Patents Examined by Ljiljana Ciric
  • Patent number: 8726979
    Abstract: A heat exchange apparatus has four fluid ports through which a heat exchange fluid is pumped into and out of the heat exchange apparatus. First and fourth ones of the fluid sorts are on a first side of the heat exchange apparatus and second and third ones of the fluid ports (are on a second side of the heat exchange apparatus. At least two fluid pumps form a double flow circuit fluid pumping device for pumping the fluid in the first direction from the first fluid port to the second fluid port and in the second direction from the third fluid port to the fourth fluid port. One or more of a temperature detecting device, humidity detecting device, and gaseous or liquid state fluid composition detecting device are installed at a position capable of detecting the temperature, humidity, and fluid composition changes of the exchange fluid. The detected signals are used as references for modulating the pumping flow rate of exchange fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Patent number: 8720538
    Abstract: A cold energy storage system for a vehicle includes an air-conditioning unit that includes an evaporator and a heater core. The system stores cold energy during a cooling operation and supplements the cooling operation by using the stored cold energy after stoppage of the cooling operation. A cold energy storage tank (50) connects in parallel to an engine cooling circulation circuit to the heater core. The storage tank (50) has a liquid storage layer (50A) for engine coolant and a refrigerant layer (50B) in which refrigerant from the evaporator flows. A mode switcher switches between a storing cold energy mode and a cooling supplement mode. In the storing cold energy mode, engine coolant stored in the liquid storage layer (50A) is refrigerated during the cooling operation. In the cooling supplement mode, refrigerated engine coolant from the liquid storage layer (50A) is introduced to the heater core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventor: Jinichi Hiyama
  • Patent number: 8720529
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for use in a vehicular air conditioning apparatus, including a plurality of first and second tubes; a first heat exchanger section, a boundary portion, and a second heat exchanger section; a plurality of first fins disposed on the first heat exchanger section and a plurality of second fins disposed on the second heat exchanger section; and a partition member formed at the boundary portion, wherein the partition member is made of a synthetic resin or synthetic rubber and in contact with the plurality of the first and second tubes and end surfaces of the plurality of the first and second fins at the boundary portion such that the partition member blocks the air from flowing between the first heat exchanger section and the second heat exchanger section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Keihin Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroto Suzuki, Tatsunori Arai
  • Patent number: 8720533
    Abstract: A heat exchanger system extracts heat from sewer waste water. Preferably, a first surface is narrow band in an interior surface of a pipe, and the band is preferably oriented transverse to a direction of fluid flow. In the case of a horizontal pipe, the band may be a partial band, and may be limited substantially to a wetted portion of the pipe in order to reduce the size of the band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Lyonnaise des Eaux
    Inventor: Urs Studer
  • Patent number: 8713959
    Abstract: A heat generating body box housing refrigeration device includes a first refrigerant cycle in which a first condenser and a first evaporator are connected by a first refrigerant liquid pipe and a first refrigerant steam pipe and a second refrigerant cycle in which a second condenser and a second evaporator are connected by a second refrigerant liquid pipe and a second refrigerant steam pipe. The first refrigerant liquid pipe is connected between a first joint and a second joint, the first refrigerant steam pipe is connected between a third joint and a fourth joint, the second refrigerant liquid pipe is connected between a fifth joint and a sixth joint, and the second refrigerant steam pipe is connected between a seventh joint and an eighth joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yuuji Nakano, Hiroshi Shibata, Keisuke Koga, Mutsuhiko Matsumoto, Keisuke Tsuji
  • Patent number: 8701752
    Abstract: A refrigerator-oven combination for an aircraft galley food service system includes a housing with a thermally insulated compartment, a heating device for heating the compartment in a heating mode, and a refrigeration device for cooling the compartment in a refrigeration mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: BE Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: William Godecker, Farzin Kohanloo
  • Patent number: 8701747
