Vehicle Installation Patents (Class 165/202)
  • Patent number: 11938781
    Abstract: A vehicular heat management system includes a refrigerant circulation line configured to generate hot energy or cold energy depending on a flow direction of a refrigerant, a heater core side coolant circulation line configured to transfer refrigerant heat generated in the refrigerant circulation line to a heater core to heat a passenger compartment, and a battery side coolant circulation line configured to receive coolant heat of the heater core side coolant circulation line via a coolant and then circulate the coolant through a battery to preheat the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Hanon Systems
    Inventors: Hyeon Gyu Kim, Doo Hoon Kim, Kyung Ju An, Byeong Ha Lee, Jin Jae Lee, Joong Man Han
  • Patent number: 11933529
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling a thermal management device (1) of a motor vehicle comprising a refrigerant-fluid circuit comprising a compressor (3), a first heat exchanger (5), an expansion device (7) and the second heat exchanger (9), said thermal management device (1) further comprising an electric heating device (60), said control method involving, upon a starting of the thermal management device (1) from cold, the following steps: direct or indirect heating of the internal air flow (20) by the electrical heating device (60) alone until said internal air flow (200) reaches a target temperature and/or until a predetermined timer has run out, —when the internal air flow (200) has reached its target temperature and/or when the timer has run out, starting the compressor (3) so that the refrigerant-fluid circuit draws heat energy from the external air flow (100) at the second heat exchanger (9) and gives up said heat energy at the first heat exchanger (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques
    Inventors: Jugurtha Benouali, Régis Beauvis, Jin-Ming Liu
  • Patent number: 11867443
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a thermal management device comprising an indirect air-conditioning circuit (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising: a first refrigerant loop (A) comprising, in the direction of flow of the refrigerant, a compressor (3), a two-fluid heat exchanger (5), a first expansion device (7), a first heat exchanger (9) arranged inside a first heating, ventilation and air-conditioning device (X), a second expansion device (11), a second heat exchanger (13), and a first bypass duct (30) comprising a first stop valve (33), a first inner heat exchanger (19), a second inner heat exchanger (19?), a second bypass duct (40) comprising a third expansion device (17) arranged upstream from a first cooler (15), a third bypass duct (80) comprising a first additional heat exchanger (9?) arranged in a second heating, ventilation and air-conditioning device (Y), a second heat transfer fluid loop (B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Inventor: Jugurtha Benouali
  • Patent number: 11833880
    Abstract: A thermal management system for controlling the temperature in a cabin and an energy storage system of an electric vehicle including a vehicle component is provided. The system provides for a heat exchanger arranged to heat the energy storage system, a heater for heating the cabin and the heat exchanger, a first valve arranged to receive a fluid that has been used for cooling the vehicle component, and to provide fluid to the heater, a temperature sensor arranged to measure the temperature of the fluid entering the first valve, a second valve receiving the fluid from the heater and having a first outlet in fluid communication with the cabin, and a second outlet in fluid communication with the heat exchanger, and a control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Inventor: Josef Graubmann
  • Patent number: 11787260
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a vehicle climate control system for controlling climate conditions in various cabin regions of a vehicle cabin, where the climate control system is configured to control one or more vehicle components to change the set of climate conditions associated with one or more cabin regions to approximate a set of optimal comfort conditions. The climate control system controls various vehicle components to control climate conditions, including window assemblies, sunroof assemblies, etc. The climate control system determines optimal comfort conditions which optimize perceived temperature of various occupant body parts and maintain various climate characteristics within one or more sets of thresholds. Output configurations of various vehicle components can be determined based at least in part upon determined optimal comfort conditions of various cabin regions. Output configurations can be generated based at least in part upon various control mode priorities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Derek A. Faust, Emery A. Sanford, James Foster
  • Patent number: 11780298
    Abstract: There is disclosed an environmental control system for heating at least one enclosed space. The system comprises a heat-pump circuit that includes a compressor, a heat-output stage, an expansion device and an evaporator arranged in series along a flow path for a refrigerant. The heat-output stage comprises a primary heat exchanger and a secondary heat exchanger that are both configured to transfer heat from the refrigerant to one or more external mediums in thermal communication with the at least one enclosed space. The primary heat exchanger and the secondary heat exchanger are connected in series along the flow path, such that the secondary heat exchanger will transfer excess heat energy remaining within the refrigerant after passing through the primary heat exchanger to the one or more external mediums.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: THERMO KING LLC
