Patents Issued in April 30, 2024
  • Patent number: 11971167
    Abstract: A device for evaporating a liquid such as liquid fuel. The device comprises: a shell; means for supplying heat to the shell; a porous wick located in the shell so that there is a gap between an outer surface side of the porous wick and an inner surface of the shell; means for supplying liquid to the porous wick; and an outlet in the shell for vapour produced in the gap by the application of heat from the shell to the liquid in the wick.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: HS MARSTON AEROSPACE LIMITED
    Inventors: Paul Phillips, Berwyn Pollard
  • Patent number: 11971168
    Abstract: An igniter device includes a holder for a piezo electric ignition source. A first end of the inner holder is coupled to a piezo electric ignition source including an actuator. A second end of the inner holder has a surface configured to receive a tip of an oxy fuel torch. An attachment structure releasably attaches the igniter device to a support member. The actuator is moveable from a relaxed state to a compressed state to activate the piezo electric ignition source to produce a spark for igniting the oxy fuel torch to produce a flame when the igniter device is attached to the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: VAUGHAN IP PTY LTD
    Inventor: John Robert Vaughan
  • Patent number: 11971169
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclose a glow plug for a solid oxide fuel cell system. The glow plug includes a housing having a first end portion and a second end portion. The glow plug includes a heating element longitudinally disposed in the housing, extending from the second end portion of the housing towards the first end portion and extending outwardly from the housing for igniting fuel. Further, the glow plug includes a pair of coiled wires electrically connected to the heating element. Further, the glow plug includes a potting compound disposed within the second end portion of the housing for securing electrical coupling of the pair of coiled wires with the heating element. Furthermore, the glow plug includes a sealing element configured to form an air-tight connection between the housing and the heating element. The sealing element is positioned on top of the potting compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Vivek Kumar Singh, Siddharth Patel, Mike Petrucha, Nick Arcelona, Junyi Lee
  • Patent number: 11971170
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine having a turbine shaft disposed along a rotational axis, a turbine casing disposed circumferentially about the turbine shaft, a combustion gas path disposed between the turbine shaft and the turbine casing, and a turbine stage disposed in the combustion gas path. The turbine stage includes a plurality of turbine vanes disposed upstream from a plurality of turbine blades. The gas turbine includes an isothermal expansion system coupled to the turbine stage, wherein the isothermal expansion system includes a plurality of flame stabilizers configured to vary axial positions of combustion within a turbine stage expansion of the turbine stage to reduce temperature variations over the turbine stage expansion. The flame stabilizers are disposed in different axial positions over an axial length between leading and trailing edges of the turbine blades, wherein at least one flame stabilizer is coupled to each of the turbine blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: GE INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Joel Meador Hall, John Farrior Woodall
  • Patent number: 11971171
    Abstract: A pilot cone for use in a burner arrangement having a pilot burner includes a casing which widens downstream along a burner axis and has a plurality of cooling air passages passing through it; an inner wall which extends upstream starting from the upstream end of the casing; an annular gap which runs along the inner wall on the radially outer side; and a plurality of cooling air openings which establish a connection between the annular gap and the cooling air passages. Another wall extends upstream at a distance from the inner wall starting from the casing and delimits the annular gap on the radially outer side, the inner wall having a plurality of holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christian Beck, Jürgen Meisl, Stefan Reich, Sabrina Isolde Siebelist, Christopher Grandt, Benjamin Witzel
  • Patent number: 11971172
    Abstract: A premixer assembly for a combustor includes: at least one ring of premixers, each premixer having a central axis, an annular peripheral wall surrounding a centerbody, and at least one swirler disposed between the centerbody and the peripheral wall, wherein the peripheral wall defines an inlet area of the premixer; and a lip extending forward along the central axis from the peripheral wall, the lip extending at an oblique angle to the axis of symmetry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: David A. Lind, Ajoy Patra, Ting-Yu Tu, Pradeep Naik, Gregory A. Boardman
  • Patent number: 11971173
