Patents Examined by Gordon Jones
  • Patent number: 10801740
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an embedded type air conditioner outdoor unit and an air conditioner, wherein the embedded type air conditioner outdoor unit is configured to be embedded within a wall of a building, and the embedded type air conditioner outdoor unit comprises a heat exchanger, which includes a first inlet for introducing a refrigerant and a second inlet for introducing a heat exchange medium to perform heat exchange with the refrigerant. By applying the technical solution of the present application, in which the heat exchange medium is used to perform heat exchange with the refrigerant, the embedded type air conditioner outdoor unit of the present embodiment may be used without a fan system, so that the embedded type air conditioner outdoor unit has reduced vibration and noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES, INC. OF ZHUHAI
    Inventors: Kai Yu, Handong Xue, Youfu Xie
  • Patent number: 10792975
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a climate control system, an engine, a battery, and a controller. The engine and the battery are each configured to power the climate control system. The controller is programmed to, responsive to a request to precondition cabin air and an estimated battery state of charge, that would result from the climate control system preconditioning the air, being less than a threshold, start the engine to power the climate control system regardless of an initial battery state of charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Charles Everett Badger, II, Angel Fernando Porras
  • Patent number: 10788271
    Abstract: Underground thermal energy storage in a cylindrical or n-gonal prism shape with a vertical axis, comprising an inner volume for holding a liquid, an outer wall, an inner wall around the inner volume, and a filling layer between the inner wall and the outer wall. The inner wall comprises a series of modular wall parts provided with a heat exchanger for exchanging thermal energy with the liquid. The modular wall parts, arranged in rings, contact the inner volume and have an elastic sealing limiting liquid flow between the inner volume and the filling layer and taking up thermal expansion of the modular wall parts. The filling layer comprises an insulating layer designed to keep the outer wall below 30° C. when the inner volume is at least 90° C., and a structural layer for maintaining the insulating layer and the inner wall's modular wall parts in position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: ECOVAT IP B.V.
    Inventor: Adrianus Wilhelmus De Groot
  • Patent number: 10773346
    Abstract: A method of assembling a heat exchanger includes the steps of fluidly connecting a plurality of first heat exchanger tubes to a first connecting tube portion at an assembly location to form a first subassembly, fluidly connecting a plurality of second heat exchanger tubes to a second connecting tube portion at the assembly location to form a second subassembly, transporting the first subassembly and the second subassembly from the assembly location to an installation location, and connecting the first subassembly to the second subassembly at a single connection point between the first connecting tube portion and the second tube connecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventor: Stephen Michael Renals
  • Patent number: 10767937
    Abstract: A multiple tube bank heat exchanger includes a first tube bank including at least a first and a second flattened tube segments extending longitudinally in spaced parallel relationship and a second tube bank including at least a first and a second flattened tube segments extending longitudinally in spaced parallel relationship. The second tube bank is disposed behind the first tube bank with a leading edge of the second tube bank spaced from a trailing edge of the first tube bank. A continuous folded fin extends between the first and second flattened tube segments of both of said first tube bank and said second tube bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael F. Taras, Arindom Joardar, Luis F. Avila, Bruce J. Poplawski, Jack L. Esformes, Melkamu Woldesemayat
  • Patent number: 10760452
    Abstract: A condenser includes heat transfer pipe groups, a main body and an intermediate body. The intermediate body has an inlet that opens in a horizontal direction, and an outlet that opens downward. The main body has an inlet that opens upward and is connected to the intermediate body outlet. The heat transfer pipe groups are arranged in the horizontal direction and disposed in the main body. A near-side outlet edge is an edge of the intermediate body outlet on a side near the intermediate body inlet in the horizontal direction and a far-side outlet edge is an edge of the intermediate body outlet on a side far from the intermediate body inlet. At least one part of the main body is located below an imaginary line that connects the near-side and far-side outlet edges and at least one part of the main body is located above the imaginary line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Hotta, Taichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10744855
    Abstract: A cooling device for a vehicle includes a mechanical fan configured to be driven by a driving force of the engine, an engine cooling heat exchanger disposed forward of the mechanical fan in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger that are disposed forward of the engine cooling heat exchanger in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, a first electric fan that includes a first motor and cools the first heat exchanger, and a second electric fan that includes a second motor and cools the second heat exchanger. The first motor and the second motor are disposed forward of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, respectively, in the front-rear direction of the vehicle such that the first motor and the second motor do not overlap the coupling when viewed in a front direction of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ikeda, Kouji Norisada, Masahiro Noguchi, Masataka Minamigawa, Masashi Shibata, Junichi Suematsu
  • Patent number: 10746476
