Selective Heating Or Cooling Patents (Class 62/159)
  • Patent number: 7131283
    Abstract: Method for controlling a multi-type air conditioner having a plurality of indoor units each with an expansion valve, an indoor heat exchanger, and an indoor fan, some of which heat rooms, and rest of which are turned off, including the steps of (S11) defining a saturation temperature of refrigerant by using a heating cycle of the refrigerant, and Mollier chart, (S12) measuring a temperature of the refrigerant stagnant at the turned off indoor units, (S13) determining if a temperature difference of the refrigerant temperature and the saturation temperature is within a temperature range preset at a control part, (S14) opening the expansion valves of the turned off indoor units, if the temperature difference is within the temperature range preset at the control part, and (S15) closing the expansion valve of the turned off indoor units, if the temperature difference is not within the temperature range preset at the control part, whereby minimizing stagnation of refrigerant at turned off indoor units during some o
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Il Kwon Oh, Min Sub Shim, Jin Seob Song, Se Dong Chang, Bong Soo Park, Do Yong Ha, Seung Yong Chang
  • Patent number: 7051549
    Abstract: A refrigerator is provided which includes a variable temperature storage formed in the chilling chamber; a heating room formed on a side of the variable temperature storage; a heating device installed in the heating room and configured to generate heat; a first local circulating path in which cool air in the freezing chamber flows into a rear path through the variable temperature storage; an adjusting device configured to adjust a quantity of cool air flowing into/out of the variable temperature storage through the first local circulating path; a second local circulating path in which heated air in the heating room passes the variable temperature storage and flows into the heating room again; and a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature in the variable temperature storage. Because various ranges of temperature can be maintained in the refrigerator, it is possible to perform optimum-temperature storing according to various kinds of foods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sang-Bae Kim, Sang-Ho Park, Byeong-Gyu Kang, Youn-Chul Choi
  • Patent number: 7028492
    Abstract: A hybrid dehumidification system includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and an evaporator connected for flow of working fluid through a fluid circuit; a reheat coil positioned relative to the evaporator for heating at least a portion of a stream of air passing through the evaporator; and a working fluid directing system adapted to flow working fluid in at least two modes of operation selected from the group consisting of a standard cooling mode, a cooling and enhanced dehumidification mode; a dehumidification without substantial sensible capacity mode; a heating and dehumidification mode; and a dehumidification with variable sensible capacity mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Michael F. Taras, Alexander Lifson
  • Patent number: 6928831
    Abstract: The invention relates to a combined cooling plant/heat pump for use in motor vehicles for the cooling, heating and dehumidification of the vehicle interior. A refrigerant circuit is thermally coupled to the ventilation system over an internal heat exchanger having two functional units. The functional units are switchable as the condenser/gas cooler of the heat pump (in heating operation) and as the evaporator of the cooling plant (in cooling operation). In a combined dehumidification-reheating operation, one of these functional units is operable as an evaporator and the other as condenser/gas cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Heyl
  • Patent number: 6923012
    Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning system of a dual air-conditioner type exhibiting a hot gas heater function, which is designed to efficiently recover not only dormant refrigerant at the heater side, but also dormant refrigerant at the rear seat evaporator, which system sets the refrigeration cycle to a cooling mode and engages in a refrigerant recovery operation when starting up the heating mode by a hot gas heater cycle, then switches the refrigeration cycle to the heating mode, sets the front seat air-conditioning unit to the outside air mode at the time of the heating mode to blow outside air to the front seat evaporator by the front seat blower, then, when judging that the inside air temperature is high due to the refrigerant temperature of the rear seat evaporator at the time of the heating mode, operates the rear side blower to blow inside air to the rear seat evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Shun Kurata, Yoshiaki Takano
  • Patent number: 6877342
    Abstract: A controlled method for an energy-saving and energy-releasing air conditioning discloses the energy-saving and energy-releasing actions performed by the two adjoined heat exchangers of the storage means. The feature of this design is to meet refrigerating and heat-produced requirements by using the controlled method of the present invention. Automatically adjusting the refrigerant flow rates of the first and the second circular refrigerant loops can place it into the optimum operational condition while central air conditioner is either under high loading or under low loading condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Cohand Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kuo-Liang Weng
  • Patent number: 6868679
    Abstract: In a hot gas heating mode of an ejector cycle system, hot gas refrigerant discharged from a compressor is introduced to an interior heat exchanger while bypassing an exterior heat exchanger. The refrigerant discharged from the interior heat exchanger can flow into an ejector from at least an inlet of a nozzle of the ejector, and flows into the gas-liquid separator, in the heating mode. Alternatively, refrigerant discharged from the compressor can be supplied to the interior heat exchanger through a clearance between an outer wall of the nozzle and an inner wall of a nozzle housing portion, while bypassing the exterior heat exchanger in the heating mode. Here, the nozzle is disposed in the nozzle housing portion, and a part of pressurizing portion is defined by the nozzle housing portion. Thus, the heating mode can be readily performed in the ejector cycle system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Motohiro Yamaguchi, Hiromi Ohta, Yukimasa Sato
  • Patent number: 6834511
