Magnitude Of Movement Or Revolutions Patents (Class 318/470)
  • Patent number: 11936325
    Abstract: A motor control system and method for a brushed direct current (BDC) motor using a compensated and corrected ripple count. Motor control circuitry, for example implemented in digital logic such as a microcontroller, receives a coil current signal and a motor voltage signal. Discontinuities in the coil current signal, are counted to generate a ripple count. An observer function derives an angular frequency model estimate using a computational model for the motor applying motor parameters estimated in an initial estimation interval following startup of the motor. A corrected ripple count is generated based on a comparison of a commutation angle of the motor with an angular position based on the angular frequency model estimate. Compensation for cumulative error over the initial estimation interval is derived from a behavioral motor model applying the estimated motor parameters. A motor drive signal is adjusted based on the compensated corrected ripple count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kaushik Alwala, Venkata Naresh Kotikelapudi
  • Patent number: 11918149
    Abstract: A method for operating an automated food making apparatus having a motor, actuator arm, and an apparatus. The apparatus may be a paddle with flexible fins. The method rotates the paddle with a pin-shaft mechanism to dispense an ingredient placed in a canister, controls the motor automatically based on weight sensor readings, and locates a position of the actuator arm with position sensors. The same motor dispenses ingredients from a plurality of canisters. The method may have a plurality of paddle rotation and weight measurement steps until a target weight is reached. The plurality of paddle rotation steps may be unidirectional or bidirectional paddle rotation. The paddle may be rotated according to one or more paddle rotation algorithms, an error recovery algorithm, or different algorithms based on the amounts of ingredients remaining in the canister. The paddle may be rocked until the target weight is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: DoorDash, Inc.
    Inventors: Deepak Chandra Sekar, Kathirgugan Kathirasen, Brian Richardson, Sanath Bhat, Levi Lalla
  • Patent number: 11863103
    Abstract: A motor drive unit for driving a motor of a motorized window treatment may comprise software-based and hardware-based implementations of a process for detecting and resolving a stall condition in the motor, where the hardware-based implementation is configured to reduce power delivered to the motor if the software-based implementation has not first reduced the power to the motor. A control circuit may detect a stall condition of the motor, and reduce the power delivered to the motor after a first period of time from first detecting the stall condition. The motor drive unit may comprise a stall prevention circuit configured to reduce the power delivered to the motor after a second period of time (e.g., longer than the first period of time) from determining that a rotational sensing circuit is not generating a sensor signal while the control circuit is generating a drive signal to rotate the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Donald F. Hausman, Jr., Chen Ming Wu
  • Patent number: 11634946
    Abstract: A desired range of lift force to raise a window shade is used to select the window shade hardware such as, for example, the optimal LAM. A desired lift force may be 5 pounds for ADA compliance. However, if the user wants to exert less effort to lift the window shade, the user may request an increased lift force of 6 or 7 pounds. Therefore, if a lift force range between 3-8.5 pounds is desired, the system selects the optimal LAM to maintain and guarantee that the lift force required to operate the shades will not exceed the desired range of between 3-8.5 pounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Xi Ming Liarno, Joel Berman, Stephen Hebeisen, Eugene Miroshnichenko
  • Patent number: 11634937
    Abstract: A bus includes a vehicle body, a plurality of doors, a nosing seal, at least one sensor disposed inside the nosing seal, wherein the at least one sensor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive moving object proximal to the nosing seal such that the capacitance of the at least one sensor changes, and a controller coupled to the at least one sensor, the controller analyzing the sensing by the at least one sensor and senses a non-smooth signal from the at least one sensor and determines that an obstruction is present, senses signal fluctuation from the at least one sensor is not monotonic and determines that an obstruction is present, senses that the one of the doors has not closed after a predetermined time period and determines that the obstruction is present, senses that one of the doors has stalled and determines that the obstruction is present, the controller being configured to alert an operator of the bus when the obstruction is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: UUSI, LLC
    Inventors: John Washeleski, Todd R. Newman, Andrew E. Blank, David W. Shank, Edward J. Cox, Douglas M. Warnke, John M. Taylor, Bradley D. Looy
  • Patent number: 11560753