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus for an underwater platform comprising: an evaporator block fabricated from a thermally conductive material and having a first surface that is shaped so as to releasably mate to an exterior surface contour of the underwater platform; a heat pipe having a working fluid sealed therein, wherein the heat pipe has a first end and a second end, and wherein the first end is in thermal communication with the evaporator block; a condenser block in thermal communication with the second end of the heat pipe; and a plurality of spring clamps mounted to the evaporator block and configured to bias the first surface of the evaporator block against the exterior surface of the underwater platform such that heat from the exterior surface of the underwater platform is transferred to the ambient water via the evaporator block, heat pipe, and condenser block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Gregory A. Jaccard, Carl E. Lostrom, Richard P. Johnson
  • Patent number: 10738944
    Abstract: A tool for draining and refilling a vehicle tank for cryogenic fuel, wherein the tool when in position for use has a vertical direction and includes a heat exchanger and a cooling tank, the cooling tank having an upper portion and a lower portion as viewed in the vertical direction of the tool and including a fuel outlet having at least one outlet valve, the fuel outlet being connected to a first fuel conduit and second fuel conduit via the at least one outlet valve, wherein the first fuel conduit includes an arrangement for connecting the first fuel conduit to an inlet on the heat exchanger, and wherein the second fuel conduit includes an arrangement for connecting the second fuel conduit to an inlet on a vehicle tank, the cooling tank further including an inlet, the inlet being connected to a fuel inlet conduit via a check valve and the fuel inlet conduit including an arrangement for connecting the inlet to an outlet from the heat exchanger, or to an outlet from a vehicle tank, and the outlet of the heat ex
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mikael Tilander
  • Patent number: 10739061
    Abstract: A temperature homogenizing container and a refrigerator having same. The container comprises a body and an accommodating space that is enclosed by the body. The body comprises several capillary tube cavities provided therein and allowing flow of a heat exchange medium. A micro-tooth structure is provided on the inner wall of each capillary tube cavity. The heat exchange medium may flow in the capillary tube cavities along an extension direction of the capillary tube cavities. By setting the container body to comprise several capillary tube cavities therein, the temperature homogenizing effect and heat exchange efficiency of the container are improved; by providing the micro-tooth structure, the heat exchange efficiency is further improved; the temperature difference of different areas in the container is reduced, and temperature homogenization in the container is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignees: QINGDAO HAIER SPECIAL REFRIGERATOR CO., LTD., QINGDAO HAIER JOINT STOCK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bin Fei, Xueli Cheng, Xuan Ji, Xiaobing Zhu
  • Patent number: 10739083
    Abstract: A system and method for storing thermal energy in a heated liquid in a pressurized vessel employs an inner and outer vessel. The inner vessel contains water or specific liquids for storage and potential use of thermal energy contained therein. An outer vessel encapsulates an inner vessel, with a vacuum formed there between. The inner vessel comprises an upper portion containing an unheated liquid and a lower portion containing a heated liquid. A sliding insulated barrier segregates liquids. The pressure generated by the heated liquid, and incompressibility of unheated liquid equalizes static pressure within the inner vessel, which helps prevent the heated liquid in the lower portion from forming a vapor phase. Heated liquid egresses the lower portion of inner vessel to pass through a vapor producing apparatus to become vapor, then an expander to become condensate, and finally to a heat source for reintroduction into the inner vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Inventor: Walter B. Freeman
  • Patent number: 10739077
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a core defining a first passageway configured for a first fluid to flow through and a second passageway configured for a second fluid to flow through. The core includes a plurality of unit cells coupled together. Each unit cell of the plurality of unit cells includes a sidewall at least partly defining a first passageway portion, a second passageway portion, a plurality of first openings for the first fluid to flow through, and a plurality of second openings for the second fluid to flow through. Each unit cell of the plurality of unit cells is configured to enable the first fluid to combine and divide in the first passageway portion. Each unit cell is further configured to enable the second fluid to combine and divide in the second passageway portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: William Dwight Gerstler, Daniel Jason Erno, Michael Thomas Kenworthy, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Nicolas Kristopher Sabo
  • Patent number: 10721841
    Abstract: A heat dissipator structure includes a heat-dissipation base and a conductive metal block. The heat-dissipation base includes a substrate and a plurality of heat-dissipating fins disposed on the substrate. A receiving portion and a limit sliding block are disposed on the substrate, with the limit sliding block disposed on the receiving portion and movable within a restrictive interval. The conductive metal block includes a body portion, an assembling portion disposed beside the body portion, and a heat dissipation plane disposed on the body portion to face away from the assembling portion and be in contact with an electronic component, with the assembling portion disposed on the receiving portion, a positioning slot disposed on the assembling portion to hold the limit sliding block laterally and keep the heat dissipation plane flat, and at least one resilient unit disposed between the assembling portion plane and the receiving portion plane to provide resilient support to the conductive metal block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: YU QIN TECHNOLOGY, LTD.
