Patents by Inventor David M. Rockwell

David M. Rockwell 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).

  • Publication number: 20170248352
    Abstract: In one aspect, a refrigeration system is provided. The refrigeration system includes a compressor coupled to a variable frequency drive (VFD), a condenser, an evaporator, an oil separator, and an oil conditioning circuit. The oil conditioning circuit is thermally coupled to the VFD and configured to heat oil from the oil separator with heat produced by the VFD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: Scott M. MacBain, David M. Rockwell, Ulf J. Jonsson
  • Publication number: 20160153688
    Abstract: A refrigerant system includes a compressor having a flow of compressor lubricant therein, the compressor compressing a flow of vapor refrigerant therethrough. An evaporator is operably connected to the compressor and includes an environment to be cooled via a thermal energy exchange with a liquid refrigerant in the evaporator. A vaporizer is receptive of a first flow of compressor lubricant and refrigerant mixture from the evaporator having a first concentration of lubricant. The vaporizer uses a flow of compressed refrigerant to separate refrigerant from the first flow. A lubricant sump is receptive of a second flow of compressor lubricant and refrigerant mixture from the vaporizer having a second concentration of lubricant greater than the first concentration. A heat exchanger is receptive of a third flow from the sump and uses evaporator suction gas to cool the third flow, thereby increasing its viscosity before urging the third flow to the compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Aaron M. Ronk, Nadine Thompson, David M. Rockwell
  • Patent number: 8397531
    Abstract: A compressor has a suction port, a discharge port, and an economizer port. A condenser is downstream of the discharge port. An evaporator is upstream of the suction port. An expansion device is between the condenser and the evaporator. An economizer is between the condenser and the evaporator. An economizer line extends from the economizer to the economizer port. A resonator is located in the economizer line and has a first branch and a second branch. A first flowpath length across the resonator through the second branch is longer than a second flowpath length across the resonator through the first branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventor: David M. Rockwell
  • Patent number: 7993112
    Abstract: A compressor includes a housing and one or more working elements. A muffler is located downstream of the discharge plenum and a helmholtz resonator is located in the discharge plenum upstream of the muffler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventor: David M. Rockwell
  • Patent number: 7802974
    Abstract: A compressor includes a male rotor (26) having a screw-type boy portion (30) extending from a first end (31) to a second end (32) and held within a housing assembly for rotation about a first rotor axis (500). A female rotor (27, 28) has a screw-type female body portion (33, 34) meshed with the male body portion and extending from a first end (35, 36) to a second end (37, 38) and held within the housing assembly for rotation about a second rotor axis (501, 502). An end seal (120) has a first surface (126) engaging the female body portion first end and being asymmetric around the second axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Rockwell, Frederick L. Miller, Jr., Yan Tang
  • Publication number: 20100218536
    Abstract: A compressor has a suction port, a discharge port, and an economizer port. A condenser is downstream of the discharge port. An evaporator is upstream of the suction port. An expansion device is between the condenser and the evaporator. An economizer is between the condenser and the evaporator. An economizer line extends from the economizer to the economizer port. A resonator is located in the economizer line and has a first branch and a second branch. A first flowpath length across the resonator through the second branch is longer than a second flowpath length across the resonator through the first branch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventor: David M. Rockwell
  • Publication number: 20080260547
    Abstract: A compressor includes a housing and one or more working elements. A muffler is located downstream of the discharge plenum and a helmholtz resonator is located in the discharge plenum upstream of the muffler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventor: David M. Rockwell
  • Patent number: 7121814
    Abstract: A compressor includes a housing and one or more working elements. A muffler is located downstream of the discharge plenum. A centerbody is located in the discharge plenum upstream of the muffler spanning a major portion of a length between a bearing case and the muffler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Rockwell, Lee G. Tetu
  • Patent number: 6787427
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) is provided which results in a SiGe HBT that has a controllable current gain and improved breakdown voltage. The SiGe HBT having these characteristics is fabricated by forming an in-situ P-doped emitter layer atop a patterned SiGe base structure. The in-situ P-doped emitter layer is a bilayer of in-situ P-doped a:Si and in-situ P-doped polysilicon. The SiGe HBT structure including the above mentioned bilayer emitter is also described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David R. Greenberg, Basanth Jagannathan, Shwu-Jen Jeng, Joseph T. Kocis, Samuel C. Ramac, David M. Rockwell
  • Publication number: 20040063293
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) is provided which results in a SiGe HBT that has a controllable current gain and improved breakdown voltage. The SiGe HBT having these characteristics is fabricated by forming an in-situ P-doped emitter layer atop a patterned SiGe base structure. The in-situ P-doped emitter layer is a bilayer of in-situ P-doped a:Si and in-situ P-doped polysilicon. The SiGe HBT structure including the above mentioned bilayer emitter is also described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David R. Greenberg, Basanth Jagannathan, Shwu-Jen Jeng, Joseph T. Kocis, Samuel C. Ramac, David M. Rockwell
  • Patent number: 6701779
