Patents Issued in March 26, 2019
  • Patent number: 10240816
    Abstract: A smart water heater system (SWHS) for a domestic water system having a plurality of fixtures has a water tank having a cold water inlet and a heat source configured to heat the cold water. The SWHS may also have a mixing valve to blend cold water with the hot water to produce blended water, wherein the blended water is directed to the domestic water system. The SWHS may have a controller in communication with the mixing valve configured to identify which fixture is being used when the domestic water system is drawing water from the water tank, determine an average water temperature utilized by each fixture, and adjust the mixing valve based on which fixture is identified such that a temperature of the blended water is generally equal to the average water temperature for the identified fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: University of Virginia Patent Foundation
    Inventors: Cameron Dean Whitehouse, Md Anindya Tahsin Prodhan
  • Patent number: 10240817
    Abstract: A water heating system includes a tank, one or more heating elements mounted on the water heating system, and a first controller mounted on the tank. The first controller is coupled to the one or more heating elements and includes logic to activate and deactivate the heating elements according to a first threshold value. The water heater also includes a second controller that is selectively coupled to the first controller and configured to communicate the first threshold value to the first controller, and perform an additional function related to the operation of the water heater. The first controller is configured to receive the first threshold value from the second controller and control the one or more heating elements based on the received threshold value, and to control the one or more heating elements mounted on the water heating system in a physical absence of the second controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: A. O. SMITH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Terry G. Phillips, Wade C. Patterson
  • Patent number: 10240818
    Abstract: A controller is configured to set total stop in which operations of all of a plurality of water heaters are stopped when an abnormal condition of a fan or an abnormal condition in communication is sensed in any of the plurality of water heaters while at least one of the plurality of water heaters is operating. The controller is further configured not to set total stop when an abnormal condition of the fan or an abnormal condition in communication is sensed in at least one of the plurality of water heaters while a sensing element for sensing a backflow of an exhaust from an exhaust path assembly is connected to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: NORITZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takao Muko, Shinichi Okamoto
  • Patent number: 10240819
    Abstract: A method for producing a node for solar mirror frame having the steps of placing an aluminum billet having a diameter of less than 13 inches into a die. There is the step of extruding the billet through the die so an extrusion is formed having an elongate portion to which a structural element is attached, and a fin extending radially outward from the elongate portion where at least 5% of the volume of the fin is replaced by at least a single void extending essentially in parallel with the elongate portion, the elongate portion and the fin having a circle diameter of less than 12 inches; and cutting the extrusion to form the node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Werner Extrusion Solutions LLC
    Inventors: Craig Roy Werner, John Funai, Nicholas Palladino
  • Patent number: 10240820
    Abstract: In various representative aspects, an end clamp that mounts a bottom flange of a solar panel module to a rail support structure without requiring any tools for insertion while mechanically fastening and electrically bonding the solar panel module to the rail support structure. A method of installation is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Ironridge, Inc.
