Patents Assigned to CTM Magnetics, Inc.
-
Publication number: 20140191834Abstract: The invention comprises an electrical apparatus and method of manufacture. The apparatus includes a substantially annular inductor comprising an inductor core composed of at least a distributed gap material. The distributed gap material includes particles of alternating layers of magnetic and non-magnetic materials separated by a gap material. The particles comprise an average layer thickness of less than about one hundred micrometers, where a majority of said layered particles comprise an average cross sectional size of less than about one millimeter. The inductor is cooled using at least one of: a thermally conductive potting material, a liquid coolant in direct contact with the inductor, a cooling line through the potting material or liquid coolant, and a chill coil in a container about the potting material and/or the liquid coolant.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2013Publication date: July 10, 2014Applicant: CTM Magnetics, Inc.Inventor: Grant A. MacLennan
-
Publication number: 20130308351Abstract: The invention comprises a high frequency inductor filter apparatus coupled with an inverter yielding high frequency harmonics and/or non-sixty Hertz output. For example, an inductor/converter apparatus is provided that uses a silicon carbide transistor to output power having a carrier frequency, modulated by a fundamental frequency, and a set of harmonic frequencies. A filter, comprising an inductor having a distributed gap core material and optional magnet wires, receives power output from the inverter/converter and processes the power by passing the fundamental frequency while reducing amplitude of the harmonic frequencies.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2013Publication date: November 21, 2013Applicant: CTM Magnetics, Inc.Inventor: Grant A. MacLennan
-
Publication number: 20120223792Abstract: The invention comprises a phase change inductor cooling system. The cooling system uses a non-conductive refrigerant in proximate and/or in direct contact with an inductor. Heat from the inductor changes the refrigerant from a liquid to a gas phase, which removes heat from the inductor. The gas phase refrigerant is subsequently removed from the inductor to remove heat from the environment about the inductor. The refrigerant is optionally recirculated using the steps of condensing and/or compressing the refrigerant prior to reintroduction into the environment proximate and/or in direct contact with the inductor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2012Publication date: September 6, 2012Applicant: CTM Magnetics, Inc.Inventor: Grant A. MacLennan
-
Publication number: 20120139680Abstract: The invention comprises an inductor configured for filtering medium and/or high voltage power. The inductor includes an inductor core formed of a plurality of coated magnetic particles, each of a majority of the coated magnetic particles including: a magnetic particle core and a non-magnetic coating about a corresponding magnetic particle core. The inductor optionally includes: (1) a main inductor spacer separating a first turn of a winding from a terminal turn of the winding and (2) a segmenting spacer separating two consecutive turns of the winding about said core. The inductor is configured to convert power into an output current, such as power of at least one thousand five hundred volts with an input current of at least fifty amperes.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2012Publication date: June 7, 2012Applicant: CTM Magnetics, Inc.Inventor: Grant A. MacLennan
-
Patent number: 8169290Abstract: Methods and apparatus for electromagnetic components comprise a core and a winding. The core and winding are configured to provide smaller and more effective electromagnetic components.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2010Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: CTM Magnetics, Inc.Inventor: Grant MacLennan
-
Publication number: 20120075048Abstract: The invention comprises an inductor mounting method and apparatus. An about annular inductor is mounted using a non-conducting mount element passing at least into a center opening of the inductor. Mounting hardware forces an edge surface of the mount into proximate contact with an edge of the inductor, where the mount and mounting hardware minimally contact the inductor. The mount optionally includes holes and/or grooves to further reduce mount/inductor contact, which aids liquid, convective, and/or radiative cooling of the inductor. The inductor is optionally composed of particles of magnetic material coated with carbon and embedded into an epoxy to yield a distributed gap material.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2011Publication date: March 29, 2012Applicant: CTM Magnetics, Inc.Inventors: Grant A. MacLennan, Benjamin Lynn Richie, JR.
-
Patent number: 8125777Abstract: Methods and apparatus for electrical components according to various aspects of the present invention may be implemented in conjunction with an electrical system comprising a heat generating component and a cooling system. The cooling system may comprise a cooling channel and a coolant. The coolant is disposed within the cooling channel and in thermal contact with the heat generating component.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2009Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: CTM Magnetics, Inc.Inventors: Grant MacLennan, Benjamin Richie
-
Publication number: 20110267161Abstract: An inductor cooling method and apparatus is provided, where the inductor comprises both a substantially annular core and an aperture therethrough. The aperture is circumferentially surrounded by the substantially annular core. A container holds a substantially non-conductive coolant and the inductor is immersed in the coolant. Optional spacers hold the inductor away from the container to allow room for coolant circulation.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2011Publication date: November 3, 2011Applicant: CTM Magnetics, Inc.Inventors: Grant A. MacLennan, Benjamin Lynn Richie, JR.
