Patents Examined by Kun Kai Ma
  • Patent number: 11435118
    Abstract: A heat source unit and a refrigeration cycle apparatus that are able to reduce damage to a connection pipe when a refrigerant containing at least 1,2-difluoroethylene is used are provided. An outdoor unit (20) that is connected via a liquid-side connection pipe (6) and a gas-side connection pipe (5) to an indoor unit (30) including an indoor heat exchanger (31) and that is a component of an air conditioner (1) includes a compressor (21) and an outdoor heat exchanger (23). A refrigerant containing at least 1,2-difluoroethylene is used as a refrigerant. A design pressure of the outdoor unit (20) is lower than 1.5 times a design pressure of each of the liquid-side connection pipe (6) and the gas-side connection pipe (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Eiji Kumakura, Takuro Yamada, Atsushi Yoshimi, Ikuhiro Iwata, Mitsushi Itano, Daisuke Karube, Yuuki Yotsumoto, Kazuhiro Takahashi, Tatsuya Takakuwa, Yuzo Komatsu, Shun Ohkubo
  • Patent number: 11428461
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a high side heat exchanger, a load, a compressor, a belt, a first bin, a second bin, and a controller. The high side heat exchanger removes heat from a refrigerant. The load uses the refrigerant to cool an enclosed space. The compressor compresses the refrigerant. The first and second bins are coupled to the belt and positioned within the enclosed space. The controller receives a first message, determines that the first bin should be selected, and cycles the belt to move the first bin to a retrieval location within the enclosed space. The controller also receives a second message, determines that the second bin should be selected, and cycles the belt to move the second bin to the retrieval location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan David Douglas, Kristal Chante Parker, Richard Carl Wise
  • Patent number: 11428455
    Abstract: A defrosting apparatus includes: a heating unit including a heater case and a heater, where the heater case defines an inner flow path having an inlet and an outlet at ends thereof, and the heater is mounted in the heater case to heat a working fluid within the inner flow path; and a heat pipe inserted into the inside of the heater case through the inlet and the outlet, and which has at least a part thereof disposed to be adjacent to a cooling pipe of an evaporator such that heat is radiated to the cooling pipe of the evaporator by means of the working fluid at a high temperature that is heated by the heater and then is transferred, where the heater is configured to stop emit heat at a preset temperature or higher since an electric current is suppressed due to a sharp increase in resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Minjae Jeong, Woocheol Kang, Geunhyung Lee, Eonhwa Hwang
  • Patent number: 11421928
    Abstract: An aseptic ice making system includes an ice making system to receive water from a water supply. The ice making system includes an ice producing subsystem to produce ice and a positive air pressure subsystem to maintain a positive air pressure environment within the ice making system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Inventor: Robert Almblad
  • Patent number: 11408301
    Abstract: There is disclosed a flow control nozzle for controlling the flow of an incompressible fluid, the flow control nozzle having a flow area and comprising a deformable element comprising a shaped memory alloy (SMA) material wherein within a range of operating temperatures the SMA material is configured to reduce the flow area of the flow control nozzle as the operating temperature increases. The flow control nozzle is thus able to dynamically compensate for changes in operating temperature in order to maintain a constant flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: CLAVERHAM LTD.
    Inventors: Paul Brewer, Reg Raval, Suat Bekircan
  • Patent number: 11408649
    Abstract: A thermal management system includes an open circuit refrigeration circuit that has a refrigerant fluid flow path, with the refrigerant fluid flow path including a receiver configured to store a refrigerant fluid, a first control device configured to receive refrigerant from the receiver, a liquid separator, and an evaporator configured to extract heat from a heat load that contacts the evaporator, with the evaporator coupled to the first control device and the liquid separator. The system includes a pump having an inlet and an outlet, with the outlet of the pump coupled to the liquid side outlet of the liquid separator and a second control device that is coupled to an exhaust line, that is coupled to the vapor side outlet of the liquid separator through the second control device. In operation, the evaporator in the open circuit refrigeration circuit would be coupled to a heat load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.
