Abstract: An electric machine (10;100) comprises a rotor (14a), preferably having permanent magnets (24a,b), although other field generation means are available, and a stator (12). The stator has coils (22) wound on stator bars (16) for interaction with the magnetic field of the rotor across an air gap (26a,b) defined between them. The rotor (14) comprises a housing (54) of a chamber (70) containing refrigerant (82). The rotor housing (54) has heat dissipating fins (96) accessible by the open environment whereby air movement relative to the housing caused at least by rotation of the rotor absorbs heat from the fins. The machine may be an axial flux machine, the coils being wound on bars that are disposed circumferentially spaced around a fixed axle of the machine forming a rotational axis (80) of the rotor. The machine may be a wheel motor for a vehicle, wherein the wheel is mounted directly on the rotor housing (14).

Abstract: A transport system includes a motor for moving the transport appliance and a power supply circuit of the motor. The power supply circuit is connected between the motor and a power source that is limited (Plim) in its dimensioning. An energy storage that is limited (Elim) in its capacity is fitted in connection with the power supply circuit of the motor. The control arrangement includes a determination of the charging status (EQ) of the energy storage; a determination of the movement reference of the transport appliance; and a control of the movement of the transport appliance as a response to the determined movement reference of the transport appliance. The movement reference of the transport appliance is determined on the basis of the amount of energy that can be discharged from the energy storage and/or on the basis of the amount of energy that can be charged into the energy storage as well as on the basis of the travel distance of the transport appliance.

Abstract: A motor circuit with power-off braking function includes a driving unit, a coil unit, and a braking unit. The driving unit includes a plurality of switch arms connected in parallel, with each switch arm having a series contact. The coil unit includes a plurality of coils and a central contact. Each coil includes an end connected to the series contact of one of the switch arms. The other end of each coil is connected to the central contact. The braking unit includes a brake loop switch coupled between the central contact of the coil unit and an end of the switch arms. When power is cut off, a plurality of brake loops is formed to share the transient current during braking.

Abstract: A battery pack management system adjusts the relative state-of-charge of respective battery blocks in a battery pack to equalize (i.e., align, balance or otherwise make similar) the peak battery block voltages (i.e., maximum or “upper peak” battery block voltages when the battery pack is being charged and/or minimum or “lower peak” battery block voltages when the battery is being discharged). Upon detecting an anomalous battery block that exhibits outlier upper and lower peak voltages, the battery pack management system adjusts the relative state of charge of respective battery blocks to center their respective upper and lower peak voltages between operating limits, thus maximizing the operating margin of the battery pack as a whole.

Abstract: A control device for an electric motor car comprising: a switch which is installed between a power supply source and a power line drawn through the electric motor car; a battery which supplies power to a main motor of the electric motor car; a step-up unit, which is installed between the power line and the battery, configured to increase a voltage; and a control unit which breaks a connection between the power supply source and the power line using the switch when braking the electric motor car, increases the power supplied from the battery using the step-up unit, and performs regenerative braking in the main motor to which the increased power is supplied.

Abstract: A method of operating a laundry treating appliance to control a rotational speed of a drum to move the laundry within the drum according to a predetermined category of movement.

Abstract: The maximum electrical power drawn from an electrical power source by a mining excavator comprising electric motors is reduced by supplying supplementary electrical power from an electrical energy storage unit. The input electrical power drawn by the mining excavator is cyclic. An upper limit is set for the electrical power drawn from the electrical power source. When the input electrical power drawn by the mining excavator exceeds the upper limit, electrical power is supplied by the electrical energy storage unit, such as an ultracapacitor bank. The ultracapacitor bank may be charged by the electrical power source during off-peak intervals. Electrical power generated by electrical motors operating in a regeneration interval may also be recaptured and stored in the electrical energy storage unit.

