Patents Issued in January 14, 2020
  • Patent number: 10533734
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a multi-lamp stage light including a base, a support frame rotatably connected to the base, a lamp support rotatably connected to the support frame, and at least two lamp units rotatably connected to the lamp support which is provided with a third driving apparatus for driving the lamp units to rotate. The stage light according to the present invention is simple in structure and easy to use, achieving variable lighting effects with omnidirectional illumination and meeting performance requirements. In addition, the present invention can also avoid control lines intertwined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Guangzhou Haoyang Electronic Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Weikai Jiang
  • Patent number: 10533735
    Abstract: An electricity disconnect apparatus adapted for use with a housing which has the electrical connection inside/at a ceiling or exposed electrically connected device such as a baffle which contains a socket which can be electrically disconnected from the electrical connection of the housing so that the baffle and a source of illumination such as a lightbulb contained therein can be lowered. The lowering of the baffle and an electrical disconnection from the hardwired electricity in the ceiling enables the baffle and lightbulb to be lowered by a pulley cable system. The electrical disconnect and pulley and cable system enable the baffle and source of illumination to be lowered so that it can be reached by a person standing on the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Inventors: Alireza Sokhanvari, Nima Ostad
  • Patent number: 10533736
    Abstract: An infrared-sensitive lighting device includes a host, a light-emitting module and an infrared sensing module. The light-emitting module is disposed on the host. The infrared sensing module includes a casing, a circuit board, a sensor and a lens cover. The casing is installed on the host and has an opening. The circuit board is disposed within the casing. The sensor is installed on the circuit board and aligned with the opening. The lens cover is rotatably mounted on the opening. The lens cover has a lens pattern. When the lens cover is in a first state, the sensor performs a sensing operation at a first direction angle through the lens pattern. When the lens cover is in a second state, the sensor performs the sensing operation at a second direction angle through the lens pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: LIVINGSTYLE ENTERPRISES LIMITED
    Inventor: Ming-Yun Chen
  • Patent number: 10533737
    Abstract: An article, such as a piece of furniture, includes one or more adjustable shelves each of which includes a lighting system which is connected to a power source in such a way that each shelf can be freely adjusted within a frame of the article so as to alter the location of the shelf and/or the spacing between shelves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Inventor: Domingos Dos Reis
  • Patent number: 10533738
    Abstract: The disclosed technology includes a water-resistant lamp assembly for preventing interference with the operation of an electric lamp due to leaks. The water-resistant lamp assembly may include a gasket that provides a seal with the bottom of the base of the lamp holder to prevent water from entering the internal cavity of the lamp holder. The gasket may further shield internal electrical conductors from exposure to water that has leaked into the internal cavity of the lamp holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: POLYGROUP MACAU LIMITED (BVI)
    Inventors: Chi Yin Alan Leung, Chi Kin Samuel Kwok, Changjun He
  • Patent number: 10533739
    Abstract: A headlamp which contains a lamp is disclosed, with a headband enabling the lamp to be held on the head of a user is presented. The headband has a rigid/semi-rigid front section supporting the lamp using a pivot liaison. The pivot liaison allows rotation having: a first amplitude of at least 0 to +30 degrees and preferably 0 to 45 degrees to provide appropriate illumination when the lamp is worn in a conventional manner around the head. A second amplitude ranging from at least 0 to ?45 degrees, and preferably 0 to ?80 degrees provides appropriate illumination when the lamp is worn around the neck without being inverted. The 0 degree inclination corresponds to the pivot of the lamp which generates a horizontal light beam when the headlamp is positioned on the head of a standing user with the eyes fixing the horizon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Zedel
    Inventors: Philippe Berrel, Boris Bouffay, Sebastien Jarzac, Laurent Fruh
  • Patent number: 10533740
    Abstract: A collar configured to couple a burner to a partition plate is provided including a body having a diameter configured to couple to a diameter of the burner. A flange extends outwardly from the body. The collar is formed from a heat resistance material such that heat transfer between the burner and the partition plate is limited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert Shaw, Duane D. Garloch, Nicholas Kamm
  • Patent number: 10533741
    Abstract: The pre-mix burner assembly includes a jet pump comprising a suction chamber, a flue gas inlet, and a combustion air tube with a combustion air nozzle. The combustion air inlet includes a combustion air tube with a tapered nozzle, and it is connected to a combustion air fan. The flue gas inlet is connected to the suction chamber and the combustion air fan. The suction chamber surrounds the combustion air tube, and it has a jet pump nozzle with a discharge. The assembly includes a fuel gas inlet connected to the combustion air tube. The combustion air and fuel gas mixture exits the combustion air nozzle creating a negative pressure in the suction chamber and drawing flue gas into the suction chamber. The assembly includes a mixing tube positioned downstream of the jet pump discharge, and a burner block connected to an outlet of the mixing tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Curtis L. Taylor, Bradley D. Patterson, William R. Berkenbush
