald Maurice Cosby, II
  • Patent number: 10443906
    Abstract: A support assembly for a heat pump system comprising a base and a plurality of platforms for supporting a respective heat pump such as a thermoelectric cooler. Resiliently flexible pipes support the platforms with respect to the base and form part of a coolant circulation system. The platforms are movable with respect to each other and the support structures allow the platforms to move with respect to the base. An object to be cooled, such as an image sensor, is mounted on the heat pumps. The platforms are able to move in response to expansion and contraction of the object thereby preventing damage to the heat pump system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Andor Technology Limited
    Inventors: Raied Al-Wazzan, Donal Denvir