Patents Examined by Gabriel Agared
  • Patent number: 11973448
    Abstract: A drive device for a rotary electric machine includes a first inverter that has high-potential side and low-potential side switching elements corresponding to phases of the rotary electric machine and is connected to a DC power supply, a second inverter that has high-potential side and low-potential side switching elements corresponding to the phases and is connected to the first inverter via a connection line, and a controller that controls the first and second inverters so that if a percentage modulation expressed by a fundamental wave component amplitude of a phase winding voltage and a DC voltage is a threshold value or more, percentage modulations of output phase voltages of the first and second inverters are more than 1, and so that a phase difference between a phase of the output phase voltage of the first inverter section and that of the second inverter section changes depending on the percentage modulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kinjo, Takashi Kashiwazaki, Makoto Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 11929700
    Abstract: An electric motor control device that can accurately calculate the rotating speed of an electric motor. The electric motor control device includes a speed calculating unit configured to receive, from a position detector that detects a rotational position of an electric motor and outputs a position detection signal including a periodic error determined according to the rotational position, an input of the position detection signal, receive, from a time detector that outputs a position change time signal obtained by detecting a time period in which the position detection signal output from the position detector changes, an input of the position change time signal, and calculate rotating speed of the electric motor based on the position detection signal and the position change time signal. Further, there is a speed correcting unit for correcting a periodic speed error determined according to the rotational position of the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kato, Yasushi Otsuka
  • Patent number: 11916507
    Abstract: A motor controller to control rotational speed of an output shaft of an electric motor. The motor controller includes a proportional controller and a time-optimal controller. The proportional controller controls the rotational speed when a present rotational position of the shaft is between a target rotational position and a switching point, inclusively. The time-optimal controller controls the rotational speed when the present rotational position is not between the target rotational position and the switching point. Also introduced herein are aspects pertaining to determining the switching point in a manner that minimizes overshooting the target rotational position while maximizing expediency at which the target rotational position is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jian Wu, Ramakrishna Madhireddy, Nathaniel Wicks
  • Patent number: 11909197
    Abstract: A motor drive device includes a reactor, a converter circuit, a capacitor, an inverter circuit, and overcurrent determination units. The converter circuit converts a first AC voltage output from an AC power supply into a DC voltage. The capacitor smooths a second voltage on the DC side of the converter circuit. The inverter circuit converts DC power stored in the capacitor into AC power. One of the overcurrent determination units determines overcurrent based on a detected value of the first AC current, flowing between the AC power supply and the converter circuit. Another overcurrent determination unit determines overcurrent based on a detected value of the second DC current, flowing between the converter circuit and the capacitor. The converter and inverter circuits stop operating when the determination result of one of the overcurrent determination units indicates an overcurrent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Ichiki, Takuya Shimomugi, Koichi Arisawa, Keisuke Uemura, Kenji Iwazaki
  • Patent number: 11901851
    Abstract: A motor drive control device 1_2 includes a target point determination unit 12_2 determining a target point P of zero crossing of a coil current Iu of a U phase based on a position detection signal Shu, a current zero crossing point estimation unit 14_2 estimating a zero crossing point Q of the coil current Iu of the U phase by detecting a change in a current direction of the coil current Iu of the U phase at a predetermined timing in every cycle of a PWM signal, an adjustment instruction signal generation unit 19_2 generating at least one of a phase adjustment instruction signal Sp for instructing phase adjustment of the coil current Iu and a frequency adjustment instruction signal Sf for instructing frequency adjustment of the PWM signal according to a phase difference ?? between the target point P and the zero crossing point Q such that the phase difference is within a predetermined range, and a drive control signal generation unit 16_2 generating a drive control signal Sd based on at least one of the phas
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI Inc.