Abstract: The performance of a power transducer is improved while efficiently using a power semiconductor also by managing the permissible duty factor of the power semiconductor in the regenerative braking circuit provided in the power transducer. The user is allowed to set, through an operation panel provided on the power transducer, the resistance value of the regenerative braking resistor for thermally consuming the rotational energy generated during motor deceleration. The power transducer performs the steps of: calculating the current which flows in the regenerative braking circuit from the resistance value setting; obtaining the generation loss of the power semiconductor in the regenerative braking circuit with the calculated current value; and determining the permissible duty factor of the power semiconductor from the obtained generation loss.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a power source unit, motors supplied with and driven by electric power from the power source unit, and a control device for controlling the motors' operations. A CPU in the control device monitors presence/absence of power supply from the power source unit. When power is cut off during image forming, the CPU causes regenerative braking of the motors. The regenerated power is voltage-converted by a second DC-DC converter in the power source unit and supplied to the control device for continuously driving the CPU, which in turn backs up operating information. This eliminates inconsistency between the actual life status and the backed-up information when power is off, with no need of frequent backup during image forming. It is thus possible to provide the image forming device which can reliably manage operating information even if power supply to the motors is stopped during printing.

Abstract: A method and architecture processing electrical energy regenerated from an aircraft, to address drawbacks posed by customary solutions for dissipating low energy of resistors, conventionally ceramics, which require a significant volume of ceramic and an additional power converter. The method and architecture return energy to an electric generator to convert the energy into mechanical energy. The architecture includes a reversible electric generator, driven by a thermal machine and configured to deliver an AC voltage, electric actuators, and a voltage converter circuit with multiple links. The circuit includes AC voltage rectifiers for voltage originating from the generator and power converters arranged on the multiple links to drive as many electric actuators. The converter circuit also includes a mechanism for electrical energy inverse transmission applied to the generator operating in a motor mode.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide novel techniques for using a switched converter to provide for three-phase alternating current (AC) rectification, regenerative braking, and direct current (DC) voltage boosting. In particular, one of the three legs of the switched converter is controlled with a set of pulse width modulation (PWM) control signals so that the input AC phase having the highest voltage is rectified and one of the switches in the two other legs is turned on to allow for added voltage. This switching activity allows for voltage from multiple AC line mains to be combined, resulting in an overall boost of the DC voltage of the rectifier. The DC voltage boost can then be applied to the common DC bus in order to ameliorate voltage sags, help with motor starts, and increase the ride-through capability of the motor.

Abstract: A control device for a vehicle includes: a charge control portion that adjusts an upper limit of charging power to a battery to prevent a negative electrode potential of the battery from dropping to a lithium reference potential, based on a charge/discharge history of the battery; a braking control portion that detects a sharing ratio between hydraulic braking force by a braking device and regenerative braking force for desired braking force according to a brake pedal depression amount so that a motor generator generates a regenerative braking force within a range of the adjusted upper limit of charging power; and a setting portion that variably sets, according to the hydraulic response rate detected by the detection portion, a degree of limitation of the upper limit when restricting charging current to the battery by restricting the upper limit.

Abstract: A power regeneration device according to an aspect of embodiments includes a voltage detecting unit, a signal processing unit, a phase detecting unit, and a power conversion unit. The signal processing unit generates, by using self-oscillation when the output of an AC detection signal from the voltage detecting unit is stopped due to a power outage, an AC signal whose frequency is the same as that of and whose phase is continued to that of the AC detection signal just before the stop. The phase detecting unit detects the phase of the AC power supply on the basis of the AC signal from the signal processing unit when power is recovered from the power outage.

Abstract: Provided are semiconductor elements 107A, 107B, and 107C that allow a current to flow that is at most a maximum current determined by the level of control signals VGA, VGB, and VGC and that depends on the difference between the voltage of a DC power supply BA and the charging voltage of a capacitor 102, a controller 105 that outputs a control signal to each semiconductor element, and a temperature detection circuit that detects the temperature of each semiconductor element. Until a predetermined time elapses after the electric circuit is closed, the controller 105 adjusts the level of each control signal based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection circuit so that current through the electric circuit does not exceed a current limit, and after the predetermined time period elapses, the controller 105 adjusts the level of each control signal so that current through the electric circuit is allowed to exceed the current limit.

