Patents Examined by Jonathan A. Wysocki
  • Patent number: 6410996
    Abstract: A radioshielded assembly contains components that require a d.c. supply and a multi-pole terminal arrangement connected between power supply terminals of the components and an external d.c. supply. At least one pole of the multi-pole terminal arrangement is fashioned for conducting a potential that differs from a reference potential. A switching stage is inserted between that pole of the terminal means that does not carry reference potential and the corresponding power supply terminals of the components. An actuation arrangement is in interactive communication with the switching stage, as a result of which the connected pole can be electrically connected to the power supply terminals or the pole can be disconnected from the power supply terminals and electrically connected to a reference potential so that interference signals cannot reach the components via the power supply lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Rainer Kuth
  • Patent number: 6281648
    Abstract: A device for control of driving a power window automatically holds a switch in its operated state to continuously raise or lower a door glass by continuously rotating a motor. The device stops the motor when a locking current flows through the motor upon complete closure or complete open of the door glass. The device includes a thermistor inserted in a signal line through which current flowing through the motor passes. The thermistor is disposed in the vicinity of the motor. When a locking current flows through the motor, the current also flows through the thermistor so that the thermistor is heated and shuts off the current flowing therethrough so as to stop the supply of electricity to the motor when the temperature of the thermistor exceeds a predetermined value. Also, the thermistor has a function of shutting off current flowing therethrough when receiving heat radiated from the motor due to over current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Hitoshi Iwata, Yasushi Nishibe, Kenichi Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 6242876
    Abstract: Windshield wiping systems commonly include a parking control, which delivers power to a wiping motor, while waiting for the wipers to reach a parked position. When the wipers park, the parking control terminates power to the motor. The invention repeatedly exercises the parking control, in order to obtain intermittent wiper operation. That is, the invention allows parking to occur, and then waits for a short time. Next, the invention withdraws a wiper from parked status, and then allows the parking system to park again, and so on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Valeo Electrical Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Hatch Thompson
  • Patent number: 6232729
    Abstract: A motor control device for an electric vehicle is capable of protecting component units from damage and also protecting a storage battery from deterioration or breakage by preventing an excessive increase in a regenerative braking amount of a motor. An auxiliary controller controls the regenerative braking amount of the motor so that the voltage of the storage battery, which is detected by a voltage detector, stays at a predetermined voltage value or less at the time of regenerative braking of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 6196650
    Abstract: A sensorless motor driving circuit including a detection circuit for detecting a reference position for the rotating rotor based on an excitation coil induction voltage, a differential pulse generating circuit for generating a differential pulse using a detection circuit output signal, a phase-locked loop circuit capable of generating a clock pulse, having a phase comparator for comparing the differential pulse with the clock pulse after the clock pulse has been frequency divided, an activation pulse generator for counting the clock pulses and generating an activation pulse when the differential pulse is not generated within the duration of a prescribed number of counts, a latch circuit for generating a delayed pulse delayed by a prescribed amount from the reference position of the rotor by counting the clock pulses or by using the activation pulse, a generating circuit for generating conduction switching signals for the excitation coils based on the delayed pulse and a driver circuit for bringing about condu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Inagaki
  • Patent number: 6091221
    Abstract: A motor driving apparatus including a stepping motor constituted by a stator having at least two poles. The driving apparatus includes a circuit for biasing one terminal of a driving coil of a motor to an intermediate potential of a power supply voltage. A counterelectromotive voltage detection circuit for detecting a counterelectromotive voltage generated upon rotation of a rotor is arranged at the other terminal. A pulse signal to rotate the rotor is output on the basis of a detection signal output from the counterelectromotive voltage detection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Haruhiko Higuchi
  • Patent number: 6066930
    Abstract: In flowing a switching current through an inductive load by way of an H-bridge circuit, a control circuit and a timing signal generating circuit are used to start a current supply operation in accordance with a driving period of a predetermined frequency, thereby increasing the current flowing through the inductive load. In reducing the current, a power source regeneration operation is performed during a power source regeneration period and a commutation operation is performed during a commutation period. The power source regeneration operation and the commutation operation are well balanced with each other, thereby making it possible to perform a high-frequency driving with a switching current having less ripple. Also, since the power source regeneration operation is performed in a long time in the case where the switching current level is reduced, it becomes possible to quickly reduce the current level down to a desired level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Shindengen Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Horiguchi, Tomoaki Nishi
