Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Mars, Incorporated

John A Gorczyca

Steven J Mandrachia

Manuel C Blanco

Richard D Rodrigo

Michael A Jacobs

King K Miller

James R Curtis

Allen Steve Pucciani

Roger J Peirce

Ronald R Bernardini

Ken S Foo

David D Reagan

Nicholas Kowalski

Phil Skipper

Allen S Pucciani

Various aspects of the disclosure provides for an ionized air blower that can be used to neutralize static charge on a target surface or provide a charge on the target surface. The ionized air blower may comprise a fan configured to generate airflow toward a target surface, an ionizer configured to produce positive ions and negative ions in the airflow, and control circuitry. The control circuitry is configured to control one or both of a speed of the airflow from the blower and ionization of the airflow. The ionization is performed by a selected one of ion imbalanced mode or ion balanced mode of the blower.

Method and apparatus for an ionized air blower

Provided is a control station that may be configured to control and/or monitor various devices, such as, for example, industrial devices. The control station may comprise communication circuitry, a first processor, and a second processor configured to communicate with one or more devices via the communication circuitry. Information from the one or more devices are configured to be processed by at least one of the first processor and the second processor, and at least one of the first processor and the second processor is configured to output the processed information to one or more of: an electronic display of the control station, a display external to the control station, and a server.

Methods and apparatus for a control station

An ionization system includes a power supply and an ionizer. In a first operating state, properties of an output are set to fixed non-zero baseline levels, and in a second operating state, are set to neutralizing levels. The fixed baseline level is different than the neutralizing level for at least one of the properties. A downstream charge sensor measures an object charge. A controller switches the power supply between the first and second states during a sequence of alternating first and second time periods, during the first time period only, senses a current flow to the ionizer, during the second time period only, receives measured charge data from the sensor, during the second time period only, adjusts the neutralizing levels based on the charge data, and during the first or second time period, calculates an upstream object charge based on sensed current flow or determines a relative ionizer condition.

Active ionization control with closed loop feedback and interleaved sampling

A processing system includes an air blower and an air manifold with a main body having an inlet coupled to the air blower and a plurality of outlet openings. Each of the outlet openings is coupled to a nozzle. An ionizer bar includes a housing, a power cable contained within the housing, and a plurality of emitter pins electrically coupled to the power cable. A cartridge includes two side plates forming a channel in which the ionizer bar is mounted. The cartridge is removably couplable to an interior of the main body of the air manifold.

Ionizing bar for air nozzle manifold

A method for optimizing performance of a static neutralizing power supply coupled to a controller and configured to provide an output to at least one ionizer includes, (a) during a first time period, sensing a current flow to the at least one ionizer, and (b) comparing, in the controller, an expected current flow to the sensed current flow. A difference between the expected and sensed current flows is proportional to a charge on an object to be neutralized proximate the at least one ionizer. The method further includes (c) adjusting, by the controller and based on the comparison, one or more properties of the output to the at least one ionizer to neutralize the charge on the object during a second time period following the first time period, and (d) periodically repeating steps (a)-(c) for successive first and second time periods.

Active ionization control with interleaved sampling and neutralization

An in-line gas ionizer has a gas inlet, an ionizing chamber, and a gas outlet, wherein at least one of the gas outlet and the ionizing chamber comprises static dissipative material which may be connected to ground.

In-line gas ionizer with static dissipative material and counterelectrode

A bipolar ionization apparatus includes a positive high voltage power supply having an output with at least one positive ion emitting electrode connected thereto and configured to generate positive ions. A negative high voltage power supply has an output with at least one negative ion emitting electrode connected thereto and is configured to generate negative ions. A controller for an ionizer outputs a positive high voltage ionization waveform and a negative high voltage ionization waveform. The controller simultaneously adjusts an amplitude and a duty cycle of each of the waveforms.

Multiple-axis control apparatus for ionization systems

A method is provided for forming a corona-producing emitter electrode by depositing substantially pure silicon carbide by CVD and forming a corona-producing emitter electrode with the deposited silicon carbide. In addition, a method of forming a corona-producing gas ionizer is provided by providing a corona electrode formed from CVD silicon carbide, electrically coupling the corona electrode to a high voltage power supply, and providing an AC or DC voltage from the high voltage power supply to the corona electrode. Furthermore, a method of ionizing gas in an environment is provided by providing a corona-producing ionizer emitter electrode formed substantially of CVD silicon carbide, electrically coupling the electrode to a high voltage power supply, and providing an AC or DC voltage from the high voltage power supply to the electrode.

