Abstract: A combined device for instantaneous control of power transfer between two cores of a direct current network and for powering an alternating current engine. The device includes: an assembly of two three-phase inverters, each including three switching cells connected to the engine, which engine includes three stator windings connected to the two three-phase inverters, and a module for controlling the assembly, which ensures both an adjustable direct current power transfer and enables stabilization of the direct current voltage of one of the two cores if it is not connected, and the control of the engine.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a phase current sampling apparatus (300, 600, FIGS. 3, 6), an electric motor drive system (100, FIG. 1), and a motor vehicle (1200, FIG. 12) include switching circuitry adapted to receive first and second phase current waveforms. The switching circuitry provides the first phase current waveform during at least two offset sampling instants, and provides the second phase current waveform during a reference sampling instant. An analog-to-digital converter is adapted to sample the first phase current waveform at the offset sampling instants, and to sample the second phase current waveform at the reference sampling instant. An embodiment of a method for regulating phase current waveforms includes an analog-to-digital converter generating samples of a first phase current waveform at sampling instants that occur before and after a reference sampling instant, and generating a sample of a second phase current waveform at the reference sampling instant.

Abstract: A trigger mechanism for starting current acquisition for motor control applications is disclosed. The present invention may generate an edge (ADC trigger) that can be used to start current acquisition by the ADC. The present invention may reduce the overhead involved in synchronizing the current acquisition with PWM generation and also minimize the wait period for software conversions to complete by replacing software-based timing with a hardware-based trigger mechanism.

Abstract: In a multi-phase motor drive that includes a bus capacitor, a multi-phase motor, a multi-phase inverter, multiple switches each having an on-state and an off-state, and multiple current sensors each being in series with respective phase winding, a method for checking the accuracy of circuit parameters of the motor drive, including using the switches to produce a first loop that includes the capacitor bank, a first phase winding, a first current sensor, a second phase winding, and a second current sensor, using the current sensors to determine a magnitude of current in the first and second phase windings, comparing a magnitude of current indicated by the first current sensor and the second current sensor, and determining a magnitude of a difference between the current in the first and second phase windings.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a phase current sampling apparatus (300, 600, FIGS. 3, 6), an electric motor drive system (100, FIG. 1), and a motor vehicle (1200, FIG. 12) include switching circuitry adapted to receive first and second phase current waveforms. The switching circuitry provides the first phase current waveform during at least two offset sampling instants, and provides the second phase current waveform during a reference sampling instant. An analog-to-digital converter is adapted to sample the first phase current waveform at the offset sampling instants, and to sample the second phase current waveform at the reference sampling instant. An embodiment of a method for regulating phase current waveforms includes an analog-to-digital converter generating samples of a first phase current waveform at sampling instants that occur before and after a reference sampling instant, and generating a sample of a second phase current waveform at the reference sampling instant.

Abstract: The electrical machine (1) has a stator (2) and a rotor (5), wherein the stator (2) has stator slots (8), in which a stator winding (4) with redundant and at least three-phase winding systems (U1, V1, W1; U2, V2, W2) is laid. According to the invention, the electrical machine (1) has a large number of poles with a pole number (PZ) of at least four, a number (NZ) of stator slots (8) which corresponds to the product of a phase number and the square of the pole number (PZ) of the electrical machine (1) or an integral multiple thereof, and a number of winding systems (U1, V1, W1; . . . ; U4, V4, W4) which corresponds to the pole number (PZ). In each case a number of in-phase winding sections (U1-U4, V1-V4, W1-W4) which corresponds to the pole number (PZ) are combined to form a group of phase winding sections (PU, PV, PW). The phase winding section groups (PU, PV, PW) are laid, phase-cyclically and pole-for-pole, in the stator slots (8) of the stator (2).

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.

Abstract: A combined device for instantaneous control of power transfer between two cores of a direct current network and for powering an alternating current engine. The device includes: an assembly of two three-phase inverters, each including three switching cells connected to the engine, which engine includes three stator windings connected to the two three-phase inverters, and a module for controlling the assembly, which ensures both an adjustable direct current power transfer and enables stabilization of the direct current voltage of one of the two cores if it is not connected, and the control of the engine.

Abstract: A brushless d.c. drive including a synchronous motor, including a multiphase armature winding, a switching device controlled by an electronic controller and connected upstream from the armature winding for commutation of the armature winding, and a device for generating a fail-silent response with simple circuitry measures and without any external components, and which includes a separating apparatus, arrangement or structure in the armature winding to respond in the event of a fault and separate the connections between the winding phases, including at the neutral point.