    Inventors: Jon Ash, Shawn J. Meine, David Taggart
  • Patent number: 10240821
    Abstract: A cryocooler is provided that includes: a regenerator piston; a drive coupler; and a link flexure having a proximal end coupled by a first pin to the drive coupler and having a distal end coupled by a second pin to the regenerator piston, where the link flexure forms a vane having flattened opposing faces that are orthogonal to a longitudinal axis for the first and second pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: FLIR SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Uri Bin-Nun
  • Patent number: 10240822
    Abstract: A thermoacoustic heating device capable of effectively utilizing streaming, and including a prime mover in a first pipeline that forms a loop line, and a heating device in a second pipeline that forms another loop line. The first and second pipelines are connected to each other via a branch pipeline. A branch pipeline on the prime mover side and the second pipeline on the heating device side are positioned adjacent to each other, and a low-temperature side heat exchanger of the heating device is integrally formed with or held in contact with the branch pipeline on the prime mover side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventors: Shou Ozaki, Yasushi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10240823
    Abstract: An air conditioning system that includes desiccant compartments for holding a desiccant; a heat exchanger, a blower and a vessel. The heat exchanger can be filled with a heat transfer medium, while the blower blows ambient air by the heat exchanger such that the blown air is cooled and the heat exchanger is warmed such that thermal energy increases and is transferred from the air to the heat transfer medium causing the heat transfer medium to turn into vapor. The vapor is then diffused to one of the desiccant compartments such that the vapor is adsorbed onto the desiccant creating a mixture. Then an energy source is applied to the mixture such that the vapor and desiccant are separated. The separated vapor is transported to the vessel where it is condensed and then sent back to the heat exchanger, such that the system is able to be continuously operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignees: OxiCool Inc, The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Ravikant T. Barot, Jonathan William Kaufman, Stephen M. Coleman
  • Patent number: 10240824
    Abstract: An air operated heat exchanger has a plurality of process tubes for process fluid, a plurality of rotating fans to move ambient air along an air stream path past the plurality of process tubes. At least one optical fiber is configured within the one or more air stream paths. At least one light pulse is passed into the at least one optical fiber, and at least one optical signal is detected from the at least one optical fiber in response to the at least one light pulse, to provide at least one signal profile. One or more air temperatures at a plurality of locations along the at least one optical fiber are determined from the at least one signal profile and evaluated against one or more comparison operational conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: SHELL OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Leendert Johannes Arie Zoetemeijer, Paul Kinghorn, Paul Blackhurst, Willem Boevee
  • Patent number: 10240825
    Abstract: An evaporator set, preferably for a thermally driven adsorption device. In an evaporator set that can be connected an easily output-scalable modular thermally driven condenser set and, as a result, can be used simultaneously as a heat or cold store, a liquid collector is connected via a blockable expansion valve with an evaporator for cooling a fluid, wherein the liquid collector, the expansion valve and the evaporator form a structural unit, and wherein the liquid collector has a fluid inlet for and the evaporator a fluid outlet to a thermally driven condenser set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventor: Roland Burk
  • Patent number: 10240826
    Abstract: A heat exchanger is provided that includes a first tube/fin block, first headers arranged on both sides of the first tube/fin block, which first headers communicate with the tubes of the first tube/fin block, and a second tube/fin block having second headers arranged on both sides of the second tube/fin block, which second headers communicate with the tubes of the second tube/fin block, wherein the first tube/fin block having the corresponding first headers is an air-cooled low-temperature coolant cooler and the second tube/fin block having the corresponding second headers is an air-cooled refrigerant cooler, wherein the headers of the first tube/fin block arranged on a respective side of the tube-fin block and a header of the second tube/fin block are connected to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Diem, Uwe Foerster, Pedro Gonzalez Rechea, Klaus Haβdenteufel, Herbert Hofmann, Martin Kaspar
  • Patent number: 10240827
