Patents by Inventor Robert Donald Lorenz

Robert Donald Lorenz 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: 9116197
    Abstract: A device is provided. The device may include a first electrical connector, a second electrical connector, an interconnect, and a magnetic field detector. The interconnect is mounted in electrical contact with the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector and includes a loop. The magnetic field detector is located in proximity to the loop of the interconnect. The magnetic field detector is located to detect a current flowing in the interconnect when the current flows in the interconnect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Robert Donald Lorenz, Jonathan David Hoffman, Patrick Erik Schneider
  • Publication number: 20140015524
    Abstract: A device is provided. The device may include a first electrical connector, a second electrical connector, an interconnect, and a magnetic field detector. The interconnect is mounted in electrical contact with the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector and includes a loop. The magnetic field detector is located in proximity to the loop of the interconnect. The magnetic field detector is located to detect a current flowing in the interconnect when the current flows in the interconnect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: Robert Donald Lorenz, Jonathan David Hoffman, Patrick Erik Schneider
  • Patent number: 8531143
    Abstract: A permanent magnet motor for position sensorless drive operation provides a stator design that exhibits a saliency (machine asymmetric) functionally dependent on rotor position as caused by periodic magnetic saturation of stator structure. This saturation property is caused by rotor zigzag leakage flux from surface permanent magnets. The stator structure may be designed to further saturate from zigzag leakage flux to provide greatest spatial saliency in the quadrature phase for motor position sensorless position estimation. The position, velocity, and shaft torque can be extracted by measuring the phase current from the stator coil of permanent magnet motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Shih-Chin Yang, Takhiro Suzuki, Robert Donald Lorenz, Thomas Merlin Jahns
  • Publication number: 20120181888
    Abstract: A rotary electric machine rotor is provided with a rotor shaft, a rotor core, and a group of permanent magnets. The rotor core includes a group of flux barriers arranged at intervals. At least one of the flux barriers includes at least one bridge joining an inner edge and an outer edge of that flux barriers. The permanent magnets are arranged at the rotor core between the flux barriers as viewed in the cross sectional plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicants: WISCONSIN ALUMNI RESEARCH FOUNDATION, NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi Shibukawa, Robert Donald Lorenz, Natee Limsuwan
  • Publication number: 20120062160
    Abstract: A permanent magnet motor for position sensorless drive operation provides a stator design that exhibits a saliency (machine asymmetric) functionally dependent on rotor position as caused by periodic magnetic saturation of stator structure. This saturation property is caused by rotor zigzag leakage flux from surface permanent magnets. The stator structure may be designed to further saturate from zigzag leakage flux to provide greatest spatial saliency in the quadrature phase for motor position sensorless position estimation. The position, velocity, and shaft torque can be extracted by measuring the phase current from the stator coil of permanent magnet motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Inventors: Shih-Chin Yang, Takhiro Suzuki, Robert Donald Lorenz, Thomas Merlin Jahns
  • Patent number: 7522434
    Abstract: A method of estimating a temperature at a component of a device is provided. The temperature may be used to provide thermal load management of the device. In an exemplary embodiment, a switched mode power converter includes a power converter module and a switch that controls a switching cycle of the power converter module. A signal includes a bus voltage component and an oscillating signal component at least partially caused by switching of the switch. A switch instant of the switch can be isolated. A characteristic of the oscillating signal component of the signal can be detected. For example, a first peak voltage of the oscillating signal component can be detected after the switch instant. The temperature of the power converter module is estimated using the detected characteristic of the oscillating signal component. For example, the temperature can be estimated using the first peak voltage and best-fit curve parameters in solving a linear or a quadratic equation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Anusheel Nahar, Robert Donald Lorenz
  • Patent number: 6856850
    Abstract: This invention pertains to processing continuous webs such as paper, film, composites, and the like, in dynamic continuous processing operations. More particularly, it relates to accumulating limited lengths of such continuous webs and to controlling tension in such continuous webs during the processing operation. Both tension control and limited accumulations are achieved in festoon systems by connecting corresponding movably mounted festoon rolls to an actuator, sensing parameters such as position, tension, velocity, and acceleration related to the web and the festoon, and providing active force commands, in response to the sensed variables, to cause translational movement, generally including a target acceleration, in the movably mounted festoon rolls to control tension in the web while providing limited accumulation of a length of the web. The festoon control system can be used to attenuate tension disturbances, in the alternative to create controlled tension disturbances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory John Rajala, Robert Donald Lorenz
  • Patent number: 6714852
    Abstract: An engine crankshaft torque observer (10) and method of operation. An engine combustion process (14) is modeled (26) to develop modeled pressure estimates of combustion chamber pressures in engine cylinders according to certain engine inputs, such as fuel (20), EGR (22), and timing (24), that influence combustion chamber pressures. Kinematics (16) relating reciprocal motion of pistons in the engine cylinders to an engine crankshaft and engine friction (18) relating running friction of the engine to engine crankshaft rotation are also modeled (28; 30). A processor processes the certain engine inputs through the combustion process model to develop modeled pressure estimates which are processed through the kinematics model to develop modeled positive torque contribution due to combustion processes and through the friction model to develop modeled torque loss due to running friction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Donald Lorenz, Roy Inge Davis
