With Adjustable Gas Flow Controller Patents (Class 62/408)
-
Publication number: 20040244402Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved air conditioning system which can supply fresh air prepared separately. A first preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an air conditioning system including an outdoor unit, an indoor unit installed in a ceiling, and means connected to the indoor unit for supplying fresh air stored separately to the indoor unit. A second preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an air conditioning system including an outdoor unit, an indoor unit, air supply and air discharge ducts, and means connected to the air supply duct for supplying fresh air stored separately to the indoor unit. In the second embodiment, the indoor unit includes a fan, an indoor heat exchanger, and a guide duct for guiding flow passages of the external air and room air, and, if necessary, further including a preheat exchanger arranged to surround the guide duct for indirect heat exchange between the external air and the indoor air.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2004Publication date: December 9, 2004Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Kwan Ho Yum, Ho Seon Choi, Kyung Hwan Kim
-
Publication number: 20040244403Abstract: A turbofan to reduce noise through a suppression of turbulent air flow at an outlet thereof and also to guide the air discharged from the outlet in a specific discharging direction, and an air conditioner equipped with the turbofan to improve an efficiency of a heat exchange. The turbofan includes a rotating plate coupled to a shaft of a drive motor, a plurality of blades radially arranged on a peripheral area of a front face of the rotating plate, a ring-shaped shroud joining to ends of the plurality of blades, and a flow guide rib extending from a peripheral edge of the rotating plate in a rearward direction to guide the air discharged from the turbofan.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2003Publication date: December 9, 2004Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jin Baek Kim, Hyoung-Mo Koo, Weon-Seok Choi
-
Patent number: 6817208Abstract: The present invention relates to an auxiliary storage system for a refrigerator.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2003Date of Patent: November 16, 2004Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Young-Seok Choi, Byeong-Gyu Kang, Sang-Bae Kim
-
Publication number: 20040211194Abstract: A process for cooling animal carcasses from a kill temperature to a temperature at which deterioration is substantially prevented comprises circulation of refrigerated air over the carcass to freeze an outer layer of the carcass, followed by application of water to the carcass to form a sufficiently continuous layer of ice on the carcass. Preferably, the carcass is chilled by a multi-stage quick chill process in which the carcass is exposed to super-cooled, high velocity air. Immediately before or immediately after formation of the ice layer, the carcass is transferred to a refrigerated chamber to allow the interior and exterior of the carcass to equilibrate to the temperature at which deterioration is substantially prevented. The inventors have found that this process provides reduced moisture loss and reduced bacterial loading over prior art processes in which water is applied to the carcass during the quick chill process.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2003Publication date: October 28, 2004Inventors: Robert T. Kaminski, Dan A. Lenton
-
Patent number: 6802186Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a first refrigeration chamber, a second refrigeration chamber in flow communication with said the first refrigeration chamber, a sealed system for producing desired temperature conditions in the first refrigeration chamber and the second refrigeration chamber, and a controller operatively coupled to the sealed system. The controller is configured to accept a plurality of user-selected inputs including at least a first refrigeration chamber temperature and a second refrigeration chamber temperature, and to execute a plurality of algorithms to selectively control the first refrigeration chamber at a temperature above the second refrigeration chamber and at a temperature below the second chamber. Various control algorithms are provided for maintaining desired temperature conditions in the refrigeration chambers.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2001Date of Patent: October 12, 2004Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: John S. Holmes, Robert M. Bultman, Jerry J. Queen, II, Wolfgang Daum, Richard Hornung, Rollie R. Herzog
-
Patent number: 6802369Abstract: A control system for a refrigerator quick chill and thaw system comprises an electronic controller coupled to the operable components of a modular air handler for producing a convective airstream in a sealed pan for rapid chilling and safe thawing. The controller is configured to operate the air handler to execute a chill mode when selected by a user, operate the air handler to execute a thaw mode when selected by a user, adjust the air handler components for the selected chill mode or thaw mode, and maintain a constant temperature airstream in the pan to execute the selected chill mode or the thaw mode. Adaptive chill and thaw algorithms are executable by the controller in response to user input and temperature conditions inside the sealed pan.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2001Date of Patent: October 12, 2004Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Martin M. Zentner, Wolfgang Daum
