Abstract: A system for sensing a position of a first member relative to a second member based on a radio frequency characteristic of a bias member is disclosed. The bias member may be configured to bias the second member relative to the first member. Radio frequency circuitry may be configured to apply a radio frequency signal to the bias member and provide one or more signals indicative of a position of the first member relative to the second member based on a radio frequency characteristic of the bias member.

Abstract: A direct current traction motor control system includes plural motors of with each of the motors configured to be coupled with a different axle of a vehicle and to rotate the axle to propel the vehicle. The motors are coupled with a DC bus and configured to receive DC via the DC bus to power the motors. The system also includes plural switch assemblies with each of the switch assemblies having an H-bridge circuit coupled with a different motor of the motors to control rotation of the motor. The system includes a controller configured to communicate control signals to the switch assemblies to individually control the H-bridge circuits to control one or more of torques output by the motors or rotation directions of the motors.

Abstract: A charging device and a method for charging an electrical energy storage device of a vehicle, with a DC converter for converting an input DC voltage into an output DC voltage. A winding of an electrical machine is part of the DC converter. The winding has at least two coils. A control unit is designed for the purpose of switching the at least two coils electrically in series for the charging of the electrical energy storage device. The at least two coils form an inductance of the DC converter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to compensate for distortion of a waveform due to the skin effect in a current shunt. The method includes modeling the complex impedance of the shunt as component complex impedances. By designing a filter corresponding to the component complex impedances, the distortion of a waveform across the shunt may be reversed to provide an accurate replica of the undistorted waveform.

Abstract: A control unit applied to a motor that includes a rotor having a field winding and a rotor having armature winding groups to control a field current passed through the field winding. Each of the armature winding groups is applied with a prescribed voltage. The field current is controlled so as to be a minimum field current value If_min with which a deviation between an amplitude of an induced voltage generated in the armature winding groups by rotation of the rotor, and an amplitude of the voltage applied to the armature winding groups becomes equal to or smaller than a prescribed value.

Abstract: The electric conversion stage according to the invention can be connected on one hand to intermediate terminals of a DC voltage electric bus, and on the other hand to output terminals. It comprises P switching branches, P?2, the switching branches being connected in parallel between the intermediate terminals, each switching branch including first and second controllable electronic switches connected serially and connected to each other by a midpoint, each switch including a semiconductor switching element and a diode connected in anti-parallel to the semiconductor element, and means for controlling the electronic switches according to a control law.

Abstract: A method is provided of calibrating a position sensor of an electric motor of a vehicle.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrical machine and to a method for the operation thereof, particularly as a drive motor for an electrical tool or as starter generator for a motor vehicle. The electrical machine includes a rotor excited by a permanent magnet and a stator carrying a multi-phase winding, and operates in a voltage-controlled, lower rotational speed range via a transformer on a DC voltage source. The electrical machine can also be operated in a higher rotational speed range by field weakening, and the structure of the machine can be changed by reducing the flux linkage between the rotor and the stator in order to weaken the field. Preferably, the change to the structure of the machine is carried out by turning off winding parts or by switching them between series and parallel connections.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for control of an alternating current electric motor with field weakening, including setting a required operating point for a motor field voltage component as a function of a difference between actual and required motor field current components, and setting a required operating point for a motor torque voltage component as a function of a difference between actual and required motor torque current components. The method also includes setting a field weakening constituent for the required operating point for the motor field voltage component as a function of a difference between a required operating point and an available value of the motor torque voltage component and as a function of a difference between actual and required motor torque current components.

Abstract: A method of operating a variable flux electric machine includes passing an electrical current through a plurality of wound poles of a wound field to generate a first flux, rotating an armature at a first crank point having a first speed in response to the first flux, shorting at least one of the plurality of wound poles, generating a second flux through a permanent magnet (PM) field having a plurality of PM poles, and rotating the armature at a second crank point having a second speed in response to the second flux, the second speed being greater than the first speed.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling the speed of a motor driving a load that is electrically connected to a generator driven by an engine, through use of a first control feedback loop configured to control the rotor flux of the motor by controlling the field excitation of the generator, and a second control feedback loop configured to control the speed of the motor by controlling the throttle position of the engine.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining a condition of an electric machine. Search coils are wound around stator teeth and the induced voltage is used to decouple stator and rotor fluxes. The decoupled fluxes allow for machine condition monitoring and fault diagnosis.

Abstract: A system and method of manufacturing an electric machine comprising a rotor and a stator, wherein the stator comprises a fractional-slot concentrated winding having two sets of terminals, wherein a first set of terminals configures the fractional-slot concentrated winding to have a first pole-number (P1), and wherein a second set of terminals configures the fractional-slot concentrated winding to have a second pole number (P2) different from the first pole-number (P1).

