Patents by Inventor Manfred Koberstein

Manfred Koberstein 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: 20190061470
    Abstract: A vehicle having a heating and cooling system includes a refrigerant loop having first and second heat exchangers, and a coolant loop. The coolant loop is connected to allow a first flow of coolant to be directed through at least one of a plurality of air-to-coolant heat exchangers and at least one component for regulating a temperature of the at least component, and to allow a second flow of coolant to be directed through at least one other of the plurality of air-to-coolant heat exchangers and the at least one component for regulating the temperature of the at least one component dependent upon a mode of operation. A control module, control unit, controller, or the like commonly used in vehicles controls the first and second flows of coolant dependent upon the mode of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Manfred Koberstein, Angelo Patti, Loren John Lohmeyer, III, Jing He, Kenneth J. Jackson, Daniel C. Huang
  • Publication number: 20190047368
    Abstract: A radiant heating assembly includes a position adjustable mount, a radiant heating element carried on the position adjustable mount and an actuator to displace the radiant heating element between a first position and a second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: John Craig Elson, Clay Wesley Maranville, Donald P. Schneider, Manfred Koberstein, Victoria L. Schein, Kerrie K. Gath
  • Patent number: 10190957
    Abstract: A method for determining a vehicle heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) passenger cabin air filter filtration performance includes determining a vehicle-exterior atmospheric particulate contaminant concentration, a passenger cabin air filter efficiency, and an HVAC airflow rate. The passenger cabin particulate contaminant concentration is calculated from the determined atmospheric particulate contaminant concentration, passenger cabin air filter efficiency, and HVAC airflow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Paul Bryan Hoke, Lawrence C. Karas, Manfred Koberstein, Haoliang Michael Sun
  • Patent number: 10183549
    Abstract: A vehicle having a heating and cooling system includes a refrigerant loop having first and second heat exchangers, a compressor, and an expansion device, and a coolant loop. The coolant loop is connected, in one embodiment, to allow a first flow of coolant to be directed through each of a plurality of heat exchangers and an auxiliary coolant loop and to allow a second flow of coolant to be directed through each of the plurality of heat exchangers and the auxiliary coolant loop dependent upon a mode of operation. A control module controls the first and second flows dependent upon the mode of operation. In one other embodiment, the coolant loop includes manifolds and reservoirs with regulating sending and receiving ports for directing the flows. The auxiliary coolant loop is for heating/cooling one or more components, such as a battery, dependent upon the mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Manfred Koberstein, Angelo Patti, Loren John Lohmeyer, III, Jing He
  • Patent number: 10179542
    Abstract: A climate status indicator for a vehicle includes a light guide positioned around a vent perimeter. The climate status indicator additionally includes a light device coupled to at least one vent fin. The light guide and/or the light device are configured to provide a visual indicator of a climate status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Gary D. Mullen, James J. Surman, Wei Xu, Satyanarayana Raju Vemulapati, Manfred Koberstein
  • Publication number: 20190009636
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a cooling arrangement that includes an air conditioning loop and a battery cooling loop connected together by a common chiller and arranged to cool each of cabin air and a battery. A coolant three-way proportional control valve is connected to the chiller and the battery. The control valve is configured to operatively control a capacity of the chiller for the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Ali JALILEVAND, Manfred KOBERSTEIN, Michael Steven WALLIS
  • Patent number: 10173497
    Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning system includes a primary loop coupled to an air-conditioner that cools a refrigerant in the primary cooling loop for delivery to a primary heat exchanger, a secondary cooling loop in communication with the primary heat exchanger, wherein cooling from the refrigerant is transferred to a coolant in the secondary cooling loop and a secondary heat exchanger for transferring cooling from the coolant to air delivered to a rear of a vehicular passenger cabin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Steven Sawyer, Manfred Koberstein
  • Publication number: 20180361822
    Abstract: An air duct system for passing an air flow emanating from an air outlet to a measurement device for detecting parameter measurement values for at least one parameter of the air flow, includes at least one collecting unit for collecting the air flow emanating from the air outlet. That one collecting unit can be disposed on the air outlet so that a contact surface of the collecting unit encloses at least one outlet opening of the air outlet circumferentially. The collecting unit includes a wall defining a continuous air duct with an inlet end section and an outlet end section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Dietmar Fischer, Michael Lezuo, Manfred Koberstein, Jennifer A. Herr-Rathke
  • Publication number: 20180345756
    Abstract: A vehicle having a heating and cooling system includes a cold source through which a first flow of coolant flows, a heat source through which a second flow of coolant flows, and first and second parallel connected air-to-coolant heat exchangers. The first and second coolant flows are directed through one or both of the air-to-coolant heat exchangers dependent upon a mode of operation. A control module controls the first and second flows of coolant dependent upon the mode of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Jing He, Loren John Lohmeyer, III, Angelo Patti, Manfred Koberstein
  • Publication number: 20180333667
    Abstract: A climate control system includes a cabin air filter and a blower assembly having a motor and a fan rotated by the motor. The fan is configured to circulate air through the cabin air filter when the motor is energized. A controller is programmed to issue a message to change the cabin air filter in response to a revolution count of the motor exceeding a predefined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Clay Wesley MARANVILLE, Manfred KOBERSTEIN, Jennifer A. HERR-RATHKE
  • Patent number: 10125860
