Patents Examined by Edward F Landrum
  • Patent number: 10571169
    Abstract: A test chamber for conditioning air has a temperature-insulated test space sealable against an environment for receiving test materials and a temperature control device for controlling the temperature of the test space, a temperature ranging from ?20° C. to +180° C. in temperature being able to be realized within the test space by means of the temperature control device, said temperature control device comprising a cooling device having a cooling cycle having a refrigerant, a heat transmitter, a compressor, a condenser and an expanding element, the cooling cycle comprising an internal heat transmitter, the internal heat transmitter being connected to a high-pressure side of the cooling cycle upstream of the expanding element and downstream of the condenser in a flow direction, said refrigerant being able to cooled by means of the internal heat transmitter which is coupled to an adjustable supplementary refrigeration of the cooling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: WEISS UMWELTTECHNIK
    Inventors: Christian Haack, Johannes Teichmann
  • Patent number: 10562377
    Abstract: A refrigeration system for a vehicle includes a compressor in fluid communication with a condenser and an evaporator. The compressor includes a variable speed motor and employs capacity modulation using refrigerant injection. The condenser and the evaporator include variable speed fans. The refrigeration system includes a battery to supply power to the refrigeration system. The battery is charged by one or more sources of power including the vehicle. The refrigeration system includes a control module configured to monitor one or more characteristics of the battery and to control one or more operating parameters of one or more of the compressor, the condenser, and the evaporator based on the one or more characteristics of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Shawn W. Vehr, Joseph James Rozsnaki, Joseph G. Marcinkiewicz
  • Patent number: 10563899
    Abstract: A refrigerator appliance and method of dispensing cooling air towards a targeted cooling zone for cooling objects within a fresh-food compartment. The dispensing of cooling air may be based in part on the temperature of the object within the targeted cooling zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mark Wilson
  • Patent number: 10563892
    Abstract: A level sensor is configured to provide a receiver level indicating an amount of the refrigerant present in the receiver and a level model provides a heat rejecting heat exchanger estimate indicating an amount of the refrigerant present in the heat rejecting heat exchanger based on a temperature of the refrigerant. From the sensor and the model, a loss of refrigerant from the refrigerant vapor compression system is estimated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Danfoss A/S
    Inventors: Frede Schmidt, Kristian Fredslund, Jan Prins
  • Patent number: 10563902
    Abstract: A refrigerator including a main body having a plurality of storage compartments to store food; a door configured to open and close the main body; a door switch configured to detect an opening and closing of the door; a microphone configured to receive a voice of a user; and a controller configured to recognize the voice of the user input from the microphone and extract shopping goods information, wherein the controller extracts the shopping goods information based on the voice of the user input through the microphone when the door is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sungyup Kim, Jaeyoung Kim, Yoonseong Kim, Sungyoon Ham
  • Patent number: 10557654
    Abstract: An collective device for switching refrigerant flow arranged between an indoor device and an outdoor device is provided; which includes multiple high-pressure valves; multiple low-pressure valves; a high-pressure header; a low-pressure header; a high-pressure gas pipe connecting each high-pressure valve and the high-pressure header; and a low-pressure gas pipe connecting each low-pressure valve and the low-pressure header, wherein the multiple high-pressure valves are arranged next to each other in a first direction perpendicular to a vertical direction, the multiple low-pressure valves are arranged next to each other in the first direction, and the low-pressure valves, the low-pressure header, and the low-pressure gas pipe are arranged on one side in a second direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and the first direction with respect to the high-pressure valves, the high-pressure header, and the high-pressure gas pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi-Johnson Controls Air Conditioning, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazunori Fukuda, Koji Naito, Kazuhiro Tsuchihashi
  • Patent number: 10551106
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a refrigeration system comprises an emergency electric power supply configured to supply power to at least one motor drive of the system. The system comprises a power switch coupled to the emergency electric power supply, a tank configured to store a refrigerant, a first compressor configured to compress the refrigerant of the tank, and a controller coupled to the power switch and first compressor. The controller may receive an indication from the power switch that the system is using the emergency electric power supply, and in response to receiving the indication from the power switch that the system is using the emergency electric power supply, operate the system in a first power outage mode. The controller may determine an amount of power to supply to the first compressor based on the first power outage mode and transmit a signal to instruct the first compressor to turn on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
    Inventors: Steven C. Pfister, Douglas Samuel Cole
  • Patent number: 10551086