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine comprises an inner annular liner wall and an outer annular liner wall cooperating to form a combustion chamber of the combustor. A first dome wall has a circumferential array of first fuel injection bores. A second dome has a circumferential array of second fuel injection bores. An intermediate wall extends between the first dome wall and the second dome wall. A first combustion stage is defined by the inner liner wall forward end, the first dome wall and the intermediate wall. A second combustion stage is defined at least by the outer liner wall forward end, the second dome wall and the intermediate wall, the first combustion stage communicating with the first fuel injection bores, the second combustion stage communicating with the second fuel injection bores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Eduardo Hawie, Nigel Davenport
  • Patent number: 11971174
    Abstract: A turbomachine has the upstream portion of the annular combustion chamber is fixed to the outer housing via individual pins with a swivel connection. The swivel connection is established between the pin and a part of the outer housing. The pin is slidable radially, or with a radial component, by a slide established between the pin and a tubular part of the outer annular shroud and/or the annular wall of the chamber bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Dan-Ranjiv Joory, Jacques Marcel Arthur Bunel, Benjamin Frantz Karl Villenave
  • Patent number: 11971175
    Abstract: A thin faux fireplace that can be installed in a wall, such as a 2?×4? wall, having a faux flame viewable from both sides of the faux fireplace. A transparent material, such as glass, is coated with a thin film having nano sized particles, and an ultra short-throw projector displays the faux flame on the thin film. A user can see object on the other side of the faux fireplace, and also view the faux flame on the thin film rooms on both sides of the transparent material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: MODERN FLAMES, LLC
    Inventors: Jim Nolton, Kris Richardson, Harland Aguirre, David Faszer
  • Patent number: 11971176
    Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a housing having a cooking compartment, which is surrounded by a bottom surface, a pair of side surfaces, and a back surface of the housing, and has an upper surface and a front surface which are open. A door includes a door upper surface part which covers the upper surface of the housing and a door front surface part which is connected to a front side of the door upper surface part and covers the front surface of the housing and opens and closes the upper surface and the front surface of the housing by rotating about a rear side of the door upper surface part. A heating part is installed in at least one of the housing or the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Hag Soo Kim, Sung Mun Yoon
  • Patent number: 11971177
    Abstract: A method for controlling a local distribution system's outtake of heat or cold from a thermal energy distribution grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: EMG ENERGIMONTAGEGRUPPEN AB
    Inventors: Per Rosén, Jacob Skogström, Fredrik Rosenqvist
  • Patent number: 11971178
    Abstract: An indoor unit of an air conditioner includes a cabinet assembly; a door assembly disposed at a front of the cabinet assembly to cover the front of the cabinet assembly; a fixed plate fixed to the cabinet assembly and disposed between the door assembly and the cabinet assembly; and a door assembly moving part disposed between the door assembly and the fixed plate to move the door assembly in a left-right direction with respect to the cabinet assembly. When seen from the front of the cabinet assembly, the fixed plate is fixed eccentric in a direction where the door assembly moves such that when the door assembly moves, a center line of the door assembly remains within a left-right width of the fixed plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sunggyu Choi, Kangyoung Kim, Junseok Bae, Seongkuk Mun, Heejun Cheon, Nahee Kim
  • Patent number: 11971179
    Abstract: Provided is an air conditioner including: a housing; an outlet configured to discharge air introduced into the housing; a discharge panel arranged in front of the outlet and having a plurality of discharge holes to discharge air; and a support member arranged between the outlet and the discharge panel and on which the discharge panel is to be supported. The support member includes a first frame to support one side of the discharge panel and formed to extend in a first direction, a second frame to support another side of the discharge panel and arranged parallel with the first frame, and a third frame arranged between the first frame and the second frame and formed to extend in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the third frame is formed of a metal material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jungdae Lee, Buyoun Lee, Wangbyung Chae, Jongwhal Kim, Hyeonu Park, Kyeongae Lee, Chang-Woo Jung, Sung-June Cho
  • Patent number: 11971180