    Abstract: A semiconductor torsional micro-electromechanical (MEM) switch is described having a conductive movable control electrode; an insulated semiconductor torsion beam attached to the movable control electrode, the insulated torsion beam and the movable control electrode being parallel to each other; and a movable contact attached to the insulated torsion beam, wherein the combination of the insulated torsion beam and the control electrode is perpendicular to the movable contact. The torsional MEM switch is characterized by having its control electrodes substantially perpendicular to the switching electrodes. The MEM switch may also include multiple controls to activate the device to form a single-pole, single-throw switch or a multiple-pole, multiple-throw switch. The method of fabricating the torsional MEM switch is fully compatible with the CMOS manufacturing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard P. Volant, Robert A. Groves, Kevin S. Petrarca, David M. Rockwell, Kenneth J. Stein
  • Patent number: 6656809
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) is provided which results in a SiGe HBT that has a controllable current gain and improved breakdown voltage. The SiGe HBT having these characteristics is fabricated by forming an in-situ P-doped emitter layer atop a patterned SiGe base structure. The in-situ P-doped emitter layer is a bilayer of in-situ P-doped a:Si and in-situ P-doped polysilicon. The SiGe HBT structure including the above mentioned bilayer emitter is also described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David R. Greenberg, Basanth Jagannathan, Shwu-Jen Jeng, Joseph T. Kocis, Samuel C. Ramac, David M. Rockwell
  • Publication number: 20030178635
    Abstract: A semiconductor torsional micro-electromechanical (MEM) switch is described having a conductive movable control electrode; an insulated semiconductor torsion beam attached to the movable control electrode, the insulated torsion beam and the movable control electrode being parallel to each other; and a movable contact attached to the insulated torsion beam, wherein the combination of the insulated torsion beam and the control electrode is perpendicular to the movable contact. The torsional MEM switch is characterized by having its control electrodes substantially perpendicular to the switching electrodes. The MEM switch may also include multiple controls to activate the device to form a single-pole, single-throw switch or a multiple-pole, multiple-throw switch. The method of fabricating the torsional MEM switch is fully compatible with the CMOS manufacturing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard P. Volant, Robert A. Groves, Kevin S. Petrarca, David M. Rockwell, Kenneth J. Stein
  • Publication number: 20030132453
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) is provided which results in a SiGe HBT that has a controllable current gain and improved breakdown voltage. The SiGe HBT having these characteristics is fabricated by forming an in-situ P-doped emitter layer atop a patterned SiGe base structure. The in-situ P-doped emitter layer is a bilayer of in-situ P-doped a:Si and in-situ P-doped polysilicon. The SiGe HBT structure including the above mentioned bilayer emitter is also described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David R. Greenberg, Basanth Jagannathan, Shwu-Jen Jeng, Joseph T. Kocis, Samuel C. Ramac, David M. Rockwell
  • Patent number: 6368484
    Abstract: A method is described for electroplating a metal structure in a feature formed in a substrate. A seed layer of the metal is deposited on the top surface and on the bottom and sidewalls of the feature. The seed layer is then selectively removed from the top surface, so that only a portion of the seed layer remains in the feature on at least the bottom thereof. The metal is then electroplated using this portion of the seed layer, so that the metal fills the feature. The removal of the seed layer from the top surface causes no electroplating to occur on the top surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard P. Volant, Peter S. Locke, Kevin S. Petrarca, David M. Rockwell, Seshadri Subbanna
  • Patent number: 6363735
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an orifice member for the condenser fan of an air conditioning unit, which has a basepan and a partition which divides the air conditioning unit into an indoor section forwardly of the partition and an outdoor section rearwardly of the partition. The indoor section includes an evaporator coil, an evaporator fan and means for collecting condensate and directing the condensate to the basepan in the outdoor section. The outdoor section includes a condenser coil at the rear thereof, a rotatably driven condenser fan having a second side and a discharge side, the fan being located forwardly of the condenser coil. The orifice member defines a barrier between the suction and discharge side of the condenser fan and has a fan orifice opening forwardly of the fan to define a restricted air flow passage therethrough between the suction side at a generally low pressure and the discharge side at a generally high pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Peter R. Bushnell, David M. Rockwell, Nestor Hernandez
  • Patent number: 6067812
    Abstract: A rotating shroud is located on the suction side of the tips of a propeller fan and coacts with an inlet orifice to provide the physical separation between suction and discharge when the unit is in operation. The pressure differential across the fan tends to cause the condensate to move towards the suction side and into the path of the slinger (rotating shroud). The slinger then becomes wetted by the condensate, thereby picking up the condensate and slinging it into the region between the fan and the coil. The condensate is then evaporated upstream or within the coil, improving coil effectiveness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Peter R. Bushnell, David M. Rockwell
  • Patent number: 5951247
    Abstract: The fan housing of an axial fan having a flow resistance such as a coil or grille in a closely spaced relationship is provided on its discharge side with a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially extending vanes. The vanes act as a radial diffuser in coacting with the rotational/irregular flow in the fan orifice to radially direct the flow and distribute it over the face of the flow resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Rockwell, Sau-Tak R. Chou