Patents by Inventor Roberto Usai

Roberto Usai 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: 11652358
    Abstract: An UPS device for electric power distribution installations, the UPS device including: first electric terminals for electrical connection with an electric load to be fed by the UPS device; second electric terminals for electrical connection with a power supply source adapted to feed the UPS device; third electric terminals for electrical connection with a back-up unit adapted to feed the UPS device, when the power supply source is not available, the back-up unit having one or more replaceable batteries; a power conversion stage electrically connectable with the first, second and third electric terminals, the power conversion stage being adapted to receive a power supply voltage from the power supply source or a back-up voltage from the back-up unit, when the power supply source is not available, and being adapted to provide an adjustable load voltage to the electric load; and an interface stage to electrically couple or decouple the back-up unit with or from the power conversion stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Roberto Usai, Marco Testa, Yaser Khalifa, Andrea Bianco
  • Patent number: 11289256
    Abstract: A coil actuator for low and medium voltage applications including: a coil electromagnet having a single coil winding and a movable member; and a power and control unit including: a power circuit operatively coupled with the coil electromagnet, the power circuit including input terminals for receiving an input voltage and an intermediate node, the electromagnet being electrically connected with the input terminal and the intermediate node, the power circuit further including a discharge circuit, which is electrically connected with the first input terminal and the intermediate node in parallel with the coil winding, and a switch circuit, which is electrically connected with the intermediate node and the second input terminal, the switch circuit including at least a power switch; a controller operatively coupled with the power circuit to drive the at least a power switch to control of an input current circulating through the power circuit, the controller being adapted to perform a PWM control of the input curre
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Marco Testa, Roberto Usai
  • Patent number: 11270825
    Abstract: A coil actuator for low and medium voltage applications comprising a coil electromagnet provided with a single coil winding and a movable anchor and a power and control unit comprising: a power circuit operatively coupled with said coil electromagnet, said power circuit comprising input terminals, at which said power circuit receives an input voltage; a PWM controller operatively coupled with said power circuit, said PWM controller being adapted to control an input current flowing through said power circuit to obtain and maintain an average operating level selected an excitation current feeding said coil electromagnet. Said PWM controller is adapted to set a plurality of reference values for said input current to control said input current, each reference value for said input current being selected among said plurality of reference values depending on the behavior of said input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Marco Testa, Roberto Usai
  • Publication number: 20200195039
    Abstract: An UPS device for electric power distribution installations, the UPS device including: first electric terminals for electrical connection with an electric load to be fed by the UPS device; second electric terminals for electrical connection with a power supply source adapted to feed the UPS device; third electric terminals for electrical connection with a back-up unit adapted to feed the UPS device, when the power supply source is not available, the back-up unit having one or more replaceable batteries; a power conversion stage electrically connectable with the first, second and third electric terminals, the power conversion stage being adapted to receive a power supply voltage from the power supply source or a back-up voltage from the back-up unit, when the power supply source is not available, and being adapted to provide an adjustable load voltage to the electric load; and an interface stage to electrically couple or decouple the back-up unit with or from the power conversion stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Roberto Usai, Marco Testa, Yaser Khalifa, Andrea Bianco
  • Publication number: 20200105448
    Abstract: A coil actuator for low and medium voltage applications including: a coil electromagnet having a single coil winding and a movable member; and a power and control unit including: a power circuit operatively coupled with the coil electromagnet, the power circuit including input terminals for receiving an input voltage and an intermediate node, the electromagnet being electrically connected with the input terminal and the intermediate node, the power circuit further including a discharge circuit, which is electrically connected with the first input terminal and the intermediate node in parallel with the coil winding, and a switch circuit, which is electrically connected with the intermediate node and the second input terminal, the switch circuit including at least a power switch; a controller operatively coupled with the power circuit to drive the at least a power switch to control of an input current circulating through the power circuit, the controller being adapted to perform a PWM control of the input curre
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Marco Testa, Roberto Usai
  • Publication number: 20200075212
    Abstract: A coil actuator for low and medium voltage applications including a coil electromagnet with a single coil winding and a movable anchor and a power and control unit including: a power circuit operatively coupled with the coil electromagnet, the power circuit including input terminals, at which the power circuit receives an input voltage; a PWM controller operatively coupled with the power circuit, the PWM controller being adapted to control an input current flowing through the power circuit to obtain and maintain an average operating level selected an excitation current feeding the coil electromagnet. The PWM controller is adapted to set a plurality of reference values for the input current to control the input current, each reference value for the input current selected among the plurality of reference values depending on the behavior of the input voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Marco Testa, Roberto Usai
