Cooling Apparatus Making, E.g., Air Conditioner, Refrigerator Patents (Class 29/890.035)
  • Patent number: 7146726
    Abstract: A cross-flow cooling tower having a frame assembly that is unitarily molded from a plastic material. The frame assembly has opposing top and bottom walls along with opposing side walls and opposing ends. The side walls extend parallel to one another between the top and bottom walls. In addition, the opposing ends extend parallel to one another between the top and bottom walls. The frame assembly additionally has a vertical stack extending vertically from the top wall. The top covers of the tower extend outwardly and downwardly from the vertical stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: SPX Cooling Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ohler L. Kinney, Jr., Robert S. Glauz, Brian F. Wright, Kathryn L. Pullen, Eldon F. Mockry
  • Patent number: 7134203
    Abstract: A method and system dampens vibrations associated with a device installed in a system by supporting the device with one or more support members having a rigid support portion and a dampening support portion made from an elastic material. In one embodiment, an information handling system fan assembly is made with two shot injection molding to form a support member with an integrated dampener that holds a fan mount disposed in a cooling air channel defined by a fan housing. The fan housing, mount and rigid portion of the support member are formed with one shot from a substantially rigid material and the dampening portion is formed with another shot from a substantially elastic material. A fan couples to the fan mount for installation in the information handling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: David Frederick Hutchinson, Ahmed Mohiuddin
  • Patent number: 7131200
    Abstract: A radiating appliance consisting of a plurality of heat-transfer tubes, radiators, and a heat-transfer plate is processed in a method including the following steps: position the heat-transfer tubes in grooves formed in a recess on one radiator; position the heat-transfer plate in front of the recess to locate above the heat-transfer tubes; and drive a heated flat pressure plate to press the heat-transfer plate into the recess and flatten the heat-transfer tubes, as well as melt paste tin positioned in the grooves below the heat-transfer tubes, so that the heat-transfer tubes and the radiator have increased contact area between them, and the molten paste tin firmly bonds the heat-transfer tubes, the radiator, and the heat-transfer plate to one another to form the radiating appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsin-Cheng Lin, Nai-Jen Hsu
  • Patent number: 7128138
    Abstract: A heat exchanger including a header having a plurality of header openings with rigid tubes that may be made of plastic are inserted in the openings. The tubes are sealed to the header to prevent leakage between the header and the tubes to prevent water and air leakage between the wet, scavenger air stream flowing through the tubes and a dry air stream flowing around the tubes. A method of making the heat exchanger includes providing the openings with a flange and uses an interference fit between the rigid heat exchange tubes and the header openings. A self-leveling sealant may be used to seal the heat exchanger tubes to the header using, for example, a paint roller and/or a paint sprayer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Entrodyne Corporation
    Inventor: Nicholas H. Des Champs
  • Publication number: 20060218790
    Abstract: An electromagnet and associated apparatus and method are provided. The electromagnet includes a core and at least one winding disposed circumferentially about the core such that the winding extends at least one revolution around the core. The electromagnet further includes at least one spacer having channels defined therein and disposed circumferentially about the core and adjacent to the at least one winding. The channels facilitate cooling by directing fluid about the windings of the coil as fluid is introduced into the electromagnet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Inventors: Arthur Day, Philip Johnson, B. Stanley
  • Publication number: 20060201184
    Abstract: The indoor unit of an air conditioner includes a main body, a front panel and a design panel. The front panel is opaque and is integrally molded with a mounting portion. The design panel is transparent and is attached to the front panel. In addition, the design panel is provided with a design layer on a reverse side surface thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Inventors: Mikio Ito, Yasuyo Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20060196050