    Abstract: A liquid chiller system utilizing a refrigerant capable of possessing a liquid state and a gas/vapor state, the refrigerant being cycled through a closed loop assembly of a compressor, an eccentric condenser and an eccentric evaporator. The eccentric compressor has a lower integrated reservoir and the eccentric evaporator has an upper dedicated reservoir such that separate, dedicated separator or receiver vessels are not required. The eccentric condenser is positioned above the eccentric evaporator such that liquid refrigerant flows by gravity from the eccentric condenser to the eccentric evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Stellar Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Luke T. Facemyer
  • Patent number: 10240828
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include a connection pipe and a method of manufacturing the connection pipe for an evaporator of a refrigeration device. In the connection pipe and method, high-frequency welding is performed while a first pipe is at one side of a tube and a second pipe is at another side of the tube are welded, and a first curvature portion is in the first pipe and a second curvature portion is in the second pipe. Even though the connection pipe according to embodiments of the present invention is forced or pressed to connect a suction pipe to the second pipe, the connection pipe may not be deformed or damaged due to a structural characteristic during installation of the evaporator in the refrigeration device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Dongbu Daewoo Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Myeong Suck Kim
  • Patent number: 10240829
    Abstract: A valve for use in an air exchange panel (20) of a transportation refrigeration system is provided including a valve cap (102) configured and arranged to be positioned adjacent the air exchange panel (20) and movable between a first position and a second position. The valve cap (102) includes a magnetic portion. A resilient flexible member (110) is coupled to the valve cap (102) and is configured and arranged to be coupled to the air exchange panel (20). The resilient flexible member (110) biases the valve cap (102) into a first position. An electromagnet (150) is positioned inside the air exchange panel (20), opposite the valve cap (102). A controller is coupled to the electromagnet (150) to selectively apply power to move the valve cap (102) between the first position and the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Curtis Richardson
  • Patent number: 10240830
    Abstract: An expansion valve (1) for a vapor compression system, the valve (1) comprising a first valve part (5) having an outlet orifice (7) and a piston (8) movable inside the outlet orifice (7) in response to a differential pressure across the expansion valve (1), controlling a fluid flow through the valve (1). The piston (8) comprises a stop element (9) at an outlet end (8b) of the piston (8) and mechanical forcing means (10) to force the piston (8) towards a position in which the stop element (9) is brought into abutment with a valve seat (12) of the first valve part (5). A differential pressure below a predefined threshold value causes the stop element (9) of the piston (8) to abut the valve seat (12) of the first valve part (5), preventing fluid flow through the first valve part (5), via the forward fluid passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Danfoss A/S
    Inventors: Bjarke Skovgard Dam, Georg Fosel, Carsten Molhede Thomsen, Jens Pawlik, Louis Sullivan
  • Patent number: 10240831
    Abstract: A power element has a closed space provided between a first diaphragm and a second diaphragm. An interposing member is interposed between the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm. Accordingly, a size of the closed space can be optionally determined in accordance with a shape such as a thickness of the interposing member. Therefore, limitations on the size of the closed space due to a shape of the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm can be reduced. Accordingly, limitations on the size of a fluid enclosing space due to a shape of a diagram can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeki Ito, Ryu Fukushima, Hiromi Ohta
  • Patent number: 10240832
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to oil lubricated helium compressor units for use in cryogenic refrigeration systems, operating on the Gifford McMahon (GM) cycle. This invention provides redundancy between water cooling and air cooling if there is a blockage in the water or air supply by having air and water cooled after-coolers in series or parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO (SHI) CRYOGENIC OF AMERICA, INC
    Inventors: R Bruce Sloan, Ralph C. Longsworth
  • Patent number: 10240833
    Abstract: An oil separator is provided. The oil separator includes a housing providing an oil separation space therein. An inlet introducing oil/gas mixture into the oil separation space is provided within an upper portion of the housing. An outlet discharging oil is provided within the lower portion of the housing. A gas discharge conduit is connected to the oil separation space. A portion of a surface exposed in the oil separation space is provided with a nanorod layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: KOOKMIN UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY ACADEMY COOPERATION FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Sihyung Lim, Joon Ahn, Barthwal Sumit
  • Patent number: 10240835