Abstract: Provided is a load driving device capable of efficiently recovering and using regenerative power and an inverted type movable body equipped with same. The load driving device includes a battery that supplies power to a load when driving the load, and is charged with a part of regenerative power when the regenerative power equal to or higher than a first reference value is generated by the load. The load driving device also includes an internal circuit that consumes at least a part of regenerative power when the regenerative power is generated by the load.

Abstract: An electro-hydraulic drive system for a work machine which drives an upper rotary body by controlling a flow rate of a hydraulic fluid by a control valve, includes an electro-hydraulic pump including a hydraulic pump driven by an engine, and a first electric motor, and an electro-hydraulic motor including a hydraulic motor rotated by the hydraulic oil supplied from the electro-hydraulic pump, and a second electric motor, and a controller which determines an operating state of the first electric motor and an operating state of the second electric motor based on a load of the electro-hydraulic pump and a load of the electro-hydraulic motor, and is able to perform an efficient operation by using a hydraulic pressure (fluid pressure) and electric power.

Abstract: An electric vehicle may include a main battery, a charging system electronic device, an electrically powered system-based electronic device, a first high-voltage electric wire; and a second high-voltage electric wire. The electrically powered system-based electronic device and the charging system electronic device may be sequentially disposed in parallel. The electric vehicle may further include a first junction relay capable of isolating the first high-voltage electric wire; and a second junction relay capable of isolating the second high-voltage electric wire. The first junction relay is disposed between the main battery and the charging system electronic device, and a first pre-charge relay which bypasses the first junction relay is disposed in parallel with the first junction relay, and the second junction relay is disposed between the charging system electronic device and the electrically powered system-based electronic device.

Abstract: A diesel-electric drive system includes a generator having two multi-phase winding systems, a diesel engine, and a DC-link converter. Two self-commuted pulse power converters on the generator side are linked to the windings systems and to each other by a brake resistor on the alternating voltage side. The brake resistor is split into two series-connected resistors, each having half the resistance value of the brake resistor. An input of a bipolar switching device is connected to a connecting point of two series-connected resistors. The capacity of the diesel motor can then be checked in a self-load test with a controllable load torque of the diesel-electric drive system, while eliminating overloads of the power semiconductors of the self-commuted pulse power converters on the generator side.

Abstract: For an electric motor used as a generator in an electric vehicle for dynamic braking, employing a dynamic reconfiguration-switching of motor windings upon the generator exceeding one of a maximum usable constraint of a first rechargeable battery in order to reduce a voltage constant of the electric motor thereby limiting one of a produced voltage and a produced power.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electric device for driving mechanical equipment comprising an alternating current motor and an inverter, the said inverter comprising, for each phase of the said motor, an H bridge structure comprising four switching elements distributed over two branches connecting two terminals of the said H bridge structure and intended to supply the winding of the said at least one phase of the motor, the said winding being a winding with a mid point and the said electric device being characterized in that it also comprises, for each phase of the said motor, an energy storage unit, in particular a supercondenser, connected, on the one hand, to the mid point of the winding of the concerned phase of the motor and, on the other hand, to a terminal of the H bridge structure supplying the said winding.

Abstract: A power supply unit for a press machine having a converter (converter circuit) connected to a commercial AC power supply, and an inverter (inverter circuit) connected to a press motor, includes an electrical energy bank, an inrush prevention circuit, an inrush prevention instruction signal generation section, and a contactor switch section, wherein contactors of the inrush prevention circuit are switched from on ON state to an OFF state and inrush prevention resistors of the inrush prevention circuit are connected to AC phase current paths on condition that the inrush prevention instruction signal generation section has generated and output an inrush prevention instruction signal (Sres) during press operation.

