Patents Examined by Jenna M Hopkins
  • Patent number: 11781809
    Abstract: Provided are mixed refrigerant systems and methods and, more particularly, to a mixed refrigerant system and methods that provides greater efficiency and reduced power consumption via control of a liquid level in a cold vapor separator device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Chart Energy & Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas A. Ducote, Jr., Timothy P. Gushanas, Peter J. Turner, Michael Malsam
  • Patent number: 11774183
    Abstract: The present invention provides a heat transferring device and a method for making thereof. The heat transferring device has a thermal conducting substrate and a porous layer. The thermal conducting substrate has a plurality of protrusions and concave bottom surfaces. The concave bottom surfaces are located between the protrusions. The porous layer is embedded between the protrusions. The present invention also provides a high temperature material transferring system comprising a cylindrical container and the heat transferring device disposed on the surface of the cylindrical container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: City University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Zuankai Wang, Mengnan Jiang, Yang Wang
  • Patent number: 11772452
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus having at least a first heat exchanger for exchanging heat with air circulating there through; a cooling circuit for a cooling fluid, having a path that passes through the first heat exchanger; a compressor including an electric motor, for circulating the cooling fluid in the cooling circuit; an electrical power unit configured to absorb an input electrical current or power and to generate a variable infeed voltage, for powering the electric motor with an infeed electrical current, a controller connected to the electrical power unit, adapted to receive input data representative of a reference value for the input electrical current or power, and programmed to set the electrical power unit to generate the infeed voltage at a reference amplitude and/or frequency, so that the input electrical current or power is below the reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Dometic Sweden AB
    Inventors: Enrico Paci, Luca Alboni
  • Patent number: 11772448
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a temperature of a compartment of a vehicle are provided. The vehicle system includes a compartment, one or more processors, one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors; and machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to receive information about an item; determine whether the item needs to be temperature controlled based on the information; and instruct a temperature control system to adjust a temperature of the compartment of the vehicle in response to determining the item needs to be temperature controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Armin Lange
  • Patent number: 11770913
    Abstract: A heat-dissipating component for a mobile device includes a case body, a micro pump, and a heat dissipation tube plate. The case body has a vent hole and a positioning accommodation trough. The bottom of the positioning accommodation trough is in communication with the vent hole. The micro pump is disposed in the positioning accommodation trough and corresponds to the vent hole The heat dissipation tube plate has cooling fluid inside. One end of the heat dissipation tube plate is fixed on the positioning accommodation trough and contacts a heating element of the mobile device. The gas transmitted by the micro pump forms gas flow so as to perform heat exchange with heat absorbed by the heat dissipation tube plate, and the gas flow is discharged out through the vent hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: MICROJET TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hao-Jan Mou, Ching-Sung Lin, Chin-Chuan Wu, Chih-Kai Chen, Yung-Lung Han, Chi-Feng Huang, Wei-Ming Lee
  • Patent number: 11768020
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) unit includes a first sensor disposed adjacent to an inlet of an evaporator configured to receive an airflow. The HVAC unit includes a second sensor disposed adjacent to an outlet of a reheat coil positioned downstream of the evaporator and configured to expel the airflow. The HVAC unit also includes a controller configured to regulate operation of a modulating reheat valve to adjust flow of a working fluid in thermal communication with the airflow to control a difference between a measurement of the first sensor and a measurement of the second sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: John T. Knight, Stephen B. Pickle, Norman J. Blanton, Kerry L Shumway
  • Patent number: 11760165
    Abstract: A heating device for heating fluids, such as water or a liquid coolant, for application in electric or hybrid vehicles, where the absence of an internal combustion engine or its shorter time of use requires using heating devices for heating either the passenger compartment or other parts of the vehicle that require it. The heating device is provided with a configuration which limits the temperature to the temperature at which heat exchange occurs between the heat generation source and the liquid to be heated, such that the liquid does not generate precipitates, prolonging the service life of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Inventors: Robert Chu, Sven Schumm, Mario Hoppe, Carlos Manuel Castaño González, Julio Abraham Carrera Garcia, Matías Baleato Peón, Alejandro Vargas Curto
  • Patent number: 11754353
