Patents Examined by John Higgins
  • Patent number: 9464849
    Abstract: A cooling device which is provided with an evaporator with a built-in wick, a condenser, and a loop type heat pipe which connects the evaporator and condenser in a loop and is provided with a liquid pipe and vapor pipe, wherein the evaporator is divided into a liquid-pipe-side case and a vapor-pipe-side case and wherein a plurality of discharge ports of working fluids and a wick in which the working fluid from the discharge ports is completely permeated are arranged between the two cases. The wick is provided with projecting parts which have recessed parts corresponding to the discharge ports, while the outer circumferential surfaces of the projecting parts are provided with grooves. The working fluid which permeates the wick is changed to a vapor inside the vapor-pipe-side case, collects in the evaporation chamber, and is discharged to the liquid pipe, and thus, dry out of the wick is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroki Uchida, Susumu Ogata
  • Patent number: 9440315
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy heat exchanger is produced by applying a coating material that is prepared by adding a binder to a mixture of an Si powder and a Zn-containing compound flux powder to a surface of an aluminum alloy refrigerant tube, assembling a bare fin that is formed of an Al—Mn—Zn alloy with the refrigerant tube, and brazing the refrigerant tube and the bare fin by heating in an atmosphere-controlled furnace, the refrigerant tube being an extruded product of an aluminum alloy that comprises 0.5 to 1.7% (mass %, hereinafter the same) of Mn, less than 0.10% of Cu, and less than 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO LIGHT METAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Yamashita, Yasunaga Itoh, Yuji Hisatomi
  • Patent number: 9414523
    Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for facilitating cooling of an electronic component. The apparatus includes a liquid-cooled cold plate and a thermal spreader associated with the cold plate. The cold plate includes multiple coolant-carrying channel sections extending within the cold plate, and a thermal conduction surface with a larger surface area than a surface area of the component to be cooled. The thermal spreader includes one or more heat pipes including multiple heat pipe sections. One or more heat pipe sections are partially aligned to a first region of the cold plate, that is, where aligned to the surface to be cooled, and partially aligned to a second region of the cold plate, which is outside the first region. The one or more heat pipes facilitate distribution of heat from the electronic component to coolant-carrying channel sections of the cold plate located in the second region of the cold plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Timothy J. Chainer, David P. Graybill, Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Vinod Kamath, Bejoy J. Kochuparambil, Roger R. Schmidt, Mark E. Steinke
  • Patent number: 9400142
    Abstract: A heat exchanger plate, where the plate is provided with a heat transfer surface having a corrugated pattern, comprising a diagonal open and closed side distribution support section positioned between a diagonal open respectively closed groove and the heat transfer surface, and a diagonal open and closed side adiabatic support section positioned between the open respectively closed diagonal groove and a port hole, where the heat exchanger plate further comprises a transfer path between the diagonal open side distribution support section and the heat transfer surface and a bypass path between the diagonal closed side distribution support section and the heat transfer surface. A heat exchanger comprising a plurality of heat exchanger plates is also disclosed. The advantage of this heat exchanger plate is that it allows for heat exchangers with an improved efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: ALFA LAVAL CORPORATE AB
    Inventors: Martin Holm, Rolf Ekelund, Jenny Rasmussen, Fredrik Blomgren
  • Patent number: 9383144
    Abstract: A heat exchanger unit that includes a plurality of first heat exchanger ducts formed by a plurality of plates configured for a first flow of a coolant, a plurality of second heat exchanger ducts formed by the plurality of plates configured for a second flow to be cooled by the first flow, a first inlet for the first flow, a first outlet for the first flow, a first inlet for the second flow, and a second outlet for the second flow. The heat exchanger unit further includes an inlet chamber for the first flow from which a partial flow of the first flow is branched off, conducted through the plurality of first heat exchanger ducts and circulated within the heat exchanger unit to the first outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Reinhard Stoll, Alfredo Ghidini, Stefan Müller-Lufft, Stefan Laux
  • Patent number: 9363924
    Abstract: Cooling methods are provided which include providing a heat sink having a housing with a compartment, a coolant inlet, and a coolant outlet. The housing is configured for a coolant to flow from the coolant inlet through the compartment to the coolant outlet, wherein the coolant is transferring heat extracted from one or more electronic components. The heat sink further includes one or more heat pipes having a first portion disposed within the compartment of the housing and a second portion disposed outside the housing. The heat pipe(s) is configured to extract heat from the coolant flowing through the compartment, and to transfer the extracted heat to the second portion disposed outside the housing. The second portion outside the housing is disposed to facilitate conducting the extracted heat into the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Milnes P. David, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 9353998
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a header for a heat exchanger that has an inflow side, an outflow side, a bypass port therebetween, and a pressure-sensitive flapper valve proximal the bypass port. As pressure increases at the inflow side of the header, the flapper valve opens proportionally, and, as pressure decreases at the inflow side, the flapper valve closes proportionally. The flapper valve is preferably included as part of a service cartridge assembly to facilitate easy repair and/or replacement of the flapper valve. In some embodiments of the invention, a differential pressure is measured between the inflow and outflow sides, and activation of the heat exchanger is initiated in response to the differential pressure having exceeded a set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Vance Elliot Willis, Michael Damion Mercer