  • Patent number: 10533742
    Abstract: A burner case and a burner device provided with the burner case are disclosed. A cover for closing an opening of a case body of the burner case is attached to the case body by a first caulking portion and a second caulking portion. A first caulking direction and a second caulking direction intersect with each other, the first caulking direction is a direction in which a first attachment piece and a first facing portion, those constituting the first caulking portion, face each other and are caulked, the second caulking direction is a direction in which a second attachment piece and a second facing portion, those constituting the second caulking portion, face each other and are caulked. Thus, the case body and the cover are not required to be screwed or the number of the screws is reduced, and leakage of gas from the burner case to outside is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: NORITZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Akiyama, Ryosuke Umakoshi, Taihei Terasawa, Kenichi Sakurai, Tatsuya Karaki, Naoki Se
  • Patent number: 10533743
    Abstract: Operation of a thermochemical regenerator to generate soot or to increase the amount of soot generated improves the performance of a furnace with which the thermochemical regenerator is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kuang-Tsai Wu, Hisashi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10533744
    Abstract: A heater includes a ceramic body of bar shape; and a heat-generating resistor disposed in an inside of the ceramic body, when viewed in a transverse section, the heat-generating resistor including at least one step portion provided in an outer periphery part of the heat-generating resistor, the at least one step portion having such a shape that semicircular portions bisected in a diametrical direction of the heat-generating resistor deviate from each other along the diametrical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kotaro Taimura
  • Patent number: 10533745
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for a turbine engine. This turbine engine assembly includes a combustor wall including a shell and a heat shield. The combustor wall defines first and second cavities between the shell and the heat shield. The heat shield defines a first outlet and an elongated second outlet. The first outlet is fluidly coupled with the first cavity. The second outlet is fluidly coupled with the second cavity. The combustor wall defines one of the cavities with a tapered geometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frank J. Cunha, Stanislav Kostka, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10533746
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustion chamber arrangement includes an annular outer wall and annular inner wall including an upstream and a downstream row of tiles. The downstream end of each tile in the upstream row of tiles has a rail extending towards and sealing with the outer wall and a lip extending in a downstream direction towards the tiles in the downstream row of tiles. The outer wall has a row of apertures to direct coolant onto the lips of the tiles in the upstream row of tiles. The downstream end of each tile in the upstream row of tiles has a plurality of fences extending in a downstream direction from the rail and each fence extends from the outer surface of the lip towards the outer wall. The row of apertures in the annular outer wall is arranged to direct coolant onto the lip between two circumferentially adjacent fences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: John E Rimmer, Michael A Macquisten, Stephen J Mills, Jochen Rupp, Lynn I Steward, Murthy V Ravikanti
  • Patent number: 10533747
    Abstract: An additively manufactured fastener and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The fastener includes a shank defining an internal passageway and a head defining a distribution plenum in fluid communication with the internal passageway. The head further defines a cooling face defining a plurality of cooling holes for receiving a flow of cooling air from the internal passageway and the distribution plenum. In addition, an impingement baffle is positioned in the distribution plenum and defines impingement holes for directing the flow of cooling air onto the cooling face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald Michael Corsmeier, Peter Andrew Flynn
  • Patent number: 10533748
    Abstract: A fuel lance for a burner of a combustor has a fuel lance body defining a fuel flow passage and a liquid fuel tip attached thereto and in flow communication with fuel flow passage. The liquid fuel tip has a fuel outlet and an array of air passages having outlets which are arranged outside a blank sector of a circumference around the fuel outlet, the blank sector defined by an angle from 30° to 160°. A burner includes the fuel lance and the igniter and a main air flow passage to direct at least a part of a main air flow over the fuel lance and over the igniter, the blank sector has a centre-line angled between +120° and ?120° from a radial line from the axis and passing through the fuel lance. A method includes rotating the fuel lance between a start-up condition and a second condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Imogen Stevenson, Ronald Bickerton, Timothy Dolmansley
  • Patent number: 10533749
    Abstract: A turbine component includes a structure having hot and cold surfaces opposite each other; and a plurality of cooling holes extending between the cold and hot surfaces, each of the cooling holes including at least one projection or recess element to form part of a fluid path surface with enhanced in-hole heat convection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Cananda Corp.
