Patents Examined by David Luo
  • Patent number: 11876476
    Abstract: A control system for an electrically-actuated, rideable saddle vehicle including an electric traction motor and a vehicle control system having two different speed acquisition systems. A first speed system includes a position sensor and controls power to the motor on a basis of a control signal, which is characteristic of torque selectively required by the electric motor. A second speed system includes Logic circuitry for estimating vehicle speed from estimated variations of a counter-electromotive force generated in the stator winding as a result of the rotor movement of the motor. The two systems allow optimizing control of the motor from both speed systems, or from that considered more reliable in a given operating condition, during operation of the vehicle. Illustratively, for low speeds, speed control may be based on sensor signals in the first speed system, while high speeds control may be based on the estimates from the logic system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: PIAGGIO & C. S.P.A.
    Inventors: Jury Cantini, Luca Carmignani
  • Patent number: 11865924
    Abstract: A cart may include a driving wheel, a motor configured to rotate the driving wheel, a motor drive circuit configured to drive the motor, a motor brake circuit configured to electrically brake the motor, a control device configured to control the motor via the motor drive circuit and the motor brake circuit so that a travelling speed of the cart becomes equal to or lower than an upper limit travelling speed, and a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the motor brake circuit. The control device may be configured to change the upper limit travelling speed to a second upper limit travelling speed lower than the first upper limit travelling speed when the upper limit travelling speed is a first upper limit travelling speed and the temperature detected by the temperature sensor exceeds a first predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Umemoto, Hirokatsu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11858129
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a mobile robot may include a body provided with a driving unit, a body display unit positioned on an upper side of a front portion of the body, extending vertically, and provided with a display on a front surface thereof, a supporter extending vertically inside the body display unit and having a lower end supported by the body, and an interface module supported by the supporter and electrically connected to the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Chungin Jung, Sunho Yang, Eulpyo Hong
  • Patent number: 11863111
    Abstract: Provided is a power supply control device for controlling power supply to a motor installed in a vehicle, including: a switching element configured to turn on and off the power supply to the motor; a current detection circuit configured to detect a current flowing to the motor; and a control unit configured to determine whether or not the motor is in a locked state based on the current detected by the current detection circuit, and control turning on and off the power supply to the motor at a duty cycle that corresponds to the current detected by the current detection circuit, if it is determined that the motor is in the locked state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignees: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinnosuke Nakaguchi, Masayuki Kato
  • Patent number: 11858085
    Abstract: A power tool includes a housing. A motor is housed in the housing. A platen is driven by the motor. The housing includes a first housing part, a second housing part and a third housing part. The housing defines a battery receptacle portion configured to receive a removable battery pack which powers the motor. Each of the first housing part, the second housing part and the third housing part form part of the battery receptacle portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Drake L. Fisher, Brent A. Kuehne, Christian V. Elder
  • Patent number: 11855571
    Abstract: A method for dynamic braking of a permanent magnet motor, and an elevator utilizing thereof, are presented. The arrangement includes a corresponding number of phase legs and input connectors relative to a number of the plurality of motor windings, wherein each one of the input connectors is coupled to a respective one of the phase legs. At least some of the phase legs comprise at least two semiconductor devices. Second terminals of the phase legs are connected to each other, wherein the arrangement includes a number of semiconductor switches configured for forming a short-circuit between each of the plurality of motor windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mikko Paakkinen
  • Patent number: 11855569
    Abstract: A motor control unit for a vehicle comprising an electric drive motor, the motor control unit comprising a first processor, a second processor and a third processor, in which: the third processor is configured to: receive an actuation demand for the vehicle; calculate a torque for the motor in dependence on the actuation demand; and provide the calculated torque to the first processor; the first processor is configured to: receive the calculated torque and a control input of the vehicle; and determine a first control output for the electric drive motor in dependence on the calculated torque and the control input; and the second processor is configured to: receive the first control output from the first processor and the control input of the vehicle; calculate a second control output for the motor in dependence on the control input; and validate the first control output by comparison to the second control output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: McLaren Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Sunoj Cherian George, Tao Chang
  • Patent number: 11839976