  • Patent number: 6054822
    Abstract: A method of controlling an on-vehicle electric opening/closing body includes the steps of detecting an increased amount of driving current of a motor at a predetermined time interval, comparing the increased amount of the driving current, the number of times of continuous increases in driving current, or an accumulated value of the increased amount of the driving current with a predetermined threshold to perform decision of over load, and varying the threshold according to voltage applied to the motor, rotation directions of the motor, or a type of object generating the over load. It is thereby possible to surely detect the over load which is accidentally generated when sliding a sun-roof, a power window, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kouichi Harada
  • Patent number: 6002224
    Abstract: A one touch operating apparatus includes an actuator connected to a relay and causing actuation of the relay to switch a relay contact to a position supplying electric power to a drive motor to move a component in one direction. A latch circuit maintains power on the relay after momentary actuation of the actuator. An overcurrent protection device and a diode are connected in series between the switchable relay contact and the relay to form the latch circuit. The overcurrent protection device is a positive temperature coefficient resistor which detects a temperature increase resulting from an overcurrent through the motor to open the latch circuit and deenergize the relay terminating electric power to the motor. The overcurrent protective device is automatically resettable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Eric J. Stern
  • Patent number: 5986197
    Abstract: A method and apparatus permitting the player of a set of drums such as bongo or conga drums to alter the character of the sound produced, selectively and with complete freedom as to exactly when such effect will occur, through the use of a foot pedal which controls a set of damping elements mounted upon an adjacently located but separate damper arm and stand assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Inventor: Peter J. Allen
  • Patent number: 5949004
    Abstract: A music box is arranged for increased compactness. The music box includes a comb having vibrating teeth, a drum with a rotational axis with a plurality of pins on an outer surface for engaging ends of said teeth, a coil spring having a winding shaft for driving the drum, an accelerating gear row for accelerating the rotation speed of the spring winding shaft, a braking member engaging with the gear row for braking and a base frame for transmitting the vibration of the comb to a mounting member. The rotational axis of the drum and the spring shaft are arranged vertical to the base frame and the spring shaft is substantially centered on the frame. The drum, comb, accelerating gear and brake are disposed about the centered spring shaft to provide a more compact arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Sankyo Seiki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Orii, Shinroku Asakawa
  • Patent number: 5917303
    Abstract: A device for controlling a stepper motor that drives a plurality of shutter blades. The movement and position of the movement of the rotor of the stepper motor is monitored to determine when the next step of the stepper motor should be stepped so that the rotation of the rotor will be known to cause the shutter blades to form the correct aperture size. The device may also be used to drive an automatic focusing mechanism and/or zoom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Jean Francois Depatie, J. Kelly Lee, Allan MacGregor Waugh, James Joseph Parker, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5915070
    Abstract: A motor driving apparatus PWM-controls a DC voltage from a rectifying unit according to a rotation speed setting information, and drives a motor by voltage pulse chooped by PWM. The rectifying unit is controlled so that a full-wave rectification is performed when the motor runs at a rotation speed below a prescribed rotation speed and a voltage-doubler rectification is performed when the motor runs at a rotation speed above the prescribed rotation speed. On the other hand, in case a motor drives a compressor of an air-conditioning system, the rectifying unit is controlled so that the full-wave rectification is performed when the air-conditioning system is a cooling operation and the voltage-doubler rectification is performed when the air-conditioning system is a heating operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignee: Zexel Corporation
    Inventors: Yoriyuki Takekawa, Nobukazu Takagi
  • Patent number: 5912539
