Proportion Of Outdoor Air And Return Air Controlled Patents (Class 165/249)
  • Patent number: 11408629
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an artificial intelligence device. An an artificial intelligence device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a communication unit that obtains an external environmental factor and an internal environmental factor collected by a sensor and a processor that provides the internal environmental factors to an environmental factor prediction model to predict a subsequent internal environmental factor and allows a ventilation system and an air cleaning system to operate cooperatively with each other based on the predicted internal environmental factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Dongkyu Lee
  • Patent number: 11287157
    Abstract: An air mixing device mitigates temperature stratification between two incoming air streams by creation of turbulent airflow through an arrangement of channels in the device. The device also provides selective passage of air for incoming airstreams to achieve functionality for damper control typically associated with separate inlet dampers. A method provides for selectively controlled airflow through the device so effective mixing occurs along with an economizer function to control separate airstreams such as outside air and return air. Existing dampers may be integrated with the air mixing device to control airflow in which flow of one airstream through the device increases as the flow of the other airstream is proportionately decreased. A minimum outside air duct can be incorporated in the mixing device to efficiently satisfy building code requirements regarding monitoring and recording of outside air input to air handling units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Blender Products, Inc.
    Inventors: David Charles Dorste, Mark Jeffrey Pavol, Kevin Deems
  • Patent number: 11067297
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooling a supply of air is provided. A unit controller receives a cooling demand signal. In response to the cooling demand signal, the unit controller adjusts an economizer according to an economizing function. The economizing function is configured to achieve an initial free cooling target temperature as a discharge air temperature. The unit controller receives an additional cooling demand signal. In response to the additional cooling demand signal, the unit controller reduces the free cooling target temperature. The unit controller adjusts the economizer according to the economizing function, with the economizing function configured to achieve the reduced free cooling target temperature as the discharge air temperature. Additionally in response to the additional cooling demand signal, the unit controller signals a unit to perform mechanical cooling on a supply of air received from the economizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Herman Marcus Thomas, Marcus Troxell, Stephen A. Walter
  • Patent number: 10876756
    Abstract: A method of controlling a discharge air reset in an heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR system includes determining, by a controller, a space temperature in a conditioned space, a setpoint temperature of the conditioned space, and an operating mode of a variable-air-volume (VAV) box for the conditioned space. The controller determines whether the operating mode of the VAV box matches an operating mode of an HVACR unit. A deviation from the setpoint temperature of the conditioned space for the VAV box for the conditioned is calculated in response to determining the VAV box is in a same mode as the HVACR unit. A statistical deviation from the setpoint temperature of the conditioned space is calculated. A discharge air setpoint temperature is determined based on the statistical deviation from the setpoint temperature of the conditioned space. The controller sets the discharge air setpoint temperature of the HVACR unit using the determined discharge air setpoint temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Aaron E. Opatz, Ronnie R. Moffitt, John Arthur Murphy, James Kenneth McKeever, Eugene R. Shedivy
  • Patent number: 10876752
    Abstract: A method of controlling a discharge air reset in an heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR system includes determining, by a controller, a space temperature in a conditioned space, a setpoint temperature of the conditioned space, and an operating mode of a variable-air-volume (VAV) box for the conditioned space. The controller determines whether the operating mode of the VAV box matches an operating mode of an HVACR unit. A deviation from the setpoint temperature of the conditioned space for the VAV box for the conditioned is calculated in response to determining the VAV box is in a same mode as the HVACR unit. An average deviation from the setpoint temperature of the conditioned space is calculated. A discharge air setpoint temperature is determined based on the average deviation from the setpoint temperature of the conditioned space. The controller sets the discharge air setpoint temperature of the HVACR unit using the determined discharge air setpoint temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Aaron E. Opatz, John Arthur Murphy, Ronnie R. Moffitt, James Kenneth McKeever
