Switching Circuit Structure Or Component (e.g., Inverter, Bridge Circuit, Etc.) Patents (Class 318/400.26)
  • Publication number: 20110031915
    Abstract: A system and apparatus that allows the use of a 3-phase AC motor in a vehicle by associating a series capacitor with each phase winding. The capacitor can be charged through the motor winding and then switched to discharge through the winding in a resonant oscillatory mode. The capacitor values can be chosen so that the winding and capacitor in series resonates at approximately 60 Hz. Oscillations in each phase can be staggered by around 120 degrees. The charging and discharging is controlled by electronic SPDT switches that switch around 300 VAC/500 VDC at around 15 amps for each phase. With an average DC current of 20 amps from a 48 volt battery pack (four 12 volt batteries connected in series) and 75% discharge of the capacitors, the present invention can run a 7.5 HP, 3-phase, 240 VAC motor for approximately 3.5 hours or longer. A simple oscillator circuit can drive the switches at the resonant frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventor: Larry Seever
  • Publication number: 20110031916
    Abstract: An inverter circuit for a brushless motor utilizes an IPM integrated circuit module. The module includes insulated gate bipolar transistors and has outputs for providing driving signals to the brushless motor based on control signals received at inputs from a microcontroller. A sensing circuit measures the current at the lines from the outputs of the IPM integrated circuit module to the motor. A feedback circuit processes the current measurements and provides signals corresponding to the measured current to the microcontroller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventors: David Bonner, Aidong Xu
  • Publication number: 20110025245
    Abstract: Circuitry for controlling motors, such as a brushless motor (BLM), is disclosed. The circuitry may comprise one or more inputs for receiving rotor position signals from one or more Hall effect sensors that detect the position of, for example, a BLM rotor. The circuitry may also comprise an input for receiving a pulse width modulated speed control signal. The circuitry generates one or more drive signals, each of which may comprise a logical combination (e.g., a logical AND combination) of the speed control signal and a rotor position signal, for controlling power switches that are coupled to electromagnets of the BLM.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: SNTECH, INC.
    Inventor: Young-Chun Jeung
  • Publication number: 20110018481
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a multi-phase power converter having at least two phase modules (100) comprising valve branches (T1, . . . , T6) having bipolar subsystems (10, 11) connected in series, at low output frequencies (f). According to the invention, a target value (u1 (t), . . . , u6 (t)) of a valve branch voltage overlaps a common-mode voltage (uCM(t)) such that a sum of two valve branch voltages (u1 (t), U2 (t) or U3 (t), U4 (t) or U5 (t), U6 (t)) of each phase module (100) equals an intermediate circuit voltage (Ud) of said multi-phase power converter. In this manner a known converter having a triphase power converter comprising distributed energy accumulators on the grid and load side, or merely on the load side, may be utilized as a drive converter, which may start up from the idle state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Marc Hiller
  • Patent number: 7872433
    Abstract: Bridge driver circuit with integrated charge pump is disclosed. One embodiment provides a driving circuit section of a charge pump capacitor being formed with power switch components and/or diodes of a bridge circuit section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Marcus Nuebling, Markus Winkler
  • Patent number: 7872434
    Abstract: An electronically commutated electric motor (110) has a permanent-magnet rotor (28), a stator having a stator winding arrangement (40), a motor control module (20) implemented as an IC and having a control logic unit (27), and an external power stage (50), separate from the IC, for influencing the current flow in the stator winding arrangement (40). The motor control module (20) has an internal power stage (29) having at least one open collector output (21, 23). The control logic unit (27) is configured to process a rotor position signal (24?, 24?) and to generate therefrom control signals (27?) for the internal power stage (29), which control signals (27?) serve to apply control to the internal power stage (29). Using an external power stage (50) reduces vulnerability to motor overheating and provides design flexibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: EBM-Papst St. Georgen GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Zipser, Jens Loffler
  • Patent number: 7863841