-
Publication number: 20040187503Abstract: A refrigerator incorporates a variable speed refrigeration system including a variable speed compressor, a variable speed evaporator fan, a variable speed fresh food compartment stirring fan and a variable position damper. Various temperature sensors are provided to sense system parameters which are used by a controller to regulate each of the variable components in order to compensate for temperature changes within at least one refrigerator compartment in a highly effective, energy efficient and synergistic manner.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2004Publication date: September 30, 2004Inventors: Kenneth E. Davis, Alvin A. Miller, Joseph H. Ryner, Kyle B. VanMeter, Robert L. Wetekamp
-
Patent number: 6798657Abstract: A cooling system that can be used, for example, for cooling electrical circuit boards housed in an equipment cabinet. The cooling system includes a flow-rate-amplifying pump configured to introduce ambient air into the cabinet. The flow-rate-amplifying pump is a passive device, which has a primary intake and a secondary intake and is designed to produce a large flow of relatively cool ambient air into the cabinet through the primary intake using a small volume of compressed air applied to the secondary intake. In one embodiment, the cooling system has an auxiliary pump driven by a windmill device. Rotation of a propeller in the windmill device is converted into piston oscillation in the auxiliary pump, which oscillation is used to compress air and apply it to the secondary intake of the flow-rate-amplifying pump. A cooling system of the invention can provide efficient cooling while being self-sustaining and generating less noise and/or electrical interference than prior art cooling systems.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2003Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.Inventors: Mark B. Clifton, Ivan Pawlenko, Larry Samson
-
Publication number: 20040182105Abstract: A concentration cooling apparatus for a refrigerator, including a housing which is respectively mounted in one or more cold air guiding paths formed on a side wall of the chilling chamber to guide cold air to the side wall of the chilling chamber, a nozzle which is rotatably supported in the housing, for concentratedly injecting cold air to a region where a high temperature load is occurred in the chilling chamber, a temperature sensor which is mounted at the front of the nozzle, for sensing the region where the high temperature load is occurred, rotating together with the nozzle, and a nozzle driving portion for rotating the nozzle up and down as well as in the circumferential direction of the nozzle, can swiftly maintain a temperature inside of a chilling chamber as a uniform temperature by concentratedly discharging cold air into a region where a high temperature load is occurred inside the chilling chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2003Publication date: September 23, 2004Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Young Sok Nam, Seong Ho Cho, Yun Chul Jung, Jay Ho Choi
-
Publication number: 20040177640Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerating compartment configured to preserve food, the compartment including a plurality of walls forming a cavity, a door coupled to the compartment configured to cover the cavity when in a closed position, and a passageway positioned on at least one of the walls and the door such that air within the cavity is in flow communication with air outside the cavity when the door is in the closed position.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2003Publication date: September 16, 2004Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Alexander Pinkus Rafalovich, Ziqiang Hu
-
Patent number: 6772601Abstract: A refrigerator, having freezer and fresh food compartments, includes a temperature sensor arranged to sense an average temperature in the fresh food compartment, a multi-position damper interposed in an intake duct leading from the freezer compartment, and a fresh food compartment stirring fan. The stirring fan receives a flow of air from each of the intake duct and a plurality of recirculation ducts exposed to different portions of the fresh food compartment. A control system regulates the stirring fan and the opening of the damper based on the sensed temperature in order to minimize temperature stratification within the fresh food compartment, while maintaining an energy efficient and noise reducing operation.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2003Date of Patent: August 10, 2004Assignee: Maytag CorporationInventors: Kenneth E. Davis, Alvin V. Miller, John P. Myers, Joseph H. Ryner, Kyle B. VanMeter, Robert L. Wetekamp
-
