Motor Load, Armature Or Primary Or Secondary Circuit Current Patents (Class 318/474)
  • Publication number: 20100089600
    Abstract: The invention relates to a power tool, which comprises a motor for driving a tool bit rotating, the motor attains a rotational speed, a source for supplying an electric current to said motor, a sensor for measuring said current, and a control device. The control device fulfills the task of detection of a variation of the slope of the current in the course of time, and generates a control signal. The rotational speed of the tool is reduced in response to the control signal. The present invention automatically detects whether the work piece operated by the tool bit reaches a predetermined position by providing electronic control means. It may make sure that the screw is driven into a piece of wood and does not go beyond the predetermined position once detect that the work piece reaches the position and carries out the changing action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Inventors: Gianni Borinato, Jiancheng Shen
  • Publication number: 20100079095
    Abstract: In a steering control unit, a U-phase feed line branches into paired branch feed lines, phase-open MOSFETs are provided in middle portions of the branch feed lines, phase-open MOSFETs are provided in middle portions of a V-phase feed line and a W-phase feed line, and the phase-open MOSFETs are arranged in such a manner that parasitic diodes are in the same orientation with respect to a motor. When an abnormality occurs, all the phase-open MOSFETs are turned off. Then, a closed circuit, which includes phase coils and through which electric currents flow, is no longer present.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Shibata
  • Patent number: 7632007
    Abstract: A blender base that may be used with a food processor container, a blender container, and a single use beverage container. The blender container includes a novel blade unit having a food processor-style blade and blender type blades. Programs with preprogrammed motor commands for desired operations are stored in memory and may be selected by a user on a user interface. The user interface may include a liquid crystal display, or function switches and light emitting diodes. Upon selection of a particular pre-defined function, the microcontroller retrieves the appropriate program from the read only memory and specifies the preprogrammed motor commands to accomplish the selected function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Sunbeam Products, Inc.
    Inventors: John Douglas Wulf, Gerald J Lozinski, Matthew Craig Denton, Jerry Lee McColgin, Michael Morton, Daniel S. Soultanian
  • Patent number: 7622874
    Abstract: A motor driver includes an H-bridge having a first differential input, a second differential input, and a differential output; a sensing circuit coupled to the differential output of the H-bridge; a comparison and logic circuit coupled to the sensing circuit; a pair of pre-driver circuits coupled to the comparison and logic circuit for driving at least one of the differential inputs of the H-bridge; and a pair of level shifters coupled between the comparison and logic circuit and the sensing circuit. The pair of level shifters is used to assure that the VGS of a pair of serially coupled transistors in the sensing circuit do not change with temperature, motor current, or voltage, and each includes a transistor receiving a reference current. The pair of level shifters each further includes a serially coupled diode and zener diode for preventing current from flowing from the differential output of the H-bridge to the level-shifting transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Shenzhen STS Microelectronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chunxing Deng, Wenli Luo
  • Publication number: 20090263260
    Abstract: The inverter device contains the following structure: an inverter circuit which has upper-arm switching elements that are connected on a positive side of a DC power source and lower-arm switching elements that are connected on a negative side of the DC power source; a current sensor that detects current flowing between the DC power source and the inverter circuit; and a control circuit that controls the inverter circuit by a PWM driving so that the inverter circuit outputs AC current to the motor. The control circuit provides a carrier cycle with a first correction and provides the successive cycle with a second correction, by which the current sensor can detect phase current of the motor. A ripple current caused by the first correction and a ripple current caused by the second correction are opposite in polarity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Inventors: Naomi Goto, Yasufumi Kurahashi
  • Patent number: 7589486
    Abstract: A control system controls, based on a comparison between a waved real current to be supplied to a multiphase rotary electric machine and a hysteresis region established by a waved command signal, a switching timing of a switching element of an inverter to which a direct current voltage is applied to thereby match the waved real current with a waved request current. A determining unit determines whether a workload associated with rotation of the portion of the multiphase rotary electric machine is equal to or greater than a corresponding predetermined value. When it is determined that the workload is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, a changing unit changes the waved command signal from being set to the waved request current so as to determine the switching timing of the switching element based on a positional relation between the waved request current and the changed waved command signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Yamada, Hiroya Tsuji
