Abstract: A heat transfer engine having cooling and heating modes of reversible operation, in which heat can be effectively transferred within diverse user environments for cooling, heating and dehumidification applications. The heat transfer engine of the present invention includes a rotor structure which is rotatably supported within a stator structure. The stator has primary and secondary heat exchanging chambers in thermal isolation from each other. The rotor has primary and secondary heat transferring portions within which a closed fluid flow circuit is embodied. The closed fluid flow circuit within the rotor has a spiraled fluid-return passageway extending along its rotary shaft, and is charged with a refrigerant which is automatically circulated between the primary and secondary heat transferring portions of the rotor when the rotor is rotated within an optimized angular velocity range under the control of a temperature-responsive system controller.

Abstract: An air conditioning system for cooling a vehicle passenger compartment is disclosed. The system includes an air duct, a refrigerant circuit, a variable displacement compressor, and a controller. The air duct directs air conditioned air into the vehicle passenger compartment. The refrigerant circuit circulates a refrigerant, wherein a first portion of the circuit is exposed to the air duct and a second portion of the circuit is exposed to air external of the vehicle passenger compartment. The variable displacement compressor is in fluid communication with the refrigerant circuit, wherein the compressor has a control valve for regulating refrigerant flow between a compressor crankcase and a compressor discharge chamber and between the compressor crankcase and a compressor suction chamber. The controller in electrical communication with the variable displacement compressor for controlling refrigerant flow and a displacement of the compressor by actuating the control valves.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a control device for a household electrical appliance. The control device has an interface configured to enable a user to set or modify parameters of one or more operational members of the appliance by a command and control circuit in communication with the appliance. The interface has a one or more selectors arranged to enable setting or modifying of the parameters of the appliance. The selectors are connected to a resonant electrical circuit arranged to generate or to respond to a radio-frequency signal in a modifiable manner representative of the setting or modification effected by the user. The signal also being sensed by a sensor associated with the command and control circuit, which enables the command and control circuit to set or modify in an appropriate manner the parameters of the operational members for controlled operation of the household electrical appliance.

Abstract: A method for automatically controlling the climate in a plurality of climate control zones of a cabin of an automobile comprising at least a driver zone and a passenger zone having a temperature sensor located in a driver side zone and at least one conditioned air outlet vent in each of the zones, the method comprising, obtaining various values indicative of internal and external climate, determining outlet temperatures and mass flow rates of at least one of a driver zone outlet and at least one of a passenger zone outlet based at least on the above obtained values and on other factors relating to the design of the automobile, including a zone air crossover influence factor, providing conditioned air to the cabin from at least one of the driver zone outlets and at least one of the passenger zone outlets at the determined outlet temperatures and mass flow rates.

Abstract: A digital programmable thermostat comprising up and down temperature adjustment buttons, an LCD display, and a Program button, which a user can simply press once to initiate a single setback program that sets back the last user selected temperature setting during a predetermined setback time period. The thermostat can also automatically set the current time and date, to allow the user to initiate the program without having to set the current time and date.

Abstract: A probe and method for simulating product temperature includes a housing containing a thermal mass having thermo-physical properties similar to food product, a temperature sensing element operable to measure the temperature of the thermal mass, and a transceiver in communication with the sensing element and operable to wirelessly transmit data.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system and method for controlling the degree of superheat of an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes a compressor controlled in a pulse width modulation manner according to duty control signals, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve and an evaporator so as to form a refrigeration cycle. An entrance temperature sensor situated at the entrance of the evaporator and an exit temperature sensor situated at the exit of the evaporator are connected to a control unit. The control unit calculates the degree of superheat of the evaporator using the difference between mean entrance and exit temperatures of the evaporator sensed by the entrance temperature sensor and the exit temperature sensor for a period of time corresponding to a duty cycle period of the compressor, and regulates the opening of the electronic expansion valve according to the calculated degree of superheat.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for maintaining a temperature between a first value and a second value. The method and apparatus utilize a heat transfer device capable of cycling through a series of cycles, the device being capable of changing the temperature from the second value to the first value when operational. During each cycle the device transfers heat for a first period of time when the temperature reaches the second volume until the first value is reached and thereafter the device stops transferring heat. The first period of time is compared to a desired cycle-on period of time during each cycle and the second temperature value then is adjusted for a subsequent cycle of the device so the first period of time when the device transfers heat approaches the desired cycle-on period of time. There may also be provided temperature controls for a liquid heater having a jacket containing the liquid. The jacket has an inner heated wall and an outer wall spaced apart from the inner wall.

Abstract: A portable beverage container that has a body defining a receptacle therein for containing a generally cylindrical cup liner and liquid that can be set inside of the body of the container to hold liquids and the like. The body has a handle for easy grasping and also has a plurality of holes on the bottom perimeter that correspond to raised air passage channels formed between the outside of the generally cylindrical cup liner and the inner wall of the body for increased air flow around the generally cylindrical cup liner. The generally cylindrical cup liner has threads protruding from the top of the cylindrical cup liner to accommodate the inner threading of a top cover that can be twisted onto and off of the top of the cylindrical cup liner. There is a fitted snap-on bottom cap for the bottom of the body as well as a twist-on cap that can form a vacuum seal on the bottom of the body.

