Patents by Inventor David Elmiger

David Elmiger 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: 20230112718
    Abstract: Systems and methods for contact erosion mitigation are provided. To perform contact erosion mitigation, an order of opening/closing poles and/or contact relays of particular poles is altered, resulting in a sharing of potential arcing conditions amongst the poles/contact relays of these poles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Randall S. Langer, David Elmiger
  • Publication number: 20230096110
    Abstract: A method may include receiving a command to move one or more armatures configured to move between a first position that electrically couples one or more first movable contacts to one or more second contacts and a second position that electrically uncouples the one or more first movable contacts from the one or more second contacts. The method may also include determining an operating frequency of the system, dynamically determining an open-before-zero target point associated with the operating frequency, and transmitting a command to the switching device to move the one or more armatures from the first position to the second position at the open-before-zero target point to normalize the arc energy over the operating frequency range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Kyle B. Adkins, Andrew E. Carlson, David Elmiger
  • Publication number: 20230101428
    Abstract: A non-transitory, computer-readable medium may include instructions executable by at least one processor in a computing device to cause the processor to perform operations that include transmitting, to a first power source, a command to provide power to a coil of a switching device with a fixed current profile. The operations also include receiving one or more voltage measurements associated with the coil during a period of time, determining whether the voltage measurements associated with the coil indicate that one or more movable contacts of the switching device are at least partially welded to one or more contacts of an electric circuit, and transmitting an additional command to a second power source to disconnect a current to the coil in response to determining that the voltage measurements indicate that the movable contacts of the switching device are at least partially welded to the contacts of the electric circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Kyle B. Adkins, Andrew E. Carlson, David M. Messersmith, David Elmiger
  • Publication number: 20230029786
    Abstract: A system may include a relay device. The relay device may include an armature that moves between a first position that electrically couples a first contact to a second contact and a second position that electrically uncouples the first contact from the second contact. The relay device may also include a relay coil that receives a voltage configured to magnetize a relay coil, thereby causing the armature to move from the first position to the second position. The system also includes a control system that receives an indication that the armature is in the second position and sends a signal to an actuator in response to receiving the indication. The signal causes an arm associated with the actuator to move the armature to achieve a gap distance between the first contact and the second contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventors: David Elmiger, Patrick K. Duffy, Kyle B. Adkins
  • Patent number: 11555855
    Abstract: A control system may include a processor that may receive a first dataset associated with power properties of a rotating load device coupled to a relay device. The processor may also determine frequency properties based on the power properties and determine a switching profile to control moving a first armature of three armatures in the relay device based on the frequency properties. The switching profile is configured to control movement of the first armature between a first position and a second position, and wherein the switching profile comprises a firing angle for moving the first armature with respect to an electrical waveform, a second armature, and a third armature. The processor may then control a current provided to a relay coil of the relay device based on the switching profile, such that the relay coil causes the first armature to move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Elmiger, Ahmad K. Omari, Stefan T. Dziekonski, Randall S. Langer
  • Patent number: 11538640
    Abstract: Systems and methods for contact erosion mitigation are provided. To perform contact erosion mitigation, an order of opening/closing poles and/or contact relays of particular poles is altered, resulting in a sharing of potential arcing conditions amongst the poles/contact relays of these poles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Randall S. Langer, David Elmiger
  • Publication number: 20220344118
    Abstract: A control system may include a processor that may receive a first dataset associated with a type of load device coupled to a relay device. The processor may then receive a second dataset associated with one or more operations of the load device over a period of time. The processor may also determine a switching profile to control moving an armature of the relay device between a first position and a second position based on the first dataset and the second dataset, such that the switching profile comprises a firing angle for moving the armature with respect to an electrical waveform. The processor may then control a current provided to a relay coil of the relay device based on the switching profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Ahmad K. Omari, Michael C. McOlash, Stefan T. Dziekonski, Andrew J. Jaap, Randall S. Langer, David Elmiger
  • Patent number: 11417482
    Abstract: A system may include a relay device. The relay device may include an armature that moves between a first position that electrically couples a first contact to a second contact and a second position that electrically uncouples the first contact from the second contact. The relay device may also include a relay coil that receives a voltage configured to magnetize a relay coil, thereby causing the armature to move from the first position to the second position. The system also includes a control system that receives an indication that the armature is in the second position and sends a signal to an actuator in response to receiving the indication. The signal causes an arm associated with the actuator to move the armature to achieve a gap distance between the first contact and the second contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Elmiger, Patrick K. Duffy, Kyle B. Adkins