Publication number: 20040144127Abstract: A refrigerator having a temperature controlled chamber partitioned from a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment. Air is circulated between the freezer compartment and the temperature controlled chamber through air inlet and outlet ports, thus cooling the temperature controlled chamber. An intake damper is installed in the air inlet port, and a fan is mounted at a rear portion of the temperature controlled chamber. The intake damper has a thin plate, thus opening the air inlet port in response to the air flowing into the temperature controlled chamber when the cooling fan is operated, and closing the air inlet port in response to a stoppage of flow of the air when the cooling fan stops. Further, a temperature sensor is mounted in the temperature controlled chamber to control operation of the fan, thus allowing an interior of the temperature controlled chamber to be maintained at a predetermined temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2003Publication date: July 29, 2004Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Gi Joong Jeong, Jong Dal Lee
-
Publication number: 20040144128Abstract: A refrigerator freezer having an upper refrigerator compartment and a lower below freezing freezer compartment. The upper compartment can be a convertible compartment selectively operable by the user as an above freezing refrigerator compartment or as a below freezing freezer compartment. The evaporator for supplying refrigerated air is located in the upper compartment along with an auxiliary heater and upper compartment thermostat to control the temperature in the upper compartment. A control discharges an amount of refrigerated air to the upper compartment for refrigerator operation and a larger amount of refrigerated air for freezer operation. The control also energizes the auxiliary heater under control of the upper compartment thermostat during refrigerator operation to assure above freezing temperatures in the upper compartment. A low ambient heater can be provided for the upper compartment for use of the refrigerator freezer in low ambient temperature conditions such as an unheated garage.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2003Publication date: July 29, 2004Inventors: Brent A. Junge, Thomas Wesley Arent, Todd Christopher Starr, Brian J. Stewart, Mark Allen Stout, Allan R. Steinkuhl, Duane A. Schmidt, Quynh Hoang, Dan V. Orman, Susan Ridgley Keil, Hairong H. Li
-
Publication number: 20040139757Abstract: A distributed refrigeration system for a vehicle includes a vapor compression primary cooling circuit and a separate secondary cooling circuit. The secondary cooling circuit utilizes a non-toxic cooling fluid that is pumped to remote locations in the vehicle through designated supply lines. A heat exchanger acting with the primary cooling circuit cools the cooling fluid. A portable main storage compartment is fluidly connectable to the primary or secondary cooling circuits. The portable main cold storage compartment can be expandable. At the remote locations in the vehicle, docking stations permit items to be selectively cooled by the secondary cooling circuit. Both the primary and secondary cooling circuits can operate independently of the vehicle engine.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2003Publication date: July 22, 2004Inventors: Steven J. Kuehl, Carolyn L. Slone, D. LeClear Douglas, Jon D. Tromblee
-
Patent number: 6748760Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus is provided to a hyperbaric oxygen chamber; the air conditioning apparatus being disposed inside the hyperbaric oxygen chamber, and comprising an air-actuated revolving member for making an axial flow fan thereof revolve so as to force air inside the chamber to travel through a cooling device thereof; thus, the temperature of air inside the chamber is maintained at a comfortably low level, and air circulation is enhanced for the users of the chamber.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2003Date of Patent: June 15, 2004Inventor: Kuo-Chung Cheng
-
Patent number: 6748761Abstract: An air conditioning system for a vehicle includes an evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant and including a predetermined portion in which refrigerant pools. A device for directing the flow of air to the predetermined portion to minimize the pooling of refrigerant in the predetermined portion includes a spool and a sheet wound around the spool for winding and unwinding the sheet. The opening is disposed in the sheet for allowing airflow to said predetermined portion of the evaporator.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2003Date of Patent: June 15, 2004Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Mahmoud Ghodbane, James Allen Baker, Prasad Shripad Kadle
-
Publication number: 20040107726Abstract: 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 freshlyType: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2003Publication date: June 10, 2004Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Sang-Bae Kim, Sang-Ho Park, Byeong-Gyu Kang, Youn-Chul Choi
-
Publication number: 20040107724Abstract: A cool air supplying apparatus of a refrigerator comprises a guide passage formed at a rear wall of a refrigerating chamber and provided with a plurality of discharge ports towards the refrigerating chamber for guiding cool air to a rear side of the refrigerating chamber, and a direction control unit installed at the guide passage for selectively opening and closing the discharge ports in order to control a discharge direction of cool air discharged into the refrigerating chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2003Publication date: June 10, 2004Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Sang-Bae Kim, Sang-Ho Park, Byeong-Gyu Kang, Youn-Chul Choi
-
