Patents Examined by William E. Tapolcai
  • Patent number: 7673466
    Abstract: An auxiliary power device for attachment to an existing refrigeration unit of a refrigerated trailer to serve as a power source to a truck cab, thereby allow operation of electrical devices in said cab without idling of the truck's engine. The auxiliary power device comprises a housing attached beneath the existing refrigeration unit, an electric generator enclosed within the housing, and a pulley assembly mounted in the housing and connected by drive shaft to the generator. The pulley assembly is connected via drive belt to the diesel motor in the existing refrigeration unit. When the generator is activated a first relay governs the speed of the diesel motor in the refrigeration unit, which turns the generator to generate power, and a second relay prevents drainage of the refrigeration unit battery. The power from the generator is routed through a breaker panel mounted in the cab of the truck for distributing and regulating power from the battery and/or generator into the truck cab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Inventor: David H. Pacy
  • Patent number: 7673463
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a housing defining at least one chamber and a condenser system in which a refrigerant flows. The condenser system includes a condenser, a switching device, and a hot gas loop in flow communication with one another. The condenser system is configured to be in heat transfer relation with the chamber and the switching device is configured to allow the refrigerant to bypass the hot gas loop when a thermal demand of the refrigerator is met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffery A. Tupis, Martin Severance
  • Patent number: 7673465
    Abstract: An air conditioning system and an apparatus for protecting the same. The air conditioning system comprise an outdoor unit, a plurality of indoor units connected to the outdoor unit by each refrigerant line, and a refrigerant line closing unit installed at the refrigerant line of the indoor unit for preventing a refrigerant flowing on the refrigerant line of the indoor unit from being introduced into the outdoor unit when power supply to one or more indoor units is cut off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jae Heuk Choi, Yoon Been Lee, Baik Young Chung, Se Dong Chang
  • Patent number: 7673471
    Abstract: A refrigeration appliance is provided which includes a cabinet with a first openable door providing access to a first refrigeration compartment and a second openable door providing access to a second refrigeration compartment. The second openable door has a portion thereof positioned below a portion of the first openable door. A rail separates the first refrigeration compartment and the second refrigeration compartment. A water dispenser is contained in the rail, as well as electronic controls for the refrigeration appliance. The dispenser is arranged to be stationary relative to the refrigeration appliance while the doors are open or closed. The rail may be removed and replaced, and with the water and electronic controls located in the rail, repairs are performed more efficiently and flexibility in manufacturing is enhanced. A drip tray is formed in an exterior side of the second openable door below the dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Shawn Egan, Bobbie J. Gilman
  • Patent number: 7673473
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Tsuchiya Dairy Equipment Manufacturing Co.
    Inventor: Noriaki Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 7669776
    Abstract: A thermostatic mixing valve for hot and cold water has two-stage inlet chambers for the hot and cold water flows respectively. The inlet chambers distribute the flows uniformly with respect to porting for admitting the flows to the mixing chamber to reduce asymmetric flow patterns and promote thorough mixing of the flows within the mixing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Kohler Mira Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas John Beck, Sean Patrick Conway, Bruce Lewin John Hayward, Kevin Taylor Peel
  • Patent number: 7665314
    Abstract: A refrigerated container having an air compressor for maintaining a controlled atmosphere includes provisions for cooling the ambient air being drawn in by the air compressor to thereby prevent corrosion in the air compressor. A condensing line heat exchanger is connected between an inlet port and the compressor and is so disposed that the evaporator fan passes air thereover to provide cooling to the ambient air passing therethrough such that condensation forms within the tube. A water separator is included in the system to remove condensate and allow the drier air to pass to the compressor. The water separator is so constructed as to allow for the free flow of air therethrough with very little restriction. A drain fitting in the water separator is so constructed as to prevent spattering that might otherwise occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond L. Senf, Jr., Alan D. Abbott, Stephen Kenney
  • Patent number: 7658082