    Abstract: An outdoor unit of an air conditioner includes an outdoor-unit main control circuit, a power supply, a power supply control circuit, and an outdoor-unit communication circuit. The power supply control circuit is disposed in a loop of a power supply line for supplying power to the power supply, and is configured to control the power supply line to supply power to the power supply by controlling on/off of the loop; and the power supply is configured to supply power to the outdoor-unit main control circuit and the outdoor-unit communication circuit after receiving the power supplied from the power supply line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: HISENSE (GUANGDONG) AIR CONDITIONER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jianneng Zhang, Yongping Cao, Xidong Li, Minan Wu, Xiaoqin Wei, Jihua Chen
  • Patent number: 11971181
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and method for monitoring air quality are provided. Digital out-of-home advertising display units are located within a geographic area. The units include an electronic display for displaying advertising images located at a housing, an open loop pathway for ambient air extending between an ingestion and exhaustion area of the housing. An air quality monitoring device located along the open loop pathway includes comprising sensor(s) for measuring characteristics of encountered gasses which are electronically communicated by a network connectivity device to a monitoring station. The monitoring station generates visual representations of the received measurements, at least one of which summarizes the measurements from multiple ones of the units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Precision Systems Integration, LLC
    Inventors: Mike Brown, William Dunn, Doug Bennett
  • Patent number: 11971182
    Abstract: A safety system (1) for evacuation of contaminated air and prevention of ignition in an air handling system (2). The air handling system (2) comprises a compressor enclosure (3). The safety system (1) is connectable to a power supply (4) and comprises an evacuation unit (5) connected to the compressor enclosure (3) for evacuation of contaminated air from the compressor enclosure (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: FLÄKTGROUP SWEDEN AB
    Inventors: Urban Kronström, Dusan Stamenkovic
  • Patent number: 11971183
    Abstract: Refrigerant leak detection systems as well as related climate control systems and methods are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the refrigerant leak detection system includes a transmitter configured to emit an acoustic wave, and a receiver configured to detect the acoustic wave. The transmitter and the receiver are mounted within a space outside a conduit configured to carry a refrigerant of a climate control system. In addition, the refrigerant leak detection system includes a controller coupled to the transmitter and the receiver. The controller is configured to: determine a time of flight for the acoustic wave between the transmitter and the receiver, and determine whether a refrigerant is present in the space based on the time of flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Youssef A. Jaber, Raymond Walter Rite
  • Patent number: 11971184
    Abstract: An air mover system for use in an indoor unit of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a blower comprising a motor and a blower control unit configured to control operations of the motor. The blower control unit includes a controller and a sensor communicably coupled to the controller. The sensor is configured to sense air inside the indoor unit and to provide sensor information to the controller. The controller is configured to determine whether a refrigerant is present in the air based on the sensor information and to control the blower to move the air out of the indoor unit in response to determining that the refrigerant is present in the air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Michael W. Branson, Sivakumar Gopalnarayanan
  • Patent number: 11971185
    Abstract: An optimal energy management method and a system that implements the method for a nearly zero energy building (nZEB) based on the genetic algorithm technique that can provide an optimal balance between the objectives of energy saving, comfort of the building residents and maximum exploitation of the generated electric energy by the renewable energy sources through the proper utilization of a battery storage system, is developed in this invention. The above can be attained by minimizing a cost function that considers the real-time electricity price, the generated/consumed electric energy by each device, the user preferences, the state-of-charge and the energy price of the battery storage system (BSS), and the weather forecast. the system that implements the optimal energy management method comprises energy and temperature sensors, controllable power switches, a battery storage system and a controller with human machine interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki—Research Committee E.L.K.E.