    Inventors: Sri Sreekanth, Si-Man Lao, Michael Leslie Clyde Papple
  • Patent number: 10533750
    Abstract: A cross-flame duct for connecting adjacent combustors together in a gas turbine to guard against flameout conditions within the combustors, whereby the cross-flame duct includes first and second ducts forming a slip joint to prevent stress from developing within the cross-flame duct is disclosed. The cross-flame duct remains flexible during turbine operation due to the slip joint, thereby preventing damaging thermal and mechanical stresses from developing within the cross-flame duct and enhancing the useful life of the cross-flame duct and associated components. The first and second ducts include cooling chambers positioned between outer sleeves and inner housings and maintained with one or more standoffs to reduce thermal stress and gradients or prevent material loss due to overheating or burning. The cooling chambers are supplied with cooling fluids via one or more fluid ports extending through the outer sleeves enabling air to flow through the cooling chambers and into the combustors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Daniel W. Garan, Richard L. Thackway, David P. Holzapfel, Stephen A. Ramier, Charalambos Polyzopoulos, Kevin J. Spence, Joseph Scott Markovitz
  • Patent number: 10533751
    Abstract: Various embodiments include apparatuses for performing maintenance on a gas turbine (GT) combustion can, along with related methods. One apparatus can include: a mounting plate having at least two fasteners extending therethrough, the mounting plate configured to engage a fixed combustion chamber in the GT; a can adjustment bar configured to engage the can combustor, the can adjustment bar including a set of apertures extending therethrough; a set of guide pins extending through the set of apertures in the can adjustment bar and coupled with the mounting plate, the set of guide pins connecting the mounting plate with the can adjustment bar; and an adjustment member extending between the can adjustment bar and the mounting plate, the adjustment member configured to modify a position of the can adjustment bar relative to the mounting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sandra Beverly Kolvick, Adrien Francis Bigotte, Adrian Adam Klejc, Bernard Finbar Shannon
  • Patent number: 10533752
    Abstract: The invention describes a fluid supply (100) for a household appliance especially a steam oven (200) that has improved cleaning and hygienic characteristics. A wave breaker structure (120) is removably included inside a removable fluid container (110) and can be completely separated from it for cleaning purposes. The fluid container (110) is preferably releasable having a valve (115) and being mounted inside of a steam oven (200).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Paolo Faraldi, Lorenzo Gattei, Nicola Guida
  • Patent number: 10533753
    Abstract: The invention presents a solution to avoid glue when fixing an elastic foot to a pot support, such as used in ranges and kitchen hobs. The pot support (1000) has a cavity (2200) which is aligned with an elastic foot (1300) which comprises on the other hand a hollow space (3240). By inserting an expansion body (3220, 3450) into the hollow space, a press fit is generated between a support structure (1800) of the pot support and/or elastic material of the foot (1300). Rivets (3450) or bolts (3220) are taught as expansion bodies. The invention also teaches a method to mount an elastic foot to a pot support. The invention provides a solution for avoiding the deteriorating effects of aging glue used in the prior art, which leads to the loss of rubber feet on current pot supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Giuseppe Lando, Oscar Alberto Salazar
  • Patent number: 10533754
    Abstract: A support grate for a household cooking appliance includes a plurality of spokes with at least one portion on which a cooking article can be supported and at least one pad of elastic material for supporting the grate on a surface of the household appliance. The pad is of a polymeric material having a thermochromic pigment dispersed therein and causing the pad to change in a color thereof at a first preset temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Leonardo Arteconi, Alberto Gasparini
  • Patent number: 10533755
    Abstract: Strategies for providing aesthetically acceptable ventilation for appliances requiring ventilation are described. In one or more implementations, a notch is cut along the upper edge of a cabinet toe kick to allow ambient air to enter and exit an air cavity disposed behind the toe kick. A fence or trim piece is then installed in front of the notch to hide the notch from view and to create a labyrinth vent allowing ambient air to enter and exit the air cavity. This ambient air flow is required for proper operation of appliances requiring ventilation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignees: BSH Home Appliances Corporation, BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Conor Cross, David Dysinger, Michael Gerdes, Phillip Montanye
  • Patent number: 10533756
