Patents Examined by Thai T Dinh
  • Patent number: 11387768
    Abstract: A direct-current power supply device includes a reactor, a bridge circuit that converts alternating-current voltage output from an alternating-current power supply, which is connected to the reactor, into direct-current voltage, a capacitor that smoothes the output voltage of the bridge circuit, a current detector that detects a first current flowing as an alternating current between the alternating-current power supply and the bridge circuit, a current detector that detects a second current flowing as a direct current between the bridge circuit and the capacitor, an overcurrent determination unit that determines on the basis of a detected first current value whether or not the first current is an overcurrent, and an overcurrent determination unit that determines on the basis of a detected second current value whether or not the second current is an overcurrent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Ichiki, Takuya Shimomugi, Koichi Arisawa, Keisuke Uemura, Kenji Iwazaki
  • Patent number: 11387762
    Abstract: An electric motor system is described. The electric motor system includes a drive circuit configured to supply variable frequency current and a contactor configured to supply line frequency current, wherein the drive circuit includes a three-phase inverter and an H-bridge including two phases of the inverter. The electric motor system also includes an electric motor and a controller. The controller is configured to control the inverter to supply variable frequency current to the electric motor over a first duration and determine to control the drive circuit to transition from supplying variable frequency current to supplying line frequency current. The controller is also configured to determine a polarity of a sensed alternating current (AC) voltage, disable at least two switches of the H-bridge, and control the contactor to close, thereby preventing the contactor and the inverter from energizing the electric motor at the same time once the contactor is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
    Inventor: Ludovic Andre Chretien
  • Patent number: 11387745
    Abstract: The rectifier includes: a main circuit unit configured to perform power conversion between AC power on a side of a three-phase AC power supply and DC power on a DC side by rectifying operation of a rectifying device and ON-OFF operation of a switching device; a power calculation unit configured to calculate a value of a power flowing between the side of the three-phase AC power supply and the DC side via the main circuit unit; and a control unit configured to perform control to execute the ON-OFF operation of the switching device, wherein the control unit changes a length of an ON period per cycle in the ON-OFF operation executed on the switching device according to the value of the power calculated by the power calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventors: Eijun Murai, Shunpei Tanaka, Shinichi Horikoshi
  • Patent number: 11387752
    Abstract: A washing machine having a first single phase electric motor, a second single phase electric motor and an electric drive unit for the electric motors. The electric drive unit is connected to power supply lines and comprises three first legs, each leg comprising a pair of switches. Electrical terminals of the first electric motor are connected to the first and second legs of the electric drive unit and electrical terminals of the second electric motor are connected to the second and third legs of the electric drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Inventors: Piero Stocco, Alberto Bisutti
  • Patent number: 11377893
    Abstract: A swing door operator for moving at least one door leaf between a first and a second position includes a motor and a mechanical drive unit connected to and capable of moving the at least one door leaf from the first position to the second position, and a braking circuit connected to the motor. The braking circuit includes a diode circuit arranged to apply a voltage drop to the motor. The motor is adapted to act as a generator and is configured to generate a voltage when the drive unit moves the at least one door leaf, and to brake a movement of the at least one door leaf when the voltage generated by the motor is larger than the voltage drop applied by the diode circuit. The diode circuit includes at least three diodes connected in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Assa Abloy Entrance Systems AB
    Inventor: Sven-Gunnar Soderqvist
  • Patent number: 11377905
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to control an architectural opening covering assembly are disclosed herein. An example system includes a first architectural opening covering assembly to identify a first position of a first covering as a first reference position in response to a first command to store a first speed at which the first assembly is to be driven. The first assembly is to operate a first motor to move the first covering at the first stored speed in response to a second command. The example system includes a second architectural opening covering assembly to store a second speed at which the second covering is to be driven in response to a third command. The second assembly is to operate a second motor at the second stored speed in response to a fourth command to move the second covering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: HUNTER DOUGLAS INC.