    Abstract: A pilot on-off valve in a refrigeration cycle device includes a main on-off valve that opens or closes a bypass passage through which a high-pressure side portion and a low-pressure side portion of a cycle communicate with each other, and a pilot valve that opens or closes a communication passage through which an inflow port and an outflow port of the pilot on-off valve communicate with each other. When the main on-off valve opens the bypass passage, the pilot valve opens the communication passage in a state where a refrigerant passage, in which a refrigerant flowing out of the pilot on-off valve flows, is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORTION
    Inventor: Hiromi Ohta
  • Patent number: 10240836
    Abstract: A system and method are provided including a system controller for a refrigeration or HVAC system having a compressor rack with a compressor and a condensing unit with a condenser fan. The system controller monitors and controls operation of the refrigeration or HVAC system. A rack controller monitors and controls operation of the compressor rack and determines compressor rack power consumption data. A condensing unit controller monitors and controls operation of the condensing unit and determines condensing unit power consumption data. The system controller receives the compressor rack power consumption data and the condensing unit power consumption data, determines a total power consumption of the refrigeration or HVAC system, determines a predicted power consumption or a benchmark power consumption for the refrigeration system, compares the total power consumption with the predicted power consumption or the benchmark power consumption, and generates an alert based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: John Wallace, Franklin Beltran, Frank S. Wallis, Keith Bertie, Paul L. Fullenkamp
  • Patent number: 10240837
    Abstract: An outdoor unit includes at least a compressor, a gas-liquid separator, and an outdoor heat exchanger of a refrigerant circuit, the refrigerant circuit being formed by connecting, by pipes, the compressor, a condenser, a pressure reducing device, the gas-liquid separator, and the outdoor heat exchanger that acts as an evaporator including at least a plurality of heat transfer tubes and an inlet header that distributes incoming refrigerant to the heat transfer tubes. The outdoor unit further includes a gas-liquid-separator bypass pipe, a gas-liquid-separator-side flow control valve, a header bypass pipe, a header-side flow control valve, and a determination device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yoji Onaka, Takashi Matsumoto, Mizuo Sakai, Hiroki Murakami, Hiroaki Nakamune
  • Patent number: 10240838
    Abstract: A drive controller for a motor of a compressor includes a drive circuit that applies voltages to windings of the motor. The drive controller includes a speed control module that controls the drive circuit to rotate the motor at a requested speed. The drive controller includes a speed determination module that generates the requested speed. The drive controller includes a defrost module that enables a defrost mode in response to a defrost command. While the defrost mode is enabled, the defrost module causes the speed determination module to (i) ramp the requested speed down from a speed demand to a defrost speed and (ii) maintain the requested speed at the defrost speed for a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne M. Penn, II, Jacob A. Groshek, Simon David Hart
  • Patent number: 10240839
    Abstract: An exemplary system includes a compressor, a condenser, an expander, and an evaporator fluidly coupled to form a vapor-compression circuit, and an electric motor configured to drive the compressor. An inverter having a plurality of switching elements is configured to provide an output voltage to the electric motor through operation of the switching elements. A waste heat recovery circuit is configured to transfer waste heat from the inverter to a load. A controller is configured provide switching commands to the switching elements of the inverter. The controller is further configured to sense a condition of the system, determine a heat production requirement based at least in part upon the system condition, and to vary the number of switching commands per unit time based at least in part upon the heat production requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Trane International LLC.
    Inventors: Benjamin James Sykora, Nathan Thomas West, Pavak Mehta
  • Patent number: 10240840
    Abstract: Systems and methods for scroll unloading detection are provided and include a scroll compressor having a scroll compression mechanism. A controller determines a predicted discharge temperature of the scroll compressor, receives an actual discharge temperature of the scroll compressor, and compares the predicted discharge temperature with the actual discharge temperature. The controller also compares a speed of the scroll compressor with a speed threshold and detects unloading of the scroll compression mechanism based on the comparison of the predicted discharge temperature with the actual discharge temperature and based on the comparison of the speed of the scroll compressor with the speed threshold. The controller performs at least one of generating an alert and a remediating action in response to detecting the unloading of the scroll compression mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jacob A. Groshek
  • Patent number: 10240841
