Patents Examined by Elizabeth Martin
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Patent number: 9200828Abstract: A refrigerator includes a main body defining a compartment, the compartment having an access opening, a first wall and a heat exchanger supported by the first wall; a refrigeration system containing therein a working medium and including an evaporator which is disposed outside of the compartment for cooling the compartment; a door supported by the main body for selectively closing at least part of the access opening of the compartment; and a sub-compartment on the door and including a second wall with an opening. The heat exchanger is coolable by the working medium. The heat exchanger and the second wall are positioned so that when the door is in a closed position, the heat exchanger is exposed to an interior of the sub-compartment through the opening.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2008Date of Patent: December 1, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Alan Joseph Mitchell, Brent Alden Junge
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Patent number: 9182080Abstract: Systems and methods to create and store a liquid phase mix of natural gas absorbed in light-hydrocarbon solvents under temperatures and pressures that facilitate improved volumetric ratios of the stored natural gas as compared to CNG and PLNG at the same temperatures and pressures of less than ?80° to about ?120° F. and about 300 psig to about 900 psig. Preferred solvents include ethane, propane and butane, and natural gas liquid (NGL) and liquid pressurized gas (LPG) solvents. Systems and methods for receiving raw production or semi-conditioned natural gas, conditioning the gas, producing a liquid phase mix of natural gas absorbed in a light-hydrocarbon solvent, and transporting the mix to a market where pipeline quality gas or fractionated products are delivered in a manner utilizing less energy than CNG, PLNG or LNG systems with better cargo-mass to containment-mass ratio for the natural gas component than CNG systems.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2011Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: SEAONE HOLDINGS, LLCInventors: Bruce Hall, Tolulope O. Okikiolu
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Patent number: 9180754Abstract: A heat pump system including a water-cooled type heat exchanger, which is a heat supply means, mounted on a first bypass line bypassing a second indoor heat exchanger to collect waste heat of vehicle electric devices to thereby enhance a heating efficiency of the heat pump system.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2011Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: Halla Visteon Climate Control CorporationInventors: Yoonho Wang, Sungho Kang, Jeonghun Seo, Younwoo Lim, Hakkyu Kim
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Patent number: 9175899Abstract: An air conditioner includes: an air passage extending from a suction port to a blowout port, a heat exchanger at the upstream side of the air passage, a cross flow fan in the air passage on the downstream side of the heat exchanger, and an air passage wall provided in a downstream area of the cross flow fan to reach the blowout port. A restricting section that restricts an air passage sectional area is provided at a corner section of the side wall of the air passage wall. The restricting section has a shape by which the air passage sectional area has a rectangular cross section expanding from the upstream side to the downstream side and is restricted to reduce an enlargement ratio of the air passage sectional area. Further, the restricting section has a smooth restricting surface crossing the corner section of the cross section of the air passage.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2011Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masaya Takahashi, Masaki Ohtsuka, Yukishige Shiraichi
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Patent number: 9175893Abstract: A refrigerator includes a main body defining a compartment, the compartment having an access opening and a first wall, a door supported by the main body for selectively closing at least part of the access opening, a sub-compartment on the door, the sub-compartment comprising a second wall having an opening, a heat exchanger supported by the first wall and positioned so that when the door is closed the heat exchanger is exposed to an interior of the sub-compartment through the opening, and a refrigeration system having a working medium for cooling the heat exchanger, where the heat exchanger further includes one or more segments of the refrigeration system attached to a heat exchanging plate.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2010Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Brent Alden Junge, Stephanos Kyriacou, Kristin Marie Weirich, Umakant Suresh Katu, Alan Joseph Mitchell
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Patent number: 9175897Abstract: An outdoor unit for an air conditioning device includes an outdoor unit main body, a heat exchanger, a fan provided in an upper part of the outdoor unit main body, the fan blowing out the air taken in from a side surface of the outdoor unit main body upward, a ventilating member surrounding an outer circumference of the fan and forming a blow-out port, and an electric component unit accommodated in the outdoor unit main body and arranged in an opening portion between one side end portion and the other side end portion of the heat exchanger, wherein the electric component unit is provided so as to cross over a lower end of the ventilating member in the up and down direction, and on the upper side than the lower end of the ventilating member, the electric component unit is arranged on the horizontally outer side than the ventilating member.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2012Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Shigeki Kamitani, Mikio Kagawa, Fumiaki Koike, Hiroshi Fuchikami
