Patents Examined by William E. Tapolcai
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Patent number: 7845186Abstract: A refrigeration unit includes an external housing located primarily outside of a vehicle compartment of a vehicle, and an internal housing located primarily inside of the vehicle compartment. A vehicle roof of the compartment has an external layer and an internal layer spaced apart from the external layer with insulation located there between. The vehicle roof includes an opening that receives the refrigeration unit. A gasket provides a seal between the refrigeration unit and the vehicle roof. The gasket covers the exterior layer and the interior layer. The gasket is formed of multiple layers of material which are secured to one another.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2006Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Assignee: Carrier CorporationInventors: Bruno Chakiachvili, Gilles Donnat
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Patent number: 7721567Abstract: A cooling, carbonation and dispensing system for use with a liquid in a keg includes a cooling ring mounted on top of the keg. The cooling ring includes a toroidal-shaped shell into which dry ice is placed. The cooling ring and dry ice provide contact cooling of the keg, as well as carbon dioxide gas by sublimation of the dry ice to carbonate the liquid in the keg and pressure on the liquid so that it may be dispensed from the keg. A chilling unit having a hose bundle is mounted on top of the cooling ring. A liquid dispensing hose from the keg coupler on the keg connects to the hose bundle, so that liquid from the keg passes through the hose bundle. A lid having a tower is attached to the top of the chilling unit and latched to it to form a water-tight seal. Another hose connects to the hose bundle in the chilling unit and conducts the liquid to a dispensing hose attached to a dispenser in the tower.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2007Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Inventors: Jeffrey Travis Dalton, Michael Klatzo, Michael Lee Kjer, Andrew Jin
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Patent number: 7712323Abstract: The device comprises a basin-like container in which partitioning baffles define a plurality of cavities or moulds open at the top, intended to hold a respective quantity of water put into them by means of a solenoid valve, for the formation of corresponding ice cubes. An ejection device includes an electric motor device to which a rotatable shaft is coupled, from which stretch a plurality of ejector elements capable of provoking the expulsion of the ice cubes formed in said cavities or moulds as an effect of the rotation of the shaft. Control devices are associated with the motor device and with the solenoid valve, and comprise two cams operatively driven in rotation by the motor at different speeds. These cams have respective enabling and control profiles engaged operatively by the same feeler that cooperates with an electric switch in such a way as to define, in the operating cycle of the device, at least one time interval of predetermined duration for the opening of said water feed solenoid valve.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2006Date of Patent: May 11, 2010Assignee: Elbi International S.p.A.Inventor: Pietro Villani
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Patent number: 7704056Abstract: A two-stage vapor cycle compressor includes a first stage impeller, a second stage impeller situated adjacent to the first stage impeller, an electric motor running on a pair of foil bearings, a thrust disk including two foil bearings and being positioned between the second stage impeller and the electric motor, and a compressor housing enclosing the first and second stage impeller and the electric motor. A refrigerant vapor compressed by the first stage and second stage impeller flows through an internal passageway formed by the compressor housing and cools the foil bearings and the electric motor. The compressor may be a gravity insensitive, small, and lightweight machine that may be easily assembled at low manufacturing costs. The two-stage vapor cycle compressor may be suitable for, but not limited to, applications in vapor compression refrigeration systems, such as air-conditioning systems, for example, in the aircraft and aerospace industries.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2008Date of Patent: April 27, 2010Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Mike M. Masoudipour, Allen Hansen, Chris Speights, Phung K. Duong, Zeng Qian
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Patent number: 7703504Abstract: A heat exchanger includes fins arranged in parallel with each other with a predetermined spacing along the rotational axis direction of a blower. Heat exchanger tubes are inserted into the fins to form rows along a longitudinal direction of the fins connected to each other along the airflow direction, to form refrigerant channels. A branch portion is provided to connection portions of the heat exchanger tubes to increase or decrease the number of paths in the refrigerant channels. Refrigerant flows through each of the refrigerant channels passing through paths mutually different at least at one portion between the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlets, flows along one direction from the windward-side row to the leeward-side row, or from the leeward-side row to the windward-side row in the airflow direction, in sequence between rows. One-path portion is provided in the most windward-side row heat exchanger tubes.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2006Date of Patent: April 27, 2010Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Akira Ishibashi, Kunihiko Kaga, Riichi Kondou, Takuya Mukouyama
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Patent number: 7681409Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser includes a display case defining a product display region having an open-front isolated from the ambient air of the store by means of a downwardly directed inner air curtain of relatively cold refrigerated air and a downwardly directed outer air curtain of relatively warmer air established via an improved curtain air admission assembly. The curtain air admission assembly defines a plenum atop the refrigerated display through which the flow of air substantially reverses direction when passing from a first flow passage to a second flow passage. This reversal of flow direction serves to distribute the air flow more uniformly along the length of the display case.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2005Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.Inventors: Abbas A. Alahyari, Mary D. Saroka, Gary D. Winch