    Abstract: A motorized shade comprising a motor adapted to lower or raise a shade material for selectively covering an architectural opening based on a position of the sun. The motorized shade comprises a controller adapted to drive the motor phase according to a startup sequence by ramping up amplitude form an initial amplitude to a startup amplitude and ramping up frequency from an initial frequency to a drive frequency, drive the motor phase according to a full drive sequence to move the shade material by driving the motor phase according to a sinusoidal waveform at a set maximum amplitude and at a drive frequency, and drive the motor phase according to a wind down sequence by reducing frequency from the drive frequency to an end frequency and reducing the amplitude from the maximum amplitude to an end amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Crestron Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Campagna, Benjamin Slivka, Luis J. Rivera
  • Patent number: 11561530
    Abstract: A method for predicting and compensating frictions of a feed system includes following steps: constantly obtaining current signals and angle-position signals of a motor by a motor driver of a feed system after being activated; calculating frictions of the motor upon each rotating position according to the obtained current signals and angle-position signals and generating multiple records of friction data; creating a friction model according to the multiple records of friction data and the angle-position signals each respectively corresponding to each record of friction data with respect to each rotating position; importing current angle-position signal of the motor to the friction model for predicting a predicted friction; calculating a compensation current based on the predicted friction; and, controlling the motor driver to additionally provide the compensation current to the motor for conquering an upcoming friction of the feed system approximate to the predicted friction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Chia-Yen Lee, Yu-Hsiang Cheng, Chia-Hui Chen, Ping-Chun Tsai
  • Patent number: 11558002
    Abstract: A motor drive unit for driving a motor of a motorized window treatment may comprise software-based and hardware-based implementations of a process for detecting and resolving a stall condition in the motor, where the hardware-based implementation is configured to reduce power delivered to the motor if the software-based implementation has not first reduced the power to the motor. A control circuit may detect a stall condition of the motor, and reduce the power delivered to the motor after a first period of time from first detecting the stall condition. The motor drive unit may comprise a stall prevention circuit configured to reduce the power delivered to the motor after a second period of time (e.g., longer than the first period of time) from determining that a rotational sensing circuit is not generating a sensor signal while the control circuit is generating a drive signal to rotate the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Donald F. Hausman, Jr., Chen Ming Wu
  • Patent number: 11509246
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a brake device for an electric motor, which has at least one armature winding and at least one field winding, comprising at least one open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit at least for open-loop control and/or closed-loop control of at least one electric current through the armature winding and/or through the field winding. According to the disclosure, in the event of short-circuit braking of the electric motor, the open-loop and/or control-loop unit is intended to reduce, at least temporarily, an electric armature current flowing through the armature winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Juergen Wiker, Klaus Dengler, Matthias Schneider
  • Patent number: 11326396
    Abstract: A desired range of lift force to raise a window shade is used to select the window shade hardware such as, for example, the optimal LAM. A desired lift force may be 5 pounds for ADA compliance. However, if the user wants to exert less effort to lift the window shade, the user may request an increased lift force of 6 or 7 pounds. Therefore, if a lift force range between 3-8.5 pounds is desired, the system selects the optimal LAM to maintain and guarantee that the lift force required to operate the shades will not exceed the desired range of between 3-8.5 pounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Xi Ming Liarno, Joel Berman, Stephen Hebeisen, Eugene Miroshnichenko
  • Patent number: 10833666
    Abstract: A voltage proportional to a pulse width modulation (PWM) duty cycle is generated, using a low pass filter (LPF). A 2nd or higher order LPF is provided, giving a 90×(2n+1) degree phase shift for (n=0, 1, 2, . . . ), so that the sampling timing at the latter stages can be at the rising and/or falling edge of the PWM input signal. A switched capacitor circuit after the 2nd or higher order LPF is provided, removing a voltage ripple on an LPF output, and using a smaller device area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Keisuke Kadowaki, Naoyuki Unno, Hiromitsu Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8975851
    Abstract: A temperature estimating unit includes an energy calculating unit that calculates a heat generation energy rate of a motor on the basis of a difference between power input to the motor and power output from the motor, a heat radiation energy calculating unit that calculates a heat radiation energy rate from a target member on the basis of a difference between a previous temperature estimation value Tm of the target member and an ambient temperature, and a thermal coefficient of the target member, and an amount calculating unit that calculates a temperature increase rate of the target member on the basis of a difference between the heat generation energy rate and the heat radiation energy rate, and an estimation value calculating unit that calculates a current temperature estimation value of the target member on the basis of the temperature increase rate and the previous temperature estimation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignees: Advics Co., Ltd., Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tadayoshi Usami, Nobuhiko Yoshioka
