Patents Examined by Christopher R Zerphey
  • Patent number: 11300331
    Abstract: A refrigerator including an inner case having a storage chamber defined therein; a thermoelectric module configured to cool the storage chamber, wherein the thermoelectric module includes a thermoelectric element and a heat sink; a heat-dissipation fan assembly provided adjacent to the heat sink; a heat-dissipation cover spaced apart from the inner case, wherein the heat-dissipation cover has at least one outer intake hole defined therein and wherein the intake hole faces the heat-dissipation fan assembly; and a gasket configured to block a gap between the heat-dissipation cover and the heat-dissipation fan assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jeehoon Choi, Seokhyun Kim, Heayoun Sul, Minkyu Oh, Hyoungkeun Lim
  • Patent number: 11300327
    Abstract: A refrigerated transport system (20) comprises: an engine (30). A vapor compression system (50) comprises: a compressor (40) for compressing a flow of a refrigerant; a first heat exchanger (60) along a refrigerant flowpath (52) of the refrigerant; and a second heat exchanger (66) along the refrigerant flowpath of the refrigerant. A heat recovery system (56) has: a first heat exchanger (110) for transferring heat from the engine to a heat recovery fluid along a heat recovery flowpath (58); and a second heat exchanger (112; 63) along the heat recovery flowpath. The heat recovery system second heat exchanger and the vapor compression system first heat exchanger are respective portions of a shared tube/fin package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Abdelrahman I. Elsherbini, Parmesh Verma, Frederick J. Cogswell
  • Patent number: 11293683
    Abstract: A defogging control system includes a plurality of first heating wires, a plurality of second heating wires, an electrical sensor and driver, a timer, an environment sensing module, and a control module. The electrical sensor and driver is utilized to generate a start signal or a stop signal, corresponding to a controller of a refrigeration storage apparatus. The timer is utilized to count a real-time operation time and record a previous operation time. The environment sensing module is utilized to sense a temperature and a humidity. The control module is utilized to control the first heating wires and the second heating wires by the real-time operation time, the previous operation time, the temperature, and the humidity. Further, a defogging control method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: TECO ELECTRIC & MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Po-Yao Hsieh, Chih-Hung Hsiao, Ifan Sun
  • Patent number: 11279519
    Abstract: Collapsible indoor and outdoor containers having a collapsible wall section with shape-retaining characteristics are disclosed. In particular, collapsible coolers, fish bins, and wheeled vertical bins are provided. The collapsible wall section may include foldable tiers of a flexible material, each tier having at least one stable, relatively expanded position and at least one stable, relatively collapsed position; and an intervening, non-folding tier composed of a different, relatively stiff or rigid material. The coolers, fish bins, and wheeled vertical bins are each advantageously provided with a collapsible insert container that nests within and collapses together with a shell of the respective container, the respective wall folds of the shell and insert meshing together to result in a combined collapsed vertical dimension as small or nearly as small as that of the collapsed shell alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Inventor: Sam Tung Tsui
  • Patent number: 11255594
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a condensate collection assembly that includes a condensate collection trough configured to couple to the heat exchanger, the condensate collection trough having a condensate receptacle and a channel, the condensate receptacle is configured to be positioned adjacent to a condensate flow path of the heat exchanger and receive a condensate from the condensate flow path, and the channel is configured to direct the condensate from the condensate receptacle to a condensate pan and a cover disposed over the channel, where the cover is configured to restrict a flow of air from entering the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Drew H. Carlton, Cody J. Kaiser, Wayne E. Romero
  • Patent number: 11255571
    Abstract: In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a condensate level switch mounting assembly includes a condensate level switch having a mounting frame, a first bracket configured to fixedly attach to a condensate drain pan, and a second bracket having a mounting plate configured to engage with the mounting frame of the condensate level switch to secure the condensate level switch to the second bracket. The condensate level switch mounting assembly further includes a fastener assembly configured to couple the second bracket to the first bracket such that an angular position of the second bracket is adjustable relative to the first bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Ravindra B. Salunkhe, Siddappa R. Bidari, Praveen Y R, Kunal J. Gandevia
  • Patent number: 11255579
