Patents Examined by Jianying Atkisson
  • Patent number: 9605586
    Abstract: An intake pipe for an internal combustion engine, comprising an outer housing of the intake pipe, wherein a feed line for charge air opens into an inlet section of the housing, a heat exchanger that is integrated in the intake pipe and cooled by a coolant and that comprises a plurality of exchanger tubes, in particular flat tubes, and an engine flange for connecting the intake tube to a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine, wherein charge air flows through the exchanger tubes and at least a section of the outer housing is designed as a water jacket surrounding the exchanger tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Saumweber, Viorel Braic, Mark Schienemann
  • Patent number: 9605906
    Abstract: A heat recovery system captures, stores, and releases waste heat from an exhaust. The system includes a first exchanger that removes waste heat from the exhaust and transfers it to a heat transfer fluid. A second heat exchanger transfers at least a portion of the waste heat from the heat transfer fluid to a storage device. The storage device continuously stores the waste heat until a predetermined temperature is obtained. A pump draws flow of the heat transfer fluid from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger. A valve directs flow of the heat transfer fluid into the storage device during a charge mode and out of the storage device during a discharge mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Denso International America Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan Styles, Kwangtaek Hong, Bradley Brodie
  • Patent number: 9605888
    Abstract: A refrigerator is provided. In the refrigerator, cool air within the heat exchange chamber is supplied into a drawer assembly disposed inside a storage space, and also the inside of the drawer assembly is cooled using a thermoelectric module to quickly cooling the inside of the drawer assembly. Thus, food storage performance may be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jaehoon Shin, Yanggyu Kim, Yongjoo Park
  • Patent number: 9605911
    Abstract: A heat transfer member fabricated of a thermally conductive material has a curved exterior surface with a central axis and is formed with an axial aperture and annular exterior fins with parallel spaces between the fins. A handle member is fabricated of a thermally insulating material. A coupling member has a cylindrical configuration and has a first end removably received in the aperture of the heat transfer member and has a second end coupled to the handle member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Inventor: Jack G. Kramer, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9597944
    Abstract: An automotive air conditioning system comprising: an air cooling circuit including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator; an air heating circuit, including a flow rate regulation solenoid valve arranged to regulate the flow rate of a heat transfer fluid through the heater; and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to receive a measured evaporator air temperature and a set cabin air temperature and to switch the operating condition of the compressor when the measured evaporator air temperature is higher or lower than at least one on/off threshold temperature computed based on the set cabin air temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa' Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Rossella Marco, Walter Ferraris, Carloandrea Malvicino, Carlo D'Ambrosio
  • Patent number: 9599355
    Abstract: A dry air-water heat exchanger, wherein a cooling fan, a main tube row, at least an air pre-cooling water tube row, a water evaporator and a catchment chamber are set in a housing, wherein the air pre-cooling water tube row is provided to pre-cool for the entering air, and the water evaporator is provided to evaporate water for heat exchanging after air pre-cooling to thereby lower the temperature of the entering air, and the circulating refrigerant (or the circulating water) inside the main the row is heat exchanged by the main tube row, to thereby perform the high-efficiency cooling process with minimum energy and water consumption, to thereby cool and lower the temperature of the circulating refrigerant (or circulating water), to improve the cooling efficiency of the circulating refrigerant (or circulating water), and achieve the purpose of reducing bacterial growth and scale formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: HER JIU TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kuo-Liang Weng, Chien-Lun Weng, Ling-Hua Weng, Ching-Ju Weng
  • Patent number: 9591947
    Abstract: A smokeless barbecue including a grill adapted for receiving food to be cooked thereon and at least one radiating element placed underneath the grill. The radiating element is arranged so as to radiate heat mainly in a direction substantially parallel to the grill. The barbecue further includes at least a reflecting surface facing the radiating element and arranged so as to reflect, towards the grill, the radiating heat coming from the radiating element, and a cover device placed between the grill and the radiating element to shield the radiating element from substances falling from the grill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: ELECTROLUX PROFESSIONAL S.P.A.