  • Publication number: 20150061561
    Abstract: The motor control device is an electric motor control device including a control unit (control circuit unit) configured to output a forward-rotation command or a reverse-rotation command to the electric motor. The control unit includes a position detector (door opening/closing information generation circuit) configured to detect a rotation direction of the electric motor when a detection signal is input from a rotation sensor (Hall integrated circuit (IC)), which detects the rotation of the electric motor, while no current is supplied to the electric motor. The control unit includes an electric current supply device (pulse width modulation (PWM) command generation circuit) configured to supply an electric current by which the electric motor is rotated in an opposite direction to the detected rotation direction by increasing an electric current supply duty ratio every time the detection signal is switched.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Hitoshi Roppongi, Kazuya Tateoka, Katsuhiro Tanino, Atsushi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8827155
    Abstract: An access control gate with a mechanical guide forms one or more access lanes for patrons. A contactless access reader which is connected to a software controlled verification system identifies access right of patrons shortly before the person approaches a gate threshold formed by two motor driven flaps which when closed protrude into the access lane from left and right of the lateral lane boundaries. A verification system activates the flaps when an access right has been granted. Two or more photoelectric barriers define a detection zone behind the gate threshold and detect the passage of patrons through the gate threshold and the exit of the detection zone. The flaps are closed with highest possible speed after the patron has left the detection zone regularly, and are moved with low speed if an irregular passage is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Axess AG
    Inventors: Wolfram Kocznar, Josef Fischer
  • Patent number: 8779698
    Abstract: An HVAC system includes a blower motor and a variable speed motor drive. The variable speed motor drive is configured to receive line power and provide modulated power to the motor. The blower motor is configured to produce airflow in response to the modulated power. A unit controller is configured to bypass the variable speed motor drive to provide the line power directly to the blower motor in the event that a measured airflow is less than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Harold Gene Havard, Der-Kai Hung, Stephen A. Walter
  • Patent number: 8692498
    Abstract: Presented is a roller shade system that includes a flexible shade material having a lower end, a rotatably supported roller tube that windingly receives the shade material, a stepper motor that operably engages the roller tube to rotate the roller tube to move the lower end of the shade material between a first position and a second position, an optical sensor configured for capturing an image frame of the shade material at linear positions along the shade material as the lower end of the flexible shade material moves from the first position to the second position, and a stepper motor controller configured for controlling the frequency of input pulses to the stepper motor to move the lower end of the flexible shade material from the first position to the second position at a substantially constant linear velocity in response to position information obtained from the plurality of captured image frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Crestron Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: George Feldstein, Mark LaBosco, Russikesh Kumar
  • Patent number: 8596420
    Abstract: A measuring arrangement for the measurement of the position and/or movement of a rotor of an electric machine, an electric drive including the measuring arrangement, and an elevator system including the electric drive are provided. The measuring arrangement includes a magnetic band whose magnetic property is so implemented that it varies in the longitudinal direction of the band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Tuukka Korhonen, Asmo Tenhunen, Jussi Lahteenmaki, Jussi Huppunen
  • Publication number: 20130314019
    Abstract: A high speed garage door system and related methods of operation with a garage door working in conjunction with a counterbalancing spring. The high speed garage door system can include an operator configured as a high speed jackshaft opener or alternatively, with a high speed trolley opener. The operator can includes a three phase brake motor that receives a simulated three phase signal from a variable frequency drive. Using a series of shafts and a torque limiter, the motor can quickly accelerate and decelerate such that the garage door can open and close at an average speed exceeding about 2 feet per second. A system controller communicates with an encoder mounted on an output shaft of the motor such that the position of the garage door remains known to the system controller even in the event of slippage caused by the torque limiter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventor: Corey Glen Wilmes
  • Patent number: 8508168
