Patents Examined by Meraj A Shaikh
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Patent number: 11940175Abstract: A sound level control system for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is provided. The sound level control system comprises an outdoor unit with a compressor, an outdoor fan, and an outdoor controller and a communication device located at a predefined distance from the outdoor unit. The communication device measures sound levels in response to operating the outdoor unit. The outdoor controller is configured to receive a first noise level limit for a predefined time period, receive an instruction related to selective control of the outdoor unit, selectively control both of the compressor to rotate at a first compressor speed and the outdoor fan to rotate at a first fan speed based on the noise level limit for the predefined time period, and receive information related to whether a sound pressure level at a predefined location exceeds the first noise level limit for the predefined time period.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2021Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Trane International Inc.Inventors: Arvind Chitrala, Don A. Schuster, John Hughes, Karl J. Mutchnik
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Patent number: 11920806Abstract: A leak detection system of a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a sensor configured to detect a UV tracer in a monitored gas volume of the HVAC system. The leak detection system also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The controller is configured to modify operation of the HVAC system in response to the sensor detecting the UV tracer in the monitored gas volume.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2022Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLPInventors: William F. McQuade, Neelkanth Gupte
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Patent number: 11906231Abstract: An ice maker for forming ice having a refrigeration system, a water system, and a control system. The refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator. The water system includes a water filter and a sump to hold water to be made into ice. The control system includes a controller adapted to determine a baseline freeze time, a baseline harvest time, and/or a baseline fill time after an initial set of ice making cycles and is further adapted to compare subsequent harvest times, freeze times, and/or fill times to the baseline freeze, harvest, and/or fill times to determine whether the ice maker needs maintenance. If controller determines that ice maker needs maintenance, controller can push a notification to a portable electronic device connected to the ice maker.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2020Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: TRUE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC.Inventors: John Allen Broadbent, Paolo Moro
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Patent number: 11896534Abstract: An external automotive condenser and light assembly for mounting on a body of a vehicle, the condenser and light assembly includes a condenser housing having a top portion defining at least one top opening and a bottom portion defining at least one bottom opening. The condenser housing includes a front face so as to permit at least one warning light to be affixed thereto. The condenser housing includes a right face extending rearward from the front face. The condenser housing includes a left face extending rearward from the front face. At least one warning light is affixed to an exterior of the front face.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2021Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: REV Ambulance Group Orlando, Inc.Inventors: Scott L. Barnes, Herschel W. Davis, Jr., Matthew W. Grafton, Robert L. Collins
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Patent number: 11898764Abstract: An HVAC system includes a high-pressure subsystem and a low-pressure subsystem. After determining that refrigerant leak diagnostics should be performed, a controllable valve is closed between a condenser and compressor of the HVAC system. The compressor then operates until a predetermined input refrigerant pressure is reached. After the predetermined input refrigerant pressure is reached, operation of the compressor is stopped. After stopping operation of the compressor and waiting at least a predetermined wait time, the pressure in the low-pressure subsystem of the HVAC system is monitored. A rate of change of the pressure in the low-pressure subsystem is determined. If the rate of change is negative and a magnitude of the rate of change is greater than a threshold value, a leak location is determined to be in the low-pressure subsystem.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2023Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.Inventors: Payam Delgoshaei, Eric Berg
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Patent number: 11879650Abstract: An air conditioning system has: an indoor fan that sends air into a room through an air-blowing flow path; a heat pump unit that air-conditions the room with a vapor compression refrigerant circuit; and a separate heat source unit that air-conditions the room with a furnace that heats air by burning fuel or an electric heater that heats air with heat generated by energization. As a refrigerant, a flammable refrigerant is sealed in the refrigerant circuit. A controller controls an operation of the indoor fan, the heat pump unit, and the separate heat source unit. When starting air conditioning in the room with the separate heat source unit, the controller brings a state where the indoor fan is in operation before causing an operation for burning fuel in the furnace.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2018Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Miki Yamada, Junichi Shimoda
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Patent number: 11878282Abstract: A method includes forming a carbon aerogel on a substrate to produce a highly adsorptive structure. The carbon aerogel is characterized by having physical characteristics of in-situ formation on the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2021Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLCInventors: Theodore F. Baumann, Joe H. Satcher, Jr., Joseph C. Farmer
