Patents by Inventor Steven J. Geissler
Steven J. Geissler 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).
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Publication number: 20240038495Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are discussed relating to plasma sources using load current switch timing of zero volt switching resonant topology.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2023Publication date: February 1, 2024Applicant: Kaufman & Robinson, Inc.Inventor: Steven J. Geissler
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Publication number: 20240039407Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are discussed relating to plasma sources using load current switch timing of zero volt switching resonant topology.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2023Publication date: February 1, 2024Applicant: Kaufman & Robinson, Inc.Inventor: Steven J. Geissler
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Patent number: 11823867Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are discussed relating to plasma sources using load current switch timing of zero volt switching resonant topology.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2021Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: Kaufman & Robinson, Inc.Inventor: Steven J. Geissler
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Publication number: 20220375720Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are discussed relating to plasma sources using load current switch timing of zero volt switching resonant topology.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2021Publication date: November 24, 2022Applicant: Kaufman & Robinson, Inc.Inventor: Steven J. Geissler
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Patent number: 9789559Abstract: A system and method for operating an welding-based power source includes an welding-type power source includes a power conditioner configured to receive power from a power source and condition the power to have characteristics within a predefined set of thresholds and an inverter configured to receive the conditioned power from the power conditioner and convert the conditioned power to AC power. The welding-type power source also includes a rectifier configured to convert the AC power to DC welding-type power to drive a welding-type process and a processor segregated into at least two functional modules. The processor may be a field programmable gate array (FPGA) based processor. A first functional module is configured to control the power conditioner to condition the power to have characteristics within the predefined set of thresholds and a second functional module is configured to control the inverter to convert the conditioned power to AC power.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2007Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS, INC.Inventors: Steven J. Geissler, Todd G. Batzler, Michael D. Madsen
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Patent number: 9162310Abstract: Enhanced power factor correction for a welding-based power supply includes a controller that tracks a rectified input voltage waveform and detects zero-crossing events therein. The controller generates an ideal sinusoidal current reference signal synchronized by expected zero-crossings in the supplied power. The reference signal is used in a current control loop within the controller to control the power electronics such that the waveform of the current drawn by the power supply matches the waveform of the input voltage. The frequency of the supplied power may be calculated using the expected zero-crossings and used to adjust the expected zero-crossings.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2008Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Steven J. Geissler, Todd G. Batzler, Michael D. Madsen
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Patent number: 7843138Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a switch-mode power supply to generate the heating current for a hot-filament electron-emitting cathode. The power supply directly couples, without an output power transformer, the output from a full-bridge converter that operates at an output frequency in the range from ten Hz to tens of Khz to the output terminals of the power supply. A connection to a reference potential that minimizes the potential fluctuation of the cathode is provided by the center tap on an autotransformer connected across the output terminals, where the conductors in the autotransformer are sized for half of the emission current from the cathode rather than the much larger heating current.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2008Date of Patent: November 30, 2010Assignee: Kaufman & Robinson, Inc.Inventors: Steven J. Geissler, James R. Kahn, Harold R. Kaufman
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Patent number: 7778056Abstract: A welding power supply includes an input rectifier that receives sinusoidal or alternating line voltage and provides a rectified voltage. A pre-regulator provides a dc bus and a convertor, such as a boost convertor, provides a welding output. The pre-regulator is an SVT (slow voltage transition) and an SCT (slow current transition) switched convertor. It may include a snubber circuit having a diode that is SVT switched. Also, the boost convertor may be SVT and SCT switched. The pre-regulator preferably includes a power factor correction circuit. The power source includes, in one embodiment, an inverter having a snubber circuit having a first switch in anti-parallel with a first diode, and a second switch in anti-parallel with a second diode. The first switch and first diode are connected in series with the second switch and the second diode, and the first and second switches are connected in opposing directions, to form a switched snubber.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2008Date of Patent: August 17, 2010Inventor: Steven J. Geissler