    Inventor: Stefano Fogolin
  • Patent number: 9587888
    Abstract: An internal heat exchanger assembly for an air conditioning system, having a housing defining a cylindrical with opposing ends. The ends are sealed with end caps having inlets/outlets. A helical coil tube is coaxially disposed within the cylindrical cavity, in which the helical coil includes two tube ends extending in opposing directions and exiting the cylindrical cavity through tube ports provided in the end caps. A twisted elongated strip is coaxially disposed within the cylindrical cavity extending from the first end to the second end. The twisted elongated strip includes a plurality of radially extending fingers adapted to engage the helical coil to maintain the helical coil in a predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventors: Edward Wolfe, IV, Prasad Shripad Kadle, Carrie M. Kowsky, James Alan Bright
  • Patent number: 9587840
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooling a supply of air is provided. A unit controller receives a cooling demand signal. In response to the cooling demand signal, the unit controller adjusts an economizer according to an economizing function. The economizing function is configured to achieve an initial free cooling target temperature as a discharge air temperature. The unit controller receives an additional cooling demand signal. In response to the additional cooling demand signal, the unit controller reduces the free cooling target temperature. The unit controller adjusts the economizer according to the economizing function, with the economizing function configured to achieve the reduced free cooling target temperature as the discharge air temperature. Additionally in response to the additional cooling demand signal, the unit controller signals a unit to perform mechanical cooling on a supply of air received from the economizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Herman Marcus Thomas, Marcus W. Troxell, Stephen A. Walter
  • Patent number: 9581296
    Abstract: A system for supplying LNG fuel includes a fuel supplying line connected from an LNG storage tank to an engine, a boosting pump provided on the fuel supplying line and configured to pressurize LNG outputted from the LNG storage tank and cool down in a standby mode, a high pressure pump configured to pressurize the LNG outputted from the boosting pump to high pressure, and a return line connected between the LNG storage tank and the high pressure pump, in which the LNG is returned through the return line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae Seok Lee
  • Patent number: 9578987
    Abstract: A roasting and glazing apparatus comprising a housing, a bowl assembly having a bowl support and a roaster bowl, an agitator rotatably mounted within the roaster bowl, a heater to heat the roaster bowl, and a cantilever arm disposed external to the housing. The cantilever arm, when moved, moves the roaster bowl between fully lowered and fully raised positions. A first piston is coupled to the bowl support and provides, when engaged, a counterforce to the weight of the bowl assembly. The first piston is engaged at least during the raising of the roaster bowl. A second piston provides a counterforce during the lowering of the roaster bowl from a partially lowered position to the fully towered position. The second piston is not engaged during lowering of the roaster howl from the fully raised position to the partially lowered position. After producing roasted and glazed nuts using the apparatus, the roaster bowl is raised to facilitate removal of the roasted and glazed nuts, and then the roaster bowl is lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: CALICO COTTAGE, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Montoya, Mark Wurzel, David Sank, Lawrence Wurzel, Steven Nagle, Robert Delauro, Barbara Riordan, Hanif Chung-Ying, Judith Levin, Christa Harrison, Andrew Irwin, Duane Saxton, Kevin Blakelock, Kenneth Antes, Mark Whatley, Ronald Beilin, Barnett Tessler
  • Patent number: 9574812
    Abstract: Technical glacette made of composite material, suitable for the refrigeration of a bottle containing beverages through a Phase Change Material injected into the cooling chamber of the glacette. The glacette is constituted by an outer casing that contains a removable refrigeration chamber to contain and refrigerate the bottle. The outer casing is open on one side or circumference to allow the reading of the label or bar code. The glacette is constituted also by a lower base integral to and united to the outer casing, which serves both as a base of support, and as light indication of the quantity of the beverage contained in the bottle. The lower base of the glacette also has a defined area which allows the 360° vision of the visual warning or change in color illumination when the beverage contained in the bottle varies due to the consumption of the beverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: IDEA PROTOTIPI SRL
    Inventor: Massimo Agostini
  • Patent number: 9568226
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for indicating the status of the refrigerant charge in an air conditioning system based upon the degree of subcooling present in the condensed refrigerant system temperature measurements. The status of the refrigerant charge in the system is indicated in real-time on a service panel for access by a field service technician. The status of the refrigerant charge in the system on a time-average basis for a specified period of operation is presented on an indicator panel. The indicator panel includes a first indicator light indicating that the refrigerant charge is low, a second indicator light indicating that the refrigerant charge is high, and a third indicator light indicating that the refrigerant charge is correct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Don A. Schuster, Sathish R. Das