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a compressor, an input current detector to detect input current of alternating current (AC) power inputted to the refrigerator, a converter to convert the inputted AC power into direct current (DC) power, a capacitor to store the converted DC power, an inverter to output AC power using the converted DC power for driving of the compressor, a DC terminal voltage detector to detect voltage at two terminals of the capacitor, and a compressor microcomputer to control the inverter and to calculate refrigerator power consumption based on the detected input current and the detected DC terminal voltage. The refrigerator enables simplified power consumption calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sangbok Choi, Kibae Lee
  • Patent number: 10240842
    Abstract: An ice maker apparatus is provided that may include a casing, an extruder die, an auger, a heat exchange body, and a fin portion. The casing may define a chamber about a central axis and extend along the central axis between a top portion and a bottom portion. The extruder die may be mounted to the casing at the top portion of the casing. The auger may be disposed within the chamber. The heat exchange body may be disposed in thermal engagement with the chamber. The heat exchange body may include a base wall extending along a portion of the casing and a sidewall extending outward from the base wall. The heat exchange body may also define an air duct across the base wall and sidewall. The fin portion may include a fin extending outward from the base wall. The fin may define a plurality of subchannels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Benjamin Miller
  • Patent number: 10240843
    Abstract: An ice bin (10) is disclosed which includes a storage bin (13) having a pair of side walls (14), and an pair of end walls (15) and a bottom wall (16). The side walls have a T-shaped recess (17) having a central base recess (18) and two arm recesses (19). Each central base recess is defined by a floor ledge (21) and a pair of side edges (22). The end walls also have grip recesses (20) which extend directly from the arm recesses. The arm recesses are defined by side top ledges (28) while the grip recesses are defined by end top ledges (29). The ice bin also includes a pair of pivotable handles (23) coupled to the storage bin. Each handle has a pair of leg portions (24), a pair of arm portions (25), and a grip portion (26) extending between the pair of arm portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Viking Range, LLC
    Inventors: Jemsheer Thayyullathil, Edward Thomas Lucic, Kevin Brown
  • Patent number: 10240844
    Abstract: A bagger for an ice vending machine provides improved design, operation, and maintenance characteristics. An ice vending machine includes a merchandiser having a door providing access into an interior, an ice maker with a chute, and an ice bagger mounted to the merchandiser in communication with the ice maker. The ice bagger includes a frame having opposed, unitary, first and second frame elements, a spool of bags pivoted to a front of the frame on a swingarm, a cutting element mounted to the frame for reciprocal movement, and a tensioning assembly carried on the frame to provide tension to bags unrolled from the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Premier Ice Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Metzger, Brandon Metzger
  • Patent number: 10240845
    Abstract: An system and method for cooling of electronic equipment, for example a computer system, in a subsurface environment including a containment vessel in at least partial contact with subsurface liquid or solid material. The containment vessel may be disposed in a variety of subsurface environments, including boreholes, man-made excavations, subterranean caves, as well as ponds, lakes, reservoirs, oceans, or other bodies of water. The containment vessel may be installed with a subsurface configuration allowing for human access for maintenance and modification. Cooling is achieved by one or more fluids circulating inside and/or outside the containment vessel, with a variety of configurations of electronic devices disposed within the containment vessel. The circulating fluid(s) may be cooled in place by thermal conduction or by active transfer of the fluid(s) out of the containment vessel to an external heat exchange mechanism, then back into the containment vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Inventor: David Lane Smith
  • Patent number: 10240846
    Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to delivering and maintaining perishable items within a certain temperature range during delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: David C. Winkle, Bruce W. Wilkinson, Todd D. Mattingly
  • Patent number: 10240847
    Abstract: A trailer refrigeration system incorporates a trailer refrigeration unit that is powered by multiple sources including a generator coupled to the truck, photovoltaic cells and a battery pack. The trailer refrigeration unit may be a conventional refrigerator having a compressor, an evaporator and a compressible refrigerant. The refrigeration unit may be powered by one or more electric motors, such as an axial flux or transverse flux motor that has high efficiency, high torque at low revolutions per minute (RPM). The refrigeration unit is powered at least in part by the generator when the truck is running below a threshold power level and may be powered by the battery pack and/or photovoltaic cells when the truck engine is not running or running above a threshold power level. A power management system including the battery management system is used to control the flow of power to the refrigeration unit and to and from the battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Inventor: Robert P Thomas, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10240848
