Optical Sensor (e.g., Encoder, Photodetector, Etc.) Patents (Class 318/400.4)
  • Patent number: 11923727
    Abstract: A motor has windings and a control device, which applies appropriately one-way current to each of the windings. Two full-pitch windings, which are located adjacently to both ends of an A-phase stator magnetic pole, and driving transistors are connected in series to each other to supply an A-phase current component, thereby exciting an A-phase magnetic flux component passing through the A-phase stator magnetic pole, resulting in generation of torque. This excitation is also applied to other phases. The respective stator magnetic poles can be excited selectively, and voltages across both ends of the serially connected windings become a voltage for corresponding magnetic flux components which should be provided by the windings, thus providing a more simplified motor structure and higher motor performance. The windings and transistors can be used commonly in two phases, providing an improved usage rate, thus making the motor more compact in size and reducing manufacturing cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Inventor: Masayuki Nashiki
  • Patent number: 11711046
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an electric machine (6), and to a control device (10) that is configured to carry out the method. The method comprises a normal mode (?normal) and a special mode (?special) in dependence on a preset target value (Mtarget), wherein the normal mode (?normal) comprises the steps of detecting an operating state, wherein, in the event that the detected operating state is a special state, the special mode (?special) is carried out. The special mode (?special) comprises the steps of modulating a cyclic value (Mcysl) on the present target value (Mtarget) and detecting the operating state, wherein, in the event that the operating state is a normal state, the normal mode (?normal) is carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Gunther Goetting, Thomas Wenzler
  • Patent number: 11560238
    Abstract: A technique for operating an aerial vehicle involves enabling a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) propeller of the aerial vehicle to rotate freely. The VTOL propeller is coupled with a VTOL motor (e.g., a 3-phase brushless DC motor). The technique further involves detecting when the VTOL propeller rotates to a predefined position relative to a direction of flight for the aerial vehicle (e.g., when blades of the VTOL propeller extend along an axis that is parallel to the direction of flight). The technique further involves, in response to detecting that the VTOL propeller has rotated to the predefined position, providing a load from the VTOL motor that inhibits further rotation of the VTOL propeller. Accordingly, while the aerial vehicle is in fixed wing horizontal flight, the controller is able to align the VTOL propeller in the direction of horizontal flight to minimize drag from the VTOL propeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Textron Systems Corporation
    Inventors: James Eppink, Surendra Vyas
  • Patent number: 11366144
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and a method for measurement of electrical signals in an industrial automation and control system. The device comprises an input circuit, configured to receive an electrical input signal (100), scale the electrical input signal by a scaling factor and to set the scaling factor according to a scaling signal (110), an Analog-to-Digital Converter, ADC (220), which is electrically connected to the input circuit, wherein the ADC is configured to convert the scaled electrical input signal (103) into an intermediate digital signal (120), and a first signal path (211), connected to an digital end of the ADC, configured to create the scaling signal (110) and to send the scaling signal (110) to the input circuit, wherein, based on the intermediate digital signal of a sample period and the scaling factor of the sample period, the scaling factor for a subsequent sample period is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Energy Switzerland AG
    Inventors: Francesco Rizzo, Calogero Bona
  • Patent number: 11224691
    Abstract: A rotary drive for a medical device (10) includes a rotary motor (14) including a rotor (26). A rotary motion encoder (34) is connected to the rotor. The rotary motion encoder is configured to generate a number of encoder steps measuring a rotational distance of the rotor. At least one electronic processor (18) is programmed to determine at least one of a slippage value of the rotary motor measured during motor operation and a coasting value of the rotary motor measured after stopping motor operation based on comparison of an actual count of encoder steps and an expected count of encoder steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Ronald Paul Consiglio
  • Patent number: 10505384
    Abstract: Disclosed is a wireless charging apparatus and method, the apparatus including a controller configured to control the wireless charging apparatus, and a transmitter configured to form a rotating magnetic field in a three-dimensional (3D) space in response to a first clock signal and a second clock signal generated under a control of the controller, wherein a phase difference between the first clock signal and the second clock signal is 90 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Sang Won Kim, Seong Min Kim, Jung Ick Moon, Sang Bong Jeon, In Kui Cho, Je Hoon Yun, Dong Won Jang, Hyung Do Choi
