Patents by Inventor Thomas A. Lipo

Thomas A. Lipo 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: 11863100
    Abstract: An induction machine with localized voltage unbalance compensation is disclosed. The use of an induction machine with a voltage unbalance correction compensator (VUC) may be used to maintain proper working conditions of the machine during intervals of voltage unbalance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Lipo, Akihiro Imakiire
  • Publication number: 20230396205
    Abstract: An induction machine with localized voltage unbalance compensation is disclosed. The use of an induction machine with a voltage unbalance correction compensator (VUC) may be used to maintain proper working conditions of the machine during intervals of voltage unbalance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Applicant: Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Lipo, Akihiro Imakiire
  • Patent number: 11128246
    Abstract: Provided is a driving system and method for a wound rotor synchronous generator. The driving system for a wound rotor synchronous generator according to the present invention includes: a converter controlling the wound rotor synchronous generator and receiving generated power; and a field winding power supply means supplying the power to a field winding of a rotor of the generator. The field winding power supply means is connected to the converter to receive the power from the converter and supply the power to the field winding, the power supplied to the field winding being electrically insulated from the power received from the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL COOPERATION FOUNDATION CHONBUK NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yongsug Suh, Thomas Lipo
  • Publication number: 20210203259
    Abstract: Provided is a driving system and method for a wound rotor synchronous generator. The driving system for a wound rotor synchronous generator according to the present invention includes: a converter controlling the wound rotor synchronous generator and receiving generated power; and a field winding power supply means supplying the power to a field winding of a rotor of the generator. The field winding power supply means is connected to the converter to receive the power from the converter and supply the power to the field winding, the power supplied to the field winding being electrically insulated from the power received from the converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: Yongsug SUH, Thomas LIPO
  • Patent number: 10886801
    Abstract: An electric machine includes a rotor, permanent magnets, a stator, and a stator winding wound about a plurality of teeth to form a number of stator magnetic poles. The rotor includes a rotor core and a plurality of walls that form openings in the rotor core. A permanent magnet is mounted in each of the openings formed in the rotor core. The plurality of permanent magnets are arranged to form a plurality of groups of permanent magnets that are equally circumferentially distributed around the rotor core with an interior polarity on a side of each permanent magnet facing other permanent magnets of the group of permanent magnets to which the permanent magnet is associated that is the same for all of the permanent magnets. Each permanent magnet is arranged to form a rotor pole, wherein a number of rotor poles is greater than the number of stator magnetic poles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Wenbo Liu, Thomas A. Lipo
  • Publication number: 20200373871
    Abstract: An induction machine with localized voltage unbalance compensation is disclosed. The use of an induction machine with a voltage unbalance correction compensator (VUC) may be used to maintain proper working conditions of the machine during intervals of voltage unbalance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas A. Lipo, Akihiro Imakiire
  • Patent number: 10784727
    Abstract: A rotor for a salient pole, wound field, synchronous machine includes a rotor core, a plurality of pole bodies, and a field winding. Each pole body of the plurality of pole bodies includes a pole core, a pole shoe, and a single flux barrier. The single flux barrier forms an enclosed space filled with a material having a magnetic permeability between zero and 1000 relative to a magnetic permeability of a vacuum. The single flux barrier includes a top wall, a shaft mounting wall configured to mount adjacent a shaft when the rotor is mounted to the shaft, and a plurality of interior walls connected between the top wall and the shaft mounting wall. The plurality of interior walls extend parallel to and centered between a first pole core face and a second pole core face of the pole core that extend from the rotor core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Thomas A. Lipo, Wenbo Liu
  • Patent number: 10594179
    Abstract: The rotor includes ribs and permanent magnets mounted as spokes in pole pairs. A second wall of each rotor air gap of a plurality of rotor air gaps is parallel to an edge of a permanent magnet of the permanent magnets. A length of the second wall is less than 80% of a length of the edge. A fifth wall of each rotor air gap of the rotor air gaps is formed by a first side of a rib. Each pair of permanent magnets has an associated pair of rotor air gaps of the rotor air gaps. A first rotor air gap of each pair of rotor air gaps of the rotor air gaps is a mirror image of a second rotor air gap of each pair of rotor air gaps. Each pair of rotor air gaps is separated by an associated rib of the plurality of ribs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: WISCONSIN ALUMNI RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Wenbo Liu, Thomas A. Lipo
