Patents Assigned to ABB, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8683846
    Abstract: A gas chromatograph operable to analyze a sample gas comprising a carrier gas and components. The gas chromatograph includes a bridge circuit with a sample sensor connected therein. A servo amplifier is connected to the bridge circuit and is operable to maintain the sample sensor at a constant temperature. An output of the servo amplifier is digitized and is used to quantify the components in the sample gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Inc.
    Inventors: Vince B. Hadley, Rodney Wayne Dilbeck
  • Patent number: 8654513
    Abstract: A motor box is used to rack withdrawable devices into or out of the associated cell in a switchgear cabinet. A hand held control is used to operate the motor box from a remote location. The motor box is attached to a mounting assembly on the switchgear cabinet door. The assembly can be part of the door or separately attached to the door. The mounting assembly allows for easy alignment of the motor box to the door and prevents rotation of the motor box when the box is latched to the mounting assembly. A cart is used to transport the motor box, remote control and associated peripherals to and from the switchgear cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Bower, Michael Murray
  • Patent number: 8653823
    Abstract: A system for the detection of welded contacts in a circuit of a line converter system has a plurality of inverter switches, a plurality of utility switches in which a pair of utility switches is connected in series through a line to a utility, a voltage detector, an electronic controller, and a DC input source. The line converter system converts incoming DC power into AC output power that is delivered to the utility grid. The voltage detector measures the voltage across a first node and a second node of the circuit and provides an output that is interpreted by an electronic controller for each step performed during a method of detection of welded contacts. The detection method has a sequence of test steps in which at least one switch is opened and/or closed, a DC bus of the inverter or the utility grid is used as a stimulus voltage, and the voltage is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignees: ABB Inc., ABB Oy
    Inventors: Kalyan P. Gokhale, Douglas W. Karraker, Ilkka T. Pajari, Matti T. Jussila
  • Publication number: 20140034286
    Abstract: A plug for ease of alignment of a temperature probe or sensor inside a duct of a transformer winding is provided. The plug is shaped for secure placement into a duct or passage of a transformer winding without requiring any adhering material. The insertion of the plug into the duct or passage brings the temperature probe into contact with the desired point along the transformer winding being thermally monitored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: ABB INC.
    Inventors: Charlie Sarver, William E. Pauley, JR., Barry Dean Havens, Christopher Lee Adams, Dan William Benedict
  • Publication number: 20130330467
    Abstract: A method and system for applying a liner material to a contoured surface, such as an exposed rock face in an underground hard rock mine, is disclosed. Locations of a plurality of spatially distributed surface grid points on the contoured surface may be detected so as to generate a representative topographical profile of the contoured surface. Based on the plurality of surface grid points, a spray path for a liner application device configured to emit a spray of the liner material may be determined. In some cases, the spray path may have a trajectory that follows the topographical profile of the contoured surface offset therefrom within a spray range of the liner application device. Liner material may then be sprayed onto the contoured surface while controlling the liner application device to undertake at least one pass of the spray path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: ABB INC.
    Inventors: Brian J. BOND, Abel J. ELIAS, Aaron J. ELLIOTT, Seth GALIPEAU, Mark GREAVES, Stephen M. KELLY, Nick MCDONALD, Brian W. RICHARDSON, Steve F. SIMPSON
  • Patent number: 8581097
    Abstract: A transformer enclosure has a hood and sill attached to a tank. The hood is retractable upon hinges connected to the top face of the tank. The sill is attached to the front face of the tank near the base and has a gate that drops down to an expanded position. When the enclosure is in a closed position, the hood and sill meet with the sill gate fully retracted along a tamperproof interface. A tamperproof interface is formed at the side of the enclosure by a flange on the side panels of the sill and a baffle on the bottom edges of the hood. A tamperproof interface is formed at the front of the enclosure by a bend and lip formed in the front panel of the hood in cooperation with a recessed portion formed in the gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: ABB Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Alan Ward, Virgil Bryan Zweifel
  • Publication number: 20130277422
    Abstract: A system and method for delivering targeted information to a user is provided. The user initiates a request for information by capturing or scanning a bar code associated with an object. The bar code is decoded and the decoded information is presented to the user. The decoded information and GPS coordinates of the user's scanning device is used to directly route the user to detailed information about the object that was scanned or the appropriate service department for servicing the object. The detailed information about the object includes but is not limited to product and system specifications, technical manuals and CAD drawings. A history of product scans is stored on the user's device and available for upload to the cloud. A portal is provided for accessing product scans and installed base information stored on the cloud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: ABB INC.
