A.c. And D.c. Patents (Class 318/441)
  • Patent number: 10246124
    Abstract: An electric power steering device includes a main power supply unit capable of supplying power to a load; an auxiliary power supply unit connected to the main power supply unit and capable of supplying charged power to the load; a boosting circuit capable of boosting a voltage supplied from the main power supply unit and applying a resulting voltage to the auxiliary power supply unit; a circuit switching unit interposed between the main power supply unit and the load and closing one of a first connection circuit extending from the main power supply unit to the load and a second connection circuit extending from the main power supply unit to the load via the auxiliary power supply unit; and a controller performing switching control on the circuit switching unit so as to close the second connection circuit if the magnitude of power required by the load exceeds a first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Tsujioka
  • Patent number: 10051061
    Abstract: A communication system for vehicles includes a plurality of communication devices at respective geographic locations along a road. The communication devices are operable to wirelessly communicate with vehicles traveling on the road. The communication system communicates with a vehicle traveling on the road. At least some of the communication devices along the road communicate location information to the vehicle traveling on the road. The location information is communicated at least during situations where GPS satellite reception at the vehicle is lost or interrupted. The communication system may communicate signals to an automated driving system of an autonomous vehicle to control the autonomous vehicle as it travels on the road. The communication devices may wirelessly communicate with a remote server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Krishna Koravadi, Paul A. VanOphem
  • Patent number: 9729636
    Abstract: A communication system for vehicles includes a plurality of communication devices integrated into a road. The communication devices are operable to wirelessly communicate with communication systems of vehicles traveling on the road. The communication devices may be electrically powered by solar power. The communication devices wirelessly communicate with a remote server of the communication system. The remote server receives information via the communication devices pertaining to the vehicles traveling on the road and, responsive at least in part to the received information, the remote server communicates information to the vehicles traveling on the road via the communication devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Krishna Koravadi, Paul A. VanOphem
  • Patent number: 9407192
    Abstract: A charging circuit for at least one bootstrap charge storage element within an inertial load driver circuit is described, the at least one bootstrap charge storage element comprising a first node operably coupled to an output node of at least one switching element of the inertial load driver circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Thierry Sicard
  • Publication number: 20150136505
    Abstract: The invention concerns a portable power supply system (30) intended to supply a remotely controlled, electrically driven work machine (1) with electrical power, where the work machine is of the type that demonstrates a propulsion means that includes continuous tracks (8b) and is equipped with a manoeuvrable arm (10) intended to carry a tool at its free end, and electric motor (19) that is connected to a hydraulic pump (20) and is intended to supply the operating means (8c, 10a) of the machine with a hydraulic medium, whereby the work machine is intended to be connected under normal operation to a primary source of power (30a) via an electrical cable (2?), which primary source of power includes a fixed alternating current electricity distribution grid at the location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: Gunnar Bystedt
  • Patent number: 8912750
    Abstract: Disclosed is a charger including a first rectifying portion that rectifies an alternating power and outputs the rectified power to a neutral point of a 3-phase motor; a second rectifying portion/inverter that charges output power of the first rectifying portion in a high-voltage battery in a charging mode and drives the 3-phase motor by switching the charged power of the high-voltage battery in a drive mode; a high-voltage charging controller that controls the first rectifying portion and second rectifying portion/inverter so as to charge the high-voltage battery in the charging mode; and a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) that controls the second rectifying portion/inverter so as to drive the 3-phase motor in the drive mode, and controls the high-voltage charging controller so as to charge the high-voltage battery in the charging mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: LS Industrial Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun Suk Yang, Jae Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 8629637
    Abstract: A three-phase regenerative drive (20) is operated based upon power from a single-phase AC source (12) and power from a DC source (14). The single-phase AC input power and the DC input power are converted to DC voltage on a DC bus (24) by a three-phase converter (22). DC power is provided from the DC bus (24) to a three-phase inverter having outputs connected to a motor (34). A controller (44) controls operation of the three-phase converter (22) based upon contribution factors of the AC and DC sources (12, 14) during motoring and regeneration. The controller (44) also controls an AC component of current from the DC source to reduce ripple current on the DC bus (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Vladimir Blasko, Ismail Agirman, Stella M. Oggianu, Robert K. Thornton
