Patents Examined by Marc Norman
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Patent number: 9863681Abstract: Systems and methods of controlling an HVAC system electronic expansion valve (EEV) include determining an optimal EEV position for the HVAC system as a function of a variable related to an ambient environment enthalpy and operating the HVAC system as a function of the optimal EEV position.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2016Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: Trane International Inc.Inventors: Hunter Ian Golden, Jason Thomas LeRoy, Raymond Walter Rite
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Patent number: 9863678Abstract: A refrigeration appliance has a supply pipe for connecting the refrigeration appliance to a water supply connection and has a controllable safety valve in the supply pipe of the refrigeration appliance for shutting off the water supply connection. The refrigeration appliance further contains a leak detection device for detecting a leak in a water circuit, which leak detection device contains a micro-switch for interrupting a current supply to the safety valve when a leak is detected.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2014Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbHInventors: Elmar Faehnle, Eugen Gaplikow, Hans Gerd Keller, Michael Krapp, Karl-Friedrich Laible, Vitaliy Rimkevich, Hans Peter Werner
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Patent number: 9855822Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning apparatus is provided that can prevent temperature variations of the air after the heat exchange in a radiator to reliably control the temperature of the air supplied to the vehicle interior. During the heating operation and the heating and dehumidifying operation, target degree of supercooling SCt when target air-blowing temperature TAO is a predetermined temperature or higher is set to SCt1 that is greater than SCt2 when the target air-blowing temperature TAO is lower than the predetermined temperature. When amount of air Ga supplied from indoor fan 12 is lower than a predetermined value, the target degree of supercooling SCt is corrected, which is set such that the degree of supercooling is lower than target degree of supercooling corrected when the amount of air Ga supplied from the indoor fan 12 is a predetermined value or higher.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2016Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: SANDEN HOLDINGS CORPORATIONInventors: Kenichi Suzuki, Atsuo Inoue, Hidenori Takei
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Patent number: 9857088Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit formed by connecting pipes, a compressor including a compression chamber and an injection port through which refrigerant is introduced into the compression chamber, a first heat exchanger, a subcooling heat exchanger that includes a first flow passage and a second flow passage and exchanges heat between refrigerant flowing in the first flow passage and refrigerant flowing in the second flow passage to subcool the refrigerant flowing in the first flow passage, a first expansion device, a second heat exchanger, and an accumulator In addition, a first bypass pipe connects the second flow passage of the subcooling heat exchanger with a segment of the pipes, positioned on a refrigerant inflow side of the accumulator; an expansion device to adjust a flow rate of the refrigerant flowing in the first bypass pipe; a second bypass pipe that connects a segment of the pipes with the injection port, the segment being positioned between the first heat exchanger aType: GrantFiled: February 18, 2014Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Koji Yamashita, Katsuhiro Ishimura, Takeshi Hatomura, Soshi Ikeda, Shinichi Wakamoto, Naofumi Takenaka
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Patent number: 9851133Abstract: According to one embodiment, a refrigeration cycle apparatus, a fusible plug is attached to a low-pressure-side pipe between an evaporator and a compressor. The refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a heat quantity reduction member. The fusible plug fuses when a temperature of heat transmitted from the low-pressure-side pipe to the fusible plug reaches a predetermined value or more, and then opens the inside of the low-pressure-side pipe to atmosphere. The heat quantity reduction member reduces the quantity of heat to be transmitted to the fusible plug.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2015Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: TOSHIBA CARRIER CORPORATIONInventors: Kentaro Nakaguchi, Yukio Kiguchi, Hideaki Suzuki, Ryouhei Kamiya
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Patent number: 9851132Abstract: This air conditioner performs a cooling operation and a heating operation in parallel with each other with an outdoor unit and indoor units connected together through two communication pipes. The air conditioner includes a switching mechanism changing the directions of refrigerants flowing through the communication pipes depending on whether a heating dominant operation is being performed in a first load region where a cooling load is relatively light or a second load region where the cooling load is heavier than in the first load region. In the second load region, the switching mechanism allows a low-pressure refrigerant to flow from the indoor units to the outdoor unit through the second communication pipe thicker than the first communication pipe to reduce a performance deterioration due to the pressure loss involved with the heating dominant operation.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2013Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Satoshi Kawano, Shinya Matsuoka, Masahiro Oka, Mari Susaki
