Patents by Inventor Dennis L. Dickerson
Dennis L. Dickerson 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).
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Patent number: 8689576Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser including a refrigeration system, a first sensor in communication with the refrigerated airflow in a discharge passageway to sense a discharge airflow temperature, and a second sensor is in communication with the refrigerated airflow in the return passageway to sense a return airflow temperature. A controller is in electrical communication with the first sensor and the second sensor and controls a temperature of the product within a predetermined temperature range that is between about 22 degrees Fahrenheit and 23 degrees Fahrenheit based on at least one of the discharge airflow temperature and the return airflow temperature. The controller is further programmed to operate the refrigeration system such that the discharge airflow temperature is maintained above a temperature between about 10 degrees Fahrenheit and 30 degrees Fahrenheit to regulate an evaporation temperature of the evaporator to avoid freezing the product.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2011Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Hussmann CorporationInventors: Jony M. Zangari, Dennis L. Wagner, Mark Schaefer, Dennis L. Dickerson, Scott N. Hixson, William R. North
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Patent number: 8689573Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser including a case, a refrigeration system, a sensor, and a controller. The refrigeration system is operable in a defrost mode defrosting the evaporator, and a refrigeration mode discharging a refrigerated airflow into the product storage area to refrigerate the product and to maintain the product within a predetermined temperature range without freezing the product, and to receive the refrigerated airflow along a return passageway. The sensor senses one or more defrost conditions of the case. The controller controls the refrigeration system in the refrigeration mode and in the defrost mode, and includes an algorithm for calculating when to initiate the defrost mode and for calculating a duration of the defrost mode. The controller is programmed to vary the refrigeration system between the refrigeration mode and the defrost mode based on the signals indicative of the defrost conditions and the calculations by the algorithm.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2011Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Hussmann CorporationInventors: Jony M. Zangari, Dennis L. Wagner, Mark Schaefer, Dennis L. Dickerson, Scott N. Hixson, William R. North
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Patent number: 8534085Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser including a case and a refrigeration system in communication with a product storage area of the case. The case includes a case top, a discharge passageway, and a return passageway, and the case top has a lower wall, a front wall, and a deflector. The refrigeration system includes a refrigeration circuit that has a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator in series, where the evaporator is disposed in the case top. The refrigeration system further includes a fan that cooperates with the lower wall, the front wall, and the deflector to discharge a substantially laminar refrigerated airflow into and through the product storage area to refrigerate the product within a predetermined temperature range without directing the refrigerated airflow directly at the product.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2011Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: Hussmann CorporationInventors: Jony M. Zangari, Dennis L. Wagner, Mark Schaefer, Dennis L. Dickerson, Scott N. Hixson, William R. North
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Publication number: 20110265503Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser including a refrigeration system, a first sensor in communication with the refrigerated airflow in a discharge passageway to sense a discharge airflow temperature, and a second sensor is in communication with the refrigerated airflow in the return passageway to sense a return airflow temperature. A controller is in electrical communication with the first sensor and the second sensor and controls a temperature of the product within a predetermined temperature range that is between about 22 degrees Fahrenheit and 23 degrees Fahrenheit based on at least one of the discharge airflow temperature and the return airflow temperature. The controller is further programmed to operate the refrigeration system such that the discharge airflow temperature is maintained above a temperature between about 10 degrees Fahrenheit and 30 degrees Fahrenheit to regulate an evaporation temperature of the evaporator to avoid freezing the product.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2011Publication date: November 3, 2011Applicant: HUSSMANN CORPORATIONInventors: Jony M. Zangari, Dennis L. Wagner, Mark Schaefer, Dennis L. Dickerson, Scott N. Hixson, William R. North
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Publication number: 20110265507Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser including a case and a refrigeration system in communication with a product storage area of the case. The case includes a case top, a discharge passageway, and a return passageway, and the case top has a lower wall, a front wall, and a deflector. The refrigeration system includes a refrigeration circuit that has a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator in series, where the evaporator is disposed in the case top. The refrigeration system further includes a fan that cooperates with the lower wall, the front wall, and the deflector to discharge a substantially laminar refrigerated airflow into and through the product storage area to refrigerate the product within a predetermined temperature range without directing the refrigerated airflow directly at the product.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2011Publication date: November 3, 2011Applicant: HUSSMANN CORPORATIONInventors: Jony M. Zangari, Dennis L. Wagner, Mark Schaefer, Dennis L. Dickerson, Scott N. Hixson, William R. North
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Publication number: 20110265504Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser including a case, a refrigeration system, a sensor, and a controller. The refrigeration system is operable in a defrost mode defrosting the evaporator, and a refrigeration mode discharging a refrigerated airflow into the product storage area to refrigerate the product and to maintain the product within a predetermined temperature range without freezing the product, and to receive the refrigerated airflow along a return passageway. The sensor senses one or more defrost conditions of the case. The controller controls the refrigeration system in the refrigeration mode and in the defrost mode, and includes an algorithm for calculating when to initiate the defrost mode and for calculating a duration of the defrost mode. The controller is programmed to vary the refrigeration system between the refrigeration mode and the defrost mode based on the signals indicative of the defrost conditions and the calculations by the algorithm.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2011Publication date: November 3, 2011Applicant: HUSSMANN CORPORATIONInventors: Jony M. Zangari, Dennis L. Wagner, Mark Schaefer, Dennis L. Dickerson, Scott N. Hixson, William R. North