  • Publication number: 20130307455
    Abstract: There is provided a single motor which performs plural driving characteristics and can expand output range thereof. Three coils are wounded around each of the stator teeth A to F, and provided to each stator tooth A to F are switches for providing a concentrated winding state by connecting the three coils in series in each stator tooth A to F, and switches for providing a distributed winding state by connecting in series the coils of any one of units through the stator teeth A to F Depending on the rotating speed, the torque or the like, the coils are changed between the concentrated winding state and the distributed winding state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: SHIBAURA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Kan Akatsu, Hiroki Hijikata
  • Publication number: 20130069578
    Abstract: A brushless ceiling fan motor power control system where the DC power input of the power distribution unit is electrically connected to a voltage boosting circuit and a voltage detecting circuit, and the voltage detecting circuit is electrically connected to the AC/DC power selecting output circuit via the first CPU, and the AC current input circuit of the power distribution unit is electrically connected to the AC/DC current power selecting output circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventor: Kuo Tsun Lin
  • Patent number: 8217610
    Abstract: A power tool includes a motor, a first device and a second device. The motor receives a supply of an electric power from a power source externally of the power tool. The first device determines if the electric power supplied from the power source is an AC power or a DC power. The second device permits or interrupts the supply of the electric power to the motor depending on the determination of the first device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Makita Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8054025
    Abstract: Commercial AC voltage applied to an input terminal (90) from a commercial power supply external to the vehicle is boosted by a transformer (86) to a voltage level higher than the voltage (VB) of an electricity storage device (B) to be applied to neutral points (N1, N2). In a charging mode of the electricity storage device (B) from a commercial power supply, all npn transistors of an inverter (20, 30) are turned off. The AC voltage applied to the neutral points (N1, N2) is rectified by an anti-parallel diode of the inverter (20, 30) to be supplied onto a power supply line (PL2). A boost converter (10) controls the charging current from the power supply line (PL2) towards the electricity storage device (B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hichirosai Oyobe, Tetsuhiro Ishikawa, Makoto Nakamura, Yukihiro Minezawa
  • Publication number: 20110247900
    Abstract: A three-phase regenerative drive (20) is operated based upon power from a single-phase AC source (12) and power from a DC source (14). The single-phase AC input power and the DC input power are converted to DC voltage on a DC bus (24) by a three-phase converter (22). DC power is provided from the DC bus (24) to a three-phase inverter having outputs connected to a motor (34). A controller (44) controls operation of the three-phase converter (22) based upon contribution factors of the AC and DC sources (12, 14) during motoring and regeneration. The controller (44) also controls an AC component of current from the DC source to reduce ripple current on the DC bus (24).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Vladimir Blasko, Ismail Agirman, Stella M. Oggianu, Robert K. Thornton
  • Patent number: 7994751
    Abstract: A fuel cell power supply device capable of externally supplying electric power in a stable manner is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Noguchi, Mitsuaki Hirakawa, Takeshi Fujino, Eisuke Komazawa
  • Patent number: 7932688
    Abstract: A cleaner that can be operated at motive force of sufficient strength by using a battery voltage as well as by using a AC voltage. The cleaner uses a low-resistance-mode motor to rotate a collecting fan. The low-resistance-mode motor is driven by a motor driver. The motor driver drops a DC voltage converted from the AC voltage, depending on whether the AC voltage is received. Depending on whether the AC voltage is received, the motor driver drives the low-resistance-mode motor using one of the battery voltage and the dropped voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Seung Do Han, Hyoun Jeong Shin
  • Patent number: 7825615
    Abstract: A motorized portable appliance which monitors, and automatically selects, one of multiple power sources. The motorized portable appliance includes an electric motor, a secondary battery and at least one other source of electrical power, and an automatic control to switch between the secondary battery and the other source of electrical power, which may be mains electrical power, an external secondary battery, an on-board secondary battery, an automotive battery, a solar photovoltaic array, or a primary battery. Power conditioning circuitry converts power from the various power sources to a form compatible with the electric motor and recovers remaining power from depleted primary batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: GLJ, LLC
    Inventors: Yung Chen, Eric Junkel
  • Publication number: 20090289589
    Abstract: A power supply system includes a fuel cell, a capacitor connected in parallel to the fuel cell, a voltage boost means for boosting output voltages from the fuel cell and the capacitor to supply the electric motor with electric power resulting from the boosted voltages, a voltage control means for further boosting an output voltage from the voltage boost means, a secondary battery connected to the voltage control means, an external power source connecting means connected to the one end of the voltage boost means and in parallel with the fuel cell and for receiving supply of electric power from an external power source, and an electronic control unit which charges the secondary battery from the external power source by controlling step-up ratios of the voltage boost means and the voltage control means such that a voltage applied to the secondary battery during the charging becomes a desired voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Inventors: Takeshi Fujino, Minoru Noguchi, Eisuke Komazawa, Mitsuaki Hirakawa