    Inventors: Igor Vaisman, Joshua Peters
  • Patent number: 11397041
    Abstract: A refrigerator and a method for controlling the same. The refrigerator includes a main body; a first storage chamber and a second storage chamber provided in the main body; a first evaporator provided in the first storage chamber, configured to generate cool air; a second evaporator provided in the second storage chamber, configured to generate the cool air; a switching valve configured to supply a refrigerant to at least one of the first evaporator or the second evaporator; and a controller configured to generate a control signal for controlling the switching valve so that the refrigerant supplied to at least one of the first evaporator or the second evaporator is distributed according to a predetermined reference, and lower the temperature of the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber to a predetermined temperature based on the generated control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Do-Hyung Kim, Su-Cheol Yoo, Jung Woo Yoo, Kook Jeong Seo, Chang-Hern Lee, Ha-Jin Jeong
  • Patent number: 11384960
    Abstract: A thermal management system includes an open circuit refrigeration circuit that has a refrigerant fluid flow path, with the refrigerant fluid flow path including a receiver configured to store a refrigerant fluid, a first control device configured to receive refrigerant from the receiver, a liquid separator, and an evaporator configured to extract heat from a heat load that contacts the evaporator, with the evaporator coupled to the first control device and the liquid separator. The system includes a pump having an inlet and an outlet, with the outlet of the pump coupled to the liquid side outlet of the liquid separator and a second control device that is coupled to an exhaust line, that is coupled to the vapor side outlet of the liquid separator through the second control device. In operation, the evaporator in the open circuit refrigeration circuit would be coupled to a heat load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.
    Inventors: Igor Vaisman, Joshua Peters
  • Patent number: 11370264
    Abstract: Secondary loop air conditioning and heat pump systems include a reservoir with a capsule holding a phase change material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jing He, Loren John Lohmeyer, III, Angelo Patti, Manfred Koberstein
  • Patent number: 11371764
    Abstract: An air conditioning system and a control method are provided. The air conditioning system includes: at least one heat exchanger (1, 2); and at least one control mechanism. Each control mechanism is connected to one of the at least one heat exchanger (1, 2) and is configured to control the corresponding heat exchanger to switch between a first working state and a second working state. The heat exchanger (1, 2) drains liquid when in the first working state and stores liquid when in the second working state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignees: Gree Electric Appliances (Wuhan) Co., Ltd, Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai
    Inventors: Xiang Jia, Shiqiang Zhang, Peixing Yang, Mingxiang Zhang
  • Patent number: 11371768
    Abstract: A method of controlling a refrigerator may include operating a first cooling cycle for a first storage compartment to drive a compressor and operating a first cooling fan for cooling the first storage compartment, and switching to a second cooling cycle for cooling a second storage compartment to drive the compressor and operating a second cooling fan for cooling the second storage compartment when a stop condition of the first cooling cycle is satisfied. The method may also include switching to a third cooling cycle for cooling the first storage compartment to drive the compressor and operating the first cooling fan when a stop condition of the second cooling cycle is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Youngseung Song, Namsoo Cho, Kangsoo Byun
  • Patent number: 11371724
    Abstract: A dehumidification system includes an evaporator, a condenser positioned next to the evaporator, and a drain pan including a mist eliminator. The drain pan is disposed at least partially below the evaporator and the condenser. The drain pan at least includes a basin disposed at least partially below the evaporator. The basin includes a sloped bottom, a first rib disposed on the sloped bottom, a second rib parallel to the first rib and including a central gap, a third rib positioned between the first rib and the second rib, and an angled rib attached to the second rib. The third rib is parallel to and shorter than the first rib. The third rib is configured to at least partially block the central gap of the second rib. The angled rib is inclined towards the third rib and configured to change a velocity vector of the air flowing through the drain pan. The mist eliminator is configured to remove water droplets from the air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: THERMA-STOR LLC
    Inventor: Grant M. Lorang
  • Patent number: 11365912
    Abstract: A suction duct is disposed within a shell and tube heat exchanger. The suction duct is located relatively high and above the tube bundle so as to not entrain liquid or droplets that may be splashing and spraying upward. The suction duct is configured with an area schedule in fluid communication with a flow path inside the suction duct. The flow path is in fluid communication with an outlet of the shell. This is advantageous relative to traditional top of the shell outlets which generally have higher vertical footprints. The area schedule of the suction duct can facilitate and/or maintain relatively smooth vapor flow within the shell. The area schedule can achieve vapor flows that have some uniformity along the length of the shell, which can manage and/or avoid localized vapor flow and/or local currents, such as where high velocity may be present and where entrainment can result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jon P. Hartfield, H. Kenneth Ring, Jr., Steven E. Meloling, Florian Weber, Alain Fleurette, Benjamin Elias Dingel