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning apparatus includes a heater core 21 radiating heat of engine coolant to an air stream to be blown off to a vehicle compartment, a sub condenser 4 operative to radiate heat of compressed refrigerant to the air stream to be blown off to the vehicle compartment for condensing refrigerant, an evaporator 7 operative to allow expanded refrigerant by an expansion valve 6 to absorb heat of the air stream in the vehicle compartment to be evaporated, a variable displacement compressor 2 operative to compress evaporated refrigerant to be discharged to the condenser 4, a sensor 9 that detects a discharge refrigerant pressure of the compressor 2, and a compressor control means 100 operative to control a discharge refrigerant volume of the compressor 2 so as to compel a blow-off temperature to lie at a given temperature in response to a detected result of the sensor 9.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Hatakeyama
  • Publication number: 20040255602
    Abstract: In a vapor-compression refrigerant cycle system, a switching device is provided to switch one of a first mode where high-pressure refrigerant discharged from a compressor is directly introduced to an exterior heat exchanger and a second mode where the high-pressure refrigerant is directly introduced to an interior heat exchanger. When the second mode is set, the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant is set higher than a predetermined pressure by a constant-pressure control valve. Accordingly, it can prevent heating capacity of the interior heat exchanger from being greatly changed even when thermal load of the vapor-compression refrigerant cycle system is changed, and heating capacity of the interior heat exchanger can be improved in the second mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Yukimasa Sato, Motohiro Yamaguchi, Hiromi Ohta
  • Patent number: 6831254
    Abstract: A system used to program and coordinate the cooking operations for two or more ovens such that the cooking operations are completed at the same time, independent of particular setting variations. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a single controller is utilized to program each of the ovens, with the controller incorporating an auto sequencing feature which causes the different cooking operations to be automatically performed, while terminating at the same time. Preferably, the system enables a second cooking operation to be programmed and initiated after a first cooking operation, while still providing for the auto sequencing of the cooking operation. Furthermore, a system is provided to enable the refrigerating of food items in one or more of the ovens prior to initiating a respective cooking operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventor: William D. Barritt
  • Patent number: 6829523
    Abstract: A method of controlling a transport temperature control unit having cooling and heating cycles for cooling and heating a conditioned space within a transport. The method includes programming a first pre-programmed control mode into the unit, configuring the unit such that a second control mode is programmable into the unit by an end user, querying the end user to select the first pre-programmed control mode or to program the second control mode into the unit, and programming the second control mode into the unit by the end user when the second control mode is desired by the end user. A transport temperature control unit for performing the same and including a first pre-programmed control mode being programmable into the unit and a second control mode being programmable into the unit by an end user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Thermo King Corporation
    Inventor: Jay L. Hanson
  • Patent number: 6823683
    Abstract: According to the method, heat delivered to the cabin (H) comes from a hot source (18) of a heat pump (12) comprising a main refrigerant circuit (14) taking heat from a cold source (16) to transfer it to the hot source (18). Heat taken from the cold source (16) comes from a flow of air recycled from the cabin. The cold source (16) has a refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger (24) thermally coupling the main circuit (14) to a first secondary coolant circuit (26) capable of being selectively connected to an outside heat exchanger (30) and to a cold heat exchanger (32). Air flow circuits have an inlet for admitting air recycled from the cabin, an outlet for delivering air to the outside of the vehicle, first connection means for connecting the recycled air inlet to the upstream end of the cold heat exchanger (32), and second connection means for connecting the downstream end of said cold heat exchanger (32) to the outside outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignees: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SA, Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Manuel Amaral, Franck Vouzelaud
  • Patent number: 6804972
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling the climate within a storage container including at least two cargo areas. The system includes one compressor, one condenser, and two evaporators. Each of the evaporators includes a crankcase pressure regulator, a gas valve and a liquid valve. The crankcase pressure regulators provide a common pressure between each of the evaporators and the compressor regardless of the pressure at the evaporator. A control system selectively actuates the gas and liquid valves according to a predefined control mode to obtain and maintain a desired temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventor: Hussein El-Habhab
  • Patent number: 6792766
    Abstract: A thermal zone demand controlled air conditioning fan coil unit using dual cascade arranged heat pumps, chilled water, or a combination of chilled water and hot water, with or without back up electric resistance heat strips, and having an air circulation system for circulating air to and from a plurality of thermal zones and including a conditioned air chamber having first and second heat exchange refrigerant coils or direct or reversed cycle water coils being connected in refrigerant circulating relation respectively with the heat pumps, chilled water coil. A plurality of thermal zone blowers conduct conditioned air from the conditioned air chamber to respective thermal zones of a building space. Electronic controller circuitry of the system is coupled for thermal demand control of the heat pumps and the thermal zone blowers for operation of the first heat pump during average thermal load and for operation of both heat pumps during greater thermal load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Cascade Manufacturing, L.P.