  • Patent number: 7589942
    Abstract: A motor starter is disclosed. The motor starter includes control circuitry integrally arranged with at least one current path and a processor included in the control circuitry. The motor starter further includes at least one processor algorithm residing on the processor, the at least one processor algorithm containing instructions to monitor characteristics of current on the at least one current path and to provide data pertaining to a condition of the at least one current path. The motor starter further includes a micro electromechanical system (MEMS) switch disposed on the at least one current path, the MEMS switch responsive to the control circuitry to facilitate the control of an electrical current, passing through the at least one current path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brent Charles Kumfer, William James Premerlani, Robert Joseph Cagglano, Kanakasabapathi Subramanian, David James Lesslie
  • Publication number: 20090212729
    Abstract: A method for sensing and compensating for variances in load and voltage in a closed loop voice coil system (95) is described. A load (55) in a system (95) which included a supply voltage (45) and the load (55), which includes an inductive element, is excited with a known duty cycle for a time interval. At an end time, at the end of the time interval, the current which flows through the load (55) is sensed. A lumped term based at least in part on the time interval and a change in the load current during the time interval is calculated. The lumped term is representative of the supply voltage (45) and one or more electrical characteristic of the load (55). A control signal (25) to control a voltage applied to the load (55) may be generated based at least in part on the lumped term. Apparatus and computer-readable media are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventor: Daniel S. Cook
  • Publication number: 20090160387
    Abstract: The invention relates to a processing unit of a measuring signal related to conditions of an object controlled by power electronics. The processing unit comprises an interface with digital terminals, wherein the interface is provided with at least one terminal for a sensor which generates the measuring signal. Further, the processing unit comprises a calculating unit to which the interface is connected. The calculating unit is equipped with a real-time control system. In addition, the calculating unit comprises a general-purpose processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: Atlas Copco Airpower N.V.
    Inventor: Gerd Terörde
  • Patent number: 7504790
    Abstract: In a control system, a storing unit has stored a relationship between a workload associated with rotation of a multiphase rotary electric machine and a voltage utilization factor of the multiphase rotary electric machine. The voltage utilization factor includes information representing how percentage the direct current voltage applied to a switching element is used by the multiphase rotary electric machine. A measuring unit measures change in the workload associated with rotation of the multiphase rotary electric machine. A pulse control unit carries out a single pulse control to change an on duration of the switching element to be substantially equivalent to a half cycle of a cyclic current while continuously changing the voltage utilization factor based on the relationship stored in the storing unit and the measured change of the workload.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroya Tsuji, Takahiro Yamada, Tomonori Kimura
  • Publication number: 20090033268
    Abstract: There are provided upper and lower switching elements 1U to 1W and 2U to 2W for energizing motor drive windings 4U to 4W, a control circuit 20 that starts outputting a control signal for energization based on an energization instruction, pre-drive circuits 8U to 8W and 9U to 9W for controlling ON/OFF of the upper and lower switching elements based on the control signal, and short circuit detection circuits 10U to 10W for detecting short circuits in a node 14 between the upper and lower switching elements to higher-potential and lower-potential power sources based on the control signal and a voltage of the node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takehiro YANO, Tetsu NAGANO, Daisuke FUKUDA
  • Publication number: 20090001916
    Abstract: A motor controlling device and a motor controlling method are provided. The motor controlling device includes a first sensor, a second sensor and a signal switching circuit. The signal switching circuit is electrically connected to the first and second sensors, respectively. The signal switching circuit is switched to the first sensor to output a first switching phase signal to drive a motor when the motor starts to operate. The signal switching circuit is switched to the second sensor to output a second switching phase signal to drive the motor when a predetermined switching condition is satisfied with a predetermined value during the motor operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: Chia-Pin WEI, Chien-Sheng Lin, Yen-Hung Chen
