Patents Assigned to ABB Technology
  • Patent number: 9143072
    Abstract: An on-load tap changer is provided having a plurality of modules, each of which is operable to change taps in a winding of a transformer. A transmission shaft is connected to the modules and is operable upon rotation to effectuate tap changes in the windings. A servo motor rotates the transmission shaft. The servo motor includes a feedback device operable to generate a feedback signal containing information relating to the position of the motor shaft. A servo drive is connected to the servo motor to receive the feedback signal. The servo drive uses the feedback signal to determine and store a total angular displacement of the motor shaft. The servo drive uses the feedback signal and the total angular displacement of the motor shaft to control the operation of the servo motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: William James Teising, Robert Alan Elick, David Matthew Geibel, Joshua Tyler Elder
  • Publication number: 20150260203
    Abstract: A subsea pressure compensation arrangement is disclosed as having a vessel filled with insulating fluid, and a pressure compensator for compensating pressure variations of the insulating fluid. The arrangement can include a fluid connection pipe for fluid communication between the vessel and the pressure compensator, wherein the fluid connection pipe is connected to a bottom wall of the pressure compensator. A pipe opening arranged at an end of the fluid connection pipe extends above a level of the bottom wall of the pressure compensator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Markku LAUNONEN, Erkki HIIRONNIEMI, Esa VIRTANEN
  • Publication number: 20150263720
    Abstract: A switching device is provided for disconnecting or connecting an electric machine, a converter or a plurality of electrical loads supplied with AC power from a power supply and controlled by a control unit. The switching device includes a current sink and at least one mechanical switch in the switching device are arranged in a circuit. The current sink is arranged, upon receipt of a signal, to close and sink the current, and the at least one mechanical switch is arranged to open and break the current on receipt of a signal to open supplied to the electric machine when the current load is at or close to zero. A method and a computer program for carrying out the method are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: ABB Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Tor-Eivind Moen, Wojciech Piasecki, Knut Rongve, Jan Wiik
  • Patent number: 9136040
    Abstract: A joint including two sections of an electric power cable, each cable section including at least one core member surrounded by a first armoring layer for protecting the core member from tensile forces acting on the cable, the first armoring layer including a plurality of armoring wires arranged along the length of the cable and twisted in a first direction with respect to the longitudinal direction of the cable. The joint includes at least one core joint between the core members of the cable sections, and an outer mechanical casing surrounding the at least one core joint and mechanically connected to the first armoring layers of the cable sections, and a second armoring layer positioned in an area neighboring the casing, surrounding at least one of the cable sections, and having one end mechanically connected to the casing and the other end terminated at a distance from the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: ABB Technology Ltd
    Inventor: Bjorn Zettervall
  • Patent number: 9136055
    Abstract: An on-load tap changer is provided having a vacuum interrupter that is actuated by a shaft of an actuation assembly. A damper dampens the movement of the shaft. The damper provides more dampening when the shaft is closing the vacuum interrupter than when the shaft is opening the vacuum interrupter. The damper includes a housing at least partially defining an interior chamber into which the shaft extends. A piston with openings extending therethrough is disposed in the interior chamber and is secured to the shaft so as to be movable therewith. A blocking structure is operable to block the openings in the piston when the shaft is closing the vacuum interrupter and to un-block the openings in the piston when the shaft is opening the vacuum interrupter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Robert Alan Elick, Jon Christopher Brasher
  • Patent number: 9132551
    Abstract: A teleoperated robot system has a watchdog to determine if the rate of data transmission from a computing device such as a robot controller located in the station used by the operator of the teleoperated robot to the remotely located industrial robot has fallen below a minimum data rate or the time for transmission of data has exceeded a maximum time. Upon the occurrence of either or both of the foregoing, one or more types of corrective action are undertaken to bring the teleoperated robot and the processes performed by the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Biao Zhang, Harald Staab, Jianjun Wang, George Q. Zhang, Remus Boca, Sangeun Choi, Thomas A. Fuhlbrigge, Soenke Kock, Heping Chen
  • Publication number: 20150248978
    Abstract: An exemplary vacuum interrupter arrangement for a medium voltage circuit breaker includes a vacuum housing within which a pair of electrical contacts are coaxially arranged and concentrically surrounded by the cylindrical shaped vacuum housing. The electrical contacts are formed as a type of TMF-contacts, each having a slotted cup-shaped contact part which is attached to the distal end of a contact shaft and which is covered by a contact ring disposed on a rim of the cup-shaped contact part, wherein each cup-shaped contact part is provided with a vertical inward bending towards the contact ring. The outer diameter of the bottom section of the cup-shaped contact part is larger than the outer diameter of its rim section, in order to alter the Lorentz force to a respective inward direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Applicant: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Dietmar GENTSCH, Kai HENCKEN, Tarek LAMARA
