Condition Responsive Patents (Class 318/806)
  • Patent number: 5764011
    Abstract: An air conditioner which has a controller equipped with heat-producing electrical parts and in which the driving current of a compressor, etc., is controlled by the controller, includes a temperature sensor which is provided to or in the vicinity of at least one heat-sensitive electrical part (for example, a power transistor) of the electrical parts and adapted to detect the temperature of a heat-sensitive electrical part, and means for stepwise or linearly reducing the upper-limit value of the driving current of the compressor in accordance with the increase of the detected temperature when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is higher than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsugio Nakae, Tomonori Isobe, Hajime Takada
  • Patent number: 5744921
    Abstract: A control system (100) for a five-phase brushless DC motor (102) including a stator having five windings and a rotor (116) mounted for rotation relative to the windings (114). The windings (114) are adapted to be electronically commutated in response to the rotary position of the rotor (116). The control system (100) includes a sensing circuit (106) to sense the rotary position of the rotor (116) using an optical or magnetic sensor or the back electromotive force voltages in the windings (114). Electronic switches (112) control the flow of current through the windings (114) in response to control signals generated by a control circuit (110) in response to the rotary position of the rotor (116). The control circuit (110) includes start-up logic to start the motor (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: Siemens Electric Limited
    Inventor: John E. Makaran
  • Patent number: 5740880
    Abstract: Electric motors having controllable induced armature fields, such as induction motors and synchronous reluctance motors, are used in power assisted steering systems for motor vehicles. Power is conserved by tailoring induced armature fields or rotor flux in accordance with the speeds of motor vehicles including the power assisted steering system. In particular, one or more flux programs or maps are provided for the power assisted steering system with the flux map or program being accessed or addressed by means of the vehicle speed. During low speed operation of the motor vehicle, for example to perform parking maneuvers where speeds are near zero and steering forces are near or at maximum, the rotor flux is programmed to maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: John Michael Miller
  • Patent number: 5710500
    Abstract: The motor speed control apparatus according to the present invention controls the rotation speed of a motor to be constant in a state where a disturbance torque is present. The motor speed control apparatus includes a disturbance torque observer 1. The disturbance torque observer 1 estimates a disturbance torque .tau..sub.d based on a detected speed signal v detected by a speed detector 105 and a drive signal D supplied to a drive circuit 150, and cuts off high-frequency components thereof by means of filters 13 and 2 so as to output an estimated disturbance signal d. A comparator 130 outputs a speed error signal .DELTA.v, which is a difference between the detected speed signal v and a desired speed signal v.sub.r. An arithmetic unit 140 outputs a control signal c in accordance with the speed error signal .DELTA.v. A torque correction unit 3 corrects the control signal c by using the estimated disturbance signal d so as to output the drive signal D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Matsuo, Toshio Inaji
  • Patent number: 5682091
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the efficiency of operation of polyphase AC induction motors. The method and apparatus utilizes a microprocessor to tune a motor control system such that time interval on at least two phases of a multi-phase power source such that the time intervals between turn-on of bi-directional switches and the time of sensing the resultant inrush currents of the two phases on two motor stators are maintained substantially constant as the load is varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Assignee: National Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Williamson, Ryan Corley
  • Patent number: 5680025
    Abstract: Apparatus which automates the collection of motor temperature, flux and shaft current data for proactive motor maintenance. Motor speed is determined by an analysis of the flux frequency spectrum, and motor load is determined based on speed, from which a normalized thermal parameter is then determined. From a spectrum analysis of magnetic flux signals a set of peaks each characterized by a frequency and an amplitude is found, and a subset of peaks is identified in accordance with predetermined identity criteria for purposes of comparison. Temperature, magnetic flux and shaft current data are trended to provide early indications of degradation, as well as for recognizing faults.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: CSI Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Stewart V. Bowers, III, Kenneth R. Piety, William A. Davis
  • Patent number: 5675497
    Abstract: A method for detecting a departure from normal operation of an electric motor comprises the steps of modelling a set of normal current measurements and a set of operational current measurements for the motor being monitored. The modelling is carried out by a neural network auto-associator which is trained to reproduce its inputs on its output. A potential failure is indicated whenever the set of normal current measurements and the set of operational current measurements differ by more than a predetermined criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: Siemens Corporate Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Petsche, Charles Garrett