Abstract: First and second stator circuitry for respective use with first and second stators in a multi-stator motor are configured so that the first stator circuitry is substantially unaffected by a failure of the second stator circuitry to energize a second winding in the second stator. To that end, the motor includes a rotor that rotates through a plurality of rotational positions, the first stator having the first stator circuitry and a first winding, and the second stator having the second stator circuitry and a second winding. The first stator circuitry energizes the first winding in response to the rotational position of the rotor. In a similar manner, the second stator circuitry energizes the second winding in response to the rotational position of the rotor.

Abstract: A dual stator winding induction machine has two windings with input terminals which are supplied separately with drive power. The two stator windings have a different number of poles to essentially eliminate the magnetic coupling between the two windings and to decouple the torques produced by each set of windings. Power is supplied to the two windings by two separate variable frequency inverter drives to provide two independently controllably torque components. At low speed, the power supplied to one of the windings can produce torque which opposes the torque from the power applied to the other winding, so that very low speed and standstill operation can be achieved while the frequency of the power supplied by the inverters is always greater than the minimum frequency. At higher operating speeds, power is supplied to the two windings so that the torque from the windings adds. The dual stator machine can be built with minimal modifications to standard winding configurations.

Abstract: A multi-channel motor winding configuration providing low harmonic distortion and a PWM inverting controller for this type of winding configuration are disclosed. The motor winding configuration includes a plurality of individually insulated conductors wound in a group through the stator slots of a synchronous or induction type alternating current (AC) motor. Depending on the winding configuration, the group of conductors may constitute a portion of or the entire current carried by one phase of a single or polyphase motor. The PWM controller for this type of winding configuration connects each conductor in the group to its own dedicated set of power switching devices in an H-bridge configuration. The H-bridge configuration is powered by a direct current (DC) or rectified AC source.

Abstract: A direct current motor having a primary armature winding, a secondary armature winding and a switching circuit adapted to selectively energize the primary winding and the secondary winding to achieve three-speed motor operation is disclosed. The system is adapted to achieve a high speed of the motor by energizing only the primary winding, a medium speed of the motor by energizing only the secondary winding, and a low speed of the motor by energizing both the primary winding and the secondary winding. The system also includes a voltage source providing a direct current level voltage with respect to an electric ground and a switching circuit adapted to operate the motor. The switching circuit is coupled to the voltage supply for energizing the primary winding only to achieve a high speed, energizing only the secondary winding to achieve a medium speed, and energizing both the primary winding and the secondary winding in series with each other to achieve a low speed.

Abstract: A fractional-power electric motor is provided to generate varying amounts of output torque supplied to a driven member over a wide range of RPM speeds so as to reduce power consumption on a battery-powered source. The electric motor includes a rotor and a stator assembly. The stator assembly is disposed around the rotor and is inductively coupled to the rotor. The stator assembly further includes a plurality of poles, each having a main winding and at least one fractional-power winding. The main winding and associated at least one fractional-power winding on each of the stator poles are wound so that the magnetic fluxes generated therefrom are added. Power switching circuits are provided for independently energizing the main and fractional-power windings on each of the stator poles. A controller is used to control selectively the frequency and duty cycle energization of the power switching circuits to vary the rotational speed of the rotor and the amounts of torque supplied to the driven member.

Abstract: A high-speed constant-horsepower motor includes a rotor and a stator having a plurality of groups of windings which are separately driven. In one mode of operation, the polarity of the voltage applied to each winding is such that the windings behave as distinct electromagnets, each defining a separate magnetic pole. In another mode of operation, the polarity of voltage applied to some of the windings is reversed, such that pairs of adjacent windings behave as single electromagnets. In the latter mode, the effective number of magnetic poles is reduced by a factor of two. Thus, the effective number of magnetic poles of the motor can be varied electronically, even while the motor is operating. The invention makes it possible, in one example, to operate the motor as an eight-pole motor at low speeds, and as a four-pole motor at high speeds. The effective motor constants are changed appropriately from eight-pole to four-pole modes.

Abstract: A fractional-power electric motor is provided to generate varying amounts of output torque supplied to a driven member over a wide range of RPM speeds so as to reduce power consumption on a battery-powered source. The electric motor includes a rotor and a stator assembly. The stator assembly is disposed around the rotor and is inductively coupled to the rotor. The stator assembly further includes a plurality of poles, each having a main winding and at least one fractional-power winding. The main winding and associated at least one fractional-power winding on each of the stator poles are wound so that the magnetic fluxes generated therefrom are added. Power switching circuits are provided for independently energizing the main and fractional-power windings on each of the stator poles. A controller is used to control selectively the frequency and duty cycle energization of the power switching circuits to vary the rotational speed of the rotor and the amounts of torque supplied to the driven member.

Abstract: The first and second interpole compensation windings are disposed on the commutation starting side and the commutation ending side of the interpole cores, respectively. The current flowing through the first and second interpole compensation windings are controlled in response to the first and second voltages detected by the first and second brushes disposed on the commutation starting side and the commutation ending side of the brushes.