Patents by Inventor Stephen B. Pickle

Stephen B. Pickle 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: 20240133596
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) unit includes a first sensor disposed adjacent to an inlet of an evaporator configured to receive an airflow. The HVAC unit includes a second sensor disposed adjacent to an outlet of a reheat coil positioned downstream of the evaporator and configured to expel the airflow. The HVAC unit also includes a controller configured to regulate operation of a modulating reheat valve to adjust flow of a working fluid in thermal communication with the airflow to control a difference between a measurement of the first sensor and a measurement of the second sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Inventors: John T. Knight, Stephen B. Pickle, Norman J. Blanton, Kerry L. Shumway
  • Patent number: 11867413
    Abstract: An HVAC system includes a single compressor, a pair of condensers, a reheat heat exchanger, an evaporator, and an expansion device. Within the system, the refrigerant exiting the compressor is separated into two portions. In the cooling mode, the first and second portions of the refrigerant are directed from the compressor through the two condensers in parallel. In the reheat mode, the first portion of the refrigerant is directed through the first condenser, while the second portion of the refrigerant is directed through the reheat heat exchanger. The system also may include a head pressure control device that is designed to maintain the compressor discharge pressure within a desired range by adjusting the condenser fan speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Norman J. Blanton, Stephen C. Wilson, Stephen B. Pickle
  • Patent number: 11768020
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) unit includes a first sensor disposed adjacent to an inlet of an evaporator configured to receive an airflow. The HVAC unit includes a second sensor disposed adjacent to an outlet of a reheat coil positioned downstream of the evaporator and configured to expel the airflow. The HVAC unit also includes a controller configured to regulate operation of a modulating reheat valve to adjust flow of a working fluid in thermal communication with the airflow to control a difference between a measurement of the first sensor and a measurement of the second sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: John T. Knight, Stephen B. Pickle, Norman J. Blanton, Kerry L Shumway
  • Publication number: 20230087675
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) unit includes a first sensor disposed adjacent to an inlet of an evaporator configured to receive an airflow. The HVAC unit includes a second sensor disposed adjacent to an outlet of a reheat coil positioned downstream of the evaporator and configured to expel the airflow. The HVAC unit also includes a controller configured to regulate operation of a modulating reheat valve to adjust flow of a working fluid in thermal communication with the airflow to control a difference between a measurement of the first sensor and a measurement of the second sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: John T. Knight, Stephen B. Pickle, Norman J. Blanton, Kerry L. Shumway
  • Publication number: 20230003415
    Abstract: A system for modulating hot gas reheat operation of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system with multiple compressors, wherein the HVAC system is configured to regulate air provided to multiple zones. The system includes a controller configured to respond to a call for dehumidification in the absence of a call for cooling by sequentially energizing a first compressor of the multiple compressors in a reheat mode of the first compressor, energizing a second compressor of the multiple compressors in a cooling mode of the second compressor, energizing a third compressor of the multiple compressors in a reheat mode of the third compressor initially at full capacity, and energizing a fourth compressor of the multiple compressors in a cooling mode of the fourth compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventors: Stephen B. Pickle, John T. Knight
  • Patent number: 11473809
    Abstract: A system for modulating hot gas reheat operation of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system with multiple compressors, wherein the HVAC system is configured to regulate air provided to multiple zones. The system includes a controller configured to respond to a call for dehumidification in the absence of a call for cooling by sequentially energizing a first compressor of the multiple compressors in a reheat mode of the first compressor, energizing a second compressor of the multiple compressors in a cooling mode of the second compressor, energizing a third compressor of the multiple compressors in a reheat mode of the third compressor initially at full capacity, and energizing a fourth compressor of the multiple compressors in a cooling mode of the fourth compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: JOHNSON CONTROLS TYCO IP HOLDNGS LLP
    Inventors: Stephen B. Pickle, John T. Knight
  • Patent number: 11421923
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) unit includes a first sensor disposed adjacent to an inlet of an evaporator configured to receive an airflow. The HVAC unit includes a second sensor disposed adjacent to an outlet of a reheat coil positioned downstream of the evaporator and configured to expel the airflow. The HVAC unit also includes a controller configured to regulate operation of a modulating reheat valve to adjust flow of a working fluid in thermal communication with the airflow to control a difference between a measurement of the first sensor and a measurement of the second sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: John T. Knight, Stephen B. Pickle, Norman J. Blanton, Kerry L. Shumway
  • Patent number: 11162704