    Abstract: A processing water supply system for supplying processing water to a processing apparatus includes a first heat exchanger that cools the processing water by heat of vaporization of a cooling medium, a second heat exchanger that cools the cooling medium compressed to reach a high temperature, a cooling water receiving route that receives the cooling water from cooling water supply equipment to the second heat exchanger, a cooling water drain route that drains the cooling water heat-exchanged by the second heat exchanger to reach a high temperature to drain equipment, and a bypass route that is disposed between the cooling water receiving route and the cooling water drain route and adjusts the cooling water reaching the high temperature at the second heat exchanger to a temperature permissible by the drain equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadaomi Matsumoto, Masaru Saito
  • Patent number: 11745561
    Abstract: A heat management device may include: a heat circuit comprising a heat exchanger passage, a radiator passage communicating with the heat exchanger passage, and a battery passage communicating with the heat exchanger passage by bypassing the radiator passage; a heat exchanger cooling heat medium by heat exchange; a radiator exchanging heat between outside air and the heat medium in the radiator passage; a control valve changing a channel of the heat medium in the heat circuit; a pump pumping out the heat medium in the heat circuit from the heat exchanger passage to the battery passage and from the heat exchanger passage to the radiator passage; and a controller. The controller may execute: a heating operation for heating the heat medium in the battery passage by a battery; and a circulation operation for cooling the heat medium in the radiator passage by the radiator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshio Hasegawa, Hiroki Tashiro, Makoto Ikegami
  • Patent number: 11737649
    Abstract: An apparatus configured for heat dissipation that includes a heat source, a heat sink and a heat conducting element. The heat conducting element conducts heat energy from the heat source to the heat sink along a heat conducting path, and the heat conducting element is arranged in such a way on the heat source and the heat sink and is configured to physically change in such a way with increasing temperature of the heat conducting element that: a) a first cross-sectional area between the heat source and the heat conducting element and/or a second cross-sectional area between the heat conducting element of the heat sink increases, and/or b) a length of the heat conducting path shortens. Further, a video endoscope having such an apparatus and a use of such an apparatus is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Andreas Heni, Markus Kupferschmid, Daniel Ulmschneider, Jonas Forster
  • Patent number: 11740004
    Abstract: A transport refrigeration unit (TRU) is provided. The TRU includes a housing defining a flow path from an intake to an outlet, a blower to drive air along the flow path from the intake to the outlet, coils disposed in the flow path between the intake and the outlet and over which the air driven by the blower flows, a defrost element to execute a defrost action with respect to the coils, sensing elements at the intake and the outlet to sense pressures of the air at the intake and the outlet and a controller. The controller is configured to control at least one of the blower and the defrost element in accordance with readings of the sensing elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Thomas Swab, David C. Brondum
  • Patent number: 11740037
    Abstract: A thermal switch having an on-state and an off-state is provided. First and second plates are composed from a thermally conductive material. The first and second plates are connected to form an internal cavity having a channel defining a gap between the first and second plate. The first reservoir is coupled to the channel and contains a thermally conductive liquid. The actuator is coupled to the first reservoir and the channel and is moveable between a first state and a second state corresponding to the on-state and the off-state of the thermal switch, respectively. Thermally conductive liquid is allowed to flow from the first reservoir to the channel when the actuator is in the first state and allowed to flow from the channel to the first reservoir when the actuator is in the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Envertic Thermal Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Matthew Busche
  • Patent number: 11724570
    Abstract: A temperature control system includes a heater core utilizing heat of a heat medium; an engine heat exchanger utilizing exhaust heat of an engine to heat the heat medium; a condenser utilizing heat other than the exhaust heat to heat the heat medium; a heat circuit having the heater core and condenser; a communication flow path making the engine heat exchanger communicate with the heat circuit; and a connection state switching mechanism switching a flow state of the heat medium, between a first state and a second state. In the first state, the heat medium flows through the heat circuit, while flowing through the heater core, and in the second state, the heat medium flows through the heat circuit without flowing through the heater core. The heat circuit is arranged at a front of a passenger compartment, and the engine heat exchanger is arranged at a rear of the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuji Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 11724568