    Inventor: Hans Weinberg
  • Patent number: 8542423
    Abstract: An optical scanning or positioning mechanism has a head on which optical components are mounted and an actuator coupled to the head to cause the head to move when the actuator is actuated. There are one or more sets of flexure bearings mounted in the mechanism. The flexure bearings have a restoring torque when moved from a rest position. The bearings are coupled to the head to allow the head to move when actuated by the actuator. One or more magnets are mounted in the mechanism in a location other than in the actuator to compensate for the flexure bearings restoring torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: ABB Inc.
    Inventors: Mathieu J. Demers, Jean-Thomas Landry, Henry L. Buijs
  • Publication number: 20130194774
    Abstract: A transformer enclosure has a hood and sill attached to a tank. The hood is retractable upon hinges connected to the top face of the tank. The sill is attached to the front face of the tank near the base and has a gate that drops down to an expanded position. When the enclosure is in a closed position, the hood and sill meet with the sill gate fully retracted along a tamperproof interface. A tamperproof interface is formed at the side of the enclosure by a flange on the side panels of the sill and a baffle on the bottom edges of the hood. A tamperproof interface is formed at the front of the enclosure by a bend and lip formed in the front panel of the hood in cooperation with a recessed portion formed in the gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: ABB Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Alan Ward, Virgil Bryan Zweifel
  • Patent number: 8492662
    Abstract: Arc resistant enclosures for dry-type transformers. More particularly, transformer enclosures having one or more arc-resistant features, including arc channels, arc fault dampers, and arc fault plenums, and methods for providing same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: ABB Inc.
    Inventors: Robert C. Ballard, Nathan T. Sigman, Edgar A. Wimmer, Jr., Rafael Gutierrez, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8489209
    Abstract: A method is provided for analyzing and diagnosing a large scale process automation control system having a plurality of control loops. Assessments for pre-defined key performance indicators (KPIs) are automatically generated for control, process and signal sections of each control loop. The automatically generated assessments of the pre-defined KPIs may be displayed in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a computer. A user may change the automatically generated assessments of the pre-defined KPIs. Different data views may also be displayed in the GUI. The data views include time series trends for measured process variable, controller output, controller set point and error, as well as controller parameter clustering views in two-dimensional and three-dimensional plots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: ABB Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Dale Starr, Timothy Andrew Mast, Robert Trent Garverick
  • Publication number: 20130163302
    Abstract: DC-DC converter systems are disclosed. DC-DC converter systems may include an input, an output, a resonant switched-capacitor DC-DC converter, and a second DC-DC converter. The resonant switched-capacitor DC-DC converter may include a first input side and a first output side. The second DC-DC converter may include a second input side and a second output side. The first input side may be connected to the input, the second input side may be connected to an input voltage, and the first and second output sides may be connected in series to the output. In some examples, the second DC-DC converter may be a buck-boost DC-DC converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicants: ABB INC., ABB RESEARCH LTD.
    Inventors: ABB Research Ltd., ABB Inc.
  • Patent number: 8472223
    Abstract: In a neutral-point-clamped power inverter, gate drive circuit comprises four drive blocks providing bipolar DC signals to control switch gates. The first and third drive blocks are bootstrapped to the second and fourth. Inverter's neutral bus is commonly connected to the positive and negative DC buses through clamping capacitors. An arm of four serially-stacked-switches bridges DC buses. The switch arm midpoint is an output of the inverter. A first clamping diode connects the neutral bus to the first switch emitter; a second clamping diode connects the neutral bus to the third switch emitter. In one embodiment, a second switch arm mirrors the first, providing a second output; a second gate drive circuit mirrors the first. A bias circuit provides two reference voltages for the gate drive circuits. Three isolated DC sources provide signals that, when used by the gate drive circuit, result in seven isolated bipolar DC signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: ABB Inc.
