Patents by Inventor Brian Patrick Lenhart

Brian Patrick Lenhart 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: 8390973
    Abstract: A circuit breaker system and method having zone selective interlock features is provided. The system and method include the transmission of a selective interlock signal from a downstream circuit breaker to an upstream circuit breaker in the event a first or second fault condition is detected. The upstream circuit breaker upon receipt of this signal changes the response of the second circuit breaker depending on whether the first or second fault condition has been detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nataniel Barbosa Vicente, Mark Fredrick Culler, Brian Patrick Lenhart, Jr., Marcelo Esteban Valdes
  • Publication number: 20120310429
    Abstract: A circuit breaker system and method having zone selective interlock features is provided. The system and method include the transmission of a selective interlock signal from a downstream circuit breaker to an upstream circuit breaker in the event a first or second fault condition is detected. The upstream circuit breaker upon receipt of this signal changes the response of the second circuit breaker depending on whether the first or second fault condition has been detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nataniel Barbosa Vicente, Mark Fredrick Culler, Brian Patrick Lenhart, JR., Marcelo Esteban Valdes
  • Patent number: 8270136
    Abstract: A circuit breaker system and method having zone selective interlock features is provided. The system and method include the transmission of a selective interlock signal from a downstream circuit breaker to an upstream circuit breaker in the event a first or second fault condition is detected. The upstream circuit breaker upon receipt of this signal changes the response of the second circuit breaker depending on whether the first or second fault condition has been detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nataniel Barbosa Vicente, Mark Fredrick Culler, Brian Patrick Lenhart, Jr., Marcelo Esteban Valdes
  • Patent number: 8228653
    Abstract: An electronic control for a circuit breaker with automatic breaker rating is disclosed. The electronic control includes a memory to store circuit breaker ratings, a breaker rating switch to select circuit breaker ratings, and a microprocessor operatively coupled to the breaker rating switch and the memory. The microprocessor is configured to interpret a selected circuit breaker rating of the breaker rating switch, set an amplifier gain adjustment for the circuit breaker based on the selected circuit breaker rating, and transmit the selected circuit breaker rating to the memory for storage in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nataniel Barbosa Vicente, Sreenivasulu Reddy Devarapalli, Todd Elliott Greenwood, Zubair Hameed, Brian Patrick Lenhart, Jr., Stephen James West
  • Patent number: 8116054
    Abstract: A rating plug for an electronic trip unit is disclosed. The rating plug has a housing with a plurality of switches disposed within the housing, each of the switches positionable in one of two positions. The settings of the switches establish a digital signature associated with the rating plug, providing for a universal rating plug that can be used on any circuit breaker that is accepting of the rating plug and that has a sensor value equal to or greater than the rating plug current rating. For instance, a rating plug having a 1000 Amp rating can be used on any circuit breaker sensor for use at or above 1000 A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nataniel Barbosa Vicente, Brian Patrick Lenhart, Stephen James West, Todd Greenwood
  • Patent number: 8018092
    Abstract: A system for controlling power in a circuit breaker trip unit is disclosed. The system includes: a user interface operably coupled to the trip unit and having a plurality of input keys; a power conditioner operably coupled to the user interface and operably coupled to a battery power source and an external power source; and a power control circuit. The power control circuit is configured to automatically electrically connect the battery power source to the power conditioner in response to activation of any of the plurality of input keys, and in the absence of an electrical connection between the external power source and the power conditioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nataniel Barbosa Vicente, Brian Patrick Lenhart, Jr., Stephen James West, Todd Greenwood, Sreenivasulu R. Devarapalli, Zubair Hameed
  • Patent number: 8014115
    Abstract: A circuit breaker system and method having zone selective interlock features with separate restrained and unrestrained setting capability is provided. The system and method include the transmission of a selective interlock signal from a downstream circuit breaker to an upstream circuit breaker in the event of a fault condition. The upstream circuit breaker upon receipt of this signal changes the tripping response of the second circuit breaker to a restrained mode. The circuit breakers include features enabling the user to modify and adjust both the restrained and unrestrained trip curves associated with both the restrained and unrestrained modes of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nataniel Barbosa Vicente, Mark Fredrick Culler, Brian Patrick Lenhart, Jr., Marcelo Esteban Valdes
  • Publication number: 20090257157
