Patents Examined by John K. Ford
  • Patent number: 6986384
    Abstract: A cooling device primarily for cooling, e.g., integrated circuits or other electronic devices during operation may include a heat sink portion having a plurality of cooling vanes and a heat pipe chamber. Both the cooling vanes and the heat pipe chamber may be integrally formed within the heat sink portion. Because the heat pipe chamber is integrally formed with the cooling vanes, no joints exist between the condensing surface of the heat pipe chamber and the cooling vanes. This, in turn, allows extremely rapid and efficient heat transfer between the heat pipe chamber and the cooling vanes. The cooling device may include extensions of the main heat pipe chamber which project into each of the cooling vanes. In this manner, the condensing surface of the heat pipe chamber is actually moved into the vanes at a position very close to the surface of the vanes where heat transfer into the atmosphere occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Guy R. Wagner, Chandrakant D. Patel
  • Patent number: 6983793
    Abstract: A dual evaporator air conditioning system and method for use therewith to cool air in front and rear portions of a cabin of a vehicle. The dual evaporator air conditioning system includes primary and auxiliary HVAC units to cool the air in the front and rear portions of the cabin, respectively. The dual evaporator air conditioning system also includes a control system having cooling and non-cooling modes for each of the HVAC units. The control system automatically activates a heating element near the auxiliary evaporator in response to the auxiliary HVAC unit being in the non-cooling mode while the primary HVAC unit is in the cooling mode. The heating element heats the refrigerant in the auxiliary evaporator to prevent accumulation of liquid refrigerant and lubricating oil in the auxiliary evaporator when the auxiliary HVAC unit is in the non-cooling mode while the primary HVAC unit is in the cooling mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jing Zheng, Prasad Shripad Kadle
  • Patent number: 6983794
    Abstract: The present invention provides a heat exchanger unit that can appropriately inhibit freezing of a heat exchange element even in cold climates. The heat exchanger unit performes heat exchange and ventilation between an indoor space and an outdoor space, and is provided with a heat exchange element, a supply air passage and an exhaust air passage that are routed via the heat exchange element, a temperature sensor, and a control unit. The temperature sensor detects the outside air temperature. The control unit executes a first freeze inhibit control mode, which inhibits freezing of the heat exchange element, if the outside air temperature falls below a first level, and a second freeze inhibit control mode, which inhibits freezing of the heat exchange element more strongly than the first freeze inhibit control mode, if the outside air temperature falls below a second level, which is lower than the first level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 6983788
    Abstract: The ventilating system includes evaporative cooling of the exhaust air before it enters a heat exchanger to cool incoming fresh outside air. A suction fan pulls exhaust air through the heat exchanger and, in combination with a flow restrictor, reduces the pressure on the exhaust air and augments the evaporative cooling. The use of a pusher fan to force outside air through the heat exchanger ensures that any leakage in the heat-exchanger results in outside air entering exhaust air and minimizing the chances of contamination by leaking exhaust air into the incoming fresh air. The heat exchanger is made economically by heat-forming cavities in relatively thick thermo-plastic sheets, interleaving them with other thermoplastic sheets having separate gas flow conduit structures, and securing the sheets together. Preferably, the heat-exchanger is an opposed-flow heat-exchanger giving improved heat-transfer efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Building Performance Equipment, Inc.
