Patents Issued in January 12, 2016
  • Patent number: 9234653
    Abstract: A medical headlamp having a front from which light is selectively emitted. The headlamp includes a beam origination portion that produces a light beam and an iris assembly, positioned in front of the beam origination portion, having a user accessible actuator and an iris, responsive to the actuator to block a user-selectable portion of the light beam. The iris is also responsive to the actuator to block none of the light beam, for maximum efficiency, when a user so selects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: RIVERPOINT MEDICAL, LLC
    Inventor: John Thomas Ferguson
  • Patent number: 9234654
    Abstract: A twinkling hair band mainly includes a band main body and a light guiding decoration coupled to the band main body, where the light guiding decoration has a base and at least two light diffuser plates. Two light-emitting elements corresponding to each light diffuser plate and a control circuit controlling each light-emitting element to wink in sequence are configured inside said base, and a power source switch for turning on and off electricity is configured on the base. Whereby, the corresponding light diffuser plate twinkles immediately when each light-emitting element winks in sequence through the coupling of the band main body and light guiding decoration so as to profit decoration to the band main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Inventor: Hua-Cheng Pan
  • Patent number: 9234655
    Abstract: LED based lamps and bulbs are disclosed that comprise an elevating element to arrange LEDs above the lamp or bulb base. The elevating element can at least partially comprise a thermally conductive material. A heat sink structure is included, with the elevating element thermally coupled to the heat sink structure. A diffuser can be arranged in relation to the LEDs so at least some light from the LEDs passes through the diffuser and is dispersed into the desired emission pattern. Some lamps and bulbs utilize a heat pipe for the elevating elements, with heat from the LEDs conducting through the heat pipe to the heat sink structure where it can dissipate in the ambient. The LED lamps can include other features to aid in thermal management and to produce the desired emission pattern, such as internal optically transmissive and thermally conductive materials, and heat sinks with different heat fin arrangements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: CREE, INC.
    Inventors: Curt Progl, Praneet Athalye, Gerald Negley
  • Patent number: 9234656
    Abstract: An electromagnetic wave transmitting device having a body and a heating assembly. The body can include a transmitting end and a receiving end. The heating assembly can be disposed on at least a portion of the transmitting end of the body. The heating assembly can include an electrically resistive element having an electrical connector. The heating assembly can also include a first electrically non-conductive film disposed over the electrically resistive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Coopert Technologies Company
    Inventors: Sean Blondin, Thomas Reed
  • Patent number: 9234657
    Abstract: According to one or more arrangements, a lamp may include a device body having heat conductive properties. The device body may include a light source support and a heat radiating surface forming at least a portion of an exterior surface of the lamp device. In some examples, the light source support may be integrally formed with the heat radiating surface. The light source support may further be thermally connected or fixed to a board in various manners (e.g., screw). The board may include a plurality of light-emitting elements mounted thereon. The lamp may further include a cover. In one example, the cover may be constructed of a translucent material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Osawa, Kazuto Morikawa
  • Patent number: 9234658
    Abstract: The object of the present disclosure is an active positioning system for positioning at least one mobile device (100) by utilizing radio frequency technology, the positioning system comprising at least one essentially stationary fixed base station (101) i.e. an active positioning system antenna (101), and an electronics unit (106) i.e. a transceiver of the antenna (101), which transceiver comprises at least one antenna for transmitting signals comprising at least position information to at least one mobile device (100), which position information of the signals comprises information on an effect area of the antenna (102, 104) by using certain transmit power. The active positioning system comprises as the mobile device a TAG (100), which is fixed to the user or application of the TAG directly or indirectly, an electronics unit (106) of the base station (101), at least one antenna (102, 104) directed to different sections of a controlled area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Inventor: Sauli Hepo-Oja
  • Patent number: 9234659
    Abstract: A flame tube for a liquid fuel burner is disclosed. The liquid fuel burner includes a fuel atomizer directing atomized fuel into the flame tube and an igniter disposed within the flame tube to ignite the atomized fuel. The flame tube comprises an outer wall and an inner wall disposed about the outer wall to define an air passage therebetween. At a discharge end of the flame tube, the outer and inner walls are conjoined to form an annular surface, the annular surface being perforated. Preferably, the annular surface is perforated in an evenly distributed pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Inventor: Robert S. Babington
