Patents by Inventor Thomas J. Fredricks

Thomas J. Fredricks 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: 7354005
    Abstract: A climate control system having two or more stages of cooling operation or heating operation is provided for supplying conditioned air to a plurality of zones within a space, where the climate control system comprises a plurality of controllable zone dampers for controlling the supply of conditioned air to each of the plurality of zones, and a plurality of zone temperature sensors for periodically sensing temperature at preset intervals and transmitting sensed temperature information when the temperature of the zone has changed by more than a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Steven L. Carey, Jeff Edgar, Thomas J. Fredricks
  • Publication number: 20080003530
    Abstract: A controller for a fuel-fired heating appliance is provided that includes at least one sensor for detecting the presence of at least one of a flammable vapor or a carbon monoxide gas. The controller includes a transmitter module for wirelessly transmitting digital signals, and a microprocessor for controlling the operation the fuel-fired heating appliance. The microprocessor is in communication with the transmitter module, and is capable of monitoring the at least one other sensor for detecting an abnormal condition, and responds to an abnormal condition by communicating a message to the transmitter module. The transmitter module transmits the message to a thermostat that is capable of immediately displaying the message to alert an occupant of the abnormal condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Inventors: Donald E. Donnelly, Thomas J. Fredricks
  • Patent number: 6918756
    Abstract: An improved gas appliance having a burner, a gas valve through which the flow of combustion gas to the burner is controlled, and a motor driven blower that supplies combustion air to the burner. The improvement includes means for increasing gas flow through the gas valve as blower speed increases, and decreasing gas flow through the gas valve as blower speed decreases, based on a pressure signal generated independently of combustion air pressure. This improvement allows a constant ratio of gas to air to be maintained in the burner while a combustion flow rate varies dependent on the blower motor revolutions per minute. Thus input pressures of combustion can be controlled at low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Fredricks, Donald E. Donnelly, Russell T. Shoemaker
  • Patent number: 6783079
    Abstract: A digital programmable thermostat comprising up and down temperature adjustment buttons, an LCD display, and a Program button, which a user can simply press once to initiate a single setback program that sets back the last user selected temperature setting during a predetermined setback time period. The thermostat can also automatically set the current time and date, to allow the user to initiate the program without having to set the current time and date.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Steven L. Carey, Thomas J. Fredricks, Earle L. Weaver
  • Patent number: 6749423
    Abstract: An improved gas appliance having a burner, a gas valve through which the flow of combustion gas to the burner is controlled, and a motor driven blower that supplies combustion air to the burner. The improvement includes means for increasing gas flow through the gas valve as blower speed increases, and decreasing gas flow through the gas valve as blower speed decreases, based on a pressure signal generated independently of combustion air pressure. This improvement allows a constant ratio of gas to air to be maintained in the burner while a combustion flow rate varies dependent on the blower motor revolutions per minute. Thus input pressures of combustion can be controlled at low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Fredricks, Donald E. Donnelly, Russell T. Shoemaker
  • Publication number: 20030121652
    Abstract: A digital programmable thermostat comprising up and down temperature adjustment buttons, an LCD display, and a Program button, which a user can simply press once to initiate a single setback program that sets back the last user selected temperature setting during a predetermined setback time period. The thermostat can also automatically set the current time and date, to allow the user to initiate the program without having to set the current time and date.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Applicant: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Steven L. Carey , Thomas J. Fredricks , Earle L. Weaver
  • Publication number: 20030013054
    Abstract: An improved gas appliance having a burner, a gas valve through which the flow of combustion gas to the burner is controlled, and a motor driven blower that supplies combustion air to the burner. The improvement includes means for increasing gas flow through the gas valve as blower speed increases, and decreasing gas flow through the gas valve as blower speed decreases, based on a pressure signal generated independently of combustion air pressure. This improvement allows a constant ratio of gas to air to be maintained in the burner while a combustion flow rate varies dependent on the blower motor revolutions per minute. Thus input pressures of combustion can be controlled at low cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventors: Thomas J. Fredricks, Donald E. Donnelly, Russell T. Shoemaker
  • Publication number: 20030013056
    Abstract: An improved gas appliance having a burner, a gas valve through which the flow of combustion gas to the burner is controlled, and a motor driven blower that supplies combustion air to the burner. The improvement includes means for increasing gas flow through the gas valve as blower speed increases, and decreasing gas flow through the gas valve as blower speed decreases, based on a pressure signal generated independently of combustion air pressure. This improvement allows a constant ratio of gas to air to be maintained in the burner while a combustion flow rate varies dependent on the blower motor revolutions per minute. Thus input pressures of combustion can be controlled at low cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventors: Thomas J. Fredricks, Donald E. Donnelly, Russell T. Shoemaker