Patents Examined by Kirstin U Oswald
  • Patent number: 10543731
    Abstract: A system for decreasing the response time of a vehicle heating ventilation and air conditioning (“HVAC”) system is described. A fan circulates air through a HVAC casing. Circulating air through the HVAC casing creates a high-pressure zone within the HVAC casing. A thermal expansion valve is located outside of the HVAC casing. An outlet port is located on the HVAC casing to allow air to be ported from the high-pressure zone toward the thermal expansion valve. Air ported from the high-pressure zone may be directed toward the thermal expansion valve by a nozzle. The air increases the temperature of the thermal expansion valve and allows additional refrigerant to flow through the thermal expansion valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Gruenberg, Jianqing Xu, Shahid Bashir
  • Patent number: 10514189
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a plurality of first refrigerant flow tubes in fluid communication with one of a suction line and a liquid line, and a second refrigerant flow tube in fluid communication with the other of the suction line and the liquid line. Each of the first refrigerant flow tubes and the second refrigerant flow tube have microchannels, the second refrigerant flow tube positioned between and cooperates with the first refrigerant flow tubes to heat vapor refrigerant flowing in the suction line, the refrigerant directed to or exiting the second refrigerant flow tube flows around a portion of at least one of the first refrigerant flow tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Hussmann Corporation
    Inventors: Ming Zhang, Ken Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10464391
    Abstract: A thermoelectric system and method provides distributed localized heating, cooling, or both heating and cooling. The thermoelectric system includes a plurality of thermoelectric assemblies. Each thermoelectric assembly comprises a plurality of thermoelectric elements, and each thermoelectric assembly is in thermal communication with a first working fluid and in thermal communication with a region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly. Each thermoelectric assembly is selectively operable either to heat the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly by transferring heat from the first working fluid to the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly or to cool the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly by transferring heat from the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly to the first working fluid. Each thermoelectric assembly is operable independently from operation of other thermoelectric assemblies of the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: GENTHERM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Lon E. Bell, John LaGrandeur
  • Patent number: 10457399
    Abstract: An aircraft air conditioning system including an ambient air supply line having a first end connected to an ambient air inlet and a second end connected to a mixer of the aircraft air conditioning system so as to supply ambient air to the mixer. A first compressor is arranged in the ambient air supply line and is configured to compress the ambient air flowing through the ambient air supply line. A bleed air supply line allows a flow of bleed air bled off from an engine or an auxiliary power unit therethrough. A bleed air turbine is driven by the bleed air flowing through the bleed air supply line and is coupled to the first compressor so as to drive the first compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Holger Bammann, Frank Klimpel, Hans Brunswig
  • Patent number: 10330331
    Abstract: An independent temperature and humidity processing air conditioning system driven by low-level thermal energy, comprising an absorption-type refrigeration circulation loop, a solution dehumidification and regeneration circulation loop, a water cooling circulation loop, and a central air conditioning air supply and air return pipeline; the absorption-type refrigeration circulation loop comprises an evaporator (21), an absorber (26), a generator pump (25), a second solution heat exchanger (27), a generator (1), a condenser (2), a water-water heat exchanger (3), and a throttle valve (20); the solution dehumidification and regeneration circulation loop comprises a regenerator (8), a first solution pump (9), a solution heater (10), a first solution heat exchanger (12), a second solution pump (16), a solution cooler (17), and a dehumidifier (18); the water cooling circulation loop comprises two branches; and the central air conditioning air supply and a return pipeline comprises an air supply pipeline (13), an air
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: SOUTHEAST UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yonggao Yin, Yaming Dong, Xiaosong Zhang
  • Patent number: 10315495
    Abstract: A system including mode and battery modules. The mode module, based on parameters, determines whether to operate in a shore power, engine or battery mode. One or more batteries are charged based on received utility power while in the shore power mode. The batteries, while in the engine mode, are charged based on power received from a power source. The battery module, while operating in the battery mode, determines a speed based on a temperature within a temperature controlled container of a vehicle and a state of charge of the batteries. The compressor is run at the speed while in the battery mode. While in the battery mode, the batteries are not being charged based on power from a shore power source and the power source from which power is received during the engine mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: EMERSON CLIMATE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Shawn W. Vehr, Joseph J. Rozsnaki
  • Patent number: 10300766
    Abstract: A system including mode, engine, and battery modules, where the mode module determines whether to operate in an engine mode or a battery mode based on parameters. The engine module, while operating in the engine mode, runs a compressor at a first speed based on a temperature within a temperature controlled container of a vehicle and permits passage of refrigerant through eutectic plates independent of the temperature. A battery, while in the engine mode, is charged based on power received from an electrical source. The battery module, while operating in the battery mode and based on the temperature, runs the compressor at a second speed and prevents passage of the refrigerant through the eutectic plates. While in the battery mode, the battery is not being charged based on power from a shore power source and the electrical source from which power is received during the engine mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Shawn W. Vehr, Joseph J. Rozsnaki, Louis Siefker
  • Patent number: 10274245