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Publication number: 20100193487Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing welding type power is disclosed. The power source is capable of receiving any input voltage over a wide range of input voltages and includes an input rectifier that rectifies the at input into a dc signal. A dc voltage stage converts the dc signal to a desired dc voltage and an inverter inverts the dc signal into a second ac signal. An output transformer receives the second ac signal and provides a third ac signal that has a current magnitude suitable for welding, cutting or induction heating. The welding type current may be rectified, and smoothed by an output inductor and an output rectifier. A controller provides control signals to the inverter and a controller power supply can also receive a range of input voltages and provide a control power signal to the controller, and a voltage independent of the input voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2009Publication date: August 5, 2010Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventor: Steven J. Geissler
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Publication number: 20100006551Abstract: Enhanced power factor correction for a welding-based power supply includes a controller that tracks a rectified input voltage waveform and detects zero-crossing events therein. The controller generates an ideal sinusoidal current reference signal synchronized by expected zero-crossings in the supplied power. The reference signal is used in a current control loop within the controller to control the power electronics such that the waveform of the current drawn by the power supply matches the waveform of the input voltage. The frequency of the supplied power may be calculated using the expected zero-crossings and used to adjust the expected zero-crossings.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2008Publication date: January 14, 2010Inventors: Steven J. Geissler, Todd G. Batzler, Michael D. Madsen
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Publication number: 20090309509Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a switch-mode power supply to generate the heating current for a hot-filament electron-emitting cathode. The power supply directly couples, without an output power transformer, the output from a full-bridge converter that operates at an output frequency in the range from ten Hz to tens of Khz to the output terminals of the power supply. A connection to a reference potential that minimizes the potential fluctuation of the cathode is provided by the center tap on an autotransformer connected across the output terminals, where the conductors in the autotransformer are sized for half of the emission current from the cathode rather than the much larger heating current.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2008Publication date: December 17, 2009Inventors: Steven J. Geissler, James R. Kahn, Harold R. Kaufman
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Publication number: 20090101637Abstract: A system and method for operating an welding-based power source includes an welding-type power source includes a power conditioner configured to receive power from a power source and condition the power to have characteristics within a predefined set of thresholds and an inverter configured to receive the conditioned power from the power conditioner and convert the conditioned power to AC power. The welding-type power source also includes a rectifier configured to convert the AC power to DC welding-type power to drive a welding-type process and a processor segregated into at least two functional modules. The processor may be a field programmable gate array (FPGA) based processor. A first functional module is configured to control the power conditioner to condition the power to have characteristics within the predefined set of thresholds and a second functional module is configured to control the inverter to convert the conditioned power to AC power.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2007Publication date: April 23, 2009Inventors: Steven J. Geissler, Todd G. Batzler, Michael D. Madsen
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Publication number: 20080298102Abstract: A welding power supply includes an input rectifier that receives sinusoidal or alternating line voltage and provides a rectified voltage. A pre-regulator provides a dc bus and a convertor, such as a boost convertor, provides a welding output. The pre-regulator is an SVT (slow voltage transition) and an SCT (slow current transition) switched convertor. It may include a snubber circuit having a diode that is SVT switched. Also, the boost convertor may be SVT and SCT switched. The pre-regulator preferably includes a power factor correction circuit. The power source includes, in one embodiment, an inverter having a snubber circuit having a first switch in anti-parallel with a first diode, and a second switch in anti-parallel with a second diode. The first switch and first diode are connected in series with the second switch and the second diode, and the first and second switches are connected in opposing directions, to form a switched snubber.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2008Publication date: December 4, 2008Applicant: Illinois ToolWorks Inc.Inventor: Steven J. Geissler
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Patent number: 7245084Abstract: An apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, an electrical transformer that surrounds the vacuum chamber to induce an electromagnetic field within the vacuum chamber, and an ignition circuit. The electrical transformer induces an electromagnetic field within the vacuum chamber. The transformer includes a primary winding and a plasma loop coupled to the vacuum chamber to perform as a secondary winding. The ignition circuit is coupled to an ignition core section of the vacuum chamber to ignite the vacuum chamber.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2004Date of Patent: July 17, 2007Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.Inventors: Juan Jose Gonzalez, Andrew Shabalin, Steven J. Geissler, Fernando Gustavo Tomasel
