Patents Examined by Cheryl J. Tyler
  • Patent number: 8997515
    Abstract: An auxiliary device is tended and adapted to be accommodated in an air conduit forming part of an air conditioning device, to which air conduit first flow components, such as a fan, are connected for the purpose of bringing about a main airflow through the air conduit such that the whole main airflow flows through the auxiliary device. The auxiliary device has an arrangement of a number of air conditioning modules which in an active state of the relevant air conditioning module, each allow passage of a partial flow of the airflow and together allow passage of the whole main flow. Control components adjust each of the air conditioning modules between an active state, in which passage of the relevant partial flow is allowed, and a passive state in which a partial flow substantially amounts to zero or flows in opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Virobuster GmbH
    Inventor: Hermannus Gerhardus Maria Silderhuis
  • Patent number: 8997516
    Abstract: The apparatus has a cooling arrangement with an expander/compressor system, condenser and evaporator primarily for air conditioning. An external heat source is provided for transfer of heat to the expander housing. For example, this heating medium is an electrical heat source in thermal contact with the outer side of the expander housing. Alternatively, the expander is provided inside an externally heated liquid buffer tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: AC-Sun ApS
    Inventors: Gunnar Minds, Søren Minds
  • Patent number: 8997517
    Abstract: A storage compartment assembly is located within the interior of a compartment of a refrigerator such as a fresh food compartment of a refrigerator. The storage compartment assembly includes a storage container the temperature of which can be controlled independently of the temperature in the fresh food compartment. At least one of the sides of the storage container can be spaced away from a respective interior side of the refrigerator compartment and a housing located in the space between the side of the storage container and the interior side of the refrigerator compartment. The housing can contain components that are configured to function in the operation of the refrigerator, including the storage compartment assembly. The refrigerator can comprise a bottom-mount refrigerator and the fresh food compartment can be provided with double-doors for closing and opening the interior of the fresh food compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Nilton Carlos Bertolini, Edmund S. Richardson, Jerry R. Baack, David L. Hall, Cory Dale Simpson
  • Patent number: 8997503
    Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning system includes an HVAC unit that blows air whose temperature is adjusted by a refrigerant evaporator and a second refrigerant condenser. The system includes a heat pump cycle in which a refrigerant compressor, a refrigerant circuit changeover section, a first refrigerant condenser, a first expansion valve, and the refrigerant evaporator are sequentially connected. The system includes a second expansion valve and a refrigerant heat exchanger connected in parallel with the first expansion valve and the refrigerant evaporator. The second refrigerant condenser is connected in parallel with the first refrigerant condenser. The system includes a coolant cycle in which a coolant circulating pump, a ventilation-exhaust-heat recovery unit, a motor/battery, an electric heater, and the refrigerant heat exchanger are sequentially connected, and the ventilation-exhaust-heat recovery unit, motor/battery, and electric heater can be selectively used as a heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatosi Morisita, Hideki Suetake, Toshihisa Kondo, Akira Katayama
  • Patent number: 8997510
    Abstract: A solar powered compressor and pump is disclosed having a trough-shaped parabolic reflector for heating a conduit of refrigerant as it passes through the system. The compressor/pump combination includes a lens that covers the reflector and insulates and protects the reflector from the elements while increasing the intensity of the sun's energy entering the reflector. The reflector converts the sun's energy into heat that superheats the refrigerant as it passes through the reflector, reducing or eliminating the amount of mechanical work that the system has to do to achieve the needed superheating stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Inventor: Craig McKenzie
  • Patent number: 8997509
    Abstract: A heat pump system is configured to have a defrost cycle operable during a heating mode of operation. The system uses: larger than conventionally sized capillary tubes at the liquid refrigerant entry end of an exterior air-source heat exchanger; a special amount of additional refrigerant charge; a supplemental hot gas refrigerant transport line extending from the compressor; a special valve in the new supplemental hot gas refrigerant transport line; and another special valve controlling a restriction to the refrigerant flow in the common consolidated vapor refrigerant transport line exiting the exterior heat exchanger. A controller opens the valve in the new supplemental hot gas refrigerant transport line and to simultaneously engages, for a special period of time, the valve controlling the specially sized restriction to the refrigerant flow in the common consolidated vapor refrigerant transport line exiting the exterior heat exchanger at periodic intervals during potential frost conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Inventor: B. Ryland Wiggs
  • Patent number: 8997508