    Abstract: A heat exchange unit includes a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger and a water guiding member. The first heat exchanger has a first heat exchange part exchanging heat between a refrigerant flowing in an interior and air passing an exterior. The second heat exchanger has a second heat exchange part disposed below the first heat exchange part and exchanging heat between the refrigerant flowing in an interior and air passing an exterior. The second heat exchanger is integrated with the first heat exchanger. The water guiding member is disposed between the first heat exchange part and the second heat exchange part and guides condensation water generated on the first heat exchange part to the second heat exchange part. The heat exchange unit is preferably part of a refrigeration device that has a two element compression mechanism, an intermediate refrigerant pipe, and a switching mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuhei Kaji, Shun Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 10274211
    Abstract: An air conditioner capable of detecting resonance of a casing of an outdoor or indoor unit of an air conditioner at a low cost with high accuracy is provided. An outdoor unit of the air conditioner includes: a propeller fan that blows air to a heat exchanger; a fan motor that drives the propeller fan; a current detector that detects a current value of the fan motor; a phase detector that detects the magnetic pole position of the fan motor; a fan rotation speed detector that detects the rotation speed of the fan motor; a pulsation detector that detects pulsation of the current value; and a resonance determiner that determines resonance of a system of a casing of the outdoor unit having the fan motor. If the resonance determiner determines resonance, a controller executes resonance avoidance control for increasing or decreasing the fan rotation speed by a predetermined rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi-Johnson Controls Air Conditioning, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuuhei Tada, Katsuaki Nagahashi, Koji Naito, Kazumoto Urata, Hayato Mori
  • Patent number: 10254006
    Abstract: A compressor noise suppressing structure including a dehumidifier. The compressor noise suppressing structure includes an installation member fixed to a base frame to support and accommodate a component installed within a housing, and a noise-proof member attached to the installation member and extending towards a first end of the base so as to cover at least one side of the compressor. According to the configuration of the compressor noise suppressing structure, noise generated when the compressor is operated is simultaneously blocked by the nose-proof member and the housing, and the installation member and the noise-proof member are configured as a single component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: COWAY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Hyun-Jin Hong, Chan-Jung Park, Sang-Woo Kang
  • Patent number: 10240807
    Abstract: A desiccant cooling system includes a desiccant cooler including a desiccant cooling path through which air introduced from the outside passes, a desiccant dehumidifier on the desiccant cooling path to pass through air and remove humidity of the air, and a water cooling portion cooling cooling water by using the low-humidity air that has passed through the desiccant dehumidifier; and a vapor compression cooling device including a water cooled condenser disposed to be cooled by the cooling water cooled by the water cooling portion so as to condense a refrigerant flowing inside the water cooled condenser, wherein the refrigerant is circulated in the water cooled condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventor: Dae Young Lee
  • Patent number: 10240856
    Abstract: A refrigerator may include a cabinet configured to form a storage compartment; a rear panel configured to form a rear wall of the storage compartment and have a cooling air outlet hole for discharging cooling air toward the storage compartment; a fan housing configured to couple to the rear panel and install a fan for generating a circulation of the cooling air therein; an outlet port configured to be formed in the fan housing and discharging the cooling air supplied by the drive of the fan; and a drawer configured to be withdrawn forward from an inside of the storage compartment. The drawer may include a drawer main body configured to form a storage space; a divider provided movably in the interior of the drawer main body and partitioning the storage space into a first space part and a second space part; and a sealer device configured to be provided on at least one side of the divider and sealing the first and second space parts each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Ahreum Park, Younseok Lee, Junsoo Han, Yongjin Lee
  • Patent number: 10208978
    Abstract: A power-generating system comprising an energy-converting module that converts non-electrical waste energy generated by one or more components of an HVAC system into electrical energy, and, a control module that directs the electrical energy to one or more electricity-consuming components of the HVAC system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Berg
  • Patent number: 10189331
    Abstract: A heat pump device includes an air conditioning control device configured to switch the heat pump device among a plurality of operation modes including an air-heating operation mode in which an indoor heat exchanger serves as a radiator and an outdoor heat exchanger serves as a heat absorber, and an air-cooling operation mode in which the indoor heat exchanger serves as a heat absorber and the outdoor heat exchanger serves as a radiator. The air conditioning control device switch a refrigerant pipe such that refrigerant is, in the air-cooling operation mode, supplied to part of the outdoor heat exchanger serving as a refrigerant inlet in the air-heating operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignees: JAPAN CLIMATE SYSTEMS CORPORATION, Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hamamoto, Kohei Fukawatase, Yoshihiko Otake, Kou Komori, Subaru Matsumoto, Katsuyoshi Wakano
  • Patent number: 10190814
    Abstract: The condensate evaporator has a pan for collecting condensate and a heating element that is integral with the pan. The heating element includes a U-shaped copper tube and an electrically conductive wire that extends through the tube with each end thereof extending from the tube for connection to an electrical circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Component Hardware Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Stanley Szprengiel, Thomas Graham
  • Patent number: 10183550
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing controlling environmental conditions in a passenger compartment of a vehicle are presented. In one example, various low cost expansion valves are included in a system that has a receiver positioned downstream of an exterior heat exchanger to provide a climate control system with heating, cooling, dehumidification, and de-icing modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James George Gebbie, Clay Wesley Maranville, Timothy Noah Blatchley