Patents by Inventor Carl E. Steele

Carl E. Steele 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: 8287337
    Abstract: A conditioned vestibule, control system, and method are disclosed for use with a cold storage doorway that separates warm and cold sides. A heater warms an air stream discharged across the doorway by the vestibule. A control unit operates the heater to maintain an air stream temperature. The control unit continuously monitors the air stream temperature and operates the heater to maintain the air stream temperature in a non-saturated state based on a humidity ratio. One embodiment calculates first and second temperatures based, respectively, warm and cold side tangent lines to a psychrometric saturation curve and based on the humidity ratio. The tangent lines are based on humidity and temperature sensed on the warm and cold sides. The air stream is warmed to at least the greater of the first and second temperatures. One embodiment controls air flow to adjust the humidity ratio to more efficiently operate the vestibule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: HCR Incorporated
    Inventors: Peter Smith, Daniel J. Rhyner, Carl E. Steele
  • Publication number: 20080233859
    Abstract: A conditioned vestibule, control system, and method are disclosed for use with a cold storage doorway that separates warm and cold sides. A heater warms an air stream discharged across the doorway by the vestibule. A control unit operates the heater to maintain an air stream temperature. The control unit continuously monitors the air stream temperature and operates the heater to maintain the air stream temperature in a non-saturated state based on a humidity ratio. One embodiment calculates first and second temperatures based, respectively, warm and cold side tangent lines to a psychrometric saturation curve and based on the humidity ratio. The tangent lines are based on humidity and temperature sensed on the warm and cold sides. The air stream is warmed to at least the greater of the first and second temperatures. One embodiment controls air flow to adjust the humidity ratio to more efficiently operate the vestibule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Peter Smith, Daniel J. Rhyner, Carl E. Steele