  • Patent number: 10696143
    Abstract: An apparatus for improving vehicle indoor air quality, may include a controller configured to correct and verify air dust concentration data; determine dust concentration outside a vehicle based on the verified data; and control an operation mode of an air conditioning device according to the determination; and the air conditioning device, wherein an operation of an intake door configured to control an introduction of outdoor air into the vehicle is controlled in response to signals of the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Dong Ho Kwon, Gee Young Shin
  • Patent number: 10661637
    Abstract: An apparatus for improving vehicle internal air may include an air conditioner including an intake door for controlling introduction of external air into a vehicle; an electric dust collection filter to collect fine dust contained in air; and a control device to control operation of the electric dust collection filter and the intake door, based on information about a concentration of fine dust inside the vehicle, a concentration of fine dust outside the vehicle, and a vehicle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Dong Ho Kwon, Dae Ig Jung, Keun Sig Lim, Gee Young Shin
  • Patent number: 10610955
    Abstract: A welding system including a welding electrode, a closed-loop cooling device, and a vent. The closed-loop cooling device is configured to cool the welding electrode. The closed-loop cooling device includes a pump and a water line. The vent is located along a path of the water line. The vent is configured to release air trapped within the water line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: A. O. SMITH CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Klug, Nathan Timbs
  • Patent number: 10493817
    Abstract: A partition seal portion of a second rotary door is located between an outer door portion and a partition rib. The partition seal member is pressed against a rib tip portion in a door radial direction and moves slidably while being in contact with the rib tip portion in conjunction with a rotation of the second rotary door. Accordingly, an increase of a width in a door axial direction required for a sealing configuration can be suppressed. Therefore, a seal between a side face outlet and a center face outlet can be secured while being preventing a length of a face outlet in the door axial direction from being short.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yohei Shimoyama, Shuhei Yonemitsu
  • Patent number: 10336158
    Abstract: Methods and system for providing heat to a vehicle are presented. In one example, a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater provides heat to a passenger cabin and an engine via heating engine coolant. Additionally, a heat pump may supply heat to the passenger cabin via heating the engine coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Franco Ragazzi
  • Patent number: 10299408
    Abstract: A datacenter or other building includes an intake housing for receiving air from outside of the building. The air is routed through an evaporative cooling system in the housing, resulting in humidified air. The humidified air is mixed with a suitable amount of return air from within the building so as to yield a supply of air having a target relative humidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan Joseph Lachapelle
  • Patent number: 10279647
    Abstract: A thermal management system for a vehicle includes an enclosure containing an air-handling unit, a first circuit, a second circuit, and a control interface module. The air-handling unit includes a housing and a variable speed blower configured to provide a flow of air through the housing. The first circuit includes a compressor, a condenser in thermal communication with the air-handling unit, a receiver-drier, an expansion valve, and a chiller, in series. The second circuit includes a first loop including the chiller of the first circuit, a second loop including a radiator in thermal communication with the air-handling unit, and a third loop including a heater. The control interface module is configured to control each of the air-handling unit, the first circuit, and the second circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: James Tasiopoulos, Alex Dziubinschi, John Meyer
  • Patent number: 10260818
    Abstract: A cooling system (20) includes a media exchanger (50), a cooling section (22), and a cooling circuit (120) for circulating a cooling fluid (130) between the media exchanger (50) and the cooling section (22). The media exchanger (50) receives outside air (38) and the cooling section (22) receives return air (32) from and interior space (34). When the cooling fluid (130) circulates into the cooling section (22) via the cooling circuit (120), the temperature of the return air (32) is reduced through indirect heat transfer between the cooling fluid (130) and the return air (32) to produce conditioned air (84). The conditioned air (84) is provided as supply air (46) into the interior space (34). When the cooling fluid circulates into the media exchanger via the cooling circuit, the temperature of the cooling fluid is reduced through direct heat transfer between the cooling fluid and the outside air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: United Metal Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Kinkel
