Patents Examined by Devon A Joseph
  • Patent number: 9479014
    Abstract: An electric converter is provided which uses independently controlled field coils to impress a temporary magnetic field on a rotor movable relative to one or more armatures. In some embodiments, the rotor of the programmable electric converter is rotatable with the axis of rotation being on a horizontal or vertical axis. In various embodiments, the electric converter disclosed herein may be adapted for use as a continuous power solution to provide power for a limited period of time in the event of a power outage by absorbing energy and storing it mechanically in the rotor. In some embodiments, the electric converter may be utilized as a generator. In some embodiments, both AC and DC could be simultaneously produced, where AC is generated in one armature coil and DC in another coil. In some embodiments, the programmable electric converter can operate as an AC to AC converter, AC to DC converter, DC to AC converter, or DC to DC converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Acme Product Development, Ltd.
    Inventor: Randal A. Lee
  • Patent number: 9425730
    Abstract: The present application discloses an apparatus including: a motor model that reflects a characteristic of a motor and includes at least inputs pertaining to a first quantity of state and a second quantity of state and an output pertaining to a third quantity of state; a comparator that calculates a difference between the third quantity of state in an actual motor and the third quantity of state output from the motor model; and an amplifier that amplifies an output of the comparator at a predetermined gain. The first quantity of state in the actual motor is input into the motor model as the first quantity of state, and an output of the amplifier is input into the motor model as the second quantity of state. The apparatus then uses the output of the amplifier as an estimated value of the second quantity of state in the actual motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiko Sako, Hirokatsu Yamamoto, Takaaki Osada
  • Patent number: 9397593
    Abstract: A ripple current that flows into a main-circuit capacitor is estimated based on a system impedance and output power to a motor, thereby making it possible to always perform ripple-current estimation and life estimation computation for the main-circuit capacitor online. Because data of the system impedance which largely affects the ripple-current estimation for the main-circuit capacitor is used, the capacitor ripple current can be estimated according to the magnitude of the system impedance. This enables highly-accurate life estimation computation of the main-circuit capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Masanori Kato
  • Patent number: 9350277
    Abstract: A method for estimating a voltage of an input terminal of an inverter includes checking three-phase currents flowing from an inverter to a motor. A voltage of an input terminal of the inverter is calculated based on a plurality of design parameters, the three-phase currents, and PWM duties for determining switching operations of a plurality of switching elements of the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Dong Hun Lee, Sungdo Kim, Chang Seok Ryu
  • Patent number: 9347837
    Abstract: An integrated circuit for implementing brushless DC motor control includes a substrate, a band gap temperature sensor, and a magnetic sensor. The substrate has a temperature output pin for connection to an external device and a magnetic sensor output pin for connection to the external device. The band gap temperature sensor is formed on the substrate and is configured to sense temperature and supply a temperature signal representative of the sensed temperature to the temperature output pin. The magnetic sensor is formed on the substrate and is configured to sense magnetic field variations and supply a sensor output signal representative thereof to the magnetic sensor output pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Kirkpatrick, Joshua Jacque Edberg, Fred W. Hintz, Lamar Floyd Ricks, Gregory Furlong
  • Patent number: 9344026
    Abstract: An induction motor controller is provided. The induction motor controller includes a first module that derives a commanded stator voltage vector, in a stator flux reference frame, via a rotor flux regulator loop and a torque regulator loop, which process at least partially in the stator flux reference frame. The induction motor controller includes a second module that processes the commanded stator voltage vector to produce AC (alternating current) power for an induction motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Atieva, Inc.