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to keep an appropriate high pressure side pressure in a refrigerant circuit while reducing noises of an operation of a blower in a refrigerating apparatus which obtains a critical pressure on a high pressure side. The refrigerating apparatus in which the refrigerant circuit is constituted of a compressor, a gas cooler, a reducing element and an evaporator to obtain a supercritical pressure on the high pressure side includes a blower which air-cools the gas cooler and a control device which controls this blower. This control device controls a revolution speed of the blower based on an outdoor temperature and an evaporation temperature of a refrigerant in the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Mihara, Hidetaka Sasaki, Setsu Hasegawa, Ken Kawakubo, Masahisa Otake, Takashi Sato, Akira Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 8991203
    Abstract: It is an object to provide an electrostatic atomizing apparatus which is simply structured, is easy to assemble, is low in cost, has clogging resistance against foreign matter, can be used for a long time, and is highly reliable, or a home electrical appliance such as a refrigerator, air conditioner, etc. including the electrostatic atomizing apparatus. A discharge electrode formed of foam metal, whereto water that attaches to a surface is supplied by capillary action, a counter electrode provided so as to be opposed to the discharge electrode, and a water supply that is provided directly above the discharge electrode via a predetermined clearance, supplying water to the discharge electrode or the electrode holding part, are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Okabe, Katsumasa Sakamoto, Reiji Morioka, Masumi Handa, Hiroshi Nakashima
  • Patent number: 8984897
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally provide for a system that removes excess thermal energy from a datacenter. In one embodiment, the system includes a holding container with highly thermally conductive surfaces installed in the warmest area(s) of the datacenter. Two substances are released into the holding container and are mixed creating a liquid solution and causing an endothermic reaction. The resulting reaction transfers thermal energy from the datacenter air to the new solution. The liquid solution is then pumped out of the datacenter, where it can be passed through a dialyzing membrane or an evaporation chamber, which separates the liquid solution into its two original substances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Cary M. Huettner, Joseph Kuczynski, Robert E. Meyer, III, Timothy J. Tofil
  • Patent number: 8966933
    Abstract: A refrigeration apparatus includes a multistage compression mechanism, switching mechanisms, intercoolers, oil separators, and a control unit. The multistage compression mechanism has one high-stage-side compression mechanism and a plurality of low-stage-side compression mechanisms connected in series. The switching mechanisms are connected to blow-out pipes of the low-stage-side compression mechanisms. The switching mechanisms switch between cooling and heating operation cycles. The intercoolers cool refrigerant blown out from the low-stage-side compression mechanisms during the cooling cycle. The oil separators are disposed between the switching mechanisms and the intercoolers. The oil separators separate lubricating oil from refrigerant blown out from the low-stage-side compression mechanisms during the cooling cycle. The control unit controls the multi-stage compression mechanism and the switching mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Okamoto, Kazuhiro Furusho, Ikuhiro Iwata, Guozhong Yang
  • Patent number: 8966934
    Abstract: A refrigeration system using CO2 as a refrigerant includes a receiver having a liquid outlet connected to expansion valves, which are connected to evaporators, which are connected to the suction side of the compressor. The receiver includes a second gas outlet connected to a second pressure reduction device, to reduce the energy consumption in CO2 cooling systems and to protect the compressors against liquid CO2 by heating the suction gas. The second pressure reduction device is connected by tubing to a first heat exchanging device, which is integrated in the receiver, so that gas that is evaporated in the top of a receiver can be used for cooling the liquid part of the same receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventor: Kim G. Christensen
  • Patent number: 8959935
    Abstract: A freezing microtome for the production of microscopable thin sections of tissue samples (60), comprising a cooling device (24, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 46, 48, 50, 52) for freezing the tissue samples (60), a cutting device for cutting the frozen tissue samples (60) and a working chamber, in which the cutting device and at least a part of the cooling device (24, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 46, 48, 50, 52) are arranged is described. The part of the cooling device (24, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 46, 48, 50, 52) arranged in the working chamber contains a liquid coolant (70), in which the tissue samples (60) can be inserted for freezing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Leica Biosystems Nussloch GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Höfling, Hermann Ulbrich, Ralf Eckert, Michael Eberhard
  • Patent number: 8959948
    Abstract: A receiver dryer for a motor vehicle air conditioning system includes an elongate housing, the housing having opposite ends and an external wall that extends between the ends, an inlet positioned in a first section of the housing for receiving condensed refrigerant from the condenser unit, an outlet positioned in a second section of the housing for providing dried condensed refrigerant to the condenser unit with a partition dividing the first section from the second section such that the second section is above the first section, a first chamber in the first section containing a desiccant for drying the refrigerant received from the inlet, a second chamber in the second section containing a filter for filtering the dried condensed refrigerant provided to the outlet, and a conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Halla Visteon Climate Control Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Armsden, Dominic Bennett, Leo Somhorst
