Patents Examined by Stephen W. Jackson
  • Patent number: 11978588
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a multi-stage solenoid actuator. In one example, a system may include a solenoid actuator comprising a series of coils, the first coil enclosed by a first housing, the second and third coils enclosed by a second housing, and a plunger enclosed by the second housing. The method may include the first and second housing, and the plunger, moving in series, increasing the total displace of the actuator via single electric signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: DANA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC
    Inventor: Perry M. Paielli
  • Patent number: 11978601
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the teachings herein include a DC network comprising: an electrical conductor; a switching unit arranged at one end of the conductor to break the electrical connection via the conductor, the switching unit including a controllable power semiconductor connected in series in the current path of the conductor; wherein the conductor includes a first section and a second section starting from the switching unit with a connection point between the first section and the second section; a first overvoltage protection apparatus connected between the connecting point and a second pole of the DC network; and a second overvoltage protection apparatus connected between that end of the second section remote from the switching unit and the second pole. The overvoltage protection apparatuses each have a capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Karsten Handt, Stefan Hänsel, Boris Kuschel, Jörg Weiss
  • Patent number: 11973494
    Abstract: Driver circuitry for driving a power semiconductor switch having a control input and main terminals is described. The driver circuitry includes control terminal driver circuitry coupled to the control input and configured to provide a drive signal, a sense terminal coupled to the main terminal, a current mirror coupled to the sense terminal to mirror a current input into the sense terminal during turn-off, a first current comparator configured to compare a current signal received from the current mirror to a first current threshold and output a first signal representative of the comparison, and a second comparator configured to compare a signal received from the sense terminal to a turn-on threshold and output a second signal representative of the comparison. The turn-on threshold represents a highest voltage of the main terminal during turn-on. The first current threshold represents a highest voltage of the main terminal during turn-off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: POWER INTEGRATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Jan Thalheim
  • Patent number: 11973341
    Abstract: A DC power supply may use an input supply surge protection circuit that may be robust against positive and negative power surges. DC power may be provided through a first unidirectional circuit component such as a diode or selectively controlled MOSFET coupled in parallel with a transient voltage suppressor or Zener diode. The first unidirectional circuit component may have a first voltage rating and the transient voltage suppressor or Zener diode may have a second voltage rating lower than the first voltage rating. This may allow current to flow backward over the transient voltage suppressor or Zener diode to protect the first unidirectional circuit component from exposure to voltage beyond the first voltage rating in a power surge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam S. El-Mansouri, Anthony L. Randall, Valeriy F. Wold
  • Patent number: 11972915
    Abstract: A breaking device includes an interrupting section including interrupting units in which main interrupters, impedance circuits, and unit arresters are connected in parallel to each other, the main interrupters being connected in series, a resonant circuit section including a reactor, a capacitor, and a closing switch and connected in parallel to the interrupting section, and an all-point arrester connected in parallel to the interrupting section via the reactor. The clamping voltages of the unit arresters are equal among the interrupting units, and are in the range of 1.1 to 1.6 times the value obtained by dividing the clamping voltage of the all-point arrester by the number of the interrupting units connected in series in the interrupting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Inagaki, Sho Tokoyoda, Hiroki Ito
  • Patent number: 11973338
    Abstract: A chip-level software and hardware cooperative relay protection device is provided. The device includes: a control chip, wherein a first control unit, a second control unit, and multiple logic circuits are integrated on the control chip; and the logic circuits perform microsecond-level rapid calculation on electrical signals of a protected electrical device, obtain fault feature parameters of the protected electrical device are and transmit same to the first control unit, then perform millisecond-level real-time protection logic determination according to the fault feature parameters of the protected electrical device to obtain relay protection results of the protected electrical device, and protect the protected electrical device by controlling an external relay according to the relay protection results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: DIGITAL GRID RES. INST., CHINA SOUTHERN PWR. GRID
    Inventors: Peng Li, Wei Xi, Xiaobo Li, Hao Yao, Yang Yu, Tiantian Cai, Junjian Chen
  • Patent number: 11967516
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include methods and apparatus for electrostatically coupling a mask to a substrate support in a deposition chamber. In one embodiment, a substrate support is disclosed that includes a substrate receiving surface, a recessed portion disposed about a periphery of the substrate receiving surface, an electrostatic chuck disposed below the substrate receiving surface, and a plurality of compressible buttons disposed within a respective opening formed in the recessed portion that form an electrical circuit with the electrostatic chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jrjyan Jerry Chen, Sanjay D. Yadav, Tae Kyung Won, Jun Li, Shouqian Shao, Surendra Kanimihally Setty