  • Patent number: 11359842
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus includes: an outdoor unit configured to circulated refrigerant; a first pipe and a second pipe that are connected to the outdoor unit; an indoor unit configured to circulate water; and a heat exchange device that connects the outdoor unit to the indoor unit. The heat exchange device includes a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger that are each configured to perform heat exchange between the refrigerant and the water, a plurality of connection pipes, a bypass pipe configured to guide the refrigerant passing through the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger, and a bypass valve installed at the bypass pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Donghwi Kim, Yongcheol Sa, Jaehwa Jung, Daehyoung Kim
  • Patent number: 11359844
    Abstract: A packaged, pumped liquid, recirculating refrigeration system with charges of 10 lbs or less of refrigerant per ton of refrigeration capacity. The compressor and related components are situated in a pre-packaged modular machine room, and in which the condenser is mounted on the machine room and the evaporator is close coupled to the pre-packaged modular machine room. Prior art large receiver vessels may be replaced with a single or dual phase cyclonic separator also housed in the pre-packaged modular machine room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Evapco, Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt Liebendorfer, Gregory S. Derosier, Trevor Hegg
  • Patent number: 11359847
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a heat exchanger configured to place a cooling fluid in a heat exchange relationship with a working fluid, a free-cooling circuit having a pump configured to circulate the working fluid through the heat exchanger and a condenser, a flow control valve configured to control a flow rate of the working fluid to the condenser, a condenser bypass valve configured to control a flow rate of the working fluid that bypasses the condenser, and a controller configured to adjust a position of the flow control valve, a position of the condenser bypass valve, a speed of a fan of the condenser, a speed of the pump, and a temperature of a heater based on an ambient temperature, a temperature of the working fluid leaving the condenser, the position of the flow control valve, the position of the condenser bypass valve, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: William L. Kopko, Stephen M. Zardus, Israel Federman, Curtis C. Crane, Todd Kwao-vovo
  • Patent number: 11333401
    Abstract: In a refrigeration cycle apparatus, each set of air heat exchangers among plural sets of air heat exchangers is one set of one or more of single heat exchangers, and the single heat exchangers each have an upper header pipe, a lower header pipe, a heat transfer tube, and a fin. During a cooling operation, a series refrigerant flow path is formed in which refrigerant flows in series through each set of the air heat exchangers; in the series refrigerant flow path, the refrigerant flows downward from above through the heat transfer tubes that all single heat exchangers have. During a heating operation, a parallel refrigerant flow path is formed in which the refrigerant flows in parallel through each set of the air heat exchangers; in the parallel refrigerant flow path, the refrigerant flows upward from below through the heat transfer tubes that all single heat exchangers have.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Akizuki, Takuya Ito, Yoshio Yamano
  • Patent number: 11320844
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a vehicle that includes a direct current to alternating current converter is described. In one example, an indication of an air flow restriction of the direct current to alternating current converter is described. The direct current to alternating current converter may supply power to devices that are external to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Steadmon Thompson, Nicholas Herhusky, John Eric Rollinger
  • Patent number: 11313614
    Abstract: An appliance having at least a freezer compartment. The appliance may include a pair of freezer doors accessing the freezer compartment. The freezer compartment may include one or more freezer shelves. A mullion may include a movable portion and a fixed portion for sealing the pair of freezer doors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Eric Scalf
  • Patent number: 11313583
    Abstract: A fall prevention structure of an electric component cover in a refrigeration cycle apparatus includes an electric component box housing an electric component of a refrigeration cycle apparatus. The electric component box includes a casing, a side of which is open, and an electric component cover configured to cover, in an upright position, an opening of the casing and to be screwed to the casing. The electric component cover includes a catch including a backward-extending portion and an upward-extending portion. The backward-extending portion extends backward from an upper end portion of the electric component cover. The upward-extending portion extends upward from an end portion of the backward-extending portion. In a state in which the electric component cover is screwed to the casing, the catch is inserted into an insertion slot disposed in a portion extending in an up-down direction of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yusaku Seki, Tatsuo Furuta, Naoya Matsunaga