Abstract: A motor control system is provided, including a motor and a control module. The motor operates at a rotational velocity, and creates a regenerative current. The motor has a target field weakening current that is configured for limiting the regenerative current to a threshold value. The control module is in communication with the motor. The control module receives a motor torque command. The control module includes control logic for identifying the target field weakening current based upon the motor torque command and the rotational velocity of the motor.

Abstract: A resistor unit adapted to be used in a resistor grid assembly. The resistor unit includes a supporting element and a resistor element. The supporting element has an aperture formed therein. The resistor element has a body portion and a tip portion at an end, which is adapted to be received in the aperture to mount the resistor element to the supporting element. Further, a tab extends from the end of the resistor element forming a part of the resistor element. The tab is configured to provide a heat shield between the supporting element and the resistor element.

Abstract: A motor drive apparatus includes a rectifier which converts AC power to DC power and DC power to AC power, an inverter which converts the DC power output by the rectifier to AC power and supplies the AC power to a motor, and which converts regenerative power from the motor to DC power and returns the DC power to the rectifier, a DC voltage detection unit which detects a DC output voltage of the rectifier, an AC voltage detection unit which detects an AC output voltage of the rectifier, a frequency calculation unit which calculates the frequency of the AC voltage; a storage unit which stores as a reference value the DC voltage at the start of the regenerative operation, and a power failure detection unit which determines the presence or absence of a power failure by using the DC voltage, the reference value, and the AC voltage frequency.

Abstract: A hub power device of a hybrid vehicle, comprising a motor powered battery, an accelerator unit, a motor control unit, an annular stator, and an axle shaft which passes through the annular stator to be combined with a hub. An inner wall of the hub is fixed with an annular rotor which is movably sheathed on an outer rim of the annular stator. When the accelerator unit is activated, the motor control unit controls the motor powered battery to supply electricity to the annular stator and the annular rotor, thereby driving the hub to spin. If the accelerator unit is inactivated, the motor powered battery stops supplying electricity to the annular stator and the annular rotor, allowing the annular rotor to spin freely following the hub, thereby generating electric energy between the annular stator and the annular rotor and charging the motor powered battery to reduce fuel consumption.

Abstract: A regenerative variable frequency drive includes an active converter connected to an inverter. The converter has a filter capacitor, an inductor, two half bridges, bus bars that connect to the inverter and bus capacitors. The converter converts single phase AC power to DC power and DC power to single phase AC power, boosts the AC power, reduces input line harmonics, maintains input current in phase with utility voltage in order to achieve near unity power factor, and maintains constant DC voltage between the bus bars.

Abstract: The performance of a power transducer is improved while efficiently using a power semiconductor also by managing the permissible duty factor of the power semiconductor in the regenerative braking circuit provided in the power transducer. The user is allowed to set, through an operation panel provided on the power transducer, the resistance value of the regenerative braking resistor for thermally consuming the rotational energy generated during motor deceleration. The power transducer performs the steps of: calculating the current which flows in the regenerative braking circuit from the resistance value setting; obtaining the generation loss of the power semiconductor in the regenerative braking circuit with the calculated current value; and determining the permissible duty factor of the power semiconductor from the obtained generation loss.

Abstract: Methods and systems for operating an inverter having a plurality of high switches and a plurality of low switches coupled to an electric motor are provided. An event indicative of deceleration of the electric motor is detected. The inverter is alternated between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation during the deceleration of the electric motor. In the first mode of operation, each of the plurality of high switches is activated and each of the plurality of low switches is deactivated or each of the plurality of low switches is activated and each of the plurality of high switches is deactivated. In the second mode of operation, each of the plurality of high switches is deactivated and each of the plurality of low switches is deactivated.