Publication number: 20040099747Abstract: An exhaust air removal system and method for use with a rack or enclosure containing equipment is provided. The system and method are configured for removal of exhaust air vented from equipment during operation to thereby remove heat from the equipment. In one aspect, the system includes a fan unit preferably configured to serve as a back door of an equipment rack or enclosure and configured to provide access to an interior of the rack or enclosure. The fan unit provides multiple fans coupled to internal exhaust ducts that are arranged to draw and to remove exhaust air vented from rack-mounted equipment. The fan unit is further configured to vent exhaust air to an area external to a rack or enclosure, such as an external exhaust duct or plenum. Removal of hot and warm exhaust air vented from rack-mounted equipment enables the equipment to operate effectively, drawing sufficient amounts of cooling air to meet its cooling requirements.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2002Publication date: May 27, 2004Inventors: Rollie R. Johnson, Neil Rasmussen
-
Patent number: 6735975Abstract: An apparatus for controlling cool air of a refrigerator comprises: a damper arranged on a cool air flow path which supplies air cooled by passing through a freezing cycle to a chilling chamber, the damper for controlling an amount of cool air introduced into the chilling chamber; and a damper display means formed at one side of the cool air flow path for displaying a location of the damper. The apparatus which certifies an operation state of the damper from outside with a naked eye supplies cool air to the chilling chamber smoothly if the damper is not operated due to freeze. According to this, food in the chilling chamber is prevented from being decomposed or spoiled.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2003Date of Patent: May 18, 2004Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventor: Sang-Hyeon Jeon
-
Publication number: 20040089009Abstract: In a cooling system for cooling racks in a data center, cooling fluid is circulated in the data center by a cooling device having a fan. In addition, this system includes a plenum having a plurality of returns and an outlet. The outlet of the plenum is in fluid communication with the fan and the plurality of returns are configured for removing the cooling fluid from the data center. Furthermore, the returns and are operable to vary a characteristic of the removal of the cooling fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2003Publication date: May 13, 2004Inventors: Cullen E. Bash, Chandrakant D. Patel, Abdlmonem H. Beitelmal, Ratnesh K. Sharma
-
Patent number: 6722144Abstract: An air flow damper assembly is provided. The assembly includes a duct member comprising a first air flow opening therethrough, and a damper disposed within the duct member and including a substantially cylindrical rim for regulating air flow through the first opening.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2001Date of Patent: April 20, 2004Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Ronald Miles Johnson
-
Patent number: 6718780Abstract: A concentration cooling apparatus for a refrigerator includes a housing which is mounted in a cold air guiding path, and a nozzle which is rotatably supported in the housing, for concentratedly injecting cold air to a region where a high temperature load is generated when the high temperature load is generated in a predetermined region inside a cooling chamber. An infrared sensor is mounted at the front of the nozzle, for sensing the region where the high temperature load is generated. The sensor rotates together with the nozzle and a frost drying sensor is installed on the upper surface of the nozzle, for drying frost on the surface of the infrared sensor. Thus, the reliability of the infrared sensor can be improved by preventing the formation of frost on the surface of the lens of the infrared sensor which detects whether the high temperature load is generated.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2002Date of Patent: April 13, 2004Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Seong-Ho Cho, In-Seop Lee, In-Won Lee, Jae-Yong Sung, Jay-Ho Choi, Kwang-Hyup An, Jeong-Ho Lee, Young-Sok Nam
-
Patent number: 6715311Abstract: An air distribution bi-folding door assembly of a refrigerated case opens and closes to allow for the loading of refrigerated items in the case. The doors are attached by a hinge. Each door is hollow and includes perforations which allow cool air which flows in the hollow space of the doors to distribute over the refrigerated items in the case. A wheel assembly is attached to the upper outer corner of each door and runs along a track as the doors open and close. An alignment assembly attached to the lower outer corners of each door ensures proper alignment of the doors during opening and closing.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2002Date of Patent: April 6, 2004Assignee: Carrier Commercial Refrigeration, Inc.Inventors: Leonard M. Wasnock, William Teeter, Rick Waldron, Bill Wagnerowski, Jim Hansen
-
Publication number: 20040050078Abstract: The present invention relates to an auxiliary storage system for a refrigerator.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2003Publication date: March 18, 2004Inventors: Young-Seok Choi, Byeong-Gyu Kang, Sang-Bae Kim
-