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a cooling unit that includes a cooling plate in which a cooling fluid flows, the cooling plate having a cooling pipe through which the cooling fluid flows, and a pair of tabular members arranged to be opposed to each other across the cooling pipe, the manufacturing method for a cooling unit includes: forming a groove in which the cooling pipe is housed at least in one opposed surface of the pair of tabular members; combining the pair of tabular members while housing the cooling pipe in the groove; and filling a heat conduction material in a gap between the groove and the cooling pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Publication date: September 7, 2006
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motoyuki Fujimori, Satoshi Kinoshita, Makoto Zakoji
  • Publication number: 20050268464
    Abstract: A cooling jacket assembly is made for an electric motor or generator. A hollow cylindrical housing is cast with an outer peripheral surface and an annular axially facing end surface, a plurality of grooves formed in the outer peripheral surface and a radial lip at one end. The outer peripheral surface is machined into a smooth surface having a uniform diameter. Inlet and outlet ports are drilled through the end surface to communicate with the grooves. A pair of sealing recesses are formed in the outer peripheral surface on opposite sides of the grooves, and an O-ring seal is placed in each recess. A cylindrical sleeve is slid over the outer peripheral surface of the housing until it engages the lip and so that the sleeve slidably engages the outer peripheral surface and sealing engages the seals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Inventors: Roger Burjes, Daryl Brown
  • Publication number: 20050262864
    Abstract: A heat exchanger including a header having a plurality of header openings with rigid tubes that may be made of plastic are inserted in the openings. The tubes are sealed to the header to prevent leakage between the header and the tubes to prevent water and air leakage between the wet, scavenger air stream flowing through the tubes and a dry air stream flowing around the tubes. A method of making the heat exchanger includes providing the openings with a flange and uses an interference fit between the rigid heat exchange tubes and the header openings. A self-leveling sealant may be used to seal the heat exchanger tubes to the header using, for example, a paint roller and/or a paint sprayer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Applicant: ENTRODYNE CORPORATION dba DES CHAMPS TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventor: Nicholas Des Champs
  • Publication number: 20050178004
    Abstract: A heat absorber is constructed to have a heat-absorber plate and a liquid cooled tube, the liquid cooled tube being curved circuitously on a common plane that is closely attached to the top surface of the heat-absorber plate, and then welded to the top surface of the heat-absorber plate. By means of the design of the liquid cooled tube, heat-transfer fluid can flow through the liquid cooled tube, and no additional sealing gasket is necessary to prevent leakage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Publication date: August 18, 2005
    Applicant: Forward Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung Huang, Chih Huang
  • Publication number: 20050138807
    Abstract: An evaporator manufacturing method includes providing cooling fins each formed with a pair of coolant tube accommodation parts, and expanding a first coolant tube and a second coolant tube after inserting the first coolant tube and the second coolant tube into the coolant tube accommodation parts of the plurality of cooling fins; providing a first jig and a second jig at different levels to bend the expanded first coolant tube and the expanded second coolant tube; bending the first coolant tube around the first jig alternately to form several horizontal parts spaced apart from each other along a vertical direction, and at the same time bending the second coolant tube around the second jig alternately to form several second horizontal parts spaced apart from each other along the vertical direction so that the second horizontal parts are positioned to the rear of spaces between the respective first horizontal parts; and connecting the first coolant tube and the second coolant tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Publication date: June 30, 2005
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jin-ho Kim, Eui-young Chang
  • Patent number: 6907663
    Abstract: Disclosed is a refrigerator comprising an outer casing defining an outer appearance thereof, and an inner casing accommodated in the outer casing, forming a storage chamber, further comprising a heat pipe unit having an evaporator pipe disposed to surround at least one portion of the inner casing, forming a refrigerant path, a heater pipe disposed in parallel with the evaporator pipe, and a connection part connecting the evaporator pipe and the heater pipe, enabling a heat transfer therebetween. With this configuration, there is provided a refrigerator enhancing cooling, ripeness and defrost performances and the productivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., LTD
    Inventors: Kwon-cheol Yoon, Sak-hang Park
  • Patent number: 6877224
