Patents by Inventor Rick L. Gintz

Rick L. Gintz 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).

  • Method for detecting and identifying shorted thyristors
    Patent number: 6791852
    Abstract: A method is provided for determining a shorted thyristor cell in a bridge that supplies a load from a source, the bridge including a plurality of the thyristor cells. The method includes the step of sequentially gating each of the cells to a conducting state, so that only one cell is gated at one time; providing at least one current transformer in the bridge; generating a current flow that passes through the bridge including the one cell that is gated; observing current in the at least one current transformer to determine a short in one of the cells the that is not gated; and determining a shorted cell based on the step of observing current in the at least one current transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard W. Carter, Rick L. Gintz, Allen M. Ritter
  • Method for detecting and identifying shorted thyristors
    Publication number: 20030123267
    Abstract: A method is provided for determining a shorted thyristor cell in a bridge that supplies a load from a source, the bridge including a plurality of the thyristor cells. The method includes the step of sequentially gating each of the cells to a conducting state, so that only one cell is gated at one time; providing at least one current transformer in the bridge; generating a current flow that passes through the bridge including the one cell that is gated; observing current in the at least one current transformer to determine a short in one of the cells the that is not gated; and determining a shorted cell based on the step of observing current in the at least one current transformer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Inventors: Richard W. Carter, Rick L. Gintz, Allen M. Ritter