  • Patent number: 10444036
    Abstract: An encoder scale S includes a substrate 10 that rotates about a rotation axis AX and has an optical pattern along a rotation direction D on a first surface 10a crossing the rotation axis AX, of the substrate 10. The scale S also includes a first magnet M1 that is disposed on a second surface 10b of the substrate 10 different from the first surface 10a and has different magnetic poles (N-pole M1n, S-pole M1s) set therein with the rotation axis AX therebetween and a second magnet M2 that is disposed on the first surface 10a and generates magnetic fields with the N-pole M1n and S-pole M1s of the first magnet M1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Mitsuhashi
  • Patent number: 9995339
    Abstract: A turbomachine has a housing, a rotor shaft centered on an axis, and a plurality of bearings supporting the shaft in the housing for rotation about the axis. At least one of the bearings is an active magnetic bearing. An impeller is fixed on the rotor shaft. A copper layer is fixed to a surface of the rotor shaft and rotatable therewith. A sensor fixed in the housing adjacent the shaft surface can detect the copper layer and generate an output corresponding to a position of the layer from the sensor fixed in the housing. A controller connected between the sensor means and the active magnetic bearing shifts the rotor in the housing in accordance with the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: ATLAS COPCO ENERGAS GMBH
    Inventors: Dmitry Kochetov, Frank Wiebe
  • Patent number: 9966885
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a motor, the motor comprising a permanent magnet synchronous motor, is provided. The method generates a rotating magnetic field using a voltage vector, the rotating magnetic field configured to rotate at a constant angular velocity independent of an actual rotor position, and the rotating magnetic field rotating in a first direction; identifies, by a processor, timing data associated with a plurality of digital Hall effect sensors; computes, by the processor, accurate positions for each of the plurality of digital Hall effect sensors, using the timing data and the constant angular velocity; creates a reference table in system memory, by the processor, the reference table comprising the accurate positions; and during operation of the motor, calculates accurate angular velocity values for the motor, using the reference table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Ron Strong, Thom Kreider
  • Patent number: 9806657
    Abstract: A short pitched switched reluctance motor control apparatus comprising a voltage provider comprising a first coupling and a second coupling configured to be coupled to a phase winding of the switched reluctance motor for applying a voltage to drive current in the winding between the first and second coupling is disclosed. The apparatus further comprises a controller configured to apply a first voltage pulse to the first coupling, and to apply a second voltage pulse to the second coupling, wherein the start of the second pulse is delayed with respect to the start of the first pulse, and the end of the first pulse is delayed with respect to the end of the second pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Sevcon Limited
    Inventor: Peter Barrass
  • Patent number: 9304506
    Abstract: A range switching device provides a feedback control for rotating a motor toward a target rotation position. When a target shift range is switched, the range switching device rotates the motor toward a target rotation position by sequentially switching power supply phases of the motor based on an encoder count value. When the motor rotates within a predetermined stop range, the feedback control ends and a power supply to the motor is stopped. However, if the motor has not rotated to the target rotation position after a predetermined time has elapsed from the stopping of the power supply to the motor, an open drive is performed, in which the power supply phase of the motor is sequentially switched by open-loop control and the motor is rotated in small and/or minute steps toward the target rotation position. In such manner, position accuracy of the shift range switching is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Yoshida, Jun Yamada
  • Patent number: 9122252
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus includes a motor that rotates a controlled object, an encoder that outputs a pulse signal in synchronization with a rotation of the motor, and a control section that performs a feedback control so as to rotate the motor to the target rotational position. The control section includes a stopping and holding control portion. The stopping and holding control portion performs a stopping and holding process in which the stopping and holding control portion supplies electric current to the motor so as to stop and hold the motor for a current-supply holding time. The stopping and holding control portion sets the current-supply holding time on the basis of a rotation speed of the motor just before the stopping and holding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Kimura, Jun Yamada
