Patents Examined by Jianying Atkisson
  • Patent number: 9877502
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a food dehydrator including: a body having a front door detachably mounted on the front surface thereof, a plurality of air inlet holes formed on the rear surface thereof and a plurality of body air discharge holes formed on the side surfaces thereof; an inner casing having a dry room formed at the internal space thereof, a plurality of inner casing air inlet holes formed on the rear surface thereof, a plurality of first air outlet holes and second air outlet holes formed on the side surfaces thereof; a fan adapted to supply the external air to the dry room; and a heating member disposed behind the fan along an air flowing path so as to heat the air supplied to the dry room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Inventor: Weh Gu Ha
  • Patent number: 9879890
    Abstract: When a dehumidifying heating operation is performed by a heat-radiating operation of the interior condenser and a heat-absorbing operation of the exterior heat-exchanger and the evaporator, a control device of an air conditioner for vehicle decreases the valve opening degree of the electronic expansion valve to be equal to or less than a predetermined opening degree before opening the solenoid valve for dehumidification in a closed state, opens the solenoid valve for dehumidification after decreasing the valve opening degree of the electronic expansion valve to be equal to or less than the predetermined opening degree, and then increasing the valve opening degree of the electronic expansion valve to be greater than the predetermined opening degree after opening the solenoid valve for dehumidification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Isao Tsunoda, Kazuma Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 9879889
    Abstract: Refrigerator appliance with movable individually temperature controlled bins are provided. One example refrigerator appliance includes one or more transmitter coils and one or more bins. Each of the one or more bins includes a temperature sensor positioned to read a temperature in a bin storage volume. Each of the one or more bins includes a receiver coil. The receiver coil receives power from one of the one or more transmitter coils through inductive power transfer. Each of the one or more bins includes a thermoelectric heat pump. The thermoelectric heat pump receives power from the receiver coil. The operation of the thermoelectric heat pump is controlled based on the temperature in the bin storage volume read by the temperature sensor, such that the temperature in the bin storage volume is maintained at a setpoint temperature associated with such bin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith Wesley Wait
  • Patent number: 9874387
    Abstract: A method of producing ice cubes in a mold and pan in cool ambient air wherein the steps of removing the mold from the pan and removing the ice cubes from the mold are carried out without any heating or thawing to obtain individual ice cubes with a substantially dry outer surface. A method of producing a block of ice cubes in cool ambient air is also provided wherein the steps above are repeated so that the ice cubes drop row above row to produce a block of ice cubes. A method of packaging ice cubes is also provided comprising obtaining a plurality of ice cubes with a substantially dry outer surface and of a stackable shape. The ice cubes are arranged adjacently into a block, and the block is encapsulated in a suitable packaging material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Inventor: Grant Richard Jobb
  • Patent number: 9869052
    Abstract: An external air-cooled heat exchanger includes two air channels going towards different directions and not connecting with each other, a condensing wind channel and an external air channel. Each air channel has a plurality of air chambers that are alternately arranged so that between each two neighboring air chambers of the same air channel is an air chamber of the other air channel change to a period; A clothes dryer includes an air outlet connected to the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is connected to a water collection box, the water collection box is connected to an air inlet, a filter is arranged between the air outlet and the heat exchanger, and a drying fan and the heating unit are arranged between the water collection box and the air inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignees: HAIER GROUP CORPORATION, QINGDAO HAIER DRUM WASHING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haishan Liang, Peishi Lv, Sheng Xu, Huacheng Song, Yonghong Xu, Bin Song
  • Patent number: 9863653
    Abstract: A closed circulating water cooling apparatus includes an internal cooling apparatus, a plate heat exchanger, and an auxiliary cooling apparatus. The internal cooling apparatus comprises an internal cooling circulator pump and an air cooler. The auxiliary cooling apparatus comprises an external cooling circulator pump and an underground water pipe. Internal cooling water flowing through the plate heat exchanger from the internal cooling apparatus exchanges heat with external cooling water flowing through the plate heat exchanger from the auxiliary cooling apparatus. Utilization of the closed circulating water cooling apparatus and method allows for increased cooling capacity, when the environmental temperature is greater than the maximum inflow water temperature permitted by a piece of technical equipment, for the cooling apparatus to still provide sufficient cooling capacity, and for the equipment to obviate any water loss during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignees: State Grid Corporation of China, Xuchang Xuji Jing Rui Science & Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yigong Ding, Weihua Ruan, Dawei Wang
  • Patent number: 9852725