Abstract: This invention relates to an electrical regenerative brake (100) with a rotating brake coil (10) which is mounted on a wheel (14) of a vehicle, whereby a magnetic field (18) is fed in the coil (10). In order to allow effective regenerative braking (100) at low speeds and to provide a significant increase in power saving, this invention proposes that the permanent magnet (13) producing the magnetic field (18) is placed in the inner space of at least one additional coil (11, 12), whereby the brake has an electric circuit (22) which contains the rotating brake coil (10) and the additional coil (11, 12) as elements.

Abstract: Disclosed is system for a hybrid vehicle in which a rotor in a motor is continuously and directly connected to a transmission and is rotatable with the transmission. A first stator mounted around an exterior side of the rotor is directly connected to a shaft of the engine to be rotatable with the shaft of the engine, and a second stator is fixedly mounted to the exterior side of the motor housing around the rotor. The system may further include a lock-up clutch configured to selectively connect a rotation shaft of the rotor with the shaft of the engine, a first inverter configured to control an operation of the first stator, and a second inverter configured to control an operation of the second stator.

Abstract: Control device (30) and method for controlling an AC motor (18) by means of a motor control unit (19). The control device (30) includes an AFE unit (33) arranged in parallel with the rectifier unit (12), which AFE unit (33) is arranged for, under normal operation, to work as an active filter and inject super-harmonic current components opposite of the ones generated by the rectifier unit (12) to counteract the current distortion, seen from the grid side. When the motor control unit (19) is running regenerative, the AFE unit (33) will work as a 4-quadrant converter and supply energy back to the supply grid (13). Advantages of the invention are reduced physical size, lower cost and improved efficiency compared to existing solutions of motor drive with frequency converters in weak grids, where the motor drive must handle regenerative operation.

Abstract: A drive with heat dissipation and energy-saving function for supplying power to drive a motor. The drive includes a driving circuit having a rectification section. The rectification section serves to receive AC current generated when the motor abruptly accelerates/decelerates and convert the AC current into DC current and output the DC current. The drive further includes a cooling module electrically connected to an output end of the rectification section. The cooling module is drivable by the DC current output from the rectification section to conduct out and dissipate heat.

Abstract: A direct current motor controlling apparatus may include a direct current motor driving unit to apply a driving voltage to a direct current motor and detect a predetermined signal from the direct current motor, and a servo-micom to control the status of the direct current motor using the signal detected by the direct current motor driving unit. Accordingly, the rotational status of the direct current motor is checked to control the direct current motor.

Abstract: When the output of motor reaches or exceeds a predetermined value during acceleration of the motor, the control target value of the DC link voltage which is the voltage of a power storage device is gradually lowered in corresponding relationship to the motor output. When the motor enters a constant speed control mode, the DC link control target value is maintained at a constant level. When the motor enters a deceleration control mode, the DC link control target value is gradually raised in corresponding relationship to the motor output, and regenerative power is recovered by the power storage device and reused in the next control cycle.

Abstract: A power supply of equipment onboard a motor vehicle equipped with a micro-hybrid system that can operate in a regenerative braking mode during which the energy recovered by a reversible rotary machine (1) of the micro-hybrid system is stored in an auxiliary energy storage unit (4). The micro-hybrid system provides a dual-voltage network including, on the one hand, a low voltage (Vb) for supplying a battery (3) of the vehicle and, on the other hand and at the terminals of said auxiliary energy-storage unit, a floating voltage (Vb+X) higher than the low voltage. The floating voltage (Vb+X) is used for powering the onboard equipment of the vehicle that may require high currents during short periods of time for the dynamic operation thereof. The power supply is particularly useful for powering an electric-assistance turbocharger.

Abstract: During motor acceleration control period that starts at time T1, if power supply output or supply current exceeds a predetermined level at time T2, PWM control in a PWM converter is turned off until a deceleration control period of T3 to T4 ends. As a result, DC link voltage (voltage of a power storage device) at the start of the deceleration control at time T3 drops to provide space for storing regenerative power; since the PWM control in the PWM converter is off during the deceleration control period, the regenerative power can be stored into the power storage device and reused in the next control cycle.