  • Patent number: 9088193
    Abstract: A motor control device which can determine a magnetic pole position for a magnetic pole position detector included in a permanent magnet motor in which the reluctance torque proportion is larger than the magnet torque proportion is provided. In a permanent magnet synchronous motor having multi-phase windings of N axes (N?2), the windings of optionally selected K axes (K?N) are DC excited using corresponding independent power supplies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignees: Aida Engineering, Ltd., Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Nagase, Fumio Tajima, Masataka Yahara, Yukinari Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 9030141
    Abstract: There is provided a motor controlling circuit including: a hall signal level detecting unit detecting a hall signal from a hall sensor; and a signal generating unit sensing a change in a level of the hall signal to generate a motor controlling signal according to the change in the level of the hall signal, wherein the signal generating unit determines that the hall signal is maintained at a high level in a case in which a high level maintaining time of the hall signal is equal to or shorter than a preset time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Bon Young Gu
  • Patent number: 9030138
    Abstract: A circuit configuration for driving an electric motor includes a signal evaluation module, which stores a number of output patterns. An input pattern is specified, and as a function of the input pattern, one of the output patterns is output, by which the electric motor is driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Wagner, Dieter Thoss, Andreas Merker
  • Patent number: 8981703
    Abstract: A system for operating an electric machine includes: a rotor position sensor to provide a rotor position indication as a function of a rotor position angular range which indicates the position of a rotor of the electric machine; a control unit designed to associate in each case a commutation angular range, which indicates a certain control state for the stator coils, with one or more of the rotor position indications, so that a change in the commutation angular range is triggered by a change in the rotor position indication, and to change an association scheme of the associations between the rotor position indications and the respective commutation ranges as a function of a predefined rotational direction indication which indicates the desired rotational direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Volker Bosch
  • Patent number: 8941342
    Abstract: An integrated servo system and a method of controlling a motor is provided. The integrated servo system includes a position detector which determines original position data of a motor and a position signal processor which determines a position of the motor based on the determined position data. The integrated servo system further includes a servo controller circuit which controls the motor based on the determined position data and a parallel bus through which the determined position data is transmitted from the position signal processor to the servo controller circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Kei Terada
  • Publication number: 20150008857
    Abstract: A motor assembly that includes a motor (102) having a rotatable shaft, a hub coupled to the rotatable shaft, the hub having a propeller indexer to receive a propeller (104), when the propeller is present, a sensor trigger rotatable with the shaft (100) and positioned at a propeller offset angle ?PROP from the propeller indexer, and a sensor coupled to the motor and positioned to detect the sensor trigger so that the propeller indexer may be positioned at the propeller offset angle ?PROP from the sensor through rotation of the shaft so that said sensor is proximate to the sensor trigger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Jason Allen Firanski, Justin Bates McAllister, Ronald Howard Olch, Lane Dennis Dalan, Emil Ghapgharan
  • Publication number: 20140312819
    Abstract: A drive unit, which can be included in an image forming apparatus with peripherals disposed thereto and use a control method therefore, includes an inner rotor brushless DC motor, a driver, a rotation detector, and a controller. The driver supplies power to drive the brushless DC motor. The rotation detector detects an amount and direction of rotations of an output shaft. The controller controls the rotations of the brushless DC motor and obtains a target drive signal of the brushless DC motor externally and a detection signal from the rotation detector and outputs a signal to the driver. The controller controls a speed of rotation of the brushless DC motor by varying the signal output to the driver based on the target drive signal and the detection signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya MURATA, Shogo SAKAMOTO, Kenji TOMITA
  • Patent number: 8836261