  • Patent number: 10119730
    Abstract: A hybrid air handler cooling unit has a bi-modal heat exchanger. In a direct expansion mode or a pumped refrigerant economization mode, the bi-modal heat exchanger is in a refrigerant path in parallel with first and second condenser coils and functions as a condenser coil. In a mixed direct expansion/pumped refrigerant economization mode, the bi-modal heat exchanger is in a refrigerant path in series between an outlet of a pump and an inlet of the first condenser coil and functions as a pre-cooler evaporator coil with return air first flowing across the bi-modal heat exchanger and then across an evaporator coil of an evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Vertiv Corporation
    Inventor: Zhiyong Lin
  • Patent number: 10048151
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a source of physiological affliction within a moving enclosed structure, such as a vehicle, which defines an interior. The system includes: at least one pressure fluctuation generator, at least one pressure sensor located to sense pressure indicative of the interior of the structure; and at least one controller configured to: determine, from the first pressure sensor information, at least one pressure disturbance within the interior of the structure; and control the at least one pressure fluctuation generator to cancel the at least one pressure disturbance within the interior of the structure. In an example, the at least one pressure disturbance includes infrasonic pressure fluctuations (infrasound). In an example, the physiological affliction includes motion sickness or nauseogenicity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: KEVIN ALLAN DOOLEY, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Allan Dooley, Elwood A. Morris
  • Patent number: 9945590
    Abstract: A split air conditioner has a cabinet with a fan and evaporator for mounting within a structure. The cabinet includes a filter or a stacked filter system positioned in the flow path between an air inlet and an air outlet for filtering contaminants from the air. Movable dampers are provided for selectively changing the airflow path to selectively bypass the filter to provide a greater or lesser degree of filtration of the air. Preferably, the filter is a high performance HEPA-like filter having substantially less pressure drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Nihat O. Cur, James C. L. Guarino, James W. Kendall, Steven J. Kuehl
  • Patent number: 9931909
    Abstract: A computing system for a vehicle is provided. The computing system includes one or more processors for controlling operation of the computing device, and a memory for storing data and program instructions usable by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to estimate at least one characteristic of emissions from at least one forward vehicle expected to enter a ventilation system of an ego-vehicle within a predetermined travel distance ahead of the ego-vehicle and, responsive to one or more estimated characteristics, control the ego-vehicle ventilation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: John-Michael McNew
  • Patent number: 9759438
    Abstract: A split air conditioner has a cabinet with a fan and evaporator for mounting within a structure. The cabinet includes one or more movable dampers or movable filters positioned in the flow path between the air inlet and the outlet for selectively filtering contaminants from the air to provide a greater or lesser degree of filtration of the air. The movable filters include sliding and/or pivot mounting structure which may accommodate stacking multiple filters with different filtering characteristics. The system may operate in a filtering only mode with no cooling, a cooling only mode with no filtering, or a combination of cooling and selective filtering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Nihat O. Cur, James C. L. Guarino, James W. Kendall, Steven J. Kuehl
  • Patent number: 9739497
    Abstract: An air conditioning system includes a cooling unit having a cooling coil and a fan, the cooling unit for cooling recirculated air from a return duct; a bypass duct providing an air pathway bypassing the cooling unit; a phase change material (PCM) module including a PCM and a PCM fan for drawing makeup air over the PCM; and a supply duct fluidly coupled to the cooling unit and the PCM module, the supply duct for supplying conditioned air to a space to be conditioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Gregory M. Dobbs
  • Patent number: 9714779
