Patents Examined by Henry Crenshaw
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Patent number: 9759469Abstract: A variable speed drive (VSD) can be used to vary the voltage-to-frequency ratio (V/f) supplied to a compressor motor of a heating, ventilation, air conditioning or refrigeration (HVAC&R) system to make the motor stronger or weaker to compensate for varying conditions in the HVAC&R system. The VSD and corresponding control system or algorithm can monitor an operating parameter of the HVAC&R system, such as the kW absorbed by the motor, and then raise or lower the V/f of the VSD to obtain the lowest possible power consumption from the motor.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2012Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventor: Paul Nemit, Jr.
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Patent number: 9759471Abstract: An ice collection area is disposed inside the cabinet proximate an ice maker. An ice storage area is disposed inside the cabinet. A first relocatable ice bin is disposed inside the cabinet. The first relocatable ice bin is disposed in one of the ice collection area and the ice storage area. A second relocatable ice bin is disposed inside the cabinet. The second relocatable ice bin is disposed in the other of the ice collection area and the ice storage area.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2013Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Douglas D. Leclear, Thomas L. Jueller, Jr., Ronald L. Voglewede
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Patent number: 9759460Abstract: A channel on an upstream side of a third expansion device and a channel on an upstream side of a second expansion device are connected during a heating operation, and medium pressure refrigerant generated by the third expansion device during the heating operation is introduced on a suction side of a compressor via the second expansion device and a suction injection pipe.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2012Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATIONInventors: Koji Yamashita, Takeshi Hatomura, Katsuhiro Ishimura, Shinichi Wakamoto, Naofumi Takenaka
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Patent number: 9759466Abstract: One aspect presents a controller that comprises a control board, a microprocessor located on and electrically coupled to the control board, and a memory coupled to the microprocessor and located on and electrically coupled to the control board. The controller is configured to receive an operating parameter signal and recalculate a first maximum heating % demand to a second maximum heating % demand that is greater than the first maximum heating % demand, when a value of the operating parameter signal exceeds a predetermined value, and operate the HP system based on the second maximum heating % demand.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2014Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.Inventors: Rakesh Goel, Eric Berg, Pete Hrejsa
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Patent number: 9752793Abstract: An HVAC Controller may include a first sub-assembly and a second sub-assembly capable of releasably engaging the first sub-assembly. The first sub-assembly may include a first housing and a printed circuit board having a controller for providing one or more control signals, where the printed circuit board may be secured relative to the first housing. The second sub-assembly may include a second housing, a power source, one or more output terminals, and a second printed circuit board. The second printed circuit board may be secured relative to the second housing and may have circuitry thereon that is powered by the power source and configured to receive the one or more control signals from the first printed circuit board. The circuitry of the second sub-assembly may set output terminals thereof to a predetermined state when the first sub-assembly is released from the second sub-assembly.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2014Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Josef Novotny, Jiri Sapak, Jiri Crhonek, Mohammad Aljabari, Eugene J. Takach
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Patent number: 9752813Abstract: A refrigerator that has a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment, and a door that provides access to the fresh food compartment is disclosed. An icemaker is mounted remotely from the freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold with an icemaking cycle having a liquid to ice phase change. A thermoelectric device has a cold side and a warm side. A controller is in operable communication with an input to the thermoelectric device. A sensor is in operable communication with the input to the thermoelectric device and the controller. A feedback response from the input to the thermoelectric device monitors the liquid to ice phase change of the icemaking cycle.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2017Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Gregory G. Hortin
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Patent number: 9752493Abstract: A valve includes a housing including a plurality of ports including an inlet port in communication with a radiator. The valve includes a cylinder located in the housing that includes a plurality of apertures and a fail safe opening. The cylinder is moveable such that one of the plurality of apertures can be aligned with one of the plurality of ports of the housing to determine a flow of a fluid through the valve. The valve includes a moveable feature moveable with and relative to the cylinder, and the moveable feature covers the fail safe opening of the cylinder when a temperature of the fluid flowing through the valve is below a threshold temperature.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2013Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: Hanon SystemsInventor: David S. Malone
