Patents Examined by Eduardo Colon Santana
  • Patent number: 10877456
    Abstract: A numerical control apparatus includes: a thread-whirling motor controller controlling, based on a thread lead representing a movement amount of a thread whirling tool per rotation of a workpiece, a reference differential speed representing a difference between a predetermined reference rotational speed of the thread whirling tool and a rotational speed of the workpiece, the number of tool blades of the thread whirling tool, and a workpiece spindle speed representing the rotational speed of the workpiece, a first motor moving the thread whirling tool, a second motor rotating the thread whirling tool, and a third motor rotating the workpiece. The thread-whirling motor controller controls: the first motor based on the thread lead and the reference differential speed; the second motor based on the thread lead, the reference differential speed, the number of tool blades, and the workpiece spindle speed; and the third motor based on the workpiece spindle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Kumazawa, Kazuya Nakajima
  • Patent number: 10864894
    Abstract: A wiper device including a wiper motor that includes a rotor and a coil to generate a rotating magnetic field, and that causes a wiper blade to perform a wiping operation by rotating the rotor according to the rotating magnetic field, a drive section that drives rotation of the wiper motor by performing current switch-on in the coil so as to generate the rotating magnetic field, and a controller that controls the drive section by a timing for current switch-on in the coil based on at least a rotation position of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro Utsumi
  • Patent number: 10862411
    Abstract: A rotating electrical machine control device includes a rotating electrical machine, a sensor that detects a state of the rotating electrical machine, and a control unit that controls a current component superimposed on a current supplied to the rotating electrical machine on a basis of detection results of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kentaro Fukui
  • Patent number: 10851576
    Abstract: An apparatus for automatic movement of sliding windows in a motor vehicle, comprising a d.c. electric motor that moves a window (F) so that it slides along guides, including an electronic control module for controlling the d.c. electric motor, in particular a microprocessor. The electronic control module measures a current (I) of the motor and a position (X) of the window (F), and drives reversal of operation of the electric motor if it is verified that the current (I) is higher than a threshold current (Ith) and the position (X) of the window (F) falls within a given zone (APZ) of a path (P) of movement of the window (F). The anti-pinch circuit device measures a back electromotive force (E; Em) of the motor, and the electronic control module calculates the position of the window (F) as a function of the back electromotive force (E; Em) of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: AUTOMOTIVE LIGHTING ITALIA S.p.A.
    Inventors: Andrea Novello, Andrea Bussi, Carlo Vai, Carlo Gallo
  • Patent number: 10840833
    Abstract: A commutation circuit includes a coil connected to an H bridge, the H bridge including four main switches for reversing polarity and a resulting coil current in the coil. The commutation circuit further includes a voltage source configured to generate a bypass current, and at least one auxiliary switch for controlling the bypass current to thereby decrease a switch current through at least one of the main switches. By generating an appropriate bypass current with help of a voltage source, a switch current through a desired main switch in a leading state can be decreased and eventually brought to zero. Zero current in its turn enables the use of thyristors as main switches as it results in the thyristors to be turned off automatically. Furthermore, decreased switch current at the switching moment reduces switching losses even in different types of switches such as GTOs and IGBTs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Sjoerd Bosga, Veli-Matti Leppanen, Mehanathan Pathmanathan, Robert Chin, Yujing Liu
  • 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: 10840838
    Abstract: In an example, a control system for controlling a generator and providing an alarm upon detection of a fault condition. The control system includes a control relay, which includes a normally-open (NO) contact pair and a normally-closed (NC) contact pair, between the transfer switch and a controller. The NO contact pair is provided by a NO contact and a common contact, and the NC contact pair is provided by a NC contact and the common contact. The controller can receive signals indicative of a state of the contact pairs of the control relay and, based on the signals, determine whether to activate the generator and/or activate an alarm system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: ASCO POWER TECHNOLOGIES, L.P.
