Patents Examined by Jonathan Cotov
  • Patent number: 9885488
    Abstract: An indoor unit of an air conditioner is provided, comprising an air duct, an air outlet in communication with the air duct, and an air deflector for guiding the direction of air outflow of the air conditioner, with a volute tongue being provided at an end of the air duct proximately to the air outlet, wherein the indoor unit of the air conditioner further comprises an air deflector opening and closing mechanism in drive connection with the air deflector which is rotatably provided at the outer side of the air outlet. The indoor unit of the air conditioner can sealingly close the air outlet with respect to the air deflector and avoid any gap from being formed between the air deflector and the air outlet when the air deflector is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai
    Inventors: Bin Shang, Tangtang Gu
  • Patent number: 9888610
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a casing, a vent structure on the casing, and an electronic device inside the casing. The vent structure is used for a unidirectional flow and includes a frame and a louver. The louver includes a sheet body and a shaft. The sheet body includes a bent portion, a first and a second portion which oppositely extend from the bent portion and bind together. The shaft passes through a through hole formed by the bent portion and is connected to the frame, so that the sheet body is rotatable. When the louver is located at a closed position, the sheet body covers at least a portion of an opening structure of the frame. The louver is structurally simple and can be made of light material, which is conducive to improving the rotation agility of the louver and reducing the noise probably produced when in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Qi Liu, Rong-Wei Wu, Ta-Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 9878590
    Abstract: An HVAC assembly for conditioning air within a vehicle passenger cabin. The assembly includes a housing, at least one front air inlet and at least one front air outlet for conditioning air at a front of the cabin, at least one rear air inlet and at least one rear air outlet for conditioning air at a rear of the cabin, and a heater core. A cover is configured to: be mounted to an exterior of the housing over at least one heater core conduit; direct airflow exiting the housing to the at least one heater core conduit to permit heat transfer from heated coolant flowing through the at least one heater core conduit to the airflow to heat the airflow; and direct the heated airflow out from within the cover towards the at least one rear air inlet to mix with air exiting the at least one rear air inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: James Stander
  • Patent number: 9874369
    Abstract: A sliding plate air damper allows control over air flow with the sliding plate having a range of positions which do not change the total area of the orifices through the damper. Openings through the fixed plate and the openings through the sliding plate can each make up about 70% of the active area of each plate. The slide plate can be slid to a position where its webbings divide each fixed plate opening into two orifices for air flow. The air flow can be controlled by selecting the slide position of the webbings from a most restrictive position in which the webbings are in the middle of fixed plate openings, through a range of positions where the orifice on one side of the webbing is larger than the orifice on the other side of the webbing, to a maximally opened position where the webbing on the slide plate overlies the webbing on the fixed plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Inventors: Nejat Babur, Bart J. Naughton
  • Patent number: 9868335
    Abstract: A hingeless ventilator comprises a frame defining two openings surrounded by a seating rim, which is surrounded by a door recess. A pair of upright sleeves is disposed between the openings, and each upright sleeve defines an exterior track surface. A door is disposed to face the outer surface of the frame and has a main body configured to be selectively positionable to cover and uncover both of the openings and defines a lip surrounding the periphery thereof and extending generally perpendicularly to the main body. Two door struts connected to the door extend through the frame openings and hold a handle that has rollers that are biased against the exterior track surfaces of the sleeves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Salem Vent International, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy A. Kelly, Dwight Smith, Whitwell C. Kelly
  • Patent number: 9862493
    Abstract: A cabin air compressor assembly that include a cabin air compressor disposed at a compressor inlet and a cabin air compressor motor operably connected to the cabin air compressor. At least one cooling flow inlet is configured to direct a cooling flow through various pathways in the cabin air compressor assembly, including across the cabin air compressor motor. A blower is configured to boost the cooling flow across the cabin air compressor motor, thereby increasing cooling flow provided to the air compressor motor. A static seal plate is downstream of the blower and guides the boosted cooling flow toward a cooling flow exit. In addition, the static seal plate isolates boosted cooling flow from a moving rotor of the cabin air compressor, and also forms part of a containment structure that contains fragments and breakage that may come from the cabin air compressor rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Craig M. Beers, Harold W. Hipsky