  • Publication number: 20190296629
    Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to a high temperature superconducting (HTS) synchronous machine having a rotating armature and methods for fabricating the same. The HTS synchronous machines described herein solve the rotating seal system complications which plague conventional HTS synchronous machines by eliminating entirely the need for any such system. Instead, it is proposed here to rotate the AC armature windings, which are stationary (i.e., normally the “stator”) in conventional HTS synchronous machines, while allowing the superconducting field windings to remain stationary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: The Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Lipo
  • Publication number: 20190103776
    Abstract: An electric machine includes a rotor, permanent magnets, a stator, and a stator winding wound about a plurality of teeth to form a number of stator magnetic poles. The rotor includes a rotor core and a plurality of walls that form openings in the rotor core. A permanent magnet is mounted in each of the openings formed in the rotor core. The plurality of permanent magnets are arranged to form a plurality of groups of permanent magnets that are equally circumferentially distributed around the rotor core with an interior polarity on a side of each permanent magnet facing other permanent magnets of the group of permanent magnets to which the permanent magnet is associated that is the same for all of the permanent magnets. Each permanent magnet is arranged to form a rotor pole, wherein a number of rotor poles is greater than the number of stator magnetic poles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: Wenbo Liu, Thomas A. Lipo
  • Publication number: 20180331591
    Abstract: The rotor includes ribs and permanent magnets mounted as spokes in pole pairs. A second wall of each rotor air gap of a plurality of rotor air gaps is parallel to an edge of a permanent magnet of the permanent magnets. A length of the second wall is less than 80% of a length of the edge. A fifth wall of each rotor air gap of the rotor air gaps is formed by a first side of a rib. Each pair of permanent magnets has an associated pair of rotor air gaps of the rotor air gaps. A first rotor air gap of each pair of rotor air gaps of the rotor air gaps is a mirror image of a second rotor air gap of each pair of rotor air gaps. Each pair of rotor air gaps is separated by an associated rib of the plurality of ribs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Wenbo Liu, Thomas A. Lipo
  • Patent number: 10003228
    Abstract: A rotor includes pole portions, a first permanent magnet, a second permanent magnet, and a third permanent magnet. Each pole portion includes a center, a back, and a front rotor core portion. A first slot is embedded in the center rotor core portion. A second slot is embedded in the back rotor core portion. A third slot is embedded in the front rotor core portion. The center rotor core portion is mounted axially between the front rotor core portion and the back rotor core portion. The permanent magnets are mounted, respectively, in the slots of each pole portion. A maximum length of the first permanent magnet is greater than twice a maximum length of the second permanent magnet. The maximum length of the second permanent magnet is equal to a maximum length of the third permanent magnet. The permanent magnets are aligned relative to a pole axis of each pole portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Thomas A. Lipo, Zhentao Stephen Du
  • Publication number: 20180159391
    Abstract: A rotor for a salient pole, wound field, synchronous machine includes a rotor core, a plurality of pole bodies, and a field winding. Each pole body of the plurality of pole bodies includes a pole core, a pole shoe, and a single flux barrier. The single flux barrier forms an enclosed space filled with a material having a magnetic permeability between zero and 1000 relative to a magnetic permeability of a vacuum. The single flux barrier includes a top wall, a shaft mounting wall configured to mount adjacent a shaft when the rotor is mounted to the shaft, and a plurality of interior walls connected between the top wall and the shaft mounting wall. The plurality of interior walls extend parallel to and centered between a first pole core face and a second pole core face of the pole core that extend from the rotor core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas A. Lipo, Wenbo Liu
  • Patent number: 9595858
    Abstract: A vernier machine includes a rotor, permanent magnets mounted as spokes in pole pairs within the rotor, a first stator, a second stator, a first stator winding wound about the first stator to form a number of poles between a first set of terminals, and a second stator winding wound about the second stator to form the number of poles between a second set of terminals. The first stator and the second stator each include slots and teeth. The first stator and the second stator are mounted on opposite sides of the rotor with each separated by an air gap. The teeth of the first stator are offset from the teeth of the second stator by a half slot pitch relative to the rotor. A number of the pole pairs of the rotor is greater than the number of poles of the first stator winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Thomas A. Lipo, Byungtaek Kim