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a sound level in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system are disclosed. The system includes a refrigeration unit including a compressor, a condenser fan, a controller, and a sound controller. The sound controller is configured to maintain a sound level of the refrigeration unit within a sound level operating range. A method of controlling a refrigeration unit for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is described. The method includes determining, by a controller, a cooling requirement of a conditioned space. The controller also determines a sound level operating range for the refrigeration unit. The method further includes the controller applying a cooling setting based on the cooling requirement and the sound level operating range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Pavak Mehta, Sean Smith
  • Patent number: 10548241
    Abstract: An apparatus for cooling a computer system includes a primary cooling loop. The primary cooling loop includes an evaporator configured to cool at least a component of the computer system, an ambient cooled condenser connected to the evaporator, a first pump to provide a coolant flow within the cooling loop, a pressure regulator configured to maintain a selected pressure in the primary cooling loop, and a controller responsive to changes in outdoor ambient conditions and an amount of heat dissipated by the computer system and configured to dynamically adjust the pump and pressure regulator in response thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Timothy J. Chainer, Milnes P. David, Pritish R. Parida
  • Patent number: 10539341
    Abstract: A multiple-evaporation cooling system in which the intermediate heat exchanger of first evaporation line includes at least a segment of the physically arranged expansion device in contact with at least a portion of the second row of evaporation and the intermediate heat exchanger's second evaporative line includes at least one expansion device segment physically disposed in contact with at least one portion of a first evaporation line. Considering the temperature of the intermediate heat exchanger of first evaporation line influences the temperature of the refrigerant flowing in the second line of evaporative expansion device and the temperature of the intermediate heat exchanger of the second evaporative line influences the temperature of the refrigerant flowing in the first line of evaporative expansion device. Features include varying the restriction of the respective expansion devices and then unduly inhibit mass transfer of refrigerant between at least two distinct evaporation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Embraco—Industria De Compressores E Solucoes EM Refrigeracao LTDA.
    Inventors: Dietmar Erich Bernhard Lilie, Gustavo Portella Montagner
  • Patent number: 10533783
    Abstract: An air conditioner including an outdoor device that includes a bypass path connecting a discharge side of the compressor and a suction side of the compressor, an on-off valve configured to open/close the bypass path, and a control device configured to control the compressor, the decompression device, and the on-off valve. The control device opens the on-off valve in a state in which the compressor is stopped to execute such bypass opening that refrigerant circulates, through the bypass path, from the discharge side of the compressor in a refrigerant storage state in which refrigerant is stored to the suction side of the compressor in a substantially vacuum state, and evaluates a volume of the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi-Johnson Controls Air Conditioning, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Xue, Koji Naito, Atsuhiko Yokozeki
  • Patent number: 10532632
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a startup mode control module that receives at least one parameter associated with operation of a compressor of the refrigeration system, determines whether the at least one parameter indicates that the compressor is in a high ambient temperature startup condition, and selects, based on the determination, between a normal startup mode and a high ambient temperature startup mode. A compressor control module operates the compressor in the normal startup mode in response to the startup mode control module selecting the normal startup mode, operates the compressor in the high ambient temperature startup mode in response to the startup mode control module selecting the high ambient temperature startup mode, and transitions from the high ambient temperature startup mode to the normal startup mode after a predetermined period associated with operating in the high ambient temperature startup mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Shawn W. Vehr, Joseph James Rozsnaki, Joseph G. Marcinkiewicz
  • Patent number: 10526188
    Abstract: A water cooling apparatus and a water purifier having a water cooling apparatus is provided. The water cooling apparatus may include a case, a water tank provided within the case, a cooling block provided to be in contact with the water tank and to cool the water tank through heat exchange, a thermoelectric element having one side in contact with the cooling block and provided so as to transfer heat from the one side to another side of the thermoelectric element when power is applied thereto, an insulator provided within the case and that covers the water tank and the cooling block, and a heat dissipation block provided outside of the case and provided to be in contact with the other side of the thermoelectric element to dissipate heat from the other side of the thermoelectric element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jintae Kim, Jinpyo Hong, Jaegeun Lee, Jisun Jung
  • Patent number: 10527327
    Abstract: An exemplary heat pump includes: an accumulator that separates liquid refrigerant from gas refrigerant returning to a compressor; a refrigerant suction channel connecting the compressor to the accumulator; a refrigerant return channel that returns liquid refrigerant in the accumulator to the refrigerant suction channel; a first valve disposed on the refrigerant return channel; a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of refrigerant in the refrigerant suction channel; a second valve that reduces a pressure of a part of liquid refrigerant flowing between the first and second heat exchangers; a refrigerant evaporator that gasifies, by using waste heat of an engine, the liquid refrigerant whose pressure has been reduced; a gas refrigerant supply channel through which the gasified refrigerant is supplied to the accumulator; and a control device that, while the first valve is open, controls an opening of the second valve based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideshi Okada, Hirotoshi Kihara, Sadanori Yasuda, Keisuke Ota, Tomoya Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 10520227