  • Publication number: 20080310057
    Abstract: A motor starter is disclosed. The motor starter includes control circuitry integrally arranged with at least one current path and a processor included in the control circuitry. The motor starter further includes at least one processor algorithm residing on the processor, the at least one processor algorithm containing instructions to monitor characteristics of current on the at least one current path and to provide data pertaining to a condition of the at least one current path. The motor starter further includes a micro electromechanical system (MEMS) switch disposed on the at least one current path, the MEMS switch responsive to the control circuitry to facilitate the control of an electrical current, passing through the at least one current path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Brent Charles Kumfer, William James Premerlani, Robert Joseph Caggiano, Kanakasabapathi Subramanian, David James Lesslie
  • Publication number: 20080297095
    Abstract: Even when there is some degree of variation in the characteristics among components constituting a polyphase motor and a driving circuit therefor, current control signals of respective phases being input to the drive circuit have their amplitude finely adjusted by an amplitude control circuit, so that amplitude is uniform among armature currents of respective phases that are ultimately output from the drive circuit. The amplitude adjusting circuit is configured by gain variable amplifiers, for example. Thus, rotation fluctuation and vibration of the polyphase motor can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Aono, Akio Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20080297958
    Abstract: When a failure of an electric current flow occurs in any one of phases, a microcomputer calculates a d-axis current command value that changes along a tangent curve with predetermined rotation angles as asymptotic lines. The microcomputer continuously outputs a motor control signal using two phases other than the phase with the failed electric current as electric current flowing phases by performing current feedback control in correspondence with the d-axis current command value. In such two-phase drive operation, the microcomputer calculates the d-axis current command value and a q-axis current command value in such a manner that the phase current values of the electric current flowing phases become constant at respective maximum values of flowable electric currents, which are set for the phases, in rotation angle restriction ranges in which the phase current values need to be restricted in correspondence with the maximum values, or electric current restriction ranges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20080289226
    Abstract: A electric motor is disclosed in which torque ripple is reduced. The electric motor includes a single motor shaft. Rotors are disposed so as to be mutually offset in phase, and the rotors are secured to the motor shaft. Stators are arranged so as to individually correspond to the rotors, and the stators are disposed so as to be matched in phase. The phases of torque ripple generated in each motor unit, which is comprised of a combination of a single rotor and a single stator, are offset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Yamagishi, Yoshihisa Hirose, Tsutomu Mizoroke
  • Publication number: 20080246427
    Abstract: The following invention is an electromechanical system (1) that is to be connected to an electricity supply (7), comprising: an electric machine (2) that can operate as an independent generator with a rotating shaft, and a switching system (9) allowing i) in the first configuration, the electric machine to operate as a motor in the case where the connected device (4) is normally driven or as a generator in the case where the coupled device is normally driving, and ii) in the second configuration, the electric machine to operate as an independent generator, the electrical energy generated by the electric machine (2; 22) being dissipated in the machine and in a dissipative load (13).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Applicant: MOTEURS LEROY-SOMER
    Inventor: Christian Petit
  • Publication number: 20080246426
    Abstract: A control system aims at converting, via a switching circuit, a direct current voltage into an alternating current voltage to be applied to multiphase windings of a multiphase rotary machine to thereby control rotation of the multiphase rotary machine. In the control system, a command voltage determiner determines a command voltage value for an alternating current voltage to be applied to the multiphase windings based on a zero crossing of a line-to-line current and a zero crossing of the amount of change in the line-to-line current. A driving unit drives the switching circuit on and off based on the determined command voltage value to thereby modulate the direct current voltage to the alternating current voltage to be applied to the multiphase windings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuaki Aoki, Hideji Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7427842