    Abstract: A heat exchanging system comprising circulating fluid through a tube coupled to an electronic component in a first part of a computing device and to a heat transfer plate in a second part of the computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Borys S. Senyk, Larry L. Moresco
  • Patent number: 8701751
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for connecting thermal elements to one another and an external circuit in series, in parallel or according to a mixed configuration which limits the risk of leakage and the number of connections. The heat exchanger includes calorie-emitting and negative calorie-emitting thermal elements, and a conduit which passes through each of the thermal elements and has inlet and outlet orifices that are connected to one another and to at least one thermal fluid circuit by an interface plate. The interface plate includes two supply orifices and two discharge orifices for connecting the interface circuits to external hot and cold circuits for using the calories and the negative calories recovered from the thermal fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Cooltech Applications Société par actions simplifiée
    Inventors: Christian Muller, Jean-Louis Dupin, Jean-Claude Heitzler
  • Patent number: 8701424
    Abstract: A turbo chiller that allows for temperature adjustment even when a target heat load is low is provided. A turbo chiller (11) is equipped with a chiller-side control unit that controls an operation so that a coolant outlet temperature is equal to a desired value. When a target heat load is lower than or equal to a predetermined value, the chiller-side control unit outputs a target coolant flow rate, which satisfies the target heat load, of the coolant on the basis of a current coolant inlet temperature, which is a current temperature of the coolant flowing into an evaporator, and a target coolant outlet temperature, which is a coolant outlet temperature to be targeted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Ueda, Minoru Matsuo
  • Patent number: 8695359
    Abstract: A refrigerator having a water circulation and drainage system includes a fresh food compartment with a liner and a drain, an icemaker system having an ice forming cavity with a draining mechanism, and an ice storage bin coupled to a drain line for draining excess liquid from the ice storage bin. The water circulation and drainage system includes a water tank having an inlet port and an overflow device for draining water. The system also includes a drainage tank having a first water tank inlet port for receiving water from the overflow device of the water tank, a second water inlet port for receiving water from the ice storage bin, and a third inlet port for receiving water from the liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Anderson Bortoletto, Rogerio Soares Brisola, Fernando Luiz Freitas Filho, William Silva, Vanessa Christina Riberio, Simone M. Vidal, Ronald L. Voglewede
  • Patent number: 8689582
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a refrigerant circuit with a plurality of evaporator paths and a distributor for distributing refrigerant. The distributor includes a housing and a controllable valve for each evaporator path. The refrigeration system is operated by using a distributor including a magnet arrangement for controlling the valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Danfoss A/S
    Inventors: Michael Birkelund, Hans Kurt Petersen, Sune Prytz
  • Patent number: 8683820
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes an air guide that is provided with a defrost water hole and that is inclined toward the defrost water hole. The air guide guides cold air discharged from the cold air fan to a guide duct and also guides, to the defrost water hole, defrost water generated at the cold air fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Youn Seok Lee, Jang Seok Lee, Min Kyu Oh, Kyeong Yun Kim, Su Nam Chae
  • Patent number: 8683822
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a freezing chamber door provided with an ice-making assembly. Ice made by the ice-making assembly can be immediately drawn out to the outside by opening an exclusively used home-bar door. In addition, an ice-making case is coupled by a coupling formed integrally with the freezing chamber door and the ice-making case without a coupling tool or operation. Moreover, if a water bucket is installed to the ice-making case, a water supply hole of the lower end of the water bucket is opened by an opening and closing structure, so that water in the water bucket is automatically supplied to an ice tray. In addition, an ice-separating lever having a ? shape is provided to simultaneously rotate a plurality of ice trays. Meanwhile, an ice bank cooperates with the home-bar door to be drawn out forward as the home-bar door is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Byeong-Gyu Kang, Young-Woo Kim, Jae-Youl Lee, Hwal-Kyun Lee, Jong-Seok Yoon, Sang-Ho Park
  • Patent number: 8677774