    Inventors: Christos Mademlis, Nikolaos Jabbour, Evangelos Tsioumas
  • Patent number: 11971186
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus performs a first estimation process based on a data set including a combination of information indicating a situation and information on power consumption when a first air conditioner, installed in a predetermined location, has been operated. The first estimation process is a process of estimating information on power consumption when the first air conditioner, installed in the predetermined location, is operated in a predetermined situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Tadafumi Nishimura, Kouji Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 11971187
    Abstract: A system includes a modulating furnace and control circuitry. The control circuitry is configured to receive a call for heating associated with a quick heat cycle. In response to the call for heating, the control circuitry is also configured to operate the modulating furnace in a quick heat operating mode for a threshold time period. Subsequent to the threshold time period, the control circuitry is also configured to operate the modulating furnace in a modulating heat operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TYCO FIRE & SECURITY GMBH
    Inventor: Rakesh Mathew
  • Patent number: 11971188
    Abstract: A problem to be solved by the present disclosure is to realize a fan unit capable of determining occurrence or non-occurrence of a backflow during operation. In a second unit, a second controller calculates front-rear differential pressure by substituting a rotation speed and a volume of air or a wind speed that can be acquired in real time into a relational expression. The relational expression derives, from two values of the rotation speed, the volume of air or the wind speed, and the front-rear differential pressure, the remaining one value. Then, the second controller determines that a backflow occurs if the calculated front-rear differential pressure is within a range that cannot occur under a normal condition. Therefore, the occurrence of a backflow can be detected without using an expensive pressure sensor or a directional wind speed sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Komatsu, Shuuichi Tanaka, Tooru Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 11971189
    Abstract: An air conditioner may include an outdoor unit including a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger configured to heat exchange compressed refrigerant; an indoor unit having an air inlet and an air outlet and connected with the outdoor unit through a first pipe through which refrigerant discharged from the compressor flows and a second pipe through which refrigerant discharged from the outdoor heat exchanger flows; a blowing fan disposed in the indoor unit; a main heat exchanger configured to heat exchange air, which flows inside through the air inlet, and connected with the second pipe; a reheat exchanger disposed downstream of the main heat exchanger and connected with the first pipe; and a waste heat exchanger disposed upstream of the main heat exchanger and configured to heat-exchange air, which flows inside through the air inlet, and condensate water, which is produced at the main heat exchanger, with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Beomchan Kim, Jusu Kim, Eunseong Pack, Yeongpin Chu, Janghoon Shin, Jaeik Jang
  • Patent number: 11971190
    Abstract: A damper assembly includes a frame having an inner surface and a protrusion extending inwardly relative to the inner surface, a damper blade coupled to the frame and configured to transition between an open position and a closed position, and a latch coupled to the inner surface of the frame. The latch is configured to deform to facilitate transition of the damper blade between the open position and the closed position and to expand to capture and retain the damper blade in the closed position, the latch includes a tab segment configured to move toward the protrusion during deformation of the latch and to move away from the protrusion during expansion of the latch, and a distal end of the tab segment overlaps with a thickness of the protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Air Distribution Technologies IP, LLC
    Inventors: Cody Christopher Thompson, Brian Gerard Bellerive, Jeffrey Scott Beneke, Kent Steven Maune, Park Allen Wood
  • Patent number: 11971191
    Abstract: The air conditioning condenser cover comprises a barrier structure, a plurality of weight shafts, a plurality of fastening device sets, and an air conditioner. The air conditioner further comprises an exhaust vent. The plurality of weight shafts and the plurality of fastening device sets attach the barrier structure to the exhaust vent of the air conditioner. The barrier structure forms a protected space that prevents water and debris from entering the exhaust vent of the air conditioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Inventor: Paul Cannon
  • Patent number: 11971192