Abstract: An electronic protection system for motors is provided that includes electric current (SC1-n) sensor elements, more specifically Hall positioning sensors, and electronic circuits for electric tension reading. The signals are processed by a central processor (2) that executes a set of rules (A, B, C) and makes inferences based on the collected data in order to protect the motor (M, M?) against possible failure. Furthermore, a method to protect motors (M, M?) is provided, based on a set of rules (A, B, C) in order to characterize failures and trends of possible failures, so that the motor does not operate out of its specification for the system to deactivate it.

Abstract: A control system for use with a motor is disclosed. The control system may have a controller that is configured to receive a torque command for the motor and receive a rotor angular velocity signal indicative of an angular velocity of a rotor of the motor. The controller may also be configured to generate a field weakening command by adding a field weakening adjustment signal to the rotor angular velocity signal, and generate a torque voltage command and a flux voltage command based on the torque command and the field weakening command. Further, the controller may be configured to convert the torque voltage command and the flux voltage command into phase voltage commands and output the phase voltage commands.

Abstract: In the hybrid vehicle, a boost converter is controlled to make a post-boost voltage or a voltage on the side of an inverter become a target post-boost voltage corresponding to a target operation point of a motor in accordance with a target post-boost voltage setting map that divides an operation region of the motor into a non-boost region and a boost region when a operation point of the motor is included in the boost region. The target post-boost voltage setting map is prepared so that the non-boost region includes a region in which a loss produced by driving the motor when not boosting the post-boost voltages becomes smaller than the loss produced when boosting the post-boost voltage and the boost region includes a region in which the loss produced when boosting the post-boost voltage becomes smaller than the loss produced when not boosting the post-boost voltage.

Abstract: The invention relates to an adjustment drive of a motor vehicle, wherein the adjustment drive includes a drive motor having a motor magnet that generates a magnetic exciter main field and having a motor armature that is rotatably arranged between a plurality of magnet poles of said motor magnet. The adjustment drive also includes a magneto-sensitive sensor positioned in such a way that during a rotation of the motor armature it senses a change in a magnetic flux density of the exciter main field.

Abstract: A power supply for an electric motor includes a converter that can increase and decrease a voltage supplied into an inverter and then into the stator windings of the motor. As a separate feature, the inverter includes a control coil which is positioned within a motor housing such that it may be cooled by a thermal management system for the motor.

Abstract: In a motor controller, if a failed electric current flow in any one of phases of a motor is detected, a motor control signal is generated, based on a phase other than the phase with the failed electric current flow, in such a manner that a motor electric current matches a required torque except for at a specific rotation angle corresponding to the phase with the failed electric current flow.

Abstract: A wind turbine includes a rotor having adjustable rotor blades for driving a generator and an adjusting device for the rotor blades provided with an actuator that comprises at least an excitation winding. The adjusting device includes a torque-reducing device that automatically reduces drag torque of the actuator. The torque-reducing device includes a current divider that switches the current through the excitation winding in such a manner that the current flows completely through the excitation coil when the motor is in operation and the current only partly flows through the excitation coil when coasting (slip operation). As a result, when coasting, the magnetization of the excitation winding is reduced about the adjusting device, whereby the increase of the speed torque characteristic curve can be determined, thus improving the ratio of the adjusting device when coasting.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for controlling a system comprising at least one electric motor. The system includes aspects which permit, among other things, electromagnetically disconnecting a failed permanent magnet motor from said system, weight savings in motor control electronics, controllability benefits and other benefits.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a method which can detect a magnetic pole position easily and surely by using high-frequency currents such as harmonics of an inverter output and carrier frequency components. The invention provides a method of detecting a magnetic pole position of a motor and an apparatus for detecting a magnetic pole position in which, although high-frequency currents of carrier frequency components or the like are used, a special current detecting circuit is not required, and synchronization between the current detection timing and the position calculation can be easily attained, and also to provide an apparatus for controlling a motor using the same.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for controlling an electromechanical servomechanism (20) for moving an output member relative to a variable load (38). The servomechanism includes: a motor (37) having at least one coil (32A, 32B or 32C) adapted to be supplied with current and having a rotor (33) with an output shaft (35); a mechanical transmission (36) arranged between the output shaft and the load, the transmission having a mechanical friction related to the load; a servoamplifier (30) arranged to supply current to the motor coil in response to an input signal (in line 29); a command signal (in line 21) for commanding the position of the load; a load position feedback signal (in line 23) compared (in summing point 22) to the command signal and arranged to produce an error signal (in line 24); and means (28) for generating an offset signal (in line 26) that is summed (in summing point 25) with the error signal to modify the servoamplifier input signal (in line 29).