    Inventors: David Osborne, Brian Chester, Gary R. Scoggins
  • Patent number: 6751968
    Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner, a refrigerant cycle system is constructed to switch a cooling refrigerant cycle where an interior heat exchanger is used as an evaporator, and a hot gas heater cycle where the interior heat exchanger is used as a radiator. Further, determining means of a control unit determines whether the interior heat exchanger has a quantity of retained water in a heating mode with the hot gas heater cycle. When the determining means determines that the interior heat exchanger has the quantity of retained water in the heating mode while a blower stops, operation of the heating mode is stopped. On the other hand, when the determining means determines the interior heat exchanger does not have the quantity of retained water in the heating mode while the blower stops, the operation of the heating mode is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Takano
  • Patent number: 6748753
    Abstract: In the air conditioner of the present invention, both the normal cooling mode operation, in which refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1 is made to flow in the condenser 2, and the heating mode operation conducted by the hot gas bypass, in which refrigerant is made to bypass the condenser and directly flow in the evaporator 4 via the throttle 17, can be conducted. Before this heating mode operation, after the compressor is turned on for a predetermined period of time in the cooling mode, the compressor is turned off for a predetermined period of time, so that refrigerant residing in the condenser can be recovered into the hot gas cycle, and then a hot gas operation, which is the heating mode, is conducted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Takano, Satoshi Izawa, Shun Kurata
  • Publication number: 20040107726
    Abstract: In a refrigerator including a variable temperature storage formed in the chilling chamber so as to have a certain space; a heating room formed on a side of the variable temperature storage; a heating means installed in the heating room in order to generate heat in power supply; a first local circulating path in which cool air in the freezing chamber flows into a rear path through the variable temperature storage; an adjusting means for adjusting a quantity of cool air flowing into/out of the variable temperature storage through the first local circulating path; a second local circulating path in which heated air in the heating room passes the variable temperature storage and flows into the heating room again; and a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature in the variable temperature storage, because various ranges of temperature can be maintained in the refrigerator, it is possible to perform optimum-temperature storing according to kinds of foods, and accordingly various foods can be stored more freshly
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sang-Bae Kim, Sang-Ho Park, Byeong-Gyu Kang, Youn-Chul Choi
  • Publication number: 20040089003
    Abstract: According to the method, heat delivered to the cabin (H) comes from a hot source (18) of a heat pump (12) comprising a main refrigerant circuit (14) taking heat from a cold source (16) to transfer it to the hot source (18). Heat taken from the cold source (16) comes from a flow of air recycled from the cabin. The cold source (16) has a refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger (24) thermally coupling the main circuit (14) to a first secondary coolant circuit (26) capable of being selectively connected to an outside heat exchanger (30) and to a cold heat exchanger (32). Air flow circuits have an inlet for admitting air recycled from the cabin, an outlet for delivering air to the outside of the vehicle, first connection means for connecting the recycled air inlet to the upstream end of the cold heat exchanger (32), and second connection means for connecting the downstream end of said cold heat exchanger (32) to the outside outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Inventors: Manuel Amaral, Franck Vouzelaud
  • Publication number: 20040026074
    Abstract: A method of operating a cooling and heating circuit of a motor vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine includes providing a first cooling medium path through a bypass conduit, a second cooling medium path through a main cooler of the internal combustion engine, a third cooling medium path through a heating heat exchanger, subdividing the cooling medium paths by an electrically actuated valves and forming cooling medium flows by an electrically driven pump, controlling both the valves and the pump by an electronic control unit in dependence on operational and environmental parameters as well as nominal values, reversing a feeding direction of the electrically operated pump in a first operational phase of the internal combustion engine at low temperatures of the internal combustion engine and turned on first cooling medium path, and feeding the cooling medium by the pump in a lower region of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Peter Ahner, Manfred Ackermann
  • Publication number: 20040016537
    Abstract: Air is introduced into an automotive air-conditioner from a front side of a vehicle, and the air conditioned in the air-conditioner is supplied to a passenger compartment from a rear side of an air-conditioner casing. An aspirator for drawing air in the passenger compartment to a temperature sensor is mounted on a rear wall or a sidewall of the casing, so that the aspirator is exposed to a space that is always communicating with the conditioned air in the air-conditioner. In this manner, the air in the passenger compartment is surely supplied to the temperature sensor irrespective of operating modes of the air-conditioner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Inventors: Takeshi Nakamura, Toshihiro Tahara, Takahiro Tokunaga
