Patents by Inventor Satoru Yanachi

Satoru Yanachi 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: 11940192
    Abstract: An air conditioning device has: a refrigerant circuit that includes a compressor, a switching valve, a cascade heat exchanger, an expansion valve and an outdoor heat exchanger connected to one another by a first pipe through which a refrigerant flows, and that performs a defrosting operation in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor is introduced into the outdoor heat exchanger; a heat-transfer medium circuit that includes a pump, the cascade heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger connected to one another by a second pipe through which a heat-transfer medium flows; and a control device that controls the compressor and the pump. When an amount of heat storage of the heat-transfer medium is less than a threshold, the control device reduces the heating capability of the indoor heat exchanger when the air conditioning device transitions from a heating operation to the defrosting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Tsukiyama, Satoru Yanachi, So Nomoto, Takuya Matsuda, Naoki Kato
  • Publication number: 20240093945
    Abstract: An outdoor heat exchanger includes: a group of windward flat tubes, a group of leeward flat tubes and a distributor. When the outdoor heat exchanger acts as an evaporator, the refrigerant flows through the plurality of second flat tubes, the plurality of fourth flat tubes, the plurality of third flat tubes, and the plurality of first flat tubes in this order, and when the outdoor heat exchanger acts as a condenser, the refrigerant flows through the plurality of first flat tubes, the plurality of third flat tubes, the plurality of fourth flat tubes, and the plurality of second flat tubes in this order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Atsushi TAKAHASHI, Tsuyoshi MAEDA, Satoru YANACHI, Shin NAKAMURA, Atsushi MORITA
  • Publication number: 20230417495
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes: a fin extending in a widthwise direction along an air flow direction and extending in a longitudinal direction crossing the air flow direction; and a heat transfer tube passing through the fin. The fin has a through hole. The heat transfer tube is inserted into the through hole. Each fin includes a planar portion, and a first protruding portion and a second protruding portion protruding from the planar portion. The first protruding portion is curved along the longitudinal direction. The second protruding portion has an extending portion extending in the longitudinal direction. The extending portion is located to overlap a center of the through hole in the widthwise direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi MAEDA, Akira YATSUYANAGI, Satoru YANACHI, Hiroshi CHIMURA, Tomohiko TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20230375283
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a first heat exchange portion and a second heat exchange portion. The first heat exchange portion includes a plurality of first flat tubes. The second heat exchange portion includes a plurality of second flat tubes. The heat exchanger further includes: a first header; a second header; and a third header connected to each of the first flat tubes and each of the second flat tubes. The third header includes: a first plate provided with a plurality of first insertion holes through which the second ends of the first flat tubes are respectively inserted and a plurality of second insertion holes through which the second ends of the second flat tubes are respectively inserted; and a second plate provided with a plurality of communication spaces each communicating with a corresponding one of the first insertion holes and a corresponding one of the second insertion holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi MAEDA, Atsushi TAKAHASHI, Satoru YANACHI, Kodai MIYAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20230366639
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes: a fin extending in a widthwise direction along an air flow direction and extending in a longitudinal direction crossing the air flow direction; and a heat transfer tubepassing through the fin. The fin has a through hole. The fin includes a planar portion, and a first protruding portion, a second protruding portion and a third protruding portion protruding from the planar portion. The first protruding portion is curved along the longitudinal direction. The second protruding portion is located between the first protruding portion and the through hole and surrounds the through hole. The third protruding portion extends linearly in the longitudinal direction and is located on a leeward side relative to the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion in the air flow direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Satoru YANACHI, Tsuyoshi MAEDA, Akira YATSUYANAGI
  • Publication number: 20230358483
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes: a fin extending in a widthwise direction along an air flow direction and extending in a longitudinal direction crossing the air flow direction; and a heat transfer tube passing through the fin. The fin includes a planar portion, and a plurality of first protruding portions and a plurality of second protruding portions that protrude from the planar portion. The plurality of first protruding portions include a first projection curved downward in the longitudinal direction, and a second projection curved upward in the longitudinal direction. Each of the plurality of second protruding portions surrounds a corresponding one of the plurality of through holes. A vertex of the first projection and a vertex of the second projection are located at the same position in the widthwise direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Akira YATSUYANAGI, Tsuyoshi MAEDA, Satoru YANACHI
  • Publication number: 20230358451