  • Publication number: 20090218976
    Abstract: A motor driving apparatus comprises a charge/discharge control circuit for controlling charge to or discharge from a capacitor connected in parallel in a link section between a converter and an inverter, and a current control means for controlling discharge current from the charge/discharge control circuit. The current control means controls discharge current from the charge/discharge control circuit based on input current to the inverter or output current from the converter so that output current from the converter is equal to a prescribed value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: FANUC LTD
    Inventors: Yasusuke IWASHITA, Mamoru Yaeshima, Yuuichi Yamada, Masatomo Shirouzu, Koujirou Sakai
  • Patent number: 7579801
    Abstract: A method of using an externally powered HVAC system for an over-the-road motor coach includes coupling the HVAC system to an external shore power source at a temporary stop location for the over-the-road motor coach while the over-the-road motor coach is parked and vehicle engine is turned off; receiving electrical power from the electrical outlet to power the HVAC system; and using the HVAC system to circulate refrigerant for heating or cooling an interior cabin of the over-the-road motor coach and power HVAC fans to ventilate the interior cabin of the over-the-road motor coach.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: ISE Corporation
    Inventor: David M. Mazaika
  • Publication number: 20090184681
    Abstract: In a charge/discharge mode, an inverter performs power conversion between a power storage device and a commercial power supply electrically connected to a neutral point through a power line. In the charge/discharge mode, ECU sets a carrier frequency of the inverter to a frequency higher than in a running mode. Further, in the charge/discharge mode, a drive circuit drives the inverter using a gate resistance higher than in the running mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KUBISHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiromichi Kuno
  • Patent number: 7531977
    Abstract: A method of using an externally powered HVAC system for an over-the-road motor coach includes coupling the HVAC system to an external shore power source at a temporary stop location for the over-the-road motor coach while the over-the-road motor coach is parked and vehicle engine is turned off; receiving electrical power from the electrical outlet to power the HVAC system; and using the HVAC system to circulate refrigerant for heating or cooling an interior cabin of the over-the-road motor coach and power HVAC fans to ventilate the interior cabin of the over-the-road motor coach.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: ISE Corporation
    Inventor: David M. Mazaika
  • Publication number: 20090096399
    Abstract: A motorized portable appliance which monitors, and automatically selects, one of multiple power sources. The motorized portable appliance includes an electric motor, a secondary battery and at least one other source of electrical power, and an automatic control to switch between the secondary battery and the other source of electrical power, which may be mains electrical power, an external secondary battery, an on-board secondary battery, an automotive battery, a solar photovoltaic array, or a primary battery. Power conditioning circuitry converts power from the various power sources to a form compatible with the electric motor and recovers remaining power from depleted primary batteries.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: Yung Chen, Eric Junkel
  • Publication number: 20090066282
    Abstract: A hybrid backplane uses multiple, parallel serial communication channels to provide flexibility and robustness in a motor drive control requiring high-speed data communication for the real-time control of motor waveforms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventor: Stephen J. Worrall
  • Publication number: 20090033255
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for charging energy sources with a rectifier using a double-ended inverter system. An apparatus is provided for an electric drive system for a vehicle. The electric drive system comprises an electric motor configured to provide traction power to the vehicle. A first inverter is coupled to the electric motor and is configured to provide alternating current to the electric motor. A first energy source is coupled to the first inverter, wherein the first inverter is configured to provide power flow between the first energy source and the electric motor. A second inverter is coupled to the electric motor and is configured to provide alternating current to the electric motor. A rectifier is coupled to the second inverter and configured to produce a direct current output. The second inverter is configured to provide power from the rectifier to the electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: George JOHN, Sibaprasad CHAKRABARTI, Brian A. WELCHKO, Gregory S. SMITH, James M. NAGASHIMA, Milun PERISIC
  • Publication number: 20080297086
    Abstract: A cleaner that can be operated at motive force of sufficient strength by using a battery voltage as well as by using a AC voltage. The cleaner uses a low-resistance-mode motor to rotate a collecting fan. The low-resistance-mode motor is driven by a motor driver. The motor driver drops a DC voltage converted from the AC voltage, depending on whether the AC voltage is received. Depending on whether the AC voltage is received, the motor driver drives the low-resistance-mode motor using one of the battery voltage and the dropped voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Seung Do HAN, Hyoun Jeong SHIN