  • Patent number: 5656911
    Abstract: A driving device controls a permanent-magnet synchronous motor having a permanent magnet in its rotor using a voltage-type inverter supplying drive power for the synchronous motor, makes the torque of the synchronous motor and the d-axis current flowing in the synchronous motor in the direction of the magnetic flux generated by the permanent magnet approach their own command values, and performs weakening field control by decreasing the d-axis current. To perform the above described control without complicated d-axis current command value operations or temperature amendments to motor constants, the driving device includes a proportional controller for outputting a d-axis signal proportional to the deviation between a d-axis current detection value and a d-axis current command value for the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignees: Fuji Electric Company, Nissan Motor Company
    Inventors: Tomoharu Nakayama, Koetsu Fujita, Shigenori Kinoshita, Takao Yanase, Masahiko Hanazawa, Shinichiro Kitada, Toshio Kikuchi, Takeshi Aso
  • Patent number: 5644205
    Abstract: An asynchronous motor is supplied with power from an AC line voltage via a variable speed drive including a rectifier bridge connected to the AC line voltage, a DC voltage intermediate circuit including a capacitor and an inverter including switches and connected to the phase windings of the motor. A system for controlling the power supply to the motor includes a device for controlled resumption of motor speed after supply of power to the motor is interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: Schneider Electric S.A.
    Inventors: Vinh T. Nguyen Phuoc, Hubert Cornilleau, Antonio Almeida, Lucien Perrin
  • Patent number: 5642026
    Abstract: A windshield wiper system having variable frequency induction motor control for reducing wipe speed at reversal points includes an induction motor, a wiper and blade assembly operatively connected to the motor, a sensing means for detecting when the position of the wiper and blade assembly is within a preselected range of one of the reversal points, and a motor control responsive to the control signal generated by the sensing means for causing the motor to reduce wipe speed during the preselected range prior to the reversal point to reduce pattern growth, noise, and water expulsion. The sensing means takes the form of a cam or plate operated switch driven by the induction motor. The control signal derived from the cam operated switch is provided as an input to a voltage controlled oscillator, whose variable frequency output is used to vary the frequency of the excitation voltage applied to the windings of the three phase induction motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Electrical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Roy Alan McCann, John Riden Suriano, Keith Richard Cook
  • Patent number: 5637976
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to be used with a motor controller for determining RMS line current during a start-up period or a stalled period using electrical values known to the controller. Various equations relate RMS line current to monitored thyristor and source voltages as well as the duration of non-conducting periods in line voltages to determine the RMS line current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Allen-Bradley Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Li Chen, Peter Unsworth
  • Patent number: 5635811
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for recognizing a standstill condition when restarting a power converter-fed AC motor without a tachometer generator. According to an embodiment of the invention, a standstill recognition method includes first and second active phases decoupled by a passive phase. In each phase, time characteristics of the orthogonal current components of a measured motor current are recorded, and the energy component of current from the second active phase is further evaluated to generate an average value. This generated average value and an upper range value are then compared to a limiting value, which will be exceeded when the AC motor is at a standstill. Thus, through application of a current measurement and a simple evaluation, one can quickly determine the actual state of the power converter-fed AC motor when restarting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Matthias Rebhan, Hubert Schierling
  • Patent number: 5585708
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus and method is disclosed for controlling a multiphase AC motor by controlling electrical quantities such as voltage or current applied to the stator of the motor. The apparatus includes a motor command unit for defining a reference signal indicative of a desired motor parameter such as torque, speed, or position, a DC voltage link, a controller, a line-side converter including active switches in a bridge configuration for controlling the bidirectional flow of electrical power between the DC voltage link and a source of AC power, and a motor-side converter including active switches in a bridge configuration for controlling stator electrical quantities by controlling the bidirectional flow of electrical power between the DC voltage link and the motor, where the motor-side converter includes control means responsive to the reference signal for controlling the active switches to produce stator electrical quantities that correspond to the reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: Kenetech Windpower, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Richardson, William L. Erdman
  • Patent number: 5581169