    Abstract: An environmental control unit, such as an HVAC or heat pump unit, includes a housing, and a blower disposed in the housing, the blower configured to draw air into the housing via an air inlet and exhaust air from the housing via an air outlet. The unit includes a heat exchanger disposed in the housing between the air inlet and the blower, and a compressor disposed within housing. The unit include features that reduce noise emitted from the compressor. The noise reduction features include a noise-reducing enclosure that encapsulates the compressor. The enclosure includes a rigid metal shell, an outer insulating structure fixed to an outside surface of the shell, and an inner insulating structure fixed to an inside surface of the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignees: Robert Bosch LLC, Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Armen Davtyan
  • Patent number: 11971193
    Abstract: Electro-catalytic hydrogenation is achieved by reacting a reactant with said micro-galvanic couples into a metallic compound and hydrogen, whereby at least some to all of hydrogen hydrogenates the reactant into a hydrogenated product, wherein the particulate micro-galvanic couple includes particles of at least one less active conductor and particles of at least one more active metal conductively and fixedly bonded together, and wherein the particles of the at least one less active conductor and the particles of the at least one more active metal retain their natural properties when conductively and fixedly bonded together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: JEA Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey W. Akers
  • Patent number: 11971194
    Abstract: An indirect evaporative cooling system for cooling a space adjacent to or containing an ablution bay is described. The indirect evaporative cooling system includes a greywater source from the ablution bay and evaporative cooler apparatus located above the space to be cooled in a dome shaped housing. The evaporative cooler apparatus includes a wet channel, at least one spray nozzle, and a dry channel. The at least one spray nozzle is located at the top of the evaporative cooler apparatus and is fluidly connected to the greywater source and the wet channel. The wet channel is located directly above the dry channel. A first side of the dry channel is connected to a first opening with a fan and outside air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Faisal Bader Almutairi, Fahad Abdulaziz Alsulaiman, Nasiru Ishaq Ibrahim
  • Patent number: 11971195
    Abstract: The disclosed technology includes a liquid storage tank having a heating element, an inlet for receiving unheated liquid, an outlet for outputting heated liquid, and a partition configured to divide the tank into a first portion and a second portion. The partition can have an aperture such that the first portion and the second portion are in fluid communication. The liquid storage tank can include an actuator in mechanical communication with the partition and configured to linearly move at least a portion of the partition based at least in part on the temperature of liquid within the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Harsha Satyanarayana, Christopher M. Hayden, Abigail McMonigal
  • Patent number: 11971196
    Abstract: A draft inducer blower assembly for use with a water heater has a housing, a motor, and a fan. The housing has an exhaust volute surrounding the fan and a base adapted to be mounted atop a water heater. The housing has an inlet port adapted to receive exhaust gas from the water heater. The fan is connected to the motor for rotation about a rotation axis. The exhaust volute has a cut-off at a cut-off angle relative to the rotation axis. The exhaust volute has an exhaust outlet passageway that extends to an exhaust port. The exhaust port is lower than the top of the exhaust volute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven W. Post, Jeffrey Jay Long, William S. Gatley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11971197
    Abstract: There is disclosed a receiver panel. In an embodiment, the panel is configured to receive a curtain of particles in a solar central receiver system. A porous structure of the panel has a top end and a bottom end. The porous structure is disposed between the top end and the bottom end. The porous structure has a size to impede movement of the particles during downward travel from the top end to the bottom end. There is disclosed a solar central receiver system. In an embodiment, the receiver system includes a plurality of receiver panels, a tower supporting the plurality of receiver panels in a configuration to receive solar irradiation, and a hopper forming a slot configured to dispose the particles at a given location on to the porous structure. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: KING SAUD UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hany Al-Ansary, Abdelrahman El-Leathy, Zeyad Al-Suhaibani, Saeed Al-Zahrani, Sheldon Jeter, Said Abdel-Khalik, Dennis Sadowski, Matthew Golob
  • Patent number: 11971198
    Abstract: This application discloses an advanced design method for customized RCP, (cRCP), with one or more made-to-order reinforcement cages supporting one or more wall-encapsulated heat-exchange channels, cast with special-batch (SB) concrete having additions of fine-disperse CaCO3 and particular polymer fibers; the resulting Single- and DoubleEPipe sections especially adapted for heat exchange with pipe-internal wastestreams and/or groundwater and including provisions for an optional graywater accumulator for efficient recapture of both water and energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Renewable Resource Recovery Corp.