    Inventors: Martin Galansky, Diego Cearra, Michal Kolda, Pavel Houdek
  • Patent number: 11752833
    Abstract: A system for air-conditioning air of a passenger compartment and for heat transfer with drive components of a motor vehicle. The system has a refrigerant circuit and a coolant circuit. The refrigerant circuit is formed with a compressor, a first refrigerant-coolant heat exchanger operated as a condenser/gas cooler, a refrigerant-air heat exchanger operated as an evaporator for conditioning supply air of the passenger compartment with an upstream expansion element, and a second refrigerant-coolant heat exchanger operated as an evaporator for heat transfer between a coolant for tempering the drive components of the motor vehicle and the refrigerant with an upstream expansion element, and with a bypass flow path around the heat exchangers operated as the evaporators on the low-pressure side. In addition to the first refrigerant-coolant heat exchanger, the coolant circuit has a coolant-air heat exchanger operated as a thermal heat exchanger for heating supply air of the passenger compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Navid Durrani, Martin Hötzel, Tobias Haas
  • Patent number: 11718151
    Abstract: A determination device according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes a vehicle extraction unit that determines whether a predetermined attached matter is on a transparent member of a vehicle, based on first image information that is about a periphery of the vehicle and that is picked up through the transparent member by a camera mounted on the vehicle and second image information that is about a periphery of another vehicle surrounding the vehicle and that is picked up by a camera mounted on the other vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shin Sakurada
  • Patent number: 11680997
    Abstract: A cooling system of a magnetic resonance apparatus is disclosed. In the cooling system, a first cooling device and a second cooling device are used to realize a secondary step of cooling of a circulating fluid without energy consumption, thereby reducing the operating energy consumption of the cooling system. In addition, a magnetic resonance apparatus comprising the cooling system is further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Ting Qiang Xue, Ping Chen
  • Patent number: 11618301
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle air conditioning device that can save the space for installing constituent apparatuses of a vehicle by using a heater for multiple purposes and reduce the manufacturing cost. Heating assisting operation for heating air to be supplied into a cabin is performed in a manner that a heat medium heated by a heat medium heater 32 in a heat medium circuit 30 flows to a heat medium radiator 16 without flowing on a battery B side while heating operation is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: SANDEN AUTOMOTIVE CLIMATE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ishizeki, Megumi Shigeta
  • Patent number: 11506423
    Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning apparatus is provided which is capable of expanding an effective range of a dehumidifying and heating mode to achieve comfortable vehicle interior air conditioning. A control device (controller) executes a dehumidifying and heating mode to let a refrigerant discharged from a compressor 2 radiate heat in a radiator 4, let a part of the refrigerant flow from a bypass circuit (refrigerant pipe 13F) to an indoor expansion valve 8, and let the residual refrigerant flow through an outdoor expansion valve 6. In the dehumidifying and heating mode, the control device has a state of controlling the operation of the compressor 2, based on a heat absorber temperature Te and executes a radiator temperature priority mode which enlarges a capability of the compressor when heat radiation in the radiator is insufficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: SANDEN AUTOMOTIVE CLIMATE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Miyakoshi, Kouhei Yamashita, Tetsuya Ishizeki
  • Patent number: 11505034
    Abstract: A heat pump system for a vehicle may control a temperature of a battery module by using one chiller in which a refrigerant and a coolant are heat-exchanged, and may increase a flow rate of the refrigerant by applying a gas injection device that selectively operates in a heating or dehumidifying mode of a vehicle, thereby maximizing heating performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeawan Kim, Jae Yeon Kim, Yeonho Kim
  • Patent number: 11456497
    Abstract: This disclosure details thermal management systems for thermally managing battery packs and other electric drive components of electrified vehicles. An exemplary thermal management system may include a battery cooling circuit and an e-drive cooling circuit. The e-drive cooling circuit may be fluidly connected to the battery cooling circuit by a combination of valves and coolant lines during or in anticipation of certain vehicle conditions, such as high load operating conditions, to augment cooling of electric drive components during the high load operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Mackenzie, Sunil Katragadda, Ronald Richard Semel
  • Patent number: 11454573
