Patents Assigned to Alcoa Fujikura Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
  • Patent number: 7170270
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device for operating a load circuit provided with an inductive load, comprising a control stage producing a pulse-width modulated control signal with measuring disconnection intervals provided in between said control signal, a power stage feeding the load circuit and comprising an electronic switch controlled by the pulse-width modulated control signal and a freewheeling element which is connected in parallel to said load circuit. In order to improve upon said device so that it is possible to determine in a simple manner the amount of current flowing into the load circuit, a current detection unit for determining the amount of current flowing into the load circuit prior to the measuring disconnection interval detects the duration of freewheeling time and calculates the value of said current therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Alcoa Fujikura Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventor: Dirk Herke
  • Patent number: 7006761
    Abstract: In order to design as inexpensively as possible a control device for DC motors which are provided with a commutator for feeding their motor windings which has at least four sliding contacts, this device comprising a modulation stage which generates at least one control signal modulated as to pulse width with a clock frequency substantially above the motor speed and a control circuit which is controlled by the at least one control signal and has at least one load branch which feeds the commutator and is provided with an electronic switch controlled by the control signal modulated as to pulse width, it is suggested that the sliding contacts be combined to form at least two control groups, that the sliding contacts be combined within each control group to form pairs of sliding contacts and that each control group have its own load branch associated with it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Alcoa Fujikura Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventor: Dirk Herke
  • Publication number: 20060017445
    Abstract: In order to improve an electrical supply network for on-board electrical systems of vehicles, comprising at least one network system with a current feed-in connection, with at least one load connection and with a supply line system which is guided from the current feed-in connection to the at least one load connection and has at least one current-carrying line harness and at least one protective casing surrounding this, in such a manner that an electric arc can either be avoided or when an electric arc is formed this can be terminated again as quickly as possible, it is suggested that the supply line system be provided with a detector line system which is connected at a first end to a detector circuit and is connected at at least one additional end to an end element, that the detector circuit generate a test signal which is influenced in the defect-free state by the detector line system and the end element and that the detector circuit detect a defect due to deviation of the test signal from a reference value
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Publication date: January 26, 2006
    Applicant: Alcoa Fujikura Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventors: Horst Flock, Thomas Kanamueller, Joerg Ehrhardt
  • Patent number: 6975083
    Abstract: A control circuit, processor and half-bridge are provided for operating electric motors. The half-bridge includes a first electronic switch lying between a supply voltage and a phase tap, and a second electronic switch lying between the phase tap and ground. The control circuit is adapted to control the first and second electronic switches with one out of only three switching signal pairings. The signal pairings consist of (i) the first switch being on and the second switch being off, (ii) the first switch being off and the second switch being on, and (iii) the first and second switches being off The processor has a signal output port coupled to control the control circuit to select one of the three signal pairings, via one of three possible output signals at the signal output port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Alcoa Fujikura Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventor: Horst Flock
  • Patent number: 6927522
    Abstract: In order to improve a power supply unit for a commutator of an electric motor, comprising a brush holder support with brushes arranged in it and interacting with the commutator, in such a manner that this can be produced as inexpensively and in as functionally reliable a manner as possible it is suggested that the power supply unit comprise an electronics housing which is formed by the brush holder support and a protective cover connected to it and that the electronics housing seal an electronic circuit module arranged in an interior thereof in a functionally reliable manner in relation to the surroundings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Alcoa Fujikura Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventor: Robert Skofljanec
  • Patent number: 6882121
    Abstract: In order to improve a control device for operating a load circuit having at least one electric motor, this control device comprising a control stage which generates a pulse width modulated control signal, a power stage supplying the load circuit and having an electronic switch activated by the pulse width modulated control signal, a freewheeling element connected in parallel to the load circuit and a blocking monitoring means which generates a measurement switch-off interval by suppressing at least one switch-on interval of the pulse width modulated control signal, monitors the voltage in the load circuit during the measurement switch-off interval, compares it to a limit value and generates a blocking state signal in accordance with the comparison, in such a manner that a differentiated analysis of the voltages occurring in the measurement switch-off interval is possible it is suggested that for monitoring at least two electric motors connected in parallel in the load circuit the blocking monitoring means car
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Alcoa Fujikura Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventors: Dirk Herke, Thomas Kanamueller
  • Publication number: 20050074229
    Abstract: In order to design as inexpensively as possible a control device for DC motors which are provided with a commutator for feeding their motor windings which has at least four sliding contacts, this device comprising a modulation stage which generates at least one control signal modulated as to pulse width with a clock frequency substantially above the motor speed and a control circuit which is controlled by the at least one control signal and has at least one load branch which feeds the commutator and is provided with an electronic switch controlled by the control signal modulated as to pulse width, it is suggested that the sliding contacts be combined to form at least two control groups, that the sliding contacts be combined within each control group to form shunt-fed pairs of sliding contacts and that each control group have its own load branch associated with it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Publication date: April 7, 2005
    Applicant: Alcoa Fujikura Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventor: Dirk Herke
