Patents by Inventor Marc Graaf

Marc Graaf 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).

  • Publication number: 20160207371
    Abstract: An air conditioning system for conditioning the air of a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle comprises a housing with a first and a second flow conduit for conducting air and a coolant circuit with at least two heat exchangers, wherein a first heat exchanger is arranged in the first flow conduit and a second heat exchanger is arranged in the second flow conduit. The first heat exchanger can be operated independently of the operating mode as an evaporator and the second heat exchanger can be operated independently of the operating mode as a condenser. The housing comprises at least one air conduction device with which an air mass flow conditioned in the air conditioning system can be discharged into the environment. The coolant circuit is constructed with a heat exchanger which is arranged outside of the housing and can be operated as an evaporator or as a condenser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Applicant: Halla Visteon Climate Control Corp.
    Inventors: Roberto Della Rovere, Marc Graaf, Navid Durrani
  • Patent number: 9346336
    Abstract: A refrigerant circuit of an air conditioning system for a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle having a primary circuit having a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor and configured to transfer heat between a refrigerant and the environment, a first expansion element in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger, and a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first expansion element and the compressor, the second heat exchanger configured to dehumidify intake air of the passenger compartment and a secondary circuit having a first flow pathway and a second flow pathway, the first flow pathway having a third heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor and configured to transfer heat from the refrigerant to the passenger compartment and a second expansion element in fluid communication with the third heat exchanger, and a third expansion element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Hanon Systems
    Inventors: Marc Graaf, Tobias Haas
  • Publication number: 20160082805
    Abstract: The invention relates to an air conditioning system for a motor vehicle, with at least two coolant circuits as well as a refrigerant circuit. The refrigerant circuit comprises a compressor for the compression of the refrigerant, a heat exchanger for the cooling and liquefying of the compressed refrigerant, an expansion device, and a heat exchanger for the evaporation of the two-phase refrigerant. The heat exchangers are designed as coolant-refrigerant heat exchangers in each case for the heat transfer between the refrigerant circuit and at least one of the coolant circuits. The refrigerant circuit is moreover constructed with a heat exchanger for the heat exchange between the refrigerant and an air mass flow to be supplied to the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle as well as with an element, arranged downstream of the heat exchanger in the flow direction of the refrigerant, for changing the throughflow cross section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Marc Graaf, Navid Durrani, Roberto Della Rovere
  • Patent number: 9242528
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heat exchanger arrangement for heating of air, with a heat exchanger (8) which is integrated into a refrigerant circuit (60), configured to be able to have refrigerant flow through it and able to be impinged on by air. The heat is transferred from the refrigerant to the air. The heat exchanger (8) exhibits two components (8a, 8b) configured to be segregated from each other. The first component (8a) is configured with a condensation surface and a heat-removal surface. The second component (8b) exhibits a supercooling surface. Between the components (8a, 8b) on the refrigerant side, a refrigerant phase separation element is placed. The heat exchanger is configured as a tubular heat exchanger with tubes situated in rows, wherein the first component (8a) is configured with at least two rows and the second component (8b) with at least one row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Hanon Systems
    Inventors: Marc Graaf, Roberto Della Rovere, Navid Durrani
  • Patent number: 9242527
    Abstract: The invention relates to a refrigerant circuit and a process for operation of the refrigerant circuit of an HVAC system of a vehicle, particularly an electric or hybrid vehicle. The refrigerant circuit includes a primary circuit with a compressor, a heat exchanger for heat transmission between the refrigerant and the environment, a collector, a first expansion member, a heat exchanger for supply of heat from the fresh air to be conditioned of the vehicle interior to the refrigerant and a heat exchanger arranged switched in parallel to the heat exchanger. Further, the refrigerant circuit is provided with a secondary train that extends starting from a tapping point positioned between the compressor and the heat exchanger up to a connection point and is provided with a heat exchanger for heat transmission from the refrigerant to the fresh air to be conditioned for the vehicle interior, and a subsequent control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Hanon Systems
    Inventors: Marc Graaf, Florian Wieschollek, Christian Rebinger, Dirk Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20150345844
    Abstract: A coolant accumulator including an accumulation tank with a suction pipe assembly, wherein the suction pipe assembly includes an external suction pipe and an internal suction pipe which are positioned coaxially and at a distance from each other, and connected with each other by way of a connecting piece at the respective lower ends of the suction pipes to form a flow path, and wherein the connecting piece features a radially positioned oil balancing bore which connects an oil sump region of the accumulation tank with the flow path in the suction pipe assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Stephan Köster, Marc Graaf, Felix Girmscheid