    Abstract: A system to construct a manifold from an original material. A first progressive die implements a first set of stamping stages on the original material to generate a shaped material. A second die implements at least one of a second set of stamping stages on the shaped material to generate a finished manifold. The second die is physically separate from the first die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Newfield Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Minoru Nitta
  • Patent number: 6864572
    Abstract: A heat sink base (10) includes a rectangular body (11) made of aluminum and a circular core (12) made of copper. The body defines a circular through opening (111). A diameter of the opening is slightly less than a diameter of the core. The core is attached within the body according to the following steps: a) pressing the core into the through opening of the body; b) stamping the core to cause it to plastically deform in radial directions and thereby become firmly combined with the body; and c) removing any burring of the core flowing out from the opening such that surfaces of the core and the body are coplanarly smooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheng Chi Lee, Xue Jin Fu, Zheng Liang Liu, Wen Qiu Deng
  • Patent number: 6851171
    Abstract: A multi-channel device fabrication process and multi-channel devices made therefrom wherein two ribbons of sheet material edge webs and, optionally, additional webs and/or support members are secured to a ribbon of sheet material base web. The resulting partial laminate is separated into subassemblies, each subassembly comprising a base and two edge strips and, optionally, additional strips which cooperate to define a plurality of open channels with, optionally, support members. A plurality of subassemblies may stacked together with an end plate to form a complete stack, the edges of each subassembly being attached together to form a complete unit. One or more headers or manifolds may be attached to the outside of the complete unit to provide combined fluid inlet to, and egress from, the unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventor: Stephen C. Schmitt
  • Patent number: 6822867
    Abstract: A electronic device and method for extracting heat from a heat producing component having front and back sides, the front side is disposed across from the back side, and the front side is attached to a substrate including multiple holes. A thermal interface material is disposed over the back side of the heat producing component. A heat sink including multiple pins corresponding to the multiple holes in the substrate is disposed over the thermal interface material such that the pins are disposed through the holes. The thermal interface material melts and wets to form a thermal coupling between the back side and the heat sink when passed over pre-heaters of a wave soldering machine. Further, the pins are soldered to form solder joints between the respective pins and the substrate when passed over a solder wave in the wave soldering machine to lock-in the thermal coupling formed during the preheating of the thermal interface material to provide a low-cost thermal solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: George Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20040035554
    Abstract: A heatsink of the present invention has a column having a heat conducting plate with a heat receiving face contacting a heat producing element. On the side faces of the column are a plurality of first slits disposed parallel to the heat receiving face and a plurality of second slits disposed transversely to the heat receiving face. These slits form a plurality of pillar-type protrusions functioning as fins for cooling. At least one of cross sections of the column has a shape of a rectangle, a trapezoid, a triangle or a shape which tapers off as it goes away at right angle from the heat receiving face. A method of manufacturing the heatsink of the present invention includes first and second processes. In the first process, the first slits are formed by providing a plurality of metallic plate fins on the column along its length by the methods including the extrusion molding using a metallic mold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kaoru Sato, Yasuhiro Fujiwara, Seiji Manabe, Shinobu Kamizuru
  • Publication number: 20040031588
    Abstract: A heat sink 28 is provided for removing heat from a component 30 on a circuit board 22. The heat sink 28 includes a base 12 having a top 14, a bottom 16, and opposing sides 18 and 20. The top is generally planar for being adhered to a circuit board. Each of the opposing sides has a cutout defining a stepped shoulder 26. The heat sink also includes a plurality of fins 24 extending from the bottom of the base. Locating structure 50 is provided on the top of the heat sink for locating the heat sink with respect to the circuit board 22. Since the heat sink can be glued to the circuit board, a common heat sink can be used for any power electronics component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Applicant: Siemens VDO Automotive Inc.
