Patents by Inventor Merle Dana Sears
Merle Dana Sears 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: 6851469Abstract: A clamshell heat exchanger panel has a pocket formed in an edge of a land portion of the panel so that a fastener can be inserted into the pocket, with its axis in the plane of the heat exchanger panel. This allows attachments to be made directly to the exchanger panel without affecting the integrity of the gas-carrying conduit portion of the panel. The pocket is made by forming mirror image indentions in the land portions of the two sides of a sheet metal workpiece such that, when the two sides are folded together, the indentions cooperate to form the pocket. Openings can also be formed through the land portions of the two sides so that, upon a folding together, the openings define an opening into the pocket.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2002Date of Patent: February 8, 2005Assignee: Carrier CorporationInventors: Merle Dana Sears, Stephen Leon Pulley
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Patent number: 6595201Abstract: A draft safeguard apparatus for use in a multi-poised furnace having an inducer housing for receiving flue gases from a heat exchanger. The furnace flue pipe is attached to the inducer housing by an elbow that is rotatably connected to the inducer housing. An elongated sensor housing is mounted upon the elbow. The housing provides a flow channel so that the inlet section of the elbow communicates with the surrounding ambient. A limit switch is mounted in the housing to sense the temperature in the flow passing through the housing. When the furnace is operating normally, ambient air is drawn into the vent system through the sensor housing. If the vent system becomes restricted, the flow through the housing is reversed and the limit switch is opened when the reverse flow temperature exceeds a given limit.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2001Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Assignee: Carrier CorporationInventors: Duane David Garloch, Merle Dana Sears
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Publication number: 20030127218Abstract: A clamshell heat exchanger panel has a pocket formed in an edge of a land portion of the panel so that a fastener can be inserted into the pocket, with its axis in the plane of the heat exchanger panel. This allows attachments to be made directly to the exchanger panel without affecting the integrity of the gas-carrying conduit portion of the panel. The pocket is made by forming mirror image indentions in the land portions of the two sides of a sheet metal workpiece such that, when the two sides are folded together, the indentions cooperate to form the pocket. Openings can also be formed through the land portions of the two sides so that, upon a folding together, the openings define an opening into the pocket.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2002Publication date: July 10, 2003Inventors: Merle Dana Sears, Stephen Leon Pulley
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Patent number: 6564795Abstract: A clamshell heat exchanger panel has a pocket formed in an edge of a land portion of the panel so that a fastener can be inserted into the pocket, with its axis in the plane of the heat exchanger panel. This allows attachments to be made directly to the exchanger panel without affecting the integrity of the gas- carrying conduit portion of the panel. The pocket is made by forming mirror image indentions in the land portions of the two sides of a sheet metal workpiece such that, when the two sides are folded together, the indentions cooperate to form the pocket. Openings can also be formed through the land portions of the two sides so that, upon a folding together, the openings define an opening into the pocket.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2002Date of Patent: May 20, 2003Assignee: Carrier CorporationInventors: Merle Dana Sears, Stephen Leon Pulley
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Patent number: 6564794Abstract: In a furnace having a plurality of parallel heat exchanger panels over which circulation air is caused to flow, and which has a tendency for hot spots to occur at particular locations on its outboard heat exchanger panels, a diverter vane is placed on the outer side of each of the outboard heat exchanger panels to divert a portion of the circulation air to the hotspot locations for cooling them to acceptable temperatures. In one form, the diverter vane is integrally formed with, and extends normally inwardly from a side baffle that extends upwardly alongside the outboard heat exchanger panel. The diverter vane is obliquely disposed with respect to the side baffle, with its lower end located near a midpoint of the heat exchanger panel and its upper end located near the hotspot location.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2002Date of Patent: May 20, 2003Assignee: Carrier CorporationInventors: Ninev Karl Zia, Merle Dana Sears