    Abstract: A system and method for sampling air in a controlled environment that includes two or more air sampling devices at different locations within the controlled environment. A controller is provided at a location outside of the controlled environment and in separate air flow communication with each of the two or more air sampling devices via separate first vacuum tubes, the controller having a manifold configured to separately control a rate of air flow from the two or more air sampling devices to the controller via each of the separate first vacuum tubes and to selectively direct the air flow from each of the separate first vacuum tubes to one or more second vacuum tubes. A vacuum source is provided at a location outside the controlled environment and in air flow communication with the controller via the one or more second vacuum tubes, the vacuum source providing suction and being controlled by the controller to generate the air flow through each of the first vacuum tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Veltek Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Rosario Sam Calio, Jeffrey Churchvara
  • Patent number: 11448428
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle device includes a compressor, a heater device, a high-stage side decompressor, a gas-liquid separator, a refrigerant branch portion, a first decompressor, a first evaporator, a second decompressor, and a second evaporator. The compressor has an intermediate pressure port through which an intermediate-pressure refrigerant flows into the compressor. The gas-liquid separator is configured to separate the intermediate-pressure refrigerant into a gas refrigerant and a liquid refrigerant. The refrigerant branch portion is configured to divide a flow of the liquid refrigerant separated by the gas-liquid separator. In a cooling mode for cooling a heat exchange target fluid, a refrigerant circuit is switched such that a low-pressure refrigerant flows from the branch portion to the first evaporator. In a heating mode for heating the heat exchange target fluid, the refrigerant circuit is switched such that the low-pressure refrigerant flows from the branch portion to the second evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiki Kato
  • Patent number: 11448427
    Abstract: A refrigerated system includes a vapor compression system defining a refrigerant flow path and a heat recovery system defining a heat recovery fluid flow path. The heat recovery system is thermally coupled to the vapor compression system. The heat recovery system includes a first heat exchanger within which heat is transferred between a heat recovery fluid and an engine coolant and at least one recovery heat exchanger positioned along the heat recovery fluid flow path directly upstream from the first heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hongsheng Liu, Parmesh Verma, Frederick J. Cogswell, Yinshan Feng
  • Patent number: 11440373
    Abstract: A temperature regulating system of an in-vehicle battery is disclosed in the present disclosure. The system includes: a heat exchanger; an in-vehicle air conditioner, where the in-vehicle air conditioner is provided with an air conditioner vent, a first air duct is formed between the air conditioner vent and the heat exchanger, a semiconductor heat exchange module, where a second air duct is formed between a cooling end of the semiconductor heat exchange module and the first fan, and a third air duct is formed between the cooling end of the semiconductor heat exchange module and a compartment; a battery thermal management module, where the battery thermal management module is connected to the heat exchanger to form a heat exchange flow path; and a controller, connected to the semiconductor heat exchange module, the battery thermal management module, and the in-vehicle air conditioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: BYD COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Xingchi Wu, Jigang Tan, Hongjun Wang
  • Patent number: 11427050
    Abstract: A heat pump system may include a cooling apparatus configured to include a radiator, a first water pump, a first valve, a second valve, and a reservoir tank which are connected through a coolant line; a battery cooling apparatus including a battery coolant line connected to the coolant line through the first valve, and a second water pump and a battery module which are connected through the battery coolant line to circulate the coolant in the battery module; a heating apparatus including a heating line connected to the coolant line through the second valve and a third water pump provided on the heating line, and a heater; a chiller provided in the battery coolant line between the first valve and the battery module, connected to a chiller connection line through the second valve connected to the chiller connection line, and connected to a refrigerant line of an air conditioner through a refrigerant connection line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Yeonho Kim
  • Patent number: 11427230
    Abstract: A bodywork structure for a body for a public transport vehicle, in particular a railway vehicle or a road transport vehicle, for example a guided road transport vehicle, including a wall extending in a longitudinal direction, the wall including at least one cavity extending in the longitudinal direction, wherein the cavity forms a passage for a fluid under pressure, for example a gas under pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: ALSTOM TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventor: Francis Langlois
  • Patent number: 11430098
    Abstract: A method detects body temperature. A first image, a second image, and a thermal image are received. The first image is calibrated with the second image using a calibration model to form a plurality of visible image layers. A distance layer is generated from the first image and the second image using a distance generation model. The thermal image is calibrated using the distance layer and a distance calibration model to form a thermal layer. A face location of a person in the first image is detected using a face detection model. A body temperature of the person at the face location is determined using the thermal layer. The body temperature is presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: AlgoLook, Inc.