  • Patent number: 11967517
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck for a substrate processing system includes a monolithic body made of ceramic. A plurality of first electrodes are arranged in the monolithic body adjacent to a top surface of the monolithic body and that are configured to selectively receive a chucking signal. A gas channel is formed in the monolithic body and is configured to supply back side gas to the top surface. Coolant channels are formed in the monolithic body and are configured to receive fluid to control a temperature of the monolithic body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Feng Wang, Keith Gaff, Christopher Kimball, Darrell Ehrlich
  • Patent number: 11961754
    Abstract: A substrate fixing device includes a baseplate, an electrostatic attraction member, and an electrode pin. The baseplate includes a metallic member in which a through hole is famed. The electrostatic attraction member is over a surface of the baseplate and includes an attraction electrode. The electrode pin is inserted through the through hole to be connected to the attraction electrode. A recess communicating with the through hole is formed in the surface of the metallic member with the through hole being within the recess in a plan view from a direction perpendicular to the surface of the metallic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SHINKO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Oguro, Yusuke Kinoshita, Yuichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11962144
    Abstract: A photovoltaic array of photovoltaic solar cells; a smart dynamic programmable circuit breaker for electrically providing a pulsed 100 microseconds duration short circuit to the photovoltaic array electrical outputs, wherein a response time for the smart dynamic programmable circuit breaker is more than 1 millisecond when responding to a short circuit; a computer program comprising instructions that when executed by the processor perform functions that control the smart dynamic programmable circuit breaker, the computer program comprising: instructions to command the smart dynamic programmable circuit breaker to initiate the 100 microsecond pulsed short circuit; instructions to measure a current magnitude and current rise time of the smart photovoltaic system outputs during the 100 microsecond pulsed short circuit; and instructions to select a behavior curve from a plurality of smart dynamic programmable circuit breaker behavior curves 10% above the current magnitude and current rise time during the pulsed sh
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Electronic Power Design, Inc.
    Inventor: John Bradford Janik
  • Patent number: 11956909
    Abstract: A curling device and a flexible display device are provided. The curling device includes: the electromagnetic telescoping mechanism and the controller are in communication connection; the electromagnetic telescopic mechanism is configured to connect with the flexible display panel element and expanding under the action of the magnetic field when receiving a first signal of the controller so as to drive the flexible display panel element to expand; when a second signal of the controller is received, the flexible display panel element is curled, so that the flexible display panel element is driven to curl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignees: Hefei BOE Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd., BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei Tian, Tingting Chen, Jun Zhang
  • Patent number: 11951581
    Abstract: Provided is a clamp system with enhanced functionality achieved by detecting the behavior of an object to be clamped, using a stroke-end position detector that has been used for switching stroke operations. A clamp device 1 has an output member 12 which executes a stroke movement causing a change in the distance by which a coil 15 is inserted into a hole 14 having a bottom. A converter 23 outputs a measurement value of the inductance of the coil 15. The inductance of the coil 15 when a work W has been clamped by the output member 12 is stored in a work clamp point memory 22e, and a clamp area indicating a variation range permitted with respect to a work clamp point is set in a clamp area memory. During processing of the work, a control unit 2 measures the inductance of the coil 15, determines whether the work clamp point is within the range of the clamp area, and, if the range is exceeded, issues a signal indicating an emergency stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: KOSMEK LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akamatsu
  • Patent number: 11935715
    Abstract: An electromagnetic drive unit for a switching device includes: a magnetic core with a first, a second, and a third magnetic path each arranged transversely with respect to a longitudinal axis of the electromagnetic drive unit and coupled to longitudinal magnetic struts at respective ends to form a magnetic frame structure; an armature movable along the longitudinal axis between a first and a second state; and a first and a second magnetic coil for moving the armature based on excitation of the first and/or the second magnetic coil. The first magnetic coil is arranged between the first and the second magnetic path and the second magnetic coil is arranged between the second and the third magnetic path with respect to the longitudinal axis. The magnetic core and the magnetic coils are arranged such that a magnetic flux that flows through the magnetic paths to move the armature is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: Volker LAng, Lutz Friedrichsen, Julia Otte, Christoph Bausch
  • Patent number: 11936369