    Abstract: A detection control system includes a sensing unit, a control module and a driving module for a motor including a rotor and a stator. The sensing unit electrically connects the motor to sense a first and a second magnetic pole of the rotor cross a chip disposed between the rotor and the stator; a third magnetic pole is alternated to a forth magnetic pole of the stator to generate a sensing signal. A detection unit of the control module detects a kickback voltage value generated by a first current value changing to a second current value to calculate a minimum current value to generate a detecting signal. A timing unit receives the sensing and the detecting signal to calculate a first and a second period of time, and a discharging time. The driving module drives the rotor by receiving a control signal the control unit generates by controlling an alternating time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Feeling Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Sheng-Hsiang Yen, Hsuan-Chuan Chen
  • Patent number: 8836262
    Abstract: In a method for the determination of a current initial rotational position of a rotor and in an arrangement for carrying out same, an incremental position encoder outputs an output signal. The output signal is produced by superposition of a chronologically random and systematically fluctuating signal interference on a basic signal, and composed of at least two component signals which change periodically in accordance with the rotational position of the rotor and are in a fixed angular relationship to one another. To determine the position, the output signal is used exclusively. The current initial rotational position of the rotor relative to a reference initial rotational position is determined by comparing the time profile of the portion of the systematically fluctuating signal interference of a current measured value sequence of the signal and the measured values of a signal sequence acquired starting from the reference initial rotational position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Dr. Fritz Faulhaber GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Andreas Wagener, Achim Haag
  • Patent number: 8816624
    Abstract: A rotating electromechanical machine has a rotor having at least one current-carrying winding and at least one rotor-mounted sensor configured to sense a machine property or parameter during machine operation. Rotor-mounted circuitry dynamically modifies at least one property of the current-carrying winding during machine operation in response to the sensed machine property or parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8760092
    Abstract: A motor control unit determines whether a rotor of an electric motor is in rotation or not after the motor control unit is started up but before an initial operation, based on an encoder count value after the start-up of the motor control unit. When the electric motor is stopped, the initial operation is carried out so as to learn a correction value of phase difference between the encoder count value and an actual current-supply phase. When the electric motor is still rotated due to its inertia, a motor-stop control is carried out before the initial operation in order to completely stop the rotation of the rotor. In the motor-stop control, electric power is supplied to windings of two phases at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Takuya Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20140062366
    Abstract: A rotation detector provided in a motor unit according to an embodiment includes a first support and a second support, a pair of magnetic field generator, at least one magnetic field detector, and a first magnetic member and a second magnetic member. The pair of magnetic field generator is provided on the first support in a manner facing the second support, and has opposite polarities. The magnetic field detector is formed by winding a coil around a magnetic element whose magnetized direction changes in the longitudinal direction, and is provided on the second support in such a manner that a longitudinal-direction side of the magnetic element faces the first support. Each of the first magnetic member and the second magnetic member is made of a magnetic material, and covers a longitudinal-direction end of the magnetic field detector facing the first support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Shiro YOSHIDOMI, Ikuma MUROKITA, Yuji ARINAGA, Yasushi YOSHIDA, Jiro MURAOKA, Shoji OYAMA
  • Patent number: 8598833
    Abstract: An electronically commutated motor (ECM) includes windings, a power switch, an infrared transceiver and an electromagnetic shield. The power switch is configured to provide pulse width modulated (PWM) power signals to the windings and to generate a substantial level of electromagnetic noises at PWM frequencies during its switching operation. The infrared transceiver is configured to communicate with an external device using infrared signals and convert electrical signals from and to infrared signals that carry data. The electromagnetic shield is configured to substantially shield the infrared transceiver from the electromagnetic noises of PWM frequencies from the power switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Sntech Inc.
