Patents Examined by Travis Ruby
  • Vehicle with adsorption-based thermal battery
    Patent number: 9914337
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for the continuous operation of an air conditioning unit or climate control system in a vehicle. The system may include a power generating unit, such as an engine or a fuel cell stack, and an exhaust loop in fluid communication with the power generating unit. First and second adsorption-based thermal batteries are provided in thermal communication with the exhaust loop. The vehicle may be configured to simultaneously operate in both an air conditioning operational mode powered by the first thermal battery, and a charging operational mode that regenerates the second thermal battery. A thermoelectric generator may also be provided such that the system is entirely self-powered, reducing or eliminating a need for supplemental, i.e. plug-in, charging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Feng Zhou, Ercan Mehmet Dede
  • Temperature control system having adjacently-installed temperature equalizer and heat transfer fluid and application device thereof
    Patent number: 9897400
    Abstract: The present invention provides a temperature control system having adjacently-installed temperature equalizer and heat transfer fluid and application device thereof, in which one or more adjacently-installed temperature equalizer formed with a heat transferring adjacent surface is provided, a fluid channel thereof is utilized for allowing a heat transfer fluid to pass thereby enabling to perform temperature equalizing heat transfer with the external surface and/or the internal surface of an object (103) disposed to the adjacent surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Hybrid cooler with bifurcated evaporative section
    Patent number: 9891001
    Abstract: A hybrid closed circuit heat exchanger having a dry indirect section and an evaporative indirect section. The evaporative indirect section has multiple sub-sections. An evaporative fluid distribution system is configured to selectively distribute evaporative fluid over all, part, or none of the sub-sections. A process fluid flow path control system is configured to selectively direct the process fluid through one or more sub-sections. The process fluid flow path control system may send all of the process fluid through two or more sub-sections in equal amounts or in different amounts. There is preferably no evaporative heat exchange section bypass flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Evapco, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom W. Bugler, Jennifer Jane Hamilton
  • Air conditioning system with reduced power ventilation mode
    Patent number: 9874363
    Abstract: An air conditioning system having a supply fan for supplying air to a supply duct; a fan motor for driving the supply fan; and a controller for controlling a speed of the fan motor, the controller operating the fan motor at a first speed in a first mode, a second speed lower than the first speed in a second mode and a third speed lower than the second speed in a ventilation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Del Toro, Jade R. Reynolds
  • Radiant heater air-conditioning system
    Patent number: 9873309
    Abstract: A radiant heater air-conditioning system includes: a heater main body having a heating portion energized to generate heat so as to radiate a radiant heat into a vehicle interior; an energization setting unit that sets an energization enable state for enabling energization of the heating portion and an energization disable state for disabling the energization of the heating portion; and an air-conditioning control apparatus that controls an air-conditioning output of a heating operation in the vehicle interior. The air-conditioning control apparatus reduces the air-conditioning output when the energization enable state is set, compared with when the energization disable state is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Sagou, Koji Ota, Asami Okamoto, Manabu Maeda, Takuya Kataoka
  • Aircraft air-conditioning heat exchanger contamination detection
    Patent number: 9862495
    Abstract: An aircraft system includes a fan, a differential pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, and a system controller. The fan provides airflow for at least one heat exchanger. The differential pressure sensor senses a pressure difference between an inlet of the fan and a diffuser exit of the fan. The temperature sensor senses a temperature at the inlet of the fan. The system controller is configured to receive the sensed pressure difference, the sensed temperature, and a speed of the fan, and determines an operating point of the fan based upon the sensed pressure difference, the speed of the fan, and the sensed temperature. The operating point is indicative of contamination of the at least one heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas M. Zywiak, Harold W. Hipsky
  • Air conditioning control device of vehicle
    Patent number: 9862246
    Abstract: An air conditioning control device of a vehicle in which an air conditioner for adjusting a temperature in a cabin is mounted is provided. The air conditioning control device includes a setting portion, a detector, and an electronic control unit. The setting portion is configured to set an execution schedule of pre-air conditioning that the air conditioner is actuated before a user gets in a vehicle. The detector is configured to detect boarding on the vehicle. The electronic control unit is configured to actuate the air conditioner in accordance with the set execution schedule of the pre-air conditioning, and is also configured to notify the user about execution of the pre-air conditioning when the boarding of the user on the vehicle is detected after the air conditioner is actuated in accordance with the set execution schedule of the pre-air conditioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuro Kikuchi, Yoshihiro Nomura
