Current Or Voltage Limiting (e.g., Over-voltage Or Over-current Protection, Etc.) Patents (Class 318/400.22)
  • Publication number: 20100001672
    Abstract: A vehicle generator motor has a generator motor that is connected to an internal combustion engine and plural sets of three-phase windings, plural sets of inverter portions connected to the respective sets of the three-phase windings, and a control circuit portion for controlling the inverter portions in accordance with the operation state of the generator motor. When the generator motor operates as a motor and a variation value of an output torque or power generation amount thereof exceeds a predetermined value, the control circuit portion controls the inverter portions so as to stop armature current flowing in at least one set in plural sets of three-phase windings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naohide MAEDA, Masahiko FUJITA
  • Patent number: 7622874
    Abstract: A motor driver includes an H-bridge having a first differential input, a second differential input, and a differential output; a sensing circuit coupled to the differential output of the H-bridge; a comparison and logic circuit coupled to the sensing circuit; a pair of pre-driver circuits coupled to the comparison and logic circuit for driving at least one of the differential inputs of the H-bridge; and a pair of level shifters coupled between the comparison and logic circuit and the sensing circuit. The pair of level shifters is used to assure that the VGS of a pair of serially coupled transistors in the sensing circuit do not change with temperature, motor current, or voltage, and each includes a transistor receiving a reference current. The pair of level shifters each further includes a serially coupled diode and zener diode for preventing current from flowing from the differential output of the H-bridge to the level-shifting transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Shenzhen STS Microelectronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chunxing Deng, Wenli Luo
  • Patent number: 7619382
    Abstract: To provide a solar circulation pump for connection to a photovoltaic panel device, comprising an electric motor which is electronically commutated and has a control device for supplying a periodic commutation signal, it is proposed that the control device be so configured that the commutation signal is varied with respect to the ratio of switch-on time to switch-off time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Oliver Laing
  • Patent number: 7615949
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus includes a fan motor, a hall IC, a first power generator, and a second power generator. The hall IC is coupled with the fan motor for detecting the status of the fan motor, such as rotating or stationary. The first power generator is connected with the hall IC for outputting a first voltage to the hall IC to supply the required power for the hall IC. The second power generator is connected with the fan motor for outputting a second voltage to the fan motor to control the rotation speed of the fan motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Enermax Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Chin-Chen Chu
  • Patent number: 7609015
    Abstract: A load driving device includes a driver that supplies drive current to a load having an inductance component, a current sensing resistor that generates sensed voltage corresponding to switching current that flows in the driver, a switch circuit that delivers one of the sensed voltage and a predetermined bias voltage selectively, a comparator that compares a selected voltage of the switch circuit with a predetermined reference voltage, and a logic circuit that generates a drive control signal for the driver based on a comparison output signal of the comparator, so as to perform constant-current chopping control of the drive current with improved stability of the constant-current chopping control while avoiding malfunction due to noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideki Okui
  • Publication number: 20090261761
    Abstract: A crawler type power shovel vehicle (1) operated by a hydraulic actuator (20), constructed from an electric motor (31) for driving a hydraulic pump (32) for supplying hydraulic oil to the hydraulic actuator (20), a battery (50) for supplying direct current power, an inverter (41) for operating the electric motor (31) by converting the direct current power into alternating current power and supplying it to the motor, a controller (40) for causing the inverter (41) to control operation of the electric motor (31), and a voltage/current sensor (42) for detecting the magnitude of a load current flowing from the battery (50) into the inverter (41). The controller (40) stops the motor (31) when the magnitude of the load current detected by the voltage/current sensor (42) continuously exceeds a predetermined threshold for a predetermined time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: TAKEUCHI MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masao Yoshioka
  • Publication number: 20090256503
    Abstract: If the magnitude of a command voltage vector is greater than a predetermined voltage value indicated by a voltage limit circle, the magnitude of a voltage vector, which corresponds to a q-axis current and which forms the command voltage vector, is adjusted so that the magnitude of the command voltage vector is equal to or less than the predetermined voltage value. Then a q-axis current estimated value is obtained based on i) the ratio of the magnitude of the voltage vector from the q-axis current after adjustment to the magnitude of the voltage vector from the q-axis current before adjustment, and ii) a q-axis current command value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi UEDA, Shigeki NAGASE, Kouya YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 7602157