Abstract: A circuit arrangement for cycled control of a motor, includes an overload detection device which has a signal sensing stage. Reliable detection of a motor overload is achieved, substantially without losses in the electronic system and with an economical configuration, by the fact that the overload of the motor can be sensed by way of the signal sensing stage by picking off a voltage peak which occurs at a circuit inductance.

Abstract: The known arrangements have at least one rotor coil (RS) arranged on the rotor and at least one stator coil (SS) arranged on the stator. The rotor coil (RS) and the stator coil (SS) respectively have at least one winding (WI) and there is a magnetic coupling between the rotor coil (RS) and the stator coil (SS). With an arrangement of this sort, it is possible for example to transmit measurement signals of a measurement pickup (MA) arranged on the rotor (RO) for the contactless measurement of torques. The additional acquisition of the respective angular position and/or of the respective angular speed (.omega.

Abstract: A new vehicle electrical system has a first lower voltage level and a second higher voltage level. The new vehicle electrical system comprises an ignition switch, a generator having an exciter circuit and a voltage controller, and a multi-chopper having several chopper stages. The voltage controller supplies energy to the exciter circuit via the ignition switch in order to adjust the first lower voltage level to a rated level of U1. The multi-chopper is connected between the battery and the generator, thereby adjusting the second higher voltage level to a rated level of U2 based on the number of chopper stages and their actuation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a single-ended discharge lamp comprising a discharge tube, inleads connected to the electrodes of the discharge tube and embedded in the sealed portions thereof, a connection member connected to the inleads directly or through an adapter circuit and suitable for connecting the discharge lamp to a power supply, and a housing having a shell supporting the discharge tube as well as a cap mounted on the connection member.At least one primary inlead support member (23) and at least one secondary inlead support member (24) is provided on the inner side of the shell (21), each of the inlead support members (23, 24) has at least one fixing member (23a, 24a) for clamping the inleads (16, 17, 18, 19) and at least some of the inleads are clamped in the fixing member(s) (23a) of the primary inlead support member(s) (23) and some but not all of the inleads are clamped in the fixing member(s) (24a) of the secondary inlead support member(s) (24).

Abstract: A method and a device for operating an asynchronous machine include controlling the rotor and the stator of the machine during start-up with respective first and second direct converter units. After the start-up the second direct converter unit is isolated from the stator and is connected to the rotor in parallel with the first direct converter unit. Therefore, direct converter units which are already available for performing a mains operation are used during start-up.

Abstract: The DC electrical motor system includes a motor having an armature DC transducer coupled to an armature current controller by a sensor/detector arrangement to control the armature current. A field DC transducer coupled to a field current controller by another sensor/detector arrangement facilitates the control of the field current. An armature-field comparator is coupled to the field current controller to help control the field current when the motor armature windings are short-circuited through windings in the armature field comparator.

Abstract: A system is provided for controlling a DC motor which is constructed to propel a golf car. The motor is a shunt wound motor having independently excited armature and field windings. The basic input to the armature of the motor is supplied through a pulse modulated chopper circuit which varies the width of the pulse in response to the throttle of the golf car. Full control of the input to the field winding is gained by the supply of power to an H bridge circuit. Armature current is continuously sensed to provide an indication of the status and performance of the car during operation. At a predetermined level of armature current the field current is adjusted to provide a higher torque at a specific speed. When armature current indicates a predetermined overspeed condition, field current is adjusted to enhance regeneration and the resultant braking. In addition, the stopped condition is continuously monitored.

Abstract: A system is provided for controlling a D-C motor which is constructed to propel a golf car. The motor is controlled to provide performance according to a predetermined field current map which calls for a particular performance response to specified performance events. The performance events are detected by sensing actual speed and armature current and the performance response is triggered by adjustment of the field current. A performance map correlating actual speed to various events and specifying the field current response is designed for the motor used. In addition an armature current performance map is similarly constructed correlating armature current to particular performance events.

Abstract: A system is provided for controlling a DC motor which is constructed to propel a golf car. The motor is a shunt wound motor having independently excited armature and field windings. The basic input to the armature of the motor is supplied through a pulse modulated chopper circuit which varies the width of the pulse in response to the throttle of the golf car. Full control of the input to the field winding is gained by the supply of power to an H bridge circuit. Armature current is continuously sensed to provide an indication of the status and performance of the car during operation. At a predetermined level of armature current the field current is adjusted to provide a higher torque at a specific speed. When armature current indicates a predetermined overspeed condition, field current is adjusted to enhance regeneration and the resultant braking. In addition, the stopped condition is continuously monitored.