    Abstract: A split air conditioner has a cabinet with a fan and evaporator for mounting within a structure. The cabinet includes a filter or a stacked filter system positioned in the flow path between an air inlet and an air outlet for filtering contaminants from the air. Movable filters are provided for selectively bypassing the filters to provide a greater or lesser degree of filtration of the air. Preferably, the filters are high performance HEPA-like filter having substantially less pressure drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nihat O. Cur, James C. L. Guarino, James W. Kendall, Steven J. Kuehl
  • Patent number: 9682610
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for controlling the internal air-quality of a vehicle. Responsive to determining that a speed of a vehicle fails to be above the predetermined low-speed threshold, a determination is made as to whether an internal air-quality from an internal air-quality sensor is better than the external air-quality from an external air-quality sensor. Responsive to the internal air-quality being better than the external air-quality, a ventilation control mechanism is signaled to utilize a recirculating-air mode, wherein the ventilation control mechanism either stays in an already initiated recirculation-air mode or switches to the recirculating-air mode. Responsive to the internal air-quality being worse than the external air-quality, the ventilation control mechanism is signaled to utilize a fresh-air mode, wherein the ventilation control mechanism either stays in an already initiated fresh-air mode or switches to the fresh-air mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ning Duan, Xiao Bo Li, Jing Liu, Wei Sun, Xin Tang, Zhi Hu Wang
  • Patent number: 9400119
    Abstract: A system and methods providing real-time monitoring, management and control of a variable frequency drive retrofit to a constant volume air handling unit without making significant mechanical or control system changes. Customers and vendors are provided with a more informative and economically attractive air handling unit. The system also provides a finer granularity of control over conditioned air properties such as temperature, humidity and air quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Ronald M. Malloy
  • Publication number: 20150111484
    Abstract: An air handler and a method of assembling a fan module are provided, in which a case panel may be assembled with a plurality of module frames via a considerably simplified sliding coupling providing excellent hermetic sealing. As such, manufacturing costs may be reduced due to reduction in a number of components, and assembly time may be remarkably reduced due to a reduced number of assembly operations. This advantageously results in reduced labor cost and enhanced air conditioning efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Sangyuk SON, Junhee LIM, Kyungjung LEE
  • Publication number: 20140373826
    Abstract: A fresh air heating system includes air intake and discharge chambers, a direct-fired gas burner mounted in a burner chamber in fluid communication with intake and discharge chambers therebetween, and a bypass opening between the air intake and discharge chambers that is selectively closed by a hatch cover having a panel and a peripheral wall extending from the panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventor: Anthony Cote
  • Publication number: 20140262196
    Abstract: Discussed generally herein are systems and methods for comfort level regulation in a building. A comfort level regulation system for a building can include a plurality of air intakes configured to draw air into the building, and a processor configured to open the one or more air intakes of the plurality of air intakes as a function of an orientation of the building, the location of the air intake relative to the orientation of the building, air temperatures inside and outside the building, and humidity inside and outside the building.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Andrew Frank, Paul Rauch
  • Patent number: 8781634
    Abstract: In an air conditioning system and a communication method thereof a wireless network may be established between indoor units and a controller or between outdoor units so as to allow communications therebetween, thereby facilitating device addition or device deletion. Also, one or more outdoor units and a plurality of indoor units may be controlled without a dedicated communication line or with using a less mount of the dedicated communication line, and the outdoor units or indoor units may perform communications using one or more communication technologies, such as wireless communication and pipe communication technologies and wireless communication and dedicated line communication technologies, while performing communications with the controller using the wireless communication technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Juntae Kim, Sangchul Youn
  • Publication number: 20130299157
