Patents by Inventor Wayne George Chmiel

Wayne George Chmiel 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: 9120387
    Abstract: Power supply systems and methods for controlling such systems are provided. One power supply system includes a generator set configured to provide an electrical output to an electrical bus, over which power is supplied to heavy equipment. The power supply system further includes a computerized controller configured to be coupled to an energy storage element, wherein the computerized controller is configured to couple the energy storage element to the electrical bus in advance of a predicted increase in demand upon the electrical bus to maintain a substantially constant voltage on the electrical bus during the predicted increase in demand and prevent a drop in voltage on the electrical bus that would otherwise result from the predicted increase in demand. The predicted increase in demand is anticipated by the computerized controller as forthcoming based upon extrapolation, at least in part, from data related to a past operation of the heavy equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Global Mining LLC
    Inventors: Michael Gordon Onsager, Joseph Helfrich, Dave L. Perugini, Wayne George Chmiel, Peter James Miller
  • Publication number: 20140136042
    Abstract: Power supply systems and methods for controlling such systems are provided. One power supply system includes a generator set configured to provide an electrical output to an electrical bus, over which power is supplied to heavy equipment. The power supply system further includes a computerized controller configured to be coupled to an energy storage element, wherein the computerized controller is configured to couple the energy storage element to the electrical bus in advance of a predicted increase in demand upon the electrical bus to maintain a substantially constant voltage on the electrical bus during the predicted increase in demand and prevent a drop in voltage on the electrical bus that would otherwise result from the predicted increase in demand. The predicted increase in demand is anticipated by the computerized controller as forthcoming based upon extrapolation, at least in part, from data related to a past operation of the heavy equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Caterpillar Global Mining LLC
    Inventors: Michael Gordon Onsager, Joseph Helfrich, Dave L. Perugini, Wayne George Chmiel, Peter James Miller
  • Patent number: 8718845
    Abstract: Heavy equipment includes a body, an electrical bus, and working components coupled to the body and powered by electricity conveyed via the electrical bus. The heavy equipment further includes a generator set providing an electrical output to the electrical bus, an energy storage element configured to be coupled to the electrical bus, and a computerized controller coupled to the energy storage element. The computerized controller includes a logic module for coupling the energy storage element to the electrical bus in advance of a predicted increase in demand upon the electrical bus, where the increase in demand is anticipated by the computerized controller as forthcoming based upon extrapolation, at least in part, from data related to a previous operation of the heavy equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Global Mining LLC
    Inventors: Michael Gordon Onsager, Joseph Helfrich, Dave L. Perugini, Wayne George Chmiel, Peter James Miller
  • Patent number: 8626403
    Abstract: Heavy equipment is designed for operation in a substantially-repetitive work cycle that includes lifting, rotating, and lowering steps. The heavy equipment includes a generator, an electrical bus, an energy storage component, and working components. The generator provides a substantially constant electrical output to the electrical bus, which is communicated to the working components. As such, the working components of the heavy equipment are driven directly or indirectly by the electrical output of the generator. The controller selectively couples the energy storage component to the electrical bus, and the energy storage component is configured to store electricity provided by the generator, and to provide electricity to the working components by way of the electrical bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Global Mining LLC
    Inventors: Michael Gordon Onsager, Joseph Helfrich, Dave L. Perugini, Wayne George Chmiel, Robert Weber, Peter James Miller
  • Publication number: 20120089280
    Abstract: Heavy equipment includes a body, an electrical bus, and working components coupled to the body and powered by electricity conveyed via the electrical bus. The heavy equipment further includes a generator set providing an electrical output to the electrical bus, an energy storage element configured to be coupled to the electrical bus, and a computerized controller coupled to the energy storage element. The computerized controller includes a logic module for coupling the energy storage element to the electrical bus in advance of a predicted increase in demand upon the electrical bus, where the increase in demand is anticipated by the computerized controller as forthcoming based upon extrapolation, at least in part, from data related to a previous operation of the heavy equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Inventors: Michael Gordon Onsager, Joseph Helfrich, Dave L. Perugini, Wayne George Chmiel, Peter James Miller
  • Publication number: 20120089279
    Abstract: Heavy equipment is designed for operation in a substantially-repetitive work cycle that includes lifting, rotating, and lowering steps. The heavy equipment includes a generator, an electrical bus, an energy storage component, and working components. The generator provides a substantially constant electrical output to the electrical bus, which is communicated to the working components. As such, the working components of the heavy equipment are driven directly or indirectly by the electrical output of the generator. The controller selectively couples the energy storage component to the electrical bus, and the energy storage component is configured to store electricity provided by the generator, and to provide electricity to the working components by way of the electrical bus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Inventors: Michael Gordon Onsager, Joseph Helfrich, Dave L. Perugini, Wayne George Chmiel, Robert Weber, Peter James Miller
  • Publication number: 20110056192
    Abstract: A hydraulic system includes a plurality of pumps that provide pressurized fluid to a plurality of hydraulic actuators some of which work more that others. That system is controlled by producing a usage value for each of the plurality of pumps which indicates an amount that the respective pump has worked. One of the pumps is assigned to each hydraulic actuator in response to the usage values. The pumps with lower usage values are assigned to hydraulic actuators which work more, so as to equalize the use of each pump. The assignment of pumps to hydraulic actuators changes with changes in the usage values for the plurality of pumps. When a given one of the plurality of hydraulic actuators is to operate, hydraulic fluid is routed from the assigned pump to that given one of the plurality of hydraulic actuators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventors: Robert Weber, Wayne George Chmiel, Dave L. Perugini, Michael Gordon Onsager, Joseph Helfrich