Patents Examined by Ronald W Hinson
  • Patent number: 8022802
    Abstract: Sensor for measuring electrical parameters in a high voltage environment comprising a high voltage side (4) for connection to high voltage conductors, a low voltage side (6) for connection to low voltage power supply and measurement signal control circuitry, a measurement signal circuit (16), and a power supply circuit (14), and at least one isolating transformer (18, 20) for transmission of electrical power supply and/or measurement signals between the low voltage side and the high voltage side. The isolating transformer comprises at least a first and a second transformer core (28), a transformer coil (33) on a circuit board around a branch (27) of the transformer core on the high voltage side and a transformer coil (32) on a circuit board around a branch (29) of the transformer core on the low voltage side, the isolating transformer further comprising an intermediate coil (36) encircling at least one branch of each said at least two transformer cores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Liaisons Electroniques-Mecaniques LEM SA
    Inventors: Marc Schaerrer, Wolfram Teppan
  • Patent number: 8022803
    Abstract: The present invention provides a transformer capable of driving a plurality of lamps with one transformer by increasing the number of outer bobbins wrapping an outer circumferential surface of an inner bobbin wound by a coil and the number of output terminals by winding other coils around the outer bobbins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Geun Young Park, Soon Young Kwon, Deuk Hoon Kim, Duck Jin An, Sang Joon Seo, Myeong Sik Cheon
  • Patent number: 7982571
    Abstract: An inductance formed in a stack of insulating layers, the inductance comprising first and second access terminals and first and second half-loops distributed in the stack of insulating layers on a number of distinct levels greater than or equal to four. For each level, each first half-loop is at least partly symmetrical to one of the second half-loops. All the first half-loops are series-connected according to a first succession of first half-loops to form first loops between the first access terminal and a midpoint and all the second half-loops are series-connected according to a second succession of second half-loops to form second loops between the second output terminal and the midpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventor: Frédéric Gianesello
  • Patent number: 7969268
    Abstract: An ignition coil configured for electrical communication with a spark plug of an internal combustion engine has a primary spool and a secondary spool. The primary spool has a bore and an outer surface with a low-voltage winding supported thereon. The secondary spool has a cavity with a magnetic core received therein and a substantially cylindrical outer surface. The secondary spool is received at least partially in the bore of the primary spool. A high-voltage winding is supported on the outer surface of the secondary spool. The high-voltage winding has discrete winding sectors spaced from one another along a length of the secondary spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Federal Mogul Ignition Company
    Inventors: Massimo Dal Re, Giuseppe Fulchini
  • Patent number: 7965162
    Abstract: An electrical current sensor comprises a magnetic circuit with an air-gap, a magnetic field sensor positioned in the air-gap, and a secondary coil surrounding a branch of the magnetic circuit. The magnetic circuit comprises at least two parts (18, 20) that are assembled together, a branch portion (45, 46) of each part being insertably received in a central cavity of the secondary coil in an axial direction (A). The air-gap (30) is arranged between overlapping branch portions of each magnetic field circuit part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Liaisons Electroniques-Mecaniques LEM S.A.
