Patents by Inventor John E. Bittner

John E. Bittner 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).

  • Patent number: 11940186
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a refrigeration circuit and a coolant circuit separate from the refrigeration circuit. The refrigerant circuit includes a gas cooler/condenser, a receiver, and an evaporator. The coolant circuit includes a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a refrigerant circulating within the refrigeration circuit into a coolant circulating within the coolant circuit, a heat sink configured to remove heat from the coolant circulating within the coolant circuit, and a magnetocaloric conditioning unit configured to transfer heat from the coolant within a first fluid conduit of the coolant circuit into the coolant within a second fluid conduit of the coolant circuit. The first fluid conduit connects an outlet of the heat exchanger to an inlet of the heat sink, whereas the second fluid conduit connects an outlet of the heat sink to an inlet of the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Newel, John D. Bittner, Niel M. Hayes
  • Patent number: 9664420
    Abstract: A secondary coolant refrigeration system powered primarily by a photovoltaic source and by an alternating current (AC) source as a backup is disclosed. The secondary coolant refrigeration system has a pump for pumping secondary coolant fluid through a secondary coolant fluid loop. The system includes a variable frequency drive for controlling the speed of the pump. The variable frequency drive includes drive circuitry configured to provide variable frequency power to the pump via an output interface. The variable frequency drive also includes a first interface configured to receive power from the photovoltaic source and a second interface configured to receive power from the AC source. The circuit is further configured to cause the variable speed drive to be powered by the photovoltaic source when the power received from the first interface is adequate and by the AC source when the power received from the first interface is not adequate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Bittner, John E. Bittner
  • Patent number: 9657973
    Abstract: A refrigeration system is powered primarily by a photovoltaic source and by an alternating current (AC) source as a backup. A variable frequency drive is used for controlling a powered component of the refrigeration system. The variable frequency drive includes drive circuitry configured to provide variable frequency power via an output interface, a first interface configured to receive power from the photovoltaic source, a second interface configured to receive AC power from the AC source, a DC bus coupled to the drive circuitry and configured to transmit power to the drive circuitry. The drive circuitry receives power from the first interface when the power from the photovoltaic source is adequate to power the drive circuitry and receives power from the second interface when the power from the photovoltaic source is not adequate to power the drive circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Bittner, John E. Bittner
  • Publication number: 20150253044
    Abstract: A refrigeration system is powered primarily by a photovoltaic source and by an alternating current (AC) source as a backup. A variable frequency drive is used for controlling a powered component of the refrigeration system. The variable frequency drive includes drive circuitry configured to provide variable frequency power via an output interface, a first interface configured to receive power from the photovoltaic source, a second interface configured to receive AC power from the AC source, a DC bus coupled to the drive circuitry and configured to transmit power to the drive circuitry. The drive circuitry receives power from the first interface when the power from the photovoltaic source is adequate to power the drive circuitry and receives power from the second interface when the power from the photovoltaic source is not adequate to power the drive circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: John D. Bittner, John E. Bittner
  • Publication number: 20130263613
    Abstract: A secondary coolant refrigeration system powered primarily by a photovoltaic source and by an alternating current (AC) source as a backup is disclosed. The secondary coolant refrigeration system has a pump for pumping secondary coolant fluid through a secondary coolant fluid loop. The system includes a variable frequency drive for controlling the speed of the pump. The variable frequency drive includes drive circuitry configured to provide variable frequency power to the pump via an output interface. The variable frequency drive also includes a first interface configured to receive power from the photovoltaic source and a second interface configured to receive power from the AC source. The circuit is further configured to cause the variable speed drive to be powered by the photovoltaic source when the power received from the first interface is adequate and by the AC source when the power received from the first interface is not adequate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Inventors: John D. Bittner, John E. Bittner
  • Publication number: 20090293523
    Abstract: A secondary coolant refrigeration system powered primarily by a photovoltaic source and by an alternating current (AC) source as a backup is disclosed. The secondary coolant refrigeration system has a pump for pumping secondary coolant fluid through a secondary coolant fluid loop. The system includes a variable frequency drive for controlling the speed of the pump. The variable frequency drive includes drive circuitry configured to provide variable frequency power to the pump via an output interface. The variable frequency drive also includes a first interface configured to receive power from the photovoltaic source and a second interface configured to receive power from the AC source. The variable frequency drive further includes a circuit configured to switch between providing power to the drive circuitry from the first interface and providing power to the drive circuitry from the second interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: John D. Bittner, John E. Bittner
  • Publication number: 20090052134
    Abstract: A diode rectifier system for generator excitation includes a plurality of diode modules mounted on a heatsink and a coolant tube provided in the heatsink. The heatsink is electrically grounded. A method of cooling a diode rectifier system for generator excitation comprises providing a flow of liquid coolant in the coolant tube and electrically grounding the heatsink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Jordan B. Casteel, Pedro Monclova, John E. Bittner, Brian E. Lindholm, Melissa Freeman
  • Patent number: 7433213
    Abstract: An exciter system for the field of a synchronous generator excitation is provided. The exciter system includes an AC power source; a three-phase thyristor bridge having six legs, the three-phase bridge being connectable with the AC power source, and being adapted to provide a variable DC voltage output; a thyristor in each of the six legs of the three-phase bridge, wherein the thyristors provide a path for a device current; and a three-phase AC line filter series, including series resistive and capacitive elements across each phase of the AC power source and a plurality of bleed resistors, wherein at least one bleed resistor is connected to each AC input connection of the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jordan B. Casteel, John E. Bittner
  • Publication number: 20080074910
    Abstract: An exciter system for the field of a synchronous generator excitation is provided. The exciter system includes an AC power source; a three-phase thyristor bridge having six legs, the three-phase bridge being connectable with the AC power source, and being adapted to provide a variable DC voltage output; a thyristor in each of the six legs of the three-phase bridge, wherein the thyristors provide a path for a device current; and a three-phase AC line filter series, including series resistive and capacitive elements across each phase of the AC power source and a plurality of bleed resistors, wherein at least one bleed resistor is connected to each AC input connection of the filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Inventors: Jordan B. Casteel, John E. Bittner
  • Patent number: 4099816
    Abstract: An electrical connector system which may be used to prototype electrical circuits utilizing standard integrated circuit packages on a perforated circuit board. A plurality of spring contact elements having oppositely directed resilient jaws are carried in an insulating housing. An insulating contact retainer, carrying a plurality of spring compression reserve wire contact elements, is placed on the opposite surface of the perforated circuit board from the connector housing, with a tail of each contact element extending through a perforation in the circuit board into one set of jaws of a spring contact element aligned with the perforation. The contact leads of an integrated circuit package are similarly inserted into the oppositely directed, spring contact element jaws. Electrical contact to the contact leads of the integrated circuit package is then made through the spring contact elements and the wire contact elements to wires connected by the wire contact elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1978
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: John E. Bittner, Robert S. Dodsworth