    Abstract: A method for driving a load by using an output stage amplifier in full bridge configuration whose supply is modulated by means of a fast switching power converter, controlled in order to maintain the stage's output common mode at its minimum voltage, is presented. The modulation of the switching power converter output is obtained by a feedback control system regulating directly the voltage of the bridge output stage terminals. This bridge unipolar class H stage allows driving the load with high accuracy and improved efficiency without introducing switching noise and EMI at the load terminals typical of PWM driving. This method can be applied with the same benefits to class AB, pseudo class AB or to class A output stages. When this method is associated with an imposed current driving approach and with a current oversampling digital to analog converter the resulting advantages are very significant for accurate motor control applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Inventors: Paolo Menegoli, Carl Sawtell
  • Patent number: 7859210
    Abstract: In order to prevent a short circuit of top and bottom arms of a motor driving IC when noise is added to six control signals for controlling six switching elements, there is provided a semiconductor device for driving a motor, being sealed with resin as one package and comprising: six switching elements for driving a three-phase motor; three output terminals for outputting voltages to the three-phase motor; at least one driving circuit for driving the six switching elements; three control signal input terminals; and a function) of generating six control signals for control of the six switching elements based on three control signals inputted through the three control signal input terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Information & Control Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Sakurai, Hiroyuki Hasegawa, Tomoyuki Utsumi, Shoichi Ohozeki, Daisuke Maeda, Mitsuhiro Mishima
  • Publication number: 20100320950
    Abstract: In a 2-shunt system, accurate sensorless vector control can be realized without increasing shunt resistors. There is disclosed an inverter device including an inverter main circuit obtained by connecting, in a three-phase bridge-like manner, three arms formed by coupling, in series with a direct-current power source, two switching elements which perform mutually opposite on/off operations, to apply three-phase pseudo alternating-current voltages of a three-phase PWM system to an electric motor; shunt resistors connected to the direct-current power source in series with at least two of the three arms of the inverter main circuit; and a controller for detecting currents flowing through the shunt resistors in a predetermined cycle to control the on/off operations of the switching elements of the inverter main circuit based on the detected currents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Inoue, Kenji Nojima
  • Publication number: 20100320949
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi output inverter that is adapted to supply mains powered appliances (47-49) and/or poly-phase motors (50, 51). The inverter is also adapted to reduce ripple current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventor: Christopher William Fotherby
  • Patent number: 7852024
    Abstract: A vehicle mirror device includes a drive unit to turn a mirror unit with respect to a base unit. The drive unit includes a motor and a control circuit. The motor is driven with a battery voltage. A current supply to the motor is cut OFF when a motor current flowing in the motor exceeds a threshold, and the control circuit changes the threshold depending on the battery voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Ichikoh Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Sho, Takashi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7840181
    Abstract: A first bias circuit outputs a first direct-current voltage to charge a first capacitor based on a clock signal. A second bias that outputs a second direct-current voltage to charge a second capacitor based on a clock signal. A first MOS transistor has a gate and a source. The first direct-current voltage is applied between the gate and the source of the first MOS transistor to bias the gate of the first MOS transistor. A second MOS transistor has a gate and a source, and a drain connected to the source of the first MOS transistor. The second direct-current voltage is applied between the gate and the source of the second MOS transistor to bias the gate of the second MOS transistor. A coupling capacitor has a first end connected to the source of the first MOS transistor, and a second end to which an alternating-current signal is input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Umeda, Shoji Ootaka
  • Publication number: 20100289439
    Abstract: An object is to provide a driving controller for an AC motor that can prevent generation of an excessive voltage between lines of a motor and between contacts of a motor cut-off contactor and a continuous arc between contacts of the motor cut-off contactor, regardless of the type of a fault occurred, even when a phase in which a current zero point is not generated and a phase in which a current zero point is generated coexist in a fault current that flows between an inverter and the motor. A control unit is configured to open a motor cut-off contactor not at a time when a state of a detected current is determined to be abnormal but at a time when the state of the current is determined to be normal, even when a basic contactor-close command MKC0 becomes off (L level).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kitanaka, Hideo Okayama, Shinichi Furutani, Toshie Takeuchi, Mitsuru Tsukima
  • Patent number: 7830105
