Patents by Inventor Kengo Sugimura

Kengo Sugimura has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11938783
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle device including a first pressure reducing valve, a first evaporator that exchanges heat between the refrigerant decompressed in the first pressure reducing valve and air, a second pressure reducing valve that is disposed in parallel with the first pressure reducing valve; a second evaporator in which the refrigerant decompressed in the second pressure reducing valve to absorbs heat from a battery; a third pressure reducing valve that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant evaporated in the second evaporator; and a controller configured to control opening degrees of the second pressure reducing valve and the third pressure reducing valve. The controller performs a limit control for controlling the opening degree of the second pressure reducing valve to an opening degree of smaller one of a battery cooling opening degree and an air cooling opening degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kengo Sugimura, Satoshi Ito, Satoshi Suzuki, Kosuke Shiratori
  • Patent number: 11718156
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle device includes a compressor, a radiator, an air-conditioning heat exchanger, a cooling heat exchanger, an air-conditioning decompression unit, a cooler-unit decompression unit, a refrigerant flow rate detector, and a controller. The radiator is configured to radiate heat of refrigerant discharged from the compressor. The air-conditioning heat exchanger absorbs heat from air to evaporate the refrigerant. The cooling heat exchanger is arranged in parallel with the air-conditioning heat exchanger in the flow of refrigerant. The air-conditioning decompression unit adjusts a decompression amount of the refrigerant flowing into the air-conditioning heat exchanger. The cooler-unit decompression unit adjusts a decompression amount of the refrigerant flowing into the cooling heat exchanger. The controller controls the operation of the cooler-unit decompression unit so that the flow rate of the refrigerant detected by the refrigerant flow rate detector exceeds a predetermined reference flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Yuichi Kami, Kengo Sugimura, Satoshi Ito
  • Patent number: 11525611
    Abstract: A refrigerant cycle device includes a compressor, a radiator, a first expansion valve, a second expansion valve, a first evaporator, a second evaporator, and a controller. The controller is configured to switch between a first evaporator priority control and a second evaporator priority control. During the first evaporator priority control, the controller controls a throttle opening of the second expansion valve based on at least one of a temperature of a first evaporator, a temperature of a refrigerant flowing through the first evaporator, and a temperature of an air having exchanged heat in the first evaporator. During the second evaporator priority mode, the controller controls the throttle opening based on a refrigerant state of the second evaporator. When the at least one of the temperatures is equal to or greater than a switching temperature, the second priority mode is switched to the first priority mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kengo Sugimura, Satoshi Ito, Yuichi Kami, Hiroyuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11506404
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle device includes a heating unit, an air-heating expansion valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, an air-cooling expansion valve, an indoor evaporator, and a cooler-unit expansion valve, a cooler unit, and a refrigerant circuit switching unit. In a heating series cooler-unit mode, refrigerant is circulated in order of the heating unit, the air-heating expansion valve, the outdoor heat exchanger, the cooler-unit expansion valve, and the cooler unit. In a heating parallel cooler-unit mode, refrigerant is circulated in order of the heating unit, the air-heating expansion valve, and the outdoor heat exchanger, and refrigerant is circulated in order of the heating unit, the cooler-unit expansion valve, and the cooler unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Ito, Kengo Sugimura, Yuichi Kami, Hiroyuki Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20220234416
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle device includes a refrigeration cycle, an outdoor heat exchanger, a cooling necessity determination unit, a determination reference setting unit, and a cooling control unit. The cooling necessity determination unit determines whether or not to cool a battery depending on whether or not a physical quantity that correlates with a temperature of the battery is equal to or more than a predetermined reference physical quantity. The determination reference setting unit sets the reference physical quantity for the cooling necessity determination unit according to the outdoor heat exchanger functioning as a heat absorber or radiator. When the outdoor heat exchanger functions as heat absorber, the determination reference setting unit sets a second reference physical quantity smaller than a first reference physical quantity set when the outdoor heat exchanger functions as radiator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Satoshi SUZUKI, Satoshi ITOH, Kengo SUGIMURA
