Means To Control Fan Or Pump To Regulate Supply Air Flow Or Supply Water Flow Patents (Class 165/244)
  • Patent number: 8100172
    Abstract: A temperature equalization system comprised of heat equalizer and fluid transmission duct disposed in a heat carrier existing in solid or liquid state in the nature where presents comparatively larger and more reliable heat carrying capacity; the fluid passes through the installation to regulate for temperature equalization, and flows back to the installation disposed in the natural carrier of heat for the installation providing good heat conduction with the natural heat carrier to provide the function of temperature equalization regulating on the backflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Patent number: 8056617
    Abstract: An HVAC system for work vehicle having an operator compartment for an operator is disclosed. The HVAC system includes a pressurizer blower and an air-conditioning system coupled to an electronic circuit. The electronic circuit is configured to reduce the output of the pressurizer blower when the operator selects a high output from the air-conditioning system. The HVAC system is also configured to provide defog operation in both a manual mode and an automatic mode of operation. The HVAC system is configured to reset the defog operation when the vehicle ignition is turned off or turned back on. The HVAC system is also configured not to reset the defog operation when the operator switches rapidly between the automatic mode and the manual mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Mark D. Klassen, Leonid Chernyavsky, Alan G. Leupold, Paul E. Wibbels, Michael C. Bunnell, M. Javaid Arshad
  • Publication number: 20110242755
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a system for cooling. The system comprises an equipment rack installable in a facility and for accommodating a plurality of electronic equipment. The system further comprises an exhaust duct into which the electronic equipment, when installed in the rack, exhausts gas drawn from a first section of a facility. The system further comprises a gas flow meter for measuring gas flow in the exhaust duct, and a controller for generating control signals to control, based on the measured gas flow, the output of a cooling unit arranged to provide cooled gas to the first section of the facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventors: Roy Zeighami, Robert Lankston
  • Patent number: 7992631
    Abstract: A temperature control system for a building comprises a thermal collection system, a plurality of underground heat sinks, and a heat exchanger. The thermal collection system includes at least one fluid channel. The thermal collection system is configured to heat or cool fluid within the at least one fluid channel. A first and a second underground heat sink are configured to receive the fluid from the thermal collection system. The first underground heat sink absorbs heat from the fluid in order to heat the first underground heat sink. The second underground heat sink transfers heat to the fluid in order to cool the second underground heat sink. The heat exchanger is configured to receive fluid from the first or second underground heat sink in order to heat or cool the building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Inventor: Kenton F. Brett
  • Patent number: 7992629
    Abstract: In an air amount control for controlling an air amount to be blown into a vehicle compartment, a water temperature control map in which the air amount is set based on a water temperature of cooling water for the vehicle is stored, and the air amount is determined based on control characteristics of the water temperature control map. The water temperature control map is learned and changed based on a set air amount, and the air amount to be blown into the vehicle compartment is determined based on the learned water temperature control map in a case where the set air amount is changed by a passenger and the water temperature is in a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takeda, Yasufumi Kojima, Hiroyuki Tomita
  • Publication number: 20110155365
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a fan unit are described and shown. The system may comprise an electronic controller, an indoor sensor responsive to at least one characteristic of interior air, and an outdoor sensor responsive to at least one characteristic of exterior air. The electronic controller may cause at least one fan of a window fan to be activated when interior air meets certain criteria relative to a set point and exterior air meets certain criteria relative to interior air. The method may comprise the steps of measuring at least one characteristic of exterior air, at least one characteristic of interior air, and activating an intake fan when the interior air meets certain criteria relative to a set point and the exterior air meets certain criteria relative to the interior air. The fan unit may optionally include a selectively activated compressor and selectively provide air conditioning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventor: James Wiese
  • Publication number: 20110127026
