Patents by Inventor Bret S. Clark

Bret S. Clark 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).

  • Publication number: 20110144937
    Abstract: A system and method of determining the temperature of a rotating electromagnetic machine, such as an electric motor or generator. A temperature calibration parameter is calculated based on the temperature of an object situated close to the motor, such as a motor drive connected to the motor, and a first resistance value of the winding. In exemplary embodiments, the motor drive and first resistance value are determined only after the motor has been idle for some predetermined time period. Once the calibration parameter is calculated, the processor uses it along with subsequent resistance measurements to calculate the temperature of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: EMERSON ELECTRIC CO.
    Inventors: J. Stephen THORN, Bret S. Clark, Joseph G. Marcinkiewicz, Vinod SADASIVAM, Darko Marcetic, Gregory M. LEVINE
  • Patent number: 7908893
    Abstract: A system and method of determining the temperature of a rotating electromagnetic machine, such as an electric motor or generator. A temperature calibration parameter is calculated based on the temperature of an object situated close to the motor, such as a motor drive connected to the motor, and a first resistance value of the winding. In exemplary embodiments, the motor drive and first resistance value are determined only after the motor has been idle for some predetermined time period. Once the calibration parameter is calculated, the processor uses it along with subsequent resistance measurements to calculate the temperature of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: J. Stephen Thorn, Bret S. Clark, Joseph G. Marcinkiewicz, Vinod Sadasivam, Darko Marcetic, Gregory M. Levine
  • Publication number: 20100147039
    Abstract: A system and method of determining the temperature of a rotating electromagnetic machine, such as an electric motor or generator. A temperature calibration parameter is calculated based on the temperature of an object situated close to the motor, such as a motor drive connected to the motor, and a first resistance value of the winding. In exemplary embodiments, the motor drive and first resistance value are determined only after the motor has been idle for some predetermined time period. Once the calibration parameter is calculated, the processor uses it along with subsequent resistance measurements to calculate the temperature of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: EMERSON ELECTRIC CO.
    Inventors: J. Stephen Thorn, Bret S. Clark, Joseph G. Marcinkiewicz, Vinod Sadasivam, Darko Marcetic, Gregory M. Levine
  • Patent number: 7694538
    Abstract: A system and method of determining the temperature of a rotating electromagnetic machine, such as an electric motor or generator. A temperature calibration parameter is calculated based on the temperature of an object situated close to the motor, such as a motor drive connected to the motor, and a first resistance value of the winding. In exemplary embodiments, the motor drive and first resistance value are determined only after the motor has been idle for some predetermined time period. Once the calibration parameter is calculated, the processor uses it along with subsequent resistance measurements to calculate the temperature of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: J Stephen Thorn, Bret S Clark, Joseph G Marcinkiewicz, Vinod Sadasivam, Darko Marcetic, Gregory M Levine
  • Publication number: 20100017954
    Abstract: A motor drive for an electric motor of a variable fluid circulating system includes a processing module and a power module. The processing module receives a signal profile and generates a control signal based on the signal profile. A power module generates a carrier signal based on the control signal and a direct current (DC) voltage. The power module pulse width modulates the carrier signal to generate a drive signal in the electric motor that matches the signal profile. The power module powers the electric motor based on the drive signal to adjust injection of a fluid into a reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Gregory A. Peterson, Michael P. Sullivan, Donald E. Morgan, Bret S. Clark
  • Patent number: 7638741
    Abstract: A thermal conductor for a heat-generating liquid pump system of a pool containing liquid and including a pipe. The conductor is adapted for conducting heat from the pump system to liquid circulated by the pump system. The conductor includes a body in thermal communication with a heat generating portion of the pump system and in thermal communication with only an outside surface of the pipe and not in direct contact with the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Donald E. Morgan, Bret S. Clark, Earnest R. Watkins
  • Publication number: 20070273222
    Abstract: A thermal conductor for a heat-generating liquid pump system of a pool containing liquid and including a pipe. The conductor is adapted for conducting heat from the pump system to liquid circulated by the pump system. The conductor includes a body in thermal communication with a heat generating portion of the pump system and in thermal communication with only an outside surface of the pipe and not in direct contact with the liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Applicant: EMERSON ELECTRIC CO.
    Inventors: Donald E. Morgan, Bret S. Clark, Earnest R. Watkins
  • Patent number: 6718125
    Abstract: A motor control system creates a rounding effect on square wave phase currents which results in reduced acoustic noise. The control system includes a voltage source for providing a DC bus current, and an inverter. The inverter has a switching circuit for regulating the DC bus current to a fixed level. The switching circuit also forces consecutive phases of the motor to share the bus current at commutation. Forcing consecutive phases of the motor to share a desired amount of the DC bus current creates a “rounding” effect on the phase currents, which results in reduced acoustic noise. The preferred inverter has a plurality of transistors, and a control module. The control module selectively engages the transistors such that each phase of the motor has a phase turn-on point that occurs before a phase turn-off point of a preceding phase. The control module also pulse width modulates the transistors such that the DC bus current is regulated to the fixed level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Emerson Motor Co.
    Inventors: Bret S. Clark, J. Stephen Thorn
  • Publication number: 20020190685
    Abstract: An induction motor control system senses the zero-cross angle of a current waveform applied to the motor's phase windings and computes the difference between the sensed current zero-cross angle and a predetermined demand voltage angle to estimate a power factor angle. The estimated power factor angle is compared to a predetermined desired power factor angle, and the voltage applied to the phase windings is adjusted in response to the difference between the estimated power factor angle and the desired power factor angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Vinodkumar Sadasivam, Keith I. Hoemann, Bret S. Clark
  • Publication number: 20020037163
    Abstract: A motor control system creates a rounding effect on square wave phase currents which results in reduced acoustic noise. The control system includes a voltage source for providing a DC bus current, and an inverter. The inverter has a switching circuit for regulating the DC bus current to a fixed level. The switching circuit also forces consecutive phases of the motor to share the bus current at commutation. Forcing consecutive phases of the motor to share a desired amount of the DC bus current creates a “rounding” effect on the phase currents, which results in reduced acoustic noise. The preferred inverter has a plurality of transistors, and a control module. The control module selectively engages the transistors such that each phase of the motor has a phase turn-on point that occurs before a phase turn-off point of a preceding phase. The control module also pulse width modulates the transistors such that the DC bus current is regulated to the fixed level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Inventors: Bret S. Clark, J. Stephen Thorn