  • Patent number: 11378295
    Abstract: An air conditioner includes a heat medium circuit, a refrigerant cycle device, a discharge capacity controlling section, a heat generation amount controlling section, a target temperature determining section, and an upper limit determining section. The heat medium circuit includes a heating heat exchanger and an electric heater. The refrigerant cycle device exchanges heat between a heat medium in the heat medium circuit and a refrigerant discharged from an electric compressor. During a heater priority mode, the rotational speed of the compressor is increased to reach an upper limit and a heating amount of the heater is increased as a temperature difference increases. During a compressor priority mode, the heating amount of the heater is decreased and the rotational speed is increased to compensate for a decreasing amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuichi Kami, Kengo Sugimura, Mitsuo Ooura
  • Publication number: 20210347224
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle device including a first pressure reducing valve, a first evaporator that exchanges heat between the refrigerant decompressed in the first pressure reducing valve and air, a second pressure reducing valve that is disposed in parallel with the first pressure reducing valve; a second evaporator in which the refrigerant decompressed in the second pressure reducing valve to absorbs heat from a battery; a third pressure reducing valve that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant evaporated in the second evaporator; and a controller configured to control opening degrees of the second pressure reducing valve and the third pressure reducing valve. The controller performs a limit control for controlling the opening degree of the second pressure reducing valve to an opening degree of smaller one of a battery cooling opening degree and an air cooling opening degree.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: Kengo SUGIMURA, Satoshi ITO, Satoshi SUZUKI, Kosuke SHIRATORI
  • Publication number: 20210190389
    Abstract: The refrigeration cycle device includes a compressor, an outside heat exchanger, a cooling pressure reducing unit, an evaporator, a branch portion, a cool down pressure reducing unit, a temperature adjusting unit, a merging portion, a bypass passage, and a first on-off valve. The temperature adjusting unit includes a temperature adjusting heat exchange unit and adjusts a temperature of a temperature adjustment target object. During a cooling and cool down mode, the outside heat exchanger functions as a radiator, and the evaporator and the temperature adjusting heat exchange unit function as heat absorbers. During a target object warm up mode, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor is guided to the temperature adjusting heat exchange unit via the bypass passage, and the heat of the discharged refrigerant is used as a heat source for heating the temperature adjustment target object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Kazuhiro TADA, Kengo SUGIMURA, Hiroyuki KOBAYASHI, Yuichi KAMI, Satoshi ITO
  • Patent number: 11014430
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle device has a compressor, a radiator, a decompressor, an evaporator, a heat medium cooling evaporator, a cooling target device, a detector, and a controller. The heat medium cooling evaporator cools a cooling heat medium by performing a heat exchange between the refrigerant decompressed in the decompressor and the cooling heat medium. The cooling heat medium cools the cooling target device. The detector detects a subcooling state of the cooling target device having a temperature lower than or equal to a reference temperature. Upon the detection of the subcooling state in the cooling target device by the detector, the controller increases the degree of superheat of the refrigerant flowing out of the heat medium cooling heat exchanger as compared to the degree of superheat of the refrigerant flowing out of the heat medium cooling heat exchanger when the detector does not detect the subcooling state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Miura, Yoshiki Kato, Masayuki Takeuchi, Nobuyuki Hashimura, Keigo Sato, Norihiko Enomoto, Kengo Sugimura, Ariel Marasigan
  • Patent number: 10989447