    Inventors: Boris P. Naneff, John D. Hood, Les Lisk
  • Patent number: 11971199
    Abstract: A heat generating device includes a container, a heat generating element, and a heater. A hydrogen-based gas contributing to heat generation is introduced into the container. The heat generating element is provided inside the container. The heater is configured to heat the heat generating element. The heat generating element includes a base made of a hydrogen storage metal, a hydrogen storage alloy, or a proton conductor, and a multilayer film provided on a surface of the base. The multilayer film having a stacking configuration of: a first layer that is made of a hydrogen storage metal or a hydrogen storage alloy, and a second layer that is made of a hydrogen storage metal, a hydrogen storage alloy, or ceramics different from that of the first layer. The first layer and the second layer have a layer shape with a thickness of less than 1000 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: CLEAN PLANET INC.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Iwamura, Takehiko Ito, Jirota Kasagi, Hideki Yoshino, Masanao Hattori
  • Patent number: 11971200
    Abstract: A heat pump apparatus includes: a compressor including a motor; an inverter that applies a desired voltage to the motor; a current detector that detects current flowing to the motor; a drive-signal generation unit that generates a drive signal for the inverter; a magnetic-pole position estimation unit that changes a voltage phase of a voltage command value for a high-frequency voltage, and estimates a maximum-heat-amount acquisition magnetic-pole position when the generation unit applies the high-frequency voltage to the motor to heat the compressor; a steady heating control unit that determines an amplitude and voltage phase of the voltage command value from the maximum-heat-amount acquisition magnetic-pole position and a defined necessary amount of heat when the generation unit applies the high-frequency voltage to the motor to heat the compressor; and a control switching determination unit that causes one of the estimation unit and the heating control unit to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichi Shimizu, Kazunori Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 11971201
    Abstract: A compressor of an embodiment includes three suction pipes. A first center of a first suction pipe, a second center of a second suction pipe, and a third center of a third suction pipe are positioned at vertices of a triangle. A first distance between the first center and a center of a compressor main body is smaller than a second distance between the second center and the center of the compressor main body and a third distance between the third center and the center of the compressor main body. The first suction pipe is connected to a first suction port on an uppermost side. A second virtual plane on which a central axis of a main curved pipe part of the second suction pipe is disposed and a third virtual plane on which a central axis of a main curved pipe part of the third suction pipe is disposed are inclined to opposite sides from each other with respect to a first virtual plane on which a central axis of a main curved pipe part of the first suction pipe is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Toshiba Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Hirayama, Shogo Shida
  • Patent number: 11971202
    Abstract: In an air-conditioning apparatus, an outdoor unit installed in an outdoor space and an indoor unit installed in an indoor space are connected by refrigerant pipes to form a refrigerant circuit. One or more pairs of valve kits are provided at the refrigerant pipes by which the outdoor unit and the indoor unit are connected, and allow a pair of additional refrigerant pipes on an inflow side and an outflow side to be connected to one of the one or more pairs of valve kits, the pair of additional refrigerant pipes being additionally provided to enable a new indoor unit to be added after installation of the air-conditioning apparatus. The valve kits of the one or more pairs of valve kits have respective distal end portions that are inclined upwards relative to a horizontal direction. The distal end portions each allow an associated one of the additional refrigerant pipe to be connected to the distal end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kohei Najima, Yutaka Aoyama
  • Patent number: 11971203
    Abstract: A refrigerant amount determining device includes: an operation data acquiring unit configured to acquire operation data of an air conditioning system; a calculating unit configured to calculate a refrigerant amount index value from the operation data acquired; an inferring unit configured to infer information regarding correction of the refrigerant amount index value using a correction model and at least one of the acquired operation data or the calculated refrigerant amount index value; and a determining unit configured to determine a refrigerant amount of the air conditioning system based on the information regarding correction of the refrigerant amount index value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Manabu Yoshimi, Takeshi Hikawa, Shinichi Kasahara, Shohei Yamada, Hiroyuki Kagitani, Hidetaka Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 11971204
