Patents by Inventor Howard Ross Edmunds

Howard Ross Edmunds 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: 7796389
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for methods and devices for improving the heat dissipating properties of a heatsink to provide increased cooling for electronic equipment, such as power converters. In one embodiment, a heatsink includes at least one fluid cooled portion and at least one heat pipe disposed adjacent to the fluid cooled portion. The heat pipe improves the conduction of heat away from heat sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Howard Ross Edmunds, Richard Kenneth McFalls
  • Patent number: 7740448
    Abstract: A method for controlling a pitch control system of a wind turbine includes providing a charged backup battery configured to supply no energy to a DC link when full AC input power is available, wherein the DC link includes a DC link capacitor. The method further includes using energy stored in the DC link capacitor to operate a pitch control system during a loss or dip of AC input power, and maintaining charge on the DC link capacitor using the charged backup battery as voltage across the DC link capacitor drops during the operation of the pitch control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian Nedward Meyer, Jeffrey Alan Melius, Cyrus David Harbourt, Christopher L. Tschappatt, Howard Ross Edmunds, William John Bonneau, Amy Marlene Ridenour, Andrew Scott Wilkinson
  • Publication number: 20100128436
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for methods and devices for improving the heat dissipating properties of a heatsink to provide increased cooling for electronic equipment, such as power converters. In one embodiment, a heatsink includes at least one fluid cooled portion and at least one heat pipe disposed adjacent to the fluid cooled portion. The heat pipe improves the conduction of heat away from heat sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Howard Ross Edmunds, Richard Kenneth McFalls
  • Publication number: 20100020470
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for balancing capacitor load are provided. A system includes a plurality of capacitors, a plurality of respective positive connections and a plurality of respective negative connections that connect each of the plurality of capacitors to at least one power source, where each of the plurality of positive connections has an approximately equal length, and each of the plurality of negative connections has an approximately equal length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Howard Ross Edmunds, Cyrus David Harbourt, Amy Marlene Ridenour, Jeffrey Alan Melius
  • Patent number: 7235895
    Abstract: A rotor for a wind turbine generator includes a rotatable hub forming a cavity. A plurality of rotor blades is connected to the hub. A heat sink is at least partially positioned within the cavity and extends along a portion of a corresponding rotor blade. The heat sink includes a bottom surface mounted on a thermal energy generating component of the wind turbine generator. An opposing top planar surface includes a plurality of pins extending therefrom. The pins form an air flow path through the pins to dissipate the generated thermal energy from the thermal energy generating component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Melius, Cyrus David Harbourt, Brian Matthew Aiken, Christopher Todd Moore, Howard Ross Edmunds, Brian Eric Lindholm, Christopher McMenamin, William John Bonneau, Amy Marlene Ridenour, Andrew Scott Wilkinson
  • Patent number: 7132915
    Abstract: A ferrite assembly has a first conductor and a number of ferrite members. Each of the number of ferrite members has a core. The ferrite members are in electrical communication with the first conductor. The ferrite assembly has a number of current dividing members in electrical communication with the first conductor. The current dividing members define a number of passages for allowing an airflow therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christopher Todd Moore, Howard Ross Edmunds, Brian Matthew Aiken, Christopher James McMenamin
  • Patent number: 7126236
    Abstract: A method for powering a pitch motor drive system for at least one DC pitch motor of a wind turbine includes rectifying a voltage using a bridge circuit to thereby supply a DC link voltage to a bridge comprising active switching devices, and utilizing at least one link capacitor to smooth the DC link voltage and act as an energy sink and source for the DC pitch motor or motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Cyrus David Harbourt, Jeffrey Alan Melius, Amy Marlene Ridenour, David Gerard Wanner, Jr., Howard Ross Edmunds, Andrew Scott Wilkinson
  • Patent number: 7064647
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for an air core reactor including a plurality of straight members and a plurality of offset members, the plurality of straight and offset members are interconnected to form an orthogonal spiral having an air core therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Howard Ross Edmunds, Brian Matthew Alken, Andrew Phillip, Christopher McMenamin, Christopher T. Moore, John Earl Bittner, Stephen Daniel Nash, Michael L. Miller
  • Patent number: 6501650
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for mounting electrical devices in a housing at an angle relative to the ground is provided. The apparatus comprises a housing having a top, bottom, and sides, each of which may be open, closed or ventilated. One or more electrical devices are located in the housing and are oriented at an angle relative to the horizontal ground. The electrical devices may be silicon controlled rectifiers that serve as a power bridge between an exciter and a power generator. A method for mounting electrical devices in a housing at an angle relative to the horizontal ground is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Howard Ross Edmunds, John Earl Bittner, Brent Christopher Teal, Thanh Ngoc Nguyen, Brian Matthew Aiken, Christopher James McMenamin, Andrew Gordon Phillip, Christopher Todd Moore, Kyle Craig Stott, Rick Lynn Gintz, Fred Henry Boettner
  • Publication number: 20020141156
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for mounting electrical devices in a housing at an angle relative to the ground is provided. The apparatus comprises a housing having a top, bottom, and sides, each of which may be open, closed or ventilated. One or more electrical devices are located in the housing and are oriented at an angle relative to the horizontal ground. The electrical devices may be silicon controlled rectifiers that serve as a power bridge between an exciter and a power generator. A method for mounting electrical devices in a housing at an angle relative to the horizontal ground is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Inventors: Howard Ross Edmunds, John Earl Bittner, Brent Christopher Teal, Thanh Ngoc Nguyen, Brian Matthew Aiken, Christopher James McMenamin, Andrew Gordon Phillip, Christopher Todd Moore, Kyle Craig Stott, Rick Lynn Gintz, Fred Henry Boettner
  • Patent number: 6407918
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing a supply of air to cool electrical devices is provided. The apparatus comprises a two fan housings, each containing a number of fans arranged to blow air in a parallel fashion. The exhaust of one housing is connected to the intake of the other housing by a balancing plenum. The apparatus provides a sufficient supply of cooling air when one or more of the fans is inoperable. The device being cooled may be the power bridge of an exciter for a power generation system. A method for providing a supply of air to electrical devices is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Howard Ross Edmunds, John Earl Bittner, Brent Christopher Teal, Thanh Ngoc Nguyen, Brian Matthew Aiken, Christopher James McMenamin, Andrew Gordon Phillip, Christopher Todd Moore, Kyle Craig Stott
  • Patent number: 6041850
    Abstract: A system for temperature control of an electronic component includes a heat plate supporting the component; a heat plate temperature sensor; a fan capable of providing air for cooling the heat plate; and a fan control for using the heat plate temperature to control the operation of the fan to provide a substantially constant heat plate temperature. The system can further include a heat pipe assembly having fins and coupled to the heat plate with the fan capable of providing air to the fins. The heat pipe assembly can include at least two heat pipes each having first ends coupled to the heat plate and second ends situated in a condensation section where at least one of the heat pipes has a different working fluid than an other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Albert Andreas Maria Esser, James Patrick Lyons, Lyle Thomas Keister, Steven Wade Sutherland, Melvin La Vern Hughes, Howard Ross Edmunds, Stephen Daniel Nash, Paul Stephen Pate, Patrick Henry McGinn, Conrad Angelo Pecile