Patents Examined by Erik Mendoza-Wilkenfe
  • Patent number: 9528730
    Abstract: A bottom mount refrigerator is provided including a thermal battery or phase change material positioned within the refrigerator or freezer in order to increase energy efficiency and compartment sizes of the refrigerator. The thermal battery can be used with an ice maker to aid in removing heat from the water in the ice maker to produce ice. Furthermore, the phase change material or thermal battery may be used with a thermoelectric cooler to aid in ice production. The phase change material may be tuned to various temperatures according to the desired use of the phase change material, as well as the location of the thermal battery or phase change material. Other embodiments include positioning the phase change material in the liner of the compartments or in thermal storage units in order to further increase the energy efficiency of the refrigerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Patrick J. Boarman
  • Patent number: 9528745
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for and a method of reducing and/or avoiding ice formation inside a cooling space (41) of a refrigerated transport container (1) comprising at least a cooling unit (40) and an evaporator (16) located in the cooling space (41), where the cooling unit (40) comprises at least an intermittently operated compressor (6) operated between a first active state and a second less active state, and wherein the method comprises: reducing and/or avoiding ice formation inside the cooling space (41), when the system is operated at a temperature setpoint where a potential risk of ice build-up on the external surface of the evaporator exists, by altering a cycling of the compressor (6) between the first active state and the second less active state such that the number of melting-refreezing cycles at an external surface of the evaporator is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Maersk Line A/S
    Inventors: Leijn Johannes Sjerp Lukasse, Janneke Emmy De Kramer-Cuppen
  • Patent number: 9506673
    Abstract: A container is described having a wall with a thickness defined by inner and outer surfaces, said inner surface defining an internal cavity for receiving fluid, the container having an opening through which fluid can enter/exit the container, said opening being connected to a fluid conduit at least a length of which extends through the wall in between the inner and outer surfaces thereof which exits through the inner surface to communicate with the internal cavity. Also described is a pulse tube refrigerator/cryocooler system including such a container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: THE HYMATIC ENGINEERING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Scott Spooner, Chun Fai Cheuk
  • Patent number: 9506660
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for air-conditioning rooms and to a heat pump for use in such an arrangement. The arrangement comprises a central heating device, to which multiple lines containing a heat-exchanging fluid are connected. The arrangement additionally comprises multiple decentralized, electrically operated heat pump units, which are energetically connected to the central heating device via the mentioned lines. The respective heat pump unit has a plurality of heat pump modules, which absorb thermal energy from the fluid for heating or deliver thermal energy to the fluid for cooling and/or dehumidifying. The mentioned heat pump modules preferably comprise Peltier elements acting as heat pump elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Mentus Holding AG
    Inventors: Lars Hoehmann, Adrian Peterhans
  • Patent number: 9494154
    Abstract: The refrigerator includes: a cooling-water line having a cooling-water pump to thereby send water for cooling a refrigerant inside of a condenser; a lubricating-water supply line connecting the part downstream from the cooling-water pump on the cooling-water line and a compressor 4 and supplying water flowing through the cooling-water line as a lubricant to the compressor 4; and a backup portion supplying water to the lubricating-water supply line instead of supplying water from the cooling-water line when the cooling-water pump is not driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignees: Tokyo Electric Power Company, Incorporated, Chubu Electric Power Company, Incorporated, THE KANSAI ELECTRIC POWER CO., INC., KABUSHI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO, DANISH TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE, JOHNSON CONTROLS DENMARK APS
    Inventors: Ryo Fujisawa, Masatake Toshima, Toshikatsu Kanemura, Yoshihiro Nakayama, Koichiro Iizuka, Satoshi Ide, Kunihiko Suto, Kazutaka Kurashige, Ichirou Sakuraba, Daisuke Hayashi, Keiji Sugano, Shinji Shato, Hans Madsboll, Klaus Damgaard Kristensen
  • Patent number: 9488384
    Abstract: A water heater module with a heat exchanger configured to be submersible inside a water storage tank, and further configured to divert refrigerant between the heat exchanger and an air handler in response to a demand for heating water or a demand for conditioning an interior space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventor: Derek Leman
  • Patent number: 9481820
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods for selecting refrigerant and lubricant combinations for use in heat transfer cycle systems and provides methods for operating said heat transfer systems. More particularly, the invention provides methods to select lubricant and refrigerant combinations for a heat transfer cycle system wherein at the lower temperatures of the heat transfer cycle the refrigerant and lubricant are miscible and at the upper temperatures of the heat transfer cycle the refrigerant and lubricant are phase separated and such that the density phase inversion temperature of the combination is below the upper operating temperature of the heat transfer cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Arkema Inc.
