Patents by Inventor Paul William Snell

Paul William Snell 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: 11942851
    Abstract: A system for cooling a hermetic motor includes a motor cooling refrigerant flow path configured to direct refrigerant from a condenser disposed along a refrigerant loop to a hermetic motor, and from the hermetic motor back to the refrigerant loop, and a housing of the hermetic motor disposed along the motor cooling refrigerant flow path and configured to receive the refrigerant from the condenser, wherein the housing of the hermetic motor comprises an annulus surrounding at least a portion of a stator of the hermetic motor, and wherein the annulus comprises a plurality of openings configured to direct refrigerant toward the stator and into a cavity of the housing of the hermetic motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GMBH
    Inventors: Katelynn Louise Crissman, Ian Michael Casper, David Andrew Bradshaw, Matthew Lee Heisey, Tyler Alexander Wolgemuth, Paul William Snell
  • Publication number: 20230272804
    Abstract: A compressor for a heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system includes an impeller that has a hub defining an impeller tip, a plurality of blades coupled to the hub and defining a plurality of flow paths configured to direct a primary flow of working fluid therethrough, and a shroud coupled to the plurality of blades. The shroud includes a shroud tip disposed upstream of the impeller tip relative to a flow direction of the primary flow of working fluid through the plurality of flow paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Inventors: Paul William Snell, Bryson Lee Sheaffer, Florin Valeriu Iancu
  • Publication number: 20230147950
    Abstract: A compressor includes a diffuser passage configured to receive refrigerant flow from an impeller of the compressor, where the diffuser passage is at least partially defined by a compressor discharge plate of the compressor. The compressor also includes a variable geometry diffuser positioned within the diffuser passage and configured to adjust a dimension of a refrigerant flow path through the diffuser passage, an actuator coupled to the variable geometry diffuser and configured to adjust a position of the variable geometry diffuser within the diffuser passage, and a controller configured to regulate operation of the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Bryson Lee Sheaffer, Jordan Quinn Steiner, Paul William Snell, Curtis Christian Crane
  • Patent number: 11531307
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a compressor having an impeller configured to rotate and drive a working fluid through a working fluid circuit of the HVAC system in an active operating mode. The HVAC system further includes a controller configured to, in response to receiving an input indicative of a transition to operate in an inactive operating mode, suspend the active operating mode by interrupting a supply of power to the compressor, adjust pre-rotation vanes of the compressor, a variable geometry diffuser of the compressor to a first position, or both to enable a backflow of the working fluid through the compressor for a first interval of time, and, after the first interval of time has elapsed, adjust the pre-rotation vanes, the variable geometry diffuser, or both to a second position to block the backflow of the working fluid through the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Paul William Snell, Matthew Lee Heisey
  • Patent number: 11371526
    Abstract: A compressor for a heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) unit includes an impeller, a shaft configured to rotate the impeller, and a fastener. The impeller includes an opening and does not include keys, splines, pins, or any combination thereof. The fastener is coupled to an end of the shaft and extends through the opening of the impeller, and the fastener is configured to stretch in an axial direction relative to the shaft via a tensioner during assembly of the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventor: Paul William Snell
  • Publication number: 20210190395
    Abstract: A hybrid cooling system for a hermetic motor includes an annular cavity in a motor housing that receives a vapor flow and an annulus in the motor housing that receives a liquid flow. The hybrid cooling system includes a sleeve disposed adjacent to the annular cavity and the annulus, where a radial opening is defined through the sleeve. The hybrid cooling system includes a stator at least partially surrounded by the sleeve, a gap defined between the stator and a rotor, and a vent slot of the stator configured to receive the vapor flow from the annular cavity through the radial opening of the sleeve and direct the vapor flow to the gap. The hybrid cooling system includes an exit path in the motor housing configured to direct an evaporated vapor flow, generated from the liquid flow contacting the stator, and the vapor flow out of the motor housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Paul William Snell, Matthew Lee Heisey, Tyler Alexander Wolgemuth
  • Publication number: 20210102720
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a compressor having an impeller configured to rotate and drive a working fluid through a working fluid circuit of the HVAC system in an active operating mode. The HVAC system further includes a controller configured to, in response to receiving an input indicative of a transition to operate in an inactive operating mode, suspend the active operating mode by interrupting a supply of power to the compressor, adjust pre-rotation vanes of the compressor, a variable geometry diffuser of the compressor to a first position, or both to enable a backflow of the working fluid through the compressor for a first interval of time, and, after the first interval of time has elapsed, adjust the pre-rotation vanes, the variable geometry diffuser, or both to a second position to block the backflow of the working fluid through the compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventors: Paul William Snell, Matthew Lee Heisey
  • Publication number: 20200300262
    Abstract: A compressor for a heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) unit includes an impeller, a shaft configured to rotate the impeller, and a fastener. The impeller includes an opening and does not include keys, splines, pins, or any combination thereof. The fastener is coupled to an end of the shaft and extends through the opening of the impeller, and the fastener is configured to stretch in an axial direction relative to the shaft via a tensioner during assembly of the compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventor: Paul William Snell
  • Publication number: 20200240677
    Abstract: A system for cooling a hermetic motor includes a motor cooling refrigerant flow path configured to direct refrigerant from a condenser disposed along a refrigerant loop to a hermetic motor, and from the hermetic motor back to the refrigerant loop, and a housing of the hermetic motor disposed along the motor cooling refrigerant flow path and configured to receive the refrigerant from the condenser, wherein the housing of the hermetic motor comprises an annulus surrounding at least a portion of a stator of the hermetic motor, and wherein the annulus comprises a plurality of openings configured to direct refrigerant toward the stator and into a cavity of the housing of the hermetic motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Katelynn Louise Crissman, Ian Michael Casper, David Andrew Bradshaw, Matthew Lee Heisey, Tyler Alexander Wolgemuth, Paul William Snell
  • Publication number: 20190203730
    Abstract: A compressor includes a shaft, a motor configured to drive the shaft into rotation, and a thrust bearing configured to permit rotation of the shaft and support an axial load of the shaft. The thrust bearing is positioned about the shaft and between the motor and an impeller of the compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Matthew Lee Heisey, Paul William Snell
  • Patent number: 7565918
    Abstract: A rotary control valve is provided. The valve includes a valve body having a first valve member with a first volute formed therein, wherein the first volute further includes a plurality of flow channels of varying diameter or a single flow channel having a generally smooth gradient from large to small diameter; and a second valve member in close proximity to or in direct contact with the first valve member with a second volute formed therein, wherein the second volute further includes a plurality of flow channels of varying diameter or a single flow channel having a generally smooth gradient from large to small diameter. The first and second volutes cooperate with one another to form an orifice between the first and second valve members, and the diameter of the orifice is variable based on the positions of the individual flow channels relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Michael Hemi Zamalis, Paul William Snell
  • Publication number: 20080011973
    Abstract: A rotary control valve is provided. The valve includes a valve body having a first valve member with a first volute formed therein, wherein the first volute further includes a plurality of flow channels of varying diameter or a single flow channel having a generally smooth gradient from large to small diameter; and a second valve member in close proximity to or in direct contact with the first valve member with a second volute formed therein, wherein the second volute further includes a plurality of flow channels of varying diameter or a single flow channel having a generally smooth gradient from large to small diameter. The first and second volutes cooperate with one another to form an orifice between the first and second valve members, and the diameter of the orifice is variable based on the positions of the individual flow channels relative to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Applicant: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael Hemi Zamalis, Paul William Snell