American Standard Inc.

Louis E Sulfstede

Robert Wayne Helt

Stephen E Guy

Eric Hillmer

Stephen P Bartlett

Carl Bergt

Thomas E Jensen

C Lee Stamp, Jr

A thermostat that includes a subbase having a back surface designed to be mounted conformal with a surface and an inner surface that has a portion of selected electrical components mounted thereon, including a first electrical communication device. The subbase has first mechanical connectors formed integral therewith. A cover that has a front surface designed to carry selected components for communication with an operator and an inner surface that has a portion of selected electrical component supported thereby, including a second electrical communication device. The inner surface has second mechanical connectors formed integral therewith. During installation, the cover is brought into registry with the subbase to form a thermostat housing that has a reduced profile and that substantially encloses the electrical components of the thermostat. The first electrical communication device is mated with the second electrical communication device and the first mechanical connectors are mated to the second mechanical connectors by motion of the cover with respect to the subbase that is substantially conformal to the back surface of the subbase as the cover is brought into registry with the subbase.

Reduced profile thermostat

Temperature measuring housing

A self configuring air conditioning system. The system includes a system controller for an air conditioning system operably connected to a compressor and an expansion valve, a first portable wireless remote controller for providing commands and information to the system controller by wireless transmission, and a second portable wired remote controller for providing commands and information to the system controller by wired transmission. The system further includes a wireless receiver operably connected to the system controller for receiving wireless remote transmissions from the first portable wireless remote controller, and an interface operably connected to the system controller for receiving wired remote transmissions from the second wired remote controller. The system also includes means, operatively associated with the system controller and responsive to the interface, for automatically establishing a first air conditioning system operating configuration if the wired remote controller is present, and for establishing a second air conditioning system operating configuration if the wired remote controller is absent.

Automatic configuration of air conditioning controller

In a variable speed air conditioning system driven by an electronically commutated DC motor, the large DC capacitor associated with the compressor motor drive discharges to the normally AC powered compressor oil sump heater upon the loss of AC power to the system.

DC voltage bleeder for a variable speed air conditioner

A variable capacity refrigeration system includes a control scheme having three interrelated closed loops. The system includes a refrigeration system controller and at least one variable speed, electronically commutated DC motor driving a compressor. In the first closed loop, the controller supplies a speed command signal to a motor drive which governs the speed of the motor driven compressor. The speed of the compressor varies the system's capacity to condition the temperature of a comfort zone. A temperature sensor in the zone provides a temperature feedback signal to the controller to complete the first closed loop. In the second closed loop, the speed command signal from the controller is varied in response to a speed feedback signal received from a compressor drive which includes both the motor and the motor drive. The third closed loop is between the motor drive and the motor. The motor drive electronically commutates the motor as it delivers an electrical supply to the motor in response to a position feedback signal generated from within the motor. The three loops are interrelated in that the output of the controller responds to feedback from both the temperature sensor and the compressor drive, and the output of the motor drive responds to input from both the motor and the controller.

Refrigeration compressor driven by a DC motor

A microcomputer based defrost control for a heat pump system that 'learns' from previous defrost cycles to achieve optimum defrost control at each of a plurality of outdoor temperature ranges, even if the heat pump system operating parameters change due to system aging. At the conclusion of each defrost cycle, the control determines the differential temperature between the outdoor ambient air and the outdoor heat exchanger and compares that value to a value stored in microcomputer memory representing a previous best such post-defrost differential temperature for the same ambient air temperature range. The control then calculates a defrost differential temperature initiate value, corrected to compensate for any loss of defrost performance indicated by the current post-defrost cycle differential temperature. After a period of time during which a number of defrost cycles have occurred, the minimum post defrost differential temperature value for each ambient temperature range becomes the best performance measure of the defrost cycle for the heat pump system. The stored minimum values are reset to zero when the control and heat pump system are deenergized. When the system is again turned on, new optimum defrost initiate values are again determined over a period of time. In addition, various default conditions cause the control to initiate an extended defrost cycle. The control is programmed to alert the operator by lighting a lamp on the thermostat should such a fault condition occur.

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Tyler, TX, United States of America

Louis E Sulfstede