    Abstract: A circuit for a series motor for a power tool is disclosed, wherein reliable switching is achieved by means of two electronic switches, without the use of a mechanically disconnecting switch. To this end, two electronic switches, preferably triacs, are preferably connected in series to each other, the voltage drop across the triacs being continuously monitored by a monitoring circuit. A check for faults can be carried out before switching on the power tool. Alternatively, a fusible cutout can be tripped by means of a protective switch connected in parallel thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: C. & E. Fein GmbH
    Inventors: Christof Kress, Martin Beichter
  • Publication number: 20080116832
    Abstract: A controller performs processing for calculating a main torque control value, processing for outputting a final control torque value based on the main torque control value and a vibration-suppression torque control value for mitigating torque fluctuation that occurs when a rotating electric machine is operated at the main torque control value, and processing for calculating the vibration-suppression torque control value. The processing for calculating the vibration-suppression torque control value includes processing for calculating an original control value serving as a source of the vibration-suppression torque control value, processing for performing guard processing for restricting the original control value by using a vibration suppression guard value, and processing for smoothing an angular portion where rate of change is discontinuous, that is generated in the torque control value that has been subjected to the guard processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Yamada, Hideaki Saida, Satoru Katou
  • Patent number: 7339414
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a circuit arrangement for monitoring the mode of operation of one or more load circuits, especially of a domestic appliance, which contains a controlled semiconductor switch, such as a triac, and an electric consumer. Said switches are supplied by at least one alternating voltage source that supplies an alternating voltage including positive and negative voltage half-waves. The invention is characterized in that the currents flowing through all controlled semiconductor switches (T1, T2) and the electric consumers (R1, R2) are guided through a common low-impedance precision resistor (Rm). The respective voltage drop occurring over the low-impedance precision resistor (Rm) is separately evaluated with respect to the amplitudes of the positive and negative voltage half-waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Christian Duscher
  • Publication number: 20080042606
    Abstract: A feedback control method and apparatus for detecting phase currents of three or more phases on fixed coordinates of a polyphase electric motor with current sensors so as to be transformed into detection currents on rotating coordinates by fixed/rotating coordinate transformation and controlling the currents supplied to respective phases of the polyphase electric motor based on the detection currents on the rotating coordinates and target currents on the rotating coordinates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Applicant: AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhigian Chen
  • Patent number: 7282881
    Abstract: A circuit and method of reducing the occurrence of overheating of a power fold vehicle mirror. The circuit controls the operation of the power fold mirror such that when a portion of the circuit reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature threshold, the vehicle mirror is prevented from at least folding in. In practice, the vehicle mirror will be allowed to fold out even when the predetermined temperature threshold has been reached or exceeded, to allow the vehicle door to be opened and the car to be driven. The vehicle mirror may be allowed to be folded in when the temperature of the circuit falls to or below a second predetermined temperature threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Schefenacker Vision Systems Australia Pty Ltd.
    Inventor: Donald Kay
  • Patent number: 7253581
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a way to accurately detect the position of a spindle motor. In a spindle motor startup process according to one embodiment, a parameter setup section acquires from a parameter table a sense time value corresponding to an input voltage that is acquired from an ADC. The parameter setup section sets the sense time value in a register. A position determination section, which is within an SPM driver, performs an induced voltage detection process for rotor position detection purposes during the time corresponding to the sense time value that is set in the register. Even when the input voltage is decreased, rotor position detection can be properly achieved by changing the sense time value in accordance with a change in the input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Nobuhisa Koide, Yukiko Hayashi, Shougo Shimada, Gaku Ikedo
  • Patent number: 7217103
    Abstract: A system for optimizing compressor output flow when a maximum power consumption limit exists and the compressor inlet pressure can vary. Utilizing the invention the maximum compressor output flow can be obtained even while the inlet pressure to the compressor varies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: RIX Industries
    Inventor: John Below
  • Patent number: 7187151