    Inventors: David E. Harrison, Jeremy C. Patton, John Dankovchik
  • Patent number: 11413931
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted temperature controller includes a first heat circuit having a heat exchanger for a heat generating device and a first heat exchanger; a second heat circuit having a heat medium flow path of an engine and a second heat exchanger; and a refrigeration circuit having the first heat exchanger to make the refrigerant evaporate and the second heat exchanger to make the refrigerant condense. A circulation mode control device control a circulation mode so that the second heat medium raised in temperature by absorbing heat from the refrigerant at the second heat exchanger flows into the flow path, when the engine is stopped and heat is discharged from the heat generating device to the first heat medium in the heat exchanger for the heat generating device and heat is absorbed from the first heat medium to the refrigerant in the first heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masatoshi Yano, Yuji Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 11390138
    Abstract: A control system for a heating system of an electric or hybrid vehicle with a coolant cooled high voltage store. The control system includes an air conditioning evaporator of a refrigeration circuit of the heating system through which refrigerant circulates to cool the passenger compartment when a cooling requirement for a passenger compartment of the vehicle and for which an air conditioning cooling mode is set. The system further includes a chiller to cool the high voltage store when a cooling requirement for the high voltage store of the vehicle and for which a high voltage store (HVS) cooling mode is set. The control system selects the regulating variable for the compressor from a plurality of different regulating variables based on whether the air conditioning cooling mode is set, whether the HVS cooling mode is set, and/or whether both the air conditioning cooling and HVS cooling modes are set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Robert Herbolzheimer, Oliver Horn, Patrick Oswald, Markus Stix
  • Patent number: 11390140
    Abstract: Methods, and systems including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for automated climate control. In one aspect, a monitoring system includes an indoor climate control device that is configured to adjust an indoor climate setting of a property, a sensor that is located at the property and configured to generate sensor data that reflects an attribute of the property, and a monitor control unit. The monitor control unit is configured to receive the sensor data, and receive, from an onboard control unit for a first vehicle associated with the property, data that reflects a status of the first vehicle. Based on the data that reflects the status of the first vehicle and the sensor data, the monitor control unit determines the indoor climate setting for the indoor climate control device, and provides instructions to adjust the indoor climate control device to the indoor climate setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Alarm.com Incorporated
    Inventors: Samuel Simons, William Mensah
  • Patent number: 11394064
    Abstract: A temperature adjustment circuit includes a first pump that circulates a heat medium in at least one of a first temperature adjustment circuit and a second temperature adjustment circuit; a coupling path that couples the first temperature adjustment circuit and the second temperature adjustment circuit to form a coupled circuit; a switching unit capable of switching between a circulation state in which the heat medium circulates in the coupled circuit and a non-circulation state in which the heat medium does not circulate in the coupled circuit; and a control device that controls the switching unit and the first pump. The control device switches the coupled circuit from the non-circulation state to the circulation state in a state in which a rotation speed of the first pump is decreased lower than a rotation speed of the first pump before switching, and increases the rotation speed of the first pump after switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takuya Honjo
  • Patent number: 11390135
    Abstract: A thermal management system for a vehicle is provided. The system includes an interior air conditioning apparatus and a chiller that exchanges heat between first refrigerant and second refrigerant. A first line guides the first refrigerant to be circulated sequentially through a chiller, a high-voltage battery cooling core and a heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) core. A second line guides the second refrigerant to be circulated sequentially through a compressor, a condenser and the chiller. A controller operates the blower, a first pump and the compressor based on an exterior temperature of the vehicle and whether interior air conditioning is necessary, when cooling of the high-voltage battery is necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Sang Shin Lee, Man Ju Oh, So Yoon Park, Jae Woong Kim, So La Chung
  • Patent number: 11383577