    Abstract: Embedding electrical machines in gas turbine engines has particular advantages by avoiding the need to provide mechanical connections. However, electrical machines such as switched reluctance electrical machines require relatively large electrical capacitors to accommodate and filter voltage variations in the phases of the electrical machine. Generally, the electrical machine will have a motoring period or generating period with a spacer period between. By injecting electrical current as electrical power in the spacer period, there is limited effect upon net torque within the electrical machine or electrical power generation. However, such stored electrical power in an inductive winding element of the electrical machine augments power pulses provided by a power source incorporating an electrical capacitor. In such circumstances, a smaller sized electrical capacitor can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: David Reginald Trainer, John James Anthony Cullen, Stephen Andrew Long
  • Publication number: 20100270958
    Abstract: In an electric power steering system, a drain terminal side of a semiconductor relay is positioned to face a heat sink through an insulation film layer. The semiconductor relay has a source terminal between a gate terminal and a drain terminal. The source terminal is provided between the gate terminal and the drain terminal with respect to parts of the gate terminal, the drain terminal and the source terminal, which extend generally in parallel each other on the same plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Tsuboi, Katsuhisa Mase, Yasuyoshi Toda
  • Publication number: 20100270957
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a control technology of a three-phase DC motor. In order to resolve a problem in the prior art that the good current closed-loop control has not been realized on a three-phase square-wave brushless DC motor, the present invention provides a brushless DC motor control system, wherein cathodes of freewheel diodes D1, D3 and D5 are independent of input terminals of their respective switch tubes and connected in parallel to a sampling coil L1, and anodes of freewheel diodes D4, D6 and D2 are independent of output terminals of their respective switch tubes and connected in parallel to a sampling coil L2. The present invention can use a single resultant current sensor to completely and continuously sample the three-phase current existing during the motor is on and performs current freewheel, and perform the continuous closed-loop control on the three-phase current with a single current closed-loop regulator, thereby increasing dynamic and static indexes of the motor significantly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: Tiecai Li, Zhaoyong Zhou, Yamei Qi, Xiang Kong, Shuang Wang, Pinghua Tang
  • Publication number: 20100264865
    Abstract: A drive system for a permanently excited synchronous machine includes a drive converter, and a control device, wherein terminals of the synchronous machine are connected to corresponding outputs of the drive converter by connecting lines. Controllable asymmetrically blocking semiconductor switches are arranged in each of the connecting lines, with each switch having a thyristor connected in parallel with a reverse-biased diode, with anodes of the thyristors and cathodes of the diodes connected together to corresponding terminals of the synchronous machine. A control device has an input receiving a fault signal and an output connected to control inputs of the drive converter. The control device further includes control outputs connected to control inputs of the semiconductor switches. An easily controlled protective circuit for the drive converter of the drive system is obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Mark-Matthias Bakran
  • Publication number: 20100264864
    Abstract: A surgical motor control device for controlling a surgical drive unit comprises a sensorless electric motor with M motor windings. The motor control device is configured to perform a method for controlling the drive unit. The motor control device be configured to control the drive unit using a multiphase PWM method. An improved method for controlling a surgical drive unit and an improved surgical drive system are also proposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: Aesculap AG
    Inventors: Ronald Hafner, Ernst Moosmann, Juergen Schneider, Harald Konrath
  • Publication number: 20100253267
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes: an inverter that drives an alternating-current motor by converting a direct-current voltage into an alternating-current voltage of an arbitrary frequency; an alternating current disconnecting switching unit connected between the inverter and the alternating-current motor; a current detector that detects an output current of the inverter; and a controller that performs on/off-control of the plural switching elements in the inverter and switching control with respect to the switching unit, based on at least a current detected by the current detector. The controller has a configuration to be able to interrupt a fault current by setting the fault current to a state of generating a current zero point, when the fault current containing a direct-current component is generated between the inverter and the alternating-current motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Kitanaka
