Patents by Inventor Naofumi Takenaka

Naofumi Takenaka 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: 11313595
    Abstract: An air-conditioning system includes a heat source side refrigerant circuit in which a heat source side heat exchanger is provided, a load side heat medium circuit in which a load side heat exchanger is provided, an intermediate heat exchanger, and a heat medium sealing. The heat medium sealing mechanism includes a supply port through which the heat medium and gas flow, the gas being more soluble in the heat medium than air, a discharge port through which the gas pushed by the heat medium is discharged, and a flow straightener that is connected to the load side heat medium circuit in such a manner that, when the gas is supplied, the gas flows from the supply port to the discharge port, and when the heat medium is supplied, the heat medium flows from the supply port to the discharge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Naofumi Takenaka, Yuji Motomura, Osamu Morimoto
  • Patent number: 11300309
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus uses a heat medium containing at least one of cold water and hot water. The air conditioning apparatus includes: a heat source device; a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the heat medium and air; a flow rate control valve configured to control a flow rate at which the heat medium is supplied to the heat exchanger; a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the heat medium discharged from the heat exchanger; and a failure determination unit configured to detect presence or absence of an abnormality in a flow path of the heat medium based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and a commanded degree of opening for the flow rate control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Yanachi, So Nomoto, Takuya Matsuda, Naofumi Takenaka, Kimitaka Kadowaki
  • Publication number: 20220082283
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus includes: a second heat exchanger; a plurality of third heat exchangers; and a plurality of flow rate control valves. In a defrosting mode, when a heat exchanger that is not being requested to perform air conditioning includes a first device having a set temperature lower than or equal to a current room temperature and a second device which is set so as not to perform air conditioning, a controller is configured to control a first flow rate control valve corresponding to the first device and a second flow rate control valve corresponding to the second device such that a degree of opening of the first flow rate control valve is higher than or equal to a degree of opening of the second flow rate control valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Naoki KATO, Yuji MOTOMURA, Naofumi TAKENAKA, Kimitaka KADOWAKI
  • Publication number: 20210310688
    Abstract: When heating is being performed, and a temperature detected by a temperature sensor is lower than a first determination value, a controller opens the flow rate control valve corresponding to a heat exchanger, of the third heat exchangers, to which a request for air conditioning has not been made, and closes the flow rate control valve corresponding to a heat exchanger, of the third heat exchangers, to which the request for air conditioning has been made. When heating is being performed, and the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is higher than a second determination value, the controller opens the flow rate control valve corresponding to the heat exchanger to which the request for air conditioning has been made, and closes the flow rate control valve corresponding to the heat exchanger to which the request for air conditioning has not been made.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: Naoki KATO, Yuji MOTOMURA, Naofumi TAKENAKA, Kimitaka KADOWAKI
  • Publication number: 20210293440
    Abstract: An air-conditioning device includes: a heat medium cycle circuit including: a pump, a plurality of indoor heat exchangers, and a plurality of flow control devices configured to control a flow rate of the heat medium through the heat medium cycle circuit; a heat-source-side device configured to heat or cool the heat medium; and a controller that includes a determination processing unit to determine whether the heat medium is caused to pass through the plurality of indoor heat exchangers where heat exchange is stopped, a selection processing unit to select, based on a determination from the determination processing unit, an indoor heat exchanger through which the heat medium is caused to pass from the plurality of indoor heat exchangers where heat exchange is stopped, and an instruction processing unit to instruct a release of a flow control device that corresponds to the indoor heat exchanger selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Kimitaka KADOWAKI, Naofumi TAKENAKA
  • Patent number: 11125478
    Abstract: An air conditioning system includes: a plurality of indoor units each configured to condition air in a target space; and an outdoor unit connected to the plurality of indoor units. Each of the plurality of indoor units has a surface temperature measuring device configured to measure a surface temperature of an object in the target space. When a total of capacities requested by the plurality of indoor units is larger than a capacity of the outdoor unit, each of the plurality of indoor units performs a process corresponding to a change amount of the surface temperature per unit time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Yanachi, So Nomoto, Takuya Matsuda, Naofumi Takenaka, Kimitaka Kadowaki
  • Patent number: 11092362
    Abstract: A compressor of an air-conditioning device includes a scroll mechanism unit having a fixed scroll and an orbiting scroll that cooperates with the fixed scroll to compress refrigerant. There is a first space portion provided between the scroll mechanism unit and an electric motion unit; an annular second space portion provided in a circumference of the scroll mechanism unit in a radial direction; a communication path provided between the first space portion and the second space portion, to guide, to the second space portion, the refrigerant sucked from the suction pipe to the first space portion. A part of the refrigerant between the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve is injected simultaneously to the first space portion and the second space portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Nishio, Naofumi Takenaka, Soshi Ikeda, Raito Kawamura, Hideto Nakao, Katsuhiro Ishimura
