Patents Examined by Devon A Joseph
  • Patent number: 11084432
    Abstract: Systems, components, and methodologies are provided for electric power storage for electrically-propelled transportation vehicles for operation on roadways. An electric power storage system can include a housing with a compartment that contains a power storage device. The power storage device can include auxiliary terminals having terminal ends electrically connected with electrical power storage cells of the at least one power storage device. The auxiliary terminals can be arranged, apart from the main terminals, for engaging with safety enhancement material delivered to at least partially fill the housing for shorting the terminal ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Inventors: Mirko Herrmann, Angela-Kristina Speidel
  • Patent number: 11052766
    Abstract: Systems and methods for energy storage and management may be useful for a variety of applications, including launch devices. A system can include a direct current (DC) bus configured to operate within a predetermined range of voltages. The system can also include an array comprising a plurality of ultra-capacitors connected to the DC bus and configured to supply the DC bus with energy. The system can further include an input configured to receive energy from a power grid, wherein the power grid is configured to supply fewer than 250 amps of power. The system can additionally include an output configured to supply more than 250 amps of power. The system can also include a controller configured to control charging and discharging of the array of ultra-capacitors and configured to control the DC bus to remain within the predetermined range of voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Velocity Magnetics, Inc.
    Inventor: Domenic P. Marzano
  • Patent number: 11050240
    Abstract: A circuit for ground disconnection protection is provided herein. In an embodiment, the circuit includes power transistor elements in a common-source arrangement coupled between a first ground and a second ground. The power transistor elements are configured to turn on during a ground disconnection event in an electric motor system. This allows a current to pass between the first ground and the second ground, bypassing a control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: John R. Broze, Garret R. Walker
  • Patent number: 10978982
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a multiphase electrical machine (2) in the event of a fault, wherein the electrical machine (2) is driven with the aid of a driver circuit (3), wherein the driver circuit (3) has half-bridge circuits (31), each associated with a phase (U, V, W), and bridge paths (32) for connecting or disconnecting predetermined voltage potentials to/from the respective phases (U, V, W) of the electrical machine (2), wherein one or more of the bridge paths (32) are operated according to a first fault operating mode if a fault is detected, wherein, in the first fault operating mode, the one or more bridge paths (32) are controlled in such a manner that said paths connect a first of the predetermined voltage potentials to the phase (U, V, W) via a predetermined electrical resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Dittmer, Ekkehard Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 10959788
    Abstract: A surgical system for selective connection to a robotic arm includes an instrument drive unit and a surgical instrument detachably coupled to the instrument drive unit. The instrument drive unit includes a first actuator, a linkage member having opposing first and second portions, and a drive member. The first portion of the linkage member is operatively coupled to the first actuator such that actuation of the first actuator moves the first portion in a first direction and the second portion in a second direction opposite of the first direction. The drive member is operatively coupled to the second portion of the linkage member. The surgical instrument includes a driven member operatively associated with the drive member of the instrument drive unit and an end effector operatively coupled with the driven member, wherein translation of the driven member effects a first function of the end effector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Simon Grover, Daniel Fuller, Charles Kilby
  • Patent number: 10945799
    Abstract: A manipulator system includes arithmetic logic units for calculating an operation quantity per unit time of a power source mounted on a surgical instrument as a first operation quantity and calculating an operation quantity per unit time of the power source as a second operation quantity. A determining unit is used for outputting a shutoff signal for de-energizing the power source if the first operation quantity is smaller than a first threshold value and the second operation quantity is larger than a second threshold value. A cutoff unit is configured to cut off the drive signal output from the output unit to the power source in response to the shutoff signal output for de-energizing the power source from the determining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toru Wada
  • Patent number: 10917028
    Abstract: A motor driving control device has a motor driving unit configured to selectively energize coils with a plurality of phases of a motor, a control circuit unit configured to control an operation of the motor driving unit by outputting a driving control signal to the motor driving unit, and a position detector configured to output a position signal which corresponds to any one phase of the plurality of phases and a phase of which changes depending on a position of a rotor of the motor. the control circuit unit detects a transition of values of a back electromotive force induced in the one phase in a detection period corresponding to a change timing of the position signal when beginning to start up the motor, and determines a rotational state of the motor including a rotational direction of the motor based on a detection result of the transition of the values of the back electromotive force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
    Inventors: Xiao Zhou, Hiroyuki Kaidu, Masato Aoki, Mitsunari Terada
  • Patent number: 10910982