  • Patent number: 9862249
    Abstract: A vehicle vent positioning apparatus includes a motion sensor, a blower of an HVAC system, a vent assembly, a positioning device and a controller. The motion sensor detects changes in direction of movement of a vehicle. The blower moves air into a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The vent assembly is installed within the vehicle to direct airflow from the blower into a passenger compartment. The vent assembly includes at least one vane positionable to aim airflow into the passenger compartment in differing airflow directions. The positioning device is connected to the vane. The controller is configured to operate the positioning device to re-position the vane from aiming the airflow in a first airflow direction to aiming the airflow in a second airflow direction in response to the controller determining via signals from the motion sensor that the vehicle is changing direction of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Bhargav Sura, David Lyon
  • Patent number: 9863116
    Abstract: A system for mitigating the flow of vapors from contaminated soil into a building has a blower pulling an exhaust from underneath the sub slab of the building and blowing the vapors away from the building. The blower is controlled by pressure sensors that measure the pressure drop across the sub slab. The sensors are monitored to make sure they all have a minimum pressure drop. If any of the sensors has an inadequate pressure drop, the blower speed is increased by a small amount. If all of the sensors have adequate pressure drop, then the blower speed is decreased by a small amount. The system then rechecks the pressure drops on a periodic basis and makes appropriate blower speed adjustments after each measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: BTECH, Inc
    Inventor: David Allen Everett
  • Patent number: 9857094
    Abstract: An air handler and a fan module for an air handier are provided. The fan module may include a plurality of box frames that form a framework of at least one fan box; a plurality of safety nets coupled to the framework of the at least one fan box formed by the plurality of box frames to form surfaces of the at least one fan box; and at least one box frame connector that interconnects neighboring one of the plurality of box frames to form the framework of the at least one fan box, wherein the at least one box frame connector has a fan box connection end configured to assist connection of the neighboring one of the plurality of fan boxes. As such, manufacturing costs may be reduced due to reduction in a number of components, and assembly time may be remarkably reduced due to a reduced number of assembly operations. This advantageously results in reduced labor cost and enhanced air conditioning efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sangyuk Son, Daehyuk Kim, Kyungjung Lee
  • Patent number: 9857093
    Abstract: An air handler and a method for assembling an air handler are provided, in which a case panel may be assembled with a plurality of module frames via a considerably simplified sliding coupling providing excellent hermetic sealing. As such, manufacturing costs may be reduced due to reduction in a number of components, and assembly time may be remarkably reduced due to a reduced number of assembly operations. This advantageously results in reduced labor cost and enhanced air conditioning efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sangyuk Son, Daehyuk Kim, Kyungjung Lee
  • Patent number: 9854717
    Abstract: A charger cooling air source selection method includes cooling a vehicle battery charger by opening an outside air vent door in a vehicle and drawing outside air through the outside air vent door; determining whether the outside air vent door will close; and if the outside air vent door will not close, establishing and maintaining positive air pressure in a cabin of the vehicle by ensuring an open configuration of a recirculation door in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Blackburn, Monica DuBois, James George Gebbie, Kenneth J. Jackson
  • Patent number: 9849754
    Abstract: An air extractor grill for a vehicle may include a housing fixedly mounted at a portion on the vehicle separating inside and outside spaces of the vehicle and provided with through holes having a plurality of grills, an outer cover coupled with one surface of an outside of the housing and having an opened inner space provided with a plurality of outer barrier ribs, and a plurality of valves including upper portions fitted between the housing and the outer cover to be closely disposed to the housing to seal the through holes when the outer cover is connected with the housing, the plurality of valves being operated to open the through holes while lower portions of the plurality of valves rotate toward the outer cover based on the fixed upper portions when air inside the vehicle needs to be discharged to the outside of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, KIA MOTORS CORP.