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Patent number: 9849752Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning apparatus is provided that can prevent temperature variations of the air after the heat exchange in a radiator to reliably control the temperature of the air supplied to the vehicle interior. During the heating operation and the heating and dehumidifying operation, target degree of supercooling SCt when target air-blowing temperature TAO is a predetermined temperature or higher is set to SCt1 that is greater than SCt2 when the target air-blowing temperature TAO is lower than the predetermined temperature. When amount of air Ga supplied from indoor fan 12 is lower than a predetermined value, the target degree of supercooling SCt is corrected, which is set such that the degree of supercooling is lower than target degree of supercooling corrected when the amount of air Ga supplied from the indoor fan 12 is a predetermined value or higher.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2016Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: SANDEN HOLDINGS CORPORATIONInventors: Kenichi Suzuki, Atsuo Inoue, Hidenori Takei
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Patent number: 9835346Abstract: The present disclosure provides an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes a compressor; a sensor for measuring the compressors state configured to detect compressor state information that includes at least one of a pressure value and a saturation temperature of the compressor; and a controller configured to control air flow on the side of an indoor unit by comparing the compressor state information measured from the sensor and a threshold.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2015Date of Patent: December 5, 2017Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Kyung Hoon Kim, Se-Won Kim, Byoung Guk Lim, Il Yong Cho
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Patent number: 9822996Abstract: An additive heat transfer unit (AHTU) can be part of or added to an air source heat pump HVAC system. The heat pump system can include a compressor, an expansion valve, first and second air source heat exchangers, and a reversing valve. The system can have a cooling mode and a heating mode, such that in the cooling mode the first air source heat exchanger functions as an evaporator and the second air source heat exchanger functions as a condenser, this being reversed in the heating mode. The AHTU can include a liquid source heat exchanger that can be used to increase the efficiency of the system.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2015Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Inventor: David Deng
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Patent number: 9823001Abstract: An air conditioning service system includes an accumulator defining an accumulator chamber, a pressure transducer operably connected to the accumulator chamber, a drain valve operably connected to the accumulator chamber, and a controller operably connected to the pressure transducer and the drain valve. The controller includes a processor configured to execute program instructions stored in a memory to determine a volume of liquid drained from the accumulator by: determining a volumetric flow rate of liquid through the drain valve by controlling the drain valve with the controller to an open position for a predetermined period of time; detecting an increased rate of pressure reduction while the drain valve is open; and determining an amount of liquid drained through the drain valve based upon the volumetric flow rate and a total time elapsed between opening the drain valve and the increased rate of pressure reduction.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2015Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignees: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions Inc., Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Dylan M. Lundberg, Mark W. McMasters
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Patent number: 9816724Abstract: An integrated ventilation unit configured to provide ventilation and conditioned air to an indoor space may include a heat pump system, an energy recovery device and a control unit. The heat pump system may include a first coil located at a supply air side of the ventilation unit, a second coil located at an exhaust air side of the ventilation unit, and a compressor. The energy recovery device may be configured to transfer heat between a return air stream and a supply air stream and the control unit may be configured to control operation of the heat pump system and the energy recovery device.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2015Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: Reznor LLCInventors: Seng Kham Phannavong, Christopher Adam Hughes, Thomas W Clark, John P McKissack, David Street, Timothy J Roberts
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Patent number: 9816719Abstract: An HVAC system includes an HVAC unit having a cooling mode and a heating mode for conditioning the air in an inside space, and a programmable thermostat located remotely from the HVAC unit. The HVAC unit may have an onboard controller configured to control when the HVAC unit is in the cooling mode or heating mode, and whether the HVAC unit is activated or not. In some cases, the onboard controller of the HVAC unit may use a common temperature setpoint when controlling in the cooling mode and the heating mode. The programmable thermostat may have a programmable schedule with a plurality of time periods, where each time period has a heating setpoint and a cooling setpoint separated by a dead band. The onboard controller of the HVAC unit may be configured to accept input signals from the remotely located thermostat.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2015Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Gabriel A. Bergman, Chris Gottlieb, Cary Leen, David Schultz, Milos Cabel
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Patent number: 9803905Abstract: We provided a dehumidifier with a temperature-sensing safety feature. The temperature probe is in direct contact with the discharge tube, as opposed to the industry standard of measuring temperature at the evaporator. In case the discharge tube overheats, it causes the resistance of the temperature probe to increase above a threshold value. The temperature probe then sends a signal to pause operation of the compressor. In a preferred embodiment, the compressor resumes operation when the temperature returns to normal, unless it overheats repeatedly. The temperature probe remains intact and may be used indefinitely. In preferred embodiments, the temperature-sensing safety feature is combined with a timing safety feature and/or a current-sensing safety feature.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2015Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Inventor: Zhiming Wang
