Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

American Standard Inc.

Trane International Inc.

American Standard International Inc.

Geenral Motors Corporation

Dwayne L Johnson

Walter Earhart, Jr

Mark J Bookbinder

David H Eber

William Burgess Fox

Paul R Glamm

Dale E Fromm

John F Klouda

Markham G Chatterton

Dale A Hulst

Brian J Kiel

Michael E Greene

William A Smiley, Iii

Ronald E Marker

Susan Claire Vasko

Rolf M Hanson

Christopher M Bellinger

Chrisotpher M Bellinger

Mark E Smith

Michael L Dees

Edward R La Marca

To continue operating a compression refrigerant system even while the system's brazed plate heat exchanger contains, in localized areas, water at or below its atmospheric subfreezing water temperature, a penetrating temperature probe senses the water temperature at a strategic intermediate point between the heat exchanger's water inlet and outlet. The brazed plate heat exchanger comprises a series of corrugated plates stacked and brazed together to create an alternating arrangement of water and refrigerant passages in heat transfer relationship with each other. In some examples, the idea is to take advantage of the principle that water has a lower freezing temperature at relatively high pressure and that the relatively small micro-channel passages of intermediate water passages within the brazed plate heat exchanger can withstand appreciably higher pressure than other areas within the heat exchanger, such as the areas at the heat exchanger's water inlet and water outlet.

Water temperature sensor in a brazed plate heat exchanger

A penetrating temperature probe senses the water temperature of a brazed plate heat exchanger at a particularly cold intermediate point between the heat exchanger's water inlet and outlet. The brazed plate heat exchanger has a series of corrugated plates stacked and brazed together to create an alternating arrangement of water and refrigerant passages in heat transfer relationship with each other.

A refrigeration system with a high percentage of fresh air. The system comprises a supply air duct; an indoor heat exchange coil operably positioned in the supply air duct; a reheat heat exchange coil operably positioned in the supply air duct; an outdoor heat exchange coil; at least one compressor; and an expansion device. The system also comprises refrigeration system tubing connected to and serially arranging the compressor, the outdoor heat exchange coil, the expansion device and the indoor coil into a refrigeration circuit; and reheat tubing connecting the reheat coil to the refrigeration tubing so as to arrange the reheat coil in a parallel circuited arrangement with the outdoor heat exchange coil and in a series circuited arrangement with the compressor, the expansion device and the indoor heat exchange coil. The system further comprises a subcooler located between and operably connected to the indoor heat exchange coil and the parallel circuited arrangement; and a control valve in the reheat tubing operable to control refrigerant flow through the reheat coil.

Refrigeration circuit with reheat coil

An air conditioning system. The system comprises an indoor section and an outdoor section arranged in side-by-side arrangement. The indoor section includes an indoor tangential fan having an axis aligned in a first direction, an indoor heat exchange coil, and a supply air aperture which longitudinally extends in the first direction and avoids line of sight noise transmission from the indoor fan. The system includes an axis commonly supporting and operably coupling the indoor fan and the motor, and a scroll housing within the indoor section and arranged about the indoor tangential fan. The indoor tangential fan, motor and axis are assembled to form a first module, the scroll housing forms a second module and the first module is independently removable from the second module without the necessity of disengaging any connection between the first and second modules. The system includes a fan support bracket supporting a first end of the axis, and the motor supporting a second end of the axis. The fan support bracket includes a bearing assembly rotatably supporting the axis and having a flange; a support bracket including a flange support matingly adapted to engage the flange, a clip adapted to engage a lower end of the bearing assembly support, and an axis aperture adapted to receive the first end of the axis. The system includes a module arranged about and supporting the indoor coil, and a horizontal guide allowing the coil and module to be removed in a horizontal direction.

Modular self contained air conditioning unit

An apparatus and method for soft-starting a three-phase motor for connection to a three-phase power source for driving a three-phase motor. Soft-start provides a way to reduce the amount of starting torque and current during starting conditions. First, second, and third conductors are connected between a three-phase power source and a three-phase motor. A power contactor interrupts and provides current along the three conductors. A phase-shifting element for shifting the phase of the power signal normally outputted from the first conductor to match the phase of the power signal normally outputted from the third conductor is connected between the first and third conductors. A switching apparatus having first and second switch elements is connected between the phase-shifting element and the third conductor. When the first switch element is closed, current flows from the first conductor to the motor via the phase-shifting element. When the second switch element is open, no current flows from the third conductor to the motor directly. In this mode, the motor is running on single-phase power. When the states of the first and second switch elements are flip-flopped, the motor runs on three-phase power. The first and second switch elements' states are controlled by a control element which energizes the switching apparatus upon the occurrence of a triggering event.