  • Patent number: 11398361
    Abstract: A control system may include a processor that may receive a first dataset associated with a type of load device coupled to a relay device. The processor may then receive a second dataset associated with one or more operations of the load device over a period of time. The processor may also determine a switching profile to control moving an armature of the relay device between a first position and a second position based on the first dataset and the second dataset, such that the switching profile comprises a firing angle for moving the armature with respect to an electrical waveform. The processor may then control a current provided to a relay coil of the relay device based on the switching profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ahmad K. Omari, Michael C. McOlash, Stefan T. Dziekonski, Andrew J. Jaap, Randall S. Langer, David Elmiger
  • Patent number: 11355292
    Abstract: A system may include a relay device that includes armatures associated with phases of voltage signals. The system may also include relay coils, such that each relay coil may receive a respective voltage that magnetizes a respective relay coil, thereby causing the respective armature to move from a respective first position to a respective second position. The system may also include a control system that receive an indication that a fault condition is present, identify a first phase of the phases of voltage signals that is expected to be the next phase of the phases to cross zero, and send a signal to the relay device in response to identifying the first phase. The signal is configured to cause a first relay coil of the relay coils to energize or deenergize.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Elmiger, Andrew J. Jaap, Kyle B. Adkins, Randall S. Langer
  • Publication number: 20210096186
    Abstract: A control system may include a processor that may receive a first dataset associated with power properties of a rotating load device coupled to a relay device. The processor may also determine frequency properties based on the power properties and determine a switching profile to control moving a first armature of three armatures in the relay device based on the frequency properties. The switching profile is configured to control movement of the first armature between a first position and a second position, and wherein the switching profile comprises a firing angle for moving the first armature with respect to an electrical waveform, a second armature, and a third armature. The processor may then control a current provided to a relay coil of the relay device based on the switching profile, such that the relay coil causes the first armature to move.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: David Elmiger, Ahmad K. Omari, Stefan T. Dziekonski, Randall S. Langer
  • Publication number: 20210098216
    Abstract: A control system may include a processor that may receive a first dataset associated with a type of load device coupled to a relay device. The processor may then receive a second dataset associated with one or more operations of the load device over a period of time. The processor may also determine a switching profile to control moving an armature of the relay device between a first position and a second position based on the first dataset and the second dataset, such that the switching profile comprises a firing angle for moving the armature with respect to an electrical waveform. The processor may then control a current provided to a relay coil of the relay device based on the switching profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Ahmad K. Omari, Michael C. McOlash, Stefan T. Dziekonski, Andrew J. Jaap, Randall S. Langer, David Elmiger
  • Publication number: 20210098207
    Abstract: A system may include a relay device that includes armatures associated with phases of voltage signals. The system may also include relay coils, such that each relay coil may receive a respective voltage that magnetizes a respective relay coil, thereby causing the respective armature to move from a respective first position to a respective second position. The system may also include a control system that receive an indication that a fault condition is present, identify a first phase of the phases of voltage signals that is expected to be the next phase of the phases to cross zero, and send a signal to the relay device in response to identifying the first phase. The signal is configured to cause a first relay coil of the relay coils to energize or deenergize.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: David Elmiger, Andrew J. Jaap, Kyle B. Adkins, Randall S. Langer
  • Publication number: 20210098218
    Abstract: A system may include a relay device. The relay device may include an armature that moves between a first position that electrically couples a first contact to a second contact and a second position that electrically uncouples the first contact from the second contact. The relay device may also include a relay coil that receives a voltage configured to magnetize a relay coil, thereby causing the armature to move from the first position to the second position. The system also includes a control system that receives an indication that the armature is in the second position and sends a signal to an actuator in response to receiving the indication. The signal causes an arm associated with the actuator to move the armature to achieve a gap distance between the first contact and the second contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: David Elmiger, Patrick K. Duffy, Kyle B. Adkins
  • Publication number: 20210098205
    Abstract: Systems and methods for contact erosion mitigation are provided. To perform contact erosion mitigation, an order of opening/closing poles and/or contact relays of particular poles is altered, resulting in a sharing of potential arcing conditions amongst the poles/contact relays of these poles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Randall S. Langer, David Elmiger