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a boiler comprising a microcomputer operatively connected to a microcontroller wherein the microcontroller is configured to provide flame safeguard operations and the microcomputer is configured to provide operating control instructions to the microcontroller. The boiler control system may operate either in a stand-alone, cascade master or cascade slave configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Harsco Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Ellingwood, Andrew Demers, John Pollard, Mark Spiridigloizzi
  • Patent number: 10533757
    Abstract: A fan includes a fan member, a motor that drives to rotate the fan member, and a rotating shaft that is connected to the fan via a vibration prevention member and transmits a turning force of the motor to the fan. The vibration prevention member is an elastic member that connects an inner cylinder made of metal included in the rotating shaft and an outer cylinder made of metal included in the fan member. At least one of an outer circumferential section of the inner cylinder and an inner circumferential section of the outer cylinder is configured in a polygonal shape when viewed from the rotating shaft direction. A turning force received by the vibration prevention member acts as compression stress on an adhesion interface between a vibration prevention material and metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi-Johnson Controls Air Conditioning, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideshi Obara, Koji Yonekura, Hiroyasu Yoneyama
  • Patent number: 10533758
    Abstract: The present invention includes a removable utility unit and/or removable utility room for providing one or more utilities to at least one of a controlled air, a sealable, a sterilizable, a sanitizable cleanroom comprising: at least one of a utility connection selected from air, water, gas, or electricity; and a substantially hermetic connector between the removable unit and the cleanroom, wherein the at least one of air, water, gas, or electricity are connectable to matching utility inputs in the cleanroom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: G-CON MANUFACTURING INC.
    Inventors: Maik Wolfgang Jornitz, Sidney Backstrom, Troy Arledge
  • Patent number: 10533759
    Abstract: Climate control devices and methods are disclosed. One climate control device includes a housing, an evaporative medium port, a liquid level sensor, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine a change in the level of liquid in the housing, calculate an efficiency of an evaporative medium received by the evaporative medium port based on the change in the level of liquid, and provide an evaporative medium efficiency indication when the efficiency of the evaporative medium falls below a predetermined value. Another climate control device includes a housing, an evaporative medium port, a pump, a first conduit, and a controller. The controller configured to determine an evaporation rate of an evaporative medium received by the evaporative medium port, and operate the pump to pump liquid through the first conduit to the evaporative medium port at varying liquid flow rates dependent on the evaporation rate of the evaporative medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Essick Air Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Thomas
  • Patent number: 10533760
    Abstract: A method of modulating the impact of electromagnetic irradiance on the thermal energy budget of a predominantly enclosed space includes providing at least an inner shell of the predominantly enclosed space, and placing a plurality of functional elements in an exterior position relative to an outside facing side of the inner shell. The outside facing surfaces of the functional elements have higher reflectivity in the visible (VIS) and near infrared (NIR) wavelength range relative to the (MIR) wavelength range. The inside facing surfaces of the functional elements have higher reflectivity in the NIR and mid-infrared (MIR) wavelength range relative to the (VIS) wavelength range. A thickness of the functional elements is equal to or smaller than a thickness of the inner shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Inventors: Andreas Hieke, William Boone Daniels, II
  • Patent number: 10533761
    Abstract: An HVAC controller may be programmed to identify one or more faults with respect to the operation of a connected HVAC system. In some cases, the HVAC controller may record a fault to a fault log and/or display an alert on the display of the HVAC controller only after a predetermined number of faults of the same fault type have been identified by the HVAC controller, sometime within a predetermined number of cycles of the HVAC system or within a predetermined amount of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Ademco Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Barton, Cary Leen, Stan Zywicki
  • Patent number: 10533762