    Inventor: Young Chun Jeung
  • Patent number: 8575876
    Abstract: An optical entire-circumference encoder includes a plurality of rotation slits provided to transmit light at an equal pitch radially around a rotation axis as a center in a rotation track. A plurality of fixed slits is provided to transmit light at an equal pitch in a plurality of regions radially around the rotation axis as the center in a fixed track. A plurality of light receivers is disposed in a vicinity of the rotation axis to receive a light guided by the light guide in the regions respectively. The fixed slits in one of the regions and the fixed slits in another region adjacent to the one of the regions among the regions in the fixed track are formed so that a phase difference by which a rotation direction of the rotor is determined occurs between light reception signals of the plurality of light receivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Sadatoshi Inoue, Jiro Muraoka
  • Patent number: 8547049
    Abstract: A DC motor assembly includes a motorized unit for generating a rotatable power at an output shaft, and a step adjusting control arrangement including an optical grating and a photocoupler. The optical grating, which is operatively coupled at the output shaft, has a plurality of light transmissible portions and a plurality of light blocking portions alternating with the light transmissible portions. The photocoupler is activated to send out an impulse signal in responsive to a phase shift between the light transmissible portion and the light blocking portion of the optical grating, wherein the output shaft is controllably driven to be rotated and stopped in a sequent manner as a stepping movement thereof in responsive to the impulse signal so as to controllably adjust the rotational speed of the output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Inventors: Xin Wang, Jiangqun Chen
  • Patent number: 8536813
    Abstract: A rotating electromechanical machine has a rotor having at least one current-carrying winding and at least one rotor-mounted sensor configured to sense a machine property or parameter during machine operation. Rotor-mounted circuitry dynamically modifies at least one property of the current-carrying winding during machine operation in response to the sensed machine property or parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8531142
    Abstract: A bi-power motor controlling apparatus, which is electrically connected with a motor, includes a driver IC having a first pin and a second pin. The first and second pins are used to receive a first power and a second power, respectively, from outside. The second power is supplied to the driver IC, and the first power is supplied to the motor for controlling the rotational speed of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Ming-Lung Liu, Chun-Chia Lu, Chia-Feng Wu, Chun-Lung Chiu
  • Patent number: 8525459
    Abstract: An optical encoder includes a light source, a light sensor array, and a code disk having a data track and a commutation pattern. The commutation pattern includes first, second, and third commutation tracks, each including a series of apertures configured to allow light to continuously pass from the light source to a respective light sensor of the light sensor array as the series of apertures passes over the first light sensor. The relative positions of the first, second, and third commutation tracks correspond to a commutation sequence of a brushless motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Heidenhain Corporation
    Inventors: Robert M. Setbacken, Ruth E. Franklin
  • Patent number: 8508160
    Abstract: Provided is a technique to suppress hunting in a range of a minimum resolution of a pulse encoder when a servo motor has reached a target position and stopped, thereby maintaining a stable stop state. A servo motor position control device uses a cascade configuration having a position control loop as a main loop and a velocity and current control loop as a minor loop. A proportion control is performed for a position control while a proportion integration control is performed for a velocity control and a current control. When the servo motor position has reached the target position and stopped (S201), a current instruction value for the current control is maintained at a value upon stop (S202) and the current control is switched to the proportion control (S204).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Shoda, Yuki Nomura
  • Patent number: 8482240
