Patents Examined by David Teitelbaum
  • Patent number: 9958218
    Abstract: A heat exchanger (1) for a motor vehicle includes a plurality of tubes (2) arranged in a first and a second row (3A, 3B); a first and a second header tank (4, 5) inside which tanks (4, 5) the tubes (2) of each of the rows (3A, 3B) emerge; and a longitudinal dividing partition (16) arranged in the first header tank (4) to divide the first header tank (4) longitudinally into refrigerant inlet and outlet compartments (17, 18) into which the tubes (2) of the first row (3A) and of the second row (3B) emerge. The longitudinal dividing partition (16) includes a plurality of transverse dividing partitions (27) arranged in the second header tank (5) to divide the second header tank (5) transversely into a plurality of return compartments (28) into which at least one tube (2) of each of the rows (3A, 3B) emerges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: VALEO SYSTEMES THERMIQUES
    Inventors: Aurelie Bellenfant, Alain Pourmarin, Fabienne Bedon, Eric Goyet, Jean-Christophe Prevost, Virginie Vincent
  • Patent number: 9951987
    Abstract: A refrigerator having a quick-freezing function includes: a main body; at least one freezing chamber disposed in the main body and comprising at least one quick-freezing chamber; a freezing evaporator disposed in the main body, and spaced apart from the at least one freezing chamber via a freezing air duct cover plate; a freezing fan corresponding to the at least one freezing chamber and a quick-freezing fan corresponding to the at least one quick-freezing chamber, and configured to blow cold air generated by the freezing evaporator into the at least one freezing chamber and the at least one quick-freezing chamber respectively; and a controller configured to control the freezing fan and the quick-freezing fan. The refrigerator can maintain the taste and nutrition of foods through quick-freezing, and prolong the fresh period of vegetables and fruits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignees: HEFEI MIDEA REFRIGERATOR CO., LTD., HEFEI HUALING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wei Ren, Lingyun Li, Jian Cheng
  • Patent number: 9939188
    Abstract: A portable cooler is provided that includes a base that supports a refrigeration unit. The base also supports a plurality of upwardly-extending support poles that accommodate a top portion. The support poles, top portion, and base define a food storage volume that is surrounded by a plurality of insulative walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Inventor: Brad Lockwood
  • Patent number: 9933795
    Abstract: A cooler includes an estimator. The estimator is configured to estimate a coolant temperature from a measurement value of the temperature sensor. The estimator is configured to determine a difference by subtracting an immediately preceding measurement value from a current measurement value, determine a correction value from the difference, and output an estimated value of the coolant temperature. The estimated value is obtained by adding the correction value to the current measurement value. The correction value is obtained by multiplying a gain by the difference. The gain is determined from a time constant, the gain is determined according to a flow rate of the coolant. The time constant is obtained when a transfer function of heat transferred from the coolant to the temperature sensor is modeled as a first order lag system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Etsushi Taguchi, Natsuki Nozawa
  • Patent number: 9925846
    Abstract: Sun load on a cabin of a vehicle is determined without a sun load sensor by affixing a relative humidity/temperature sensor to an inside of a windshield of the vehicle. The relative humidity/temperature sensor includes a relative humidity sensor that senses relative humidity of air at the relative humidity sensor, a temperature sensor that senses temperature of the air at the relative humidity sensor and a glass temperature sensor that senses temperature of glass of the windshield. A controller determines the sun load based on readings from the relative humidity/temperature sensor of relative humidity of the air at the relative humidity sensor, temperature of the air at the relative humidity sensor and temperature of the glass of the windshield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventor: Allan W Flanagan
  • Patent number: 9919632
    Abstract: A cup holder for a vehicle includes a holder body, a support unit, a temperature sensor, and a control unit. The holder body is configured to accommodate a cup, is provided with a thermoelectric element, is formed in a double sidewall structure, and is provided with an internal blower that is disposed in the inner space of the double sidewall structure. The support unit is configured such that the front portion thereof protrudes from the inner side of the holder body and supports a side of the cup, and is provided with an illuminant that is capable of expressing a plurality of colors and radiates light onto the cup. The temperature sensor is provided on the holder body, and measures temperature. The control unit changes the color of the illuminant of the support unit based on the measured temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, KBAUTOTECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Man Ju Oh, Jae Woong Kim, Jae Woo Park, Jae Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 9920967
