Patents by Inventor Kari Heikfolk

Kari Heikfolk 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: 11692632
    Abstract: A sealing arrangement for an electric machine, which is between a first part attached to a rotatable shaft and a second part immobile with respect to a stator of the electric machine includes a plurality of zig-zag sections of a channel of a labyrinth seal in a radial direction of the electric machine. The channel of the labyrinth seal includes a second seal which is fixedly attached to the first part and which has an elastic material part, the second seal is pressed in the radial direction against a surface of the second part, a normal of which has a component parallel to the radial direction, at rotational speeds a centrifugal force of which to the second seal is weaker than a spring force of the second seal, and the second seal opening a gap between the second seal and said surface at rotational speeds the centrifugal force of which to the second seal is greater than the spring force of the second seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Kari Heikfolk, Christian Vägar
  • Publication number: 20210116035
    Abstract: A sealing arrangement for an electric machine, which is between a first part attached to a rotatable shaft and a second part immobile with respect to a stator of the electric machine includes a plurality of zig-zag sections of a channel of a labyrinth seal in a radial direction of the electric machine. The channel of the labyrinth seal includes a second seal which is fixedly attached to the first part and which has an elastic material part, the second seal is pressed in the radial direction against a surface of the second part, a normal of which has a component parallel to the radial direction, at rotational speeds a centrifugal force of which to the second seal is weaker than a spring force of the second seal, and the second seal opening a gap between the second seal and said surface at rotational speeds the centrifugal force of which to the second seal is greater than the spring force of the second seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Kari Heikfolk, Christian Vägar
  • Patent number: 10601267
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotor for a synchronous reluctance electric machine. It includes a stack of consecutive magnetically conductive core elements; each core element includes at least two adjacent sectorial sections with flux barriers and a central area surrounding the rotational axis. A binding structure includes core end plates which form together with interconnection casts a unitary casted structure. The interconnection casts are casted into channels extending through the stack and which are located in an area defined by the flux barriers of the adjacent sectorial sections and the central area of each core element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Jere Kolehmainen, Jouni Ikäheimo, Kari Heikfolk, Tero Känsäkangas
  • Publication number: 20190157925
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotor for a synchronous reluctance electric machine. It includes a stack of consecutive magnetically conductive core elements; each core element includes at least two adjacent sectorial sections with flux barriers and a central area surrounding the rotational axis. A binding structure includes core end plates which form together with interconnection casts a unitary casted structure. The interconnection casts are casted into channels extending through the stack and which are located in an area defined by the flux barriers of the adjacent sectorial sections and the central area of each core element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Jere Kolehmainen, Jouni Ikäheimo, Kari Heikfolk, Tero Känsäkangas