Patents Examined by Elizabeth Martin
  • Patent number: 8733113
    Abstract: A refrigerator has an icemaker that includes a partition arm extending from the outside of the ice making tray into the ice making tray, the partition arm constituting a part of an ice compartment structure to define ice making cells. When the ice making tray is rotated in a given direction, the ice making tray allows ice to be separated from the ice making cells by being twisted by the partition arm. When the ice making tray is rotated in an opposite direction, the ice making tray allows the ice still present in the ice making cells to fall from the ice making cells by interference with a rotation stopper formed at the partition arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Koog An, Sung Cheol Kang, Chang Uo Hong, Young Il Song, Hae Ryong Jeon, Se Woong Kim
  • Patent number: 8720219
    Abstract: A device and corresponding method for cooling electronics is disclosed. The device is an all-solid-state optical cryocooler and can include an optically pumped semiconductor laser (OPSL); a cavity configured to receive and control absorption of the optically pumped semiconductor laser, the cavity having a high reflection (HR) surface and an anti-reflection (AR) surface; and a doped crystal housed within the cavity, the doped crystal configured to cool in response to input of the optically pumped semiconductor laser. The method can include supplying an intracavity optically pumped semiconductor lasers to a doped crystal within a cavity; and configuring the cavity to include a high reflection (HR) surface and an anti-reflection (AR) surface, the HR surface and AR surface formed on or in connection with the doped crystal to increase pump light absorption at the crystal within the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: STC.UNM
    Inventor: Mansoor Sheik-Bahae
  • Patent number: 8720224
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gravity flooded evaporator for use with commercial or industrial heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems, and which does not require integration or use of a conventional, separately field-piped, surge vessel and associated subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: REJ Enterprises, LLP
    Inventor: Justin Marc Brown
  • Patent number: 8720221
    Abstract: A refrigerator that has a refrigerating compartment and a freezer compartment. A refrigerating compartment door covers at least a portion of the refrigerating compartment. An ice compartment located in the refrigerating compartment is located on the refrigerating compartment door. An ice maker is located in the ice compartment and a dispenser is located on the refrigerating compartment door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffery J. Anselmino, Nihat Cur, Marcus R. Fischer, Tushar Kulkarni, Douglas D. LeClear, Frank W. Maglinger, Jim J. Pastryk, Andrew M. Tenbarge
  • Patent number: 8640492
    Abstract: A heat transfer system defines a closed loop that contains a working fluid that is circulated through the closed loop. The heat transfer system includes an electrochemical compressor including one or more electrochemical cells electrically connected to each other through a power supply. Each electrochemical cell includes 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. The heat transfer system also includes a tubular system that receives at least one electrochemically-active component of the working fluid from an output of the electrochemical compressor and, if present, other components of the working fluid that bypass the electrochemical compressor. The tubular system has a geometry that enables at least a portion of the received working fluid to be imparted with a gain in kinetic energy as it moves through the tubular system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Xergy Inc
    Inventor: Bamdad Bahar
  • Patent number: 8635883
    Abstract: An evaporator assembly through which a refrigerant is circulated to transfer heat out of a volume of air in a housing in which the evaporator assembly is at least partially disposed. The evaporator assembly includes an evaporator in fluid communication with a compressor for compressing the refrigerant, a solenoid valve subassembly for controlling circulation of the refrigerant, a thermostat electrically connectable to the solenoid valve subassembly via a solenoid control circuit, one or more fans for circulating the air in the housing, and one or more fan motors for rotating the fans. Drive voltage supplied to the fan motors is controlled by a fan controller. The fan controller provides a first predetermined drive voltage to the motor drive when refrigerant is circulatable and a second predetermined drive voltage to the motor drive when refrigerant is non-circulatable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: National Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Vince Zolli, William J. Mead
  • Patent number: 8627679
    Abstract: A refrigerator which has a refrigerating section maintained above 0 degrees C., and a freezer section located below the refrigerating section maintained below 0 degrees C. A refrigerating section door covers at least a portion of the refrigerating section. An ice compartment is located on the refrigerating section door. An ice is located in the ice compartment with an ice storage bin located in the ice compartment below the ice maker. A dispenser located on the refrigerating section door can dispense ice from the ice storage bin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Nihat Cur, Marcus R. Fischer, Tushar Kulkarni, Douglas D. Leclear, Frank W. Maglinger, Jim J. Pastryk, Andrew M. Tenbarge, Mary Ann Anselmino
  • Patent number: 8578731
    Abstract: One aspect of this disclosure provides a refrigerant charge compensator having an increased heat transfer surface. The housing has an internal volume and first and second ports for allowing a passage of refrigerant therethrough. The internal volume is partitioned into an indirect refrigerant passageway that extends through the housing and a refrigerant storage area. The refrigerant storage area has a storage access port and is in contact with the indirect refrigerant passageway. Also a heat pump system implementing the compensator is provided and a method of manufacturing the compensator is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Distributor Products LLC
    Inventor: Dae-Hyun Jin
  • Patent number: 8516840
    Abstract: A solar powered air conditioner comprising of at least one solar panel, an inverter that converts the DC voltage created by the solar panels to AC voltage connected to the solar panel, a battery charger that receives the AC voltage from the inverter and converts the AC voltage to DC voltage, a charge controller connected to the battery charger, a rechargeable battery connected to the charge controller, a contactor connected to the rechargeable battery and to a thermostat, a DC powered motor connected to the contactor, and an air conditioning system, the air conditioning system having an air compressor and an air conditioning motor, the air compressor connects to the DC powered motor via a belt, and the air conditioner motor connects to the contactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Inventor: Ramon E. Debesa
  • Patent number: 8459048
    Abstract: An air conditioning system is provided with mainly an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser and an energy recovery device. The compressor is fluidly connected to the evaporator to compress low-pressure refrigerant exiting the evaporator to high-pressure refrigerant. The condenser is fluidly connected to the compressor to receive the high pressure refrigerant and dissipate heat therefrom. The energy recovery device is configured to extract work from refrigerant flowing therethrough. The energy recovery device includes a movable expander and a valve. The movable expander has an inlet fluidly connected to the condenser to receive high pressure refrigerant exiting the condenser, an outlet fluidly connected to the evaporator to deliver low pressure refrigerant thereto and a chamber fluidly connected between the inlet and the outlet. The valve is configured to control a flow rate of high pressure refrigerant flowing from the inlet to the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald S. Eisenhour