    Abstract: A conveyor unit (2) including a driving roller (5), a motor (30) for powering the driving roller (5), and a controller (10) adapted to adjust the motor (30) so as to control the driving roller (5), the motor (30) including a permanent magnet and an armature having a plurality of armature coils (32a–32c), and the controller (10) having an interrupter (15) adapted to repeat shunting and deshunting of at least one of the coils (32a–32c) and a rotation detector (17) adapted to detect an externally forced rotation of the motor (30) in response to an electromotive force induced in at least one of the coils (32a–32c), wherein in the case that the motor (30) is not driven, the controller (10) maintains operations of the interrupter (15) and outputs a presence signal by determining conveyance of an article (W) into an area powered by the motor (30) upon detection of the rotation of the motor (30) by means of the rotation detector (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Itoh Denki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Itoh, Yoshio Inoue
  • Patent number: 7170254
    Abstract: A stepper motor driving apparatus, includes a stepper motor; a driven member interlocked with a rotation of a rotor of the stepper motor, a stopper stopping the driven member in a zero position, a controller controlling the excitation state of an excitation coil of the stepper motor, an induced voltage waveform detector detecting an induced voltage waveform generated on the basis of change of magnetic flux in accordance with the rotation of the rotor, and a zero position detector detecting whether the driven member is stopped in the zero position. The zero position detector includes a comparator which compares a time T2 in which each induced voltage waveform exceeds a predetermined threshold value with a predetermined contact determining reference time Tref, and a determinant which determines whether the driven member is stopped in the zero position by the stopper based on a result of the comparison by the comparator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihisa Yamada
  • Patent number: 7170253
    Abstract: Latch control methods and systems are disclosed, including a latch that receives power from a motor associated with a latch. A sensor can be provided for monitoring the current consumption of the motor. A microcontroller can control the latch and/or the motor, based on the current consumption data received from the sensor concerning the current consumption of the motor. Monitoring of the current waveform of the motor therefore provides speed and direction feedback data for control of the latch. Additionally, a microprocessor can process instructions for controlling the interaction of the motor, the latch, the sensor and/or the microcontroller. Such a current monitoring control system is made possible by variation in current consumption of the motor during rotation as a result of commutation, which can be interrogated by measuring the voltage drop across the motor or a shunt resistor, or through the use of other current sensors, such as, for example, a Hall-effect type current sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Nigel V. Spurr, Michael J. Shelley, Richard T. Hayes, William F. Eaton, Hugh D. Gibson, Alex Crawford, Ajaykumar Vaidhyanathan, Scott A. Vorwald, Kenneth V. Bechtold, Curtis B. Johnson, Duncan S. Murchie, Daniel D. Kilker, Abanni B. Maxwell, Patrick H. Shannon, Gillian J. Madden
  • Patent number: 7088069
    Abstract: Load of each motor-driven drive section of an injection molding machine is monitored in order to obtain an average load level of the drive section for each molding cycle. A cycle extending time or a cycle shortening time necessary for decreasing or increasing the average load level to a previously set reference load level is calculated, and is displayed directly or indirectly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Nissei Plastic Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuo Usui
  • Patent number: 7038415
    Abstract: A temperature sensor (33) detects the temperature of a MOS transistor (7), and a current detecting circuit (35) detects current flowing in the MOS transistor (7). When the voltage corresponding to the detected temperature or the voltage corresponding to the detected current is increased to a threshold value or more, an overheat state detecting signal and further switching signal is set to a high level. As a result, a switch circuit in a driving circuit (17) is turned on, and the gate resistance value becomes the parallel value of a resistor (25), and the PWM frequency in the PWM control circuit is lowered, whereby the switching loss of the MOS transistor (7) can be reduced under the state that the motor (2) is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Nakamura, Manabu Nomura, Satoshi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 7002318
    Abstract: A control system for a motor including a rotor comprises a sensorless sensor module that includes a saliency-based estimator module that generates a first rotor position signal based on saliency and a back electromotive force (emf) estimator module that generates a second rotor position signal based on back emf. A selector selects the first rotor position signal for rotor speeds below a first rotor speed and the second rotor position signal for rotor speeds above the first rotor speed. A rotor position sensor senses a position of the rotor and generates a third rotor position signal. A fault detection module senses faults in the rotor position sensor and outputs the third rotor position signal when a fault is not detected and one of the first and second rotor position signals when the fault is detected. An indirect field oriented control (IFOC) system controls the motor based on a selected one of the first, second and third rotor position signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Steven E. Schulz, Sean E Gleason, Nitinkumar R. Patel, James M. Nagashima, Yu-Seok Jeong, Seung Ki Sul, Michael Milani