  • Publication number: 20080284363
    Abstract: A cleaning device includes a housing configured with a working element. The device also includes a motor configured for urging motion of the working element. The device also includes a power control module which may be electrically connected with at least one of the motor, a first power source configuration and a second power source configuration. Electric current is provided to the motor by the first and/or the second power source configurations. The first power source configuration may be electrically connected to a battery assembly having a DC power output. The second power source configuration may be electrically connected to a power inverter which may receive AC power and output DC power to the second power source configuration. The motor may be one of a permanent magnet DC (PMDC) motor, a universal motor and an induction motor, the motor receiving power via the power control module from at least one of the first power source configuration and the second power source configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventors: Delbert E. Lucas, Justin Lucas, Ryan J. Lucas, Paul Brent Boyd, Lance Servais
  • Publication number: 20080211437
    Abstract: An electric power supply system for driving an electric rotating machine has a generator supplied with driving power from an engine to generate alternating-current electric power and a matrix converter as an alternating-current to alternating-current direct converter supplied with the alternating-current electric power to output arbitrary alternating-current electric power. By driving a motor with the alternating-current electric power supplied from the matrix converter, only one time electric power conversion is carried out to provide high efficiency in the whole system. In addition, electric power loss can be reduced so as to enhance a motor output when the system is applied to a vehicle power supply system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: FUJI ELECTRIC DEVICE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro TAMAI, Akihiro ODAKA, Masakazu GEKINOZU
  • Publication number: 20080088266
    Abstract: A device includes a housing configured with a working element. The device also includes a motor configured for urging motion of the working element. The device also includes a power control module which may be electrically connected with at least one of the motor, a first power source configuration and a second power source configuration. Electric current is provided to the motor by the first and/or the second power source configurations. The first power source configuration may be electrically connected to a battery assembly having a DC power output. The second power source configuration may be electrically connected to a power inverter which may receive AC power and output DC power to the second power source configuration. The motor may be one of a permanent magnet DC (PMDC) motor, a universal motor and an induction motor, the motor receiving power via the power control module from at least one of the first power source configuration and the second power source configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Inventors: Delbert E. Lucas, Justin Lucas, Ryan J. Lucas, Paul Brent Boyd
  • Patent number: 7122991
    Abstract: A power conversion system for converting a dc voltage to a pulsed ac voltage includes a dc voltage source providing three or more electric potentials, and a switching circuit arranged to connect one of the potentials selectively to an output terminal. A controller produces a pulsed ac output voltage at the output terminal from the potentials of the dc voltage source by controlling an on time for connecting each of the potentials to the output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kitajima, Kantaro Yoshimoto, Masanori Yamagiwa, Ryuuta Yamaguchi, Yutaka Tajima, Yasuaki Hayami
  • Patent number: 6930460
    Abstract: In a load driving arrangement, electric power is supplied from an auxiliary battery to a main power supply when the power stored by charging in the main power supply is scarce at the startup of the system. The power is supplied to the main power supply by closing relays to connect the auxiliary battery to the neutral point of an auxiliary motor, operating a switching transistor of a bottom arm of an auxiliary-related inverter based on a command from a control circuit, stepping up the voltage from the auxiliary battery by using a coil of the auxiliary motor as a reactor, and supplying the step-up voltage to the main power supply thereby charging the main power supply. At this time, a drive-related inverter and a DC/DC converter are stopped. When the main power supply is charged to a sufficient degree, the relays are opened to drive each load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuhiro Ishikawa, Hiroshi Sugiura
  • Publication number: 20040222763
    Abstract: A brushless dc motor applied to ac power in accordance with the present invention includes a conversion circuit. The conversion circuit includes a metallized film capacitor, a rectifier and a filter. The metallized film capacitor is serially connected to an ac power source, and adapted to supply with a rated ac voltage for the brushless de motor. The metallized film capacitor is further serially connected to the rectifier and the filter. The rectifier is converted an alternating current supplied from the metallized film capacitor into a direct current. The filter is filtered the direct current supplied from the rectifier and then sent to a motor drive circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: Profantec Development Corp.
