Patents by Inventor William R. North

William R. North 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: 8689576
    Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser including a refrigeration system, a first sensor in communication with the refrigerated airflow in a discharge passageway to sense a discharge airflow temperature, and a second sensor is in communication with the refrigerated airflow in the return passageway to sense a return airflow temperature. A controller is in electrical communication with the first sensor and the second sensor and controls a temperature of the product within a predetermined temperature range that is between about 22 degrees Fahrenheit and 23 degrees Fahrenheit based on at least one of the discharge airflow temperature and the return airflow temperature. The controller is further programmed to operate the refrigeration system such that the discharge airflow temperature is maintained above a temperature between about 10 degrees Fahrenheit and 30 degrees Fahrenheit to regulate an evaporation temperature of the evaporator to avoid freezing the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Hussmann Corporation
    Inventors: Jony M. Zangari, Dennis L. Wagner, Mark Schaefer, Dennis L. Dickerson, Scott N. Hixson, William R. North
  • Patent number: 8689573
    Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser including a case, a refrigeration system, a sensor, and a controller. The refrigeration system is operable in a defrost mode defrosting the evaporator, and a refrigeration mode discharging a refrigerated airflow into the product storage area to refrigerate the product and to maintain the product within a predetermined temperature range without freezing the product, and to receive the refrigerated airflow along a return passageway. The sensor senses one or more defrost conditions of the case. The controller controls the refrigeration system in the refrigeration mode and in the defrost mode, and includes an algorithm for calculating when to initiate the defrost mode and for calculating a duration of the defrost mode. The controller is programmed to vary the refrigeration system between the refrigeration mode and the defrost mode based on the signals indicative of the defrost conditions and the calculations by the algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Hussmann Corporation
    Inventors: Jony M. Zangari, Dennis L. Wagner, Mark Schaefer, Dennis L. Dickerson, Scott N. Hixson, William R. North
  • Patent number: 8534085
    Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser including a case and a refrigeration system in communication with a product storage area of the case. The case includes a case top, a discharge passageway, and a return passageway, and the case top has a lower wall, a front wall, and a deflector. The refrigeration system includes a refrigeration circuit that has a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator in series, where the evaporator is disposed in the case top. The refrigeration system further includes a fan that cooperates with the lower wall, the front wall, and the deflector to discharge a substantially laminar refrigerated airflow into and through the product storage area to refrigerate the product within a predetermined temperature range without directing the refrigerated airflow directly at the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Hussmann Corporation
    Inventors: Jony M. Zangari, Dennis L. Wagner, Mark Schaefer, Dennis L. Dickerson, Scott N. Hixson, William R. North
  • Publication number: 20110265507
    Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser including a case and a refrigeration system in communication with a product storage area of the case. The case includes a case top, a discharge passageway, and a return passageway, and the case top has a lower wall, a front wall, and a deflector. The refrigeration system includes a refrigeration circuit that has a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator in series, where the evaporator is disposed in the case top. The refrigeration system further includes a fan that cooperates with the lower wall, the front wall, and the deflector to discharge a substantially laminar refrigerated airflow into and through the product storage area to refrigerate the product within a predetermined temperature range without directing the refrigerated airflow directly at the product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: HUSSMANN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jony M. Zangari, Dennis L. Wagner, Mark Schaefer, Dennis L. Dickerson, Scott N. Hixson, William R. North
  • Publication number: 20110265504
    Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser including a case, a refrigeration system, a sensor, and a controller. The refrigeration system is operable in a defrost mode defrosting the evaporator, and a refrigeration mode discharging a refrigerated airflow into the product storage area to refrigerate the product and to maintain the product within a predetermined temperature range without freezing the product, and to receive the refrigerated airflow along a return passageway. The sensor senses one or more defrost conditions of the case. The controller controls the refrigeration system in the refrigeration mode and in the defrost mode, and includes an algorithm for calculating when to initiate the defrost mode and for calculating a duration of the defrost mode. The controller is programmed to vary the refrigeration system between the refrigeration mode and the defrost mode based on the signals indicative of the defrost conditions and the calculations by the algorithm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: HUSSMANN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jony M. Zangari, Dennis L. Wagner, Mark Schaefer, Dennis L. Dickerson, Scott N. Hixson, William R. North
  • Publication number: 20110265503
    Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser including a refrigeration system, a first sensor in communication with the refrigerated airflow in a discharge passageway to sense a discharge airflow temperature, and a second sensor is in communication with the refrigerated airflow in the return passageway to sense a return airflow temperature. A controller is in electrical communication with the first sensor and the second sensor and controls a temperature of the product within a predetermined temperature range that is between about 22 degrees Fahrenheit and 23 degrees Fahrenheit based on at least one of the discharge airflow temperature and the return airflow temperature. The controller is further programmed to operate the refrigeration system such that the discharge airflow temperature is maintained above a temperature between about 10 degrees Fahrenheit and 30 degrees Fahrenheit to regulate an evaporation temperature of the evaporator to avoid freezing the product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: HUSSMANN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jony M. Zangari, Dennis L. Wagner, Mark Schaefer, Dennis L. Dickerson, Scott N. Hixson, William R. North
  • Patent number: 7997094
    Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser that includes a case, a refrigeration system, at least one sensor, a controller, and a display. The refrigeration system is in communication with a product storage area of the case, and discharges a refrigerated airflow into the product storage area to refrigerate product. The refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator coupled in series. The sensor is in communication with the refrigerated airflow to sense an airflow temperature and to generate a signal indicative of the airflow temperature. The controller is in electrical communication with the sensor to receive the signal indicative of the airflow temperature, and includes an algorithm that calculates a temperature of the product based on the signal indicative of the airflow temperature. The display is coupled to the case and is visible from outside the case, and is in electrical communication with the controller to show the calculated product temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Hussmann Corporation
    Inventors: Jony M. Zangari, Dennis L. Wagner, Mark Schaefer, Dennis L. Dickerson, Scott N. Hixson, William R. North
  • Publication number: 20080098761
    Abstract: A refrigerated merchandiser that includes a case, a refrigeration system, at least one sensor, a controller, and a display. The refrigeration system is in communication with a product storage area of the case, and discharges a refrigerated airflow into the product storage area to refrigerate product. The refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator coupled in series. The sensor is in communication with the refrigerated airflow to sense an airflow temperature and to generate a signal indicative of the airflow temperature. The controller is in electrical communication with the sensor to receive the signal indicative of the airflow temperature, and includes an algorithm that calculates a temperature of the product based on the signal indicative of the airflow temperature. The display is coupled to the case and is visible from outside the case, and is in electrical communication with the controller to show the calculated product temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: HUSSMANN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jony M. Zangari, Dennis L. Wagner, Mark Schaefer, Dennis L. Dickerson, Scott N. Hixson, William R. North