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Patent number: 7997094Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser that includes a case, a refrigeration system, at least one sensor, a controller, and a display. The refrigeration system is in communication with a product storage area of the case, and discharges a refrigerated airflow into the product storage area to refrigerate product. The refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator coupled in series. The sensor is in communication with the refrigerated airflow to sense an airflow temperature and to generate a signal indicative of the airflow temperature. The controller is in electrical communication with the sensor to receive the signal indicative of the airflow temperature, and includes an algorithm that calculates a temperature of the product based on the signal indicative of the airflow temperature. The display is coupled to the case and is visible from outside the case, and is in electrical communication with the controller to show the calculated product temperature.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2007Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Assignee: Hussmann CorporationInventors: Jony M. Zangari, Dennis L. Wagner, Mark Schaefer, Dennis L. Dickerson, Scott N. Hixson, William R. North
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Publication number: 20110126561Abstract: A method of operating a refrigerated merchandiser. The refrigerated merchandiser includes a case that defines a product display area, and at least one door that provides access to the product display area. The method includes sensing a parameter of an ambient environment adjacent the case, delivering a signal indicative of the sensed parameter to a controller, and determining a duty cycle using the controller based on the signal indicative of the sensed parameter. The method also includes detecting a change in the sensed parameter using the controller, interrupting the duty cycle by initiating a clearing interval using the controller in response to the controller receiving the signal indicative of the change in the sensed parameter, and clearing condensation from the door during the clearing interval.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2011Publication date: June 2, 2011Applicant: HUSSMANN CORPORATIONInventors: Ted Wayne Sunderland, Craig Steven Reichert, Dennis L. Dickerson
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Patent number: 7905101Abstract: A method of operating a refrigerated merchandiser. The refrigerated merchandiser includes a case that defines a product display area, and at least one door that provides access to the product display area. The method includes sensing a parameter of an ambient environment adjacent the case, delivering a signal indicative of the sensed parameter to a controller, and determining a duty cycle using the controller based on the signal indicative of the sensed parameter. The method also includes detecting a change in the sensed parameter using the controller, interrupting the duty cycle by initiating a clearing interval using the controller in response to the controller receiving the signal indicative of the change in the sensed parameter, and clearing condensation from the door during the clearing interval.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2007Date of Patent: March 15, 2011Assignee: Hussmann CorporationInventors: Ted Wayne Sunderland, Craig Steven Reichert, Dennis L. Dickerson
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Publication number: 20080141689Abstract: A method of operating a refrigerated merchandiser. The refrigerated merchandiser includes a case that defines a product display area, and at least one door that provides access to the product display area. The method includes sensing a parameter of an ambient environment adjacent the case, delivering a signal indicative of the sensed parameter to a controller, and determining a duty cycle using the controller based on the signal indicative of the sensed parameter. The method also includes detecting a change in the sensed parameter using the controller, interrupting the duty cycle by initiating a clearing interval using the controller in response to the controller receiving the signal indicative of the change in the sensed parameter, and clearing condensation from the door during the clearing interval.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2007Publication date: June 19, 2008Applicant: HUSSMANN CORPORATIONInventors: Ted Wayne Sunderland, Craig Steven Reichert, Dennis L. Dickerson
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Publication number: 20080098761Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser that includes a case, a refrigeration system, at least one sensor, a controller, and a display. The refrigeration system is in communication with a product storage area of the case, and discharges a refrigerated airflow into the product storage area to refrigerate product. The refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator coupled in series. The sensor is in communication with the refrigerated airflow to sense an airflow temperature and to generate a signal indicative of the airflow temperature. The controller is in electrical communication with the sensor to receive the signal indicative of the airflow temperature, and includes an algorithm that calculates a temperature of the product based on the signal indicative of the airflow temperature. The display is coupled to the case and is visible from outside the case, and is in electrical communication with the controller to show the calculated product temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2007Publication date: May 1, 2008Applicant: HUSSMANN CORPORATIONInventors: Jony M. Zangari, Dennis L. Wagner, Mark Schaefer, Dennis L. Dickerson, Scott N. Hixson, William R. North
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Patent number: 7318321Abstract: A refrigerated display case including a case having rear and bottom walls that are coupled together to at least partially define a product display area adapted to receive a wheeled cart containing food product. The bottom wall includes a cart support surface elevated above the floor and adapted to support the wheeled cart within the product display area. The case includes an air passageway having a lower return flue located below the cart support surface. A refrigeration component is at least partially located in the air passageway to cool air directed to the product display area to maintain the products at the desired temperature. At least a portion of the cooled air in the product display area returns to the refrigeration component through the lower return flue.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2005Date of Patent: January 15, 2008Assignee: Hussmann CorporationInventors: Michael D. Grassmuck, Martin J. Duffy, John D. Withouse, Dennis L. Dickerson, Aaron Hernandez