Patents by Inventor William A. Johnson, Jr.
William A. Johnson, Jr. 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: 20240051754Abstract: In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, a lift includes at least one load handling device configured so as to reciprocate along a lift axis, the load handling device including a frame forming a payload section with a payload support surface having a common elevation configured to hold one or more pickfaces at the common elevation of the payload support surface, at least one transfer arm movably mounted to the frame, and a drive section connected to the load handling device and being configured to move the load handling device along the lift axis, wherein the one or more pickfaces carried in unison by the payload support surface of the at least one load handling device, define an order sequence of pickfaces on the at least one load handling device according to a predetermined case out order sequence of mixed cases.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2023Publication date: February 15, 2024Inventors: Kirill K. PANKRATOV, Juergen D. CONRAD, Robert HSIUNG, William JOHNSON, JR., Edward A. MACDONALD, Larry M. SWEET
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Patent number: 11787634Abstract: In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, a lift includes at least one load handling device configured so as to reciprocate along a lift axis, the load handling device including a frame forming a payload section with a payload support surface having a common elevation configured to hold one or more pickfaces at the common elevation of the payload support surface, at least one transfer arm movably mounted to the frame, and a drive section connected to the load handling device and being configured to move the load handling device along the lift axis, wherein the one or more pickfaces carried in unison by the payload support surface of the at least one load handling device, define an order sequence of pickfaces on the at least one load handling device according to a predetermined case out order sequence of mixed cases.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2021Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: SYMBOTIC LLCInventors: Kirill K. Pankratov, Juergen D. Conrad, Robert Hsiung, William Johnson, Jr., Edward A. Macdonald, Larry M. Sweet
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Patent number: 11418039Abstract: A system includes a generator configured to be electrically coupled to a grid, an engine configured to drive the generator, and a solid state generator coupled between the grid and an energy storage device. The system further includes a bias controller configured to detect a frequency of the grid and to responsively provide a bias signal to a speed controller of the engine. The bias controller may include a frequency bias controller configured to generate a frequency bias load sharing signal responsive to the detected frequency of the grid and a load sharing controller that receives the frequency bias load sharing signal and that generates the bias signal responsive to the load sharing signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2019Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: Flexgen Power Systems, Inc.Inventors: Tony Olivo, Pasi Taimela, Robert William Johnson, Jr., Mengbin Yang, Preston Miller
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Patent number: 11362519Abstract: A system includes a break-before-make automatic transfer switch (ATS) configured to selectively couple a utility grid and at least one distributed generator (e.g., a plurality of paralleled generators) to a load bus such that, in a state transition of the ATS, the utility grid and the at least one distributed generator are both disconnected from the load bus before the utility grid or the at least one distributed generator is connected to the load bus. The system further includes at least one converter configured to be coupled to the load bus and configured to provide power to the load bus during the state transition of the ATS.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2019Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: Flexgen Power Systems, Inc.Inventors: Pasi Taimela, Robert William Johnson, Jr.
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Publication number: 20210292092Abstract: In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, a lift includes at least one load handling device configured so as to reciprocate along a lift axis, the load handling device including a frame forming a payload section with a payload support surface having a common elevation configured to hold one or more pickfaces at the common elevation of the payload support surface, at least one transfer arm movably mounted to the frame, and a drive section connected to the load handling device and being configured to move the load handling device along the lift axis, wherein the one or more pickfaces carried in unison by the payload support surface of the at least one load handling device, define an order sequence of pickfaces on the at least one load handling device according to a predetermined case out order sequence of mixed cases.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2021Publication date: September 23, 2021Inventors: Kirill K. PANKRATOV, Juergen D. CONRAD, Robert HSIUNG, William JOHNSON, JR., Edward A. MACDONALD, Larry M. SWEET
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Patent number: 11056908Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system includes a first port configured to be coupled to an AC power source and a second port configured to be coupled to a load. The system also includes a UPS circuit including a first converter circuit coupled to the first port, a second converter circuit coupled to the second port and a DC bus coupling the first converter circuit to the second converter circuit and configured to be coupled to an auxiliary power source and a third converter circuit coupled to the second port and configured to receive power from a variably available power source. The system further includes a control circuit operatively associated with the UPS circuit and the third converter circuit and configured to cooperatively control the UPS circuit and the third converter circuit to selectively transfer power to the load from the AC power source and the variably available power source and from the variably available power source to the AC power source.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2019Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Inventors: Robert William Johnson, Jr., Yu Liu, Bobby L. Compton, Pasi S. Taimela, Robert C. Sebald