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Patent number: 9151525Abstract: A method of operating an evaporator assembly in which a refrigerant is circulatable to transfer heat out of air in a housing. The evaporator assembly includes a thermostat that completes a solenoid control circuit when the temperature of the air in the housing is above a predetermined cut-in temperature, and opens the solenoid control circuit when the temperature of the air is below a predetermined cut-out temperature. The thermostat completes a fan control circuit when the solenoid control circuit is open, and opens the fan control circuit when the solenoid control circuit is completed. A fan controller detects a signal voltage when the fan control circuit is completed, and provides a first predetermined drive voltage to a fan motor drive. Upon the fan controller failing to detect the signal voltage, a second predetermined drive voltage being greater than the first predetermined drive voltage is provided to the motor drive.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2013Date of Patent: October 6, 2015Assignee: National Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Canada Corp.Inventors: Vince Zolli, William J. Mead
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Patent number: 9134058Abstract: A refrigerant circuit is configured, which includes an electric compressor, a condenser, an expansion mechanism, an evaporator, a hot gas introduction path connecting the electric compressor and the evaporator together, and a switching valve for controlling a flow of refrigerant in the hot gas introduction path. In addition, a fan is provided. In a defrosting cycle for introducing refrigerant into the evaporator through the hot gas introduction path to defrost the evaporator, if the pressure of the condenser is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold, the fan forms an air flow from a radiator to the condenser.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2010Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: DAIKEN INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Makoto Ikemiya, Hisaaki Takaoka, Shigeto Tanaka
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Patent number: 9132765Abstract: A casing includes an engine support which is fixed to a main body of the casing and on which an engine generator is mounted. The engine support is drawable from the main body of the casing in a forward direction relative to the front side of the trailer.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2010Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Makoto Ikemiya
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Patent number: 9102028Abstract: A machine tool cooling system and cooling method which allow cost reduction by reducing the number of control valves, and in which opening/closing control is simple are disclosed. The machine tool cooling system and cooling method include a hot oil tank storing hot oil, a cold oil tank storing cold oil, a first to third hot oil passages and a first to third cold oil passages, which supply the hot oil and the cold oil to a first to third heat generating portions, a hot oil return passage returning the hot oil to the hot oil tank, a first to third supply control valves interposed in the first to third cold oil passages, and a valve controller controlling opening/closing of the first to third supply control valves so that the cold oil is supplied to the first to third heat generating portions intermittently at different timings.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2010Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: DMG MORI SEIKI CO., LTD.Inventors: Satoshi Miyamoto, Naoki Furukawa, Masahiro Oguma, Yusuke Ikeda, Yoichi Okamoto
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Patent number: 9091465Abstract: A method for generating a heat flow from a magnetocaloric element (1) comprising at least one magnetocaloric material (2) comprising a hot end (3) associated with a hot chamber (4) and a cold end (5) associated with a cold chamber (6), the method comprises magnetically and alternately activating and de-activating the magnetocaloric element (1) and circulating a heat transfer fluid through the magnetocaloric element (1) alternately towards the hot chamber (4) and the cold chamber (5) in synchronisation with the magnetic activation and de-activation phases. This method is characterized in that the method comprises reversing the direction of circulation of the heat transfer fluid during the magnetic activation and de-activation phases and also relates to a magnetocaloric heat generator implementing the method.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2010Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: Cooltech Applications Societe par actions simplifieeInventors: Christian Muller, Jean-Claude Heitzler, Alain-Francois Douarre
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Patent number: 9080795Abstract: An air conditioning system includes a refrigerant evaporated in an outdoor heat exchanger. The refrigerant is drawn into a compressor in a state heated by a heater that includes a carbon nanotube heating element in a heating mode to more stably and efficiently perform heating.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2009Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventor: Sanghun Lee
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Patent number: 9062900Abstract: A space-saving cooling system for an aircraft may include an evaporator in an enclosure with an accumulation region in the enclosure for a liquid mixture of liquid refrigerant and lubricating oil. Space saving may be achieved through a combining of evaporator functions and accumulator functions in a single enclosure. A heat exchanger may be interposed between the evaporator and the compressor for heating refrigerant emerging from the evaporator so that liquid refrigerant does not reach an inlet of the compressor.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2010Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventors: Ranjit Darke, Peter Zheng, Ricky Gov
