Patents Examined by Elizabeth J Martin
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11428452
    Abstract: A motor assembly includes a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor; a gear box in which the BLDC motor is installed; and a power transmission part having a plurality of gears installed in the gear box so as to transmit power generated by the BLDC motor to an ice bin. The BLDC motor comprises: a stator and a rotor rotating with respect to the stator, wherein the rotor may be connected to the power transmission part by a shaft and the stator may be coupled to the gear box in a separable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Aejin Byun, Hongseok Park
  • Patent number: 11428453
    Abstract: A refrigerator having a thawing function includes: a freezer chamber having a thawing chamber; an evaporator configured to generate a cold air through a heat exchange; a circulation fan configured to transmit, to the freezer chamber, the cold air generated by the evaporator; a high frequency wave generator provided at one side of the thawing chamber to generate high frequency waves in order to thaw a material to be thawed accommodated in the thawing chamber; a heat absorber configured to come in thermal contact with the high frequency wave generator to absorb heat from the high frequency wave generator; and a heat conduction member connected between the heat absorber and the evaporator to transfer heat from the heat absorber to the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Moongyo Jung, Youngheon Kim
  • Patent number: 11428423
    Abstract: A humidifier cools air in an air path that supplies the air to an internal space of a storage chamber such as a container or a warehouse, extracts water in a water extracting unit, stores the extracted water in a humidifying unit, and humidifies the internal space. The air path includes a main path that communicates with the internal space and a discharge path that discharges a part or all of water-extraction air to the outside of the target space, so that the humidifier can sufficiently humidify the internal space without receiving supply of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Noritaka Kamei, Naohiro Tanaka, Hidenori Matsui
  • Patent number: 11421924
    Abstract: A heat transfer circuit that includes a main flow path for a working fluid that extends through a compressor, a condenser, an expander, and an evaporator. The working fluid includes CF3I. The heat transfer circuit also includes an additive stream configured to supply additive for the CF3I to the working fluid in the main flow path based on a discharge temperature of the compressor. A method for operating a heat transfer circuit that includes directing a working fluid including CF3I through a main flow path of the heat transfer circuit. The method also includes changing a concentration of additive for the CF3I based on a discharge temperature of the working fluid from the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Stephen A. Kujak, Kenneth J. Schultz, Elyse M. Sorenson, Morgan Elizabeth Herried Leehey
  • Patent number: 11421927
    Abstract: A refrigerator appliance is provided. The refrigerator appliance includes a fresh food compartment, an ice storage compartment within the fresh food compartment and insulated from the fresh food compartment, a sealed system configured to circulate a refrigerant through a refrigerant conduit; an ice maker positioned in the fresh food compartment and being in direct thermal communication with the sealed system, and an insulated door configured to open and close the ice storage compartment to selectively allow ice from the icemaker to enter the ice storage compartment. Methods of using the refrigerator appliance are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan Joseph Mitchell
  • Patent number: 11415352
    Abstract: An apparatus for melting ice comprising an ice bin structure containing ice. The ice bin structure comprising a housing with four walls, a floor, and optionally four supporting legs, a nozzle assembly structure comprising a pipe as well as a head structure, wherein the head structure is oriented at a downward angle; a drainage means situated at the floor of the housing structure; and a removable cover oriented to comprehensively fit the open top of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Inventor: Naoki Sonoda
  • Patent number: 11414268
    Abstract: An automated cryogenic storage system includes a freezer and an automation system to provide automated transfer of samples to and from the freezer. The freezer includes a bearing and a drive shaft though the freezer, the drive shaft being coupled to a rack carrier inside the freezer and adapted to be coupled to a motor. The automation module includes a rack puller that is automatically positioned above an access port of the freezer. The rack puller engages with a sample rack within the freezer, and elevates the rack into an insulating sleeve external to the freezer. From the insulating sleeve, samples can be added to and removed from the sample rack before it is returned to the freezer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: AZENTA, INC.
    Inventors: Robert T. Caveney, Frank Hunt, Lingchen Sun, Julian D. Warhurst, Bruce S. Zandi, Anthony C. Bonora
  • Patent number: 11419246
    Abstract: A thermosiphon includes a condenser; an evaporator that includes a fluid channel and a heat transfer surface, the heat transfer surface defining a plurality of fluid pathways in the fluid channel that extend through the fluid channel, the evaporator configured to thermally couple to one or more heat-generating electronic devices; and a transport member that fluidly couples the condenser and the evaporator, the transport member including a liquid conduit that extends through the transport member to deliver a liquid phase of a working fluid into the fluid pathways, the transport member further including a surface to vertically enclose the plurality of fluid pathways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Soheil Farshchian, Kenneth Dale Shaul
  • Patent number: 11408614
    Abstract: A temperature management system for a private household or public building wherein there is one hot reservoir and one cold reservoir which are or can be coupled with at least one solar collector or outdoor heat exchanger that is installed outdoors for the purpose of heating or cooling the respective reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Inventor: Jan Franck
  • Patent number: 11402145
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes an evaporator, a first fan, a first duct, a second fan, a second duct, and a plate. The first duct is mounted between the evaporator and the first fan. The first fan moves air from the first duct into a first zone. The second fan moves air from the second duct into a second zone. The plate is mounted between the evaporator and the second duct. The plate includes a plate aperture wall that defines a duct aperture formed through the plate. A first aperture of the second duct is adjacent the second fan. A second aperture of the second duct is positioned to encompass the duct aperture. A center of the duct aperture is positioned a distance from a center of the evaporator measured in a first direction. The distance is between 0% and 40% of a total length of the evaporator in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Sub-Zero Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Elizabeth Wohlers, Brant David Springer