Patents Examined by Charles S Laughlin
  • Patent number: 11728756
    Abstract: Provided is a control device for controlling an electromagnetic actuator that vibrates an operation device by driving the operation device supported by an elastic support part so as to be elastically vibrated in one direction in a vibrating direction thereof, the control device comprising: a current pulse supply unit configured to supply a driving current pulse to a coil of the electromagnetic actuator as a driving current for driving the operation device in accordance with a touch operation of the operation device, wherein the current pulse supply unit supplies the drive current pulse capable of starting the elastic vibration as a main driving current pulse, and then supplies the drive current pulse capable of adjusting attenuation period of the elastic vibration as a sub-driving current pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Minebea Mitsumi Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoya Ishitani, Yuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11705852
    Abstract: A motor driving device for driving a motor is provided. The motor driving device includes: a driver outputting a drive signal for driving the motor to the motor; and a controller controlling a duty ratio of the drive signal based on three control parameters which are an initial duty ratio, a duty ratio increasing speed, and a target duty ratio. The controller has a normal control mode in which each of the three control parameters is a predetermined value, and a cryogenic control mode in which at least one of the three control parameters is a smaller value than in the normal control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: NIDEC TOSOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kobayashi, Yasuhiro Shirai, Tadayuki Hatsuda
  • Patent number: 11703038
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a power control circuit includes a converter, a signal generating circuit, an estimation unit, and a controller. The converter includes a switching circuit and is configured to transform an output voltage from a power generator. The signal generating circuit is configured to transmit a signal to the switching circuit. The estimation unit is configured to determine a switching operation condition based on vibration information indicative of a vibration applied to the power generator. The controller is configured to control an operation of the switching circuit based on the determined switching operation condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Atsuro Oonishi
  • Patent number: 11697574
    Abstract: The invention relates to an elevator comprising at least one elevator car moved by at least one elevator motor, which elevator motor is driven by a frequency converter controlled by a control device of the elevator, the frequency converter comprising a rectifier bridge, an inverter bridge and a DC link connected in-between, the inverter bridge being connected to the elevator motor and the rectifier bridge being connected to AC mains via three phase supply lines comprising an LCL-filter and a mains switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Juhamatti Nikander, Arto Nakari
  • Patent number: 11693368
    Abstract: Provided is an electronic timepiece capable of suppressing variation in the drive speed of a rotor, and driving a motor at a constant speed. The electronic timepiece has a driver; a controller that controls the driver to the on state or the off state according to a current flowing through a coil of a motor; a detection signal output device configured to output a detection signal when the on time or the off time, which are the continuous time of the on state and off state of the driver, meets a specific condition; a reference signal output device that outputs a reference signal used as a reference of a drive speed of the motor; and a drive cycle adjuster that compares the output timing of the detection signal and the reference signal, shortens the drive cycle when the detection signal is output after the reference signal, and when the detection signal is output before the reference signal, lengthens the drive cycle of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Inventor: Takashi Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 11695359
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an autonomous apparatus, moving and performing preset work in a defined working area, the autonomous apparatus including an energy module supplying energy to the autonomous apparatus, a motor, a sensor circuit, and a control circuit, the motor obtaining the energy from the energy module, to drive the autonomous apparatus to move and/or work in the working area, the sensor circuit detecting working parameters and environmental parameters of the autonomous apparatus, and transmitting detection results to the control circuit, the control circuit controlling the operation of the motor according to a signal transmitted by the sensor circuit, where the motor is a sensorless brushless motor, and before the motor rotates, the control circuit measures a resistance value of the motor, and estimates, one the basis of the resistance value of the motor, a rotor position of the motor, so as to control the operation of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Positec Power Tools (Suzhou) Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Federico Testolin, Davide Dalfra
  • Patent number: 11689129
    Abstract: A fluid sprayer includes a housing, a pump, a nozzle, a high voltage direct current (HVDC) brushed electric motor that drives the pump, and a motor controller electrically connected to the motor. The motor controller drives the motor with a high speed pulse width modulated (PWM) drive signal that switches current through the motor on and off. The motor controller varies the PWM signal as a function of a spray setting input and sensed current through the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Graco Minnesota Inc.