-
Publication number: 20110234352Abstract: The invention comprises an electrical apparatus and method of manufacture. The apparatus includes a substantially annular inductor comprising an inductor core composed of at least a distributed gap material. The distributed gap material includes particles of alternating layers of magnetic and non-magnetic materials separated by a gap material. The particles comprise an average layer thickness of less than about one hundred micrometers, where a majority of said layered particles comprise an average cross sectional size of less than about one millimeter. The inductor is cooled using at least one of: a thermally conductive potting material, a liquid coolant in direct contact with the inductor, a cooling line through the potting material or liquid coolant, and a chill coil in a container about the potting material and/or the liquid coolant.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2011Publication date: September 29, 2011Applicant: CTM Magnetics, Inc.Inventor: Grant A. MacLennan
-
Publication number: 20110227670Abstract: The invention comprises an inductor configured for filtering medium and/or high voltage power. The inductor includes an inductor core formed of a plurality of coated magnetic particles, each of a majority of the coated magnetic particles including: a magnetic particle core and a non-magnetic coating about a corresponding magnetic particle core. The inductor optionally includes: (1) a main inductor spacer separating a first turn of a winding from a terminal turn of the winding and (2) a segmenting spacer separating two consecutive turns of the winding about said core. The inductor is configured to convert power into an output current, such as power of at least one thousand five hundred volts with an input current of at least fifty amperes.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2011Publication date: September 22, 2011Applicant: CTM Magnetics, Inc.Inventor: Grant A. MacLennan
-
Publication number: 20110227680Abstract: The invention comprises an inductor mounting method and apparatus. An about annular inductor is mounted using a non-conducting clamp element passing at least into a center opening of the inductor. Mounting hardware forces the clamp element toward a mounting surface to edge mount the inductor, where the mounting hardware, non-conducting clamp element, and mounting surface minimally contact the inductor. The minimal contact allows greater surface area for liquid, convective, and/or radiative cooling of the inductor. The inductor is optionally composed of particles of magnetic material coated with carbon and embedded into an epoxy to yield a distributed gap material.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2011Publication date: September 22, 2011Applicant: CTM Magnetics, Inc.Inventor: Grant MacLennan
-
Publication number: 20110227681Abstract: The invention comprises a liquid cooled inductor system including at least an inductor and an immersion fluid directly contacting at least a portion of the inductor, such as an inductor core and/or an inductor winding. The immersion fluid is a substantially non-electrically conducting fluid. Preferably, the inductor comprises an inductor core, such as an annularly shaped core, having a plurality of sub-millimeter sized coated particles having alternating magnetic and non-magnetic layers. Optionally, a cooling coil passes through the immersion fluid, the cooling coil carrying a liquid coolant used to remove heat from the inductor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2011Publication date: September 22, 2011Applicant: CTM Magnetics, Inc.Inventor: Grant A. MacLennan
-
Publication number: 20110227682Abstract: The invention comprises a potted inductor, where a solid potting material substantially contacting the inductor enhances cooling of the inductor. The inductor comprises an annular core composed of a distributed gap material, where the distributed gap material includes sub-millimeter particles of alternating magnetic and non-magnetic layers separated by gaps. The potting material includes a urethane, resin, epoxy, or the like combined with a lower thermal impedance additive, such as a silica sand or an aluminum oxide. Optionally, one or more cooling lines direct a circulating coolant flow through the potting material, around the inductor, and/or through the inductor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2011Publication date: September 22, 2011Applicant: CTM Magnetics, Inc.Inventor: Grant A. MacLennan
-
Patent number: 8009008Abstract: Methods and apparatus according to various aspects of the present invention may be implemented in conjunction with a inductor mount mounting to a mounting surface. The inductor mount may comprise an inductor having a center opening, and a surface area encompassing all of a front face, a back face, an inner surface about the center opening, and an outer edge concentric about the center opening. The inductor mount may further include mounting hardware holding the outer edge of then inductor to the mounting surface. A cooling element moves air into contact with the front face, through the center opening, and around the outer edge of the inductor. In various embodiments, the mounting hardware contacts less that ten percent of the surface area of the inductor.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2008Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: CTM Magnetics, Inc.Inventor: Grant MacLennan
-
Patent number: 7973628Abstract: Methods and apparatus according to various aspects of the present invention may operate in conjunction with an inductor. For example, n inverter/converter system according to various aspects of the present invention may include an inductor comprising a substantially annular core and a winding. The inductor may be configured for high current applications and exhibit a permeability of less than thirteen delta Gauss per delta Oersted at a load of four hundred Oersteds.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2008Date of Patent: July 5, 2011Assignee: CTM Magnetics, Inc.Inventor: Grant MacLennan
-
Patent number: 7973632Abstract: The invention comprises a power filtering method and apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2009Date of Patent: July 5, 2011Assignee: CTM Magnetics, IncInventors: Grant MacLennan, Benjamin Richie
-
Patent number: 7471181Abstract: Methods and apparatus for electromagnetic components comprise a core and a winding. The core and winding are configured to provide smaller and more effective electromagnetic components.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2005Date of Patent: December 30, 2008Assignee: CTM Magnetics, Inc.Inventor: Grant MacLennan