Patents by Inventor Arno Karwath
Arno Karwath has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20080157707Abstract: The invention relates to a sensorless electric motor and a method of controlling such an electric motor, which motor comprises a permanently magnetic rotor, a stator having at least one winding, and a power stage for influencing the current flowing through the winding. As a function of a predetermined commutation duration (T_K), a commutation period is defined, during which period the direction of the magnetic field generated by current flow through the winding is not modified, during which period a commutation completion operation (107) and a commutation initiation operation (109) take place, and which period starts at a first commutation instant (t_KN) and ends at a second commutation instant (t_KN+1); preferably, commutation timing is adjusted, based upon a value of induced voltage picked up at a currently non-energized one of the winding strands, during a plateau portion (108) of a winding voltage trace, located temporally between commutation instants.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2006Publication date: July 3, 2008Applicant: EBM-PAPST ST. GEORGEN GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Frank Jeske, Arno Karwath, Günther Strasser, Frank Heller
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Publication number: 20080124226Abstract: An electrically driven fan arrangement, suitable for energy-conserving installations, includes a fan, an electric motor (110) serving to drive the fan, and associated control apparatus, namely: a sensing apparatus (140) for sensing a volumetric air flow rate (125) generated by the fan (120) and for generating a measured volumetric air flow value (Vmess), and a volumetric flow rate control arrangement (160) for automatically controlling the volumetric air flow rate (125) generated by the fan (120) to a predetermined target volumetric air flow value (V_s). The volumetric flow rate control arrangement (160) is configured to generate a target rotation speed value (N_s) for the electric motor (110). A rotation speed controller (170), which automatically controls the rotation speed of the electric motor (110) to the target rotation speed rate (N_s) generated by the volumetric flow rate control arrangement (160), is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2007Publication date: May 29, 2008Inventor: Arno Karwath
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Publication number: 20070241705Abstract: An improved electric motor has a rotor (124), a stator (125) having at least one phase winding strand (126), an output stage (122) for influencing the current flow in said phase winding strand, a DC link circuit (170) for supplying the output stage (122) with current, including a link circuit capacitor (178), and a control unit (132) having an arrangement (152) for sensing a value characterizing the current recharge into the link circuit capacitor (178), which control unit (132) is configured to specify commutation instants as a function of the sensed value, and to perform commutation operations in the power stage (122) at the commutation instants thus specified. Avoiding a need for prolonged “currentless intervals” permits achieving higher efficiency and power output, particularly in a motor having less than three winding phases.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2007Publication date: October 18, 2007Inventor: ARNO KARWATH
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Publication number: 20070189739Abstract: An electronically commutated motor has a permanent-magnet rotor (124) having: at least two rotor poles (183, 186, 188, 189); at least one phase (126): a power stage (122) for influencing a motor current (320) flowing through the at least one phase (126); and a rotor position sensor (140) for generating a rotor position signal (182).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2006Publication date: August 16, 2007Inventors: Thomas Dufner, Frank Heller, Arno Karwath
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Patent number: 7230400Abstract: In an electronically commutated motor (M), rotor position signals are generated by means of a galvanomagnetic rotor position sensor (40). A timer (CNT_HL) brings about an advanced commutation which occurs only once the motor has reached a specific rotation speed, and whose magnitude is a function of the rotation speed.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 1999Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: EBM-PAPST St. Georgen GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Thomas Dufner, Jörg Hornberger, Frank Jeske, Hermann Rappenecker, Arno Karwath
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Patent number: 7067998Abstract: A drive circuit for brushless DC motors including a rotor and a stator with at least one stator coil includes a commutation device which supplies commutation pulses of drive current to the stator coil(s). The commutation device senses the rotor position and calculates current rotor speed therefrom. The rotor speed is then used to shift the commutation circuits according to predetermined functions. The shifting of commutation currents is occasioned by shifting either or both of the ignition part of a commutation pulse and the extinction part of such pulse.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2003Date of Patent: June 27, 2006Assignee: Papst Licensing GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Arno Karwath, Mojtaba Moi, Eberhard Wünsch
