Famous Patents
3M employee and church chorister Art Fry needed something to temporarily mark pages in his hymnal. He was in luck because his colleague, Spencer Silver, accidentally developed a glue that was too weak for other purposes. After initially discouraging consumer response, Post-it Notes became a hit in 1979.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7728447 | Distributed architecture for a gas-turbine starter/generator An assembly includes a gearbox for a gas turbine having a geartrain, and at least one starter/generator coupled mechanically to the gearbox. The starter/generator includes a generator module with a first casing, a generator housed in the first casing, and a first sh... | 06/01/2010 |
| 7309938 | Rotary power converter A rotary power converter apparatus for coupling power between a prime driver and plural generators. The apparatus includes a frame having a first and second bearing aligned along an axis of rotation and a rotor assembly supported thereby. The rotor assembly includes... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7239031 | Apparatus for generating power from passing vehicular traffic An apparatus for generating power from over the road vehicular traffic and moving trains are disclosed. The apparatus include on or more hydraulic actuators, each of which has a piston at least partially slidably mounted in a fluid cavity contained therein. When a p... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7173344 | Series & parallel combined dual power drive system A series and parallel combined dual power system operates as a series combined power system, or as a parallel combined power system; the power from an engine directly drive the load; the system engages in the operation as the series combined power system incase of a... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7164977 | A/C bus assembly for electronic traction vehicle An electronic traction vehicle comprising a principal power unit, a power storage unit mounted on a vehicle platform. A plurality of wheels are rotably mounted on the vehicle platform with an electric motor coupled to at least one wheel. A drive controller is couple... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7148581 | Rail based electric power generation system An electrical power generation system comprises a variable capacitor and a power source. The electrical power generation system is configured to generate electric power via movements of the rail. The power source is used in the form of a generator to prime the varia... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7145257 | Apparatus for generating power from passing vehicular traffic An apparatus for generating power from over the road vehicular traffic and moving trains are disclosed. The apparatus include on or more hydraulic actuators, each of which has a piston at least partially slidably mounted in a fluid cavity contained therein. When a p... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7124691 | Method for monitoring and controlling locomotives The present invention is directed to a locomotive comprising energy storage units, such as batteries, a prime energy source, such as a diesel engine, and an energy conversion device, such as a generator. The locomotive comprises one or more of the following features... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7102245 | Integral generator/pinion assembly for axle power generation A vehicular axle assembly includes an electrical generator for generating electricity to supply power to one or more electrical components therein during operation. The axle assembly includes a hollow housing that rotatably supports a differential mechanism therein.... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7084602 | Predicting wheel slip and skid in a locomotive The present invention is directed to the termination of the occurrence of wheel slip/skid and prediction and prevention of the onset of wheel slip/skid in a locomotive. In one configuration, a lookup table of adhesion factors is used to predict the occurrence of whe... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7066143 | Barometric pressure diesel timing controller A fuel injection timing control system for diesel engines operating at high altitude, including a sensor for a parameter of the engine intake air, such as engine intake air pressure or turbocharger speed. This sensor communicates with a barometric pressure timing co... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7064507 | Managing wheel skid in a locomotive The present invention is directed to the termination of the occurrence of wheel slip/skid and prediction and prevention of the onset of wheel slip/skid in a locomotive. In one configuration, a lookup table of adhesion factors is used to predict the occurrence of whe... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7045981 | Optimized locomotive traction system A high-altitude railroad locomotive adapted for more reliable operation at high altitudes, wherein the high-altitude railroad locomotive includes a semiconductor electric power control component, and wherein due to the high altitude the locomotive would be exposed t... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7042108 | Backup power system A backup power system is connected in parallel to a load which is powered via a power line connecting that load to a main power source, such as a utility. The backup system includes a generator/condenser unit that is coupled to a flywheel unit to maintain the flywhe... | 05/09/2006 |
| 6975930 | Rate limiting control system A method of controlling an operation of a mechanism is provided. A first rate limit is assigned to a first input device that is operable to generate a first signal to control the operation of the mechanism. A second rate limit is assigned to a second input device th... | 12/13/2005 |
| 6965818 | Mobile energy management system A recreational vehicle includes a chassis having a living space, an electrical system for providing electrical power to the living space, an air conditioner for cooling the living space, a heater for heating the living space, and a plurality of appliances within the... | 11/15/2005 |
| 6935216 | Belt tensioning device A belt tensioning device for shifting a pulley such that a belt passed around the pulley is tightened to a predetermined tension. The device includes a rod coupled to the pulley, a member coupled to and movable along the rod, and a spring that exerts a reactive forc... | 08/30/2005 |
| 6897576 | Regenerative brake A lightweight regenerative brake having a large braking force is provided. A regenerative brake 1 comprises a brake disc (10) and a pair of stators (20) to perform regenerative braking. This regenerative brake (1) reduces the heat generat... | 05/24/2005 |
| 6615118 | Hybrid energy power management system and method An energy management system for use with off-highway vehicles, including locomotives, that traverse a known course. A processor determines power storage and transfer parameters, including data indicative of present and future track profile information. Th... | 09/02/2003 |