    Abstract: Ice making portions of an ice making machine have a pair of ice making plates disposed vertically and an evaporation tube disposed between back faces of the ice making plates. A plurality of vertically extending projected rims are formed at predetermined intervals widthwise on a surface of each ice making plate to define a plurality of ice making regions. The ice making plates facing the ice making regions are provided with consecutive vertical steps of inclined portions inclined from a back side towards a front side as directed downwardly, and contact horizontal extensions of the evaporation tube at a vertically intermediate position on a back face of each inclined portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Hoshizaki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Yamaguchi, Yuji Wakatsuki
  • Patent number: 8672022
    Abstract: A method and a correspondingly designed motor vehicle are provided for pre-climatizing the motor vehicle when shut-off by way of a heating and/or cooling unit, which draws its energy for heating and/or cooling from an electric storage unit. When the heating and/or cooling unit is activated by a vehicle external operator control element, the heating and/or cooling unit is initially activated in a first output stage. Then, the heating and/or cooling unit is switched from the first output stage to a second output stage as a function of predetermined conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ralph Ostermeier, Peter Satzger, Georg Gerstenbrandt
  • Patent number: 8656989
    Abstract: A modified isogrid panel including face sheets and underlying longitudinal and transverse ribs which stiffen the panel. The ribs are hollow to provide fluid channels for distributing fluid to various sections of each face sheet. A valve at each node where ribs intersect controls or reroutes fluid flow through the fluid channels in the ribs. The ribs are the primary fluid distributors and are fluidly connected to capillary channels located beneath the surface of each face sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Andrew D. Williams, Brandon J. Arritt, M. Eric Lyall
  • Patent number: 8656727
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods provide for the cooling of an aircraft subsystem. Coolant is routed through a heat-producing subsystem to absorb heat from the subsystem and to maintain the subsystem at a desired temperature. Bleed air from an aircraft engine is cooled, dehumidified, and routed to a cooling mechanism. In the cooling mechanism, a portion of the heated coolant is evaporated into the dehumidified bleed air, cooling the remaining coolant. The reduced-temperature coolant is routed back to the subsystem to absorb further heat. Humid air from the cooling mechanism and the dehumidifying mechanism is utilized by other aircraft subsystems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Alan Z. Ullman, Clyde D. Newman
  • Patent number: 8656733
    Abstract: Liquefaction using a closed loop refrigeration system, including compressing a gaseous refrigerant stream; cooling at least a portion of the compressed gaseous refrigerant stream in a first heat exchanger; expanding a first portion of the cooled, compressed gaseous refrigerant stream from the first heat exchanger to provide a first expanded gaseous refrigerant stream; cooling and substantially liquefying a feed gas stream to form a substantially liquefied feed gas stream in a second heat exchanger through indirect heat exchange against the first portion of the first expanded gaseous refrigerant stream; and further cooling a second portion of the cooled, compressed gaseous refrigerant stream from the first heat exchanger in a third heat exchanger by indirect heat exchange with a second portion of the first expanded gaseous refrigerant stream, wherein the first expanded gaseous refrigerant stream exiting the first expander is substantially vapor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Julian Roberts, Adam Adrian Brostow
  • Patent number: 8651171
    Abstract: A heat exchanger having a single flow circuit, at least one fluid pump, and a periodic fluid direction-change operative control device for periodically changing the flow directions of the pumped fluid in a first or second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Patent number: 8651172
    Abstract: A cooling system for a heat-generating structure includes a heating device, a cooling loop, and one or more reservoirs. The heating device is configured to heat fluid coolant comprising a mixture of water and antifreeze and vaporize a portion of the water into vapor while leaving a portion of the antifreeze as liquid in the fluid coolant. The cooling loop has a portion that splits the fluid coolant received from the heating device into a first path configured to receive at least some of the portion of the water as vapor and a second path configured to receive at least some of the portion of the antifreeze as liquid. The one or more reservoirs are configured to receive one of the at least some of the portion of the water as vapor from the first path or the at least some of the portion of the antifreeze as liquid from the second path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: William G. Wyatt, Richard M. Weber