    Abstract: An air conditioner includes: a power generating unit that generates drive power for driving the air conditioner; an output unit that drives a motor; a detecting unit that detects a DC voltage applied to the output unit; a motor drive control unit that controls the output unit based on a detection result from the detecting unit; a drive power supply unit that supplies an operating power source to the output unit and the motor drive control unit; a main body control unit that outputs a motor drive command or a motor drive stop command to the supply unit; a power circuit unit that supplies operating power to the main body control unit and the supply unit; and an input changeover switch that inputs the detection result to the motor drive control unit as the motor is driven, and cuts off input of the detection result as the motor stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihito Ono
  • Patent number: 10903765
    Abstract: A power tool that includes a brushless DC motor, one or more motor sensors, and a controller, such as, for example, an electronic speed control (ESC) circuit. The controller is adapted to provide instructions to control the operation of one or more parameters of the brushless DC motor. The controller is also adapted to receive feedback from one or more motor sensors that reflect whether the motor is attaining the one or more parameters. The controller may also be adapted to have a learning mode, in which feedback provided during use of the power tool is stored by the controller as a program so that the same operating parameters may be subsequently replicated by using the program to operate the tool. The controller may also use the feedback to adjust the operation of the motor so that the motor maintains one or more selected or programmed operating parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: TRANSFORM SR BRANDS LLC
    Inventors: Colin G. Knight, Milos Coric
  • Patent number: 10900582
    Abstract: A zone valve control system for a flow valve comprising a direct current rotary electric motor connected to a valve shaft, an electronic control system comprising a microprocessor, an electric measuring device for signaling the presence of a predetermined electrical stall current, a rectifier and a regulator to convert and regulate external AC voltage to a desired DC power output; and an electrical storage system having a total storage capacity sufficient to power the DC electric motor to move the valve between the closed and opened positions; an external sensor for signaling when a certain condition exists in an external zone; the microprocessor controlling the flow and polarity of DC current to the motor; whereby the electronic control system controls movement of a valve operably connected to the output shaft to open or close a valve to maintain a desired predetermined condition in the external zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Taco, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Kellicker, Richard F. Brindamour, Jr., Robert J. Carreiro
  • Patent number: 10897219
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus includes a motor, a controller including electrical components mounted on a substrate, and a connector unit including a cover that includes a first connector and a second connector, the first and second connectors connecting power and signals, in which each of the first connector and the second connector comprises a power supply part and a signal connection part, each of the power terminal and the signal terminal extend from the substrate in an axial direction of the motor, each of the power terminal and the signal terminal extend through the cover, each of the first connector and the second connector are arranged within a silhouette of the motor along the axial direction of the motor, each of the first connector and the second connector comprises an opening positioned on a side of the cover opposite the motor in the axial direction of the motor, the first connector and the second connector connect to and disconnect from the harness in a direction substantially parallel to
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masashi Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 10897220
    Abstract: The present invention includes: a control initiation-stop determiner which receives an initiation-stop request signal for controlling initiation and stop of a motor and information on the number of revolutions of the motor and which outputs a state signal for switching a state of a drive voltage among three states of control stop, control initiation, and control start; and a drive voltage controller which gradually increases a phase current supplied to the motor by using a PWM signal while the state signal causes the state of the drive voltage to transition from control stop to the control initiation and then to the control start.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiromichi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 10892698
    Abstract: In a current detection apparatus, an arm current detection unit detects each of at least first and second phase currents having respective amplitudes and flowing in a multiphase rotary electric machine based on a potential difference between input and output terminals of the corresponding one of first and second detection switches during the corresponding one of the first and second detection switches being on. A bus current detection unit detects each of at least bus-based first and second phase currents corresponding to the first and second phases of the multiphase rotary electric machine based on a current flowing through one of first and second buses. An amplitude correction unit corrects the first and second phase currents based on the bus-based first and second phase currents such that the amplitudes of the respective first and second phase currents match with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuaki Aoki, Yosuke Matsuki, Hideji Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10882627
