Patents Examined by Zemenay T Truneh
  • Patent number: 11858128
    Abstract: A device that uses a motor may quickly and safely stop the motor using a rapid braking system. For example, the device may stop to avoid collision with an object, upon determining a failure of an internal component, upon receipt of a command, and so forth. Responsive to a signal to stop, the motor is disconnected from the battery. A braking circuit is activated that dissipates, in a controlled fashion, power produced by continuing motion of the motor. When the voltage produced by the motor's continuing motion drops below a threshold, a stop circuit shorts the terminals of the motor, causing the motor to resist further rotation. When the stop condition no longer applies the signal to stop is removed resulting in the motor being reconnected to the battery, the braking circuit being deactivated, the stop circuit opens the short between the terminals of the motor, and normal operation resumes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Benny Ng, Siddharth Gupta, Marcel Colman Eric Stieber, Rex L Allison, Christopher Wells Fitzhugh
  • Patent number: 11850947
    Abstract: A motor vehicle has a motor, an inverter, a first power storage device, with a large-capacity characteristic, a second power storage device, with a high-power characteristic, a power converter and a circuit. The power converter has a voltage step down function during power driving. In the circuit, the power converter is connected to the first power storage device and the second power storage device. Thus, the first power storage device and the second power storage device are parallel to each other. During the power driving of the motor, the power converter steps down an output voltage of the first power storage device to supply energy from the first power storage device and the second power storage device to the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha F.C.C.
    Inventors: Takaharu Takeshita, Mahmoud Abdelnaby Sayed Abdallah, Tatsuyuki Ohashi
  • Patent number: 11811341
    Abstract: A home appliance having a motor includes: an inverter unit; and an inverter control unit for controlling a switching operation of the inverter unit, wherein the inverter control unit generates a braking command for braking the motor, on the basis of an operating mode of the home appliance, and controls the inverter unit to stop the motor when a preset braking time elapses after the braking command is generated, and to execute a first braking mode in which the rotational speed of the motor is reduced in a state where no current flows in the inverter control unit, and then to execute at least one of a second braking mode and a third braking mode in which the rotational speed of the motor is reduced in a state where a current flows in the inverter control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Kyungtae Park, Dongwook Kim, Sunil Lee
  • Patent number: 11811348
    Abstract: An inverter controller is used to control an inverter circuit, which drives a vehicle on-board electric motor using a vehicle on-board electricity storage device. A rotation controlling unit of the inverter controller executes a process that derives two-phase voltage command values based on an external command value delivered from an external device and an actual rotation speed, and a process that derives three-phase voltage command values based on the two-phase voltage command values. In a case in which a voltage utilization factor is less than or equal to a utilization factor threshold, the rotation controlling unit derives, by switching at a switching period, sets of three-phase voltage command values of which the line voltages of the vehicle on-board electric motor are the same and the variation ranges are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Takashi Ogami, Takashi Kawashima
  • Patent number: 11804799
    Abstract: A system for controlling a synchronous motor drive may be configured to receive a command voltage signal and to identify, in the synchronous motor drive, a resistance imbalance signature from the command voltage signal. The system may determine, based on the resistance imbalance signature, respective phase resistances that correspond to phases of a synchronous motor of the synchronous motor drive. Each respective phase resistance may include a phase transistor resistance and a phase winding resistance. The system may identify, based on the phase resistances and an estimated average resistance between the phases of the synchronous motor, one or more phases of the synchronous motor that correspond to one or more phase resistances representing a resistance imbalance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Prerit Pramod, Rakesh Mitra, Darren Qu, Subhra Paul, Julie A. Kleinau
  • Patent number: 11791752
    Abstract: A motor circuit for driving a motor having two independent sets of windings forming 3 or more phases, wherein each phase of a first set is paired with a respective phase of a second set. A first bridge driver circuit has a top side switch and a bottom side switch driving each phase of the first set, and a second bridge driver circuit has a top side switch and a bottom side switch driving each phase of the second set. First and second current determining means determine current flowing in each respective sets of windings independent of the current flowing in the other set of phase windings. A third current determining means is configured to determine the sum of the current flowing in each pair of the N pairs of phases of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: ZF Automotive UK Limited
    Inventors: Nathanael Rice, Maciej Kudanowski
  • Patent number: 11784589
