Patents Assigned to ABB
  • Patent number: 11545882
    Abstract: A synchronous electrical motor, which may operate poly-phase electrical power, is configured to operate at a rated flux configuration and a high flux configuration. To enable the high flux configuration, some coils wound about the stator of the electric motor can be designated bypass coils and can be selectively disconnected from the power source supplying the motor with electrical power. The remaining permanent coils continue to receive full line power and generate a rotating magnetic field with an increased magnetic flux. At startup from standstill conditions, the bypass coils are selectively disconnected so that a flux boost occurs and a corresponding increase in output torque of the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Robert F. McElveen, Jr., Richard J. Budzynski, Jukka T. Jarvinen
  • Patent number: 11542188
    Abstract: A glass furnace for continuous operation, including a melting tank for containing a glass melt, and at least one magnetic actuator configured to generate a time-varying magnetic field suitable for moving a stirring body immersed in the glass melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Ener Salinas, Xiaojing Zhang, Hongliang Yang, Göran Eriksson, Ulf Sand
  • Patent number: 11543182
    Abstract: A furnace assembly for a metal-making process, including: an electric arc furnace configured for flat bath operation and having a bottom, and an electromagnetic stirrer configured to be arranged underneath the bottom of the electric arc furnace to enable stirring of molten metal in the electric arc furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignees: ABB Schweiz AG, Tenova S.p.A.
    Inventors: Lidong Teng, Anders Lehman, Hongliang Yang, Andrea Grasselli, Silvio Maria Reali
  • Patent number: 11543813
    Abstract: A method of controlling a real production process, wherein the method includes: a) receiving initial condition data from an on-line simulator system simulating the real production process, and b) performing an optimization based on the initial condition data and on an objective function to obtain set points for controlling the real production process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Lars Ledung, Rikard Hansson, Elise Thorud
  • Patent number: 11544076
    Abstract: A method for online reconfiguration of a node in a process control system including components. Each component is a separate executable running in a separate operating system process as provided by a real time operating system of the node. A method is performed by a node manager of the node to be reconfigured. The method includes triggering, based on new configuration data and whilst running the at least one of the components to be reconfigured, creation of a new configuration entity for each of the at least one of the components to be reconfigured, the creating involving implementing, by each new configuration entity, a part of the reconfiguration corresponding to its component to be reconfigured. The method includes triggering synchronization of runtime data in each new configuration entity with runtime data of its corresponding existing configuration entity. The method includes triggering replacement of the existing configuration entity with its new configuration entity and thereby reconfiguring the node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Staffan Andersson, Stefan Sallberg
  • Publication number: 20220417160
    Abstract: A method for operating a time-sensitive network, TSN, having a first, high-importance segment and a second, low-importance segment, includes remapping, using TSN per-port priority regeneration, priority labels attached to data streams received on the first port and the second port to updated priority labels; splitting the data streams into a “preempting” class and a “preemptable” class based on a mapping from updated priority labels to classes; and forwarding the data streams from a border network element to at least one next-hop network element. When congestion is present on a link to the next-hop network element, the forwarding of “preempting” data streams takes precedence over the forwarding of “preemptable” data streams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Alexander Gogolev, Marius-Petru Stanica, Hariram Satheesh
  • Publication number: 20220415158
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining an operational state of an industrial plant includes acquiring alarms raised within the plant and adding them to a pool of important alarms, determining whether a physical state of the plant indicated by a first alarm causes a second alarm or meets a predetermined state-dependent condition and, if so, moving the first alarm to a pool of informative alarms; and determining the operational state of the plant and/or a corrective action for improving this operational state based on the alarms in the pool of important alarms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Mario Hoernicke, Katharina Stark, Dirk Schulz
  • Publication number: 20220412540
    Abstract: An electronic cover for an electrical lighting device includes a conducting electrical track structure for lighting components and control components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventor: Fabrice Martins