    Inventors: Masato Aoki, Hiroyuki Kaidu, Wataru Nogamida, Syu Hayashi, Takahiro Asami
  • Patent number: 11901853
    Abstract: For determining rotation of a de-energized electric machine without accessing the machine, wherein the machine in the energized state rotates in a reference direction, a computer system determines, for at least one waveform of at least one set of multi-phase electrical power indicia measured remotely from the machine, that a first time segment of the at least one waveform corresponds to an energized state of the machine and that a second time segment of the at least one waveform corresponds to a de-energized state of the machine. The computer system also determines that the machine in the de-energized state has rotated in a direction reverse to the reference direction, wherein the determining that the machine in the de-energized state has rotated in a direction reverse to the reference direction includes comparing the first and second time segments of the at least one waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Inventors: Alexander George Parlos, Gang Li
  • Patent number: 11888430
    Abstract: A motor drive receives a position feedback signal from an encoder operatively connected to the motor. The motor drive executes a speed regulator module on a first periodic interval to achieve desired operation of the motor, and the motor drive executes an additional module at a second periodic interval, occurring more frequently than the first periodic interval, to increase the resolution of the position feedback. The position feedback signal is provided as or converted to counts. The motor drive maintains a first counter with a running total of each count received as well as a second counter which generates a higher resolution value than the first counter. During each second periodic interval the motor drive increments the high-resolution counter by the number of actual counts detected within the corresponding first periodic interval. This high-resolution counter is used by the speed regulator to obtain desired operation of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Magnetek, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Backman, Bryan Radke
  • Patent number: 11888380
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a linear actuator comprising a console, an outer tube connected to the console, an electric motor, a transmission, and a spindle in connection with the transmission. The linear actuator comprises a spindle nut on the spindle and an inner tube connected to the spindle nut. The spindle nut and the inner tube are guided inside the outer tube. The linear actuator comprises a control box which is connected to the console by means of a snap connection. The linear actuator further comprises an end stop arrangement having an end switch for each direction of movement of the spindle nut. An object underlying the invention is to provide a simpler connection of the control box to the linear actuator. A further object is to provide a less complex construction of the end stop arrangement of a linear actuator. To this end, the control box is connected to the console by means of a snap connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Linak A/S
    Inventors: Martin Kahr Knudsen, Henrik Skovby, René Sørensen
  • Patent number: 11888424
    Abstract: A method of controlling an electric machine having a separately excitable rotor and stator includes pulsing the electric machine and controlling the electric machine to an OFF state. Pulsing the electric machine includes exiting the rotor with direction current and the stator with a stator biasing current at the same time to generate magnetic flux in the rotor via two separate paths. Pulsing the electric machine may also include terminating the stator basing current when a desired magnetic flux is generated in the rotor. Pulsing the electric machine may include proving a stator flux to the stator such that the electric machine provides a pulse torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Tula eTechnology, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Carvell, Philippe Farah
  • Patent number: 11888431
    Abstract: A method includes driving a selected motor winding to be in a tri-state during a time interval having a finite time length value of a time window, sensing a zero-crossing (ZC) of an oscillating back electromotive force induced in the motor winding during the time window in which the motor winding is in the tri-state, and producing a ZC sensing signal, which has a first edge at a first time instant at the sensed ZC and a second edge at a second time instant separated from the first time instant by a half oscillation of the oscillating back electromotive force, detecting a phase of a current flowing in the motor winding at a time instant time-shifted with respect to the second time instant of the second edge of the ZC sensing signal, and adjusting the finite time length value based on the detected phase of the current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Ezio Galbiati
  • Patent number: 11880128
    Abstract: A non-sensor type closed-loop stabilization control algorithm comprises the following steps: 1, reading all voltages Vk?1 and currents Ik?1 for driving a multi-axis stabilization motor; 2, calculating and outputting all coil resistances Rk?1 in the multi-axis stabilization motor; 3, reading all the coil resistances, voltages and currents in the steps 1 and 2, and calculating and outputting counter electromotive force Ek?1 of all the coils in the multi-axis stabilization motor; 4, reading an stabilization compensation angle ?k, each coil resistance and the counter electromotive force, and calculating and outputting a closed-loop stabilization control Fk; and 5, then waiting for a time step k=k+1, and repeating the steps in the steps 1 to 4. It aims to add a closed-loop control element to a motor without a sensor to achieve an excellent stabilization effect and to reduce the risk of image blurring caused by resonance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: VISTA INNOTECH LIMITED
    Inventors: Lin Chi Mak, Yee Chung Chu
  • Patent number: 11877769
    Abstract: The present invention comprises at least sensing, monitoring, and display of motor current which is then used in various embodiments of a rotational atherectomy device to determine and/or predict, among other things, treatment progression, treatment completion, optimal rotational speed, optimal advancement or traversal speed during treatment, whether stall appears imminent, and/or reacting to stop motor rotation before a stall occurs. In some embodiments, the determination or prediction results in an automatic, or preprogrammed adjustment by the control unit of the rotational speed of the rotating drive shaft and associated tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Ellering, Jacob P. Draxler, Matthew W. Tilstra, Joseph P. Higgins