    Abstract: A heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a compressor configured to circulate a fluid through the HVAC system, a first coil configured to establish a first heat exchange relationship between the fluid and a first airflow across the first coil, a second coil configured to establish a second heat exchange relationship between the fluid and a second airflow across the second coil, and a fan configured to direct the first airflow across the first coil, the second airflow across the second coil, or both, and where the first airflow across the first coil is directed to be isolated from the second airflow across the second coil, and the first airflow is blocked from flowing across the first coil when the first coil is inactive and the second airflow is blocked from flowing across the second coil when the second coil is inactive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: John T. Knight, Stephen B. Pickle
  • Publication number: 20200400323
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a single compressor HVAC system with hot gas reheat. The system includes a single compressor, a pair of condensers, a reheat heat exchanger, an evaporator, and an expansion device. Within the system, the refrigerant exiting the compressor is separated into two portions. In the cooling mode, the first and second portions of the refrigerant are directed from the compressor through the two condensers in parallel. In the reheat mode, the first portion of the refrigerant is directed through the first condenser, while the second portion of the refrigerant is directed through the reheat heat exchanger. The system also may include a head pressure control device that is designed to maintain the compressor discharge pressure within a desired range by adjusting the condenser fan speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Norman J. Blanton, Stephen C. Wilson, Stephen B. Pickle
  • Publication number: 20200370765
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) unit includes a first sensor disposed adjacent to an inlet of an evaporator configured to receive an airflow. The HVAC unit includes a second sensor disposed adjacent to an outlet of a reheat coil positioned downstream of the evaporator and configured to expel the airflow. The HVAC unit also includes a controller configured to regulate operation of a modulating reheat valve to adjust flow of a working fluid in thermal communication with the airflow to control a difference between a measurement of the first sensor and a measurement of the second sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: John T. Knight, Stephen B. Pickle, Norman J. Blanton, Kerry L. Shumway
  • Patent number: 10760798
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a single compressor HVAC system with hot gas reheat. The system includes a single compressor, a pair of condensers, a reheat heat exchanger, an evaporator, and an expansion device. Within the system, the refrigerant exiting the compressor is separated into two portions. In the cooling mode, the first and second portions of the refrigerant are directed from the compressor through the two condensers in parallel. In the reheat mode, the first portion of the refrigerant is directed through the first condenser, while the second portion of the refrigerant is directed through the reheat heat exchanger. The system also may include a head pressure control device that is designed to maintain the compressor discharge pressure within a desired range by adjusting the condenser fan speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Norman J. Blanton, Stephen C. Wilson, Stephen B. Pickle
  • Publication number: 20200271340
    Abstract: A system for modulating hot gas reheat operation of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system with multiple compressors, wherein the HVAC system is configured to regulate air provided to multiple zones. The system includes a controller configured to respond to a call for dehumidification in the absence of a call for cooling by sequentially energizing a first compressor of the multiple compressors in a reheat mode of the first compressor, energizing a second compressor of the multiple compressors in a cooling mode of the second compressor, energizing a third compressor of the multiple compressors in a reheat mode of the third compressor initially at full capacity, and energizing a fourth compressor of the multiple compressors in a cooling mode of the fourth compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: Stephen B. Pickle, John T. Knight
  • Publication number: 20190383513
    Abstract: A heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a compressor configured to circulate a fluid through the HVAC system, a first coil configured to establish a first heat exchange relationship between the fluid and a first airflow across the first coil, a second coil configured to establish a second heat exchange relationship between the fluid and a second airflow across the second coil, and a fan configured to direct the first airflow across the first coil, the second airflow across the second coil, or both, and where the first airflow across the first coil is directed to be isolated from the second airflow across the second coil, and the first airflow is blocked from flowing across the first coil when the first coil is inactive and the second airflow is blocked from flowing across the second coil when the second coil is inactive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: John T. Knight, Stephen B. Pickle
  • Publication number: 20190286173
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit that includes a housing that defines an airflow path and a sensor disposed within the airflow path configured to collect data indicative of airflow. The HVAC unit also includes a controller configured to receive data from the sensor, determine an amount of airflow based on the data, and display the amount of airflow via a display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventor: Stephen B. Pickle