| 6220175 | Apparatus and method for mounting a generator to the axle of a railroad car An apparatus and a method of mounting a standard size power generating unit (30) to any one of several different sized railroad cars utilizes different sized interface blocks (28) to mate the unit to the bearing adapter blocks (14) of the cars. The axle (... | 04/24/2001 |
| 6049138 | Axle-mounted electrical power device having an improved drive coupling An electrical power device (30) for mounting on a vehicle includes a drive coupling (44, 100, 120) for rotationally coupling the rotor (46) of the power device to the axle and wheel assembly (12) of the vehicle. The drive coupling includes a drive shaft (... | 04/11/2000 |
| 5992950 | Controlled stop function for locomotives A controlled stop system for an AC electric locomotive includes a braking effort control circuit responsive to a braking command regulating braking effort produced by AC traction motors coupled in driving relationship to wheels of the locomotive. The cont... | 11/30/1999 |
| 5915306 | Generator mounting assembly A mounting assembly secures a generator and facilitates attachment to a railroad railcar on the end of the railcar axle. The generator produces electricity from the axle of a railroad railcar while it is traveling on a railroad track. A generator is mount... | 06/29/1999 |
| 5828135 | Railroad car with axle-mounted electrical generator An electrical generator for mounting on a railroad car axle end which utilizes the rotation of the axle to generate electricity. The generator includes a housing assembly bolted to the end of a railroad car axle, preferably using the bolt holes that are p... | 10/27/1998 |
| 5775229 | On-board generator system Invention relates to an on-board electrical generator system that may be retrofitted to existing railroad vehicles, such as freight cars, box cars, and the like, where rotation of the vehicle's axle powers the system. A preferred use thereof is to charge ... | 07/07/1998 |
| 5629567 | Speed control system for an AC locomotive A speed control system for an AC electric locomotive of the type having a plurality of wheel-axle sets with each wheel-axle set being coupled to an independently controllable AC electric traction motor and each motor having a corresponding speed sensor, e... | 05/13/1997 |
| 5392741 | Locomotive engine cooling system A water cooling system for a locomotive engine that enables the engine to operate at a maximum power level that generates a maximum permissible engine cooling water temperature corresponding to a particular ambient air temperature. The water cooling syste... | 02/28/1995 |
| 5065581 | Power plant and method of production of synchronous commercial electric power using diesel electric locomotives A power plant and method of production of synchronous electric power utilizes diesel railroad locomotives which, when connected in parallel and when suitably governed and connected, can provide utility grade electrical power during periods of peak electri... | 11/19/1991 |
| 4900944 | Booster unit for diesel electric locomotive A booster unit for diesel electric locomotive having a frame-mounted diesel engine, a main traction generator and a series of traction motors connected to said generators is disclosed. It is comprised of a gas turbine mounted on the frame adjacent to the ... | 02/13/1990 |
| 4697091 | Slip detecting device for a prime mover A device for detecting when a driven apparatus has frozen and/or its prime mover coupling mechanism is slipping. The rotational speed of a voltage generating alternator which is also driven by the prime mover is detected and a corresponding speed signal i... | 09/29/1987 |
| 4668872 | Electronic control system for a diesel engine, generator and electric motor power train The inventive control system introduces the current (ƊI) and voltage (ƊC) deviations simultaneously with the injection set point (C) to define a new injection set point (C') that is utilized in conjunction with the measurement of diesel engine speed (V | 05/26/1987 |
| 4665319 | Self-propelled traction vehicle with low fuel consumption while idling In a diesel-electric locomotive, the power demand of electrically driven auxiliary equipment is automatically increased in response to the temperature of the diesel engine falling to an undesirably low level so as to load the engine when idling and thereb... | 05/12/1987 |
| 4634887 | Load rate limiting means for a locomotive engine The propulsion control system of a diesel-electric locomotive includes means responsive to the rotational speed and the gross horsepower of a locomotive engine for controlling the rate at which traction load is added to the engine, when more load is calle... | 01/06/1987 |
| 4510395 | Double-axle drive for electric self-propelled railway vehicle A longitudinal double-axle drive for an electric, track-bound, self-propelled vehicle is disclosed in which the electric propulsion motor is disposed longitudinally between two driving axles of the vehicle. The motor drives both driving axles via a respec... | 04/09/1985 |
| 4382189 | Hydrogen supplemented diesel electric locomotive A system is disclosed for using internally generated electricity as the power to OPERATE an electrolysis cell for the production of hydrogen gas. This hydrogen gas would be stored under pressure and used on demand as a fuel supplement as for hill ascensio... | 05/03/1983 |
| 4377975 | Axle mounted alternator for railroad cars An alternator, including a rotor unit, a housing and stator unit rotatably mounted to and supported by the rotor unit, includes apparatus for mounting the alternator to the end of a rotating axle of a railroad vehicle.... | 03/29/1983 |
| 4342921 | Locomotive energy recovery system An energy recovery system for a diesel electric locomotive is disclosed. The energy recovery system captures and stores the waste heat generated by the diesel engine of the diesel electric locomotive for use at a remote location at a later time. The energ... | 08/03/1982 |
| 4328427 | Smooth series parallel transition for dual winding traction alternator An engine-driven dual winding separately excited alternator supplies electric power to a parallel array of d-c traction motors via a power rectifier assembly comprising three legs of serially interconnected diodes. The alternator has a first set of 3-phas... | 05/04/1982 |
| 4186331 | Rotating element rotational speed signal calibrating system An analog signal representation of the ground speed of a prime mover driven vehicle is modified by the vehicle drive train ratio factor to produce an analog signal representation of the theoretical speed of rotation of the prime mover rotating element bas... | 01/29/1980 |
| 4165466 | Drive apparatus for vehicle mounted generator A drive apparatus for a vehicle mounted generator is provided wherein such vehicle has a driver shaft and a driver sheave detachably fixed thereto with the drive apparatus comprising an adjustable pivot support supporting the generator on the vehicle, a d... | 08/21/1979 |