    Inventor: Klas C. Haglid
  • Patent number: 6983789
    Abstract: A cooling system is provided with a heat exchanger that has a thermally conductive tube over-molded with a plurality of thermally conductive fins. To form the heat exchanger, a thermally conductive tube is provided. Insert molding, over molding or injection molding is utilized to incorporate thermally conductive fins with the thermally conductive tubes. The molding process may also simultaneously create any required features, such as mounting features and fittings for tubing to be connected to the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kurt A. Jenkins, John G. Olendorf, Peter Davison
  • Patent number: 6973958
    Abstract: A heat transfer apparatus includes one heat exchanging system having a compressor coupled between a condenser and a heat exchanger. A further heat exchanging system includes a water pump, an ion exchange filter coupled between the water pump and the heat exchanger, to filter negative ions, positive ions, mineral materials, and/or impurities from the water. A temperature detecting member may actuate a heater to maintain the water temperature. A water cycling system includes a water reservoir to maintain the water pressure in the further heat exchanging system. An air relief valve may relieve air bubbles to reduce shocks and vibrations in the heat exchanging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Inventor: Ching-Lung Chou
  • Patent number: 6973959
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for cooling motor vehicle exhaust gases, which heat exchanger is to be fitted into an exhaust line of the vehicle and having at least three tubes in contact by way of their outer walls with cooling air, in which the exhaust gases are brought to circulate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SA
    Inventors: Patrick Claverie, Arnaud Vitel
  • Patent number: 6971440
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heating or air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle, by which individual zones of the vehicle interior can be supplied with separately temperature-controlled air. An improved heating or air-conditioning system, which requires just a small amount of installation space, feeds differently temperature-controlled air to a plurality of air-conditioning zones. Despite the small amount of installation space, optimum mixing of cold air and warm air takes place in the heating or air-conditioning system, with the result that the air emerging from air-outlet openings in a respective air-conditioning zone have a constant temperature over the outlet cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Oliver Beck, Michael Forster, Christian Grommer, Norbert Wocht
  • Patent number: 6971446
    Abstract: An air conditioning control system for controlling the air conditioning system of a vehicle. The air conditioning control system is capable of determining the occupancy status of various locations in the vehicle interior. The air conditioning control system alters the flow rate of conditioned air to various portions of the vehicle interior based at least partially upon the occupancy of those areas of the vehicle interior. The air conditioning control system delivers increased amounts of conditioned air to the occupied portions of the vehicle interior when the conditioned air is of a comfortable temperature. The air conditioning control system delivers decreased amounts of conditioned air to the occupied portions of the vehicle interior when the conditioned air is most likely to be of an uncomfortable temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Ralph D. Price, Rodney A. Laukhuf
  • Patent number: 6971439
    Abstract: An agricultural machine is described with a screen for protecting a part of a cooling system of a motor mounted on the agricultural machine, the screen being mounted in its operational position adjacent the cooling system, wherein the screen is movable from the operational position next to the cooling system of the motor to a position in which the screen lies outside the envelope defining the outer form of the agricultural machine, the screen being hingedly connected to the agricultural machine so that the initial trajectory of the screen is horizontal and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the agricultural machine, and that a further second trajectory of the screen is horizontal and substantially circular, having its centre of curvature on or adjacent a first hinge position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventor: Dirk J. Desnijder
  • Patent number: 6966356
    Abstract: A compact air-ventilator with high efficiency thermal exchanger and air filter in which the thermal exchanger utilize a light-weight assembly of parallelly stacked thin metallic plates with pre-formed spaces. The high efficiency air filter includes a combination of filter elements including a mesh grid, an activated carbon layer and a HEPA filter. This air-ventilator can be built-in as part of an air-conditioner or as a stand alone unit to provide additional air circulating to conventional air-conditioners to improve indoor air quality. The thermal exchanger as well as the filters can be made with modular design to allow for easy periodic maintenance and replacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Housely Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Kui Wong Yeung
  • Patent number: 6966355
    Abstract: A work vehicle having a body and a heater A/C unit disposed inside the body with a condenser assembly connected to the heater A/C unit has the condenser assembly disposed on a lateral side of the body, the condenser assembly includes: a first mounting bracket disposed on the side of the body; a second mounting bracket disposed on the side of the body; a third mounting bracket disposed on the side of the body; and a planar condenser disposed in a frame, wherein the frame is pivotally connected on a first side to the first mounting bracket, and a second side opposite to the first side has a right wing and a left wing, wherein the second mounting bracket detachably connects to the left wing and the third mounting bracket detachably connects to the right wing, and the condenser is connected to the heater A/C unit by a conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: CNH America, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas G. Branham, Homauon Hal Noroozi, Dennis Arthur Fraser, Benard Lee Allers, David Charles Cushway
  • Patent number: 6966364
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods of controlling local environment. In one embodiment, incoming air enters a contactor such the Direct Contact Cooler-Condenser (DCCC) where the air contacts water distributed on the contact media. After passing through the DCCC, the air is saturated at a temperature equal or close to that of the water. Depending on the state of the incoming air, in the DCCC will be humidified or dehumidified to yield saturated air at the desired humidity ratio. In one embodiment, a blower draws air through the DCCC and blows into the heater. The heater heats the air to the desired dry-bulb temperature. Before exiting, the air may pass through a filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: ASML Holding N.V.