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Patent number: 7673473Abstract: A dehumidification cooling apparatus for an indoor sports facility is provided which is capable of realizing dehumidification and cooling at a low operating cost in the indoor sports facility. This apparatus includes: an ice chamber for turning water into ice and storing it; an air supply-and-exhaust pipe which is disposed from the ice chamber to the indoor sports facility, leads to the ice chamber and leads to the upper space of the indoor sports facility; a fan which is disposed in a supply pipe of the air supply-and-exhaust pipe; and a heater which is disposed in the supply pipe of the air supply-and-exhaust pipe.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2007Date of Patent: March 9, 2010Assignee: Tsuchiya Dairy Equipment Manufacturing Co.Inventor: Noriaki Tsuchiya
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Patent number: 7543459Abstract: A leg support assembly having a first pair of leg members and second pairs of leg members each having an A-line contour. The leg members of each pair are separated by an elevated crossbar of the A-line contour so that water flows thereunder. A top crossbar member of each pair serves to attach a pair to an end of the icemaker.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2005Date of Patent: June 9, 2009Inventor: Ronald R. Sciortino
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Patent number: 7536871Abstract: A cam assembly for an icemaker with a pusher ratchet arm that includes a cam connector and a cam member. The cam member is a unitary elongated structure with a back forked end pivotally coupled to the cam connector. The front of the cam member is designed with a indented cavity on the bottom surface to receive a ratchet tooth so that the cam member completes a full arc-of-rotation. The cam connector has a quasi-tear drop shape to dramatically round corners of the connector. The quasi-tear drop shape and cam assembly enhances the distance traveled by the pusher ratchet arm during a full arc-of-rotation of the cam assembly.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2005Date of Patent: May 26, 2009Inventor: Ronald R. Sciortino
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Patent number: 7437882Abstract: An apparatus for driving a compressor comprises a compressor having a compression mechanism part for sucking a fluid to compress the same, and an electric motor for driving the compression mechanism part, and an inverter device for driving the electric motor at variable speeds. The electric motor comprises a self-starting type electric motor having a rotor, which comprises a cage conductor and a polarized permanent magnet, and the inverter device comprises a plurality of semiconductor switches for controlling drive frequencies of the electric motor.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2005Date of Patent: October 21, 2008Assignee: Hitachi Air Conditioning Systems Co., Ltd.Inventors: Mutsunori Matsunaga, Kenji Tojo, Yoshikatsu Tomita, Susumu Nakayama, Syunsuke Yasunori
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Patent number: 7434609Abstract: A system with an internal combustion engine which has a heat transfer circuit, a fuel cell and a climate control unit which is accommodated in the heat transfer circuit of the internal combustion engine. The system has a heat transfer arrangement for transferring the exhaust heat of the fuel cell to the heat transfer circuit and a bypass for bridging a segment of the heat transfer circuit which runs through the internal combustion engine so that, in the bypassed operating state, an isolated circuit is formed. In stationary operation, this enables an optimized operating mode since the internal combustion engine is no longer heated and the exhaust heat of the fuel cell is fully available for heating purposes.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2006Date of Patent: October 14, 2008Assignee: Webasto Thermosysteme International GmbHInventors: Oliver Horn, Noureddine Khelifa, Alexander Kolb
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Patent number: 7428824Abstract: A vending machine. The vending machine has a selector for a plurality of beverage types and a selector for a plurality of ice types. The vending machine has a first store for storing a supply of the plurality of beverage types and a second store for storing a supply of the plurality of ice types. The vending machine also has a dispenser for dispensing into a container a selected beverage type and a selected ice type.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2005Date of Patent: September 30, 2008Inventors: Michael William Malachowsky, Jeffrey Wayne Malachowsky, Chris Alan Malachowsky
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Patent number: 7426838Abstract: An icemaker assembly is disposed within a refrigerator having a freezer compartment, a fresh food compartment and respective freezer and fresh food door assemblies. The icemaker assembly comprises a conveyor assembly positioned within the freezer compartment having a flexible conveyor belt with a multiplicity of individual ice cube molds for creation of individual ice cubes. An ice cube storage bin is positioned below the conveyor assembly for storing the ice cubes and a fullness sensor is positioned for determining the fill level of ice cubes within the ice cube storage bin.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2000Date of Patent: September 23, 2008Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Andrew Philip Shapiro, Jerome Johnson Tiemann, Walter Whipple, Timothy Scott Shaffer, William Merritt Nall, Jr., Eayre Bruce Voorhees, Steven Paraszczak