  • Publication number: 20220416452
    Abstract: A terminal block unit for an input/output device of a modular process control system includes two slot elements configured to receive two redundant signal conditioning units. The terminal block unit is configured to be housed in a pair of two adjacent slot elements of a module termination unit of an input/output device. The terminal block unit provides a parallel connection of the redundant signal conditioning units to a field device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Robert Norberg, Bernd Wansner, Thomas Keul, Stefan Pook, Ulf Hansson, Joerg Schubert, Jorgen Aslund
  • Publication number: 20220416686
    Abstract: A flying capacitor switching cell-system includes at least two flying capacitor switching cells, wherein each of the cells comprises an arrangement of at least one semiconductor system, and wherein the cells are in parallel in an electrical circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Daniel Christen, Mario Schweizer, Hemant Bishnoi, Sami Pettersson
  • Publication number: 20220410397
    Abstract: A system and method for use of artificial and nature racking features to calibrate sensors and tune a robotic control system of a sensor fusion guided robotic assembly. The artificial tracking features can have a configuration, or be at a location, that may be less susceptible to noise and error. Thus, the sensors can at least initially be calibrated, and the control system initially tuned, using the first tracking features until the sensors and control system satisfy operation performance criteria. Second tracking features, which may correspond to features on a workpiece that will be utilized in an assembly operation performed by the robot. By pre-calibrating the sensors, and pre-tuning the control system prior to calibration using the second tracking features, sensor calibration and system tuning based on the second tracking features can be attained faster and with less complexity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Biao Zhang, Saumya Sharma, Yixin Liu, Jianjun Wang, William J. Eakins, Andrew M. Salm, Yun Hsuan Su, Jorge Vidal-Ribas, Jordi Artigas, Ramon Casanelles
  • Patent number: 11539268
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a motor and an industrial robot. The motor comprises a main body, an inner end cover, an outer end cover, a first oil seal, a second oil seal and an oil leakage sensor. The main body comprises a rotor extending along an axial direction. The inner end cover is coupled to the main body and comprises a first hole for the rotor to pass through. The outer end cover is arranged outside the inner end cover along the axial direction and abuts against the inner end cover. The outer end cover comprises a second hole for the rotor to pass through, wherein a first oil seal is arranged adjacent to the second hole and a second oil seal is arranged inside the first oil seal and is adjacent to the second hole. A gap is provided between the first oil seal and the second oil seal along the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Yun Su, Guangming Xie, Fengqing Lin
  • Patent number: 11538648
    Abstract: A circuit breaker is provided that may be plugged onto an electrical panel. The circuit breaker is preferably a low voltage circuit breaker in the range of 120-240 volts. The circuit breaker has an electrical clip with a curved inner surface that contacts a curved outer surface of an electrical connector on the electrical panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Andrew Candelora, Timothy Louis Thomas, Jason Edward Harmon, Nagesh Venkata Tumu, Brad Parlee, Cecil Rivers
  • Patent number: 11538645
    Abstract: An electric switch including a frame, a first stationary contact, a roll element adapted to rotate relative to the frame, a rotating contact stationary fixed to the roll element, and an arc extinguisher plate system. The arc extinguisher plate system includes at least one first arc extinguisher plate for extinguishing an electric arc generated during an opening event between the first stationary contact and a first contact portion of the rotating contact. The at least one first arc extinguisher plate is fixed to the roll element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventor: Juuso Lilja
  • Patent number: 11539303
    Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is provided that includes a split direct current (DC) link having a first capacitor coupled between a positive DC link terminal and a first node, and a second capacitor coupled between the first node and a negative DC link terminal. The UPS also includes a rectifier coupled to an input of the split DC link and a controller coupled to the rectifier. The rectifier includes first, second, and third legs, wherein each leg is configured to convert a first alternating current (AC) voltage received from an AC source into a DC voltage to be provided to the split DC link, and a fourth leg configured to balance DC link voltages of the first and second capacitors. The controller is configured to maintain functionality of the rectifier during at least one of a partial utility power outage, a full utility outage, and a failure of at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Lorenzo Giuntini, Silvio Colombi, Andrea Mannuccini
