Patents by Inventor Brian L. STAUFFER

Brian L. STAUFFER 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: 11441826
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a vapor compression system that includes a refrigerant loop, a compressor disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to circulate refrigerant through the refrigerant loop, a condenser disposed downstream of the compressor along the refrigerant loop and configured to condense vapor refrigerant to liquid refrigerant, a subcooler coupled to the condenser, where the subcooler is external of a shell of the condenser, and where the subcooler is configured to receive the liquid refrigerant from the condenser and to cool the liquid refrigerant to subcooled refrigerant, and an evaporator disposed downstream of the subcooler along the refrigerant loop and configured to evaporate the subcooled refrigerant to the vapor refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Jeb W. Schreiber, Eric H. Albrecht, Kevin D. Krebs, Justin P. Kauffman, Brian L. Stauffer, Xiuping Su, Li Wang, Fang Xue
  • Publication number: 20210222925
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a vapor compression system that includes a refrigerant loop, a compressor disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to circulate refrigerant through the refrigerant loop, a condenser disposed downstream of the compressor along the refrigerant loop and configured to condense vapor refrigerant to liquid refrigerant, a subcooler coupled to the condenser, where the subcooler is external of a shell of the condenser, and where the subcooler is configured to receive the liquid refrigerant from the condenser and to cool the liquid refrigerant to subcooled refrigerant, and an evaporator disposed downstream of the subcooler along the refrigerant loop and configured to evaporate the subcooled refrigerant to the vapor refrigerant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Jeb W. Schreiber, Eric H. Albrecht, Kevin D. Krebs, Justin P. Kauffman, Brian L. Stauffer, Xiuping Su, Li Wang, Fang Xue
  • Patent number: 10830510
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a vapor compression system that includes a refrigerant loop, a compressor disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to circulate refrigerant through the refrigerant loop, a condenser disposed downstream of the compressor along the refrigerant loop, where the condenser includes a plurality of tubes disposed in a shell and a diffusion area configured to enhance thermal energy transfer within the condenser, where the diffusion area is defined by a cavity of the condenser without a tube of the plurality of tubes, and an evaporator disposed downstream of the condenser along the refrigerant loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Jeb W. Schreiber, Eric H. Albrecht, Kevin D. Krebs, Justin P. Kauffman, Brian L. Stauffer
  • Patent number: 10508843
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a vapor compression system that includes a refrigerant loop, a compressor disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to circulate refrigerant through the refrigerant loop, and a heat exchanger disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to place the refrigerant in a heat exchange relationship with a cooling fluid. The heat exchanger includes a water box portion having a first length, a shell having a second length, a plurality of tubes disposed in the shell and configured to flow the cooling fluid, and a cooling fluid portion having a third length, where the water box portion and the cooling fluid portion are coupled to the shell, such that the first length, the second length, and the third length form a combined length of the heat exchanger that is substantially equal to a target length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Jeb W. Schreiber, Eric H. Albrecht, Kevin D. Krebs, Justin P. Kauffman, Brian L. Stauffer
  • Patent number: 10462942
    Abstract: A variable speed drive includes a converter connected to an AC power source, a DC link connected to the converter, and an inverter connected to the DC link. The inverter converts DC voltage into an output AC power having a variable voltage and frequency. The inverter includes at least one power electronics module and associated control circuitry; a heat sink in thermal communication with the power electronics module and in fluid communication with a manifold. The manifold includes a tubular member having at least one vertical member portion and at least one horizontal member portion in fluid communication. A plurality of ports conduct cooling fluid into and out of the manifold. A bracket attaches the manifold to a structural frame. Brackets are provided for attachment of power electronics modules to the manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Konstantin Borisov, Mark A. Nielsen, Jeffrey A. Martinelli, Brian L. Stauffer, Seth K. Gladfelter, Michael S. Todd, Ivan Jadric, Jeb W. Schreiber, Tim Beckley
  • Publication number: 20170245402
