Patents Examined by Ljiljana Ciric
  • Method and device for separating argon from a gas mixture
    Patent number: 9139436
    Abstract: A method and a device for separating argon from a gas mixture. The method includes steps of collecting the gas mixture, separating the oxygen present in the gas mixture, drying the gas mixture, and cryogenically purifying the remaining gas mixture for separating the argon in liquid form. The device for performing the method includes a collector for the gas mixture, a component for catalytic and/or adsorptive separation of oxygen from the gas mixture, a component for drying the gas mixture, and a system for cryogenically purifying the gas mixture and separating the argon in liquid form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: ReiCat GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Wanner, Herbert Nickel
  • Ice and chilled water producing and dispensing machine
    Patent number: 9134060
    Abstract: An ice producing and dispensing machine for delivering ice on demand to a consumer with a housing containing an ice maker having a discharge outlet for discharging ice. An ice bin is disposed below the ice maker having an open top for receiving ice from the ice maker and a bottom opening for discharging ice therefrom; a vertical tube is connected with the bottom opening for receiving discharged ice with an auger in the tube for driving the ice vertically in the tube; and a receiving chute connected with the tube for conveying the ice to the ice delivery outlet either in a bag or as free ice cubes. Melted water and ice chips from the ice production are recycled and used to cool the water that is fed to the ice maker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: KOOLER ICE, INC.
    Inventor: Kerry R. Seymour
  • Air conditioning system including a bypass pipe
    Patent number: 9127865
    Abstract: An air conditioning system includes a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger that discharges evaporated refrigerant, and a first pipe coupling the outdoor heat exchanger and the compressor, where the first pipe allows the outdoor heat exchanger to receive at least a portion of the compressed refrigerant from the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Song Choi, Yun Ho Ryu, Baik Young Chung, Kyung Won Seo
  • Heating and cooling system including a heat pump and a heat storage tank
    Patent number: 9127851
    Abstract: A heating and cooling system including a heat pump and a heat storage tank. Stored heat or cold is released from the heat storage tank for heating or cooling a house for a whole day. The heating and cooling system has five working modes: compressor heating or cooling, compressor charging, compressor discharging for heating or cooling, water pump charging and water pump discharging for heating or cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Inventor: Yixin Yang
  • Air conditioner using photovoltaic energy
    Patent number: 9127850
    Abstract: An air conditioner using photovoltaic energy is provided. The air conditioner may include a photovoltaic cell for converting photovoltaic energy into Direct Current (DC) power, an indoor unit for exchanging heat, and an outdoor unit for exchanging heat. Photovoltaic power generated by the photovoltaic cell may be supplied to the indoor unit and used as at least one of standby power in a standby mode, consumption power in an automatic photovoltaic mode, or auxiliary power in a cooling mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Choonghee Lee, Jintag Choi
  • Variable speed air blowing system
    Patent number: 9121416
    Abstract: A fluid compression system includes a compressor unit that directs a flow of compressed fluid to a first heat exchanger. A second heat exchanger receives a flow of coolant. A blower produces a flow of ambient air that passes through the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger so as to direct cooling air through both heat exchangers. A variable speed motor is coupled to the motor in addition to a control system to vary the motor speed between a low speed and a high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: INGERSOLL-RAND COMPANY
    Inventors: Darrell A. Stock, Scott E. Miller
  • Battery power management in a thermostat with a wireless transceiver
    Patent number: 9122283
    Abstract: A thermostat includes a controller configured to control the thermostat, a power supply sensor connected to the controller for sensing a thermostat power source, a wireless transceiver connected to the controller for receiving control information from a remote device and for transmitting information to the remote device, and a battery level indicator for determining a remaining power capacity of the battery. The controller sets a time schedule for enabling the wireless transceiver when the power supply sensor detects that the thermostat power source is a battery. The time schedule is changed to increase a time period between when the wireless transceiver is enabled as the remaining power capacity of the battery decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Erik O. Rylski, William P. Butler
  • Single flow circuit heat absorbing/release device for periodic positive and reverse directional pumping
    Patent number: 9115935
    Abstract: A bidirectional pumping device or two unidirectional pumping devices arranged to pump in opposite directions are connected in series with a conventional cold heat-absorbing or warm heat-dissipating energy discharge device, in order to carry out periodic positive and reverse directional pumping. By changing the flow direction of the fluid passing through the flow circuit, temperature differences and impurity accumulation in the heat absorbing/release device are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Control method of refrigerator
    Patent number: 9109829
    Abstract: A control method of a refrigerator to prevent frost from being formed in an ice making chamber. The refrigerator includes an ice making chamber refrigerant pipe to supply a refrigerant to make ice in a direct cooling manner and an ice making chamber circulation fan to create a forced air stream to circulate air in the ice making chamber. The control method includes determining whether temperature of the ice making chamber is lower than a predetermined temperature and driving the ice making chamber circulation fan in a state in which the temperature of the ice making chamber is lower than the predetermined temperature and the refrigerant flows in the ice making chamber refrigerant pipe or when flow of the refrigerant in the ice making chamber refrigerant pipe is interrupted in a state in which the temperature of the ice making chamber is lower than the predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang Hak Lim, Keon Ho Hong, Young Shik Shin, Jae Koog An, Jin Jeong, Sang Hyun Park
  • Heating/cooling system that utilizes secondary fluid pumped through a heat exchanger by the pressure of a thermal exchange fluid
    Patent number: 9109806
    Abstract: A building heating/cooling system utilizes secondary fluid that at least partially circulates through a secondary fluid pump set and a heat exchanger. The secondary fluid is heated or cooled by thermal energy exchange with a thermal energy fluid in the heat exchanger. The thermal energy fluid in the heat exchanger also drives the secondary fluid pump set that circulates the secondary fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Vehicle cooling device
    Patent number: 9109497
    Abstract: A vehicle cooling device includes a pump, circulation paths connected to the pump for circulating coolant between a cooling object and a heat exchanger, a solenoid valve for opening and closing at least one of the circulation paths, and a control unit for controlling pump operation. The solenoid valve includes a valve body movable between a position separated from a valve seat and a position abutting the valve seat, the valve body being held in abutment with the valve seat, and a solenoid maintaining the abutment when energized. The valve body allows coolant fluid pressure to move the valve body separate from the valve seat when the solenoid is not energized and the pump is in operation, and the control unit performs controlling to stop the pump and start solenoid energization when conditions are ready for stopping coolant circulation through the circulation path in which the solenoid valve is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masanobu Matsusaka, Tadayoshi Sato, Hirohisa Takano
  • Radiator systems
    Patent number: 9109843
    Abstract: Radiator systems utilizing controlling features for shutdown and restart for varying heat load applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: PARAGON SPACE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Christine Schroeder Iacomini
  • Method and system for automotive battery cooling
    Patent number: 9113577
    Abstract: A battery-cooling system includes a battery array and a plurality of heat pipes that each include a low-profile extrusion having a plurality of hollow tubes formed therein A heat transfer fluid is disposed in the plurality of hollow tubes. Each heat pipe includes an evaporator portion and a condenser portion. The evaporator portion is disposed between successive batteries within the battery array and the condenser portion is disposed outside of the battery array and exposed to a heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: ThermoTek, Inc.