    Inventors: Wen-Shing Wu, Alex Horng
  • Patent number: 6765359
    Abstract: A motor controlling device for an AC/DC driven motor is used for an AC and DC motor. The motor controlling device comprises an AC/DC converting unit, a voltage stabilizing unit, a phase detecting/controlling unit, and a high voltage driving unit. The AC/DC converting unit receives an AC power source to convert the AC power source into a high voltage DC voltage. The voltage stabilizing unit receives the high voltage DC voltage to convert it into a low voltage DC voltage. The phase detecting/controlling unit detects a polarity of the permanent magnet to output a first detecting and a second detecting signals accordingly, so as to provide automatically a shut down protection when the motor is locked. The high voltage driving unit receives the first detecting and the second detecting signals to drive the motor accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignees: Prolific Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Pi Hsia Lin
  • Patent number: 6600282
    Abstract: Disclosed is a circuit and method for preventing erroneous opening and closing caused particularly, by use of a DC motor in an automatically/manually foldable portable radio terminal having a main body and a sub-body rotatable with respect to the main body. In the circuit, a motor provides rotating force to automatically raise or lower the sub-body, a motor driver drives the motor according to a motor driving direction control signal, an inverse electromotive force eliminator eliminates inverse electromotive force by opening or shorting both terminals of the motor according to an automatic mode or a manual mode, and a motor power controller controls supplying a driving power voltage to the motor. In the method of operating a folder, it is determined whether an automatic folder operation key has been pressed. Upon receipt of the automatic folder operation key input, a rectifier is turned on to open both terminals of a motor. At the end of the opening of the motor terminals, the motor is driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Moon-Jung Ko
  • Patent number: 6580239
    Abstract: A protecting device of an electromobile has a control device to control the rotating speed of a motor on the basis of an accelerator signal, a brake signal, and output signals from an encoder sensor, a commutation sensor, and a phase current detector, which includes a device for detecting interruption of input of the output signals and outputting detecting signal, a device for stopping supply of electricity to the motor in response to the detecting signal of the detecting device, a device for detecting a value of a phase current of the motor and outputting a detecting signal when the phase current is abnormal, and a device for stopping supply of electricity to the motor in response to the detecting signal of the phase current detecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Tamaki, Yasufumi Ikkai, Yasuhiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 6448732
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner operates via power supplied from either an on-board battery or an AC power outlet. When the vacuum cleaner is operating by using the battery a controller monitors the voltage level in the battery and automatically shuts down the vacuum cleaner when the battery voltage has decreased below a preset level. This prevents a full drainage of the battery and increases its longevity. The controller that monitors the battery voltage level can be used with batteries of different voltages. The controller automatically determines which type of battery is being used and shuts down power to the vacuum cleaner motor after the appropriate amount of battery drainage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Pacific Steamex Cleaning Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas S. Block
  • Patent number: 6384558
    Abstract: A driving device for a motor-driven compressor including: (a) a motor-driven compressor for compressing a refrigerant; (b) a DC power supply serving as a power source of the compressor; (c) a capacitor connected in parallel with the DC power supply; (d) a switch provided between the DC power supply and the capacitor, and closed when the compressor is operated and opened when the compressor is stopped; (e) a driver for converting electric power supplied from the DC power supply via the switch and capacitor into driving power for the compressor, and for outputting the driving power thereto; (f) a controller for instructing the driver to operate or stop the compressor; and (g) a discharge control unit provided in the driver and controlling the driver so that the capacitor is discharged using the compressor as a medium, after the instruction to stop the compressor has been given.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Yoshida, Nobuyuki Nishii
  • Patent number: 6256977
    Abstract: A start circuit controlled by an electronic control unit for providing power from one or both of a battery and TRU in parallel to a starter motor coupled to a gas turbine engine. The circuit includes contactors between the TRU and battery and a junction where the current from the TRU and battery combine. The circuit further includes two additional contactors in series between the junction and the starter motor. Voltage sensors and contactor position sensors are employed for diagnostics. A novel method of starting the engine using the start circuit contemplated by the present invention is also descibed. In this method, the start is initiated with power only from the battery. After a period of time power from the TRU is added. This method reduces the amplitude of the start motor inrush current, which has a beneficial reliability effect on the components of the start circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: AlliedSignal, Inc.