    Abstract: A variable speed drive includes a converter connected to an AC power source, a DC link connected to the converter, and an inverter connected to the DC link. The inverter converts DC voltage into an output AC power having a variable voltage and frequency. The inverter includes at least one power electronics module and associated control circuitry; a heat sink in thermal communication with the power electronics module and in fluid communication with a manifold. The manifold includes a tubular member having at least one vertical member portion and at least one horizontal member portion in fluid communication. A plurality of ports conduct cooling fluid into and out of the manifold. A bracket attaches the manifold to a structural frame. Brackets are provided for attachment of power electronics modules to the manifold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: Konstantin Borisov, Mark A. Nielsen, Jeffrey A. Martinelli, Brian L. Stauffer, Seth K. Gladfelter, Michael S. Todd, Ivan Jadric, Jeb W. Schreiber, Tim Beckley
  • Publication number: 20170176063
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a vapor compression system that includes a refrigerant loop, a compressor disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to circulate refrigerant through the refrigerant loop, a condenser disposed downstream of the compressor along the refrigerant loop, where the condenser includes a plurality of tubes disposed in a shell and a diffusion area configured to enhance thermal energy transfer within the condenser, where the diffusion area is defined by a cavity of the condenser without a tube of the plurality of tubes, and an evaporator disposed downstream of the condenser along the refrigerant loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Jeb W. Schreiber, Eric H. Albrecht, Kevin F. Krebs, Justin P. Kauffman, Brian L. Stauffer
  • Publication number: 20170176064
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a vapor compression system that includes a refrigerant loop, a compressor disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to circulate refrigerant through the refrigerant loop, and a heat exchanger disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to place the refrigerant in a heat exchange relationship with a cooling fluid. The heat exchanger includes a water box portion having a first length, a shell having a second length, a plurality of tubes disposed in the shell and configured to flow the cooling fluid, and a cooling fluid portion having a third length, where the water box portion and the cooling fluid portion are coupled to the shell, such that the first length, the second length, and the third length form a combined length of the heat exchanger that is substantially equal to a target length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Jeb W. Schreiber, Eric H. Albrecht, Kevin F. Krebs, Justin P. Kauffman, Brian L. Stauffer
  • Publication number: 20170176066
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a vapor compression system that includes a refrigerant loop, a compressor disposed along the refrigerant loop and configured to circulate refrigerant through the refrigerant loop, a condenser disposed downstream of the compressor along the refrigerant loop and configured to condense vapor refrigerant to liquid refrigerant, a subcooler coupled to the condenser, where the subcooler is external of a shell of the condenser, and where the subcooler is configured to receive the liquid refrigerant from the condenser and to cool the liquid refrigerant to sub cooled refrigerant, and an evaporator disposed downstream of the subcooler along the refrigerant loop and configured to evaporate the subcooled refrigerant to the vapor refrigerant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Jeb W. Schreiber, Eric H. Albrecht, Kevin F. Krebs, Justin P. Kauffman, Brian L. Stauffer, Xiuping Su, Li Wang, Fang Xue
  • Patent number: 9654017
    Abstract: A variable speed drive includes a converter connected to an AC power source, a DC link connected to the converter, and an inverter connected to the DC link. The inverter converts DC voltage into an output AC power having a variable voltage and frequency. The inverter includes at least one power electronics module and associated control circuitry; a heat sink in thermal communication with the power electronics module and in fluid communication with a manifold. The manifold includes a tubular member having at least one vertical member portion and at least one horizontal member portion in fluid communication. A plurality of ports conduct cooling fluid into and out of the manifold. A bracket attaches the manifold to a structural frame. Brackets are provided for attachment of power electronics modules to the manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Konstantin Borisov, Mark A. Nielsen, Jeffrey A. Martinelli, Brian L. Stauffer, Seth K. Gladfelter, Michael S. Todd, Ivan Jadric, Jeb W. Schreiber, Tim Beckley
  • Publication number: 20160165762
    Abstract: A variable speed drive includes a converter connected to an AC power source, a DC link connected to the converter, and an inverter connected to the DC link. The inverter converts DC voltage into an output AC power having a variable voltage and frequency. The inverter includes at least one power electronics module and associated control circuitry; a heat sink in thermal communication with the power electronics module and in fluid communication with a manifold. The manifold includes a tubular member having at least one vertical member portion and at least one horizontal member portion in fluid communication. A plurality of ports conduct cooling fluid into and out of the manifold. A bracket attaches the manifold to a structural frame. Brackets are provided for attachment of power electronics modules to the manifold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Konstantin BORISOV, Mark A. NIELSEN, Jeffrey A. MARTINELLI, Brian L. STAUFFER, Seth K. GLADFELTER, Michael S. TODD, Ivan JADRIC, Jeb W. SCHREIBER, Tim BECKLEY