Abstract: An electrically enhanced air filter apparatus for filtering particles from moving air is described. The apparatus includes a filter arranged so particles approach the filter a filter speed and pass through an ionizer at an ionizer speed, and is configured so the filter speed is less than the ionizer speed. The ionizer is arranged to guide the moving air in an ionizer airflow direction and generates an ionizing electric field having ionizer field direction substantially perpendicular to the ionizer airflow direction.

Abstract: A cooling or heating system having a primary loop through which pressurized liquid is circulated and a secondary loop through which a low pressure liquid medium is circulated for increased performance where the secondary loop includes an improved reservoir design that provides a potential reserve of cooling or heating capacity that has a exterior wall and includes a moveable partition with a flow path enclosed between the moveable partition and the exterior wall and the moveable partition moves away from the exterior wall to increase the volume available to the flow path and the moveable partition moves toward the exterior wall to decrease the volume available to the flow path to quicken the attainment of a suitable predetermined occupant comfort level.

Abstract: An indirect evaporative cooler assembly includes staggered wet and dry channels. An electric fan moves air through the assembly. Air passes through the wet channels where a material wicks moisture stored in a reservoir into the wet channels. As a result, the side walls of the wet channels are evaporatively cooled. Air moving through dry channels is cooled by the cooling of the walls of the wet channels, and by the presence of louvered convoluted fins in the dry channels that allow for air circulation and further heat dissipation. The wet channels are distinguished by the presence of an electrolyte saturating the material, and electrodes disposed on either side of the material combined to generate an electrical current. Pairs of electrodes are connected in series, and generate electricity to power the electric fan. An auxiliary power source is activated when the voltage from the electrodes drops below a pre-determined level.

Abstract: A fill and bleed valve for filling a liquid cooling system has a single axially movable plunger, slidable within a central block bore, from a normal operating position to a filling position that opens the cooling system to a supply of coolant. The filling operation is continued until all air is purged from the system. The central block bore also retains a solid fill of coolant, and when shifted back to the normal operating system, no air is introduced into the system.

Abstract: A portable air filtration system includes a filter housing having an air inlet and outlet. The housing defines a filtration chamber between the inlet and outlet. The air filtration system uses an intake fan, an ionizing mechanism, a filter media, and a conductive coating to filter air. The fan moves the air through the chamber. The ionizing mechanism ionizes particles within the air to a negative charge. The media includes an upstream side facing the inlet and a downstream side facing the outlet and is disposed between the ionizing mechanism and the outlet to entrap the particles. The conductive coating is applied to the upstream side of the media. This establishes an electric field between the ionizing mechanism and the conductive coating. Furthermore, the upstream side of the media is electrically-connected to ground through the conductive coating for dissipating the negative charge of the particles entrapped within the media.

Abstract: A portable air filtration system includes a filter housing having an air inlet and an air outlet. The filter housing defines a filtration chamber between the air inlet and the air outlet. The portable air filtration system uses an ionizing mechanism, a filter media, and an electrode to filter air. The ionizing mechanism ionizes particles within the air to a negative charge. The filter media is disposed between the ionizing mechanism and the air outlet for entrapping the particles. The electrode is disposed between the ionizing mechanism and the filter media to establish an electric field. The electric field is established between the ionizing mechanism and the electrode adjacent to the filter media. The electrode is also electrically-connected to ground and to the filter media for dissipating the negative charge of the particles entrapped within the filter media.

Abstract: An airflow blockage detection apparatus for a permanent split-capacitor single-phase cooling fan motor measures and compares electrical currents in main and auxiliary windings of the motor to detect airflow blockage. Main and auxiliary current sensors detect AC currents in the main and auxiliary windings, respectively, and a blockage detection circuit forms a difference between the detected currents. An airflow blockage alarm is activated when the current difference exceeds a specified setpoint indicative of abnormally low airflow.

Abstract: An improved circuit supplies electrical power to a vehicle accessory load, such as a load that is powered through a vehicle accessory load connector or cigarette lighter plug. The circuit utilizes battery voltage comparator and timer switching circuitry to interrupt the supply of power to the accessory load if the engine-driven alternator fails to charge the storage battery for at least a predefined time interval (i.e., when the vehicle engine is not running), and to automatically re-establish electrical power supply to the load when battery charging resumes (i.e., when engine operation resumes).

Abstract: An airflow blockage detection apparatus for a permanent split-capacitor single-phase cooling fan motor measures and compares electrical currents in main and auxiliary windings of the motor to detect airflow blockage. Main and auxiliary current sensors detect AC currents in the main and auxiliary windings, respectively, and a blockage detection circuit forms a difference between the detected currents. An airflow blockage alarm is activated when the current difference exceeds a specified setpoint indicative of abnormally low airflow.

Abstract: A leak detection apparatus includes one or more detection devices that envelope the various pipe joints of a liquid circulation cooling system. In one approach, the detection devices include a pair of conductors separated by a wicking material impregnated with a crystalline salt that provides a low resistance electrical path between the conductors in the presence of a leak. In another approach, the detection devices include a pair of dissimilar metal mesh electrodes separated by an electrolyte-impregnated wicking material to form a water-activated battery that energizes an alarm in the presence of a leak. In either case, the electrodes and wicking material may be encased with a water-activated sealing material that hardens in the presence of a leak to contain the leakage.