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Patent number: 9746859Abstract: An auxiliary hardware box is described that can be installed at or near the HVAC system. The auxiliary box includes a large number of wiring terminals, for example 16 or more, for connecting to a relatively large number of HVAC control wires. The auxiliary box can include a “train map” type graphic display that is visible to the installer and provides a graphical indication as to which relays or switches are currently open and which are currently closed. A small sleek visually pleasing thermostat is also described that can be connected either directly to an HVAC system or to the auxiliary box, and can automatically detect an purpose the connected wires according to which it is connected to.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2014Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Brian J. Conner, Joseph E. Palmer, David Sloo
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Patent number: 9746246Abstract: The disclosure relates to a plate heat exchanger in a sealed design, with a stacked arrangement comprising a front-side and a rear-side end plate, wherein at least one end plate is constituted as a connection plate, heat exchanger plates which are arranged and stacked between the front-side and the rear-side end plate, in such a way that cavities for accommodating a plurality of heat exchanger media are formed between the heat exchanger plates, and sealing elements which are disposed to seal the cavities, and a clamping device, configured to exert an external clamping pressure on the stacked arrangement for the tensioning, wherein the clamping device is formed to encompass the stacked arrangement in a form-fit manner at least in sections, namely at least in a corner region of the stacked arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2011Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: GEA WTT GmbHInventor: Michael Aust
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Patent number: 9736995Abstract: A controlled environment enclosure features a heating and cooling system and a control system linked to the heating and cooling system for control of same. The control system being operable to switch between an environmental control mode for achieving user-prescribed environmental conditions within the interior space and a sterilization/pasteurization mode for heating contents of the internal space to values within a range sufficiently elevated above the prescribed environmental conditions to sterilize/pasteurize said contents of the internal space. The built-in sterilization/pasteurization function reduces or eliminates the need for personnel to physically wash down the interior space of the enclosure with cleaning chemicals.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2014Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: Biochambers IncorporatedInventors: Rob Pauls, Marc Theroux, Bruce Kettner
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Patent number: 9732974Abstract: In a thermostat having a plurality of demand circuits and a thermostat controller, a method of controlling devices connected to the demand circuits. One or more demand circuits in a thermostat are connected to devices in an HVAC system. The thermostat is configured to associate each connected demand circuit with the device to which it is connected and control signals are routed from the thermostat controller to the one or more demand circuits to control devices associated with the demand circuits.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2012Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: Digi International Inc.Inventor: Andrew Frank
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Patent number: 9726425Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of liquefying a hydrocarbon stream such as a natural gas stream, the method at least comprising the steps of: supplying a partly condensed hydrocarbon feed stream (10) to a first gas/liquid separator (2); separating the feed stream (10) in the first gas/liquid separator (2) into a gaseous stream (20) and a liquid stream (30); expanding the gaseous stream (20) thereby obtaining an expanded stream (40) and feeding it (40) into a second gas/liquid separator (3); feeding the liquid stream (30) into the second gas/liquid separator (3); removing from the bottom of the second gas/liquid separator a liquid stream (60) and feeding it into a fractionation column (5); removing from the top of the second gas/liquid separator (3) a gaseous stream (50) and passing it to a compressor (6) thereby obtaining a compressed stream (70); cooling the compressed stream (70) thereby obtaining a cooled compressed stream (80); heat exchanging the cooled compressed stream (80) against a stream bType: GrantFiled: April 10, 2007Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: SHELL OIL COMPANYInventors: Mark Antonius Kevenaar, Chun Kit Poh
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Patent number: 9707930Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle includes: a compressor that compresses a heat exchange medium; an internal heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the heat exchange medium expelled from the compressor and air for air conditioning introduced inside a vehicle compartment; and an external heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the heat exchange medium expelled from the internal heat exchanger and external air, wherein the air conditioner for a vehicle calculates a temperature difference between an external air temperature and a discharge port temperature of the external heat exchanger, calculates an average value of the temperature difference, and performs a defrosting operation which melts frost adhered to the external heat exchanger when an amount of change of the average value is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2013Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Isao Tsunoda, Kazuma Ichikawa
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Patent number: 9701177Abstract: A ceramic coated heat exchanger component and method for making the ceramic coated heat exchanger component by creating porous metal oxide coatings on an aluminum surface of the heat exchanger component by plasma electrochemical deposition of a metal oxide on the aluminum surface and layering an odor neutralization agent on the porous metal oxide ceramic coatings to form an odor remediation ceramic coating on the heat exchanger.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2009Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignees: Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, DENSO Manufacturing Michigan, Inc.Inventors: Chris McDermott, Jason Amoss, Rajaram Shembekar, Shawn E. Dolan