Apparatus and method for soft-starting a three-phase motor

A drain spout that is easy to remove for cleaning and for accessing components behind or proximal to the drain pan. Instead of directly connecting the drain hose to the drain pan outlet spout, the drain hose connects to a drain funnel attached to or formed as a part of the shelf supporting the drain pan. The drain pan itself sits on the shelf and the outlet spout of the drain pan fits within the shelf funnel without a positive connection. The drain pan can be lifted out without disengaging the drain hose.

Easily removable drain pan and funnel arrangement

A scroll compressor for compressing a recirculated flow of a refrigerant fluid comprises a two-piece housing having a fixed scroll securely mounted therein. An orbital scroll is disposed in the housing and matingly operatively engages the fixed scroll. A rotatable drive shaft extends through the forward end of the housing and includes a radially offset, or eccentric, drive pin. A bushing is disposed on the drive pin and retained by a roller bearing centrally on the forward face of the orbital scroll. A counterweight is secured to the bushing. An axial limit pin extends integrally with the drive shaft and is fixed relative to the drive pin. The limit pin extends through an enlarged opening in the counterweight and abuts the forward face of the bushing. A C-type clip is seated in a groove on the distal end of the drive pin for axially retaining the bushing in place on the drive pin.

Axial positioning limit pin for scroll compressor

The scroll compressor 10 includes a housing 12. A fixed scroll 18, with an end plate 20, a spiral wrap 22 and a discharge aperture 90, is an integral part of the rear section 16 of the housing. An orbital scroll 24, including an end plate 26 and a spiral wrap 28, cooperates with the fixed scroll 18 to form sealed fluid pockets 38 and 40. An axial thrust and rotation prevention assembly 46 allows orbital motion, prevents rotation of the orbital scroll 24 and limits axial movement of the orbital scroll 24 away from the fixed scroll 18. The orbital scroll 24 is driven to move the fluid pockets 38 and 40 toward the center of the scrolls, and compress fluid in the pockets. The drive for the orbital scroll 24 includes a crankshaft 74 with a crank pin 78 journaled in the housing 12. An eccentric bushing 80 is journaled by a bearing 81 in a boss 82 on the orbital scroll 24. The crank pin 78 passes through a bore 87 in the eccentric bushing 80 to rotate the bushing. A lubrication passage 94 is provided through the crank pin 78 to allow fluid and entrained lubricant in the crankcase 100 to pass from the crankcase 100 to the cavity 96 and then through the bearing 81. A scoop 108 on the inlet end of the passage 94 will pick up lubricant from the crankcase.

Scroll compressor lubrication

The method of manufacturing a single crank crankshaft (92) includes forging or casting a double crank (50) with two main shaft sections (54), with a common crankshaft axis (56), a crank web (58) integral with an end of each main shaft section (54) and a drive stud (60) integral with both crank webs (58) and having a drive stud axis (62) that is parallel to and spaced from the common crankshaft axis (56). Flat end surfaces (64) are machined on the ends of the main shaft sections and recesses (66) for machining centers (68) are drilled in each end of the double crank (50). The double crank (50) is then mounted in machining centers (68). A bearing engaging surface (70) and an axial locating surface (74) are machined on each crank web. A bearing engaging surface (76) is machined on each main shaft section (54). A seal engaging surface (78) is machined on each main shaft section (54) and splines (88) are formed on each end of the double crank (50). A long bearing engaging surface (82), concentric with the drive stud axis (62), is machined on the drive stud (60).

Method of manufacturing crankshafts

The scroll compressor 10 includes a housing 12, a fixed scroll 18, an orbital scroll 24, an axial thrust and rotation prevention assembly 46, and an orbital scroll drive. The orbital scroll drive includes a crankshaft 74 rotatably journaled in the housing 12. The crankshaft includes an integral disk 76 and an eccentric crank pin 78 with a lubrication passage 96. An eccentric bushing 80 is journaled on the crank pin 78 and in a boss 82 on the orbital scroll by a needle bearing 81. An eccentric bushing retainer 102 has a shank portion 104 that is pressed into the lubrication passage 96 and an enlarged head portion 106 which holds the eccentric bushing 80 on the crank pin 78. If the eccentric bushing retainer 102 becomes partially unseated from the lubrication passage 96, the surface 114 on the enlarged head portion 106 will contact a surface 116 on the end plate 26 of the orbital scroll 24 and keep the eccentric bushing 80 properly positioned within the compressor housing 12. A passage 120 may be provided in the eccentric bushing retainer 102 to control lubrication of the eccentric bushing 80. The eccentric bushing retainer 102 can be made from plastics and other materials which will act as a bearing surface in the event contact is made with the surface 116 on the orbital scroll 24.

Growing community of inventors

La Crescent, MN, United States of America

Dwayne L Johnson