    Abstract: A thermal management system may include a battery line connected to a high-voltage battery core and having a first radiator, and through which cooling water flows by a first pump; an introduction line having an end connected to an upstream side of the first radiator and the other end connected to the internal air-conditioning heating core, and through which cooling water flows by a second pump; a discharge line having an end connected to an upstream side of the high-voltage battery core in the battery line and the other end connected to the internal air-conditioning heating core, and through which the cooling water introduced through the introduction line flows; a refrigerant line having an expansion valve, an internal air-conditioning cooling core, a compressor, and an air-cooling condenser and through which a refrigerant flows; and a water-cooling condenser connecting the refrigerant line and the introduction line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, DOOWON CLIMATE CONTROL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang Shin Lee, Jae Woong Kim, So La Chung, Man Ju Oh, Chul Min Kim, Du Youl Choi
  • Patent number: 11359847
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a heat exchanger configured to place a cooling fluid in a heat exchange relationship with a working fluid, a free-cooling circuit having a pump configured to circulate the working fluid through the heat exchanger and a condenser, a flow control valve configured to control a flow rate of the working fluid to the condenser, a condenser bypass valve configured to control a flow rate of the working fluid that bypasses the condenser, and a controller configured to adjust a position of the flow control valve, a position of the condenser bypass valve, a speed of a fan of the condenser, a speed of the pump, and a temperature of a heater based on an ambient temperature, a temperature of the working fluid leaving the condenser, the position of the flow control valve, the position of the condenser bypass valve, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: William L. Kopko, Stephen M. Zardus, Israel Federman, Curtis C. Crane, Todd Kwao-vovo
  • Patent number: 11351840
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an air conditioner for a vehicle, which can perform a bleeding function to discharge air to a rear seat floor vent in a rear seat vent mode, and optimize the size of an outlet and the shape of doors to adjust a bleeding amount of a rear seat floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Yong Eun Seo, Myoung Jun Kim, Tae Wan Kim, Jeong Hun Seo, Jong Gon Lee, Tae Gun Lee
  • Patent number: 11345211
    Abstract: An assembly for a ventilation system of a vehicle is provided. The assembly is configured to use a single actuator to control direction of a vent and additionally control the flow rate of that vent. The assembly may comprise a single rotatable control member with two routes, one route used for controlling flow rate and one route for controlling flow direction. Each route may have a straight portion and curved portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Skapof
  • Patent number: 11318813
    Abstract: A thermal system for a vehicle having a comprehensive cooling circuit, a refrigeration circuit, a cooling circuit, a heating circuit, and a plurality of switched states is disclosed. The cooling circuit is connected with a heat source of the vehicle. The cooling circuit has a high-voltage accumulator (HVA) circuit to which a high-voltage accumulator for supplying power to an electric drivetrain of the vehicle is connected. An ambient cooler is connected to the cooling circuit downstream of the heat source. A chiller for transferring heat from the HVA circuit into the refrigeration circuit is also connected to the refrigeration circuit. A first switched state, in which the HVA circuit downstream and upstream of the heat source is connected to the cooling circuit, can be set such that an extended HVA circuit, in which the high-voltage accumulator and the heat source are connected in series is configured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christian Allgaeuer, Oliver Horn, Markus Moser
  • Patent number: 11318816
    Abstract: A heat pump system for a vehicle may adjust a temperature of a battery module by use of one chiller that performs heat exchange between a refrigerant and a coolant, and improve heating efficiency by use of waste heat generated from an electrical component and the battery module, in increasing the flow rate of the refrigerant by operating the gas injection unit in the heating mode or the heating/dehumidification mode of the vehicle, thereby reducing power consumption of a compressor and maximizing heating performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jae Yeon Kim, Wan Je Cho
  • Patent number: 11299011
    Abstract: A controller performs a prior determination by determining whether air cooling of a passenger compartment by free cooling control is possible based on a target value of a temperature in the passenger compartment that is set in advance, an outdoor air temperature, and an indoor temperature. The controller also performs a free cooling execution determination by determining whether to perform the free cooling control by comparing (i) a free cooling performance value that depends on a temperature difference between the outdoor air temperature and the indoor temperature and indicates a capacity of air cooling by the free cooling control, and (ii) an indoor heat load value that depends on a vehicle occupancy rate of passengers in the passenger compartment and indicates a difficulty of a temperature decrease in the passenger compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Tone, Masatoshi Urakawa