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Patent number: 6552285Abstract: A mount for a disc-type switch having a body that is centered upon a mounting flange. The mount includes a substrate having a central opening that permits the switch and mounting flange to be inserted into the opening. The substrate has a depression formed therein on one side of the opening that complements the shape of the flange and has a size that will accept about one half of the flange therein when the switch is passed into the opening and the flange rotated. At this time the other half of the flange is brought into contact with the top surface of the substrate. A threaded fastener secures the flange to the substrate so that at least one half of the flange is supported by the substrate to resist the downwardly directed forces acting upon the switch and the other half of the flange is supported in the housing to resist upwardly directed forces upon the switch.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2002Date of Patent: April 22, 2003Assignee: Carrier CorporationInventors: Merle Dana Sears, William Bruce Sutherlin, Hall Virgil
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Patent number: 6497570Abstract: A gas control assembly for a forced air furnace which includes a support frame having a top surface and two contiguous side walls which define an enclosure. A planar one piece burner assembly which has a plurality of burners and having two opposite side edges with one edge containing indexing means is positioning in a predetermined location within the enclosure of the support frame. A elongated gas manifold having a closed end and an open end which is configured to mate with the burner assembly to provide a source of combustible fuel to each of said burners is connected in fixed engagement to the support frame at its closed end through a hole in one side of said support frame and by a bracket at the open end which is attached to the other side of said support frame. The side walls of the support frame also contain slots which mate with edges of the burner assembly to provide for proper alignment of the burner assembly.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2001Date of Patent: December 24, 2002Assignee: Carrier CorporationInventors: Merle Dana Sears, Rex Russell Mills, Ninev Karl Zia, William Bruce Sutherlin, Stephen Leon Pulley
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Patent number: 6494199Abstract: A multipoise furnace cabinet includes right and left sides with top and bottom plates connecting upper and lower parts of the right and left sides together. In one embodiment, top and bottom plates include vent cutouts. A side of the top plate has a first partially cut section that aligns with a second partially cut section in a door to the furnace cabinet, wherein the first and second partially cut sections substantially describe a circle, such that when the first and second partially cut sections are removed from the door and the cabinet, a resulting opening permits entry of a flue vent pipe. Front edges of the right and left cabinet sides are flanged, as are the front edges of the top and bottom plates. In another embodiment, the vent cutouts are entirely within the door.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2001Date of Patent: December 17, 2002Assignee: Carrier CorporationInventors: Ninev Karl Zia, Rex Mills, Merle Dana Sears, Robert C. Swilik, Jr., James K. Beerbower, Brian A. Reeves
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Patent number: 6474329Abstract: A one piece cell panel for a forced air furnace which is designed for ease of removal without the necessity of having to dismantle the furnace cabinet. The panel includes a substantially vertically disposed upper section which contains a plurality of cell inlets and cell outlets and an integral lower horizontal shelf which is disposed at a predetermined acute angle downward below the horizontal. The cell panel has a substantially rectangular front profile and an “L” shaped side profile.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2001Date of Patent: November 5, 2002Assignee: Carrier CorporationInventors: Merle Dana Sears, Stephen Leon Pulley, Brian Alan Reeves
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Publication number: 20020048738Abstract: A draft safeguard apparatus for use in a multi-poised furnace having an inducer housing for receiving flue gases from a heat exchanger. The furnace flue pipe is attached to the inducer housing by an elbow that is rotatably connected to the inducer housing. An elongated sensor housing is mounted upon the elbow. The housing provides a flow channel so that the inlet section of the elbow communicates with the surrounding ambient. A limit switch is mounted in the housing to sense the temperature in the flow passing through the housing. When the furnace is operating normally, ambient air is drawn into the vent system through the sensor housing. If the vent system becomes restricted, the flow through the housing is reversed and the limit switch is opened when the reverse flow temperature exceeds a given limit.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2001Publication date: April 25, 2002Applicant: Carrier CorporationInventors: Duane David Garloch, Merle Dana Sears
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Patent number: D467328Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2002Date of Patent: December 17, 2002Assignee: Carrier CorporationInventors: Merle Dana Sears, Jeremiah M. Emerich, Timothy J. Perry, William B. Sutherlin
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Patent number: D467329Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2002Date of Patent: December 17, 2002Assignee: Carrier CorporationInventors: Merle Dana Sears, Jeremiah M. Emerich, Timothy J. Perry, William B. Sutherlin
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Patent number: D467330Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2002Date of Patent: December 17, 2002Assignee: Carrier CorporationInventors: Merle Dana Sears, Jeremiah M. Emerich, Timothy J. Perry, William B. Sutherlin