Patents Examined by Ljiljana V. Ciric
  • Patent number: 11976858
    Abstract: A method of converting a refrigerant includes recovering a refrigerant from a refrigeration unit with an evacuation pump and containing the recovered refrigerant in a container. The method also includes converting the recovered refrigerant. The converted refrigerant is different from the recovered refrigerant. A system for converting a refrigerant includes an evacuation pump, a container, and one or more refrigerant containers. The evacuation pump and container are configured to recover a refrigerant from a refrigeration unit. The one or more refrigerant containers deliver one or more refrigerant components into the container to convert the recovered refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Dermott Crombie, Stephen A. Kujak
  • Patent number: 11970044
    Abstract: A vehicle having a heating and cooling system includes a refrigerant loop for conveying refrigerant, a coolant loop for conveying coolant, a chiller configured to convey the refrigerant and the coolant, and a vessel coupled to the chiller and having a phase change material disposed in the vessel. The phase change material is configured to freeze via heat transfer from the phase change material to the refrigerant and melt via heat transfer from the coolant to the phase change material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Tim Van Evans, Manfred Koberstein, Angelo Patti, Saad Afzal Bhatti
  • Patent number: 11971219
    Abstract: A heat dissipation device includes at least a temperature plate and a cooling fin assembly. The temperature plate includes a plate body and a supporter. The plate body includes a vacuum chamber and a first external surface. The plate body is bent to form at least a bent portion with the first external surface being a compressive side, and the supporter is disposed at the bent portion. The supporter is disposed inside the vacuum chamber and connected to an inner wall of the vacuum chamber. The cooling fin assembly is disposed on the first external surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Li-Kuang Tan, Shih-Kang Lin
  • Patent number: 11958332
    Abstract: A vehicle cooling/heating system includes a coolant line in which coolant is circulated between a heat source component of a vehicle that provides waste heat and a chiller and a refrigerant line in which refrigerant is circulated through a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator. The refrigerant line performs indoor cooling through the evaporator. A controller controls the coolant line such that, during a drying mode in which it is necessary to dry the evaporator, the coolant in the coolant line is circulated or not circulated through the heat source component and the chiller, and such that the refrigerant in the refrigerant line flows, in order, through the compressor, the evaporator, and the chiller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Jong Won Kim, Sang Shin Lee, Uk Il Yang
  • Patent number: 11958337
    Abstract: A cooling and battery cooling mode is performed to release the heat from the refrigerant in a heat releasing unit and an outdoor heat exchanger and to absorb the heat into the refrigerant in a heat absorbing unit and a refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger, and a heating and battery cooling mode is performed to release the heat from the refrigerant in the heat releasing unit and to absorb the heat into the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger and the in-vehicle device heat exchanger. In a case where the cooling and battery cooling mode is performed, when a temperature of the heat absorbing unit is lower than a target value of the temperature of the heat absorbing unit even though the flowing of the refrigerant into the heat absorbing unit is blocked, the operation mode is moved to the heating and battery cooling mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SANDEN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tetsuya Ishizeki
  • Patent number: 11951799
    Abstract: A thermal management system for an electrified vehicle and a method for managing such a system, includes a coolant subsystem to cool a battery pack and a refrigerant subsystem. The coolant subsystem includes a battery chiller in fluid communication with a cooling system inlet to the battery pack. The refrigerant subsystem includes a chiller cooling subsystem to cool the battery chiller and a cabin cooling subsystem to cool a passenger cabin, wherein the chiller cooling subsystem and the cabin cooling subsystem are completely separate from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Mackenzie, Sunil Katragadda, Ronald Richard Semel
  • Patent number: 11951797
    Abstract: The cooling pack assembly includes, a shroud, a fan, a first heat exchanger, and a second heat exchanger. The shroud has a plurality of sidewalls including a main sidewall. The shroud further defines an aperture. The fan is disposed within the aperture. The fan is configured to rotate about a rotational axis. The rotational axis is normal to a plane defined by the main sidewall. The first heat exchanger is disposed on at least one of the plurality of sidewalls. The first heat exchanger has a first cross-sectional area substantially parallel to the plane. The second heat exchanger is disposed on at least one the plurality of sidewalls. The second heat exchanger has a second cross-sectional area substantially parallel to the plane. The second cross-sectional area is less than the first cross-sectional area, and the first heat exchanger is disposed between the fan and the second heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Würzburg
    Inventors: Attila Simofi-Ilyes, John Fleck, Tao Hong, Stanley Simpson
  • Patent number: 11940185
