Patents by Inventor Timothy M. Minteer
Timothy M. Minteer 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).
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Publication number: 20240153700Abstract: Systems and methods include using a magnetic core winder to install a powerline-mounted device with a non-gapped magnetic core, therefore reducing the weight of the powerline-mounted device while still harvesting equal or more power than a large cross-sectional and gapped magnetic cores. In particular, the methods include installing bobbin(s) and a core housing on a powerline and winding strip/ribbon core material onto the core housing. The bobbins may be wound axially opposed to on a toroid winder, which improves the accuracy of turns count of the magnetic core. The improved accuracy of turns count may increase the accuracy and/or tolerance of magnetic component(s) of the powerline-mounted device.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2022Publication date: May 9, 2024Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: David Kenny, Brett Taggart, Timothy M. Minteer
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Patent number: 11961656Abstract: A current transformer includes a pre-formed core forming a closed loop with a flexible axially wound secondary winding. A continuous length of wire is axially coiled around a flexible bobbin to form a secondary winding. The resulting secondary winding may be slid onto the closed loop of the pre-formed core. The flexibility of the axially wound secondary winding facilitates conformity to a non-linear shape of the pre-formed core.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2020Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: Timothy M. Minteer, Eric M. Sawyer, David Kenny
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Patent number: 11031812Abstract: The present disclosure relates to powering distributed sensors used to monitor electrical and/or environmental conditions and to powering other equipment associated with electric power systems. In one embodiment, a system may be used to mount a sensor in proximity to a reference conductor. An electric field power conversion subsystem may generate a usable electric potential from an electric field created by the electric power system and existing between the reference conductor and another conductor (e.g., another phase conductor, a ground conductor). The sensor powered by the usable electric potential may provide a measurement of a condition associated with the electric power system. A communication subsystem powered by the usable electric potential may communicate the measurement of the condition to a monitoring system.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2021Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: Edmund O. Schweitzer, III, Joe Baylon, Timothy M. Minteer, David Kenny, James Mobley, Johnny J. Moore, Raymond W. Rice, Naiden K. Spasov, Eric M. Sawyer
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Publication number: 20200373078Abstract: A current transformer includes a pre-formed core forming a closed loop with a flexible axially wound secondary winding. A continuous length of wire is axially coiled around a flexible bobbin to form a secondary winding. The resulting secondary winding may be slid onto the closed loop of the pre-formed core. The flexibility of the axially wound secondary winding facilitates conformity to a non-linear shape of the pre-formed core.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2020Publication date: November 26, 2020Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: Timothy M. Minteer, Eric M. Sawyer, David Kenny
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Patent number: 10777349Abstract: A current transformer includes a pre-formed core forming a closed loop with a flexible axially wound secondary winding. A continuous length of wire is axially coiled around a flexible bobbin to form a secondary winding. The resulting secondary winding may be slid onto the closed loop of the pre-formed core. The flexibility of the axially wound secondary winding facilitates conformity to a non-linear shape of the pre-formed core.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2017Date of Patent: September 15, 2020Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: Timothy M. Minteer, Eric M. Sawyer, David Kenny
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Publication number: 20190122813Abstract: A current transformer includes a pre-formed core forming a closed loop with a flexible axially wound secondary winding. A continuous length of wire is axially coiled around a flexible bobbin to form a secondary winding. The resulting secondary winding may be slid onto the closed loop of the pre-formed core. The flexibility of the axially wound secondary winding facilitates conformity to a non-linear shape of the pre-formed core.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2017Publication date: April 25, 2019Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: Timothy M. Minteer, Eric M. Sawyer, David Kenny
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System, method, and apparatus for using the sound signature of a device to determine its operability
Patent number: 8155326Abstract: A system for monitoring the operation of one or more devices is provided. The system includes a microphone acoustically coupled to one the monitored device. An analog-to-digital-converter samples the microphone and a processor examines the resultant digital signal for the occurrence of an abnormal event.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2008Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: Edmund O. Schweitzer, III, David E. Whitehead, Timothy M. Minteer -
