Patents Examined by Lucy Thomas
  • Patent number: 9800022
    Abstract: Disclosed is a no-freewheeling arc lightning protection gap protecting device, comprising a grounding-side arc extinguishing device, and a grounding-side fitting and a conducting wire-side fitting installed at two ends of a circuit insulator string via fixing devices. The grounding-side arc extinguishing device comprises a thunder and lightning pulse acquisition device, an insulating sealing shell, a gas generating device and an arc extinguishing chamber. The other end of the grounding-side fitting is equipped with a connecting fine pipe. The grounding-side arc extinguishing device also comprises a tubular earth electrode made of a nonmetal conductive material and an L-shaped earth electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Inventors: Jufeng Wang, Yanlei Wang
  • Patent number: 9789484
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for charging fluids are disclosed. The charging of fluids improves the mixing of fluids in microfluidic systems. The charging is performed by producing an ion field between an ionizing electrode and an opposed ground electrode. A fluid-containing vessel is positioned between the opposed electrodes and the ion field charges the fluid in the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Stokes Bio Limited
    Inventors: Brian Chawke, Kieran Curran, David McGuire, Michael Sayers, Noel Sirr
  • Patent number: 9787064
    Abstract: A corona igniter (20) comprises a central electrode (22) surrounded by an insulator (24), which is surrounded by a metal shell (26). A ceramic combustion seal (30) is disposed along the gap (32) between a shell lower end shell (52) and the insulator nose region (48) to provide a hermetic seal therebetween. The ceramic combustion seal (30) is typically a bushing, cylinder, or ring formed of sintered alumina. A glass material or glass/ceramic mixture (60) typically adheres the ceramic combustion seal (30) to the shell (26) and the insulator (24). Alternatively, the ceramic combustion seal (30) is brazed to the shell (26), and the glass material or glass/ceramic mixture (60) adheres the ceramic combustion seal (30) to the insulator (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Ignition Company
    Inventors: Patrick Durham, James Lykowski
  • Patent number: 9783071
    Abstract: Supply device for providing electrical energy to a consumer electrical circuit, containing a protection and monitoring device (50) assigned individually to the consumer, to the output of which the consumer electrical circuit can be connected via connecting means (10), wherein the protection and monitoring device (50) has sensor means (31, 32) for detecting at least one electrical quantity, and an analysis device (52) controlled by the sensor means (31, 32), which contains parameterization means for specifying in a predefinable manner at least one safety relevant triggering criterion, wherein on the at least one safety relevant triggering criterion being reached, a switching device (54) for the consumer electrical circuit can be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: innogy SE
    Inventors: Armin Gaul, Ingo Diefenbach
  • Patent number: 9780533
    Abstract: An ESD protective device is provided which can lower a discharge start voltage. In an ESD protective device 1, first and second discharge electrodes 3 and 4 are disposed in a substrate 2 in a spaced relation with a discharge gap G interposed therebetween, and a conductor 9 is arranged around the discharge gap G. The conductor 9 has a nonlinear sectional shape in a section of the substrate 2 extending in a direction interconnecting a first principal surface 2a and a second principal surface 2b of the substrate 2 and passing the discharge gap G.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsumi Yasunaka, Jun Adachi, Takayuki Tsukizawa
  • Patent number: 9774181
    Abstract: A resettable switching apparatus, useful in a GFCI receptacle, has an auto-monitoring circuit for automatically testing various functions and structures of the device. The auto-monitoring circuit initiates an auto-monitoring routine which, among other things, establishes a test fault situation on either the positive or negative half-wave of the power cycle and determines whether the detection mechanisms within the device appropriately detect the test fault and whether the device would trip in the event of an actual fault. Additional functionality of the auto-monitoring circuit permits automatic verification that the device is properly wired, that is, not miswired, and determines whether the device has reached the end of its useful life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Gaetano Bonasia, Kenny Padro
  • Patent number: 9769090
    Abstract: Novel system and methodology for adjusting a current limit threshold in a Power over Ethernet (PoE) system in accordance with requirements of a Powered Device (PD). A system for supplying power to a PD over a communications link has a requirement determining circuit for determining a PD's requirement, and a control circuit for setting a parameter restricting an output signal of the PSE in accordance with the determined PD's requirement. The control circuit may set a current limit threshold of the PSE and/or the PD in accordance with the determined PD's requirement, such as a power requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Clayton Reynolds Stanford, Jeffrey Lynn Heath, Kirk Tzukai Su, Harry Joseph Kleeburg
  • Patent number: 9762053
