Patents by Inventor Manfred Koberstein

Manfred Koberstein 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: 20200180388
    Abstract: A motor vehicle includes a motor compartment, a passenger compartment and a firewall separating the motor compartment from the passenger compartment. The motor vehicle also includes a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. That heating, ventilation and air conditioning system includes an HVAC inlet subassembly and an HVAC air distribution subassembly in the passenger compartment and a transition duct in the motor compartment directing an airstream from the HVAC inlet subassembly to the HVAC air distribution subassembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Steve Michael Kahrs, John Azar, Manfred Koberstein, Emily Obert
  • Patent number: 10639957
    Abstract: A vehicle cooling system for cooling a vehicle battery may include a cabin cooling system having an electrical compressor arranged on a first refrigerant path and driven by a vehicle electrical system to cool a vehicle cabin, a battery cooling system having a mechanical compressor arranged on a second refrigerant path and driven by a vehicle engine, and a battery chiller in communication with both refrigerant paths and configured to cool coolant provided to a vehicle battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Manfred Koberstein, Michael Steven Wallis, Alan Langley Moore, Simon Arnold
  • Patent number: 10639961
    Abstract: A system and method of selecting air intake between 100% fresh air mode and 100% recirculated air mode for optimum heating/cooling performance, fuel economy and/or high voltage (HV) battery power consumption is disclosed. The system and method includes a partial recirculation control strategy in which the air inlet door is moved progressively to any position by taking into account cooling/heating loads and cabin fogging probability. As cooling/heating loads increase the air inlet door moves toward 100% recirculation mode. As fogging probability increases the air inlet door moves toward 100% fresh air mode. By selectively choosing a position between 100% recirculation and 100% fresh air, fuel economy and/or HV battery power consumption is optimized without compromising passenger comfort or causing fogging on interior glass surfaces. In cooling applications the compressor load is minimized and air conditioning performance is improved due to the reduced evaporator cooling load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Halim Wijaya, Ranganathan Madhavan, Curtis M. Jones, Manfred Koberstein
  • Patent number: 10644367
    Abstract: A battery thermal management system includes a passenger cabin air-conditioning refrigerant loop including at least one evaporator in fluid communication with a chiller and a battery pack coolant loop in fluid communication with the chiller. A controller is configured to determine whether a temperature of the at least one evaporator falls within a predetermined temperature range, and if so to cause a valve to bypass a refrigerant from the air-conditioning refrigerant loop to the chiller. Evaporator temperature is determined by providing at least one evaporator temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ali Jalilevand, Manfred Koberstein, Kenneth J. Jackson, Michael Steven Wallis, William Stewart Johnston
  • Publication number: 20200101811
    Abstract: Secondary loop air conditioning and heat pump systems include a reservoir with a capsule holding a phase change material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Jing He, Loren John Lohmeyer, III, Angelo Patti, Manfred Koberstein
  • Patent number: 10603978
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system for heating and cooling a passenger compartment. The HVAC system includes a refrigerant loop and a coolant loop, and an auxiliary heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The auxiliary HVAC includes an expansion device coupled to the refrigerant loop for controlling a flow of refrigerant to a first heat exchanger, and a second heat exchanger coupled to an auxiliary coolant loop used to regulate a temperature of the component. The auxiliary HVAC further includes a blower for creating an air flow through the first heat exchanger, a first blend door for directing the air flow through the second heat exchanger and/or an outlet, a second blend door for directing the air flow through the outlet and/or a recirculation duct, and a third blend door for controlling the air flow through the recirculation duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Steven Sawyer, Manfred Koberstein
  • Publication number: 20200100400
    Abstract: An electronics assembly is provided herein. The electronics assembly includes an inverter storage unit provided in a housing. An electronics module supplies power to an electric motor. The electronics module is integrated with the inverter storage unit. One or more capacitors is disposed within the electronics module. A heating device is thermally coupled with and disposed externally of the one or more capacitors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Jing He, Manfred Koberstein, Loren John Lohmeyer, Mario Domonick Iaquinta
  • Publication number: 20200086718
