Abstract: A heating unit for a vehicle features a radial fan (100) having a housing (110), which housing has an air inlet (116) and an air exit opening (118). The heating unit has an air-directing device (140) that guides an air flow in a pressure chamber (115) of the housing (110) to the exit opening (118). Arranged in the housing (110) is a radial fan wheel (130) that serves to generate a flow from the air inlet (116) via the pressure chamber (115) to the air exit opening (118). Also provided is an electrical heating element, e.g. a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heating element (125), that serves to transfer heat to the air flow generated by the fan. Air-directing elements (632, 634, 636, 638) are provided between the exit opening (118) and the heating element (125), in order to generate an air flow having a more uniform (680) velocity distribution.

Abstract: In this method, the value of a temperature-dependent motor parameter (ke) of an electronically commutated motor (124) is determined during motor operation without a temperature sensor. The motor has a stator (201) having stator phases (202, 204, 206), and a permanent-magnet rotor (208) coacting with that stator, which rotor induces voltages (UIND) in the stator phases during operation, a power stage (122) being associated with the stator phases in order to control their energization. In this method, energization of the stator phases is interrupted while the rotor (208) is rotating. A value (UIND) characterizing an induced voltage, and a value (?) characterizing a rotation speed of the motor, are ascertained. On the basis of those values, the value of the temperature-dependent motor parameter (ke) is derived. The invention also concerns a motor for carrying out such a method.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for generating an alarm signal in a motor which comprises a rotor (50) whose actual rotation speed during operation lies in a normal zone (nSoll, TSoll), can deviate from that normal zone in the event of a fault, and is to be monitored against a malfunction or fault state, comprising the following steps: At least one alarm switch-on rotation speed (nAOn, TAOn) and at least one alarm switch-off rotation speed (nAOff, TAOff) are defined, of which the latter is located closer to the normal zone than the former, an associated pair of alarm switch-on rotation speed and alarm switch-off rotation speed defining between them a hysteresis zone. When the rotation speed to be monitored arrives, coming from the hysteresis zone, at the alarm switch-on rotation speed, an alarm switch-on criterion (Flag DIR=0) is generated. The duration of this alarm switch-on criterion is monitored. When this duration reaches a predetermined value (tdOn), an alarm signal (ALARM) is activated (FIG.

Abstract: If a motor becomes defective, e.g. stops running, runs too slowly, or becomes too hot, many customers demand the generation of an alarm signal, i.e. ask for an alarm device provided on the motor. The following method is used for configuring this alarm signal: At least one parameter for configuring the alarm device of the motor is inputted via a input interface (80, 82); the at least one parameter is stored in a parameter memory (74; 109); the execution of at least one routine of the alarm device provided in the microprocessor (23) is influenced by said stored parameter or by a parameter derived therefrom. The invention furthermore concerns a motor for carrying out such a method. In a motor of this kind, the alarm device can easily be configured in accordance with a customer's present needs.

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer-controlled electronically commutated motor (ECM) and to an improved method for processing data therein. The computer's program executes the steps of: a) defining, in recurrent steps, the rotor position region in which a current pulse is to flow through the at least one winding phase, and the duration (TCurr) of that current pulse; b) sensing, in recurrent steps, the rotation-speed-dependent time period (TPP) required by the rotor to pass through a predetermined rotation angle range; c) monitoring the ratio between that rotation-speed-dependent time period (TPP) and the duration (Tcurr) of the current pulses; and d) as a function of the magnitude of that ratio, choosing a time to perform, in the computer, at least one predetermined calculation, either during (Flag_Fct_Within=1) the duration (TCurr) of a current pulse or in a time span outside (Flag_Fct_Within=0) a current pulse.

Abstract: An electronically commutated motor has a rotor (108), a stator having a stator winding arrangement (102), and a full bridge circuit (137) for controlling the current (i1, i2) in the stator winding arrangement (102); in the full bridge circuit (137), first semiconductor switches (114, 130) are connected to a first DC supply lead (116) and second semiconductor switches (132, 136) to the other DC supply lead (122), said second switches being bidirectionally conductive of current in the switched-on state. The motor has an arrangement (172, 198, 188) for opening the first semiconductor switches (114, 130) and for closing the second semiconductor switches (132, 136) during a predetermined operating state. An arrangement (202) is provided for monitoring the direction of the current (i1, i2) which flows in the second semiconductor switches (132, 136) when the latter are conductive during the predetermined operating state.

Abstract: In a method for commutating an electronically commutated motor, a predictive calculation is made of a first time span that the rotor will need in order to pass through a specified rotation angle that lies between a first rotational position (∂0) and a later second rotational position (∂1) at which a switching operation is to be effected in the motor. Upon actual passage through the first rotational position, a reference time is identified and stored. The time difference between the present time and the stored reference time is then monitored repeatedly and compared to the first time span; and when a specified relationship exists between the time difference and the first time span, the switching operation is performed.

Abstract: The rotation speed of an electric motor (9) is controlled by a controller (6) which receives its setpoint from a characteristic function (23). The characteristic function (23) calculates a setpoint for the controller (6) on the basis of an originally analog variable A (2) that is converted to digital by an A/D converter AD (10), with the aid of support values of a “MEM+DATA” characteristic that are stored in a memory (4); those values not predefined by the support values are calculated by interpolation.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for nonvolatile storage of at least one operating data value of an electric motor (32). The latter comprises a microprocessor or microcontroller (23) that controls its commutation, and it comprises a nonvolatile memory (74). In this method, when the motor (32) is switched on, an old operating data value is transferred from the nonvolatile memory (74) into a volatile memory (97) associated with the microprocessor (23) and saved there as a variable. The variable is updated by the microprocessor in the time intervals between the commutation operations (FIG. 13). At intervals of time, the operating data value saved in the nonvolatile memory (74) is replaced by the updated operating data value corresponding to the present value of the variable. A motor for carrying out this method is described.

Abstract: The method and apparatus are for controlling a longitudinal shifting of an elongated piece along a predetermined length SL as said piece moves transversely within a plane at a given speed PS. The apparatus comprises a longitudinal arm having a given length PL pivotable within the plane to shift the piece; a flexible link operatively mounted around the arm to contact the piece as the arm is pivoted to shift the piece; a controllable pivoting means for pivoting the arm according to an angle &thgr; determined in relation to the predetermined length SL and the given length PL; and a controllable driving means for driving the flexible link around the arm according to a speed SS determined in relation to the speed PS of the piece and the angle &thgr; so that the longitudinal shifting is controlled.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a double press for forging round or edged bar-shaped workpieces using two presses set at 90.degree. to each other, each having a pair of forging tools (A1, A2, B1, B2) that hydraulically work pairs I and II of the forging tools being driven alternatingly and each of the pump assemblies (5,6) being connected on its delivery side to a piston-cylinder unit (1,3) of a forging tool (A1, A2) of the one pair I and on its suction side to a piston-cylinder unit (2,4) of a forging tool (B1, B2) of the other pair II, and with the main lines (21, 22, 23, 24) between the pump assemblies (5,6) and the piston-cylinder units (1, 2, 3, 4) being free of valves. The delivery direction of the pump assemblies (5,6) is reversible, so that the pumps' delivery and suction sides change with a reversal of the delivery direction.