Field Circuit Control Patents (Class 318/251)
  • Patent number: 11214286
    Abstract: A parking verification system and method, a movement verification system and method, and a monitoring system and method for a train, or other transit vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Frank Huchrowski
  • Patent number: 10173702
    Abstract: A parking verification system and method, a movement verification system and method, and a monitoring system and method for a train, or other transit vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Frank Huchrowski
  • Patent number: 9555773
    Abstract: Electromotive auxiliary drive, particularly a wiper drive, with an electric motor and a downstream gear forming an output shaft of the auxiliary drive, presenting at least two gear stages arranged in series in a drive train between the electric motor and the output shaft, of which one first gear stage is designed in the manner of a worm gear consisting of a worm and of a gearwheel or worm wheel interacting with this worm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Valeo Systèmes d'Essuyage
    Inventor: Siegfried Stefani
  • Patent number: 8994302
    Abstract: The regulator/brush-holder assembly (1) comprises a support (2) and an electrical circuit (5, 6) comprising a regulating element (5) connected by microwires to a trace circuit (6). The electrical circuit further includes a filtering circuit (10) separate from the regulating element and connected by microwires to the trace circuit. According to one particular embodiment, the filtering circuit comprises an insulating substrate (11) and surface-mounted components (C1, C2, S1, S2, V). A ground plane (19) and/or one or more ground pads may be provided for connection to a ground trace of the trace circuit. The filtration frequencies of the filter circuit extend from 100 kHz to 1 GHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
    Inventors: Pierre Tisserand, Christophe Porte, Sebastien Moreau, Laurent De Lamarre, Olivier Grammont, Fabrice Sangiovanni, Brice Lecole
  • Patent number: 8786220
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (10) for taking a safety precaution in an electrical tool, said electrical tool comprising an electric motor (EM) with at least one field winding and an armature winding. The device (10) comprises the following features: a sensor unit (12) which is designed to generate a sensor signal (21) in accordance with a motor current (14) passing through the electric motor (EM), an armature voltage (16) via the armature winding, a voltage (18) via the field winding and/or a commutation frequency (20) in the armature winding; a unit (22) detecting a change of the sensor signal, which is designed to detect a temporal change of the sensor signal (21) and emit a corresponding modification signal (24) on the basis of the detected change; and a safety device (26) which is designed to take a safety precaution (28) in the electrical tool when a value of the modification signal (24) is exceeded or not met in relation to a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Single, Michael Habele
  • Patent number: 8386102
    Abstract: In an electrically powered vehicle, a computer-controlled switching system activates relays to switch additional discrete batteries into a circuit in response to throttle level, where a processor is configured to decide what specific batteries should be present in the circuit at any given time, in response to both throttle level and a battery load balancing optimization scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Inventor: Eric Gullichsen
  • Patent number: 8294412
    Abstract: A method for controlling a rotary electrical machine and a control and power module for a rotary electrical machine. The rotary electrical machine includes a plurality of phase windings (9), a power circuit (12, 16) which comprises a plurality of arms each formed by a bridge of switches and which is capable of supplying an electrical network at an output voltage (Vres) equal to a nominal voltage when the bridge of switches is in a nominal mode of operation, an excitation winding (11) through which flows an excitation current (I exc) which generates a magnetic flux in a magnetic excitation circuit (10), and an electronic control circuit (7) which operates the power circuit and controls the excitation current. The method includes locking the bridge in at least one arm of the power circuit in a conductive state when the output voltage exceeds a voltage threshold higher than the nominal voltage. The nominal mode of operation of the bridge is returned to independently of the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
    Inventor: Michaël Chemin
  • Patent number: 8222842
    Abstract: A rotating electromechanical machine has a rotor having at least one current-carrying winding and at least one rotor-mounted sensor configured to sense a machine property or parameter during machine operation. Rotor-mounted circuitry dynamically modifies at least one property of the current-carrying winding during machine operation in response to the sensed machine property or parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20100162918
    Abstract: A method of propelling a mobile machine is disclosed. The mobile machine may have a plurality of DC traction motors, including a first DC traction motor and a second DC traction motor. The method may include driving a first traction device with the first DC traction motor, the first DC traction motor including a first field coil and a first armature electrically connected in series. The method may also include driving a second DC traction device with the second DC traction motor electrically connected in series with the first DC traction motor, the second DC traction motor including a second field coil and a second armature electrically connected in series. Additionally, the method may include, in response to slippage of the first traction device, bypassing at least a portion of electric current flowing through the first field coil around the first armature. The method may also include directing at least a portion of the bypassed electric current through the second field coil and the second armature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventor: Walter E. Earleson
  • Patent number: 7132808