    Abstract: A system for a server room management includes an air-conditioning control device including: an acquisition unit; a setting unit that sets content for generating supply air at temperature, absolute humidity, and relative humidity within target range, based on outside air temperature and humidity as well as return air temperature; and a controller controlling amount of outside air, amount of return air, control amount of humidifier, control amount of cooler, and amount of air blown by blower, based on the content. If the outside air is within range greater than absolute humidity upper limit, or within range greater than enthalpy upper limit and greater than the temperature upper limit, the setting unit compares outside air and return air, and then determines, in accordance with the comparison, whether to set the content so that the cooler performs cooling by minimizing or maximizing the amount of the outside air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Dai Murayama, Yasuo Takagi, Hideyoshi Ootani, Tomoyuki Kinoshita, Yuuichi Hanada, Hiroshi Morimoto, Kobun Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20130068441
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus and method are provided for cooling an electronics rack. The cooling apparatus includes an air-cooled cooling station, which has a liquid-to-air heat exchanger and ducting for directing a cooling airflow across the heat exchanger. A cooling subsystem is associated with the electronics rack, and includes a liquid-cooled condenser facilitating immersion-cooling of electronic components of the electronics rack, a liquid-cooled structure providing conductive cooling to electronic components of the electronics rack, or an air-to-liquid heat exchanger associated with the rack and cooling airflow passing through the electronics rack. A coolant loop couples the cooling subsystem to the liquid-to-air heat exchanger. In operation, heat is transferred via circulating coolant from the electronics rack, and rejected in the liquid-to-air heat exchanger of the cooling station to the cooling airflow passing across the liquid-to-air heat exchanger. In one embodiment, the cooling airflow is outdoor air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORP
  • Patent number: 8267164
    Abstract: A system and method for energy recovery and humidity control comprises an enclosure (12) with a plurality of ports (86,90,92,94,86) connected to a plurality of ducts (14,16,18,20,22) The system has an enthalpy exchange core (136) exchanging heat and humidity between first air stream (35) and a second air stream (37), and a heat exchange sub-core (134) exchanging heat between the first air stream (35) and a third air stream (39), and fans (34,38,36) for circulating the first air stream (35), the second air stream (37) and the third air stream (39) respectively, and a controller (40) for controlling the fans (34,36,38) and regulating the flows of the first air stream (35), the second air stream (37) and the third air stream (39).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Air Tech Equipment Ltd.
    Inventors: Marc Richard Lestage, George Robert Lestage, Patrick Paul Boudreau
  • Publication number: 20110172831
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for controlling an economizer of an HVAC system. The economizer has an outside air stream of incoming outside air, a return air stream of return air, and a mixed air stream of mixed incoming outside air and return air that is provided to the cooling unit of the HVAC system. The economizer also includes one or more controllable dampers for controlling a mixing ratio of incoming outside air to return air in the mixed air stream. The control method includes positioning the one or more controllable dampers in first and second configurations such that the mixed air stream has first and second mixing ratios of incoming outside air to return air in the mixed air stream. The method also includes recording first and second measures related to the temperature of the mixed air stream when the dampers are in each of the first and second configurations. First and second measures related to other parameters of the mixed air stream may be recorded as well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Kreft, Cory Grabinger, Scott McMillan, Paul Wacker
  • Patent number: 7837127
    Abstract: The invention relates to a ventilation system for exchanging the air in a room with outside air, which system comprises: A fine wire heat exchanger having a first channel and a second channel, which channels are in heat-exchanging contact with each other, and wherein the first channel has an inlet connected to outside air and an outlet connected to the air in the room, and wherein the second channel has an inlet connected to the air in the room and an outlet connected to the outside air; balancing means for balancing the flow in both channels, such that the heat transfer is maximized. The invention also relates to a combination of a façade, a room on the inside of and adjacent to the façade and a ventilation system, wherein the inlet of the first channel of the system is connected to outside air on the outside of the façade and the outlet is connected to the air in the room, and wherein the inlet of the second channel is connected to the air in the room and the outlet is connected to the outside air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignees: Kristinsson-Reitsema B.V., Fiwihex B.V.
