Patents Examined by Meraj A Shaikh
  • Patent number: 10471805
    Abstract: An air conditioning system for motor vehicles includes a temperature door configured to adjust an opening degree of a hot air path, a PTC heater configured to heat an air introduced into the hot air path, and a control unit configured to control an opening position of the temperature door with respect to the hot air path and to secure a minimum opening degree of the hot air path, so that a minimum amount of air is blown toward the PTC heater regardless of the opening position of the temperature door. The control unit is configured to actively adjust the minimum opening degree of the hot air path depending on an on/off condition of the PTC heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Sang Jun Yoo, Se Won Min, Chang Hyun Baek, Hong Rae Jung
  • Patent number: 10465964
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a discharge temperature sensor that detects a discharge temperature of refrigerant discharged from a compressor, and a controller that controls the opening degree of an expansion valve. The controller computes an amount of variation of the discharge temperature resulting from varying the opening degree of the expansion valve, computes a ratio of the amount of variation of the discharge temperature to an amount of variation of the opening degree of the expansion valve, and determines the opening degree to be set to the expansion valve on the basis of the opening degree of the expansion valve that causes a change of the ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yohei Kato, Kiyoshi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 10457119
    Abstract: An air conditioning system for motor vehicles includes a blower configured to blow an air into a vehicle room, a PTC heater configured to heat the air blown into the vehicle room, the PTC heater having a heat generation amount adjusted by PWM duty ratio control, a blower air volume change amount measurement unit configured to, when an air volume of the blower is changed, measure a blower air volume change amount per unit time during a predetermined time period from a time point at which the air volume of the blower is changed, and a control unit configured to, when the air volume of the blower is changed, correct a PWM duty ratio of the PTC heater in view of the blower air volume change amount per unit time measured by the blower air volume change amount measurement unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Hong Rae Jung, Se Won Min, Sang Jun Yoo
  • Patent number: 10413458
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to an external condenser and light assembly and, more particularly, to an improved external air conditioning condenser and housing that is designed to additionally serve as a light assembly for an emergency vehicle. The condenser housing is mounted to the exterior of the emergency vehicle, which improves the performance of the emergency vehicle's air-conditioning system. The design of the condenser housing also allows it to serve as a light assembly on which emergency vehicle lights are mounted. The condenser housing and light assembly structure thereby provides for proper air conditioning functionality without occupying space on the exterior of the vehicle that would more preferably be occupied by emergency lighting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: REV AMBULANCE GROUP ORLANDO, INC.
    Inventors: Scott L. Barnes, Herschel W. Davis, Jr., Matthew W. Grafton, Robert L. Collins
  • Patent number: 10408488
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit configured to circulate refrigerant, a heat exchanger unit accommodating a heat exchanger of the refrigerant circuit, and a controller configured to control the heat exchanger unit. The heat exchanger unit includes an air-sending fan, an electric refrigerant detection unit, and a notifier configured to output notification of an abnormality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Suzuki, Masahiko Takagi, Kenyu Tanaka, Yohei Suzuki, Kenta Nomura, Kazuki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10401068
    Abstract: Air cooled chillers have auxiliary heat recovery systems that include a heat recovery heat exchanger for transferring heat from a compressed refrigerant to a process fluid. According to certain embodiments, the air cooled chillers also includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and a controller to govern operations of the expansion device, a fan in the condenser, and other components of the chiller system. The controller may receive signals from temperature and pressure sensors located throughout the chiller system in order to determine a heat recovery load of the heat recovery heat exchanger. The controller may govern operations of the condenser fan and the expansion device according to a low heat recovery mode, an intermediate heat recovery mode, or a full heat recovery mode. In full heat recovery mode, the controller operates the expansion device based on subcooling detected in the heat recovery heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: William L. Kopko, Satheesh Kulankara
  • Patent number: 10393395