    Abstract: A system configured to thermally regulate heat dissipation of a power plant system (e.g. steam turbine, gas turbine compressor, intercooler or other fluidic thermal source, etc.) and acoustically attenuate operation of an air cooled heat exchanger via sound reflection, sound absorption, sound diffraction, and/or active noise cancellation is disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes: a set of inner barriers; a base barrier disposed beneath the set of inner barriers; a set of outer barriers disposed about the base barrier and the set of inner barriers, the set of outer barriers including a top surface located above a bottom surface of the set of inner barriers; a heat exchanger fluidly connected to a power generation system and disposed within the set of inner barriers; and a set of fans disposed within the set of inner barriers and configured to form a flow of air through the set of inner barriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Quoc Hoai Nguyen, Arkadiusz Bartlomiej Nagorski, Eric Tracy Watson
  • Patent number: 9851126
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus having a closed cooling circuit for cooling objects to semi-cryogenic or cryogenic temperatures includes a compressor to compress a gaseous coolant, and from which the coolant exits in a compressed gaseous state, an after-cooler connected downstream from the compressor, whereby the coolant exits largely in gaseous form, a counterflow heat exchanger having a feed line and return line arranged in such a way that the compressed coolant is liquefied in the feed line as the relieved coolant flowing through the return line is being heated. A cooling head that is connected with the feed line and return line. A coolant can flow through the cooling head whereby the coolant evaporates. The cooling head is arranged in a vacuum chamber, which can be joined with a low-pressure source, and is joined by flexible connecting lines with the feed line and return line of the counterflow heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Johannes Wild
    Inventor: Johannes Wild
  • Patent number: 9845988
    Abstract: Methods, processes, apparatus, kits and systems for chilling and cooling bottled or canned beverages, desserts, and food items to selected desired temperatures by rapidly rotating and counter-rotating the bottled or canned beverages, desserts, and food items that are immersed in cooled liquids in short time spans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Supercooler Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas Shuntich
  • Patent number: 9845997
    Abstract: A plate-type heat exchanger, in particular for motor vehicles, is described which includes plate pairs. In one example, a plate pair includes a first plate and a second plate that form a first flow path and a second flow path between the plates. In this configuration, the first and the second plate are associated with a first attachment plate and a second attachment plate, respectively. A third flow path is formed between the first plate and the second attachment plate and the first flow path is formed between the second plate and the first attachment plate. Alternatively, the third flow path is formed between the first plate and the first attachment plate and the first flow path is formed between the second plate and the second attachment plate. A spatial region for a fourth flow path may also be formed between adjacent plate pairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: MAHLE INTERNATIONAL GMBH
    Inventors: Emil Neumann, Falk Viehrig, Wolfgang Seewald
  • Patent number: 9841240
    Abstract: A heat exchange, which includes a casing having a cylinder; two connectors respectively attached to one end of the cylinder through the small opening; two convex heads respectively connected through the opening end to the large opening of a connector; a core disposed inside the casing; and two heat transfer medium passages. In this way, the space at the ends of the casing of the heat exchanger may be enlarged, thereby providing a space large enough to accommodate the construction personal and better working environment for two-side welding and future maintenance and wider selection range of material of the casing of the heat exchanger; a buffer area is provided for the flow of the heat transfer medium, and the auxiliary like baffles may be mounted inside the convex heads as required to further improve the heat exchange efficiency and reduce the cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: ZHENHAI PETROCHEMICAL JIANAN ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xian'an Zhang, Jianliang Wang, Xingmiao Hu, Lijiang Liu, Junjie Li
  • Patent number: 9835293
    Abstract: Regasification systems and processes for converting liquid natural gas (LNG) from a liquid into a gaseous state are described. The process includes a closed-loop system that uses geothermal wells as a heat source. A warming fluid circulates through the closed-loop system coupled with a geothermal well and a LNG heat exchanger. The warming fluid is heated as it passes through the geothermal well and cooled as it passes through the LNG heat exchanger, thus heating and gasifying the LNG. The cooled warming fluid then returns to the geothermal well. The closed-loop system minimizing environmental impact by eliminating the need to discharge the warming fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Clifford Neal Prescott, Jeff (Jianfeng) Zhang
  • Patent number: 9834882
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a heat pump based dryer or a combination washer and dryer device comprising a housing receiving a drum for containing associated articles to be dried by air that flows along a pathway between an outlet and an inlet of the housing. A fluid is provided in the pathway to at least partially remove moisture from the air. A heat pump includes a heat source located at least partially within the pathway and a heat sink being operatively adapted to the heat source to circulate a refrigerant therein. An enclosure at least partially containing the heat sink is arranged to accept the fluid from the pathway to exchange heat with the heat sink and return the fluid to the pathway. Fluid may be provided to the pathway by a spray nozzle adjacent the outlet or by an evaporative media downstream of a lint separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Mahendra Madhukar Patil
  • Patent number: 9835383