    Inventors: Jon Kristinsson, Björn Kristinsson, Eleonoor Europeo Van Andel, Eleonoor Van Andel
  • Patent number: 7803039
    Abstract: A method for controlling air intake into an air conditioned enclosure includes generating a plurality of sensor output voltages using a NOx sensor. A NOx voltage ratio is calculated from the sensor output voltages. A determination is made when the NOx voltage ratio one of equals and exceeds a NOx threshold. The NOx voltage ratio is reset to a unitary value for a predetermined length of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Eiji Inoue, Akira Umehara, Makoto Sakamaki
  • Publication number: 20100006662
    Abstract: An air conditioning control system allows a supply air switching controller to alternately switch outside air control and return air control at a preset switching interval. The supply air switching controller is connected to an air conditioner placed to correspond to each room inside as an air conditioning control subject. The outside air control takes outside air into a temperature/humidity adjustment coil of the air conditioner by opening a first damper provided in the air conditioner in order to adjust an intake volume of the outside air into the air conditioner and by closing a second damper provided in the air conditioner in order to adjust an intake volume of return air from the room inside. The return air control takes the return air from the room inside into the temperature/humidity adjustment coil of the air conditioner by closing the first damper and opening the second damper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Inventors: Kenzo YONEZAWA, Yasuo Takagi, Nobutaka Nishimura, Yuuichi Hanada, Naoki Makino, Hideki Oono, Akihiro Fujii, Susumu Sugawara, Tomonori Maegawa, Hiroshi Morimoto
  • Patent number: 7594539
    Abstract: A heat exchange type ventilator allows preventing its heat exchanger from being clogged with buildup of ice, and also alleviating cold-draft feeling. This ventilator has an exhaust-air coupling section and a supply-air coupling section, and a ventilating unit which includes an exhaust-air outlet and a supply-air inlet, a motor for driving an exhaust-air fan and a supply-air fan, the heat exchanger for carrying out heat recovery between interior air and outside air, and a cut-off damper for cutting off a supply-air flow in a supply-air channel. Supply-air temperature sensing means for sensing a temperature of the outside air issues a signal, which prompts the damper to cut off the supply-air flow and reduce a volume of the exhaust-air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Kinji Isaka
  • Publication number: 20090008076
    Abstract: A technique for climate control of, for example, base station circuitry within an enclosure involves placing base station circuitry within the enclosure and controlling the climate therein. A system according to this technique includes an enclosure suitable for use outside in a wide range of extreme weather conditions. A controller may, for example, control a fan tray with a heater to pull ambient air through a filtration unit, through the fan tray where the air is heated, and through cold start recirculation dampers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: SANMINA-SCI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Zia Shariff, Andrew Hudz, Anthony Cormick Sharp
  • Patent number: 7150314
    Abstract: A heat recovery arrangement. The arrangement has a housing including a bathroom exhaust inlet, an exhaust outlet, a bathroom exhaust airflow path through the housing from the bathroom exhaust inlet to the exhaust outlet, a return air inlet, and a return air path through the housing from the return air inlet to the exhaust outlet. The housing also has an outside air inlet, a supply air outlet, an outside air path through the housing from the outside air inlet to the supply air outlet; and a heat recovery device extracting heat from the exhaust airflow path and the return airflow path and transferring heat to the outside airflow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: American Standard International Inc.
    Inventor: Ronnie R. Moffitt
  • Patent number: 7059400
    Abstract: An HVAC system has two variable-air-volume (VAV) systems, a first VAV system for moving fresh air and a second VAV system for moving recycled air. Both the fresh air and recycled air are cooled and dehumidified by a single heat-exchanging coil. The fresh and recycled air streams travel independently in separate ducts until the air streams reach a remotely located mixing box where the air streams mix and ventilate into a room or zone of a building. The HVAC system uses carbon dioxide and temperature sensors in order to regulate the flow of fresh and recycled air to various mixing boxes throughout the building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: National University of Signapore
    Inventors: Chandra Sekhar, Kwok Wai Tham, David Kok Wai Cheong, Nyuk Hien Wong
  • Patent number: 6688966
    Abstract: An air handling apparatus for blending outside and return airflow including a housing having exterior side walls, a top and a bottom and containing first and second inlet regions and a mixing chamber. Outside air flows through a first inlet into the first inlet region while return air flows through another inlet into the second inlet region. There are also first and second damper mechanisms positioned between the first and second inlet regions and the mixing chamber, each capable of adjusting the amount of airflow from the respective inlet region to the mixing chamber. An exhaust fan is mounted on the housing above the second inlet region while an air supply fan is mounted in the housing on the downstream side of the mixing chamber. Heating and cooling coil units can be located downstream of the mixing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: M & I Heat Transfer Products Ltd.