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus includes a judgment unit which passes a judgment that a condition, in which an offset signal indicative of the offset between a target current signal and a motor current signal, or a drive control signal used for controlling an electric motor is greater than a threshold, has continued for an allowable time. Based on this judgment, a forced drive control unit forcibly drives the electric motor. A fault judgment unit monitors the motor current in all times and judges a current detecting unit to be at fault if the motor current does not vary even though the electric motor is drive forcibly. Thus, even when a failure in the current detecting unit occurs during movement of a motor vehicle, such failure can reliably be detected. Additionally, since the judgment is performed after the electric motor is driven forcibly, misjudgment does not occur even when the judgement at the judgment unit results from continuous application of abrupt manual steering operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuo Sugitani, Takao Kurosawa, Shinzi Hironaka
  • Patent number: 5912540
    Abstract: The robot control system of the present invention stores the robot's initial state data memory prior to engaging in an operation. During a manual movement operation, the robot is started at a predetermined low speed so that the operator may easily observe its movement and take corrective action thereby improving safety. While the robot is operating at this low speed a recovery command may then be issued by the operator from a recovery command unit when it is observed that the robot is moving inappropriately. Upon detection of the recovery command, a recovery control unit then operates causing the robot to recover its attitude and position as defined by the initial state data stored in memory. However, if a predetermined period of time elapses without a recovery command being issued, then speed of the robot is gradually increased from the predetermined low speed until reaching a predetermined target speed. Thereafter, the robot is manually controlled to operate at a constant speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Fanuc, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kosaka, Takeaki Aramaki
  • Patent number: 5905220
    Abstract: A piano pedal optical sensor apparatus and method for accurately measuring, recording and reproducing the pedal expression generated during piano performances. A plurality of optical emitter/sensors are mounted on the pedal support assembly of a piano, and a plurality of corresponding optical reflectors are mounted on the moving connecting rods associated with piano pedals on the piano. Output voltage signals from the optical emitter sensors, which vary according to pedal movement, are monitored and used to generate and record pedal position values. The recorded pedal position values are then used to recreate the original pedal expression of the piano performance by generation of pulse width modulation signals which are used to drive solenoids associated with piano pedals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Burgett, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles R. Lee, Pamela K. Clift, Alana J. Yorba
  • Patent number: 5903123
    Abstract: First ends of electrical elements (CR18, CR14, CR17, CR16) forming safety circuits are electrically grounded, and safety circuits (switches 105, 103, 104, 107) are connected between the remaining second ends of the electrical elements and the power supply side (positive (+) side) of the system thereof, so that even if a signal transmitting line in the safety circuit system is grounded, the safety system relay is not excited; that is, it is kept opened, thereby to interrupt of the servo power supply circuit. Further, two relays of hardware system and of software system are provided which transmits an emergency stop state or other abnormal state to the outside. The relay contact means of the two relays are extended outside, so that it is detected with an external control board whether the relays are opened or closed, thereby to detect whether or not the contact means are fused.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeru Shimogama
  • Patent number: 5903120
    Abstract: A clothes washing machine includes a housing in which a wash tub is disposed. The housing includes a top cover in which an opening is disposed to enable clothes to be inserted into, or removed from the wash tub. The opening is closed by an openable door. The door is openable in response to the depressing of a foot pedal by a user. The foot pedal can be operably connected to the door by a wire arrangement such that the force for opening the door is provided by the user's foot. Alternatively, the foot pedal or a button could be connected to a motor which is connected to the door for opening the door when the foot pedal (or button) is depressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeong-Soo Shin
  • Patent number: 5903121
    Abstract: In a method for triggering a DC motor through an integrated H-bridge circuit by using a control circuit and an apparatus for carrying out the method, a high-side transistor switch or a low-side transistor switch associated with each motor terminal, or both of the transistor switches, are each controlled or regulated to a conductive state by a respective guard circuit, if and as long as a potential at a motor terminal is or falls below a predetermined value. Each guard circuit has a biased transistor with a conductive state in which the associated transistor switches are made conducting through a current mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Martin Heine, Alfons Fisch, Theodor Maier, Gerhard Goeser
  • Patent number: RE37825
    Abstract: A data medium is driven by a brushless direct current motor and possesses control signals on a track which can be picked up by a sensing device and supplied to a switch arrangement for activation of the motor winding. The control signals on the track characterize at least those angular positions of the rotor with respect to the stator in which commutation is to be initiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Papst Licensing GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Helmut Hans