Did You Know...
...that the inventor of the electric motor was a blacksmith named Thomas Davenport? Described as "a brilliantly unsuccessful inventor", Davenport invented the first rotary electric motor. In 1836 he headed out -- on foot -- from his Vermont home to file a patent application at the Patent Office in Washington, D.C. By the time he got there, he had squandered away his money and couldn't afford the $30 filing fee so he turned around and went home. When he later mailed in his application with money he'd raised, the Patent office was destroyed in a fire. He did finally get credit for his invention on Feb. 5, 1837.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7402916 | Method of controlling a reversible, polyphase rotary electrical machine for a motor vehicle having a heat engine The method of controlling a reversible, polyphase rotary electrical machine called an alternator-starter, for a motor vehicle with a heat engine, the machine being adapted to work either as an electric generator—in an alternator mode—or as an electric motor, in ... | 07/22/2008 |
| 7353895 | Vehicle transmission with selectively-engageable electric motor A vehicle having a transmission for transmitting a torque from a drive machine to drive wheels, with the transmission having an transmission output shaft and a transmission input shaft, in which the torque can be transmitted from the drive machine to the transmissio... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7326143 | Rotary actuator A radial inner portion of a rotor core, where a rotor core and a rotor shaft are connected, has an electromagnetically excessive capacity. A recess is provided at the radial inner portion of the rotor core. The recess is a cylindrical bore retracting in the axial di... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7230399 | Vehicular generator-motor system A vehicular generator-motor 1 is composed of a rotor, a stator having three phase armature winding 2, and a converter 4. The rotor is provided with a field winding 3 for magnetizing a plurality of magnetic pole pieces 14a... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7224146 | Dual voltage electrical system A dual voltage supply system supplies high and low voltage electrical power to separate high and low voltage loads. The system includes an AC alternator and first and second rectifier circuits, each connected to the alternator and a corresponding high and low voltag... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7211016 | Geared motor with planetary gear assembly A geared motor includes a rotor mounted rotatably to a motor housing and having an output shaft along a rotating axis, and a stator secured to the motor housing to surround the rotor. The stator has a plurality of angularly displaced core segments with wall areas co... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7180201 | Engine starting apparatus A starting apparatus for an engine has a plurality of cylinders and an output shaft. The apparatus includes a power supply, an inverter having a switching element, a motor generator, an ECU, A crank angle sensor. The motor generator is coupled to the output shaft an... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7122994 | Control apparatus for a starter/generator system A control apparatus (202) for a starter/generator (110) of an aircraft electrical power system is provided. During a start mode of operation, AC power is provided by the control apparatus (202) to an exciter stator (114) of the starter/ge... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7102304 | Control device for a reversible rotating electrical machine The invention relates to a control device for a reversible, multi-phased rotating electrical machine which can operate in alternator or motor mode. The inventive device comprises a main battery (4), an electric network (5) and a unit (3) for con... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7095127 | Engine starting apparatus A starting apparatus for an engine has a plurality of cylinders and an output shaft. The apparatus includes a power supply, an inverter having a switching element, a motor generator, an ECU, A crank angle sensor. The motor generator is coupled to the output shaft an... | 08/22/2006 |
| 7009311 | Method for minimizing generator load on internal combustion engine A method is disclosed for starting a generator (10) from an internal combustion engine (14) to allow the generator (10) to charge a battery (32). The generator (10) includes a field bridge (36), having first (72) and ... | 03/07/2006 |
| 6995477 | Multi-functional power source A multi-functional power source includes a generator and an engine arrangement to drive a crankshaft to rotate. The generator includes a generator housing, a rotor which couples with the crankshaft and includes a magnetic element coaxially and rotatably disposed wit... | 02/07/2006 |
| 6979912 | Engine-driven generator A power generator incorporates an engine and a generator driven by the engine. The generator incorporates a sound insulation cover that allows for efficient cooling of the various internal components. A fan draws in cooling air through one or more cooling air vents ... | 12/27/2005 |
| 6936933 | Hybrid propulsion system for a motor vehicle Arrangement for providing an integrated starter generator apparatus for producing electrical power and/or rotational torque. The apparatus includes a primary rotor (18) arranged for cooperation with a primary stator (16), and a secondary rotor (20 | 08/30/2005 |
| 6921984 | Drive system for an industrial truck and a method for the operation of the drive system A drive system for an industrial truck, comprising an internal combustion engine, a three-shaft epicyclic gearing adapted to be connected to the shaft of the internal combustion engine, a first electric motor which is mechanically coupled to the second shaft of the ... | 07/26/2005 |
| 6911742 | Method and apparatus for turbine/alternator on common shaft during start-up An electrical system for a turbine/alternator comprising a gas driven turbine and a permanent magnet alternator rotating on a common shaft includes an inverter circuit connectable either to an output circuit or the stator winding of the alternator. A control circuit... | 06/28/2005 |
