Lorne R Nelson, Age 92Saint Paul, MN

5318104, Jun 7, 1994

Sep 16, 1992

7/946243

Dipak J. Shah - Eden Prairie MN
J. Ward MacArthur - Minneapolis MN
Robert L. Buchholz - Eden Prairie MN
Eric W. Grald - Lyme NH
Lorne W. Nelson - Bloomington MN

Honeywell Inc. - Minneapolis MN

F24F 700

165 22

The present invention describes an apparatus and method for controlling the temperature in a plurality of comfort zones within a house or building. The invention contemplates a series of zone control devices which are selectively opened or closed to allow heating and/or cooling to individual zones. The temperature in each zone is sensed and compared to a preferred setpoint temperature to determine a temperature error for each zone. The respective temperature error signals for each zone are used to determine the zone of greatest thermal error. The zone of greatest thermal error is used to turn the heating/cooling plant on and off. The remaining zone or zones of lesser thermal error have their zone control devices closed or opened, depending upon the temperature error signal for their respective zones. In this manner, all zones are synchronized to the zone of greatest thermal error and to the cycle of the heating/cooling plant.

5351855, Oct 4, 1994

Apr 2, 1992

7/862131

Lorne W. Nelson - Bloomington MN
Eric W. Grald - Canaan NH

Honeywell Inc. - Minneapolis MN

G05D 2200

23644C

An environmental control system that utilizes the output of a thermostat to estimate the outdoor temperature can be used to eliminate the possibility of condensation on the inside of windows and on the inside of the walls. This is important in homes and buildings that are located in areas where the outdoor temperature gets very low. An acceptable humidity level can be calculated when the outdoor temperature has been determined. Once the acceptable humidity level is calculated, this value can be communicated to the humidistat so the humidity level within the house can then be adjusted accordingly. The humidistat can have the capability to manually override the automatic adjustments, thus giving the operator the flexibility of maintaining the humidity level within the building at a desired level.

4277018, Jul 7, 1981

Oct 11, 1979

6/083914

Lorne W. Nelson - Bloomington MN

Honeywell Inc. - Minneapolis MN

F23N 520

236 46R

A clock thermostat apparatus for controlling the temperature in a space at different temperatures depending upon the time period of the time controlled apparatus has a second temperature responsive apparatus responsive to space temperature for determining the pickup time required to bring the temperature of the space back to normal after a period of setback. When the space temperature drops a small amount, the pickup time for bringing the space back to a normal temperature is short; however, during cold weather conditions when the space temperature drops a large amount, a greater pickup time period is scheduled.

5024265, Jun 18, 1991

Dec 18, 1989

7/451705

Robert L. Buchholz - Eden Prairie MN
Eric W. Grald - Maple Plain MN
Lorne W. Nelson - Bloomington MN
Dipak J. Shah - Eden Prairie MN

Honeywell Inc. - Minneapolis MN

F24F 700

165 22

A zone control system uses signals from a plurality of separate zone thermostats to determine the zone of greatest thermal load or demand. Specifically, the on-time of each thermostat signal is integrated with respect to time so that the zone of greatest demand can be determined. The thermostat signal from the zone of greatest demand is used to control a duct damper between that zone and a heating/cooling plant. To synchronize the opening of the other zone duct dampers with the duct damper of the zone of greatest demand, the length of each of the on-periods of the thermostats in the other zones is first converted to the cycle rate of the zone of greatest demand thermostat since the other thermostats are operating at different duty cycles. A microprocessor-based master zone controller uses these converted on-signals to control respective zone duct dampers in the other zones coincident with the start of the thermostat on-period of the zone of greatest demand. Thus, the duty cycle of these duct control signals is equal to the duty cycles of the thermostats in the corresponding zones, but the control signals have time periods equal to that of the control signal for the zone of greatest demand.

4439139, Mar 27, 1984

Feb 26, 1982

6/352814

Lorne W. Nelson - Bloomington MN
Ralph H. Torborg - Minnetonka MN

Honeywell Inc. - Minneapolis MN

F23N 300

431 20

A furnace stack damper control apparatus has a motor for connection to a stack damper to open the damper upon a call for heat by a space thermostat. The motor is driven in a closed direction by electrical energization and in an open direction by a spring return. A relay having two normally open switches and a normally closed switch is energized when a space thermostat calls for heat. The normally closed switch then opens to allow the damper motor to open the damper by the spring return. The motor has an end switch having a normally open and a normally closed circuit. The normally open circuit is used with one of the normally open switches of the relay to energize a gas valve when the damper is open. The normally closed end switch is used to provide the energization circuit for the relay by the space thermostat and the relay is maintained energized when the damper is open by the other normally open switch of the relay connected in parallel to the normally closed end switch. The circuit provides for additional safety in that normal operation of the gas valve control apparatus does not take place if the normally open or normally closed end switches stick in either position.

4445567, May 1, 1984

Feb 26, 1982

6/352669

Lorne W. Nelson - Bloomington MN

Honeywell Inc. - Minneapolis MN

F25B 2900

165 29

A two-stage thermostat means for an add-on heat pump installation provides separated control of a furnace and a heat pump. The two-stage thermostat means utilizes a single pole, single throw switch means, and a single pole, double throw switch means to properly stage and control a heat pump and a fossil fueled furnace so that they do not overlap. The control of the temperature of the heated area is independent of any need to connect a circuit between the thermostat in the heated area and any type of thermostat at the heat pump itself.

4878355, Nov 7, 1989

Feb 27, 1989

7/315986

Thomas J. Beckey - Edina MN
Lorne W. Nelson - Bloomington MN

Honeywell Inc. - Minneapolis MN

F25B 4100

62115

A method for improving cooling of a compressor element used in an air conditioning system and having a refrigerant compressor and associated drive motor hermetically sealed in a fluid-tight shell includes the steps of detecting an excessive increase in the temperature of the compressor element, intermittently operating the system during the excessive temperature detection with a superheat of a refrigerant in the system below zero superheat degrees to concurrently allow liquid refrigerant to enter the shell to enhance the cooling of the compressor apparatus by the latent heat of vaporization of the liquid refrigerant and terminating the intermittent operation and the admittance of the liquid refrigerant into the compressor element upon a detection of a desired temperature of operation of the compressor element. An air conditioning apparatus utilizing this method includes a device for introducing an intermittent perturbation into the control of an expansion valve located in a refrigerant flow line in the air conditioning apparatus. The control of this valve is based on a desired superheat of the refrigerant.

4848099, Jul 18, 1989

Sep 14, 1988

7/244200

Thomas J. Beckey - Edina MN
Lorne W. Nelson - Bloomington MN

Honeywell Inc. - Minneapolis MN

F25B 4100

62212

A refrigeration system comprises a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, an accumulator, and an adjustable controllable expansion valve. An electronic control system monitors the value of superheat and accordingly provides an electrical control signal to adjust the controllable expansion valve in order to maintain a set point superheat value. An unfiltered path is provided to ensure expedient response when the system starts operation and when dynamic changes occur. A filtered path is provided to reduce hunting, or oscillations about the set point, of the superheat value during steady state operation.