Abstract: A rotary position sensor for an rotating shaft includes a planetary gear set and a potentiometer. The planetary gear set is coupled to the rotating shaft. The potentiometer is coupled to the rotating shaft and the planetary gear set and is adapted to measure a rotary position of the rotating shaft and responsively generates a position signal. The planetary gear set is adapted to reduce multiple rotations of the rotating shaft to less than a full rotation of the potentiometer.

Abstract: A method of operation for a motor-driven worm gear actuator coupled to a load device energizes the motor in a series of pulses during an initial period of motor operation when reversal of the motor is commanded. The pulsed energization produces a slow initial axial movement of the motor armature without moving the load device, minimizing the contact force between the armature shaft and a mechanical end stop of the motor. Rotation of the motor is determined by identifying and counting motor current pulses due to commutation, and the pulse count is adjusted at each reversal of motor rotation to compensate for motor current pulses due to the pulsed energization.

Abstract: An automatically acting braking system for a stepper motor (10) of the type having a rotor (18) that is radially centered within a stationary stator (12) and which rotates about the central axis of a central shaft (30). The rotor (18) is allowed to axially slide back and forth, biased in one direction continually by a resilient means (40). When the stator (12) is energized, it pulls the rotor (18) to an axially centered position within stator (12), but when it is de energized, the resilient means (40) pushes the rotor (18) to one side, lockingly engaging its teeth (24) with the teeth (44) of a fixed locking ring (42).

Abstract: An improved circuit supplies electrical power to a vehicle accessory load, such as a load that is powered through a vehicle accessory load connector or cigarette lighter plug. The circuit utilizes battery voltage comparator and timer switching circuitry to interrupt the supply of power to the accessory load if the engine-driven alternator fails to charge the storage battery for at least a predefined time interval (i.e., when the vehicle engine is not running), and to automatically re-establish electrical power supply to the load when battery charging resumes (i.e., when engine operation resumes).

Abstract: A rotary position sensor for an rotating shaft includes a planetary gear set and a potentiometer. The planetary gear set is coupled to the rotating shaft. The potentiometer is coupled to the rotating shaft and the planetary gear set and is adapted to measure a rotary position of the rotating shaft and responsively generates a position signal. The planetary gear set is adapted to reduce multiple rotations of the rotating shaft to less than a full rotation of the potentiometer.

Abstract: An automatically acting braking system for a stepper motor (10) of the type having a rotor (18) that is radially centered within a stationary stator (12) and which rotates about the central axis of a central shaft (30). The rotor (18) is allowed to axially slide back and forth, biased in one direction continually by a resilient means (40). When the stator (12) is energized, it pulls the rotor (18) to an axially centered position within stator (12), but when it is de energized, the resilient means (40) pushes the rotor (18) to one side, lockingly engaging its teeth (24) with the teeth (44) of a fixed locking ring (42).

Abstract: A method of operation for a motor-driven worm gear actuator coupled to a load device energizes the motor in a series of pulses during an initial period of motor operation when reversal of the motor is commanded. The pulsed energization produces a slow initial axial movement of the motor armature without moving the load device, minimizing the contact force between the armature shaft and a mechanical end stop of the motor. Rotation of the motor is determined by identifying and counting motor current pulses due to commutation, and the pulse count is adjusted at each reversal of motor rotation to compensate for motor current pulses due to the pulsed energization.

Abstract: A potentiometer position indicator for an automotive HVAC system belt drive has a means that passively realigns the turning wiper and fixed ring of the potentiometer if the potentiometer wiper becomes misaligned relative to the belt. A slip clutch interposed between the final gear of a gear reduction mechanism and the potentiometer wiper contacts a hard stop and is shifted back to an aligned position as the belt is shifted to either of its limit positions, thereby automatically realigning the two.

Abstract: An actuator assembly for actuating a valve assembly having a shaft is provided. The actuator assembly includes a mounting member having a hole therethrough and a first attachment member. A first gear has a portion that extends through the hole for actuating the valve assembly. The actuator assembly also includes an actuator for driving the first gear. A second gear is interposed between the actuator and the first gear with the second gear coupled to the first gear. A carrier has a second attachment member for slidably engaging the first attachment member and securing the carrier to the mounting member. The carrier includes a cradle portion that supports the actuator and a bearing portion that supports the first gear when the carrier and mounting member are in an assembled position. In the assembled position, the cradle aligns the first and second gears with one another.

Abstract: An automotive HVAC system controls two side by side film belts with a single drive motor. Two co planar wind up rollers, one for each belt, have inboard ends that are indirectly connected by a rotation transmission means that has a defined level of turning “slack”. Rotation is transmitted from one wind up roller to the other only after the slack has been taken up, allowing a certain degree of offset between the two belts. When a first belt is turned past a first position, it eventually moves the other belt to a new position, with the defined belt offset maintained. The first belt can then be turned back, breaking the indirect connection between the two shafts.