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling the cooling fan within an electronic display based on the amount of ambient light present. An ambient light sensor is used to measure the amount of ambient light which is contacting the display. To anticipate a temperature rise and lower the thermal inertia of the display, the fan speed is increased when high ambient light levels are measured at the exterior of the display. The ambient light sensor data may be used to apply a temperature correction factor to a temperature sensor within the display. Alternatively, the ambient light sensor data may be used to apply a fan speed correction factor to a desired fan speed (calculated based on a temperature sensor within the display). Multiple systems or methods can be used simultaneously within the display to cool several components which may heat and cool at different rates relative to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: MANUFACTURING RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: John Schuch, Rick De Laet
  • Publication number: 20110007109
    Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed towards an apparatus for use in printing systems. The apparatus may include an ink filter having an ink chamber configured to allow ink to flow therethrough and a coolant chamber configured to allow coolant to flow therethrough. The coolant chamber may be further configured to cool ink in the ink chamber. Numerous other embodiments are also within the scope of the present disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: Craig J. Shields, Gary W. Pritchard, Thomas F. Lewis, Thomas J. Kucklick
  • Publication number: 20100288467
    Abstract: Enclosures for use in hazardous areas include heat exchangers for active thermal management. The enclosures are coupled to a device having heat transfer capabilities. Equipment within the enclosures produces heat within the enclosure. The heat exchanger removes heat produced from the equipment and manages the internal temperature of the enclosures to a level suitable for hazardous locations. The enclosures can be actively cooled or heated using the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventors: Joseph Michael Manahan, Marc Raymond Kozlowski
  • Publication number: 20100263852
    Abstract: Providing a plurality of fans within an enclosure. A system implementing this technique can include an enclosure, a heat sink in thermal communication with the enclosure, electronic components at least partially sealed within the enclosure, an eXclusive OR (XOR) fan array, a monitoring engine, and a control engine. A method implementing this technique can include using a heat sink to dissipate heat generated by electronic components within an enclosure; determining that each of the fans of a XOR fan array are stopped, selecting one and only one of the fans of the XOR fan array for operation, and operating the fan to increase air flow within the enclosure, thereby increasing the efficiency of the heat sink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: Trapeze Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Mirshams, Gary Wong, Michael Nguyen, Nozar Azarakhsh
  • Patent number: 7789129
    Abstract: A user-operated air-flow regulating device includes a radiator enhancer and an enhancer extension situated adjacent to existing radiator fins of an existing baseboard radiator and oriented at an end-to-end pattern. The device further includes a mechanism for directing and displacing ambient air along a first travel path into respective cavities of the radiator enhancer and the enhancer extension. The enhancer extension includes an elongated fan and a coupling attached to one end thereof. Such a coupling is removably conjoined to a portion of the ambient air directing and displacing mechanism such that the ambient air is separately directed along the first travel path and thereafter displaced along the second travel path in each of the radiator enhancer and enhancer extension respectively. The user-operated air-flow regulating device further includes a mechanism for channeling the ambient air along a third travel path leading obliquely away from the second travel path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Inventor: John A. Barden
  • Patent number: 7735744
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically adjusting the flow rate of engine coolant through a heater core in an automobile by automatically determining a temperature difference between the temperature of coolant at a first flow rate before it enters a heater core and a temperature of air exiting the heater core and automatically increasing the flow rate of the coolant to a second flow rate higher than the first flow rate if the temperature difference is greater than a first predetermined temperature difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald S. Eisenhour
  • Patent number: 7708056
    Abstract: A fan controlling system and method is applicable to an electronic device with a fan for adjusting a temperature of the electronic device. The fan controlling system includes a plurality of temperature sensors installed in different regions inside of the electronic device for sensing temperatures around the regions, a mapping table for mapping a plurality of temperature ranges onto a plurality of rotation speeds, and a processing module for comparing the temperatures sensed by the temperature sensors and controlling the fan to rotate according to one of the rotation speeds onto which the mapping table maps one of the temperature ranges within which a highest one of the sensed temperatures is. Therefore, the fan can operate stably and does not generate a loud noise even when its rotation speed is changing, and has a longer lifespan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Inventec Corporation
    Inventors: Chia-Jung Shen, Min-Tsung Huang
