Patents by Inventor Andrew S. Thexton

Andrew S. Thexton has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7495879
    Abstract: A solid-state magnet control includes a housing and magnet control circuitry mounted within the housing. The magnet control circuitry includes an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) bridge configuration and DUMP circuitry. The DUMP circuitry inhibits circuit damage to the magnet control circuitry and other components contained within the magnet control caused by overvoltage and/or voltage transients. The magnet control circuitry controls current passing through the magnet. The IGBT bridge configuration includes a LIFT HIGH IGBT, a LIFT LOW IGBT, a CLEAN HIGH IGBT, and a CLEAN LOW IGBT, as well as a capacitor bank. The DUMP circuitry includes a DUMP HIGH IGBT, a discharge diode, and a discharge resistor. The magnet control is configured to provide power loss ride through, ground fault detection, and discharge voltage control, and can accept increased voltage supply to reduce charge-up time of the magnet, and existing operator control inputs through a relay interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Inventors: Andrew S. Thexton, Eric S. Christenson
  • Patent number: 7132808
    Abstract: A solid state series motor control includes first and second FORWARD DRIVE elements, first and second REVERSE DRIVE elements, first and second diodes, a current sensor, and a capacitance. The series motor control is configured to be interconnected with controlling logic or a processor, the field and armature of a series wound motor, and an external DC power source. The FORWARD DRIVE elements and REVERSE DRIVE elements can be IGBTs or similar semiconductors. The current sensor is configured to measure current passing through the motor armature. The capacitance is a combination of a line filter and source impedance reduction for IGBT switching. The solid state series motor control can control the speed and direction of a series wound motor using solid state components while maintaining the series connection of the armature and the field winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Inventors: Graham S. Thexton, Andrew S. Thexton