Abstract: In a method of controlling current in a control circuit of an electric motor, pulse-width modulation (PWM) pulses are applied to a stator of the electric motor, via a plurality of transistors of the control circuit, using a first control mode when a rotational speed of a rotor of the electric motor is within a first range. At least one PWM pulse is applied to the stator, via a subset of the plurality of transistors, using a second control mode when the rotational speed of the rotor is within a second range. When it is determined that the rotational speed of the rotor has changed from being within the second range to being within the first range, additional PWM pulses are applied to the stator such that, for each of the plurality of transistors, a current through the transistor does not exceed a maximum current capacity of the transistor.

Abstract: The disclosed vacuum cleaner system for an automobile fits in a cavity in the vehicle and has a tank that can be removed in a lateral direction without tools and without detaching the vacuum hose. A circuit board that carries an electronic controller is positioned alongside the motor and extends generally parallel to both the axis of the motor and the lateral direction in which the tank is removed. Cooling air is drawn though a cooling air inlet on the cabin wall to the circuit board, and then one side of the motor, through the center of the motor, to the cooling fan. From there, it is blown into a cavity where it joins exhausted working air from the vacuum and is exhausted from the vehicle through an air release opening that leads to the exterior of the vehicle.

Abstract: The disclosed vacuum cleaner system for an automobile fits in a cavity in the vehicle and has a tank that can be removed in a lateral direction without tools and without detaching the vacuum hose. A circuit board that carries an electronic controller is positioned alongside the motor and extends generally parallel to both the axis of the motor and the lateral direction in which the tank is removed. Cooling air is drawn though a cooling air inlet on the cabin wall to the circuit board, and then one side of the motor, through the center of the motor, to the cooling fan. From there, it is blown into a cavity where it joins exhausted working air from the vacuum and is exhausted from the vehicle through an air release opening that leads to the exterior of the vehicle.

Abstract: A new vacuum cleaner that is adapted for use in a vehicle has a user-removable debris collection tank that has spaced recesses on the bottom that inhibit both fore-and-back movement of debris within the collection tank and side-to-side movement of debris within the collection tank. The recesses are located in opposed outer corners of the tank, and have lower surfaces that support the tank in a standing position. Raised sections divide each of the recesses into two corner recess sections and an offset recess section, and inhibit both fore-and-aft movement of debris within the recesses and side-to-side movement of debris within the recess sections. The offset recess section has tracks that curve in different directions from an intermediate position adjacent or near a side of the tank. The bottom of the tank is generally curved downwardly towards the sides of the tank.

Abstract: A vacuum assembly having a housing and a motor and motor shaft secured within the housing; a fan coupled to the motor shaft and an air intake port and an air exhaust port located within the housing; a circuit board mounted in a cooling air path in the housing, wherein the cooling air path is located between the air intake port and the air exhaust port such that the fan causes cool air to flow across the circuit board; a pulley assembly coupled to the motor shaft and including a disposable belt, the pulley assembly located in the housing in such position that the circuit board blocks access to the disposable belt; a first connector portion secured to the circuit board; a second connector portion coupled to a plurality of wires coupled to at least the motor; the first and second connector portions configured to mate in a single direction.

Abstract: Methods and systems of accelerating a brushless, DC electric motor based on torque may include determining a slope based on a maximum torque of the BLDC motor at a lower operating load and a maximum torque of the motor at a higher operating load, determining a period of the rotor based on sensor signals, and determining and applying a phase advance to a PWM pulse for a subsequent revolution of the rotor based on the period and the slope. In some embodiments, the amount of the phase advance is further based on maximum load optimum advance and/or maximum load speed. In some embodiments, a phase dwell is determined based on a positive torque zone and applied to the PWM pulse. In some embodiments, when the motor is operating below a given threshold, fixed-width PWM pulses are applied to subsequent revolutions of the rotor instead of phase-advanced PWM pulses.