  • Patent number: 6669102
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for operating an air conditioner equipped with a plurality of compressors in a warming mode, including a 100% operation performing step of operating/stopping all of the compressors, a primary load determining step of determining the current warming load after completion of the 100% operation performing step, a 106%/X% operation performing step of operating all of the compressors when it is determined at the primary load determining step that the warming load is not large, subsequently stopping a part of the compressors, and subsequently stopping the remaining compressor or compressors, a secondary load determining step of determining the current warming load after completion of the 100%/X% operation performing step, and an X% operation performing step of operating/stopping a part of the compressors when it is determined at the secondary load determining step that the warming load is small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Won Hee Lee
  • Publication number: 20030226902
    Abstract: A method regulates a heating and/or air-conditioning system, with a control apparatus which activates the individual air-conditioning components according to control and regulating programs. The vehicle interior has individual air-conditioning zones which can be regulated individually in terms of their air-conditioning capacity by the general air-conditioning regulation. An air-conditioning deficit of each individual air-conditioning zone can be detected, and the general air-conditioning regulation of the heating and/or air-conditioning system can set this air-conditioning zone independently. One or more central or decentralized additional-heating and/or cooling elements are included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Inventors: Wolfgang Straub, Andrea Theiss
  • Publication number: 20030150229
    Abstract: Electric heaters and blower units are disposed inside an occupant seat having exterior cover members, each of which has a plurality of outlet openings. Each electric heater heats the corresponding exterior cover member, and each blower unit blows air through the outlet openings of the corresponding cover member. Manipulation dials are provided to manipulate the corresponding electric heaters and blower units. A variable heating power command signal, which commands increasing or decreasing of a heating power of each corresponding electric heater, and a variable flow rate command signal, which commands increasing or decreasing of an air flow rate of each corresponding blower unit, are generated through adjustment manipulation of the manipulation dial in synchronism with movement of the manipulation dial.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: Shinji Aoki, Toshifumi Kamiya, Yuji Honda
  • Patent number: 6584796
    Abstract: Heat exchange is performed between a discharge side refrigerant and a suction side refrigerant also at the time of a heating operation. By this, a liquid phase refrigerant containing lubricating oil in the suction side refrigerant is heated by the discharge side refrigerant, and the liquid phase refrigerant is vaporized also at the time of the heating operation, so that the amount of the liquid phase refrigerant sucked into a compressor is decreased. Accordingly, the increase of compression work of the compressor is prevented, and an opening area of an oil return hole can be expanded to such a degree that an optimum amount of lubricating oil is attained at the time of the heating operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Itoh, Yoshitaka Tomatsu, Motohiro Yamaguchi, Yasushi Yamanaka, Toshio Hirata
  • Patent number: 6560978
    Abstract: A temperature control system having an increased heating performance. The system includes a compressor adapted to compress a fluid, a heat exchanger coupled to the compressor such that compressed fluid moves from the compressor to the heat exchanger, and a pressure regulating valve positioned between the compressor and the heat exchanger such that compressed fluid from the compressor moves through the valve before reaching the heat exchanger. The pressure-regulating valve is designed to stay in a closed position until the pressure of the fluid from the compressor reaches a desired value. By virtue of this design, the pressure of the fluid in increased, thus resulting in an increased in the temperature of the fluid. Upon reaching the desired pressure, the valve opens to allow the highly-pressurized fluid to flow to the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Thermo King Corporation
    Inventors: David Renken, Eric Kirby, Michael Schlough, John J. Shaw
  • Publication number: 20030070799
    Abstract: A method for cooking food in a refrigerated oven comprising a cool cycle, bake cycle, and warm cycle. The cool cycle maintains the food placed in the refrigerated oven at a temperature suitable to prevent the spoiling of the food prior to the initiation of the bake cycle. The food is cooked during the bake cycle. The warm cycle maintains the cooked food at a temperature suitable for serving on removal from the cooking chamber. In optional cool cycle can precede the warm cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2001
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Inventors: Dianne D. Mueller, Dale Lukens, David J. Anderson, Ralph Tate, Thomas J. Leichliter
  • Patent number: 6519949
