Abstract: An intravenous (IV) flow controlling device comprises a flexible open container having a specific gravity less than one and an outer diameter smaller than that of the drip chamber, the container including a spherical bottom portion thinner than the shell upper portion thereof; a first plastic tube coupled to the bottom of the container being in communication with the exit; a flexible reservoir having one end coupled to the first tube; and a second plastic tube coupled to the other end of the reservoir being in communication therewith. The container is submerged as fluid filled in the drip chamber. Fluid flows through the exit, the first plastic tube, the reservoir, and the second plastic tube to cause the container to fall, thereby stopping fluid exiting when the bottom portion of the container clogs the exit and fluid in the drip chamber is used up.

Abstract: A refrigeration chiller employs a centrifugal compressor the impellers of which are mounted on a shaft which is itself mounted for rotation using rolling element bearings lubricated only by the refrigerant which constitutes the working fluid of the chiller system. Apparatus is taught for providing liquid refrigerant to (1.) the bearings immediately upon chiller start-up, during chiller operation and during a coastdown period subsequent to shutdown of the chiller and (2.) the drive motor of the chiller's compressor for motor cooling purposes. By use of a variable speed-driven motor to drive the compressor, optimized part load chiller performance is achieved in a chiller which does not require or employ an oil-based lubrication system.

Abstract: A method and a device for heating and cooling a compartment of a motor vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine are described. During a cooling operation, a medium in the circuit is guided through a compressor, an ambient heat exchanger, a throttle device, and an interior heat exchanger which are connected in series and form an integral closed circuit. On the high-pressure side of the circuit, a supercritical pressure is produced at the same time that a subcritical pressure is produced on the low-pressure side of the circuit. During a heating operation, the high-pressure side of the circuit during the cooling operation becomes the low-pressure side and the low-pressure side of the circuit during the cooling operation becomes the high-pressure side. The medium in the circuit is conducted in the interior heat exchanger at a supercritical pressure, with heat energy being transferred from the medium in the circuit to the compartment air supplied to the compartment.

Abstract: An HVAC evaporator core temperature probe apparatus and assembly method in which the temperature probe has a seal member mounted intermediate opposed ends. First and second apertures are formed in the HVAC housing, one adjacent the mounted position of the probe sensing end and the other end spaced from the access aperture and receiving the seal member to dispose the electrical connector on the other end of the probe conductor exteriorly of the housing. The temperature probe is inserted in the evaporator prior to mounting the evaporator core in the HVAC housing. The seal member is snap mounted in the first aperture in the housing to dispose the electrical connector exteriorly of the housing. After separation of the probe sensing end from the evaporator core and separation of the seal member from the first aperture, an existing temperature probe is removable through the second aperture in the housing.

Abstract: The present invention provides an airflow control loop that uses averaged airflow measurements without the problems that are normally encountered with averaging measurements, such as the delay introduced into the airflow control loop. This is accomplished, in the present invention, through a predictive control scheme. The predictive control scheme of the airflow control loop calculates the damper sensitivity, calculates the damper runtime needed to achieve setpoint, and then runs the damper for the determined period of time. In addition to the unique airflow control loop used to maintain the constant airflow into the room, the present invention also implements a digital form of proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) control to maintain the room temperature. The digital form of PID control uses non-linear gains which vary according to how far the measured temperature is from setpoint.

Abstract: A gas cooktop includes a gas supply control controlling flames applied to a cooking vessel through a control circuit connected to an infrared sensor that is directed at an infrared-radiation-generating outer surface region of the cooking vessel and receives temperature-related information from the surface of the vessel.

Abstract: The controller 70 of the brine supply device 10 performs the PID calculation of the manipulated variable MV of the valve 14, calculates the compensated manipulated variable MV′ by compensating the manipulated value MV, and controls the operation of the valve 14 based on the compensated manipulated variable MV′. The variation &Dgr;MV of the manipulated variable MV becomes proportional to the variation &Dgr;PV of the brine supply temperature Pt1 as the operation of the valve 14 is controlled with the compensated manipulated variable MV′. This makes it possible to control temperature with a high accuracy using only one set of PID constants.

Abstract: A drive motor for an infusion pump system includes a novel outer housing which includes a unitary member which defines a cavity adapted to receive a winding wherein the housing cavity has a length at least as long as length of the winding. In one embodiment, the housing unitary member has an opening at one end and is adapted to receive a housing end member which has a guide track for an armature. Such an arrangement facilitates assembly and disassembly of the motor for fabrication, inspection and repair purposes yet also facilitates proper alignment of the components when assembled. In another aspect, a push member positioned to be engaged by the armature has an engagement face which is at least 40% of the width of the armature engagement face. In still another aspect of the present inventions, the armature head portion is wider than the armature stem portion and has a length at least 10% of the winding length.

Abstract: In an air conditioner using a flammable refrigerant of the present invention, an inner diameter of a liquid-side connecting pipe is reduced to less than 42.5% of that of a gas-side connecting pipe. By reducing the inner diameter of the pipe in which a liquid refrigerant of the air conditioner is reduced, it is possible to reduce the amount of refrigerant to be charged into the system without decreasing the capacity and the efficiency.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioning system, a non-contact temperature sensor having plural temperature detecting elements is disposed to detect a predetermined region within a passenger compartment. The plural temperature detecting elements are constructed by plural first elements each of which has a smaller temperature detecting area in the predetermined region, and plural second elements each of which has a larger temperature detecting area in the predetermined region. The non-contact temperature sensor detects an area, where a detail temperature-distribution information is necessary, using the first elements, and detects an area, where the detail temperature-distribution information is unnecessary, using the second elements.