    Inventor: Salman Akhtar
  • Patent number: 6604688
    Abstract: A VAV air handler includes a cooling coil with a return air bypass damper for improved dehumidification. The bypass interjects into the supply air a portion of relatively warm, dry return air downstream of the cooling coil. This allows the cooling coil to absorb more latent heat from the incoming outside air and the remaining portion of the return air over a broad range of operating conditions, but especially at low load conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: American Standard International Inc.
    Inventors: Radhakrishna Ganesh, Jeffrey A. Moore, Brian J. Fiegen
  • Patent number: 6578770
    Abstract: A system for monitoring and modifying the quality and temperature of air within a conditioned space includes a blower unit, an optional damper unit for selectively admitting outside air into the conditioned space, a temperature moderating unit and a control unit. The control unit includes a thermostat and conventional temperature control apparatus for selectively activating the temperature moderating unit to maintain the desired temperature in the conditioned space. The control unit also incorporates CO2 concentration measuring and control apparatus which employs a small CO2 sensor. The CO2 sensor includes upper and lower electrodes with an intermediate solid electrolyte. A voltage having a cyclic waveform is applied across the upper and lower electrodes, and the current through the CO2 sensor is read at at least one predetermined voltage representing a CO2 peak. The measured current is representative of the CO2 concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Inventor: Howard B. Rosen
  • Publication number: 20030042015
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling the temperature of air returned to a conditioning unit in a zoned system is disclosed. The system includes a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit that has an economizer. The HVAC unit is connected to a plurality of zones by a supply duct and a return duct. A temperature sensor is provided to sense the temperature of air returning to the HVAC unit. A main control increases the amount of outdoor air entering the system through the economizer when the temperature of the returned air is excessively warm or excessively cold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Applicant: York International Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald Richard Rayburn, Stephen Blake Pickle, Stephen Carl Wilson
  • Patent number: 6415617
    Abstract: A strategy for controlling an air side economizer of an HVAC system uses a model of the airflow through the system to estimate the load in two modes when minimum and maximum amounts of outdoor air are being introduced into the building. Transitions between minimum outdoor air and maximum outdoor air usage occur based on those estimated loads, which in a preferred embodiment are cooling loads. The second embodiment of this economizer control strategy uses the model and a one-dimensional optimization routine to determine the fraction of outdoor air that minimizes the load on the HVAC system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: John E. Seem
  • Patent number: 6318096
    Abstract: A method of controlling the mixing of outside air and return air, entering an air handling unit, through inlets having dampers, the air handling unit having a coil for conditioning the incoming air and a fan for blowing the conditioned air into a conditioned space, the method including measuring the outside air temperature, and return air temperature, and a minimum coil temperature corresponding to a damper position calculating a correlation values from the outside air, return air, and a minimum temperatures determining a correlation function from the correlation value and damper positions, and using the correlation function to calculate the maximum damper position for an acceptable coil temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: The University of Akron
    Inventors: Richard J. Gross, Steven P. Rooke, Patrick Lenahan, David W. Mullen
  • Patent number: 6298912
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling the temperature of air returned to a conditioning unit in a zoned system is disclosed. The system includes a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit that has an economizer. The HVAC unit is connected to a plurality of zones by a supply duct and a return duct. A temperature sensor is provided to sense the temperature of air returning to the HVAC unit. A main control increases the amount of outdoor air entering the system through the economizer when the temperature of the returned air is excessively warm or excessively cold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: York International Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald Richard Rayburn, Stephen Blake Pickle, Stephen Carl Wilson
  • Patent number: 6295823
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling temperature and humidity of a conditioned space uses an outside air cooling coil circuit in fluid communication with coolant from a cooling supply. Outside air is introduced over the outside air cooling coil circuit through a damper having open and closed positions. A valve in fluid communication with the coolant supply and the outside air cooling coil circuit has an open setting for permitting and a closed setting for preventing the circulation of coolant through the outside air cooling coil circuit. An HVAC unit control is operatively associated with the valve and the damper for controlling their operation. An occupancy control generates a signal indicating the presence of a human within the conditioned space and is operatively associated with the HVAC unit control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: CH2M Hill, Inc.
