Patents by Inventor Eric MEECH

Eric MEECH has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20210116481
    Abstract: A method includes selecting a state model control, as an operational state of the heater, from among a plurality of state model controls, measuring an electrical characteristic of the heater, where the electrical characteristic includes at least one of an electric current and a voltage, and controlling power to the heater based on the selected operational state and based on the measured electrical characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Applicant: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Stanton Hopkins BREITLOW, James HENTGES, William BOHLINGER, Matthew YENDER, Keith NESS, Kurt PETERSON, Eric MEECH, Brittany PHILLIPS, Larry WALTERS, Geoffrey ROZEK
  • Patent number: 10908196
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed toward a control system for controlling a heater that includes at least one heating element. The control system includes a power converter operable to supply an adjustable voltage output to the heater, a sensor circuit that measures an electrical characteristic of the heating element of the heater, a reference temperature sensor that measures a reference temperature of a reference at the heater, and a controller. The controller is configured to calculate a primary temperature of a heater element based on the electrical characteristic and determines the voltage output to be applied to the heater based on at least one of the reference temperature and the primary temperature. The controller is configured to operate in at least one of an operation mode and a learn mode, and execute protection protocols when voltage is being supplied to the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Stanton Hopkins Breitlow, James Hentges, William Bohlinger, Matthew Yender, Keith Ness, Kurt Peterson, Eric Meech, Brittany Phillips, Larry Walters, Geoffrey Rozek
  • Patent number: 10908195
    Abstract: A control system for controlling a heater includes a power converter, a sensor circuit, and a controller. The power converter supplies an adjustable power to the heater, and the sensor circuit is configured to measure an electrical characteristic of the heater. The controller is coupled to the power converter to control the power to the heater, and is configured to select a state model control, as an operation state of the heater, from among a plurality of defined state model controls. The controller controls the power supplied to the heater based on the operation state of the heater and on the electrical characteristics of the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Stanton Hopkins Breitlow, James Hentges, William Bohlinger, Matthew Yender, Keith Ness, Kurt Peterson, Eric Meech, Brittany Phillips, Larry Walters, Geoffrey Rozek
  • Publication number: 20200389939
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a control system configured to control a two-wire heater includes providing power to a load electrically coupled to the control system, generating, an initial measured characteristic and a calibrated measured characteristic of the load by the control system and a controller calibration system, respectively. The method further includes defining a calibrated measurement reference based on a correlation of the initial measured characteristic and the calibrated measured characteristic. With the calibrated measure reference, the control system is further calibrated to define a resistance-temperature calibration reference for determining a working temperature of the two-wire heater based on a measured resistance of the two-wire heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Applicant: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Matthew YENDER, Brian GEER, Eric MEECH, Stanton H. BREITLOW
  • Publication number: 20190257861
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed toward a control system for controlling a heater that includes at least one heating element. The control system includes a power converter operable to supply an adjustable voltage output to the heater, a sensor circuit that measures an electrical characteristic of the heating element of the heater, a reference temperature sensor that measures a reference temperature of a reference at the heater, and a controller. The controller is configured to calculate a primary temperature of a heater element based on the electrical characteristic and determines the voltage output to be applied to the heater based on at least one of the reference temperature and the primary temperature. The controller is configured to operate in at least one of an operation mode and a learn mode, and execute protection protocols when voltage is being supplied to the heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Applicant: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Stanton Hopkins BREITLOW, James HENTGES, William BOHLINGER, Matthew YENDER, Keith NESS, Kurt PETERSON, Eric MEECH, Brittany PHILLIPS, Larry WALTERS, Geoffrey ROZEK
  • Publication number: 20180348265
    Abstract: A control system for controlling a heater includes a power converter, a sensor circuit, and a controller. The power converter supplies an adjustable power to the heater, and the sensor circuit is configured to measure an electrical characteristic of the heater. The controller is coupled to the power converter to control the power to the heater, and is configured to select a state model control, as an operation state of the heater, from among a plurality of defined state model controls. The controller controls the power supplied to the heater based on the operation state of the heater and on the electrical characteristics of the heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Applicant: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Stanton HOPKINS-BREITLOW, James HENTGES, William BOHLINGER, Matthew YENDER, Keith NESS, Kurt PETERSON, Eric MEECH, Brittany PHILLIPS, Larry WALTERS, Geoffrey ROZEK