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Patent number: 7418824Abstract: A complex fluid machine has an expansion-compressor device, a pump, and a motor generator, wherein the expansion-compressor device, the pump, and the motor generator are operatively connected and arranged in series, and a power transmitting device for disconnecting the pump from the motor generator, when the expansion-compressor device is driven by the motor generator so as to be operated as a compressor device.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2005Date of Patent: September 2, 2008Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, Nippon Soken, Inc.Inventors: Keiichi Uno, Hironori Asa, Yasuhiro Takeuchi, Hideji Yoshida, Akihiro Imura, Atsushi Inaba, Koichi Ban, Takashi Yamanaka, Shigeki Iwanami, Hiroshi Kishita, Hiroshi Ogawa
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Patent number: 7415833Abstract: A control system for an icemaker for an ice/beverage dispenser is responsive to both a sensed level of ice in an ice bin of the dispenser and to a customer ice usage profile to operate the icemaker at such times as to build ice for the ice bin just before and in sufficient time and quantity to meet an anticipated demand for ice. The control system may be programmed manually or automatically through use of adaptive algorithms, with ice usage patterns that identify the days and times of day when demands for ice will occur, and the control system then operates the icemaker in accordance with such ice usage patterns.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2005Date of Patent: August 26, 2008Assignee: IMI Cornelius Inc.Inventors: Daniel C. Leaver, Thaddeus M. Jablonski
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Patent number: 7412840Abstract: A ground-based system and method of supplying electrical power and temperature-controlled air to an aircraft environmental control system during ground support operations uses a throttle valve to control the flow of compressed air flowing through a heat exchanger. An air conditioner module mounted on a wheeled cart removes heat from the compressed air that is supplied to it from an auxiliary power unit (APU), and supplies cooled compressed air at a desired temperature. The temperature of the cooled compressed air is controlled by selectively positioning a throttle valve, which regulates compressed air flow from the compressed air source. The throttle valve position is controlled in response to one or more ambient meteorological conditions and/or the amount of electrical power being supplied from the system.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2005Date of Patent: August 19, 2008Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventor: Thomas M. Leathers
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Patent number: 7383690Abstract: An ice harvesting prevention mechanism, including an actuator, is provided for an ice maker. The ice maker is arranged to make, harvest and dispense ice to an ice bucket located in an ice receiving position. An ice harvesting prevention device is arranged to prevent dispensing of ice in a first position of the actuator and to permit dispensing of ice in a second position of the actuator. The ice bucket itself, or a movable button carried on the ice bucket, may engage the actuator, when the ice bucket is placed in the ice receiving position, to move the actuator from the first position to the second position. The button may be moved to an “off” position to prevent engagement with the actuator, thereby preventing dispensing of ice when the ice bucket is in the ice receiving position.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2005Date of Patent: June 10, 2008Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Frank Weston Maglinger, Joseph Michael Griffith, Sinuhe Argumedo, Gregory Gene Hortin, Leonardo Rangel
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Patent number: 7380410Abstract: A wine cooler unit has a refrigerated cabinet housing two pull-out assemblies, each having a door panel and one or more wine racks. One rack can be mounted to the door panel, and one or more follower racks can be extended and retracted by movement of the door panel mounted rack, or by independent manual movement thereof. Two or more racks can be pulled out from the cabinet in a staggered or cascading fashion in which an upper rack extends from the cabinet to a lesser extent than a next lower rack to provide access to the bottles on each rack. The door panels can be made of a glass thermopane allowing visual inspection of the contents inside the cabinet. The cabinet can be cooled by a refrigeration system having two evaporators, which provide two independent cooling zones, one for each pull-out assembly. A capacitance-operated control can be provided under the glass front of one door panel for controlling the temperature zones inside the cabinet.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2005Date of Patent: June 3, 2008Assignee: U-Line CorporationInventors: Thomas W. Rand, Lawrence D. Moye, Andrew J. Doberstein, Jack L. Vaughn
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Patent number: 7380406Abstract: A refrigerated water pumping system provides high-pressure refrigerated water to misting nozzles situated in a livestock enclosure for housing livestock and adapted for converting the high-pressure refrigerated water into a fine mist or fog of water droplets at a target water temperature for evaporation in the enclosure to provide cooling of the enclosure to a target enclosure temperature. The system comprises a pump and a post-pumping heat exchanger, with the water being pumped by pump into high-pressure water. The high-pressure water is subsequently refrigerated into high-pressure refrigerated water having the target temperature by absorption of a target heat from the water by a refrigerant in the post-pumping heat exchanger, including any heat absorbed by water during pumping in pump.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2005Date of Patent: June 3, 2008Inventor: Yanick Leblanc
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Patent number: RE40428Abstract: The present invention is a syringe tip cap comprising a bottom portion, a top portion, an annular skirt extending therebetween and a plug that projects proximally from the bottom portion so as to be telescoped into the passage of a syringe tip. The plug provides means to allow air to be vented from the syringe with contacting the user. The syringe tip cap of the present invention also provides the user with an indication by tactile and visual feedback that the syringe has been vented.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2004Date of Patent: July 8, 2008Assignee: Becton, Dickinson and CompanyInventors: Paul Keane, Paul Barkell, Volker Niermann, Sol Green