Publication number: 20040050077Abstract: An indoor unit (Z1) has a casing (1) which is embedded or suspended in/from a ceiling (50), and an indoor panel (2) which is provided on a lower side of the casing (1) and installed in an indoor exposed state. The indoor panel (2) is provided with an air inlet (3), a plurality of air outlets (4) which surround the air inlet (3) in a rectangular shape and have a rectangular shape. An infrared sensor (15) is provided on an exposed portion of the indoor panel (2). The indoor unit (Z1) further has an airflow changing unit (52) for changing characteristics of airflow blown out from each of the air outlets (4), and a control unit (53) for controlling the airflow changing unit (52) based on output information of the infrared sensor (15).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2003Publication date: March 18, 2004Inventors: Masaya Kasai, Sumio Shiochi, Tomohiro Yabu, Ryuuji Akiyama, Kazuhisa Shigemori
-
Patent number: 6701220Abstract: An industrial robot including a manipulator having a control system. The manipulator includes a common gear housing having first and second inner compartments connected with a passage channel. First and second gears are arranged in the first and second inner compartments and are adapted to move the manipulator. A cooling and lubricant medium is disposed in the common gear housing and circulates between the first and second inner compartments through the passage channel.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2001Date of Patent: March 2, 2004Assignee: ABB ABInventors: Christer Lundstrom, Rafael Nissfolk
-
Publication number: 20040038643Abstract: An air-conditioning register includes: a register panel exhibited in a compartment and having an opening for flowing out conditioned air; a retainer provided so as to cave in the register panel and having an air passage communicating with the opening; a vertical fin unit including vertical fins received in the retainer and capable of adjusting a wind direction of the conditioned air horizontally; a horizontal fin unit including horizontal fins received in the retainer and capable of adjusting a wind direction of the conditioned air vertically; and an open/close damper received in the retainer and capable of opening/closing the air passage. The air-conditioning register further includes a common operation portion capable of operating the vertical fin unit, the horizontal fin unit and the open/close damper.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2003Publication date: February 26, 2004Inventors: Katsuhiro Katagiri, Shigeru Yabuya, Minoru Shibata, Masanobu Muto
-
Patent number: 6694758Abstract: An apparatus and a method for controlling a concentrated cooling of a refrigerator for discharging cool air to a region where a load of high temperature is generated when the load is generated on a certain region in a cooling chamber due to receipt of food or opening of door comprises: a step of performing normal operation; a step of deciding whether the operating time reaches to a set time by counting the time; a step of blocking main discharge of cool air and detecting the load of high temperature by scanning, if it is decided that the set time is reached; and a step of rotating the nozzle to the region of the load and injecting cool air for a predetermined time, if the load of high temperature is detected in above step.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2002Date of Patent: February 24, 2004Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Seong-Ho Cho, In-Seop Lee, In-Won Lee, Jae-Yong Sung, Jay-Ho Choi, Kwang-Hyup An, Jeong-Ho Lee, Young-Sok Nam
-
Publication number: 20040031275Abstract: An apparatus and a method for controlling a concentrated cooling of a refrigerator for discharging cool air to a region where a load of high temperature is generated when the load is generated on a certain region in a cooling chamber due to receipt of food or opening of door comprises: a step of performing normal operation; a step of deciding whether the operating time reaches to a set time by counting the time; a step of blocking main discharge of cool air and detecting the load of high temperature by scanning, if it is decided that the set time is reached; and a step of rotating the nozzle to the region of the load and injecting cool air for a predetermined time, if the load of high temperature is detected in above step.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2002Publication date: February 19, 2004Applicant: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Seong-Ho Cho, In-Seop Lee, In-Won Lee, Jae-Yong Sung, Jay-Ho Choi, Kwang-Hyup An, Jeong-Ho Lee, Young-Sok Nam
-
Publication number: 20040016259Abstract: A concentrated cooling apparatus of a refrigerator is capable of improving the reliability of an infrared sensor by preventing moisture from being condensed onto the surface of the infrared sensor. The concentrated cooling apparatus includes a nozzle rotationally supported by a cold air guide path, the nozzle intensively jetting cold air to a high-temperature load region when a high-temperature load is placed inside a chilling chamber of the refrigerator. An infrared sensor is installed at the front of the nozzle, and the infrared sensor senses the high-temperature load region while being rotated together with the nozzle. A moisture removing device is formed at a side of the nozzle, the moisture removing device jetting cold air on the surface of the infrared sensor to remove moisture condensed on the surface of the infrared sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2003Publication date: January 29, 2004Applicant: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Seong-Ho Cho, In-Seop Lee, In-Won Lee, Jae-Yong Sung, Jay-Ho Choi, Kwang-Hyup An, Jeong-Ho Lee, Young-Sok Nam