    Inventors: Wendell B. Colson, Daniel M. Fogarty
  • Patent number: 11369443
    Abstract: A method of using a surgical modular robotic assembly including an interchangeable motor pack, a hand-held surgical instrument, and a robotic surgical instrument is disclosed. The method includes releasably attaching an interface portion of the interchangeable motor pack to the hand-held surgical instrument, causing the interchangeable motor pack to drive a first surgical tool of the hand-held surgical instrument, stopping the interchangeable motor pack from driving the first surgical tool, disconnecting the interface portion from the hand-held surgical instrument, and releasably attaching the interface portion of the interchangeable motor pack to the robotic surgical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, Nicholas M. Morgan, Joshua P. Morgan, Christopher J. Hess, Chad E. Eckert, Daniel J. Mumaw, Kevin M. Fiebig
  • Patent number: 11374517
    Abstract: A motor controller configured to reduce the motor noise by detecting the zero point of the motor current is disclosed. The motor controller comprises a switch circuit, a pre-driver, a phase detecting unit, a control unit, a comparator, a first resistor, and a second resistor. The switch circuit is an H-bridge circuit. The switch circuit includes a first upper-side switch, a second upper-side switch, a first lower-side switch, and a second lower-side switch. When the motor controller performs the last pulse width modulation driving with respect to the first lower-side switch before phase switching, the second upper-side switch is turned off and the first lower-side switch is kept turning on, so as to facilitate the detection of the zero point of the motor current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Global Mixed-mode Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Ching-Feng Lai
  • Patent number: 11374515
    Abstract: An operation method and an operation device of a motor driver for driving a motor are provided. The operation method includes: establishing a hysteresis control method; and adjusting a switch frequency of a power module for operating the motor by using the hysteresis control method according to a change of rotation speed of the motor and a current switch frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Chih-Chiang Wu, Yun-Huan Li, Hsin-Ping Chou, Shih-Hsiang Wu
  • Patent number: 11351888
    Abstract: In a battery heating system an inverter includes a first-phase bridge arm, a second-phase bridge arm and a third-phase bridge arm connected in parallel, each of a upper bridge arm and a lower bridge arm is provided with a switch module, the switch module is connected in parallel with a buffer module; and a motor controller in the inverter is provided for providing driving signals to the switch module of a target upper bridge arm and the switch module of a target lower bridge arm to control the switch module of the upper bridge arm of any bridge arm among the three phases of bridge arms and the switch module of the lower bridge arm of at least one bridge arm among the bridge arms except the bridge arm where the switch module of the target upper bridge arm is located to be periodically turned on and off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited
    Inventors: Xiyang Zuo, Zhimin Dan, Wei Zhang, Yizhen Hou, Guowei Li, Xingyuan Wu, Yanru Li
  • Patent number: 11309813
    Abstract: An opening/closing body drive device includes: a motor which opens or closes an opening/closing body; a drive unit which rotates the motor; and a control unit which controls the drive unit. The drive unit includes first and second integrated circuits having first and second switching elements and third and fourth switching elements which are connected to each other in series with respect to a power source and connection points of which are connected to one and the other terminals of the motor, respectively. The control unit turn-on drives only the second switching element when braking the motor during the forward rotation and turn-on drives only the fourth switching element when braking the motor during the reverse rotation, or turn-on drives only the third switching element when braking the motor during the forward rotation and turn-on drives only the first switching element when braking the motor during the reverse rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noriyuki Kamiya, Taishi IIkawa
  • Patent number: 11309826
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for controlling a permanent magnet motor, a power system and an electric vehicle. A power frequency of the permanent magnet motor is set by obtaining system parameters such as a resonance bandwidth of the permanent magnet motor and a natural frequency of a stator of the permanent magnet motor, and the permanent magnet motor is supplied power by using alternating current at the power frequency when a power battery meets a self-heating condition. Noises generated by the motor is reduced during a self-heating process of the power battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: JIANGSU CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Xiaojian Huang, Xiyang Zuo, Zhimin Dan, Bao Li
  • Patent number: 11305810
    Abstract: Technical solutions for controlling operation of an electric machine by a control system are provided. The control system comprises an inverter and a controller performing a first operation to produce a first output data representing a motor control current command in a first time period beginning at one of a plurality of initial times occurring at a first periodic timing interval. The controller also performs a second operation upon the first output data to produce a second output data in a second time period. The controller also performs a third operation at a periodic command time to produce a motor control voltage command using the second output data in response to satisfaction of a timing criterion. The timing criterion is based upon comparing the command time and occurrence of a posting time after the initial time. A method of enforcing timing restriction to synchronize non-deterministic motor control events is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Keyur Patel, Sreekanth Siddam
  • Patent number: 11303241
    Abstract: Rotating electric machine comprising a main electric machine, an excitation machine whose rotor is adapted to rotate with a rotor of the main electric machine and produce magnetizing power to the main electric machine, and a controllable rectifier bridge electrically connected to the excitation machine for feeding a field magnetization current to a rotor winding of the main electric machine and comprising controllable semiconductor components for controlling the field magnetization current. The rotating electric machine comprises a controllable circuit connected in parallel with the rotor winding and adapted to lower the magnetization of said rotor winding. The controllable circuit is a self-controlled circuit configured to self-act depending on the voltage across said rotor winding and comprises a discharge resistor dissipating the field magnetization current to lower the magnetization of said rotor winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: INDAR ELECTRIC S.L.
