Patents Examined by Ian Soule
  • Patent number: 8925625
    Abstract: A heat exchanger has a flat tube (10) having a curved portion (13). A part of the curved portion (13) is formed by overlapping an outer rim (22) on an inner rim (21). The inner rim (21) has a small curvature region (102). The small curvature region (102) is inclined to a flat plate portion (11), and is defined by a radius larger than a difference between a half of a thickness of the flat tube (10) and a thickness of the outer rim (22). The small curvature region (102) is not beyond a center line (C1) in a thickness of the flat tube (10). The outer rim (22) extends beyond the center line (C1). The outer rim (22) has an end face (22a) placed on the small curvature region (102). The flat tube (10) has flared portions (15, 16) expanded at insertion holes (54).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihide Ninagawa, Tatsuo Ozaki, Takahide Oohara, Noriyuki Miyazaki, Mitsuyoshi Saito, U Ou, Norio Yoshida, Tetsuya Sakakibara, Kazuhiro Mitsukawa
  • Patent number: 8813508
    Abstract: A high capacity, continuous production blast freezer includes an insulated enclosure, a refrigeration system supplying cold air to the enclosure and a plurality of trays containing comestibles to be frozen. A tray advancement or pusher mechanism advances a first tray into the enclosure and then advances a second tray into the enclosure, pushing the first tray further into the enclosure. Gradually a first level of the enclosure is filled with trays. An elevator mechanism at both ends of the enclosure allows the trays reaching the end of the enclosure to advance to a second level, and the tray advancement mechanism advances the tray out of the elevator onto the second level. Eventually, as additional trays are pushed into the enclosure, the second level and then optionally further levels of the enclosure are filled with trays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Inventor: Mark Burn
  • Patent number: 8813831
    Abstract: An air-conditioning system for a vehicle, that includes a module for controlling the air-conditioning group for adjusting the temperature inside the passenger compartment to a setpoint temperature, the control module being capable of correcting the temperature adjustment in the passenger compartment based on a received sunshine value in the passenger compartment. The system further includes a mechanism correcting the sunshine value to improve the correction of the temperature adjustment inside the passenger compartment particularly in cloudy conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Christophe Ripoll, Nicolas Deniaud
  • Patent number: 8806876
    Abstract: An air conditioner (10) composed of a refrigerating apparatus includes a controller (90). A heating control section (91) of the controller (90) feeds electric current in an open phase state to an electric motor (62) of a compressor (30) to heat the compressor (30) in operation stop of the air conditioner (10). The heating control section (91) monitors the detection value of an outdoor air temperature sensor (72) during the operation stop of the air conditioner (10) and keeps on stopping feeding the electric current to the electric motor (62) during the time when the detection value decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Shimoda, Hidehiko Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 8752615
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a vessel preheating system are provided. The system includes a pressure vessel including an area of excess heat and an area of deficient heat, a plenum defined between the area of excess heat and the area of deficient heat, and a conduit configured to couple a flow of purge fluid from external to the vessel into the plenum wherein heat from the area of excess heat is transferred to the flow of purge fluid in the plenum and the heat is carried by the flow of purge fluid into the area of deficient heat such that the flow of purge fluid purges the area of deficient heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Michael Storey, Alex Clinton Solomon, Benjamin Campbell Steinhaus, Judeth Brannon Corry, Steven Craig Russell, Robert Henri Gauthier, Yasir Hafeez Abbasi, Lien-Yan Chen
  • Patent number: 8689860
    Abstract: In a vehicular air conditioning apparatus, a first blower unit is connected by a connection duct to a side of a casing constituted by respective air passages. On a lower portion of the casing, a second blower unit different from the first blower unit is connected. A center plate is disposed centrally in a lateral direction of the casing. Air is supplied from the first blower unit to the interior of the casing, whereby cool air cooled by an evaporator and warm air heated by a heater core are mixed together and blown respectively and separately to a driver's seat side and a passenger seat side of the front seats. Also, Air supplied from the second blower unit to the interior of the casing, after being adjusted to a predetermined temperature in the evaporator and the heater core, is supplied to a rear seat side of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignees: Keihin Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Seto, Junichi Kanemaru, Shinji Kakizaki
  • Patent number: 8678077
    Abstract: A plate type heat exchanger having a plurality of stacked plate pairs made up of first and second plates. Each plate pair has opposed manifold members that form respective inlet and outlet manifolds for the flow of a first fluid through a first set of fluid channels formed by the plate pairs. The manifold members space the plate pairs apart to form a second set of transverse flow channels for the flow of a second fluid. A protrusion member is formed at an end portion of the plates and proximal to each of the manifold members and has a mating surface, such that the protrusion members on the second plate of one plate pair align and abut with the protrusion members on the first plate of an adjacent plate pair thereby reinforcing and strengthening the manifold region of the heat exchanger to prevent deformation of the manifold under pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Inventors: Christopher R. Shore, Cindy W. Storr, John W. Izard, Mark S. Kozdras