  • Patent number: 8955346
    Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for cooling an electronic component. The apparatus includes a coolant-cooled structure in thermal communication with the component(s) to be cooled, and a coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger coupled in fluid communication with the coolant-cooled structure via a coolant loop to receive coolant from and supply coolant to the coolant-cooled structure. The apparatus further includes a refrigerant loop coupled in fluid communication with the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger, and the heat exchanger cools coolant passing therethrough by dissipating heat from the coolant in the coolant loop to refrigerant in the refrigerant loop. A controllable coolant heater is associated with the coolant loop for providing an adjustable heat load on the coolant in the coolant loop to ensure at least a minimum heat load is dissipated from the coolant to the refrigerant passing through the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 8955353
    Abstract: A device for storing food and displaying food for service includes a base with a side wall extending upwardly from the base and a puck assembly removably disposed therein. The puck assembly has a generally flat plate surface on one side and a functional surface with a plurality of food receptacles formed thereon on the opposite side, a sealed cavity disposed between the plate surface and the functional surface, and a cooling substance disposed in the sealed cavity. A food tray is disposed proximate the puck assembly, and a lid shaped to alternatively fit on the top surface of the wall of the base and to fit on the external surface of the bottom of the base such that the base can nest in the lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Columbia Insurance Company
    Inventors: E. Mark Harris, Frances M. Coursey, Jill Zmrhal
  • Patent number: 8955349
    Abstract: In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, a water filter assembly for a refrigerator is described. The water filter assembly includes a door that includes a mover element for engaging a removable water filter such that in the closed position the mover element holds the removable water filter water inlet and water outlet in fluid communication with the water inlet and water outlet, respectively, of a manifold assembly, and in the open position the mover element allows for removal of the removable water filter which is not in fluid communication with the manifold assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan Joseph Mitchell, Andrew Reinhard Krause
  • Patent number: 8950201
    Abstract: A heat pump includes a main refrigerant circuit having a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, and an outdoor heat exchanger, and a reversing valve. A biflow expansion valve is configured to receive condensed liquid refrigerant and to expand the refrigerant. A cooling circuit in fluid communication with the main refrigerant line includes an expansion device configured to receive a portion of condensed liquid refrigerant from the main refrigerant circuit and to expand the portion of condensed liquid refrigerant. A heat sink is configured to receive the expanded portion of refrigerant from the expansion device. Power electronics are coupled to the heat sink such that the portion of expanded refrigerant from the expansion device passes through the heat sink and cools the power electronics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventor: Roger J. Voorhis
  • Patent number: 8950206
    Abstract: A system, compressor, and method that cools an electronics module with a low-pressure refrigerant. The system, compressor, and method utilize a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the low pressure refrigerant and communicates with the electronics module. Based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, the electronics module controls a liquid dry out point of the refrigerant that is used to cool the electronics module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jean-Luc M. Caillat
  • Patent number: 8943845
    Abstract: An appliance for conditioning air of an associated room and an associated method for controlling an air conditioner are disclosed, the controller selectively adjusting operation of the air conditioning appliance based on historical operating data. The controller adjusts a set-point of the appliance for a preselected period of time in response to the historical operating data of the appliance when the appliance operates in an energy savings mode. The controller is configured to receive and process data relating to the rate of change in the temperature. Further, an override feature may be included to maintain operation of the appliance in a normal operation mode if ambient temperature reaches a predetermined threshold value. Another feature is that the controller determines whether the compressor has been operational less than a preselected period of time and, if so, the compressor is operated until such time period has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Lafleur, John K. Besore, Natarajan Venkatakrishnan
  • Patent number: 8943852
    Abstract: A refrigerator, which includes an ice making compartment, an ice making device arranged in the ice making compartment, and an ice making tray provided at the ice making device and configured to receive and retain water to be frozen to make ice. The refrigerator also includes a cold air inlet provided at the ice making compartment and configured to allow cold air to be introduced into the cold air compartment, and a cold air guide configured to guide cold air from the cold air inlet toward the ice making tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Dong Hoon Lee, Tae Hee Lee, Dong Hoon Lee