  • Publication number: 20100253266
    Abstract: A DC motor is provided. The DC motor prevents rush or overload of current in the DC motor during and/or after power input irregularities to the DC motor. A control circuit of the DC motor is configured to control current provided to the DC motor. When power irregularities in the power input to the DC motor are detected by the control circuit, the control circuit stops generating PWM (Pulse Width Modulated) signals and stops the current provided to the DC motor. After the stoppage of PWM signals, the control circuit can perform a soft-start of the PWM signals when the power irregularities are no longer detected. The soft starting of the PWM signals generates gradual increase in current to the DC motor, thus, preventing sudden rush of current that cause malfunction of the DC motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Inventor: Young-Chun Jeung
  • Publication number: 20100253255
    Abstract: A hybrid synchronous motor drive circuit and method operates in one or two or more modes based on the speed of the synchronous machine. In a first mode, the synchronous machine is driven at a relatively low frequency by a current controlled voltage source inverter (VSI). In a second mode, the synchronous machine is driven at a relatively high frequency by a load commutated inverter (LCI) in tandem with the VSI. In the second mode, the LCI acts as the main power source for controlling the machine and determining machine torque and speed. The VSI acts as a harmonic compensator by compensating the dominant harmonic currents fed to the machine from the LCI such that the synchronous machine will see sinusoidal currents and thereby sinusoidal voltages at its terminals. The VSI also functions to provide sufficient reactive power at fundamental frequency so that the thyristors in the inverter are load commutated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE
    Inventors: Vilanguppam Thathachary Ranganathan, Amit Kumar Jain
  • Publication number: 20100253254
    Abstract: A hybrid synchronous motor drive circuit and method operates in one or two or more modes based on the speed of the synchronous machine. In a first mode, the synchronous machine is driven at a relatively low frequency by a current controlled voltage source inverter (VSI). In a second mode, the synchronous machine is driven at a relatively high frequency by a load commutated inverter (LCI) in tandem with the VSI. In the second mode, the LCI acts as the main power source for controlling the machine and determining machine torque and speed. The VSI acts as a harmonic compensator by compensating the dominant harmonic currents fed to the machine from the LCI such that the synchronous machine will see sinusoidal currents and thereby sinusoidal voltages at its terminals. The VSI also functions to provide sufficient reactive power at fundamental frequency so that the thyristors in the inverter are load commutated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE
    Inventors: Vilanguppam Thathachary Ranganathan, Amit Kumar Jain
  • Publication number: 20100253268
    Abstract: A control system for an electric machine, the control system including a current controller and a drive controller. The current controller includes an input, an output, a comparator and a latch. The comparator sets the latch when a voltage at the input exceeds a threshold, and the latch outputs an overcurrent signal when set. The drive controller then resets the latch after a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventor: John Dunstan MARVELLY
  • Publication number: 20100253269
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating a rotating electric machine, wherein the rotating electric machine is connected by phases to a converter circuit having a direct-current circuit for switching at least two voltage levels, and the phases of the converter circuit are connected to the direct-current circuit according to a selected switch state combination of switch states of power semi-conductor switches of the converter circuit. Exemplary embodiments can reduce the switching frequency of the power semi-conductor switches, based on a prediction of further behavior of the overall system, and selection of an optimum switching state combination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventors: Georgios PAPAFOTIOU, Franz Zurfluh
  • Publication number: 20100237815
    Abstract: A winding switching apparatus for switching windings of an AC three-phase motor is provided. In each winding switching section of the winding switching apparatus, a positive-side charging resistor, a negative-side charging resistor, and a capacitor are connected in series between a positive-side DC bus and a negative-side DC bus of an inverter; the positive side of the capacitor is connected to the cathodes of respective diodes of a diode unit; and switching between high-speed windings and low-speed windings is carried out, with a capacitor potential being the same as an inverter DC bus voltage. A state detector and a comparator are also provided for each winding switching section to detect erroneous wiring and component abnormalities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Koji HIGASHIKAWA, Kenji Yamada, Katsutoshi Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20100231152