    Inventors: Ray McGinley, John Harvell, Robert C. Wagner
  • Patent number: 5821476
    Abstract: Device (100) for rotating an elevator motor during an emergency situation, such as a power failure, comprising a d.c. supply (4) and a rotary switch (8) used as a switching device for supplying a d.c. voltage into the windings (R-S, R-T, S-T) of the elevator motor (1). The d.c. voltage (DCC+, DCC-) controlled by the rotary switch is fed by turns into each winding (R-S, R-T, S-T). In addition, the device comprises a switch (6) used to supply a voltage to the brake (3) and to short-circuit the windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Kone Oy
    Inventors: Harri Hakala, Jorma Mustalahti, Esko Aulanko
  • Patent number: 5629592
    Abstract: While an electric vehicle is traveling in a DC section, a ripple component detecting unit detects a ripple component appearing on a filter capacitor voltage and adds the ripple component onto an inverter frequency reference in such manner as to cancel an influence in a motor current caused by the ripple component. On the other hand, while in an AC section, a damping control component detecting unit detects a magnitude of fluctuation of a DC power supplied from a DC power line as a damping control component and adds the component, like the ripple component in the AC section, onto the inverter frequency reference in such manner as to cancel an influence in the motor current caused by the damping control component. Consequently, an output current from the inverter which is to be supplied to the induction drive motor becomes very steady of ripple-free and it improves comfort for passengers on the electric vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takuma Henmi
  • Patent number: 5262704
    Abstract: The present invention is an inverter for a portable refrigerator. The inverter includes a square wave generator operable by a DC voltage source. A timer is also included which, in conjunction with the square wave generator, provides a multiple phase waveform for operating a compressor motor. For conventional three winding compressor motors, the inverter provides a six-step waveform for operation of the portable refrigerator. The inverter can also drive the motor using either a first or second DC voltage level, by minor changes in the inverter and using either a wye or delta winding configuration. The inverter also includes a protection circuit which protects against locked rotor and overload current conditions, as well as a shut-off circuit to guard against operating at low speeds and completely draining the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1993
    Assignee: Tecumseh Products Company
    Inventor: James B. Farr
  • Patent number: 5200644
    Abstract: An air conditioning system comprises a converter for converting a commercial AC into DC, an inverter for reconverting the DC into an AC having a predetermined frequency corresponding to an air conditioner load, a compressor driven with the AC from the inverter under a compressor capacity control operation matching the load, a battery used for dealing with a voltage drop of the supply power from the commercial AC power source and for supplying a DC different from the DC converted by the converter to the inverter via a switching element, and a discharge control unit for controlling the switching element in the manner that the battery supplies a current having a predetermined value proportional to a difference between the AC supplied from the power source to the converter and a preset current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takehiro Kobayashi, Kazuhiko Akiyama
  • Patent number: 5099186
    Abstract: A drive and recharge system is disclosed that includes a bidirectional dc power source, two voltage-fed inverters, two induction motors, and a control unit. In the drive mode, power is bidirectionally connected between the dc power source and the motors. In the recharge mode, single-phase power applied to the neutral ports of the two motors is converted with unity power factor to return energy to the dc power source. An alternate scheme is also presented which uses a single motor having two sets of windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Assignee: General Motors Inc.
    Inventors: Wally E. Rippel, Alan G. Cocconi
  • Patent number: 4904880
    Abstract: An automatic door driving system is disclosed, which can electrically perform automatic door opening/closing operation in case of emergency, i.e., occurrence of a fire, or power stoppage and effect automatic door opening/closing control according to the prevailing situation. In the driving system, an AC power source and battery power source are selectively connected through an emergency battery unit to an automatic door controller for controlling an automatic door drive motor. Normally, electric power is supplied from the AC power source to the automatic door controller, while the battery power source is charged from the AC power source. At the time of power stoppage, electric power is supplied from the battery power source to the automatic door controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Assignee: Yoshida Kogyo K.K.
