Patents by Inventor Richard Kilgo

Richard Kilgo 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: 20230080672
    Abstract: Example embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an HVAC system, and methods for controlling the system, that mitigate the impact of refrigerant leaks before the leaks are even detected. Some embodiments include an HVAC system operable to mitigate refrigerant leaks, the system including an indoor unit including an indoor fan and an indoor heat exchanger, an outdoor unit including an outdoor heat exchanger and a compressor, a refrigerant circuit including a refrigerant circulated between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, a mass control valve coupled to the refrigerant circuit, and control circuitry configured to: operate the HVAC system to satisfy a conditioning load by circuiting the refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit and operating the indoor fan, and completely close the mass control valve to at least partially isolate the refrigerant circuit at the indoor heat exchanger in response to the indoor fan being shut off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventor: Richard Kilgo
  • Patent number: 11525602
    Abstract: Methods of coupling a heat exchanger into a climate control system and associated systems are disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes receiving a housing to receive the heat exchanger. The housing includes a cover panel disposed over an opening that has a projection projecting at least partially into the housing, and a first pair of conduits extending through the cover panel in a first direction. In addition, the method includes removing the cover panel from the opening, flipping the cover panel, extending a second pair of conduits through the cover panel in the first direction, and forming connections between the first pair of refrigerant conduits and the second pair of conduits. Further, the method includes covering the opening in the heat exchanger housing with the cover panel so that the projection of the cover panel projects away from the housing and encloses the connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Kilgo
  • Publication number: 20210095887
    Abstract: Methods of coupling a heat exchanger into a climate control system and associated systems are disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes receiving a housing to receive the heat exchanger. The housing includes a cover panel disposed over an opening that has a projection projecting at least partially into the housing, and a first pair of conduits extending through the cover panel in a first direction. In addition, the method includes removing the cover panel from the opening, flipping the cover panel, extending a second pair of conduits through the cover panel in the first direction, and forming connections between the first pair of refrigerant conduits and the second pair of conduits. Further, the method includes covering the opening in the heat exchanger housing with the cover panel so that the projection of the cover panel projects away from the housing and encloses the connections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventor: Richard Kilgo
  • Patent number: 10830489
    Abstract: A condensate trap for an air handling unit is provided. The condensate trap includes at least one channel configured to selectively receive condensation flowing from the air handling unit, a drain outlet configured to selectively discharge condensation from the at least one channel, and a sealing device configured to float above condensation flowing from the least one channel to the drain outlet. The sealing device is further configured to sit atop a bottom surface of the at least one channel such that a seal is created when the at least one channel does not contain condensation, and to prevent a flow of contaminated air from the drain outlet to the air handler without completely blocking airflow from the sealing device to the air handler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Richard Kilgo, Shiva kumar Kolloju, Ragunanthanan Mylsamy
  • Publication number: 20190234651
    Abstract: A condensate trap for an air handling unit is provided. The condensate trap includes at least one channel configured to selectively receive condensation flowing from the air handling unit, a drain outlet configured to selectively discharge condensation from the at least one channel, and a sealing device configured to float above condensation flowing from the least one channel to the drain outlet. The sealing device is further configured to sit atop a bottom surface of the at least one channel such that a seal is created when the at least one channel does not contain condensation, and to prevent a flow of contaminated air from the drain outlet to the air handler without completely blocking airflow from the sealing device to the air handler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Richard Kilgo, Shiva kumar Kolloju, Ragunanthanan Mylsamy