| ABB Inc. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20120010825 | GAS CHROMATOGRAPH WITH DIGITAL PROCESSING OF A THERMOCONDUCTIVITY DETECTOR SIGNAL - A gas chromatograph operable to analyze a sample gas comprising a carrier gas and components. The gas chromatograph includes a bridge circuit with a sample sensor connected therein. A servo amplifier is connected to the bridge circuit and is operable to maintain the sample sensor at a constant temperature. An output of the servo amplifier is digitized and is used to quantify the components in the sample gas. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120006363 | COMPACT AND MODULAR ROBOTIC WASH SYSTEM - A compact robotic wash system is provided for cleaning a work piece. The robotic wash system includes an enclosed wash chamber. A robot is fully disposed inside the wash chamber. The robot has a maximum horizontal reach that is at least 40% of the maximum horizontal linear dimension of the wash chamber. The robot may hold a work piece and move the work piece around a plurality of spray devices. Alternately, the robot may hold one or more spray devices, while a work piece is supported on a movable table. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20110299312 | INVERTER FOR SOLAR CELL ARRAY - A full-bridge, NPC inverter uses pulse width modulation (PWM) to convert the DC voltage from a solar panel array to an AC voltage at the output of the inverter that is acceptable for connection to a utility. The PWM control unit has a predetermined carrier frequency. The carrier unit uses for each carrier period either positive or negative values of a reference voltage to generate a predetermined number of signals to control the switching on and off of each of the eight inverter switching elements in a predetermined pattern for a predetermined period of the carrier frequency period to thereby produce the acceptable alternating current voltage at the inverter output and not produce between the inverter input and earth ground a carrier frequency component. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110298470 | DETECTION OF WELDED SWITCH CONTACTS IN A LINE CONVERTER SYSTEM - A system for the detection of welded contacts in a circuit of a line converter system has a plurality of inverter switches, a plurality of utility switches in which a pair of utility switches is connected in series through a line to a utility, a voltage detector, an electronic controller, and a DC input source. The line converter system converts incoming DC power into AC output power that is delivered to the utility grid. The voltage detector measures the voltage across a first node and a second node of the circuit and provides an output that is interpreted by an electronic controller for each step performed during a method of detection of welded contacts. The detection method has a sequence of test steps in which at least one switch is opened and/or closed, a DC bus of the inverter or the utility grid is used as a stimulus voltage, and the voltage is measured. If a voltage is not detected across the first and second nodes, the test sequence is continued until a welded contact is detected or the electronic controller determines that none of the contacts are welded. If the controller determines that none of the contacts are welded, the line converter system is permitted to connect and supply AC power to the utility. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110209320 | Vision Guided Robotic Grommet Installation - A system and method installs grommets into vehicle grommet holes using vision a six axis robot with a grommet tool and a vision system. The robot arm moves to the general area of a grommet hole and then the vision system determines the exact hole location. Thereafter, the robot moves the grommet tool to the hole to install the grommet. Installation is then confirmed by the vision system. | 09-01-2011 |
| 20110194317 | STACKED FLYBACK CONVERTER WITH INDEPENDENT CURRENT LOOP CONTROL - A voltage converter includes a transformer with a pair of primary coils and a secondary coil. The converter has a DC input and a capacitor bank, having a pair of capacitors, is connected across the DC input. A switch is associated with each primary coil. A gate drive feedback module outputs a pulse width modulated signal to drive either the first or second primary coil. A gate drive switch has as an input the pulse width modulated signal and outputs to the first second switch. A pulse steering logic module determines which of the first or second capacitors has a higher voltage and controls the gate drive switch to direct the pulse width modulated signal in response thereto. | 08-11-2011 |
| 20110181044 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING POWER GENERATION IN A THERMAL POWER PLANT - A method and apparatus for improving power generation in a thermal power plant. A dynamic reactive compensation system is provided and is connected to a high voltage bus or a generator bus of the power plant. The dynamic reactive compensation system comprises power electronic devices and is operable to provide most of the reactive power that is required from the power plant. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110072643 | Transformer Core Assembly Apparatus - The system and method make transformer core assemblies from core segments output from a segment forming machine. The system includes a rack assembly and a transfer mechanism for moving the segments from the segment forming machine to the rack assembly. A work table is positioned adjacent to the rack assembly. The rack assembly is rotatable and holds a pair of racks, wherein one rack receives segments and the other may be lowered at the same time to perform finishing steps. The system further increases efficiency by including a second segment forming machine, transfer mechanism, and rack assembly. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110048669 | ELECTROMAGNETIC STIRRER ARRANGEMENT WITH CONTINUOUS CASTING OF STEEL BILLETS AND BLOOM - An electromagnetic stirrer arrangement includes a housing having a bottom opening and a top opening. An electromagnetic stirrer is positioned inside the housing. A modular mold assembly includes a mold, a water jacket, a top plate, a bottom plate and a plurality of rods connecting the top and bottom plates. The mold has an open top and an open bottom. The top plate is positioned proximate to the open top of the mold and the bottom plate is positioned proximate to the open bottom of the mold. The connecting rods extend between and securing together the top and bottom plate. The modular mold assembly can easily be replaced by inserting it into or removing from the housing. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110024130 | PLUNGER LIFT WITH CHEMICAL INJECTION - A method and system operates a well having an outer casing, a tubing positioned inside the outer casing, and a plunger moveable within the tubing to periodically draw out a liquid slug. A chemical to slug size ratio is set by the operator. Thereafter, the gas flow rate is monitored and the well is shut-in when the gas flow rate drops below a predetermined threshold. After well shut-in, a calculated amount of chemical foaming agent is injected. The size of the liquid slug is calculated and then the well is opened, drawing the plunger and liquid slug up to the surface. The calculated amount of chemical foaming agent is calculated based on one or more previous liquid slug size determinations and the set chemical to slug size ratio. | 02-03-2011 |