  • Publication number: 20050057199
    Abstract: In order to improve a control device for operating a load circuit having at least one electric motor, this control device comprising a control stage which generates a pulse width modulated control signal, a power stage supplying the load circuit and having an electronic switch activated by the pulse width modulated control signal, a freewheeling element connected in parallel to the load circuit and a blocking monitoring means which generates a measurement switch-off interval by suppressing at least one switch-on interval of the pulse width modulated control signal, monitors the voltage in the load circuit during the measurement switch-off interval, compares it to a limit value and generates a blocking state signal in accordance with the comparison, in such a manner that a differentiated analysis of the voltages occurring in the measurement switch-off interval is possible it is suggested that for monitoring at least two electric motors connected in parallel in the load circuit the blocking monitoring means car
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Applicant: Alcoa Fujikura Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventors: Dirk Herke, Thomas Kanamueller
  • Publication number: 20050057099
    Abstract: In order to design the circuit arrangement for a control device for units connected to an electric supply network of a motor vehicle as load, comprising a control signal generator for generating a pulse-width modulated control signal, a power output stage with at least one power switch for supplying the respective load, wherein the power switch can be activated in a pulse-width modulated manner by the control signal applied to a control input thereof and has connections for connection to the supply network as well as to the load, one of these connection being formed by at least one conductor element, such that, on the one hand, line inductances which are as low as possible occur and, on the other hand, electric resistances which are also as low as possible it is suggested that a current connection carrier on the network side and a current connection carrier on the load side be provided in the at least one power output stage and that the at least one conductor element of each power switch be connected to one o
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Applicant: Alcoa Fujikura Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventor: Horst Flock
  • Publication number: 20050057240
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device for operating a load circuit provided with an inductive load, comprising a control stage producing a pulse-width modulated control signal with measuring disconnection intervals provided in between said control signal, a power stage feeding the load circuit and comprising an electronic switch controlled by the pulse-width modulated control signal and a freewheeling element which is connected in parallel to said load circuit. In order to improve upon said device so that it is possible to determine in a simple manner the amount of current flowing into the load circuit, a current detection unit for determining the amount of current flowing into the load circuit prior to the measuring disconnection interval detects the duration of freewheeling time and calculates the value of said current therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Applicant: Alcoa Fujikura Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventor: Dirk Herke
  • Publication number: 20040252429
    Abstract: In order to improve a line arrangement for electrical systems of vehicles, comprising an electrical supply line running from a current feed terminal to a current delivery terminal and having at least one current-carrying inner conductor and at least one protective sheath surrounding the latter in such a way that, when an arc forms, remedial action can be rapidly taken, it is proposed that a detector element which runs along the supply line and is formed in such a way that its electrical and/or optical behavior is irreversibly changed when a local arc originating from the current-carrying inner conductor occurs is provided, and that an isolating circuit which is connected to the current feed terminal and isolates the current-carrying inner conductor from a current source when the electrical and/or optical behavior of the detector element changes is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Applicant: Alcoa Fujikura Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Karl Edgard Maurice Virgin, Joerg Ehrhardt
  • Publication number: 20040212467
    Abstract: To provide a relay, in particular for 42-volt automotive electrical systems, comprising a housing (10), two contact elements (60, 62) passing through the housing (10) and projecting beyond it, a magnetic coil (16) disposed in the housing and an armature (22) which is mounted pivotably in the housing (10), can be moved by means of the magnetic coil (16) and by means of which a contact bridge (100) can be moved between a contact position, electrically connecting the contact elements (60, 62), and an interruption position, which relay operates reliably at voltages higher than 12 volts, it is proposed that an elastic spring element (110) is movable between two elastic spring states by means of the armature (22) and that the elastic spring element (110) in one elastic spring state keeps the contact bridge (100) in the contact position and in the other elastic spring state keeps it in the interruption position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Applicant: Alcoa Fujikura Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventors: Dieter Schwenkedel, Frank Hoenig
  • Publication number: 20040195928
    Abstract: In order to improve a power supply unit for a commutator of an electric motor, comprising a brush holder support with brushes arranged in it and interacting with the commutator, in such a manner that this can be produced as inexpensively and in as functionally reliable a manner as possible it is suggested that the power supply unit comprise an electronics housing which is formed by the brush holder support and a protective cover connected to it and that the electronics housing seal an electronic circuit module arranged in an interior thereof in a functionally reliable manner in relation to the surroundings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Applicant: Alcoa Fujikura Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventor: Robert Skofljanec
  • Patent number: 6507177
    Abstract: A control circuit is provided for the power-controlled operation of a load in a portion of a load range. A semiconductor switch is provided which is effective in a load circuit. A drive circuit for the switch generates a control signal. The control signal comprises drive pulses following one another and separated by interpulse periods, for controlling the load in a portion of the load range. In an upper portion of the portion of the load range, the control signal comprises a first pulse signal, with first individual pulses following one another with a first pulse frequency, and a second pulse signal, with second individual pulses following one another with a second pulse frequency in the interpulse periods of the first pulse signal. The second pulse frequency may be greater than the first pulse frequency by at least a factor of 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Alcoa Fujikura Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventors: Horst Flock, Ignaz Fortmeier