Patents by Inventor Steven Bruce Helgeson

Steven Bruce Helgeson 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: 6367269
    Abstract: A method of controlling the operation of an electronic throttling valve in a temperature control unit having first and second pressure measurement devices. The method includes determining whether the first pressure measurement device is functioning, determining whether the second pressure measurement device is functioning, controlling the electronic throttling valve using data measured by both the first and second pressure measurement devices when both the first and second pressure measurement devices functioning, controlling the electronic throttling valve using data measured by only one of the first and second pressure measurement devices when the other of the first and second pressure measurement devices is determined to be non-functional, and controlling the electronic throttling valve using temperature data measured by the temperature control unit when both the first and second pressure measurement devices are determined to be non-functional.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Thermo King Corporation
    Inventors: Jay Lowell Hanson, Steven Bruce Helgeson
  • Patent number: 5778690
    Abstract: A method for continuously operating a multi-temp refrigeration system at a high compressor speed is provided. Such refrigeration systems include a compressor for compressing a refrigerant at a high speed and a low speed, a condenser coil for receiving and liquefying gaseous refrigerant, first and second evaporator coils for heating or cooling two different conditioned spaces, a hot gas valve for admitting hot gaseous refrigerant to one of the evaporator coils in order to heat its associated conditioned space, and a condenser inlet valve for rerouting a flow of hot gaseous refrigerant from the condenser coil to the evaporator coils. In the method of the invention, the evaporator hot gas valve is first opened to heat one of the conditioned spaces, and the condenser inlet valve is then closed to direct a flow of hot gaseous refrigerant to the opened hot gas valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Thermo King Corporation
    Inventors: Jay Lowell Hanson, Steven Bruce Helgeson, Stanley Oscar Hoium