| 6909199 | Method and apparatus for compensating output voltage fluctuations of turbine/alternator on common shaft An electrical system and method for a turbine/alternator comprising a gas driven turbine and a permanent magnet alternator rotating on a common shaft includes an inverter circuit connectable either to an output circuit or the stator winding of the alternator. A cont... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6429539 | Generator apparatus driven by an internal combustion engine with start and stop controllers A generator apparatus driven by an internal combustion engine and comprising a revolution controller to control a revolution of the internal combustion engine so as to maintain a desired value of a terminal voltage of a battery which is charged by an outp... | 08/06/2002 |
| 6351090 | Device for starting a gas turbine in an aircraft A device for starting a gas turbine in an aircraft includes an electrical power supply delivering a direct current and a drive electric motor connected to the power supply, independent of the turbine to be started and having an output shaft mechanically c... | 02/26/2002 |
| 6242881 | Alternating current-starting device for a helicopter turbine engine unit The starting device for a turbine engine unit of a helicopter includes an electric motor starter, supplied from an electrical power source, which can be outside the helicopter and temporarily connected to the starting device through a connection socket, o... | 06/05/2001 |
| 6208036 | Powertrain with integrated motor generator A hybrid powertrain has an internal combustion engine, a power transmission and an electric drive. The electric drive includes a stator secured in the housing of the power transmission and a rotor secured to the outer periphery of the torque converter of ... | 03/27/2001 |
| 6133702 | Multi-function vehicle starter and alternator and method therefor A multi-function apparatus and a method for performing the functions of a starter, alternator and engine stabilization system for an engine of a motor vehicle. The apparatus comprises a rotor, a stator and a switching/detection system associated with the ... | 10/17/2000 |
| 6124645 | Electric motor rotor holding arrangement A hill-holding arrangement for an electrically driven vehicle includes a vehicle with a "gas pedal" which generates a torque command signal TCMD. A switch (314) couples TCMD to a motor controller (316, 14) which drives the motor (40)... | 09/26/2000 |
| 5880533 | Generator system for internal combustion engine There is provided a generator system for internal combustion engines, which can produce power efficiently at all times irrespective of the engine speed even for use in an internal combustion engine operated at variable speeds such as a vehicle engine. An ... | 03/09/1999 |
| 5581168 | Starter/generator system with DC link current control A synchronous generator usable in both a starting mode of operation and a generating mode of operation includes a permanent magnet generator having a permanent magnet and an armature winding rotatable with respect to the permanent magnet, an exciter porti... | 12/03/1996 |
| 5543703 | Generator motor for vehicles A vehicular generator motor performing generator operation and motor operation is disclosed. The generator motor comprises an AC-DC converter means and a switching means. The converter means is composed of a plurality of MOSFETs and connected between each... | 08/06/1996 |
| 5495127 | Engine starting apparatus for vehicles Disclosed is an engine starting apparatus which suppresses engine vibrations and noises during engine cranking and reduces consumption of electric power supplied for engine cranking. When an engine starts to rotate to produce its torque, electric power su... | 02/27/1996 |
| 5418400 | Integrated generator and starter motor A combination generator and starter motor includes a rotor with an internal ring gear, a plurality of dual pinion gears which mesh with the rotor and two sun gears which mesh with the dual pinion gears. A large torque multiplication from the rotor to one ... | 05/23/1995 |
| 5272379 | Power supply device for an electric vehicle A power supply device for electric vehicle. The power supply device includes an engine, transmission, generator-motor, power converting circuit, battery and alternating drive motor. In operation, the battery supplies a direct current to the power converti... | 12/21/1993 |
| 5266836 | Method and apparatus for operating a motor vehicle alternator The operating speed of a motor vehicle alternator is controlled based on the frequency of power generated by the alternator. Since the frequency of the alternator power is representative of engine speed, the alternator is shifted between a high speed gear... | 11/30/1993 |
| 5126582 | Combined engine starter/generator An engine starter/generator has a rotor which rotates on excitation caused by an exciting winding, a speed reducer which reduces the speed of rotation of the rotor, a first clutch which transmits the rotation of the rotor, the speed of which has been redu... | 06/30/1992 |
| 4883973 | Automotive electrical system having a starter/generator induction machine A high efficiency automotive electrical system and method of control employing an asynchronous induction machine for performing both starting and generating functions. The induction machine is coupled to the engine through a bimodal gearset which operates... | 11/28/1989 |
| 4862009 | Combined electric starter and alternator system using a permanent magnet synchronous machine A system for cranking/starting a combustion engine and for generating electrical power during engine operation uses an inverter-driven, high efficiency permanent magnet synchronous machine as a cranking/starting motor during a start mode and as an alterna... | 08/29/1989 |
| 4803376 | Control method for a reversible motor - generator electrical machine for a motor vehicle and control installation for the implementation of such method The control method concerns a reversible electrical machine capable of working either as a generator (alternator) or as a motor intended for a motor vehicle, this machine comprising an armature winding (4) and an inductor winding (1), the inductor (1) bei... | 02/07/1989 |
| 4743776 | Starter-generator for engines Inefficiencies in electrical starter-generator systems for turbine engines are avoided in a construction including a dynamoelectric machine 16 operable as a motor or as a generator and having a rotor 26, a hydraulic torque converter 70 including an impell... | 05/10/1988 |
| 4233858 | Flywheel drive system having a split electromechanical transmission A vehicle propulsion system including a split path, electromechanical transmission for use with a flywheel as a power source. One path comprises a mechanical drive train extending between the flywheel power source and the vehicle drive wheels or other pow... | 11/18/1980 |
