# US 12,760,948 B2 · Arrangement for refrigerant leak management

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,760,948 B2
- Document ID: US12760948B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/784,720
- Filed: 2024-07-25
- Published: 2025-01-30
- Granted: 2026-10-13
- Earliest claimed: 2023-07-25
- Assignees: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH
- Applicants: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH
- Inventors: Mujibul Rehaman Mohammad; Anthony J. Reardon; Praveen Gotakhindi; Karan Garg; Curtis Wayne Caskey; Karla Daniela Alvarez Cavazos; Hari Venkatesh Balasubramanian; Gurpreet Singh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12760948B2

## CPC

- F25B 49/005: {of safety devices (F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence)}
- F25B 41/40: Fluid line arrangements
- F25B 2500/222: Detecting refrigerant leaks
- F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS

## Abstract

A rooftop unit (RTU) includes a refrigerant leak detection assembly. The refrigerant leak detection assembly includes one or more refrigerant leak detectors (e.g., sensors). For example, a first refrigerant leak detector may be positioned in the RTU adjacent to a brazed joint between first and second portions of a fluid conduit, a second refrigerant leak detector may be positioned in a control box of the RTU, and/or a third refrigerant leak detector may be positioned on a blower of the RTU or in an air flow chamber fluidly coupled with a return air inlet of the RTU. Other locations of the refrigerant leak detector(s) are also possible.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A rooftop unit (RTU), comprising:
a fluid conduit configured to convey a refrigerant, wherein the fluid conduit comprises a first portion, a second portion, and a brazed joint coupling the first portion and the second portion;
a plurality of refrigerant leak detectors, wherein a refrigerant leak detector of the plurality of refrigerant leak detectors is positioned adjacent to the brazed joint; and
a control box chamber having controls circuitry disposed therein, wherein an additional refrigerant leak detector of the plurality of refrigerant leak detectors is positioned within the control box chamber, and wherein the controls circuitry is configured to:
receive sensor feedback indicative of a refrigerant leak from the refrigerant leak detector, the additional refrigerant leak detector, or both; and
perform an action based on the sensor feedback.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The RTU of claim 1, comprising:
a drain pan; and
a third refrigerant leak detector of the plurality of refrigerant leak detectors, wherein the third refrigerant leak detector is coupled to the drain pan.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The RTU of claim 1, comprising:
an evaporator; and
a third refrigerant leak detector of the plurality of refrigerant leak detectors, wherein the third refrigerant leak detector is coupled to the evaporator, disposed in an evaporator chamber having the evaporator therein, or both.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The RTU of claim 1, comprising at least one panel separating the control box chamber from an additional chamber in which the brazed joint is disposed, wherein the at least one panel comprises an opening, and the additional refrigerant leak detector is configured to detect leaked refrigerant migrating from the additional chamber, through the opening in the at least one panel, and into the control box chamber.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The RTU of claim 1, comprising:
a chamber;
a blower disposed in the chamber; and
a third refrigerant leak detector of the plurality of refrigerant leak detectors, wherein the third refrigerant leak detector is positioned in the chamber and coupled to the blower.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The RTU of claim 1, comprising:
a return air chamber fluidly coupled with a return air inlet of the RTU; and
a third refrigerant leak detector of the plurality of refrigerant leak detectors, wherein the third refrigerant leak detector is positioned in the return air chamber.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The RTU of claim 1, wherein the controls circuitry is configured to perform the action based on the sensor feedback by transmitting an alert indicative of the refrigerant leak, control a blower of the RTU, control a compressor of the RTU, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 8