    Abstract: A triphase rotating electric machine includes three coils evenly distributed around a rotational axes of the machine, and at least one first sensor, capable of generating a periodic signal to represent the position of the machine around the axle and a control circuit capable of controlling, when in the first mode, the conduction of a switch (KUH), linked to at least one of the three coils based on the periodic signal generated by the first sensor (U), such that the conduction phases of the switch (KUH) have a duration in the order of half the signal period (U). The control circuit is capable of controlling the switch (KUH), based on a second mode in which the conduction phases of the switch (KUH) have a duration in the order of a third of the signal period (U).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Hugues Doffin, Farouk Boudjemai, Ertugrul Taspinar, Julien Masfaraud
  • Patent number: 7795830
    Abstract: An electric motor (10) which includes an armature (11) with at least two armature phase pair windings (12) and salient pole rotor arrangement (15) having field windings (17) terminating in a selective electrical switch which determines the electrical continuity of said field windings (17). Also included is control means which is configured to regulate the magnetizing of the field winding (17) so that, at any given moment, one armature phase pair is usable for magnetizing the field winding while the other pair is responsible for torque production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Elckon Limited
    Inventor: Michael Frederick Johnson
  • Publication number: 20100219782
    Abstract: An electronically commutated electric motor (110) has a permanent-magnet rotor (28), a stator having a stator winding arrangement (40), a motor control module (20) implemented as an IC and having a control logic unit (27), and an external power stage (50), separate from the IC, for influencing the current flow in the stator winding arrangement (40). The motor control module (20) has an internal power stage (29) having at least one open collector output (21, 23). The control logic unit (27) is configured to process a rotor position signal (24?, 24?) and to generate therefrom control signals (27?) for the internal power stage (29), which control signals (27?) serve to apply control to the internal power stage (29). Using an external power stage (50) reduces vulnerability to motor overheating and provides design flexibility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Inventors: Thomas Zipser, Jens Loffler
  • Patent number: 7786688
    Abstract: A drive signal generation circuit generates drive signals that control ON and OFF states of transistors of a H-bridge circuit, in accordance with a target value of torque. A driver circuit alternatively turns ON and OFF high side transistors, and low side transistors of the H-bridge circuit, based on the drive signals outputted from the drive signal generation circuit. The driver circuit immediately turns OFF the high side transistors, when an instruction is issued to stop a motor, and after a predetermined delay time ?d has elapsed, turns OFF the low side transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Hayashi, Toshikazu Satake
  • Patent number: 7781998
    Abstract: A fan system comprising a first switch, a second switch, a coil, and a drive device. The drive device comprises a third switch and a fourth switch. The third switch, the fourth switch, the first switch, the second switch and the coil form a bridge connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Delta Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Ming-Lung Liu, Yi-Chieh Cho, Chia-Feng Wu, Yueh-Lung Huang
  • Patent number: 7782007
    Abstract: An electrodynamic machine has a winding and a switching arrangement effectively dividing the winding into individually controllable portions. During a first operating condition, current flows through the entire winding in a manner controlled by the switching arrangement. In a second condition, the switching arrangement restricts current flow to only a portion of the winding. The second condition effectively reduces the inductive capacity of the winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: David G. Halsey
  • Patent number: 7777437
    Abstract: The present invention inexpensively controls a turn-on and turn-off switching speed for MOS transistors made in accordance with various specifications. According to the present invention, during an output voltage rise period for a turn-on operation of the MOS transistor, a fixed current determined by a first clip circuit and a resistor is input to a gate terminal of the MOS transistor to obtain a linear rise slew rate. During an output voltage drop period for a turn-off operation of the MOS transistor, a fixed current determined by a second clip circuit 38 and a resistor is input to the gate terminal of the MOS transistor to obtain a linear drop slew rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Keisuke Kuroda, Ken Maruyama
  • Patent number: 7777436
