Patents Examined by Elizabeth J Martin
  • Patent number: 11512900
    Abstract: A large scale field erected air cooled industrial steam condenser having heat exchanger panels independently loaded into and supported in a heat exchange frame section. A bottom bonnet runs along the bottom length of each heat exchanger panel for delivering steam to the bottom end of condenser tubes in the heat exchange panel and for receiving condensate formed in those same tubes. The tops of the tubes are connected to a top bonnet. Uncondensed steam and non-condensables are drawn into the top bonnet from the condenser tubes. A steam distribution manifold is suspended from the heat exchange section frame perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the heat exchange panels and beneath a center point of the heat exchange panels and delivers steam to each heat exchange panel via a single steam inlet located at a center point of each bottom bonnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Evapco, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas W. Bugler, Jean-Pierre Libert, Mark Huber, Toby Athron, Wayne Sexton, Ben Hildebrandt
  • Patent number: 11499782
    Abstract: A large scale field erected air cooled industrial steam condenser. A bottom bonnet runs along the bottom length of the heat exchanger bundle for delivering steam to the bottom end of the condenser tubes and for receiving condensate formed in those same tubes. The tops of the tubes are connected to a top bonnet. Uncondensed steam and non-condensables flow into the top bonnet from the condenser tubes. Each cell of the ACC is fed by steam distribution manifold suspended from and directly below the bundle support framework.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Evapco, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas W. Bugler, Jean-Pierre Libert, Mark Huber
  • Patent number: 11493246
    Abstract: A system is provided for controlling air flow over a condenser. A fan is arranged to cause flow of air over the condenser. A meter is configured to determine energy used by an air cooled chiller, which includes the condenser. A controller is configured to control air flow caused by the fan as a function of the energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventor: Duane D. Warren
  • Patent number: 11493251
    Abstract: A refrigerator having an ice maker with an improved structure. The refrigerator includes an ice maker installable in the door, and including a frame, an ice-making tray which is detachably mounted on the frame, configured to contain ice, and a water bucket which is rotatable while mounted on the frame, configured to supply water to the ice-making tray. The water bucket may include a rotating shaft as a rotation center about which the water bucket is rotatable, and a moving guide spaced apart from the rotating shaft and movable around the rotating shaft. The frame may include a rotating shaft coupling portion to which the rotating shaft is rotatably coupled, and a guide rail on which at least a portion of the moving guide is supported, configured to guide a rotational movement of the water bucket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyoungki Park, Sanggyu Jung, Jin Jeong
  • Patent number: 11493252
    Abstract: A cooling device including a liner defining a freezer compartment, a shelf positioned within the freezer compartment, and an ice maker assembly secured to the shelf. The ice maker assembly including an ice maker configured to produce ice pieces, and an ice maker support frame that supports the ice maker. The ice maker support frame includes a fill cup and an air plenum, the air plenum defining a channel therein and extends between first and second walls of the ice maker support frame. A fan is disposed adjacent the ice maker frame at a location corresponding to the air plenum. The fill cup is configured to receive water from a water fill tube and direct the water to an ice tray of the ice maker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Jose Carlos Trejo Olvera, Matthew Edge, Marcello Machado, Thomas McCollough
  • Patent number: 11486623
    Abstract: An ice maker for a refrigerator appliance includes an ice making assembly defining a receiving chamber in fluid communication with an air duct and a mold assembly removably mounted to the ice making assembly. The mold assembly includes a frame configured for receipt within the receiving chamber of the ice making assembly, a heat exchanger mounted to the frame and defining a mold support surface, and a flexible mold positioned on the mold support surface that is supported by the heat exchanger such that the flexible mold is in thermal communication with the heat exchanger and defines a mold cavity configured to receive a liquid. The mold assembly is replaceable with alternate mold assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan Joseph Mitchell
  • Patent number: 11480378
    Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet, a door, and an ice bin. The ice bin may be removably received within a chilled chamber and include a bin body and a non-vertical auger. The bin body may define a storage volume to receive ice therein and a dispenser opening in fluid communication with the storage volume. The non-vertical auger may include a rotation shaft extending along a rotation axis and a cam disposed on the rotation shaft. The ice bin may include a kick plate within the storage volume. The cam on the non-vertical auger may actuate the kick plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis A. Wantland, Bradley Nicholas Gilkey, Charles Benjamin Miller
  • Patent number: 11480376