    Abstract: A load driving method includes bringing an output transistor disposed between a first power supply line and an output terminal connected to a load into a conduction state by a protection transistor provided between a gate of the output transistor and a second power supply line when a polarity of a power supply coupled between the first power supply line and the second power supply lines is reversed, and forming a conductive path between the second power supply line and a back gate of the protection transistor via a transistor by a back gate control circuit when the polarity of the power supply is normal, the back gate control circuit including the transistor, a gate of the transistor being coupled to the first power supply line directly via a connection node located in a connecting line that couples the first power supply line and the output transistor, the transistor being coupled between the second power supply line and the back gate of the protection transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro Nakahara
  • Patent number: 9754633
    Abstract: Memory short detection systems and methods include a power supply system with first power rail. A memory system includes a memory device connector that is configured to couple to a memory device and includes a first pin that is coupled to the first power rail and a second pin located adjacent the first pin. A short detection circuit is coupled to the first pin. The short detection circuit is configured to provide a first voltage from the first power rail, compare the first voltage to a first short detection voltage, and determine whether a short exists across the first pin and the second pin based on the comparing of the first voltage to the first short detection voltage. If a short is determined to exist across the first pin and the second pin, power is prevented from being provided to the memory device connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: James L. Petivan, III, Sanjiv C. Sinha, Syed S. Ahmed, John Ross Palmer
  • Patent number: 9755418
    Abstract: A device and method for fuse protection of a line includes at least two sensors for sensing a corresponding electric variable in a first location and a second location along a conductor line, and for outputting a corresponding first value and second value of the electric variable at the first and second locations, respectively. An evaluation unit evaluates the generated first and second values in order to generate an evaluation result. The evaluation unit controls, based on the evaluation result, an isolating element to cause the isolating element to interrupt a current flow in the conductor line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Lisa Draexlmaier GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Wortberg, Alfred Kerber, Erwin Lichtenberg, Jan Marquardt, Gernot Eyssler, Anton Bachmeier
  • Patent number: 9754745
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for: at least one electromechanical relay including a coil and at least one pair of contacts, the contacts transitioning between a de-energized state and an energized state in response to current through the coil; a microcontroller having at least one tri-state output operating to produce ON, OFF, and FLOAT states; and a driver circuit operating, in conjunction with the tri-state output of the microcontroller, to control the current through the coil of the relay such that: (i) a transition of the tri-state output from OFF to FLOAT maintains the contacts of the relay in their de-energized state through the transition, and (ii) a transition of the tri-state output from ON to FLOAT maintains the contacts of the relay in their energized state through the transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Raritan Americas, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Suchoff
  • Patent number: 9748761
    Abstract: An overcurrent detection circuit installed in a host for supplying power to a device is disclosed. The overcurrent detection circuit includes: a detection resistor disposed on a power supply line; a current monitoring unit that compares a detected voltage that is a voltage drop across the detection resistor with a variable threshold voltage and asserts an overcurrent detection signal if the detected voltage exceeds the threshold voltage; and a control unit including a timer. The control unit is switchable among (i) a first state where the threshold voltage is set to a first value that is in accord with a reference value for overcurrent protection, (ii) a second state where the threshold voltage is set to a second value that is greater than the first value, and (iii) a third state where the threshold voltage is set to a third value that is less than the first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Ohwaki
  • Patent number: 9728430
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck with LED heating is disclosed. The electrostatic chuck with LED heating comprises a first subassembly, which comprises a LED heater, and a second subassembly, which comprises an electrostatic chuck. The LED substrate heater subassembly includes a base having a recessed portion. A plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) is disposed within the recessed portion. The LEDs may be GaN or GaP LEDs, which emit light at a wavelength which is readily absorbed by silicon, thus efficiently and quickly heating the substrate. The second subassembly, which comprises an electrostatic chuck, is disposed on the LED substrate heater subassembly. The electrostatic chuck includes a top dielectric layer and an interior layer that are transparent at the wavelength emitted by the LEDs. One or more electrodes are disposed between the top dielectric layer and the interior layer to create the electrostatic force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason M. Schaller, William T. Weaver, Morgan D. Evans, Robert Brent Vopat, Paul E. Pergande, Julian G. Blake, David Blahnik, Ala Moradian
  • Patent number: 9720432