    Abstract: A magnetic refrigeration system includes a plurality of heat transporters, a magnetic field application unit, and a drive mechanism. Each heat transporter is switched between a heat generating and heat absorbing states in response to magnetic field application and cancellation of the magnetic field application. The heat transporters are arranged between low and high temperature side heat exchangers. The magnetic field application unit applies a magnetic field to the heat transporters so that a heat transporter to which a magnetic field is applied and a heat transporter to which a magnetic field is not applied are alternately arranged. The drive mechanism periodically moves at least the plurality of heat transporters so that a heat transporter to which the magnetic field is applied is periodically switched and so that a state of thermal contact is periodically switched. An end portion of at least one heat transporter is a heat transfer accelerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11927403
    Abstract: A fluid flow channel device includes a main body and a non-ceramic sub-body. The main body has a plurality of internal flow channels, and inlets and outlets thereof are arranged so as to be exposed on an outer side surface. The sub-body has a fluid supply path and a fluid recovery path. A supply port of the fluid supply path is arranged to face the inlets of the plurality of internal flow channels. A recovery port of the fluid recovery path is arranged to face the outlets of the plurality of internal flow channels. By disposing the supply port and the recovery port for transferring the fluid to and from the plurality of internal flow channels in the sub-body, it is possible to prevent a large thermal stress from being applied to the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Kobelco Eco-Solutions Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Ozono, Koji Noishiki, Nobumasa Ichihashi
  • Patent number: 11926192
    Abstract: A refrigerant heat exchange apparatus includes an apparatus body, a first communication cavity, a second communication cavity, and first valve cores. A cold water unit and a hot water unit are disposed in the apparatus body. A first water inlet is disposed on the first cavity of the cold water unit. A first water inlet is disposed on the third cavity of the hot water unit. A first water outlet is disposed on the second cavity of the cold water unit. A first water outlet is disposed on the fourth cavity of the hot water unit. The first communication cavity communicates with the first cavity and the third cavity. The second water outlet communicates with the first communication cavity. The second communication cavity communicates with the second cavity and the fourth cavity. An indirect heat pump system includes the refrigerant heat exchange apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: AIR INTERNATIONAL THERMAL SYSTEMS R&D (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD
    Inventors: Duo Wu, Zhaokai Yu, Qi Liu, Jingyang Mu
  • Patent number: 11919368
    Abstract: A heat pump includes a refrigerant loop. The refrigerant loop includes a first heat exchanger, a first region of a second heat exchanger, a third heat exchanger, a fourth heat exchanger, a first heat exchange fluid, a compressor, a vapor generator, and a four-way valve. The compressor includes a low-pressure inlet, a mid-pressure inlet, and an outlet. The vapor generator is positioned downstream of the outlet of the compressor and upstream of both the low-pressure inlet and the mid-pressure inlet. The four-way valve is positioned immediately upstream of the first heat exchanger. At least one component chosen from the group including the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, and the vapor generator is free from compressor-driven flow of the first heat exchange fluid during a predetermined set of heating modes of operation of the heat pump and a predetermined set of cooling modes of operation of the heat pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Rachael Shey, Jeffrey Paul Brown
  • Patent number: 11912105
    Abstract: A heat pump includes a refrigerant loop. The refrigerant loop includes a first heat exchanger, a first region of a second heat exchanger, a third heat exchanger, a fourth heat exchanger, a compressor, a vapor generator, a first check valve, and a second check valve. The compressor includes a low-pressure inlet, a mid-pressure inlet, and an outlet. The vapor generator is positioned downstream of the outlet of the compressor and upstream of both the low-pressure inlet and the mid-pressure inlet. The first check valve is positioned immediately downstream of the third heat exchanger. The second check valve is positioned immediately downstream of the fourth heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Rachael Shey, Jeffrey Paul Brown
  • Patent number: 11912102
    Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle including an air-conditioning case divided into a plurality of air passageways by a separation wall. A heating heat exchanger is disposed inside the air-conditioning case and exchanges heat with air to heat the interior of the vehicle. A perforated member is disposed at a downstream side of the heating heat exchanger and has a plurality of perforated holes through which the air passing the heating heat exchanger passes, and a partition wall is disposed between the heating heat exchanger and the perforated member to divide the air passageway of the air-conditioning case into a plurality of air passageways, wherein the partition wall is formed integrally with the perforated member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Dong Won Lee, Jong Su Kim, Jae Woo Ko, Young Keun Kim, Chang Soo Bae, Jong Min Lee, Gyu Ik Han