    Inventor: Chia-Sheng Wu
  • Patent number: 10696138
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a compressor of a vehicle capable of turning-on/off a compressor based on coolant pressure of an air conditioner in the winter and a method thereof are provided. The control apparatus includes a compressor that is configured to reduce a temperature by compressing a coolant of an air conditioner and a controller that is configured to operate the compressor, to confirm an operation coolant pressure of the air conditioner after operating the compressor. The controller also operates the compressor based on the operation coolant pressure of a measured coolant pressure of the air conditioner when an ambient temperature of the vehicle is less than a reference temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Yeong Jun Kim
  • Patent number: 10684025
    Abstract: Methods as disclosed herein are generally configured to help determine a pressure differential (or pressure head) in a fluid circulation system of for example, a HVAC system, for controlling the fluid circulation system. The method may include obtaining a correlation between a fluid flow rate and a pressure differential in the fluid circulation system by varying an operation speed of the pump. The method may also include obtaining a desired fluid flow rate for matching a cooling capacity of the HVAC system and determining a pressure differential setpoint corresponding to the desired fluid flow rate based on the correlation between the fluid flow rate and the pressure differential. The methods can be executed by, for example, a controller of the HVAC system so as to eliminate the requirement of a user to set up the pressure differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignees: TRANE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS (CHINA) CO., LTD., TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Yunfei Qin, Jianming Zhang
  • Patent number: 10677530
    Abstract: A tube body for a heat exchanger may include an outer structure composed of a band material. The outer structure may include two mutually opposite wide sides and two mutually opposite narrow sides delimiting an outer structure interior space. The tube body may further include an inner structure integrally arranged on the outer structure and composed of the band material. The inner structure may be arranged in the outer structure interior space and divide the outer structure interior space into at least two fluid ducts fluidically separated from one another through which a fluid is flowable. The band material may have a material thickness and, at least in certain portions, a material thickness of a portion of the band material defining the inner structure may be less than a material thickness of a portion of the band material defining the outer structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Pawel Jedraszak, Andrzej Krupa, Michal Maleszka, Lukasz Zywica
  • Patent number: 10677533
    Abstract: Disclosed is a heat exchange device for effecting a heat exchange between a heat transfer fluid of a first network of capillary heat pipes and a heat transfer fluid of a second network of capillary heat pipes. The heat exchange device includes a solid block provided with a first channel and a second channel which are independent of one another, the first channel having at least one opening intended to be connected to a capillary heat pipe of the first network, the second channel having at least one opening intended to be connected to a capillary heat pipe of the second network, the first channel having a portion which lies near a portion of the second channel such that the heat transfer fluid of the first network is able to exchange heat with the heat transfer fluid of the second network via the heat exchanging portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SAS
    Inventors: Christian Flemin, Typhaine Coquard, Andrew Walker
  • Patent number: 10668577
    Abstract: A cooling system which achieves temperature control of a heat affected portion of a pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: CRC-EVANS PIPELINE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Marcus Janes, Jared Proegler, Brian Kirk
  • Patent number: 10670349
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a heat exchanger core, a header defining a header manifold, and a transition portion that provides fluid communication between the heat exchanger core and the header manifold. The transition portion includes a transition tube extending between the header and the heat exchanger core, a header junction where the transition tube joins the header, and a splitting junction that splits the transition tube into the plurality of heat exchange tubes. The header junction may define elliptical inlet apertures, a large filleted joint, and a junction thickness that is greater than a header wall thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Allan Wilson, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Donald Michael Corsmeier
  • Patent number: 10670343
    Abstract: A micro channel type heat exchanger having a first pass disposed in some flat tubes located in a first heat exchange module and along which a refrigerant flows in one direction, a second pass disposed in some of the remaining flat tubes located in the first heat exchange module and along which the refrigerant supplied from the first pass flows in an opposite direction to that of the first pass, a third pass distributed and located in the remainder of flat tubes located in the first heat exchange module other than the first pass and the second pass and in some flat tubes located in a second heat exchange module, and a fourth pass disposed in the remainder of the flat tubes located in the second heat exchange module and along which a refrigerant supplied from the third pass flows in an opposite direction to a direction of the third pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Beomchan Kim, Byoungjin Ryu, Taeman Yang, Choonmyun Chung