Patents Examined by Dawit Muluneh
  • Patent number: 9175896
    Abstract: Provided is a refrigerator that includes a cabinet, a refrigerator door, and a cabinet sealing part. The cabinet defines a storage compartment. The refrigerator door opens and closes the storage compartment. The cabinet sealing part is provided to a contact portion between the refrigerator door and the cabinet to prevent a communication between the storage compartment and an outside. The refrigerator door includes a door liner defining an ice compartment, an ice maker in the ice compartment, the ice maker generating ice, an ice bin storing ice generated by the ice maker, an ice compartment door opening and closing the ice compartment, and a plurality of sealing parts at positions spaced apart from each other. The sealing parts prevent a communication between the ice compartment and the storage compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Sang Phil Choi
  • Patent number: 9114686
    Abstract: There is provided an air conditioning system for a passenger compartment R of an electric vehicle having a rechargeable battery unit that is chargeable by supply of power from an external power source external to the vehicle. An air conditioner (AC) ECU 27 acquires a preparatory air conditioning time ? that is the time it takes to condition the interior air of the vehicle to a target interior air temperature 27T. An HEV controller 25 acquires from a quick charger 100 a charge time left 100R that is the time it takes until charge is completed and initiate preparatory air conditioning within the passenger compartment if the charge time left 100R is less than or equal to the preparatory air conditioning time ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Hashigaya, Kensuke Momose
  • Patent number: 9086245
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes an auxiliary heat exchanger, which has plate-shaped first fins and a plurality of first heat transfer tubes, and a main heat exchanger which has plate-shaped second fins and a plurality of second heat transfer tubes. A plurality of burrs are present at specified intervals on edges of the first fins. The auxiliary heat exchanger and the main heat exchanger are so positioned that the edges of the first fins on which the burrs are present are in contact with edges of the second fins, and the edges having the burrs present thereon are positioned on the inner side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaaki Kitazawa, Shigeharu Taira
  • Patent number: 9074792
    Abstract: The heat exchanger with a radial heat source has a first header, a second header, first tubes and second tubes. The first header is configured to allow liquid to enter and exit the heat exchanger. The second header is spaced from the first header and has at least one lower baffle provided therein. The first tubes extend from the first header to the second header, with the first tubes being spaced proximate to the radial heat source. The second tubes extend from the first header to the second header, with the second tubes being spaced from the radial heat source a greater distance than the first tubes. An enhancement device may be positioned in respective tubes of the first tubes to create a water vortex in the first tubes wherein boiling of the water in the first tubes is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: HARSCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher John Ellingwood, Abdel H. Shidfar, Walter George Rykowski, Christopher Russell Hurst, Douglas James Smith, James Albert Hall
  • Patent number: 8978406
    Abstract: Provided is a refrigeration appliance including a fresh food compartment for storing food items in a refrigerated environment having a target temperature above zero degrees Centigrade, and a freezer compartment disposed vertically below the fresh food compartment for storing food items below zero degrees Centigrade. A return air duct returns air from the fresh food compartment to the freezer compartment, and a bracket supporting an evaporator includes an air barrier extending between the air duct and a bottom portion of the evaporator to minimize introduction of air returning from the fresh food compartment to a lateral side portion of the evaporator. A fan is rotatable about an axis having a substantially-horizontal orientation to circulate air, and a heater extends along a bottom portion, and beyond the lateral extents of the bottom portion of the evaporator in an upward direction along lateral sides of the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Marcelo Candeo
  • Patent number: 8978739
    Abstract: A heat dissipating device for dissipating heat from a heat radiation element includes a base, a fixing frame, a fan, and a securing arm. The fixing frame is fixedly attached to the base, and the fixing frame has two coaxially aligned receiving holes defined therein. The fan includes two coaxially aligned shafts. The aligned shafts are fittingly received in the respective receiving holes, such that the fan is detachably attached to the fixing frame and rotatable about the aligned shafts. The securing arm is rotatably attached to the base, and the securing arm is configured for holding the fan against the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chin-Ming Chang