  • Patent number: 7685830
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for detecting changes in a first flow of a heating or cooling medium in a refrigeration system whereby the first flow is conveyed through a heat exchanger wherein occurs heat transfer from the first flow to a second flow of a heating or cooling medium. The earliest possible detection of the changes is desired. For this it is provided that for the supervision of the first media flow moving through the heat exchanger a change in the enthalpy of the second media stream or a value derived therefrom is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Danfoss A/S
    Inventors: Claus Thybo, Bjarne Dindler Rasmussen, Roozbeh Izadi-Zamanabad
  • Patent number: 7681630
    Abstract: An HVAC system for work vehicle having an operator compartment for an operator is disclosed. The HVAC system includes a pressurizer blower and an air-conditioning system coupled to an electronic circuit. The electronic circuit is configured to reduce the output of the pressurizer blower when the operator selects a high output from the air-conditioning system. The HVAC system is also configured to provide defog operation in both a manual mode and an automatic mode of operation. The HVAC system is configured to reset the defog operation when the vehicle ignition is turned off or turned back on. The HVAC system is also configured not to reset the defog operation when the operator switches rapidly between the automatic mode and the manual mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Mark D. Klassen, Leonid Chernyavsky, Alan G. Leupold, Paul E. Wibbels, Michael C. Bunnell, M. Javaid Arshad
  • Publication number: 20100044448
    Abstract: An amount of time that air has been delivered from an air handler to a space is tracked, and based on the tracked amount of time, at least one turn-on time or one turn-off time of the delivery of air from the air handler to the space is controlled. Other features relate, among other things, to controlling a replacement air vent, and to user interfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventor: JASON WOLFSON
  • Publication number: 20090277622
    Abstract: A fan is controlled to remove or provide air from or to an equipment enclosure as a function of a difference in pressure between a front and back of a rack of equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: Degree Controls, Inc.
    Inventor: Rajesh M. Nair
  • Patent number: 7556090
    Abstract: When a target blown air temperature TAO is in a predetermined intermediate temperature zone, a blower is automatically stopped (S80), an outside air mode is selected when the blower 8 is automatically stopped. When an outside air temperature Tam is a first predetermined temperature (15° C.) or lower, an opening degree of an air mix door is corrected to a high temperature side in comparison with the time of the operation of the blower (S120), and when the outside air temperature Tam is a second predetermined temperature (25° C.) or higher, the opening degree of the air mix door is corrected to the low temperature side in comparison with the time of the operation of the blower (S130).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norio Asai, Yuji Honda
  • Patent number: 7481261
    Abstract: A control system for disabling the fan of a heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning system upon the detection of an audible alarm, such as a smoke alarm. The preferred embodiment utilizes a tunable band pass filter/decibel level detector in conjunction with a microphone to detect an audible alarm. When an alarm is detected, the fan is disabled whether the HVAC is operating in heating, cooling, or manual fan “on” mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Inventors: Keith E. Johnson, Duane M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7475828
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for meeting a fresh air ventilation threshold in a controlled space. In particular, and in some embodiments, a minimum ventilation threshold is met by using normal air handler fan cycles to minimize the energy cost of supplying the ventilation. Prediction methods may be employed to determine whether the air handler and damper need to be activated to meet a minimum ventilation threshold, even when the HVAC system is not currently calling for normal air handler fan cycles. In some cases, the past history of air handler fan run cycles is used to determine whether a fan should be operated now to provide additional fresh air ventilation. Alternatively, or in addition, predictions of future air handler cycles are used to determine whether a fan should be operated now to provide additional fresh air ventilation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Charles E. Bartlett, Stephen J. Kemp, Leisha J. Rotering
  • Patent number: 7409984
    Abstract: When a switching signal to switch the mode to the defroster mode is generated and the target air volume is smaller than a predetermined air volume ?, the target air volume is automatically increased to the predetermined air volume ?. In doing so, an increase starting point of time of increasing the target air volume is determined according to the blowout mode immediately before a switch signal to switch the mode to the defroster mode is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Samukawa
  • Patent number: 7404435