    Abstract: A solid state series motor control includes first and second FORWARD DRIVE elements, first and second REVERSE DRIVE elements, first and second diodes, a current sensor, and a capacitance. The series motor control is configured to be interconnected with controlling logic or a processor, the field and armature of a series wound motor, and an external DC power source. The FORWARD DRIVE elements and REVERSE DRIVE elements can be IGBTs or similar semiconductors. The current sensor is configured to measure current passing through the motor armature. The capacitance is a combination of a line filter and source impedance reduction for IGBT switching. The solid state series motor control can control the speed and direction of a series wound motor using solid state components while maintaining the series connection of the armature and the field winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Inventors: Graham S. Thexton, Andrew S. Thexton
  • Patent number: 6812661
    Abstract: A permanent magnet motor includes salient pole stator cores. The poles and/or linking portions therebetween are wound with a plurality of winding coil sets. Mutually exclusive speed ranges are established between startup and a maximum speed at which the motor can be expected to operate. A different number of the motor stator winding coils are designated to be energized for each speed range for maximum operating efficiency. The number of energized coils are changed dynamically as the speed crosses a threshold between adjacent speed ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Wavecrest Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Boris A. Maslov, Zareh Soghomonian
  • Patent number: 6713908
    Abstract: A DC motor is commutated by rotating a magnetic rotor to induce a magnetic field in at least one magnetostatic relay in the motor. Each relay is activated in response to the magnetic field to deliver power to at least one corresponding winding connected to the relay. In some cases, each relay delivers power first through a corresponding primary winding and then through a corresponding secondary winding to a common node. Specific examples include a four-pole, three-phase motor in which each relay is activated four times during one rotation of the magnetic rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Yu-Chong Tai, John A. Wright, Gerald Lilienthal
  • Patent number: 6633144
    Abstract: A system and method determine the parameters of a field of a DC motor. The method comprises obtaining parameters of the DC motor; and performing an iterative processing loop, the iterative processing loop being performed n times. The iterative processing loop includes regulating field current based on the parameters of the DC motor, and calculating a field resistance from a field voltage and the field current measured during the regulating of the field current; operating in a closed loop mode to determine a first field firing angle and a second field firing angle; operating in an open loop mode to determine a first time constant and a second time constant based on applying the first field firing angle and the second field firing angle; and determining at least one parameter of the field of the DC motor based on the first time constant, the second time constant, and the calculated field resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: Sidney A. Barker, Eddy Ying Yin Ho
  • Publication number: 20020190685
    Abstract: An induction motor control system senses the zero-cross angle of a current waveform applied to the motor's phase windings and computes the difference between the sensed current zero-cross angle and a predetermined demand voltage angle to estimate a power factor angle. The estimated power factor angle is compared to a predetermined desired power factor angle, and the voltage applied to the phase windings is adjusted in response to the difference between the estimated power factor angle and the desired power factor angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Vinodkumar Sadasivam, Keith I. Hoemann, Bret S. Clark
  • Patent number: 5898280
    Abstract: A pair of DC motors, each having a shunt-connected field winding, are interconnected such that current supplied to the shunt field winding of one of the motors is proportional to the armature current in the other of the two motors when the speed of the other motor is between predetermined maximum and minimum speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Patent number: 5796225
    Abstract: The present invention utilizes batteries in series addition and through controlled switching maintains current and voltage more constant as the batteries power a consuming device. The invention is described in its application to an electric motor powered wheeled vehicle and includes sensing means at the vehicles accelerator pedal and computer control to automatically control the power from a battery storage system to the electric motor efficiently and extend longevity of a battery powered vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Inventor: Anthony W. Fini, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5703448
    Abstract: The series field winding of a compound or series motor includes a plurality of taps and, connected in parallel therewith, a transient storage element such as a capacitor, and a flywheel diode. The taps are controlled by switches in the form of transistors or thyristors which are turned on and off by a central control unit in response to setting of the speed and, optionally, various feedback devices such as a motor speed detector, an armature EMF detector, or a load current detector. The transient storage device replaces conventional linear impedance or linear power elements in order to prevent loss of power as the armature voltage is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Patent number: 5552686
    Abstract: A series motor has a braking device, a stator having a field winding and a pole shoe plate pack, the pole shoe plate pack of the stator having field coils and also having a further element inducing a magnetic field, a rotatable armature, and an element for influencing a braking operation of the field winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schmid, Werner Rieker, Eckerhard Stroetgen, Csaba Kreiter, Ottmar Seel
  • Patent number: 5521471
