Patents Examined by Cortez M Cook
  • Patent number: 11770086
    Abstract: An operation device includes a movable portion, a vibration generating unit, a fixed portion, a detecting unit, and a control unit. The vibration generating unit includes a movable yoke attached to the movable portion, and a fixed yoke attached to the fixed portion and disposed facing the movable yoke in a first direction. The vibration generating unit includes a permanent magnet attached to one yoke among the movable yoke and the fixed yoke, both ends of the permanent magnet in the first direction being opposite magnetic poles created by magnetization. The vibration generating unit includes an exciting coil attached to a different yoke from the one yoke among the movable yoke and the fixed yoke, the exciting coil being configured to induce magnetic flux in response to a current flowing through the exciting coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Wakuda
  • Patent number: 11770083
    Abstract: Controlling a DC-AC inverter of an electric machine, where the electric machine comprises a resonant main exciter having rotary transformer. A voltage level of DC power received at a DC-AC inverter is monitored and the frequency of AC power generated by the DC-AC inverter and supplied to the rotary transformer is controlled based at least in part on the voltage level of the DC power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN ELECTRICAL & POWER
    Inventor: Andrew Bloor
  • Patent number: 11770085
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an electric machine (100) having a power converter (100) and multiple phases, in which method, phase currents flowing through the phases during operation of the electric machine (100) are determined and are used for continued operation of the electric machine (100), the phase currents being determined taking account of a fundamental wave and at least one harmonic of the current profile of each phase current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Freitag, Leonard Weiss
  • Patent number: 11770079
    Abstract: An electric working machine in one aspect of the present disclosure includes a motor and a controller. The motor is configured to be electrically coupled to a battery pack and to be driven with electric power from the battery pack. The controller is configured to acquire an internal resistance information of the battery pack and to change control of the motor based on the internal resistance information acquired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 11770090
    Abstract: An interconnected inverter system includes an inverter circuit that converts DC power from a DC power supply into AC power and provides AC power to an AC power line, a voltage sensor that detects a voltage of DC power on a DC power supply side of the inverter circuit, a DC current sensor that detects a current of DC power on the DC power supply side of the inverter circuit, and a motor ECU that controls the inverter circuit. The motor ECU calculates actual power of AC power provided from the inverter circuit by using a product of a voltage value detected by the voltage sensor and a current value detected by the DC current sensor and controls the inverter circuit such that calculated actual power follows a power command value from outside of the interconnected inverter system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhito Hayashi, Ikuhiro Nakamura, Kojiro Asakawa
  • Patent number: 11764717
    Abstract: A linear motor system includes: a stator including first to tenth coils; a mover including a permanent magnet; a switcher that switches one or more power supply target coils; and first to tenth amplifiers provided in one-to-one correspondence with first to tenth coils. One or more amplifiers that serve as new one or more power supply target amplifiers immediately after the switching calculate ?? (t0), which is a position deviation at time t=t0, based on ?? (t0)=?? (t0?td)+A?B, where A is a difference between an instructed position at time t=t0 and an instructed position at time t=t0?td, and B is a difference between an actual position at time t=t0 and an actual position at time t=t0?td, and supply power to the power supply target coils by the position deviation ?? (t0).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hayata Sakai, Toru Tazawa, Kenta Murakami, Yusuke Nonogaki, Renya Kawakami
  • Patent number: 11757393
    Abstract: A drive circuit for an electric machine is disclosed. In one example, the drive circuit utilizes a bootstrap capacitor and a bootstrap diode, followed by a regulator, as a basis for driving a gate of a power stage of an inverter. The regulated voltages from the bootstrap capacitor and bootstrap diode eliminate the need for using a transformer for driving the gate of the power stage of the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: DANA TM4 INC.
