Patents Examined by Marc Norman
  • Patent number: 9291281
    Abstract: Cooling apparatuses and methods are presented for facilitating dissipation of heat generated by one or more electronic components. The apparatuses include, for instance, a coolant-cooled heat sink and a thermostat-controlled valve. The heat sink includes one or more coolant-carrying channels and one or more valve wells intersecting the channels. The thermostat-controlled valve is disposed, at least partially, within a respective valve well so as to intersect a respective coolant-carrying channel, and includes a valve disk and a thermal-sensitive actuator mechanically coupled to rotate the valve disk. The valve disk is rotatable between an open position where coolant is allowed to flow through the respective coolant-carrying channel, and a closed position where coolant is blocked from flowing through the respective channel. The actuator rotates the valve disk between the open position and the closed position, dependent on heating of the thermal-sensitive actuator by the electronic component(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Milnes P. David, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 9292020
    Abstract: A fail-safe engine coolant thermostat includes a body having a bore with an inlet and an outlet. A thermal actuator capable of extended and retracted positions due to coolant temperature is disposed in the body. A valve plate is pivotally mounted in the body to open and close fluid flow through the body. A connecting member is coupled between the thermal actuator and the valve plate to pivot the valve plate to the closed flow position. A pivot connection of the valve plate to the body is diametrically off center to the valve plate to pivot to the fluid flow open position under coolant fluid flow pressure unless the thermal actuator, at cold fluid temperatures, pivots the value plate to the closed position through the connecting member. An adjustment is provided for the connecting member to enable adjustment of the valve plate to the full closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Inventor: Darrel R. Sand
  • Patent number: 9295181
    Abstract: A coolant-conditioning unit is provided which includes a facility coolant path, having a facility coolant flow control valve, and a system coolant path accommodating a system coolant, and having a bypass line with a system coolant bypass valve. A heat exchanger is coupled to the facility and system coolant paths to facilitate transfer of heat from the system coolant to facility coolant in the facility coolant path, and the bypass line is disposed in the system coolant path in parallel with the heat exchanger. A controller automatically controls a regulation position of the coolant bypass valve and a regulation position of the facility coolant flow control valve based on a temperature of the system coolant, and automatically adjusts the regulation position of the system coolant bypass valve to facilitate maintaining the facility coolant flow control valve at or above a specified, partially open, minimum regulation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Milnes P. David, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 9291396
    Abstract: A header tank for a heat exchanger for supplying a heat exchange fluid to a core unit in which a plurality of tubes are provided side by side includes an inlet part for introducing the heat exchange fluid into the header tank, and a plurality of ribs projecting into the header tank, extending in directions intersecting with a central axis direction of the inlet part, arranged side by side in the central axis direction and configured to cause the heat exchange fluid to flow into the tubes. The plurality of ribs project more into the header tank with increasing distance from the inlet part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: CALSONIC KANSEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Kato, Takashi Kaneda
  • Patent number: 9291403
    Abstract: A heat exchanger has a core case, at least one fin case disposed in the core case, and pair of upper and lower fins disposed in the fin case. The fin case has an inlet part, an outlet part, and a middle part disposed between the inlet and outlet parts. Each of the upper and lower fins has top and bottom portions. The upper and lower fins are disposed within the fin case so that the upper and lower fins are not in contact with each other at the inlet and outlet parts of the fin case and so that the bottom portions of the upper fin are in contact with respective ones of the top portions of the lower fin at the middle part of the fin case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: YUTAKA GIKEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Hisanaga, Yoshihiro Umeda, Tamaki Kuniyoshi
  • Patent number: 9283826
    Abstract: A device for cooling a heat source of a motor vehicle, including a cooling body (7) which is in thermal contact with the heat source, a first fluid stream for the discharge of heat being capable of flowing to the cooling body (7), wherein at least one second fluid stream for the discharge of heat can flow selectably to the cooling body (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Heckenberger, Conrad Pfender, Dirk Neumeister, Guenther Feuerecker, Manuel Wehowski, Roland Burk, Hans-Georg Herrmann, Tobias Isermeyer, Florian Moldovan, Martin Steinbach
  • Patent number: 9285150
    Abstract: A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a driving assembly that is mounted on the case and an underside of the agitating assembly to generate a driving force for swinging the agitating assembly, and a refrigeration cycle for producing cold air to be supplied to the storage chamber and the cooling device. The cooling device further includes a starting torque supply mechanism supplying mechanical or electric energy to the agitating assembly, to initiate a swinging motion of the agitating assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Yeonwoo Cho, Yanggyu Kim, Younseok Lee