  • Patent number: 6989641
    Abstract: A method for controlling an electric machine having current sensors for less than every phase of the electric machine includes operating a processor to perform a test to preliminarily determine whether a fault exists in one or more of the current sensors and a test to finally determine that the fault exists in the one or more current sensors. The method further includes operating the processor to utilize a state observer of the electric machine to estimate states of the electric machine, wherein the state observer is provided state input measurements from each non-faulty current sensor, if any. Measurements from the current sensor or sensors determined to be faulty are disregarded. The processor controls the electric machine utilizing results from the state observer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Steven E. Schulz, Nitinkumar R. Patel, James M. Nagashima, Yu-Seok Jeong, Seung Ki Sul
  • Patent number: 6919704
    Abstract: A trolling motor having reverse battery protection such that an inadvertent reversal of the battery leads, as when connecting the trolling motor to a battery, will not cause unwanted operation of the trolling motor or damage to the trolling motor circuitry. The reverse battery protection includes a field effect transistor connected in series between one of the battery leads and the motor. The gate terminal of the transistor is in communication with the other battery lead such that, when the battery leads are properly connected to a battery, the transistor is driven to its conducting state and, when the battery leads are reversed, the transistor is driven to its non-conducting state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventor: Robert W. Healey
  • Patent number: 6917174
    Abstract: The increasing use of electrically powered vehicles has created a need for inexpensively and effectively measuring high currents for motor control, as for example digital motor control. Because the high operating voltages of traction motors, the motor current sensors should be non-contacting. A non-contacting current sensor having a rated capacity significantly less than the motor winding current is coupled to one or more of the conductors of a paralleled multiconductor motor winding for sensing the current in that conductor. The paralleled electrical motor conductors are paralleled by additional similar conductors, so that only a fraction of the current to be measured flows through the conductor(s) associated with the sensor. The current sensor elements may be mounted on a pc board, which supports the elements, and also has one or more printed patterns which define conductors associated with the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: BAE Systems Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter A. Carruthers, Garey G. Roden
  • Patent number: 6778367
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of detecting the blocking of a three-phase stepper motor featuring three coils, characterised in that, with the stepper motor having its coils connected in star mode, with a common terminal (P), it implements a detection of a said blocking of the rotor of the motor, by supplying two of the said coils (A, B) with electricity in such a way that they are traversed by a current, and by measuring the voltage at an end terminal of the third coil (C). A comparison of the measured voltage is carried out with at least one given threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
    Inventor: Bruno Grendene
  • Publication number: 20040090202
    Abstract: Load of each motor-driven drive section of an injection molding machine is monitored in order to obtain an average load level of the drive section for each molding cycle. A cycle extending time or a cycle shortening time necessary for decreasing or increasing the average load level to a previously set reference load level is calculated, and is displayed directly or indirectly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Inventor: Kazuo Usui
  • Patent number: 6696807
    Abstract: A control apparatus of an electric power steering system has calculating means, controlling means, determining means suppressing means, canceling means. Calculating means calculates an assist current value that corresponds to the assist force based on steering torque of a steering wheel. Controlling means executes assist control of the motor based on the assist current value. Determining means determines an abnormality in the circuit. Suppressing means suppresses the assist control when an abnormality in the circuit is determined. If the determination of an abnormality has continued longer than a predetermined time since the suppression of the assist control, the suppressing means opens relay means that permits electric power to be supplied to the motor. When it is determined that the circuit returns to normal with the assist control suppressed, the canceling means cancels the suppression of the assist control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Toyoda Koki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Iwata, Masahide Iwazawa, Akira Itoh, Yasushi Yamada