    Abstract: A heat transfer system includes a water line for carrying water having a first predetermined flow direction and a refrigerant line for carrying a refrigerant and having a second predetermined flow direction opposite the first predetermined flow direction. The heat transfer system includes a refrigerant evaporator, a vapor compressor, a condenser, and an expansion device. Refrigerant is passed through the refrigerant evaporator as a liquid and is warmed to a cooled gas. The refrigerant is heated to a superheated gas in the vapor compressor, and cooled to a warm liquid in the condenser. The refrigerant is cooled to a bi-phase liquid in the expansion device and is then passed to the refrigerant evaporator. Water enters the refrigerant condenser and heat is exchanged between the refrigerant and the water to warm the water to a predetermined water temperature. The water exits the refrigerant condenser and is passed to the water storage member at a predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Cotherm of America Corporation
    Inventor: Tadeusz Frank Jagusztyn
  • Patent number: 7654097
    Abstract: An ice distribution device for delivering ice to an ice retaining unit is provided, whereby a nozzle of the distribution device is adapted to be rotated in an eccentric rotation when installed at an upper end of an ice retaining unit, such that, when it is rotated about its axis, forces acting inside an eccentrically mounted nozzle will produce both axial and lateral components, with the lateral components of force providing a controlled “wobble”, that will deliver a substantially uniform distribution of ice within the retaining unit. A sensing device, which may be ultrasonic, mechanical or some other means, may be used to sense the level of build-up of ice within a retaining unit, for discontinuing the flow of ice to the distribution device, or diverting it to another ice retaining unit, as may be desired. The distribution and sensing devices are mounted on a top wall of the ice retaining unit and are adapted to accommodate top walls of such units of various thicknesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Follett Corporation
    Inventor: Richard B. Hawkes
  • Patent number: 7654105
    Abstract: Refrigerator with an icemaker including a cabinet having a mullion wall for compartmentalization of a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber, a case provided to a door on the refrigerating chamber, having a cavity therein, a first duct for supplying cold air from a neighborhood of an evaporator in the freezing chamber to the cavity, the icemaker in the cavity for producing ice, an ice container in the cavity for storing the ice, and a dispenser in the door in communication with the cavity, thereby having ice supplied to a user at an outside of the refrigerator through a dispenser provided to the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Myung Ryul Lee, Seong Jae Kim, Chang Ho Seo, Sung Hoon Chung
  • Patent number: 7654099
    Abstract: An air conditioner has an air conditioning unit for conditioning air to be introduced into a passenger compartment. The air conditioning unit has an air passage, an air conditioning case defining at least a part of the air passage and a noise absorbing member having a multi-layer structure. The noise absorbing member defines at least a part of the air passage. The noise absorbing member has an unbreathable middle layer, a first noise absorbing layer on an inner side of the middle layer and a second noise absorbing layer on an outer side of the middle layer. The second noise absorbing layer has a hardness greater than that of the first noise absorbing layer to maintain the shape of the noise absorbing member. Also, an air conditioner duct is formed of the multi-layer structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Sekiso Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Mizutani, Hironobu Murakami, Toshihiko Muraki, Hiroyuki Yamagishi, Wataru Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7650761
    Abstract: In a refrigerating device comprising waste heat utilization equipment having: a refrigerating cycle 200 formed by sequentially connecting a compressor 210, a condenser 220, an expansion valve 240, and an evaporator 250; and a Rankine cycle 300 formed by sequentially connecting a heater 310 using the waste heat of a heat generating device (for example, an internal combustion engine) 10 as a heating source, an expansion device 320, the above-mentioned condenser 220, and a pump 330, in which the drive shafts of the compressor 210 and the expansion device 320 are separated from each other. Then, the output of the expansion device 320 is used mainly for generating electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi Inaba, Yasushi Yamanaka, Shigeru Hisanaga, Takashi Yamanaka, Hironori Asa, Hiroshi Kisita
  • Patent number: 7647781
    Abstract: A device for reducing losses relating to the start-up of an industrial production line for ice cream provided with a traditional freezer. The invention relates to a device enabling the tubing used to convey the ice cream from the freezer to the dosing machine. Said device comprises a protector disposed around said tubing and a refrigerating fluid which can circulate therewithin with the aid of a pump which is actuated by a control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Inventor: Philippe Heine
  • Patent number: 7640763
    Abstract: A hot water supply system (10) is provided which includes a first refrigerant circuit (20), an intermediate temperature water circuit (40), a second refrigerant circuit (60), and a high temperature water circuit (80). The first refrigerant circuit (20) constitutes a heat pump which uses the outdoor air as a heat source, and heats heat transfer water in the intermediate temperature water circuit (40). In the intermediate temperature water circuit (40), the heat transfer water is circulated between a radiator (45) for floor heating and a first heat exchanger (30) and between a second heat exchanger (50) and the first heat exchanger (30). The second refrigerant circuit (60) constitutes a heat pump which uses the heat transfer water in the intermediate temperature water circuit (40) as a heat source, and heats water for hot water supply in the high temperature water circuit (80).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadafumi Nishimura, Takahiro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7637119