    Abstract: A system for controlling a trapezoidally (square wave) driven DC motor includes a unipolar commutation circuit coupled between a DC power supply and a brushless DC motor. The motor has three phases formed by respective stator windings coupled at respective proximal ends to a common node and having respective opposite ends remote from the common node. The commutation circuit drives the motor according to a commutation cycle including three primary steps. During each primary step, one of the phases is driven while the other two phases are not driven. Voltages at the remote ends of the undriven phases are sensed, and timing signals are generated at points where the voltages coincide. The timing signals are used to determine motor position and speed, and to synchronize the commutation cycle with motor position and speed. In one embodiment, the commutation cycle includes transitional steps between the primary steps for smoother operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: The Bergquist Torrington Company
    Inventors: Robert G. Brown, Ashit Kumar Das
  • Publication number: 20100171454
    Abstract: DC/DC bridge for controlling a direct-current load (M1), which bridge is provided with controllable semiconductor switches (S11-S14, S21-S26) and with a control unit (BC1). The bridge comprises two bridge sections (B11, B12), at least the first bridge section (B11) of which is controlled with pulse-width modulation (PWM) to regulate the current magnitude, and which bridge comprises a determination of the current of the direct-current load (M1). The second bridge section (B12) conducts direct current when the determined value (2) of the current of the direct-current load differs from zero by more than the limit value (1) of the current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Inventor: Esa Putkinen
  • Publication number: 20100164418
    Abstract: To reduce, in a power converting apparatus for an electric locomotive, a sixth-order harmonic noise induced by a torque ripple component equivalent to a sixth-order frequency of an inverter frequency. When a motor is driven in a three-pulse mode to drive the electric locomotive, three pulses included within a ½ cycle of the inverter frequency in a PWM waveform, which is used for controlling a switching element of an inverter unit that drives the motor, are set to satisfy Tq?T/8, Tp?Tq/2, and Tr?Tq/2 where, assuming that the three pulses include a first pulse, a second pulse, and a third pulse from an order of generation, Tp is a pulse width of the first pulse, Tq is ½ of a pulse width (full width at half maximum of a pulse) of the second pulse, Tr is a pulse width of the third pulse, and T is a cycle of the inverter frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yutaka Higuchi
  • Patent number: 7737650
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for controlling a switching assembly comprising a plurality of transistors connected in parallel, having a linear operating mode, a closed-switch operating mode and an off operating mode including a first operating phase during which a current flows from a source terminal to a drain terminal and a second operating phase during which no current flows. The method includes the following successive steps; (a) controlling the switching assembly in closed-switch mode during part of the first phase; (b) controlling the switching assembly in linear mode; (c) controlling the assembly in off mode during part of the second phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
    Inventor: Pierre Sardat
  • Publication number: 20100141189
    Abstract: The invention relates to a power supply having two inverters (A, B) in series for powering an electromechanical actuator having an electric motor including a plurality of windings (R1, R2, R3) forming phases, each inverter being connected to its own ground (50; 51) and having a voltage source (U1; U2) having as many arms (A1, A2, A3; B1, B2, B3) as there are windings to be powered, each arm including two controlled switches (5, 6) connected in series, with a point therebetween being provided for connection to one end of one of the windings. According to the invention, each inverter includes an additional arm (A4; B4) having two controlled switches, the two additional arms being interconnected by a bridge (7) that is connected to each of the additional arms at a point that is situated between the switches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: MESSIER-DOWTY SA
    Inventors: Daniel Matt, Julien Jac, Nicolas Ziegler
  • Publication number: 20100127650
    Abstract: A multi-processor controller is provided. The multi-processor controller can be used to control the operation of an inverter in a vehicle-based electric traction system. The multi-processor controller includes a first processor device having a first supply voltage node, a second processor device having a second supply voltage node, a first voltage regulator, and a second voltage regulator. The first voltage regulator has a first output voltage node coupled to the first supply voltage node, and the first voltage regulator is configured to generate a first regulated supply voltage for the first processor device. The second voltage regulator has a second output voltage node coupled to the second supply voltage node, and the second voltage regulator is configured to generate a second regulated supply voltage for the second processor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Ted D. Peterson
  • Publication number: 20100127651