    Abstract: Disclosed are an ice storage container (100) and a refrigerator (1000) having same. The ice storage container (100) includes: an ice delivering part (10) and an ice crushing part (20). The ice delivering part (10) includes: a container body (11), an ice pushing component (12), and a driving member. The container body (11) defines a first accommodating cavity (a) for accommodating ice cubes. The first accommodating cavity (a) is provided with an ice outlet (b). The ice pushing component (10) is arranged in the first accommodating cavity (a). The ice pushing component (12) includes a plurality of blades (1212). The driving member is connected to the ice pushing component (12). The blades (1212) of the ice pushing component (12) are configured to crush the ice cubes selectively based on a preset condition that is forward rotation or reverse rotation. The plurality of blades (1212) push the ice towards the ice outlet (b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignees: HEFEI HUALING CO., LTD., HEFEI MIDEA REFRIGERATOR CO., LTD., MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zanxi Liu, Yang Shao, Zengqiang Si, Jincai Wang
  • Patent number: 11473577
    Abstract: A compression chamber includes the compression chamber partitioning member, an intermediate pressure chamber guides an intermediate pressure working fluid before injection to the compression chamber, and the intermediate pressure chamber and the compression chamber face each other with a compression chamber partitioning member interposed between the intermediate pressure chamber and the compression chamber. Further, the intermediate pressure chamber includes an intermediate pressure chamber inlet through which an intermediate pressure working fluid flows, an injection port inlet of an injection port through which the intermediate pressure working fluid is injected into the compression chamber, and a liquid reservoir formed at a position below the intermediate pressure chamber inlet, and the liquid reservoir is formed by the compression chamber partitioning member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Nakai, Atsushi Sakuda, Takashi Morimoto
  • Patent number: 11473827
    Abstract: An environmental control unit for use with a transport container is provided. The environmental control unit includes: a thermoelectric device; a fan to blow air across the thermoelectric device; a cooling passage configured to receive the air blown across the thermoelectric device and convey the air to a compartment of a transport container when the transport container is removably connected to the environmental control unit; a controller in electronic communication with the thermoelectric device and the fan; a battery configured to power the environmental control unit; and one or more piezoelectric devices configured to generate electrical power to charge the battery, wherein each of the one or more piezoelectric devices is electrically connected to the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kyle Aaron, Ciara Poolman
  • Patent number: 11466923
    Abstract: A cooled storage system includes a grid structure of storage cells. Each cell may be arranged to accommodate a vertical stack of storage bins and having a top level. At least one remotely operated vehicle may be arranged to move at the top level of the grid structure and receive a bin from a storage cell at the top level of the grid structure. Additionally, a thermal insulation is provided between at least a section of the grid structure and the remotely operated vehicle, and the section of the grid structure has a temperature that is lower than the temperature of the remotely operated vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Autostore Technology AS
    Inventor: Ingvar Hognaland
  • Patent number: 11466913
    Abstract: An ice maker for mounting into a household cooling appliance, the ice maker includes an ice producer for producing ice; a storage container for storing ice; a driving unit for driving the storage container, the driving unit having a drive housing; and an air duct formed in the drive housing. The air duct has an air duct outlet configured in a front wall of the drive housing which faces towards the storage container and an air duct inlet provided in a side wall of the drive housing which faces towards the ice producer. A fan is arranged in the air duct. The fan generates an air stream from the ice producer to the storage container through the air duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Mathias Sigl, Jorge Carlos Montalvo Sanchez, Julio Cesar Schmidt, Marco Marques
  • Patent number: 11466916
    Abstract: A device for selectively providing crushed or uncrushed ice includes a storage receptacle for storing uncrushed ice pieces, and a grinder, which is fed with ice pieces from the storage receptacle, for crushing the ice pieces. The grinder is concealed behind an end wall which is arranged on a side of the grinder that is opposite the storage receptacle. A mechanical switching element is associated with the grinder and can be switched between two working positions. In its first working position, ice pieces received from the storage receptacle are necessarily introduced into the operating range of the grinder and in its second working position a bypass passage is freed for ice pieces received from the storage receptacle past the grinder. The device also includes a movable adjusting element in mechanical adjusting connection with the switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: EMZ-HANAUER GMBH & CO. KGAA
    Inventors: Josef Bauriedl, Albert Dimberger
  • Patent number: 11460233
    Abstract: A refrigerator including a cabinet and a compartment formed inside the cabinet and having an open front portion. A compartment door is movably connected to the cabinet for closing at least partially the open front portion of the compartment. An ice maker assembly is arranged inside the compartment and includes an ice maker. The ice maker includes an ice maker casing, a water tank and a water filter. The ice maker assembly is accessible inside the compartment when the compartment door is in an open position. The ice maker assembly includes a support housing arranged below the ice maker casing to receive the water tank and the water filter such that the ice maker casing and the support housing are provided as respective modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Electrolux do Brasil S. A.