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Patent number: 10954066Abstract: In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, a lift includes at least one load handling device configured so as to reciprocate along a lift axis, the load handling device including a frame forming a payload section with a payload support surface having a common elevation configured to hold one or more pickfaces at the common elevation of the payload support surface, at least one transfer arm movably mounted to the frame, and a drive section connected to the load handling device and being configured to move the load handling device along the lift axis, wherein the one or more pickfaces carried in unison by the payload support surface of the at least one load handling device, define an order sequence of pickfaces on the at least one load handling device according to a predetermined case out order sequence of mixed cases.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2019Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: Symbolic LLCInventors: Kirill K. Pankratov, Juergen D. Conrad, Robert Hsiung, William Johnson, Jr., Edward A. MacDonald, Larry M. Sweet
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Publication number: 20210036638Abstract: A system includes a generator configured to be electrically coupled to a grid, an engine configured to drive the generator, and a solid state generator coupled between the grid and an energy storage device. The system further includes a bias controller configured to detect a frequency of the grid and to responsively provide a bias signal to a speed controller of the engine. The bias controller may include a frequency bias controller configured to generate a frequency bias load sharing signal responsive to the detected frequency of the grid and a load sharing controller that receives the frequency bias load sharing signal and that generates the bias signal responsive to the load sharing signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2019Publication date: February 4, 2021Inventors: Tony Olivo, Pasi Taimela, Robert William Johnson, JR., Mengbin Yang, Preston Miller
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Publication number: 20200359716Abstract: Comfortable and flexible cooling units and methods of using cooling units for cooling humans, animals or objects, the cooling units including a first weldable textile layer having a peripheral edge, a second weldable textile layer having a peripheral edge, the peripheral edge of the first layer weldable textile layer adjoined to the peripheral edge of the second weldable textile layer around a circumference of the cooling unit, and a phase change material composition contained between the first weldable textile layer and the second weldable textile layer. The phase change material composition may include a pelletized shape stable phase change material which may be suspended in a gel and may be comfortable and conformable.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2020Publication date: November 19, 2020Applicant: Glacier Tek LLCInventors: RoxAnne Best, Tyler Zwirtz, Benedict Welter, Luke Haun, William Johnson, JR.
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APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR BATTERY FIRE SUPPRESSION USING MULTI-PORT EXTINGUISHING AGENT DISTRIBUTION
Publication number: 20200139178Abstract: An apparatus includes a rack including a plurality of vertically-stacked battery shelves and a vertically extending pipe disposed adjacent the rack. The apparatus further includes a plurality of ports fluidically coupled to the pipe and spaced apart along a length of the pipe, respective ones of the ports configured to direct an extinguishing agent from the pipe towards respective ones of the shelves.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2019Publication date: May 7, 2020Inventors: Tony Olivo, Pasi Taimela, Robert William Johnson, JR., Clifford Thomas Jones -
Patent number: 10615597Abstract: A system includes at least one generator coupled to an island grid, at least one energy storage unit and at least one converter coupled to the at least one energy storage unit and configured to be coupled to the island grid. The system further includes a control circuit configured to cause the at least one converter to transfer power between the at least one energy storage unit and the grid responsive to a change in a load on the island grid to maintain operation of the at least one generator at a predetermined operating point. The at least one generator may include a control system configured to match generator output to the load and the control circuit may be configured to maintain the control system of the at least one generator within a predetermined dynamic response capability limit responsive to the change in the load.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2016Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: Flexgen Power Systems, Inc.Inventors: Pasi Taimela, Tony Olivo, Robert William Johnson, Jr., Doug Moorehead
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Patent number: 10574055Abstract: A system includes a converter configured to be coupled between an energy storage unit and a grid and a control circuit configured to detect frequency and voltage variations of the grid and to responsively cause the converter to transfer power and reactive components to and/or from the grid. The control circuit may implement a power control loop having an inner frequency control loop and a reactive component control loop having an inner voltage control loop. The control circuit may provide feedforward from the inner frequency control loop to the inner voltage control loop to inhibit reactive component transfer in response to a voltage variation deviation of the grid due to a power transfer between the energy storage unit and the grid.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2015Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: Flexgen Power Systems, Inc.Inventors: Mengbin Yang, Pasi Taimela, Tony Olivo, Robert William Johnson, Jr., Gopalakrishnan Balakrishnan
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Publication number: 20200006978Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system includes a first port configured to be coupled to an AC power source and a second port configured to be coupled to a load. The system also includes a UPS circuit including a first converter circuit coupled to the first port, a second converter circuit coupled to the second port and a DC bus coupling the first converter circuit to the second converter circuit and configured to be coupled to an auxiliary power source and a third converter circuit coupled to the second port and configured to receive power from a variably available power source. The system further includes a control circuit operatively associated with the UPS circuit and the third converter circuit and configured to cooperatively control the UPS circuit and the third converter circuit to selectively transfer power to the load from the AC power source and the variably available power source and from the variably available power source to the AC power source.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2019Publication date: January 2, 2020Inventors: Robert William Johnson, JR., Yu Liu, Bobby L. Compton, Pasi S. Taimela, Robert C. Sebald
