Patents Examined by Jianying Atkisson
  • Patent number: 10119736
    Abstract: A condenser includes a condensation section, a super-cooling section located above the condensation section, and a liquid receiver. The liquid receiver has a first space communicating with the condensation section through a refrigerant inlet and a second space located above the first space and communicating with the super-cooling section through a refrigerant outlet. A suction pipe which is open at upper and lower ends thereof and which establishes communication between the first space and the second space is disposed in the first space. A tubular flow control member whose upper end is open is disposed around the suction pipe such that the refrigerant having flowed into the first space through the refrigerant inlet hits against the flow control member and changes its flow direction. Since the refrigerant inlet is located within the vertical range of the flow control member, the refrigerant hits against the flow control member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: KEIHEN THERMAL TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Teruyuki Nagafuji
  • Patent number: 10107535
    Abstract: A refrigerant system includes at least one compressor (54, 56) that compresses refrigerant and delivers it downstream to a heat rejection heat exchanger (26). The heat rejection heat exchanger is a microchannel heat exchanger. Refrigerant passes from the heat rejection heat exchanger downstream to an expansion device (60), from the expansion device through an evaporator (66), and from the evaporator back to the at least one compressor. A control (58) operates at least one compressor and the expansion device to reduce pressure spikes at transient conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Michael F. Taras, Alexander Lifson
  • Patent number: 10107569
    Abstract: A U-bend pipe type heat exchanger includes: a heat exchanger main body surrounded by a front side plate, a back side plate, a left side plate, and a right side plate, and having open upper and lower portions through which a heat source passes; a plurality of U-bend pipes inserted between the left side plate and the right side plate, each of the plurality of U-bend pipes including two heat exchange pipes arranged in parallel with each other and a U-shaped pipe connecting one end portions of the two heat exchange pipes; and a plurality of water jackets attached to at least one of outward surfaces of the left side plate and the right side plate, and connecting open end portions of two adjacent heat exchange pipes such that a low-temperature water circulates along the plurality of U-bend pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: KITURAMI BOILER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung-Hwan Choi, Youn-cheol Shin, Tae-young Kim, Young-Hyo Jeon, Hae-Young Jung
  • Patent number: 10107561
    Abstract: A heat pipe suited for thinning, and achieving high heat transport performance is provided. A heat pipe 1 according to the invention includes working liquid, a container 2 into which the working liquid is sealed, and a mesh member 3 disposed in such a position as to come into contact with at least two inner surfaces of the container, the two surfaces facing to each other. The mesh member 3 is formed by a plurality of meshes 31 and 32 laminated on each other. The porosity in the portion where the respective meshes 31 and 32 contact each other is lower than the porosity in the portion where the meshes 31 and 32 contact the container 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshikatsu Inagaki, Hiroshi Sakai, Hirofumi Aoki, Masanobu Sugimura
  • Patent number: 10111360
    Abstract: An electrical cabinet for receiving functional electrical units, each including a plurality of electrical devices arranged on a bracket; and a mechanism for attaching the functional electrical units, the attaching mechanism configured to receive the functional electric units along a separation plane defining a first space located toward a front portion, and a second space located toward a back portion; a partition dividing the second space into a first subspace located toward the front portion and a second subspace located toward the rear portion, the partition configured in the electrical cabinet to form at least two passages enabling an airflow to circulate between the first subspace and the second subspace; and a cooling source arranged to be in contact with the airflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES SAS
    Inventors: Alain Perrin, Frederic Waterlot, Louis Linares, Pascal Lepretre, Josep Lopez
  • Patent number: 10086675
    Abstract: A bodywork structure for controlling or modifying the temperature of a passenger compartment of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle is provided. The bodywork structure includes at least one interior and exterior panel and one intermediate layer between the panels, each panel being based on a thermally conducting and electrically insulating material. The intermediate layer has at least one phase change material PCM and electric components coupled to it and is configured to be connected to an accumulator battery and which are able to convert the electrical energy available when the battery is being recharged into thermal energy stored by the PCM, so that the stored thermal energy is then transmitted to the interior of the vehicle when the latter is in use thanks to crystallizing of the at least one PCM, which is conversely able, by melting, to absorb an excess of heat inside the vehicle when this PCM is not recharged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Hutchinson
    Inventors: Benjamin Swoboda, Christophe Dominiak, Simon Karam, Nadine Poupa-Parsigneau
  • Patent number: 10088183
    Abstract: A climate chamber that can include a temperature-controlled compartment containing a product such as hatching eggs, chickens, or chicks, a fan which gives off heat during operation, a supply channel extending from the fan up to the compartment, and a temperature sensor provided in the supply channel. An air stream is supplied to the compartment by the fan via the supply channel. The temperature of the air flowing through the supply channel is detected by the temperature sensor. The rotational speed of the ventilator is adjusted as a function of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor for influencing the temperature of air displaced by the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Hatch Tech Group B.V.