    Abstract: A switching device 1 includes a SiC semiconductor chip 11 which has a gate pad 14, a source pad 13 and a drain pad 12 and in which on-off control is performed between the source and the drain by applying a drive voltage between the gate and the source in a state where a potential difference is applied between the source and the drain, a sense source terminal 4 electrically connected to the source pad 13 for applying the drive voltage, and an external resistance (source wire 16) that is interposed in a current path between the sense source terminal 4 and the source pad 13, is separated from sense source terminal 4, and has a predetermined size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Hayashiguchi, Kazuhide Ino
  • Patent number: 11929740
    Abstract: A relay control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a relay disposed on a main path between a battery cell and a pack terminal and for electrically connecting or disconnecting the main path according to an operation state of the relay; and a comparator for receiving a comparison voltage from the main path and outputting a result signal to the relay based on a difference between a reference voltage and the comparison voltage, the relay is receives the result signal and controls the operation state of the relay to a turn-on state or a turn-off state according to the magnitude of the received result signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventor: Hak-Soon Kim
  • Patent number: 11913980
    Abstract: A power detection circuit is provided. The power detection circuit includes a comparator circuit operative to generate an output signal in response to an input signal. The output signal is configured to change from a first value to a second value in response to the input signal attaining a first threshold value. The output signal is configured to change from the second value to the first value in response to the input signal subsequently attaining a second threshold value. A current limiting circuit is connected to the comparator circuit and operative to limit a leakage current of the comparator circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chia-Chen Kuo, Chiting Cheng, Wei-jer Hsieh, Yangsyu Lin
  • Patent number: 11909200
    Abstract: An electrical system for a motor vehicle includes a current distributor; a plurality of first lines which are designed to connect a corresponding plurality of electric components to the current distributor; a plurality of semiconductor-based first switch elements, wherein a specified first switch element of a specified first line is designed to interrupt said specified first line; a second line which is designed to connect the current distributor to the electrical system; a limiting unit which is designed to limit or prevent a second current on the second line; and a control unit which is designed to determine that the specified first switch element does not open although a first current running through the specified first switch element exceeds a first current threshold and, in response to said determination, to trigger the limiting unit to limit or prevent the second current on the second line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joachim Froeschl, Ottmar Sirch
  • Patent number: 11910528
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a panel, a circuit board, a first flexible wiring board, and a first IC chip. The panel includes a curved display surface, a mounting portion curved, and a plurality of first pads disposed at intervals on the mounting portion. The circuit board is a plate-like. The first flexible wiring board has a first end portion mounted on the plurality of first pads and a second end portion connected to the circuit board. The first IC chip is mounted on the mounting portion and electrically connected to the first flexible wiring board. A first center of the first flexible wiring board is closer to a third center of the panel than a second center of the first IC chip in plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventor: Hideaki Abe
  • Patent number: 11901209
    Abstract: Exemplary support assemblies may include an electrostatic chuck body defining a substrate support surface. The substrate support assemblies may include a support stem coupled with the electrostatic chuck body. The substrate support assemblies may include a heater embedded within the electrostatic chuck body. The substrate support assemblies may include a first bipolar electrode embedded within the electrostatic chuck body between the heater and the substrate support surface. The first bipolar electrode may include at least two separated mesh sections, with each mesh section characterized by a circular sector shape. The substrate support assemblies may include a second bipolar electrode embedded within the electrostatic chuck body between the heater and the substrate support surface. The second bipolar electrode may include a continuous mesh extending through the at least two separated mesh sections of the first bipolar electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Li, Zheng J. Ye, Dmitry A. Dzilno, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez
  • Patent number: 11888294
    Abstract: A power distribution device, a power distribution trailer, an electric drive system and an operation method of the electric drive system are provided, the power distribution device includes: a starting power source, a switchgear room, and a tool room sequentially arranged along a first direction, the switchgear room includes a power inlet-line cabinet and a load feed outlet-line cabinet that are sequentially arranged along the first direction; at least one of the power inlet-line cabinet and the load feed outlet-line cabinet is a gas insulated switch cabinet, a cable terminal of at least one gas insulated switch cabinet is provided with a cable crimping copper bar, the gas insulated switch cabinet is matched with the cable crimping copper bar, a common cold shrinkable terminal connector can be combined with the cable crimping copper bar to realize the connection of an external device to the gas insulated switch cabinet through the cold shrinkable terminal connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: YANTAI JEREH PETROLEUM EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Huijuan Cao, Yannan Liu, Tao Kou, Honly Wang, Ligong Wu, Dekun Tian, Libin Zhou