  • Patent number: 9234660
    Abstract: Described herein are embodiments of systems and methods for oxidizing gases. In some embodiments, a reaction chamber is configured to receive a fuel gas and maintain the gas at a temperature within the reaction chamber that is above an autoignition temperature of the gas. The reaction chamber may also be configured to maintain a reaction temperature within the reaction chamber below a flameout temperature. In some embodiments, heat and product gases from the oxidation process can be used, for example, to drive a turbine, reciprocating engine, and injected back into the reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: ENER-CORE POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Armstrong, Boris A. Maslov
  • Patent number: 9234661
    Abstract: A burner control system for improving burner performance and efficiency. The system may determine fuel and air channel or manifold parameters. Determination of parameters may be performed with a sensor connected across the air and fuel channels. A signal from the sensor may control the parameters which in turn affect the amounts of fuel and air to the burner via a controller. Parameter control of the fuel and air in their respective channels may result in more accurate fuel and air ratio control. One or more flow restrictors in fuel and/or air bypass channels may further improve accuracy of the fuel and air ratio. The channels may be interconnected with a pressure or flow divider. Byproducts of combustion in the exhaust, temperatures of gas and air, flame quality and/or other items may be monitored and adjusted with control of the fuel and air ratio for optimum combustion in the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Young, David Kucera, Donald J. Kasprzyk, Willem Super, Jos Praat, Roelof Thiewes, Hans van der Mei, Brian Zabel, John D. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 9234662
    Abstract: A fuel-air premixer for use in a combustor of a gas turbine includes an air inlet, a fuel inlet, a shroud, a central body and a cascade of vanes. The premixer mixes fuel and air in the annular mixing passage into a uniform mixture for injecting into a combustor reaction zone. The air from a compressor is injected into the mixer through an air inlet. The fuel is introduced into air stream via fuel injection holes that pass through the walls of the vanes which contain internal fuel flow passages. The flow field inside the premixer is broken up by the arrayed vanes into a series of small regions each containing a well designed small size mixing eddy which is steadily attached to the surface of the vanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: The Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, The Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Yue Wang, Zongming Yu, Wenjun Kong, Baorui Wang, Yuhua Ai
  • Patent number: 9234663
    Abstract: A hot water supply apparatus for combined use with an air conditioner is provided that may include an indoor unit having an indoor heat exchanger to heat exchange a first refrigerant with indoor air, and a cascade hot water heater connected to the indoor unit to receive the first refrigerant and to provide a second refrigerant to heat water. The cascade hot water heater may perform a heat exchange between the first refrigerant and a second refrigerant. The cascade hot water heater may include a capacity variable compressor to limit a maximum flowing amount of the second refrigerant and increase a flowing amount of the first refrigerant to flow to the indoor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyoungsuk Woo, Jongchul Ha
  • Patent number: 9234664
    Abstract: A programmable and on-demand hot water heater unit that locally and remotely changes the set temperature for a conventional water heater and locally and remotely activates the hot water recirculation pump associated with a conventional hot water heating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Inventors: Robert Edward Hayner, Robert Ashley Hayner
  • Patent number: 9234665
    Abstract: An energy exchanger is provided. The exchanger includes a housing having a front and a back. A plurality of panels forming desiccant channels extend from the front to the back of the housing. Air channels are formed between adjacent panels. The air channels are configured to direct an air stream in a direction from the front of the housing to the back of the housing. A desiccant inlet is provided in flow communication with the desiccant channels. A desiccant outlet is provided in flow communication with the desiccant channels. The desiccant channels are configured to channel desiccant from the desiccant inlet to the desiccant outlet in at least one of a counter-flow or cross-flow direction with respect to the direction of the air stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignees: NORTEK AIR SOLUTIONS CANADA, INC., UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN
    Inventors: Blake Erb, Robert W. Besant, Carey J. Simonson, Howard Hemingson
  • Patent number: 9234666