    Inventor: Tyler J. Kruzel
  • Patent number: 11687057
    Abstract: To provide a servo motor controller that can quickly and effectively stop an industrial machine at a particular position even if operation speed is relatively low when a fixed position stop command is issued. The servo motor includes a speed comparison unit configured to compare speed at a time of a fixed position stop command with a first speed, a fixed position stop operation determination unit configured to determine an operation method at the time of the fixed position stop command, and a fixed position stop control unit configured to control the servo motor based on the determined operation method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Tajima, Yuuki Morita
  • Patent number: 11677341
    Abstract: A motor drive circuit provides a drive signal to an electronically commutated motor. A control circuit the motor drive circuit based on calibration data. The calibration data indicate a relationship between an actual angular position of a rotor of the motor in response to the drive signal and an expected angular position of a rotor of an ideal motor in response to the drive signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Hafner, Leo Aichriedler, Gerald Wriessnegger
  • Patent number: 11661034
    Abstract: A wiper motor control circuit controls a drive circuit such that an actual speed of a wiper speed computed based on change in a rotation angle of an output shaft of the wiper motor detected by a rotation angle sensor that detects the rotation angle becomes a target speed corresponding to a position of a wiper blade indicated by the rotation angle detected by the rotation angle sensor. The wiper motor control circuit also controls the drive circuit so as to apply a braking current in the wiper motor when the actual speed has exceeded a threshold value when the rotation angle detected by the rotation angle sensor indicates a return position of the wiper blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kota Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11655661
    Abstract: An anti-pinch method for an apparatus for automatic movement of sliding windows including the steps of: receiving at least one electrical quantity (ea, ia) of the motor (M); counting (Rc) oscillation periods (Rd) of the at least one electrical quantity (ea, ia); calculating an angular position (?(t)) of the motor (M) as a function of the number of periods (Rc) of the electrical quantity (ea, ia); calculating a position of the window (F) as a function of said angular position (?(t)) of the motor (M); and reversing the direction of rotation of the motor (M) if the position of the window (F) falls within an anti-pinch zone (APZ) and the movement of the motor (M) is at least partially blocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Automotive Lighting Italia S.p.A.
    Inventors: Alessio Pellegrinetti, Andrea Novello, Andrea Bussi, Carlo Vai, Carlo Gallo
  • Patent number: 11619912
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece, including: a motor having a rotor and at least two coils, the rotor being configured to rotate to a plurality of prescribed positions; and a driving processor for driving the motor, the driving processor being configured to: generate a detection pulse for detecting whether or not the rotor has rotated; cause the generated detection pulse to be applied to at least one of the at least two coils; receive a signal indicating a detected value of current flowing in the at least one of the at least two coils that is generated in response to the detection pulse outputted to the at least one of the at least two coils; and determine whether or not the rotor has rotated to one of the plurality of prescribed positions on the basis of the detected value of current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuta Saito
  • Patent number: 11613006
    Abstract: A robot apparatus equipped with a driving source includes a power transmission module configured to transmit power to the driving source, a power reception module configured to receive the power transmitted by the power transmission module, and a control device configured to control a power transmission start timing in such a manner that the power reception module receives predetermined power at a timing at which the driving source operates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusaku Motonaga
  • Patent number: 11581727
    Abstract: A temperature monitoring device for protecting the winding of an electronically commutated electric motor from being heated over a specified limit temperature TG regardless of the rotational speed includes a phase current detection device for detecting the phase current IWinding for the motor windings, an overcurrent switch-off device for switching off the electric motor if a maximum permissible phase current IShutdown is exceeded, and an overcurrent monitoring device, which is connected to the overcurrent switch-off device, in order to transmit to it a switch-off signal if the detected phase current IWinding exceeds the maximum permissible phase current IShutdown ascertained by a detection and computing device, wherein an algorithm in which the measured ambient temperature TU is incorporated is used when ascertaining the maximum permissible phase current IShutdown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: ebm-papst Mulfingen GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gerd Futterlieb, Jens Rössler, Malte Pils, Oliver Kleinheinz
