Patents Examined by Edward F Landrum
  • Patent number: 10486491
    Abstract: A method for estimating thermal sensation calculates, on the basis of a thermal image, a first temperature, which is a surface temperature of a first area, and a second temperature, which is a surface temperature of a second area, calculates a first amount of heat lost on the basis of the first temperature and first information, calculating a second amount of heat lost on the basis of the second temperature and second information, obtains an area ratio of the first area to the second area, calculates a total amount of heat lost, which is an amount of heat lost from a whole body of a person in a unit area, on the basis of the first amount of heat lost, the second amount of heat lost, and the area ratio, and estimates thermal sensation, which indicates a degree of warmth or coldness of the person, on the basis of the total amount of heat lost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aki Yoneda, Koichi Kusukame, Hiroko Kubo
  • Patent number: 10486488
    Abstract: An air conditioning module including a compressor for inhaling and compressing a refrigerant, a condenser for condensing the refrigerant compressed in the compressor, and an expansion means for throttling the refrigerant condensed in the condenser. An evaporator evaporates the refrigerant supplied through the expansion means. The air conditioning module also includes a housing including a first passageway, a second passageway, a first discharge passageway, and a second discharge passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Jong Bo Won, Sang Gu Woo, Dong Kyu Lee, Tae Yong Park, Yong Nam Ahn
  • Patent number: 10480854
    Abstract: Described herein are systems and processes to produce liquefied natural gas (LNG) using liquefied nitrogen (LIN) as the refrigerant. Greenhouse gas contaminants are removed from the LIN using a greenhouse gas removal unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Richard A. Huntington, Parag A. Gupte, Fritz Pierre, Jr., Robert D. Denton
  • Patent number: 10480838
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus controller includes an expansion-valve controller configured to output an opening-degree command for an expansion valve based on a deviation between a discharge temperature of refrigerant discharged from a compressor and a set discharge temperature, and at least two control parameters including a proportionality coefficient and an integral coefficient, a flow-rate-correction-coefficient calculator configured to calculate a flow-rate correction coefficient from a refrigerant flow rate of refrigerant circulating through a refrigerant circuit and a preset flow-rate reference value, and a coefficient corrector configured to calculate the proportionality coefficient by correcting a preset proportionality-coefficient reference value based on the flow-rate correction coefficient, and calculate the integral coefficient by correcting a preset integral-coefficient reference value based on the flow-rate correction coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masashi Fujitsuka, Masaya Kimura, Kazunori Tsuchino
  • Patent number: 10473388
    Abstract: A method, which is for controlling a temperature of a refrigerating compartment, includes cooling the refrigerating compartment, cooling the freezing compartment, determining a temperature of the refrigerating compartment, and based on the temperature of the refrigerating compartment, controlling the refrigerating compartment to a constant temperature range by controlling opening and closing of first and second passages of a three-way valve of the refrigerator to alternate cooling the refrigerating compartment and cooling the freezing compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Hyeon Cho, Sunghee Kang, Kihwang Kim
  • Patent number: 10473347
    Abstract: On the screen of a display unit, period border lines are displayed. The period border lines divide hours (for example 24 hours) for a user's desired one day into a plurality of periods and present line segments movable on the screen in a predetermined direction. Each of the line segments acts as a border lien between mutually adjacent periods. On the screen, target temperatures which are set for the respective periods are also displayed. Dragging the period border liens (K1 to K4) so as to move on the screen makes it possible to move a start time and a stop time of mutually adjacent periods are changed simultaneously. In addition to this change, target temperatures which were set before the change are reset for changed periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Wataru Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 10473354
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a refrigeration cycle circulating refrigerant and connecting a compressor, a heat-source-side heat exchanger, one or more of load-side expansion devices, and one or more of load-side heat exchangers by refrigerant pipes, a bypass having one end connected to a discharge side of the compressor of the refrigeration cycle and the other end connected to a suction side of the compressor of the refrigeration cycle to bypass a portion of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor, a first expansion device depressurizing the refrigerant flowing through the bypass, an auxiliary heat exchanger cooling the refrigerant depressurized at the first expansion device, a second expansion device controlling a flow rate of the refrigerant flowing from the auxiliary heat exchanger to the suction side of the compressor, and a controller controlling an opening degree of the second expansion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Hatomura, Osamu Morimoto, Katsuhiro Ishimura, Shinichi Wakamoto, Soshi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10473092
