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Patently Speaking highlights the technological achievements of Fort Wayne area residents.
•U.S. Patent No. 7,497,528
•Invented by: Richard J. Kriz, II, Fort Wayne; David F. Reuter, Beavercreek, Ohio; and Schuyler Scott Shaw, Tipp City, Ohio
•Assigned to Delphi Technologies, Inc., Troy, Mich.
Brake-by-wire is a term used to distinguish newer electromechanical braking systems from traditional hydraulic operating systems.
Originally, vehicle braking systems required the operator to press on the brake pedal, which physically engaged the hydraulic fluid that pushed against a brake drum.
As technology advanced, complete hydraulic-mechanical braking systems were replaced by electrical systems. Now, instead of using physical force to move hydraulic fluid, the brake pedal simply generates an electronic input signal that transmits to a motor that operates the brakes; hence, brake-by-wire.
Contingencies are needed in case this brake system would ever fail. Redundancy is an important safety measure. If the electrical supply or motor fails, there is no way to brake.
That is why backup brake-by-wire systems were created. They operate independent of the primary braking system and are designed to engage if a failure is detected in the primary braking system. They have their own battery or independent power source, so even failure of the primary power supply will not stop backup systems from working.
Unfortunately, a problem with these backup systems is that can add complexity to an already complex electrical system, and this translates into higher cost. In this economy, higher cost is something no one needs.
This patent addresses the problem by creating a fail-safe brake system that returns to the braking system’s hydraulic roots. This new system uses a hybrid electrohydraulic actuator system that is as effective but less costly than another purely brake-by-wire backup.
This way, vehicles can maintain their safety with the assurance of an effective backup braking system without the expense of traditional solutions.
•U.S. Patent No. 7,508,096
•Invented by: Robert Keith Hollenbeck, Fort Wayne; and Brent Charles Kumfer, Farmington, Conn.
•Assigned to General Electric Co., Schenectady, N.Y.
From development of the arc light to its role as a manufacturing center for magnet wire, Fort Wayne has a rich history of electrical component innovation. It is even said that Thomas Edison spent some time here years ago.
This new patent improves on circuits that service electrically powered devices connected to a power supply. Groups of three-terminal switches along with a control supply are used in the circuit.
Each of the three-terminal switches defines a conduction path between the load and the power supply. The switches include a source terminal, a drain terminal and a gate terminal.
The control supply is located between the gate and source terminals of each of the several three-terminal switches. This switching circuit provides a less costly or complex power delivery system while offering higher circuit voltage capacity.
The preceding are lay descriptions of patents obtained from the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s public records and are provided for general information purposes only. Nothing contained herein is a legal description of any claimed invention, identification of novelty, or offer of legal advice.
Because issued patents are based on applications often filed years earlier, the subject matter of some patents may have been available on the market for some time prior to the issuance of the patent. Additional information on these patents is available at www.uspto.gov.
