Patents Examined by Schyler S Sanks
  • Patent number: 11428435
    Abstract: A self-orienting sensing system for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a housing having a main body. The housing defines a sensing aperture in a first portion of the main body and a mounting channel in a second portion of the main body. The self-orienting sensing system includes a sensing element retained within the housing. The sensing element is configured to detect leaked refrigerant that enters the housing via the sensing aperture. The self-orienting sensing system also includes a mounting retainer configured to extend through the mounting channel and couple the housing to an interior surface of an air handling enclosure of the HVAC system. The mounting retainer enables the mounting channel to rotate about the mounting retainer to automatically align the sensing aperture in a target sensing orientation based on a weight of the housing under the force of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Robert L. Eskew, Brian D. Rigg
  • Patent number: 11415335
    Abstract: A system for controlling a flow rate of a fluid through a valve is provided. The system includes a valve and an actuator. The actuator includes a motor and a drive device that is coupled to the valve for driving the valve between multiple positions. The system further includes a flow rate sensor and a controller that is communicably coupled with the flow rate sensor and the motor. The controller is configured to receive a first flow rate setpoint, determine a first actuator position setpoint using a proportional variable deadband control technique based on the first flow rate setpoint and a flow rate measurement, and receive a second flow rate setpoint. In response to a determination that certain low flow criteria are satisfied, the controller is configured to determine a second actuator position setpoint using the proportional variable deadband control technique based on a low flow compensation setpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Jack A. Peterson, Kirk H. Drees, Brennan H. Fentzlaff, Homero L. Noboa, Brett M. Lenhardt
  • Patent number: 11408632
    Abstract: A climate generator adapted to produce a flow of air at controlled temperature and at relative humidity values (tc, ic) is described, which includes a bubbler (100) which receives a flow of air to be conditioned (Ga), heat exchangers (120) associated with the bubbler (100) to adjust the temperature of the water volume (W) of the bubbler and/or to provide an amount of latent heat of evaporation to the aforesaid volume of water (W); and heaters (180) for heating the flow of air at the dew point (Gb) exiting from the bubbler (100) to the controlled temperature value of the flow of air, wherein the temperature of the volume of water (W) is established as a function of the controlled temperature and relative humidity values (tc, ic), so that the heating of the flow of air at the dew point (Gb) from the temperature of the water volume (W) to the controlled temperature value determines a decrease in the relative humidity (ic) of the flow of air to the controlled relative humidity value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche
    Inventors: Ottaviano Allegretti, Paolo Dionisi Vici
  • Patent number: 11408620
    Abstract: An air conditioner includes a suction panel including a suction grille that defines a suction port configured to receive air, an heat exchanger and a fan that are positioned within the case, and an ion generator disposed in the suction panel and configured to generate ions in the air received through the suction port. The suction panel defines an installation groove recessed from an upper surface of the suction panel and configured to receive the ion generator therein. The ion generator is accommodated inside the installation groove and configured to provide ions toward the upper surface of the suction panel in an upward direction that defines a preset angle with respect to the suction panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Changkyum Kim, Seongwon Bae, Namgyu Shin
  • Patent number: 11404350
    Abstract: A heat sink mounting configuration is provided that is configured to prevent the heat sink from damaging ball grid arrays (BGA) of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) when the line card is subjected to vibrations and shocks. The heat sink mounting configuration may include a set of screws configured to be at least partially disposed within the apertures of the heat sink to secure the heat sink to the PCB. The mounting configuration includes a resilient member and a spacer disposed around the screws proximate to the apertures. The resilient members are configured to bias the heat sink against the ASIC to maintain the heat sink in contact with the ASIC. The spacers are configured to prevent the heat sink from impacting the ASIC with forces large enough to damage the BGA when the line card is subjected to vibrations and shocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Vic Chia, Hong Huynh, Steven A. Hanssen, Robert Gregory Twiss
  • Patent number: 11397021
    Abstract: An outdoor unit includes: a heat exchanger to exchange heat between refrigerant and air; a first air blower and a second air blower to blow air on the heat exchanger; a compressor drive unit to drive a compressor compressing the refrigerant, the compressor drive unit including a power device; a cooling fin to cool the power device; a cooling-fin-temperature detection unit to detect temperature of the cooling fin; and a position determination unit to determine a position of the first air blower and a position of the second air blower by using the temperature of the cooling fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Shinya Matsushita
  • Patent number: 11397015