    Abstract: A control system for a continuum robot includes a kinematics calculation unit configured to calculate a length of a wire in a bendable portion. The kinematics calculation unit includes a wire length calculation unit configured to calculate, for each of a plurality of minute sections obtained by dividing the bendable portion in a longitudinal direction thereof, a length of the wire in the minute section based on a bending angle, a turning angle, and a torsional angle of the minute section, and an addition unit configured to add the lengths of the wire in the plurality of minute sections obtained by the wire length calculation unit to calculate the length of the wire in the bendable portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidekazu Kose
  • Patent number: 11843342
    Abstract: A motor drive control device capable of driving a motor at high efficiency is provided. A control unit (3) of a motor drive control device (1) outputs a control signal to a motor drive unit (2) to control operation of an inverter circuit (21) for energizing a motor (7). The control unit (3) detects an actual rotational speed of the motor (7), detects a power-supply voltage, detects a magnitude of current flowing in the motor (7), and calculates a magnitude of driving torque of the motor (7) based on detection results. The control unit (3) compares a reference rotational speed obtained based on the calculated magnitude of the driving torque of the motor (7) and the actual rotational speed of the motor (7), and determines an advance angle value based on a comparison result. The control unit (3) outputs the control signal based on the determined advance angle value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kato, Takamichi Kitano
  • Patent number: 11843338
    Abstract: Examples include a method for controlling a variable speed drive driving an electric motor. The variable speed drive is connected to an electric power source and comprises a passive DC-link and an inverter stage controlled by a first controller of the variable speed drive. The passive DC-link is connected to the inverter stage. The method comprises running the electric motor to reach a steady-state operating point, measuring a plurality of values of current or voltage of the passive DC-link, and computing, by a second controller, a frequency spectrum of the DC-link based on the plurality of values of current or voltage measured. The method further comprises detecting a specific resonance frequency by comparing amplitudes of the frequency spectrum to a predetermined pattern, and modifying filter parameters of a digital filter of the DC-link or control parameters of a control law of the electric motor based on the specific resonance frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SAS
    Inventors: Mohamad Koteich, Thomas Devos
  • Patent number: 11841385
    Abstract: A diagnostic method of a three-phase AC motor including: applying predetermined voltage in an order of first, second, and third current paths among three current paths in which current flows from a first phase winding to a second phase winding, from the second phase winding to a third phase winding, from the third phase winding to the first phase winding, respectively, via a neutral point; and detecting an abnormality based on current values flowing in these paths, wherein the second current path is a path in which a rate of change of generated torque to change of the rotation angle at a current rotation angle of the motor is greatest among the three paths, and a rotation direction of the motor when the first current path is energized is a direction in which an absolute value of torque generated when starting energization of the second current path decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuta Kaneko
  • Patent number: 11837981
    Abstract: A method for operating a brushless and sensorless multi-phase electric motor. At least two phase voltages and at least two phase currents of the electric motor are determined. A voltage vector is determined from the phase voltages and/or a current vector is determined from the phase currents. A position substitute signal is determined as a measure of a rotor position on the basis of an angle of the current vector and/or of the voltage vector. A rotation value is calculated on the basis of the position substitute signals, and the electric motor is controlled by open-loop and/or closed-loop technology on a basis of the rotation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Wuerzburg
    Inventor: Johannes Schwarzkopf
  • Patent number: 11833677
    Abstract: An exoskeleton for installation of solar panels. The exoskeleton includes a central connection structure, at least one leg structure rotatably depending from the central connection structure. Each leg structure has a foot structure depending therefrom to contact a ground surface. At least one arm structure rotatably depends from the central connection structure. At least one solar panel holder depends from an arm structure and releasably holds a solar panel being supported by the arm structure. At least one limb actuator controllably provides forces to rotate the at least one leg structure and the at least one arm structure about the central connection structure to transfer forces from the respective arm supporting the solar panel to the ground surface through the at least one leg structure. A rotatably attached at least one auxiliary tool strut is movably positioned to operate beneath the solar panel as it is mounted onto a support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Inventus Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Tanvir E. Alam, Jeffrey R. Burkett
  • Patent number: 11826907
    Abstract: A robotic joint system is provided that facilitates efficient movement of a ground-contacting robotic system, such as during a gait cycle. The robotic joint system can comprise a first support member, a second support member, and a joint assembly rotatably coupling the first support member to the second support member about an axis of rotation. The joint assembly can comprise a passive actuation system coupled between the first and second support members. The passive actuation system can comprise a passive actuator operable to store energy and to release energy to apply a torque to the joint assembly and the first and second support members, and a length adapter coupled to the passive actuator operable to selectively direct the output of the stored energy of the passive actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Sarcos Corp.