    Abstract: The hot and cold water air conditioning system includes a water temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of water flowing out of the heat pump heat source apparatus by an operation of the water circulation pump, and a controller configured to perform, in a heating operation, on/off normal control that turns on a compressor when the water temperature detected by the water temperature sensor becomes lower than a target water temperature and turns off the compressor when the water temperature becomes higher than a first temperature value higher than the target water temperature, and to switch from the on/off normal control, upon repeating the on/off operation of the compressor at a minimum frequency necessary for an operation of the compressor in the on/off normal control, to on/off restriction control that turns on the compressor when the water temperature becomes lower than a second temperature value lower than the target water temperature and turns off the compressor when the water temperature be
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Takahiro Ushijima
  • Patent number: 9920949
    Abstract: In an air conditioning system of the present disclosure, the controlling module determines state of the indoor unit. If the indoor unit is under off state, the controlling module determines whether an indoor temperature is smaller than a preset temperature. If yes, the controlling module controls the indoor unit to heat according to a first heating temperature. If the indoor unit is under heating state, the controlling module sets a second heating temperature of the indoor unit to the first heating temperature, and controls the indoor unit to heat according to the first heating temperature. The first heating temperature is smaller than the second heating temperature. If the indoor unit is under cooling state, the controlling module sets a first cooling temperature to a second cooling temperature which is greater than the first cooling temperature, and controls the indoor unit to cool according to the second cooling temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignees: GD Midea Heating & Ventilating Equipment Co., Ltd., Midea Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Meibing Xiong, Yongfeng Xu, Xihua Ma, Weilong Hu
  • Patent number: 9920966
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method of removing a high boiling point residue from a waste refrigerant are provided to improve a reuse rate of the waste refrigerant by improving an oil removal rate at which oil is separated from the waste refrigerant. The apparatus includes a vaporizer that is configured to vaporize a waste refrigerant collected from a vehicle and includes an oil outlet configured to exhaust oil separated from the waste refrigerant. In addition, an oil separator is configured to receive the vaporized waste refrigerant transferred from the vaporizer and separate oil mists remaining in the waste refrigerant from the waste refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Han Seok Kim, Jong Rae Cho, Dae Sung Jung
  • Patent number: 9915454
    Abstract: An outdoor heat exchanger includes a fan configured to adjust a heat transfer coefficient ao of the outside of a heat transfer tube through which a refrigerant flows, a bypass passage and flow rate control valve configured to adjust a heat transfer coefficient ?i of the inside of the heat transfer tube through which the refrigerant flows, and an on-off valve configured to adjust a heat transfer area A where the refrigerant exchanges heat with a heat medium. A controller controls the heat transfer coefficient ?o of the outside of the heat transfer tube, the heat transfer coefficient ?i of the inside thereof, and the heat transfer area A to control a heat exchange amount of the outdoor heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Ariyama, Kosuke Tanaka, Hirofumi Koge, Hiroyuki Okano
  • Patent number: 9915472
    Abstract: A portable beverage cooler assembly includes a cooler that insertably receives a beverage container. The cooler includes a freezable gel. The cooler is frozen thereby facilitating the freezable gel to be frozen. The freezable gel maintains the beverage container at a cooled temperature. A lid is removably coupled to the cooler and the lid has an opening extending therethrough. The opening is aligned with an opening in the beverage container. Thus, a beverage in the beverage container may be consumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Inventor: Matthew Sabo
  • Patent number: 9915453
    Abstract: An efficient indirect building cooling system that bypasses a conventional chiller mechanism by connecting the indoor and outdoor intermediate fluid systems when conditions permit. This system includes indoor and outdoor fluid cooling circuits, each of which interfaces with the conventional chiller mechanism. The two fluid cooling circuits are connected together when weather conditions make doing so more efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Systecon, Inc.