    Inventors: Steven E. Evans, Victor E. Bonachea, Mario Ibrahim, Donald K. Blackman
  • Patent number: 10840832
    Abstract: A permanent-magnet three-phase duplex motor is provided with two systems, namely a system that includes a first three-phase winding and a first inverter circuit, and a system that includes a second three-phase winding and a second inverter circuit, and a controlling apparatus is configured such that when one system fails, the controlling apparatus stops operation of the inverter circuit of the failed system, and controls operation of the inverter circuit of the normal system to increase the driving current that is supplied from the inverter circuit of the normal system, and the first three-phase winding and the second three-phase winding are configured such that magnetic fields that act on the permanent magnets in a demagnetizing direction when the increased driving current is supplied from the inverter circuit of the normal system are equal to magnetic fields that normally act on the permanent magnets in the demagnetizing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Akutsu, Yoshihito Asao
  • Patent number: 10833676
    Abstract: A switching element for the contactless activation of an electric-motor adjustment drive of a motor vehicle, in particular an electric-motor-operated liftgate, having a profile strip, which extends in a longitudinal direction. The profile strip has a channel, which extends in the longitudinal direction and which transitions into a slit, which extends in the longitudinal direction. An electrode is arranged within the channel. The invention further relates to an electric-motor-operated liftgate having a switching element and to a method for creating a switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Bamberg
    Inventor: Stefan Hieltscher
  • Patent number: 10833620
    Abstract: According to one or more embodiments of the technical solutions described herein, an example method includes determining an input voltage (Vinv) of an inverter in a power circuit. The method further includes measuring an input current (Ii) of the inverter. The method further includes estimating a power supply current from a power supply of the power circuit based on the input voltage and the input current using a state observer and a plant model of the power circuit, the power supply current estimated at a non-steady state. The method further includes performing an active power management of a motor that receives electric power via the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Prerit Pramod, Aparna Saha, Infane O. Lowe
  • Patent number: 10833598
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes: a rectifying unit rectifying an AC voltage output from an AC power supply; a booster circuit boosting an output voltage of the rectifying unit; a control unit causing the booster circuit to perform synchronous rectification; and a smoothing capacitor smoothing an output voltage of the booster circuit. The booster circuit is constituted by connecting a plurality of chopper circuits in parallel to each other, the chopper circuits each including an upper arm switching element and a lower arm switching element connected in series to a reactor connected to the rectifying unit, and the control unit generates a drive pulse causing the upper arm switching element to be turned on when a reverse current flows through the upper arm switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeo Umehara, Takuya Shimomugi, Takashi Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 10824165
    Abstract: A method of confining a robot in a work space includes providing a portable barrier signal transmitting device including a primary emitter emitting a confinement beam primarily along an axis defining a directed barrier. A mobile robot including a detector, a drive motor and a control unit controlling the drive motor is caused to avoid the directed barrier upon detection by the detector on the robot. The detector on the robot has an omnidirectional field of view parallel to the plane of movement of the robot. The detector receives confinement light beams substantially in a plane at the height of the field of view while blocking or rejecting confinement light beams substantially above or substantially below the plane at the height of the field of view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph L. Jones, Philip R. Mass
  • Patent number: 10826422
    Abstract: A control circuit includes: a cycle counter configured to measure a cycle of revolutions per minute (RPM) signal indicating an RPM of a motor to be driven to generate a digital measurement value; and a controller configured to generate a control command based on a digital target value corresponding to a target cycle of the RPM signal and the measurement value, wherein the controller switches between a first mode in which the control command is monotonously changed and a second mode in which the control command is generated based on proportional-integral (PI) control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuki Gohara
  • Patent number: 10826424