  • Patent number: 9328978
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heat exchanger 10, comprising: a first unit 12 having a first conduit 16 for passing a flow of a first fluid through the first unit 12; a second unit 14 having a second conduit 28 for passing a flow of a second fluid through the second unit 28, wherein the flow of the first fluid is isolated from the second unit 14 and the flow of the second fluid is isolated from the first unit 12; and, a third conduit 40 connecting the first 12 and second 14 units, wherein the third conduit 40 is for carrying a flow of an intermediate fluid between the first 12 and second 14 units so as to transfer heat between the first fluid and the second fluid, when in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Ajith Appukuttan, Yi Wang
  • Patent number: 9316448
    Abstract: A vehicle heat exchanger includes a plurality of cup plates that are formed such that a first layered space into which a first heat carrier is introduced and a second layered space into which a second heat carrier is introduced are formed alternately between the plurality of cup plates when the plurality of plates are stacked. Peripheral end portions of the plurality of cup plates are fixed together in a liquid-tight manner. A distance in a stacking direction from a first cup plate that forms the first layered space to a second cup plate that forms the second layered space and a distance in the stacking direction from the second cup plate to the first cup plate are set to different distances, and end portions of outer wall portions of the cup plates are bent back so as to be apart from each other when the cup plates are stacked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryuji Kanzaka, Tadasu Tomohiro, Kazumichi Sasaki, Shozo Fuji
  • Patent number: 9303927
    Abstract: A heat spreader structure and a manufacturing method thereof. The heat spreader structure includes a main body. The main body includes a first board body and a second board body corresponding to the first board body. The second board body is mated with the first board body to form the main body. The main body has a circulation area and a connection area. The circulation area is connected with the connection area to together define a chamber in which a working fluid is contained. The circulation area has a first capillary structure, while the connection area has a second capillary structure. In manufacturing, the heat spreader structure can be freely bent and shaped without damaging the internal capillary structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsiu-Wei Yang, Ming-Tai Weng
  • Patent number: 9307674
    Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for facilitating cooling of an electronic component. The apparatus includes a liquid-cooled cold plate and a thermal spreader associated with the cold plate. The cold plate includes multiple coolant-carrying channel sections extending within the cold plate, and a thermal conduction surface with a larger surface area than a surface area of the component to be cooled. The thermal spreader includes one or more heat pipes including multiple heat pipe sections. One or more heat pipe sections are partially aligned to a first region of the cold plate, that is, where aligned to the surface to be cooled, and partially aligned to a second region of the cold plate, which is outside the first region. The one or more heat pipes facilitate distribution of heat from the electronic component to coolant-carrying channel sections of the cold plate located in the second region of the cold plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Timothy J. Chainer, David P. Graybill, Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Vinod Kamath, Bejoy J. Kochuparambil, Roger R. Schmidt, Mark E. Steinke
  • Patent number: 9297594
    Abstract: The invention relates to a collector plate (10) for a heat exchanger comprising a web (12) equipped with openings for the passage of tubes of the heat exchanger and a groove (14), known as a receiving groove, to accept a header tank cover, able to accept a gasket (104) and part of the cover and having a base (18) and two flanges, respectively an inner flange (16) and an outer flange (20) which are connected to the base (18). The inner flange (16) is connected to the web (12) and is subdivided into at least two disjointed portions, the two disjointed portions are separated by at least one recess (30), and the recess (30) between the two disjointed portions of the inner flange (16) is at least in the region of a site of the collector plate (10) that is intended to accept a bent part of the gasket (104). The invention also relates to a heat exchanger comprising the collector plate (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: VALEO SYSTEMES THERMIQUES
    Inventors: Christian Riondet, Jean-Marc Lesueur, Alan Day, Paul Garret, Eric Piniarski, Claire Piniarski
  • Patent number: 9282683
    Abstract: A system and a method for forming the system. The system includes a cooling conduit and rack containers stacked in a first direction parallel to a floor. Each rack unit includes at least one heat generating device configured to generate heat while in operation. Each rack container is equipped with wheels positioned on a supporting structure to enable the wheels to move along the supporting structure in a second direction which enables adjacent rack containers to move closer to or further from each other. The second direction is parallel to the floor and perpendicular to the first direction. The supporting structure is on the floor and oriented in the second direction. The cooling conduit is secured on a top surface of each rack container to allow a cooling fluid to flow into each rack container and be heated by absorbing heat from the at least one heat generating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sebastien Bousseton, Arnaud Lund
  • Patent number: 9266406