    Abstract: A heat transfer apparatus for heating and cooling a room includes a heat exchanger including a body with tubing and fins traversed by a heat transfer fluid, the heat exchanger including a first module and a second module. A plurality of helical fans downstream from the heat exchanger have axes of rotation passing between the first and second modules. A plate for storing heat is downstream from the plurality of helical fans is present. Each of the axes of rotation pass through the plate, and the plate and frame together define an air outlet configured to expel air from the apparatus in a direction parallel to the rotation axes, and define an air passage parallel to the plate from the helical fans to the air outlet, and wherein the apparatus defines an air inlet configured to draw air in a direction traverse to the rotation axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Inventors: Michel Cinier, Stéphane Cinier
  • Patent number: 9234667
    Abstract: An air passage that connects an inlet port that sucks air from a dehumidification target space and an outlet port that supplies air to the dehumidification target space; a heating device that heats the air; a first moisture adsorption/desorption device releasing moisture into air that has a relatively low humidity and absorbing moisture from air that has a relatively high humidity; a second moisture adsorption/desorption device disposed so as to be spaced apart from the first moisture adsorption/desorption device, a cooling device cooling air that has been humidified; and switching devices switching between an air path passing air through the first moisture adsorption/desorption device, the cooling device, and the second moisture adsorption/desorption device in this order, and an air path in which the air passes through the second moisture adsorption/desorption device, the cooling device, and the first moisture adsorption/desorption device in this order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Ito, Masaki Toyoshima, Fumitake Unezaki
  • Patent number: 9234668
    Abstract: A user-friendly, network-connected learning thermostat is described. The thermostat is made up of (1) a wall-mountable backplate that includes a low-power consuming microcontroller used for activities such as polling sensors and switching on and off the HVAC functions, and (2) separable head unit that includes a higher-power consuming microprocessor, color LCD backlit display, user input devices, and wireless communications modules. The thermostat also includes a rechargeable battery and power-stealing circuitry adapted to harvest power from HVAC triggering circuits. By maintaining the microprocessor in a “sleep” state often compared to the lower-power microcontroller, high-power consuming activities, such as learning computations, wireless network communications and interfacing with a user, can be temporarily performed by the microprocessor even though the activities use energy at a greater rate than is available from the power stealing circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Michael Fadell, Matthew Lee Rogers, Edwin H. Satterthwaite, Jr., Ian C. Smith, Daniel Adam Warren, Joseph E. Palmer, Shigefumi Honjo, Grant M. Erickson, Jonathan Alan Dutra, Hugo Fiennes
  • Patent number: 9234669
    Abstract: An occupancy sensing electronic thermostat is described that includes a thermostat body, an electronic display that is viewable by a user in front of the thermostat, a passive infrared sensor for measuring infrared energy and an infrared energy directing element formed integrally with a front surface of the thermostat body. The passive infrared sensor may be positioned behind the infrared energy directing element such that infrared energy is directed thereonto by the infrared energy directing element. The thermostat may also include a temperature sensor and a microprocessor programmed to detect occupancy based on measurements from the passive infrared sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: John Benjamin Filson, Eric B. Daniels, Brian Huppi
  • Patent number: 9234670
    Abstract: An air conditioning device and a control method of the same are provided. The air conditioning device may include a controller configured to control the air conditioning device based on a control signal input at an input device, in accordance with at least one sleep mode to provide heating or cooling to a designated room at a first operation temperature and a second operation temperature that is higher than the first operation temperature, the first and second operation temperatures being alternately applied multiple times. This may provide a user with an air conditioning function which corresponds to the user's sleeping patterns and provide for a more pleasant sleeping environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Juyoun Lee
  • Patent number: 9234671
    Abstract: An air conditioning indoor unit includes a movable first air direction adjustment plate that changes an up and down direction of the outlet air, a second air direction adjustment plate disposed adjacent to the air outlet, and a control unit that controls postures of the first and second adjustment plates. The second adjustment plate has at least a front end portion housed in an indoor unit front portion outside a blowing path when housed. In a Coanda effect utilization mode the control unit controls the postures of the first and second adjustment plates such that the second adjustment plate is spaced apart from the indoor unit front portion and a height position of a rear end portion is lower than when operation is stopped, and the adjustment plates form a predetermined angle to change the outlet air to a Coanda air flow along an undersurface of the second adjustment plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanao Yasutomi, Takahiro Okamoto, Masashi Kamada, Hironobu Teraoka, Noriyuki Okuda
  • Patent number: 9234672