  • Publication number: 20040004455
    Abstract: In a sensorless brushless DC motor formed by a stator including a plurality of windings and a rotor including permanent magnet poles, inductances of the windings are detected while the rotor is stationary, and then, the angle of the stationary rotor is detected in accordance with the detected inductances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Publication date: January 8, 2004
    Applicants: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION, NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Fujimoto, Motoharu Nagase
  • Publication number: 20030107340
    Abstract: A control unit for an electrically retractable door mirror 10, including: a motor M1 to drive rotationally a door mirror to a stored position or a normal position; a change-over switch SW1; and a first and second control circuits 11 and 12, wherein the first and second control circuits 11 and 12 include electronic switches 14 and 17 respectively which are capable of switching on/off depending on the polarity of an electrical signal switched by the change-over switch SW1, excess current detecting means 15 and 18 whose electrical resistances grow with an increase in a current and which are connected to the electronic switches 14 and 17 in series respectively, and shutoff switches 16 and 19 which switch off the electronic switches 14 and 17 respectively when a voltage generated in the excess current detecting means 15 and 18 exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Inventors: Takahiro Kurita, Mitsuyoshi Nagao
  • Publication number: 20030006728
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling the displacement motion of a part, moved by an electromotor, of a closure device in a motor vehicle, for example, a window pane control, in the doors of the motor vehicle. A jamming incident is identified by a comparison of at least one status value of the electromotor or of the closure device which status value signifies a jamming incident, for example the motor current or the displacement speed, which a characteristic value that is significant for a jamming incident. In addition, the position of movable body parts, in particular the doors, is detected and the control of the displacement motion is adapted, in accordance with the identification of a jamming incident and the position of the body parts. If the result of the comparison indicates a jamming incident, the electromotor is Stopped for a predetermined short period of time that is preferably hardly perceptible, or the motor is reversed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Publication date: January 9, 2003
    Inventors: Klaus Spreng, Erich Liepold
  • Patent number: 6501241
    Abstract: A current detector used in a control system for controlling a motor for driving a vehicle is disclosed, which does not require an especially accurate power circuit, and an accurate measurement result can be obtained by using a cheap power circuit whose accuracy is relatively low. The current detector comprises a detector for outputting a voltage corresponding to a target current, wherein the detector has a current detecting element for detecting the target current; an amplifier for amplifying and outputting the output from the detector; an analog-digital converter for converting the output from the amplifier to a digital data; and a power circuit for supplying an output voltage to both the detector and the analog-digital converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaishi
    Inventors: Takafumi Tsurumi, Yasumichi Ohnuki
  • Patent number: 6362583
    Abstract: A control unit (1) according to the invention for controlling a brushless motor (5) includes position detection means (10) for generating a signal (S1) which is indicative of the position of the motor (5). The control unit (1) further includes supply means (20a, 20b, 20c) for energizing two or more coils (5a, 5b, 5c) of the motor (5) and output terminals (30a, 30b, 30c) for electrically coupling the coils (5a, 5b, 5c) to the supply means (20a, 20b, 20c). The position detection means (10) include polarity detection means (T3, D3, T4, D4, A1) for generating a polarity signal (S1) which is a measure of the direction of the current (Ia) through at least one of the coils (5a). The control unit (1) in accordance with the invention is particularly suitable for use in a device for reading and/or writing an information carrier (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes Petrus Maria Bahlmann, Henricus Marinus Van Hout
  • Patent number: 6111379
    Abstract: The circuit configuration is used to drive an electrical drive unit. The circuit has a voltage source and a control circuit for voltage commutation connected between the voltage source and the electrical drive unit. In addition, the circuit includes a temperature evaluation circuit that monitors the temperature of the control circuit. The temperature evaluation circuit uses the motor current of the electrical drive unit to determine the housing temperature of the power switch which has the greatest load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Martin Feldtkeller
  • Patent number: 6111380