    Abstract: Apparatus and associated systems and methods may relate to a process for supplying unidirectional current to a load, controlling a reverse electromotive force (REMF), capturing inductive energy from the load, and supplying the captured inductive energy to the load. In an illustrative example, an operating cycle may include a sequence of operations. First, inductive energy captured from the load on a previous cycle may be supplied to the load. Second, energy may be supplied to the load from an external power source. Third, a REMF voltage may be substantially controlled upon disconnecting the power source from the load. Fourth, the load current may be brought to zero by capturing the inductive energy for use on a subsequent cycle. In some embodiments, a single power stage may supply a DC inductive load, or a pair of power stages may be operated to supply bidirectional current to an AC load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Flyback Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul M. Babcock, David J. Babcock, Phillip N. Smith
  • Patent number: 7598691
    Abstract: A current control device for a fan motor includes a current sampling module, a signal generating module, a current detecting module and a current controlling module. The current sampling module samples an operating current of the fan motor to generate a sampled current signal. The operating current is controlled according to a driving signal. The signal generating module generates a threshold current signal. The current detecting module receives the sampled current signal and the threshold current signal and generates a motor protecting signal according to the sampled current signal and the threshold current signal. The current controlling module receives the motor protecting signal and stops generating or decreases the driving signal according to the motor protecting signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Po-Tsun Kuo, Wen-Chuan Ma, Ming-Shi Tsai, Wen-Shi Huang
  • Publication number: 20090243525
    Abstract: Two current threshold values are adopted, which are larger than the upper limit of current of an operating region. When a rotating speed is smaller than a speed threshold value, the current threshold value is adopted as a criterion to judge whether an input current to an inverter is abnormal, and when the rotating speed Rot is larger than that, the other current threshold value is adopted as the criterion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Motonobu Ikeda, Satoshi Yagi, Michiya Takezoe, Hiroyuki Kondou, Hirotaka Doi, Hirohito Maeda
  • Patent number: 7595605
    Abstract: A method is described for determining an operating state on triggering a fan motor, the fan motor being operated with the aid of a switching device, the switching device being activated via a pulse-width-modulated triggering signal, a pulse duty factor of the triggering signal predefining a triggering state of the fan motor, a voltage potential at the node between fan motor and switching device or a motor current being measured as a measured variable, an operating state being determined on triggering the fan motor as a function of the measured variable and the pulse duty factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Buerk, Stefan Koch
  • Patent number: 7583042
    Abstract: A driving device is provided for controlling the rotation of a motor. The driving device comprises an input module, a comparing module and a processing module. The input module includes a voltage generating unit and a voltage adjusting unit to generate a comparing voltage. The voltage generating unit generates a voltage signal according to a basis voltage. The voltage adjusting unit is coupled to the voltage generating unit for adjusting the voltage signal and generating the comparing voltage according a reference voltage. The comparing module is coupled to the input module for comparing a selecting signal with the comparing voltage and generating a comparing signal. The processing module is coupled to the comparing module and generates a control signal according to the comparing signal. The driving device controls the rotation of the motor according to the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Princeton Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Meng-Hsun Lee, Chi-Lin Hsu
  • Publication number: 20090195199
    Abstract: A controller (30) determines a failure of an inverter (14) in response to detection of an excessive current in any one of IGBT elements of the inverter (14) during driving of a motor generator (MG1). The controller (30) sets the inverter (14) to a suspended state in response to the determination of the failure, and identifies a short-circuited phase based on a motor current (MCRT1) from a current sensor (24). The controller (30) simultaneously turns on two IGBT elements forming upper and lower arms of the short-circuited phase in a discharge process of a capacitor (C2) performed during stop control of a vehicle. Thus, the two IGBT elements are short-circuited because of a rapid increase in heat loss caused by an excessive short-circuit current. As a result, an excessive current at the inverter and power supply lines caused by a back electromotive force generated at the motor generator (MG1) when the vehicle is towed is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuji Ito