    Inventor: John Makaran
  • Publication number: 20030121149
    Abstract: A food counter useful in displaying ready-to-eat foods is constructed to have a chilled top for providing an aesthetic frost layer and for maintaining the food products at a desired temperature. Removable barriers and fixtures are used during pouring procedure using liquid mastic and removed once the mastic has cured, thus eliminating the need for costly metal forming of the counter. Fabricating one food counter includes providing a planar member having an opening therein sized for receiving a food receptacle, securing a fixture to the member for a masking the opening, placing a refrigeration line proximate a lower surface of the top member sufficient for frosting the upper surface thereof during refrigerant fluid flow through the line, applying a thermally resistant material onto the lower surface for covering the refrigerating line, and removing the fixture prior to assembling the member with a pan assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Inventors: Timothy G. Lauer, Dennis E. Finegan, Brad Bonner
  • Publication number: 20030084570
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of forming serpentine heat exchanger coils from spine fin tubing involves applying spine fins to a tube while simultaneously forming the tube into a serpentine shape. The bending and fin wrapping occurs while a feed roll continues paying out the tube without interruption. Multiple bends can be made simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Inventor: Danny D. Beaver
  • Patent number: 6488080
    Abstract: An integrated refrigerator evaporator having a plurality of pipes and fins is manufactured by injection molding with plastics. According to the present invention, pipes and fins are molded by plastic plates, and a heat exchanger is formed by molding the pipes and fins into a series of “S” shapes. A first bending section formed by the heat exchanger, which is molded in a series of “S” shapes, is inserted into a mold main body to manufacture a header cap. A first header cap is manufactured by injected melted plastic material body into the mold main body under the state of covering the mold main body with a mold cap. The first header cap is engaged with a first header main body having a refrigerant inlet and outlet. The refrigerator evaporator according to the present invention results in a relatively lower product cost than the evaporator composed of a metal substance, as well as a high recyclability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Tae Hee Lee, Jang Seok Lee, Sang Wook Lee, Se Yoon Oh
  • Patent number: 6464313
    Abstract: A heat insulation box body includes inner and outer boxes forming a shell of the heat insulation box body and triangular structural materials inserted in the shell held by close-contact by means of a vacuum. Further, at the time of disassembling the heat insulation box body after scrapping, a shell surface is cut and air is introduced into the inside of the shell to return the state of the shell to an atmospheric pressure state and then respective members are separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshio Nishimoto
  • Patent number: 6397450
    Abstract: A heat exchanger and method for cooling power electronics modules. The power electronics module transferring heat generated during operation to the heat exchanger through a thermal base of the power module. The heat exchanger being directly bonded to the thermal base and comprising a metal foam. The metal foam having a network of metal ligaments forming numerous open cells to provide porosity. The metal ligaments are aligned to provide a higher metal density in cross-sectional planes of the foam perpendicular to the intended direction of heat flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventor: Burhan Ozmat
  • Patent number: 6392888
    Abstract: A heat dissipation assembly comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) (20), a chip (30) and a heat sink (10). The PCB comprises a grounding circuit and four through apertures (22) in the grounding circuit. The chip is mounted on the PCB, and is surrounded by the through apertures. The heat sink has four metal columns (16) depending from a bottom surface of a base (12) thereof, the columns corresponding to the four through apertures. A method of assembling the heat dissipation assembly includes the steps of: mounting a chip on a PCB; inserting metal columns of a heat sink into corresponding through apertures of the PCB; and welding the metal columns in the through apertures so that the heat sink is in intimate thermal contact with an upper surface of the chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Foxconn Precision Components Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yung Chou Chen, Che Cheng Lin, Hsueh Sheng Hsiao
  • Publication number: 20020056196