    Abstract: A dual pulse width modulated driver controls the operation of a thermo-electric cooler for stabilizing the operating temperature of a laser. The pulse width modulator has complementary outputs coupled to control inputs of dual pairs of complementary polarity electronic switching elements, that are coupled in circuit between first and second power supply terminals, and a pair of output nodes. The output nodes are coupled in common through a low pass filters to drive terminals of a thermoelectric cooling element. The thermal output generated by the thermoelectric cooling element is coupled to the laser. The thermal output of the cooling element is monitored by a temperature sensing element mounted with the laser and provides an output voltage in linear proportion of its thermal input. This output voltage is fed back through a temperature control servo loop to a differential summing circuit, which is also coupled to receive a reference voltage used to control the duty cycle of the pulse width modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventors: James Vincent Wernlund, James Allan Wilkerson, Jr., Dimitrios Nikolaidis
  • Publication number: 20020053213
    Abstract: A self-contained, portable, computer operated, light weight, temperature controlled compartment for installation in emergency vehicles has insulated walls and a door. The compartment carries a mechanical refrigeration system having a small compressor for cooling the interior and electrical heating units providing radiant heat to the interior. The heating and cooling units are controlled by a microcomputer and temperature sensor to keep the interior within a desired range of temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Inventor: Marc Lajeunesse
  • Patent number: 6311505
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner that inhibits re-evaporation of condensed water on the surface of an evaporator that might fog the inner surface of the vehicle windshield during operation of a hot gas heating cycle heating mode. It is possible to switch operation of a cooling mode by an ordinary refrigerating cycle by opening the inlet side of a condenser and closing the inlet side of a hot gas bypass passage. It is also possible to switch the operation of the heating mode by closing the inlet side of the condenser and opening the inlet side of the hot gas bypass passage. When it is determined during operation of the heating mode that the windshield will fog, operation of the air conditioning compressor is interrupted by the air conditioning control unit so that the temperature of an evaporator reaches no more than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Takano, Satoshi Izawa, Yasushi Yamanaka, Hajime Ito
  • Patent number: 6263687
    Abstract: An air conditioning system 100 may include a compressor 101 having a driving chamber 110, a cooling circuit 151, a heating circuit 152 and capacity controllers 301, 401. The compressor 101 may have a suction port 115, a discharge port 120, a driving unit 130 provided within the driving chamber 110. The driving unit 130 decreases compressor output discharge capacity when pressure within the driving chamber 110 increases. The first capacity controller 301 and the second capacity controller 401 are provided in series onto the capacity control passage 321, 323, 421. The first capacity controller 301 opens the capacity control passage 321, 323 when compressor suction pressure Ps results predetermined low-pressure state during operation of the cooling circuit 151 and the second capacity controller 401 opens the capacity control passage 323, 421 during operation of the cooling circuit. As the result, the heat exchanger 159 in the cooling circuit 151 is prevented from being frosted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Takashi Ban, Toshiro Fujii, Takanori Okabe
  • Patent number: 6250093
    Abstract: An improved air conditioning system that cools or heats air very rapidly after being started. The system includes a main heater and a cooler which also functions as an auxially heater. The cooler includes a variable displacement compressor for compressing refrigerant gas. The compressor has a crank chamber and a discharge chamber. A crank mechanism is accommodated in the crank chamber. Compressed refrigerant gas is supplied to an external refrigerant circuit via the discharge chamber. The discharge chamber is connected to the external refrigerant circuit by a passage. A throttle valve is located in the passage. The throttle valve closes the passage immediately after the compressor is started, which quickly increases the pressure of the discharge chamber. As a result, the displacement of the compressor is increased quickly, and rapid heating or cooling results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Toshiro Fujii, Takanori Okabe, Naoya Yokomachi
  • Patent number: 6230505
    Abstract: A heat pump type air conditioning system (A) for an automotive vehicle. The heat type air conditioning system (A) comprises a first unit (10) including a heater core (11) through which an engine coolant of an engine flows, and a first heat exchanger (12) which forms part of a refrigeration cycle including a compressor (1) and a first condenser (3), in which a refrigerant circulates in the refrigeration cycle. A second unit (20) is provided including a second condenser (21) and a second heat exchanger (22) which are fluidly connected in parallel with the first heat exchanger (12). A valve (V2) is fluidly connected in series with the second condenser (21) and disposed such that a part of the refrigerant is introduced through the valve into the second condenser (21) and the second heat exchanger (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitoshi Noda, Hiroyuki Yamaguchi, Toshio Ohashi, Kaoru Kamiyama, Tadayoshi Tajima, Toshiharu Watanabe, Yasuhito Okawara, Hiroki Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 6220042