Patent number: 7979977Abstract: A transformer to isolate a primary winding from a signal winding include a primary substrate (which may comprise a printed circuit board (PCB)) and a secondary substrate. The primary and secondary substrates may each have three openings to allow first and second E-E core halves to be joined therebetween. A first insulator may be disposed between the primary and secondary substrates to isolate the primary substrate from the secondary substrate. A second insulator may secure the primary and secondary substrates in place and insulate the secondary substrate from the core. The primary and secondary substrates may each include a Faraday shield its outer layers. A shield slit to prevent shorting between the legs of the E-E core may be formed by cutting a channel in the shield between the opening of the primary and secondary substrates. A retaining clip may be used to clamp together the primary substrate, first and second core E-E core halves, secondary substrate and second insulator.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2010Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.Inventor: Timothy M. Minteer
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Publication number: 20110088251Abstract: A transformer to isolate a primary winding from a signal winding include a primary substrate (which may comprise a printed circuit board (PCB)) and a secondary substrate. The primary and secondary substrates may each have three openings to allow first and second E-E core halves to be joined therebetween. A first insulator may be disposed between the primary and secondary substrates to isolate the primary substrate from the secondary substrate. A second insulator may secure the primary and secondary substrates in place and insulate the secondary substrate from the core. The primary and secondary substrates may each include a Faraday shield its outer layers. A shield slit to prevent shorting between the legs of the E-E core may be formed by cutting a channel in the shield between the opening of the primary and secondary substrates. A retaining clip may be used to clamp together the primary substrate, first and second core E-E core halves, secondary substrate and second insulator.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2010Publication date: April 21, 2011Inventor: Timothy M. Minteer
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Patent number: 7889041Abstract: A transformer to isolate a primary winding from a signal winding include a primary substrate (which may comprise a printed circuit board (PCB)) and a secondary substrate. The primary and secondary substrates may each have three openings to allow first and second E-E core halves to be joined therebetween. A first insulator may be disposed between the primary and secondary substrates to isolate the primary substrate from the secondary substrate. A second insulator may secure the primary and secondary substrates in place and insulate the secondary substrate from the core. The primary and secondary substrates may each include a Faraday shield its outer layers. A shield slit to prevent shorting between the legs of the E-E core may be formed by cutting a channel in the shield between the opening of the primary and secondary substrates. A retaining clip may be used to clamp together the primary substrate, first and second core E-E core halves, secondary substrate and second insulator.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2007Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.Inventor: Timothy M. Minteer
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Patent number: 7557655Abstract: An accurate linear equivalent of an analog signal may be produced across an isolation barrier by driving a primary transformer winding with a drive amplifier and compensation amplifier, where the compensation operational amplifier amplifies a difference between a signal produced on a sense winding of the transformer and a combination of the input analog signal and output of the drive amplifier. The system may be stabilized by a lead-lag network between the sense winding, input signal, and operational amplifier. The transformer may comprise an isolation barrier to isolate the input analog signal from a signal winding. The primary winding of the transformer, driven by the operational amplifier and driver amplifier circuit, may produce a linear equivalent of the input analog signal across the isolation barrier on a signal winding of the transformer.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2007Date of Patent: July 7, 2009Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.Inventor: Timothy M. Minteer
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Publication number: 20090115564Abstract: A transformer to isolate a primary winding from a signal winding include a primary substrate (which may comprise a printed circuit board (PCB)) and a secondary substrate. The primary and secondary substrates may each have three openings to allow first and second E-E core halves to be joined therebetween. A first insulator may be disposed between the primary and secondary substrates to isolate the primary substrate from the secondary substrate. A second insulator may secure the primary and secondary substrates in place and insulate the secondary substrate from the core. The primary and secondary substrates may each include a Faraday shield its outer layers. A shield slit to prevent shorting between the legs of the E-E core may be formed by cutting a channel in the shield between the opening of the primary and secondary substrates. A retaining clip may be used to clamp together the primary substrate, first and second core E-E core halves, secondary substrate and second insulator.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2007Publication date: May 7, 2009Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.Inventor: Timothy M. Minteer