    Inventors: Ivo Alberto Pinto Torres, Guilherme Cuman
  • Patent number: 11460232
    Abstract: An icemaker appliance includes a cabinet forming an ice storage compartment, a first reservoir provided within the ice storage compartment, a circulation system arranged within the first reservoir, an ice maker provided within the first reservoir to dispense ice into the ice storage compartment, a second reservoir connected to the ice storage compartment, a return line conduit connected to the second reservoir and the first reservoir to direct melt water from the second reservoir to the first reservoir, a second pump provided at the second reservoir to pump melt water through the return line conduit, and a cleanout line having a first end connected to the second reservoir and a second end exposed outside of the cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Joseph Mitchell, Brent Alden Junge, Stephanos Kyriacou
  • Patent number: 11454435
    Abstract: An accumulator, including a housing and a cover body, one end of the housing being open; the housing is internally provided with an accommodating cavity, the accommodating cavity being internally provided with a filter; a peripheral wall of the housing comprises a first thick wall part, the first thick wall part being provided with an inlet channel, and one end of the inlet channel communicating with the accommodating cavity, while the other end of the inlet channel communicates with the outside; one end of an outlet channel communicates with the accommodating cavity by means of the filter, while the other end of the outlet channel communicates with an outer portion of the housing. The accumulator may be directly welded and fixed to a heat exchange core without requiring a pipeline connection, the risk of external leakage being small, and the anti-seismic performance being high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Zhejiang Sanhua Intelligent Controls Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bing Zhang, Yun Wang, Ran Ding, Rongrong Zhang
  • Patent number: 11448426
    Abstract: A cooling system is configured for arranging a cooling machine and a heat exchanger, for example, inside and outside a heat insulation box. A cooling unit for discharging cooled air by heat exchange using a refrigerant and a heat exchange unit for returning the refrigerant to a coolable condition are connected by a connection portion connecting the upper portions to form an integrated cooling device. The connection portion is arranged so as to straddle an end of a sidewall of the heat insulation box, the cooling unit is arranged inside the heat insulation box, and the heat exchange unit is arranged outside the heat insulation box. During storage or movement by a delivery vehicle, the cooling device is mounted on the heat insulation box. When carrying with hand, only the heat insulation box from which the cooling device is removed can be carried.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: WACON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei Nishida, Hitoshi Fujino, Takeshi Kawaguchi, Hideo Uehara, Masaaki Mike
  • Patent number: 11448438
    Abstract: A transport climate control system for a climate controlled transport unit includes a main heat transfer circuit and a chiller heat transfer circuit. The main heat transfer circuit includes a compressor, a condenser, a main expansion valve, a main evaporator, a chiller expansion valve, and a chiller evaporator. The main evaporator and a chiller evaporator positioned are in parallel to each other downstream of the condenser. Working fluid and a second process fluid flowing through the main evaporator. Working fluid and a third process fluid flowing through the chiller evaporator. The chiller heat transfer circuit includes the chiller evaporator and the third process fluid is configured to provide auxiliary cooling. A method of operating a transport climate control system for a climate controlled transport unit includes operating in a HVACR and chiller mode, operating in a HVACR mode, and operating a chiller mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Thermo King Corporation
    Inventors: Scott A. Waters, Martin Galansky, Michal Kolda, Pavel Houdek, Brad A. Wilke
  • Patent number: 11448451
    Abstract: An air-cooled refrigerator includes an air duct assembly and an air door shielding device. The air duct assembly is provided with an accommodating cavity with a rearward air inlet. A plurality of air supply communicating holes are formed in a peripheral wall of the accommodating cavity. The air door shielding device is provided with a shielding part. The shielding part is provided with a plurality of air baffles. The shielding part is rotatably in the accommodating cavity, so as to have shielding positions for the plurality of air baffles to completely shield all of the air supply communicating holes. A bottom of a sidewall of the accommodating cavity is provided with a water guide groove inclined rearward and downward. The air duct assembly is provided with a water outlet hole communicating a rear side of the air duct assembly with a rear end of the water guide groove, so that water in the accommodating cavity flows out of the air duct assembly by means of the water guide groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignees: HAIER SMART HOME CO., LTD., QINGDAO HAIER REFRIGERATOR CO., LTD
    Inventors: Xueli Cheng, Bin Fei, Dengqiang Li, Chunyang Li, Lisheng Ji, Xiaobing Zhu
  • Patent number: 11435093
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an air-conditioning outdoor device and an air conditioner unit. The air-conditioning outdoor device comprises: an outdoor unit housing; a primary air return port and an air outlet port provided on a front panel on a side of the outdoor unit housing away from an installation wall; and a supplementary air return port provided on a side panel of the outdoor unit housing adjacent to the front panel; wherein the primary air return port and the supplementary air return port both communicate with an air return chamber inside the outdoor unit housing. The air-conditioning outdoor device of the present disclosure can effectively increase the air flow volume through the air port of the air-conditioning outdoor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignees: Gree Electric Appliances (Wuhan) Co., Ltd., Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai
    Inventors: Handong Xue, Youfu Xie, Kai Yu, Lin Yang, Hui Zhang, Chaosheng Deng, Yaguo Zhang