    Abstract: A method and apparatus used with a motor controller having a PWM inverter for eliminating discontinuities in a stator current that are caused by noise, command signal discontinuities and feedback corrections. While noise, discontinuities, and correction can cause multiple crossings between a carrier signal and a command signal during a half cycle of a carrier signal, the present invention only allows a single crossing during any carrier signal half cycle to effect motor operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: Allen-Bradley Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Russel J. Kerkman, David Schlegel, Calvin C. Steinweg
  • Patent number: 5576632
    Abstract: A method for detecting a departure from normal operation of an electric motor comprises obtaining a set of normal current measurements for a motor being monitored; training a neural network auto-associator using the set of normal current measurements; making current measurements for the motor in operation; comparing the current measurements with the normal current measurements; and indicating abnormal operation whenever the current measurements deviate more than a predetermined amount from the normal current measurements. The method models a set of normal current measurements for the motor being monitored, and indicates a potential failure whenever measurements from the motor deviate significantly from a model. The model takes the form of an neural network auto-associator which is "trained"--using current measurements collected while the motor is known to be in a normal operating condition--to reproduce the inputs on the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Siemens Corporate Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Petsche, Stephen J. Hanson
  • Patent number: 5574387
    Abstract: A method for detecting a departure from normal operation of an electric motor comprises obtaining a set of normal current measurements for a motor being monitored; forming clusters of the normal current measurements; training a neural network auto-associator using the set of normal current measurements; making current measurements for the motor in operation; comparing the input and output of the auto-associator; and indicating abnormal operation whenever the current measurements deviate more than a predetermined amount from the normal current measurements. The method models a set of normal current measurements for the motor being monitored, and indicates a potential failure whenever measurements from the motor deviate significantly from a model. The model takes the form of an neural network auto-associator which is "trained"--using clusters of current measurements collected while the motor is known to be in a normal operating condition--to reproduce the inputs on the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: Siemens Corporate Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Petsche, Charles Garrett
  • Patent number: 5569121
    Abstract: A torque generator device for simulating in physical exercise apparatus a load opposing a force exerted by a user includes an asynchronous motor controlled by a variable speed drive of the flux vector control reversible type whose current is controlled by a torque regulator loop. The variable speed drive fixes the flux in the motor so that the torque can be controlled independently. The torque regulator loop processes measurements from a force sensor which it compares with a force set point to control the current fed into the motor by the variable speed drive. The device thus generates a constant torque which opposes the force exerted by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Inventor: Bruno Sellier
  • Patent number: 5568034
    Abstract: A drive arrangement for a fault tolerant variable speed induction motor provides a pair of current (torque and flux) command signals. The current command signals are converted to a three-phase output with sinusoidally varying signals. The three-phase output is modified to enable the motor to operate in the event one of the motor phases is open or disconnected. The modified three-phase output is used to provide first, second and third gate logic signals which are used for driving the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Huggett, Gabor Kalman
  • Patent number: 5561358
    Abstract: A variable speed pumping up generator includes a first speed control unit for outputting a rotating speed command signal for controlling a pump turbine in accordance with a power output command and outputting an excitation control signal to an AC excitation unit of the generator, and a second speed control unit for controlling, in a generation mode, an amount of AC excitation from an AC excitation unit when a rotating speed of a rotary shaft departs from a lower limit setting or an upper limit setting. The setting is set in accordance with the rotating speed generated during a normal operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Takao Kuwabara, Masataka Harada, Yasuteru Oono, Hiroto Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 5543695
    Abstract: A powered medical instrument includes a manually operable foot switch coupled to a motor control unit which in turn is coupled to an autoclavable handpiece containing a brushless sensorless electric motor driving a tool. The motor control arrangement includes a control panel through which a user can select a maximum torque value for the motor, and includes a torque limit circuit which limits the motor torque to the torque limit value selected by the user. The control panel also provides a digital display of actual motor speed and allows the user to digitally specify a maximum motor speed. The output of the foot switch is adjusted by a transfer function and then used to control motor speed, and the transfer function is adjusted as necessary to precisely conform the actual motor speed and thus the displayed speed to the selected maximum speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1996