    Abstract: A refrigerator including a moisture absorbing unit configured to absorb moisture in the cold air surrounding the evaporator. The moisture absorbing unit includes a moisture absorbing material. Therefore, undesirable frosting on the evaporator can be effectively prevented. The moisture absorbing unit can be heated by a defrosting heater disposed proximate to the evaporator and the moisture absorbing unit. Thus moisture in the moisture absorbing material can be removed and the moisture absorbing material can be repeatedly used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Dongbu Daewoo Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Jung Won Moon
  • Patent number: 10240849
    Abstract: The present the inventive technology is directed to improved methods and apparatus for the refrigeration of an enclosed space using external ambient air as a cooling medium. The inventive technology may cool an enclosed space utilizing, for example a modular designed duct system that may deliver a specific volume of supply air to an enclosed space at a specific temperature differential (TD) in relation to a desired set point of the enclosed space. This may be accomplished by mixing cold outside air and return air, or even running the return air through a fluid heat transfer chiller coil that may be cooled to varying temperatures by outside air utilizing an external chilling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Nordic Refrigeration, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard DeLia
  • Patent number: 10240850
    Abstract: A supplemental refrigeration heat sink includes a plurality of sealed tubes filled with a compound and arranged so as to extend across the top inside a refrigerated box. The compound is preferably a phase change compound with a melting point proximate to and higher than the average return air temperature. During the cooling phase of the box, the supplemental heat sink tubes are cooled, with the phase change material freezing or nearly freezing. During the heating phase, cooling fans can be secured and the phase change material readily absorbs heat from the box, slowing the temperature rise in the box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Inventor: Joseph P. Stine
  • Patent number: 10240851
    Abstract: A bottom-freezer refrigerator has an ice making compartment formed in a door thereof. Cold air formed in independent spaces of the refrigerating compartment is individually guided to the ice making compartment and the refrigerating compartment, thereby reducing power consumption and noise to be caused as the length of a fluid passage is increased. Foods are refrigerated or frozen and stored in a clean state. The foods in the refrigerating compartment are freshly stored in a high moisture state, and the door is prevented from being forcibly open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: HEFEI MIDEA REFRIGERATOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang-uk Kim, Zhengguang Lv, Zhongcheng Fang
  • Patent number: 10240852
    Abstract: In various implementations, an ice sensor may include heater(s), ice accumulation surface(s), and/or temperature sensor(s). During operation, heat from a heater may be provided to an ice accumulation surface and a temperature sensor(s) may determine temperature(s) of the ice accumulation surface. A determination of whether ice is present on the ice sensor may be based at least partially on the determined temperature(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Robert B. Dutch Uselton, Jonathan Douglas
  • Patent number: 10240853
    Abstract: A condensate drain pan including a drain pan surface, a front wall, including a front wall longitudinal axis, a rear wall, and opposing side walls. The front wall, the rear wall, and the opposing side walls extend from the drain pan surface. The front wall includes a first aperture and a second aperture. The first aperture and the second aperture include an aperture axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kevin Mercer, Barry W. Lee, Ryan K. Dygert
  • Patent number: 10240854
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes: a cabinet having a storage space formed therein; a door mounted to the cabinet to open/close the storage space; a mounting projection formed at a rear surface of the door; and a door basket attachably/detachably mounted at the rear surface of the door by the mounting projection, wherein the door basket includes: a storage part formed of a transparent material to allow the inside thereof to be seen, the storage part forming a space in which foods are stored; and a frame part formed at a bottom end of the storage part, the frame part being coupled to the mounting projection to support the door basket and simultaneously shield the mounting projection at the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Yongki Jung, Chanju Pae
  • Patent number: 10240855