    Abstract: A system, in one embodiment, includes a drive having a housing, a stator disposed in the housing, a rotor disposed in the stator, and a programmable logic controller disposed inside, mounted on, or in general proximity to the housing. In another embodiment, a system includes a network, a first motor having a first integral programmable logic controller coupled to the network, and a second motor having a second integral programmable logic controller coupled to the network. In a further embodiment, a system includes a rotary machine having a rotor and a stator disposed concentric with one another, a microprocessor, memory coupled to the microprocessor, a power supply coupled to the microprocessor and the memory, and a machine sensor coupled to the microprocessor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Yehia M. El-Ibiary
  • Patent number: 8461790
    Abstract: The encoder includes a disk in a disk shape that is arranged rotatably about a rotation axis and that includes one track in a ring shape on which a rotating grating is formed and one or more origin detection areas serving as partial areas on which a rotating grating is formed, and a mask that is fixed and arranged in a manner facing the disk and on which one or more fixed gratings are formed so as to constitute a diffraction interference optical system together with the rotating gratings. A plurality of slits and included in at least one rotating grating are formed along a curved line obtained by curving a plurality of radial lines about the rotation axis in the circumferential direction at predetermined curvature such that pitches and of the slits and can be set to a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Yosuke Yamaguchi, Yasushi Yoshida, Shirou Yoshidomi
  • Patent number: 8419304
    Abstract: In speed control that is performed within a single operating cycle of a printer, three-level control of ON control, OFF control, and chopper control, is performed in place of the two-level control of ON control and OFF control, to effectively suppress speed variations due to load variations within a single operating cycle, even in small printers provided with DC motors having small output torques. In a printer comprising a DC motor 7, a paper feeding unit 5 that includes a paper feeding roller that uses the DC motor as the driving source, and a printing mechanism unit 2, for printing, in use of the printing mechanism unit 2, onto paper that is advanced by a specific amount by the paper feeding unit 5, an encoder 10 for outputting pulse signals according to the rotation of the DC motor 7 is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tsugaru, Gen Matsushima
  • Patent number: 8410741
    Abstract: A servo motor control apparatus has a feedback loop. When an oscillation detection signal indicates no detection of oscillation, a parameter operating section gives an updating section an operational instruction to set a control parameter in accordance with a supplied set value. When the oscillation detection signal indicates detection of oscillation, the parameter operating section gives the updating section an operational instruction to set such a control parameter as to narrow a frequency band width of the feedback loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Kishimoto, Tooru Tazawa
  • Patent number: 8400095
    Abstract: A speed-control circuit for a BLDC motor is provided. The speed-control circuit includes a pulse generator, a current source circuit, a filter circuit, an error amplification circuit and a PWM circuit. The pulse generator detects a speed signal of the BLDC motor to generate a pulse signal. The filter circuit is coupled to the current source circuit to generate an average signal. The error amplification circuit receives the average signal and a speed-reference signal for generating a speed-control signal. The PWM circuit generates a switching signal to drive the BLDC motor in response to the speed-control signal. A pulse width of the switching signal is determined by the speed-control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: System General Corporation
    Inventors: Ta-Yung Yang, Ta-Hsu Huang, Chung-Hui Yeh, Pei-Sheng Tsu, Yi-Min Hsu, Shih-Jen Yang
  • Patent number: 8390225
    Abstract: A motor having an alternating current electrical source, a light power circuitry, a stationary transcutaneous energy transmission coil spaced from a rotatable transcutaneous energy transmission coil, a plurality of phototransistor arrays positioned on a rotatable platform and each phototransistor array corresponds to and rotates in conjunction with an armature winding used in the motor. Each phototransistor array (i) receives an alternating current from the rotatable transcutaneous energy transmission coil, and (ii) charges (a) each armature winding to a constant high voltage when the motor is operating and (b) each phototransistor/MOSFET power source to a desired power level. When the light from the light power circuitry contacts a phototransmitter, the phototransistor array is turned on so the armature winding associated with that phototransmitter generates an instantaneous maximum magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Ronald Medical Ltd.