    Inventors: Iker Garmendia Olarreaga, Alexander Galarraga Telleria, Nestor Campo Caballero, Julio Sevilla Irujo, Aitor Aramburu Pino
  • Patent number: 11298823
    Abstract: A sensor device and a sensing method capable of detecting even a small external force are provided. A sensor device includes: a backflow prevention unit provided in the middle of a circuit that supplies a current from a power supply unit to a motor unit; a potential detection unit configured to detect each of potentials at a preceding stage and a subsequent stage of the backflow prevention unit; and an external force detection unit configured to detect an external force applied to a member connected to the motor unit on the basis of the potentials at the preceding stage and the subsequent stage of the backflow prevention unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshimitsu Kai
  • Patent number: 11296631
    Abstract: Systems, computer readable media storing instructions, and computing device-implemented methods include receiving one or more signals that represent an angular speed of a permanent magnet electric motor of a hybrid electric vehicle, receiving a signal representing a voltage from the electric motor, determining if the angular speed is within a predetermined threshold, calculating an error angle representing a correction factor for an alignment of the electric motor based on a ratio of the voltage and the angular speed, determining if the error angle indicates that the motor is installed in a correct or an incorrect orientation, and adding an orientation correction factor to the error angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: XL Hybrids
    Inventor: Tejas Chafekar
  • Patent number: 11286701
    Abstract: A sensor device for detecting a deformation of the sensor device, for example for use in a sunroof assembly, may be cost-effectively manufactured, while providing a high reliability. The sensor device includes a first electrically conductive metal lead; a first layer being a piezo-resistive material surrounding the first conductive lead; and a second electrically conductive metal lead. In a cross-section the second metal lead is arranged spaced apart from the first metal lead and the second metal lead is in electrical contact with the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: INALFA ROOF SYSTEMS GROUP B.V.
    Inventors: Suyanto Teri Wahiyu Ten-Jet-Foei, Theodorus Van Doleweerd
  • Patent number: 11290040
    Abstract: A linear motor according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a frame having a bottom and two sidewalls and extending in a longitudinal direction, multiple coil modules repeatedly disposed on the bottom in the longitudinal direction and configured to constitute a stator, a mover disposed on the two sidewalls in a width direction intersecting the longitudinal direction, the mover being movable in the longitudinal direction, thrust magnets mounted at a lower side of the mover and selectively corresponding to the multiple coil modules, and a Hall switching board mounted on an inner surface of one of the two sidewalls and having first Hall sensors (switching Hall sensors) operated by a magnetic field corresponding to the thrust magnets so that a driver controls phase conversion of the multiple coil modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF MACHINERY & MATERIALS
    Inventors: Hyunchang Kim, Dongwoo Kang, Kwang-Young Kim
  • Patent number: 11277085
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a motor may include: an inverter unit configured to output 3-phase AC currents through a plurality of switches to be switched by an input control signal to drive a 3-phase motor; a current detection unit including a plurality of current sensors configured to detect two or more phase currents among the 3-phase AC currents flowing through the 3-phase motor; and a control unit configured to receive respective fed-back phase currents detected by the plurality of respective current sensors, correct the phase currents by applying, to the fed-back phase currents, respective correction gains estimated in advance on the plurality of respective current sensors so as to compensate for a current detection deviation of each of the plurality of respective current sensors, and then control the inverter unit based on the corrected phase currents to control driving of the 3-phase motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyeon Hee Jeong, Kyu Ha Kim, In Hyuk Kim, Jeong Hoon Seo
  • Patent number: 11271515
    Abstract: A motor control device includes a first inverter selector configured to output first PWM signals selectively or simultaneously to a first inverter unit and a second inverter unit, and a first microcomputer configured to output the first PWM signals and a first selection signal to the first inverter selector, and the first selection signal contains information on whether the first PWM signals are to be output to the first inverter unit and whether the first PWM signals are to be output to the second inverter unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Kimura, Kohtaro Shiino, Hideaki Shimazu