Patents by Inventor Douglas Lloyd LOCKHART

Douglas Lloyd LOCKHART 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: 10677061
    Abstract: A shear flow turbomachinery device includes a housing having housing walls defining a cavity, a shaft extending into the cavity though a shaft opening in the housing wall at an end of the cavity, a rotor coupled to the shaft within the cavity, the rotor having a plurality of disks extending radially outward from a central axis of the rotor, the disks having a spaced arrangement forming a gap between adjacent disks, and a shroud for shrouding the rotor, the shroud including a pair of end disks coupled to opposing ends of the rotor, a screen extending between outer edges of the pair of end disks, the screen extending around the rotor between the rotor and the housing walls, wherein the shroud is freely rotatable independent of rotation of the rotor to reduce drag on the disks due to the housing walls when the cavity if filled with fluid and the shaft and plurality of disks are rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Inventor: Douglas Lloyd Lockhart
  • Publication number: 20180266250
    Abstract: A shear flow turbomachinery device includes a housing having housing walls defining a cavity, a shaft extending into the cavity though a shaft opening in the housing wall at an end of the cavity, a for coupled to the shaft within the cavity, the rotor having a plurality of disks extending radially outward from a central axis of the rotor, the disks having a spaced arrangement forming a gap between adjacent disks, and a shroud for shrouding the rotor, the shroud including a pair of end disks coupled to opposing ends of the rotor, a screen extending between outer edges of the pair of end disks, the screen extending around the rotor between the rotor and the housing walls, wherein the shroud is freely rotatable independent of rotation of the rotor to reduce drag on the disks due to the housing walls when the cavity if filled with fluid and the shaft and plurality of disks are rotated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventor: Douglas Lloyd LOCKHART
  • Patent number: 9880031
    Abstract: A system and method for analyzing an HVAC/R system includes a receiver for receiving signals from sensors, a memory for storing a pressure-enthalpy relationship for refrigerant of the HVAC/R system, a processor in communication with the receiver and the memory, the processor configured to determine a first energy transfer value associated with an air handler of the HVAC/R system based on the received signals from the sensors, determine a second energy transfer value associated with the refrigerant of the HVAC/R system based on the pressure-enthalpy relationship and the received signals from the sensors; and verify the determined first and second energy transfer values by comparing the first energy transfer value with the second energy transfer value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Inventor: Douglas Lloyd Lockhart
  • Publication number: 20150177109
    Abstract: A system and method for analyzing an HVAC/R system includes a receiver for receiving signals from sensors, a memory for storing a pressure-enthalpy relationship for refrigerant of the HVAC/R system, a processor in communication with the receiver and the memory, the processor configured to determine a first energy transfer value associated with an air handler of the HVAC/R system based on the received signals from the sensors, determine a second energy transfer value associated with the refrigerant of the HVAC/R system based on the pressure-enthalpy relationship and the received signals from the sensors; and verify the determined first and second energy transfer values by comparing the first energy transfer value with the second energy transfer value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventor: Douglas Lloyd LOCKHART
  • Patent number: 8844567
    Abstract: A manifold, for a refrigeration system, includes a body comprising a bore hole extending through the body, and a plurality of ports including a first process port for adding and removing refrigerant, and a first side port for mechanical connection thereto. The manifold also includes a first ball valve disposed in the body, between the first process port and the first side port. The first ball valve includes a ball recess aligned with the bore hole through the body, and a ball port extending generally transverse to the ball recess and in fluid connection therewith. The ball port includes a narrow end and wider end. The first ball valve is moveable between an open position in which the ball port is aligned with the first side port and the first side port is in fluid connection with the bore hole through the body, and a closed position in which the ball port is out of alignment with the first side port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Inventor: Douglas Lloyd Lockhart
  • Publication number: 20140069122
    Abstract: An apparatus includes: a compressor including a pair of ports in fluid communication with first and second heat exchangers and a reduced temperature refrigerant inlet for receiving reduced temperature refrigerant; and an expansion device coupled between the first and second heat exchangers for reducing a pressure of refrigerant flowing from one of the first and second heat exchangers to the other of the first and second heat exchangers; wherein the compressor, the first heat exchanger, the expansion device and the second heat exchanger are arranged in a loop to operate as a refrigeration or heat pump apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventor: Douglas Lloyd Lockhart
  • Publication number: 20110120578
    Abstract: A manifold, for a refrigeration system, includes a body comprising a bore hole extending through the body, and a plurality of ports including a first process port for adding and removing refrigerant, and a first side port for mechanical connection thereto. The manifold also includes a first ball valve disposed in the body, between the first process port and the first side port. The first ball valve includes a ball recess aligned with the bore hole through the body, and a ball port extending generally transverse to the ball recess and in fluid connection therewith. The ball port includes a narrow end and wider end. The first ball valve is moveable between an open position in which the ball port is aligned with the first side port and the first side port is in fluid connection with the bore hole through the body, and a closed position in which the ball port is out of alignment with the first side port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Inventor: Douglas Lloyd LOCKHART