Patents Examined by Ljiljana Ciric
  • Cooling in a liquid-to-air heat exchanger
    Patent number: 8997847
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling cooling an engine involve an engine coolant circuit with a radiator and an engine, a fan and a coolant pump are provided. The fan and pump may be electrically driven, driven by a variable speed clutch, hydraulically driven, or driven by some other actively controllable means. When an increase in heat transfer rate is indicated, the fan speed or the coolant pump speed may be increased. The choice of increasing the fan speed or increasing the pump speed is determined so that the power consumed is minimized. dQ/dP, the gradient in heat transfer rate to power, is determined for both the fan and the pump at the present operating condition. The one with the higher gradient is the one that is commanded to increase speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: William Samuel Schwartz
  • Checker brick with through passages for a hot blast stove
    Patent number: 8991475
    Abstract: A checker brick (10) with through passages for a hot blast stove has a top surface (12) and an opposite bottom surface (14) with a plurality of through passages (16) extending from the top surface (12) to the bottom surface (14). The through passages (16) allow fluids to circulate through the checker brick (10). Partition walls (18) are formed between neighboring through passages (16). The through passages (16) have a cross-section based on a hexagonal shape (20) with alternating convex (24) and concave sides (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Paul Wurth Refractory & Engineering GmbH
    Inventor: Alexander Klima
  • Parallel thermoelectric heat exchange systems
    Patent number: 8991194
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to controlling multiple Thermoelectric Coolers (TECs) to maintain a set point temperature of a chamber. In one embodiment, a controller receives temperature data corresponding to a temperature of the chamber. Based on the temperature data, the controller selectively controls two or more subsets of the TECs to maintain the temperature of the chamber at a desired set point temperature. In this manner, the controller is enabled to control the TECs such that the TECs operate to efficiently maintain the temperature of the chamber at the set point temperature. In another embodiment, the controller selects one or more control schemes enabled by the controller based on temperature data and a desired performance profile. The controller then independently controls one or more subsets of the TECs according to the selected control scheme(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Phononic Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Jesse W. Edwards, M. Sean June, Robert Joseph Therrien, Abhishek Yadav
  • Heat exchange apparatus with a rotating disk and automatic control of heat exchange between two fluid streams by modulation of disk rotating speed and/or flow rate
    Patent number: 8973649
    Abstract: A rotary type heat exchange apparatus with automatic flow rate exchange modulation includes unidirectional pumps for pumping fluid through a heat exchange rotating disk in two different directions. The heat exchange apparatus may further be installed with at least one temperature detecting device, humidity detecting device and/or gaseous or liquid state fluid composition detecting device for generating temperature, humidity, and/or composition detection signals. The temperature humidity, and/or composition detection signals may be used as references for modulating the pumping flow rate of exchange fluid, or for modulating the operating timing of the fluid flow by controlling the rotating speed of the heat exchange rotating disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Controller for work vehicle cooling package
    Patent number: 8967239
    Abstract: A controller and method for operating an air mover for a cooling system of a work vehicle. In one embodiment, engine coolant, hydraulic oil and charge air temperature data is measured. The temperature data is reconciled by using the largest required fan speed as the set point speed for cooling the heat exchangers with airflow. An air mover is operated at the set point speed to generate airflow across each of the heat exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: AGCO Corporation
    Inventors: Rex Schertz, Gerald R. Johnson, Daniel Soldan
  • Refrigerator
    Patent number: 8966932
    Abstract: A refrigerator having an ice thermal storage device. The refrigerator includes a cabinet, a storage compartment defined in the cabinet, and an ice thermal storage device placed in the storage compartment. The ice thermal storage device includes a case including at least one heat transfer plate, and an ice thermal storage pack received in the case and arranged to come into contact with the at least one heat transfer plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang Hoon Lee, Mi Sun Park, Ji Young Lee
  • Plug bypass valve and heat exchanger
    Patent number: 8960269