    Abstract: An air conditioner for automotive vehicle use intended to prevent a defrosting operation in an instantaneous foot-defroster mode. The DEF mode in which air mainly from a DEF opening is blown toward the windshield is set by an exclusive front DEF switch. The F/D mode for blowing a substantially equal amount of air to the windshield and the feet of the occupants from the DEF opening and the FOOT opening, respectively, together with the other blow modes (FACE, B/L, FOOT), are sequentially switched for each operation of the blow mode switch in a predetermined sequence. In the case where the F/D mode is selected, the air condition control operation is not performed nor is the blow mode displayed in F/D mode before the lapse of a predetermined length of time (about 1 second). In the case where the blow mode other than F/D mode is desired, therefore, the unrequired control operation in F/D mode is not performed and the instantaneous change is not displayed even though the F/D mode is unavoidably passed-through.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Samukawa, Masashi Ino
  • Patent number: 7398821
    Abstract: A system and method for cooling and heating of buildings comprising an integrated assembly of devices, including a variable speed air handler, hot water heating coil, outside air damper, controller, and optional compressor-based air conditioner. During the summer the system utilizes nighttime outside air for cooling and uses air temperature predictions to provide information about optimal control settings and to maintain comfort. During the winter the system varies airflow with heating demand and ventilates with outside air to maintain indoor air quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Davis Energy Group
    Inventors: Leo I. Rainer, David A. Springer
  • Patent number: 7370695
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a combined cooling/climate control system for motor vehicles for cooling the motor vehicle's electrical and/or electronic components and air conditioning of a passenger compartment of the vehicle, comprising: a main ventilation duct (13); a fan (15) for drawing in air disposed in the main ventilation duct; a heating unit (16) downstream of the fan (15) for selective warming of air, which is to be supplied to the passenger compartment; and for cooling the electrical and/or electronic components with air drawn in by the fan (15), an air supply pipe (20) downstream of the fan (15) and upstream of the heating unit (16) connected to the main ventilation duct (13) and an air discharge pipe (22) upstream of the fan (15) connected to the main ventilation duct (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Lisa Dräxlmaier GmbH
    Inventors: Simon Häglsperger, Andreas Kraft, Florian Prankl
  • Patent number: 7296426
    Abstract: An interactive system for controlling the operation of an HVAC system is provide that comprises a thermostat for initiating the operation of the HVAC system in either a full capacity mode of operation or at least one reduced capacity mode of operation, and a controller for an outside condenser unit having a condenser fan motor and a compressor motor, the controller being capable of operating the compressor in a full capacity mode and at least one reduced capacity mode. The system also comprises a controller for an indoor blower unit having a blower fan motor, the controller being capable of operating the blower fan motor in a full capacity mode an at least one reduced capacity mode. The system further includes a communication means for transmitting information between the outside condenser unit controller and at least the indoor blower controller, where the information relates to the operation of the indoor blower and the outdoor condenser unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: William P. Butler, Steven L. Carey, Hung Pham, Nagaraj Jayanth
  • Patent number: 7287583
    Abstract: A low-cost vehicle air-conditioning apparatus for idle stopping vehicles is capable of performing both cooling and heating operations throughout the year. The air-conditioning apparatus includes an engine-driven compressor and engine-driven pump for a heating unit. The air-conditioning apparatus includes a motor-driven compressor and pump. A control unit drives the motor such that the motor-driven compressor is operated when there is a need for cooling and the motor-driven pump is operated when there is a need for heating when the engine is stopped. Battery power is conserved through various methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeki Iwanami, Yasushi Suzuki, Yasushi Yamanaka, Yukio Ogawa, Keiichi Uno
  • Patent number: 7258280
    Abstract: An amount of time that air has been delivered from an air handler to a space is tracked, and based on the tracked amount of time, at least one turn-on time or one turn-off time of the delivery of air from the air handler to the space is controlled. Other features relate, among other things, to controlling a replacement air vent, and to user interfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Tuckernuck Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Jason Wolfson
  • Patent number: 7201220
    Abstract: An air conditioner for automotive vehicles is disclosed. The flow rates of air supplied to an evaporator (4) and a heater (5) are adjusted by rotationally displacing a scroll casing (2b) and thus changing an air flow from a blower (2) to a predetermined direction. The air-mix door can thus be eliminated to allow a smaller size of an air-conditioner casing (3) (air-conditioning unit (1)). Also, the ratio between cool air flow rate and hot air flow rate is adjusted by rotationally displacing the scroll casing (2b) with a spur gear (2c) and, therefore, the size and the production cost of the air conditioner can be reduced as compared with a conventional system in which an air-mix door is swung by a link mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Tokunaga, Koji Ito, Masakazu Nagaya