  • Patent number: 8678076
    Abstract: A plate type heat exchanger having a plurality of stacked plate pairs made up of first and second plates. Each plate pair has opposed manifold members that form respective inlet and outlet manifolds for the flow of a first fluid through a first set of fluid channels formed by the plate pairs. The manifold members space the plate pairs apart to form a second set of transverse flow channels for the flow of a second fluid. A protrusion member is formed at an end portion of the plates and proximal to each of the manifold members and has a mating surface, such that the protrusion members on the second plate of one plate pair align and abut with the protrusion members on the first plate of an adjacent plate pair thereby reinforcing and strengthening the manifold region of the heat exchanger to prevent deformation of the manifold under pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Inventors: Christopher R. Shore, Cindy W. Storr, John W. Izard, Mark S. Kozdras
  • Patent number: 8662157
    Abstract: In a vehicular air conditioning apparatus, a first blower unit is connected by a connection duct to a side portion of a casing having respective air passages defined therein. In addition, air that is supplied to the interior of the casing from the first blower unit, and which is heated by the heater core, is blown from the fifth front passage alongside the heater core directly into the sixth front passage via sub-defroster dampers, and is blown out toward the front seat of the vehicle from a defroster blow-out port, which is disposed in the sixth front passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignees: Keihin Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsunetoshi Kitamura, Junichi Kanemaru, Shinji Kakizaki
  • Patent number: 8662158
    Abstract: In a vehicular air conditioning apparatus, a first partitioning member and a second partitioning member are installed at a boundary position between a first cooling section and a second cooling section of an evaporator. The evaporator is separated into the first cooling section and the second cooling section by the first and second partitioning members. In the case that air is not blown in either one of the passages that are disposed in the first cooling section and the second cooling section, air that flows through the other of the passages is prevented from flowing into the one passage through the interior of the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignees: Keihin Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Seto, Yoji Katsuki, Tsunetoshi Kitamura, Junichi Kanemaru, Shinji Kakizaki
  • Patent number: 8613307
    Abstract: A finned tube heat exchanger includes a plurality heat-transfer fins and a plurality of heat-transfer tubes. The heat-transfer fins are disposed along an airflow direction. The plurality of heat-transfer tubes are inserted into the heat-transfer fins and arranged in a direction substantially orthogonal to the airflow direction. Each of the heat transfer fins includes a plurality of sets of cut-and-raised parts with each set being straightly aligned from the upstream side toward the downstream side. At least one set of cut-and-raised parts is connected by a straight line sloped relative to the airflow direction. Each of the heat transfer fins includes a plurality of concavities with each concavity formed on a periphery of one of the heat-transfer tubes at least partially below a horizontal plane that passes through a center axis of the heat-transfer tubes and lies on an upper surface of the heat transfer fin having the concavity formed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyunyoung Kim, Hirokazu Fujino, Toshimitsu Kamada, Kazushige Kasai
  • Patent number: 8602091
    Abstract: There is provided an air-cooling structure for a vehicle-mounted object is capable of taking in a sufficient amount of air. The top end of an air suction part 36 is opened extremely near an air deflector 20 behind the air deflector 20. With this, an air flow W4 prevented from flowing to a vehicle compartment space 12 by the air deflector 20 is introduced to the top end of the air suction part 36 and flows into the interior of the air suction part 36. In this manner, the air flow W4 flowing at a speed corresponding to the running speed of a vehicle 10 flows into the interior of the air suction part 36, so that even though the air flow W4 is the outside air, the air flow W4 can effectively air-cool a battery 34 installed in a battery housing part 32.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Tyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsuki Nemoto
  • Patent number: 8567205
    Abstract: An inlet air flow guide for a condensing unit of an air cooled direct expansion (ACDX) air conditioning unit. The flow guide has a panel having at least a portion spaced from a surface of the condensing unit to define a plenum for cooling air to enter the condensing unit from one side. A condensing unit of an ACDX air conditioning unit has a refrigerant cooling coil disposed in an opening, and the inlet air flow guide defines a plenum to provide an air flow passage to the opening from one side thereof. According to a method, the inlet air flow guide is installed onto the condensing unit of an ACDX air conditioning unit, wherein a panel of the flow guide has at least a portion spaced from a surface of the condensing unit to define a plenum for cooling air to enter the condensing unit from one side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Inventor: David L. Hatton