  • Patent number: 9170038
    Abstract: An air conditioning unit for a combined refrigeration plant and heat pump mode of operation for vehicles is disclosed, wherein the air conditioning unit includes a primary circuit and a secondary passage, and a power consumption required by the air conditioning unit to heat the passenger compartment is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Halla Visteon Climate Control Corporation
    Inventors: Roman Heckt, Marc Graaf, Tobias Haas
  • Publication number: 20150292647
    Abstract: A valve block assembly for multiple valves, in particular expansion valves and/or shut-off valves, includes a valve block having a plurality of flow paths for fluids and a plurality of adjustment units with assigned drive units, wherein the valve block is designed as comprising two parts, these being a flow path element with the flow paths and a limiting element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Corinne Le Pellec, Marc Graaf
  • Publication number: 20150283876
    Abstract: The invention relates to an air conditioning system for conditioning the air of a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, including an outlet section for diverting at least a portion of an air-mass flow circulating in the air conditioning system into the environment of the motor vehicle, a housing for directing the air-mass flow, wherein at least one fan for conveying the air-mass flow is designed within the housing, as well as a coolant circuit for tempering components of the motor vehicle, in particular, components of a power train, having a coolant-air-heat exchanger for transferring heat from the coolant to an air-mass flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Inventors: Joern Froehling, Karl Schlesinger, Gerald Richter, Balthasar Schillemeit, Marc Graaf, Frank Schmitz, Roberto Della Rovere
  • Publication number: 20150251517
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the heat exchanger 1 of refrigerant circuitry of an air-conditioning system for a vehicle, which enables a bidirectional pass flow. The air-conditioning system is configured to perform a combined operation of cooling device mode and heat pump mode, the heat exchanger 1 is formed in the form of a multi-pass, and the flow direction of a refrigerant varies depending on operation mode. The first heat exchanger 1 formed in the form of a multi-pass includes header pipes 2 and 3, flow paths assigned to respective passes, and means configured to partition an internal volume space of one or more header pipes 2 and 3 into independent regions. A first pass of the heat exchanger 1 has a greater flow cross section and greater heat exchange surface than the last pass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Peter Heyl, Tobias Haas, Marc Graaf, Milan Moravek, Jiri Dobner, Jan Gregus-Kollar
  • Publication number: 20150107278
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for icing prevention regulation for a heat pump evaporator (3) in air conditioning systems of vehicles, composed of a subsection (1) of a refrigerant circuit which can be operated both as a heat pump and also as an air conditioning system. The device comprises the heat pump evaporator (3), an electrical or mechanical refrigerant compressor (4), a cooler fan (9) which is attached to the heat pump evaporator (3) and which draws ambient air (11) upstream from and through the heat pump evaporator (3) at an adjustable flow speed, and which thus permits a permanent flow of ambient air (11) over the heat pump evaporator surface, a first temperature sensor (6) in or on the refrigerant line (5, 5a) upstream from the heat pump evaporator (3) with respect to the heat pump operating direction, and a control and regulating unit (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Engelbert Schmitz, Peter Heyl, Marc Graaf, Christian Rebinger, Dirk Schroeder
  • Patent number: 8959936
    Abstract: A method for operating an HVAC system includes the steps of adjusting a heating temperature of a heat exchanger disposed in a first flow passage, directing a first partial air mass flow through the first flow passage, directing a second partial air mass flow through a second flow passage, and directing the first partial air mass flow and the second partial air mass flow downstream of the first flow passage and the second flow passage, wherein the heating temperature of the heat exchanger required to at least one of achieve and maintain a desired climate in the passenger compartment of the vehicle is set as a maximum heating temperature for the heat exchanger, and wherein only an amount of energy required to at least one of achieve and maintain a desired climate in the passenger compartment of the vehicle is added to the HVAC system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Halla Visteon Climate Control Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Richter, Tobias Haas, Marc Graaf
  • Publication number: 20140331710
    Abstract: The invention relates to a compact vehicle HVAC system including an evaporator unit, a condenser unit, and a component unit, as well as a refrigerant circuit. The evaporator unit and the condenser unit each are provided with air-passed heat exchangers and a fan in a casing. Further circuit components are displaced within the component unit. The casings of the evaporator unit, the condenser unit, and the component unit advantageously establish a connected compact casing arrangement. The heat exchangers are displaced within the compact casing arrangement. The refrigerant circuit is established for a combined refrigeration plant and heat pump operation as well as an afterheating operation, whereby in the afterheating operational mode the heating power of the afterheater established as condenser/gas cooler and the cooling power of the evaporator are controllable independently of each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Jörn Fröhling, Marc Graaf, Felix Girmscheid, Gerald Richter, Gerd Vondahlen, Florian Wieschollek, Tobias Haas