    Abstract: A power transmission apparatus with over-loading protection and power-saving mechanism is provided. The power transmission apparatus includes a switch module and a control module. The switch module includes a first switch circuit, a second switch circuit and a protection circuit. The first switch circuit is coupled between a power input module and a power supply port. The second switch circuit is coupled to the power input module. The protection circuit is coupled between the second switch circuit and the power supply port and detects a load power of the power supply port when the second switch circuit is turned-on. When the load power is greater than a predetermined over-loading threshold, the protection circuit enables the first switch circuit. After the control module determines that the first switch circuit is enabled, the control module controls the first switch circuit keeps enabling and disables the second switch circuit and the protection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: ELIFECONNECTION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Cheng-Tsuen Hsu
  • Patent number: 9705293
    Abstract: The invention relates to a corona ignition device, comprising a center electrode, an insulator surrounding the center electrode, a coil, which is connected to the center electrode, and a housing pipe, in which the coil is arranged. The housing pipe comprises a substrate layer and a conducting layer arranged radially inwardly of the substrate layer. The conducting layer is made of a material having a greater electrical conductivity than the material of the substrate layer. The conducting layer has a thickness of at least 0.1 mm. Also disclosed is a method for producing a corona ignition device, in which, to produce the housing pipe, an inner pipe is inserted into an outer pipe. The invention also relates to a corona ignition device of which the coil is surrounded by a soft-magnetic shielding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: BORGWARNER BERU SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Tom Achtstätter, Timo Stifel, Felizitas Heilmann, Ganghua Ruan, Gerd Bräuchle
  • Patent number: 9673007
    Abstract: An integrated circuit for demagnetizing an inductive load includes a first switch to control current supplied by a voltage supply to the inductive load. A Zener diode includes an anode connected to a control terminal of the first switch and a cathode connected to the voltage supply. A second switch includes a control terminal and first and second terminals. A temperature sensing circuit is configured to sense a temperature of the first switch and to generate a sensed temperature. A comparing circuit includes inputs that receive a reference temperature and the sensed temperature and an output connected to the control terminal of the second switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Siro Buzzetti, Marco Demicheli, Danilo Ranieri
  • Patent number: 9673592
    Abstract: An x-ray tube includes a vacuum housing. A cathode and an anode are disposed in the vacuum housing and insulated by at least one insulation element. Upon application of a high voltage, the cathode emits electrons that strike the anode as an electron beam. A voltage arrester device with an insulation path has a field strength that is higher than a field strength at the insulation element. If a voltage flashover occurs, the voltage is discharged via the voltage arrester device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ronald Dittrich, Thomas Ferger, Christian Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 9666466
    Abstract: A substrate support assembly includes a ceramic puck and a thermally conductive base having an upper surface that is bonded to a lower surface of the ceramic puck. The thermally conductive base includes a plurality of thermal zones and a plurality of thermal isolators that extend from the upper surface of the thermally conductive base towards a lower surface of the thermally conductive base, wherein each of the plurality of thermal isolators provides approximate thermal isolation between two of the plurality of thermal zones at the upper surface of the thermally conductive base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay D. Parkhe, Konstantin Makhratchev, Jason Della Rosa, Hamid Noorbakhsh, Brad L. Mays, Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9667062
    Abstract: A fault current limiter (FCL) includes at least one magnetisable core member and at least one AC magnetomotive force source configured to generate a varying magnetic flux in at least a portion of the at least one magnetisable core member. At least one static magnetomotive force source is positioned to provide a magnetic circuit within at least part of the at least one magnetisable core member and the AC magnetomotive force source and the static magnetomotive force source are relatively positioned to be orthogonal to each other. Typically the static magnetomotive force source may be a permanent magnet and the AC magnetomotive force source configured to generate a varying magnetic flux in both of first and second spaced core members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Faultcurrent Limited
    Inventor: Jeremy Peter Hall
  • Patent number: 9667056
    Abstract: A distribution manager includes a main bus, a first connection coupled to the main bus through a first circuit breaker and being structured to couple the distribution manager to an inter-microgrid connection system, a second connection coupled to the main bus through a second circuit breaker and being structured to couple the distribution manager to the inter-microgrid connection system, and a third circuit breaker coupled to the main bus and being structured to be coupled to a load. The distribution manager is configured to detect an overload condition and in response thereto (i) request to bring an offline distributed source online, (ii) if an offline distributed source cannot be brought online, request to shed the load, and (iii) if the load cannot be shed, cause the second circuit breaker to downwardly adjust the trip curve thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: EATON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Charles John Luebke, Thomas J. Schoepf