    Abstract: Linear actuator device, comprising a housing (102,202), a piston rod (109,209), an electrical motor (116,216) and a transmission means (105,106,305,307) adapted to transfer the rotation of the electrical motor to a linear movement of the piston rod, where the linear actuator device comprises an integrated electrical interface having two signal inputs adapted to extend and retract the piston rod and two signal outputs adapted to indicate a retracted end position (122) and an extended end position (121) of the piston rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventor: Johannes Andrianus Maria Duits
  • Patent number: 8354808
    Abstract: In order to automatically detect a mechanically commutated DC motor, it is provided to acquire an electrical engine size, to determine current ripples in the engine size, to evaluate the amplitude, the duration and/or time position of the detected current ripples and to compare to known ripple patterns, and to choose from a known key data table a number of key data assigned to a certain engine type, when the amplitude, during and/or time position of the detected current ripples correspond to a ripple pattern, which is assigned to the engine type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. KG Hallstadt
    Inventors: Wolfgang Uebel, Jovan Knezevic
  • Patent number: 8339085
    Abstract: Presented is a method for synchronizing movement of a plurality of roller shades each disposed at a first position to a common second position. The method includes obtaining information related to the position of each of the plurality of roller shades with a respective one of a plurality of optical assemblies, and moving each of the plurality of roller shades from the first position to the common second position in response to the respective obtained position information so that each of the plurality of roller shades arrives at the common second position at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Crestron Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: George Feldstein, Mark LaBosco
  • Patent number: 8339086
    Abstract: Presented is a system for synchronizing movement of roller shades each from a first position to a common second position. The system includes a master controller, a plurality of optical assemblies each configured to obtain information related to the position of one of the roller shades, and a plurality of motor assemblies. Each of the motor assemblies is configured for receiving the position information from one of the plurality of optical assemblies, receiving a master shade movement time from the master controller, and moving one of the of roller shades from the first position to the common second position in response to the received position information so that the roller shade arrives at the common second position simultaneously with the other roller shades in a time equal to the master shade movement time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Crestron Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: George Feldstein, Mark LaBosco
  • Patent number: 8288977
    Abstract: A control apparatus using a multipole resolver for calculating the rotation angle of a motor includes an acquisition unit, a learning unit, a calculation unit, and a correction unit. The acquisition unit acquires a detected angle ? detected by the multipole resolver. The learning unit learns the waveform of an error Err? for each pole of the resolver. The calculation unit calculates a motor's rotational acceleration variation ?. The correction unit compares the rotation speed variation ? with a threshold value ?0. Where ?<?0, the correction unit performs a normal correction of calculating a corrected angle ? using an error Err? of one mechanical period (in which the motor makes one full rotation) ago. In contrast, where ?>?0, the correction unit performs a transition correction of calculating a corrected angle ? using an immediately preceding error Err?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Niimi
  • Patent number: 8232758
    Abstract: A controller estimates Coulomb friction itself together with inertia and viscous friction, and reduces the influence of the Coulomb friction on the accuracy of the estimated inertia. In addition, the controller estimates inertia, viscous friction and Coulomb friction simultaneously with sequential adaptation in which a Fourier transformer is not used but an inverse transfer function model is used in order to minimize the estimated error. Data sampled for a predetermined time need not be accumulated, as a result, a large amount of data memory is unnecessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Tadashi Okita, Yukio Toyozawa, Naoto Sonoda
  • Patent number: 8232754
    Abstract: A control device for an electrically driven door is provided that can enhance the sensitivity of detection of a door pinch state and that can prevent a passenger from being pressed when the door pinch state occurs. The control device includes a driving force instruction value producing unit that outputs a driving force instruction value of the electrically driven door, a state observing unit that estimates a mechanical resistant force to a door driving system, a reference model that determines a dynamic characteristic of the electrically driven door to the mechanical resistant force estimated by the state observing unit, a gain compensator that computes a control compensation value that makes an output of the reference model coincide with an actual speed of the electrically driven door; and an adder that adds the control compensation value computed by the gain compensator to the driving force instruction value outputted by the driving force instruction value producing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoru Ozaki