    Abstract: A planar heat pipe for transferring heat between a higher temperature region and a lower temperature region includes a bottom facesheet, a top facesheet, a vapor-venting arterial wick between the bottom facesheet and the top facesheet and including a high permeability layer and a high capillary pressure layer each having pores such that an average pore hydraulic diameter in the high permeability layer is greater than an average pore diameter in the high capillary pressure layer. The pipe also includes an architected mechanical core structure between the arterial wick and the top facesheet, and a working fluid between the bottom facesheet and the top facesheet. The architected mechanical core structure may have a vapor region, and the vapor-venting arterial wick may have a liquid region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher S. Roper, Robert W. Cumberland
  • Patent number: 9829237
    Abstract: Disclosed therein are a heat pump system for a vehicle and a method of controlling the heat pump system, which determines that frosting begins on an exterior heat exchanger and carries out a defrosting control if a difference value between outdoor temperature and refrigerant temperature of an outlet side of the exterior heat exchanger is above a frosting decision temperature in a heat pump mode, thereby increasing frost-prevention and defrosting effects and enhancing heating performance and stability of the system because the system recognizes the beginning of frosting on the exterior heat exchanger at a proper time so as to carry out the defrosting control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Hanon Systems
    Inventors: Sungho Kang, Hakkyu Kim, Youngho Choi, Jungjae Lee, Taeeun Kim, Jeonghun Seo
  • Patent number: 9826754
    Abstract: A through-flow freezer is disclosed comprising a freezing cylinder, an inlet pipe, an inlet blocking device, an air inlet, an outlet pipe and an outlet blocking device, wherein, at least in one operational mode of the through-flow freezer, the inlet blocking device and the outlet blocking device are closed such that a certain amount of mix and a certain amount of air substantially corresponding to a desired overrun in the freezing cylinder can be entrapped in the freezing cylinder by introducing air via the air inlet. Furthermore, a method for starting up a through-flow freezer is disclosed comprising the step of adding air through the air inlet until a certain amount of mix and a certain amount of air substantially corresponding to a desired overrun is entrapped in the freezing cylinder and a certain cylinder pressure is reached in the freezing cylinder before starting the cooling of the freezing cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
    Inventors: Erik Jimmy Wolf Petersen, Steen Gyldenlov, Ole Bendixen
  • Patent number: 9829219
    Abstract: A thermoelectric arrangement for use in a cooling system (4, 6) of a motor vehicle has a thermocouple (8) with a first, heat-outputting thermal element (10), a second, heat-absorbing thermal element (12) and a conductor element (14) through which current flows. At least two cooling circuits (16, 18, 20) are provided. The first thermal element (10) is arranged in at least one cooling circuit (16, 18, 20), and the second thermal element (12) is arranged in at least one heating circuit (48). The first thermal element (10) is arranged in a first connecting line (22) that is connected fluidically to the respective cooling circuits (16, 18, 20) via valve arrangements (24, 26; 28, 30; 32, 34) on the input and output sides of the first thermal element (10). A cooling system having such a thermoelectric arrangement also is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignees: Dr. Ing. h.c.f. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft, MAHLE BEHR GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Bastian Freese, Reyk Bienert, Robert Fleischhacker, Maik-Uwe Zillich, Martin Knorr, Markus Roesler, Christian Heneka, Dirk Neumeister
  • Patent number: 9816750
    Abstract: A method is provided of operating a cryogenic cooling system, in which a target region for receiving a sample is cooled by a dilution refrigerator containing an operational fluid. Firstly any operational fluid is removed from the dilution refrigerator. Target apparatus comprising the sample is loaded from a high temperature location to the target region. The target apparatus is then pre-cooled in the target region to a first temperature using a mechanical refrigerator. The operational fluid is then supplied to the dilution refrigerator and the dilution refrigerator operated so as to cool the target apparatus in the target location to a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature. A suitable system for performing the method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Oxford INstruments Nanotechnology Tools Limited
    Inventors: Graham Batey, Par Gustav Teleberg, Anthony Matthews, Christopher Wilkinson
  • Patent number: 9816744
    Abstract: An ice maker assembly includes an ice making apparatus for an appliance with an ice making tray having a water basin formed by a metallic ice forming plate and at least one perimeter sidewall extending upwardly from a top surface of the ice forming plate. The ice making tray also has a grid with at least one dividing wall. The at least one perimeter sidewall and the at least one dividing wall and the top surface of the ice forming plate form at least one ice compartment having an upper surface and a lower surface. An ice body is formed in the at least one ice compartment. Moreover, the at least one perimeter sidewall and the at least one dividing wall form a draft angle with the top surface of the ice forming plate, of about 17° to about 25° degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Boarman, Mark E. Thomas, Lindsey Ann Wohlgamuth
  • Patent number: 9810467
    Abstract: In various implementations, a request for operation of an air conditioner may be received. The air conditioner may include a cooling mode and/or a dehumidifying mode. In some implementations, a compressor speed for a compressor of the air conditioner may be determined, and which mode(s) of the air conditioner to allow may be determined based at least partially on the determined compressor speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Yi Qu, Pete Hrejsa, Eric Berg