    Abstract: A distributor includes at least: a first flow path through which refrigerant flowing in from a refrigerant inflow unit flows in a first direction toward a heat transfer tube disposed on the side of a refrigerant outflow unit; two second flow paths branched from the first flow path; two third flow paths, through each of which the refrigerant flows in a second direction opposite to the first direction; two fourth flow paths, each of which is formed to protrude from a main body toward the second direction and through each of which the refrigerant flows in a third direction intersecting the two third flow paths; and two fifth flow paths, through each of which the refrigerant flows in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Atsushi TAKAHASHI, Tsuyoshi MAEDA, Satoru YANACHI
  • Publication number: 20230194191
    Abstract: A refrigerant distributer includes a plurality of plates. The refrigerant distributer is configured to divert, into a plurality of refrigerant flows, refrigerant flowing in from one or a plurality of inlet ports thereof and allow the refrigerant flows to be let out from a plurality of outlet ports thereof spaced from one another in a first direction. The plurality of plates include: an inflow plate having one of the plurality of inlet ports; a communication plate having a communication chamber communicating with the one of the plurality of inlet ports of the inflow plate; and a heat transfer tube insertion plate into which a heat transfer tube communicating with one of the plurality of outlet ports is inserted, the heat transfer tube insertion plate having heat transfer tube insertion space through which a plurality of the heat transfer tubes communicate with the communication chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Atsushi TAKAHASHI, Tsuyoshi MAEDA, Satoru YANACHI
  • Publication number: 20230194180
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes: a heat exchange portion in which a plurality of heat transfer tubes, in which refrigerant flows, are arranged in a height direction and grouped into, in order from an upper side in the height direction, a main, first auxiliary and second auxiliary heat exchange portion and configured to, when the heat exchanger serves as a condenser, allow the refrigerant to flow through the heat exchanger in order of the main heat exchange portion of the airflow downstream side row, the main heat exchange portion of the airflow upstream side row, the first auxiliary heat exchange portion of the airflow upstream side row, the first auxiliary heat exchange portion of the airflow downstream side row, the second auxiliary heat exchange portion of the airflow downstream side row, and the second auxiliary heat exchange portion of the airflow upstream side row, and flow out of the heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Atsushi TAKAHASHI, Tsuyoshi MAEDA, Satoru YANACHI, Atsushi MORITA
  • Publication number: 20230147599
    Abstract: An air conditioning system comprises one or more air conditioners through which refrigerant circulates, and a first controller. For each of one or more indoor units, a score corresponding to a cost of using the indoor unit is preset. The first controller calculates, for each of the one or more air conditioners, a first total value of a score of each of the one or more indoor units included in the air conditioner. The first controller calculates a second total value of the first total value of each of the one or more air conditioners. When an electrical energy limit condition is satisfied, the first controller sets for each of the one or more air conditioners a drive frequency for a compressor included in the air conditioner according to a ratio of the first total value of the air conditioner to the second total value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Satoru YANACHI, So NOMOTO, Kazuyoshi SHINOZAKI, Yasushi SATO
  • Publication number: 20230099489
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a first three-way valve Each of the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve is configured to be switched independently to one of a first state In the first state, a first space is arranged in the valve chamber, the first space communicating with the first aperture and the second aperture and being separated from the third aperture. In the second state, a second space is arranged in the valve chamber, the second space communicating with the first aperture, the second aperture, and the third aperture. In the third state, a third space is arranged in the valve chamber, the third space communicating with the first aperture and the third aperture and being separated from the second aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Shunya GYOTOKU, Satoru YANACHI
  • Publication number: 20220235946
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus includes a first refrigerant circuit enclosing a first refrigerant, and a second refrigerant circuit enclosing a second refrigerant. The first refrigerant circuit includes a compressor configured to compress the first refrigerant, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion device, and a first flow path through which the first refrigerant passes in an intermediate heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant. The second refrigerant circuit includes a pump configured to increase a pressure of the second refrigerant and transfer the second refrigerant, a second flow path through which the second refrigerant passes in the intermediate heat exchanger, and an indoor heat exchanger. At least one of the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant has a global warming potential lower than that of R32, and the second refrigerant has a lower flammable limit concentration higher than that of the first refrigerant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Tetsuhide YOKOYAMA, Satoru YANACHI, Masahiro ITO, Tomohiro NAGANO, Takumi NISHIYAMA, Tsuyoshi SATO