    Inventors: Fraser M. Smith, Marc X. Olivier, Michael J. Myers, Chris Hirschi
  • Patent number: 11824477
    Abstract: A rotary electric machine control device includes: a plurality of mutually-independent motor system lines, each having a motor with a servomechanism and a drive controller for driving and controlling the motor (3); and a cooperative controller which, when occurrence of a failure of the drive controller is detected in one motor system line in the plurality of the motor system lines, establishes a connection path for causing the motor of the one motor system line where the occurrence of the failure has been detected, to be driven using at least one part of the drive controller in another motor system line in that motor system lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Chiharu Morisaki
  • Patent number: 11824473
    Abstract: An electric working machine in one aspect of the present disclosure includes a driving device, a controller, a control power source, and an operation state determiner. The control power source includes a first converter and a second converter. The control power source transitions to a first conversion state when the operation state determiner determines that the controller is in a control operation state. The control power source in the first conversion state supplies a first control current to the controller. The control power source transitions to a second conversion state when the operation state determiner determines that the controller is in a low power operation state. The control power source in the second conversion state (i) stops operation of the first converter, and (ii) supplies a second control current to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi Suzuki, Akihiro Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 11817807
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for controlling the temperature of an electric motor by adjusting the electric losses in the motor. In an embodiment, the required load on the motor is determined and a first motor voltage is provided to meet the required load. A predetermined temperature set point for the motor is compared against the temperature of the motor and based on the temperature of the motor and the predetermined temperature set point, a secondary motor voltage is determined. The motor voltage may then be adjusted based on the calculated voltage and the motor load measurement adjusted based on the measured motor speed and actual motor voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Anca Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Patrick Gerard Boland, Kotler Ter Pey Tee, David Fisher, Lijiang Qin
  • Patent number: 11809154
    Abstract: A multi-axis control adjustment apparatus includes adjustment axis selection circuitry configured to select a plurality of target axes among a plurality of axes each of which represents a combination of a motor and a motor control device configured to control the motor according to a control parameter of the motor control device, adjustment operation execution circuitry configured to perform adjustment operations in each of which the control parameter is adjusted with respect to each of the plurality of target axes, and first control parameter setting circuitry configured to change, according to the adjustment operations, timing at which the control parameter is set with respect to each of the plurality of target axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Minoru Koga, Isamu Matsumura, Junichi Watanabe, Toshinobu Kira, Tetsuya Asai
  • Patent number: 11811330
    Abstract: A converter device includes: a power conversion circuit including a reactor and a switching element, rectifying a voltage of alternating-current power supplied from an alternating-current power supply to a direct-current voltage, and boosting and outputting the direct-current voltage; a current detector detecting a current flowing in the reactor; a filter circuit filtering a first signal detected by the current detector; and a control unit generating a control signal on the basis of a carrier and a second signal generated by the filter circuit and controlling, on the basis of the control signal and with a first period, the switching element, the first period being a period of the carrier. The filter circuit cuts off a repetition frequency component in the first period and passes a repetition frequency component in a second period, the second period being longer than the first period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Iwazaki, Koichi Arisawa, Takuya Shimomugi, Satoru Ichiki, Keisuke Uemura
  • Patent number: 11811350
    Abstract: A motor control system includes a drive unit, a backup control unit, and a power unit. The drive unit is electrically connected to the power unit, and is configured to convert a received low-voltage drive signal into a high-voltage drive signal and output the high-voltage drive signal to the power unit. The power unit outputs, according to the high-voltage drive signal, a power supply drive signal provided by a high-voltage battery. The power supply drive signal is configured to drive a motor connected to the power unit to rotate. The backup control unit is electrically connected to the drive unit. The drive unit is configured to output a diagnosis signal indicating a running status of the drive unit to the backup control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: BYD COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Zhiyong Du, Luhui Xu, Yilong Yu, Axi Qi