-
Publication number: 20040011072Abstract: An apparatus achieving an efficient air-conditioning without disturbing convection in a room having a heating device inside.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2002Publication date: January 22, 2004Inventors: Seiji Inoue, Norikazu Ishikawa, Akio Fukushima
-
Publication number: 20040007007Abstract: In a method of making available temperature controlled air for a first region and a second region in a vehicle, a cold air flow and a hot air flow are generated. At least one first cold air part flow and one first hot air part flow respectively are formed from the cold air flow and from the hot air flow and the first cold air part flow and the first hot air part flow are mixed to form a first temperature controlled part flow for the first region. Furthermore at least one second cold air part flow and one second hot air part flow respectively are formed from the cold air flow and the hot air flow and the second cold air part flow and the second hot air part flow are transported separately by means of an auxiliary blower and are mixed downstream of the auxiliary blower to form a second temperature controlled part flow for the second region.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2003Publication date: January 15, 2004Inventors: Jean-Claude Petesch, Hartmut E. Van Hauten
-
Publication number: 20040003623Abstract: An air conditioning system for a vehicle includes an evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant and including a predetermined portion in which refrigerant pools. A device for directing the flow of air to the predetermined portion to minimize the pooling of refrigerant in the predetermined portion includes a spool and a sheet wound around the spool for winding and unwinding the sheet. The opening is disposed in the sheet for allowing airflow to said predetermined portion of the evaporator.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2003Publication date: January 8, 2004Inventors: Mahmoud Ghodbane, James Allen Baker, Prasad Shripad Kadle
-
Publication number: 20030233843Abstract: An air conditioning system for a vehicle includes a first air path formed within an air duct, and a second air path formed within the air duct. The air conditioning system also includes an air mixing damper for adjusting a first amount of air, which flows within the first air path, and a second amount of air, which flows within the second air path. The air mixing damper includes a plurality of convex portions, and a plurality of concave portions, each of which concave portions is positioned between adjacent pairs of the plurality of convex portions. The air conditioning system also includes a drive mechanism for driving the air mixing damper. The drive mechanism includes a first gear engaging a portion of the plurality of convex portions and a portion of the plurality of concave portions. The drive mechanism also includes a shaft coupled operationally to the first gear, and an end of the shaft is positioned outside the air duct.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2003Publication date: December 25, 2003Inventor: Katsumi Ueda
-
Patent number: 6655169Abstract: A refrigerator airflow distribution assembly includes an airflow diverter in flow communication with freezer compartment air. The diverter includes a primary flow path and at least one diverter opening therethrough, and together with a cover forms a secondary flow path in flow communication with the first flow path through the diverter opening. Freezer compartment air is directed to the primary flow path, and a portion of the air in the primary flow path flows through the diverter openings and into the secondary flow path, and is introduced to the fresh food compartment through one or more vents in the cover. Metered airflow through the diverter reduces temperature gradients in the refrigerator, as well as provides a regulated temperature source for a storage drawer in the fresh food storage compartment.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2001Date of Patent: December 2, 2003Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jeffery Allen Tupis, Martin Christopher Severance, Arthur Wilson Scrivener, Gerald Eugene Sturgeon, Richard DeVos, Steven Gray
-
Patent number: 6647740Abstract: A damper apparatus for a refrigerator includes a single damper open/close plate in which two faces of the damper open/close plate are capable of facing two duct opening sections that are branched from one duct. Each of the two faces of the open/close plate opens and closes each of the corresponding opening sections that face the respective two faces of the open/close plate.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2002Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: Sankyo Seiki Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventor: Seiichiro Noritake
-