    Inventor: Amir Ranjbar
  • Patent number: 11750123
    Abstract: A control circuit arranged to detect an initial rotor position of a brushless DC motor includes: a voltage integrator circuit, arranged to perform integration upon an input voltage, to generate a plurality of integrated voltages; a PWM generating circuit, arranged to generate and output a plurality of PWM signals to the brushless DC motor through a drive circuit, and stop outputting a PWM signal that is any of the plurality of PWM signals to the brushless DC motor according to an integrated voltage corresponding to the PWM signal; a current receiving circuit, arranged to receive a plurality of feedback currents from the brushless DC motor; a comparison circuit, arranged to perform comparison upon the plurality of feedback currents, to generate a comparison result; and a decision circuit, arranged to detect the initial rotor position according to the comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Elite Semiconductor Microelectronics Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Ming-Fu Tsai
  • Patent number: 11742782
    Abstract: A method for operating a permanent magnet synchronous motor comprises setting a maximum power, determining a current vector and an output voltage vector in the dq coordinate system. A setpoint amount for a setpoint voltage vector is calculated on the basis of the maximum power, the current vector and the output voltage vector. The setpoint voltage vector is generated with the setpoint amount, and then operating the permanent magnet synchronous motor at least with the setpoint voltage vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Dominik Schulte, Bogdan Budianu, Eugen Bartel, Tom Kaufmann
  • Patent number: 11742738
    Abstract: An embodiment of a linear electric machine includes two or more phases that define a central bore, and alternating permanent magnets that are disposed within the central bore and are free to move relative the windings. An embodiment of a method for selectively powering the windings is disclosed that enables the machine to realize a commanded force, or to determine the force present by using the current within the windings and the alignment of the magnets relative to the windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: IRIS DYNAMICS LTD
    Inventors: Kyle A. Hagen, Patrick A. McFadden, Maximilien F. Bethune-Waddell, Jeffrey R. Rendell
  • Patent number: 11742784
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining an error voltage of a current converter to which a load, in particular in the form of a three-phase machine such as an asynchronous machine, is connected, is determined and if necessary compensated, wherein an output voltage on the current converter is increased stage-by-stage or step-by-step and which is measured here as a current adjusting a step response. The invention further relates to a three-phase machine, for example in the form of an asynchronous machine having power electronics comprising a current converter and in the form of a compensation device for compensating the error voltage of the current converter. The invention further relates to a method for operating and/or controlling such a three-phase machine, in which the error voltage of the current converter is determined and compensated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Liebherr-Components Biberach GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Scheu, Gernot Schullerus
  • Patent number: 11735971
    Abstract: A direct current (DC) electric motor assembly with a closed type overlap stator winding which is commutated with a timed commutating sequence that is capable of generating a stator rotating magnetic field. The coil overlap of the winding and a timed commutation sequence are such that the current in each slot of the stator is additive and when a previous magnetic pole collapses according to a commutation sequence; the energy released by that previous collapsing magnetic field is captured to strengthen the next magnetic field on the commutation sequence schedule. Electrical currents produced by the collapsing magnetic fields flow to low electric potential and add or subtract to the DC current provided by the commutator thus promoting formation of the next magnetic on commutation schedule. When used with a suitable commutator and rotor, the electric motor assembly provides a true brushless high torque speed controlled Real Direct Current (RDC) motor that operates with higher efficiency and higher power density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Turboroto, Inc.
    Inventor: Ping Li
  • Patent number: 11722081
    Abstract: A motor drive monitors operation of a motor and adaptively track disturbances experienced by the motor. The motor drive receives a command signal and a cycle position signal. An estimated disturbance observed throughout a cycle of operation is stored in a look up table, and the motor drive uses the stored values as a feedforward value into a control module. The motor drive adaptively monitors operation of the motor and generates a new estimated disturbance value throughout each subsequent cycle of operation. The values of the estimated disturbance are updated within the look up table as a function of the new estimated disturbance values and of the previously stored values. The stored disturbance values adaptively track cyclic disturbances in the controlled machine or process and to reduce the effects of these cyclic disturbances on tracking error in the controlled machine or process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Hoffman, Adam M. Shea
  • Patent number: 11711042
    Abstract: A motor drive system includes an input portion arranged to receive a DC input voltage across first and second conductors. An inverter is connected across the first and second conductors, and is arranged such that, in a normal mode, the inverter receives the DC input voltage and generates an AC drive voltage. A motor is connected to the inverter and is arranged such that, in the normal mode of operation, the motor receives the AC drive voltage. A first normally-open switch is connected along the first conductor between the input portion and the inverter. A damping controller comprising a second normally-closed switch and a damping means is connected in series between the first and second conductors. When the operated in the normal mode, the first switch is closed and the second switch is open. In a damping mode, the first switch is open and the second switch is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Grzegorz Popek, Stephen Minshull