  • Patent number: 7518328
    Abstract: The invention relates to the commutation of electromechanical, commutatorless actuators, more particularly of permanent magnet motors and reluctance motors, having a rotor and a stator including at least one stator winding (W1, W2) that is/are operated with a constant current (IPWM). The method for determining the moment of commutation used herein comprises the following steps: A reference constant current is applied to at least one of the windings (W1, W2) and a stationary state is awaited. Then, a value that represents the voltage applied to the winding of the actuator in the stationary state is determined as the reference commutation value for the commutation voltage. While the motor is running, the commutation (if the motor is being operated with the reference current) is performed as soon as the reference value appears or a specified time later.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Saia-Burgess Murten AG
    Inventor: Werner Balsiger
  • Publication number: 20090079373
    Abstract: A current sensor of a motor controller detects the current applied to a motor drive circuit and thus a phase where a failure cannot be detected would occur without taking any measures. However, an abnormal current monitor section contained in a microcomputer receives a voltage signal of an average value of the currents detected in the current sensor by allowing a signal to pass through a first LPF having a cutoff frequency sufficiently lower than the frequency of a PWM signal. Therefore, whether or not the value is within a predetermined normal range is checked, whereby whether or not some failure containing a failure of the current sensor occurs can be easily determined about every phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeki Nagase, Takeshi Ueda, Ken Matsubara, Toshiaki Oya, Yasuyuki Yoshii
  • Publication number: 20090058339
    Abstract: An ECU activates a shutdown permission signal and provides it to an AND gate when a shutdown signal is inactive. Thus, when an abnormality sensing device does not sense an abnormality, the ECU always keeps the shutdown permission signal active. The AND gate performs logical AND between a signal provided from the abnormality sensing device and the shutdown permission signal to provide the shutdown signal to inverters. When a limp-home run permission signal becomes active while the shutdown signal is active, the ECU inactivates the shutdown permission signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Eiji Kitano
  • Publication number: 20090045763
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to an arrangement for monitoring signals which are guided to a multi-phase motor by an end stage and the pulse width thereof is controlled by a controller. The total of the pulse widths of the signals of each phase is measured by, respectively, a counter, respectively for a predetermined programme flow in the controller. The meter reading is read by a counter according to a predetermined period of time and an error signal is produced if the total amount of time exceeds a predetermined tolerance range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: Siemens VDO Automotive AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Bay, Michael Henninger, Sven Kretschmar
  • Patent number: 7477030
    Abstract: A ceiling fan with electrical illumination has a fan casing and a connection casing for connection of a fan motor and at least one light source to a power supply system. An electronic control device integrated in the ceiling fan automatically limits the electrical power drawn from the power supply system by the light source(s) to a predetermined power value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Ellenberger & Poensgen GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Meckler, Gerhard Endner, Thomas Weiss
  • Publication number: 20080297084
    Abstract: A control circuit for an electronically commutated motor (120), having a power stage (122) that comprises at least two semiconductor switches (216, 218) to influence the motor current. The semiconductor switches are controllable by way of commutation signals. The control circuit comprises a current measuring element (170) to make available a motor current control variable (I) dependent on the motor current, a base diode (240) that is arranged in series with the current measuring element and between the current measuring element and the at least two semiconductor switches, and a motor current setting element (180) with which the commutation signals can be influenced as a function of the motor current control variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Hansjorg Berroth, Frank Jeske, Volker Mauch, Arnold Kuner
  • Patent number: 7446493
    Abstract: A motor control module for a power tool includes a controller and a triac for controlling current to the given tool motor. The module includes a circuit within the controller for implementing a plurality of control methodologies related to synchronizing the module to the AC input signal, estimating average current flowing through the triac, compensating for amplifier offset to improve accuracy of current measurements in the module, and providing speed measurement and control for the tool motor using principles of hysteresis in a comparator of the controller. Additionally, the controller is configured to calibrate an oscillation calibration register therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Michael K. Forster, Jason K. Leh, John C. Vanko, Daniel R. Beers, Robert A. Usselman, Zoran Mihailovic