    Assignee: Stryker Corporation
    Inventors: Jerry A. Culp, Kevin J. Schemansky
  • Patent number: 5541494
    Abstract: A motor control system for an electric car includes a detector for determining when an input voltage or an output voltage of a DC power circuit falls below a respective predetermined value to operate a switching signal stopper circuit which interrupts or prevents the application of pulse width modulated (PWM) signals to current control elements switching DC currents to generate three-phase AC currents in coils of the motor. The detection of an abnormal drop in the input voltage or the output voltage indicates a malfunction causing excessive currents which could burn out the control elements and/or the power circuit in the absence of prompt interruption of the PWM switching signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Teruo Sannomiya, Yutaka Hotta
  • Patent number: 5532571
    Abstract: The invention provides a control apparatus for an induction motor to maintain torque following controllability even with use of inexpensive speed detection units having detection delay. In a control unit, a phase correction arithmetic circuit uses a motor speed detection value detected by a speed sensor and a low-pass filter and a detection delay time of a control system to compute a correction phase. An adder adds the correction phase to a magnetic flux phase obtained by a vector control computation. The addition corrects a magnetic flux phase deviation due to detection delay of the correction phase of a primary current command, and compensates for the detection delay so as to maintain the torque following controllability of an inductor motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoso Masaki, Nobuyoshi Mutoh
  • Patent number: 5510687
    Abstract: An electric motor has three windings which are supplied by a three-phase source of electricity that has one polarity during a first half-cycle and another polarity during a second half-cycle. The motor is controlled by an apparatus that has three thyristor switches coupling the phases of the source to the motor windings. A switch controller triggers the thyristor switches to apply electricity that produces movement of the motor. One thyristor switch is operated to be in a first non-conductive state during a portion of every first half-cycle and in a second non-conductive state during a portion of every second half-cycle. The first non-conductive states are longer in duration than the second non-conductive states. A current sensor provides a first value that indicates the magnitude of the DC component of electric current flowing through one motor winding that is connected to the one switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Allen-Bradley Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Ursworth, Abdullah Inuwa
  • Patent number: 5506930
    Abstract: The present invention provides a control apparatus that stably controls a mechanical system incorporating a variable speed motor by suppressing mechanical vibrations without requiring the use of a motor speed detector. In accordance with the present invention, a power converter driving the motor is controlled based on a result fed from a weighting adder that calculates a weighted sum of the mechanical system's state variables, which are estimated by a first state observer to which detected current and voltage values are fed, and a target current value or a target voltage value. Alternatively, the power converter is controlled based on a result fed from a weighting adder that calculates a weighted sum of the state variables, which are estimated by a second state observer to which detected current value and a target voltage value are fed, and a target current value or a target voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Umida
  • Patent number: 5488281
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to be used with a motor controller for determining the degree of rotor winding failure and stator winding failure using current zero crossing times of the stator winding currents. An error signal sequence, consisting of phase angle errors between consecutive zero crossings over a sampling period, is generated and analyzed in different regions of interest in either the time or frequency domain, producing signals with varying amplitudes, the signal amplitudes together with other motor parameter measurements being used to determine the degree of rotor winding failure and stator winding failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1996
    Assignee: Allen-Bradley Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Unsworth, Yuan Wang
  • Patent number: 5471127
    Abstract: An induction motor is operated at a high electrical efficiency level by employing a line current peak detector in conjunction with an electronic phase angle controller and a microprocessor system controller. If the line current peaks remain substantially constant the phase angle controller increases a phase gap in the applied line voltage to a width incrementally greater than a full-load value, at which point the line current peak value increases substantially. The increase in line current peak value is sensed by the line current peak detector and a signal is transmitted to the microprocessor system controller which in turn automatically adjusts the control input to the phase angle controller in order to incrementally decrease the existing phase gap in the output of the phase angle controller. Varying mechanical loads are therefore automatically accommodated while keeping the motor running efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Energy Reduction International Ltd.