    Abstract: A method and controller for Heating Ventilation or Air-Conditioning (HVAC), the controller having a processing unit and a storage device, the controller comprising: a mapping obtaining module for obtaining a mapping between a pair of a state of an HVAC unit and an action of the HVAC unit and between a measurement; an action determination component for determining an action to be taken by the HVAC unit in accordance with a current state of the HVAC unit; a measurement determination component for obtaining from the mapping a synthesized measurement that when transmitted to the HVAC unit is adapted to cause the HVAC unit to perform the action; and an HVAC communication module for transmitting the synthesized measurement to the HVAC unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: SENSIBO LTD.
    Inventors: Ran Roth, Omer Enbar
  • Patent number: 10533763
    Abstract: A controller of an air-conditioning system includes a feedback control unit configured to generate a state quantity command from a control parameter and a difference between a target value of a room temperature and a measured room temperature and control the room temperature to the target value on the basis of the state quantity command, a control target heat characteristic model calculation unit configured to calculate a parameter of a model regarding a heat characteristic of a control target from at least a state quantity regarding an amount of heat supplied to the control target or the state quantity command, and the measured room temperature during normal operation, and a control parameter determination unit configured to determine the control parameter by using the parameter and a formula derived from the model regarding the heat characteristic of the control target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takaya Yamamoto, Yoshitaka Uno, Kiyoshi Maekawa, Takahiro Nakai
  • Patent number: 10533764
    Abstract: When refrigerant leakage occurs, a controller in an air conditioner performs first shutoff control to open a liquid relay shutoff valve and close an indoor expansion valve and a gas relay shutoff valve on the basis of information from a refrigerant leakage detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takuro Yamada, Yuusuke Nakagawa, Yuusuke Oka
  • Patent number: 10533765
    Abstract: A chiller plant including at least two chillers operating at different temperatures are disclosed. Process fluid circuits of the chillers can form fluid communication when, for example, one or more of the at least two chillers may fail, so that the other chiller(s) of the at least two chillers may provide backup operation to the failed chiller(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Lee R. Cline, John A. Murphy
  • Patent number: 10533766
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) controller, a method of receiving signals from a keypad and an HVAC system incorporating the controller or the method. In one embodiment, the HVAC controller includes: (1) a keypad having at least first and second banks, (2) a reference signal source configured to generate a time-varying untransformed reference signal and provide the untransformed reference signal to the first bank, (3) transformation circuitry configured to transform the untransformed reference signal into a transformed reference signal and provide the transformed reference signal to the second bank and (4) a processor having interrupt pins coupled to corresponding keys of both the first and second banks and a further interrupt pin coupled to receive one of the untransformed and transformed reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Darko Hadzidedic, Sakthi Narayan Kumar Murugesan
  • Patent number: 10533767
    Abstract: The invention concerns predominantly enclosed spaces, typically buildings, which are at least exposed to directionally and temporally varying levels of solar electromagnetic radiation as well as temporally varying levels of ambient air temperature and ambient air flow velocity and direction. Methods for at least approximating any one or any combination of system targets of a) reducing the average energy expenditure for keeping at least one primary compartment of a building within a desired temperature range by means of active air conditioning, or b) reducing temperature variations during a typical 24-hour cycle within said at least one primary compartment of said building, or c) reducing one or both of the average temperature or the peak temperature of said at least one primary compartment of said building. Methods for at least partially increasing the typical lifetime of some components of buildings and thus reducing resources associated with maintaining at least some buildings function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Inventors: Andreas Hieke, William Boone Daniels, II
  • Patent number: 10533768
