Patents by Inventor Lawrence G. Hopkins

Lawrence G. Hopkins 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: 11255332
    Abstract: A modular fan housing configured to hold an array of motors and fans is provided. The modular fan housing is configured for use in an air-handling system that delivers air to a ventilation system for at least a portion of a building. The fan housing comprises a plurality of modular units configured to be stacked adjacent to one another in at least one row or column to form an array. The modular units each include an interior surface and have a front end and a back end that define a chamber. The chambers are configured to receive the motors and fans. Sound attenuation layers extend along at least a portion of the interior surface of the corresponding chambers. The sound attenuation layers are positioned between at least some of the adjacent chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Nortek Air Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20210207606
    Abstract: A modular fan housing configured to hold an array of motors and fans is provided. The modular fan housing is configured for use in an air-handling system that delivers air to a ventilation system for at least a portion of a building. The fan housing comprises a plurality of modular units configured to be stacked adjacent to one another in at least one row or column to form an array. The modular units each include an interior surface and have a front end and a back end that define a chamber. The chambers are configured to receive the motors and fans. Sound attenuation layers extend along at least a portion of the interior surface of the corresponding chambers. The sound attenuation layers are positioned between at least some of the adjacent chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20200240420
    Abstract: A modular fan housing configured to hold an array of motors and fans is provided. The modular fan housing is configured for use in an air-handling system that delivers air to a ventilation system for at least a portion of a building. The fan housing comprises a plurality of modular units configured to be stacked adjacent to one another in at least one row or column to form an array. The modular units each include an interior surface and have a front end and a back end that define a chamber. The chambers are configured to receive the motors and fans. Sound attenuation layers extend along at least a portion of the interior surface of the corresponding chambers. The sound attenuation layers are positioned between at least some of the adjacent chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20200240671
    Abstract: A fan array fan section in an air-handling system includes a plurality of fan units arranged in a fan array and positioned within an air-handling compartment. One preferred embodiment may include an array controller programmed to operate the plurality of fan units at peak efficiency. The plurality of fan units may be arranged in a true array configuration, a spaced pattern array configuration, a checker board array configuration, rows slightly offset array configuration, columns slightly offset array configuration, or a staggered array configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Hopkins
  • Patent number: 10641271
    Abstract: A fan array fan section in an air-handling system includes a plurality of fan units arranged in a fan array and positioned within an air-handling compartment. One preferred embodiment may include an array controller programmed to operate the plurality of fan units at peak efficiency. The plurality of fan units may be arranged in a true array configuration, a spaced pattern array configuration, a checker board array configuration, rows slightly offset array configuration, columns slightly offset array configuration, or a staggered array configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Nortek Air Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Hopkins
  • Patent number: 10495094
    Abstract: A modular fan housing configured to hold an array of motors and fans is provided. The modular fan housing is configured for use in an air-handling system that delivers air to a ventilation system for at least a portion of a building. The fan housing comprises a plurality of modular units configured to be stacked adjacent to one another in at least one row or column to form an array. The modular units each include an interior surface and have a front end and a back end that define a chamber. The chambers are configured to receive the motors and fans. Sound attenuation layers extend along at least a portion of the interior surface of the corresponding chambers. The sound attenuation layers are positioned between at least some of the adjacent chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Nortek Air Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Hopkins
  • Patent number: 10317105
    Abstract: A fan array fan section in an air-handling system includes a plurality of fan units arranged in a fan array and positioned within an air-handling compartment. One preferred embodiment may include an array controller programmed to operate the plurality of fan units at peak efficiency by computing the power consumed in various configurations and selecting the configuration requiring minimum power to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Nortek Air Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence G. Hopkins, Brian James Motland, Matthew Gassaway
  • Patent number: 9872104
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling noise produced by an air handling system, for example, is provided. The system includes a source microphone to collect sound measurements from the air handling system and a processor to define a cancellation signal that at least partially cancels out the sound measurements. The system also includes a speaker to generate the cancellation signal. The sound measurements are at least partially canceled out within a region of cancellation. Accordingly, the system further includes a response microphone to collect response sound measurements at the region of cancellation. The processor tunes the cancellation signal based on the response sound measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Nortek Air Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20170321708
    Abstract: A modular fan housing configured to hold an array of motors and fans is provided. The modular fan housing is configured for use in an air-handling system that delivers air to a ventilation system for at least a portion of a building. The fan housing comprises a plurality of modular units configured to be stacked adjacent to one another in at least one row or column to form an array. The modular units each include an interior surface and have a front end and a back end that define a chamber. The chambers are configured to receive the motors and fans. Sound attenuation layers extend along at least a portion of the interior surface of the corresponding chambers. The sound attenuation layers are positioned between at least some of the adjacent chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20170306969