  • Patent number: 10401046
    Abstract: A heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a compressor configured to circulate a fluid through the HVAC system, a first coil configured to establish a first heat exchange relationship between the fluid and a first airflow across the first coil, a second coil configured to establish a second heat exchange relationship between the fluid and a second airflow across the second coil, and a fan configured to direct the first airflow across the first coil, the second airflow across the second coil, or both, and where the first airflow across the first coil is directed to be isolated from the second airflow across the second coil, and the first airflow is blocked from flowing across the first coil when the first coil is inactive and the second airflow is blocked from flowing across the second coil when the second coil is inactive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: John T. Knight, Stephen B. Pickle
  • Publication number: 20190186761
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a single compressor HVAC system with hot gas reheat. The system includes a single compressor, a pair of condensers, a reheat heat exchanger, an evaporator, and an expansion device. Within the system, the refrigerant exiting the compressor is separated into two portions. In the cooling mode, the first and second portions of the refrigerant are directed from the compressor through the two condensers in parallel. In the reheat mode, the first portion of the refrigerant is directed through the first condenser, while the second portion of the refrigerant is directed through the reheat heat exchanger. The system also may include a head pressure control device that is designed to maintain the compressor discharge pressure within a desired range by adjusting the condenser fan speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Norman J. Blanton, Stephen C. Wilson, Stephen B. Pickle
  • Patent number: 10247430
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a single compressor HVAC system with hot gas reheat. The system includes a single compressor, a pair of condensers, a reheat heat exchanger, an evaporator, and an expansion device. Within the system, the refrigerant exiting the compressor is separated into two portions. In the cooling mode, the first and second portions of the refrigerant are directed from the compressor through the two condensers in parallel. In the reheat mode, the first portion of the refrigerant is directed through the first condenser, while the second portion of the refrigerant is directed through the reheat heat exchanger. The system also may include a head pressure control device that is designed to maintain the compressor discharge pressure within a desired range by adjusting the condenser fan speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Norman J. Blanton, Stephen C. Wilson, Stephen B. Pickle
  • Patent number: 10174958
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a single compressor HVAC system with hot gas reheat. The system includes a single compressor, a pair of condensers, a reheat heat exchanger, an evaporator, and an expansion device. Within the system, the refrigerant exiting the compressor is separated into two portions. In the cooling mode, the first and second portions of the refrigerant are directed from the compressor through the two condensers in parallel. In the reheat mode, the first portion of the refrigerant is directed through the first condenser, while the second portion of the refrigerant is directed through the reheat heat exchanger. The system also may include a head pressure control device that is designed to maintain the compressor discharge pressure within a desired range by adjusting the condenser fan speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Norman J. Blanton, Stephen C. Wilson, Stephen B. Pickle
  • Patent number: 10101041
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a single compressor HVAC system with hot gas reheat. The system includes a single compressor, a pair of condensers, a reheat heat exchanger, an evaporator, and an expansion device. Within the system, the refrigerant exiting the compressor is separated into two portions. In the cooling mode, the first and second portions of the refrigerant are directed from the compressor through the two condensers in parallel. In the reheat mode, the first portion of the refrigerant is directed through the first condenser, while the second portion of the refrigerant is directed through the reheat heat exchanger. The system also may include a head pressure control device that is designed to maintain the compressor discharge pressure within a desired range by adjusting the condenser fan speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Norman J. Blanton, Stephen C. Wilson, Stephen B. Pickle
  • Patent number: 10072854
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a single compressor HVAC system with hot gas reheat. The system includes a single compressor, a pair of condensers, a reheat heat exchanger, an evaporator, and an expansion device. Within the system, the refrigerant exiting the compressor is separated into two portions. In the cooling mode, the first and second portions of the refrigerant are directed from the compressor through the two condensers in parallel. In the reheat mode, the first portion of the refrigerant is directed through the first condenser, while the second portion of the refrigerant is directed through the reheat heat exchanger. The system also may include a head pressure control device that is designed to maintain the compressor discharge pressure within a desired range by adjusting the condenser fan speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Norman J. Blanton, Stephen C. Wilson, Stephen B. Pickle