    Abstract: The efficient fan controller includes a microprocessor receiving at least one signal input from thermostat/equipment control terminals to control a fan relay to operate a system fan. The microprocessor monitors a thermostat call for cooling/heating duration and determines a variable fan-off delay based on the cooling/heating cycle duration, and at an end of a cooling/heating cycle energize the fan relay to operate the system fan for the variable fan-off delay. The fan controller avoids false thermostat activation signals and includes a common wire adapter to provide continuous power to a smart communicating thermostat and is configured to evaluate floating, zero, rectified, false positive and active input signals. The fan controller can be embodied on a forced-air-unit control board or thermostat. The fan controller installation methods ensure the system fan/blower operates at high speed for heating and cooling to improve thermal comfort, efficiency and satisfy the thermostat sooner to save energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Inventors: Robert J. Mowris, John Walsh
  • Patent number: 10533769
    Abstract: A heating device has a combustion chamber and a gas flue configured to guide hot exhaust gas generated in the combustion chamber, the flue having an inlet region and an outlet region and is configured connected to the combustion chamber via the inlet region. Heat transfer ribs having a wall thickness are arranged spaced from each other in the gas flue for the heat transfer from hot exhaust gas to the gas flue. The wall thickness of the heat transfer ribs and/or the distances of the heat transfer ribs to one another are optionally configured to be larger on the sides of the inlet region than on the sides of the outlet region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Viessmann Werke GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Norbert Volkmann, Ulas Sahin, Dennis Lange, Alexander Guhl
  • Patent number: 10533770
    Abstract: A system and method for monitoring and managing water delivered to users hydraulically connected via a dedicated conduit loop to a water supply source and a water heating unit via a dedicated conduit loop, the system including a mixing valve(s) hydraulically connected to the dedicated conduit loop; a first set of sensing devices operatively coupled to an input and an output of the mixing valve, wherein each sensing device of the first set is adapted to generate and transmit sensed data signals; a recirculation pump hydraulically coupled to the dedicated conduit loop; a second set of sensing devices operatively coupled to selected portions of the dedicated conduit loop, wherein each sensing device of the second set is adapted to generate and transmit sensed data signals; a pressure regulating or balancing device(s) hydraulically coupled to the dedicated conduit loop; a data collection system for receiving and storing sensed data transmitted by the first set of sensing devices and/or the second set of sensing d
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Symmons Connected, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy O'Keeffe, Elizabeth Mercurio, Robert W. Lancelot, Anthony Cipolla, Fernando Castro, William Jerome, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10533771
    Abstract: A blower assembly is configured for use with a gas-operated heater having a burner and an exhaust port. The blower assembly has a blower and a sensor. The blower is configured to operate at two or more speeds and is configured to operatively connect to the burner in a manner to facilitate flow of combustion air into the burner and to facilitate flow of exhaust through the exhaust port. The sensor is configured to be sensitive to pressure of exhaust downstream of the blower. The sensor is operatively connected to the blower in a manner such that the blower will change speeds if said pressure exceeds a threshold pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: REGAL BELOIT AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Steven W. Post
  • Patent number: 10533772
    Abstract: A furnace system featuring baffles, each set of baffles including one or more movable vanes, and systems for controlling the positioning of movable vanes during furnace operation. Actuators may be used to move vanes between deployed and retracted positions, the actuators controlled by units within the furnace or linked to the power sources for furnace elements which are specific to either heating or cooling operations. The movable vanes may alternately be positioned by using springs with stiffness selected to place vanes in a deployed position when under heating airflows and in a retracted position when under cooling airflows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Angus Robert Lemon, Nathan Wagers
  • Patent number: 10533773
    Abstract: The described embodiments provide thermal energy via solar powered heat exchangers. This energy can be implemented to heat hot water or heat residential/commercial structures. Parallel mounted vacuum insulated tubes heat water within a geometric heat transfer piping system. This thermal energy is transferred via a piping system to an insulated tank. A digital controller monitors and controls the temperature of the water within the system as well as provides frost/freezing protection. An electrical active pumping system is connected to the digital controller to circulate water within the solar heat exchanger. The electric active pump can be connected to a solar photovoltaic (electric) panel for reliable and uninterrupted heat/hot water delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Inventors: Gary Michael Solomon, William Emmett Ryan, IV, Travis Tyler Brady, Nizam Najd