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Patent number: 7038412Abstract: An arrangement having an electric motor (10) has a microcontroller (12) for influencing at least one motor function and a nonvolatile storage element (14) for storing at least one variable as a definition for that motor function. The arrangement also has an interface (13a) for a data line (13) for transferring the at least one variable, in particular a current limiting value (Iref) from or to a storage element (14) by way of the microcontroller (12), and optionally by way of an internal data bus (15). The invention also relates to use of the device in the context of batteries of fans, and program-controlled current limitation for startup of an electric motor (10).Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2004Date of Patent: May 2, 2006Assignee: ebm-papst St. Georgen GmbH&Co.KGInventors: Arno Karwath, Jörg Hornberger, Frank Jeske, Hermann Rappenecker, Hansjörg Kaltenbrunner
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Patent number: 6970093Abstract: If a motor becomes defective, e.g. stops running, runs too slowly, or becomes too hot, many customers demand the generation of an alarm signal, i.e. ask for an alarm device provided on the motor. The following method is used for configuring this alarm signal: At least one parameter for configuring the alarm device of the motor is inputted via a input interface (80, 82); the at least one parameter is stored in a parameter memory (74; 109); the execution of at least one routine of the alarm device provided in the microprocessor (23) is influenced by said stored parameter or by a parameter derived therefrom. The invention furthermore concerns a motor for carrying out such a method. In a motor of this kind, the alarm device can easily be configured in accordance with a customer's present needs.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2000Date of Patent: November 29, 2005Assignee: ebm-papst St. Georgen GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Jöerg Hornberger, Frank Jeske, Hermann Rappenecker, Hansjörg Kaltenbrunner, Arno Karwath
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Method for commutating an electronically commutated DC motor, and motor for carrying out said method
Patent number: 6940243Abstract: An improved method of commutating an electronically commutated DC motor shuts off application of power between the end of one current pulse and the beginning of the subsequent current pulse. Based upon the instantaneous rotation speed, one calculates at what instant to shut off the power. During the power interruption, the disconnected winding is operated in short-circuit mode using two MOSFET transistors, and the decay of the current is monitored. When the current reaches a predetermined reduced value, the terminals of the winding are switched to a high-resistance state, until the subsequent current pulse is started. This has the advantage that less reactive power occurs during operation, and one need not install as bulky a storage capacitor as the capacitors used heretofore.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2001Date of Patent: September 6, 2005Assignee: ebm-papst St. Georgen GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Hansjörg Berroth, Alexander Hahn, Frank Heller, Frank Jeske, Arno Karwath, Arnold Kuner, Hans-Dieter Schondelmaier, Hermann Rappenecker, Günther Strasser -
Patent number: 6906484Abstract: A method of limiting current in a DC motor acts on a full bridge circuit (137) through which the stator winding arrangement (102) of that motor is supplied with current. Upon response of the current limiter, energy supply to the stator winding arrangement (102) from the DC power network is interrupted. The stator winding arrangement is then operated substantially in short circuit via semiconductor switches of the full bridge circuit, and the decaying current flowing in that context serves substantially to continue driving the motor. When that current has reached a lower value, energy supply from the DC power network to the motor is once again activated. The effective value of the current flowing to the motor is preferably reduced when the current limiter responds. The time period during which that current flows, in the form of current blocks, is then increased in compensatory fashion.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2001Date of Patent: June 14, 2005Assignee: ebm-papst St. Georgen GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Hansjörg Berroth, Alexander Hahn, Frank Heller, Frank Jeske, Arno Karwath, Arnold Kuner, Hans-Dieter Schondelmaier, Hermann Rappenecker, Günther Strasser