    Abstract: An aircraft cabin pressure control system outflow thrust recovery valve includes a frame, a valve element, and actuation hardware. The frame, valve element, and at least a portion of the actuation hardware are made of composite material. The actuation hardware is disposed external to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Darrell Horner, Ross F. Meyer, Albert Kang, Kevin Prodromides, Barrett Fuhrmann, Karl Schroeder, Beth Miller, David P. Gentile, Govind Yadav
  • Patent number: 9234673
    Abstract: An air handling unit has a blower configured to selectively move air from an air inlet of the air handling unit to an air outlet of the air handling unit along an airflow direction extending from the blower to the air outlet, a heat exchanger disposed within the air handling unit between the inlet and the outlet, the heat exchanger has a thermal conductor, an evaporator tube thermally conductively joined to the thermal conductor, and a subcooler tube thermally conductively joined to the thermal conductor. An expansion device provides fluid communication between the evaporator tube and the subcooler tube and a drain pan disposed within the air handling unit upstream relative to the at least one subcooler tube and positioned in a geometrical footprint of at least a portion of the drain pan as the drain pan is viewed from an upstream position in the airflow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan David Douglas, Kevin B. Mercer, Benton A. Harris, Jr., Stephen S. Hancock
  • Patent number: 9234674
    Abstract: A heating unit for heating fluid is described having at least one electrical resistance heating element on an outer surface of a tube. At least one indexed groove is provided around a surface of the tube allowing for at least one retention clip to hold the electrical resistance heating element. A heating chamber is also provided to enclose a portion of the tube and to provide a flow channel therebetween. The heating chamber includes an optical sensor to detect overheating of the at least one electrical resistance heating element. Fluid is heated by flowing over the surface of the at least one electrical resistance heating element and through the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: EEMAX, INC.
    Inventors: Chris Hayden, Eric R. Jurczyszak, Jeff Hankins
  • Patent number: 9234675
    Abstract: A hot water supply apparatus associated with a heat pump is provided. The hot water supply apparatus may employ a cascade heat pump including a two-stage cycle to perform a hot water supply operation. Refrigerants flowing through a heat side heat exchanger and a usage side heat exchanger may be heat-exchanged with water. Thus, the hot water supply operation may be continuously performed, without a defrosting operation, and hot water supply performance and heating performance may be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Byungsoon Kim, Jahyung Koo, Kyongmin Kwon
  • Patent number: 9234676
    Abstract: A hot water supply apparatus associated with a heat pump is provided. The hot water supply apparatus may employ a cascade heat pump including a two-stage cycle to perform a hot water supply operation. Refrigerants flowing through a heat side heat exchanger and a usage side heat exchanger may be heat-exchanged with water. Thus, the hot water supply operation may be continuously performed, without a defrosting operation, and hot water supply performance and heating performance may be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Byungsoon Kim, Jahyung Koo, Kyongmin Kwon
  • Patent number: 9234677
    Abstract: An electric heating device that provides additional heating for motor vehicles includes several heating elements assembled to form a heating block, and a controller for controlling the heating elements. The controller forms a constructional unit together with the heating block. Contact and/or cooler elements extend between the controller and the heating block. The controller is held at a control means support. Between the controller support and a heating block housing accommodating the heating block, sealing elements are provided through which the contact or cooler elements project and which are sealed by clamping between the controller support and the heating block housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Catem GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Clade, Franz Bohlender
  • Patent number: 9234678
    Abstract: Water heater apparatus is provided with features that allow for a horizontally compact water heater installation comprising upper and lower vertically stacked electric individual water heaters served by a single electrical branch circuit. Each of the upper and lower water heaters has a water storage capacity not exceeding 55 gallons, and the combined water storage capacity of the upper and lower water heaters is greater than 55 gallons. The electric heating elements of the two water heaters are non-simultaneously controlled so that at no time do the two water heaters heat water at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: RHEEM MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Jozef Boros, Hector Donastorg, Raheel A. Chaudhry
  • Patent number: 9234679
    Abstract: An on demand tankless water heater system that is capable of quickly delivering water within a desired temperature range. The tankless water heater provides a hybrid heating method that contains a primary heating system and a secondary heating system disposed in a buffer tank that cooperate to facilitate control of output water temperature during water usage. A pressure differential switch detects low flow demand and allows the secondary heating system to provide immediate heating to the water. This secondary heating system provides a faster temperature response and fine tuning of output water temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Intellihot Green Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Sridhar Deivasigamani, Sivaprasad Akasam