  • Publication number: 20150240744
    Abstract: An assembly method is provided by orienting a cylinder-head at a first orientation. A first plurality of spring caps and a first plurality of retainer keys are installed into the cylinder-head in the first orientation by a first robot. A first plurality of valves is installed into the cylinder-head in the first orientation by a second robot, into engagement with the first plurality of retainer keys. An end effector is provided with an actuator supported upon an adapter plate. A shaft extends from the actuator with a mating surface to engage a spring cap. Porting is provided through the shaft to convey pressurized air upon a plurality of retainer keys within the spring cap. A plurality of gripper fingers extend from the distal end of the shaft to grip a valve spring while retaining a spring cap between the valve spring and the mating surface of the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicants: ABB Technology AG, Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Marrocco, Harry Kekedjian, Isaac Zolotarev, Arnold Bell, Michael Manuszak
  • Publication number: 20150244156
    Abstract: A bushing structure for a switchgear includes a mounting portion constructed and arranged to mount the bushing structure. A barrel portion extends from the mounting portion and is coaxial there-with. The barrel portion includes a plurality of undulations in a peripheral surface thereof to increase creepage distance. A primary contact is disposed within and extends a length of the barrel portion. The primary contact has a first end constructed and arranged to be contacted by a movable contact of the switchgear and a second end constructed and arranged to be connected with a busbar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Zdenek Kutalek, Stefano Motta, Amar G. Kini, Frantisek Koudelka
  • Patent number: 9116516
    Abstract: Information from a real sensor and a virtual sensor are fused to form a hybrid sensor. Control signals (and/or the absolute value of the control signals) applied to an actuator are accumulated and converted to a position the actuator should be in based on the accumulated control signals to form the virtual sensor. The actuator position from the virtual sensor is fused with an actuator position from a real sensor to form the hybrid sensor. Small periodic corrections can be made to the accumulating control signals to maintain or achieve, if possible, correlation between the virtual sensor and the real sensor over time. The corrections slowly decrement errors in the actuator position indicated by the virtual sensor. Accumulating numerical errors in the accumulating control signals are reduced and the significance of long past events is de-emphasized by a forgetting factor (kff) used at defined periods of time (tff).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventor: Francis P. Mullin
  • Publication number: 20150233787
    Abstract: A device for installing a modular crawler into an air gap of rotating electrical machinery and removing the crawler from the air gap has a reconfigurable handle attached to a curved head made from metallic material. The crawler is magnetically attached to the curved head when it is desired to insert the crawler into the air gap or remove the crawler from the air gap. The head can be rolled in the field into the curvature needed to match the stator's inner surface so that the installation device can easily be inserted in the air gap. The handle has several joints that can be adjusted in the field as needed for the best reachability. A camera is mounted on the curved head so that an operator can see the interface region between the curved head, crawler and air gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: William Eakins, Gregory Rossano, George Q. Zhang, Thomas A. Fuhlbrigge, Hetal V. Lakhani, Cajetan Pinto, Gregory Penza, Hermann Herrlich, Robert Kodadek
  • Publication number: 20150235784
    Abstract: An actuator system for actuating a high voltage current interrupter is disclosed. The actuator system comprises a transmission link for transmitting kinetic energy from a force provision system to a moveable contact of the current interrupter. The transmission link has a first end which is mechanically connectable to the moveable contact of the current interrupter and a second end facing away from the moveable contact. The actuator system further comprises a damping system comprising a shock-absorbing mass. The shock-absorbing mass is located along the extension of the line of translational movement of the transmission link, at the farther side of the transmission link as seen from the current interrupter, so that upon an opening operation of the current interrupter, the second end of the transmission link will collide with the shock-absorbing mass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: ABB Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Per-Olof Karlström, Thomas R. Eriksson, Ener Salinas, Ara Bissal
  • Publication number: 20150236497