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Patent number: 11867448Abstract: A method for controlling a refrigerator includes operating, for a set duration, a heating element of a sensor which responds to changes in air flow; sensing the temperature of the heating element in on or off state; and sensing residual frost on an evaporator on the basis of the difference in value of the temperature between a first sensed temperature, which is the lowest value, and a second sensed temperature, which is the highest value, from among the sensed temperatures of the heating element.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2020Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Sangbok Choi, Kyongbae Park, Sungwook Kim, Sung Jhee
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Patent number: 11852391Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling pressure in a CO2 refrigeration system are provided. The pressure control system includes a pressure sensor, a gas bypass valve, a parallel compressor, and a controller. The pressure sensor is configured to measure a pressure within a receiving tank of the CO2 refrigeration system. The gas bypass valve is fluidly connected with an outlet of the receiving tank and arranged in series with a compressor of the CO2 refrigeration system. The parallel compressor is fluidly connected with the outlet of the receiving tank and arranged in parallel with both the gas bypass valve and the compressor of the CO2 refrigeration system. The controller is configured to receive a pressure measurement from the pressure sensor and operate both the gas bypass valve and the parallel compressor, in response to the pressure measurement, to control the pressure within the receiving tank.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2021Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.Inventors: Kim G. Christensen, Jeffrey Newel, John D. Bittner
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Patent number: 11821661Abstract: A transport refrigeration unit (TRU) system is provided. The TRU system includes a TRU and an energy storage device (ESD). The TRU includes components (32) configured to control an environment in a compartment interior and a TRU controller (31) configured to control the components (32) in accordance with initial control settings and to monitor energy usage by the components (32) being controlled in accordance with the initial control settings. The ESD (40) includes an ESD controller (42) receptive of data reflective of the monitored energy usage by the components (32) from the TRU controller (31) and configured to determine whether the energy usage is above a threshold. In an event the energy usage is above the threshold, the ESD controller (42) is further configured to identify operational changes for one or more of the components (32) to reduce the energy usage and override the initial control settings of the one or more of the components (32) with new control settings.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2018Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATIONInventors: Jeffrey J. Burchill, Mary D. Saroka, Yu Chen
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Patent number: 11802701Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes: an outdoor unit including a compressor that compresses and discharges refrigerant to a refrigerant circuit; an indoor unit including a load-side heat exchanger that causes heat exchange to be performed between air in an air-conditioned space and a heat medium subjected to heat exchange with the refrigerant; a flow rate detection unit that detects a flow rate of the heat medium; and an alarm unit provided in the indoor unit. The alarm unit includes a determination unit and an abnormality alarm unit. The determination unit determines whether an abnormality occurs in the indoor unit or not based on the flow rate detected by the flow rate detection unit. The abnormality alarm unit outputs an alarm when the determination unit determines that the abnormality occurs in the indoor unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2018Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventor: Kimitaka Kadowaki
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Patent number: 11786883Abstract: A highly adsorptive structure includes: a substrate; and a metal-organic framework (MOF) comprising a plurality of metal atoms coordinated to a plurality of organic spacer molecules; wherein the MOF is coupled to at least one surface of the substrate, wherein the MOF is configured to adsorb and desorb a refrigerant under predetermined thermodynamic conditions. The refrigerant includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: acid halides, alcohols, aldehydes, amines, chlorofluorocarbons, esters, ethers, fluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, halocarbons, halogenated aldehydes, halogenated amines, halogenated hydrocarbons, halomethanes, hydrocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, hydrofluoroethers, hydrofluoroolefins, inorganic gases, ketones, nitrocarbon compounds, noble gases, organochlorine compounds, organofluorine compounds, organophosphorous compounds, organosilicon compounds, oxide gases, refrigerant blends and thiols.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2021Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLCInventors: Theodore F. Baumann, Joe H. Satcher, Jr., Joseph C. Farmer, Todd Bandhauer
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Patent number: 11787262Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus may include an evaporator; a temperature sensor configured for detecting a temperature of the evaporator; a compressor compressing a refrigerant transmitted to the evaporator; a clutch selectively allowing power transmission from a vehicle power source to a compressor; and a controller connected to the clutch and configured for controlling the clutch to selectively allow the power transmission according to a result of comparison between a target temperature of the evaporator and a temperature detected by the temperature sensor, in which the controller sets the target temperature based on a vehicle driving state.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2019Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventor: Seong Bin Jeong