Method of forming a corona electrode substantially of chemical vapor deposition silicon carbide and a method of ionizing gas using the same

A method of determining a relative condition of an ionizer in an ionization system includes placing the ionization system in a calibration mode, stepping the ionization system through one or more of a range of adjustments, collecting calibration data at each step and storing the calibration data in a memory, placing the ionization system in an operating mode, collecting real-time data regarding an output of the ionization system, comparing the real-time data to the calibration data and determining difference values therebetween, and using the difference values to determine the relative condition of the ionizer.

Method and apparatus for self calibrating meter movement for ionization power supplies

A connector system is provided for coupling an ionization emitter to an high voltage (HV) supply. The connector system includes one or more contacts for distributing voltage from the HV supply to the emitter. The connector system further includes a detection device that detects an element of an emitter that provides one or more properties of the emitter. The connector system further includes a detection logic device that sets one or more operating parameters of the HV supply according the one or more properties provided by the element of the emitter.

High voltage power supply connector system

Current is measured in an ionization device that includes a high voltage supply, and an emitter electrically coupled to the HV supply. An opto-isolator is provided that includes a light source and a light detector. The light source has a current flowing through it. The light source is electrically coupled to the emitter. The output of the light detector is measured. The output of the light detector is related to the current flowing through the light source.

Optically isolated current monitoring for ionization systems

An ionizer emitter electrode is ideally formed of or at least partially coated with a carbide material, wherein the carbide material is selected from the group consisting of germanium carbide, boron carbide, silicon carbide and silicon-germanium carbide. Alternatively, a corona-producing ionizer emitter electrode is substantially formed of silicon carbide. Alternatively, a corona-producing ionizer emitter electrode is formed of an electrically conductive metal base that is at least partially coated with silicon carbide. Alternatively, a corona-producing ionizer emitter electrode ionizes gas when high voltage is applied thereto, and the emitter electrode is formed substantially of silicon carbide and has a resistivity of less than or equal to about one hundred ohms-centimeter (100 &#x3a9;-cm).

Emitter electrodes formed of chemical vapor deposition silicon carbide

An ionizer includes an alternating current (AC) voltage source having an output outputting a waveform with a positive half-cycle and a negative half-cycle, an electrode electrically coupled to the output of the AC voltage source, a reference proximate the electrode and a sensing circuit. The sensing circuit includes a return current nulling node electrically coupled to the output of the AC voltage source and the reference, a ground node separately electrically coupled to ground, a positive ion current sensor and a negative ion current sensor. The positive ion current sense node is configured to output a positive ion signal proportionate to a sensed positive ion current. The negative ion current sense node is configured to output a negative ion signal proportionate to a sensed negative ion current.

Alternating current monitor for an ionizer power supply

An air ionizer blower includes a voltage source, an air inlet, an air outlet, an air mover, at least one electrode and a straightening vane. The air mover is configured to cause air to flow into the air inlet and out of the air outlet, thereby creating an air flow. The electrode is disposed in the flow path of the air and is electrically connected to the voltage source. The electrode is configured to generate either or both of positive and negative polarity ions. The straightening vane is disposed in the air flow and attenuates loss-causing air flow patterns by redirecting the loss-causing air flow toward a single output direction and redirects portions of the air flow having other trajectories toward the single output direction. The straightening vane has a plurality of uniformly distributed apertures, each having a depth that is a function of the open area of the aperture.

Apparatus and method for improving uniformity and charge decay time performance of an air ionizer blower

A method of offset voltage control for pulse mode ionization systems is provided wherein the ionization system has positive and negative power supplies. The duty cycle and overlap of outputs of the positive and negative power supplies are controlled, and an overlap that achieves a desired offset voltage is determined. The offset voltage and the corresponding overlap are stored in memory. The duty cycle and overlap of the outputs of the positive and negative power supplies are controlled to achieve the desired offset voltage based upon the stored offset voltage comparison.

Growing community of inventors

Lansdale, PA, United States of America

John A Gorczyca