  • Patent number: 9234680
    Abstract: A solar light reflecting plate used for a light condensing and heat collecting device which includes a solar light reflecting plate that reflects and condenses solar light and a heat collecting tube that receives the solar light condensed by the solar light reflecting plate and is heated by the condensed solar light, wherein the solar light reflecting plate includes at least a rolled substrate, a surface roughness of a solar light reflecting surface that is an outermost surface and that reflects solar light is 0.02 ?m to 1.0 ?m in terms of arithmetic mean roughness Ra, and the solar light reflecting plate is disposed so that an angle between a rolling direction of the substrate and a longitudinal direction of the heat collecting tube is 80° to 100°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Kazumichi Sashi, Takahiko Oshige, Naoki Nishiyama, Yoshihito Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 9234681
    Abstract: The present invention discloses further improvement of the shape and disposition of the optical reflecting elements that make up the primary concentrating reflector and the secondary redirecting reflector disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 12/580,251 (Solar Energy Concentrator) filed by the same Inventor. In one aspect, it discloses a method for designing and building reflectors for a solar concentrator array comprising primary and secondary reflectors wherein the multiple components cooperate to continually concentrate the incoming solar radiation on a remote stationary absorber as the sun runs its course across the sky.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Inventor: Raja Singh Tuli
  • Patent number: 9234682
    Abstract: A two-phase heat exchanger includes a hot side heat sink, a cold side heat sink, and one or more thermoelectric modules disposed between the hot side heat sink and the cold sink heat sink such that hot sides of the one or more thermoelectric modules are thermally coupled to the hot side heat sink and cold sides of the one or more thermoelectric modules are thermally coupled to the cold side heat sink. The two-phase heat exchanger is configured to be mounted at an angle from vertical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Phononic Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Jesse W. Edwards, M. Sean June, Robert Joseph Therrien, Abhishek Yadav
  • Patent number: 9234683
    Abstract: An air treatment system for a vehicle includes a first compressor selectively coupled to a first vehicle power source. A second compressor is selectively coupled to a second vehicle power source. A first heat exchanger communicates with an interior space in the vehicle. A second heat exchanger communicates with an environment outside the vehicle. A valve member, in a first position, couples an inlet of each of the first and second compressors to an outlet of the first heat exchanger and an outlet of each of the compressors to an inlet of the second heat exchanger. In a second position, the valve member couples the outlets of the compressors to an inlet of the first heat exchanger and the inlets of the compressors to an outlet of the second heat exchanger. A controller selectively actuates at least one of the first and second compressors and the valve member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: HDT Expeditionary Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Creed, Steven G. Skinner
  • Patent number: 9234684
    Abstract: A valve case (11) includes a plurality of ports (P1, P2, P3, . . . ). A valve body (50) rotates in the valve case (11) and slide on openings of predetermined ones of the ports (P1, P2, P3, . . . ) to switch a communication state among the ports (P1, P2, P3, . . . ). A motor (31) rotates the valve body (50). A controller (500) controls a rotation speed (?) of the motor (31) in accordance with a differential pressure (?P) between internal and external pressures of the valve body (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Kojima, Noriyuki Okuda, Takayuki Setoguchi
  • Patent number: 9234685
    Abstract: Embodiments to increase the capacity of the evaporator of a vapor-compression refrigeration system are described. The refrigeration system may be configured to have a first stage suction line heat exchanger and a second stage suction line heat exchanger. The refrigerant exiting the evaporator can be heated by the first heat exchanger. A thermal bulb of an expansion device, such as a thermostatic expansion valve (TXV) can be positioned downstream of the first heat exchanger. The thermal bulb is capable of regulating a variable volume of refrigerant through the expansion device in response to temperature changes. Thus, the superheat refrigerant vapor region in the evaporator can be reduced, thereby increasing the efficiency of the refrigeration system. The refrigerant exiting the evaporator is a liquid/vapor refrigerant mixture. The mixture can be vaporized to a refrigerant vapor in the first heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: THERMO KING CORPORATION
    Inventor: Srinivasa Rao Koppineedi
  • Patent number: 9234686