    Abstract: A safety switching system and method for braking an electric motor in a mobile device. A multi-phase shorting system brakes the motor by diverting power from the motor windings. Multiple independent switching units each include a switch control unit controlling multiple normally-closed switches which, in response to a safety controller, close to connect a respective motor winding to electrical ground. An electromechanical brake system mechanically brakes the motor. An independent switching unit includes two normally-open switches which, in response to the safety controller, opens to activate an electromechanical brake. A feedback system communicates to the safety controller a switch failure of any of the switches either as a short circuit fault or an open circuit fault. The feedback system may include an analog and/or a digital feedback system. If a switch failure is detected, the safety controller may activate the multi-phase shorting system and the electromechanical brake system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Cosma Pabouctsidis, Nikolaos Adamopoulos, Dimitrios Papathanasopoulos, Steven C. Bartz
  • Patent number: 11738653
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus that includes a battery, a Direct Current (DC) bus connected to the battery, and a DC to DC converter connected to the battery in parallel with the DC bus. A Motor Control Unit (MCU) is connected between the DC to DC converter and an electric motor. An Alternating Current (AC) port is connected to the electric motor. Switches connect the DC bus and an output of the DC to DC converter in series as an input to the MCU in a drive mode and disconnect the DC bus from the MCU in a charge mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Huawei Digital Power Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Huibin Zhu, Heping Dai, Yongtao Liang, Weiping Liu, Feng Su, Shaohua Wang
  • Patent number: 11742676
    Abstract: A motor driven industrial actuator device includes an enclosure that houses: a motor, a control module, a drive, a battery pack and associated temperature sensor, and an input that receives an external power supply. The control module receives: the status of the external power supply, the charge state of the battery pack, the status of the battery pack, or the charge state and status of the battery pack. The control module causes the battery pack to be charged when an external power supply is present and the battery pack requires charging. During charging of the battery pack, the control module: receives the temperature associated with the battery pack from the temperature sensor; compares the measured temperature with a predetermined threshold temperature; and reduces the current to the battery pack if the measured temperature is greater than the predetermined threshold temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Inventors: Nian You Tan, Jonathan Wiggins, David Ware
  • Patent number: 11714395
    Abstract: A motor control device is a motor control device which controls a spindle motor of a machine tool, the device including: a low-pass filter which averages torque command values or drive current values of the spindle motor and calculates averaged load information of the spindle motor; and a time constant calculation unit which calculates, as a time constant of the low-pass filter, a first time constant based on a cut-off frequency according to the rotation number of the spindle driven by the spindle motor, or a second time constant based on a cut-off frequency according to a value produced by multiplying a of cutting tooth number of a tool by the rotation number of the spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuuki Morita, Tadashi Okita
  • Patent number: 11679400
    Abstract: A method of operating a plurality of machines. Each of the machines uses a servo motor and a motor drive coupled to the servo motor, and the motor drive incorporates a regenerative braking system. The method comprises synchronising the servo motors in order to achieve overlap of the acceleration phases of some machines with the deceleration phases of other machines and providing electrical power from the regenerative braking systems of machines in a deceleration phase to machines in an acceleration phase. A controller for a machine implementing the method, and a system comprising such a controller and a plurality of machines are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Crown Packaging Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Egerton
  • Patent number: 11683001
    Abstract: An over-current protection circuit for a motor capable of selecting one of a plurality of connection states has a plurality of decision circuits, a combining circuit, and a nullifying circuit. The combining circuit combines results of the comparisons in the plurality of decision circuits. The nullifying circuit nullifies part of the comparisons in the plurality of decision circuits. The number of outputs of the over-current protection circuit is one, so that for controlling the driving and stopping of the inverter needs just one terminal is required for receiving the output of the combining circuit. Moreover, because the over-current protection circuit is formed of hardware, the protection can be performed at a high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Iwazaki, Koichi Arisawa, Takashi Yamakawa, Keisuke Uemura, Shinya Toyodome
  • Patent number: 11652436
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for protecting an escrow clutch of a self-service terminal. The systems and methods may include actuating a motor of the self-service terminal to cause an escrow clutch of the self-service terminal to spin at a rate. As the clutch spins, a determination as to when a clutch slippage exceeds a preset slippage rate may be made. When the clutch slippage exceeds the preset slippage rate, the motor may be actuated to cause the escrow clutch to spin at a second rate. The second rate may less than the first rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Michael McLeod Rennie, Scott Low Colston
  • Patent number: 11652437