    Inventor: Yukio Yoshida
  • Patent number: 4641234
    Abstract: The present invention relates to supplying a load either from a direct-current source or from an alternating-current source. The power unit, according to the invention, is characterized in that it consists of a single conversion unit (CV) having unidirectional semi-conductor power components forming switches (I1, I2, I3, I4) controlled in appropriate fashion by a logic control in such a manner as to ensure the functioning of the conversion unit (CV) either in a chopper mode, or in a rectifier mode when the load functions to draw power, or to ensure energy regeneration when the load functions in a generating mode. The present invention has application particularly for supplying direct-current motors used in dual-current railroad locomotives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1987
    Assignee: Jeumont-Schneider Corporation
    Inventor: Jean Bonal
  • Patent number: 4607198
    Abstract: A wiper driving apparatus comprises a speed reduction gear train mounted on a drive shaft of a motor which drives reciprocally and pivotally a wiper blade; a pin member operatively engaged with said gear train so as to move once every rotation of the gear train; a relay switch driven by a relay coil and including a moving contact and fixed contacts disposed opposite sides of the movable contact; an operating lever member for transmitting the movement of the pin member to the movable contact of the relay switch and retaining contact of the movable contact with one of the fixed contacts; and a control circuit including the relay switch and the operating lever member for controlling the driving, intermittent, and automatic stop operations of the wiper blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1986
    Assignee: Asmo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 4423364
    Abstract: An electric damper motor drive with a backup power pack is disclosed comprising a reversible electric motor operable in first and second opposite directions in response to first and second distinct forms of electrical energization, respectively. A primary power source normally supplies electrical power to energize the motor in response to a sensed environmental condition. A backup power pack is responsive to the absence of power from the primary power source to supply the first form of electrical energization to drive the motor in the first direction to a predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1983
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventors: Arlon D. Kompelien, Curtis E. Westley
  • Patent number: 4345196
    Abstract: An electric sewing machine has an A.C. driving motor controlled by a triac; a controlling circuit for the triac includes a thyristor powered by a lower-voltage battery via an adjustable RC-circuit; the controlling circuit is electrically insulated from the A.C. power-supply circuit by an optoelectric coupler, the optical part of which is connected to the A.C. circuit and the electric part of which controls the gate of the thyristor in synchronism with the A.C. voltage; the thyristor in the controlling circuit is coupled to the triac by means of an insulating pulse transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1982
    Assignee: Janome Sewing Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Hanyu, Yoshinobu Tonomura, Kazuo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 4088937
    Abstract: Four thyristors are interconnected into an AC bridge circuit. With an AC source connected across inputs to the bridge circuit, a DC motor is connected across outputs of the bridge circuit while the thyristors are operated in the phase control mode to control the power supply to the motor from the AC source. In the absence of the AC source the DC motor is serially connected to a battery across the outputs of the bridge circuit with the thyristors operated in the chopping control mode. Also, in the presence of the AC source, a rectifier bridge including thyristors and diodes can be connected across the battery to exclusively charge it from the AC source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1975
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1978
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryohei Uchida, Mitsuru Kitano, Yoshinobu Morimoto
  • Patent number: 3940680
    Abstract: A power converter which can operate with both a D.C. power source and an A.C. power source for supplying electric power to a D.C. load such as a D.C. motor. The power converter comprises thyristors, a diode, a reactor and a capacitor. A plurality of series circuits each including two series-connected thyristors are connected in parallel to provide A.C. terminals at the series connection points of the thyristors and to provide D.C. terminals at the parallel connection points of the series circuits. The diode is interposed between the parallel-connected series circuits of the thyristors, and the reactor and the capacitor are connected in series to form a series circuit which is connected in parallel with the series circuits of the thyristors. The power converter is connected at the D.C. terminals between the power source and the load to function as a chopper when the power source supplies D.C. power to the load. On the other hand, when the power source supplies A.C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1974
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1976
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomio Tadokoro, Toshikatsu Kouno, Akio Sasaki