Patents by Inventor Stephen S. Hancock
Stephen S. Hancock 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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Publication number: 20240315957Abstract: The present technology relates to depots for the treatment of postoperative pain via sustained, controlled release of a therapeutic agent. In some embodiments, the depot may comprise a therapeutic region comprising an analgesic, and a control region comprising a bioresorbable polymer and a releasing agent mixed with the polymer. The releasing agent may be configured to dissolve when the depot is placed in vivo to form diffusion openings in the control region. The depot may be configured to be implanted at a treatment site in vivo and, while implanted, release the therapeutic agent at the treatment site for no less than 3 days.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2024Publication date: September 26, 2024Inventors: Karun D. Naga, Hanson S. Gifford, III, Stephen W. Boyd, Patrick H. Ruane, Jackie Joe Hancock, Michael Feldstein, Koon Kiat Teu, Honglei Wang, Jingnan Luo, Daniel Boon Lim Seet
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Patent number: 10473373Abstract: A microchannel heat exchanger has an upper portion connected in fluid communication with a header, a lower portion connected in fluid communication with the header at a location that is vertically lower on the header than the upper portion, and a sight glass on the header. The sight glass can be horizontally aligned with a top of the second portion. The sight glass can be served as a visual aid when charging the microchannel heat exchanger with a refrigerant at a predetermined level. When an indicator indicates that refrigerant is mixed vapor and liquid, refrigerant can be added into the microchannel heat exchanger. When the indicator indicates that the refrigerant is liquid, the charging process can be stopped.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2017Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventor: Stephen S. Hancock
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Publication number: 20190032975Abstract: A microchannel heat exchanger has an upper portion connected in fluid communication with a header, a lower portion connected in fluid communication with the header at a location that is vertically lower on the header than the upper portion, and a sight glass on the header. The sight glass can be horizontally aligned with a top of the second portion. The sight glass can be served as a visual aid when charging the microchannel heat exchanger with a refrigerant at a predetermined level. When an indicator indicates that refrigerant is mixed vapor and liquid, refrigerant can be added into the microchannel heat exchanger. When the indicator indicates that the refrigerant is liquid, the charging process can be stopped.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2017Publication date: January 31, 2019Inventor: Stephen S. HANCOCK
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Patent number: 10066843Abstract: A method of constructing an air handling unit includes forming an air handling enclosure, mounting a blower in the air handling enclosure, mounting a heat exchanger in the air handling enclosure downstream of the blower, and mounting at least one heating element in the air handing enclosure downstream of the blower. A method of operating an HVAC system includes disposing a heat exchanger downstream of a blower within an enclosure, providing an airflow through the enclosure, and orienting a plurality of fins on the heat exchanger to stabilize the airflow exiting the heat exchanger prior to the airflow contacting an electrically-powered resistive heating element.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2016Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: Trane International Inc.Inventor: Stephen S. Hancock
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Patent number: 9897357Abstract: Systems and methods may include a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system having a heat exchanger and an expansion device disposed upstream and in fluid communication with the heat exchanger. The expansion device includes a pressure recovery portion. The expansion device may also include an isentropic expansion device and/or a substantially isentropic expansion device.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2015Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: Trane International Inc.Inventor: Stephen S. Hancock
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Publication number: 20160169540Abstract: An air handling unit has an enclosure, a heat exchanger disposed within the enclosure, and a heating element substantially co-located with the heat exchanger within the enclosure. An air handling unit has a cabinet with a first air opening and a second air opening. A blower is disposed within the cabinet adjacent to the first air opening and a heat exchanger is disposed within the cabinet adjacent to an air outlet of the blower unit and also adjacent to the second air opening. At least one heating element is located adjacent the heat exchanger. A method of constructing an air handling unit includes forming an air handling enclosure, mounting a blower in the air handling enclosure, mounting a heat exchanger in the air handling enclosure downstream of the blower, and mounting at least one heating element in the air handing enclosure downstream of the blower.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2016Publication date: June 16, 2016Inventor: Stephen S. HANCOCK
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Patent number: 9303882Abstract: An air handling unit includes an enclosure, a heat exchanger having a first section and a second section, wherein the heat exchanger is disposed within the enclosure, and at least one heating element substantially co-located with the heat exchanger within the enclosure. The at least one heating element is at least partially located between the first section of the heat exchanger and the second section of the heat exchanger.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2009Date of Patent: April 5, 2016Assignee: Trane International Inc.Inventor: Stephen S. Hancock