  • Patent number: 11301779
    Abstract: A method of operating an air conditioner, including: obtaining an image acquired by a camera; determining a distance and a direction of an occupant relative to the air conditioner, based on the image; using at least one machine-learning network to classify an air-blowable space of the air conditioner into an intensive air blowing area and a non-intensive air blowing area, based on the distance and the direction of the occupant; controlling the air conditioner to operate in an intensive operation mode with respect to the intensive air blowing area; and controlling the air conditioner to operate in a non-intensive operation mode with respect to the intensive air blowing area and the non-intensive air blowing area based on completion of the intensive operation mode. A time duration of the intensive operation mode is smaller than a time duration of the non-intensive operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Taeyup Song, Dongwoo Han
  • Patent number: 11299006
    Abstract: This thermoregulation system (1) for an electrically driven vehicle (V), the vehicle comprising at least one electric machine (E), at least one battery (30), and at least one power electronics component (37), comprises a coolant circuit (5), a pump (7), coolant heat exchangers, connected to the coolant circuit (5) so that the coolant may circulate through them and comprising a main exchanger (9), configured for exchanging heat between the coolant and air coming from the outside of the vehicle (V), at least one battery exchanger (11), configured for exchanging heat between the coolant and said at least one battery (30), and at least one secondary exchanger (13, 36), configured for exchanging heat between the coolant and said at least one electric machine (E) and/or said at least one power electronics component (37).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ronan Mothier
  • Patent number: 11285787
    Abstract: An air flow control system includes a plenum having an air inlet, a first air outlet, a second air outlet and a third air outlet, a vent door, an air guide, carried on the vent door, and an actuator. The actuator displaces the vent door between a first position closing the first air outlet and a second position opening the first air outlet. A climate control method for an autonomous vehicle is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony Ligi, Jr., Gary D. Mullen, Francis Raymond Gillis, Steven Nicholas Fidh
  • Patent number: 11262106
    Abstract: Provided is a refrigeration cycle apparatus capable of achieving an improvement in heat exchange performance during a heating operation and during a cooling operation, while suppressing increases in manufacturing cost and volume required for packaging. The outdoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger are connected in parallel to the indoor heat exchanger via the branch portion. The flow path switching device includes a first port, a second port, and a third port. The first port is connected with a third refrigerant flow path. The second port is connected with the outdoor heat exchanger. The third port is connected with a fourth refrigerant flow path. The second port is configured to switch between a state in which the second port is connected to the first port and a state in which the second port is connected to the third port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Ryota Akaiwa, Shinya Higashiiue
  • Patent number: 11247656
    Abstract: A control method of an air conditioning system for a vehicle includes a process A of determining whether arrival at a destination is imminent based on data detected from a data detecting unit by a controller and comparing a target temperature of an evaporator with an actual temperature of the evaporator in a state of cooling a vehicle interior while the vehicle is running. A process B includes controlling a blow motor, a compressor, and a vent discharge control unit by determining whether the evaporator is cleaned by the controller through process A, and controlling an outdoor air/indoor air mode operation unit by detecting external humidity and internal humidity. A process C includes controlling the blow motor and the outdoor air/indoor air mode operation unit by comparing an external temperature with the temperature of the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yeon Ho Kim, Seung Ho Lee, Jae Yeon Kim, Wan Je Cho
  • Patent number: 11231184
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an outdoor unit for an air conditioner. The present invention relates to an outdoor unit of a gas heat pump system. An outdoor unit of a gas heat pump system according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a storage tank which is disposed at a suction side of a compressor and stores a refrigerant to be supplied to the compressor; and a heat exchanger for performing heat exchange of a refrigerant flowing through a refrigerant pipe or cooling water flowing through a cooling water pipe, wherein the heat exchanger is supported by the storage tank. Therefore, the outdoor unit does not require a separate frame structure for installing the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Minho Chung, Kyoungyoul Lee, Song Choi