    Abstract: A circuit breaker system and method having zone selective interlock features with separate restrained and unrestrained setting capability is provided. The system and method include the transmission of a selective interlock signal from a downstream circuit breaker to an upstream circuit breaker in the event of a fault condition. The upstream circuit breaker upon receipt of this signal changes the tripping response of the second circuit breaker to a restrained mode. The circuit breakers include features enabling the user to modify and adjust both the restrained and unrestrained trip curves associated with both the restrained and unrestrained modes of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nataniel Barbosa Vicente, Mark Fredrick Culler, Brian Patrick Lenhart, Jr., Marcelo Esteban Valdes
  • Publication number: 20090256426
    Abstract: A system for controlling power in a circuit breaker trip unit is disclosed. The system includes: a user interface operably coupled to the trip unit and having a plurality of input keys; a power conditioner operably coupled to the user interface and operably coupled to a battery power source and an external power source; and a power control circuit. The power control circuit is configured to automatically electrically connect the battery power source to the power conditioner in response to activation of any of the plurality of input keys, and in the absence of an electrical connection between the external power source and the power conditioner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nataniel Barbosa Vicente, Brian Patrick Lenhart, JR., Stephen James West, Todd Greenwood, Sreenivasulu R. Devarapalli, Zubair Hameed
  • Publication number: 20090257158
    Abstract: A circuit breaker system and method having zone selective interlock features is provided. The system and method include the transmission of a selective interlock signal from a downstream circuit breaker to an upstream circuit breaker in the event a first or second fault condition is detected. The upstream circuit breaker upon receipt of this signal changes the response of the second circuit breaker depending on whether the first or second fault condition has been detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nataniel Barbosa Vicente, Mark Fredrick Culler, Brian Patrick Lenhart, JR., Marcelo Esteban Valdes
  • Publication number: 20090257163
    Abstract: An electronic trip unit for a circuit breaker, the electronic trip unit includes a rating plug having a plurality of switches each configured to indicate a specified current rating for the rating plug and for selectively supplying a current rating for the electronic trip unit, a processing unit which receives and reads a value of the selected current rating from the rating plug upon power-up, and a gain control unit including a plurality of gain circuits. Each of the gain circuits including a plurality of gain switches set by the processing unit based upon the selected current rating, to control a gain of input current of the electronic trip unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nataniel Barbosa Vicente, Brian Patrick Lenhart, JR., Stephen James West, Todd Greenwood, Zubair Hameed, Sreenivasulu R. Devarapalli
  • Publication number: 20090243590
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system for measuring current amplitude in a conductor, comprising at least one Rogowski coil, an integration circuit directly connected to the at least one Rogowski coil, a microprocessor circuit in communication with the integration circuit and configured to receive output from the integration circuit and to calculate energy data comprising current amplitude in the conductor. A method for measuring current in a conductor is also presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: Stephen James West, Nataniel Barbosa Vicente, Brian Patrick Lenhart, Todd Greenwood, Zubair Hameed, Sreenivasulu Devarapalli
  • Publication number: 20090147424
    Abstract: An electronic control for a circuit breaker with automatic breaker rating is disclosed. The electronic control includes a memory to store circuit breaker ratings, a breaker rating switch to select circuit breaker ratings, and a microprocessor operatively coupled to the breaker rating switch and the memory. The microprocessor is configured to interpret a selected circuit breaker rating of the breaker rating switch, set an amplifier gain adjustment for the circuit breaker based on the selected circuit breaker rating, and transmit the selected circuit breaker rating to the memory for storage in the memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nataniel Barbosa Vicente, Sreenivasulu Reddy Devarapalli, Todd Elliott Greenwood, Zubair Hameed, Brian Patrick Lenhart, JR., Stephen James West
  • Publication number: 20090122453
    Abstract: A rating plug for an electronic trip unit is disclosed. The rating plug has a housing with a plurality of switches disposed within the housing, each of the switches positionable in one of two positions. The settings of the switches establish a digital signature associated with the rating plug, providing for a universal rating plug that can be used on any circuit breaker that is accepting of the rating plug and that has a sensor value equal to or greater than the rating plug current rating. For instance, a rating plug having a 1000 Amp rating can be used on any circuit breaker sensor for use at or above 1000 A.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventors: Nataniel Barbosa VICENTE, Brian Patrick Lenhart, Stephen James West, Todd Greenwood
  • Publication number: 20080158762
    Abstract: A rating plug that, in addition to setting the percentage de-rating on the voltage conditioning (i.e., gain/filter) circuit, by controlling the operational amplifier gain with analog switches in series with the opamp feedback loop, provides breaker frame and/or sensor information to a microprocessor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventors: Brian Patrick Lenhart, Nataniel Barbosa Vicente, Stephen James West, Todd Greenwood