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Patent number: 9279429Abstract: A blower housing has a discharge direction, an axis of rotation, a polar axis that intersects the axis of rotation and is substantially perpendicular to the discharge direction, and an angular sweep of increasing fluid flow area. The fluid flow area, A, increases with increasing angular magnitude, ?, as a function comprising at least a functional component that is at least one of (1) equal to, (2) substantially mathematically reducible to, and (3) substantially mathematically analogous to the equation, A ? ( ? ) = A co + R ? ( 1 - 1 - [ ( r i ) ? ( ? ) R ] 2 ) , where Aco is a minimum fluid flow area, R is a radius of a first circle, and ri is a radius of a second circle that is smaller than the first circle.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2015Date of Patent: March 8, 2016Assignee: Trane International Inc.Inventor: Stephen S. Hancock
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Publication number: 20160047582Abstract: Systems and methods may include a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system having a heat exchanger and an expansion device disposed upstream and in fluid communication with the heat exchanger. The expansion device includes a pressure recovery portion. The expansion device may also include an isentropic expansion device and/or a substantially isentropic expansion device.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2015Publication date: February 18, 2016Inventor: Stephen S. Hancock
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Patent number: 9234673Abstract: An air handling unit has a blower configured to selectively move air from an air inlet of the air handling unit to an air outlet of the air handling unit along an airflow direction extending from the blower to the air outlet, a heat exchanger disposed within the air handling unit between the inlet and the outlet, the heat exchanger has a thermal conductor, an evaporator tube thermally conductively joined to the thermal conductor, and a subcooler tube thermally conductively joined to the thermal conductor. An expansion device provides fluid communication between the evaporator tube and the subcooler tube and a drain pan disposed within the air handling unit upstream relative to the at least one subcooler tube and positioned in a geometrical footprint of at least a portion of the drain pan as the drain pan is viewed from an upstream position in the airflow direction.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2011Date of Patent: January 12, 2016Assignee: Trane International Inc.Inventors: Jonathan David Douglas, Kevin B. Mercer, Benton A. Harris, Jr., Stephen S. Hancock
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Patent number: 9188137Abstract: A blower housing has a discharge direction, an axis of rotation, a polar axis that intersects the axis of rotation and is substantially perpendicular to the discharge direction, an angular sweep of increasing fluid flow area, and an axial contraction located at an angularly greater value than the angular sweep.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2011Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignee: Trane International Inc.Inventor: Stephen S. Hancock
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Publication number: 20150252817Abstract: A blower housing has a discharge direction, an axis of rotation, a polar axis that intersects the axis of rotation and is substantially perpendicular to the discharge direction, and an angular sweep of increasing fluid flow area. The fluid flow area, A, increases with increasing angular magnitude, ?, as a function comprising at least a functional component that is at least one of (1) equal to, (2) substantially mathematically reducible to, and (3) substantially mathematically analogous to the equation, A ? ( ? ) = A co + R ? ( 1 - 1 - [ ( r i ) ? ( ? ) R ] 2 ) , where Aco is a minimum fluid flow area, R is a radius of a first circle, and ri is a radius of a second circle that is smaller than the first circle.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2015Publication date: September 10, 2015Inventor: Stephen S. Hancock
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Patent number: 9039363Abstract: A blower housing has a discharge direction, an axis of rotation, a polar axis that intersects the axis of rotation and is substantially perpendicular to the discharge direction, and an angular sweep of increasing fluid flow area. The fluid flow area, A, increases with increasing angular magnitude, ?, as a function comprising at least a functional component that is at least one of (1) equal to, (2) substantially mathematically reducible to, and (3) substantially mathematically analogous to the equation, A ? ( ? ) = A co + R ( 1 - 1 - [ ( r i ) ? ( ? ) R ] 2 ) , where Aco is a minimum fluid flow area, R is a radius of a first circle, and ri is a radius of a second circle that is smaller than the first circle.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2012Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: Trane International Inc.Inventor: Stephen S. Hancock
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Patent number: 9016082Abstract: A condensing unit has a fan selectively operable to draw air through the condensing unit along an airflow path, a first row of condenser tubes disposed along the airflow path, and a second row of desuperheater tubes disposed along the airflow path downstream relative to the first row of condenser tubes. A condensing unit has an airflow path, a desuperheater heat exchanger disposed along the airflow path, and a condenser heat exchanger disposed along the airflow path. A method of desuperheating a refrigerant includes causing air having a first air temperature to encounter a condenser tube comprising refrigerant having a first refrigerant temperature, raising the temperature of the air to a second air temperature, and causing the air having the second air temperature to encounter a desuperheater tube comprising refrigerant having a second refrigerant temperature higher than the first refrigerant temperature.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2010Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: Trane International Inc.Inventor: Stephen S. Hancock