    Inventor: Tjitze Meter
  • Patent number: 10088851
    Abstract: A thermostatic mixing valve for mixing cold water and hot water and for setting a mixed water temperature, having an electric motor that is controllable by a control unit and acts via a gear stage on a valve body, which is stroke-adjustable over a setting range and with which the mixing ratio between hot and cold water can be varied depending on a target mixed water temperature, presettable on the user side, and having a sensor element for detecting at least one set position in the setting range of the thermostatic mixing valve. The gear stage has a linearly adjustable linear displacement element, arranged rotationally fixed and provided between the electric motor and the valve body, and the sensor element works together with the linear displacement element to detect the set position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: GROHE AG
    Inventors: Kai Huck, Tanja Schwartpaul, Achim Mielke
  • Patent number: 10088209
    Abstract: An air conditioner 1 of the embodiment of the present invention, when all compressors 21a-21c have been stopping for a given time or more, starts an air conditioning operation without performing pressure equalizing control in switch units 6a-6d with starting the operation of the air conditioner 1. Also, when the stopping time of all compressors 21a-21c is less than the given time, the air conditioner 1 performs the pressure equalizing control by controlling switch units 6a-6d with starting the operation of the air conditioner 1. In this case, when the stopping time reaches the given time during execution of the pressure equalizing processing control, the pressure equalizing processing control being executed is stopped and the air conditioning operation is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Fujitsu General Limited
    Inventors: Keito Kawai, Hideya Tamura, Takahiro Matsunaga, Shinju Watanabe, Takashi Kimura, Kotaro Toya, Yasuhiro Oka, Ken Nakashima
  • Patent number: 10082331
    Abstract: Process for efficiently operating a natural gas liquefaction system with integrated heavies removal/natural gas liquids recovery to produce liquefied natural gas (LNG) and/or natural gas liquids (NGL) products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY
    Inventors: Megan V. Evans, Nasir Ali, Jon M. Mock, Jame Yao, Sriram Ramani
  • Patent number: 10077952
    Abstract: A manifold structure for re-directing a fluid stream between first and second ends of a manifold cavity for delivering or discharging a fluid to or from a corresponding fluid transmitting device, such as a heat exchanger is disclosed. In particular, a a flow box enclosing a fluid transmitting device is disclosed wherein an incoming or outgoing fluid is re-directed between first and second directions when being delivered to or discharged from the enclosed fluid transmitting device In one embodiment, the manifold structure includes a first curved surface having a concave curvature for redirecting a fluid stream from a first direction to a second direction. In another embodiment, the manifold structure includes a second curved surface having a convex curvature that is disposed in facing, spaced-apart relationship to the first curved surface, the first and second curved surfaces together inducing swirling movement into the incoming or outgoing fluid stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Dana Canada Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin A. Kenney, Ihab Edward Gerges, Andrew Buckrell
  • Patent number: 10077948
    Abstract: A heat storage apparatus includes: a first tank; a second tank that is provided above the first tank; an on-off valve; and a heat storage solution that is accommodated in the first tank and the second tank. The heat storage solution has a characteristic of absorbing heat and separating into a first liquid and a second liquid having a lower density than the first liquid at a lower critical solution temperature or higher, the first liquid and the second liquid have a characteristic of releasing heat and mixing with each other at a temperature lower than the lower critical solution temperature, and when the heat storage solution separates into the first liquid and the second liquid, the first liquid is accommodated in the first tank and the second liquid is accommodated in the second tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshio Ohashi, Masaki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10077956
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods described herein are directed to a heat exchange tube structure and an arrangement of heat exchange tubes that enhance or help promote fluid flow through a heat exchanger. Bend portions of heat exchange tubes may be structured and configured to allow for gaps so that fluid may pass an assembly of the heat exchange tubes. The heat exchange tubes may be arranged to expose the air gaps at the bend portions of the heat exchange tubes to promote fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventor: Fahad Anwar
  • Patent number: 10068833
    Abstract: A heat module includes a fan, a heat sink, a heat transfer member, and a plurality of connection portions. The heat transfer member includes a lower surface capable of being in thermal contact with a heat source, and an upper surface thermally connected to the heat sink, and is arranged to overlap with at least a portion of the fan in a plan view. The plurality of connection portions are arranged between the heat transfer member and the housing to define an axial gap between an upper surface of the heat transfer member and a lower surface of the lower plate portion. The heat transfer member includes a heat source contact portion arranged on a side, closer to the fan, of an end portion of the fan at which the air outlet is defined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito Tamaoka, Koji Hatanaka, Kiyoto Ida