    Abstract: In an insulator including an adsorbent configured to adsorb gas, an initial adsorption performance of the remaining gas inside the insulator using the adsorbent and a long-term adsorption performance of gas introduced into the insulator from the outside are improved so that the short-term performance and the long-term performance of the insulator can be simultaneously improved. An adsorbent that is a first part of an adsorbent included in a vacuum insulator is accommodated in a first space formed with an inside surface of a container, and an adsorbent that is a second part of the adsorbent is dispersed into a second space formed with an inside surface of an outer envelope and an outside surface of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Tsuruga, Kenji Takeuchi, Tomokazu Fukuzaki
  • Patent number: 10240856
    Abstract: A refrigerator may include a cabinet configured to form a storage compartment; a rear panel configured to form a rear wall of the storage compartment and have a cooling air outlet hole for discharging cooling air toward the storage compartment; a fan housing configured to couple to the rear panel and install a fan for generating a circulation of the cooling air therein; an outlet port configured to be formed in the fan housing and discharging the cooling air supplied by the drive of the fan; and a drawer configured to be withdrawn forward from an inside of the storage compartment. The drawer may include a drawer main body configured to form a storage space; a divider provided movably in the interior of the drawer main body and partitioning the storage space into a first space part and a second space part; and a sealer device configured to be provided on at least one side of the divider and sealing the first and second space parts each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Ahreum Park, Younseok Lee, Junsoo Han, Yongjin Lee
  • Patent number: 10240857
    Abstract: A refrigerator of the present invention may have a drawer which is provided in a storage compartment formed on a cabinet and which accommodates stored goods, the drawer being movably supported by a drawer guide disposed in the storage compartment. In the storage compartment, a frame which is supported to be movable in the front/back directions by a frame guide may be provided, and a door opening and closing the storage compartment may be connected with the frame by a link. The frame may have a base part which is disposed on the lower side of the drawer and is connected with the link, and the frame may comprise a side plate which extends from the base part and reaches a height corresponding to the drawer. The side plate may comprise a vertical part which is vertical with respect to the base part. A cross section formed by horizontally cutting the vertical part may be formed so as to be elongated along the moving direction of the drawer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Seonil Yu, Hongsik Kwon, Junyi Heo
  • Patent number: 10240858
    Abstract: A home appliance, particularly a domestic refrigerator, includes a container being a drawer-type movable container and having a handle for the container. The handle has a connection profile fixed to the container and a second profile fixed to the connection profile, for forming the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Mustafa Ertik, Tanzer Yildizgoecer
  • Patent number: 10240859
    Abstract: A domestic refrigeration appliance apparatus has an appliance body, which partially defines a refrigeration chamber, and at least one storage unit which is arranged within the refrigeration chamber and which defines at least one storage chamber for storing food. The storage chamber is open in the direction of an upper face of the storage unit. A closing unit at least substantially closes the storage unit in the direction of the upper face in at least one storage state. In order to provide a generic apparatus with improved properties in respect of ease of operation, the domestic refrigeration appliance apparatus has one suspension unit, which supports the closing unit such it is able to oscillate relative to the appliance carcass in at least one operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Herbert Cizik, Stefan Deissler, Andrea Fink
  • Patent number: 10240860
    Abstract: A refrigerator may include a cabinet configured to form a storage compartment; and a drawer provided inside the storage compartment to be withdrawn, wherein the drawer includes a drawer body which forms a storage space; and a divider which is movably installed at the drawer body, and divides the storage space into a first space to which cooling air is supplied and a second space which is indirectly cooled by the cooling air, and the first space and the second space are controlled at different temperatures from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Junsoo Han, Younseok Lee, Ahreum Park
  • Patent number: 10240861
    Abstract: A monitoring system for a cold storage device such as a vapor compression refrigerator or freezer. The monitoring system learns operating characteristics of the cold storage device and issues alarm notifications when abnormal behavior is detected. Such a system can be used as an “early warning system” to flag when a cold storage device is not operating properly. Such a system could be particularly valuable in applications that make mission-critical use of cold storage devices, e.g., biomedical or pharmaceutical research labs, blood or tissue banks, grocery stores, restaurants, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Emanate Wireless, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary L. Sugar, Yohannes Tesfai, Neil R. Diener
