Patents by Inventor Yohei Kato

Yohei Kato 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: 20190137120
    Abstract: A bellmouth of a heat source unit includes: a straight tubular portion having a cylindrical shape; an air inlet portion which is radially expanded toward the upstream side, the air inlet portion has at least one angle-reduced portion that satisfies ?0>?i>0, where, an angle formed by a line L1 and a line L2 is taken as ?0, and an angle formed by a straight line L3 and the line L2 is taken as ?i, the line L1 is a line passing through a portion of an outer peripheral end portion of the air inlet portion, the line L2 is a line passing through a connecting portion between the air inlet portion and the straight tubular portion, and the straight line L3 is a line connecting an intersection P of the line L1 and the line L2 and a portion of the outer peripheral end portion of the air inlet portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Katsuyuki YAMAMOTO, Seiji NAKASHIMA, Yohei KATO, Tsubasa TANDA
  • Publication number: 20190137118
    Abstract: In an all-aluminum heat exchanger using aluminum as a material of a refrigerant pipe, a dissimilar metal contact with a bottom plate, which is made of iron, of an outdoor unit increases a risk of corrosion of the refrigerant pipe. An outdoor unit for an air-conditioning apparatus includes a placement plate, which is provided on a bottom plate of a casing and has a heat exchanger placement surface having a planar shape on which the heat exchanger is placed. With this configuration, water and dust generated in the casing can be caused to drop from the heat exchanger placement surface to the bottom plate and discharged to an outside of the casing. As a result, even when the all-aluminum heat exchanger is used as a heat exchanger of an air-conditioning apparatus, leakage of refrigerant can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Motoki OTSUKA, Yohei KATO, Yudai SAKABE, Tsubasa TANDA, Masaharu MIWA
  • Publication number: 20190005917
    Abstract: A technique for more suitable image output and the like for an own apparatus is provided with respect to communication among apparatuses in a system. A video display apparatus provided with an apparatus-apparatus communication interface holds own apparatus information. A video output apparatus is connected to a video input unit via a first apparatus-apparatus communication interface and a video output unit is connected to an external video display apparatus via a second apparatus-apparatus communication interface, external apparatus information is obtained from the external video display apparatus via the second apparatus-apparatus communication interface, and apparatus information is provided to the video output apparatus via the first apparatus-apparatus communication interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2015
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Applicant: MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki URATA, Yohei KATO, Naoya OKA
  • Patent number: 10156389
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes: a refrigerant circuit including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator; a first detector provided to the compressor, and configured to detect a temperature of the compressor; a second detector provided between the compressor and the expansion device in the refrigerant circuit, and configured to detect one of a temperature of refrigerant and a pressure of the refrigerant; and a controller configured to control at least one of frequency of the compressor and an opening degree of the expansion device based on the temperature detected by the first detector and one of the temperature and the pressure detected by the second detector so as to maintain a concentration of a refrigerating machine oil dissolved in the refrigerant in the compressor and an oil level of the refrigerating machine oil in the compressor within respective predetermined ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Ishiyama, Yohei Kato, Satoru Yanachi
  • Publication number: 20180335236
    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: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kohei KASAI, Yohei KATO, Satoru YANACHI, Hiroaki ASANUMA
  • Patent number: 10001318
    Abstract: During heat applying operation, both an air-source heat exchanger that exchanges heat with the atmosphere as a heat source and an earth-source heat exchanger that uses geothermal heat as a heat source serve as evaporators to collect heat from the atmosphere and the geothermal heat. During defrosting operation, while a four-way valve is switched to cause the air-source heat exchanger to serve as a radiator, and the earth-source heat exchanger to serve as an evaporator to collect the geothermal heat, and the collected geothermal heat is collected in the main circuit via the sub-circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yohei Kato, Yoshiro Aoyagi
  • Publication number: 20180135926
    Abstract: Provided is a heat exchanger that is capable of avoiding a bridge phenomenon caused by water droplets between a plurality of flat tubes and is easily manufactured. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of plate-like fins arranged in parallel at intervals, the plurality of flat tubes inserted into the plurality of plate-like fins, and at least one water-guiding member arranged between adjacent ones of the plurality of flat tubes projecting from at least one of both outermost ones of the plurality of plate-like fins and having both end portions held in contact with projecting flat surfaces of the adjacent ones of the plurality of flat tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Tsubasa TANDA, Yohei KATO
  • Publication number: 20180120039