    Abstract: Indoor air conditioner units are manufactured by pre-assembling evaporators and supplying the evaporators to a plurality of unit assembling stations, whereby at each unit assembling station, the evaporators are assembled with other air conditioner elements to form finished indoor air conditioner units. The evaporators can be assembled at an evaporator assembling station which supplies all of the unit assembling stations with evaporators. Alternatively, the evaporators can be assembled at each of the unit assembling stations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2002
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventors: Jae-Jin Cha, Doo-Nam Myung
  • Patent number: 6374492
    Abstract: An assembly system and method thereof for manufacturing an outdoor unit of a dual-unit type air conditioner employs an assembly system in which the outdoor unit is assembled, a refrigerant charging section in which the assembled outdoor unit is charged with a refrigerant, a testing section in which the outdoor unit charged with the refrigerant is tested, and a packaging section in which the outdoor unit after passing the test in the testing section is packaged and forwarded. The outdoor unit is carried on a mobile cart through the assembly section, the refrigerant charging section, and the testing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Doo-nam Myung, Hong-rae Kim
  • Publication number: 20020029475
    Abstract: An assembly system and method thereof for manufacturing an outdoor unit of a dual-unit type air conditioner employs an assembly system in which the outdoor unit is assembled, a refrigerant charging section in which the assembled outdoor unit is charged with a refrigerant, a testing section in which the outdoor unit charged with the refrigerant is tested, and a packaging section in which the outdoor unit after passing the test in the testing section is packaged and forwarded. The outdoor unit is carried on a mobile cart through the assembly section, the refrigerant charging section, and the testing section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Inventors: Doo-nam Myung, Hong-rae Kim
  • Patent number: 6343416
    Abstract: A method of preparing a heat exchanger provides a first surface(s) for contacting a first fluid and a second surface(s) for contacting a second fluid in order to exchange heat between the first and second fluids. At least one of the first and second surfaces has been exposed to shot from a shot blast machine in order to create pits and bumps in that surface. The pits and bumps create a more efficient heat transfer between the fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Hoshizaki America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kristopher T. Miller, Hiroyuki Sugie
  • Patent number: 6301776
    Abstract: An assembly system and method thereof for manufacturing an outdoor unit of a dual-unit type air conditioner employs an assembly system in which the outdoor unit is assembled, a refrigerant charging section in which the assembled outdoor unit is charged with a refrigerant, a testing section in which the outdoor unit charged with the refrigerant is tested, and a packaging section in which the outdoor unit after passing the test in the testing section is packaged and forwarded. The outdoor unit is carried on a mobile cart through the assembly section, the refrigerant charging section, and the testing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Doo-nam Myung, Hong-rae Kim
  • Publication number: 20010013408
    Abstract: Disclosed an integrated refrigerator evaporator having a plurality of pipes and fins which is manufactured by injection molding with plastics. According to the present invention, pipes and fins are molded by means of at least one plastic plates, and a heat exchanger is formed by molding the pipes and fins in a series of “S” shape. A first bending section formed by the heat exchanger, which is molded in a series of “S” shape, is inserted into a mold main body to manufacture a header cap. A first header cap is manufactured by injecting melted plastic material body into the mold main body under the state of covering a mold cap. The first header cap is engaged with a first header main body comprising the first header cap and the refrigerant inlet and outlet. The refrigerator evaporator according to the present invention results in a relatively lower product cost than the evaporator composed of a metal substance as well as a high recyclability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2000
    Publication date: August 16, 2001
    Inventors: Tae Hee Lee, Jang Seok Lee, Sang Wook Lee, Se Yoon Oh
  • Patent number: 6266879
    Abstract: A container having a container body, a thermic module at one end of the body, and a closure at the other end of the body initiates an internal exothermic (or, alternatively, endothermic) chemical reaction to heat its contents when auser actuates the thermic module. A plastic thermic module body is spin-welded to a plastic container body by rotating one relative to and in contact with the other. The container body has multiple layers, including an inner layer such as a so-called oxygen barrier layer that inhibits oxidation and spoilage of the contents, and spin-welding the container body to the module body seals the otherwise-exposed oxygen barrier layer against air or moisture intrusion. The container includes a rotatable cover adhered to the container end over the closure with heat-sensitive adhesive that prevents a user from accessing the contents until a certain temperature is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Ontro, Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Scudder, James L. Berntsen, William B. Farnham, Dan Gibbs, Ann T. Davern, Jerine J. Rosato, Michael S. Slocum