  • Patent number: 11060779
    Abstract: An air-conditioning system includes a heat-source device that includes a compressor and a heat-source-side heat exchanger, a relay device that includes a pump and an intermediate heat exchanger, and a plurality of indoor units that each include a load-side heat exchanger. The air-conditioning system includes a refrigerant circuit through which refrigerant circulates and a heat medium circuit through which a heat medium circulates. The air-conditioning system includes a flow rate detection unit configured to detect flow rate information associated with a flow rate of a heat medium that flows through each of the plurality of indoor units and a controller configured to control the compressor and the pump. The controller controls operation of at least either the compressor or the pump on the basis of the flow rate information detected by the flow rate detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Naofumi Takenaka, Kimitaka Kadowaki, Hiroki Washiyama, Yuji Motomura
  • Publication number: 20210207859
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus includes, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between a first heat medium and a second heat medium, flow rate control valves, and a pump. In a heating mode, a controller is configured to open the flow rate control valve corresponding to a heat exchanger, of the third heat exchangers, to which a request for air conditioning has been made, and to dose the flow rate control valve(s) corresponding to a heat exchanger(s), of the third heat exchangers, to which the request for air conditioning has not been made. In a defrosting mode, when a temperature of the second heat medium is lower than a first determination temperature, the controller is configured to open at least one of the flow rate control valve(s) corresponding to the heat exchanger(s) to which the request for air conditioning has not been made.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Naoki KATO, Yuji MOTOMURA, Naofumi TAKENAKA, Kimitaka KADOWAKI
  • Publication number: 20210190402
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes: a plurality of outdoor units each including a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger, refrigerant flowing through the plurality of outdoor units; an indoor unit including an indoor heat exchanger, a heat medium flowing through the indoor unit; a plurality of relay devices to which the plurality of outdoor units are connected independently, and to which the indoor unit is connected, each of the plurality of relay devices including a heat medium heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant and the heat medium; and a controller configured to control action of the plurality of outdoor units, the indoor unit, and the plurality of relay devices, wherein the controller includes a defrost determination unit configured to determine necessity for a defrosting operation, a load determination unit configured to compare, in a case where the defrosting operation is necessary, an indoor unit total load with an outdoor unit total capacity, and an equipment contr
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Hiroki WASHIYAMA, Yuji MOTOMURA, Kimitaka KADOWAKI, Koji AZUMA, Naofumi TAKENAKA
  • Publication number: 20210164684
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes: a heat-medium transfer device including a pump provided to transfer a heat medium that contains water or brine and transfers heat; a plurality of indoor units each of which includes an indoor heat exchanger provided to cause heat exchange to be performed between indoor air and the heat medium, and a flow control valve provided to adjust a flow rate of the heat medium that flows through the indoor heat exchanger, the plurality of indoor units being connected to the heat-medium transfer device by respective heat medium pipes; and a controller provided to control an opening degree of the flow control valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: Naofumi TAKENAKA, Kimitaka KADOWAKI, Hiroki WASHIYAMA, Yuji MOTOMURA, Koji FURUYA, Jun NISHIO, Koji AZUMA
  • Publication number: 20210041130
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus has a first mode and a second mode as operation modes. In the first mode, a degree of opening of a first flow rate adjustment valve is fixed to a first degree of opening smaller than 100% and greater than 0%, and an operation frequency of a compressor is varied in accordance with air conditioning performance required of a third heat exchanger. In the second mode, the degree of opening of the first flow rate adjustment valve is varied in accordance with air conditioning performance required of the third heat exchanger. When a difference between the air conditioning performance required of the third heat exchanger and air conditioning performance offered by the third heat exchanger becomes greater than a determination value, the operation mode is changed from the first mode to the second mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Naoki KATO, Yuji MOTOMURA, Naofumi TAKENAKA, Kimitaka KADOWAKI
  • Publication number: 20210041128
    Abstract: When a state in which a driving voltage of a pump is set to an upper limit voltage and an opening degree of at least one of a plurality of flow rate control valves is set to a maximum opening degree continues for a first determination time period, an operation frequency of a compressor is raised at a first time so as to increase an amount of heat exchange by a second heat exchanger. When an operation stop request is input, or an indoor temperature reaches a set temperature, in at least one of a plurality of third heat exchangers after the first time, the operation frequency of the compressor is lowered or the driving voltage of the pump is lowered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Naoki KATO, Yuji MOTOMURA, Naofumi TAKENAKA, Kimitaka KADOWAKI
  • Publication number: 20210025627