    Abstract: A louver assembly includes a heating element configured to provide heat to at least one edge of at least one blade of the louver assembly to prevent or eliminate ice build-up along the edge of the blade. Variations include fixed blades, rotatable blades, power supply lines routed through pivot points or mechanical linkages for moving blades, and different forms of heating elements such as wires that produce heat due to electrical resistance or infrared heating panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Aamzon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Brock Robert Gardner
  • Patent number: 10378794
    Abstract: A calculating section 103 calculates a target COP that is a maximum COP that the centrifugal chiller can achieve using an arithmetic expression in which an actual device loss is given as a correction term to an expression that represents a COP characteristic under an ideal lossless environment. Since the arithmetic expression for calculating the target COP includes the heat exchange loss of the evaporator as a correction term, the heat exchange loss being calculated using a function having a load factor as a parameter, the heat exchange loss of the evaporator is reflected in the target COP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES THERMAL SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshie Togano, Kenji Ueda
  • Patent number: 10378805
    Abstract: Model predictive control methods are disclosed which provide, among other things, efficient strategies for controlling heat-transfer to a fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Xin Jin, Jeff Maguire, Dane Christensen
  • Patent number: 10371419
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning apparatus includes: at least one processor programmed to control a flow rate of at least one of a heat medium and outside air flowing through a heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger such that a temperature of blast air cooled in an air-cooling heat exchanger is adjusted toward a first target temperature, and to control a flow rate of a refrigerant discharged from a compressor such that a temperature of blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one of the air-cooling heat exchanger and an air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into a vehicle interior, is adjusted toward a second target temperature. Accordingly, a surface temperature of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the temperature of the blast air into the vehicle interior can be properly controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norihiko Enomoto, Nobuharu Kakehashi, Michio Nishikawa, Yoshiki Katoh, Kengo Sugimura, Takashi Yamanaka, Masamichi Makihara
  • Patent number: 10337777
    Abstract: Air conditioning systems and processes may monitor properties of the system and/or properties related to the system. The air conditioning system may allow operation based on user requests and/or allow stress operation(s) based on monitored properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Lennox Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Perez, Shawn Niemann, Der-Kai Hung
  • Patent number: 10323857
    Abstract: A coupling harness useful with a HVAC mini-split system includes a first interface connected to a thermistor, a second interface connected to a condensate overflow sensor and a control device interface connected to a HVAC electronic control device. The first and second interfaces can notify the control device interface of the existence of an alarm condition of the thermistor and condensate overflow sensor, respectively. The control device interface can actuate the HVAC electronic control device in response to such notifications that an alarm condition exists for the thermistor or condensate overflow sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: RectorSeal, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Cantolino, Mark Oudshoorn, Robert Dean Sells
  • Patent number: 10274976
    Abstract: A valve includes a housing which defines openings for the inlet and outlet of a fluid. The valve also includes a sleeve for controlling the circulation of the fluid through the housing. The movement of the sleeve along its axis is controlled by a thermostatic element. In order to improve the maximum flow of fluid that the valve can take in, the valve further includes a seat part, which is fixedly mounted in the housing and which includes a fluid-tight wall. One of the two opposite surfaces of the wall extends transversally to the axis of the sleeve and defines a seat bearing the sleeve. The other one of these two opposite surfaces defines, between it and a wall of the housing according to the direction of the axis of the sleeve, a free volume wherein exists one of the openings and via which the fluid flows, being distributed over the entire periphery of the sleeve when this sleeve is in its open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: VERNET
    Inventor: Jean-Michel Roman
  • Patent number: 10191501
    Abstract: A thermostat includes a power stealing circuit selectively configured to provide power to the thermostat and to circuit(s) ancillary to the thermostat from power source(s) external to the thermostat, without requiring a common or neutral connection between the thermostat and the power source(s). Exemplary embodiments also are disclosed of a climate control system that includes such a thermostat. This thermostat can power-steal off of existing load wires (e.g., a W and/or Y terminal, etc.) and can provide power for a continuous backlight and/or other device (e.g., a remote sensor and/or low-power transceiver, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Bartholomew L. Toth, Xiaobing Zhu