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a fin having a plate shape and including a first region where a plurality of cutout portions are formed with intervals in a longitudinal direction that is a gravity direction, and a second region where the plurality of cutout portions are not formed in the longitudinal direction, and flat tubes attached to the plurality of cutout portions and intersecting the fin. Protruding portions protruding from a planar portion of the fin are formed on the fin, and the protruding portions each have a shape in which a first end is located in the first region and a second end is located in the second region and below the first end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Shin NAKAMURA, Akira ISHIBASHI, Tomohiko TAKAHASHI, Hidenari OGATA, Ryo TERASHIMA, Junichi ONO, Satoshi UEYAMA, Yohei KATO, Tsubasa TANDA, Kenichi KITANI
  • Patent number: 9909785
    Abstract: A heat pump device that collects heat both air and geothermal heat sources, and a controller determines, by comparing the temperature of an additional heat source and the current refrigerant temperature, whether or not to switch to simultaneous operation when there is insufficient capacity during single operation. During heating operation, the operation is switched to simultaneous operation if the temperature of the additional heat source is greater than the current refrigerant temperature, and single operation is continued if the temperature of the additional heat source is no greater than the current refrigerant temperature. As another determination method for during heating operation, the refrigerant temperature after addition of geothermal heat source is estimated and the heat pump is switched to simultaneous operation if the estimated refrigerant temperature is greater than the current refrigerant temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yohei Kato
  • Publication number: 20180023868
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes: a refrigerant circuit including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator; a first detector provided to the compressor, and configured to detect a temperature of the compressor; a second detector provided between the compressor and the expansion device in the refrigerant circuit, and configured to detect one of a temperature of refrigerant and a pressure of the refrigerant; and a controller configured to control at least one of frequency of the compressor and an opening degree of the expansion device based on the temperature detected by the first detector and one of the temperature and the pressure detected by the second detector so as to maintain a concentration of a refrigerating machine oil dissolved in the refrigerant in the compressor and an oil level of the refrigerating machine oil in the compressor within respective predetermined ranges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroki ISHIYAMA, Yohei KATO, Satoru YANACHI
  • Publication number: 20170363332
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a fan configured to deliver air toward the outdoor heat exchanger, a power unit configured to supply electric power to the fan, a fan input detector configured to detect a physical value related to the electric power supplied to the fan, and a controller configured to control the four-way valve to switch between a first operation in which the outdoor heat exchanger functions as an evaporator and a second operation in which the outdoor heat exchanger functions as a condenser. The first operation is switched to the second operation when the physical value detected by the fan input detector is equal to or larger than a reference value. The controller adjusts the reference value so that the reference value when refrigerant flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger has a high temperature is smaller than the reference value when the refrigerant has a low temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Satoru YANACHI, Yohei KATO, Kohei KASAI, Shinichi UCHINO, Hirokazu MINAMISAKO, Takafumi MITO, Tsubasa TANDA
  • Patent number: 9822994
    Abstract: In a refrigeration cycle system, switching is allowed between a parallel operation mode and a series operation mode. In the parallel operation mode, a refrigerant, upon leaving a load side heat exchanger, parallelly flows through a high-pressure side passage of each of a first internal heat exchanger and a second internal heat exchanger and then flows into an expansion valve. In the series operation mode, the refrigerant, upon leaving the load side heat exchanger, flows through the high-pressure side passage of the first internal heat exchanger, further flows through the high-pressure side passage of the second internal heat exchanger, and then flows through a high-pressure side bypass pipe into the expansion valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Yanachi, Yohei Kato
  • Patent number: 9797614
    Abstract: An air conditioning system, a set temperature determining device determines a target temperature of water to be supplied to an indoor heat exchanger, based on [“target outflow temperature”=“current outflow temperature”+((“inlet and outlet temperature difference”/“indoor and outdoor temperature difference”)דset temperature difference”)]. The indoor and outdoor temperature difference is a difference between an indoor temperature and an outdoor temperature, the inlet and outlet temperature difference is a difference between temperatures of water at the inlet side and the outlet side of an intermediate heat exchanger, and the set temperature difference is a difference between an indoor temperature and a set temperature. A control device controls an outdoor unit in response to the target temperature determined by the set temperature determining device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yohei Kato, Takashi Okazaki, So Nomoto, Koji Matsuzawa
