Patents by Inventor Scott V. SLOTHOWER

Scott V. SLOTHOWER 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: 11644226
    Abstract: A chiller assembly is provided. The chiller assembly includes a compressor (102), a condenser (106), an expansion device and an evaporator (108) connected in a closed refrigerant circuit. The chiller assembly further includes a motor (104) connected to the compressor to power the compressor, and a variable speed drive (110) connected to the motor to power the motor. The variable speed drive is operable to provide a variable voltage to the motor and a variable frequency to power the motor. The variable speed drive includes multiple sensors and an input current estimator that determines an estimated RMS input current based on sensor data received from the sensors. The chiller assembly further includes a control panel to control operation of the variable speed drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Ajit W. Kane, Scott V. Slothower
  • Publication number: 20200278141
    Abstract: A chiller assembly is provided. The chiller assembly includes a compressor (102), a condenser (106), an expansion device and an evaporator (108) connected in a closed refrigerant circuit. The chiller assembly further includes a motor (104) connected to the compressor to power the compressor, and a variable speed drive (110) connected to the motor to power the motor. The variable speed drive is operable to provide a variable voltage to the motor and a variable frequency to power the motor. The variable speed drive includes multiple sensors and an input current estimator that determines an estimated RMS input current based on sensor data received from the sensors. The chiller assembly further includes a control panel to control operation of the variable speed drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Ajit W. Kane, Scott V. Slothower
  • Patent number: 8495890
    Abstract: A cooling member for a variable speed drive is disclosed. The cooling member includes including at least two channels, each channel including at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a first passageway configured to provide fluid to the at least two channels through the at least one inlet of each channel, a second passageway configured to receive fluid from the at least one outlet of each channel the at least two channels, and a connector to connect the cooling member to a second cooling member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Ivan Jadric, Steve M. Hoover, Kathleen S. Rogers, Michael S. Todd, Mathias R. Fox, Christopher J. Keizer, Ronald C. Perry, Matthew T. Boerma, Justin D. Warner, Scott V. Slothower, Julie S. Muszynski, David J. Laforme
  • Publication number: 20100083693
    Abstract: A drive system for a compressor of a chiller system includes a variable speed drive. The variable speed drive receives an input AC power at a fixed input AC voltage and a fixed input frequency, and provides an output AC power at a variable voltage and variable frequency. The variable speed drive includes a converter connected to an AC power source. The converter is arranged to convert the input AC voltage to a DC voltage. A DC link is connected to the converter and configured to filter and store the DC voltage from the converter. An inverter is connected to the DC link. A motor is connectable to the compressor for powering the compressor. A controller is arranged to control switching in the converter and the inverter. The controller is arranged to apply randomized pulse width modulation to vary the switching frequency of transistors in the converter and the inverter at each switching cycle. The motor may be a permanent magnet synchronous motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Michael S. Todd, Zhiqiao Wu, Kanishk Dubey, Justin Drew Warner, Konstantin Borisov, Scott V. Slothower, John C. Hansen, Ivan Jadric, Shreesha Adiga-Manoor
  • Publication number: 20100083692
    Abstract: A drive system for a compressor of a chiller system includes a variable speed drive. The variable speed drive is arranged to receive an input AC power at a fixed AC input voltage and fixed input frequency and provide an output AC power at a variable voltage and variable frequency. The variable speed drive includes a converter connected to an AC power source providing the input AC voltage. The converter is arranged to convert the input AC voltage to a DC voltage. A DC link is connected to the converter. The DC link is arranged to filter and store the DC voltage from the converter. A first inverter and a second inverter are each connected to the DC link. A motor includes stator windings connected between the first inverter and the second inverter to power the motor by the output AC power from the first inverter and the second inverter. The motor is connectable to a compressor of the chiller system to power the compressor. The motor may be a permanent magnet synchronous motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael S. TODD, Zhiqiao WU, Konstantin BORISOV, Scott V. SLOTHOWER, Kanishk DUBEY, Justin Drew WARNER, Ivan Jadric, Shreesha ADIGA-MANOOR, John C. HANSEN
  • Publication number: 20100085000
    Abstract: A drive system for a compressor of a chiller system includes a variable speed drive. The variable speed drive is arranged to receive an input AC voltage at a fixed AC input voltage and provide an output AC power at a variable voltage and variable frequency. The variable speed drive includes a converter connected to an AC power source providing the input AC voltage. The converter is arranged to convert the input AC voltage to a DC voltage. A DC link is connected to the converter. The DC link filters and stores the DC voltage from the converter. An inverter is connected to the DC link. A motor connectable to the compressor for powering the compressor. An active filter connected in parallel with the motor. The active filter is arranged to generate high frequency currents having a magnitude and opposite polarity, with respect to the output AC power of the variable speed drive. The high frequency currents generated by active filter substantially cancel out high frequency currents flowing into the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael S. TODD, Zhiqiao WU, Ivan JADRIC, Shreesha ADIGA-MANOOR, Konstantin BORISOV, Scott V. SLOTHOWER, Kanishk DUBEY, Justin Drew WARNER, John C. HANSEN
  • Publication number: 20100084935
    Abstract: A hybrid motor for powering a compressor of a chiller system includes a first rotor portion and a first stator portion configured as a permanent magnet motor and a second rotor portion and a second stator portion configured as a reluctance motor. The second rotor portion includes a reluctance-type rotor, and the second stator portion includes electromagnetic windings capable of inducing a rotary magnetic field. The first rotor portion and the second rotor portion are attached to a common drive shaft. The reluctance motor is arranged to generate start-up torque and initiate rotation of the drive shaft until the drive shaft achieves a predetermined rotational speed. The permanent magnet motor is arranged to power the drive shaft between the predetermined rotational speed and a maximum rotational speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
    Inventors: Ivan JADRIC, Shreesha ADIGA-MANOOR, Kanishk DUBEY, Justin Drew WARNER, Michael S. TODD, Zhiqiao WU, Konstantin BORISOV, Scott V. SLOTHOWER, John C. HANSEN
  • Publication number: 20100071396
    Abstract: A cooling member for a variable speed drive is disclosed. The cooling member includes including at least two channels, each channel including at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a first passageway configured to provide fluid to the at least two channels through the at least one inlet of each channel, a second passageway configured to receive fluid from the at least one outlet of each channel the at least two channels, and a connector to connect the cooling member to a second cooling member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
    Inventors: Ivan JADRIC, Steve M. HOOVER, Kathleen S. ROGERS, Michael S. TODD, Mathias R. FOX, Christopher J. KEIZER, Ronald C. PERRY, Matthew T. BOERMA, Justin D. WARNER, Scott V. SLOTHOWER, Julie S. MUSZYNSKI, David J. LAFORME