    Abstract: A controller can be connected to a heat transfer system including pressure and temperature sensors, an electrically controlled valve, and a compressor. The controller can be configured to control the heat transfer system according to compressor suction superheat, compressor discharge superheat, compressor suction pressure, compressor discharge pressure, and temperature of water received at a condenser to be heated by waste-heat bearing fluid in an evaporator. The controller can include a touchscreen configured to display a user control interface configured to display views based on a permissions database defining different types of users. The views can include different views having different input fields, output fields, and output graphs. The permissions database can permit input of control loop parameters by one of the different types of users and prevent input of control loop parameters by another of the different types of users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: ENERGY RECOVERY SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Sean Douglas Marte, Thomas King Fu Leung
  • Patent number: 9234687
    Abstract: A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a main body including a compartment, an ice bank configured to store ice cubes, an ice maker configured to generate ice cubes and to move the ice cubes to the ice bank, the ice maker including an ice tray, a cover configured to isolate the ice bank and the ice maker from the compartment, the cover including a first opening and an ice shutter configured to prevent cold air flowing through the first opening of the cover into the ice maker from being introduced into the ice bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Seunggeun Lee
  • Patent number: 9234688
    Abstract: Provided is an ice maker. The ice maker includes an upper tray including a plurality of first recessed parts, each having a hemispherical shape, and a lower tray including a plurality of second recessed parts, each having a hemispherical shape. The ice maker also includes a driving unit that moves at least one of the upper tray and the lower tray to change between an attached orientation in which the upper tray is attached to the lower tray to define a plurality of spherical shells and a separated orientation in which the upper tray is separated from the lower tray. The ice maker further includes a water supply part configured to supply water into the shells and an ejecting unit disposed outside the shells and configured to facilitate separation of ice pieces made in the shells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Juhyun Son, Wookyong Lee, Donghoon Lee, Dongjeong Kim
  • Patent number: 9234689
    Abstract: Provided is an ice maker. The ice maker includes a tray member comprising an upper tray having an upper shell and a lower tray having a lower shell. The ice maker also includes a driving unit disposed on a side of the tray member and configured to linearly move, in a vertical direction, at least one of the upper tray and the lower tray to change between an attached orientation in which the upper shell is attached to the lower shell to define a spherical shell and a separated orientation in which the upper shell is separated from the lower shell. The ice maker further includes an ejecting unit that is disposed on a side of the tray member and that is configured to facilitate separation of an ice piece made in the spherical shell from at least one of the upper tray and the lower tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Juhyun Son, Wookyong Lee, Donghoon Lee, Dongjeong Kim
  • Patent number: 9234690
    Abstract: A refrigeration appliance includes a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment, and an ice maker within the fresh food compartment for freezing water into ice pieces. In one example, a rotatable auger drives the ice pieces out of a removable ice bin via a driving force applied in a first direction. A latch is configured to apply a resisting force to the ice bin along a second direction. In another example, an air mover is disposed within the ice maker for delivering cooled air from an ice maker evaporator to a region adjacent to the ice bin. At least one air channel is formed into an inside surface of the ice maker chamber. In another example, a method of making ice in the refrigeration appliance is provided. The method includes the steps of operating the air mover and a defrost heating of the ice maker evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas W. McCollough, Nilton Carlos Bertolini, Justin Morgan, Dennis Carl Hansen
  • Patent number: 9234691
    Abstract: A cryostat for providing temperature regulation, one purpose being measuring physical properties of materials, the cryostat employing a superconducting magnet assembly for generating variable magnetic field in the sample space and a cryogenic cooler for cooling the sample space. The cryogenic cooler chamber configuration provides for efficient heat exchange between different stages of the cryogenic cooler without the need for physical heat links. This construction enables selective delivery of cooling power from the cryogenic cooler to the desired areas within the cryostat without using flexible physical thermal links. A counter flow exchanger and ambient temperature valves facilitate efficient use of the cryogenic cooler stages. The removal of large heat load generated by the superconducting magnet while operating in the sweeping mode is achieved, in part, by employing a solid plate thermal coupling element between the cryogenic cooler chamber and the magnet assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Quantum Design International, Inc.