Abstract: Embodiments of a switched reluctance (SR) motor for use in a integrated vacuum system for a vehicle are disclosed. The SR motor may receive input voltage directly from an electrical storage device used to start up an engine of the vehicle. The SR motor may include an encoder that triggers an optical sensor to provide signals to a motor controller. The motor controller may energize stator poles based on the received signals. The encoder may be mechanically phase-advanced with respect to poles of the rotor to ensure proper start-up of the SR motor. Commutations of the motor may occur before a point of maximum inductance where the rotor and stator are aligned. In a preferred embodiment, the input voltage received by the SR motor is in a range of 9-16 Volts DC, a maximum drawn current is 36 amps, and the phase advance is between 9-11 degrees.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for controlling current in a switched reluctance motor by changing a dwell state including starting the motor in a normal mode, measuring current in the motor, comparing the measured current to a first threshold, triggering an interrupt if the measured current exceeds the first threshold, keeping a count of consecutive readings exceeding the first threshold, changing the dwell state from a first state to a second state if the measured current exceeds the first threshold and the count equals a set value, changing the dwell state from a second state to a third state if the measured current exceeds a second threshold, and triggering a fault condition if the measured current in the third state exceeds a third threshold.

Abstract: In a method of controlling speed of a brushless, direct current (BLDC) motor based on dwell, an indication of a desired speed of the BLDC motor is received. A dwell is determined based on a magnitude of a voltage corresponding to the indication of the desired speed. A pulse-width modulation (PWM) pulse having a pulse length corresponding to the determined dwell is applied to a stator of the BLDC motor to adjust a rotational speed of a rotor of the BLDC motor to the desired speed.

Abstract: In a method of controlling current in a control circuit of an electric motor, pulse-width modulation (PWM) pulses are applied to a stator of the electric motor, via a plurality of transistors of the control circuit, using a first control mode when a rotational speed of a rotor of the electric motor is within a first range. At least one PWM pulse is applied to the stator, via a subset of the plurality of transistors, using a second control mode when the rotational speed of the rotor is within a second range. When it is determined that the rotational speed of the rotor has changed from being within the second range to being within the first range, additional PWM pulses are applied to the stator such that, for each of the plurality of transistors, a current through the transistor does not exceed a maximum current capacity of the transistor.

Abstract: Methods and systems of accelerating a brushless, DC electric motor based on torque may include determining a slope based on a maximum torque of the BLDC motor at a lower operating load and a maximum torque of the motor at a higher operating load, determining a period of the rotor based on sensor signals, and determining and applying a phase advance to a PWM pulse for a subsequent revolution of the rotor based on the period and the slope. In some embodiments, the amount of the phase advance is further based on maximum load optimum advance and/or maximum load speed. In some embodiments, a phase dwell is determined based on a positive torque zone and applied to the PWM pulse. In some embodiments, when the motor is operating below a given threshold, fixed-width PWM pulses are applied to subsequent revolutions of the rotor instead of phase-advanced PWM pulses.

Abstract: A vacuum assembly having a housing and a motor and motor shaft secured within the housing; a fan coupled to the motor shaft and an air intake port and an air exhaust port located within the housing; a circuit board mounted in a cooling air path in the housing, wherein the cooling air path is located between the air intake port and the air exhaust port such that the fan causes cool air to flow across the circuit board; a pulley assembly coupled to the motor shaft and including a disposable belt, the pulley assembly located in the housing in such position that the circuit board blocks access to the disposable belt; a first connector portion secured to the circuit board; a second connector portion coupled to a plurality of wires coupled to at least the motor; the first and second connector portions configured to mate in a single direction.

Abstract: A control circuit for a motor includes a voltage regulator having a thermal shutdown apparatus that turns off the voltage regulator while retaining power to a micro-controller preventing an automatic restart of the motor absent a recycling of power when the temperature of the control circuit rises above a pre-determined threshold level, wherein the voltage regulator is used to provide power to a plurality of insulated gate bipolar transistors controlling a plurality of stator windings of the motor. Thus the voltage regulator prevents the control circuit and the various components on the control circuit from being damaged from overheating. An embodiment of the control circuit is adapted to generate an error code in response to the shutdown of the voltage regulator and to monitor the operation of the motor to ensure that the motor has been turned off and then on before turning on the power supply to a plurality of phase windings.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a battery charger control circuit having a voltage detector to generate a signal indicative of a source voltage level to select one of a first charging mode and a second charging mode, and a charge controller coupled to the voltage detector to enable charging in accordance with one of the first charging mode and the second charging mode based on the signal from the voltage detector. The first and second charging modes establish charging at differing, non-zero rates. The source voltage level may be sampled at a sampling rate to minimize power consumed by monitoring the source voltage level.