  • Publication number: 20220405088
    Abstract: A method for updating a process control system having a plurality of different hardware units includes providing a firmware data package, connecting a computing unit to an interface unit, transferring the firmware data package to the interface unit, providing current status data comprising information about the different hardware unit and information about the current firmware versions of the different hardware unit, checking whether the different hardware unit and the current firmware versions are compatible with the firmware update data for the different hardware units based on the current status data, and determining a checking result. When the checking result is positive, firmware update data in the different hardware unit is installed, and when the checking result is negative, an incompatibility message is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Stefan Pook, Andreas Wahlmann, Andreas Stueckelmaier
  • Publication number: 20220404224
    Abstract: A sensor device includes a housing frame defining a first opening and a second opening; a sensing element having first and second sides is disposed within the housing frame and defines therein a first cavity at its first site and a second cavity at its second site, wherein the sensing element determines a differential pressure between the first and second sides; a first corrugated diaphragm configured to close the first opening to seal the first cavity, and a second corrugated diaphragm configured to close the second opening to seal the second cavity; and an inert hydraulic fluid disposed within the first and second cavities that fluidly couples an external pressure acting on the respective corrugated diaphragm to the respective side of the sensing element, wherein the first corrugated diaphragm and the second corrugated diaphragm is built by a conformal coating process using a substrate with structured surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventor: Andrew Holmes
  • Publication number: 20220407430
    Abstract: A converter system includes a rectifier, a DC link stage and an inverter connected in series. A control unit includes a slow reference frame angle determination unit that generates a slow reference frame angle ?r,slow representing an angle that is slowly following a grid phase deviation, and a fast Phase Locked Loop generating a fast reference frame angle ?r,fast representing an angle that is fast following a grid phase deviation. The control unit uses the slow reference frame angle ?r,slow and the fast reference frame angle ?r,fast to control the rectifier output current, and the fast reference frame angle ?r,fast to control the inverter output voltage and to synchronize the inverter output voltage with the grid voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Mario Schweizer, Ivan Furlan, Nocola Notari
  • Publication number: 20220402136
    Abstract: A system and method for determining performance of a robot. In one form the robot is constructed as you assembling automotive workpieces onto an automobile assembly. In one form the robot accomplishes the task of assembling an automotive workpiece onto the automotive assembly by using vision feedback and force feedback. The vision feedback can use any number of features perform its function. Such features can include an artificial feature such as but not limited to a QR code, as well as a natural feature such as a portion of the workpiece or automotive assembly. In one embodiment the robot is capable of detecting a collision event and assessing the severity of the collision event. In another embodiment the robot is capable of evaluating its performance by attracting a performance metric against a performance threshold, and comparing a sensor fusion output with a sensor fusion output reference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Biao Zhang, Saumya Sharma, Yixin Liu, Jianjun Wang, Will Eakins, Andrew Salm, Yun Hsuan Su, Jorge Vidal-Ribas, Ramon Casanelles, Jordi Artigas
  • Patent number: 11530118
    Abstract: It is provided a container crane including: a spreader configured to controllably attach to a container; a container trolley to which the spreader is attached via cables, the container trolley being provided on an upper part of the container crane and being horizontally movable along a first direction; a first sensor arrangement mounted on the container trolley, the first sensor arrangement being usable to determine a position of the container; a second sensor arrangement being usable to determine a position of a target; and at least one reference marker provided fixed, in at least two dimensions, to a horizontal support provided along the first direction between vertical structures of the container crane, the at least one reference marker being provided vertically lower than the first sensor arrangement and the at least one reference marker being detectable by the first sensor arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Björn Henriksson, Uno Bryfors