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle device includes a compressor, a condenser, a first decompressor, an outside heat exchanger, and an evaporator. A predetermined part of a refrigerant passage from the condenser to the first decompressor through which the refrigerant flows is a condenser outlet portion. A predetermined part of a refrigerant passage from the first decompressor to the outside heat exchanger through which the refrigerant flows is an outside heat exchanger inlet portion. A predetermined part of a refrigerant passage from the outside heat exchanger to the second decompressor through which the refrigerant flows is an outside heat exchanger outlet portion. A volume capacity of the condenser outlet portion is larger than a volume capacity of the outside heat exchanger inlet portion. According to the refrigeration cycle device, preferable coefficient of performance of cycle can be achieved in different operation modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Miura, Yoshiki Kato, Masayuki Takeuchi, Nobuyuki Hashimura, Keigo Sato, Norihiko Enomoto, Kengo Sugimura, Ariel Marasigan
  • Publication number: 20210108841
    Abstract: A refrigerant cycle device includes a compressor, a radiator, a first expansion valve, a second expansion valve, a first evaporator, a second evaporator, and a controller. The controller is configured to switch between a first evaporator priority control and a second evaporator priority control. During the first evaporator priority control, the controller controls a throttle opening of the second expansion valve based on at least one of a temperature of a first evaporator, a temperature of a refrigerant flowing through the first evaporator, and a temperature of an air having exchanged heat in the first evaporator. During the second evaporator priority mode, the controller controls the throttle opening based on a refrigerant state of the second evaporator. When the at least one of the temperatures is equal to or greater than a switching temperature, the second priority mode is switched to the first priority mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Kengo SUGIMURA, Satoshi ITO, Yuichi KAMI, Hiroyuki KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20210101451
    Abstract: A first evaporator cools air-conditioning air. A second evaporator cools an object. A first orifice unit and a second orifice unit are capable of changing a refrigerant amount of the first evaporator and the second evaporator, respectively. A control unit controls both the first orifice unit and the second orifice unit so that a temperature of the second evaporator approaches a target temperature. The control unit, in a first mode, performs control not to evaporate a refrigerant at the first evaporator and to evaporate the refrigerant at the second evaporator. The control unit, in a second mode, performs control to evaporate the refrigerant at both the first evaporator and the second evaporator. The control unit sets the target temperature in a first mode higher than that in a second mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KOBAYASHI, Satoshi ITO, Yuichi KAMI, Kengo SUGIMURA
  • Publication number: 20210101450
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle device includes a compressor, a radiator, an air-conditioning heat exchanger, a cooling heat exchanger, an air-conditioning decompression unit, a cooler-unit decompression unit, a refrigerant flow rate detector, and a controller. The radiator is configured to radiate heat of refrigerant discharged from the compressor. The air-conditioning heat exchanger absorbs heat from air to evaporate the refrigerant. The cooling heat exchanger is arranged in parallel with the air-conditioning heat exchanger in the flow of refrigerant. The air-conditioning decompression unit adjusts a decompression amount of the refrigerant flowing into the air-conditioning heat exchanger. The cooler-unit decompression unit adjusts a decompression amount of the refrigerant flowing into the cooling heat exchanger. The controller controls the operation of the cooler-unit decompression unit so that the flow rate of the refrigerant detected by the refrigerant flow rate detector exceeds a predetermined reference flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KOBAYASHI, Yuichi KAMI, Kengo SUGIMURA, Satoshi ITO
  • Publication number: 20210102716
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle device includes a heating unit, an air-heating expansion valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, an air-cooling expansion valve, an indoor evaporator, and a cooler-unit expansion valve, a cooler unit, and a refrigerant circuit switching unit. In a heating series cooler-unit mode, refrigerant is circulated in order of the heating unit, the air-heating expansion valve, the outdoor heat exchanger, the cooler-unit expansion valve, and the cooler unit. In a heating parallel cooler-unit mode, refrigerant is circulated in order of the heating unit, the air-heating expansion valve, and the outdoor heat exchanger, and refrigerant is circulated in order of the heating unit, the cooler-unit expansion valve, and the cooler unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventors: Satoshi ITO, Kengo SUGIMURA, Yuichi KAMI, Hiroyuki KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20210088246