Abstract: In a refrigerant cycle system, refrigerant compressed in a first compressor is cooled and condensed in a radiator, and refrigerant from the radiator branches into main-flow refrigerant and supplementary-flow refrigerant. The main-flow refrigerant is decompressed in an expansion unit while expansion energy of the main-flow refrigerant is converted to mechanical energy. Thus, the enthalpy of the main-flow refrigerant is reduced along an isentropic curve. Therefore, even when the pressure within the evaporator increases, refrigerating effect is prevented from being greatly reduced in the refrigerant cycle system. Further, refrigerant flowing into the radiator is compressed using the converted mechanical energy. Thus, coefficient of performance of the refrigerant cycle system is improved.

Abstract: The infusion device comprises a central controller (10) and a plurality of infusion apparatus (12) each connected via a data channel (15) with the controller (10). Each infusion apparatus (12) is provided with a unique identification number. When an infusion apparatus (12) is connected to the controller (10) the identification number is requested and the controller (10) checks whether this identification number has already been allocated. If this is not the case, the controller (10) sends the inverted identification number back to the infusion apparatus (12). The infusion apparatus (12) accepts commands from the controller (10) only if the returned signal corresponds to the identification number.

Abstract: A user enters a thermal perception level or a temperature set point in a perception level and temperature entry portion. Then, a clock portion calculates, by clocking, the time of entry to the perception level and temperature entry portion, and the entered temperature set point is stored as a temperature set point of an individual time interval in a temperature set point memory portion. When no entry is available to the perception level and temperature entry portion, air conditioning power is controlled in accordance with a temperature that has been already stored in the temperature set point memory portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for controlling multistage systems where the relative capacities (process gains) of each stage are known. The method uses a split-range control concept in order to control multiple stages with a single feedback controller, such as PID. Stage combinations are generated automatically and sequenced to provide contiguous control and optimum control resolution across the overall range of the multistage system. The control method incorporates hysteretic deadzones to improve robustness around stage transition points. The assumption of a tuned PI feedback controller allows the size of the deadzone to be related to general control performance requirements applicable across classes of similar systems. A simulated HVAC&R system is used to evaluate the method and it is compared an alternative approach.

Abstract: A method is provided for managing the energy usage of an energy consuming system adapted to determine the energy of a controlled space, the energy consuming system including a plurality of operating components having on and off states and a plurality of differing noise levels when making transitions between the on and off states. The method includes determining the noise levels of the components of the energy consuming system, selecting a relatively low noise level component of the energy consuming system to provide a selected noise masking component, and causing a relatively high noise level component of the energy consuming system differing from the selected noise masking component to make a transition between on and off states. The method further includes causing the selected noise masking component to make a transition between its on and off states after the transition of high noise level component.

Abstract: This invention increases efficiency of a refrigeration system by maximizing the cooling of the condenser and reducing unnecessary work done by the compressor. In air cooled systems it will also increase the stability of the fans by reducing fan cycling. The fan controller will utilize an algorithm that will consider the following inputs: oil pressure, compressor suction pressure, expansion valve position, compressor loading, last compressor loading change, and current fan stage. The algorithm uses fuzzy logic to characterize the inputs and generates an output that controls the system cooling fans.

Abstract: In a freezing cycle apparatus that switches between a cooling mode and a heating mode, wherein a low-pressure refrigerant is evaporated in an evaporator 18 for cooling the air during a cooling mode and a hot gas refrigerant is introduced from the discharge side of a compressor 10 directly into the evaporator 18. A variable displacement type compressor capable of varying the displacement is used as the compressor 10. The displacement of the compressor 10 is controlled such that the refrigerant flow rate in the cooling or heating cycle is a predetermined target flow rate during the cooling and the heating mode.

Abstract: A system for detecting the relative attachment of hot and cold inlet water hoses to a washing machine monitors the temperature of at least one of the hot and cold water inputs to determine if the temperature is increasing or decreasing. Once the hoses.are correctly identified, this information is stored in permanent memory of the machine. This stored information is preferably checked during subsequent cold fill operations.

Abstract: A freezer (106) is provided with a connector (120) and connected to a semiconductor equipment (10). The connector (120) may include a connector for power supply (120a), a connector for data communication (120b) and a connector for analog signal (120c). Therefore, the semiconductor equipment (10) can transmit data and signal to the outside while being cooled in the freezer (106). With this constitution, a semiconductor equipment housed in a cooling system for high-speed operation and a refrigerator for cooling the semiconductor equipment are provided.

Abstract: A control valve is located in a variable displacement compressor that is installed in a refrigerant circuit. The control valve operates such that the pressure difference between first and second pressure monitoring points in the refrigerant circuit seeks a predetermined target value. The first pressure monitoring point is located in a discharge chamber of the compressor. The second pressure monitoring point is located in a flow pipe that extends from the discharge chamber. The static pressure of refrigerant in the discharge chamber is introduced into a control valve from the first pressure monitoring point. A pressure that includes the static pressure and the dynamic pressure of refrigerant in the flow pipe is introduced into the control valve from the second pressure monitoring point. As a result, the displacement of the compressor is reliably controlled without being affected by the thermal load of an evaporator.