    Inventor: Donald J. Truettner
  • Patent number: 8469103
    Abstract: A method and system operates a well having an outer casing, a tubing positioned inside the outer casing, and a plunger moveable within the tubing to periodically draw out a liquid slug. A chemical to slug size ratio is set by the operator. Thereafter, the gas flow rate is monitored and the well is shut-in when the gas flow rate drops below a predetermined threshold. After well shut-in, a calculated amount of chemical foaming agent is injected. The size of the liquid slug is calculated and then the well is opened, drawing the plunger and liquid slug up to the surface. The calculated amount of chemical foaming agent is calculated based on one or more previous liquid slug size determinations and the set chemical to slug size ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: ABB Inc.
    Inventor: David Barry
  • Patent number: 8456838
    Abstract: Arc resistant enclosures for dry-type transformers. More particularly, transformer enclosures having one or more arc-resistant features, including arc channels, arc fault dampers, and arc fault plenums, and methods for providing same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: ABB Inc.
    Inventors: Robert C. Ballard, Nathan T. Sigman, Edgar A. Wimmer, Jr., Rafael Gutierrez, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8402822
    Abstract: The invention is a process tank containing a direct level magnetostrictive measurement system disposed directly in the tank, where the level system preferably communicates to a remote location. One embodiment of the invention embodies an internal well guide chamber, which exactly replicates the actual vessel's internal conditions (pressure and temperature), and also prevents the float from being affected by turbulence from a two phase condition, such as might occur if boiling or flashing is present inside the vessel. The process tank should have a fluid temperature different by more than 50° C. from the ambient environment, or alternatively, be a flashing tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: ABB Inc.
    Inventor: Henry Hopper
  • Publication number: 20130071262
    Abstract: When a fossil fuel well is producing fossil fuel, lift gas injected into the well to bring the naturally occurring fluids in the well to the surface along with the fossil fuel and the plunger if the well has a plunger. An instrument is programmed to use the predetermined criteria to dynamically control the rate of injection of the lift gas into the well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: ABB Inc.
    Inventor: ABB Inc.
  • Patent number: 8375566
    Abstract: Methods of providing arc resistant switchgear enclosures for dry-type transformers are provided. The enclosures have one or more arc-resistant features, including arc channels, arc fault dampers, and arc fault plenums. In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises providing a base structure with a dry-type transformer seated thereon, providing walls and a roof, wherein at least the front wall contains at least one longitudinal seam covered by an arc channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: ABB Inc.
    Inventors: Robert C. Ballard, Nathan T. Sigman, Edgar A. Wimmer, Jr., Rafael Gutierrez, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20130030555
    Abstract: A method is provided for analyzing and diagnosing a large scale process automation control system having a plurality of control loops. Assessments for pre-defined key performance indicators (KPIs) are automatically generated for control, process and signal sections of each control loop. The automatically generated assessments of the pre-defined KPIs may be displayed in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a computer. A user may change the automatically generated assessments of the pre-defined KPIs. Different data views may also be displayed in the GUI. The data views include time series trends for measured process variable, controller output, controller set point and error, as well as controller parameter clustering views in two-dimensional and three-dimensional plots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: ABB INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Dale Starr, Timothy Andrew Mast, Robert Trent Garverick
  • Publication number: 20130027021
    Abstract: A current sensor is provided for measuring DC current in a primary conductor also carrying AC current. The current sensor includes a ferromagnetic core through which the primary conductor may extend. The core has a narrow air gap formed therein and a magnetic flux sensor is disposed in the air gap. A secondary winding is mounted to the core and has an impedance connected therein. The impedance has a value of substantially zero at one or more frequencies of the AC current. The impedance may be a short or an impedance source that includes a capacitor and an inductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: ABB INC.
    Inventor: Kalyan P. Gokhale