  • Patent number: 7191826
    Abstract: A fan motor speed control system for controlling the fan motor speed of an air conditioning system includes a power output circuit including a power triac which is turned on and off by an opto-isolator connected to a pulse generator circuit for varying an AC voltage waveform imposed on the fan motor. The pulse generator circuit is connected to heating and cooling ramp circuits and a minimum speed circuit to provide a variable voltage signal imposed on the pulse generator circuit corresponding to the temperature difference sensed by a return air sensor and a heating or cooling sensor or by separate heating and cooling sensors disposed adjacent respective heating and cooling heat exchangers of the air conditioning system. An adjustable minimum speed circuit and a cutoff circuit are provided to control motor minimum speed or motor shutoff when a predetermined minimum speed is reached to prevent motor bearing failure or overheating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Hoffman Controls Corp.
    Inventors: Howard P. Byrnes, Walter William Bowman
  • Patent number: 7177149
    Abstract: A heat dissipating fan assembly includes a fan housing, a fan unit, a converter, and a connecting unit. The fan unit includes a DC motor mounted within the fan housing, and a plurality of blades extending outwardly from and driven by the motor. The converter includes a casing mounted on the fan housing, an AC-to-DC converter circuit unit provided within the casing, and an AC input and a DC output connected to the circuit unit. The connecting unit has a first connector coupled to the DC motor, and a second connector coupled to the DC output and matable with the first connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Inventor: Hao-Cheng Lin
  • Patent number: 7086459
    Abstract: A cooling system is configured to supply individually metered amounts of cooling fluid to heat generating components, e.g., processors, micro-controllers, high speed video cards, disk drives, semi-conductor devices, and the like, of an electronic system. The cooling system includes at least one variable speed fan, e.g., blower, configured to supply fluid through a centralized plenum and thereafter through a plurality of nozzles to the components of the electronic system. Each of the nozzles contains a valve to control the amount of fluid flow through the each of the nozzles. A controller is provided to control the operation of the variable speed fan and the operation of each of the valves is also controlled by a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Abdlmonem H. Beitelmal, Chandrakant D. Patel
  • Patent number: 7013968
    Abstract: A cooling system is configured to supply individually metered amounts of cooling fluid to heat generating components, e.g., processors, micro-controllers, high speed video cards, disk drives, semi-conductor devices, and the like, of an electronic system. The cooling system includes at least one variable speed fan, e.g., blower, configured to supply fluid through a centralized plenum and thereafter through a plurality of nozzles to the components of the electronic system. Each of the nozzles contains a valve to control the amount of fluid flow through the each of the nozzles. A controller is provided to control the operation of the variable speed fan and the operation of each of the valves is also controlled by a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Abdlmonem H. Beitelmal, Chandrakant D. Patel
  • Patent number: 6981544
    Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning apparatus for idle-stop vehicles is capable of performing both cooling and heating operations throughout the year. The air-conditioning apparatus includes an engine-driven compressor and engine-driven pump for a heating unit. The air-conditioning apparatus includes a motor-driven compressor and pump. A control unit drives the motor such that the motor-driven compressor is operated when there is a need for cooling and the motor-driven pump is operated when there is a need for heating when the engine is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeki Iwanami, Yasushi Suzuki, Yasushi Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 6889763
    Abstract: Resist coated wafers are rapidly and uniformly cooled by a fluid that has been cooled through the Joule-Thompson effect. Fluid from a high pressure reservoir is vented into a chamber that contains the substrates. By varying the pressure difference between the reservoir and the chamber, the temperature of the cooling fluid entering the chamber can be controlled. By also controlling the flow rate through the chamber, the average temperature difference between the fluid in the chamber and the substrates may be limited, whereby more uniform cooling is obtained. While the chamber pressure is lower than that in the high pressure reservoir, the chamber pressure may still be substantially greater than atmospheric. An elevated chamber pressure raises the specific heat and residence time of the fluid in the chamber, which also promotes uniform cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramkumar Subramanian, Bharath Rangarajan, Michael K. Templeton