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a heat medium circulation circuit and a heat-source-side refrigerant circulation circuit. In the heat medium circulation circuit, a pump configured to pressurize a heat medium that contains water or brine, an indoor heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between an indoor air and the heat medium, and a flow control device installed corresponding to the indoor heat exchanger and configured to control a flow rate of the heat medium passing through the indoor heat exchanger are connected by a pipe to circulate the heat medium therein. A plurality of the indoor heat exchangers are installed in respective indoor units. Each of the indoor units includes a detection device configured to detect a physical quantity related to a heat quantity involved in heat exchange of the indoor heat exchanger, and is configured to perform communication by a signal containing data on detection of the detection device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Hiroki WASHIYAMA, Kimitaka KADOWAKI, Naofumi TAKENAKA, Yuji MOTOMURA
  • Publication number: 20210003306
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus uses a heat medium containing at least one of cold water and hot water. The air conditioning apparatus includes: a heat source device; a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the heat medium and air; a flow rate control valve configured to control a flow rate at which the heat medium is supplied to the heat exchanger; a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the heat medium discharged from the heat exchanger; and a failure determination unit configured to detect presence or absence of an abnormality in a flow path of the heat medium based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and a commanded degree of opening for the flow rate control valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Satoru YANACHI, So NOMOTO, Takuya MATSUDA, Naofumi TAKENAKA, Kimitaka KADOWAKI
  • Publication number: 20200400340
    Abstract: An air-conditioning system includes a plurality of indoor units; a relay unit including an intermediate heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between refrigerant and a heat medium; and a heat source unit configured to supply cooling energy or heating energy to each of the plurality of indoor units via the relay unit. The heat source unit and the relay unit are connected by a heat-source connection pipe through which the refrigerant flows, and the relay unit and the plurality of indoor units are connected by a load connection pipe through which the heat medium flows. The load connection pipe comprises a main pipe connecting between the relay unit and one of the indoor units provided at an end of the load connection pipe opposite to the relay unit. The main pipe has branch parts associated with the indoor units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Naofumi TAKENAKA, Hiroki WASHIYAMA, Yuji MOTOMURA, Kimitaka KADOWAKI
  • Patent number: 10845095
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit in which pipes sequentially connect a compressor, a flow switching device, a heat source side heat exchanger, an expansion device, a load side heat exchanger, and the flow switching device, and configured to perform a cooling operation and a heating operation switched by the flow switching device, an oil separator configured to separate refrigerating machine oil from refrigerant discharged from the compressor, a first bypass passage in which fluid flowing out of the oil separator flows, an auxiliary heat exchanger configured to cool the fluid, a first flow control device configured to control passing of the fluid, a second bypass passage in which liquid refrigerant or two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant flowing through one of the pipes connecting the heat source side heat exchanger and the expansion device flows, and a second flow control device configured to control passing of refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Soshi Ikeda, Shinichi Wakamoto, Naofumi Takenaka, Takeshi Hatomura
  • Publication number: 20200363086
    Abstract: A controller has a timer operation mode in which the operation of a refrigeration cycle that operates as a heat source or a cold source is started before a set operation start time of an indoor fan by a preliminary operation time period. In the timer operation mode, the controller calculates a heat capacity of water or brine, calculates a heat storage amount of a second heat medium from a temperature detected by a temperature sensor and the heat capacity, and determines the preliminary operation time period from the heat storage amount. By determining the preliminary operation time period in this manner, timer operation can be performed such that air at an appropriate temperature is blown from an indoor unit at the operation start time of the indoor fan, from the initial time at which an air conditioning apparatus is installed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Takuya MATSUDA, Naofumi TAKENAKA, Kimitaka KADOWAKI, Yuji MOTOMURA
  • Publication number: 20200355415
    Abstract: An air conditioning system includes: a plurality of indoor units each configured to condition air in a target space; and an outdoor unit connected to the plurality of indoor units. Each of the plurality of indoor units has a surface temperature measuring device configured to measure a surface temperature of an object in the target space. When a total of capacities requested by the plurality of indoor units is larger than a capacity of the outdoor unit, each of the plurality of indoor units performs a process corresponding to a change amount of the surface temperature per unit time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: Satoru YANACHI, So NOMOTO, Takuya MATSUDA, Naofumi TAKENAKA, Kimitaka KADOWAKI
  • Publication number: 20200348064
    Abstract: An air-conditioning system includes a heat-source device that includes a compressor and a heat-source-side heat exchanger, a relay device that includes a pump and an intermediate heat exchanger, and a plurality of indoor units that each include a load-side heat exchanger. The air-conditioning system includes a refrigerant circuit through which refrigerant circulates and a heat medium circuit through which a heat medium circulates. The air-conditioning system includes a flow rate detection unit configured to detect flow rate information associated with a flow rate of a heat medium that flows through each of the plurality of indoor units and a controller configured to control the compressor and the pump. The controller controls operation of at least either the compressor or the pump on the basis of the flow rate information detected by the flow rate detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Naofumi TAKENAKA, Kimitaka KADOWAKI, Hiroki WASHIYAMA, Yuji MOTOMURA