  • Patent number: 10059191
    Abstract: The present teachings provide for a flow restrictor for a coolant line of an internal combustion engine coolant system. The flow restrictor can include a restrictor element and a biasing member. The restrictor element can include a restrictor plate and a tab non-rotatably coupled at an angle. The biasing member can rotationally bias the restricting element to a first position where the restricting plate is substantially parallel to the flow of fluid. The tab can be configured to create a torque on the restricting element to overcome the biasing member and rotate the restricting plate to block a portion of the fluid flow path when the flow exceeds a predetermined flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jacob Wright
  • Patent number: 10060686
    Abstract: A passive radiative cooling system in which an ultra-black emitter includes metamaterial nanostructures disposed on the top surface of a metal sheet, and a conduit structure channels the flow of coolant against a bottom surface of the metal sheet. The metamaterial nanostructures (e.g., tapered nanopores) are configured to dissipate heat from the coolant in the form of emitted radiant energy having wavelengths/frequencies that fall within known atmospheric transparency windows (e.g., 8-13 ?m or 16-28 ?m), the emitted radiant energy being transmitted through a reflective layer into cold near-space. The ultra-black emitter is formed using a modified Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO) self-assembly technique followed by electroless plating that forms metal-plated tapered nanopores, and the reflective layer includes a distributed Bragg reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Victor Liu, Bernard D. Casse, Armin R. Volkel
  • Patent number: 10047993
    Abstract: An engine driven heat pump includes an outdoor fan and an engine cooling water pump, each of which is driven by the generation power of a generator, and after a lapse of a first predetermined time from a predetermined actuation time of an engine, the output power from the generator is output-controlled, and the power output control is started so as to obtain the generation power, and when it is determined that the generation voltage after the start of the power output control is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage, the engine cooling water pump is driven, and after a lapse of a second predetermined time from a predetermined drive time of the engine cooling water pump, the outdoor fan is driven, and after a lapse of a third predetermined time from a predetermined drive time of the outdoor fan, the output control of the inverter is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideshi Okada, Kyoko Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10047983
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that may include providing an auxiliary power source in an HVAC system, establishing a stable, uninterrupted power source to at least one system controller, starting a first component of the HVAC system prior to starting a second component of the HVAC system. The total power requirement necessary to simultaneously start the first component and the second component may generally exceed the power output capacity of the auxiliary power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Stewart Hancock
  • Patent number: 10041714
    Abstract: A rotational speed Cr of a compressor 21 during a defrosting operation is controlled within a control range that corresponds to a capacity ratio P, a total sum Pi of rated capacity of an indoor unit, or a refrigerant pipe length Lr. Accordingly, even in the case where a refrigerant circulation amount during the defrosting operation is reduced due to an installation state of an air conditioner 1, it is possible to prevent suction pressure from being significantly reduced and falling below a performance lower limit value of the compressor 21. Thus, damage to the compressor 21 can be prevented. In addition, it is possible to prevent a case where the suction pressure falls below the performance lower limit value of the compressor 21 and thus low-pressure protection control is executed. Therefore, a case where the restoration of the heating operation is delayed does not occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: FUJITSU GENERAL LIMITED
    Inventors: Takashi Kimura, Kuniko Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10041727
    Abstract: There is provided a refrigerator having a locking device for an ice bucket and a method for installing a locking device for an ice bucket. A refrigerator having a locking device for an ice bucket, comprising: a main body; a storage space within the main body; an ice space configured to be disposed inside the main body, and partitioned from the storage space, and having a front opening; an ice bucket comprising an ice storage portion which stores ice generated within the ice space; and a cover member which is disposed in front of the ice storage portion to cover a front of the ice space and configured to be slidably installed in the ice space; and a locking device configured to lock the ice bucket within the ice space to prevent the ice bucket from being drawn out of the ice space by itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Dongbu Daewoo Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Sung Jin Yang