    Abstract: A fan controlling circuit is provided. The fan controlling circuit includes an integral unit, an operational amplifier, a PMOS transistor, and an NMOS transistor. The integral unit transforms pulse width modulation (PWM) signals to voltages, and transmits the voltages to positive and negative input terminals of the operational amplifier. The PMOS transistor is coupled between a first PWM signal and an output terminal, and a gate of the PMOS transistor is coupled to an output of the operational amplifier. The NMOS transistor is coupled between a second PWM signal and the output terminal, and a gate of the NMOS transistor is coupled to the output of the operational amplifier. The fan controlling circuit may be formed by discrete elements and use a same voltage source as fans, so that the design cost and complexity are reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: INVENTEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tin-Chen Ko, Po-Hsueh Huang
  • Publication number: 20100117576
    Abstract: A motor driver, including a bridge circuit including a switching element and a diode, connecting with a coil terminal of each phase of a polyphase motor; a modulator modulating a voltage value applied to the coil terminal of each phase such that a minimum voltage value applied thereto is zero; a PWM signal generator generating a PWM signal, based on the voltage value applied to each phase, which is modulated by the modulator; and a switching element drive signal generator generating a switching element drive signal to drive the switching signal, based on the PWM signal generated by the PWM signal generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventor: Fumihiro Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7710064
    Abstract: A motor driving semiconductor device has: six switching elements for driving a three-phase motor; three output terminals for applying output voltages to three terminals of coils of the three-phase motor; drive circuits for driving the six switching elements; and six control signal input terminals for receiving six control signals for on/off control of the six switching elements, wherein the motor driving semiconductor device is formed by sealing at least one semiconductor chip in one package with resin, and further includes a dead time generation function of generating a dead time relative to the six control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Sakurai, Hiroyuki Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7705554
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement and a method for adjusting the power consumption of a load of a cooling fan motor of a motor vehicle that can be operated by a direct-voltage system has at least one semiconductor switch in the supply current circuit of the load, and a control unit for triggering the semiconductor switch or switches. The load is connectable via at least one sense field-effect transistor to the direct-voltage system the measurement output of the sense FET is connected to the control unit, and the control unit furnishes a signal corresponding to the current consumption of the load at the respective operating point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Knab, Nikolas Haberl, Michael Koerner
  • Publication number: 20100071970
    Abstract: An automotive drive system and methods for making the same are provided. The system includes a three-phase motor and an inverter module. The three-phase motor includes a first set of windings each having a first magnetic polarity; and a second set of windings each having a second magnetic polarity that is opposite the first magnetic polarity. The first set of windings being electrically isolated from the second set of windings. The inverter module includes a first set of phase legs and a second set of phase legs. Each one of the first set of phase legs is coupled to a corresponding phase of the first set of windings, and each one of the second set of phase legs is coupled to a corresponding phase of the second set of windings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: BRIAN A. WELCHKO, JEREMY B. CAMPBELL
  • Publication number: 20100066286
    Abstract: A motor controller includes a motor drive circuit and a control circuit. The control circuit outputs a drive signal having a pulse width, which indicates a period of time where the drive state of the motor is kept, to the motor drive circuit on the basis of an instruction value of torque generated in the motor. The control circuit sets the maximum value of drive current supplied to the motor. The control circuit has a constant-current control phase where the pulse width of the drive signal is defined as a period of time between the time when power begins to be supplied to the motor and the time when a value of actual drive current reaches the maximum value, and a constant-voltage control phase where the pulse width of the drive signal is defined to be equal to the pulse width of a modulated instruction value while the actual drive current of the motor does not reach the maximum value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventors: Shigeru Furuki, Noriyuki Fukushima
  • Patent number: 7671551