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes: a bypass valve; a stack of standard tubes; and, in the stack, a pair of stacked-together adapter tubes. Each standard tube end has spaced-apart walls including openings. Each adapter tube end has: a wall including an opening; and a passage. At one end of the pair, the passages communicate with one another and the openings communicate with the openings in adjacent standard tubes; at the other end, the openings communicate with the openings in adjacent standard tubes. The valve includes a plug with opposed plug walls, one plug wall having one of an inlet and outlet, the plug being disposed with its walls between and at said other end of the pair and with the inlet and outlet communicating with the passages. An actuator is adjacent to the plug and has a reciprocating plunger for selectively blocking at least said one of the inlet and outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Dana Canada Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Cheadle, Yuri Peric, Doug Vanderwees
  • Methods for cooling computers and electronics
    Patent number: 8960268
    Abstract: An exemplary method may include thermally coupling a network of cooling lines to each of a plurality of heat exchangers in a cooling system. The method may also include providing a first connection from a network of cooling lines to a first fluid source and a second connection from the network of cooling lines to a second fluid source for configuring the network of cooling lines in different states. The method may also include delivering cooling fluid through the network of cooling lines to each of the plurality of heat exchangers both when the network of cooling lines is connected only to the first fluid source and when the network of cooling lines is connected to both the first and second fluid sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Christian L Belady, Vance Murakami, Robert Allen Pereira
  • System for thermoelectric personal comfort controlled bedding
    Patent number: 8955337
    Abstract: A thermal module including a thermoelectric engine having a thermoelectric core, a first heat exchanger on one side of the thermoelectric engine, a second heat exchanger on another side of the thermoelectric engine, an air moving device blowing air across the first heat exchanger to condition the air, and a condensate management system including a collection tray below the thermoelectric engine, the first heat exchanger, and the second heat exchanger. The thermal module also includes an exhaust fan blowing air across the second heat exchanger and the collection tray to remove condensate from the collection tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Marlow Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Overton (Bud) Parish, Leonard Recine, Kevin Garrett, Mark L. Kutch
  • System and method for energy allocation
    Patent number: 8950199
    Abstract: A system for energy allocation includes: a filtration system configured to filter waste vegetable oil generated by a facility; an engine fueled with the filtered vegetable oil; and a generator driven by the engine to provide an alternating current (AC) power supply. The exhaust heat generated by the engine is processed and allocated to the facility as an energy source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Perfectly Green Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Barger, Viral J. Patel, Brian Crews
  • Housing for an air conditioning module and method for producing such a housing
    Patent number: 8944143
    Abstract: A housing for an air conditioning module, in particular for an air conditioning module of a vehicle, includes a hinged cover for at least one part of the air conditioning module. The hinged cover can be molded in one piece with the housing and the housing can include a living hinge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Mahle Behr USA Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Durfee, Richard Browne, Scott Torok
  • Vehicle seat air-conditioner and vehicle temperature controller
    Patent number: 8944145
    Abstract: A vehicle seat air-conditioner includes a seat on which an occupant sits, a heat exchanger that adjusts the temperature of a conditioned gas, a blower that supplies the conditioned gas to the seat, a seat covering layer provided on a surface of the seat and facing the seated occupant, and a flow channel provided on an underside of the seat covering layer that pass the conditioned gas that is introduced by the blower. The vehicle seat air-conditioner is adapted to convey heat of the conditioned gas to an occupant side of the seat covering layer by directly blowing out a portion of the introduced conditioned gas to the occupant side of the seat covering layer, and to perform heat exchange with the occupant side of the seat covering layer by circulating a portion of a remainder of the conditioned gas through the flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hidenori Esaki
  • Auxiliary cooling device for connection to an aircraft liquid cooling system
    Patent number: 8931290
    Abstract: An auxiliary cooling device is configured to be operated outside of an aircraft. The auxiliary cooling device is configured to be connected to an aircraft liquid cooling system which includes a refrigerating device, a coolant supply connection, a coolant discharge connection, and a control device. The auxiliary cooling device includes a cold source that is adapted to cool a coolant down to a desired low temperature, an auxiliary cooling device outlet which is connected to the cold source and connectable to the coolant supply connection. The auxiliary cooling device also includes an auxiliary cooling device inlet which is connected to the cold source and connectable to the coolant discharge connection of the aircraft liquid cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignees: Airbus Operations GmbH, Airbus S.A.S.
