Patents by Inventor Kevin J. Donegan

Kevin J. Donegan 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: 5740015
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle utilizes a power unit to store and convert power between a turbine alternator, flywheel and traction motor. The power unit includes a fluid cooled cold-plate assembly for cooling power transistors used to switch stored and generated power between the peripheral machines. The cold-plate assembly a first frame member having a plurality of windows therein, a plurality of transistor modules supporting power transistors are secured within the windows, the transistor modules including at least one transistor connected to a support plate, the support plate secured within the window, a base plate connected to the frame member and spaced from the frame member establishing a first cavity to allow coolant to flow between the base plate and the frame member for cooling the transistor modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin J. Donegan, Gary M. Colello, Gary P. Millas, Richard T. Salter, II
  • Patent number: 5708579
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle utilizes a power unit to store and convert power between a turbine alternator, flywheel and traction motor. The power unit includes a water cooled heater exchanger for cooling power transistors used to switch stored and generated power between the peripheral machines. A power supply for a plurality of an isolated transistor drives comprises a chopped DC generator producing a chopped power signal, a plurality of gate drives each including a transformer to receive the power signal and electrically isolate the gate drives, one of the transformers providing feedback to the chopped DC generator for regulating the level of the chopped power signal. A plurality of power transistors are connected in parallel and includes a controller providing a drive signal. A plurality of optical isolators receive the drive signal in series to control the power transistors independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin J. Donegan, Dennis E. Hartzell, Robert T. Shea
  • Patent number: 5694301
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes a power unit communicating power between a turbine alternator, flywheel and traction motor. The power unit stores, dc power in capacitors and places power on a dc bus for use in driving the induction machines. The dc bus includes two spaced buses, each of the bus members include a positive plate and a negative plate electrically insulated from one another. A conducting strap member interconnects the first and second bus members. The conducting strap member includes first and second strap plates electrically insulated from one another and secured to one another. A first of the strap plates is connected to the positive plates and a second of the strap plates is connected to the negative plates. Also included is a capacitor bank for storing DC power. The capacitor bank is connected to the DC bus by laminated brackets carrying positive and negative signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin J. Donegan, Dennis E. Hartzell, Gary P. Millas
  • Patent number: 5672920
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes a power unit communicating power between a turbine alternator, flywheel and traction motor. The power unit stores DC power in capacitors and places the power on DC bus for use in driving the induction machines. Power transistors receive the DC power from the DC bus and are pulse width modulated to output a synthesized AC wave form at their output. An Ac bus assembly comprises the power transistor modules connected in a plane and each having contact pads formed thereon for providing AC current sources. A bus bar interconnects at least one of the current sources to a peripheral device. The bus bar comprises a plurality of elongated flat plates having a width substantially greater than its thickness and laminated to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1997
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin J. Donegan, Dennis E. Hartzell, Gary P. Millas, William R. Snow