| 20100237853 | CURRENT MEASURING DEVICE - A current sensor is provided for non-invasively measuring electrical current in an electrical conductor. The current sensor includes a housing having a Hall effect device and circuitry for transmitting a signal indicative of the current flowing through the electrical conductor. The current sensor includes a base having a surface for supporting an electrical conductor. A magnetic shielding member is coupled to the surface to shield the Hall effect device from stray or external magnetic fields. A compliant member is coupled to the magnetic shielding member opposite the surface. The compliant member compresses to allow the current sensor to accommodate a large variety of electrical conductor sizes. The compliant member further acts to bias the electrical conductor against the Hall effect device. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100211204 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ROBOTIC ASSEMBLY PARAMETER OPTIMIZATION - A method and system to optimize the parameters of a robot used in an assembly process. The assembly process is categorized based on its nature which may be cylindrical, radial and multi-stage insertion. The search pattern and search parameters are specified. The parameters are optimized and the optimized parameter set are verified and when a predetermined criteria such as assembly cycle time set and/or success rate is met the optimization process stops. When the optimization stops the verified parameters are used to cause the robot to perform the categorized assembly process. If the parameters do not meet the predetermined criteria, another round of optimization using the same or other parameters can be performed. | 08-19-2010 |
| 20090206182 | Rotary Atomizer with an Improved Valve - A valve assembly for controlling a flow of a coating to a spray head is provided. The valve assembly has a movable needle for closing an opening in a valve seat. The needle has a non-stick outer coating and extends through a needle seal having first and second ends. The first end of the needle seal is disposed inside a seal holder and abuts an interior surface of the seal holder. A spring applies a force to the second end of the needle seal, thereby pressing the first end of the needle seal against the interior surface of the seal holder. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20090188306 | REID VAPOR PRESSURE ANALYZER WITH AN AIR SATURATOR - The present invention is directed to an analyzer for measuring the vapor pressure of a hydrocarbon liquid. The analyzer includes a pressure measuring system connected to an air saturation system having a circulation chamber with opposing first and second ends. A first opening is disposed toward the first end and a second opening is disposed toward the second end. A plumbing system connects the first and second openings. A pump moves the hydrocarbon liquid through the plumbing system from the first opening to the second opening so as to saturate the hydrocarbon liquid with air. The air saturation system has a cooler for cooling the hydrocarbon liquid and the pressure measuring system has a heater for heating the hydrocarbon liquid. The pump may be a piston actuated pump or a motor-driven pump and the plumbing system may include an aeration chamber. | 07-30-2009 |
| 20090134994 | METHOD OF DISPLAYING THE STATUS OF AN ASSET USING AN EXTERNAL STATUS ASSET MONITOR - The present invention is directed to a system and method of monitoring assets of an enterprise using a stand-alone software system and a process automation software system. The stand-alone software system is operable to generate a web page about a condition of the asset and to transmit data items for the condition in a single data string. The data items include a status of the condition and a URL of the web page. The process automation software system includes a human system interface (HSI) and a generic asset monitor having a changeable condition table. The generic asset monitor may be modified to create a custom asset monitor specific to the asset. The custom asset monitor is operable to monitor the status of the condition and the HSI is operable to display the data items and the web page from the stand-alone software system. | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090040691 | Panelboard - A panelboard mounts and electrically connects to a plurality of circuit breakers. The panelboard includes a central body portion having a top surface. At least one bus bar is positioned within the central body portion. A pair of opposed legs extend the longitudinal length of the central body portion. A plurality of wells extend downwardly from the top surface and have prongs at the bottom of each well. The prongs are electrically connected to the bus bar. | 02-12-2009 |
| 20090028686 | ROBOTIC PALLETIZING SYSTEM - A robotic palletizing system is provided for receiving objects from a conveyor and loading the objects on a pallet using a robot having an articulated arm assembly. A lift station is located below the robot and includes a lift assembly that is operable to raise an object in a lift area of the lift station to a pick position from which the robot can grasp the object. When the lift is raising an object, a barrier is raised to prevent any other objects from moving into the lift area. A sensor is operable to detect objects moving into the lift area and a sensor bank is operable to detect the presence and size of any objects in the lift area. | 01-29-2009 |
| 20080294771 | ASSET MONITOR FOR FIELDBUS DEVICES - A software product and method of monitoring a field device in an enterprise having an industrial process. A subscription to the OPC DA server for diagnostic data from the field device is made and a subscription to an OPC AE server for event notifications from the OPC AE server is made. The subscription to the OPC AE server is activated, but the subscription to the OPC DA server is not activated. When an event notification is received from the OPC AE server, the subscription to the OPC DA server is activated. Diagnostic data from the field device is received and device health information from the diagnostic data is generated. The device health information is displayed on a viewing monitor. The subscription to the OPC DA server is then deactivated. | 11-27-2008 |