  • Patent number: 10533774
    Abstract: A solar heat collection tube with improved optical transmittance and durability to the external environment includes an inner tube through the interior of which a heat medium can flow, an outer tube that covers an outer periphery of the inner tube such that an annular heat insulating space is formed between the outer tube and the inner tube, and thermal expansion difference absorbing means or absorbing a thermal expansion difference between the inner tube and the outer tube. The outer tube is a glass tube, a first anti-reflection film is formed on an inner surface of the glass tube, a second anti-reflection film is formed on an outer surface of the glass tube, the second anti-reflection film is more durable to the external environment than the first anti-reflection film, and the first anti-reflection film has a higher optical transmittance than the second anti-reflection film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventor: Takayuki Homma
  • Patent number: 10533775
    Abstract: A solar absorber body for a concentrating solar power system, said solar absorber body including: a tube, designed to contain a heat transfer medium and including a first part designed to be exposed to the sunlight and a second part designed to be unexposed to the sunlight, an assembly of fins made of thermally conductive material, and a selective coating arranged at least on the outer surface of the first part of the tube, said assembly of fins defining at least two longitudinal passages inside the tube, said passages being adjacent in a sectional plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube, said assembly of fins being configured to create a continuous thermal bridge inside the tube from at least a portion of the inner surface of first part of the tube to at least a portion of the inner surface of the second part of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignees: COMMISSARIAT À L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, SALZGITTER MANNESMANN PRECISION ETIRAGE SAS
    Inventors: Valéry Vuillerme, Arnaud Bruch, Gatien Fleury, Benoit Boulay, Jean-Marc Duhamel
  • Patent number: 10533776
    Abstract: A heat storage device is revealed. The heat storage device mainly includes a heat storage tank and a heat conduction unit. A part of the heat conduction unit is arranged in a receiving space of the heat storage tank that is filled with heat storage material. The heat storage material can be material or waste easily gotten from local sources for saving transportation and manufacturing costs. The heat storage material over both the heat conductor and the heat exchanger is heated by conduction. Thus heavy metals and hazardous chemicals in the heat storage material are evaporated and separated from the heat storage material and then are cooled down and collected in solid/liquid form in a condensing unit. The residual air is flowing back of the heat storage tank along pipelines. Thereby the heat storage material is cleaned up, the waste material can be recycled and environmental pollution is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Inventor: Tseng-Tung Hung
  • Patent number: 10533777
    Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein are directed towards the fabrication of a solar absorber comprising an IR reflector layer deposited on a substrate; a first cermet layer deposited in contact with the IR reflector layer; a second cermet layer deposited in contact with the first cermet layer; a first anti-reflection coating layer deposited in contact with the second cermet layer; a second anti-reflection coating layer deposited in contact with the first anti-reflection coating layer. A sputtering process may be used to deposit some or all of the layers, and the YSZ layers in each cermet layer may be deposited with a tuned partial oxygen pressure in order to form a layer that is oxygen-deficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignees: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM, MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Zhifeng Ren, Feng Cao, Daniel Kraemer, Gang Chen
  • Patent number: 10533778
    Abstract: A turbo economizer adapted to be used in a chiller system includes a nozzle, a turbine, and an economizer impeller. The nozzle introduces refrigerant into the turbo economizer. The turbine is disposed downstream of the nozzle, and the turbine is attached to a shaft rotatable about a rotation axis. A flow of the refrigerant introduced through the nozzle drives the turbine to rotate the shaft. The economizer impeller is attached to the shaft so as to be rotated in accordance with rotation of the shaft. In the turbo economizer, the nozzle reduces a pressure of the refrigerant such that a pressure of the refrigerant entering the turbo economizer is lower than a predetermined pressure, at least some of the refrigerant passes through the nozzle is introduced into the economizer impeller, and the economizer impeller increases a pressure of the refrigerant introduced thereinto to the predetermined pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: DAIKIN APPLIED AMERICAS INC.