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Patent number: 6906486Abstract: An electronically commutated motor has a rotor (108), a stator having a stator winding arrangement (102), and a full bridge circuit (137) for controlling the current (i1, i2) in the stator winding arrangement (102); in the full bridge circuit (137), first semiconductor switches (114, 130) are connected to a first DC supply lead (116) and second semiconductor switches (132, 136) to the other DC supply lead (122), said second switches being bidirectionally conductive of current in the switched-on state. The motor has an arrangement (172, 198, 188) for opening the first semiconductor switches (114, 130) and for closing the second semiconductor switches (132, 136) during a predetermined operating state. An arrangement (202) is provided for monitoring the direction of the current (i1, i2) which flows in the second semiconductor switches (132, 136) when the latter are conductive during the predetermined operating state.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2001Date of Patent: June 14, 2005Assignee: ebm-papst St. Georgen GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Hansjörg Berroth, Alexander Hahn, Frank Heller, Frank Jeske, Arno Karwath, Arnold Kuner, Hans-Dieter Schondelmaier, Hermann Rappenecker, Günther Strasser
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Patent number: 6876165Abstract: The invention concerns a method for operating an electric motor (32) with which a microprocessor or microcontroller (23) and a nonvolatile memory (74) are associated, at least one operating data value of the motor (32) being automatically saved under program control in the nonvolatile memory (74) upon occurrence of an error. An electric motor for carrying out such a method is also described. The result of the invention is to increase the operating reliability of a motor, since the saved data can be polled from time to time or after occurrence of an error. The manner in which such errors are processed is also described.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2000Date of Patent: April 5, 2005Assignee: ebm-papst St. Georgen GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Hermann Rappenecker, Frank Jeske, Jörg Hornberger, Arno Karwath
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Publication number: 20050035733Abstract: An arrangement having an electric motor (10) has a microcontroller (12) for influencing at least one motor function and a nonvolatile storage element (14) for storing at least one variable as a definition for that motor function. The arrangement also has an interface (13a) for a data line (13) for transferring the at least one variable, in particular a current limiting value (Iref) from or to a storage element (14) by way of the microcontroller (12), and optionally by way of an internal data bus (15). The invention also relates to use of the device in the context of batteries of fans, and program-controlled current limitation for startup of an electric motor (10).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2004Publication date: February 17, 2005Inventors: Arno Karwath, Jorg Hornberger, Frank Jeske, Hermann Rappenecker, Hansjorg Kaltenbrunner
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Publication number: 20040239274Abstract: A drive circuit for brushless DC motors including a rotor and a stator with at least one stator coil includes a commutation device which supplies commutation pulses of drive current to the stator coil(s). The commutation device senses the rotor position and calculates current rotor speed therefrom. The rotor speed is then used to shift the commutation circuits according to predetermined functions. The shifting of commutation currents is occasioned by shifting either or both of the ignition part of a commutation pulse and the extinction part of such pulse.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2003Publication date: December 2, 2004Applicant: Papst Licensing GmbHInventors: Arno Karwath, Mojtaba Moi, Eberhard Wunsch
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Patent number: 6825625Abstract: An arrangement having an electric motor (10) has a microcontroller (12) for influencing at least one motor function and a nonvolatile storage element (14) for storing at least one variable as a definition for that motor function. The arrangement also has an interface (13a) for a data line (13) for transferring the at least one variable, in particular a current limiting value (Iref) from or to a storage element (14) by way of the microcontroller (12), and optionally by way of an internal data bus (15). The invention also relates to use of the device in the context of batteries of fans, and program-controlled current limitation for startup of an electric motor (10).Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2000Date of Patent: November 30, 2004Assignee: ebm-papst St. Georgen GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Arno Karwath, Jörg Hornberger, Frank Jeske, Hermann Rappenecker, Hansjörg Kaltenbrunner