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus includes a heat exchange device that connects an outdoor unit to an indoor unit and that includes a heat exchanger configured to perform heat exchange between refrigerant and water, thereby reducing an amount of refrigerant used to perform a cooling operation or a heating operation. The apparatus further includes a switching mechanism that connects the outdoor unit to the heat exchange device and that is configured to be connected to both a simultaneous outdoor unit and a switchable outdoor unit to thereby allow the heat exchange device to be installed regardless of the type of the outdoor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Chiwoo Song, Yongcheol Sa, Ilyoong Shin, Jisung Lee
  • Patent number: 11384975
    Abstract: The present invention provides a refrigerator comprising: a cabinet provided with a storage compartment; a chamber provided with an evaporator for supplying cold air, a discharge duct through which the cold air having gone through a heat exchange by means of the evaporator is supplied to the storage compartment, and an introduction duct guiding the air in the storage compartment to the evaporator; a first temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the evaporator; a second temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the storage compartment; a third temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the air supplied from the chamber to the storage compartment; and a control unit for determining the time for defrosting the evaporator on the basis of the temperatures measured by the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor and the third temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sungwook Kim, Sangbok Choi, Kyongbae Park, Soonkyu Lee
  • Patent number: 11378296
    Abstract: The present application discloses a multi-split air conditioner and a control method thereof. The multi-split air conditioner includes a plurality of outdoor heat exchangers connected in parallel to a refrigerant main circulation passage, wherein a parallel branch in which each of the plurality of outdoor heat exchangers is located is provided with a branch control valve capable of controlling a flow rate of refrigerant flowing through the parallel branch. The control method includes: determining a current superheat degree of the multi-split air conditioner; when the current superheat degree of the multi-split air conditioner deviates from a set target superheat degree, controlling and regulating the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the branch control valve; and controlling and regulating the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the air supplement control valve according to the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through each of branch control valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignees: QINGDAO HAIER AIR-CONDITIONING ELECTRONIC CO., LTD., HAIER SMART HOME CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jingsheng Liu, Qiang Song, Tao Ren, Qingliang Meng, Yinyin Li, Jiangbin Liu, Defang Guo, Xueyan Tan
  • Patent number: 11378288
    Abstract: An outdoor unit of an air conditioner having an expansion valve unit. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner includes a compressor, a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between outdoor air and refrigerant compressed by the compressor, an expansion valve unit configured to decompress the refrigerant discharged from the heat exchanger, a refrigerant pipe configured to deliver the refrigerant, which is decompressed and expanded by the expansion valve unit, to the indoor unit of the air conditioner, and a bracket configured to support the expansion valve unit. The expansion valve unit includes an expansion valve, a first connection portion configured to connect the expansion valve to the heat exchanger, and a second connection portion configured to connect the expansion valve to the refrigerant pipe. The expansion valve, and one of the first connection portion or the second connection portion are fixed to the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Munsub Kim, Youjae Kim, Hyunho Kim, Hyeongjoon Seo, Duhan Jung
  • Patent number: 11378286
    Abstract: An outdoor unit includes a casing including an air passage, an outdoor fan disposed in the air passage, a compressor disposed in the casing, an outdoor heat exchanger disposed in the casing and including fins and a heat transfer tube connected to the fins, a control board disposed in the casing and including a control unit that controls the compressor, and a heat sink disposed in the air passage in the casing and being in contact with the control board. The heat transfer tube of the outdoor heat exchanger includes a first region in which gas refrigerant or two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant flows when the outdoor heat exchanger is used as a condenser and a second region that is located downstream of the first region in a refrigerant flow direction and in which single-phase liquid refrigerant flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Morita, Yusuke Tashiro, Komei Nakajima, Hiroaki Makino, Yusuke Tsuboi
  • Patent number: 11378298
    Abstract: Disclosed is a control method of a ventilation apparatus, the method including: a determination step in which measured outdoor temperature and humidity and the measured indoor temperature and humidity are equal to or greater than a set temperature and a set humidity; and a drying operation step in which, when the outdoor temperature and humidity and the indoor temperature and humidity, reach the set temperature and the set humidity, a first desiccant heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger operate in a dry mode, wherein the first desiccant heat exchanger is provided in a first common passage, through which indoor space air or outdoor space air flows, to absorb or desorb moisture, and the second desiccant heat exchanger is provided in a second common passage, which is separate from the first common passage, and through which indoor air or outdoor air flows, to absorb or desorb moisture in air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Hansaem Park, Janghee Park, Yongki Jeong, Doyong Ha
  • Patent number: 11371723