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Publication number: 20190256289Abstract: In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, a lift includes at least one load handling device configured so as to reciprocate along a lift axis, the load handling device including a frame forming a payload section with a payload support surface having a common elevation configured to hold one or more pickfaces at the common elevation of the payload support surface, at least one transfer arm movably mounted to the frame, and a drive section connected to the load handling device and being configured to move the load handling device along the lift axis, wherein the one or more pickfaces carried in unison by the payload support surface of the at least one load handling device, define an order sequence of pickfaces on the at least one load handling device according to a predetermined case out order sequence of mixed cases.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2019Publication date: August 22, 2019Inventors: Kirill K. PANKRATOV, Juergen D. CONRAD, Robert HSIUNG, William JOHNSON, Jr., Edward A. MACDONALD, Larry M. SWEET
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Publication number: 20190214827Abstract: A system includes a switch configured to couple a generator to a utility grid, a first converter having a first port coupled to the generator, a second converter having a first port coupled to a second port of the first converter and a second port coupled to the utility grid, and a controller configured to control the switch and the first and second converters. The controller may be configured to cause the first and second converters to provide power to the utility grid from the generator after the generator starts and before a state of the generator meets a predetermined criterion.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2017Publication date: July 11, 2019Inventors: Robert William Johnson, JR., Tony Olivo
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Patent number: 10289080Abstract: A system includes at least one variable speed generator system configured to provide power to a load bus and at least one fixed speed generator configured to provide power to the load bus. The system also includes a solid state generator (SSG) system including at least one energy storage device and a converter coupled to the at least one energy storage device and configured to transfer power between the at least one energy storage device and the load bus. The system further includes a control system configured to control the at least one variable speed generator system, the at least one fixed speed generator and the SSG system responsive to changes in a load on the load bus.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2014Date of Patent: May 14, 2019Assignee: Flexgen Power Systems, Inc.Inventors: Pasi Taimela, Tony Olivo, Robert William Johnson, Jr.
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Patent number: 10214355Abstract: In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, a lift includes at least one load handling device configured so as to reciprocate along a lift axis, the load handling device including a frame forming a payload section with a payload support surface having a common elevation configured to hold one or more pickfaces at the common elevation of the payload support surface, at least one transfer arm movably mounted to the frame, and a drive section connected to the load handling device and being configured to move the load handling device along the lift axis, wherein the one or more pickfaces carried in unison by the payload support surface of the at least one load handling device, define an order sequence of pickfaces on the at least one load handling device according to a predetermined case out order sequence of mixed cases.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2016Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: Symbotic, LLCInventors: Kirill K. Pankratov, Juergen D. Conrad, Robert Hsiung, William Johnson, Jr., Edward A. MacDonald, Larry M. Sweet
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Patent number: 10196207Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system includes an autonomous rover and a multilevel rack structure. The multilevel rack structure includes columns connected by rail beams transversely spanning between the columns. The rail beams define storage and transport levels and provide riding surfaces for the autonomous rover. The rail beams include integral fatigue resistant rover location apertures.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2016Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: Symbotic, LLCInventors: John F. Keating, Thomas G. Perry, William Johnson, Jr., Todd E. Kepple, Lawrence A. Margagliano
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Patent number: 10199858Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system includes a first port configured to be coupled to an AC power source and a second port configured to be coupled to a load. The system also includes a UPS circuit including a first converter circuit coupled to the first port, a second converter circuit coupled to the second port and a DC bus coupling the first converter circuit to the second converter circuit and configured to be coupled to an auxiliary power source and a third converter circuit coupled to the second port and configured to receive power from a variably available power source. The system further includes a control circuit operatively associated with the UPS circuit and the third converter circuit and configured to cooperatively control the UPS circuit and the third converter circuit to selectively transfer power to the load from the AC power source and the variably available power source and from the variably available power source to the AC power source.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2016Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power LimitedInventors: Robert William Johnson, Jr., Yu Liu, Bobby L. Compton, Pasi S. Taimela, Robert C. Sebald
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Patent number: D979011Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2022Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Inventor: William A. Johnson, Jr.