    Abstract: A control method of a transcritical carbon dioxide composite heat pump system is disclosed, wherein the transcritical carbon dioxide composite heat pump system includes: a CO2 main circuit compressor, an air-cooling-air-cooling recombiner, a supercooling-evaporation recombiner, an evaporator and a CO2 auxiliary compressor; wherein the air-cooling-air-cooling recombiner comprises a CO2 main circuit, a CO2 auxiliary circuit and a water circuit; the supercooling-evaporation recombiner comprises a CO2 main circuit supercooling section and a CO2 auxiliary circuit evaporation section. The present invention includes two working modes according to the return water temperature, so that the unit has a wider application range and meets daily needs. There is only one heat exchanger for refrigerant and water. Compared with the three water and refrigerant heat exchangers in the conventional transcritical CO2 composite heat pump, the circulating water circuit is a single circuit with one inlet and one outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: XI'AN JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Feng Cao, Jing Wang, Xiang Yin, Mingjia Li
  • Patent number: 11253430
    Abstract: A system for freezing, storing, transporting, and thawing biopharmaceutical product, the system including a stationary equipment and one or more movable pallet, each pallet being configured to carry one or more container units, each containing biopharmaceutical product, the stationary equipment including a gas circulating unit configured to cause a circulation of cold gas and/or warm gas, from a pull inlet toward a blow outlet, wherein there is provided at least a first side plenum having one or more gas conveying channel therein, configured to be fluidly coupled to the blow outlet of the gas circulating unit, the first side plenum having a plurality of outlet ports directed toward an interior volume of the pallet, wherein the gas circulates substantially in a horizontal direction in the interior volume of the pallet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: SARTORIUS STEDIM NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Jonathan Cutting, Marc Sanchez
  • Patent number: 11240943
    Abstract: The disclosed concept relates to electrical isolation between power electronic and cooling and/or mounting components and, in particular, a ceramic layer disposed on one or more portions of the cooling and/or mounting components to provide electrical isolation, as well as, a thermally conductive path to remove heat produced by the power electronic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: David Glenn Woolard, Paul Thomas Murray
  • Patent number: 11231211
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system having a return air recycling system that includes a heat exchanger configured to be disposed along a refrigerant circuit of the HVAC system and flow a refrigerant therethrough, an exhaust fan configured to direct return air across the heat exchanger to place the refrigerant in thermal communication with the return air and to exhaust the return air from the HVAC system, and a controller configured to adjust a speed of the exhaust fan, a flow rate of refrigerant through the heat exchanger, or both, based on feedback indicative of a temperature of the return air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: Anil V. Bhosale
  • Patent number: 11226141
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a heat sink configured to receive thermal energy from one or more heat sources. The heat sink includes a local reservoir configured to hold a liquid coolant, and the heat sink is configured to pass the thermal energy into the liquid coolant in the local reservoir in order to vaporize at least some of the liquid coolant. The apparatus also includes a membrane configured to allow vaporized coolant to pass through the membrane out of the local reservoir into an ambient environment and to prevent unvaporized coolant from passing through the membrane. The membrane is thereby configured to provide passive flow control for the liquid coolant. The membrane could include a vapor-permeable and liquid-repelling membrane. The membrane can also be configured to hold the liquid coolant in the local reservoir against one or more surfaces of the heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: James S. Wilson, Alex E. Ockfen, Adolfo Lozano, III, Amanda S. Rickman
  • Patent number: 11186138
    Abstract: A vehicle thermal management system includes a refrigerant system, a first valve, a second valve, a third valve, a first thermally managed assembly, a second thermally managed assembly, a chiller, and a radiator, where the chiller is connected to the refrigerant system, and the chiller and the radiator respectively are arranged for cooling and/or heating the first and/or the second thermally managed assembly. In a connected mode for cooling or heating the first thermally managed assembly and the second thermally managed assembly, the first thermally managed assembly and the second thermally managed assembly are connected to each other via the first valve, the second valve, and the third valve, where the first thermally managed assembly and the second thermally managed assembly are connectable to the chiller and/or the radiator in a connected thermal control loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: NINGBO GEELY AUTOMOBILE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CO.