    Abstract: An air-conditioner outdoor unit and a control method for a fan (100) of an air-conditioner outdoor unit; the air-conditioner outdoor unit of the present invention comprises a fan (100) and a deflector ring (200) that is sleeved on the outside of a vane (110) of the fan (100); further comprised are a vane stopping device (300), a wind speed measuring device (400), and a control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignees: GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES (WUHAN) CO., LTD, GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES, INC. OF ZHUHAI
    Inventors: Peng Cao, Limin Li, Tao Feng, Wenhao Huang, Mengmeng Jin, Chu Wang, Shiqiang Zhu, Chao Zhou
  • Patent number: 11371743
    Abstract: An air conditioning system capable of reducing noise incidental to gas-liquid two-phase transfer is provided. The air conditioning system (100) performs a refrigeration cycle in a refrigerant circuit (RC) including an outdoor unit (10), a plurality of indoor units (40), and a liquid-side connection pipe (LC) connecting the outdoor unit (10) and the indoor units (40). The air conditioning system (100) includes a second outdoor control valve (17, electric valve) decompressing the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit (RC) in accordance with an opening degree, an operating-capacity variation detection portion (74, detection portion) detecting change of the number of operating units in accordance with device information, and a device control portion (75, control portion) controlling a state of the second outdoor control valve (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuusuke Nakagawa, Makoto Kojima, Takuro Yamada
  • Patent number: 11351841
    Abstract: There is disclosed a transport refrigeration system comprising an electronically governed engine that drives a refrigeration circuit of the system. The engine control unit is configured to operate the engine in a droop mode of operation, in which the engine speed increases with decreasing engine loads from the refrigeration circuit, so as to maximise the cooling capacity of the system at low engine load conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Thermo King Corporation
    Inventor: Pierce D. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 11353233
    Abstract: This air-conditioning system includes an air conditioner: a room temperature sensor; an air-conditioning room temperature sensor; and a system controller. In the system controller, a room target temperature obtainer obtains a plurality of room target temperatures. Moreover, a ventilation airflow determiner determines the ventilation airflow of each of the delivery fans on the basis of the room target temperature, the temperature in the corresponding room, and the temperature in the air-conditioning room, and a fan airflow controller controls the ventilation airflow of each of the delivery fans according to the ventilation airflow determined by the ventilation airflow determiner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Funada, Ayumi Konishi
  • Patent number: 11339978
    Abstract: To solve the problem of low heat dissipation efficiency of existing electrical control modules an air conditioner is provided that includes an outdoor unit, and the outdoor unit has an air outlet and includes an electrical control box; the electrical control box includes an electrical control module configured with a heat dissipation unit; the heat dissipation unit includes a heat dissipation assembly and a flow guide member enclosing the heat dissipation assembly, the flow guide member and the heat dissipation assembly form an air discharge region close to the air outlet, and the flow guide member and the heat dissipation assembly form an air intake region remote from the air outlet; the air discharge region is smaller than the air intake region. As a result, the velocity of air flowing through the heat dissipation assembly is increased and the heat dissipation efficiency is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignees: Qingdao Haier Air-conditioning Electronic Co., Ltd, Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Changjian Wei
  • Patent number: 11326822
    Abstract: An ice making system for creating clear ice and an associated method are provided. The ice making system employs a first sealed refrigerant system connected to a heat exchanger. A second sealed refrigerant system is also connected to the heat exchanger for cooling a first refrigerant of the first sealed refrigerant system. A heat exchanger heater is at least partially contained with the heat exchanger for heating the first refrigerant. A pump in the first refrigerant system is activated after heat exchanger heater has warmed the first refrigerant, enabling a cooling cycle to begin. Once sufficient clear ice has been generated, the pump is deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Choon Jae Ryu, Stephanos Kyriacou, Ronald Gary Foster
  • Patent number: 11326788
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes an outdoor unit, a heat medium relay unit, and an indoor unit. The outdoor unit is installed in an outdoor space, which is a space outside a building including an air-conditioned space. The heat medium relay unit is installed in the outdoor space, and includes a housing that accommodates an intermediate heat exchanger. The indoor unit includes a load heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between air and a heat medium. The housing is installed to the outer wall of the building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunari Sawada, Taro Hattori, Kazutaka Suzuki, Hirokazu Minamisako
  • Patent number: 11326797
    Abstract: A gas sensing system for an air conditioner unit is provided. The air conditioner unit includes a bulkhead that divides a cabinet into an indoor portion and an outdoor portion, and a compressor circulates refrigerant through a sealed system. An electrically protected housing is positioned within the indoor portion and defines a sensor enclosure for receiving a gas sensor for measuring a gas concentration of leaked refrigerant within the sensor enclosure. The housing includes vent apertures to permit leaked refrigerant to enter the sensor enclosure while the vent apertures are covered by filters to prevent contaminants from entering the sensor enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy Scott Shaffer