    Inventors: Mark C. V. Vaughan, Simon P. Vaughan
  • Patent number: 5463302
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for slip compensation in a squirrel cage induction motor when the motor (2) is fed by an inverter (1) without feedback at a supply frequency less than 20% of the rated supply frequency of the motor after the motor has first been fed at a frequency more than 50% of the rated frequency for a period of time at least equal to a mechanical time constant of a combination formed by the motor and a load device, wherein a term (kT) proportional to the torque of the motor is determined and added to the set value of the rotation speed (n) to effect slip compensation. To improve the compensation accuracy, the value of said compensation term is stored in a memory before transition from the frequency more than 50% of the rated frequency to a frequency less than 50% of the rated frequency, and the stored compensation term is used as such for slip compensation when the supply frequency of the motor is less than 20% of the rated frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: ABB Industry Oy
    Inventor: Torma
  • Patent number: 5446363
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method of controlling an induction motor, which controls a primary current of the induction motor on the basis of a magnetic flux component current command i.sub.1d *, a torque component current command i.sub.1q *, and a slip frequency command .omega..sub.s which are orthogonal component command values of the primary current of the induction motor, wherein control parameters R.sub.2 *, l.sub.2 * and M* set in accordance with a secondary resistance R.sub.2, a secondary leakage inductance l.sub.2 and a mutual inductance M of the induction motor are used to calculate the magnetic flux component current command i.sub.1d *, the torque component current command i.sub.1q * and the slip frequency command .omega..sub.s. Even in the case where the mutual inductance M of the induction motor varies, if the coefficient 1/M* is assumed as a magnetic saturation function given by a gap magnetic flux, the influence of the magnetic saturation can be canceled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Ryoichi Kurosawa, Hajime Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 5412303
    Abstract: A power control circuit for induction motors wherein a servo loop is used to control power input by controlling the minimal power consumption of motor operation. The minimum power consumption is measured by sensing current or power and operating the servo loop at or near a minimally sensed power consumption level. The negative derivative of power consumption vs voltage curve, dP/dV, is sensed and a minimal value is used in a servo loop's error summing point wherein compensating slightly drives the power consumption point past the minimal power consumption point to regulate minimal power consumption by a smooth, minimal cycle. Maximum energy savings is thus attained with a smooth, stepless regulating method placing no mechanical stress on the motor-and-load combination. An indicator of power savings and normal operation is inherent in this type of control system which provides for a device for both indicating the level of savings and alerting of system faults.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Inventor: Paul F. Wernicki
  • Patent number: 5410234
    Abstract: A motor drive control apparatus having an electrical power amplifier for supplying an electrical power to a motor, and a current control loop and speed control loop for controlling the drive of the motor, which includes a current feedforward component calculation section for creating voltage commands to be imposed on respective phases from current commands for the respective phases for the motor and the impedance model of the motor for carrying out a feedforward control by using the voltage commands to be imposed on the respective phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: Okuma Corporation
    Inventors: Akihito Shibata, Hisashi Kondo
  • Patent number: 5378952
    Abstract: A drive system for washing machines, electric vehicles or the like has its winding switched to effect speed change and an asynchronous motor operated by a frequency converter where there are more than two grooves per pole and phase with respect to the motor and the number of grooves of the rotor exceeds the number of grooves of the stator whose sheet pack is welded along the back. The windings are formed as short-pitched chord half-hole windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Assignee: ERA Electronik-Regelautomatik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Heinz Schaffersmann
  • Patent number: 5365158
    Abstract: A slip frequency type driving control apparatus includes a detector for detecting an input current and an input voltage to an induction motor, a calculating unit for calculating a rotor flux and a torque current of the induction motor, a neural network for outputting an excitation current command value and a slip frequency command value, and a vector control unit for performing vector control for the induction motor. The neural network receives a rotor flux command value, a torque current command value, a calculated rotor flux value, and a calculated torque current value, performs learning on the basis of a back-propagation law using signals output in correspondence with these inputs, and outputs an excitation current command value and a slip frequency command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shigeru Tanaka, Susumu Tadakuma, Kazuo Shimane
  • Patent number: 5323637
    Abstract: A moisture sensor which registers the amount of moisture from tear-shaped precipitation, particularly on a windshield. The device includes a beam director which is mounted on the windshield by an optical adhesive. The beam director has a beam transmitter on one side and a beam receptor on the other. To ensure an optically perfect attachment of the beam director as an integrated unit to the windshield, there is a parallel relationship between the windshield and the facing surface of the beam director. An optical adhesive is applied to the gap between the windshield and the beam director, and is confined to a particular area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Norbert Bendicks, Berthold Esders
  • Patent number: 5306998
    Abstract: A protection control circuit for a variable speed hoisting device driven by an induction motor includes, in addition to the inverter unit 1 for supplying power to the induction motor 2 and relays, a rotary encoder 16 and an abnormality detector 15. When the rotary encoder 16 does not generate output in spite of the fact that an operation instruction is input, the abnormality detector 15 opens the normally closed contact 15b2 to stop the inverter unit 1 and turns on the invertor abnormality display lamp 15d1 and rotation detector abnormality display lamp 15d2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki K.K.