  • Publication number: 20170276415
    Abstract: An oil separator includes a capturing member inside a main body container, which includes a first capturing member portion arranged on a side closer to an inflow pipe and a second capturing member portion being arranged on a side closer to an outflow pipe and having a porosity smaller than that of the first capturing member portion. Therefore, a driving force is generated by the capturing member having the different porosities. Through the driving force, a force of gravity, and a capillary phenomenon, oil inside the main body container is transported to an oil return pipe to prevent re-scattering of the oil, thereby being capable of suppressing reduction in oil separation efficiency. At the same time, oil return efficiency to the compressor is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroki ISHIYAMA, Yusuke SHIMAZU, Yohei KATO
  • Patent number: 9746212
    Abstract: A refrigerating and air-conditioning apparatus suppresses liquid backflow to a compressor with a simple configuration, and reduces annual power consumption. An outdoor unit and an indoor unit are connected to each other by a gas-side connecting pipe and a liquid-side connecting pipe to form a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a four-way valve, an indoor heat exchanger, a refrigerant heat exchanger, an expansion valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, and an accumulator are sequentially connected. The refrigerant heat exchanger transfers heat between a high-pressure-side refrigerant flowing between the expansion valve and an outdoor-unit liquid pipe connecting portion and a low-pressure-side refrigerant on an outlet side of the accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Coroporation
    Inventors: Yohei Kato, Satoru Yanachi, Kiyoshi Yoshimura, Hirokuni Shiba
  • Publication number: 20170167762
    Abstract: In a refrigeration cycle apparatus, a refrigerant heat exchanger is provided within a refrigerant container, and the refrigerant heat exchanger is configured to exchange heat between refrigerant flowing through a bypass circuit and refrigerant accumulated in the refrigerant container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Yohei KATO, Masafumi TOMITA, Shinichi UCHINO
  • Publication number: 20170146269
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes at least a compressor, a condenser, an internal heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between parts of refrigerant each having a different pressure, a refrigerant reservoir configured to store the refrigerant, a first pressure reducing device, an evaporator. The compressor, the condenser, the internal heat exchanger, the refrigerant reservoir, the first pressure reducing device, and the evaporator are sequentially connected to each other. The refrigeration cycle apparatus also includes a first pipe connecting the condenser and the refrigerant reservoir, and a second pressure reducing device provided to the first pipe between the internal heat exchanger and the refrigerant reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroki ISHIYAMA, Yohei KATO
  • Patent number: 9599377
    Abstract: Provided is a heat pump device configured to collect heat both from outside air and another heat source. A controller calculates heat exchange amounts with use of heat exchange performance of each of an air heat-source heat exchanger and an underground heat-source heat exchanger in addition to an outside air temperature and an underground temperature. Then, in switching between a simultaneous operation of causing refrigerant to flow through both of the air heat-source heat exchanger and the underground heat-source heat exchanger and a single operation of selecting the air heat-source heat exchanger or the underground heat-source heat exchanger to cause refrigerant to flow therethrough, the controller selects a heat source having a larger calculated heat exchange amount. In this manner, an appropriate heat source suitable for operation conditions can be selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yohei Kato
  • Patent number: 9562701
    Abstract: A controller performs a first control that controls a temperature of water (heat medium) flowing out of a heat source device on the basis of an outside air temperature and a temperature difference between chronologically preceding and following outside air temperatures that are detected by an outdoor temperature sensor. The controller controls the temperature of the subject to be controlled to a target temperature by performing the first control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yohei Kato, Koji Matsuzawa
  • Patent number: 9528733
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus, including a refrigerant circuit connecting a compressor, a heat source side heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and a use side heat exchanger in order with a refrigerant piping. A compressor heater is provided for heating the compressor when the compressor is not in operation. A compressor temperature sensor is provided for detecting a compressor temperature. A refrigerant temperature detection sensor is provided for detecting a refrigerant temperature in the compressor. A controller is configured to estimate an amount of liquid refrigerant in the compressor by integrating the temperature difference between the compressor temperature and the refrigerant temperature during a period in which the compressor temperature becomes lower than the refrigerant temperature, and control the heating operation, which is carried out by the compressor heater, on the basis of the estimated liquid refrigerant amount when the compressor is not in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yohei Kato, Makoto Saito, Naoki Wakuta