  • Patent number: 8511108
    Abstract: An air conditioning unit has improved visual appeal in a non-operational state, and can reduce smudging of a ceiling in an air conditioned space by discharged air. The air conditioning unit is configured to be disposed above a space to be air-conditioned. The air conditioning unit includes a case, a first moveable panel, and a moveable panel actuating mechanism. The case has at least one discharge duct on a bottom face. The first moveable panel is configured to open and close the discharge duct. The moveable panel actuating mechanism moves the first moveable panels between a first position at which at least the outside section of the discharge duct is closed off, and a second position at which the outside section of the discharge duct is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Yabu, Tetsuya Morizane, Kaichi Tsuji
  • Patent number: 8434547
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a heat sink for mounting a heating element, a cooling fan for supplying an airstream to the heat sink, and a housing for storing the heat sink and the cooling fan. The housing and the heat sink are equipped with a projection engaged with a hole of a flange of the cooling fan, and the cooling fan is sandwiched by the housing and the heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventor: Takashi Maeda
  • Patent number: 8430153
    Abstract: A heat dissipation device includes a base, a first heat sink mounted over the base and connected to the base via two first heat pipes, and a second heat sink located at a lateral side of the first heat sink and thermally connected to the base via a second heat pipe. The first heat sink includes two fin groups. One of the fin groups is stacked on the other fin group. Each of the fin groups includes a plurality of fins spreading radially from a center of the fin group to a periphery of the fin group along horizontal directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignees: Fu Zhun Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd., Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shou-Biao Xu, Guo Chen, Shi-Wen Zhou, Chun-Chi Chen
  • Patent number: 8403029
    Abstract: A casing comprises substantially symmetrical first and second divided casings. A second blower unit is provided at a joined region of the first divided casing and the second divided casing. Air is supplied from a first blower unit into the casing, and then, the air cooled by an evaporator and the air heated by a heater core are mixed and supplied to front seats in the vehicle. Air supplied from the second blower unit into the casing is directed toward the front seats and adjusted at a given temperature by a second cooling section of the evaporator and a second heating section of the heater core, and thereafter, supplied to rear seats in the vehicle from a third rear passage which extends so as to surround a first rear passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignees: Keihin Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyosuke Nanaumi, Takahiro Seto, Junichi Kanemaru, Shinji Kakizaki
  • Patent number: 8360139
    Abstract: A ceramic heat exchanger includes a heat exchange section that heat-exchanges between two fluids A and B flowing opposite directions to each other. The heat exchange section includes ceramic blocks stacked one on top of another with a seal therebetween. The ceramic blocks have a plurality of parallel lines of flow channels, each line defined by the flow channels through which the same fluid flows, any two adjacent lines being defined by the flow channels through which the different fluids A and B flow respectively. Both ends in the stacking direction of the stack are bound to join and integrate the ceramic blocks with tightening means including end plates and a tie rod. A thermal expansion absorber is disposed on an external surface of the end plates for absorbing thermal expansion in the axial direction of the tie rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Japan Atomic Energy Agency
    Inventors: Takanari Inatomi, Yasuhiro Sakai, Shigeki Maruyama, Shoko Suyama, Ryutaro Hino, Atsuhiko Terada, Kaoru Onuki, Shinji Kubo, Seiji Kasahara
  • Patent number: 8267155
    Abstract: In a vehicular air conditioning apparatus, a first blower unit is connected by a connection duct to a side portion of a casing having respective air passages defined therein, and a second blower unit separate from the first blower unit is connected to a lower portion of the casing. In addition, air that is supplied to the interior of the casing from the first blower unit and air that is supplied to the interior of the casing from the second blower unit are prevented from mixing together mutually inside the casing by first and second ribs, and by ribs, which are formed respectively to face toward an evaporator and a heater core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignees: Keihin Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoji Katsuki, Tsunetoshi Kitamura, Junichi Kanemaru, Shinji Kakizaki
  • Patent number: 8267165
    Abstract: In a vehicular air conditioning apparatus, a connection duct connects a first blower unit having a first blower fan to a side of a casing forming air passages, whereas a second blower unit having a second blower fan, different from the first blower unit, is connected to a lower portion of the casing. By driving the first blower fan and second blower fan simultaneously, air is supplied to a vehicle compartment from the first blower unit and the second blower unit through inside the casing. A controller controls the driving of the first blower fan and the second blower fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignees: Keihin Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyosuke Nanaumi, Mitsufumi Imasawa, Tsunetoshi Kitamura, Junichi Kanemaru, Shinji Kakizaki, Daniel Yelles