    Inventors: Dikran S. Babikian, Bryan H. Wade
  • Patent number: 6962191
    Abstract: A device for fixing and sealing a replaceable heat-exchanger cassette in an air/air heat exchanger, wherein two spatially separated conducting areas are formed by separating strips and the heat exchanger cassette. In this case a releasable and satisfactory sealing support of the heat exchanger cassette is achieved because in the area of its separating strips the air/air heat exchanger has sealing receivers. The heat exchanger cassette rests against the sealing receivers by sealing faces. The air/air heat exchanger has at least one movable slide which maintains the heat exchanger cassette in the sealing receivers under prestress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Rittal GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Manfred Immel, Reiner Hartmann, Joachim Maul
  • Patent number: 6962196
    Abstract: A mode switching control device of a vehicle air-conditioning apparatus capable of selecting vent mode delivery, whereby air is delivered to an upper part of the inside of a passenger compartment; foot mode delivery, whereby air is delivered to a lower part of the passenger compartment; and bi-level mode delivery, whereby the vent mode delivery and the foot mode delivery are implemented together. Even when on the basis of a target outlet temperature foot mode delivery has been selected, when the occupant insolation level is above a predetermined level the control device switches to the bi-level mode to provide the occupant with a comfortable air-conditioning feeling even when the vehicle is running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Isao Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 6962195
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation and air conditioning system for a vehicle is constructed from two modules, one for the engine compartment and a second for the passenger compartment. The engine compartment module has a base formed for positioning on at least two locations on a dash panel, a outside air inlet, a secondary air inlet for communication with the passenger compartment, an air outlet and defining a air transport conduit connecting the outside air inlet or the secondary air inlet with the air outlet. Downstream from the engine compartment is a passenger compartment module having a slide slot for a heater core, an inlet for communication with the air outlet from the engine compartment module, an air manifold, a panel exhaust from the air manifold, a defrost exhaust from the air manifold, a compartment door providing access to the slide in friction slot, and an air channel from the inlet to the air manifold. The heater core is positioned in the slide in slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Smith, Carl B. Dalkert, Michelle R. Gehres, Gregory J. Kolodziej
  • Patent number: 6959754
    Abstract: The present invention has been made to solve the foregoing problems and it is an object of the present invention to provide a two-layer flow air conditioning system in which a partition wall is installed on a path between an evaporator and a heater core to divide internal air and external air, and a first temperature adjusting door and a second temperature adjusting door each having a fan shape are installed at both sides of the partition wall in such a manner as to be opened at their sides to control the flow direction of the internal air and the external air which are supplied to both sides of the partition wall so as to prevent any mixture between the internal air and the external air, thereby enhancing heating and cooling effects without degrading a defrosting performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Halla Climate Control Corporation
    Inventors: Junkang Lee, Changho Park, Inchul Han, Sunjae Yoo
  • Patent number: 6959561
    Abstract: An automotive air conditioner comprises a housing having an air flow passage defined therein. The housing includes mutually opposed side walls between which a part of the air flow passage is defined. A fan is installed in an upstream part of the air flow passage to introduce air into the air flow passage. An evaporator is installed in the air flow passage at a position downstream of the fan. The evaporator is of a stack type including a plurality of flat tube elements which are stacked on one another. Every adjacent two of the flat tube elements leave therebetween a clearance which has inlet and outlet sides. The evaporator is postured in such a manner that the flat tube elements extend between the mutually opposed side walls of the housing having the inlet sides of the clearances of the flat tube elements directed upstream toward the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kawada, Toshio Nashiro
  • Patent number: 6957689
    Abstract: A heat exchange arrangement for a vehicle has at least two heat exchangers exposed to the action of ambient air. One of the heat exchanger is coolant cooler and the other one is a charge-air coolant. Each of these coolers has tubes through which liquid or gas flows and heat dissipating ribs connected to the tubes. The coolant cooler is positioned upstream of the charge-air cooler in the air-flow direction. The charge-air cooler has an overlapping region in which the coolant cooler and the charge-air cooler overlap one another and a non-overlapping region in which the coolant cooler projects substantially perpendicularly to the cooling air flow direction. The non-overlapping region is formed at least in the charge-air outlet region and is cooled directly by ambient cooling air. The overlapping region is cooled by the ambient cooling air that has passed through the coolant cooler, which is positioned immediately upstream of the overlapping region of the charge-air cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: BEHR GmbH & CO.
    Inventors: Peter Ambros, Peter Griesheimer, Reinhard Kull, Eberhard Pantow
  • Patent number: 6953081
    Abstract: The invention relates to a plate-type heat exchanger, in which at least one first flow passage (16) for a first medium is provided between two plates (12 and 14), which form a plate pair (13). A plurality of second flow passages (18), which are connected in parallel, for a second medium are provided between two plate pairs (13). To provide a novel, improved heat exchanger, which is easier to produce, it is proposed that the second, parallel-connected flow passages (18) are formed in each case by one plate (14, 12) from adjacent plate pairs (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Dietrich Klingler, Werner Schwahn