  • Publication number: 20170063188
    Abstract: A rotor includes pole portions, a first permanent magnet, a second permanent magnet, and a third permanent magnet. Each pole portion includes a center, a back, and a front rotor core portion. A first slot is embedded in the center rotor core portion. A second slot is embedded in the back rotor core portion. A third slot is embedded in the front rotor core portion. The center rotor core portion is mounted axially between the front rotor core portion and the back rotor core portion. The permanent magnets are mounted, respectively, in the slots of each pole portion. A maximum length of the first permanent magnet is greater than twice a maximum length of the second permanent magnet. The maximum length of the second permanent magnet is equal to a maximum length of the third permanent magnet. The permanent magnets are aligned relative to a pole axis of each pole portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas A. Lipo, Zhentao Stephen Du
  • Patent number: 9379657
    Abstract: A multi-phase voltage from a utility grid is applied to a first side of a plurality of open windings of a stator. A phase of the multi-phase voltage is determined. Stator currents measured from a second side of the plurality of open windings are converted to a non-rotating direct-quadrature (d-q) reference frame. A q-axis of the non-rotating d-q reference frame contains a voltage vector defined from the multi-phase voltage, and a d-axis is normal to the voltage vector. A d-axis component of the converted stator currents is applied as an error signal to a proportional-integral controller to determine an output voltage signal. The output voltage signal is converted from the non-rotating d-q reference frame to a reference frame defined by the phase. The output voltage signal is applied to an inverter to define a second output voltage. The second output voltage is applied to the second side of the plurality of open windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Thomas A. Lipo, Prabhdeep S. Virk
  • Publication number: 20150171784
    Abstract: A multi-phase voltage from a utility grid is applied to a first side of a plurality of open windings of a stator. A phase of the multi-phase voltage is determined. Stator currents measured from a second side of the plurality of open windings are converted to a non-rotating direct-quadrature (d-q) reference frame. A q-axis of the non-rotating d-q reference frame contains a voltage vector defined from the multi-phase voltage, and a d-axis is normal to the voltage vector. A d-axis component of the converted stator currents is applied as an error signal to a proportional-integral controller to determine an output voltage signal. The output voltage signal is converted from the non-rotating d-q reference frame to a reference frame defined by the phase. The output voltage signal is applied to an inverter to define a second output voltage. The second output voltage is applied to the second side of the plurality of open windings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Applicant: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Thomas A. Lipo, Prabhdeep S. Virk
  • Publication number: 20150069875
    Abstract: A vernier machine includes a rotor, permanent magnets mounted as spokes in pole pairs within the rotor, a first stator, a second stator, a first stator winding wound about the first stator to form a number of poles between a first set of terminals, and a second stator winding wound about the second stator to form the number of poles between a second set of terminals. The first stator and the second stator each include slots and teeth. The first stator and the second stator are mounted on opposite sides of the rotor with each separated by an air gap. The teeth of the first stator are offset from the teeth of the second stator by a half slot pitch relative to the rotor. A number of the pole pairs of the rotor is greater than the number of poles of the first stator winding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Thomas A. Lipo, Byungtaek Kim
  • Patent number: 8648562
    Abstract: An apparatus for improving machine drive performance. The apparatus includes a controller configured to control an impedance of a converter. The converter is configured to be electrically coupled to a plurality of first ends of a plurality of windings of a machine. A plurality of second ends of the plurality of windings of the machine are configured to be electrically coupled to a power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Inventor: Thomas A. Lipo
  • Patent number: 8450963
    Abstract: A brushless, synchronous machine is provided. A brushless, synchronous motor includes a rotor, a stator extending around at least a portion of the rotor and separated from the rotor by an air gap, a first stator winding, a second stator winding, a third stator winding, a drive circuit, a first rotor winding, a second rotor winding, and a diode bridge. The first stator winding, the second stator winding, and the third stator winding are mounted to the stator to generate square waves. The drive circuit is configured to provide a current to the first stator winding, the second stator winding, and the third stator winding, wherein the current includes an alternating current (AC) component and a direct current (DC) component. The first rotor winding is mounted to the rotor to form a plurality of third harmonic coils. The second rotor winding is mounted to the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventor: Thomas A. Lipo