    Abstract: The refrigerator may comprise: a first tray assembly forming a part of ice-making cells; and a second tray assembly forming the other part of the ice-making cells. In order that ice can be produced in the direction of ice-making cells formed by any One of the first and second tray assemblies to ice-making cells formed by the other tray assembly, following the start of an ice-making process, the one tray assembly comprises a first part, and the first part comprises: a first surface forming a part of the ice-making cells; and a first deformation-resistant reinforcement part extending from the first surface in the vertical direction away from a heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Donghoon Lee, Wookyong Lee, Sunggyun Son, Donghoon Lee, Seungseob Yeom, Yongjun Bae, Chongyoung Park
  • Patent number: 11971205
    Abstract: The present invention provides an ice shaver with a 360° splash guard and shield. The guard circumscribes a gap between a top deck and a shave deck. In one aspect, a front arcuate portion of the guard can be a door that slides open and closed around an annular track. In another aspect, another rear arcuate portion of the guard can magnetically mount to the top deck. In another aspect, a channel can be positioned under the guard as an embedded water drainage channel positioned concentrically and underneath the rear floating magnetic splash guard to capture the water droplets spun off from the ice block and direct the water to a drainage opening in the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Pioneer Family Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Griffiths, Robin Peng
  • Patent number: 11971206
    Abstract: A home appliance includes a refrigerator including a panel assembly. The panel assembly includes: a first panel formed of a glass material; a second panel spaced apart from the first panel and formed of a glass material; a plurality of spacers provided between the first panel and the second panel so as to maintain a gap between the first panel and the second panel, and arranged to be spaced apart from each other; a sealing member disposed between the first panel and the second panel for sealing a space between the first panel and the second panel; an exhaust hole provided in at least one of the first panel and the second panel so as to discharge air such that the space between the first panel and the second panel becomes a vacuum insulation space; and a cover member covering the exhaust hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Soyoon Kim, Eunsoo Yang, Joonghan Son, Sangho Park
  • Patent number: 11971207
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a transparent panel assembly. The transparent panel assembly includes a front panel defining at least a part of a front appearance of a refrigerator door and made of a glass material, a rear panel defining at least a part of a rear appearance of the refrigerator door and made of a transparent material, and an intermediate member connected between the front panel and the rear panel and made of a transparent plastic member. The intermediate member includes an edge portion having both ends connected to a screening area formed at peripheries of the front panel and the rear panel, and a partition portion formed to cross an inner surface of the edge portion to partition a gap between the front panel and the rear panel to thereby form a sealed insulation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Seungjin Choi, Jaehoon Ha
  • Patent number: 11971208
    Abstract: An insulation system for an appliance includes a first vacuum insulated structure having a first set of sidewalls that define a first refrigerating compartment, a second vacuum insulated structure having a second set of sidewalls that define a second refrigerating compartment and a medial insulation structure having a rigid perimeter wall. The rigid perimeter wall includes a front portion that defines at least one hinge support adapted to support an appliance door. The rigid perimeter wall defines an insulating cavity that is filled with an insulating material. The first vacuum insulated structure engages a first edge of the perimeter wall and the second vacuum insulated structure engages a second edge of the perimeter wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Lakshya J. Deka
  • Patent number: 11971209
    Abstract: A filling system for a vacuum insulated structure is provided having a powder processor including a hopper having an inner hopper wall and an outer hopper wall. The filling system also includes a vacuum insulated structure having a liner positioned inside a wrapper, a trim breaker coupling an outer liner edge and an outer wrapper edge to form a shell defining an internal cavity with at least one gas permeable feature positioned in the internal cavity configured to help apply a vacuum. A loading port is positioned on a surface of the shell. The powder processor loads the shell with a heated and at least partially degassed vacuum insulation material through the loading port while a vacuum is applied to the shell through the at least one gas permeable feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Gustavo Frattini, Anna Jedralski, Ashish Nigam, Subrata Shannigrahi
  • Patent number: 11971210
    Abstract: A cabinet structure includes a wrapper that is spaced apart from a liner. A trim breaker is coupled to the wrapper and the liner. An insulation cavity is disposed between the wrapper, the liner, and the trim breaker. An encapsulation member is disposed rearwardly of the trim breaker and defines an encapsulation cavity that is separated from the insulation cavity. The encapsulation member is free from openings. A hinge support is operably coupled to the encapsulation member to further define the encapsulation cavity. The hinge support has a lower frame portion that extends perpendicularly along the trim breaker. The hinge support is disposed forwardly of the trim breaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Lynne F. Hunter, Daniel Lottinville