    Abstract: A stop and jamming detection system in a stepping motor determines a parameter from the profile of an instantaneous motor variable and compares it to a reference value. A signal for the stop and jamming detection system is generated therefrom. Provided for this purpose is an analysis circuit which detects, as the instantaneous motor variable, the voltage that is induced in at least one unenergized winding of the stepping motor and is brought about by an energized winding of the stepping motor, and analyzes it as to whether the stepping motor is jammed or movable. In the analysis by the analysis circuit, a decision is made as to a hard or an elastic jam. With a hard jam, the stationary armature means that no voltage is induced, while with an elastic jam, because the step is not completed, the recoil of the armature into its original position induces an opposite-phase voltage peak which is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Juergen Munz, Harald Eisenhardt
  • Patent number: 6054827
    Abstract: A current flowing to a motor 8 for generating a steering assist force for a steering mechanism is detected by a motor current detecting circuit 24 to be inputted to a controller 10 as a motor current detection value IMS. The controller 10 arithmetically determines deviation between the motor current detection value IMS and a desired motor current value IMT preset on the basis of a vehicle speed and a detected steering assist torque value and decides abnormality of the motor current detecting circuit 24 when the deviation indicates an abnormal value over a period equal to or longer than a predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Takatsuka, Shunichi Wada
  • Patent number: 6031348
    Abstract: An automatic power window system (10) includes a motor module (12) and a controller (14) physically remotely located from the motor module. The motor module and the controller are coupled by a first signal link (16) and a second signal link (18). The first signal link is arranged to carry a limited number of high priority communication data at high speed, while the second signal link is arranged to carry virtually any number of low priority communication data at low speed. The high priority communication data may represent an operating condition of the motor during automatic operation. The operating condition is preferably simply and reliably indicated by the presence, absence or transition of a signal on the first signal link. The low speed communication data represents a plurality of operating data each of which are indicated by a plurality of time-multiplexed signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignees: Motorola, Inc., Brose Fahrzeugteile, GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Walton L. Fehr, Thomas Schindler, Detlef Russ
  • Patent number: 6005361
    Abstract: In a method of controlling a direct-current drive, in particular a directrrent door drive, two state variables of the direct-current drive are determined and, on the basis of these state variables, a load or resistance moment applied to the direct-current drive is determined and compared with a predetermined load or resistance moment. Subsequently, it is established that an abnormal situation exists when the load or resistance moment determined exceeds the predetermined load or resistance moment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foderung der Angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Viktor Grinewitschus, Dirk Raffel
  • Patent number: 5874816
    Abstract: A method of preventing a wire from becoming entangled in a reinforcing bar fastening machine having a wire feed device for feeding a wire for fastening reinforcing bars, a guide arm for guiding the wire so as to wind around a crossing point of the reinforcing bars in the form of a loop, a twisting device for performing a tying operation by twisting while picking up part of the loop of the wire wound around the crossing point of the reinforcing bars, and a cutting device for cutting the loop from the wire on a reinforcing bar fastening machine side, the method comprises the steps of: monitoring a torque of a motor for driving the twisting device; and stopping the operation of the twisting device when no increasing tendency is observed in changes in the torque after a predetermined time has elapsed from an operation start timing of the twisting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: Max Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Syuichi Ishii
  • Patent number: 5859514
    Abstract: A method for the control of a load, such as a motor, by means of a start-up controller (1) connected, on the one hand, to a fixed frequency alternating supply, and, on the other hand, to the motor, and including static switches associated with at least one phase of the motor and operated by a control circuit (2), characterized in that the electromagnetic torque (C.sub.m) of the motor is automatically controlled to a variable reference value (C.sub.cons) in the start-up or deceleration stage of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Schneider Electric SA
    Inventors: Jean-Louis Chouffier, Hubert Cornilleau, Pascal Duclos
  • Patent number: 5831406
    Abstract: An electric servo-drive for adjusting a control element between an open position and a closed position. The tightness of the control element in the closed position can be assured without any additional tightening device. Starting signals are issued to the drive motor by a control unit after the control element reaches the closed position, thus causing the control element to be driven further in the direction of the closed position by the drive motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joerg Bleibinhaus, Joachim Kempkes