    Inventor: Yifan Tang
  • Patent number: 9323235
    Abstract: An industrial control system provides motion control functions that may distribute motion planning tasks to capable motor drives and motion devices based on stored drive profiles. The profile-aware functions allow control programs to be used with motor drives that are both capable and incapable of executing a motion planning with automatic distribution of the planning tasks as appropriate. Coordination among different devices in the industrial control system when motion planning is distributed may be accommodated through peer-to-peer communication between drives and non-controller devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Chaffee
  • Patent number: 9310797
    Abstract: A single degree of freedom vibration isolating device of a linear motor and a motion control method thereof. The vibration isolating device comprises a balance block, an anti-drifting driving unit, and a control unit. An upper surface of the balance block is connected to a stator of the linear motor, and a lower surface of the balance block is connected to a base. The anti-drifting driving unit is connected to the balance block for controlling the position of the balance block. Provided two motion control methods: inputting a second grating ruler signal to the control unit as feedback to perform variable stiffness and nonlinear control on the balance block; inputting a first and a second grating ruler signal to the control unit as feedback to obtain resultant centroid displacement signals of the rotor and the balance block to perform nonlinear anti-drifting control on the balance block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Kaiming Yang, Yu Zhu, Dongdong Yu, Rong Cheng, Ming Zhang, Xin Li, Haihua Mu, Jinchun Hu, Dengfeng Xu, Wensheng Yin, Guofeng Ji
  • Patent number: 9306479
    Abstract: A variable speed fan motor, including: a variable speed motor and a motor controller. The motor controller includes a microprocessor, an inverter circuit, a gear detection circuit, and a power supply unit. The gear detection circuit includes a plurality of Hall current sensing units. Each second power input line is connected with a first input end of each of the Hall current sensing units. Second input ends of the Hall current sensing units are connected in parallel, and are connected with a second AC input end of the power supply unit. An output end of the Hall current sensing unit is connected with an input end of the microprocessor. The microprocessor selects operating parameters according to an energized signal of the second power input lines and controls the variable speed motor to operate in accordance with the selected operating parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: ZHONGSHAN BROAD-OCEAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yunsheng Chen, Yong Zhao
  • Patent number: 9285785
    Abstract: A frequency component extracting unit (15) extracts a frequency component included in a control signal at a first frequency step size. A frequency detection unit (16) detects, from the extracted frequency component, a frequency corresponding to a natural frequency of a target object constituted of a motor (3) and a driven member (4). A frequency step size setting unit (17) sets a second frequency step size smaller than the first frequency step size. A center frequency changing unit (18) increases or decreases a center frequency of a variable bandstop filter (13) at the second frequency step size in order to output a control signal after the variable bandstop filter (13) removes a frequency component corresponding to the natural frequency after the change from the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoto Sonoda
  • Patent number: 9276514
    Abstract: A fan motor, including: a variable speed motor and a motor controller. The motor controller includes: a microprocessor, an inverter unit, a gear detection unit, and a power supply unit. The power supply unit supplies power for each circuit. The gear detection unit is connected to a plurality of power input lines. Each power input line receives AC power from an AC power supply. The gear detection unit includes: a plurality of voltage detection circuits, and a plurality of thermal resistors. Each power input line is connected to a thermal resistor in series and matches up with a voltage detection circuit. Each voltage detection circuit includes a thermo-sensitive resistor that is bound to the corresponding thermal resistor via a thermal conductive element. The thermo-sensitive resistor detects a temperature signal of the thermal resistor and adjusts the voltage of the output end of the voltage detection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignees: ZHONGSHAN BROAD-OCEAN MOTOR CO., LTD., HUBEI QUEEN-OCEAN ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE MANUFACTURE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yong Zhao
  • Patent number: 9236824
    Abstract: A system for controlling an electric motor is disclosed herein. In particular, the system receives a user input indicative of a desired performance parameter for the electric motor. Based on the desired performance parameter, the system determines a control parameter that defines an operational range. The system then adjusts the electric motor according to the control parameter so that the electric motor generates constant output power over the operational range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel Fingleton, Ryan Elliott Bergener, Thayer Barakat
  • Patent number: 9233624