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system for heating and cooling a passenger compartment. The HVAC system includes a refrigerant loop and a coolant loop, and an auxiliary coolant loop for heating and cooling at least a portion of the passenger compartment. The auxiliary coolant loop includes a pump for moving a coolant, within the auxiliary coolant loop, through a first heat exchanger coupled to the refrigerant loop via an expansion device, a second heat exchanger positioned within the passenger compartment, and a third heat exchanger coupled to the coolant loop. A flow control valve controls a flow of coolant to the third heat exchanger. The temperature of the coolant within the auxiliary coolant loop is controlled utilizing the flow valve and the pump. The first and third heat exchangers may be in parallel for controlling the movement of coolant there between to control temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Robert Steven Sawyer, Manfred Koberstein
  • Publication number: 20200088481
    Abstract: A method of forming a superhydrophobic layer on a motor vehicle heat exchanger housing includes the steps of flowing a precursor gas of a mixture of heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl, trimethoxysilane (HTMS) and a carrier gas into a reaction chamber and depositing the superhydrophobic layer on the motor vehicle heat exchanger housing by chemical vapor deposition. A heat exchanger having a heat exchanger housing with a superhydrophobic layer made by the chemical vapor deposition method is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Jing He, Manfred Koberstein, Loren John Lohmeyer, III, Tim Van Evans
  • Publication number: 20200055371
    Abstract: A closed loop auxiliary heating circuit includes a coolant, a closed loop coolant line and a pump for circulating the coolant through the closed loop coolant line between a computing device and an auxiliary heater core whereby heat is transferred from the computing device to the auxiliary heater core to heat the cabin of an electric motor vehicle. An electric motor vehicle incorporating the closed loop auxiliary heating circuit is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: Jennifer A. Herr-Rathke, Manfred Koberstein, Mario Domonick Iaquinta, Jared Lynn Fromme, Curtis M. Jones
  • Publication number: 20200047591
    Abstract: A vehicle heating and cooling system includes a refrigerated loop, a coolant loop and a control module. The refrigerant loop includes a condenser, an evaporator, a compressor and an expansion valve through which refrigerant flows. The coolant loop includes a plurality of heat exchangers, a plurality of coolant flow control valves, a first component circuit, an isolatable second component circuit and an external circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: Jing He, Manfred Koberstein, Angelo Patti, Loren John Lohmeyer, III
  • Publication number: 20200039323
    Abstract: A vapor injection heat pump includes a compressor, a first valve directing a refrigerant of the compressor to a first or second heat exchanger dependent upon a mode of operation, an expansion device receiving the refrigerant from at least one of the heat exchangers, a vapor generator receiving an expanded liquid/vapor refrigerant mix from the first expansion device and directing a vapor component to a first input port of the compressor and a liquid component to at least one of the second heat exchanger and a third heat exchanger, via controlling a second valve, a second expansion device, a third expansion device, and a third valve. A second input of the compressor receives an output refrigerant from at least one of the second heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger dependent upon the mode of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Jing He, Loren John Lohmeyer, III, Manfred Koberstein, William Stewart Johnston, Angelo Patti
  • Patent number: 10538146
    Abstract: An externally-controlled variable displacement compressor (EVDC) cold-start method is described including, during an EVDC cold-start procedure, iteratively alternating an amount of a control current supplied to an electronic control valve (ECV) associated with the EVDC between no control current and a full control current. Systems for implementing the described method are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Debasish Dhar, Manfred Koberstein
  • Patent number: 10532629
    Abstract: A radiant heating system includes a radiant heating element, a steering wheel position monitoring device and a controller configured to control the radiant heating element in response to steering wheel position data received from the steering wheel position monitoring device. A method of controlling operation of a radiant system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Craig Elson, Kerrie Kathleen Gath, Clay Wesley Maranville, Victoria Leigh Schein, Donald Peter Schneider, III, Manfred Koberstein
  • Patent number: 10513166
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system for heating and cooling a passenger compartment. The HVAC system includes a refrigerant loop and a coolant loop, and an auxiliary coolant loop for heating and cooling at least a portion of the passenger compartment. The auxiliary coolant loop includes a pump for moving a coolant, within the auxiliary coolant loop, through a first heat exchanger coupled to the refrigerant loop via an expansion device, a second heat exchanger positioned within the passenger compartment, and a third heat exchanger coupled to the coolant loop. A flow control valve controls a flow of coolant to the third heat exchanger. The temperature of the coolant within the auxiliary coolant loop is controlled utilizing the flow valve and the pump. The first and third heat exchangers may be in parallel for controlling the movement of coolant there between to control temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Steven Sawyer, Manfred Koberstein
