Patents by Inventor Naomi Goto

Naomi Goto 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).

  • Publication number: 20090263260
    Abstract: The inverter device contains the following structure: an inverter circuit which has upper-arm switching elements that are connected on a positive side of a DC power source and lower-arm switching elements that are connected on a negative side of the DC power source; a current sensor that detects current flowing between the DC power source and the inverter circuit; and a control circuit that controls the inverter circuit by a PWM driving so that the inverter circuit outputs AC current to the motor. The control circuit provides a carrier cycle with a first correction and provides the successive cycle with a second correction, by which the current sensor can detect phase current of the motor. A ripple current caused by the first correction and a ripple current caused by the second correction are opposite in polarity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Inventors: Naomi Goto, Yasufumi Kurahashi
  • Patent number: 7583523
    Abstract: A small and highly vibration-proof inverter capable of detecting a phase current without requiring the development of complicated control software and without causing any current distortion is provided. Shunt resistors (15, 16) serving as a kind of current detector are provided, respectively, between lower arm switching elements X, Y, Z) in only two phases—and the minus side of a DC power supply. An identical ON period is reduced from the ON periods of upper arm switching elements (U, V, W) in the carrier cycle entirely for three phases. Consequently, phase current is detected for the two phases provided with the shunt resistors (15, 16). The inverter can detect the phase current without complicating the control software and without causing any current distortion, by controlling inverter circuit (10) with control software incorporated in control circuit (14) through connection lines (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Naomi Goto
  • Patent number: 7574873
    Abstract: A current sensor for detecting a power supply current is commonly used for detecting a current of a stator winding to detect a rotational position of a magnet rotor, so that a sinusoidal driving is realized without adding two current sensors for detection of a phase current, and also a phase shift circuit and a comparator needed in the conventional 120-degree current feeding are not required, and the number of components can be reduced. Therefore, an inverter device with a low noise and low vibration, having a small size, light weight and high reliability is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Naomi Goto, Keizo Matsui, Makoto Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20090167223
    Abstract: An inverter contains the following structure: an inverter circuit having upper-arm switching elements connected on the positive side of a DC power source and lower-arm switching elements connected on the negative side of the DC power source; a current sensor that detects current flowing between the DC power source and the inverter circuit; and a control circuit that not only effects control of the inverter circuit so that AC is fed to a motor from the inverter circuit according to an ON-period controlled by a PWM system, but also makes a correction to the ON-period so as to allow the current sensor to detect phase current. The control circuit determines an amount of the correction by judging a direction of current of a phase having an intermediate length of the ON-period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naomi Goto, Yasufumi Kurahashi
  • Publication number: 20080272762
    Abstract: An inverter has an inverter circuit and a current detector. In the inverter circuit, upper-arm switching elements and lower-arm switching elements, which are connected to DC power supply, provide DC with pulse-width modulation (PWM) so as to output AC to a load. The current detector detects current of the load. With the structure above, the inverter calculates an average value of DC that flows between the DC power supply and the inverter circuit according to a product of an ON-period in which any one of the switching elements maintains ON and a current value detected by the current sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasufumi Kurahashi, Naomi Goto
  • Publication number: 20080273360
    Abstract: The inverter device contains three sets of series circuit formed by connecting two switching elements (2) in series between a positive terminal and a negative terminal of DC power supply (1). Connecting points of the two switching elements are connected to motor (11). DC voltage of DC power supply (1) is switched by PWM 3-phase modulation so that a sinusoidal wave-shaped AC current is fed to the motor. Upper-arm switching elements connected to the positive terminal of the DC power supply increase or decrease an ON period equally in all phases for a carrier cycle in the PWM 3-phase modulation so as to provide two conducting period in the carrier cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naomi Goto
  • Publication number: 20080095646
    Abstract: The electrically driven compressor integrally formed with an inverter device contains compression mechanism section (28); motor (31) as a power source of the compression mechanism section; metal housing (32) for accommodating the compression mechanism section and the motor; inverter device (20), which is disposed outside the metal housing, for supplying electricity to the motor; and electric connection terminal (8) for electrically connecting between an inside and an outside of the metal housing. The electric connection terminal has pin terminal (10) formed of a metal with low thermal conductivity and a metal with high thermal conductivity plated on the metal with low thermal conductivity. The pin terminal is electrically connected to the inverter device by solder (9).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Nishii, Naomi Goto
  • Publication number: 20070189048
    Abstract: A small and highly vibration-proof inverter capable of detecting a phase current without requiring the development of complicated control software and without causing any current distortion is provided. Shunt resistors (15, 16) serving as a kind of current detector are provided, respectively, between lower arm switching elements (X, Y, Z) in only two phases and the minus side of a DC power supply. An identical ON period is reduced from the ON periods of upper arm switching elements (U, V, W) in the carrier cycle entirely for three phases. Consequently, phase current is detected for the two phases provided with the shunt resistors (15, 16). The inverter can detect the phase current without complicating the control software and without causing any current distortion, by controlling inverter circuit (10) with control software incorporated in control circuit (14) through connection lines (18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2005
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventor: Naomi Goto
  • Patent number: 7084598
    Abstract: A compressor driver for a compressor is provided, wherein at the start of the compressor, a phase of the current flowing in the motor is controlled to be ahead of an induction voltage, then the advancement of the phase is controlled to decrease. Under an unstable condition to detect a position, such as at the start under pressure-difference, the foregoing control allows the phase to advance up to the current-phase where the max. torque can be produced, thereby drawing the instantaneous max. torque of the motor for starting the compressor. Then the control reduces the advancement for obtaining a stable operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Yoshida, Naomi Goto