    Inventors: Marc Schaerrer, Pascal Morel, Bernard Richard, Pierre Cattaneo
  • Patent number: 7965164
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a multi-output transformer includes a primary bobbin provided with one primary winding unit with one input terminal and one ground terminal; a secondary bobbin provided with n(n: positive integer) number of secondary winding units with two output terminals respectively; a primary coil wound around the one primary winding unit; secondary coils wound around each of the n secondary winding units; and a pair of cores inserted into insertion holes formed inside the primary bobbin and the secondary bobbin respectively to separate the primary bobbin and the secondary bobbin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeong Hyun Park, Jong Rak Kim
  • Patent number: 7952457
    Abstract: A coil component that can be mounted on a printed circuit board, with a part in an aperture of the printed circuit board. The coil component includes a first flange on an upper side and a second flange. Terminal boards are on respective opposite sides of the first flange. Terminals respectively project in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of a winding drum, from the terminal boards and bend and are inserted into through-holes of the printed circuit board. First and second touching surfaces, which are parts of a downside surface of the second flange, touch an upside surface of the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Yamaguchi, Nobuo Kitajima
  • Patent number: 7948350
    Abstract: A coil component has a first core with a winding core portion, a second core with a winding core portion, a first coil wound on the winding core portion of the first core, and a second coil wound on the winding core portion of the second core. A part of the first coil is wound on the winding core portion of the second core. The first core and the second core are arranged as magnetically separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Shoji, Masatoshi Shindoh
  • Patent number: 7932800
    Abstract: A modified planar Low Temperature Co-Fired Ceramic (LTCC) high conductance inductor, embedding a large cross section conductor, supports a stacked arrangement of heat spreader, inductor and active device layers. Interlayer electrical connections connect the layers. Optionally, a DC-DC converter includes the modified planar LTCC high conductance inductor, embedding a large cross section conductor, supporting a stacked arrangement of heat spreader, capacitor and active device layers, the active devices layer including the switching transistors. The active devices layer may include semiconductor dies embedded in a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Michele H. Lim, Zhenxian Liang, J. D. van Wyk
  • Patent number: 7928821
    Abstract: A high-strength ignition coil that can reduce stress produced in a coil case and prevent a casting material from being cracked when the ignition coil is mounted on an engine block. A coil case has a mounting flange on an outer surface thereof. A coil assembly is housed in the coil case. A casting material is filled into a gap between the coil case and the coil assembly and gaps which the coil assembly has. A plurality of first guide ribs are provided on an inner wall surface of the coil case or an outer surface of the coil assembly, for positioning the outer surface of the coil assembly with respect to the inner wall surface of the coil case. A limited area in which there is no first guide rib is provided on the inner wall surface of the coil case which faces the mounting flange, or the outer surface of the coil assembly which faces the mounting flange via the inner wall surface of the coil case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignees: Toyo Denso Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shuichi Matsubayashi, Ikuo Hirayama, Masami Kojima, Takashi Tauchi, Takeshi Morimoto, Atsushi Iwami
  • Patent number: 7928822
    Abstract: A bobbin includes a spool portion having a hollow circular cylinder shape and adapted to have a wire wound thereon in multilayer alignment; a flange integrally disposed at one end of the spool portion; and a terminal block integrally disposed at the flange and adapted to terminate the wire, wherein a formula: D×N?D/2?L<D×N+D/2 is established where L is the effective length of the spool portion, D is the diameter of the wire, and N is the number of turns of the wire for the first layer of the multilayer alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuzuru Suzuki, Yuuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7924129
    Abstract: An ignition coil engages an inner surface of a bore of an engine, the providing access to a spark plug. The engagement is a boltless cam-lock engagement. A spring is associated with the engagement to hold the assembly in tension, and the spring also contacts a ground terminal in the ignition coil and the base of the spark plug to provide a short electrical path for radiofrequency interference (RFI) dissipation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert A. Skinner, Mark A. Paul, Andre V. Scaff
  • Patent number: 7920039
    Abstract: A planar transformer comprises a laminate substrate having an opening with metal traces wound thereabout forming a primary and a secondary winding, a core configured to fit inside the opening to enclose the laminate substrate. At least one heat sink fin is integrally formed with the top, bottom or both sides of the core. A method of forming a planar transformer comprises laminating a substrate having an opening with metal traces wound thereabout forming a primary and a secondary winding, fitting a core inside the opening, and enclosing the laminate substrate. One of the top, bottom or both sides of the core include one or more heat sink fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLC
    Inventors: Younes Shabany, Juan Aguayo, Srinivas Rao
  • Patent number: 7902955
    Abstract: An inductive coupler assembly has a first coupler having a first support structure and plural discrete first ferromagnetic segments supported by the first support structure, and a second coupler to inductively couple to the first coupler, the second coupler having a second support structure and plural discrete ferromagnetic segments supported by the second support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony F. Veneruso, Christian Chouzenoux, Fabien Cens, Sara Escanero, Dinesh R. Patel, Jean Luc Garcia
  • Patent number: 7902950
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a rupture prevention system, which increases a limit of the deformation of a transformer tank, thus primarily preventing a sudden rise in pressure, and which increases the number of rupture disc per unit area, thus preventing the rupture of the tank wherever the arc is generated in tank. The system includes a support part installed in the transformer tank and supporting a shielding plate so that it is not directly attached to the transformer tank. A plurality of rupture discs is mounted to pipes extending outwards from the transformer tank, and is ruptured when pressure in the transformer tank reaches a predetermined pressure level. A plurality of relief tanks is vertically installed at a position neighboring the transformer, and is coupled to the pipes. Further, an oil gauge is mounted at a lower position in each of the relief tanks, and generates a signal when the insulating oil flows into the relief tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Cheol Yang, Jang-Kwan Kim, Heung-Seog Seo
  • Patent number: 7893808
    Abstract: A conductor assembly of the type which, when conducting current, generates a magnetic field or in which, in the presence of a changing magnetic field, a voltage is induced. In one series of embodiments a plurality of coil rows comprise conductor in a helical wiring pattern formed about an axis. One of the coil rows is positioned a radial distance R from the axis. For each of the coil rows the helical pattern comprises conductor loops each exhibiting a tilt in the same direction with respect to a plane transverse to the axis, the assembly capable of generating an axial field component and a transverse field component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Magnet Lab, Inc.