  • Patent number: 8944155
    Abstract: A cylindrical, annular axial flow heat exchanger for use as a gas cooler in a thermal regenerative machine such as a Stirling engine is provided. The heat exchanger includes an outer shell of sufficient strength and thickness to withstand the pressure exerted by the working fluid and a tubular member positioned adjacent to and in contact with the outer shell, the tubular member having spaced apart sidewalls defining a flow passage therebetween. At least one of the sidewalls of the tubular member is embossed with ribs, the ribs being in contact with the inner surface of the outer shell thereby defining axially extending flow passages between the outer shell and tubular member along the circumference thereof for the flow of a second, gaseous fluid through the heat exchanger. The first fluid flows circumferentially through tubular member, while the second fluid flows axially between the outer shell and the tubular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Dana Canada Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Andrew Martin
  • Patent number: 8887795
    Abstract: There is provided a heat exchanger and a water heater having the heat exchanger including a uniform thickness of tin plating layer on the inner surface of a water feeding pipe. The heat exchanger H includes copper pipes 8 and 10 disposed in a casing 1 as a water feeding pipe 4 and a turbulent flow generator 13 disposed in the copper pipes 8 and 10. The turbulent flow generator 13 has a copper plating layer 14 on the surface portion thereof. The tin plating layers 17 and 18 are disposed on the inner surface of the copper pipes 8 and 10 and the surface of the turbulent flow generator 13.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Rinnai Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Toda, Akira Kumagai, Hiromitsu Sasada
  • Patent number: 8820110
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a freezer compartment and a fresh food compartment which includes an ice chamber. The ice chamber includes an ice maker which includes a first heat exchanger for producing ice. The ice chamber further includes an ice container, a second heat exchanger, an air moving apparatus, and an enclosed loop passageway. The ice container is for storing ice produced by the ice maker and includes an exterior surface. The second heat exchanger is for controlling temperature at the ice container. The passageway forms an air flow path such that air travels in thermal contact with the second heat exchanger. The air moving apparatus is positioned to move air through the passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis Schenk, Xiaoyong Fu
  • Patent number: 8800640
    Abstract: A cooled base plate is provided for electric components. A first side of the cooled base plate is provided for attaching exothermal electric components thereto. On a second side of the base plate, opposite to the first side, there is embedded a cooling channel system having a cooling fluid inlet at a first end of the base plate and a cooling fluid outlet at a second end of the base plate. In order to minimize differences in temperature between the electric components, the thickness of the base plate increases in the direction from the inlet of the cooling channel system towards the outlet of the cooling channel system, e.g., in the flow direction of the cooling fluid, for at least a portion of the length of the base plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Oy
    Inventors: Timo Väätäinen, Timo Koivuluoma
  • Patent number: 8776544
    Abstract: Provided is a refrigeration appliance including a fresh food compartment for storing food items in a refrigerated environment having a target temperature above zero degrees Centigrade. A freezer compartment is disposed at an elevation vertically below the fresh food compartment for storing food items in a sub-freezing environment having a target temperature below zero degrees Centigrade. The refrigeration appliance also includes one or more of a hand-removable insulated cover, a cool air duct for introducing cooled air adjacent an ice bin, and a rearward-sloped catch pan positioned to catch dripping water in said ice maker and direct the dripping water into a drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas W. McCollough, David R. Ducharme, Xiaoyong Fu, Dennis Schenk
  • Patent number: 8763681
    Abstract: An evaporator for a cooling circuit is provided, for cooling at least one heat emitting device by evaporation of a cooling fluid. The evaporator includes a top collector, a bottom collector, and an evaporator body. The evaporator body includes at least one thermoconducting wall that is thermally connectable to the at least one heat emitting device, a plurality of evaporation channels, and a plurality of return channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventors: Francesco Agostini, Berk Yesin, Bruno Agostini
  • Patent number: 8739859