  • Patent number: 10150189
    Abstract: A condensation trap comprising an inlet chamber, a vent chamber and an outlet chamber. The inlet chamber is configured to receive condensate fluid through an external opening therein. The vent chamber is in fluid communication with the inlet chamber via a first passageway that includes an internal opening of the inlet chamber. The internal opening is located substantially at an opposite end of the vent chamber as the external opening. The outlet chamber is in fluid communication with the vent chamber via a second passageway that includes an internal opening in a sidewall of the vent chamber and an interior opening in an end of the outlet chamber. The outlet chamber is configured to transmit the condensate fluid through an exterior opening located at an opposite end of the outlet chamber. A vent volume portion is greater than a total volume of an internal space of the inlet chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Hans J. Paller, Glenn W. Kowald
  • Patent number: 10145607
    Abstract: A method for operating a refrigeration system in order to perform temperature control of a closed volume is disclosed. The refrigeration system comprising a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and an evaporator connected in series in a refrigerant flow path. The refrigeration system further comprises one or more fans arranged to cause a flow of air across the evaporator. The compressor is controlled by switching the compressor on or off in accordance with a measured temperature, Tsup, of air which has passed across the evaporator and is being supplied to the closed volume, and in order to achieve a set point temperature, Tset, in the closed volume. During this a compressor switching pattern is determined. Temperature fluctuations inside the closed volume are minimized, and energy is conserved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Maersk Container Industry AS
    Inventors: Lars Mou Jessen, Poul Kim Madsen
  • Patent number: 10119718
    Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring an air filter installed in an HVAC system may include operating the HVAC system in an air filter monitoring mode such as, for example, a fan only mode, and measuring, for example, a differential pressure across the air filter when the HVAC system is operating in the air filter monitoring mode. The method may include evaluating a status of the air filter using, for example, the measured differential pressure value, and in some cases, display the status on a display of an HVAC controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Hoglund, Reed Bisson
  • Patent number: 10107535
    Abstract: A refrigerant system includes at least one compressor (54, 56) that compresses refrigerant and delivers it downstream to a heat rejection heat exchanger (26). The heat rejection heat exchanger is a microchannel heat exchanger. Refrigerant passes from the heat rejection heat exchanger downstream to an expansion device (60), from the expansion device through an evaporator (66), and from the evaporator back to the at least one compressor. A control (58) operates at least one compressor and the expansion device to reduce pressure spikes at transient conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Michael F. Taras, Alexander Lifson
  • Patent number: 10088209
    Abstract: An air conditioner 1 of the embodiment of the present invention, when all compressors 21a-21c have been stopping for a given time or more, starts an air conditioning operation without performing pressure equalizing control in switch units 6a-6d with starting the operation of the air conditioner 1. Also, when the stopping time of all compressors 21a-21c is less than the given time, the air conditioner 1 performs the pressure equalizing control by controlling switch units 6a-6d with starting the operation of the air conditioner 1. In this case, when the stopping time reaches the given time during execution of the pressure equalizing processing control, the pressure equalizing processing control being executed is stopped and the air conditioning operation is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Fujitsu General Limited
    Inventors: Keito Kawai, Hideya Tamura, Takahiro Matsunaga, Shinju Watanabe, Takashi Kimura, Kotaro Toya, Yasuhiro Oka, Ken Nakashima
  • Patent number: 10088851
    Abstract: A thermostatic mixing valve for mixing cold water and hot water and for setting a mixed water temperature, having an electric motor that is controllable by a control unit and acts via a gear stage on a valve body, which is stroke-adjustable over a setting range and with which the mixing ratio between hot and cold water can be varied depending on a target mixed water temperature, presettable on the user side, and having a sensor element for detecting at least one set position in the setting range of the thermostatic mixing valve. The gear stage has a linearly adjustable linear displacement element, arranged rotationally fixed and provided between the electric motor and the valve body, and the sensor element works together with the linear displacement element to detect the set position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: GROHE AG
    Inventors: Kai Huck, Tanja Schwartpaul, Achim Mielke