  • Patent number: 6802369
    Abstract: A control system for a refrigerator quick chill and thaw system comprises an electronic controller coupled to the operable components of a modular air handler for producing a convective airstream in a sealed pan for rapid chilling and safe thawing. The controller is configured to operate the air handler to execute a chill mode when selected by a user, operate the air handler to execute a thaw mode when selected by a user, adjust the air handler components for the selected chill mode or thaw mode, and maintain a constant temperature airstream in the pan to execute the selected chill mode or the thaw mode. Adaptive chill and thaw algorithms are executable by the controller in response to user input and temperature conditions inside the sealed pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Martin M. Zentner, Wolfgang Daum
  • Patent number: 6761214
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner has an actuator for driving an air mixing door and various mode switching doors. An automatic range and a manual range are set in different operating angle ranges of the actuator. In the automatic range, an air outlet mode is automatically switched in accordance with an opening degree of the air mixing door. On the other hand, in the manual range, a multi-mode or a defroster mode is manually set, regardless of the opening degree of the air mixing door. In the manual range, air is simultaneously blown from all openings such as a face opening, a foot opening and a defroster opening in the multi-mode, and air is blown from the defroster opening in the defroster mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Nobukazu Kuribayashi, Tatsumi Kumada, Shigeki Harada, Koichi Ito, Junji Yokoi
  • Patent number: 6751479
    Abstract: A radio base station having a cabinet and a fan. The cabinet houses wireless communication equipment, and the fan cools the wireless communication equipment. The radio base station also includes at least one vent substantially perpendicular to air flow through the fan. This substantially perpendicularly arranged vent reduces atmospheric/ocean breezes from entering the radio base station and overheating the wireless communication equipment. The radio base station may also include at least one louvered vent having an open position and a closed position, the open position flowing air to or from the fan, and the closed position reducing the flow of air to or from the fan. The wireless communication equipment transmits frequencies between 806-960 MHz, between 1710-1885 MHz, or between 2500-2690 MHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation
    Inventor: Clifford Lee Knight
  • Patent number: 6725914
    Abstract: The invention is a double duct changeover HVAC system, which uses two conditioned air sources to deliver air into two main duct systems. The two main duct systems are routed toward the exterior exposures of a building, and converge into a single duct which is routed to heating and cooling zones. Exterior exposure dampers control the mix of air so that the correct air temperature is sent to each exterior exposure. A damper at each heating and cooling zone controls the air flow into each heating and cooling zone, and VAV logic is used to deliver the correct air temperature and air flow to each heating and cooling zone of a building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Inventor: Bart Petterson
  • Patent number: 6715691
    Abstract: A multi-stage pressure distribution and pressure regulation system. The system includes at least one heating and cooling load having a supply side and a return side, a heat source supply system for supplying thermo-fluid to the at least one heating and cooling load, and a booster pumping system including at least one booster pump for transferring the thermo-fluid from the heat source supply system to the supply side of the at least one heating and cooling load for maintaining a predetermined head pressure. The multi-stage system also includes at least one pressure regulating system including at least one pressure reducing and sustaining device for reducing the pressure of the thermo-fluid flowing from the return side of the at least one heating and cooling load and sustaining the pressure at the predetermined head pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Inventors: Jung-Ro Park, Jung-Hwan Park, Young-Tack Choi
  • Patent number: 6695046
    Abstract: A fan motor speed control system for controlling the fan motor speed of an air conditioning system includes a power output circuit including a power triac which is turned on and off by an opto-isolator connected to a pulse generator circuit for varying an AC voltage waveform imposed on the fan motor. The pulse generator circuit is connected to heating and cooling ramp circuits and a minimum speed circuit to provide a variable voltage signal imposed on the pulse generator circuit corresponding to the temperature difference sensed by a return air sensor and a heating or cooling sensor or by separate heating and cooling sensors disposed adjacent respective heating and cooling heat exchangers of the air conditioning system. An adjustable minimum speed circuit and a cutoff circuit are provided to control motor minimum speed or motor shutoff when a predetermined minimum speed is reached to prevent motor bearing failure or overheating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Hoffman Controls Corp.