  • Patent number: 11870377
    Abstract: A system includes a motor having a plurality of windings, a rotor and a stator magnetically coupled to the rotor, a plurality of power inverters connected to respective windings, wherein the plurality of power inverters is configured to control currents of the plurality of windings, and a controller configured to determine an injection ratio of a high-order harmonic component to a fundamental component based on a performance index, and wherein the injection ratio for a magnetizing component is different from the injection ratio for a torque component at a same harmonic frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Quantentech Limited
    Inventor: Hengchun Mao
  • Patent number: 11863101
    Abstract: A driving apparatus includes: an inverter unit generating a three-phase alternating-current voltage from a direct-current voltage in accordance with a drive signal based on a voltage command and outputting the three-phase alternating-current voltage to a permanent-magnet motor, the permanent-magnet motor including a permanent magnet; a current detection unit detecting a motor current flowing through the permanent-magnet motor; and a control unit generating the voltage command to control an operation of the inverter unit and estimating a temperature of the permanent magnet to perform a protection operation on the inverter unit on the basis of the motor current and an overcurrent protection threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Takahiko Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11863107
    Abstract: A control device for controlling a rotary electric machine, the control device includes a current command unit, a voltage conversion device, a current conversion device, a signal demodulation device, an error compensation unit, an adding device and a position estimation device. The current command unit provides a d-axis current command and a q-axis current command. The current conversion device converts a current of the rotary electric machine to a synchronous reference coordinate current. The signal demodulation device computes a current variation of a high-frequency synchronous reference coordinate current. The error compensation device outputs a first correction value. The adding device adds the current variation of the high-frequency synchronous reference coordinate current and the first correction value to generate a second correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Min-Hsien Ho, Ming-Tsung Chen, Yu-Ling Lee
  • Patent number: 11855563
    Abstract: Motor controllers and methods for controlling drive circuit bypass signals are provided. The motor controller includes a drive circuit configured to generate variable frequency power based on input power received from a power source, and a drive contactor coupled between an output of the drive circuit and the motor. The drive contactor is configured to couple the drive circuit to the motor when a drive enable signal is received from an external controller, and decouple a line power enable signal from a line contactor by the external controller based on a presence of the drive enable signal. The line contactor is configured to couple the motor directly to the power source when the line power enable signal is received by the line contactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
    Inventors: Luis D. Morales, Zachary Joseph Stauffer, Paul Bryan Snipes
  • Patent number: 11855562
    Abstract: An automatic control system for a phase angle of a motor is provided. A current detector circuit detects a current signal of the motor to output a current detected signal. A control circuit outputs a control signal according to the current detected signal indicating a time point at which the current signal reaches a zero value. A driver circuit outputs a driving signal according to the control signal. An output circuit operates to output a motor rotation adjusting signal to the motor to adjust a rotational state of the motor according to the driving signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yi-Cheng Liu
  • Patent number: 11848592
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to control engine speed of a power system are disclosed. An example power system includes: an engine; a generator configured to generate electrical power from mechanical power delivered by the engine; a switched-mode power supply configured to convert the electrical power from the generator to output power; and control circuitry configured to: monitor an input current to the switched-mode power supply; and in response to the input current exceeding a threshold current, incrementally increasing a speed of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Alan F. Smith, Richard Joyce
  • Patent number: 11843343
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus includes: an excitation unit configured to excite a plurality of excitation phases of a motor; a measurement unit configured to measure a physical amount that changes according to an inductance of at least one of a plurality of coils that make up the plurality of excitation phases by exciting each of the plurality of excitation phases, and generate measured data that includes measurement values of the physical amount measured for the plurality of excitation phases; and a determination unit configured to determine, based on the measured data, a rotational position of a rotor of the motor and whether or not at least one of the motor and the excitation unit has a failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeru Kameyama
  • Patent number: 11835900
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus includes: a current supply unit configured to supply coil current to a plurality of coils of a motor by controlling, based on a first command value of excitation current and a second command value of torque current, voltage to be applied to the plurality of coils; a first setting unit configured to set the first command value; a second setting unit configured to set the second command value; and a control unit configured to use first control in starting of rotation of a rotor of the motor, and switch control to second control after rotation speed of the rotor becomes greater than predetermined speed. The first setting unit is further configured to set a value greater than 0 as the first command value before the control unit switches control from the first control to the second control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masatoshi Itoh