  • Patent number: 8193751
    Abstract: A window covering driving device includes a motor and a control circuit, the control circuit is provided with a microprocessor, a control wire, a control signal input terminal, and a switching circuit and the motor is connected to a drive power supply via the switching circuit. The switching circuit is connected to the microprocessor and the control signal input terminal is connected to the microprocessor via the control wire. A safety position limiting wire is also included with one end of the safety position limiting wire being connected to the microprocessor and the other end is connected to a safety position limiting signal control terminal. The safety position limiting wire and safety position limiting signal control terminal are attached so that, when the safety position limiting signal control terminal is at the position limiting state, as the motor runs to the position limiting position, it will automatically stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Shenzhen Bofu Mechanic & Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jin You Wang
  • Patent number: 8084979
    Abstract: A method for testing an electric motor which is connected to a valve element by at least one component comprises starting the motor, measuring a movement parameter of at least one of the motor and the component without moving the valve element, and stopping the motor when the measured movement parameter indicates that the valve element is about to move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: FMC Kongsberg Subsea AS
    Inventor: Vidar Sten-Halvorsen
  • Patent number: 7888898
    Abstract: Embodiment of the invention relate to a container. In one respect, embodiments of the invention provide a container that is useful in advertising because of its distinctive shape and faux pull ring, and/or because it is configured to output a jingle or other stored audio. Moreover, in embodiments of the invention, the container is configured as a cooler with a thermal insulator. Such a cooler may also include an automatic lid mechanism that allows for hands-free operation by users that seek to retrieve, for instance, a cold beverage from the cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: IPS Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Jack Randal Wilkerson
  • Patent number: 7859204
    Abstract: A controller prestores average moving speed data, which corresponds to respective corresponding positions of a window glass of a door driven by a motor at the time of the closing movement of the window glass, as learning data. The controller senses pinching of an object by the window glass based on the learning data and the speed measurement signal obtained at the time of the closing movement of the window glass. The controller senses a disturbance when the speed measurement signal obtained at the time of the closing movement of the window glass exceeds a predetermined value. The controller updates the learning data based on the average moving speed data at the time of the closing movement of the window glass. The controller controls execution and non-execution of updating of the learning data in response to a close state and an open state of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Asmo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin Sakai, Takahiro Sumiya
  • Patent number: 7830107
    Abstract: A safety device for power window comprises a storage unit for storing the pulse width change rate of continuous pulses detected by a pulse width detector during a window glass raising operation at a reference timing, a calculation unit for calculating the pulse width change rate of continuous pulses detected by the pulse width detector during a window glass raising operation at an operational timing and a control unit for comparing the stored value of a pulse width change rate with the calculated value of a pulse width change rate and driving a motor for raising/lowering window glass in a window opening direction when a total of differences between the both pulse change rates exceeds an allowable value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignees: Shiroki Kogyo Co., Ltd., Tachibana ELETECH Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Inoue, Masayuki Kato, Kazushi Hirose, Takao Koba, Yoshihiro Fujimura, Minoru Tanaka, Hiroki Nishida, Takashi Inoue
  • Patent number: 7825618
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted display device comprises a display mounted to a shaft, and operable to revolve with the rotation of the shaft; a transmission mechanism for coupling an output shaft of a motor with the shaft; a control module for controlling the motor; a baffle plate located at any position that enables it to rotate in synchronism with the rotation of the display, and a detection module for detecting the baffle plate. During the rotation of the display, when the detecting module does not detect the baffle plate in a predetermined period of time, the control module causes the motor to stop running or to turn in a reverse direction. This vehicle-mounted display device not only is reliably operable and electronically controllable, but also has anti-clamping and self-protection functions and has a simple structure and low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Inventors: Wang Limin, Philip Jin, Vicky Chen
  • Patent number: 7808196