  • Patent number: 11904652
    Abstract: A vehicle control device that controls an air conditioning device and a battery in a vehicle that uses a coolant of the air conditioning device that cools a vehicle cabin for cooling the battery, the vehicle control device including: an air conditioning load determination unit that determines whether the air conditioning device is driven by a predetermined load or more; and a battery input-output control unit that controls at least one of an input power or an output power of the battery. When the air conditioning device is driven by the predetermined load or more, at least one of the input power or the output power is restricted without cooling the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yu Hoshino
  • Patent number: 11897310
    Abstract: A control device supplies regenerative electric power to increase an output of a low-voltage air conditioner when the regenerative electric power is surplus with respect to electric power that is able to be charged to a main battery as compared with a case where the regenerative electric power is not surplus with respect to the electric power that is able to be charged to the main battery. Therefore, it is possible to reduce an output (work load and electric power per unit time) of a high-voltage air conditioner required to maintain comfort of an occupant in a vehicle cabin. Therefore, it is possible to improve electric power consumption rate while maintaining comfort of the occupant in the vehicle cabin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takayuki Shimauchi
  • Patent number: 11897315
    Abstract: A thermal management system includes a circulation channel that connects a motor cooler, outside air heat exchanger, and a heater, a switching valve, and a controller. In a heating mode of operating the heater, the controller sets the switching valve in the first valve position when the motor temperature is lower than a motor temperature threshold value, and sets the switching valve in the second valve position when the motor temperature is higher than the motor temperature threshold value. When a load or a load predicted value of the motor exceeds a load threshold value, the controller holds the switching valve in the second valve position during a predetermined holding time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshio Hasegawa, Satoshi Furukawa, Mitsuyo Omura, Yoshihiro Ishihara
  • Patent number: 11897312
    Abstract: An air conditioner for a fuel cell electric vehicle includes a heater core configured to circulate a heat medium from a fuel cell stack and perform heating by heat exchange with air, and a control unit configured to calculate a travel resistance when the fuel cell electric vehicle travels on a road based on a road state affecting the travel resistance generated when the fuel cell electric vehicle travels and an environmental state, and control the heat exchange in the heater core based on the calculated travel resistance. When the travel resistance is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the control unit restricts an operation for the heating using waste heat of the fuel cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takayuki Shimauchi
  • Patent number: 11898799
    Abstract: A method of controlling an RPM of a blower for a gas furnace that passes air to be supplied to a room around a heat exchanger of a gas furnace, the method including starting operation of the gas furnace; measuring an air temperature in an outlet side of the gas furnace; measuring the RPM of the blower; determining whether the air temperature falls within a reference temperature range; and adjusting the RPM of the blower such that the air temperature falls within the reference temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jusu Kim, Janghee Park, Hansaem Park, Yongki Jeong, Doyong Ha
  • Patent number: 11898929
    Abstract: A thermal management system includes a switching valve that switches between a first mode in which first and second flow paths are separated and a second mode in which parts of the first and second flow paths are connected. In the first mode, a control unit acquires measured values of first and second temperatures in the first and second flow paths and estimated values of the first and second temperatures when the switching valve is not in a slightly open state. The switching valve is in the slightly open state when the measured value of the first temperature is higher than the estimated value of the first temperature by a value greater than a first predetermined threshold and the measured value of the second temperature is lower than the estimated value of the second temperature by a value greater than a second predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hironobu Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 11890923
    Abstract: Embodiments of an upper body heat exchanger for a vehicle. In one embodiment, an upper body heat exchanger includes a first portion having a plurality of fins disposed on a first surface. The upper body heat exchanger also includes a second portion having a plurality of heat transfer fluid passages disposed on a second surface of the upper body heat exchanger. The second portion is beneath the first portion. The upper body heat exchanger is mounted on the vehicle such that the first surface of the first portion of the upper body heat exchanger is exposed. The plurality of heat transfer fluid passages are configured to transfer heat from heated fluid flowing through the plurality of heat transfer fluid passages to airflows interacting with the plurality of fins as the vehicle is moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Pirooz Moradnia, Daniel A. Favela Tentori, David W. Halt, Matthew L. Metka, Pratap Thamanna Rao, Brian R. Reynolds