    Abstract: An electrical combination, a tool system, an electric motor, a battery pack, and operating and manufacturing methods. The tool may include a tool housing, a motor supported by the tool housing, the motor having a nominal outer diameter of up to about 80 millimeters (mm), the motor being operable to output at least about 2760 watts (W), and a tool terminal electrically connected to the motor; a battery pack including a pack housing defining a volume of the battery pack, the volume being up to about 5.2×106 cubic millimeters (mm3), battery cells supported by the pack housing, the battery cells being electrically connected and having a nominal voltage of up to about 80 volts (V), and a pack terminal electrically connectable to the tool terminal to transfer current between the battery pack and the tool; and a controller operable to control the transfer of current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventors: Samuel Sheeks, Jeffrey M. Brozek, Keith Boulanger, Andrew T. Beyerl, Timothy R. Obermann, Alex Huber, Samantha L. Billetdeaux, Lance D. Lamont, Matthew J. Mergener
  • Patent number: 11639114
    Abstract: A method of operating an electric vehicle having multiple electric traction motors include receiving a signal indicative of a driver requested torque, and determining portions of the torque request to produce from each traction motor based on efficiency maps of the motors. The method may also include producing the determined portions of torque from each motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Proterra Operating Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Jarred Vallbracht, Matthew Simonini
  • Patent number: 11594997
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for determining an incorrect operating state of an electrical machine with the aid of an electronic circuit having at least one comparator. The electrical machine is controlled with a pulse width modulation signal. The pulse width modulation signal is demodulated. A first signal, which represents the demodulated pulse width modulation signal, is compared with a second signal. The second signal represents a rotational speed or a rotational angle of the electrical machine and/or a current intensity of the electrical machine. This comparison is carried out with the aid of the at least one comparator. An error signal is generated based on the comparison in order to determine the incorrect operating state of the electrical machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventor: Wolfram Siegfried Birkmayer
  • Patent number: 11579570
    Abstract: A servo control device to execute an operation in a discrete time system may include a velocity feedback path having a difference means calculating a pseudo-velocity from a detected position and a lowpass filter, and a PI control means executing a proportional integration control operation on a deviation between the pseudo-velocity and the position deviation to create a drive command for the driver. The velocity feedback path includes a first gain means applying a first gain to the pseudo-velocity, a delay means delaying the pseudo-velocity, and a second gain means applying a second gain to the delayed pseudo-velocity. A sum of an output of the first gain means and the second gain means is inputted to the lowpass filter, and “Fa(z)=1/(1?z?1Fb(z))” is satisfied where a transfer function of the PI control means is Fa(z), and a transfer function of the lowpass filter is Fb(z).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro Ito
  • Patent number: 11569770
    Abstract: A system for controlling an electric machine of a vehicle includes, among other things, a controller module configured to attenuate noise from the electric machine by altering a corrective voltage in response to feedback about the noise. The corrective voltage and a fundamental voltage command are supplied to the electric machine as a combined voltage command. The corrective voltage is on a harmonic adjacent to a harmonic of the noise. A method of controlling noise associated with an electric machine of a vehicle includes, among other things, altering a corrective voltage to attenuate noise in response to feedback about the noise. The corrective voltage and a fundamental voltage command are supplied to the electric machine as a combined voltage command. The corrective voltage is on a harmonic adjacent to a harmonic of the noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jiyao Wang, Wei Xu, Silong Li
  • Patent number: 11556176
    Abstract: Handwheel systems, including control consoles incorporating handwheels of the inventive subject matter, are described in this application. Handwheels described in this application can be used to control remotely located motors, especially those configured to control camera movements. To make it easier for camera operators to control remotely located motors using handwheels, those handwheels can be incorporated into a control console. Control consoles of the inventive subject matter can include several dials, toggle buttons, a display, and a variety of different inputs and outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Inventor: Boyd Randolph Hobbs
  • Patent number: 11533008
    Abstract: Provided is a method for determining the rotational position of a rotor in a permanent magnet synchronous machine, wherein the stator includes windings for a first, second and third phase, including the steps: applying a first voltage pulse to the first phase, determining respective first measures for the current induced by the first voltage pulse in the second and third phase, selecting a first selected phase depending on the first measures for the current, wherein the first selected phase is either the second or the third phase, applying a second voltage pulse to the first selected phase, determining respective second measures for the current induced by the second voltage pulse in the phases of the stator that are not the first selected phase, and determining the rotational position of the rotor depending on the second measures of the current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY A/S
    Inventors: Ximeng Wu, Zhan-Yuan Wu, Zi-Qiang Zhu