Patent number: 6647734Abstract: The present invention relates to an air circulation system of a refrigerator in a side-by-side refrigerator. The air circulation system ejects a cold air into a refrigerator compartment asymmetrically from right and left side walls to form a vortex thereby enhancing the ability of uniform cooling.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2001Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Seong Ho Cho, In Seop Lee
-
Patent number: 6644051Abstract: In a concentrated cooling apparatus of a refrigerator capable of improving cooling efficiency and performance by discharging cold air through only a nozzle at a high-temperature load occurred region among nozzles installed at a side wall of a chilling chamber in order to discharge cold air intensively and preventing a nozzle and an infrared sensor installed at the side wall of the chilling chamber from being icebound, the apparatus includes a housing respectively installed at more than one cold air guide path formed at a side wall of a chilling chamber so as to guide cold air to the side wall of the chilling chamber; a nozzle rotationally supported by the housing and jetting cold air intensively to a high-temperature load occurred region when a high-temperature load occurs inside the chilling chamber; an infrared sensor installed at the front of the nozzle and sensing the high-temperature load occurred region while being rotated with the nozzle; and a nozzle cover installed at the upper surface of the housingType: GrantFiled: December 4, 2002Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Seong-Ho Cho, In-Seop Lee, In-Won Lee, Jae-Yong Sung, Jay-Ho Choi, Kwang-Hyup An, Jeong-Ho Lee, Young-Sok Nam
-
Patent number: 6634181Abstract: A cooling air supply apparatus includes: a blowing fan attached at a rear wall face of a freezing chamber and forcefully circulating air cooled while passing an evaporator of a freezing cycle; a supply passage formed at a barrier partitioning the freezing chamber and a cooling chamber and supplying cooling air ventilated from the blowing fan to the cooling chamber; a rear guide passage branched from the cooling air passage and guiding cooling air backwardly of the cooling chamber; a right guide passage branched from the cooling air supply passage and guiding cooling air rightwardly of the cooling chamber; and a left guide passage branched from the cooling air supply passage, having the same diameter as that of the right guide passage and guiding cooling air leftwardly of the cooling chamber.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2002Date of Patent: October 21, 2003Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Sang Bae Kim, Young Seok Choi, Byung Gyu Kang
-
Publication number: 20030188547Abstract: An apparatus for controlling cool air of a refrigerator comprises: a damper arranged on a cool air flow path which supplies air cooled by passing through a freezing cycle to a chilling chamber, the damper for controlling an amount of cool air introduced into the chilling chamber; and a damper display means formed at one side of the cool air flow path for displaying a location of the damper. The apparatus which certifies an operation state of the damper from outside with a naked eye supplies cool air to the chilling chamber smoothly if the damper is not operated due to freeze. According to this, food in the chilling chamber is prevented from being decomposed or spoiled.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2003Publication date: October 9, 2003Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.Inventor: Sang-Hyeon Jeon
-
Patent number: 6604377Abstract: A chill blow-off port is provided on a front surface side within a refrigerating compartment, and a chill return port is provided on a back wall of the refrigerating compartment, so that a chill generated by a heat exchanger flows from the front surface side within the refrigerating compartment toward the rear in the depth. Thereby, temperature unevenness within the refrigerating compartment is effectively eliminated and a cooling rate of a preserved food is enhanced.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2001Date of Patent: August 12, 2003Assignee: Fujitsu General LimitedInventors: Katsumi Watanabe, Yutaka Kameda, Masataka Eto, Susumu Oagu, Shinjiro Asakura, Kentaro Shiozaki, Kenji Haruyama, Youichi Higashionna
-
Patent number: 6604452Abstract: A food processing system circulates a processing medium along a circulation path having first and second segments perpendicular to food product travel along a horizontal conveyor. In another aspect, desired sequencing is provided including reversal of orientation order of return and supply path segments of the circulating processing medium.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2001Date of Patent: August 12, 2003Assignee: Alkar-RapidPak, Inc.Inventors: Robert E. Hanson, Dennis F. Conohan, Brian G. Sandberg, Peter G. Senn, Dennis P. Roelke, David L. Brethorst, Glenn L. Leach, Christopher D. McLinn, Seth T. Pulsfus, Thomas J. Betley
-