  • Patent number: 9767967
    Abstract: A switch unit includes a current switching device drivable by an electromagnetic actuator for opening/closing an electric circuit associated with the switch unit, a first energy storage for storing electric energy for the electromagnetic actuator, and electronic controller means which are supplied by an external power line and control a supply of the electric energy from the energy storage means to the electromagnetic actuator. The switch unit includes emergency procedure operating means associated with the electronic controller means and provided with a second energy storage means. The emergency procedure operating means are configured for enabling driving of the current switching device and opening the associated electric circuit in an emergency condition in which a lack or drop or irregular supply of the external power line is experienced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Roberto Usai, Fabio Mannino
  • Patent number: 9418810
    Abstract: A multiphase medium voltage vacuum contactor is disclosed which can include a mounting frame on which there are positioned: for each phase, a current interrupter having a vacuum bulb which contains a fixed contact and a corresponding movable contact; and an actuator for moving the movable contacts between a closed position where they are coupled each to a corresponding fixed contact and an open position where they are each electrically separated from the corresponding fixed contact, and an electronic unit driving the actuator. An exemplary voltage transformer for feeding the electronic unit can be mounted on the frame. One or more sacrificial fault-protection devices and/or current sensors can be operatively associated to the voltage transformer and embedded into an electrically insulating coating encasing the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Osvaldo Prestini, Roberto Usai
  • Publication number: 20150303013
    Abstract: A multiphase medium voltage vacuum contactor is disclosed which can include a mounting frame on which there are positioned: for each phase, a current interrupter having a vacuum bulb which contains a fixed contact and a corresponding movable contact; and an actuator for moving the movable contacts between a closed position where they are coupled each to a corresponding fixed contact and an open position where they are each electrically separated from the corresponding fixed contact, and an electronic unit driving the actuator. An exemplary voltage transformer for feeding the electronic unit can be mounted on the frame. One or more sacrificial fault-protection devices and/or current sensors can be operatively associated to the voltage transformer and embedded into an electrically insulating coating encasing the transformer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: ASS Technology AG
    Inventors: Osvaldo PRESTINI, Roberto USAI
  • Patent number: 8976502
    Abstract: A switching device comprising control means for controlling the switching operations of the device, the control means receiving the sensing signals generated by a sensor means; the control means are arranged so that, during execution of a switching operation, the control means send a first control signal to a power supply means to start with the supply of excitation current from a first instant onwards; determine, on the base of the information provided by the sensing signals, a second instant, at which the power supply means have to stop with the supply of excitation current, the second instant occurring before the movable plunger has reached the stop position during the movement from the start position towards the stop position; send a second control signal to the power supply means to stop with supply of excitation current from the second instant and until a movable plunger reaches the stop position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Roberto Usai, Manuel Gotti
  • Publication number: 20130015712
    Abstract: A switch unit includes a current switching device drivable by an electromagnetic actuator for opening/closing an electric circuit associated with the switch unit, a first energy storage for storing electric energy for the electromagnetic actuator, and electronic controller means which are supplied by an external power line and control a supply of the electric energy from the energy storage means to the electromagnetic actuator. The switch unit includes emergency procedure operating means associated with the electronic controller means and provided with a second energy storage means. The emergency procedure operating means are configured for enabling driving of the current switching device and opening the associated electric circuit in an emergency condition in which a lack or drop or irregular supply of the external power line is experienced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Roberto Usai, Fabio Mannino
  • Publication number: 20120281331
    Abstract: A switching device comprising control means for controlling the switching operations of the device, the control means receiving the sensing signals generated by a sensor means; the control means are arranged so that, during execution of a switching operation, the control means send a first control signal to a power supply means to start with the supply of excitation current from a first instant onwards; determine, on the base of the information provided by the sensing signals, a second instant, at which the power supply means have to stop with the supply of excitation current, the second instant occurring before the movable plunger has reached the stop position during the movement from the start position towards the stop position; send a second control signal to the power supply means to stop with supply of excitation current from the second instant and until a movable plunger reaches the stop position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Roberto Usai, Manuel Gotti