Patents Examined by William E. Tapolcai
  • Patent number: 7934387
    Abstract: An air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner includes a main body formed by a plurality of members assembled with each other and an air passage along which air introduced into the main body flows. At least one of the member includes a Kimchi lactic bacterium zymogenic material formed on a portion of the member, which contacts the air flowing along the air passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sung-Hwan Lee, Kam-Gyu Lee, Dong-Jin Kim, Ju-Ho Ock
  • Patent number: 7921659
    Abstract: Self-contained refrigeration units include evaporator modules, condenser modules, compressor modules, control subassemblies, and all other refrigeration components in compact interconnected modular packages. The modules, which are assembled in rigid or flexible self-contained monoblock refrigeration units, are installable, removable and replaceable as complete self-contained refrigeration units without requiring transport downtime for servicing and repairing of the refrigeration units. Vehicles with refrigeration systems arrive at a distributor and have malfunctioning units removed and complete units replaced and installed and are back on the road within minutes. Dealers' inventories are small and non complex and dealers' workers need not be skilled transport refrigeration mechanics. Dealer trucks have light cranes to remove and replace complete self-contained refrigeration units on site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Inventor: Carlos Quesada Saborio
  • Patent number: 7921666
    Abstract: A refrigerator with an icemaker (100) is disclosed, having an improved structure for supplying ice to a user of the outside through a dispenser (30) provided in a door (25), which includes a dispenser (30) provided in a door (25); an icemaker (100) for making ice by using a cool air of a freezer; a container (200) for receiving and storing the ice discharged from the icemaker; and a lifter (300) provided between the dispenser and the container, for lifting the ice stored in the container to the dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Wook Yong Lee
  • Patent number: 7918105
    Abstract: An ice making device that is capable of more easily and conveniently separating ice from ice trays through a simple manipulation and a refrigerator having the same are disclosed. The ice making device includes a support frame for rotatably supporting at least one ice tray, at least one manipulation button mounted to the support frame such that the manipulation button can be moved forward and backward, and an interlocking unit for rotating the ice tray with respect to the support frame according to the movement of the manipulation button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Moon-Won Kim
  • Patent number: 7913506
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a medium temperature subsystem circulating a coolant in a closed loop between at least one medium temperature chiller and at least one medium temperature load and at least one cascade heat exchanger, and a low temperature subsystem circulating a coolant in a closed loop between at least one low temperature chiller and at least one low temperature load. A cooling circuit is provided for circulating a coolant and includes a first pump and a second pump and a fluid cooler and a valve, and interfaces with the medium temperature chiller and the low temperature chiller. The valve is movable to a closed position to define a first flow path and a second flow path, where the first flow path includes the first pump and the medium temperature chiller and fluid cooler, and the second flow path including the second pump and the low temperature chiller and the cascade heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Bittner, Vincent Ronald Rose, Bengt Ake Arthur Bredberg
  • Patent number: 7913509
    Abstract: The present invention provides a refrigerator, in which cold-storage (1) and freezer rooms (2) are situated at upper and lower parts, respectively, in which ice made at the freezer room (2) of the lower part is dispensed at the cold-storage room (1) of the upper part, and by which a user can pick up the ice without bending over to enhance user's convenience. The present invention includes a body (B) having a cold-storage room (1) provided to an upper part and a freezer room (2) provided to a lower part, an ice maker (400) provided to the freezer room to make ice, an ice bank (600) receiving the ice made by the ice maker, and a transport mechanism sending the ice discharged from the ice bank (600) toward the cold-storage room (1) via an ice transport passage (200a, 300). Therefore, the present invention sufficiently secures the spaces of the cold-storage and freezer rooms to raise spatial efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Myung Ryul Lee, Seung Hwan Oh
  • Patent number: 7908871
    Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for producing and dispensing aerated and/or blended products, such as food products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: MooBella, Inc.