    Inventors: Randall Black, Dinesh Martien, William Neils, Jost Diederichs
  • Patent number: 9234692
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a superconducting magnetic apparatus that conductively cools a superconducting coil contained in a vacuum container with a cryogenic refrigerator. The superconducting magnetic apparatus includes a thermal conductor thermally connecting a cooling stage of the cryogenic refrigerator to the superconducting coil, a radiation blocking layer provided around the superconducting coil, and a coil supporting body supporting the superconducting coil by partial or entire contact with a surface of the superconducting coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kei Koyanagi, Taizo Tosaka, Tsutomu Shimonosono, Michitaka Ono, Tsutomu Kurusu
  • Patent number: 9234693
    Abstract: An image sensing apparatus includes a focal plane array and a cold shield thermally isolated from the focal plane array. The cryogenic cooling apparatus further includes a first cryocooler assembly comprising a first cold finger thermally coupled to the focal plane array. The first cryocooler assembly is configured to maintain a focal plane array operating temperature. The cryogenic cooling apparatus includes a second cryocooler assembly comprising a second cold finger thermally coupled to the cold shield. The second cryocooler assembly is configured to maintain a cold shield operating temperature that is different from the focal plane array operating temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: L-3 Communications Cincinnati Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: J. Brian Toft, Fred Nicol
  • Patent number: 9234694
    Abstract: Refrigeration units and door systems for refrigeration units are provided. A door system for a refrigeration unit includes an outer frame and at least two sliding doors having the same size. Each door can include inner, outer, upper and lower sides that can have side outer surfaces presenting a seal profile that permits each door to seal when in a closed position. Each door can include pins extending outward from side outer surfaces of the upper and lower sides. The door system can include two parallel running rails within the outer frame. Each rail can include an upper sliding groove in which the pins of the sliding door run when the sliding doors move to an open position and a plurality of seating grooves that open up to the upper sliding grooves and extend downward from the upper sliding grooves in which the sliding doors reside in a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: REFRIGERACION OJEDA
    Inventor: Jorge Gonzalez Rivas
  • Patent number: 9234695
    Abstract: A refrigerator assembly includes a cabinet having one or more compartments and a door configured to provide access to the one or more compartments. The refrigerator assembly further includes a mullion portion movably attached with respect the door and a hinge assembly attaching the mullion portion to the door such that the mullion portion is rotatably movable with respect to the door about a rotational axis between a first position and a second position. The refrigerator assembly further includes a leaf spring and a cam structure. The cam structure includes a first recess for receiving the leaf spring when the mullion portion is in the first position. The cam structure further includes a second recess for receiving the leaf spring when the mullion portion is in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Paul Dubina, Adam Ellis
  • Patent number: 9234696
    Abstract: A refrigerator controls the temperature of an upper space and a lower space. A heat source supplier provides heat in the upper space. A control unit controls the heat source supplier based on the sensed temperature from a temperature sensor to maintain the temperature of the upper space to be higher than the temperature of the lower space, and control a cooling circuit to maintain the temperature of the lower space to be below the temperature of a maximum ice crystal formation zone of water and the temperature of the upper space to be over the temperature of the maximum ice crystal formation zone of water, thus maintaining a supercooled state of a stored liquid in the container as a preset state during a first time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Deok-Hyun Youn, Ju-Hyun Kim, Sang-Ho Oh, Cheol-Hwan Kim, Hoon-Bong Lee
  • Patent number: 9234697
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a control apparatus and a storing space composed of an upper space and a lower space between which the air or heat exchange is limited. The storing space has a liquid in a supercooled state. A determination unit calculates an accumulated time during which the temperature of the storing space is maintained in a supercooling temperature range below the maximum ice crystal formation zone of the stored liquid after the sensed temperature enters the supercooling temperature range, compares the accumulated time with a supercooled-state determination time and determines that the stored liquid is in the supercooled state if the accumulated time is equal to or greater than the supercooled-state determination time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Deok-Hyun Youn, Ju-Hyun Kim, Sang-Ho Oh, Cheol-Hwan Kim, Hoon-Bong Lee