    Inventor: Jeffrey Allen Morgan
  • Patent number: 10533779
    Abstract: Adsorption heat exchanger devices (11, 30) are provided for solid sorption refrigeration systems (1). Such a device includes a heat exchanger (12) having a plurality of projections (17) arranged for extending into an adsorbate of the system (1) in use. An adsorption structure (13, 31) is formed on the heat exchanger (12) for adsorption of said adsorbate. The adsorption structure (13, 31) comprises a plurality of elongate adsorption elements (20) extending outwardly from each of said projections (17) of the heat exchanger (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Javier V. Goicochea, Bruno Michel, Patrick Ruch
  • Patent number: 10533780
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a feedback device and a method of providing thermal feedback using the same. The feedback device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a thermoelectric module including a substrate having flexibility, a thermoelement disposed on the substrate and configured to perform a thermoelectric operation for thermal feedback, and a contact surface disposed on the substrate, and configured to transfer heat generated through the thermoelectric operation to a user through the substrate and the contact surface to output the thermal feedback; and a feedback controller configured to control the thermoelectric module, and wherein the feedback controller controls the thermoelectric module so that, after a temperature of the contact surface reaches a maximum temperature, the temperature of the contact surface is maintained within a predetermined temperature range during an entire thermoelectric operation time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: TEGWAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyoung Soo Yi, Ock Kyun Oh, Se Hwan Lim
  • Patent number: 10533781
    Abstract: A machine quantity controlling device which controls a quantity of a heat source device to operate in a heat source system including a first heat source device and a second heat source device, the first heat source device being a waste heat recovery type absorption chiller, the second heat source device other than a waste heat recovery type absorption chiller, the machine quantity controlling device including an acquisition unit that obtains a waste heat utilization maximum load which is a maximum load when the first heat source device receives only supply of the waste heat; a determination unit that determines a predetermined load range from the waste heat utilization maximum load to be a first optimal load range as an optimal load range of the first heat source device; and a machine quantity control unit that controls a quantity of the second heat source device to operate so that the sum of a total of minimum values of the optimal load range of the first heat source device to operate and a total of minimum
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES THERMAL SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Nikaido, Kenji Ueda, Yoshie Togano, Minoru Matsuo, Koki Tateishi
  • Patent number: 10533782
    Abstract: A method of defrosting an indoor coil in a refrigeration system in which, with a controller of the refrigeration system, a selected one of a number of predetermined defrost mode procedures is selected. Each predetermined defrost mode procedure is associated with a predetermined range of values of one or more predetermined parameters. Each predetermined defrost mode procedure includes adjustment of one or more components of the refrigeration system upon commencement of the defrost mode for optimum operation of the refrigeration system in the defrost mode, when the predetermined parameter is within the predetermined range of values upon commencement of operation in the defrost mode. With the controller, the component of the refrigeration system is adjusted in accordance with the selected one of the predetermined defrost mode procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: KEEPRITE REFRIGERATION, INC.
    Inventors: Yonghui Xu, Jacob Aaron Crane
  • Patent number: 10533783
    Abstract: An air conditioner including an outdoor device that includes a bypass path connecting a discharge side of the compressor and a suction side of the compressor, an on-off valve configured to open/close the bypass path, and a control device configured to control the compressor, the decompression device, and the on-off valve. The control device opens the on-off valve in a state in which the compressor is stopped to execute such bypass opening that refrigerant circulates, through the bypass path, from the discharge side of the compressor in a refrigerant storage state in which refrigerant is stored to the suction side of the compressor in a substantially vacuum state, and evaluates a volume of the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi-Johnson Controls Air Conditioning, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Xue, Koji Naito, Atsuhiko Yokozeki