    Inventors: Kenan Soenmez, Luc Leroy
  • Cooling apparatus condenser, and a cooling apparatus including the same
    Patent number: 8931297
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus includes a cabinet (100) defining a compartment for the storage of products to be cooled and a cooling system coupled to the cabinet for cooling an interior atmosphere of the compartment. The cooling system includes at least one condenser (130) and at least one compressor (125) positioned in a recess of the cabinet. The condenser has at least a first condenser portion (150) adapted to define a support surface for the at least one compressor, wherein the compressor is supported by the first condenser portion, and wherein the condenser has a second condenser portion (145) completely covering a rear of the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventor: Paolo Marega
  • Micro-channel pulsating heat pipe
    Patent number: 8919426
    Abstract: A heat pipe device and a corresponding method in which micro-channel embedded pulsating heat pipes are incorporated into a substrate. A volume of fluid in a vacuum is introduced into a micro-channel which will become slugs of liquid. Heating of the contents of the micro-channel at an evaporator region (heat source) will cause vaporization within the micro-channel and cooling at a heat sink will cause condensation within the micro-channel, acting to both drive fluid flow within the micro-channel and efficiently transfer heat. Such devices could be used in a number of different configurations, including one as a stacked set of micro-channel embedded substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: The Peregrine Falcon Corporation
    Inventor: Robert E. Hardesty
  • Method and apparatus providing auxiliary cabin cooling
    Patent number: 8919140
    Abstract: A cooling system for a machine having an engine and an operator cabin includes a primary air conditioning unit, an auxiliary air conditioning unit, an electrical powering unit configured to electrically power the auxiliary air conditioning unit, a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a temperature within the operator cabin, and a controller in communication with the primary air conditioning unit, the auxiliary air conditioning unit, and the sensor. The controller selectively activates the primary air conditioning unit and the auxiliary air conditioning unit. When the primary air conditioning unit is activated, a timer is started to determine the elapsed time during which the temperature within the operator's cabin exceeds the acceptable range of desired temperature, and the auxiliary unit is activated when the elapsed time exceeds a threshold time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Lonny E. Johnson, Bailey J. Ferkel
  • Long-acting heat pipe and corresponding manufacturing method
    Patent number: 8919427
    Abstract: A heat pipe includes a metal tube, a heat-absorption part, a capillary and working fluid. The metal tube has a chamber formed therein. A vapor channel and a liquid channel communicating with the vapor channel are formed in the chamber. The heat-absorption part corresponds to a portion of the vapor channel and the liquid channel. The capillary is arranged in the vapor channel and in the liquid channel of the heat-absorption part. The working fluid fills the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Chaun-Choung Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Cheng-Tu Wang, Pang-Hung Liao, Kuo-Feng Tseng, Wen-Tsai Chang
  • Substrate treatment installation with adjustable thermal insulation for controlling substrate temperature
    Patent number: 8911231
    Abstract: A substrate-treatment installation includes a vacuum chamber, a substrate treatment device within the vacuum chamber, a substrate transport device within the vacuum chamber for guiding a substrate along a longitudinal direction in a substrate transport plane past the substrate treatment device, and a device for controlling substrate temperature. The substrate temperature controlling device includes a heat-absorbing cooler on one side of the substrate transport plane and an insulation member selectively displaceable between at least two different positions to vary extent of thermal shielding of the heat-absorbing cooler relative to the substrate transport plane by the insulation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: VON ARDENNE Anlagentechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Hubertus Von Der Waydbrink, Thomas Meyer, Michael Hentschel, Reinhardt Bauer, Andrej Wolf, Hans-Christian Hecht
  • Refrigeration device with a holder for a section of a refrigerant line
    Patent number: 8899070
    Abstract: A method for preventing condensation on a surface of a domestic refrigeration device and a corresponding domestic refrigeration device having a refrigerated chamber, a refrigerant line, and a refrigerant circulation system structured to transfer heat energy from the refrigerated chamber into the refrigerant circulation system via the refrigerant line. The refrigerant line may include a heat-emitting section in heat-conducting contact with a trim strip of the refrigeration device running below the refrigerated chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Eckartsberg, Michael Kordon
  • Vehicular air conditioner
    Patent number: 8899311
    Abstract: When there is no occupant in seats other than a driver seat during a foot mode, an air-conditioning controller executes a single seat concentration mode to prevent blowing of warm air to a passenger seat and a backseat by closing foot outlets on a passenger seat side and a backseat side. In this case, in order to maintain an air volume blown from the foot outlet on a driver seat side when the controller changes the mode from the normal foot mode to the single seat concentration mode, the controller sets a blower level to be lower than in the case of the normal foot mode with respect to the same target blown air temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Haruki Misumi, Takuya Kataoka, Koji Ota, Michio Nishikawa, Shinichirou Hirai, Yoshiaki Suzuki, Akihiro Haraguchi, Katsuji Kuwada, Yasuhiro Sagou