  • Patent number: 11711038
    Abstract: Discloses a vector control method for a vehicle permanent magnet synchronous motor based on a DC power, which comprises a current closed-loop adjuster, a modulation index deviation calculator, a current command angle compensator, a current angle preset, a current command angle limit comparator, a current given amplitude compensator and a current given vector corrector. According to the present disclosure, the adjusting direction is always a flux-weakening direction, and instability caused by repeated adjustment will not occur; according to the present disclosure, by introducing the current for simultaneous correction, the voltage saturation-resistant pressure can be shared to the dq current, so that excessive output torque deviation caused by excessive adjustment of a single-axis current can be avoided; the traditional flux weakening target that the system is controlled without losing stability is ensured, and the accuracy of the torque is ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Zhejiang University City College
    Inventors: Feifan Ji, Jing Li, Yuwei Chen
  • Patent number: 11711039
    Abstract: A motor drive apparatus includes: a dq-axis current controller converting phase current flowing through a synchronous motor into d-axis current and q-axis current, and controlling the phase current by determining a voltage command based on the d-axis current and a d-axis current command as well as the q-axis current and a q-axis current command; a voltage amplitude calculating unit obtaining voltage amplitude; a speed controller controlling rotational speed of the motor by determining the q-axis current command based on a speed command, the rotational speed, and a speed droop amount that reduces the speed command; a flux weakening controller performing flux control to limit amplitude of voltage output to the motor by determining the d-axis current command based on the voltage amplitude and a first voltage limit value; and a speed droop controller controlling the speed droop amount based on the voltage amplitude and a second voltage limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Takahashi, Shinya Toyodome, Mitsuo Kashima, Tomohiro Kutsuki
  • Patent number: 11705833
    Abstract: The present application discloses a motor controller, a motor control method and a computer program product for vehicle assist control. An assist torque command for a motor device to perform vehicle assist control is generated according to an execution command of a vehicle assist determination unit and a rotor position signal and a rotor speed signal of a motor device. An original position signal of the motor device and the rotor position signal are calculated, and a position ratio calculation is performed to generate a front-order torque command. A torque damping command is generated according to the speed ratio calculation based on the rotor speed signal, and is calculated with the front-order torque command to generate an assist torque command. Thus, position information of the rotor of the motor device can be directly used in the calculation and speed information is at the same time used for an assist calculation, thereby preventing an error and solving the issue of sliding during parking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: CHROMA ATE INC.
    Inventors: Yu-Ting Lin, Cheng-Tsung Lin
  • Patent number: 11701786
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate to magnetically moveable displacement devices or robotic devices. Particular embodiments provide systems and corresponding methods for magnetically moving multiple movable robots relative to one or more working surfaces of respective one or more work bodies, and for moving robots between the one or more work bodies via transfer devices. Robots can carry one or more objects among different locations, manipulate carried objects, and/or interact with their surroundings for particular functionality including but not limited to assembly, packaging, inspection, 3D printing, test, laboratory automation, etc. A mechanical link may be mounted on planar motion units such as said robots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Inventors: Xiaodong Lu, Peter Tang, Alexander H. Slocum, Rui Chen
  • Patent number: 11695362
    Abstract: In a method for monitoring the operation of an electric motor and a lifting mechanism, the motor current is acquired, and the electric motor has, for example, an electromagnetically actuable brake, e.g., a holding brake. In the method, a pre-magnetization is performed when the electric motor is switched on, the characteristic of the acquired values of the motor current is monitored for an exceeding of a permissible measure of deviation from a setpoint characteristic, and a brake of the electric motor is activated, e.g., remains applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: SEW-EURODRIVE GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Schuster, Robert Becker
  • Patent number: 11695354
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus includes a detection unit configured to detect an actual rotation position of a motor, a control unit configured to provide position feedback control on the motor so that the detected actual rotation position sequentially approaches a plurality of target rotation positions, and a processing unit configured to perform, before the position feedback control starts, processing to make an initial position deviation fall within a predetermined range, the initial position deviation being a difference between the actual rotation position and a first target rotation position of the plurality of target rotation positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabashiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Yamamoto