  • Publication number: 20030116725
    Abstract: A device for detecting a web, the device including a light source adapted to emit light generally in the direction of the web; a lens spaced apart from the light source and adapted to receive light originating from the light source, the lens having a radial index of refraction gradient; and an image sensor aligned with the lens, the image sensor adapted to receive light from the lens and to convert the light to a signal. Also, a method for detecting a web, the method including emitting light from a light source; capturing light reflected by the web with a lens having a radial index of refraction gradient; focusing the captured light on an image sensor; and converting the focused light to a signal. Also, a method for aligning two webs, wherein each web has a position, and a method for detecting an object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: John Herman Sorebo, Robert Donald Lorenz
  • Publication number: 20030052148
    Abstract: This invention pertains to processing continuous webs such as paper, film, composites and the like, in dynamic continuous processing operations. More particularly, it relates to accumulating limited lengths of such continuous webs and to controlling tension in such continuous webs during the processing operation. Both tension control and limited accumulations are achieved in festoon systems by connecting corresponding movably mounted festoon rolls to an actuator, sensing parameters such as position, tension, velocity, and acceleration related to the web and the festoon, and providing active force commands, in response to the sensed variables, to cause translational movement, generally including a target acceleration, in the movably mounted festoon rolls to control tension in the web while providing limited accumulation of a length of the web. The festoon control system can be used to attenuate tension disturbances, in the alternative to create controlled tension disturbances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory John Rajala, Robert Donald Lorenz
  • Patent number: 6473669
    Abstract: This invention pertains to processing continuous webs such as paper, film, composites, and the like, in dynamic continuous processing operations. More particularly, it relates to accumulating limited lengths of such continuous webs and to controlling tension in such continuous webs during the processing operation. Both tension control and limited accumulations are achieved in a festoon system by connecting a corresponding festoon to actuator or the like, sensing variables such as position, tension, velocity, and acceleration parameters related to the web and the festoon, and providing active force commands, in response to the sensed variables, to cause translational movement, generally including a target acceleration, in the upper festoon rolls to control tension disturbances in the web while providing limited accumulation of a length of the web. In some applications of the invention, the festoon control system is used to attenuate tension disturbances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory John Rajala, Robert Donald Lorenz
  • Publication number: 20020059013
    Abstract: This invention pertains to processing continuous webs such as paper, film, composites, and the like, in dynamic continuous processing operations. More particularly, it relates to accumulating limited lengths of such continuous webs and to controlling tension in such continuous webs during the processing operation. Both tension control and limited accumulations are achieved in a festoon system by connecting a corresponding festoon to actuator or the like, sensing variables such as position, tension, velocity, and acceleration parameters related to the web and the festoon, and providing active force commands, in response to the sensed variables, to cause translational movement, generally including a target acceleration, in the upper festoon rolls to control tension disturbances in the web while providing limited accumulation of a length of the web. In some applications of the invention, the festoon control system is used to attenuate tension disturbances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory John Rajala, Robert Donald Lorenz
  • Patent number: 6336070
    Abstract: A control system comprising a processor develops data controlling a combustion engine and a dynamoelectric machine arranged to interact with the engine to modify the torque output of the engine. An observer (10) develops observed data that comprises estimated engine speed, estimated crankangle, and estimated engine output torque represented as an estimated average value torque component on which is superimposed an estimated alternating polarity ripple torque component whose mean value over a time interval of interest is substantially zero. The estimated alternating polarity ripple torque component is an input to a torque controller (102) for the dynamoelectric machine which causes the machine to contribute, in real time, torque that substantially cancels the alternating polarity ripple torque component in the crankshaft torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Donald Lorenz, Roy Inge Davis
  • Patent number: 6314333
    Abstract: This invention pertains to processing continuous webs such as paper, film, composites, and the like, in dynamic continuous processing operations. More particularly, it relates to controlling tension in such continuous webs during the processing operation. Tension is controlled in a dancer control system by connecting a corresponding dancer roll to an actuator apparatus or the like, sensing variables such as position, tension, velocity, and acceleration parameters related to the web and the dancer roll, and providing active force commands, in response to the sensed variables, to cause translational movement, generally including a target acceleration, in the dancer roll to control tension disturbances in the web. In some applications of the invention, the dancer control system is used to attenuate tension disturbances. In other applications of the invention, the dancer control system is used to create tension disturbances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory John Rajala, Robert Donald Lorenz