    Abstract: A temperature regulating system for interior surfaces of a vehicle includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. An air register assembly is operably coupled to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system to direct air to an interior compartment. The air register assembly includes an actuation assembly for adjusting a position of the air register assembly. A target feature having a contact surface is disposed within the interior compartment. A temperature sensor is coupled to the target feature and senses a surface temperature of the contact surface. A controller communicates a notification with temperature information. A remote start device is communicatively coupled with the controller. The controller adjusts the position of the air register assembly to direct air across the contact surface of the target feature in response to a remote start signal from the remote start device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sean Bayle West, Benjamin Yilma, Steven Nicholas Fidh, Dylan Mandelbaum, Andres Almeida Senatore, Otis Allen, Siddharthan Selvasekar, Sydney Puckett, Michael Steven Medoro
  • Patent number: 11718142
    Abstract: A motor vehicle includes a passenger space and a HVAC system. The HVAC system includes a heater, an air conditioner, and ducts configured to heat and/or cool air to the passenger space. The HVAC system is configured to increase humidity of air while the air is flowing through the HVAC system, and to introduce a sanitizing agent into air while the air is flowing through the HVAC system. A controller is configured to actuate the HVAC system to circulate humidified air containing the sanitizing agent through the passenger space to neutralize pathogens that may be present in the passenger space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Zachary Alan Pecchia, Robert D. Bedard, James Alan Acre
  • Patent number: 11713932
    Abstract: A frame apparatus for holding a flexible lance positioning drive device adjacent to and spaced from a heat exchanger tube sheet includes an upper guide rail carrying a movable carriage supporting a drive positioner rail having a drive support carriage and an air motor drive assembly fastened to each of the carriages, each air motor drive assembly comprising an air motor having a shaft driving a spur gear through a worm gear reducer, wherein the spur gear is carried within a spur gear housing fastened to the worm gear reducer, and the air motor assembly is fastened to the carriage via the spur gear housing. The spur gear housing is selectively rotatable on the carriage between a locked position with the spur gear engaging the rail to which the carriage is mounted and an unlocked position with the spur gear disengaged with the rail to which the carriage is mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: STONEAGE, INC.
    Inventors: Matthew B. Hastey, Cody R. Montoya, Joseph A. Schneider
  • Patent number: 11707966
    Abstract: A device installed in a vehicle including a first thermal circuit, a second thermal circuit, and a third thermal circuit, is configured to arbitrate a heat request of the first thermal circuit, a heat request of the second thermal circuit, and a heat request of the third thermal circuit. The device is configured to acquire a heat absorption amount requested by the first thermal circuit, the second thermal circuit, and the third thermal circuit, and configured to set, as a target value of a transfer heat amount in which heat exchange is performed between the second thermal circuit and the third thermal circuit, a larger one of a heat dissipation amount requested by the second thermal circuit and a heat amount difference in which a heat dissipation amount requested by the third thermal circuit is subtracted from a heat absorption amount requested by the first thermal circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Kawabe, Tatsuya Masuhisa, Nobukazu Kuribayashi, Shinsaku Isomura
  • Patent number: 11685231
    Abstract: An HVAC module may include an air path through which air is flowable, an evaporator, and a heater. The evaporator and the heater may subdivide the air path into a main path and a side path. The main path may pass through the evaporator and the heater. The side path may branch off from the main path upstream of the evaporator and may open into the main path downstream of the heater. The side path may be fluidically connected to the main path between the evaporator and the heater. A first valve flap may be arranged in the air path and may be adjustable to a closed position and to an open position. A second valve flap may be arranged in the air path and may be adjustable to a first position, to a second position, and to a third position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Inventors: Cecile Ariaux, Emmanuel Fleith, Cyril Humbert, Arnaud Schneider
  • Patent number: 11649995
    Abstract: Heat transfer devices and systems are provided for the rapid cooling of pulsed high-powered, high-flux devices using flash boiling. Such devices comprise at least two fluidly connected chambers and a heat exchanger in thermal communication with a heat source. A flash boiling event is actively triggered at a location close to the heat source by rapid depressurization of the chamber containing a multi-phase coolant. This boiling process allows for high heat transfer rates from the heat source into the chambers due to the latent heat of vaporization, which results in the rapid cooling of the heat source. A porous medium may also be positioned within a chamber of the device to enhance boiling nucleation and extended surface heat transfer. Methods of rapidly cooling pulsed heat sources are also provided using the devices and systems hereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Timothy Fisher, Jeffrey Engerer
  • Patent number: 11649992
    Abstract: A process for liquefying a process gas that includes introducing a heat transfer fluid into an active magnetic regenerative refrigerator apparatus that comprises a single stage comprising dual multilayer regenerators located axially opposite to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignees: Battelle Memorial Institute, Emerald Energy NW, LLC
    Inventors: Jamie D. Holladay, Kerry D. Meinhardt, Evgueni Polikarpov, Edwin C. Thomsen, John Barclay