Abstract: A control device for a railway vehicle controls an inverter device based on a direct-current link voltage Vfc between the opposite terminals of a filter capacitor. A direct-current voltage applied to the inverter device during regeneration is the sum of a voltage Vb of power storage equipment and an overhead wire voltage Vs, so that only detecting the direct-current link voltage Vfc is not enough to separate the voltage Vb of the power storage equipment and the overhead wire voltage Vs from each other. The power storage equipment can be connected in series with the inverter device, and a voltage sensor that detects the overhead wire voltage Vs is provided between a current collector device and a grounding point. The power storage equipment is controlled based on the detection result from the voltage sensor.

Abstract: Current source converter (CSC) based motor drives and control techniques are presented in which DC link current is regulated to a level set by the output inverter during dynamic braking operation by pulse width modulation of a braking resistance connection signal to maintain control of motor torque and speed while mitigating or preventing line side regenerative currents.

Abstract: Provided is a regenerative switched reluctance motor driving system which allows a motor to have a reduced size and weight and an increased efficiency as well as improved energy recovery efficiency at the time of regenerative braking without using a neodymium magnet. Based on an angular position of a rotor in the motor, a constant current flip-flop circuit 2 renders two current paths alternately conductive so as to allow a rectangular-wave current having a width of an electrical angle of 180° to alternately flow in two coils in the motor 3, and shifts the timing of rendering the two current paths alternately conductive, between when driving and when braking the motor 3, by a time during which the rotor is rotated by an angle corresponding to an electrical angle of 180°.

Abstract: In a drive device for a railway vehicle, in which regeneration braking force is increased by adding the output voltage of a voltage adjustment device to a DC power source voltage, operation of the current control device is started prior to the start of the power running operation or the regeneration operation of the inverter device, and the operation of the current control device is stopped later than the stopping of the power running operation or the regeneration operation of the inverter device. Thereby, the current control device is surely operated at least during the operation period of the inverter device, so that the output voltage of the voltage adjustment device is adjusted by the current control device, to thereby prevent the over-discharge of the energy storage device at the time of power running operation or the overcharge of the energy storage device at the time of regeneration operation.

Abstract: A control device includes a drive controller that controls the driving of an electromagnetic coil, and a regeneration controller that controls the regeneration of power from the electromagnetic coil. The drive controller includes an excitation interval setting unit that sets excitation and non-excitation intervals such that voltage is applied to the electromagnetic coil during the excitation interval but is not applied during the non-excitation interval. The excitation and non-excitation intervals are symmetrical with centers that respectively correspond to the ?/2 and ? phase points of the induced voltage waveform. The regeneration controller includes a regeneration interval setting unit that sets regeneration and non-regeneration intervals such that power is regenerated from the electromagnetic coil during the regeneration interval but is not regenerated during the non-regeneration interval.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unique improvement (23) in an electronic motor drive (20) having an LC filter (21) to reduce conducted emissions from a motor (M) back to a voltage source (V1). The improvement broadly includes diode (24) in series with the inductor (L1) of said filter to prevent transmission of regenerative power from the motor to said voltage source; and a bypass switch (25) arranged in parallel with the diode and selectively operable to enable transmission of regenerative power from the motor to said voltage source.