    Inventors: Howard P. Byrnes, Walter William Bowman
  • Patent number: 6684944
    Abstract: A forced air heating and/or cooling system utilizing an induction type fan motor is controlled by a controller circuit which is operable to continuously vary the speed of the fan motor during a start-up phase and a shut-down phase of the heating and/or cooling cycle. The controller circuit includes terminals for connection to the source of electrical energy for the heating and/or cooling system and for connection to the system controls without altering the control function or circuitry thereof. The controller circuit includes temperature sensors which are operable to control start-up and shutdown of the fan motor over continuously variable speed operating cycles in response to sensed temperature of the air being circulated by the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Hoffman Controls Corp.
    Inventors: Howard P. Byrnes, Daniel B. Steffen
  • Patent number: 6671175
    Abstract: An assembly of computer peripherals, which has the functions of (temperature control and fan rotation speed regulation, includes a host casing, a temperature sensing circuit, a fan driver circuit, a liquid crystal display (LCD) driver circuit, an alarm circuit, a fan rotation regulating device for regulating the fan rotation speed within a safe range, a control device for selectively showing the location of the host casing, the hard disk and the microprocessor on the LCD, and a control circuit, all of which are connected to one another. The user controls the fan rotation speed regulating device according to the fan rotation speed value shown on the LCD to optimize the rotation speed of the fan used for the microprocessor and then minimize the noise. Furthermore, the location of the heat source to be sensed can be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Inventor: Jung I Chen
  • Publication number: 20030029609
    Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner having an actuator for driving an air mixing door and mode switching doors, an automatic range and a manual range are set in different operation angle ranges of an operation angle of the actuator. In the automatic range, an air outlet mode is automatically switched in accordance with an opening degree of the air mixing door. On the other hand, in the manual range, a multi-mode or a defroster mode is manually set, regardless of the opening degree of the air mixing door. In the manual range, air is simultaneously blown from all openings such as a face opening, a foot opening and a defroster opening in the multi-mode, and air is blown from the defroster opening in the defroster mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Inventors: Nobukazu Kuribayashi, Tatsumi Kumada, Shigeki Harada, Koichi Ito, Junji Yokoi
  • Publication number: 20020195241
    Abstract: A system for selectively heating or cooling a vehicle's passenger cabin is provided. The system provides heating and cooling through a secondary loop heat exchanger system that includes a heat exchanger, an actuator, an air bypass and a puller fan. A desired air temperature can be obtained by controlling air drawn through the heat exchanger and the air bypass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Publication date: December 26, 2002
    Inventors: James Allen Baker, Mahmoud Ghodbane
  • Publication number: 20020157414
    Abstract: A low-cost vehicle air-conditioning apparatus for idle stopping vehicles is capable of performing both cooling and heating operations throughout the year. The air-conditioning apparatus includes an engine-driven compressor and engine-driven pump for a heating unit. The air-conditioning apparatus includes a motor-driven compressor and pump. A control unit drives the motor such that the motor-driven compressor is operated when there is a need for cooling and the motor-driven pump is operated when there is a need for heating when the engine is stopped. Battery power is conserved through various methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventors: Shigeki Iwanami, Yasushi Suzuki, Yasushi Yamanaka, Yukio Ogawa, Keiichi Uno
  • Publication number: 20020134544
    Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus and method for cooling enclosures containing electronic equipment. More particularly, one aspect of the present invention comprises a low cost passive heat removal system that utilizes a plurality of flat tubing or low profile extrusions. The flat tubing or low profile extrusions are arranged in parallel to create an air-to-air passive heat exchanger which may be incorporated into an air conditioning apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention. The flat tubes or low profile extrusions offer a greater surface area and more efficient cooling than conventional folded fin designs having the same overall dimensions or volume. Moreover, the flat tubes or low profile extrusions may be manufactured with dimples, fins, or other surface enhancements with little additional labor or manufacturing steps. The air-to-air passive heat exchanger may be arranged in various configurations including cross flow, counterflow or concurrent flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Applicant: Thermotek, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger S. DeVilbiss, Kathryn Ostrom, Overton L. Parish, Tony Quisenberry
  • Publication number: 20020124992
    Abstract: A system and method for cooling and heating of buildings consisting of an integrated assembly of devices, including a variable speed air handler, hot water heating coil, outside air damper, controller, and optional compressor-based air conditioner. During summer the system utilizes nighttime outside air for cooling and uses air temperature predictions to provide information about optimal control settings and to maintain comfort. During winter the system varies airflow with heating demand and ventilates with outside air to maintain indoor air quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2001
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Inventors: Leo I. Rainer, David A. Springer
  • Patent number: 6431268
    Abstract: A system for controlling the operation of an air distribution fan and the operation of a motorized outside air damper of an air conditioning system, having heating and/or cooling and/or humidifying and/or dehumidifying operating modes. The system includes a fan recycling control for periodically energizing and de-energizing an air distribution fan in an air conditioning system in order to operate the air distribution fan for a first selectable time period after a second selectable time period from the end of the last operation of the air distribution fan. The last operation of the air distribution fan could have been due to the heating or cooling or humidifying or dehumidifying or constant fan modes of the air conditioning system, or due to fan operation initiated by the fan recycling control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: University of Central Florida
    Inventor: Armin Rudd
  • Patent number: 6318639
    Abstract: An electronic programmable thermostat having different modes of fan operation, including an automatic mode, a time mode, and a continuous mode, preferably includes a temporary fan-on mode for selecting a predetermined period of time for enabling operation of a climate control system including an air circulating fan. The period of time for operation of the temporary fan on mode is selected from a plurality of predetermined periods of time. The temporary mode of operation preferably can be selected during any other mode of operation and after the expiration of the selected period of time for temporary fan on operation, the thermostat returns to the mode of operation of the fan that it should be in based on a programmed schedule of the thermostat. Selection of a predetermined period of time and activation of the temporary mode results in operation of the air circulating fan for that selected period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventor: Bartholomew L. Toth
  • Patent number: 6269872
    Abstract: A method for regulating coolant flow rate to a heat exchanger in an automotive vehicle is described. The method includes the steps of providing a main fluid pump for providing a source of fluid under pressure to the vehicle engine and the heat exchanger and providing a reversible flow auxiliary pump between the main fluid pump and the heat exchanger. The method further includes the steps of generating an engine speed signal and an ambient temperature signal. The auxiliary pump forces fluid against the flow from the main fluid pump when the engine speed signal is greater than a threshold value and forces fluid to the heat exchanger when the ambient temperature signal is below a predetermined value and the engine speed signal is less than the threshold value and within predetermined values. A system is also disclosed for accomplishing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: John Stiles Anderson