Patents by Inventor Peter Senak, Jr.

Peter Senak, Jr. 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: 6717312
    Abstract: An ordinance platform with a variable reluctance electric motor is provided. The motor has a stator integrated with a bearing race which is fixably connected with the tank body. The bearing race provides the function of a rotor and is fixably or integrally connected with the tank turret. The rotor is vertically supported by the stator for rotational movement by a plurality of ball bearings. The stator is formed having a plurality of individual phase segments which are arranged in an annular array. Each of the stator phase segments is provided with a phase winding and a plurality of stator pole teeth. The stator phase windings are connected individually to respective driver circuits so as to essentially create a plurality of individual stators about the rotor. The rotor race is formed and is provided with a plurality of rotor pole teeth which are disposed adjacent the stator pole teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Kaplan, Peter Senak, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5866965
    Abstract: A variable reluctance motor is disclosed including a stator having a plurality of radially inwardly extending poles. A coil of foil wire is mounted about each of the stator poles. Flats are formed in the inner surface of the stator adjacent to the sides of each of the stator poles so that the coils of foil wire can lie flat thereagainst. A pair of rigid cylindrical retainers are provided for retaining the coils of foil wire on the poles. A rotor assembly is disposed within the stator. The rotor assembly includes a shaft having a rotor secured thereto. A plurality of radially outwardly extending poles are formed on the outer surface of the rotor. Electrical current is selectively passed through each of the coils of foil wire to cause the rotor assembly to rotate relative to the stator. Each of the coils of foil wire is wound beginning with a start winding and ending with a finish winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventors: Richard A. Baronosky, Peter Senak, Jr., Steven H. Wollins
  • Patent number: 5567999
    Abstract: A bobbin for use in an electric motor is formed in the nature of a clam shell, having two semi-cylindrical side portions which are joined together by a flexible hinge portion. Each of the side portions includes a plurality of smaller diameter regions which are separated from one another by larger diameter regions. When the two side portions of the bobbin are closed together by bending of the hinge portion, the smaller diameter regions cooperate to define respective cylindrical surfaces upon which coils of an electrical conductor can be wound. A pair of outwardly extending tabs can be formed on each of the larger diameter regions of the bobbin. When the two side portions of the bobbin are folded together, the two pairs of tab are disposed adjacent to one another. The upper and lower halves of the stator have respective pairs of recesses formed therein. The recesses are sized and positioned so as to receive the cooperating pairs of tabs therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventors: Richard A. Baronosky, Martin Kaplan, Peter Senak, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5485046
    Abstract: A variable reluctance electric motor includes a stator having a plurality of axially extending inner teeth and a rotor assembly rotatably supported therein. The rotor assembly includes a shaft having a plurality of rotor pole sub-assemblies provided thereon. Each of the rotor pole sub-assemblies includes a hub secured to the shaft, a pair of annular rotor packs secured to the ends of the hub, and an electromagnetic coil disposed loosely about the hub between the two rotor packs. Each of the rotor packs has a plurality of axially extending outer teeth formed thereabout which are disposed adjacent to the inner stator teeth. The rotor pack teeth of each of the rotor pole sub-assemblies are angularly offset from one another, preferably by equal amounts. The electromagnetic coils are engaged by the stator such that the rotor assembly is free to rotate relative thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Kaplan, Peter Senak, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5481147
    Abstract: A synchronous inductor electric motor includes a hollow stator having a plurality of permanent magnets secured to the inner surface thereof. The magnets are radially polarized in alternating fashion about the inner circumference of the stator. A plurality of radially inwardly extending stator teeth are provided on each of the magnets so as to exhibit a polar magnetization which is the same as the adjacent magnets. A rotor assembly supported concentrically within the stator includes a shaft having a plurality of rotor pole sub-assemblies provided thereon. Each of the rotor pole sub-assemblies includes a hub secured to the shaft, a pair of annular rotor packs secured to the ends of the hub, and an electromagnetic coil disposed loosely about the hub between the two rotor packs. Each of the rotor packs has a plurality of axially extending outer teeth formed thereabout which are disposed adjacent to the inner stator teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Kaplan, Peter Senak, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5424624