    Inventor: Rainer Meinke
  • Patent number: 7889044
    Abstract: A multilayer coil component is provided in which solder fusibility and a self-alignment property are prevented from being degraded due to absorption of a flux in a soldering step. The multilayer coil component has no voids present at interfaces between internal conductors 2 and a magnetic ceramic 11 located therearound. A magnetic ceramic forming a central region 7 has a region (side gap portion 8) which extends from a side surface 3a of the magnetic ceramic element to the internal conductors and which has a pore area ratio of 6% to 20%. At least one of a first external layer region 9a, located at an upper side of the central region, and a second external layer region 9b, located at a lower side of the central region (an external layer region at a mounting surface side of a mounting substrate), has a pore area ratio of less than 5%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Ueda, Masaharu Konoue, Hiroki Hashimoto, Tatsuya Mizuno
  • Patent number: 7889046
    Abstract: A conductor assembly of the type which, when conducting current, generates a magnetic field or in which, in the presence of a changing magnetic field, a voltage is induced. In the assembly a first layer, tubular in shape, is formed about an axis. The axis includes a curved portion along which a conductor may be positioned to define a first conductor path. The first layer also includes a curved portion having a shape that includes a curve extending along the curved portion of the axis. A first conductor is arranged about the curved portion of the first layer in a first helical configuration including a curved segment, helical in shape and formed about the curved portion of the axis. The configuration is capable of sustaining a magnetic field having multipole components oriented in directions transverse to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Magnet Lab, Inc.
    Inventor: Rainer Meinke
  • Patent number: 7864019
    Abstract: A conductor assembly and method for constructing an assembly of the type which, when conducting current, generates a magnetic field or which, in the presence of a changing magnetic field, induces a voltage. In one embodiment the method provides a first layer that is tubular in shape with an outer surface along which a conductor may be positioned. A channel defining a first conductor path is formed in the first layer outer surface to create a pattern extending along the first layer. A first segment of conductor is placed in the first channel and defines a shape about an aperture region. After placing the first segment of conductor in the first channel, at least part of the first layer outer surface and at least part of the first segment of conductor are coated with a second layer. A second channel is formed along an outer surface of the second layer to define a second conductor path extending about the aperture region for placement of a second segment of conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Magnet Lab, Inc.
    Inventors: Rainer Meinke, Gerald Stelzer
  • Patent number: 7859381
    Abstract: An autotransformer for use in low frequency, high power applications that uses a stack of printed wire boards constructed of a top, inner, and bottom layer including electrical trace windings circumventing the transformer core and formed in the inner layer for direct thermal contact with a heat sink interface providing a uniform and consistent heat path down to the heat sink plate. The autotransformer further includes a board to board connection employing solder cups to electrically connect between predetermined printed wire board traces. The printed wire board autotransformer also may use a non-planar interface for thermal interface with a non-planar heat sink plate surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Keming Chen, Mike Kirkland, Michael A. Quan