    Abstract: A pulse-tube cryocooler includes a compressor piston that is axially aligned with a pulse tube. The compressor piston is an annular piston that has a central hole around its axis. An inertance tube, connected to one end of the pulse tube, runs through the central hole in the compressor piston. The cryocooler also includes a balancer that moves in opposition to the compressor piston, to offset the forces in moving the compressor piston. The balancer may also be axially aligned with the pulse tube, the annular piston, and the inertance tube. The alignment of the compressor piston, the pulse tube, and the inertance tube aligns the forces produced by movement of fluid within the cryocooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Ryan Yates, Theodore J. Conrad, Brian R. Schaefer
  • Patent number: 10508845
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle system includes: a first refrigeration cycle apparatus which is connected to a first compressor, a first condenser, a first pressure reduction device, and a first evaporator and through which the refrigerant circulates; a second refrigeration cycle apparatus which is connected to a second compressor, a second condenser, and a second pressure reduction device, and a second evaporator; a first bypass passage connecting a portion between the first evaporator and the first compressor to a portion between the second evaporator and the second compressor; and a second bypass passage connecting a portion between the first condenser and the first pressure reduction device to a portion between the second condenser and the second pressure reduction device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Nagae, Ryo Oya
  • Patent number: 10495078
    Abstract: A device for controlling a compressor of vehicles may include a sensor module including a cabin temperature sensor, an outdoor temperature sensor, an evaporator temperature sensor detecting a temperature of cooling medium in an evaporator, a vehicle speed sensor, and a brake sensor, an injector, an air conditioning system including a condenser, an evaporator, the compressor, a temperature control door controlling a temperature of air flowing into a cabin, an intake door selectively distributing an inner air or an outer air into the cabin, and a blower blowing the air to the intake door, and a controller controlling the injector and the air conditioning system, wherein the controller accumulates a cold air energy by increasing an operation of the compressor if a speed-reducing condition occurs, and the air conditioning system uses the accumulated cold air energy by decreasing the operation of the compressor if a release condition occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jae Woong Kim, Ki Lyong Jang, Chang Won Lee
  • Patent number: 10495331
    Abstract: An air conditioner includes: an outdoor unit; a plurality of indoor units respectively including indoor heat exchangers; expansion valves respectively provided to the plurality of indoor units, the expansion valves being configured to adjust flow rates of a refrigerant in the indoor heat exchangers; and a controller for executing a refrigerant amount balance control for adjusting opening degrees of the expansion valves so that operation state amounts, with which the indoor heat exchangers exert heat exchange amounts, of the plurality of indoor units become equal to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: FUJITSU GENERAL LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Oka, Takahiro Matsunaga, Takashi Kimura, Shigeaki Suyama, Kotaro Toya
  • Patent number: 10495351
    Abstract: A two-stage pressure buildup refrigeration cycle apparatus has a low-pressure side compressor, a high-pressure side compressor, and a controller. The controller controls, for improving a COP, the low-pressure side compressor and the high-pressure side compressor in a COP improving operation mode in which a refrigerant discharge capacity of one of the low-pressure side compressor and the high-pressure side compressor is set based on a refrigerant discharge capacity of an other of the low-pressure side compressor and the high-pressure side compressor, when a required level of a refrigeration performance is low. The controller controls the low-pressure side compressor and the high-pressure side compressor in a high performance operation mode in which a refrigerant discharge capacity of the high-pressure side compressor is increased after increasing a refrigerant discharge capacity of the low-pressure side compressor, when the required level of the refrigeration performance is high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasutaka Kuroda
  • Patent number: 10495720
    Abstract: A control valve assembly may include a housing, an inlet, an outlet, and a plurality of thermostatic control valves biased toward a closed position and arranged within the housing between the inlet and the outlet. The thermostatic control valves may each be associated with separate respective flow paths between the inlet and the outlet and have different operating temperatures. The valves may be configured to open at their respective operating temperatures and remain open unless the fluid falls below their respective operating temperature such that when multiple thermostatic control valves are open the amount of fluid flowing through the control valve is equal to the addition of the amount of fluid flowing through each valve. The operating temperatures and the flow rates of the thermostatic control valves may be selected to limit the passage of pathogens through the control valve assembly. A degassing valve may also be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: WTS LLC
    Inventors: Brian Plourde, John Abraham, Douglas Plourde, Richard Pakonen