Patents Examined by Steven S Anderson, II
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Patent number: 11446982Abstract: A user body temperature assistance system associated with an air conditioning device, may include air conditioning controller configured to control an operation of an air conditioning device configured for adjusting an interior air temperature of a vehicle and determine an operation stage of a temperature adjustment unit in the vehicle according to an operation-based signal of the air conditioning device; and a temperature adjustment controller, which is configured to control an operation of the temperature adjustment unit for assisting a user body temperature according to the operation stage determined by the air conditioning controller.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2019Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventors: Sang Ki Seo, Yong Chul Kim, June Kyu Park, Ju Ho Choi, Doo Ri Kim, Hyeong Jun Kim, Sung Hae Park
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Patent number: 11452242Abstract: Described herein is an air handling unit that includes canopies for compressor fans and exhaust fans located on a top thereof, which canopies provide for noise abatement and a canopy to assist in keeping precipitation out. The canopies further include louvers that can be controlled to provide for even further noise abatement and precipitation control.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2019Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: Switch, Ltd.Inventor: Rob Roy
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Patent number: 11441815Abstract: The disclosed technology includes systems and methods for controlling a water heater. The disclosed systems can be configured to receive temperature data from a temperature sensor, receive flow rate data from a flow rate sensor, and receive a temperature setting. The systems can calculate a heat load rate based on at least the temperature data, the flow rate data, and the temperature setting, and can compare the heat load rate to a predetermined threshold setting. The systems can output instructions to perform a fast corrective action in response to the determination that the heat load is changing at a rate (i.e. the heat load rate) greater than, less than, or equal to the predetermined threshold setting.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2020Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing CompanyInventor: David I. Vega
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Patent number: 11435113Abstract: A water heater system includes a tank for storing water; a flue assembly positioned within the tank, the flue assembly adapted to transfer heat from flue gases within the flue assembly to water in the tank; a burner in fluid communication with an inlet end of the flue assembly and operable in at least a high input mode and a low input mode to deliver the flue gases to the flue assembly, the exhaust assembly having a threshold temperature above which the exhaust assembly is not suitable; and an exhaust assembly including a fan, wherein at least in the low input mode, the flue gases condense in the flue assembly, and wherein operation of the fan reduces a temperature of the flue gases in the exhaust assembly to below the threshold temperature at least in the high input mode.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2019Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: A. O. SMITH CORPORATIONInventors: Ray O. Knoeppel, Jianmin Yin, Chad Edington
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Patent number: 11427332Abstract: Example implementations for maintaining airflow into a flight deck of an aircraft are described herein. An example method may involve detecting, at a computing system and using a flow sensor, a decrease in a level of airflow entering into the flight deck such that the level of airflow is below a threshold level. The aircraft may include air sources configured to direct airflow towards occupancy areas (e.g., the cabin and flight deck) of the aircraft. The method may further involve adjusting a control valve to cause an increase in the level of airflow entering into the flight deck based on detecting the decrease in level of airflow entering into the flight deck. The control valve may be configured to enable and disable airflow from entering into the flight deck.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2019Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Brian C. Christenson, Warren A. Atkey, Bryce A. Tillack
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Patent number: 11415374Abstract: A hybrid heating system is disclosed. The hybrid heating system includes a compressor that is configured to compress refrigerant. The hybrid heating system further includes a first heat exchanger that is configured to adjust a temperature of water by exchanging heat between the water and refrigerant compressed by the compressor. The hybrid heating system further includes a second heat exchanger that is configured to evaporate refrigerant by exchanging heat exchange with exterior air. The hybrid heating system further includes a first boiler heat exchanger that is configured to increase a temperature of water using heat generated by combustion. The hybrid heating system further includes a second boiler heat exchanger that is configured to exchange heat between exhaust gas discharged from the first boiler heat exchanger and refrigerant flowing into the second heat exchanger.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2019Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Minsoo Kim, Jihyeong Ryu, Youngmin Lee, Eunjun Cho
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Patent number: 11408642Abstract: A water heater includes a leak detection system. The leak detection system includes a leak sensor assembly that is disposed in a bottom pan of the water heater. The leak sensor assembly includes a sensor housing that has a sensor channel that is formed therein such that the sensor channel is disposed at an elevation from a base of the bottom pan when the sensor housing is disposed on the base of the bottom pan. Further, the leak sensor assembly includes a leak sensor that is disposed in the sensor channel of the sensor housing. The leak sensor detects water that leaks from the water heater and accumulates in the bottom pan when a level of the water in the bottom pan rises to the elevation of the sensor channel and the leak sensor that is disposed therein.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2019Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Joseph D. Gardner, Jozef Boros, Timothy D. Scott, William J. Hall, Raheel A. Chaudhry, Gregory M. Welk