    Abstract: A method and system for the cancellation of transmission shift delay as a function of an optimum target temperature is disclosed. Once the pre-selected optimum target is achieved the shift delay is cancelled and the transmission is upshifted. Thus the disclosed inventive concept is based the cancellation of the shift delay on achieving climate control air conditioning comfort targets. Such comfort targets could include one or more of the measured HVAC evaporator temperature, the HVAC discharge temperature, or the in-vehicle cabin temperatures. When a temperature sensor measuring the selected temperature reaches the pre-selected target temperature the shift delay may be cancelled and the transmission may be upshifted, thus maximizing passenger comfort while minimizing fuel consumption. Having the shift delay based upon the achievement of specific measurable comfort targets in the form of target temperatures rather than a set time period allows optimization between cabin comfort and fuel efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Manfred Koberstein, Tina M. Maurer, Stephen R. Dennon, Ranganathan Madhavan, Jim C. Rollinson
  • Publication number: 20180319249
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle climate control system includes steps of determining that a first predetermined set of conditions are satisfied whereby a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system airflow into a passenger cabin will exceed a predetermined HVAC airflow temperature threshold and, if so, automatically implementing a first climate control system operating condition at least reducing the HVAC airflow into the passenger cabin. On determining that a second predetermined set of conditions are satisfied whereby the HVAC airflow into the passenger cabin will satisfy the predetermined HVAC airflow temperature threshold, the method includes a step of automatically implementing a second climate control system operating condition increasing the HVAC airflow into the passenger cabin. Climate control systems for implementing the described methods are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: David Alan Wong, Debasish Dhar, Alan Gutowski, Alan Douglas Wallington, Manfred Koberstein, Mark G. Smith, Angel Fernando Porras
  • Publication number: 20180312035
    Abstract: A vehicle having a heating and cooling system includes a refrigerant loop having first and second heat exchangers, and a coolant loop. The coolant loop includes a plurality of valves directing a first flow of coolant through the first refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchanger, a second flow of coolant through the second refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchanger, and a third flow of coolant including a first portion of the first flow of coolant exiting the first refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchanger and a first portion of the second flow of coolant exiting the second refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchanger through an auxiliary coolant loop, and a control module for controlling the plurality of valves to direct the flows of coolant dependent upon a mode of operation. The auxiliary coolant loop is for heating/cooling one or more components, such as a battery, dependent upon the mode of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Manfred Koberstein, Angelo Patti, Loren John Lohmeyer, III, Jing He
  • Publication number: 20180312034
    Abstract: A vehicle having a heating and cooling system includes a refrigerant loop having first and second heat exchangers, a compressor, and an expansion device, and a coolant loop. The coolant loop is connected, in one embodiment, to allow a first flow of coolant to be directed through each of a plurality of heat exchangers and an auxiliary coolant loop and to allow a second flow of coolant to be directed through each of the plurality of heat exchangers and the auxiliary coolant loop dependent upon a mode of operation. A control module controls the first and second flows of coolant dependent upon the mode of operation. In one other embodiment, the coolant loop includes first and second manifolds and reservoirs with regulating sending and receiving ports for directing the first and second flows. The auxiliary coolant loop is for heating/cooling one or more components, such as a battery, dependent upon the mode of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Manfred Koberstein, Angelo Patti, Loren John Lohmeyer, III, Jing He
  • Publication number: 20180281556
    Abstract: A vehicle cooling system for cooling a vehicle battery may include a cabin cooling system having an electrical compressor arranged on a first refrigerant path and driven by a vehicle electrical system to cool a vehicle cabin, a battery cooling system having a mechanical compressor arranged on a second refrigerant path and driven by a vehicle engine, and a battery chiller in communication with both refrigerant paths and configured to cool coolant provided to a vehicle battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Manfred KOBERSTEIN, Michael Steven WALLIS, Alan Langley MOORE, Simon ARNOLD
  • Publication number: 20180272832
    Abstract: A vehicle air-handling system includes a heat exchanger, a blower in communication with the heat exchanger, and an operable duct having driver and passenger portions that are each in communication with the heat exchanger and the blower. When the blower is activated, the driver portion continuously delivers blower air and the passenger portion selectively delivers blower air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Frank Fusco, Jennifer A. Herr-Rathke, Manfred Koberstein, Jose A. Nava, Steven M. Kahrs
  • Publication number: 20180265043
    Abstract: A proximity switch assembly with humidity sensing is provided that includes a proximity sensor providing an activation field and control circuitry monitoring a signal responsive to the activation field, determining a switch activation based on the signal, and determining a humidity value based on the signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Pietro Buttolo, Manfred Koberstein, Paul Kenneth Dellock, William Stewart Johnston, Todd Jared Konet
  • Patent number: 10076944
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a cooling arrangement that includes an air conditioning loop and a battery cooling loop connected together by a common chiller and arranged to cool each of cabin air and a battery. A coolant three-way proportional control valve is connected to the chiller and the battery. The control valve is configured to operatively control a capacity of the chiller for the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ali Jalilevand, Manfred Koberstein, Michael Steven Wallis
  • Patent number: 10011155
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) conduit includes a first HVAC line at least partially nested within a second HVAC line having a configuration defining a U- or C-shaped receiver in cross-section. The first HVAC line is fabricated of a first material and the second HVAC line is fabricated of a second material that is different from the first material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Manfred Koberstein, Thomas Owen Mills, David James Leone, Loren John Lohmeyer, III, Gregory Trombley
  • Publication number: 20180154737
    Abstract: An externally-controlled variable displacement compressor (EVDC) cold-start method is described including, during an EVDC cold-start procedure, iteratively alternating an amount of a control current supplied to an electronic control valve (ECV) associated with the EVDC between no control current and a full control current. Systems for implementing the described method are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Debasish Dhar, Manfred Koberstein