    Inventor: Youji Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5298848
    Abstract: A large capacity (1-2 MkVA) driving system for variable-speed-driving an AC motor by a power converter (inverter, converter) in which GTO (gate turn-off) thyristors are used as switching devices. In this system, high frequency GTO thyristors are connected in series, power converters are multiplexed, the AC motor is used in its plural phases, instantaneous spatial vector PWM (pulse width modulation) control is performed, vector control for the motor is performed, and a circuit for recovering snubber energy for GTO thyristors and a power factor adjusting circuit are provided. Thus, this driving system provides a torque ripple of 1% or less, speed response of 60 rad/sec or more, efficiency of 95% or more and a power factor of 98% or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeta Ueda, Takashi Ikimi, Mitsuyuki Hombu, Noboru Ogawa, Yorito Jifuku, Kenzo Kamiyama
  • Patent number: 5294875
    Abstract: A polyphase motor is powered by an inverter. Each phase winding in the motor comprises two electrically insulated, electromagnetically coupled, conductors, making up a "phase bundle." Each conductor in the bundle is powered by its own transistor drive. The drives for each phase winding respond to a common phase signal for instance from a pulse width modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1994
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventor: Narasimha K. Reddy
  • Patent number: 5278486
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an induction motor, and a method of adjusting slip angular velocity of an induction motor, based on the voltage, current and velocity of the induction motor and compensating the slip angular velocity using vector control of the induction motor by way of a current controllable inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong-Il Kim
  • Patent number: 5274317
    Abstract: An improved digital PWM closed-loop current control for a multiple phase winding AC machine which requires only a single sensor for monitoring the current in one of the phase windings of the machine. The PWM on-time values for the various phase windings of the machine are stored in a single look-up table as a function of stator position and requested current amplitude, and the on-times used to schedule phase winding energization are periodically updated using a two-part look-up procedure. Initially, the stored on-time value for a single phase winding is retrieved from the table as a function of stator position and the requested current amplitude. The retrieved value is then compared with a measure of the actual current in the respective phase winding to form an error signal, which is used to adjust the requested current amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1993
    Assignees: General Motors Corp., Delco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel E. Utley, Kevin M. Deasy, Gordon D. Cheever, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5241253
    Abstract: A controller for operating a two-speed fan motor at one of two speeds and for selecting the appropriate speed in response to conditions such as a maximum and minimum duct static pressure in a fan unit having moveable inlet guide vanes for controlling air flow rates through the fan unit when employed in a variable air volume system. Position sensing switches are provided on the fan unit for indicating to the controller when the inlet guide vanes are in their preferred switching positions, which may be full open or full closed. The controller then selects one of the two fan speeds as appropriate within an operating deadband limit which serves to prevent undesirable changes of motor speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Assignee: American Standard Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew J. Schlangen
  • Patent number: 5239252
    Abstract: In the control of a.c. power controllers by the phase-angle control of semiconductor valves that are used to automatically control the power factor, it is necessary to determine the phase-angle between the current I and the voltage U by measuring the time difference between the current zero crossing and the voltage zero crossing. However, disturbances superimposed on the line voltage produce considerable statistical fluctuations, particularly in the measurement of the times for the voltage zero crossings. These fluctuations are propagated to the phase-angle and may lead to an unstable control response. Therefore, to determine the time difference, a reference time, which is calculated from the measured actual times of the preceding voltage zero crossings, is used for the voltage zero crossing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Diethard Runggaldier, B. Claus Doerwald
  • Patent number: 5204607