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Publication number: 20130343865Abstract: A blower housing has a discharge direction, an axis of rotation, a polar axis that intersects the axis of rotation and is substantially perpendicular to the discharge direction, and an angular sweep of increasing fluid flow area. The fluid flow area, A, increases with increasing angular magnitude, ?, as a function comprising at least a functional component that is at least one of (1) equal to, (2) substantially mathematically reducible to, and (3) substantially mathematically analogous to the equation, A ? ( ? ) = A co + R ( 1 - 1 - [ ( r i ) ? ( ? ) R ] 2 ) , where Aco is a minimum fluid flow area, R is a radius of a first circle, and ri is a radius of a second circle that is smaller than the first circle.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2012Publication date: December 26, 2013Applicant: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventor: Stephen S. Hancock
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Publication number: 20130142615Abstract: A blower housing has a discharge direction, an axis of rotation, a polar axis that intersects the axis of rotation and is substantially perpendicular to the discharge direction, an angular sweep of increasing fluid flow area, and an axial contraction located at an angularly greater value than the angular sweep.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2011Publication date: June 6, 2013Applicant: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventor: Stephen S. Hancock
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Publication number: 20130092355Abstract: An air handling unit has a blower configured to selectively move air from an air inlet of the air handling unit to an air outlet of the air handling unit along an airflow direction extending from the blower to the air outlet, a heat exchanger disposed within the air handling unit between the inlet and the outlet, the heat exchanger has a thermal conductor, an evaporator tube thermally conductively joined to the thermal conductor, and a subcooler tube thermally conductively joined to the thermal conductor. An expansion device provides fluid communication between the evaporator tube and the subcooler tube and a drain pan disposed within the air handling unit upstream relative to the at least one subcooler tube and positioned in a geometrical footprint of at least a portion of the drain pan as the drain pan is viewed from an upstream position in the airflow direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2011Publication date: April 18, 2013Applicant: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventors: Jonathan David Douglas, Kevin B. Mercer, Benton A. Harris, JR., Stephen S. Hancock
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Patent number: 8267160Abstract: A fin has a substantially flat base plane with a first side facing a first direction and a second side facing a second direction. The fin also has a first louver with a leading edge closer to the base plane and a trailing edge offset from the base plane in the first direction, a second louver located at least partially downstream of the first louver, with a leading edge offset from the base plane in the second direction and a trailing edge offset from the base plane in the first direction, and a third louver located at least partially downstream of the second louver, the third louver having a leading edge offset from the base plane in the second direction and a trailing edge closer to the base plane than the third louver leading edge.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2009Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: Trane International Inc.Inventor: Stephen S. Hancock
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Publication number: 20110296856Abstract: A condensing unit has a fan selectively operable to draw air through the condensing unit along an airflow path, a first row of condenser tubes disposed along the airflow path, and a second row of desuperheater tubes disposed along the airflow path downstream relative to the first row of condenser tubes. A condensing unit has an airflow path, a desuperheater heat exchanger disposed along the airflow path, and a condenser heat exchanger disposed along the airflow path. A method of desuperheating a refrigerant includes causing air having a first air temperature to encounter a condenser tube comprising refrigerant having a first refrigerant temperature, raising the temperature of the air to a second air temperature, and causing the air having the second air temperature to encounter a desuperheater tube comprising refrigerant having a second refrigerant temperature higher than the first refrigerant temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2010Publication date: December 8, 2011Applicant: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventor: Stephen S. Hancock
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Patent number: 8061415Abstract: A fin having a leading edge, a trailing edge opposing the leading edge, and a plurality of leading holes substantially centered along a leading axis. The fin further having a plurality of secondary holes substantially centered along a secondary axis, the secondary axis being substantially parallel to the leading axis and located between the leading axis and the trailing edge, the plurality of secondary holes being located so that the plurality of leading holes and the plurality of secondary holes form a substantially rectangular matrix. The fin further having a plurality of trailing holes substantially centered along a trailing axis, the trailing axis being substantially parallel to at least one of the leading axis and the secondary axis and located between the secondary axis and the trailing edge, each of the plurality of trailing holes being substantially equidistant from the respective two nearest secondary holes.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2009Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Trane International, Inc.Inventor: Stephen S. Hancock