    Abstract: An air conditioner includes a heat medium circuit, a refrigerant cycle device, a discharge capacity controlling section, a heat generation amount controlling section, a target temperature determining section, and an upper limit determining section. The heat medium circuit includes a heating heat exchanger and an electric heater. The refrigerant cycle device exchanges heat between a heat medium in the heat medium circuit and a refrigerant discharged from an electric compressor. During a heater priority mode, the rotational speed of the compressor is increased to reach an upper limit and a heating amount of the heater is increased as a temperature difference increases. During a compressor priority mode, the heating amount of the heater is decreased and the rotational speed is increased to compensate for a decreasing amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Yuichi KAMI, Kengo SUGIMURA, Mitsuo OOURA
  • Patent number: 10940740
    Abstract: In a heat pump system, when a heat-shock determination portion determines that a difference between a coolant temperature in a coolant flow path and a coolant temperature in a heat source flow path is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, a flow-path switching portion mixes the respective coolants flowing through at least a bypass flow path and the heat source flow path together to flow into the coolant flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kengo Sugimura, Yoshiki Katoh, Masayuki Takeuchi, Koji Miura, Norihiko Enomoto, Keigo Satou, Ariel Marasigan, Nobuyuki Hashimura
  • Patent number: 10837348
    Abstract: A thermal management device for a vehicle includes heat medium circuits, a reserve tank, and a connector. The heat medium circulates through the heat medium circuits separately. The reserve tank is configured to separate an air bubble contained in the heat medium from the heat medium. The connector allows the reserve tank to come in communication with the heat medium circuits selectively. As such, an occurrence of the heat loss in the degassing performed in the reserve tank can be suppressed with the thermal management device for a vehicle including the heat medium circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norihiko Enomoto, Yoshiki Kato, Nobuyuki Hashimura, Kengo Sugimura, Koji Miura, Keigo Sato, Ariel Marasigan
  • Patent number: 10759257
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle device includes a compressor, an air-refrigerant heat exchanger that exchanges heat between air and refrigerant, an expansion valve decompressing the refrigerant, a heat medium-refrigerant heat exchanger that exchanges heat between a heat medium and the refrigerant, a cold-heat utilization device that utilizes cold heat of the heat medium, and a hot-heat utilization device that utilizes hot heat of the heat medium. A refrigerant flow switching valve is provided to switch between a heat-medium cooling mode of cooling the heat medium in the heat medium-refrigerant heat exchanger, and a heat-medium heating mode of heating the heat medium in the heat medium-refrigerant heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiki Katoh, Koji Miura, Kengo Sugimura, Masayuki Takeuchi, Keigo Satou, Norihiko Enomoto, Nobuyuki Hashimura
  • Patent number: 10723203
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle device includes: a first expansion valve that decompresses a refrigerant flowing out of a high-pressure side heat exchanger; an exterior heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing out of the first expansion valve and outside air; a second expansion valve that decompresses the refrigerant flowing out of the exterior heat exchanger; a low-pressure side heat exchanger arranged in series with the exterior heat exchanger; a cooler core that exchanges heat between the heat medium cooled by the low-pressure side heat exchanger and air to be blown into a vehicle interior to cool the air; and a controller configured to switch between a heat absorption mode and a heat dissipation mode by adjusting an amount of decompression in each of the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiki Kato, Nobuyuki Hashimura, Koji Miura, Norihiko Enomoto, Kengo Sugimura, Keigo Sato, Masayuki Takeuchi, Ariel Marasigan
  • Patent number: 10723199
    Abstract: A vehicular heat management device includes a first heat source, a second heat source, a heater core, a first heat medium pathway, a second heat medium pathway, a heater core pathway, a switching portion, and a control unit. The first heat source is provided in the first heat medium pathway, and the second heat source is provided in the second heat medium pathway. The heater core is provided in the heater core pathway. The switching portion switches between flowing connection and flowing disconnection. The control unit performs at least one of a switching control and a second heat source control when a temperature of the heat medium of the heater core pathway is at or above a predetermined temperature. In the switching control, the switching portion connects the second heat medium pathway to the heater core pathway. In the second heat source control, the second heat source generates heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiki Kato, Masayuki Takeuchi, Keigo Sato, Koji Miura, Norihiko Enomoto, Kengo Sugimura, Ariel Marasigan, Ikuo Ozawa, Nobuharu Kakehashi, Yoshikazu Shinpo, Yoichi Onishi, Toshio Murata