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Patent number: 7235759Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing welding type power is disclosed. The power source is capable of receiving any input voltage over a wide range of input voltages and includes an input rectifier that rectifies the ac input into a dc signal. A dc voltage stage converts the dc signal to a desired dc voltage and an inverter inverts the dc signal into a second ac signal. An output transformer receives the second ac signal and provides a third ac signal that has a current magnitude suitable for welding, cutting or induction heating. The welding type current may be rectified and smoothed by an output inductor and an output rectifier. A controller provides control signals to the inverter and a controller power supply can also receive a range of input voltages and provide a control power signal to the controller, and a voltage independent of the input voltage.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2006Date of Patent: June 26, 2007Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventor: Steven J. Geissler
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Patent number: 7005845Abstract: An apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber and an electrical transformer to induce an electromagnetic field within the vacuum chamber. The transformer includes a primary winding, a secondary winding formed by the plasma loop, and a separate secondary winding implemented to measure the voltage along the plasma loop. The apparatus also includes a current transformer to measure the current flow through the plasma loop.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2004Date of Patent: February 28, 2006Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.Inventors: Juan Jose Gonzalez, Steven J. Geissler, Fernando Gustavo Tomasel
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Patent number: 6987242Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing welding type power is disclosed. The power source is capable of receiving any input voltage over a wide range of input voltages and includes an input rectifier that rectifies the ac input into a dc signal. A dc voltage stage converts the dc signal to a desired dc voltage and an inverter inverts the dc signal into a second ac signal. An output transformer receives the second ac signal and provides a third ac signal that has a current magnitude suitable for welding, cutting or induction heating. The welding type current may be rectified and smoothed by an output inductor and an output rectifier. A controller provides control signals to the inverter and a controller power supply can also receive a range of input voltages and provide a control power signal to the controller, and a voltage independent of the input voltage.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2004Date of Patent: January 17, 2006Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventor: Steven J. Geissler
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Patent number: 6911789Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a switch-mode power supply to generate the heating current for a hot-filament electron-emitting cathode. The power supply directly couples, without an output transformer, the output from a full-bridge converter that operates at an output frequency in the range from ten Hz to ten kHz. A connection to a reference potential that minimizes the potential fluctuation of the cathode is provided by one of the direct-current inputs to the converter.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2003Date of Patent: June 28, 2005Assignees: Kaufman & Robinson, Inc., Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.Inventors: Steven J. Geissler, James R. Kahn, Harold R. Kaufman, Denis M. Shaw
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Publication number: 20040233682Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing welding type power is disclosed. The power source is capable of receiving any input voltage over a wide range of input voltages and includes an input rectifier that rectifies the ac input into a dc signal. A dc voltage stage converts the dc signal to a desired dc voltage and an inverter inverts the dc signal into a second ac signal. An output transformer receives the second ac signal and provides a third ac signal that has a current magnitude suitable for welding, cutting or induction heating. The welding type current may be rectified and smoothed by an output inductor and an output rectifier. A controller provides control signals to the inverter and a controller power supply can also receive a range of input voltages and provide a control power signal to the controller, and a voltage independent of the input voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2004Publication date: November 25, 2004Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventor: Steven J. Geissler
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Patent number: 6822396Abstract: According to one embodiment, an apparatus is described. An apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, an electrical transformer coupled to the vacuum chamber, and an ignition circuit. The electrical transformer induces an electromagnetic field within the vacuum chamber. The transformer includes a primary winding and a magnetic core. In addition, the transformer includes a secondary winding, to which the circuit used to ignite the vacuum chamber is coupled. The ignition circuit is used to establish a controlled capacitive discharge that is used to ignite the vacuum chamber.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2003Date of Patent: November 23, 2004Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.Inventors: Juan Jose Gonzalez, Andrew Shabalin, Steven J. Geissler, Fernando Gustavo Tomasel