  • Patent number: 11971211
    Abstract: A refrigerating and freezing device includes a cabinet defining at least one storage compartment, at least one cabinet door configured to respectively open and close the at least one storage compartment, a refrigerating system configured to provide cooling capacity to the at least one storage compartment, and a heating unit. The heating unit includes a container body disposed in one storage compartment and provided with a pick-and-place opening, a door body configured to open and close the pick-and-place opening, an electromagnetic generating system configured to generate electromagnetic waves in the container body to heat an object to be processed and a cabinet door detection device configured to detect open and closed states of the cabinet door corresponding to the storage compartment provided with the container body; wherein the electromagnetic generating system stops generating electromagnetic waves when the corresponding cabinet door is in an open state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignees: QINGDAO HAIER SPECIAL REFRIGERATOR CO., LTD, QINGDAO HAIER REFRIGERATOR CO., LTD., HAIER SMART HOME CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haijuan Wang, Sen Mu, Peng Li, Kunkun Zhao
  • Patent number: 11971212
    Abstract: A variable fluid dispenser for a refrigerator utilizes a variable control suitable for varying the rate of fluid dispensing by the dispenser. In some instances, the variable control may include a rotary control actuator that varies the fluid dispensing rate of the variable dispenser, and in some instances, the variable control may include a variable control actuator movable between a range of positions that includes a home position at which the variable dispenser is deactivated. In such instances, movement of the variable control actuator away from the home position both activates the variable dispenser to dispense fluid and increases the fluid dispensing rate of the variable dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eric Scalf, Mark W. Wilson, Paul Staun
  • Patent number: 11971213
    Abstract: A container-contained beverage temperature adjustment apparatus includes a heat transfer member capable of abutting a part of a side surface of a container-contained beverage as an object of temperature adjustment. The apparatus further includes a temperature adjustment unit configured to adjust a temperature of the container-contained beverage through the heat transfer member, which may include a deformable bag body, and heat transfer powder and heat transfer liquid contained in the bag body. The heat transfer liquid is a liquid which freezes at a temperature higher than a target temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TEX E.G. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki Tachibana, Hiroyuki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11971214
    Abstract: Moisture is removed from particulate material using an apparatus comprising a dryer having a drying chamber for directing a flow of gas-entrained particulate material between first and second ends of the drying chamber. The dryer is configured for directing gas under pressure into the drying chamber, for interacting with a flow of gas-entrained particulate material within the drying chamber. The dryer comprises a body of modular construction, which defines a plurality of guide passages arranged for fluid communication between the drying chamber and a source of gas under pressure. The body of modular construction comprises a plurality of discrete annular elements, arranged in series, one adjacent another, each having a body defining a central aperture, and wherein the annular elements are arranged together with the central apertures aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Coomtech Limited
    Inventors: Patrick Foss-Smith, Peter Anderson
  • Patent number: 11971215
    Abstract: A system for drying plant material comprising an enclosed space having a ceiling, a wall, an enclosed space first portion, and an enclosed space second portion. An air supply provides tempered air into the enclosed space proximate to enclosed space first portion. The system includes at least one air mover, positioned proximate to the ceiling at the enclosed space first portion, having an air mover inlet and an air mover outlet. The system further includes a duct horizontally arranged and having an elongated body, a duct open first end portion, and a duct closed second end portion. A plurality of openings is spaced apart in a predefined pattern on the elongated body. A dehumidifier is positioned proximate to the enclosed space first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Inventors: Tyler Miller, Mojave Morelli
  • Patent number: 11971216
    Abstract: In some examples, a multilevel retort assembly. The assembly includes a base defining a base perimeter; and a plurality of shells. Each shell has a diffuser plate support and a perimeter with a substantially similar shape as the base perimeter. The plurality of shells are stacked on each other, mechanically supported by the base, and surround an inner retort volume. The at least one shell of the plurality of shells defines a removable window. The assembly also includes a plurality of diffuser plates, each diffuser plate supported by a corresponding diffuser plate support of the plurality of diffuser plate supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Lukhard, Timothy Western, Thomas Tran