    Abstract: When a predetermined seat air conditioning command is provided to air-condition a predetermined seat, a control part allows conditioned-air to be blown off only from an air outlet air-conditioning the predetermined seat as a control for a predetermined seat state. In the predetermined seat state, when a stop command is provided to stop an air conditioning blower, the control part controls the air conditioning blower to stop sending air, and controls at least one air outlet of a plurality of air outlets into an open state, the at least one air outlet air-conditioning the other seat except the predetermined seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiko Morikawa, Koichi Tabei, Koichi Aoishi
  • Patent number: 9261013
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a reservoir tank for an automobile, which is provided with a height-adjustable sub filler neck so as to be retracted when not in use and extracted when filling coolant, whereby the reservoir tank can be disposed low in the automobile. The reservoir tank forming a cooling module together with a condenser, a radiator and a fan and shroud assembly is disposed at a carrier, and includes a filler neck for filling coolant and a cap for closing the filler neck, and is communicated with a radiator so as to control an amount of the coolant in the radiator, wherein the reservoir tank is integrally formed with a shroud of the fan and the shroud assembly, and the filler neck is formed with a sub filler neck which is retracted into and extracted from the filler neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Ki Sam Koo, Shin-Won Yun, Yong Chin Song, Sang Hyun Lee, Ok Ryul Min, Jun Ho Kim, Se Young Park
  • Patent number: 9255748
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for a vehicle includes a heat radiating portion provided with first and second connecting lines formed by alternately stacking a plurality of plates and first and second operating fluids heat-exchanging with each other while passing through the first and second connecting lines; a bifurcating portion connecting an inflow hole for flowing one of the operating fluids with an exhaust hole for exhausting the one operating fluid, and adapted for the one operating fluid to bypass the heat radiating portion according to a temperature of the one operating fluid; and a valve unit mounted at the inflow hole forming the bifurcating portion and adapted to flow the operating fluid selectively to the heat radiating portion or the bifurcating portion according to a temperature of the one operating fluid flowing into the inflow hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KBAUTOTECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wan Je Cho, Jae Yeon Kim
  • Patent number: 9233791
    Abstract: The distribution of condition air into the cargo space of a temperature controlled container is improved. Conditioned air may be selectively distributed into the cargo space from a plenum beneath the cargo support floor through a plurality of longitudinally and laterally spaced apart openings through the cargo support floor. Side air ducts may be provided extending rearwardly along the side walls of the container for distributing conditioned air received from a pair of side air outlets in a refrigerant unit associated with the container. The side air ducts may have a plurality of air discharge openings and may discharge conditioned air into vertically extending recesses in the side walls. The side air outlets have a selectively variable flow area. The number, location and size of the openings through the cargo support floor, as well as the air discharge openings in the side air ducts, may be selectively varied so as to selectively distribute the conditioned air flow throughout the cargo space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter R. Bushnell, Yu H. Chen, Mehmet N. Sarimurat
  • Patent number: 9228784
    Abstract: The invention relates to a plate heat exchanger comprising a plurality of plates having flow channels, wherein a first plate has a front side having at least one flow channel for a first fluid and a second plate has a front side having at least one flow channel for a second fluid, and wherein the plates have through openings via which the flow channels for the same fluid are respectively connected to one another, wherein a front plate, which is placed in front of the front side of the first plate, has ports for the first fluid and for the second fluid, wherein an end plate forms the end of the aligned plates, wherein the plates and ports are formed from plastic, and wherein the plates are bonded or welded tightly together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH
    Inventors: Oscar-Werner Reif, Juergen van den Boogaard, Stefan Weisshaar
  • Patent number: 9228785
    Abstract: A heatsink comprising a heat exchange device having a plurality of heat exchange elements each having a surface boundary with respect to a heat transfer fluid, having a fractal variation therebetween, wherein the heat transfer fluid is induced to flow with respect to the plurality of fractally varying heat exchange elements such that flow-induced vortices are generated at non-corresponding locations of the plurality of fractally varying heat exchange elements, resulting in a reduced resonance as compared to a corresponding heat exchange device having a plurality of heat exchange elements that produce flow-induced vortices at corresponding locations on the plurality of heat exchange elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Inventor: Alexander Poltorak
  • Patent number: 9212854
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heat exchanger plate for a plate heat exchanger, whereby the heat exchanger plate has a number of ports, distribution regions, adiabatic regions, a heat transfer region, and an edge region which extends outside the ports and the regions, whereby the heat exchanger plate includes a gasket groove extending in the edge region outside the regions and round the ports, whereby the gasket groove accommodates a gasket for sealing abutment against an adjacent heat exchanger plate in the plate heat exchanger where the gasket groove creates at least a recess of the heat transfer region along each side of the heat transfer region and that the recess enables a clip-on tab to be securely fastened to an edge region of the heat exchanger plate at the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: ALFA LAVAL CORPORATE AB
    Inventor: Joakim Krantz