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Patent number: 9797641Abstract: There is disclosed an air-conditioning device of a so-called heat pump system which acquires comfortable heating in a vehicle interior by preventing or inhibiting frost formation to an outdoor heat exchanger. In a vehicular air-conditioning device 1, a controller calculates a requested refrigerant evaporation temperature in non-frosting TXObaseQtgt which is a refrigerant evaporation temperature of an outdoor heat exchanger 7 when a required heating capability Qtgt as a heating capability required for a radiator 4 is realized in non-frosting of the outdoor heat exchanger 7, and the controller controls heating by the radiator 4 and heating by a heating medium-air heat exchanger 40 of a heating medium circulating circuit 23 on the basis of the requested refrigerant evaporation temperature in non-frosting TXObaseQtgt and a frost point Tfrost to achieve the required heating capability Qtgt without causing frost formation to the outdoor heat exchanger 7.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2014Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: Sanden Holdings CorporationInventors: Kenichi Suzuki, Ryo Miyakoshi
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Patent number: 9791163Abstract: A method of defrosting an energy recovery ventilator unit. The method comprises defrosting an energy recovery ventilator unit. The method comprises activating a defrost process of an enthalpy-exchange zone of the energy recovery ventilator unit when an air-flow blockage in the enthalpy-exchange zone coincides with a frost threshold in the ambient environment surrounding the energy recovery ventilator unit. The method also comprises terminating the defrost process when a heat transfer efficiency across the enthalpy-exchange zone returns to within 10 percent of a pre-frosting heat transfer efficiency wherein, the heat transfer efficiency is proportional to a temperature difference between an intake air zone of the energy recovery ventilator and a supply air zone of the energy recovery ventilator divided by a temperature difference between an return air zone of the energy recovery ventilator and the intake air zone.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2015Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.Inventors: Justin McKie, Eric Perez, Herman Marcus Thomas, Steve Schneider
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Patent number: 9784463Abstract: An environmental control system includes at least one of a security monitoring system or a building automation control system. A thermostat is coupled to the at least one system, wherein the thermostat provides feedback as to output signals therefrom to evaluate functioning of the thermostat. The output signals would be coupled to a heating, ventilating and air conditioning system.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2014Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventor: Thomas S. Babich
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Patent number: 9777956Abstract: A refrigerator is provided that may include at least one compressor that compresses a refrigerant, a condenser that condenses the refrigerant compressed in the at least one compressor, a refrigerant tube that guides the refrigerant condensed in the condenser, a plurality of evaporation passages, in which expansion devices may be respectively disposed, the plurality of evaporation passages branching from the refrigerant tube, a flow adjuster disposed in the refrigerant tube to supply the refrigerant into at least one evaporation passage of the plurality of evaporation passages, a plurality of evaporators, respectively, connected to the plurality of evaporation passages to evaporate the refrigerant decompressed in the plurality of expansion devices, and a liquid refrigerant supply device disposed at an outlet-side of the condenser to separate a liquid refrigerant of the refrigerant heat-exchanged in the condenser, thereby supplying the liquid refrigerant into the flow adjuster.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2014Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Sangbong Lee, Jangseok Lee, Hyoungkeun Lim, Myungjin Chung, Minkyu Oh, Namsoo Cho
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Patent number: 9775448Abstract: A refrigerated display unit having an open-fronted cabinet providing a product display space accessible through an access opening provided by the open front. Cooling means produces cold air to refrigerate items in the product display space. A cold air curtain is provided across the access opening using a forwardly-positioned discharge outlet communicating with a supply duct and a forwardly-positioned return inlet in communication with a return duct receiving air from the air curtain. The air curtain is substantially unsupported by the any supplementary cooling airflow supplied into the product display space separately from the air curtain.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2016Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: Applied Design and Engineering Ltd.Inventors: Ian Wood, Edward Hammond
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Patent number: 9772130Abstract: A refrigerator and a method for controlling a refrigerator are provided. The refrigerator may include a pair of evaporators. When a switching valve operates, one blower fan may be maintained in operation for a predetermined period of time to more quickly collect a refrigerant, thereby realizing an efficient cycle operation.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2014Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventor: Sunghee Kang
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Patent number: 9764620Abstract: Methods and system for operating a heat pump in different operating modes and providing a predictable heat pump response when the heat pump is transitioned between the different operating modes are presented. In one example, a controller that includes executable instructions for providing a bumpless compressor command for operating the heat pump is disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2014Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Yu Liu, Anthony David Tsakiris, Brett Allen Dunn