    Abstract: A thermostat comprises a hollow body containing a thermally responsive material, and a force transmitting member affixed to the body by an over-molded portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: KOHLER MIRA LIMITED
    Inventors: Nigel Sansum, Richard Mead
  • Patent number: 10459463
    Abstract: A water control valve may comprise a valve shell, a sliding block, an operating valve piece, a fixing valve piece, a valve base and a check valve. The sliding block, the operating valve piece and the fixing valve piece are stacked sequentially and positioned inside the valve shell. The sliding block has a valve rod which is formed at an upper portion thereof and sticking out of the valve shell, and a bottom portion of the sliding block is engaged with the operating valve piece such that, through operating the valve rod, the sliding block is configured to drive and have movements with the operating valve piece concurrently to perform different aligning patterns between the operating valve piece and the fixing valve piece, thereby enabling the water control valve to control on/off operation of a faucet, the amount of water flow and the mixing ratio of hot/cold water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: HAIN YO ENTERPRISES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chia-Po Chang
  • Patent number: 10458699
    Abstract: A refrigerator may include a cabinet forming a storage compartment; a rear panel forming a rear wall of the storage compartment and having a cooling air outlet hole which discharges cooling air toward the storage compartment; a fan housing coupled to the rear panel and in which a fan configured to circulate cooling air is installed; an outlet port which is formed at the fan housing and discharges cooling air supplied by driving of the fan; and a drawer provided capable of being withdrawn forward from an inside of the storage compartment, wherein the drawer includes: a drawer body forming a storage space; and a cooling air duct provided above the drawer body and having a cooling air path in communication with the outlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Ahreum Park, Younseok Lee, Junsoo Han, Yongjin Lee
  • Patent number: 10458688
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for frost management of an evaporator are described herein. One device includes a memory, and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to receive operating information of a heat pump, determine a first set point of at least one of a number of components of the heat pump and a first operating temperature, receive a second operating temperature of the evaporator that is positively offset from the first operating temperature of the evaporator, determine a second set point of at least one of the number of components of the heat pump based on the second operating temperature, and modify a set point of at least one of the number of components of the heat pump to the second set point such that a heating mode of the heat pump is enabled for a heating interval length of the heat pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Pavel Trnka, Paul McGahan
  • Patent number: 10443482
    Abstract: A thermostat valve has a cylindrical valve housing formed as a single integrated unit out of synthetic resin material, having an annular body and a frame attached to one end of the annular body by a plurality of legs, a disk-shaped valve stem disposed in another end of the valve housing and movable along an axial direction, a spring seat that holds an opposite end of spring means away from the valve stem and locked and held in place by hooks at tips of locking arms extending from the valve housing, and a thermo-element fixedly mounted to an element guide provided in the frame of the valve housing that moves the valve stem in a valve opening direction in response to fluid temperature. An annular step having a top portion of predetermined width is formed adjacent to the rim of the opening in the one end of the valve housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: NIPPON THERMOSTAT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuhito Shimomura
  • Patent number: 10442615
    Abstract: Embodiments pertain to a method and apparatus for protecting temperature sensitive products during air, ground, or sea transportation. Embodiments relate to a chamber built inside a trailer or sea container where temperature sensitive products are placed to have additional protection against the environmental conditions encountered during the transportation and distribution periods. The dimensions and modularity of the chamber can vary depending on the trailer or sea container the chamber is designed to be used with. This chamber can be preassembled and inserted into the desired trailer or sea container or can be assembled inside the trailer or sea container. The chamber system can include insulated and or non-insulated walls, conveyor system, ventilation system, temperature and asset (trailer or sea container) location tracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: BLUEYE, LLC
    Inventors: Jean Vezina, Charles Khalil
  • Patent number: 10436484
    Abstract: A caulking fixation type power element has a diaphragm, an upper lid member forming a pressure actuation chamber with a working gas, a receiving member provided with a through hole in its center portion and arranged in an opposite side to the upper lid member in relation to the diaphragm, and a stopper member arranged in a lower space formed between the diaphragm and the receiving member, and is integrated according to a circumferential welding by lapping the upper lid member, the diaphragm and the receiving member, the stopper member has a main body portion inserted to the through hole of the receiving member, and a flange portion having a larger diameter than the through hole and formed in one end of the main body portion, and the flange portion is arranged so as to come into contact with the receiving member from the lower space side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: FUJIKOKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Matsuda, Junya Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 10436480