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Patent number: 11400796Abstract: A combined luminaire and air conditioning nozzle includes a front panel (101) with an opening. A nozzle frame (103) is pivotably connected to the opening of the front panel (101) so as to separate an air cavity (105) located behind the front panel (101) from a front side of the front panel (101). The structure includes a controller element (106) with a closing mechanism mechanically coupled thereto and arranged to adjustably limit an air passage (107) from the air cavity (105) to the front side of the front panel (101) in response to a movement of the controller element (106). A luminaire element (108) forms part of the closing mechanism and is provided with a light source arranged to output light to the front side of the front panel (101). The closing mechanism is arranged to convert a movement of the controller element (106) into a movement of the luminaire element (108), so that said adjustable limiting of the air passage (107) occurs as a result of said movement of the luminaire element (108).Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2019Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: Teknoware OyInventor: Keny Muesa
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Patent number: 11401891Abstract: A desuperheating spray chamber for use in a rocket exhaust recovery system for a nuclear thermal propulsion rocket, including a substantially-cylindrical outer tank with an upper end including an entrance port and two exhaust ports, a substantially-cylindrical shroud extending downwardly from an inner surface of the upper end of the tank, an annular inner spray ring that is both disposed within and concentric with the shroud; and an annular outer spray ring that is disposed between a side wall of the outer tank and the shroud, the annular outer ring being concentric with the shroud.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2020Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: BWXT Nuclear Energy, Inc.Inventors: Robert Paul Martin, Jeremy Leslie Gustafson, Ryan Z. Ziegler, Charles Larry Fisher, James Brian Inman
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Patent number: 11402093Abstract: A fuel-fired furnace incorporates specially designed fuel/air mixing and combustion structures. The fuel/air mixing structure is of a mixing sound-attenuating design and comprises a venturi having a perforated sidewall portion and being surrounded by a noise-damping housing chamber communicating with the interior of the venturi via its sidewall perforations. During use of the mixing structure, air is flowed through the venturi in a swirling pattern while fuel is transversely injected internally against the swirling air. The combustion structure comprises a burner box housing into which the fuel/air mixture is flowed, combusted, and then discharged as hot combustion gas into and through the heat exchanger tubes. The fuel/air mixture entering the burner box housing initially passes through a non-uniformly perforated diffuser plate functioning to substantially alter in a predetermined manner the relative combustion gas flow rates through the heat exchanger tubes.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2020Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Amin Akbarimonfared, Timothy J. Shellenberger, Robert Steven Neihouse, Scott Alan Willbanks, Darryl Farley, Nathan Taylor Whalen, Shawn Allan Reed
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Patent number: 11397010Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a heating adjustment method and device, which belongs to the field of thermal system management technologies. The method includes: calculating an average indoor temperature of a cell, wherein the average indoor temperature of the cell is an average value of a real-time indoor temperature of each dwelling unit in the cell; judging whether the average indoor temperature is within a standard temperature range; and adjusting at least one of a water pump flow and a water temperature supplied to the cell when the average indoor temperature is not within the standard temperature range. When the average indoor temperature of the current cell is abnormal, the temperature of the cell is restored to a standard value by adjusting the water pump flow and the water temperature for heating, thus the response speed is fast, the reliability is high, the user experience is improved and energy is saved.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2018Date of Patent: July 26, 2022Assignee: QINGDAO HAIER AIR CONDITIONER GENERAL CORP. LTD.Inventors: Shifang Song, Li Guo, Yongfu Cheng, Dong Chen
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Patent number: 11391492Abstract: A method for controlling a water heater appliance includes energizing the heating element for an energization period, such as less than two seconds. During the energization period, the appliance controller measures the electrical current passing through the heating element. The measured electrical current and a base signal are passed through a correlation filter to determine a correlation value. The base signal may correspond to the electrical current passing through the heating element when the tank is full or when the tank is empty, and the correlation value may be used to determine to which base signal the measured electrical current more closely correlates. In this manner, the correlation value is used to determine whether the heating element is submerged in water.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2019Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Paul Goodjohn, Craig Iung-Pei Tsai
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Patent number: 11382430Abstract: A heater device for warming a user has a heater panel including a planar heating element which generates heat by energization, a first heat radiation surface formed on one surface side of the heating element, and a second heat radiation surface formed on the other surface side of the heating element. The temperature of the first heat radiation surface is higher than the temperature of the second heat radiation surface. In the heater panel, the first heat radiation surface is configured as a non-contact heater that warms the user in a non-contact manner, and the second heat radiation surface is configured as a contact heater that warms the user in a contact manner.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2019Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Yusuke Tanaka, Kimitake Ishikawa, Hiroyasu Oide, Hideki Seki