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Publication number: 20090115509Abstract: An accurate linear equivalent of an analog signal may be produced across an isolation barrier by driving a primary transformer winding with a drive amplifier and compensation amplifier, where the compensation operational amplifier amplifies a difference between a signal produced on a sense winding of the transformer and a combination of the input analog signal and output of the drive amplifier. The system may be stabilized by a lead-lag network between the sense winding, input signal, and operational amplifier. The transformer may comprise an isolation barrier to isolate the input analog signal from a signal winding. The primary winding of the transformer, driven by the operational amplifier and driver amplifier circuit, may produce a linear equivalent of the input analog signal across the isolation barrier on a signal winding of the transformer.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2007Publication date: May 7, 2009Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.Inventor: Timothy M. Minteer
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System, Method, and Apparatus for Using the Sound Signature of a Device to Determine its Operability
Publication number: 20090091441Abstract: A system for monitoring the operation of one or more devices is provided. The system includes a microphone acoustically coupled to one the monitored device. An analog-to-digital-converter samples the microphone and a processor examines the resultant digital signal for the occurrence of an abnormal event.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2008Publication date: April 9, 2009Inventors: Edmund O. Schweitzer, III, David E. Whitehead, Timothy M. Minteer -
Patent number: 7034604Abstract: A communications device, such as a transceiver, is used with a fiber optic communication line, wherein the communications device is powered from a host device. A voltage supply circuit, which comprises a full wave bridge rectifier responsive to data and control signals from the host device, produces plus and minus rectified voltage signals. First and second voltage regulators are responsive to the rectified voltage signals to produce plus and minus regulated voltages, for example ±5 volts, which is sufficient to power the communications device. A charge circuit alternately transfers energy from the plus and minus voltage lines to ensure the presence of plus and minus voltage signals when only positive or negative signals are provided by the host device.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2003Date of Patent: April 25, 2006Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.Inventor: Timothy M. Minteer
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Publication number: 20040183584Abstract: An improvement in a communications device, such as a transceiver, which is used with a fiber optic communication line, wherein the communications device is powered from a host device. The improvement is a voltage supply circuit which comprises a full wave bridge rectifier responsive to data and control signals from the host device to produce plus and minus rectified voltage signals. First and second voltage regulators are responsive to the rectified voltage signals to product plus and minus regulated voltages, for example ±5 volts, which is sufficient to power the communications device. A charge circuit alternately transfers energy from the plus and minus voltage lines to ensure the presence of plus and minus voltage signals when only positive or negative signals are provided by the host device.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2003Publication date: September 23, 2004Inventor: Timothy M. Minteer
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Patent number: 6188494Abstract: A fiber-optic transceiver receives from and transmits to an associated electronic terminal device, such as a protective relay, digital data signals. Fiber-optic transceivers can be positioned at opposite ends of a connecting fiber-optic line. Power for each transceiver is obtained from its associated electronic device. The transceiver includes a transmit section, a receive section, a handshake section to provide feedback of control signals which may be required by the associated electronic terminal device, and a voltage supply section. A particular optical coding arrangement is used to convert the digital data signal from the terminal device to a series of optical pulses, wherein a pair of optical pulses represents a rising edge of the digital data signal from the electronic device, while a single pulse represents the falling edge of the data signal. Additional pairs of pulses and single pulses may follow the initial one, depending upon the length of the high and/or low portions of the data signal.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 1997Date of Patent: February 13, 2001Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.Inventor: Timothy M. Minteer
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Patent number: 5905758Abstract: The fiber-optic transceiver system combines EIA-232 data with IRIG-B time code information in a time multiplexing arrangement. The combined signal is transmitted to a receiver where the time code information is decombined from the data so that the two signals are replicas of their originals. The time multiplexing is accomplished by inserting a pulse into the data stream following the occurrence of a minimum time for each data bit and the coincidence of a time code pulse.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 1996Date of Patent: May 18, 1999Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering LaboratoriesInventors: Edmund O. Schweiter, III, Timothy M. Minteer