    Inventors: Eung Young Kim, Byeong Moo Jang, Jun Mo Ku
  • Patent number: 9854335
    Abstract: A method of and system for automatically adjusting airflow is presented. A system includes a controlled supply register that has an airflow adjusting mechanism that controls an aperture through which air passes and a register sensor that senses a value of an environmental variable in system duct work. The register also includes a communication system and a processor system that controls the airflow adjusting mechanism. The system also includes a sensor platform that senses an environmental variable in a space and transmits and receives information. The system also includes a controller that receives information about the environmental variables and a desired set point for the environmental variable in the space. The controller determines a target airflow to achieve the desired set point and transmits information about the target airflow. The register receives information about the target airflow and controls the register adjusting mechanism to achieve the target airflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: EcoVent Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Dipul Patel, Nicholaus Ray Lancaster
  • Patent number: 9851115
    Abstract: A vent sealing device includes first and second elongated tubular members having a funnel shaped cap along the upper surface for directing rain water into a vent pipe. A screen is positioned along the top of the device. A vent sealing system includes the vent sealing device and a roof attachment having an elongated base structure and a flexible sleeve protruding outward therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Cicada Holding, LLC
    Inventor: Andrew McIver
  • Patent number: 9844994
    Abstract: Disclosed therein is an air conditioner for a vehicle which includes a sealing member attached to one side of a door member of a mode door face-sealed with the inner face of an air-conditioning case by the inside wind pressure of the air-conditioning case so as to prevent vibration of the door member by wind pressure of the inside of the air-conditioning case and prevent air leakage from the face-sealed part, and which includes a rib formed on the door member for preventing excessive pressure of the sealing member in order to make actuating force of the door member uniform and to enhance a passenger's sense of manipulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Sangchul Byon, Hyungjoo Kim, Dongmin Kam, Seonghyun Kim, Donggyun Kim
  • Patent number: 9840128
    Abstract: A vehicle air vent system may include a vehicle air vent having an airflow mechanism configured to control the direction of airflow therefrom, a user interface positioned around a periphery of the vent; and a controller programmed to, based on a received touch point signal from the interface, instruct the mechanism to direct airflow from the vent in a direction corresponding to a location of the received touch point signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James Livingston, Zachary David Nelson
  • Patent number: 9839948
    Abstract: A fume evacuation system is designed to remove smoke, fumes, and particulate from a metal-working or other application. The system may include a cart-type base unit or may be incorporated into a fixed or semi-fixed installation that uses suction to draw air (e.g., containing smoke, fumes, and particulate) away from the metal-working application. The fume evacuation system includes a hood that creates an arduous flow path and varying velocity profile, which cools and separates any particulate matter in the suctioned air. The arduous flow path may include multiple sharp turns created by an inner deflector component and an inlet tube. The inlet tube may further contain baffles to cool particulates from the suctioned air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: John C. Leisner, Brian J. Hammers, Allan T. Hilbert
  • Patent number: 9839162
    Abstract: Provided is a process for cooling a datacenter chamber having racks configured to hold arrays of rack-mounted computing devices, the process including: directing a cooling fluid, at a first temperature and a first pressure from an outer radius of circularly arranged racks through the racks and components within the racks; passing the cooling fluid to an interior chamber of the datacenter chamber at a second temperature and a second pressure; and directing the cooling fluid upward to exit the interior chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Vapor IO Inc.
    Inventor: Colton Malone Crawford
  • Patent number: 9829211
    Abstract: Disclosed is an air deflector driving device, comprising a driving case and connecting rod (3). One side of the driving case is provided with a protruding opening (11), the connecting rod (3) is slidably provided in the driving case, and a tip (31) of the connecting rod (3) is limited in the direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the connecting rod by means of the limiting structure. Furthermore, also disclosed is an indoor air conditioning unit using the driving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES, INC. OF ZHUHAI
    Inventors: Hui Zhang, Shaolin Chen, Xianlin Wang, Zhi Meng
  • Patent number: 9822532
    Abstract: Improvements in an outside house vent that blocks embers, water and rain that can cause damage to a house of building. The prevention of fire and ember intrusion into a building prevents fires in homes where invalids and children are left alone. The prevention of water into structure further reduces the potential for mold growth in the attic or walls of a home or structure. The filtering further prevents intrusion of creatures such as but not limited to bugs, insects, bees, wasps, animals, critters and other flying and crawling animals from entering the building. The vent is a fireproof set of louver or filter pads with fire arresting screens that is passed through a wall that vents into the building. The vent can be installed on old and new construction to provide improved fire prevention, increase the value and salability in fire prone areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Inventor: George John Sherry