  • Patent number: 11214113
    Abstract: A vehicular air conditioning device includes an air conditioning case having first, second case introduction ports and first, second case discharge ports, and a fan. The first, second case discharge ports are offset upward and downward in an up-down direction relative to a rotation axis, respectively. A first inner guide surface of an inner guide plate is located on the one side of a second inner guide surface in the left-right direction. Air introduced through the first case introduction port is guided by the first inner guide surface to be drawn from a first passage into the fan, the air being blown upward to flow through the first case discharge port. Air introduced through the second case introduction port is guided by the second inner guide surface to be drawn from a second passage into the fan, the air being blown upward to flow through the second case discharge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinya Kato, Ryo Kobayashi, Yasuhiro Sekito, Tetsuya Kono, Yuki Tsumagari, Tomohide Shindo
  • Patent number: 11207948
    Abstract: A thermal management system includes a refrigerant system, which includes a compressor, a flow control device, a valve member, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, and a third heat exchanger. The flow control device includes a first throttle unit, a second throttle unit, and a valve assembly; the flow control device includes a first port, a second port, and a third port; a first connection port of the first heat exchanger is in communication with the second port, and a first connection port of the second heat exchanger is in communication with the third port, while a first connection port of the third heat exchanger is in communication with the first port. The thermal management system includes a first operating state and a second operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Hangzhou Sanhua Research Institute Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yongxiang Tan
  • Patent number: 11198377
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a power management system of a pure electric vehicle powered exclusively by batteries which allows the vehicle to carry a load of up to 13 tons, where the system of the present invention is provided with five blocks: a battery system (SBAT) (3), a control and power logic unit (ULCP) (4), a traction system (STR) (5), an auxiliary system (SAX) (36), and a driver's control panel (PCM) 81, where such blocks are interconnected by two buses, CAN bus (128) and Digital/Analogical BDA (129). The battery system has two battery banks (1) and (2) in parallel which are monitored by the BMS (76). The BMS (76) checks whether the voltages at the output of the batteries are the same as the input of the inverter (8) and manages the use of the battery banks in conjunction with the eVSI (73) by operating the battery bank (1) or the battery bank (2) or both depending on the load conditions of each bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: ELETRA INDUSTRIAL LTDA
    Inventor: Paulino Hiratsuka
  • Patent number: 11199613
    Abstract: An electronics housing assembly is disclosed. In some embodiments, the electronics housing is attached to a vehicle to house a sensor of the vehicle (e.g., a LIDAR). The electronics housing includes a fixed body structure, a movable body structure, a motor operatively coupled to the movable body structure, a positioner sensor coupled to the fixed body structure, and a sensor bracket attached to the movable body structure and configured to attach to a sensor. In some embodiments, the positioner sensor is used to detect the position of the movable body structure and the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Inventor: Chi Hung Cao
  • Patent number: 11179994
    Abstract: A heat pump for a vehicle is provided in which the heat pump includes a compressor, an inner heat exchanger, an outer heat exchanger, a first expansion unit, a second expansion unit, an evaporator, an accumulator, a third heat exchanger, a first directional control valve, a second directional control valve, and a dehumidification line, and performs cooling, heating, defrosting, and dehumidifying operations according to the flow of a refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: ESTRA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong Won Kim, Ho Young Jang, Jun Ho Choi
  • Patent number: 11167620
    Abstract: A thermal management system. The thermal management system includes a refrigerant system and a cooling liquid system; the thermal management system further includes a fourth heat exchanger which includes a first flow channel and a second flow channel; the refrigerant system and the cooling liquid system can perform heat exchanging by means of the fourth heat exchanger, thereby facilitating improving the performance of the thermal management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Hangzhou Sanhua Research Institute Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yongxiang Tan, Keli Ye
  • Patent number: 11142036