Publication number: 20030140641Abstract: The invention relates to a cool air controlling apparatus for concentrically cooling a region in a refrigerator where a new load is stored. The apparatus comprises: the first cool air duct provided along a compartment wall of a refrigerator with a certain length for allowing the cool air introduced from a blowing chamber to flow therethrough; the second cool air duct having a variable length provided downward from a front end of the first cool air duct; length adjusting means connected to the second cool air duct for adjusting the length of the second cool air duct; and rotation adjusting means attached to a lower end of the second cool air duct for carrying out rotation and injecting the cool air. The entire temperature distribution is uniformly maintained in a refrigerating chamber thereby greatly reducing power consumption.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2002Publication date: July 31, 2003Applicant: LG Electronics, Inc.Inventors: In Won Lee, Jay Ho Choi, Seong Ho Cho, Young Sok Nam, In Seop Lee, Jae Yong Sung
-
Patent number: 6584790Abstract: An air flow controlling device for refrigerators and freezers, comprising an evaporator (3) in selective fluid communication with at least two air flow heating environments (1, 2, 4), said device comprising an inlet nozzle (12) in fluid communication with a respective airflow heating environment (1, 2, 4), and an outlet nozzle (13) in fluid communication with the evaporator (3), and a respective obturator (20), which is operatively associated with the inlet and outlet nozzles (12, 13) and displaceable between opening and closing positions, respectively permitting and blocking the fluid communication between said inlet and outlet nozzles (12, 13).Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2002Date of Patent: July 1, 2003Assignee: Multibras S.A. EletrodomesticosInventor: Luis Antonio Diemer Lopes
-
Publication number: 20030061826Abstract: An air flow damper assembly is provided. The assembly includes a duct member comprising a first air flow opening therethrough, and a damper disposed within the duct member and including a substantially cylindrical rim for regulating air flow through the first opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2001Publication date: April 3, 2003Inventor: Ronald Miles Johnson
-
Publication number: 20030036348Abstract: A motorized damper door assembly for use in freezing temperature applications includes a damper frame, a damper door having, a mounting portion rotatably mounted to the frame, and a seal member having a vertically extending moisture barrier adjacent the mounting portion. The door mounting portion and the moisture barrier together form a reservoir inside the door mounting portion to prevent moisture from seeping directly into the motor housing below the door mounting portion. Consequently, as moisture accumulation in the motor housing is avoided, associated damper jamming and impaired performance issues are also avoided.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2001Publication date: February 20, 2003Inventor: Jeffery Allen Tupis
-
Patent number: 6508076Abstract: A removable modular duct system for conducting air in a temperature-controlled cargo container. Temperature-controlled air produced and propelled by a refrigeration unit, is conducted along the modular duct system by one or more duct sections and a transition section that conducts air from the refrigeration unit to the duct sections. The air may be discharged laterally via lateral discharge openings in the duct sections. An end section may be coupled to the duct sections to discharge air at the end of the duct system.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2000Date of Patent: January 21, 2003Assignee: Thermo King CorporationInventors: Randal Gast, David B. Ziegler, Doug Lenz, Ming Zhang, Verlin Wirth
-
Patent number: 6497113Abstract: A bottom-freezer refrigerator comprises a generally rectangular box-like refrigerator housing including a top division and a bottom division with an adiabatic partition wall intervening between the top and bottom divisions. The top division has a refrigerator chamber and a crisper chamber both defined therein. The bottom division has a freezer compartment defined therein. The bottom-freezer refrigerator of the structure described above also comprises a first cooler provided in the top division at a location spaced from a rear wall portion of the crisper chamber, a first circulating fan disposed in the vicinity of the first cooler, a second cooler provided in the bottom division, and a second circulating fan disposed in the vicinity of the second cooler. The refrigerator chamber and the crisper chamber are cooled by the first cooler in cooperation with the first circulating fan, whereas the freezer compartment is cooled by the second cooler in cooperation with the second circulating fan.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2000Date of Patent: December 24, 2002Assignee: Matsushita Refrigeration CompanyInventors: Hiroshi Yamada, Hiroki Hamano, Akira Hyoudou, Yoshito Kimura, Haruhiko Iwai, Toshinori Noda, Kazuo Imai
-
Publication number: 20020146976Abstract: An air-conditioning case of an air-conditioning unit forms air passages therein. A film member is reciprocably supported in the case and has free ends. Reinforcing members are secured to the lower end of the film member. A drive force for reciprocating the film member is applied to the film member from a motor through a drive shaft and drive gears, which are attached to the drive shaft, to open and close the air passages with the film member. When the film member is moved upwardly, the reinforcing members abut against positioning portions of the case to position the film member at a predetermined position.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2002Publication date: October 10, 2002Inventors: Katsumi Nishikawa, Yoshihiko Okumura