  • Patent number: 9562709
    Abstract: A system may include a compressor, a heat exchanger, an expansion device, a lubricant separator, and a flow path. The compressor includes a compression mechanism. The heat exchanger receives compressed working fluid from the compressor. The expansion device is disposed downstream of the heat exchanger. The lubricant separator receives lubricant and working fluid discharged from the compression mechanism and provides separated lubricant to the compression mechanism. The flow path may receive working fluid from the heat exchanger and may provide working fluid to the heat exchanger. The flow path may extend between a first location disposed between the heat exchanger and the expansion device and a second location disposed between the heat exchanger and the compressor. The working fluid from the flow path may absorb heat from the separated lubricant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kirill M. Ignatiev, Robert C. Stover, Michael M. Perevozchikov
  • Patent number: 9562705
    Abstract: An energy recovery apparatus, for use in a refrigeration system, comprises a first nozzle, a second nozzle, a turbine, a discharge port, and a housing. The first nozzle comprises a first passageway which is adapted to constitute a portion of a refrigerant flow path when the refrigeration system is operated in a first mode. The second nozzle comprises a second conduit which is adapted to constitute a portion of the flow path when the refrigeration system is operated in a second mode. The turbine is positioned to be driven by refrigerant discharged from either or both of the first and second passageways. The discharge port is adapted to permit refrigerant to flow out of the energy recovery apparatus. The discharge port of the energy recovery apparatus is downstream of the turbine. The turbine is within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay M. Cupps, Steven W. Post
  • Patent number: 9555495
    Abstract: An automatic wire feed adjuster, including a feeding mechanism including a pair of rollers that feeds a wire therebetween, a tension controller that adjusts a tension between the pair of rollers, a wire speed sensor that measures a fed speed of the wire after exiting the feeding mechanism, and a control circuit that compares a driven speed of the wire with the fed speed of the wire, and that decides whether to instruct the tension controller to adjust the tension between the pair of rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventor: Andreu Preston Meckler
  • Patent number: 9554580
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling blisters. The method begins by mixing the ingredients to form a dough with a moisture content between about 35% and 60%. The dough is sheeted and cut. Thereafter, the dough is pre-heated to reduce the moisture content to between about 10% and about 45%. The preforms are then docked and dehydrated. The docking system, in one embodiment, has a backing plate and a docking device with at least two docking pins of varying lengths. The docking device is adjustable relative to the backing plate. The system also has a removing plate which removes preforms from the docking pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Frito-Lay North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph William Kelly
  • Patent number: 9534779
    Abstract: A tube and shell steam generator in which a series of rods having a diameter substantially equal to that of the heat exchange tubing in the tube bundle are placed on either side of the tube lane to buffer the flow in the tube lane from the heat exchange tubes to attenuate turbulent forces on the first several rows of heat exchange tubes adjacent to the tube lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventor: Robert M. Wepfer
  • Patent number: 9527661
    Abstract: A disposable single use beverage package is disclosed. The package may include an impermeable barrier surrounding a permeable single walled basket. The permeable basket may include a frame and a filter. The permeable basket may also include a lid. The permeable basket may be provided preloaded with beverage grounds or may be loaded with beverage grounds during use. The beverage packet may be manufactured of materials that are biodegradable, compostable, or otherwise environmentally friendly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: LBP MANUFACTURING LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Z. Fu, Matthew R. Cook
  • Patent number: 9526370
    Abstract: A container arranged for containing a dosed quantity of a solid product from which a beverage is extractable includes a wall defining a cavity suitable for containing the product, the wall being made of a material that is impermeable to water and oxygen. The container walls contain a cavity suitable for containing the solid product and include a portion having a plurality of holes, the portion being coated by a removable closing element made of a material that is impermeable to water and oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Illycaffe' S.p.A.
    Inventors: Furio Suggi Liverani, Luciano Navarini, Oriana Savonitti