    Inventors: Brett L. Van Horn, Philippe Bonnet
  • Patent number: 9482456
    Abstract: An evaporator apparatus comprising at least one container configured to maintain liquid for freezing and a plurality of heat transfer compartments configured around the at least one container to allow for the flow of cold anti-freeze in order to freeze the liquid and warm anti-freeze in order to thaw frozen blocks of ice contained within the evaporator apparatus. A lever integrated into the body of the evaporator to allow for rotation of the evaporation in order to harvest the frozen blocks of ice. The evaporator further including, at least one inlet opening to allow for the inflow of anti-freeze into the plurality of heat transfer compartments and at least one outlet opening to allow for the discharge of anti-freeze from the evaporator apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Inventor: Hani Toma
  • Patent number: 9481468
    Abstract: An environmental control system for an aircraft. The environmental control system is powered by engine bleed air. A primary turbocharger is provided that includes a first turbine and a first compressor. The first turbine is powered by the engine bleed air. The first compressor draws ambient air and creates a first compressed air supply without ever exposing the first compressed air supply to the engine bleed air. A secondary turbocharger is provided that has a second compressor and an expansion turbine. The second compressor further compresses the first compressed air supply to create a second compressed air supply. A heat exchanger is provided that cools the second compressed air supply to create a cooled compressed air supply. The cooled compressed air supply powers the expansion turbine. This causes the cooled compressed air supply to losing both heat and pressure to become a conditioned air supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Inventor: Peter Schiff
  • Patent number: 9462826
    Abstract: A machine for processing and keeping ice cream, slush drinks and similar products, comprises a display counter comprising, a plurality of visible mixing and freezing cylinders for processing basic products and keeping ice cream, and a cooling circuit which allows the temperature of the basic products and of the ice cream to be adjusted; the cooling circuit is equipped with a first refrigerating circuit and a second heating circuit having respective offtake branches dedicated to each of the mixing and freezing cylinders and designed to maintain the temperature for processing the basic product at the same temperature for keeping the ice cream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: ALI S.p.A.—CARPIGIANI GROUP
    Inventors: Andrea Cocchi, Roberto Lazzarini
  • Patent number: 9464826
    Abstract: A hybrid system including an absorption heat pump and a compression chiller is provided. The absorption heat pump includes a generator, a first condenser, a first evaporator and an absorber connected in series. A first refrigerant is cooled by the first condenser and releases a first heat capacity, evaporated in the first evaporator and receives a second heat capacity, and mixed with a sorbent in the absorber and releases a third heat capacity. The compression chiller includes a compressor, a condensing module and a second evaporator connected in series. A second refrigerant is cooled by the condensing module and releases the second heat capacity, and evaporated in the second evaporator and receives a fourth heat capacity, wherein the condensing module is connected to the first evaporator, so that the second heat capacity released by the second refrigerant is transmitted to the first refrigerant in the first evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Inventor: Jen-Huang Tsai
  • Patent number: 9451732
    Abstract: The invention discloses the multistage cooling of an aircraft electronic system (2) with at least one electronic component which delivers heat. The multistage feature results from the use of a plurality of circuits for transferring the waste heat. An internal coolant (14) circulating in a closed circuit which is thermally coupled to the electronic component carries heat from the at least one electronic component to a heat exchanger (6) which delivers the heat to an external coolant which flows and/or circulates from a source outside of the aircraft electronic system (2) through the heat exchanger (6) to a sink outside of the aircraft electronic system (2). The internal coolant flows from the heat exchanger (6) in the direction of the at least one electronic component and/or circulates in a closed circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Frey, Ahmet Kayihan Kiryaman, Markus Kerber, Michael Dreyhaupt, Carsten Colberg, Peter Schwebke
  • Patent number: 9447980
    Abstract: An outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus includes a heat exchanger, a casing constituent member and a seal member. The heat exchanger has plural collection header pipes, plural fins disposed at a predetermined fin pitch between the header pipes, and plural heat transfer tubes inserted through the fins and connected to the header pipes. An interstice larger than the fin pitch is formed between one of the header pipes and one of the fins adjacent to the one of the header pipes. The casing constituent member is disposed facing the one of the header pipes and is configured to surround part of the heat exchanger. The seal member is attached to the casing constituent member, is pressed against the one of the header pipes and the one of the fins in the environ of the interstice facing the casing constituent members, becomes deformed, and closes the interstice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Masui, Masashi Kuroishi, Takuya Kazusa, Junichi Hamadate