  • Patent number: 9234698
    Abstract: A process for compressing a CO2-rich fluid containing water. The CO2-rich fluid is compressed in a compressor; upstream of the compression step, an antifreeze is mixed with the CO2-rich fluid containing water. The CO2-rich fluid containing antifreeze is cooled, water is separated from the cooled fluid and the water-depleted cooled fluid is compressed in the compressor, wherein the CO2-rich fluid containing water is sent to a scrubbing column fed, preferably at the top, with a water/antifreeze mixture, where it cools and is separated from the water, the water-depleted cooled fluid is extracted from the top of the column; a water/antifreeze mixture in the column is extracted at a level below the top; the mixture is cooled using the refrigeration from an apparatus for cooling and/or purifying the cooled fluid compressed in the compressor and the fluid is returned to the top of the column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Société Anonyme Pour L'Étude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain Briglia, Philippe Court, Arthur Darde
  • Patent number: 9234699
    Abstract: An elongate flexible band may be formed into a self-adjusting closed loop for insertion into an opening in a garment. The loop expands against the sides of the garment opening, holding the garment open to enhance airflow into the garment. A loop connector limits the closed loop to a maximum preferred diameter. The flexible band includes an accessory connector for attaching accessories such as a scent container, holder, or electric fan. The accessory connector may include retaining posts or may alternatively include flanged retaining blocks. A scent container or other accessory may optionally include flanges, flanged retaining blocks, or other attachment means. An optional timer controls discharge from a spray container into a garment. An embodiment of the invention may optionally be provided together with garment such as a glove for a hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Inventor: Arnold M. Hall
  • Patent number: 9234700
    Abstract: In this invention, air leakage controls, method of controlling air leakage, and system for controlling air leakage in an industrial tunnel oven for use in an industrial tunnel oven and process for heating products conveyed along the tunnel oven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Carbonyx, Inc.
    Inventors: Siddhartha Gaur, Vibha Bansal, Travis Day, Pablo Palomo, Albert Montgomery, Billy Joe Metker, Michael Flagler, John Greg Bush
  • Patent number: 9234701
    Abstract: A crushing drying device includes an object-to-be-treated supply port from which an object is supplied into a main body, a crushing portion for crushing the object by hammers rotated on a drive shaft, and a classifying portion having a space for circulating the object to be treated at a position away from the crushing portion, the crushing portion has a dry gas supply port from which the heated air is supplied in a predetermined direction along an inner surface of the device main body, and the classifying portion has discharge portions from which the crushed object is discharged together with the heated air, and deviation plates for changing a flow of the object transferred to the classifying portion, so that the crushing drying device is one machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kinki
    Inventors: Naoya Wada, Katsu Matsumoto, Hiroaki Kajiyama, Masuyuki Mieda, Kazuhiro Yamamoto, Natsuki Takemoto
  • Patent number: 9234702
    Abstract: A prebake equipment for drying a substrate (105) and an air discharge method, the prebake equipment comprising: a bottom plate (105), a periphery frame (101) and an upper cover plate, the bottom plate (105) and the upper cover plate being spaced from each other, the periphery frame (101) being provided between the bottom plate (105) and the upper cover plate such that the bottom plate (105), the periphery frame (101) and the upper cover plate define a cavity, wherein discharge holes are provided at the periphery frame (101) and a filler (104) for filtering moisture and dust in the air stream is provided between the bottom plate (105) and the periphery frame (101).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP Co., Ltd., HEFEI BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xudong Cao, Seong Cho Lee, Dongdong Yin, Kun Li, Xinxiao Hua, Lifeng Wu, Chao Li, Wenxu Wang