    Abstract: A switch device is mounted between the power supply and a multi-tap series field winding in a series or compound motor. The switch is responsive to changes in rotational speed or load current in order to change the effective excitation turn ratio of the series winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Patent number: 5475289
    Abstract: A control arrangement for an electric assist steering system having a variable reluctance motor (26) includes sensing (54) motor position and sensing (110) applied steering torque. A controller determines a desired motor torque assist value in response to the applied steering torque. A plurality of look-up tables are provided having a plurality of motor current values versus motor position values stored therein. The stored motor current values are functionally related to motor position values. The controller selects a first (T1) and second (T2) torque look-up table from the plurality of look-up tables. The first look-up table corresponds to a torque value less than the desired motor torque assist value. The second look-up table corresponds to a torque value greater than the desired motor torque assist value. A first motor current value (I1) is determined by interpolating between two current values corresponding to two motor positions stored in the first look-up table closest to the sensed motor position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin M. McLaughlin, Mark W. Gluch
  • Patent number: 5455884
    Abstract: A multiple output stepped compound voltage supply includes a field intensity control which enables a DC motor control circuit to provide continuous linear or pulse modulation control among the stepped voltages in relation to the voltage output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Patent number: 5332954
    Abstract: Optimal constructions for two motor/controller configurations are disclosed. The controller structure includes an H-bridge for controlling field current using synchronous-rectification of MOSFET devices, and a circuit for chopping the armature current using synchronous-rectification of MOSFET devices arranged in a half bridge. The controller may be configured with a series-wound or a separately excited DC traction motor. In the series-wound motor/controller configuration, the field and the armature current are separately controlled. In the separately excited motor/controller configuration, the field of the motor is preferably wound so that the rated field current is achieved at about 20% of the rated battery voltage. This provides a separately excited motor in which the field current can be boosted by a factor of 5 to achieve high start-up and low speed torques which match the torque outputs of a series-wound motor under similar operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: Solaria Research Enterprises Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert Lankin
  • Patent number: 5311108
    Abstract: Motor control system for unidirectional series DC electric motor having improved dynamic braking performance for smoothly, rapidly and predictably stopping the motor armature so that any operated devices are similarly stopped at a predetermined location. The control system uses a bridge conformed like a full-wave rectifier together with a pair of switches having open and closed positions to control the direction of current through the armature. The current through the motor field winding is always in the same direction. The control switches are protected against arcing when breaking an inductive load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: Cleaveland/Price, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank G. Willard
  • Patent number: 5254913
    Abstract: A device for limiting the maximum and/or minimum speed of universal series- or compound-type electric motors. The device includes a first impedance element for limiting the maximum speed of the motor under light load (high speed) conditions to a predetermined value, and a second impedance element for limiting the minimum speed of the motor under high load (low speed) conditions. The limited maximum and minimum speeds of the motor give it operating characteristics which are similar to a shunt motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1993
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Patent number: 5015928
    Abstract: A shunt element and a voltage detection circuit are connected in parallel across the armature of a universal series motor. At relatively light loads on the motor, the armature speed increases, thereby increasing the back e.m.f. of the armature. The voltage detection circuit causes the shunt element to conduct, and a shunt current flows through the field of the motor, thereby increasing the field and limiting the speed of the motor. Various embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1991
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Patent number: 4370603
    Abstract: A field shunt operation for a chopper controlled series DC propulsion motor in the power mode is provided in response to a desired torque request, when a predicted value of the resulting shunt field motor current is determined to be no greater than the known commutation current limit of the chopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1980
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1983
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: James H. Franz, Jr., Stanley W. Jones
  • Patent number: 4309644
    Abstract: An on-board quick charge circuit for an electric vehicle battery is incorporated in an electric vehicle having a solid state dc chopper motor speed controller which may be connected in either a propulsion mode or in a battery charge mode. With the aid of an external donor battery at the charge station, load leveling at the utility grid is maintained irrespective of the instantaneous current demands in the battery charging process. Energy transfer from the donor battery to the on-board propulsion battery is controlled by solid state switching apparatus. Each time the switching apparatus conducts, energy as transferred from the donor battery to the on-board propulsion battery, and energy is additionally transferred and stored in the dc reactor associated with the dc chopper circuit of the vehicle propulsion system. The energy stored in the dc reactor is expended into the on-board propulsion battery when the switching apparatus is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1980
