Patents by Inventor Randy R. Koivisto

Randy R. Koivisto 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: 11320213
    Abstract: A furnace of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a heat exchange tube configured to receive a working fluid from a burner and a modulating valve fluidly coupled to the burner. The modulating valve is configured to regulate an amount of fuel supplied to the burner to generate the working fluid. The furnace also includes a blower configured to draw the working fluid through the heat exchange tube, a motor drive configured to adjust a speed of the blower, and a controller configured to adjust a position of the modulating valve and to control the motor drive to adjust the speed of the blower based on a temperature of air discharged from the HVAC system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Stephen C. Wilson, Kerry L. Shumway, William M. Harris, Randy R. Koivisto
  • Publication number: 20200348087
    Abstract: A furnace of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a heat exchange tube configured to receive a working fluid from a burner and a modulating valve fluidly coupled to the burner. The modulating valve is configured to regulate an amount of fuel supplied to the burner to generate the working fluid. The furnace also includes a blower configured to draw the working fluid through the heat exchange tube, a motor drive configured to adjust a speed of the blower, and a controller configured to adjust a position of the modulating valve and to control the motor drive to adjust the speed of the blower based on a temperature of air discharged from the HVAC system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Stephen C. Wilson, Kerry L. Shumway, William M. Harris, Randy R. Koivisto
  • Patent number: 10190806
    Abstract: A specially designed electronic expansion valve control system is provided for use with a refrigerant-based air conditioning circuit having a compressor, a condenser coil, an electronic expansion valve and an evaporator coil fluid coupled in series. The control system includes a unit control and an expansion valve control. The unit control is operative to receive compressor operation-related signal information and responsively generate at least one output signal representative of the received compressor operation-related signal information. The expansion valve control is operative to receive from the unit control only the at least one output signal, and to receive from one of the coils coil operation-related signal information, and to responsively output a control useable to control the expansion valve, the control signal being related in a predetermined manner to the signals received by the expansion valve control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: RHEEM MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Kelvin W. Kleman, Randy R. Koivisto, Jeremy Lee Babb
  • Publication number: 20180128526
    Abstract: A specially designed electronic expansion valve control system is provided for use with a refrigerant-based air conditioning circuit having a compressor, a condenser coil, an electronic expansion valve and an evaporator coil fluid coupled in series. The control system includes a unit control and an expansion valve control. The unit control is operative to receive compressor operation-related signal information and responsively generate at least one output signal representative of the received compressor operation-related signal information. The expansion valve control is operative to receive from the unit control only the at least one output signal, and to receive from one of the coils coil operation-related signal information, and to responsively output a control useable to control the expansion valve, the control signal being related in a predetermined manner to the signals received by the expansion valve control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Kelvin W. Kleman, Randy R. Koivisto, Jeremy Lee Babb
  • Patent number: 9874380
    Abstract: A specially designed electronic expansion valve control system is provided for use with a refrigerant-based air conditioning circuit having a compressor, a condenser coil, an electronic expansion valve and an evaporator coil fluid coupled in series. The control system includes a unit control and an expansion valve control. The unit control is operative to receive compressor operation-related signal information and responsively generate at least one output signal representative of the received compressor operation-related signal information. The expansion valve control is operative to receive from the unit control only the at least one output signal, and to receive from one of the coils coil operation-related signal information, and to responsively output a control useable to control the expansion valve, the control signal being related in a predetermined manner to the signals received by the expansion valve control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: RHEEM MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Kelvin W. Kleman, Randy R. Koivisto, Jeremy Lee Babb
  • Patent number: 9677785
    Abstract: A fuel-fired condensing type air heating furnace is provided with an electronic condensate water level sensing system operative to sense improper outflow of condensate from a collector box portion of the furnace and responsively shut down or prevent operation of the furnace. Condensate probe portions of the system are oriented in a manner such that several air flow orientation of the furnace may be utilized without the necessity of relocating the probes or effecting an re-wiring of the water level sensing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: RHEEM MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Robert S. Neihouse, Shawn A. Reed, Walter R. Lowrimore, Randy R. Koivisto, Scott A. Willbanks
  • Publication number: 20130340452
    Abstract: A specially designed electronic expansion valve control system is provided for use with a refrigerant-based air conditioning circuit having a compressor, a condenser coil, an electronic expansion valve and an evaporator coil fluid coupled in series. The control system includes a unit control and an expansion valve control. The unit control is operative to receive compressor operation-related signal information and responsively generate at least one output signal representative of the received compressor operation-related signal information. The expansion valve control is operative to receive from the unit control only the at least one output signal, and to receive from one of the coils coil operation-related signal information, and to responsively output a control useable to control the expansion valve, the control signal being related in a predetermined manner to the signals received by the expansion valve control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Kelvin W. Kleman, Randy R. Koivisto, Jeremy Lee Babb
  • Patent number: 8385729
    Abstract: A heat pump water heater has a tank portion, an electric heating structure for adding electrical heat to water stored in the tank, and a heat pump for adding refrigerant heat to the tank water. A control system associated with the water heater has three user-selectable heating modes for heating the tank water during a given heating demand cycle—a first mode that initially heats the tank water with refrigerant heat while the electric heat is locked out for a first predetermined period before supplementing the refrigerant heat if necessary, a second mode similar to the first mode but with a longer electric heat lockout period, and a third mode in which only the electric heat is utilized to satisfy a tank water heating demand. Illustratively, the heat pump is disposed in a compact component arrangement on the top end of the water heater tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Kelvin W. Kleman, Carl Bergt, Randy R. Koivisto
  • Publication number: 20110058795
    Abstract: A heat pump water heater has a tank portion, an electric heating structure for adding electrical heat to water stored in the tank, and a heat pump for adding refrigerant heat to the tank water. A control system associated with the water heater has three user-selectable heating modes for heating the tank water during a given heating demand cycle—a first mode that initially heats the tank water with refrigerant heat while the electric heat is locked out for a first predetermined period before supplementing the refrigerant heat if necessary, a second mode similar to the first mode but with a longer electric heat lockout period, and a third mode in which only the electric heat is utilized to satisfy a tank water heating demand. Illustratively, the heat pump is disposed in a compact component arrangement on the top end of the water heater tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: RHEEM MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Kelvin W. KLEMAN, Carl Bergt, Randy R. Koivisto
  • Patent number: D607418
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Kelvin W. Kleman, Raheel A. Chaudhry, Randy R. Koivisto