    Abstract: A fault current limiter arrangement for a low, medium and high voltage electricity grid, including a fault current limiter unit which is arranged in line with a circuit breaker unit including a fixed electrical contact which is connected to a lower electrical terminal and a movable electrical contact which is connected to an upper electrical terminal, in order to interrupt the current flow after the fault current limiter unit has limited the current flow in a detected fault event. The fault current limiter unit includes a movable electrical sliding contact part which is electrically arranged between the upper electrical terminal of the circuit breaker unit and the movable electrical contact of the circuit breaker unit, and which is movable between a short circuit position adjacent to the upper electrical terminal and a remote position far from the upper electrical terminal for providing a maximum electrical resistance for the current flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: ABB Technology AG
    Inventor: Dietmar GENTSCH
  • Publication number: 20150234016
    Abstract: A method and an arrangement are disclosed for determining the direction of excess currents in energy supply networks, such as in medium voltage networks. An exemplary method and arrangement render it possible to reliably isolate a point of fault caused by a short-circuit or excess current, even if switching systems of the energy supply network do not include a capacitive pickup. Exemplary arrangements include an energy supply network which connects, via a transformer, a medium voltage network to a low voltage network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: ABB Technology AG
    Inventor: Stefan KAMPFER
  • Patent number: 9111677
    Abstract: Method of manufacturing a dry-type open wound transformer having disc windings is provided. The transformer has one or more high voltage windings, each of which includes a plurality serially connected discs. Each disc has two or more sections, wherein the sections are separated from each other by spaces arranged in a circumferential configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Charlie Sarver, William E. Pauley, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20150229111
    Abstract: Isolation structure is provided for electrically isolating a busbar mounted to a post insulator by a fastener via a busbar mounting hole. The busbar has insulating material covering the busbar except for surfaces defining the mounting hole. The isolation structure includes an electrically insulating sleeve constructed and arranged to be disposed around a portion of a periphery of the fastener and to be received in the busbar mounting hole. At least first and second electrically insulating washers each have a bore that receives the insulating sleeve. The insulating washers are constructed and arranged to engage with the surfaces defining the mounting hole on opposing sides of the busbar so as to sandwich the busbar between the first and second insulating washers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Zdenek Kutalek, Stefano Motta, Amar G. Kini, Frantisek Koudelka
  • Publication number: 20150229109
    Abstract: Side panels for a compartment of a switchgear include a first panel structure and a second panel structure that is identical to the first panel structure. Each panel structure has a body with symmetric surface features in the body. Certain of the surface features are offset from a plane of symmetry of the body. The first panel structure is constructed and arranged to define a left side of the compartment and the second panel structure, upon proper orientation, is constructed and arranged to define an opposing, right side of the compartment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Zdenek Kutalek, Stefano Motta, Amar G. Kini, Frantisek Koudelka
  • Publication number: 20150229233
    Abstract: An exemplary electrical converter includes a plurality of semiconductor switches. The electrical converter is configured for generating a two-level or multi-level output voltage from an input voltage by switching the plurality of semiconductor switches. A method for controlling the electrical converter includes receiving a reference electrical quantity (iS*) and an actual electrical quantity (iS), determining a sequence of future electrical quantities of the electrical converter from the actual electrical quantity, determining a maximal cost value based on the sequence of future electrical quantities, and iteratively determining an optimal switching sequence for the electrical converter. A switching sequence includes a sequence of future switching states for the semiconductor switches of the electrical converter. The method also includes selecting the first switching state of the optimal switching sequence as the next switching state (u) to be applied to the semiconductor switches of the electrical converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Daniel QUEVEDO, Tobias GEYER
  • Patent number: 9105427
    Abstract: Current path structure provides a current path between an interrupter assembly and a resistor assembly of a dead tank circuit breaker and includes an electrically conductive fixed support having first and second ends. The first end is fixed to one of the interrupter assembly or the resistor assembly. A substantially hollow, electrically conductive conductor has first and second ends, with a connector at the first end thereof. The connector is removably connected to the other of the interrupter assembly or the resistor assembly. Coupling structure removably couples the conductor with the fixed support such that when coupled, the current path structure is in an operative position electrically connecting the interrupter assembly with the resistor assembly, and when decoupled, the fixed support can be moved into telescoping relation within the conductor defining a collapsed position of the current path structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Matthew Cuppett, Morris Tampa, Beth Dahm, Carl Kurinko, Brant Suhrie
  • Patent number: D739353
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: David Mielnik, John Piunno, Christopher Gammell, Richard Ogorek, Mike J. Maczuzak, Krzysztof Miedza, Brian Milliff, Luke Hillebrecht