  • Publication number: 20220205687
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes an outdoor unit and a relay unit. The outdoor unit includes a compressor compressing and discharging refrigerant and a heat-source-side heat exchanger performing heat exchange between the refrigerant and outside air. The relay unit and the outdoor unit form a refrigerant circuit. The outdoor unit includes first and flow switching devices each switching an associated flow passage for the refrigerant between a plurality of flow passages, according to an operation mode. An outflow pipe and an inflow pipe through which refrigerant flows from the outdoor unit to the relay unit and from the relay unit into the outdoor unit, respectively, are between the outdoor unit and the relay unit. The first flow switching device is connected to the compressor, the second flow switching device, and the outflow pipe. The second flow switching device is connected to the first flow switching device and the inflow pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Takeshi HATOMURA, Satoru YANACHI, Takuya MATSUDA, Hiroyuki OKANO
  • 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: 20210341193
    Abstract: An air conditioning device has: a refrigerant circuit that is formed of a compressor, a switching valve, a cascade heat exchanger, an expansion valve and an outdoor heat exchanger connected to one another by a first pipe through which a refrigerant flows, and capable of performing a defrosting operation in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor is introduced into the outdoor heat exchanger; a heat-transfer medium circuit that is formed of a pump, the cascade heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger connected to one another by a second pipe through which a heat-transfer medium flows; and a control device that controls the compressor and the pump. When an amount of heat storage of the heat-transfer medium is less than a threshold, the control device reduces the heating capability of the indoor heat exchanger when the air conditioning device transitions from a heating operation to the defrosting operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Ryo TSUKIYAMA, Satoru YANACHI, So NOMOTO, Takuya MATSUDA, Naoki KATO
  • Publication number: 20210325095
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the present invention performs cooling by circulation of refrigerant. The refrigeration cycle apparatus includes an evaporator, a condenser, a pump, a compressor, and a controller. The evaporator is arranged in a first space. The condenser is arranged in a second space. The pump is configured to compress refrigerant from the condenser and output the refrigerant to the evaporator. The compressor is configured to compress refrigerant from the evaporator and output the refrigerant to the condenser. The controller is configured to control the pump and the compressor to cool the first space. The controller is configured to turn on the pump after turn-on of the compressor while a temperature of the first space is higher than a temperature of the second space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Satoru YANACHI, Yusuke SHIMAZU, Kensaku HATANAKA, Kazuhiko KAWAI, Yusuke KOYAMA, Tomohiro NAGANO
  • 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: 11105537
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus refrigeration cycle apparatus in which refrigerant circulates in an order of a compressor, an oil separator, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, and an accumulator. The refrigeration cycle apparatus includes: an oil returning path extending from the oil separator to the compressor; a first electromagnetic valve provided on the oil returning path; an oil returning path extending from the accumulator to the compressor; a second electromagnetic valve provided on the oil returning path; and a controller configured to control a degree of opening of the first electromagnetic valve and a degree of opening of the second electromagnetic valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hirofumi Matsuda, Satoru Yanachi
  • Patent number: 11067314
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus refrigeration cycle apparatus in which refrigerant circulates in an order of a compressor, an oil separator, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, and an accumulator. The refrigeration cycle apparatus includes: an oil returning path extending from the oil separator to the compressor; a first electromagnetic valve provided on the oil returning path; an oil returning path extending from the accumulator to the compressor; a second electromagnetic valve provided on the oil returning path; and a controller configured to control a degree of opening of the first electromagnetic valve and a degree of opening of the second electromagnetic valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hirofumi Matsuda, Satoru Yanachi
  • Patent number: 10955176
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a controller configured to control operations of an outdoor fan. The controller has a voltage acquisition unit configured to acquire drive voltages of the outdoor fan at set time intervals while the rotation speed of the outdoor fan is maintained at a reference rotation speed, a determination unit configured to determine whether or not an acquired drive voltage is equal to or greater than a lower limit threshold and less than an upper limit threshold, an extraction unit configured to calculate an evaluation value by extracting a drive voltage determined to be equal to or greater than the lower limit threshold and less than the upper limit threshold, and a defrosting determination unit configured to decide to defrost the outdoor heat exchanger if the calculated evaluation value is equal to or greater than an evaluation threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kohei Kasai, Yohei Kato, Satoru Yanachi, Hiroaki Asanuma