  • Patent number: 9435551
    Abstract: An apparatus is configured to receive an incoming air stream from within an enclosure and to exhaust an outgoing air stream into the enclosure, the incoming and outgoing air streams flowing in a flow direction. The apparatus comprises an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger has a heat extraction portion and a heat depositing portion, wherein the heat extraction portion is disposed in an air stream outside of the enclosure and wherein the heat depositing portion is disposed downstream of the evaporator with respect to the flow direction. A method includes receiving an incoming air stream from within an enclosure in a dryer apparatus, the apparatus including an evaporator, a compressor, and a condenser. A heat exchanger is operably connected to the dryer apparatus to transfer sensible heat from an air stream outside of the enclosure to a location downstream of the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Inventor: Khanh Dinh
  • Patent number: 9395097
    Abstract: An energy recovery ventilator unit. The unit comprises a cabinet housing a primary intake zone, a supply zone, a return zone, an exhaust zone and an enthalpy-exchange zone. The primary intake zone and the exhaust zone are both on one side of the enthalpy exchange zone. The supply zone and the return zone are both on an opposite side of the enthalpy exchange zone. The unit also comprises first and second blowers. The first blower is located in the primary intake zone and configured to push outside air into the primary intake zone and straight through the enthalpy exchange zone into the supply zone. The second blower is located in the return zone and configured to push return air into the return zone and straight through the enthalpy exchange zone into the exhaust zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Justin McKie, Eric Perez, Bryan Smith, Steve Schneider
  • Patent number: 9392886
    Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser includes a refrigerated insulated cabinet having a front wall that is hingedly attached to the cabinet. The front wall is rotatable between a closed position covering a storage area in the cabinet and an open position permitting access to the storage area. An opening is provided in the front wall to permit merchandise to be removed from the storage area when the front wall is in the closed position. Adjusting the front wall to the open position permits pallets loaded with merchandise, including ice bags, to be loaded into the merchandiser with a wheeled lifting device such as a forklift or hand jack. A roller may be provided on the front wall to help in adjusting the front wall between the open and closed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Classic Ice, LLC
    Inventor: Ryan Maasen
  • Patent number: 9375503
    Abstract: Provided is an air conditioner for an automobile capable of having uniform perfume performance in a width direction of the automobile by discharging air mixed with a perfume component supplied from a perfume generating unit through a discharging part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Jae Ho Kim, Jin Hyuck Kim, Sung Je Lee, Yong Jun Jee, Sang Chul Byon, Nam Jun Lee, Yong Sung Kwon
  • Patent number: 9377253
    Abstract: A heat exchange system is provided that may include a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger spaced apart from the first heat exchanger, a connection device provided between the first and second heat exchangers to guide refrigerant into the first and second heat exchangers, and one or more connection pipes that couple the connection device to the first and second heat exchangers, the connection pipes including at least one bent portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Soonchul Hwang, Junghoon Kim
  • Patent number: 9374991
    Abstract: A system for killing pests in an affected area of a structure comprises a heat pump unit placed within an affected area. The heat pump unit comprises an evaporator component, a condensor component, and a compressor component. The evaporator component is configured to receive a flow of water from a faucet, and transfer heat from the flow of water to a refrigerant. The condenser component is configured to receive the refrigerant from the evaporator component, and generate heated air by transferring heat from the refrigerant to air flowing through the condenser component. The heated air being emitted into the affected area is in order to raise the temperature of the affected area to a target temperature greater than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The compressor component is configured to return the refrigerant from the evaporator component of the heat pump unit to the condenser component of the heat pump unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Timothy S. O'Brien, Eric P. Camenga
  • Patent number: 9366459
    Abstract: A cryogenic refrigerator includes a compressor having a return end and a suction end that selectively connects to an expansion space, a housing having an assist space that communicates to the return end, a cylinder having one end connected to the housing and another end connected to the expansion space, a displacer that undergoes a reciprocating motion inside the cylinder, and tolerates flow of a working gas to and from the expansion space, and a drive shaft that is accommodated within the housing and drives the displacer. The drive shaft includes first and second parts having different cross sectional areas, sealed and supported by first and second seals, respectively. An end of the first part opposes the housing to form the assist space, and an end of the second part connects to the displacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Takaaki Morie