    Inventors: Julius David Odom, David MacPhaul, Michael R. Harris
  • Patent number: 6209331
    Abstract: An air-flow management system for controlling the supply air to a motor vehicle passenger compartment is disclosed. The air-flow management system includes a reversible heat pump system for transferring heat energy between an outside environment and a refrigerant. Air from the outside environment, fresh air, and from the passenger compartment, recirculated air, is forced through the air-flow structure by a blower resulting in the transfer of heat energy between the refrigerant and the passenger compartment. A recirculation door provides a means for controlling the mixture of fresh air to recirculated air that flows through the air-flow structure. The position of the recirculation door is selectable by a controller to prevent fogging during the transition from cooling mode to heating mode, minimize the energy expended conditioning the passenger compartment air, and prevent the backflow of unconditioned outside air from the fresh air duct into the recirculation duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Barry J. Lake, Lance C. Tagliapietra, Christopher A. Tuckfield
  • Patent number: 6168515
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning control system includes an actuator for controlling the position of an outside air intake door and an ambient exhaust gas sensor. A controller of the control system monitors a time rate of change of the degree of uncleanness periodically measured on the basis of the output of the sensor, and commands the actuator to bring the intake door to the fully closed position for the inside air recirculation mode if a first requirement about a previous exhaust gas concentration change and a second requirement about a current exhaust gas concentration change are both met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignees: Calsonic Corporation, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Daimon, Hiroki Nagayama
  • Patent number: 6161764
    Abstract: An enhanced controller for an air conditioning system incorporating mechanical cooling equipment and an economizer, the enhanced controller including circuits for producing signals indicative of commanded changes in temperature of air admitted into the air conditioned space and of a non-temperature parameter, such as carbon dioxide concentration, of air within the space. The signals are supplied to a logic circuit which produces a ventilation damper control signal based on which of the temperature and non-temperature parameters requires greater change. Freeze protection, and maximum and minimum damper position circuits override the basic damper control signal to avoid excessively low space temperatures and to provide air exchange limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Girts U. Jatnieks
  • Patent number: 6135201
    Abstract: In an air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle, a double layer flow mode is set when the maximum heating state is set during an air outlet mode where both a foot opening portion and a defroster opening portion are opened. During the double layer flow mode, an air passage of an air conditioning case is partitioned into a first air passage through which inside air flows and a second air passage through which outside air flows, in such a manner that the first air passage communicates with the foot opening portion and the second air passage communicates with the defroster opening portion. When the double layer flow mode is set, the maximum rotation speed of a blower for blowing air is reduced by a predetermined level as compared with an entire outside air mode or an entire inside air mode. Thus, heating capacity for a passenger compartment of the vehicle can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nonoyama, Takayoshi Kawai, Toshihiko Muraki, Tetsuya Takechi, Junji Yokoi, Makoto Mimoto
  • Patent number: 6134895
    Abstract: A method of air conditioning system temperature control for a motor vehicle is disclosed. The method includes the steps of measuring an air conditioning compressor discharge pressure and determining if the discharge pressure is greater than a predetermined maximum pressure. The method also includes the step of beginning a forced recirculated air mode if the discharge pressure is greater than the predetermined maximum pressure. The method further includes the steps of determining if the air conditioning system is already in a forced recirculated air mode if the discharge pressure is less than the predetermined maximum pressure, and determining if the discharge pressure is less than a predetermined acceptable pressure if the air conditioning system is already in a forced recirculated air mode. The method still further includes the step of beginning an outside air mode if the discharge pressure is less than the predetermined acceptable pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth R. Poloskey, Steven C. Huetteman