A rooftop unit (RTU), comprising:
a chamber;
an additional chamber forming a control box in which controls circuitry of the RTU is disposed, wherein the control box comprises a high voltage cavity having a high voltage portion of the controls circuitry disposed therein, a low voltage cavity having a low voltage portion of the controls circuitry disposed therein, and at least one panel separating the high voltage cavity from the low voltage cavity;
at least one additional panel positioned between the chamber and the additional chamber and comprising an opening establishing a fluid coupling between the chamber and the additional chamber; and
a plurality of refrigerant leak detectors, wherein a refrigerant leak detector of the plurality of refrigerant leak detectors is positioned in the additional chamber and configured to detect a migration of leaked refrigerant from the chamber, through the opening, and into the additional chamber, and wherein the controls circuitry is configured to:
receive sensor feedback indicative of the leaked refrigerant from the refrigerant leak detector; and
perform an action based on the sensor feedback.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The RTU of claim 8, wherein:
the refrigerant leak detector is positioned in the high voltage cavity; and
an additional refrigerant leak detector of the plurality of refrigerant leak detectors is positioned in the low voltage cavity.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The RTU of claim 8, comprising:
a fluid conduit configured to convey a refrigerant, wherein the fluid conduit comprises a first portion, a second portion, and a brazed joint coupling the first portion and the second portion;
a blower configured to generate an air flow; and
an additional refrigerant leak detector of the plurality of refrigerant leak detectors, wherein the additional refrigerant leak detector is coupled to the blower or positioned adjacent to the brazed joint.

### Claim 11

A rooftop unit (RTU), comprising:
a fluid conduit configured to convey a refrigerant, wherein the fluid conduit comprises a first portion, a second portion, and a brazed joint coupling the first portion and the second portion;
a plurality of refrigerant leak detectors, wherein a refrigerant leak detector of the plurality of refrigerant leak detectors is positioned adjacent to the brazed joint;
a chamber;
a blower disposed in the chamber;
an additional refrigerant leak detector of the plurality of refrigerant leak detectors, wherein the additional refrigerant leak detector is positioned in the chamber and coupled to the blower; and
controls circuitry configured to:
receive sensor feedback indicative of a refrigerant leak from the refrigerant leak detector, the additional refrigerant leak detector, or both; and
perform an action based on the sensor feedback.

### Claim 12

A rooftop unit (RTU), comprising:
a fluid conduit configured to convey a refrigerant, wherein the fluid conduit comprises a first portion, a second portion, and a brazed joint coupling the first portion and the second portion;
a plurality of refrigerant leak detectors, wherein a refrigerant leak detector of the plurality of refrigerant leak detectors is positioned adjacent to the brazed joint;
a return air chamber fluidly coupled with a return air inlet of the RTU, wherein the plurality of refrigerant leak detectors comprises an additional refrigerant leak detector positioned in the return air chamber; and
controls circuitry configured to:
receive sensor feedback indicative of a refrigerant leak from the refrigerant leak detector, the additional refrigerant leak detector, or both; and
perform an action based on the sensor feedback.

### Claim 13

A rooftop unit (RTU), comprising:
a chamber;
an additional chamber forming a control box in which controls circuitry of the RTU is disposed;
at least one panel positioned between the chamber and the additional chamber and comprising an opening establishing a fluid coupling between the chamber and the additional chamber;
a plurality of refrigerant leak detectors, wherein a refrigerant leak detector of the plurality of refrigerant leak detectors is positioned in the additional chamber and configured to detect a migration of leaked refrigerant from the chamber, through the opening, and into the additional chamber;
a fluid conduit configured to convey a refrigerant, wherein the fluid conduit comprises a first portion, a second portion, and a brazed joint coupling the first portion and the second portion;
a blower configured to generate an air flow;
an additional refrigerant leak detector of the plurality of refrigerant leak detectors, wherein the additional refrigerant leak detector is coupled to the blower or positioned adjacent to the brazed joint, and wherein the controls circuitry is configured to:
receive sensor feedback indicative of the leaked refrigerant from the refrigerant leak detector, indicative of additional leaked refrigerant from the additional refrigerant leak detector, or indicative of the leaked refrigerant from the refrigerant leak detector and the additional leaked refrigerant from the additional refrigerant leak detector; and
perform an action based on the sensor feedback.