Abstract: The disclosed vacuum assembly can be mounted in a vehicle. The motor/fan assembly is positioned above a chassis wall. Lateral flanges on opposed sides of the tank support the tank in generally horizontal sliding motion from a forward position to an elevated rearward position. A rear flange supports the tank as it pivots to a mounted position in which an inlet on a removable lid on the tank communicates with a hose, and an outlet on the lid communicates with the motor/fan assembly. In a removed position, the inlet and outlet are disconnected. Alignment bosses fit in aligned openings when the tank is in the mounted position.

Abstract: The disclosed vacuum cleaner system for an automobile fits in a cavity in the vehicle and has a tank that can be removed in a lateral direction without tools and without detaching the vacuum hose. A circuit board that carries an electronic controller is positioned alongside the motor and extends generally parallel to both the axis of the motor and the lateral direction in which the tank is removed. Cooling air is drawn though a cooling air inlet on the cabin wall to the circuit board, and then one side of the motor, through the center of the motor, to the cooling fan. From there, it is blown into a cavity where it joins exhausted working air from the vacuum and is exhausted from the vehicle through an air release opening that leads to the exterior of the vehicle.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for controlling current in a switched reluctance motor by changing a dwell state including starting the motor in a normal mode, measuring current in the motor, comparing the measured current to a first threshold, triggering an interrupt if the measured current exceeds the first threshold, keeping a count of consecutive readings exceeding the first threshold, changing the dwell state from a first state to a second state if the measured current exceeds the first threshold and the count equals a set value, changing the dwell state from a second state to a third state if the measured current exceeds a second threshold, and triggering a fault condition if the measured current in the third state exceeds a third threshold.

Abstract: Embodiments of a switched reluctance (SR) motor for use in a integrated vacuum system for a vehicle are disclosed. The SR motor may receive input voltage directly from an electrical storage device used to start up an engine of the vehicle. The SR motor may include an encoder that triggers an optical sensor to provide signals to a motor controller. The motor controller may energize stator poles based on the received signals. The encoder may be mechanically phase-advanced with respect to poles of the rotor to ensure proper start-up of the SR motor. Commutations of the motor may occur before a point of maximum inductance where the rotor and stator are aligned. In a preferred embodiment, the input voltage received by the SR motor is in a range of 9-16 Volts DC, a maximum drawn current is 36 amps, and the phase advance is between 9-11 degrees.

Abstract: A cost-effective photosensor system for rotor position detection includes securing an aperture assembly to an off-the-shelf infrared radiation-emitting component and/or an off-the-shelf infrared radiation-detecting component. The application discloses an aperture assembly that may be stamped from a thin, opaque, elongated piece of plastic having an aperture window through which a radiation beam may pass and be focused. The aperture assembly also has a locking system for securing the assembly to the off-the-shelf photosensor system component, and an alignment system to direct the infrared radiation beam. A replaceable stamped aperture assembly for use in a rotor-sensing system and a method of providing a replaceable aperture assembly and securing it to an infrared component of a photosensor system are also disclosed.

Abstract: A cost-effective photosensor system for rotor position detection includes securing an aperture assembly to an off-the-shelf infrared radiation-emitting component and/or an off-the-shelf infrared radiation-detecting component. The application discloses an aperture assembly that may be stamped from a thin, opaque, elongated piece of plastic having an aperture window through which a radiation beam may pass and be focused. The aperture assembly also has a locking system for securing the assembly to the off-the-shelf photosensor system component, and an alignment system to direct the infrared radiation beam. A replaceable stamped aperture assembly for use in a rotor-sensing system and a method of providing a replaceable aperture assembly and securing it to an infrared component of a photosensor system are also disclosed.