  • Patent number: 10240862
    Abstract: An LNG production plant and a method of constructing the LNG production plant is disclosed. The LNG production plant includes at least one plant module and a support structure to support the plant module. Each plant module is dry transported by a heavy lift vessel and subsequently transferred to the support structure without lifting the plant module from a deck of the vessel. The support structure includes a landing substructure onto which the plant module is transferred from the vessel. Landing substructure may be onshore or offshore. The support structure may also include one or more onshore support substructures and a transfer path enabling a plant module to be moved from the landing substructure to a corresponding onshore support substructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: WOODSIDE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES PTY LTD
    Inventors: Solomon Aladja Faka, Geoffrey Brian Byfield, Benjamin Dean Warwick
  • Patent number: 10240863
    Abstract: The method is carried out for continuously producing a liquefied methane gas (LMG) from a pressurized mixed methane gas feed stream. It is particularly well adapted for use in relatively small LMG distributed production plant, for instance those ranging from 400 to 15,000 MT per year, and/or when the mixed methane gas feed stream has a wide range of nitrogen-content proportions, including nitrogen being substantially absent. The proposed concept can also be very useful in the design of medium-scale and/or large-size plants, including ones where the nitrogen content always remains above a certain threshold. The methods and arrangements proposed herein can mitigate losses of methane gas when venting nitrogen, for instance in the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: RTJ TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Charles Tremblay, Alain Roy, Simon Jasmin
  • Patent number: 10240864
    Abstract: A drying device is provided and includes: plural light emitting units that are disposed with intervals along a transport direction in which a transported body containing liquid is transported and that cause the liquid to be evaporated by irradiating the transported body with light; and a vent mechanism in which a supply unit and a discharge unit are alternately disposed in spaces on an upstream side and a downstream side of the entirety of the plural light emitting units in the transport direction and spaces between the light emitting units along the transport direction. The supply unit supplies air toward the transported body along the irradiating direction of the light, and the discharge unit discharges air in an opposite direction to the irradiating direction from the transported body side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomozumi Uesaka, Jun Isozaki, Akira Sakamoto, Satoshi Hasebe
  • Patent number: 10240865
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for drying a material to liberate a substance such as a liquid having a vapor pressure from solids and/or dissolved substances in the material. The system includes a plenum chamber and a blower providing a stream of air to the plenum chamber. An outlet communicates with the plenum chamber and a velocity accelerator is disposed downstream of the outlet. The velocity accelerator is arranged to receive air from the outlet of the plenum chamber into a progressively narrowing interior passageway terminating at a downstream choke point orifice. The choke point orifice discharges into a larger diameter discharge region. A throttle body is disposed in the discharge region and is selectively movable toward and away from the choke point orifice to decrease or increase the volume of the discharge region. A passageway is formed through the throttle body for receiving flashed material from the discharge region and conveying the material in a downstream direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Flash Rockwell Technologies LLC
    Inventor: John Hogan
  • Patent number: 10240866
    Abstract: Vacuum rotary automatic dryers for fruits, vegetables, grains, herbs, medicines and granulate, is composed of the box frame (5), the loading conveyor (6) and the hopper (7), whereby on the box frame (5) in the upper horizontal sector is the shaft (18), mounted to which the frame (8) is attached, in which a cylinder (4) is mounted with the cover (32), which rotates around its axis using an electric motor (11). In the cylinder (4) are small cylinders (1) inserted in which the products for drying are loaded. In the process of loading the products, cylinder (4) with the cylinders (1) is placed in a vertical position, and then, in the drying process, it is rotated into a horizontal position by a pneumatic cylinder (19). Low-pressure in smaller cylinders (1) is achieved using a vacuum pump (2), and the warm water is fed through a swivel joint (25) through a hollow shaft (9) in the central tube (26) and the space of cylinder (4) and flows around the outer surface of small cylinders (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Inventor: Marko Palic