    Abstract: The invention concerns a refrigerating fluid circuit capable of operating in three fluid circulation modes, namely an air conditioning mode whereby the fluid circulates successively in the evaporator where it is evaporated by receiving the heat of the air flow to be treated, in the compressor, in the condenser where it is condensed by yielding the heat to another medium and in a pressure reducing valve; a supplementary heating mode whereby the fluid circulates in gaseous state between the evaporator where it yields heat to the air flow and the compressor, without passing through the condenser, and an inoperative mode whereby the fluid does not circulate in the evaporator. The invention is characterized in that the circulation mode is determined taking into account not only the user's choice but also the possible presence of mist on the windscreen, detected by a sensor, so as to promote demisting while optimizing comfort and energy conservation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
    Inventors: Jérôme Robillard, Christophe Petitjean
  • Patent number: 6202430
    Abstract: In a heating and air conditioning installation for a motor vehicle, the refrigerant fluid circuit includes a cooling (air conditioning) loop including a condenser, and a heating loop. In order to detect excess pressure in the refrigerant fluid in the condenser, during corrective discharges of the fluid to the condenser from the heating loop, the frequency of occurrence of these discharges is monitored continuously, and an evaluation is made as to whether the measured frequency exceeds a threshold value. The outlet pressure of the compressor is also monitored continuously, an evaluation being made as to whether the measured pressure exceeds a predetermined demand pressure by an excess value over a given period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
    Inventor: Stefan Karl
  • Patent number: 6202427
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a refrigerating air-conditioning system which can be used to reduce and reuse waste energy. The system includes a fan motor which is used to supply a variable wind rate to an intermediate heat exchanger. In such a manner, when the cold making requirement is greater than the heat making requirement, the intermediate heat exchanger functions as an auxiliary condenser so as to variably change the waste heat needed to be drained from the refrigerating air-conditioning system. When the heat making requirement is greater than the cold making requirement, the intermediate heat exchanger functions as an evaporator so as to variably change the heat needed to be absorbed by the refrigerating air-conditioning system. When the cold and heat making requirements exist synchronously, the intermediate heat exchanger functions as an auxiliary condenser so as to change the waste heat needed to be drained from the refrigerating air-conditioning system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Yiue Feng Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kuo-Liang Weng
  • Patent number: 6192695
    Abstract: A refrigerating cycle with a by-pass duct 5 in which heat exchange for heating is arranged to be performed in an evaporator 4 without passing refrigerant through a condenser 2 is designed to perform an auxiliary heating mode suitable for the instantaneous conditions by controlling the amount of refrigerant circulating in response to the load and the like. A by-pass duct 5 for supplying the refrigerant from the compressor 1 to the evaporator 4 without passing it through the condenser 2 is placed in juxtaposition. Between the outlet of the evaporator 4 and the inlet of the compressor 1 an accumulator 6 for temporarily storing low-pressure refrigerant liquid is provided so that the amount of refrigerant circulating is controlled by accumulator 6 while the refrigerant circulates via by-pass duct 5 without passage through condenser 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: TGK Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisatoshi Hirota
  • Patent number: 6178761
    Abstract: The CO2 refrigerant fluid, compressed by the compressor to a supercritical pressure, is delivered through a three-way valve selectively into a cooler and/or into a bypass branch, so that in the former case, after passing through an expansion device, the fluid is vaporised in an evaporator so as to cool the cabin of the vehicle; while flow of the fluid through the bypass branch avoids the cooler so that the fluid is then cooled in the evaporator, thereby heating the cabin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
    Inventor: Stefan Karl
  • Patent number: 6105666
    Abstract: Described is an apparatus for air conditioning a passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle which achieves a quick warming-up of the passenger compartment. In the air conditioning apparatus, in addition to a coolant of a vehicular engine which is utilized as a heat source of a heater core, a highly compressed refrigerant discharged from a compressor can be utilized as a heat source of a sub condenser which is disposed in an air passage of the air conditioning apparatus, during the inside air warming up in the passenger compartment. During the warming up operation, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor is circulated through a bypass line bypassing a condenser disposed at a front part of an engine compartment and through the sub condenser and an evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Calsonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tadayoshi Tajima, Toshio Ohashi, Kaoru Kamiyama