Abstract: An iontophoresis system comprises a power supply apparatus having a chargeable battery, a positive output terminal, a negative output terminal and a positive charge terminal, and a preparation having input terminals connected to output terminals of the power supply apparatus. The negative output terminal of the power supply apparatus also serves as a negative charge terminal for charging the battery. During charging, the preparation is removed, and terminals of a charger are connected to terminals of the power supply apparatus, respectively. The power supply apparatus comprises a power supply monitoring portion which gives a warning when a battery voltage becomes a predetermined value or lower and a control portion for controlling a power supply state from the output terminal.

Abstract: A two-compartment cooling apparatus which achieves a plurality of refrigeration cycles by controlling refrigerant paths, thus increasing cooling efficiency and cooling speed of the cooling apparatus. A compressed refrigerant provided by a compressor is selectively provided to first and/or second evaporators via first, second and third expansion units and a path control unit. The path control unit controls the flow of the refrigerant through the expansion units and the evaporators to vary the cooling in the respective compartments in response to temperature measurements made in the respective compartments.

Abstract: Outside air is treated to remove moisture before it enters the conditioned air space of a store or other building containing refrigeration furniture. The sensible air temperature and relative humidity measurements are taken to allow microprocessor calculations of the wet bulb temperature. A pair of unequal sized compressors of the HVAC system are then cycled in stages for peak efficiency and minimum compressor horsepower usage for low cost operation and minimal energy consumption both of the HVAC system and the refrigeration furniture. The wet bulb temperature is converged by the microprocessor which iterates a known polynomial approximately every 6 seconds to derive the wet bulb temperature. A time delay circuitry set at approximately 30 minutes prevents unnecessary staging of the compressors.

Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner controls the air-conditioning automatically based on sensors detecting environmental conditions regarding the air-conditioning of a vehicle and based on an operational portion operable by a passenger. One of the sensors is a sunlight sensor for detecting the amount of sunlight incident into the vehicle. A signal detected by the sunlight sensor is modified to have a time constant by a time constant process. The modification is based on the elevation angle of the sunlight and the inside air temperature of the vehicle. The modified signal is used for automatic control of the air-conditioning.

Abstract: A cooling system controller controls the capacity of a variable capacity compressor based upon the temperature of a housing being cooled, the suction pressure of the compressor or both of these criteria. The cooling system controller is capable of controlling either single-evaporator or multiple-evaporator refrigeration systems. The multiple-evaporator systems can have evaporators of similar temperatures or of mixed temperatures. The controller also allows the use of one or more condenser fans that are operated in a lead/lag fashion to control the cooling capability of the system.

Abstract: A feedforward control method for an absorption chiller includes determining the disturbance transfer function, determining the capacity valve transfer function, measuring the actual disturbance, and implementing the feedforward control function in a feedforward controller. The feedforward control function is represented by the ratio of the disturbance transfer function divided by the capacity valve transfer function. The disturbance transfer function and the capacity valve transfer function are measured by applying a known amplitude input perturbation to the disturbance or capacity valve and recording the resulting perturbation in the output leaving chilled water temp. The disturbance transfer function is then the ratio of the delta leaving chilled water temperature divided by the delta change in the disturbance. The capacity transfer function is the ratio of the delta leaving chilled water temperature divided by the delta change in the capacity valve.

Abstract: Data is transmitted to a main control device via sensing means such as temperature sensors, each having a memory means in which the ID code is stored, and via transmitting/receiving means such as switching elements. There is a stand-by period in the operation of the main control device after the main control device issues a command to start a sensing operation until the main control device issues a command to perform a read operation. The main control device receives power through a signal line the voltage of which is kept at a high level during the stand-by period. Thus, an equipment sensing system and an equipment control device which enable reliable and quick sensing, cost reduction, smooth control, and simplified wiring are provided.

Abstract: Method for making salt brine of a desired concentration wherein tap water and recycle dilute brine is passed from a sump tank located indoors into a mixing tank located outdoors. A dilute brine flow from the mixing tank is passed into the sump tank. The concentration of the brine in the sump tank is monitored with a floatable container filled with desired concentration brine. As soon as the container floats in the brine in the sump tank, the brine in the mixing tank is passed into a brine storage tank located outdoors. The salt brine manufacturing system for implementing the method also is disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a climate control system for the interior of a motor vehicle, having a blower regulator, heating control unit or brushless blower motor, as well as function components such as operating elements, sensors, clocking valves and adjusting drive mechanisms, which are connected to one another and to the vehicle battery via connecting lines and to which the information required to operate the blower regulator, heating control unit or brushless blower motor are transmitted.

Abstract: A refrigerating apparatus comprises: a first substrate, on one surface of which an active converter and an inverter are mounted, and on a reverse surface of which a radiation fin is closely fixed; a second substrate, on which a microcomputer, a current detecting mechanism, and a terminal block are mounted; a resin casing covering sides of the first and second substrates and provided with a step permitting the terminal block to be arranged thereon; and a third substrate, on which an interface connector and a photo-coupler are mounted. The first substrate, the second substrate, and the third substrate are layered in this order on a bottom surface of the casing. Gel is filled up to a power semiconductor surface of the first substrate, and a resin is filled up to an upper surface of the second substrate.

Abstract: A controller (1) has a fuzzy calculation means (64) for performing a fuzzy calculation in order to calculate a PID value (P, I, D) based on a switch time T, a PID value (P1, I1, D1) before switching of the PID value, and a PID value (P2, I2, D2) after the switching. The switch time T is obtained by manual through the switch time input means (7) or by calculating it automatically. The PID value (P1, I1, D1) is stored in a PID value storage means (62), and the PID value (P2, I2, D2) is stored in a PID value storage means (63).