    Abstract: A cascaded inverter system is described and includes an electric machine that is electrically connected in series between first and second inverters. A controller is in communication with the first and second inverters, and includes an executable instruction set. A first dead-time compensation term and a first voltage compensation term are determined based upon an initial phase current and a switching frequency for the first inverter, and a final first duty cycle is determined based thereon. Simultaneously, a second dead-time compensation term and a second voltage compensation term are determined based upon the inverted initial phase current and a switching frequency for the second inverter, and a final second duty cycle is determined based thereon. Operation of the first and second inverters are dynamically controlled based upon the final first duty cycle and the final second duty cycle, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Brian A. Welchko, Brent S. Gagas
  • 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: 10804823
    Abstract: Provided is a washing machine including: a stator including a coil; a rotor including a plurality of variable magnets each having a magnetic force variable, and rotatable with respect to the stator; a controller configured to control an energizing of the coil to increase or decrease a magnetic force of the variable magnet; and a plurality of position sensors each having a output voltage changed according to a magnetic flux of the variable magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomonori Ueno, Hiroshi Katsumoto, Taro Yoshida, Hidekazu Funakoshi, Yukinori Nakagawa, Yasuyuki Sonoda, Masaki Oshige, Yasumasa Nagasaki
  • Patent number: 10804825
    Abstract: Provided are an automatic advance angle control system and method for a brushless linear direct current (BLDC) motor. The automatic advance angle control system for the BLDC motor includes a current controller configured to generate an anti-windup output for compensating for accumulated errors of an output voltage provided to the BLDC motor; a voltage headroom calculator configured to generate a voltage headroom from a counter-electromotive force and the output voltage provided to the BLDC motor; and an advance angle controller configured to generate an advance angle for controlling a phase of a phase current of the BLDC motor by performing proportional integration on a difference between the anti-windup output and the voltage headroom when the anti-windup output is generated and configured to ignore the generation of the advance angle when the anti-windup output is not generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: PUSAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-UNIVERSITY COOPERATION FOUNDATION
    Inventor: Kim Jang Mok
  • Patent number: 10804831
    Abstract: In a magnetic flux variation estimator of a control apparatus, a command voltage corrector corrects d- and q-axis command voltages to reduce a deviation between each of the d- and q-axis command voltages and a corresponding actual voltage to be applied to a rotary electric machine, thus outputting a corrected d-axis command voltage and a corrected q-axis command voltage. A standard voltage calculator calculates, based on an electrical angular velocity of the rotary electric machine and a current flowing in the rotary electric machine, a d-axis standard voltage and a q-axis standard voltage to be applied to the rotary electric machine while the rotary electric machine is in a predetermined standard state. An estimator estimates a magnetic flux variation as a function of the corrected d-axis command voltage, the corrected q-axis command voltage, and the q-axis standard voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoto Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10797510
    Abstract: The invention provides a power storage and supply method and system for a drilling rig. The system comprises a primary common direct current (DC) bus, at least one secondary DC bus, at least one bi-directional DC-to-DC converter connected between the primary common DC bus and the secondary DC bus, at least one motor group each connected to the secondary DC bus through a DC-to-AC inverter, and an Energy Storage System (ESS) configured to be charged by regenerative energy from at least one motor group and discharge power to at least one motor group through the primary common DC bus and the bi-directional DC-to-DC converter. The system may further comprise a bi-directional AC-to-DC converter between the primary DC bus and an AC bus, wherein the ESS is further configured to be charged by regenerative energy generated during lowering operation of a jacking system for the drilling rig, wherein the jacking system is connected to the AC bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignees: Keppel Offshore & Marine Technology Centre Pte Ltd, Keppel FELS Limited
    Inventors: Kok Seng Foo, Wey Lii Lee, Rajinee Kuna, Bernard Voon Ee How, Shaikh Afshar Hussain
  • Patent number: 10797620
    Abstract: A control unit includes: control command generation means for generating a first control command and a second control command that specifies currents to flow through a first winding set and second winding set respectively; voltage calculation means for calculating a first voltage command from the first control command and calculating a second voltage command from the second control command; and first voltage application means and second voltage application means for applying voltages to the first winding set and the second winding set of a rotating machine on the basis of the first voltage command and the second voltage command, wherein discharge control for electric charge of a smoothing capacitor is performed while torque generated by current flowing from the smoothing capacitor to the first winding set and torque generated by current flowing from the capacitor to the second winding set are cancelled out with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Furukawa, Munenori Yamamoto