    Abstract: The invention teaches a brushless DC motor, comprising a brushless DC motor unit and a controller unit, wherein the brushless DC motor unit comprises a stator assembly, a permanent magnet rotor assembly magnetically coupled with the stator assembly, an enclosure supporting the installation of stator assembly and the permanent magnet rotator assembly, an end shield installed at the end of the enclosure, the rotating shaft of the permanent magnet rotor assembly projecting out of the end shield; the controller unit comprises an integrated power module, a microprocessor unit, a rotor position sensing circuit, a power source circuit, an I/O interface circuit, a current-sensing circuit, and a controller box; and the controller unit is electrically connected to the brushless DC motor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Zhongshan Broad-Ocean Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ronghua Bi, Aiqian Peng, Wenwei Huang, Maosen Zeng, Jianwei Jin
  • Publication number: 20100045221
    Abstract: Electrical machine arrangements have advantages with regard to providing local electrical power and starting. Embedding such electrical machine arrangements in machinery such as gas turbine engines is advantageous in removing mechanical linkages and reducing aerodynamic drag. However, the components utilised must be able to withstand harsh environmental conditions and therefore the DC link capacitor used for smoothing of voltage fluctuations are limited to relatively low capacitance densities. Low density DC link capacitors require large sizes which render electrical machines less acceptable for embedded usage. By providing offset of electrical current in inductance elements such as stator windings and stator coils of electrical machines in dead periods of the cycle a reduction in DC link capacitor requirements is achieved reducing the size, weight and complexity of installing electrical machines in gas turbine engines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: David R. Trainer, Harsh Agarwal, Stephen M. Husband, Gareth E. Moore, David J. Powell, Stephen A. Long
  • Publication number: 20090322165
    Abstract: A motor including an outside rotor having a rotor disc with plural magnets alternating polarities flush mounted in the disc, an inside stator assembly with a ring of pole pieces forming a channel to house a transversely wound stator windings, and a controller coupled with feedback electronics for monitoring a timing, speed and direction and coupling a signal to a processing unit for adjusting the drive electronics driving the phase windings. A u-shaped gap above the channel to receive the rotor disc and focus the captured magnetic flux in the pole pieces toward the magnets. In an embodiment the molded magnetic flux channel pole pieces of the inside stator are sets of molded magnetic flux channel pole pieces, each set forming a channel and corresponding to one phase of the motor; and a section of each one of the transverse windings passing through one channel, the remaining section folding back outside the set in close proximity to the outer base of the set of molded magnetic flux channel pole pieces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventor: Norman P. Rittenhouse
  • Publication number: 20090322265
    Abstract: Provided is an AC motor driving apparatus and an AC motor control method capable of utilizing the conventional PWM system as-is even in an ultra-compact AC motor having an extremely few turns of exciting coil and preventing occurring of vibration and noise. The AC motor driving apparatus has an inverter converting a DC voltage to an AC voltage and supplying the AC voltage to an AC motor; a PWM device controlling a magnitude and a frequency of an output voltage of the inverter and means for changing a time constant of the AC motor in accordance with a carrier frequency of the PWM device. Between the PWM device and the AC motor, there is provided a condenser and/or a coil for adjusting the time constant, and the capacity thereof is adjusted in accordance with the carrier frequency of the PWM device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuo Shoda, Yuki Nomura, Yoshifumi Nagato
  • Patent number: 7619383
    Abstract: A brushless motor circuit is for driving a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor. The motor includes a rotor and exciting coils for respective phases in a three-phase winding in a star configuration. A neutral point in the star configuration is configured to switch to one of a ground voltage, a supply voltage, and an open circuit voltage to provide more combinations. The combinations provide extra steps in one revolution for a better resolution with enhanced efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Pvt. Ltd
    Inventor: Kapil Singhi
  • Publication number: 20090237022
    Abstract: In an apparatus, a phase setter sets, based on a deviation between a generated torque and a request torque for a rotary machine, a phase of a vector of a variable output voltage of a power converter in a two-phase rotating coordinate system defined in a rotor of the rotary machine. A norm setter sets, based on the phase set by the phase setter and a rotational velocity of the rotor, a norm of the vector of the output voltage in the two-phase rotating coordinate system. A drive signal determiner determines, based on the phase set by the phase setter and the norm set by the norm setter, a drive signal, and applies the drive signal to the switching member to thereby drive the switching member such that the generated torque is adjusted to a request torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi YAMAMOTO, Takahiro Yamada