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Patent number: 6819069Abstract: The rotation speed of an electric motor (9) is controlled by a controller (6) which receives its setpoint from a characteristic function (23). The characteristic function (23) calculates a setpoint for the controller (6) on the basis of an originally analog variable A (2) that is converted to digital by an A/D converter AD (10), with the aid of support values of a “MEM+DATA” characteristic that are stored in a memory (4); those values not predefined by the support values are calculated by interpolation.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2002Date of Patent: November 16, 2004Assignee: EBM-PAPST St. Georgen GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Jörg Hornberger, Frank Jeske, Hansjorg Kaltenbrunner, Arno Karwath, Hermann Rappenecker, Thomas Dufner
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Patent number: 6810292Abstract: The invention concerns a method for nonvolatile storage of at least one operating data value of an electric motor (32). The latter comprises a microprocessor or microcontroller (23) that controls its commutation, and it comprises a nonvolatile memory (74). In this method, when the motor (32) is switched on, an old operating data value is transferred from the nonvolatile memory (74) into a volatile memory (97) associated with the microprocessor (23) and saved there as a variable. The variable is updated by the microprocessor in the time intervals between the commutation operations (FIG. 13). At intervals of time, the operating data value saved in the nonvolatile memory (74) is replaced by the updated operating data value corresponding to the present value of the variable. A motor for carrying out this method is described.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2001Date of Patent: October 26, 2004Assignee: ebm-papst St. Georgen GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Hermann Rappenecker, Frank Jeske, Jörg Hornberger, Arno Karwath
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Patent number: 6759820Abstract: The invention concerns an arrangement for powering a load (12) that has non-continuous power consumption from a DC power supply (UB). The arrangement has a DC link circuit (14, 22) to which said load (12) can be connected and with which is associated a capacitor (21) that is suitable for briefly supplying energy to the load. A current regulator (24, 30) is provided for connecting the DC link circuit (14, 22) to the DC power supply (UB) in order to deliver a substantially constant current (i) to said capacitor (21) and to a load (12) connected to the link circuit. The target value of said current regulator (30) is adjusted adaptively, by means of a second regulator (34), to the instantaneous power demand of the load (12). An arrangement of this kind can also be referred to as an active filter that is particularly suitable for electronically commutated motors and for motors with a PWM current controller.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2002Date of Patent: July 6, 2004Assignee: Papst-Motoren GmbH & Co. KGInventor: Arno Karwath
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Publication number: 20040051489Abstract: An electronically commutated motor has a rotor (108), a stator having a stator winding arrangement (102), and a full bridge circuit (137) for controlling the current (i1, i2) in the stator winding arrangement (102); in the full bridge circuit (137), first semiconductor switches (114, 130) are connected to a first DC supply lead (116) and second semiconductor switches (132, 136) to the other DC supply lead (122), said second switches being bidirectionally conductive of current in the switched-on state. The motor has an arrangement (172, 198, 188) for opening the first semiconductor switches (114, 130) and for closing the second semiconductor switches (132, 136) during a predetermined operating state. An arrangement (202) is provided for monitoring the direction of the current (i1, i2) which flows in the second semiconductor switches (132, 136) when the latter are conductive during the predetermined operating state.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2003Publication date: March 18, 2004Inventors: Hansjorg Berroth, Alexander Hahn, Frank Heller, Frank Jeske, Arno Karwath, Arnold Kuner, Hans-Dieter Schondelmaier, Hermann Rappenecker, Gunther Strasser
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Method for commutating an electronically commutated dc motor, and motor for carrying out said method
Publication number: 20040036435Abstract: An improved method of commutating an electronically commutated DC motor shuts off application of power between the end of one current pulse and the beginning of the subsequent current pulse. Based upon the instantaneous rotation speed, one calculates at what instant to shut off the power. During the power interruption, the disconnected winding is operated in short-circuit mode using two MOSFET transistors, and the decay of the current is monitored. When the current reaches a predetermined reduced value, the terminals of the winding are switched to a high-resistance state, until the subsequent current pulse is started. This has the advantage that less reactive power occurs during operation, and one need not install as bulky a storage capacitor as the capacitors used heretofore.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2003Publication date: February 26, 2004Inventors: Hansjorg Berroth, Alexander Hahn, Frank Heller, Frank Jeske, Arno Karwath, Arnold Kuner, Hans-Dieter Schondelmaier, Hermann Rappenecker, Gunther Strasser