    Abstract: In the related art refrigerator, its structure for supplying water to a dispenser and water tank was complicated. In addition, since an icemaker is installed in a refrigerating chamber of the refrigerator, there is a problem in that the water supplied into the icemaker is frozen. Furthermore, if the icemaker is installed in the freezing chamber of the refrigerator in which the refrigerating chamber is formed at a lower portion thereof and a refrigerating chamber is formed at an upper portion thereof, there is another problem in that it is difficult to control the temperature in the refrigerating chamber or ice-making capability of the icemaker is lowered. The present invention is directed to a refrigerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Ill-Shin Kim, Seon-Il Yu, Kun-Jun Seok, Yong-Chol Kwon
  • Patent number: 7631514
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a refrigerator. According to an aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems, there is provided a refrigerator including a refrigerating chamber formed at a relatively upper portion of a refrigerator body and a freezing chamber formed at a relatively lower portion of the refrigerator body, which comprises an ice-making chamber which is partitioned in the refrigerating chamber by means of insulating walls and includes an icemaker for making ice and an ice storage for storing the ice made in the icemaker, a first heat exchanger for generating cold air to regulate the temperature in the ice-making chamber, and a second heat exchanger for generating cold air to regulate the temperature in the freezing and refrigerating chambers, wherein the first and second heat exchanger are components of a heat exchange cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Ill-Shin Kim, Seon-Il Yu, Kun-Jun Seok, Yong-Chol Kwon
  • Patent number: 7631513
    Abstract: An ice bank of a refrigerator is provided. The ice bank includes an ice accommodation chamber storing ice pieces made by an ice maker, and an ice pressing unit circulating the ice pieces by pressing the ice pieces for preventing sticking of the ice pieces in the ice accommodation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sung Hoon Chung, Eui Yeop Chung, Nam Gi Lee, Wook Yong Lee
  • Patent number: 7631510
    Abstract: A multi-stage refrigeration system is provided. The refrigeration system includes a first compression element which produces a first compressed refrigerant stream. A mixer combines the first compressed refrigerant stream with an auxiliary refrigerant stream. A second compression element is coupled to the mixer and produces a second compressed refrigerant stream. A first heat exchanger receives the second compressed refrigerant stream and generates a cooled stream. A stream splitter receives the cooled stream and provides first and second output streams. A first expansion valve receives the first output stream and controls the flow of the first output stream and a second expansion valve receives the second output stream and controls the flow of the second output stream. A second heat exchanger generates the auxiliary refrigerant stream provided to the mixer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignees: Thermal Analysis Partners, LLC., Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Reinhard Radermacher, Toshikazu Ishihara, Hans Huff, Yunho Hwang, Masahisa Otake, Hiroshi Mukaiyama, Osamu Kuwabara, Ichiro Kamimura
  • Patent number: 7628023
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for cooling a dispensed beverage. Direct cooling of the beverage is achieved by circulation of a refrigerant in contact with a reservoir that holds the beverage just prior to being dispensed. The reservoir is disposed within a dispense font. The open space within the font acts as an evaporator of a closed refrigeration loop thereby achieving cooling without having to use a separate heat transfer loop. A refrigeration subsystem is mounted directly adjacent the dispense font to provide a controlled flow of refrigerant to the open space within the font. Evaporated refrigerant is recycled in the refrigeration subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Millercoors LLC
    Inventor: Philip John Lucas
  • Patent number: 7628032
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dispenser of an icemaker in a refrigerator for maximizing an inner space when a total size is the same, and for minimizing the total size when the inner space is the same. The dispenser of the icemaker in the refrigerator includes an ice chute being a passage through which the ice produced from the icemaker is discharged; and a container supporter provided at an outer case and disposed to be perpendicular to an outer surface of the outer case when the ice is discharged outside through the ice chute, the contain supporter allowing a container seated thereon to receive the ice discharged from the ice chute. The ice chute is closed and not exposed outside when the ice-discharging process is finished, and the container supporter is not exposed to the outer surface of the outer case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Wook Yong Lee, Eui Yeop Chung, Seung Hwan Oh, Myung Ryul Lee, Chang Ho Seo, Seong Jae Kim, Sung Hoon Chung