    Abstract: Reversible thermal rectifiers for selectively controlling the direction of heat flow include a plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects disposed in a fluid medium, wherein each of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects include a refractive side and a reflective side such that heat flows past the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects when approaching from the refractive side, and heat is reflected from the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects when approaching from the reflective side, and a bidirectional field actuator system that selectively orients the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects between a first orientation, wherein the reflective sides of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects face a first direction, and a second orientation, wherein the reflective sides of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects face a second direction, substantially opposite the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Paul Rowe
  • Patent number: 8733119
    Abstract: An air conditioning equipment having an in-room unit connected to one end of the refrigerant pipes and an out-room unit connected to the other end of the refrigerant pipes. The air conditioning equipment includes signal coupling portions which are respectively disposed at both end parts of the refrigerant pipes. Each of the signal coupling portions couples an alternating current (AC) control signal to the refrigerant pipes and exhibits a predetermined impedance with respect to an AC electric signal. The configuration of the air conditioning equipment brings forth the advantages that the electrical insulation devices used in the prior art are dispensed with, and the signal transmissions between the in-room unit and the out-room unit can be performed by a simple apparatus configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyasu Higuma, Noriyuki Kushiro, Yoshiaki Koizumi
  • Patent number: 8726686
    Abstract: An ice-making device and a refrigerator having the ice-making device are provided. The ice-making device includes an ice-making housing defining a predetermined ice-making space therein, an ice tray rotatably installed in the ice-making space and provided with a plurality of ice-making grooves, and a protruding rib that is formed on the ice tray to prevent water from being splashed out of the ice-making grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jong-Seok Yoon, Byeong-Gyu Kang
  • Patent number: 8708034
    Abstract: Disclosed is an air conditioner for attempting to improve on the corrosion of the outdoor unit. The air conditioner of the present invention for performing a cooling operation and a heating operation by switching a four side valve, that includes an outdoor side heat exchanger operating as a condenser during the cooling operation and an evaporator during the heating operation, and having fins and heat transfer tubes, wherein the outdoor side heat exchanger is placed on a baseboard which configures a lower portion of a chassis of the outdoor unit, comprises the fins and the heat transfer tubes of the outdoor side heat exchanger that are constructed with aluminum or aluminum alloy, and the baseboard that is constructed with Zn—Al plated steel board or Zn—Al—Mg plated steel board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Saito, Hisashi Ueno
  • Patent number: 8707722
    Abstract: A heat exchanger, having a unit for draining condensed water collected in a lower portion of a heat exchanger core, is provided. The heat exchanger includes an upper header tank and a lower header tank; a plurality of tubes communicating with both the upper header tank and the lower header tank; a plurality of fins provided between neighboring tubes; and a plurality of condensed water drain units provided with respective fitting parts closely fitted onto ends of the tubes, wherein the condensed water drain units drain condensed water, collected in a space defined by the lower header tank, the tubes and the fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: KB Autotech Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 8642827
    Abstract: Processes for the separation of a hydrocarbon-containing feed streams are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Total Petrochemicals Research Feluy
    Inventor: Bernard Van Der Schrick
  • Patent number: 8607585
    Abstract: Disclosed related to a refrigerator according to the present invention comprising a main body in which a cold air storage is provided; a door connected to the main body; a dispenser assembly mounted on the door; and a tray assembly selectively protrudably connected to the dispenser assembly therefrom in a front direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Heon-Jae Jang, Min-Bon Koo, Chang-Bong Choi, Youl Kwon
  • Patent number: 8596085
    Abstract: According to the structure of the refrigerator and the dispenser for the same, water is easily dispensed as the water dispensing device and the ice dispensing device are separately provided and the water dispensing button is provided at the front of the chute cover, and the water dispensing device is minimally damaged due to the absorbing pad structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Min-Bon Koo, Heon-Jae Jang