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process and apparatus for correcting a pre-controlled reference flux for a field-oriented control comprising a reference voltage model of a converter-powered multi-phase machine with a speed detection device. According to the invention, a comparison between a reference voltage which is used for setting a converter and a predetermined maximum converter output voltage provides a voltage control difference. From this voltage control difference, a flux control value is generated by a flux correction controller, which reduces the pre-controlled reference flux until the reference voltage for the converter is lower than or equal to the predetermined maximum converter output voltage (U.sub.wmax). As a result the field-oriented regulation never leaves the field-oriented range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Harald Hugel, Gunther Schwesig
  • Patent number: 5200682
    Abstract: This invention relates to a motor current phase delay compensating method and apparatus thereof enabling the driven system to efficiently operate by compensating current phase delay of the stator coil winding such that an alternating current servo motor for driving a FA system, a CNC, or a robot for industry generates maximum torque. An output signal of an A/D converter and a rotational direction discriminating signal of an alternating current servo motor are received whereby a phase delay value with respect to the speed is generated. The phase delay value and an output signal from the A/D converter are summed whereby a phase delay compensation amount is computed to compensate the phase delay amount. The phase delay compensation amount and an output from the speed PI controller are respectively received whereby U-phase and V-phase analog current reference instruction values area generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-Il Kim, Hyo-Kyu Kim, Sang-Kwon Im
  • Patent number: 5168204
    Abstract: A motor torque and flux controller usable with a battery-powered vehicle drive regulates the flux in the drive motor so that a constant fraction of available battery voltage is used throughout the constant-power operating range. The controller is responsive to a scalar voltage reference signal and a torque demand reference signal to produce direct and quadrature components of a current demand vector as well as a signal representative of rotor slip. Feedback for the controller is provided by a scalar signal preferably representative of a fraction of the demanded motor terminal voltage. The controller limits the magnitude of the current demand vector to a predetermined maximum while providing flux dominance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Colin D. Schauder
  • Patent number: 5166592
    Abstract: A control for a clothes dryer with an induction drive motor and an electric resistance heater element. A single sense winding is threaded through sensors monitoring drive motor current and heater current, generating an output voltage each time the alternating motor or heater current passes through a zero-crossing. The control monitors the ON/OFF condition of the heater and samples the lagging phase angle of the motor current, to provide an improved means of detecting when the clothes load is dry by measuring variation in motor torque due to minute differences in the way that the clothes load is tumbling from one drum revolution to the next revolution, ignoring cyclical, repetitive variation due to uneven drum rotational friction. The control provides a clothes cooldown period with controlled moisture regain as per the user dryness selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1992
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Larry T. Bashark
  • Patent number: 5153491
    Abstract: A spindle motor control method capable of high-accuracy contour machining uses a vector control processor executing a speed loop process to obtain a torque command (Tc). Vector control is performed (S4, S7) in accordance with a magnetic flux command (.PHI.c) set at a predetermined fixed value (CF.PHI.) when a spindle motor is being driven in a contour control mode. This prevents irregularity in motor speed and motor vibration attributable to a delay of the actual magnetic flux of the spindle motor behind the magnetic flux command, thus enabling high-accuracy contour machining. In a normal speed control mode or an orientation mode for tool replacement, the vector control is effected (S4 to S6, S8) in accordance with the magnetic flux command (.PHI.c), which is obtained on the basis of the torque command (Tc), its maximum value (Tcmax), maximum magnetic flux command (.PHI.cmax) set in dependence on the rotating speed of the motor, and minimum magnetic flux (NR.PHI.cmin, OR.PHI.min).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiki Fujioka, Hironobu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5148093