    Inventors: James R Baxter, Steven A. Lowe, Paul R. Kateman, Charles S. Brunner, John M. DeCarlo, Roderick H. Beaulieu, Christopher T. Zirps, Jennie Kwo
  • Patent number: 7900465
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a fresh food compartment disposed within the cabinet, a freezer compartment disposed within the cabinet, an ice compartment disposed within the cabinet, and an electronic control system associated with the refrigerator and adapted to monitor and control the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment and the ice compartment. The control system provides for energy efficient control and operation through various means, including by monitoring state of an ice maker associated with the ice compartment and controlling temperature within compartments of the refrigerator based on the ice maker state. A damper controls air flow between the fresh food and freezer compartments. The control system can direct heat to the damper if the damper becomes frozen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: Robert L. Wetekamp, Kyle B. Van Meter, Alan G. Tarrant, Ryan D. Schuchart, Mauro M. Oliveira, Alvin V. Miller, Brent A. Koppenhaver, Carl J. Franken, Nelson J. Ferragut, II, Tim L. Coulter, Greg Berardi, Thomas Carl Anell
  • Patent number: 7900467
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a first circuit configured to circulate a first refrigerant. The first circuit includes an evaporator. The refrigeration system also includes a second circuit configured to circulate a second refrigerant. The second circuit includes a receiver associated with the evaporator such that the second refrigerant within the receiver is in a heat exchange relationship with the first refrigerant within the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hussmann Corporation
    Inventor: Robert B. Allen
  • Patent number: 7895845
    Abstract: An adaptive defrost control for a frozen product machine implements an algorithm that utilizes various operating parameters of the machine to adaptively adjust the time interval between successive defrost cycles in a manner such that defrost cycles occur only on an as-needed basis. The adaptive defrost control minimizes the time during which the machine is in a defrost cycle, thereby maximizing the uptime of the machine during which frozen product can be prepared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Inventors: Steve Every, John F. Paulius, III, David B. Gist, Santhosh Kumar, Gregory M. Billman, Daniel C. Leaver, Kyle B. Elsom, Nikolay Popov
  • Patent number: 7895859
    Abstract: An dispensing system suitable for lifting and dispensing ice through the refrigerator compartment door of a bottom-mount refrigerator or lifting and dispensing ice from an undercounter ice maker to a dispenser on the countertop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffery J. Anselmino, Jim J. Pastryk, Nihat Cur, Andrew M. Tenbarge, Karen J. Querfurth, Douglas D. Leclear
  • Patent number: 7891200
    Abstract: A vending machine system includes a control module for controlling a cooling system. The cooling system, which includes an evaporator, may omit a heating element for defrosting the evaporator. In operation, the control module cycles an evaporator fan in conjunction with a compressor based on a required set temperature to help keep products within a specified range. In an embodiment, the evaporator fan is turned on and off at substantially the same time as the compressor is turned on and off. In another embodiment, there is a predetermined delay after the compressor is turned on and off before the evaporator is respectively turned on and off. Other variations are contemplated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: PepsiCo, Inc.