  • Patent number: 6058728
    Abstract: In a refrigerant cycle having a gas refrigerant bypass passage through which high-temperature gas refrigerant is introduced from a compressor into an evaporator while bypassing a condenser, a super-heating degree of gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor is determined according to signals from a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor disposed at a refrigerant discharging side of the compressor. According to the super-heating degree of gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor, refrigerant staying in the condenser is controlled so that refrigerant amount circulating in the refrigerant cycle is suitably controlled. Thus, heating capacity of the refrigerant cycle using the gas refrigerant bypass passage is improved, while the compressor is protected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: DENSO Coporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Takano, Satoshi Izawa
  • Patent number: 5996360
    Abstract: A refrigerant cycle system includes a gas-liquid separator for separating gas-liquid refrigerant into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant. The gas-liquid separator has a liquid-suction pipe for introducing liquid refrigerant from the gas-liquid separator to a decompressing unit, and a gas-suction pipe for introducing gas refrigerant from the gas-liquid separator to a compressor. The gas-suction pipe has a suction hole for sucking liquid refrigerant therein, and the suction hole is provided at a position lower than an open end of the liquid-suction pipe. Because a height of a surface of liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator is constantly equal to or higher than the open end of the liquid-suction pipe regardless of change in a heating load of the refrigerant cycle, liquid refrigerant is constantly sucked into the gas-suction pipe from the suction hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Masaya Tanaka, Hiroshi Ishikawa, Satoshi Itoh, Kunio Iritani
  • Patent number: 5966952
    Abstract: A heat pump system usable as an air-conditioning apparatus, a refrigerant apparatus, or a temperature-conditioning apparatus, having a heat capacity detection mechanism for detecting a signal indicative of a ratio of or a difference between the total heat-emitting capacity of the condenser and the total heat-absorbing capacity of the evaporator, and an energy-supplying mechanism for exerting energy onto the refrigerant, thereby compensating for insufficient total hear-absorbing capacity, especially in the cooling mode when condensation capacity increases due to, for example, a cold or wind environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Misawa, Yukiyoshi Takiguchi, Ryosuke Sugita
  • Patent number: 5907956
    Abstract: In an air conditioning system comprising a heat source side machine for condensing a fluid which can change a phase between a liquid phase and a gas phase to a predetermined temperature and for supplying, and a plurality of user side machines more than half of which are disposed below said heat source side machine, in which piping is constructed in such a manner as to circulate the fluid supplied from said heat source side machine by using a difference in specific gravity between the liquid phase and the gas phase, between said heat source side machine and said user side machine and a cooling of said user side machine is performed by evaporating said fluid in said user side machine, the heat source side machine is provided with a control means for descending a set temperature of said fluid discharged from said heat source side machine after condensed by changing the operating capacity of said heat source side machine when a state that the temperature of said fluid returned back after evaporated in the user si
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Arima, Kazuhiro Shimura, Naohito Sakamoto, Mamoru Kubo, Akira Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 5876596
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating water to produce potable water includes a filter connected to an inlet of a heating unit in turn connected at an outlet to an input of a container with cooling components for separating out heavy water. The heavy water separator is coupled at an outlet to a tank having cooling and heating components and an ultraviolet radiation source for irradiating the water sample from the heavy water separator with ultraviolet radiation during a freezing and subsequent warming of the water sample. A storage vessel and a silver ionizer are disposed on a downstream side of the ultraviolet treatment tank. Various operations, including timing and water transfer, heating cooling and irradiating, are controlled by a programmed computer. Temperature sensors are disposed in the heating unit, the heavy water separator and the irradiation tank for monitoring temperatures of the water in the heating unit, the container and/or the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Coleman Sudol, LLP
    Inventor: Grigory Sadkhin
  • Patent number: 5706664
    Abstract: A heat pump type air conditioner for an automotive vehicle includes a vapor-compression refrigeration system which is provided with a compressor. An outer condenser and an inner condenser are serially connected to the compressor through a three-way valve. A bypass passage of the outer condenser communicates the compressor and the inner condenser through the three-way valve. The inner condenser is connected to an inner evaporator through an expansion valve. A refrigerant heater for heating refrigerant of the system is disposed upstream and/or downstream of the inner evaporator. The refrigerant heater is controllably operated by a control unit according to a refrigerant condition indicative signal from a refrigerant condition detector. Therefore, the air conditioner generates a sufficient heating performance even just after the start of an engine of the automotive vehicle while realizing a dehumidifying heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junichiro Hara