    Abstract: A control system for an AC excited synchronous machine for use in an electricity generator/motor system. The AC excited synchronous machine can be driven not only in a variable-speed operation based on 2-axis current control but also in a constant exciting frequency operation based on only direct-axis current component control. A phase signal is switched to drive stably the AC excited synchronoius machine in a self-excited operation or in a rotary phase modifying operation. Further, when it is desired to start pumping-up water, a synchronizing power is provided to keep constant the rotational speed of the machine at the time of establishing a desired water pressure. Because of the switching arrangement of the phase signal, the AC excited synchronous machine can be operated as an ordinary synchronous machine exhibiting ordinary synchronous characteristics, that is, self-excited operation characteristics, rotary phase modifying operation characteristics and pumping-up start characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Bando, Shigehiro Kayukawa, Toshio Taguchi, Yasuteru Ohno, Junichi Shiozaki, deceased, Junko Shiozaki
  • Patent number: 5123080
    Abstract: A compressor drive system that includes a thermostat producing a signal indicating the measured air temperature, a modulation control circuit connected to the thermostat to produce a motor drive signal from the temperature signal and which is output to a motor drive switching bridge circuit. The motor drive switching bridge circuit is connected to a rectifier that converts single phase alternating current to direct current. The switching bridge uses the motor drive signal from the modulation control circuit and the rectifier output to produce multiphase power including a speed control signal imposed on the power for regulating speed. A motor connected to drive a compressor is included. The motor is powered by the motor drive switching bridge circuit multiphase power output. The speed of the motor is controlled as a function of the temperature signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: Ranco Incorporated of Delaware
    Inventors: Jimmie D. Gillett, Richard R. Garcia, Charles B. Ingram
  • Patent number: 5089760
    Abstract: The invention is a direct current bus voltage regulator for an alternating current inverter, where draws direct current from a DC bus, and the inverter supplies alternating current having a controlled frequency to an AC motor. The alternating current frequency controlled by a signal received through a precedence determining circuit that determines which signal will control the AC current frequency. This circuit receives signals from a ramp generator, an AC current limiting circuit and a DC bus voltage sensing circuit. The precedence determining circuit passes the signal with the highest priority on to a voltage control oscillator which in turn controls the AC current frequency delivered to the AC motor, thereby controlling the motor speed. The ramp generator signal indicates an operator input motor control command and has the lowest priority of the three signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1992
    Assignee: Square D Company
    Inventor: F. Carl Joyner, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5086264
    Abstract: The present invention maintains constant torque in an inverter driven AC induction motor during variations in rotor temperature. It is known that the torque output of a given AC induction motor is dependent upon rotor temperature. At rotor temperatures higher than the nominal operating condition the rotor impedance increases, reducing the rotor current and motor torque. In a similar fashion, the rotor impedance is reduced resulting in increased rotor current and motor torque when the rotor temperature is lower than the nominal operating condition. The present invention monitors the bus current from the DC supply to the inverter and adjusts the slip frequency of the inverter drive to maintain a constant motor torque. This adjustment is based upon whether predetermined conditions implying increased rotor temperature or decreased rotor temperature exist for longer that a predetermined interval of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1992
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: William L. Kelledes, Don K. St. John
  • Patent number: 5047909
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus capable of eliminating inexpedient higher harmonic components from its output, without lowering the conversion efficiency. The apparatus includes a first power converter for converting an input power from a power supply into an output power; a detector for detecting an output current and an output voltage of the first power converter; a high harmonic detector for detecting a higher harmonic component on a basis of the output current and the output voltage, and for producing current reference signal corresponding to the detected higher harmonic component; and a second power converter for producing an inverse of the detected higher harmonic component according to the current reference signal, and combining the produced inverse of the higher harmonic component with the output current of the first power converter such that the higher harmonic component in the output current of the first power converter are cancelled by the inverse of the higher harmonic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Hiromi Hosoda