  • Patent number: 9283850
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of the present invention is a semiconductor device applicable in a cooling system including an ECU functioning as a setting part that sets target temperature of a refrigerant used to cool the semiconductor device, and a sensor functioning as a detector that detects the temperature of the refrigerant as refrigerant's temperature. The semiconductor device generates variable heating loss. The semiconductor device includes a heating controller that controls the heating loss in the semiconductor device such that the target temperature and the refrigerant's temperature become the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Noboru Miyamoto, Mitsunori Aiko
  • Patent number: 9285050
    Abstract: Methods are presented for facilitating dissipation of heat generated by one or more electronic components. The methods include providing a coolant-cooled heat sink and a thermostat-controlled valve. The heat sink includes one or more coolant-carrying channels and one or more valve wells intersecting the channels. The thermostat-controlled valve is disposed, at least partially, within a respective valve well so as to intersect a respective coolant-carrying channel, and includes a valve disk and a thermal-sensitive actuator mechanically coupled to rotate the valve disk. The valve disk is rotatable between an open position where coolant is allowed to flow through the respective coolant-carrying channel, and a closed position where coolant is blocked from flowing through the respective channel. The actuator rotates the valve disk between the open position and the closed position, dependent on heating of the thermal-sensitive actuator by the electronic component(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Milnes P. David, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 9285049
    Abstract: A thermostat device having a first coolant flow path; a second coolant flow path; a casing including a thermostat container portion that communicates with the first and second coolant flow paths; a third coolant flow path that communicates with the thermostat container portion; a cap that covers the thermostat container portion; a thermostat including a thermo-element that advances and retreats in response to changes in temperature of a coolant that flows through the thermostat container portion; a temperature sensor disposed within the thermostat container portion and which detects the temperature of the coolant; a sensor mount in which the temperature sensor is embedded, integrated into an inside end of the cap; and a lead connector extending from the temperature sensor and integrated into an outside end of the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Nippon Thermostat Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Noriyasu Yajima
  • Patent number: 9279591
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a heat medium side device with plural pumps for circulating the heat medium related to the heating or the cooling of plural intermediate heat exchangers. Plural use side heat exchangers exchange heat between the heat medium and air. Plural flow path switching valves switch the flow path for supplying the heat medium related to a selected system among the heating media circulating in plural systems to each use side heat exchanger. A relay unit side control device controls the flow path switching valves so as to circulate the heat medium between the use side heat exchanger causing the heat medium to absorb the heat and the use side heat exchanger causing the heat medium to emit the preferentially set heat, when it is determined that it is impossible to perform the heating or the cooling of the heat medium by the intermediate heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeo Takata, Koji Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9279594
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for reducing the usage of a ventilation system. For example, one or more of the exemplary systems comprise a thermostatic controller that has at least two settings for the delay occurring between turning the ventilation system off and then turning the system back on. One setting being for a first interval and at least a second setting for a second interval that is longer than the first interval. A processor is in communication with the thermostatic controller and is configured to evaluate one or more parameters including at least the temperature outside the structure conditioned by the ventilation system. The processor is further configured to determine whether to adopt the first interval or the second interval based upon the values of the parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: EcoFactor, Inc.
    Inventor: John Douglas Steinberg
  • Patent number: 9273889
    Abstract: Disclosed is a monitoring and control system for an air source heat pump apparatus having a controller to control at least one operation of the heat pump apparatus, a temperature sensor to detect the temperature in a specified area at, near, and/or around the controller, and an operable component, the system including a control program to: determine the temperature based on the detected temperature of the temperature sensor; determine whether a first condition exists, the first condition including a determination that the controller is powered, but the operable component is not operating; determine whether a second condition exists, the second condition including a determination that the controller is powered, and the operable component is operating; and based at least partially on determinations (a)-(c), determine the ambient temperature at or around the heat pump apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: United States ThermoAmp Inc.