  • Patent number: 11572122
    Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a method for estimating a periodic or substantially periodic force present in a mechanical or electromechanical system, the method comprising: estimating, by a processing device, one or more harmonic frequencies of an acceleration signal representing an acceleration in the system, the substantially periodic force contributing to said acceleration; and estimating, by the processing device, the force on the basis of a dynamic model of the system, the dynamic model being defined by said one or more estimated harmonic frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: INSTITUT POLYTECHNIQUE DE GRENOBLE
    Inventor: John-Jairo Martinez-Molina
  • Patent number: 11571700
    Abstract: The mobile waste comminuting device of the invention comprises: at least one comminuting shaft; an internal combustion engine; at least one generator that is coupled to the internal combustion engine to convert mechanical energy supplied by the internal combustion engine into electric energy; at least one electric motor which is powered by the electric energy so as to drive the at least one comminuting shaft and change the direction of rotation thereof; and an energy store for storing energy and at least partly powering the at least one electric motor with electric energy, in particular for storing energy during periods of low power demand and supplying energy during periods of high power demand in relation to the nominal power of the at least one generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Inventor: Manuel Lindner
  • Patent number: 11575256
    Abstract: A matrix converter includes one or more current sensors structured to sense current flowing through the matrix converter, a matrix of switches including a number of solid state transistors, and a control circuit structured to detect faults in power flowing through the matrix converter based on the sensed current, to control the matrix of switches to drive an external device, and to control the matrix of switches to switch to prevent power from flowing internal to the matrix converter, or external to the external device in response to detecting a fault in power flowing through the matrix converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: Huaqiang Li, Xin Zhou
  • Patent number: 11567455
    Abstract: A wristwatch includes a first motor that drives a first hour hand, a first control circuit electrically coupled to the first motor and outputting a first motor drive signal, and a second control circuit electrically coupled to the first motor and outputting a second motor drive signal. When the first control circuit outputs the first motor drive signal, the second control circuit is in a high impedance state to the input of the first motor drive signal, and when the second control circuit outputs the second motor drive signal, the first control circuit is in the high impedance state to the input of the second motor drive signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Inventor: Atsushi Onuma
  • Patent number: 11569560
    Abstract: A vehicle, vessel or airplane having an antenna and a motor rotating the antenna, a rotation encoder outputting information relating to the rotation and outputting the information to two controllers of which one controls the motor. The other controller receives the rotation information and information relating to a position/direction/axis in relation to the vehicle/vessel/airplane and outputting a second signal based thereon. The output of the second controller may be used for controlling the motor to have the antenna directed toward e.g. a satellite irrespective of the motion of the vehicle/airplane/vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: THRANE & THRANE A/S
    Inventors: Ulrich Vesterager Gothelf, Claus Schakow
  • Patent number: 11569776
    Abstract: In response to a measured value of temperature of a stator by a thermometer exceeding a first temperature threshold, an overheat signal may be output to a rotor of a rotary connector via a communication device. In response to the measured value of the temperature exceeding a second temperature threshold higher than the first temperature threshold, power supply to a transmission coil that transmits power to a receiving coil of the rotor in a non-contact manner is stopped. In response to the overheat signal being received or a measured value of temperature of the rotor by a thermometer exceeding a third temperature threshold, a limit signal for limiting current flowing through a load circuit is output. In response to the measured value of the temperature by the thermometer exceeding a fourth temperature threshold higher than the third temperature threshold, output of power received from the stator is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kohei Fujio, Mitsunori Sugiura