    Inventor: Tony Quisenberry
  • Advanced C2-splitter feed rectifier
    Patent number: 9103586
    Abstract: Processes to separate a light hydrocarbon stream comprising ethylene, ethane, and C3+ hydrocarbons into an ethylene stream, an ethane stream, and a C3+ hydrocarbon stream, including: feeding the light hydrocarbon stream to a deethanizer; separating the light hydrocarbons in the deethanizer to form a C3+ hydrocarbon bottoms stream and a C2-rich overhead stream comprising ethylene and ethane; separating the C2-rich stream in a C2-rectifier to form a first ethylene stream and an ethane-rich bottoms stream; and separating the ethane-rich bottoms stream in a C2-splitter to form a second ethylene stream and an ethane stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: KELLOGG BROWN & ROOT LLC
    Inventor: Vijender Kumar Verma
  • Physically separated hot side and cold side heat sinks in a thermoelectric refrigeration system
    Patent number: 9103572
    Abstract: A thermoelectric system includes a cooling chamber and a thermoelectric heat exchange system. The thermoelectric heat exchange system includes a hot side heat sink, a cold side heat sink that is physically separated from the hot side heat sink, and a heat conduit that thermally couples the hot side heat sink and the cold side heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Phononic Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Jesse W. Edwards, Robert Joseph Therrien, M. Sean June
  • Heat exchange device
    Patent number: 9103605
    Abstract: A heat exchange device for an automotive vehicle. In one embodiment, the heat exchange device has at least one metal foam and a thermal member, in direct contact with the metal foam, enabling heat exchange between the thermal member and the metal foam. The at least one metal foam is assembled together with the thermal member mechanically which causes a local deformation at a joint where the thermal member engages the at least one metal foam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventors: Eric Mornet, Christine Roucoules
  • Vehicular air-conditioning system
    Patent number: 9102214
    Abstract: A two-layer inside/outside air vehicular air-conditioning system which suppresses odor inside an air-conditioning case or inside a vehicular compartment is provided with an exhaust controller which uses an outside air intake port as an air exhaust port and which uses a compartment-side air discharge port opening/closing device to close all compartment-side air discharge ports. The exhaust controller also operates one or both of the blowers to cause air inside the first air passage and the second air passage to be exhausted via the air exhaust port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Noriaki Kishi
  • Multiple zone climate control system
    Patent number: 9103555
    Abstract: A multiple zone climate control system includes a HVAC unit, a digital wireless network, powered wireless adjustable registers controlled by their respective zone controllers, and a central controller that controls the HVAC unit and coordinates the zone controllers for concerted action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Inventors: Shazhou Zou, Victor W Wang, Jian Mao, Tianxin Wang
  • Methods of selecting one or more phase change materials to match a working temperature of a light-emitting diode to be cooled
    Patent number: 9102857
    Abstract: A phase change material (PCM) is used for thermal storage for LED-based lighting systems. The PCM is placed in multiple sealed containers in thermal contact with the LED to be cooled. The PCM is selected such that its melting point temperature is substantially the preferred operating temperature of the LED. When the LED is on, the PCM absorbs and stores some of the heat generated by the LED, while some of the generated heat is convected away from the LED. The PCM is selected based upon its heat storage capabilities to cool the LED when the lighting system is operated for a cyclical application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: LUMENETIX, INC.
    Inventors: Matt Weaver, James Kingman
  • Balanced flow air conditioning system
    Patent number: 9090145
    Abstract: An air conditioning system for supplying air conditioned air to a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle has left and right hand side distribution ducts connected to a blower by a common distribution chamber. The blower causes air to flow through the common distribution chamber into the left and right hand side distribution ducts via an air conditioning unit. Each of the distribution ducts includes a distribution valve to vary the flow through the respective distribution duct and through a dump duct that exhausts air outside of the passenger compartment. Each of the dump ducts has the same resistance to flow as the respective distribution duct to which it is connected. The flow from the distribution ducts is adjusted by varying the proportion of air that flows through the cooperating dump duct without affecting the flow from the other distribution duct or requiring the blower speed to be altered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Inventor: Roger Baker