  • Publication number: 20060150651
    Abstract: A current sensor for detecting a power supply current is commonly used for detecting a current of a stator winding to detect a rotational position of a magnet rotor, so that a sinusoidal driving is realized without adding two current sensors for detection of a phase current, and also a phase shift circuit and a comparator needed in the conventional 120-degree current feeding are not required, and the number of components can be reduced. Therefore, an inverter device with a low noise and low vibration, having a small size, light weight and high reliability is obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Inventors: Naomi Goto, Keizo Matsui, Makoto Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6838839
    Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a drive-motor driving device and a compressor-driving device for air-conditioning. Both of these driving devices share a smoothing capacitor and a radiator. The drive-motor driving devices, the compressor-driving device, and the smoothing capacitor are disposed in a shielding case against electromagnetic wave, so that the electric circuit of the vehicle can be downsized and light-weighted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naomi Goto, Makoto Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6820437
    Abstract: An air conditioner includes a direct-current (DC) power supply, a compressor, and a compressor driving device that converts a current supplied from the DC power supply into an alternate-current (AC) for driving the compressor. The DC power supply energizes the driving device through a center conductor and an outer conductor of a shield cable. This structure allows the driving device not to include a capacitor for smoothing a power current, and to suppress surge voltages and electromagnetic-wave radiation, thus providing an air-conditioner including a compact size and light-weighted compressor driving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naomi Goto, Nobuyuki Nishii
  • Publication number: 20040227482
    Abstract: Load fluctuation of a refrigerating cycle under severe conditions needs to be overcome. For instance, a compressor driver which can positively drive the compressor employed even in a vehicle is desirable. To be more specific, at the start of the compressor, a phase of the current flowing in the motor is controlled to be ahead of an induction voltage, then the advancement of the phase is controlled to decrease. Under an unstable condition to detect a position, such as at the start under pressure-difference, the foregoing control allows the phase to advance up to the current-phase where the max. torque can be produced, thereby drawing the instantaneous max. torque of the motor for starting the compressor. Then the control reduces the advancement for obtaining a stable operation. This control method can realize a compressor driver having start-performance enough to overcome pressure-difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Inventors: Makoto Yoshida, Naomi Goto
  • Publication number: 20040074255
    Abstract: An air conditioner includes a direct-current (DC) power supply, a compressor, and a compressor driving device that converts a current supplied from the DC power supply into an alternate-current (AC) for driving the compressor. The DC power supply energizes the driving device through a center conductor and an outer conductor of a shield cable. This structure allows the driving device not to include a capacitor for smoothing a power current, and to suppress surge voltages and electromagnetic-wave radiation, thus providing an air-conditioner including a compact size and light-weighted compressor driving device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Naomi Goto, Nobuyuki Nishii
  • Patent number: 6665200
    Abstract: In an air conditioner including a control unit receiving a power from a switching power supply, the switching power supply is connected to a DC power source without passing through a switch device or power application device. The output of the switching power supply is connected to a capacitor via a diode. The control unit is able to operate even when the capacitor to be charged via the power application device is not charged. Accordingly, the motor-driven compressor may start to operate quickly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naomi Goto, Nobuyuki Nishii, Yasufumi Kurahashi
  • Patent number: 6657408
    Abstract: In an air conditioner having a control unit receiving a power from a switching power supply, a supplied voltage for the control unit is reduced to a possible lowest voltage for the unit to operate. This arrangement provides the air conditioner with less electromagnetic wave noise of the switching power supply, with a quick check and repair, and with having a motor-driven compressor quick start.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naomi Goto, Nobuyuki Nishii, Yasufumi Kurahashi
  • Patent number: 6539739
    Abstract: An automobile air conditioner having a charging device for charging a power source capacitor preliminarily before driving a motor-driven compressor, which comprises a discharge circuit for discharging the electric charge in the capacitor through a power feeding device, and a controller for controlling the discharge by the discharge circuit. Further by comprising a cut-off detecting circuit for detecting when the battery is cut off, it is discharged automatically. Moreover, the voltage of the battery is converted, and supplied as a power source for the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naomi Goto, Nobuyuki Nishii, Yasufumi Kurahashi
  • Publication number: 20030034761
    Abstract: In an air conditioner including a control unit receiving a power from a switching power supply, the switching power supply is connected to a DC power source without passing through a switch device or power application device. The output of the switching power supply is connected to a capacitor via a diode. The control unit is able to operate even when the capacitor to be charged via the power application device is not charged. Accordingly, the motor-driven compressor may start to operate quickly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Inventors: Naomi Goto, Nobuyuki Nishii, Yasufumi Kurahashi
  • Publication number: 20030006727
    Abstract: In an air conditioner having a control unit receiving a power from a switching power supply, a supplied voltage for the control unit is reduced to a possible lowest voltage for the unit to operate. This arrangement provides the conditioner with less electromagnetic wave noise of the switching power supply, with a quick check and repair, and with having a motor-driven compressor start quickly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2002
    Publication date: January 9, 2003
    Inventors: Naomi Goto, Nobuyuki Nishii, Yasufumi Kurahashi
  • Publication number: 20020148242
    Abstract: An automobile air conditioner having a charging device for charging a power source capacitor preliminarily before driving a motor-driven compressor, which comprises a discharge circuit for discharging the electric charge in the capacitor through a power feeding device, and a controller for controlling the discharge by the discharge circuit. Further by comprising a cut-off detecting circuit for detecting when the battery is cut off, it is discharged automatically. Moreover, the voltage of the battery is converted, and supplied as a power source for the controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Inventors: Naomi Goto, Nobuyuki Nishii, Yasufumi Kurahashi