    Inventor: Emil Frykberg
  • Patent number: 11181284
    Abstract: A heat exchanger in which a refrigerant and air flow exchange heat includes a first heat-exchanging unit. The first heat-exchanging unit includes: a first header including a first gas refrigerant inlet/outlet; a second header including a first liquid refrigerant inlet/outlet; a plurality of first flat tubes disposed side by side in a longitudinal direction of the first header and the second header; and a first communication path formation portion that is connected to the first header and the second header and that forms a first communication path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Shun Yoshioka, Yoshiyuki Matsumoto, Shouta Agou
  • Patent number: 11175076
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a chiller with an integrated free cooling system and refrigeration system. In certain embodiments, the chiller may be a single package unit with all equipment housed within the same support frame. The chiller may generally include three modes of operation: a first mode that employs free cooling, a second mode that employs free cooling and implements a refrigeration cycle, and a third mode that uses the free cooling system to remove heat from the refrigeration system. A heat exchanger may be shared between the free cooling system and the refrigeration system to transfer heat from the refrigeration system to the free cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: William L. Kopko, Mustafa K. Yanik
  • Patent number: 11172769
    Abstract: A refrigeration bin is disclosed. The bin includes a product display area defined by four side walls, a floor, and an access opening. Also included are an air supply vent on each of a first opposing set of the side walls, and an air return vent near each of a second opposing set of the side walls, in which the second opposing set of the side walls are adjacent to the first opposing set of the side walls. There is a return air duct, a first end of the return air duct in air flow communication with the air return vent, and a supply air duct, the first end of the supply air duct in air flow communication with the air supply vent, allows air flow in the display area. A cooling device is included for cooling air before it enters the supply air duct. The refrigeration bin can be useful to showcase foodstuffs in grocery stores and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Cayuga Displays Inc.
    Inventor: Tom Schotsman
  • Patent number: 11162722
    Abstract: A system and method of retrofitting a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration system (HVACR) including one or more brazed, soldered, or mechanical connections between refrigerant lines is disclosed. The method includes removing a refrigerant from the HVACR system. The refrigerant that is removed is a non-flammable refrigerant. An enclosure is installed over the one or more brazed, soldered, or mechanical connections between refrigerant lines. A refrigerant is added to the HVACR system. The refrigerant being added has a global warming potential (GWP) that is relatively lower than the refrigerant removed from the HVACR system. The refrigerant being added has a relatively higher flammability than the refrigerant removed from the HVACR system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: William G. Hansen, Stephen A. Kujak
  • Patent number: 11162723
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling working fluid flow in a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) unit for an HVACR system are disclosed. The unit includes a compressor having a motor and a drive. The unit also includes a condenser fluidly connected to the compressor. A subcooler is located downstream of the condenser. The unit further includes an evaporator fluidly connected to the condenser. Also the unit includes a controller. The unit also includes a bypass assembly connected to the condenser. The bypass assembly includes a bypass flow control device and a bypass fluid line controlled by the bypass flow control device. When a heat recovery demand is detected by the controller, the controller is configured to open the bypass flow control device to allow a first portion of working fluid to bypass the condenser or the subcooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jun Wang, Yves Jacques Raimbault, Daoud A. Jandal, Todd J. Love, Kevin D. Pfaff, Fred Ahlstrom
  • Patent number: 11156412
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes first and second headers connected to end portions of heat transfer tubes. The second header includes a header pipe defining a flow space that communicates with the heat transfer tubes and, when the heat exchanger acts as an evaporator, allows refrigerant in a two-phase gas-liquid state to pass through the flow space into the heat transfer tubes. A bypass pipe is disposed between an entrance portion and the first header. The entrance portion has an entrance distance L between a connection end portion connected to a refrigerant pipe and a central axis of the bypass pipe. The entrance distance L of the entrance portion satisfies L?5di, where di is an inner diameter of a flow space of the header pipe on an orthogonal plane orthogonal to a direction of refrigerant flow. The bypass pipe is inserted in the flow space of the entrance portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoji Onaka, Takashi Matsumoto, Kosuke Miyawaki, Hiroyuki Okano, Takanori Koike, Takeshi Hatomura, Osamu Morimoto
  • Patent number: 11149991
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a heating and cooling apparatus having a moisture removal function for testing electrical characteristics of a semiconductor element using a probe system, in which the heating and cooling apparatus is configured to be capable of hot and cold measurement of a wafer or a flat panel display product and to be capable of efficiently removing water droplets generated at the time of cooling by adding a vortex tube to a thermo-stream provided in a probe head of the probe system and configuring the vortex tube to be interlocked with a moisture removal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Inventor: Yang Yoon Seon
  • Patent number: 11143448
    Abstract: Provided is a transport device which can perform easily thermal storage temperature controlling treatment of the thermal storage material even at a cell transport destination. The transport device of the present invention includes: a thermally insulated container that has a cylindrical shape and a bottom, a thermal storage material disposed along the inner circumferential surface of the thermally insulated container, and a temperature control unit that is detachably fitted on the thermally insulated container and is for performing thermal storage temperature controlling treatment on the thermal storage material, wherein the temperature controlling unit comprises a heat transferring body for performing the thermal storage temperature control processing on the thermal storage material when the unit is fitted on the thermally insulated container, and a storage space formed inside the heat-transferring body for storing a stored object so that the object can be freely put in and taken out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM TOYAMA CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Tsuno