    Inventor: Timothy R. Ronald
  • Patent number: 8384332
    Abstract: An integrated gearbox/encoder and control system that includes: a gearbox with an output shaft connected to a mechanical load; a first sensor detecting the rotary position of the output shaft; a motor; a second sensor detecting the rotary position of the motor; and a system controller controlling motive drive to the motor. The two rotary position sensors permit direct determination of gearbox backlash which can be used in motor control. A drive current sensor similarly permits determination of a vibration signature for comparison with a standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven M. Meyer, Paul Kimelman
  • Patent number: 8312590
    Abstract: Embodiments of a switched reluctance (SR) motor for use in a integrated vacuum system for a vehicle are disclosed. The SR motor may receive input voltage directly from an electrical storage device used to start up an engine of the vehicle. The SR motor may include an encoder that triggers an optical sensor to provide signals to a motor controller. The motor controller may energize stator poles based on the received signals. The encoder may be mechanically phase-advanced with respect to poles of the rotor to ensure proper start-up of the SR motor. Commutations of the motor may occur before a point of maximum inductance where the rotor and stator are aligned. In a preferred embodiment, the input voltage received by the SR motor is in a range of 9-16 Volts DC, a maximum drawn current is 36 amps, and the phase advance is between 9-11 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Shop Vac Corporation
    Inventors: Neil N. Norell, Matthew L. Huff, James M. Robitaille
  • Patent number: 8217606
    Abstract: A rotating electromechanical machine has a rotor having at least one current-carrying winding and at least one rotor-mounted sensor configured to sense a machine property or parameter during machine operation. Rotor-mounted circuitry dynamically modifies at least one property of the current-carrying winding during machine operation in response to the sensed machine property or parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20120104982
    Abstract: An electrical machine rotor includes a flux-conducting portion and a flux-inhibiting portion. The flux-conducting portion is conducive to conveying an electromagnetic flux and has a plurality of salient rotor poles and a portion of back material. The flux-inhibiting portion is less conducive to conveying an electromagnetic flux than the flux-conducting portion and is disposed entirely outside the boundaries of the rotor poles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventor: Krishnan RAMU
  • Patent number: 8143830
    Abstract: A blushless direct current (BLDG) motor apparatus includes: a stator which is provided with a plurality of windings corresponding to N phases and wound in parallel independently of each other; a rotor which has a plurality of poles corresponding to the plurality of windings and rotates with respect to the stator by excitation of the windings; a switching unit which is provided in the form of a full H-bridge with respect to each phase, comprises a pair of upper switching devices corresponding to a (+) side of the winding and a pair of lower switching devices corresponding to a (?) side of the winding, and performs a switching operation to supply or not to supply driving power to the winding; a first sensing device which senses the phase of the rotor with respect to the stator to determine whether to turn on or off the upper switching device; a second sensing device which is provided in the latter part than the first sensing device and senses the phase of the rotor with respect to the stator to determine whethe
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Creation & Motor Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Byung Gil Ha, Ji Seok Park
  • Patent number: 8134318
    Abstract: A system for implementing current shaping for retract of a voice coil motor (VCM) includes drive circuitry coupled to drive the VCM according to a logic state of the system. Current shaping circuitry is configured to temporarily decrease the bandwidth of a VCM transconductance loop in response to a control signal. The transconductance loop includes at least the VCM, the current shaping circuitry and the drive circuitry. The system also includes logic configured to provide the control signal at an end portion a drive logic state to enter a current shaping logic state as a transition from the drive logic state to a floating logic state to reduce current through the VCM such that acoustic emissions from the VCM are mitigated during the retract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Julio Enrique Ayala, II, Juergen Luebbe
  • Patent number: 8115434
    Abstract: An electric machine is disclosed comprising a first energy source, a second energy source, and a stator which comprises a first set of windings and a second set of windings. The electric machine has a rotor and a controller, the controller configured to control the first energy source to supply a first current to the first set of windings and control the second energy source to supply a second current to the second set of windings. The controller also detects an angular position of the rotor, detects the first current, detects the second current, and determines an optimum phase shift angle of the first current based on the angular position of the rotor, the first current, and the second current. The controller controls the first energy source based on the optimum phase shift angle to modify the first current supplied to the first set of windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ahmed Mostafa El-Antably, Robert Dean King, Ayman Mohamed Fawzi El-Refaie