    Abstract: A fan array fan section in an air-handling system includes a plurality of fan units arranged in a fan array and positioned within an air-handling compartment. One preferred embodiment may include an array controller programmed to operate the plurality of fan units at peak efficiency. The plurality of fan units may be arranged in a true array configuration, a spaced pattern array configuration, a checker board array configuration, rows slightly offset array configuration, columns slightly offset array configuration, or a staggered array configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20170159960
    Abstract: A fan array fan section in an air-handling system includes a plurality of fan units arranged in a fan array and positioned within an air-handling compartment. One preferred embodiment may include an array controller programmed to operate the plurality of fan units at peak efficiency by computing the power consumed in various configurations and selecting the configuration requiring minimum power to operate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Lawrence G. Hopkins, Brian J. Motland, Matthew Gassaway
  • Patent number: 9380382
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling noise produced by an air handling system, for example, is provided. The system includes a source microphone to collect sound measurements from the air handling system and a processor to define a cancellation signal that at least partially cancels out the sound measurements. The system also includes a speaker to generate the cancellation signal. The sound measurements are at least partially canceled out within a region of cancellation. Accordingly, the system further includes a response microphone to collect response sound measurements at the region of cancellation. The processor tunes the cancellation signal based on the response sound measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Nortek Air Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20150326971
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling noise produced by an air handling system, for example, is provided. The system includes a source microphone to collect sound measurements from the air handling system and a processor to define a cancellation signal that at least partially cancels out the sound measurements. The system also includes a speaker to generate the cancellation signal. The sound measurements are at least partially canceled out within a region of cancellation. Accordingly, the system further includes a response microphone to collect response sound measurements at the region of cancellation. The processor tunes the cancellation signal based on the response sound measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Hopkins
  • Patent number: 9091280
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling noise produced by an air handling system is provided. The system includes a source microphone to collect sound measurements from the air handling system and a processor to define a cancellation signal that at least partially cancels out the sound measurements. The system also includes a speaker to generate the cancellation signal. The sound measurements are at least partially canceled out within a region of cancellation. Accordingly, the system further includes a response microphone to collect response sound measurements at the region of cancellation. The processor tunes the cancellation signal based on the response sound measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Nortek Air Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Hopkins
  • Patent number: 8963466
    Abstract: A fan array vibration control system may include a fan array having a plurality of fans, and a control unit operatively connected to the fans. The control unit is configured to operate the plurality of fans and detect a phase relationship among the plurality of fans. The control unit is configured to reduce the phase relationship among the plurality of fans in order to reduce vibrations within the fan array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Huntair, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20150030469
    Abstract: A fan array fan section in an air-handling system includes a plurality of fan units arranged in a fan array and positioned within an air-handling compartment. One preferred embodiment may include an array controller programmed to operate the plurality of fan units at peak efficiency by computing the power consumed in various configurations and selecting the configuration requiring minimum power to operate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: LAWRENCE G. HOPKINS, Brian James Motland, Matthew Alan Gassaway
  • Patent number: 8849463
    Abstract: A fan array fan section in an air-handling system includes a plurality of fan units arranged in a fan array and positioned within an air-handling compartment. One preferred embodiment may include an array controller programmed to operate the plurality of fan units at peak efficiency by computing the power consumed in various configurations and selecting the configuration requiring minimum power to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Huntair, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence G. Hopkins, Brian James Motland, Matthew Alan Gassaway
  • Publication number: 20140219782
    Abstract: A modular fan housing configured to hold an array of motors and fans is provided. The modular fan housing is configured for use in an air-handling system that delivers air to a ventilation system for at least a portion of a building. The fan housing comprises a plurality of modular units configured to be stacked adjacent to one another in at least one row or column to form an array. The modular units each include an interior surface and have a front end and a back end that define a chamber. The chambers are configured to receive the motors and fans. Sound attenuation layers extend along at least a portion of the interior surface of the corresponding chambers. The sound attenuation layers are positioned between at least some of the adjacent chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Huntair, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20140213170
    Abstract: A fan array fan section in an air-handling system includes a plurality of fan units arranged in a fan array and positioned within an air-handling compartment. One preferred embodiment may include an array controller programmed to operate the plurality of fan units at peak efficiency. The plurality of fan units may be arranged in a true array configuration, a spaced pattern array configuration, a checker board array configuration, rows slightly offset array configuration, columns slightly offset array configuration, or a staggered array configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Hopkins
  • Patent number: 8734086
    Abstract: A modular fan housing configured to hold an array of motors and fans is provided. The modular fan housing is configured for use in an air-handling system that delivers air to a ventilation system for at least a portion of a building. The fan housing comprises a plurality of modular units configured to be stacked adjacent to one another in at least one row or column to form an array. The modular units each include an interior surface and have a front end and a back end that define a chamber. The chambers are configured to receive the motors and fans. Sound attenuation layers extend along at least a portion of the interior surface of the corresponding chambers. The sound attenuation layers are positioned between at least some of the adjacent chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Huntair, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Hopkins