    Abstract: An aircraft drive device (10) for creating propulsion and/or lift of an aircraft, the drive device comprising a rotating shaft (12), a rotating shaft bearing (14, 16), a rotating shaft drive machine (18) for rotationally driving the rotating shaft (12), and a housing (20), wherein the rotating shaft bearing (14,16) and the rotating shaft drive device (18) are arranged in an interior of the housing (44) and the rotating shaft (12) protrudes to the outside of the housing (20) through a housing opening (42) of the housing (20), wherein in the region of the housing opening (42) an overvoltage arrester device (52) is arranged which is designed for diverting an overvoltage present at the rotating shaft (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE GMBH
    Inventors: Jürgen Steinwandel, Michael Hofmann, Michael Judas
  • Patent number: 10836262
    Abstract: An electric power generation control device applied to a system including a generator capable of regenerative electric power generation, an electric power storage device capable of being charged with electric power, and a friction brake device that generates a braking force. The control device includes an operation amount acquisition unit that acquires a brake operation amount by the driver, an electric power generation amount acquisition units that increase a target electric power generation amount for the generator the larger the brake operation amount is, and have plural relationships of which the target electric power generation amounts that correspond to a certain brake amount differ, and acquire the target electric power generation amount according to one of the relationships based on change in the brake operation amount, and an electric power generation amount instruction unit that controls the generator based on the target electric power generation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshinori Morita
  • Patent number: 10808810
    Abstract: An electrically driven device includes a housing, an electric motor with a drive shaft having a first rotary axis and a drive pin eccentrically connected to the drive shaft, and a driven shaft having a second rotary axis and mounted in the housing for a pivoting movement. The driven shaft is coupled to the drive pin by a gear mechanism converting a rotary motion of the drive shaft into the reciprocating pivoting of the driven shaft. The gear mechanism has first and second transmission stages, the former including a cross slider, and the latter an elastically deformable transmission member. The cross slider has a sliding support extending perpendicular to the first rotary axis and receiving the drive pin. The cross slider is axially guided in the housing to move in an axial direction perpendicular to the first rotary axis and perpendicular to the extension of the sliding support. A link, offset relative to the second rotary axis, connects the cross slider to the elastically deformable transmission member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Braun GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Kramp, Thomas Fritsch, Norbert Schaefer
  • Patent number: 10790771
    Abstract: A method for determining a droop response profile of a rotating electrical machine supplying electricity to an electrical grid having a network frequency varying on either side of a nominal frequency, in which a measured value of the rotation speed of the rotating machine is retrieved, and the droop response parameters dependent on the measured speed value are defined. The droop response profile is a graph centered on the coordinates of an origin point between 99% and 101% of the measured speed and defined by at least two points of coordinates in the case of underspeed and/or by at least two points of coordinates in the case of overspeed, each of the points having for its abscissa a speed value as a percentage of the measured speed, and for the ordinates, a filtered speed value as a percentage of the measured speed modulated by at least one of the droop response parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: GE ENERGY PRODUCTS FRANCE SNC
    Inventors: Denis Michel Martin, Sébastien Philippe Grosshans
  • Patent number: 10784808
    Abstract: In a variable speed generator-motor apparatus, a power converter includes six two-terminal arms each formed by serially connecting k unit converters that can output arbitrary voltage, an AC rotating electric machine includes an armature winding with 60-degree phase zone formed from a double layer coil, the armature winding being divided into first and second pole sides to form double star connection by binding neutral points and to be drawn out as two sets of three-phase terminals; three-phase terminals on the first pole side are connected to first terminals of three arms, and second terminals of the three arms are star-connected to a first terminal of a DC power supply; three-phase terminals on the second pole side are connected to second terminals of remaining three arms, and first terminals of the three arms are star-connected to a second terminal of the DC power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI MITSUBISHI HYDRO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Bando, Osamu Nagura
  • Patent number: 10766437
    Abstract: Systems, components, and methodologies are provided for improvements in operation of automotive vehicles by enabling monitoring analysis and reaction to subtle sources of information that aid in prediction and response of vehicle control systems across a range of automation levels. Such systems, components, and methodologies include wheel-turn detection equipment for detecting a wheel angle of another vehicle to trigger a vehicle control system to perform an operation based on the detected wheel angle of the other vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignees: Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, Porsche AG
    Inventors: Mirko Herrmann, Angela-Kristina Speidel
  • Patent number: 10734926
    Abstract: A multi-axis motor control system includes a host control apparatus, motors, motor control apparatuses that drives the motors and each includes circuitry that acquires control related information transmitted and received between the host control apparatus and at least one other motor control apparatus, and controls a corresponding motor of the motors based on the control related information, and a communication channel that connects the host control apparatus and the motor control apparatuses in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Yusuke Oka, Hiroki Inoue, Tadashi Okubo