    Abstract: A driver circuit for an electric actuator having one or more phase windings which are selectively connected to a source of electrical energy is disclosed. Magnetic energy stored in the phase windings is transferred to a capacitor to prevent damage. The driver circuit includes a recovery circuit for transferring this energy from the capacitor back to the source of electrical energy. The recovery circuit includes an electronic recovery switch which is selectively opened and closed by a duty cycle controller logic circuit. When the recovery circuit switch is closed, electrical current flows from the capacitor to an inductor. The inductor returns this energy to the source of electrical energy. The recovery circuit further includes a power supply for the logic components of the duty cycle controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1995
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventor: Peter Senak, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4990809
    Abstract: A high torque-to-low mass variable reluctance motor includes a cylindrical stator assembly having a plurality of stator segments circumaxially arranged about a rotor wherein adjacent stator segments are maintained in a spaced apart relation with one another by non-magnetic pins which provide a radially inwardly projecting channel extending fully from the outer circumference to the inner circumference of the stator assembly to essentially magnetically isolate the stator segments from one another. A generally annular, non-magnetic shell coaxially surrounds and engages the outer periphery of the circular stator assembly to cause a compressive force to be directed radially inwardly to maintain the stator segments in a precisely aligned arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1991
    Assignee: The Superior Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard J. Artus, Anthony E. Balestro, Allen R. Perrins, Peter Senak, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4868477
    Abstract: Apparatus for controlling torque and torque ripple in a variable reluctance motor uses a generated torque waveform for each phase of the number of phases associated with the motor and corresponds to an electrical current having a predetermined constant magnitude. The generated torque waveforms are utilized to provide a table of values representative of the electrical current magnitude at each of a number of sensed rotor angular positions. The values correspond to the torque produced by the motor when excited by an electric current having that value and the location of the value in a memory device are defined by the sensed angular position of the rotor and a desired torque command signal. Depending on the torque to be produced by the motor and the rotor position, the motor is excited with the value of current selected for one or a combination of phases to cause the motor to develop a desired torque which has a substantially flat and ripple-free response characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Assignee: The Superior Electric Company
    Inventors: Frank J. Anderson, Peter Senak, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4558275
    Abstract: The Detector Module derives a synchronization signal from the half-wave crossovers of the AC power line. A half-wave peak detector detects the peak voltage of each half wave. An impulse detector detects the voltage of any impulses occurring during a half-wave. A common mode detector detects the peak value of each half-wave across the common mode terminals. A microcomputer is provided together with a clock/calendar for recording threshold values and for each half-cycle if a SAG or SURGE is detected; the time that the SAG or SURGE was initiated; the voltage of the half cycle of greatest SAG or SURGE during the event and the number of cycles is recorded. For LO and HI AVERAGE an average resistor stores the average of the peak values for each of the last thirty-two half cycles and that average is compared with the threshold to determine if an event has occurred. If an event has occurred, the duration and the lowest average occurring during the event is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1985
    Assignee: The Superior Electric Company
    Inventors: Dennis M. Borowy, Charles A. Crotty, Allen R. Perrins, Peter Senak, Jr.
  • Patent number: 3963971
    Abstract: A digital circuit for translating each input command pulse into an incremental step of a digital motor in which the input pulses may be received at any rate while the pulses to the motor and hence the motor velocity are produced at rates which is within the motor's ability to change its velocity. The system uses a digitally operated circuit that can be easily adjusted to different motor velocity abilities and also enables control over both directions of motor movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1974
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1976
    Assignee: The Superior Electric Company
    Inventors: Albert C. Leenhouts, Peter Senak, Jr., Arthur Emery