    Abstract: In the case of an electromotive auxiliary drive for vehicles, particularly for windscreen wiper drives or adjustment drives for vehicle elements with a secondary transmission for the electromotor, with at least one magnetic sensor, which acts in conjunction with a signal transmitter or permanent magnet arrangement formed of at least one permanent magnet and rotating with a drive shaft or a gear wheel in order to record the angle position and/or modification of the angle position of the rotation of the shaft or the gear wheel, the permanent magnet arrangement is arranged on the front side on a shaft end bedded in a bearing arrangement or on a drive element bedded in the bearing arrangement and arranged on the shaft. The at least one magnetic sensor is arranged opposite the permanent magnet arrangement in the direction of the shaft axis within the bearing arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes d'Essuyage
    Inventors: Werner Hartmann, Miguel A. Sebastian Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 7800332
    Abstract: A powered apparatus includes a driven component that is movable along a path and a drive motor that moves the driven component along the path. A motor speed detector monitors an instantaneous speed of the drive motor at each position along the path. An electronic control unit operates the drive motor and includes load profile data representing a number of motor loads associated with respective positions of the driven component along the path. A calculating component determines a calculated final rest position of the driven component by adding a current position of the driven component along the path and an adjustment coefficient representing an additional distance of travel along the path based on the instantaneous speed of the drive motor and a respective motor load associated with the additional distance of travel. A non-volatile memory component stores the calculated final rest position of the driven component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Joseph Whinnery
  • Patent number: 7782001
    Abstract: A method for control of door and window adjusting parameters is disclosed, the method including the steps: determining at least a first door adjusting parameter and at least a first window adjusting parameter, controlling the first door adjusting parameter and a further door adjusting parameter by considering the determined first window adjusting parameter and controlling the first window adjusting parameter and a further window adjusting parameter by considering the determined first door adjusting parameter. The above steps may also be performed in the alternative. An interaction between the two moveable elements sliding door and window pane is assured. The control of further parameters can occur in dependence from the determined parameters in such way that the risk of arising injuries and in particular damages by a crush incident between a C column of the motor vehicle and the sliding door at a window opening of the sliding door is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugtelle GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft Coburg
    Inventors: Arnd Herwig, Olaf Kriese, Stefan Franek
  • Patent number: 7750590
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a base, a display screen part supported on the base turnably, a driving part for turning the display screen part in accordance with an inputted control signal, a turning prevention mechanism for preventing turning of the display screen part, a judgment part for judging on the basis of the inputted control signal whether the display apparatus is operated or not, and a controller for producing a signal for operating the turning prevention mechanism to prevent turning of the display screen part when it is judged that there is no operation to the display screen part and producing a signal for releasing operation of the turning prevention mechanism when it is judged that there is operation to the display screen part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Takaji, Tatsuya Nakazawa, Yutaka Yamada, Toshihiko Matsuzawa, Satoshi Ishizuka
  • Patent number: 7737654
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a control system for a garage door. The control system can include a motor, a pulley, a synchronous drive member, a carriage, and an operator. The pulley can be coupled to and driven by the motor. The synchronous drive member can be coupled to the pulley and driven by the pulley. The carriage can be coupled to the synchronous drive member and to a bottom edge of a garage door. The operator can be coupled to the motor and can control the motor. The operator can be mounted vertically adjacent to the garage door when the garage door is in a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Aspen Motion Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Troy A. Anderson
  • Patent number: 7714526
    Abstract: The control device for a closure member of a vehicle according to the present invention comprises: estimated load calculation means (8b) for obtaining an estimated load from a rotation speed, acceleration, and drive voltage of a DC motor (3) for driving a closure member (9); motor torque calculation means (8b) for calculating a motor torque from the rotation speed and drive voltage of the motor; reference torque calculation means (8f) for calculating a reference torque based on a stationary state of the motor torque; and pinching determination means (8c) for determining a pinching of an object based on the estimated load, motor torque and reference torque, wherein the pinching determination means determines that there is no pinching when at least one of the estimated load and the motor torque is below the reference torque even when the estimated load is greater than a prescribed threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Kawakura, Narimitsu Kobori, Takao Arai, Kenichi Hirano, Masahiro Fueki