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Patent number: 9010130Abstract: A heat exchanger apparatus includes a housing having a sidewall defining a chamber in the housing for containing a cryogen; and a first insulation member movably mounted for coaction with the sidewall, the first insulation member moveable to a position to expose or cover a select portion of the sidewall to provide a heat transfer effect.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2011Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: Linde AktiengesellschaftInventor: Stephen A. McCormick
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Patent number: 8959948Abstract: A receiver dryer for a motor vehicle air conditioning system includes an elongate housing, the housing having opposite ends and an external wall that extends between the ends, an inlet positioned in a first section of the housing for receiving condensed refrigerant from the condenser unit, an outlet positioned in a second section of the housing for providing dried condensed refrigerant to the condenser unit with a partition dividing the first section from the second section such that the second section is above the first section, a first chamber in the first section containing a desiccant for drying the refrigerant received from the inlet, a second chamber in the second section containing a filter for filtering the dried condensed refrigerant provided to the outlet, and a conduit.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2011Date of Patent: February 24, 2015Assignee: Halla Visteon Climate Control CorporationInventors: Richard Armsden, Dominic Bennett, Leo Somhorst
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Patent number: 8925340Abstract: An ice bank of a refrigerator is provided. The ice bank includes an ice accommodation chamber storing ice pieces made by an ice maker, and an ice pressing unit circulating the ice pieces by pressing the ice pieces for preventing sticking of the ice pieces in the ice accommodation chamber.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2010Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Sung Hoon Chung, Eui Yeop Chung, Nam Gi Lee, Wook Yong Lee
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Patent number: 8899063Abstract: A machine for producing products such as ice cream, frozen beverages or granita. An example of the machine comprises a tank with a tap for dispensing a product. A cylinder with a substantially horizontal axis projects from a rear wall inside the tank. The cylinder forms the evaporator of a refrigerating circuit. A mixer element around the cylinder rotates coaxially with the cylinder axis. A motor unit is connected to the mixer element via a drive shaft passing along the axis of the cylinder. The drive shaft connects to the mixer element at one end of the cylinder opposite the rear wall. The motor unit comprises a final reduction stage in alignment with the cylinder axis, a motor arranged at an angle with respect to the cylinder axis and substantially parallel to the rear wall, and an angular drive between the final reduction stage and the motor.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2012Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Ugolini SpAInventor: Marco Corrado Ugolini
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Patent number: 8869550Abstract: An ice and cold water dispensing assembly for a refrigeration appliance includes a reservoir holding water having a water level and an ice maker for making ice cubes to be held within the water within the reservoir. A structure is provided on the reservoir allowing the reservoir to be removably attached to the refrigeration appliance. A handle and a spout are attached to the reservoir and are configured for allowing manual dispensing of ice cubes or water from the reservoir when the reservoir is removed from the refrigeration appliance. An ice dispenser and a water dispenser are provided in the refrigeration appliance for dispensing ice cubes or water respectively from the reservoir when the reservoir is attached to the refrigeration appliance. Related refrigeration devices are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2011Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Andrew Reinhard Krause, Edward Philip Strauss
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Patent number: 8850845Abstract: A portable cooling unit comprising a magnetic spiral vapor pump that utilizes a magnetic pulse between two electromagnets and spiral drive slots to pull a piston back-and-forth 180-degrees and thereby alternately align compression slots on the piston's opposing ends with vapor suction ports and highly-compressed vapor discharge ports. Electromagnet use lowers the amount of battery power required for piston rotation. A condenser in a mounting pan under the pump achieves refrigerant condensation, while a fan blowing air through an evaporator positioned within a flexible hose causes cool air discharge through openings in the hose's terminal end fitting. The condenser utilizes surplus condensation from the evaporator to aid its vapor-to-liquid conversion, and batteries only provide power for the magnetic control module and fan.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2011Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Inventor: David Wayne Tucker
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Patent number: 8769972Abstract: A refrigeration system defines a closed loop that contains a working fluid, at least part of the working fluid being circulated through the closed loop. The refrigeration system includes a first heat transfer device that transfers heat from the first heat reservoir to the working fluid, a second heat transfer device that transfers heat from the working fluid to the second heat reservoir, and an electrochemical compressor between the first and second heat transfer devices. The electrochemical compressor includes one or more electrochemical cells electrically connected to each other through a power supply, each electrochemical cell including a gas pervious anode, a gas pervious cathode, and an electrolytic membrane disposed between and in intimate electrical contact with the cathode and the anode.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2009Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Xergy IncInventor: Bamdad Bahar