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Patent number: 11788757Abstract: Disclosed are exemplary embodiments of methods for managing temperature overshoot. In an exemplary embodiment, a method includes determining a temperature delta between two sensor temperatures reported for a space at predetermined time intervals; determining a temperature rate of change by dividing the temperature delta with a time period that elapsed between the two sensor temperatures; determining a compensation by multiplying the temperature delta and the temperature rate of change; determining a compensated temperature by adding the compensation to a sensor temperature reported for the space; and using a controller and the compensated temperature to control operation of a heating system for the space.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2022Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: Copeland Comfort Control LPInventor: Esan A. Alhilo
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Patent number: 11731490Abstract: A refrigerant system includes a compressor, multiple pressure sensors, multiple refrigerant flow valves, and a processor. The compressor is configured to present a refrigerant at a first pressure. A first pressure sensor is configured to measure the first pressure of the refrigerant. A second pressure sensor is configured to measure a second pressure of the refrigerant. The refrigerant flow valves have a plurality of flow valve positions. The processor is configured to calculate a delta value as a difference between the first pressure and the second pressure, calculate an expected delta value between the first pressure and the second pressure based on a ratio of a low-side density of the refrigerant at the compressor to the flow valve positions, and perform a remedial action where the delta value deviates from the expected delta value by greater than a threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2021Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventor: Kale Bateman
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Patent number: 11732916Abstract: A refrigerant control system includes: a charge module configured to determine an amount of refrigerant that is present within a first portion of a refrigeration system within a building; and an isolation module configured to selectively open and close an isolation valve of the refrigeration system and to, via the isolation valve, maintain the amount of refrigerant within the first portion within the building below a predetermined amount of the refrigerant.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2020Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Brian R. Butler, Stuart K. Morgan, Hung Pham, Winfield S. Morter, Andrew M. Welch, David Alfano, Michael A. Saunders
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Patent number: 11718148Abstract: A thermal system for an electrified vehicle including a thermal loop and a controller is provided. The thermal loop may include a rear evaporator and a compressor fluidly connected thereto, a conduit to distribute oil throughout the thermal loop, and an evaporator valve. The controller may be programmed to, responsive to receipt of a signal indicating evaporator valve shut-off and detection of a vehicle plug-in event, cycle the compressor to promote oil movement through the compressor. The controller may be further programmed to, responsive to receipt of the signal, open the evaporator valve to force oil back to the compressor. The thermal loop may further include a first expansion valve up stream of a chiller fluidly connected to the compressor, a second expansion valve between the evaporator valve and the rear evaporator, and a third expansion valve up stream of a front evaporator fluidly connected to the compressor.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2018Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLCInventors: Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley, Brett Allen Dunn, Rohan Shrivastava
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Patent number: 11713900Abstract: The purpose of the invention is to provide a control device that can calculate the lower limit of cooling water inlet temperature according to the operation status of a chiller.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2019Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES THERMAL SYSTEMS, LTD.Inventors: Katsuya Sakaguchi, Satoshi Nikaido, Yutaka Takenaka
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Patent number: 11703268Abstract: A refrigerator including a main body including a storeroom; an evaporator arranged in the back of the storeroom and configured to generate cold air; a defrost heater arranged under the evaporator into which air flows and configured to remove frost or ice formed on the evaporator; a temperature sensor arranged on the top of the evaporator and configured to measure temperature; and a controller configured to stop operation of the defrost heater in a first defrost cycle based on a first measurement measured by the temperature sensor and stop operation of the defrost heater in a second defrost cycle based on a second measurement, which is different from the first measurement.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2019Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Min Soo Kim, Hee Moon Jeong, Kook Jeong Seo
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Patent number: 11692736Abstract: An air conditioner shut-off system includes an overflow conduit that is coupled, at one end, to the drainage system of an air handler unit of the air conditioner system. The opposite end of the overflow conduit is positioned over an overflow container, which is suspended by a harness at the lower end of the harness. The upper end of the harness being operably coupled to the shut off switch throw of a shut off switch, which is provided on or proximate to the air handler unit. If the drainage system becomes obstructed, water will flow into the overflow container through the conduit, and eventually the mass of the water accumulated in the overflow container will produce enough force acting on the shut off switch throw through the harness to flip the shut off switch throw to the OFF position, resulting in the air conditioner system being shut off.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2022Date of Patent: July 4, 2023Inventor: David Todd Walker, Jr.