    Inventor: Terrence J. Moses
  • Patent number: 9909792
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a compressor, a water-refrigerant heat exchanger, pressure reducing devices which reduce the pressure of a refrigerant, an air-side heat exchanger, an outdoor fan which delivers air to the air-side heat exchanger, a geothermal-side heat exchanger, a switching device which switches a flow passage so that the air-side heat exchanger or the geothermal-side heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, and a controller. The controller controls the switching device so that, when the geothermal-side heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, the air-side heat exchanger and the water-refrigerant heat exchanger are connected in parallel, and stops the outdoor fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Ryo Oya
  • Patent number: 9903604
    Abstract: A humidity control and ventilation device includes: a determiner determining that another ventilation device has turned on, if at least one of an increasing variation in the rotation speed of the air supply fan and an increasing variation in the rotation speed of the exhaust fan exceeds a corresponding one of predetermined values while the air supply fan and the exhaust fan are under the constant airflow rate control; and an air-flow-rate controller decreasing one of the rotation speed of the air supply fan or the rotation speed of the exhaust fan if the determiner determines that the ventilation device is on, such that a total air supply rate and a total air exhaust rate in the ventilation target space are balanced with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Eguchi, Gakuto Sakai
  • Patent number: 9901190
    Abstract: A cooling unit including a base group, a rear wall group and an upper group, defining a cooling chamber from below, the back and above, and are provided at least in part with components of a cooling device and which have a multi-layered structure with a flow channel arrangement embodied therein. In the base group as well as the rear wall group and the upper group intermediate spaces are formed between respective layers as parts of the flow channel arrangement, and an evaporator or another heat exchanger of the cooling device is arranged in a vertical intermediate chamber for generating cooling air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: AHT COOLING SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventor: Reinhold Resch
  • Patent number: 9903534
    Abstract: A cryogenic fluid delivery system includes a tank adapted to contain a supply of cryogenic liquid, with the tank including a head space adapted to contain a vapor above the cryogenic liquid stored in the tank. A liquid withdrawal line is adapted to communicate with cryogenic liquid stored in the tank. A vaporizer has an inlet that is in communication with the liquid withdrawal line and an outlet that is in communication with a vapor delivery line. A pressure building circuit is in communication with the vapor delivery line and the head space of the tank. The pressure building circuit includes a flow inducing device and a control system for activating the flow inducing device when a pressure within the head space of the tank drops below a predetermined minimum pressure and/or when other conditions exist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Chart Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Gustafson, Erik Gustafson
  • Patent number: 9903535
    Abstract: A cryogenic liquid conditioning system with flow driven by head pressure of liquid contained in a cryogenic storage tank, and a cryogenic liquid delivery system with flow driven by pressure in the vapor space of the cryogenic storage tank. A heat exchanger, coupled to the cryogenic storage tank located below the liquid level of the tank, operates as a portion of both the conditioning system and delivery system. A piping system moves cryogenic liquid to the heat exchanger where it is vaporized, and then moves vaporized liquid to the vapor space of the cryogenic tank and an application. The piping system includes a controller and valve(s) for controlling flow through the system. A sensor for measuring the saturated pressure of cryogenic liquid is coupled to the storage tank or piping system, and is in communication with the flow controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Green Buffalo Fuel, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth Leo Snyder, Robert Francis Desjardins, Nathaniel Eaton Allen, James Joseph Donovan, Mark Ray Nuernberger, Peter Maurice Coleman
  • Patent number: 9885483
    Abstract: A thermostat for cooking appliances powered by gas includes a body defining an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit that receive a gas flow from a supply source and to supply it to a gas burner, and a chamber having a substantially cylindrical shape that is in fluid communication with the inlet conduit, and also with the outlet conduit either directly, through a main opening formed at one end thereof, or indirectly, through a secondary conduit formed in the body of the thermostat. The gas flows into the outlet conduit bypassing the main opening. A one-piece valve adjusting the gas flow rate is coaxially fitted in the chamber and guided by its peripheral walls. These features make the structural configuration of the thermostat body and its conduits is much more compact, functional and less expensive than in thermostats known in the art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Defendi Italy S.r.l.
    Inventor: Luca Pedretti
  • Patent number: 9884536
    Abstract: A refrigerant cycle (16) for cooling as a prototype is provided with: an internal condenser (8) connected to a discharge circuit of an electric compressor (9) and disposed on a downstream of an internal evaporator (7) of an HVAC unit (2); a first heating circuit (18) connected to a receiver (11) through a switching unit (17) arranged on an inlet side of the external condenser (8); and a second heating circuit (23) connected between an outlet side of the receiver (11) and a suction side of the electric compressor (9) and provided with a second expansion valve (20) and an external evaporator (21). A heat pump cycle (24) for heating is formed by a second heating circuit (23) including the electric compressor (9), the internal condenser (8), the switching unit (17), the first heating circuit (18), the receiver (11), the second expansion valve (20), and the external evaporator (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Katayama, Nobuya Nakagawa, Toshihisa Kondou, Masatoshi Morishita
  • Patent number: 9879888
    Abstract: An auxiliary heat exchanger may reduce a temperature of a refrigerant allowed to pass through the auxiliary heat exchanger. The operation of the auxiliary heat exchanger may be controlled. In some implementations, the auxiliary heat exchangers may include fluid retention members, thermoelectric coolers, and/or other types of heat exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Robert B. Uselton