Abstract: A motor drive unit includes a voltage inverter, a controller, and reconnect logic. The voltage inverter provides motor drive signals to an associated motor. The controller is operable to generate demand signals for at least two control axes for controlling the voltage inverter. The reconnect logic is operable to direct the controller to inject a current into a first control axis. The reconnect logic is further operable to monitor a voltage of a second control axis to detect zero crossings and determine a speed of the associated motor based on the detected zero crossings.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for stopping an AC motor that is controlling a load while detecting mechanical brake slippage of a mechanical brake for holding the load against movement includes a controller for decreasing torque-producing current commands from the drive while a speed regulator is commanding zero speed, sensing movement of the load while the speed regulator is commanding zero speed, detecting movement of the load past a pre-determined distance limit, and increasing torque to support the load and prevent further movement of the load. The controller will again decrease torque-producing current commands from the drive, and again checking for movement of the load, and upon sensing no load movement upon reaching zero torque, then shutting off the motor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for braking an AC motor in the higher portion of its speed range includes substantially reducing flux before applying reverse torque commands to brake the motor. A DC link bus regulator is employed to prevent increases in bus voltage and frequency.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for minimizing motor instability under no load conditions, the method including identifying instability by comparing consecutive current half cycle periods and, where the difference between half cycle periods is sufficiently large, determining that instability exists and modifying controller modulating waveforms by reducing waveform magnitude until stability is achieved. Preferably the apparatus for achieving stability includes only a single current zero crossing sensor to minimize hardware costs.

Abstract: An electric induction motor is connected by a switch means to a source of three-phase alternating electricity. The speed of the motor is determined by detecting when the source voltage a zero crossing and thereafter sensing the polarity of the back emf voltage induced in each winding of the motor when the switch means is non-conductive. After several zero crossings a set of polarity samples has been produced from each winding. The motor speed is determined by detected the occurrence of a predefined relationship among samples in each set. For example, the speed is in the range of fifty to about thirty-eight percent of full synchronous speed when three consecutive samples from one winding all have the same polarity. The occurrence of the predefined relationship among back emf polarity samples can be used to control the braking of the motor.

Abstract: A three-phase motor controller includes a bidirectional thyristor switch to couple each phase of an electrical supply to a motor. The motor is started by rendering the thyristors conductive during successively greater portions of each cycle of AC electricity from the supply. In order to reduce the cooling requirements of the controller, a contactor is connected in parallel with the thyristors to provide apply electricity to the motor once it reaches full speed. When the controller receives a signal to stop the motor, the contactor is deactivated and the controller goes through a sequence to synchronize the thyristor triggering to the AC electricity. The synchronizing process provides a smooth transition from contractor control back to thyristor control of the application of electricity to the motor. Once thyristor control resumes, the controller executes a triggering routine which decreases the voltage applied to the motor and produces a braking effect.

Abstract: An electric motor has first, second and third stator windings supplied by a source of alternating voltage having three phases A, B and C, respectively. A separate thyristor switch assembly couples each stator winding to an alternating voltage phase when said switch means is rendered conductive by a trigger signal. When the speed of the motor is above a first predefined level, the thyristor switch assemblies are triggered, in response to the polarity of the voltage between phases A and B being opposed to the polarity of back emf voltage induced across the third winding, to apply current through said first and second stator windings. However, when the speed of the motor is below the first predefined level, the thyristor switch assemblies are triggered, in response to the polarity of the voltage betwen phases B and C being opposed to the polarity of back emf voltage induced across the third winding, to apply current through said second and third stator windings.

Abstract: An electric motor is braked by applying pulses of current to a winding of the motor creating a negative torque which slows the motor. In order to detect when the motor has stopped and as a consequence, when to discontinue applying the current pulses, a periodic determination is performed as to whether the back emf voltage induced in a winding of the motor is within a range of defined values, such as between a positive reference voltage level and a negative reference voltage level. The application of pulses of current is terminated a given interval from when a predetermined number of consecutive determinations all indicate that the back emf voltage is within the range. The length of the given interval is derived from the amount of time between when the electricity began to be applied to brake the motor and the occurrence of the predetermined number of consecutive determinations.