  • Indoor unit for air-conditioning apparatus with airflow blocking portion for infrared sensor
    Patent number: 9857095
    Abstract: In an indoor unit for an air-conditioning apparatus, a casing has an air inlet formed in an upper part and an air outlet formed below a front part. The casing accommodates a heat exchanger and fan. A horizontal airflow-direction louver is mounted pivotally inside the air outlet to guide airflow in a horizontally changeable manner. A vertical airflow-direction louver is mounted to cover the air outlet in a closed position and to guide airflow in a vertically changeable manner. An infrared sensor projects downward from the casing at a position in a horizontal end portion of the casing and in front of the air outlet. An airflow blocking portion is located behind the infrared sensor, and has a side wall on or beside one edge of the air outlet. The side wall is located closer to a center of the air outlet in the horizontal direction than the infrared sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Seiji Hirakawa, Hidetomo Nakagawa, Nobutaka Tanabe, Motoshi Tezuka
  • Air conditioning system with evaporative cooling system
    Patent number: 9845980
    Abstract: An air conditioning system using a predetermined amount of refrigerant includes an evaporator unit, a compressor unit, an evaporative cooling system including at least one multiple-effect evaporative condenser connected to the compressor for effectively cooling the refrigerant. Each of the multiple-effect evaporative condensers includes an air inlet side and an air outlet side which is opposite to the air inlet side, a pumping device adapted for pumping a predetermined amount of cooling water at a predetermined flow rate, a first cooling unit and a second cooling unit. The refrigerant flows through heat exchanging pipes in the first cooling unit and the second cooling unit. The cooling water is arranged to pass through the first cooling unit and the second cooling unit in a sequential order and perform heat exchange with the refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Inventor: Lee Wa Wong
  • Electro hydro dynamic cooling for heat sink
    Patent number: 9843250
    Abstract: An Electro Hydro Dynamic, EHD, thruster (105) comprising a first set of electrodes (210), a second set of electrodes (220) and a supporting structure (103) for supporting the first set of electrodes (210) and the second set of electrodes (220). The EHD thruster (105) is configured to generate airflow of ionized air for cooling a heat sink (101). Further, the EHD thruster (105) is electrically isolated from the heat sink (101).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Vadim Tsoi, Yake Fang
  • Ram air thermal management system
    Patent number: 9840967
    Abstract: An aircraft may have a heat generating component and an engine, at least one of which generates a heat load, and a thermal management system to cool the heat load. The engine may have a duct and an engine fan configured to draw an inlet air stream into an inlet portion of the duct, where at least a portion of the inlet air stream may be used as an engine air stream. The thermal management system may include a cooling circuit configured to circulate a fluid through the heat load such that at least a portion of it may be transferred to the fluid, a heat exchanger configured to enable heat transfer between the fluid and a cooling air stream, and a pumping device. The pumping device may be configured to draw the cooling air stream through the heat exchanger and into a portion of the engine air stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Snyder, Kenneth M. Pesyna
  • Bi-directional fan cooling method for multi-axis controller
    Patent number: 9835345
    Abstract: A cooling method for multi-axis controller includes a first step of enabling a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor to respectively detect the temperature of a first heat source and the temperature of a second heat source and to send the respective detected data to a control unit, and a second step of enabling the control unit to drive a first bi-direction fan to exhaust air if the temperature of the first heat source surpasses a predetermined upper temperature limit or to drive a second bi-directional fan to exhaust air if the temperature of the second heat source surpasses the predetermined upper temperature limit, thereby achieving enhanced cooling efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Hiwin Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: I-Hsiang Tseng, Chin-Yen Su
  • Watch type mobile terminal
    Patent number: 9826073
    Abstract: A watch type mobile terminal includes a main body configured to include an electric apparatus unit in which an electronic part is mounted, a band configured to be worn on a wrist of a user in a manner of being combined with the main body, a heat pipe configured to include a first pipe positioned at the main body and a second pipe positioned at the band wherein the first pipe and the second pipe forms a loop in a manner of being connected with each other, a first working fluid injected into the heat pipe and a second working fluid different from the first working fluid in density. The watch type mobile terminal can emit heat of the main body at the band using the heat pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Kyungui Park, Donghyun Kim, Joseph Lee, Wonkee Ahn, Donghyun Kim, Changwoo Song
  • Geothermal energy transfer system