  • Patent number: 7668690
    Abstract: A motor control system and method are provided for detecting current ripple in a commutated DC motor and further determining position and speed of the motor based on the detected ripple current. Ripples in the motor current are detected and a ripple frequency is calculated based on the time between successive ripples. A ripple count between successive frequencies is determined and the ripple count is compared to a threshold value, and an estimated ripple frequency is determined from a motor model when the ripple count exceeds the threshold value. A corrected ripple count is calculated from a ratio of the calculated ripple frequency and the estimated ripple frequency, and motor position and motor speed are determined based on the corrected ripple count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip K. Schneider, Salvador A. Canales
  • Patent number: 7599612
    Abstract: Calibration of a motorized roller shade is accomplished by calculating a radius of a roller tube and thickness of a shade fabric rotatably supported by the roller tube. First, a lower edge of the shade fabric is moved to a first position at a first linear distance from a predetermined position. Second, a first number of revolutions of the roller tube between the first position and the predetermined position is determined. Next, the lower edge of the shade fabric is moved to a second position at a second linear distance from the predetermined position and a second number of revolutions between the second position and the predetermined position is determined. Finally, the tube radius and the fabric thickness are calculated from the first and second linear distances and the first and second numbers of revolutions. The tube radius and the fabric thickness are used to control the linear speed of the lower edge of the shade fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Robin C. Moseley, Wendy Margaret Moseley, legal representative, David A. Kirby, Justin Mierta, Thomas W. Brenner
  • Patent number: 7463463
    Abstract: A motor controller includes: an estimated temperature calculating section that calculates and stores an estimated temperature of a motor, and a control section that can perform a drive control of the motor only when this estimated temperature is not larger than a predetermined value. When the motor is stopped, a second temperature gradient while the temperature of the motor decreases from a stop-time temperature to a predetermined first set temperature is stored in correspondence to the stop-time temperature. The first temperature gradient corresponding to the estimated temperature at a time when the motor is stopped is calculated by using the first temperature gradient storing means, if the estimated temperature stored in the estimated temperature storing means when the motor is stopped is larger than the first set temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: ASMO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Kobayashi, Tatsuya Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20080258666
    Abstract: A method of controlling a motorized window treatment provides for continued operation of the motorized window treatment during an overload condition, a low-line condition, or an electrostatic discharge (ESD) event. The motorized window treatment is driven by an electronic drive unit having a motor, a motor drive circuit, a rotational position sensor, a controller, and a memory for storing the command. The controller stores the present position of the motorized window treatment in the memory each time the rotational position of the motor changes by a predetermined angle, such that a plurality of positions are stored in the memory. When the controller is reset due to an overload condition or ESD event, the controller recalls the desired position from the memory, determines the present position, and continues to drive the motor drive circuit in response to the command and the present position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: Lawrence R. Carmen, Robert Thomas Nachtrieb, Thomas Warren Brenner, Stephen Lundy, Jonathan H. Ference, Justin Mierta
  • Publication number: 20080246431
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method for driving a compressor, which are capable of being suitably used for driving a refrigeration system such as a refrigerator with high efficiency and low noise. The compressor driving apparatus including a motor and a compressor driven by the motor includes an inverter which supplies power to the motor to drive the motor; a rotator position detector which detects the position of a rotator of the motor; and an inverter drive controller which includes at least one wave generator for generating an optimal driving wave according to an operation mode and a control mode of the motor, stores the generated optimal driving wave, and drives the inverter with the generated wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hamaoka Koji, Han Joo Yoo, Pyeong Ki Park, Jeong Ho Seo, Kwang Kyo Oh, Hun Yub Bae
  • Patent number: 7432682
    Abstract: A stop-detection method intended for a multi-phase synchronous geared motor that is controlled in a stepping mode, which measures the sum of the currents circulating in each of the N phases of the geared motor. In the method the stop detection threshold is calculated in relation to the change in the sum of the currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Moving Magnet Technologies