    Inventors: William P. Bernardi, Jeffrey J. Calabro
  • Patent number: 9274532
    Abstract: A temperature controller for controlling a thermal module that raises or lowers the temperature of a thermal control platform that includes a reading interface and a control unit. The reading interface is used for reading parameters of the thermal control platform that are stored in a memory module. The control unit is connected to the reading interface for receiving the parameters read by the reading interface and for sending a control signal to the thermal module according to the corresponding parameters. The thermal module then raises or lowers the temperature according to the control signal. Accordingly, the temperature controller automatically adjusts the temperature control to different thermal control platforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: CHROMA ATE INC.
    Inventors: Chien-Hsing Liu, Chieh-Fu Chen
  • Patent number: 9273879
    Abstract: An Electronically-Controlled Register vent (ECRV) that can be easily installed by a homeowner or general handyman is disclosed. The ECRV can be used to convert a non-zoned HVAC system into a zoned system. The ECRV can also be used in connection with a conventional zoned HVAC system to provide additional control and additional zones not provided by the conventional zoned HVAC system. In one embodiment, the ECRV is configured have a size and form-factor that conforms to a standard manually-controlled register vent. In one embodiment, a zone thermostat is configured to provide thermostat information to the ECRV. In one embodiment, the zone thermostat communicates with a central monitoring system that coordinates operation of the heating and cooling zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence Kates
  • Patent number: 9267720
    Abstract: An air conditioner may include an indoor device and an outdoor device. The outdoor device may include a plurality of compressors, a plurality of bypass tubes respectively connected to the plurality of compressors, and a plurality of bypass valves respectively provided to the bypass tubes. When at least one of the plurality of compressors is stopped during operation of the air conditioner and the plurality of compressors, a bypass valve corresponding to the stopped compressor may be opened to equalize an internal pressure of the stopped compressor to facilitate a re-start of operation of the stopped compressor without adversely affecting overall performance of the air conditioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Bongsoo Choi
  • Patent number: 9268341
    Abstract: The cartridge comprises a slide valve for regulating the temperature of a mixture of hot and cold fluids. The slide valve is, under the action of a thermostatic element and in relation to an outer casing of the cartridge, which can be displaced along the central axis of the casing in such a way as to vary inversely the respective flow sections of an inlet for a first of the fluids, delimited axially between the casing and one of the two opposite axial surfaces of the slide valve, and of an inlet for the second fluid, delimited axially between the casing and the other axial surface of the slide valve. Therefore the cartridge can, effectively and economically, provide a good mixture of the two fluids, a flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: VERNET
    Inventors: William Da Silva, Emmanuel Platet
  • Patent number: 9267718
    Abstract: In a temperature control system and method, a compressor is left on during steady state operation even when cooling is not needed, and an electronically controlled valve (e.g., a solenoid valve) is used to enable and disable the flow of coolant through a heat exchanger system in order to selectively control whether cooling is enabled or disabled. A flow of air may be passed through the heat exchanger system to cool the flow of air, and the valve may be controlled based at least in part on temperature of the flow of air, e.g., in accordance with a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control scheme. A heater may be controlled to selectively heat the flow of air. A cooling cycle may be provided in which the heater is disabled and the flow of coolant is enabled via the valve, and a heating cycle may be provided in which the heater is enabled and the flow of coolant is disabled via the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Khoury Industries Incorporated
    Inventor: Antoine Henein Khoury
  • Patent number: 9268342
    Abstract: A water heater and thermal mixing valve assembly and method for providing a reduced discharge water temperature and a hot water temperature from the same tank. The assembly includes a tank adapted to accept and store an amount of cold water, a heater to heat the cold water held in the tank and increase the cold water temperature to a predetermined hot water temperature, at least one thermal mixing valve integrated with the tank in communication with a hot water passage and a cold water bypass conduit to provide a discharge water of a controlled temperature, the cold water bypass conduit being mounted to the cold water passage allowing the associated cold water to communicate with the tank and the thermal mixing valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Thomas Beyerle, Jonathan D. Nelson
  • Patent number: 9267743
    Abstract: A housing for electronic equipment includes a fan and a plurality of coolant channels in a passage of a cooling fluid introduced by the fan. A passage width defined by a cooling member blocking the passage, the member being one of the plurality of coolant channels closer to the fan, is smaller than a passage width defined by a cooling member blocking the passage, the member being one of the plurality of coolant channels farther away from the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshio Sugimoto, Reiko Kondo