  • Publication number: 20120013279
    Abstract: An optical encoder includes a light source, a light sensor array, and a code disk having a data track and a commutation pattern. The commutation pattern includes first, second, and third commutation tracks, each including a series of apertures configured to allow light to continuously pass from the light source to a respective light sensor of the light sensor array as the series of apertures passes over the first light sensor. The relative positions of the first, second, and third commutation tracks correspond to a commutation sequence of a brushless motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Robert M. Setbacken, Ruth E. Franklin
  • Patent number: 8093855
    Abstract: A low speed control method and an apparatus for a servo motor. The control apparatus comprises: an encoder capable of acquiring a speed signal from a servo motor and encoding the speed signal to output a low-resolution encoded signal; an insertion calculation unit capable of receiving the low-resolution encoded signal from the encoder to be processed by an interpolation operation for converting the low-resolution encoded signal into a high-resolution encoded signal to be outputted therefrom; a servo control chip capable of setting internal parameters and receiving the high-resolution encoded signal from the insertion calculation unit to be processed by a calculation process so as to output a switch control instruction; and a power module capable of receiving the switch control instruction from the servo control chip and then transmitting the same to the servo motor for adjusting the operation speed of the servo motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chia-Min Ting, Hsin-Hung Chou, Chiu-Pao Tien, Cheng-Min Chang, Ya-Ling Chang
  • Patent number: 8089233
    Abstract: A first sensor element outputs a first output signal in correspondence to a direction of the magnetic flux lines acting from the outside. A second sensor element outputs a second output signal associated with the first output signal in correspondence to a direction of the magnetic flux lines acting from the outside. A first conversion processing section converts the first output signal output from the first sensor element and the second output signal output from the second sensor element into the second physical quantity. A second conversion processing section converts the first output signal output from the first sensor element and the second output signal output from the second sensor element into a signal representing the rotation angle of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: HItachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyasu Kanekawa, Masamichi Yamada, Shoji Sasaki, Katsuaki Fukatsu, Kenji Nakabayashi, Daisuke Terada
  • Publication number: 20110227518
    Abstract: An optical entire-circumference encoder includes a plurality of rotation slits provided to transmit light at an equal pitch radially around a rotation axis as a center in a rotation track. A plurality of fixed slits is provided to transmit light at an equal pitch in a plurality of regions radially around the rotation axis as the center in a fixed track. A plurality of light receivers is disposed in a vicinity of the rotation axis to receive a light guided by the light guide in the regions respectively. The fixed slits in one of the regions and the fixed slits in another region adjacent to the one of the regions among the regions in the fixed track are formed so that a phase difference by which a rotation direction of the rotor is determined occurs between light reception signals of the plurality of light receivers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Sadatoshi INOUE, Jiro Muraoka
  • Patent number: 8004230
    Abstract: A device for controlling a rotary press is provided. The device includes a main evaluation unit which is provided with a main signal inlet, at least a first main signal outlet and a first main transformation device. The device further includes a master generator which is capable of generating a master signal which represents a reference value of the rotary press, and a first interface which is capable of generating a first periodic signal in accordance with the master signal and transmitting this first periodic signal to the main signal inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Goss International Montataire SA
    Inventors: Alain Colin, Yves Caulier, Emmanuel Lebeuf, François Vidaillac
  • Patent number: 7973500
    Abstract: A normal revolution number calculation unit calculates a normal revolution number of a driving motor generator in every control period, based on a signal from a rotational position sensor. A moving average calculation unit calculates a moving average revolution number of the normal revolution number given in every control period. A predicted revolution number calculation unit determines whether or not the revolution number of the motor generator is in an increasing state, from the locus of the moving average revolution number. Determining that the revolution number of the motor generator is in the increasing state, the predicted revolution number calculation unit calculates a predicted revolution number based on respective moving average revolution numbers in the present and preceding control periods. The calculated predicted revolution number is set to be used as a control revolution number and output to a motor control unit and a torque command calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaishi
    Inventors: Kenji Yamada, Hideaki Saida, Takuo Watanabe