    Inventors: Eric Rondot, Daniel Prudham
  • Patent number: 7321213
    Abstract: A motor controller is provided with: an estimated temperature calculating means that calculates an estimated temperature of a motor; and a control unit that can perform a driving control of the motor only when the estimated temperature is not larger than a predetermined value. A mode switching means switches the control unit and the estimated temperature calculating means between in a normal operation mode in which they can drive the motor and in a sleep mode in which electric power consumption thereof is smaller than in the normal operation mode in accordance with a predetermined condition while the motor is stationary. An activating means activates the estimated temperature calculating means in the sleep mode for a predetermined active time every time a predetermined sleep time is elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: ASMO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Kobayashi, Seiichi Watanabe, Seiichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7321214
    Abstract: A controller is operable in one of a plurality of operational modes, which include an estimated temperature computation performing mode for performing computing of an estimated temperature of the motor and an estimated temperature computation non-performing mode for stopping the computing of the estimated temperature of the motor. An operational mode of the controller is changed from the estimated temperature computation performing mode to the estimated temperature computation non-performing mode according to a predetermined condition in a stopped state of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: ASMO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Kobayashi, Keizo Ishizu
  • Patent number: 7127848
    Abstract: A control apparatus rotates a drive motor reversely to reverse the moving direction of a roof glass when movement of the roof glass is obstructed by a foreign matter caught between the roof glass and a frame while the roof glass is moving toward the closing position, sets a home position of the roof glass by setting the count number to a predetermined value with the roof glass placed in a predetermined position. The control apparatus performs setting of the home position again when a reverse action of the roof glass has been carried out, because of catching of the foreign matter in the roof glass, a number of times equal to or greater than a specified number. An abnormality detecting device detects an abnormality in which the reverse action of the roof glass is not carried out within a specified time period. When the abnormality is detected, the control apparatus avoids setting the home position again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: ASMO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazukiyo Okada, Motoya Yamamoto, Kazuyuki Hirai, Daisuke Mukai, Yoshinobu Toyoda
  • Patent number: 7075257
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for braking a motor has a braking circuit that intermittently shorts the windings of the motor to brake the motor. The braking circuit is powered by back EMF generated by the motor when power is disconnected from the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Carrier, Bhanuprasad V. Gorti
  • Patent number: 7053574
    Abstract: As a vertical motion motor (M2) comprised of a brushless motor is driven to rotate in response to a control signal from a main controller (10), a pulse signal generated with the shape corresponding to the number of rotations of the vertical motion motor (M2) is counted by a pulse signal count unit of the main controller (10). Feedback control is exercised over the number of rotations of the vertical motion motor (M2) in accordance with a count value (the number of counts) of the pulse signal, so that mirror surface orientation of a door mirror (2) can be accurately adjusted to tilt downward to a predetermined set angle, and to tilt upward back to a home position angle. A mirror angle control apparatus (1) is provided with high durability and reliability, which can exercise accurate control for a long period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Murakami Corporation
    Inventor: Ayako Yamada
  • Patent number: 7038420
    Abstract: A method of regulating an electric motor, regulation being implemented with a loop of gain less than unity as a function of a divergence between a setpoint signal for an operating parameter of the motor and a measured value of the same operating parameter of the electric motor, the divergence being taken into account only if said divergence is greater than a predetermined threshold whenever the measured value is greater than the setpoint signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Automotive Electronics
    Inventor: Valéry Becquet
  • Patent number: 6943515
    Abstract: An electric drive motor drives a door to move in an open/close direction. A pulse encoder outputs a series of pulses. Each pulse has a pulse duration sized to correspond to a rotation speed of the motor. The number of the pulses corresponds to the number of revolution of the motor. A door jamming detecting device for detecting a jamming of the door is configured to carry out calculating a total duration time (Tn) of a given number (n) of the series pulses outputted from the pulse encoder; detecting a given condition wherein the total duration time (Tn) is greater than a threshold value (Ts); and making a judgment of the door jamming when the given condition is kept for a given time (Tm).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hitoshi Kidokoro