  • Patent number: 6260271
    Abstract: A tubular body having integral branch tubes for use in a distribution tank of a car air conditioner and a method for producing such tubular body. The tubular body is produced almost solely by a deformation process. The process for forming the tubular body includes a swelling step for swelling the sheet metal at predetermined positions to create cylindrically swelled portions by several stages, a boring step for boring the top end of the swelled portion to create branch tubes, a channel creating step for creating mating channel throughout the whole length of the sheet metal, a rounding step for rounding the sheet metal to form a tube having a desired sectional shape, and a mating step for mating the end of the rounded sheet metal with the mating channel. The production process further includes a divider creating step for dividing the space in the tubular body into a plurality of compartments by squeezing the tubular body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Inventor: Toshiomi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 6247318
    Abstract: An evaporator device for an ice maker with a grid of ice cells in horizontal rows and vertical columns. The grid is formed by a plurality of vertical integral structures interleaved with a plurality of vertical partitions. Each vertical structure is shaped to form the tops, bottoms and backs of the ice cells of a column. The sides of the ice cells of a column are formed by the vertical partitions to the right and left of a vertical structure. An evaporator tube threads bores and holes in the vertical structures and the vertical structures. The evaporator tube is expanded to mechanically bond the evaporator tube with the vertical structures and the vertical partitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Mile High Equipment Co.
    Inventors: Gerald J. Stensrud, Gerald E. Gregory
  • Patent number: 6206633
    Abstract: A blower unit includes a case divided into an upper case portion having an air introduction port, a lower case portion for accommodating a fan, and a bell-mouth portion interposed between the upper and lower case portion portions. An air leading port is provided in the bell-mouth portion, so that air sucked from the air introduction port is introduced to the fan through the air leading port. An attachment boss portion onto which a motor is attached is formed to protrude from an outer wall surface of the upper case portion. Air blown by the fan flows through a duct which is divided into a first member integrated with the bell mouth portion and a second member integrated with the lower case portion. The first member extends from the bell mouth portion obliquely to cover the attachment portion, and the second member extends from the lower case portion in the same direction as the first member to be engaged with the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Nakamura, Tatsuo Tsunooka, Hiroshi Kanda, Nobuyasu Naito
  • Patent number: 6199261
    Abstract: A pressure vessel suitable for use in an automotive air-conditioning system includes a cylindrical body (10, 40) including an annular wall (14, 44). The cylindrical body preferably includes an opposite closed end, an initially opened end (12, 42), and a closure member (20, 50) inserted into the open end of the cylindrical body. The closure member and the cylindrical body each have extensions or annular flanges (28, 58) which are spin welded together. The cylindrical body is fused to the closure member when the annular flange (28, 58) of the closure member is spin welded to an annular, outermost portion (18, 48) of the cylindrical body. The closure member and the cylindrical body are further locked together by inwardly rolling a portion of the annular wall into an annular groove (30, 60) and an outermost surface of the closure member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Automotive Fluid Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert J. Slais
  • Patent number: 6189213
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cooling unit for electronic devices wherein the manufacturing method comprises the steps of: (a) preparing a plate-type metal block for removing heat generated from an electronic component, the metal block having holes in the thickness part of the metal block and having convex portions formed on one main surface or both main surfaces of the metal block; (b) inserting heat pipes into the holes; and (c) applying a local and two-dimensional force from the surface of the metal block to the convex portions to make the surface flat bringing the outer surface of each heat pipe into close contact with the inner wall of each hole in the metal block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Kimura, Masaaki Yamamoto, Suemi Tanaka