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Patent number: 11383581Abstract: The present invention relates to a two-layered blower unit of an air conditioner for a vehicle, which includes a means for smoothly guiding axially flowing air to flow in a radial direction and has optimized structure and arrangement for fixing the guide means.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2018Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: HANON SYSTEMSInventors: In Keun Kang, Jae Woo Ko, Young Keun Kim, Gyu Ik Han
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Patent number: 11384941Abstract: An exhaust hood may have an exhaust inlet; a shroud having a lower edge and being movable, the shroud being configured to define an enclosed space over and adjacent a cooking surface, the enclosed space being in communication with the exhaust inlet. The shroud is movable to a first position providing clearance between the cooking surface and the shroud lower edge and a second position providing substantially less than the clearance provided by the first position. A vertical jet at the lower edge is aimed upwardly and along an inside of the shroud when the shroud is in the second position and the vertical jet is in the enclosed space. A horizontal jet is provided at a top of the shroud and aimed along an inside of the shroud when the shroud is in the second position and the vertical jet being in the enclosed space.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2019Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: Oy Halton Group Ltd.Inventors: Andrey V. Livchak, Derek W. Schrock, Olli Sipila, Philip J. Meredith, Rick A. Bagwell, Andrew C. Faller
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Patent number: 11376927Abstract: An air vent device for a vehicle includes a main vent and an auxiliary vent divided by a partition wall and combined in a single air duct, a plurality of horizontal wings mounted at positions behind the main vent and the auxiliary vent, and an air volume control wing included in the plurality of horizontal wings for distributing an air volume discharged into an interior of the vehicle through the main vent and an air volume discharged into the interior of the vehicle through the auxiliary vent. The air vent device is capable of securing an interior discharge air volume, adjusting a wind direction, securing an air duct installation space, and re-distributing a leakage amount of air.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2020Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventors: Yu Mi Kim, Sang Ku Hur, Jae Geun Jeong, Eung Young Kim
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Patent number: 11376924Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning apparatus is provided. The vehicle air conditioning apparatus includes: a plurality of seat air conditioning units configured to selectively perform cooling or heating for corresponding seats installed in a cabin, respectively; and a plurality of exhaust ducts for discharging, outside the cabin, part of air used in the plurality of seat air conditioning units. At least part of the plurality of exhaust ducts is merged.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2019Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Yuichiro Imaizumi, Kazuhiko Seki, Subaru Matsumoto
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Patent number: 11376928Abstract: An air register assembly may include a vent housing having an outlet, an inlet, and a body portion disposed therebetween. The body portion may include a first portion disposed adjacent to the inlet, and a second portion that is wider than the first portion disposed adjacent to the outlet. At least one panel may be slideably coupled to the first portion of the vent housing between extended and retracted positions. The at least one panel may be substantially disposed within the first portion of the vent housing when the at least one panel is in the retracted position, and further wherein the at least one panel may be substantially disposed within the second portion of the vent housing when the at least one panel is in the extended position.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2019Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jorge Araujo nieto, Gustavo Llamas Maldonado, Jose Carlos Hernandez
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Patent number: 11370273Abstract: Provided is an instrument panel structure including: a lower panel portion that is provided with an air-conditioning device at an interior thereof, the lower panel portion having, in a vehicle upper portion thereof, a placement surface portion that extends in a vehicle width direction and a vehicle front-rear direction, and having an open portion, for the air-conditioning device, that opens toward a side of the placement surface portion; an upper panel portion that covers the placement surface portion as seen from a vehicle upper side and that is placed on the placement surface portion; and a slit-shaped air outlet portion that is formed between the lower panel portion and the upper panel portion, that extends in the vehicle width direction while facing a seat side, and that communicates the open portion with a vehicle cabin.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2019Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Takahiro Miwa
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Patent number: 11371753Abstract: A system and method for configuring a water heater. The method includes capturing, with a mobile device a scannable feature of a rating plate, establishing a network connection between the mobile device and a server, transmitting information captured from the scannable feature by the mobile device to the server over the network connection, receiving from the server to the mobile device a plurality of water heater configurations in response to the information, receiving, with the mobile device, an input indicative of a configuration selection selected from the plurality of water heater configurations, and transmitting configuration information from the mobile device to the water heater to configure the water heater based on the configuration selection.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: A. O. SMITH CORPORATIONInventors: John Matthew Schulz, Carl Edward McDow, Steven J. Wilcox, Michael Schultz