    Inventors: Michel Saba, Emad Jafa, Daniel F. Joslin
  • Patent number: 7891198
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a fresh food compartment disposed within the cabinet, a freezer compartment disposed within the cabinet, an ice compartment disposed within the cabinet, and an electronic control system associated with the refrigerator and adapted to monitor and control the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment and the ice compartment. The control system provides for energy efficient control and operation through various means, including adjusting cut-in and cut-out temperatures of the cooling system to control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Robert L. Wetekamp, Kyle B. Van Meter, Alan G. Tarrant, Ryan D. Schuchart, Mauro M. Oliveira, Alvin V. Miller, Brent A. Koppenhaver, Carl J. Franken, Nelson J. Ferragut, II, Tim L. Coulter, Greg Berardi, Thomas Carl Anell
  • Patent number: 7891206
    Abstract: A dehumidifier is provided. The dehumidifier includes a cabinet defining an outer appearance of the dehumidifier, a barrier installed in the cabinet to collect condensed water, and a bucket assembly received in the barrier to store the condensed water, the bucket assembly being capable of pivoting frontward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sang-Youn Yoon, Won-Suk Jang
  • Patent number: 7886552
    Abstract: A control methodology for dynamically adjusting the switching limits of a cycled refrigerant compressor in an air conditioning system with the objective of achieving an optimal or specified tradeoff between compressor cycling frequency and discharge air temperature variation under all operating conditions. In a first embodiment, the compressor cycling limits are controlled to maintain a virtually constant discharge air temperature variation for all operating conditions. In a second embodiment, the compressor cycling limits are controlled so that the discharge air temperature variation changes in relation to the discharge air temperature to provide a virtually constant human comfort level for the occupants. And in a third embodiment, the compressor cycling limits are controlled so that the discharge air temperature variation changes in relation to the ambient or outside air temperature to provide a virtually constant human comfort level for the occupants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mingyu Wang, Prasad S. Kadle, Mark J. Zima
  • Patent number: 7886554
    Abstract: A chest refrigerator and/or freezer with a carcass and a cover movable relative to the carcass, includes a pane, preferably a pane of glass or plastics, or is formed by the pane, with a heating element provided by which the pane can be heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Liebherr-Hausgeräte Lienz GmbH
    Inventor: Richard Simoner
  • Patent number: 7882706
    Abstract: The present invention provides an easy and convenient way of cooling or chilling beverage containers. An ice mold is filled with water. The water is froze in the ice mold to form a block of ice having at least one beverage recess formed therein. The block of ice is removed from the ice mold and placed in the basin of the sink such that the block of ice is closely supported by the basin of the sink and beverage containers can be received in the beverage recesses in the block of ice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Rohit Ravindran Thali, Shawn J. Booth
  • Patent number: 7878013
    Abstract: A trailer refrigeration system comprising: an electricity generator (22); an electricity-generator engine (21) for driving the electricity generator (22); a converter (23) for converting ac electric power generated by the electricity generator (22) into dc electric power; an inverter (24, 25, 26) including inverters (24), (25), (26) each for converting dc electric power from the converter (23) into ac electric power; a refrigerant circuit (30) having an electric compressor (31) and a fan (35, 36) including fans (35), (36), the electric compressor (31), the fan (35), and the fan (36) being driven respectively by ac electric power from inverters (24), (25), (26); and a control means (40) for individually controlling the speed of rotation of the electric compressor (31), the fan (35), and the fan (36).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Dalkin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sumikazu Matsuno, Tetsuo Nakata, Yuzo Sawada, Fumiaki Yakushiji, Yukio Nishihama, Keisuke Kudou, Yasutoshi Mizutani
  • Patent number: 7878021
    Abstract: An ice-cream maker including a blade (30a) arranged in a double-walled container (20a), and a housing (1) containing a driving mechanism (10) that can generate a blade-rotating movement (30a) in relation to the double-walled container (20a), the double-walled container (20a) being composed of an external wall (23) and an internal wall (24) defining a housing (25) containing a phase changing mixture having a fusion range extending at least partially below 0° C. The inner wall (24) forms a vat (26), and the blade (301a; 30b?) is used to scrape the inner wall (24; 24?). The blade (30a) forms a spoon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Seb S.A.
    Inventors: Matthieu Perrier, Alexandre Rouches, Régis Cypres, Hervé Fiedos
  • Patent number: 7874166
    Abstract: A cooling system for a vehicle comprises a compressor for compressing refrigerant, the compressor being adapted to be driven by a power source installed in the vehicle, a condenser for receiving compressed refrigerant from the compressor, an expansion device for expanding refrigerant from the condenser, and a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger for receiving refrigerant from the expansion device and exchanging heat between the refrigerant and a liquid. The liquid may comprise a coolant, and a pump may be provided for pumping the coolant through the heat exchanger to a point of use such as a cooling garment to cool personnel on board the vehicle. Alternatively, the liquid may be a drinkable liquid which is pumped through the heat exchanger to a suitable dispensing system to provide an on-board supply of cool drinking liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Allen-Vanguard Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Reddin, Glen Gallant