Abstract: A system for protecting a three-phase electric motor of a compressor, the motor receiving first, second, and third phases from a three-phase power supply, the system including a single-phase line break protector, a first current sensor, and a control module. The single-phase line break protector disconnects the motor from the first phase in response to a temperature being greater than a predetermined temperature threshold. The first current sensor measures a current through the single-phase line break protector. The control module determines a current value based on the measured current, and disconnects the motor from the second and third phases in response to the current value being less than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A motor drive control device includes a power-running operation start voltage setting section that sets a power-running operation start voltage of the power supply converter, a power-running operation start control section that causes the power supply converter to start a power-running operation when the direct-current voltage of the power supply converter has reached the power-running operation start voltage set by the power-running operation start voltage setting section, a power-running operation stop voltage setting section that sets a power-running operation stop voltage of the power supply converter, and a power-running operation stop control section that causes the power supply converter to stop the power-running operation when the direct-current voltage of the power supply converter has reached the power-running operation stop voltage set by the power-running operation stop voltage setting section.

Abstract: The performance of a power transducer is improved while efficiently using a power semiconductor also by managing the permissible duty factor of the power semiconductor in the regenerative braking circuit provided in the power transducer. The user is allowed to set, through an operation panel provided on the power transducer, the resistance value of the regenerative braking resistor for thermally consuming the rotational energy generated during motor deceleration. The power transducer performs the steps of: calculating the current which flows in the regenerative braking circuit from the resistance value setting; obtaining the generation loss of the power semiconductor in the regenerative braking circuit with the calculated current value; and determining the permissible duty factor of the power semiconductor from the obtained generation loss.

Abstract: A generator connected to an engine generates AC power. A converter is connected to the generator, and an inverter for controlling the electric power to a rotation electric motor is connected to the converter. The converter and the inverter are formed of IGBTs connected between power supply lines and the rotation electric motor. The AC power from the generator is converted directly to AC power which can be supplied to the rotation electric motor.

Abstract: An energy recapturing apparatus is disclosed for use with a ceiling fan that includes a housing defining an interior area and having a rotatable fan blade assembly. The apparatus includes a combined motor/generator situated in the housing interior space, the motor/generator being operatively connected to the fan blade assembly to apply energy to rotate the fan blade assembly when energized and to receive kinetic energy from rotation of the fan blade assembly when de-energized. A switch is electrically connected to the motor/generator to selectively energize or de-energize the motor/generator. The motor/generator is configured to generate electricity from the kinetic energy received from the fan blade assembly. An electricity storage device is electrically connected to the motor/generator and configured to store electricity generated by the motor/generator. A controller causes stored electricity to be transferred to the motor/generator upon its activation.

Abstract: The brushless electric machine includes a first drive member (30U) having a plurality of permanent magnets (32U); a second drive member (10) having a plurality of electromagnetic coils and capable of movement relative to the first drive member (30U); and a third drive member (30L) disposed at the opposite side from the first drive member (30U) with the second drive member (10) therebetween. The second drive member (10) has magnetic sensors (40A, 40B) for detecting the relative position of the first and second drive members. The third drive member (30L) has at locations facing the permanent magnets of the first drive member (30U) a plurality of magnetic field strengthening members (32L) for strengthening the magnetic field at the location of the second drive member (10) in conjunction with the permanent magnets.

Abstract: Thermal management of various components such as electrical energy storage devices (e.g., batteries, super- or ultracapacitors), power converters and/or control circuits, in electrically powered vehicles may employ active temperature adjustment devices (e.g., Peltier devices), which may advantageously be powered using electrical energy generated by the traction electric motor during regenerative braking operation. Temperature adjustment may include cooling or heating one or more components. The adjustment may be based on a variety of factors or conditions, for instance sensed temperature, sensed current draw, sensed voltage, sensed rotational speed.

Abstract: An electric car control apparatus with which it is possible to make the size of equipment small. The control apparatus includes current detectors for respectively detecting currents flowing through collector shoes mounted on a leading car; a no-current indicator for outputting a no-current signal when the currents detected by these current detectors are zero; a no-current train line for transmitting the no-current signal to the following car; and disconnection timer mounted on each of the cars for, when inputting a speed signal and a no-current signal, in correspondence with the speed of the cars outputting a disconnection signal for causing a connector to disconnect after a predetermined time such that it is possible to determine that there is a dead section or gap.