  • Patent number: 10486494
    Abstract: A vehicle having a heating and cooling system includes a refrigerant loop having first and second heat exchangers, and a coolant loop. The coolant loop is connected to allow a first flow of coolant to be directed through at least one of a plurality of air-to-coolant heat exchangers and at least one component for regulating a temperature of the at least component, and to allow a second flow of coolant to be directed through at least one other of the plurality of air-to-coolant heat exchangers and the at least one component for regulating the temperature of the at least one component dependent upon a mode of operation. A control module, control unit, controller, or the like commonly used in vehicles controls the first and second flows of coolant dependent upon the mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Manfred Koberstein, Angelo Patti, Loren John Lohmeyer, III, Jing He, Kenneth J. Jackson, Daniel C. Huang
  • Patent number: 10465952
    Abstract: A vapor injection heat pump includes a coolant loop and a refrigerant loop. The refrigerant loop includes a compressor, a valve directing a refrigerant of the compressor to a first or second heat exchanger dependent upon a mode of operation, an expansion device receiving the refrigerant from at least one of the heat exchangers, a separator receiving an expanded liquid/vapor refrigerant mix from the expansion device and directing a vapor component to a first input port of the compressor and a liquid component to a second valve. The second valve directs the liquid component to the heat exchangers, dependent upon the mode, and an accumulator receives an output refrigerant of the heat exchangers dependent upon the mode and directs a vapor component to a second input port of the compressor. A control module controls a pump in the coolant loop and the first and second valves dependent upon the mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jing He, Loren John Lohmeyer, III, Manfred Koberstein, William Stewart Johnston, Angelo Patti
  • Patent number: 10427494
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle climate control system includes steps of determining that a first predetermined set of conditions are satisfied whereby a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system airflow into a passenger cabin will exceed a predetermined HVAC airflow temperature threshold and, if so, automatically implementing a first climate control system operating condition at least reducing the HVAC airflow into the passenger cabin. On determining that a second predetermined set of conditions are satisfied whereby the HVAC airflow into the passenger cabin will satisfy the predetermined HVAC airflow temperature threshold, the method includes a step of automatically implementing a second climate control system operating condition increasing the HVAC airflow into the passenger cabin. Climate control systems for implementing the described methods are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: David Alan Wong, Debasish Dhar, Alan Gutowski, Alan Douglas Wallington, Manfred Koberstein, Mark G. Smith, Angel Fernando Porras
  • Publication number: 20190291540
    Abstract: A vehicle thermal management system including an electric powertrain, a single thermal loop, and a controller is provided. The electric powertrain includes a high voltage battery. The single thermal loop is for managing thermal conditions of the high voltage battery and a vehicle cabin and may include a climate control system, a blower, and a front evaporator in fluid communication with the vehicle cabin. The controller is programmed to, responsive to detection of a climate control system off request, output a command to direct the blower to push air through a heater core to the vehicle cabin at a predetermined temperature such that a temperature within the vehicle cabin is maintained at a predetermined temperature and refrigerant continues to flow through the front evaporator. The system may include a vehicle cabin temperature sensor and an ambient temperature sensor, each in electrical communication with the controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Mark Jones, William Stewart Johnston, Manfred Koberstein
  • Publication number: 20190241040
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting a vehicle cabin heating system, based on particulate filter (PF) regeneration prediction. In one example, a method includes predicting an amount of exhaust heat that may be recovered via an exhaust heat exchanger during an upcoming PF regeneration event, and prior to the PF regeneration event, adjusting an amount of electric power supplied to an electric heater of the cabin heating system. The amount of adjustment may be based on the predicted amount of exhaust heat that may be recovered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Inventors: Steven Errick, Manfred Koberstein