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1982
    Inventors: Eberhart Reimers, Elmo E. Moyer
  • Patent number: 4260937
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a control for a direct current motor including a field weakening solenoid switch including a solenoid coil, which control includes an electronic switch connected in series with the coil for selectively connecting the coil to a source of direct current, and a device adapted for providing an electronic digital signal having a frequency proportional to motor speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1981
    Assignee: Outboard Marine Corporation
    Inventors: David T. Cavil, William R. Krueger
  • Patent number: 4131832
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a control for a direct current motor including a field weakening solenoid switch including a solenoid coil, which control includes a switch connected in series with a coil for connecting and disconnecting the coil to a source of direct current, and a device responsive to motor speed for operating the switch.Also disclosed herein is an overspeed control for a direct current motor including a solenoid switch which controls energization of the direct current motor, which is biased open, and which includes a solenoid coil operable in response to energization thereof to close the switch, which overspeed control comprises a switch connected in series with the coil for selectively connecting the coil to a source of direct current, and a device responsive to motor speed for operating the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1978
    Assignee: Outboard Marine Corporation
    Inventors: David T. Cavil, Gerald N. McAuliffe, Russell J. Van Rens
  • Patent number: 4066939
    Abstract: A thyristor type control circuit for an electric traction motor for a road vehicle includes a thyristor chopper circuit controlling the average current through the armature and series field winding of the motor. The control circuit includes various switch arrangements for switching the armature connections for forward motoring, reverse motoring and electrical braking, but there is a current threshold detector circuit which prevents operation of these switch arrangements when the armature current exceeds a predetermined value. When braking is initiated, therefore, the current flowing is low and since the field winding is in series braking effort cannot build up. The invention provides a contact which connects the field winding to a d.c. supply while the armature current is below the threshold level during braking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1978
    Assignee: Lucas Industries Limited
    Inventor: John Frank Joyes
  • Patent number: 4035704
    Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for controlling the speed of an electric motor by selectively connecting a field weakening resistor across the field winding of an electric motor. A first means is provided for comparing the field voltage to a fixed reference voltage and for generating a first signal in response to the field voltage falling below a first predetermined value and a second signal in response to the field voltage rising above a second predetermined value. A second means responsive to the first and second signals is provided for selectively connecting a field weakening resistor across the field winding of the motor in response to the field voltage falling below the first predetermined value. The second means responsive also disconnects the field weakening resistor in response to the field voltage rising above the second predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1975
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1977
    Assignee: Flight Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert A. York
  • Patent number: 4027214
    Abstract: A circuit for automatically shunting the field winding of a direct current motor and reapplying full field thereto. A low-level pull-in comparator compares a signal proportional to armature current to a low-level reference potential and causes the field to be shunted when the armature current signal falls below the low-level reference potential. A high-level drop-out comparator compares a signal proportional to armature current to a second independent high-level reference potential and causes the full field to be applied when the armature current signal is greater than the high-level reference potential. Prior to actuation, the pull-in comparator disables the drop-out comparator. Upon actuation, the pull-in comparator latches itself in actuated state and enables the drop-out comparator to be actuated. Upon actuation the drop-out comparator unlatches the pull-in comparator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1975
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1977
    Assignee: Cleveland Machine Controls, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert G. Klimo
  • Patent number: 3983462
    Abstract: A battery powered vehicle with a series field DC drive motor has a field shunt circuit which is completed by closing a centrifugal switch responsive to motor speed, increasing the speed of the vehicle. An enabling circuit for the field shunt is completed by a switch on the vehicle accelerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1974
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1976
    Assignee: Towmotor Corporation
    Inventor: Francis Lyle Jones
  • Patent number: 3971973
    Abstract: A rheostatic control system for controlling the speed and the direction of rotation of a DC motor which is employed mainly for controlling the speed of an electric vehicle or the like. The system comprises a sliding-contact rheostatic unit which is provided between a DC power supply and a DC motor and which includes stationary contacts and speed controlling resistors, whereby the speed control of the DC motor is accomplished by means of the speed controlling resistors, and the rotation of the DC motor in either direction is controlled by changing the polarity of the voltage applied to the polarity changing terminals of the DC motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1974
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1976
    Assignees: Nippondenso Co., Ltd., Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Yoshinori Nakano