  • Patent number: 8733125
    Abstract: The invention relates to a refrigerant accumulator combined with a heat exchanger for a motor vehicle air conditioning unit. The accumulator includes a collector chamber having a liquid disposed therein and a neighboring flow chamber. The collector chamber includes a valve which selectively permits a flow of the liquid from the collector chamber into the flow chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Halla Visteon Climate Control Corporation
    Inventors: Roman Heckt, Marc Graaf, Stephan Koster
  • Publication number: 20140075973
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heat exchanger arrangement for heating of air, with a heat exchanger (8) which is integrated into a refrigerant circuit (60), configured to be able to have refrigerant flow through it and able to be impinged on by air. The heat is transferred from the refrigerant to the air. The heat exchanger (8) exhibits two components (8a, 8b) configured to be segregated from each other. The first component (8a) is configured with a condensation surface and a heat-removal surface. The second component (8b) exhibits a supercooling surface. Between the components (8a, 8b) on the refrigerant side, a refrigerant phase separation element is placed. The heat exchanger is configured as a tubular heat exchanger with tubes situated in rows, wherein the first component (8a) is configured with at least two rows and the second component (8b) with at least one row.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: Marc Graaf, Roberto Della Rovere, Navid Durrani
  • Publication number: 20140075975
    Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly for cooling of air includes a blower, an air duct and a heat exchanger integrated in a coolant circuit designed to allow coolant to flow therethrough and air to be applied to it. Heat from the air is transferred to the vaporizing coolant. The blower is arranged upstream of the heat exchanger in the airflow direction so that waste from the blower heats the air before reaching the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is designed as tubular heat exchanger with tubes arranged in rows having a double-row design. A method for operating a climate control system for a combined refrigeration system and heat pump operation for cooling and for heating, and a method for identifying and prevention of icing of the evaporator of the climate control system are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: Marc Graaf, Roberto Della Rovere, Navid Durrani
  • Publication number: 20140075974
    Abstract: The invention concerns an air conditioning system for conditioning the air of a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle including a housing with a first flow channel and a second flow channel for conducting air and a refrigerant circuit with an evaporator and a condenser. The evaporator is arranged in the first flow channel and the condenser in the second flow channel. The air conditioning system is designed for cooling and heating the passenger compartment and for a reheat operation. The setting of the operating mode is done only via the controlling of air guidance mechanisms. One of the heat exchangers evaporator or condenser is arranged with a part of the heat transfer surface in both the first and the second flow channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: Torsten Klein, Roberto Della Rovere, Marc Graaf, Gerald Richter, Felix Girmscheid
  • Patent number: 8524387
    Abstract: A battery unit for hybrid or electric vehicles comprising a cell module including a plurality of storage cells, each accommodated in a prismatic cell casing with two large surfaces arranged parallel to each other and four narrow side surfaces. The prismatic cell casings with their parallel arranged large surfaces are stacked adjacent to each other. One of the narrow side surfaces, the cell casing bottom of each storage cell. A cooling device comprising a plate-shaped cooling body with one or several recesses, and one or several fastening mechanisms integrated into the cell module bottom that agree with a corresponding number of recesses of the cooling body, are configured to couple the cooling body to the cell module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Graaf, Stephan Köster, Florian Wieschollek
  • Publication number: 20130042637
    Abstract: A modular vehicle air-conditioning unit for heating and cooling air includes a housing having at least one blower and a plurality of flaps for setting air flow paths and a refrigerant circuit in fluid communication with the housing. The refrigerant circuit includes a condenser, an evaporator, a compressor, and an expansion device. An evaporator air flow path through the evaporator and a condenser air flow path through the condenser are formed in the housing. At least one of the evaporator air flow path and the condenser air flow path receives air from at least one of an environment, a passenger compartment of a vehicle, and any mixture of thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: VISTEON GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Gerald Richter, Marc Graaf, Florian Wieschollek
  • Publication number: 20130025311
    Abstract: A fluid conditioning system includes a refrigeration circuit and a heat pump circuit. The refrigeration circuit includes a heat exchanger and an evaporator. The heat pump circuit includes a condenser, a chiller serially connected to the evaporator, and a first expansion member in fluid communication with the chiller, wherein the heat pump circuit is configured to utilize heat from ambient air and a cooling agent circuit for heating a passenger compartment of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: VISTEON GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Marc Graaf, Tobias Haas