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method (30) for actuating an electric machine (14) in the motor starting mode by means of a power electronic system (10), in particular for application in a motor vehicle, wherein the power electronic system (10) has a multiplicity of controllable power switches which are designed to supply the electric machine (14) with electric current (l_s), wherein a total amount of energy (50) which is required to reach a predefined rotational speed (n_crit) and a time period (t—0) for reaching the predefined rotational speed (n_crit) is estimated (38), wherein a setpoint torque (M) for starting the electric machine (14) is determined (42) on the basis of the estimated total amount of energy (50) and the estimated time (t—0), and wherein the power electronic system (10) is actuated (46) in accordance with the setpoint torque (M).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Sven Ahlgrimm, Markus Peter, Michael Menzel
  • Patent number: 9197153
    Abstract: A power tool includes a housing, an electric motor accommodated in the housing, a secondary battery that supplies electric power to the electric motor, a handle provided at the housing, a trigger switch provided at the handle for controlling electric power supply to the electric motor, a residual capacity display for displaying a residual capacity of the secondary battery, and a lock-release switch provided at the handle and configured to allow the trigger switch to be operable and to start displaying the residual capacity at the residual capacity display upon manipulation to the lock-release switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichirou Yoshida, Hideyuki Tanimoto, Hayato Yamaguchi, Shinji Kuragano, Takuya Konnai
  • Patent number: 9190883
    Abstract: A current switching pulse servo including a motor, an output gear, a pulse pattern plate, and a first conductor. The motor is configured to drive a gear train of the servo. The output gear is configured to be driven by the gear train. The pulse pattern plate includes conductive portions and nonconductive portions. The pulse pattern plate is configured to rotate with the output gear. The first conductor connects the motor to the pulse pattern plate to conduct current from the motor to the pulse pattern plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian E. Belanger, Robert W. Wunsche, III
  • Patent number: 9148081
    Abstract: A position-command-pulse generation unit generates a position command pulse to be output to a motor driver by advancing an initial phase thereof by a phase indicated by initial phase information preset in a device. The initial phase information indicates an arbitrary phase in a period of a half cycle of a first pulse of the position command pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Kakimoto, Takumi Okuyama
  • Patent number: 9143064
    Abstract: [Problem] An object of the present invention is to provide a control apparatus for an electric power steering apparatus that improves ripple accuracy of a torque, a velocity and so on, does not generate abnormal noises and does not generate an uncomfortable feeling with respect to a steering by compensating each-phase characteristics of a motor and the control apparatus and converting into a desired characteristic, and at the same time conforming each-phase characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Yuzuru Hoshi, Fumitoshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9136784
    Abstract: A universal control unit for driving a brushed or a brushless DC motor, such as the type commonly employed in a vehicle fuel pump or other vehicle application. According to exemplary embodiments, a universal control unit includes a processing device and an output stage, and is connected to either a brushed or a brushless DC motor in a manner that accommodates the two different motor types so that a common or universal controller can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Rachid G. Abou-Kasm, Robert W. Leschuk, Donald A. Eveleth, Daniel R. Gee
  • Patent number: 9136791
    Abstract: A motor driving device includes a communication path selection unit, to which operation command information for controlling driving of a motor is input in a serial data format or a parallel data format via a common input path, a communication unit which includes a serial interface unit for the serial data format and a parallel interface unit for the parallel data format, and outputs a control signal based on the operation command information input via the communication path selection unit, and a driving control unit which controls driving of the motor based on the control signal. The communication path selection unit selects between outputs path to the serial interface unit and the parallel interface unit, which corresponds to the data format of the input operation command information, and outputs the input operation command information to the serial interface unit or the parallel interface unit through the selected output path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Inoue, Keiichi Katayama, Shuhei Nishi
  • Patent number: 9126321
    Abstract: A machine tool has a tool retainer for retaining a tool, a motor and a drivetrain which couples the motor with the tool retainer for transmitting a torque. A system pushbutton is coupled with a motor control. When the system pushbutton is activated by a user, the motor control controls the motor in such a way that the motor turns in a first sense of rotation for a duration and then in a sense of rotation opposed to the first sense of rotation. The duration is shorter than 100 ms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: HILTI AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Thomas Muller, Germar Meiendres