    Patent number: 9816732
    Abstract: An energy transfer unit for a geothermal system includes an outer housing. A heat exchanger is located within the housing. An inlet pipe extends from the housing to the heat exchanger to convey heat transfer fluid to the heat exchanger and an outlet pipe extends from the housing to the heat exchanger to convey heat transfer fluid from the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Heat-Line Corporation
    Inventors: Lorne R. Heise, Matthew J. H. Roberts, Fraser F. Newton, David S. Lamb
  • Liquid panel assembly
    Patent number: 9816760
    Abstract: A liquid panel assembly configured to be used with an energy exchanger may include a support frame having one or more fluid circuits and at least one membrane secured to the support frame. Each of the fluid circuits may include an inlet channel connected to an outlet channel through one or more flow passages. A liquid is configured to flow through the fluid circuits and contact interior surfaces of the membrane(s). The fluid circuits are configured to at least partially offset liquid hydrostatic pressure with friction loss of the liquid flowing within the fluid circuits to minimize, eliminate, or otherwise reduce pressure within the liquid panel assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Nortek Air Solutions Canada, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Paul LePoudre, Kenneth Coutu, Howard Brian Hemingson
  • Variable-conductance heat transfer device
    Patent number: 9810483
    Abstract: A heat transfer device is provided for conducting heat from a heat source. The heat transfer device generally includes an evaporator for generating a vapor, a condenser in fluid communication with the evaporator, and a vapor flow restrictor interposed between the evaporator and the condenser, wherein the vapor flow restrictor can increase vapor pressure in at least a portion of the evaporator relative to vapor pressure in the condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Thermal Corp.
    Inventors: Walter John Bilski, Jerome E. Toth, John G. Thayer
  • Energy exchange system for conditioning air in an enclosed structure
    Patent number: 9810439
    Abstract: Certain Embodiments provide an energy exchange system that includes a supply air flow path, an exhaust air flow path, an energy recovery device disposed within the supply and exhaust air flow paths, and a supply conditioning unit disposed within the supply air flow path. The supply conditioning unit may be downstream from the energy recovery device. Certain embodiments provide a method of conditioning air including introducing outside air as supply air into a supply air flow path, pre-conditioning the supply air with an energy recovery device, and fully-conditioning the supply air with a supply conditioning unit that is downstream from the energy recovery device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Nortek Air Solutions Canada, Inc.
    Inventors: Ken Coutu, Howard Brian Hemingson, Manfred Gerber
  • Heat exchanger pressure adjustable baffle
    Patent number: 9810486
    Abstract: A heat exchanger of the type having a tube assembly made up of a number of tubes through which a first medium flows and around and between which a second medium flows to accept heat from, or transfer heat to, the first medium. One of the media is constrained by a baffle to follow a path through the heat exchanger. According to the invention, the baffle is completely separate from the tubes, so permitting the baffle to adjust automatically. The baffle may be carried on springs and the position based on a pressure balance of the first medium, with the result of allowing the first medium to flow through a varying amount of tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Tylutki
  • Environmental control of liquid cooled electronics
    Patent number: 9811097
    Abstract: A system and computer program product are provided for controlling liquid-cooled electronics, which includes measuring a first set point temperature, Ta, wherein the Ta is based on a dew point temperature, Tdp of a computer room. A second set point temperature, Tb, is measured, wherein the Tb is based on a facility chilled liquid inlet temperature, Tci, and a rack power, Prack, of an electronics rack. A Modular Cooling Unit (MCU) set point temperature, Tsp, is selected. The Tsp is the higher value of said Ta and said Tb. Responsive to the selected Tsp, a control valve is regulated. The control valve controls a flow of liquid that passes through a heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: DARPA
    Inventors: Ravi K. Arimilli, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Edward J. Seminaro
  • Heat exchanger for internal combustion engines
    Patent number: 9803544
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for an internal combustion engine includes a first flow channel; a second flow channel arranged adjacent to the first flow channel; a line separate from the second flow channel; and a valve channel in which an adjustable valve element is disposed. The valve channel is arranged upstream of the first and second flow channels and an inlet channel is arranged upstream of the valve channel in a flow direction of exhaust gas. The valve element includes a baffle plate, the baffle plate having an end portion that extends diagonally in the valve channel with respect to the flow axis of the first flow channel. The valve element includes a flap that is pivotably mounted at the end portion of the baffle plate such that the flap is pivotable about an axis that extends in a direction of a width of a common housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventors: Claus Beck, Hervé Palanchon, Jürgen Rosin