  • Patent number: 5689957
    Abstract: A control system for a thermoelectric device to maintain the temperature in a storage compartment at a set point. The system includes input terminals for receiving a DC voltage and output terminals for connecting to the thermoelectric device. First and second switches are provided and coupled to the terminals for connection when enabled by the application of the DC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Thermotek, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger S. DeVilbiss, Harry C. Powell
  • Patent number: 5394704
    Abstract: A single-pass method for accurate and precise temperature control in the -160.degree. to +90.degree. C. range, and which exhibited minimal set-point overshoot during temperature transitions. Control to .+-.2.degree. C. with transitions between set-points of 7.degree. C. per minute were achieved. The method uses commercially available temperature controllers and a gaseous nitrogen/liquid nitrogen mixer to dampen the amplitude of cold temperature spikes caused by liquid nitrogen pulsing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Kenneth R. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5375427
    Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle having a compressor, an outer heat exchanger, a heat-radiating inner heat exchanger an expansion valve, a heat-absorbing inner heat exchanger which are connected thereamong. A connecting condition of these elements is changed into one of a cooling, a heating and a weak heating, by controlling a refrigerant passage switching device. During the cooling, refrigerant in the air conditioner is circulated in the order of at least the outer heat exchanger, the expansion valve, the heat-absorbing inner heat exchanger and the compressor. During the heating the refrigerant is circulated in the order of the heat-radiating inner heat exchanger, the expansion valve, the heat-absorbing inner heat exchanger and the compressor while bypassing the outer heat exchanger. During the weak heating, the refrigerant is circulated in the order of the heat-radiating inner heat exchanger, the expansion valve, at least the outer heat exchanger and the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichiro Hara, Takayoshi Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 5363668
    Abstract: To provide an absorption air conditioning system and cooling/heating change-over method which do not make users uncomfortable just after a cooling mode is changed to a heating mode and vice versa, there is provided an absorption air conditioning system including an absorption cool water/hot water making machine for producing cool water/hot water for air conditioning, a room machine for carrying out the air conditioning of a room by circulation of the cool water/hot water from the absorption cool water/hot water making machine, and a piping for introducing the cool water/hot water from the absorption cool water/hot water making machine to the room machine, wherein the system further includes a bypass piping connected between the absorption cool water/hot water making machine and the room machine through a valve, and a means for opening/closing the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Nakao, Hiroaki Yoda
  • Patent number: 5355689
    Abstract: A heat pump type air conditioner for an automotive vehicle has a compressor whose outlet is connected to a condenser and a heat-radiating inner heat exchanger through a three-way valve. The heat-radiating inner heat exchanger is connected to an evaporator through an expansion valve. The evaporator is connected to an inlet of the compressor. During a cooling operation, the three-way valve is set to lead the refrigerant from the compressor to the condenser. During a heating operation, the three-way valve is set to lead the refrigerant from the compressor to the heat-radiating inner heat exchanger while bypassing the condenser. A control unit controls such that a cooling efficiency of the condenser is lowered for a predetermined time when the compressor is started. Therefore, the heating operation is securely implemented, and a start-up period in starting is shortened. Furthermore, the freezing of the condenser is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichiro Hara, Takayoshi Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 5320167
    Abstract: A refrigeration system, which conditions the air of a conditioned space via heating and cooling cycles, includes a heat exchanger and, in a first embodiment, heat pipes. A cryogen is circulated through the heat exchanger during a cooling cycle. During a heating cycle the flow of cryogen is terminated and heat is transferred into the heat exchanger via the heat pipes. In another embodiment, the temperature of evaporation of a liquid cryogen in the heat exchanger is selected according to the desired temperature of the conditioned space, via selectable cryogen flow paths which provide different pressures and thus different evaporation temperatures. Vaporized cryogen drives a motor connected to a fan which circulates air between the conditioned space and heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1994
    Assignee: Thermo King Corporation
    Inventors: Dale T. Johnson, Roland L. Roehrich, Herman H. Viegas