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Patent number: 9702605Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a heater for a passenger cabin of a vehicle. In one example, fan speed of an evaporator cooling fan is adjusted to improve heating efficiency. In particular, fan speed is incrementally increased and maintained at the higher speed if output power of a compressor is reduced by more than an amount of power used to incrementally increase the fan speed.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2013Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Christopher Mark Greiner, Michael Steven Wallis
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Patent number: 9696078Abstract: The air-conditioning apparatus includes a compressor; a heat source side heat exchanger; a use side pressure-reducing mechanism; a use side heat exchanger and an accumulator connected by a pipe so that a refrigerant circulates therethrough; a high-low pressure bypass pipe; a high-low pressure bypass unit installed in the high-low pressure bypass pipe; and a unit controller configured to perform a refrigerant amount detection operation in which an operation frequency of the compressor is controlled so that a value of an evaporating temperature becomes an evaporating temperature target value of the compressor to discharge a liquid-state refrigerant of the refrigerant from the accumulator, and control an opening degree of the high-low pressure bypass unit in performing the refrigerant amount detection operation.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2013Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Shogo Tamaki, Kazuyoshi Shinozaki
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Patent number: 9696074Abstract: A refrigerant compression system and method for controlling a refrigerant compression system are described. In some aspects, the refrigerant compression system includes a compressor system having a plurality of compression stages, a plurality of quench valves, a first suction temperature control circuit associated with a first quench valve, a second suction temperature control circuit associated a second quench valve, and a discharge temperature control circuit associated with a plurality of the quench valves. Quench valve settings are determined based on evaluation of one or more outputs from the suction temperature control circuits and the discharge temperature control circuit.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2014Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Nicola Ceccarelli, Jean Philippe Monge, Alex Benim
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Patent number: 9689592Abstract: An in-vehicle absorption heat pump device comprises a regenerator; an in-vehicle heat source heating absorbent in the regenerator; a gas-liquid separator; a condenser condensing gas phase separated from the absorbent; an evaporator evaporating a condensate to form vapor; an absorber for bringing the relatively concentrated absorbent in liquid phase in contact with the gas phase to cause the absorbent to absorb the gas phase and be relatively diluted; an absorbent circulation source circulating the absorbent; a bypass passage connecting a liquid-phase storing portion of the gas-liquid separator and the regenerator while bypassing the absorber; and a bypass transfer source in the bypass passage returning the absorbent in the gas-liquid separator to the regenerator. To dilute absorbent in the absorber, a diluent passage allows the condenser and the absorber to communicate and the condensate in the condenser to be supplied to the absorber through the diluent passage by a dilution element.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2012Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akifumi Tomita, Osamu Tsubouchi, Haruyuki Tsujihara
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Patent number: 9677457Abstract: A vehicle has at least one component which is cooled by a cooling air mass flow delivered from a conveying device such as a fan or a spoiler. A nominal value is predetermined for the cooling air mass flow which, for an assumed maximum thermal loading of the component, cools adequately for operation of the component. A control device controls an intensity of the cooling air mass flow and dimensions it, taking into consideration thermal demands of the component at least in an upper driving speed range, such that a sum of a power consumption of the component, of the conveying device and of a portion of a traction power of the vehicle that is allotted to the delivery of the cooling air mass flow is smaller than a sum of the power consumption of the component, the conveying device and the portion that is allotted to the delivery of the cooling air mass flow at the predetermined nominal value thereof, of a traction power of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2011Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Thomas Brendel, Frank Elsenheimer, Arnd Rueter
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Patent number: 9677776Abstract: The wireless wall thermostat of the present invention utilizes a push-contact mechanical system that allows a user to raise or lower the temperature within a space by applying a force on the top or bottom center of the front of the thermostat. The perpendicular force applied by the user generates a moment arm around pivot connectors, which rotates the thermostat clockwise or counter-clockwise. When rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise, contact buttons attached to the back of the thermostat come into contact with the trigger tabs of a stationary trigger plate mounted to a wall through use of an electromagnetic attraction between a steel disc and a magnet. When the trigger tabs press the contact buttons, the contact buttons send a signal to the central processing unit of the thermostat's internal circuit board to modulate the temperature setting. In addition, the wireless wall thermostat can be detachable by utilizing a magnetic release smart mount.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2014Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Inventors: Eric Douglass Clifton, Adrian Chernoff