    Abstract: An air-conditioning circuit for a hybrid vehicle has a charge-air cooler (12) for cooling charge air for a turbocharger of a combustion engine with a cooling medium, a low-temperature cooler (14) for cooling the cooling medium of the charge-air cooler (12), and an air-conditioning condenser (18) for dehumidifying conditioning air for air-conditioning a vehicle interior with the aid of a cooling liquid. The air-conditioning condenser (18) is connectable to the low-temperature cooler (14) for cooling the cooling liquid of the air-conditioning condenser. A temperature-control line (22) controls a temperature of a motor vehicle battery (24). The air-conditioning condenser (18) is connectable to the temperature-control line (22) for heating the motor vehicle battery (24). The required cooling power of the low-temperature cooler (14) can be reduced by cooling both the cooling medium of the charge-air cooler (12) and the cooling liquid of the air-conditioning condenser (18) in the low-temperature cooler (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Inventors: Tobias Rapp, Thomas Tscheppe, Udo Hoefer
  • Patent number: 11127993
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for controlling heat flow between systems of an electric automotive vehicle. An automotive electric vehicle system includes a high voltage battery system including an enclosure, an electric powertrain system, a radiator, coolant lines that permit coolant flow between the high voltage battery system, the power train system and the radiator, one or more valves for routing coolant along the coolant lines, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the one or more valves to control the flow of coolant among a plurality of different, selectable coolant flow states involving the high voltage battery system, the powertrain system and the radiator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Jonathan King
  • Patent number: 11112147
    Abstract: A method for cooling with a refrigerant based cooling system includes circulating a refrigerant in a main flow path of a refrigeration cycle including an accumulator, compressor, condenser and an evaporator, diverting a portion of flow to a bypass flow path from a location along the main flow path that is downstream the compressor and upstream the condenser and combining flow through the bypass flow path with flow through the main flow path downstream the condenser and upstream from the evaporator. The rate of flow through the bypass flow path may be dynamically controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: M.D, Mechanical Devices Ltd.
    Inventors: Lior Moshe Yosef, Eyal Simhon
  • Patent number: 11104205
    Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning device is provided which is capable of eliminating inconvenience due to a reduction in heating capability when changing from heat absorption from outdoor air to heat absorption from a heat medium. A heat-generating equipment temperature adjusting device 61 has a heat medium heating heater 66 and a refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger 64. The vehicle air-conditioning device has first and second heat medium heat absorption/heating modes to let a refrigerant discharged from a compressor 2 radiate heat in a radiator 4, decompress the refrigerant from which the heat has been radiated, and then let the refrigerant absorb heat in the refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger. When the temperature of the heat medium is a predetermined threshold T1 or less upon changing from a heating operation to the first and second heat medium heat absorption/heating modes, the heat medium is heated by the heat medium heating heater before the changing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Sanden Automotive Climate Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ishizeki, Ryo Miyakoshi, Kohei Yamashita
  • Patent number: 11105539
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The system includes a primary heat transfer loop configured to be disposed at least partially outside of a building, and the primary heat transfer loop includes a heat exchanger, a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, where the refrigerant is reactive, a condenser configured to receive and condense the refrigerant, and an expansion device configured to reduce a temperature of the refrigerant. The system further includes a secondary heat transfer loop configured to circulate a two-phase fluid at least partially inside the building, wherein the two-phase fluid is less reactive than the refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: Douglas A. Kester
  • Patent number: 11091008
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a vehicle control device including: a fluid circuit, mutually connecting an engine, a vehicle cabin interior heat exchanger for discharging heat into a vehicle cabin interior, and a heat discharging heat exchanger included in a refrigerant cycle in which a refrigerant is compressed and expanded by a compressor, and in which a fluid circulates; and a control unit for controlling the compressor and the engine such that, in a case in which engine warm-up operation ending conditions have not been established and in a case in which predetermined stopping conditions, other than the warm-up operation ending conditions, for stopping engine idling have been established, the compressor is operated while the engine is idling so as to release heat from the refrigerant from the heat discharging heat exchanger and to heat the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichi Onishi, Nobuharu Kakehashi