    Abstract: The present invention regards a thermally driven, environmental control unit including, in a closed fluid-flow, non-pressurized circuit, a mixing heat exchanger, a heat recovery unit, a fractionator/evaporator, and one or more condensers. The system is designed to include at least one solute and a solvent, selected so that the mixture of each solute and the solvent produce an enthalpy change of between about 5 to 30 kJ/mol for cooling and ?10 to ?200 kJ/mol for heating. A plurality of pumps are integrated into the system to move the solute and the solvent, and a mixture thereof, among the various components of the present invention. The unit further includes a liquid loop coupled with the mixing heat exchanger and an air handler to provide warm or cool supply air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Inventors: Gong Zhou, Aly H Shaaban
  • Patent number: 10429086
    Abstract: When hot water supply and room heating are requested simultaneously, a hot water supply operation, by which energy saving is achieved without impairing the comfortability in a room, is performed. A heat-pump apparatus of a variable operation capacity type, a primary water circuit, a hot water tank, a room heater, and a controller are provided. The controller sets a hot water supply operation completion target time in the case of a requests for a simultaneous hot water supply and room heating operation, based on a temperature difference between the outdoor air temperature and the indoor temperature, and determines the rotation speed of the compressor in the hot water supply operation completion target time set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Yoshida, Taro Hattori, Kazutaka Suzuki, Koji Matsuzawa, Hirokazu Minamisako, Kei Takeyama, Masahiro Hata
  • Patent number: 10429106
    Abstract: A falling film evaporator includes an evaporator housing and a plurality of evaporator tubes disposed in the evaporator housing and arranged into one or more tube bundles, through which a volume of thermal energy transfer medium is flowed. A plurality of tube sheets support the plurality of evaporator tubes. A first wall member and a second wall member extend vertically at opposite lateral sides of the plurality of evaporator tubes. The first wall member and the second wall member define an inner vapor passage therebetween, define a first outer vapor passage between the first wall member and the evaporator housing, and define a second outer vapor passage between the second wall member and the evaporator housing. A first gap between a first wall member lower edge and the plurality of tube sheets is greater than second gap between a second wall member lower edge and the plurality of tube sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Marcel Christians, Jack Leon Esformes, Satyam Bendapudi
  • Patent number: 10415842
    Abstract: Provided is an outdoor unit for an air conditioner and the like that provide notification of whether maintenance is needed for an outdoor heat exchange unit in appropriate timing. The outdoor unit for the air conditioner includes: a compressor; an outdoor heat exchange unit through which a refrigerant flows by driving of the compressor; an outdoor fan that includes an outdoor fan motor and is installed near the outdoor heat exchange unit; and a control unit that provides notification of whether maintenance is needed for the outdoor heat exchange unit based on an airflow resistance during an outdoor air-sending operation in which the outdoor fan is driven to send outdoor air into the outdoor heat exchange unit while the compressor is stopped. This makes it possible to provide the notification of whether the maintenance is needed for the outdoor heat exchange unit in appropriate timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi-Johnson Controls Air Conditioning, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuaki Nagahashi, Koji Naito, Hayato Mori
  • Patent number: 10415838
    Abstract: A portable air-conditioner includes a case in which a condenser and an evaporator are integrally installed and an inlet and an outlet are formed; and an exhaust unit integrally coupled to the case and guiding air heat-exchanged with the condenser to an outdoor area, wherein the exhaust unit includes an exhaust pipe fixed to the case in one end thereof, disposed to be at least partially inserted into the case, and having a portion, excluding the one end, spaced apart from the case; and a shielding module installed in a window, fixed to the other end of the exhaust pipe, and detachably received in the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Moohee Kim, Donghwal Lee, Hyuckjae Kwon
  • Patent number: 10403942
    Abstract: A cooling system for cooling a main battery 10 includes a cooling fan 40 and a temperature sensor 61 configured to detect a battery temperature TB. The cooling system performs constant control in which the cooling fan 40 is driven at a constant command value when the battery temperature TB reaches or exceeds a first temperature T0 after startup of the electrically powered vehicle. Additionally, the cooling system detects whether or not a malfunction occurs in the cooling fan 40, based on an actual rpm of the cooling fan 40 obtained during the constant control. The cooling system performs the constant control in a situation in which charging of the main battery 10 is continued for a predetermined period of time or longer after the startup of the vehicle, regardless of whether the battery temperature TB is below the first temperature T0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junta Izumi, Kiyohito Machida, Masakazu Habu, Kiyoe Ochiai