Abstract: A system for controlling a separately excited dc motor, where control is achieved through a microprocessor-based independent PWM control of a chopper (armature) and an H-bridge (field), and where mechanical speed sensors are not used. Connected to the armature is an armature voltage amplifier for varying the applied armature voltage. A field current amplifier is also provided for determining the direction of motor rotation and varying the voltage applied to the field winding. A decoupling controller adjusts the armature voltage and the field current.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a DC control circuit for a main motor-generator set, in which a main motor includes an auxiliary shunt field winding. The control circuit includes a current follower motor that is driven by the armature current of the main motor and which drives an auxiliary generator to constitute a feedback unit. Electric energy produced by the auxiliary generator is applied to the auxiliary field of the main motor-generator set. The auxiliary field of the main motor-generator set may be excited with the same polarity as the main motor-generator set field winding to increase the field as the main motor-generator armature current increases, or with opposite polarity to reduce the field in response to main motor-generator current increasing. A control interface controls output voltage or output impedance from the auxiliary generator and selects a type magnetizing of aforesaid auxiliary field of the main motor-generator set.

Abstract: A semiconductive power unit for controlling drive motor speed by controlling the power applied to the motor through a variable or switchable semiconductive control element, such as a Darlington transistor. Electrical power is supplied from a power supply to the variable speed drive motor via the controllable semiconductive device connected to provide a variable impedance branch path between the power supply and the variable speed drive motor. A power dissipation characteristic for the variable impedance branch path is established, wherein current flow therethrough decreases monotonically with increasing voltage across the variable impedance branch path. The circuit establishing the characteristic also provides a feedback signal to the controllable semiconductive device to maintain its operation at the established power dissipation characteristic.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preventing overspeed of an electrically powered golf car having a shunt wound direct current electric motor with an armature winding and a field winding serially connected to respective switching devices and to a source of on-board direct current electric power. The golf car includes a control adapted and connected to regulate the current in each of the armature and field windings for controlling speed in response to an operator's command. The golf car incorporates overspeed detection by sensing the magnitude of current in each of the armature winding and the field winding and detecting when the current in the armature winding reverses direction. The magnitude of the armature winding current upon such reversal is compared to a preselected value and an overspeed signal generated when the reverse current magnitude exceeds the preselected value.

Abstract: An electric motor control with integral battery charger includes battery terminals (201) for connection to a battery (203). A boost converter circuit (111) is coupled to an armature winding (209) of the electric motor (117), and has an input (131) coupled to a power source (211). A buck converter circuit (105) is coupled to a field winding (207) of the electric motor (117), and an input (133) coupled to the power source (211). A controller (205), is coupled to the battery terminals (201) and the power source (211). The controller (205) couples a boost output (107) of the boost converter circuit (111 ) to the battery terminals (201) while a terminal voltage of the power source (211) is lower than a terminal voltage of the battery (203) measured at the battery terminals (201), and couples a buck output (107) of the buck converter circuit (105) to the battery terminals (201 ) while the terminal voltage of the power source (211) is higher than the terminal voltage of the battery (203).

Abstract: Sub-excitation of a series-type excitation magnetic field winding for a DC motor or generator is provided by an auxiliary power supply which, when the voltage in the main circuit is low, supplies voltage through a diode to the main series field winding in order to keep the voltage at or near saturation and thereby improve motor efficiency.

Abstract: An electric drive system in lift trucks has, for driving the lift truck driving wheels, at least one separate excitation electric motor provided with a stator and a rotor which are energized independently of each other by means of an electronic drive and control unit; by this arrangement, space can be saved on the lift truck and the lift truck can be rendered reliable, low in running cost, adaptable to varying load conditions, and adjustable as regards its operational parameters.

Abstract: A direct current (DC) electrical motor system includes a DC electrical motor having energy conversion armature windings conducting a first electric current, and an electromagnetic field windings conducting a second electric current. The system also includes means to maintain the magnitude of the second electric current in the electromagnetic field windings at a substantially constant ratio of the magnitude of the first electric current in the energy conversion armature windings. Thus, the magnitude of the ampere-turn strength of the electromagnetic field of the motor is substantially always a ratio of the magnitude of the electric current in the energy conversion armature winding circuit of the motor, and the DC electrical motor of this invention performs substantially the same as a conventional series wound DC electrical motor.

Abstract: A regulation system for controlling a dc motor having a separately excited armature and field includes microprocessor based pulse width (duty cycle) and frequency modulation control of an armature amplifier and a field amplifier. Motor operating efficiency is optimized through microprocessor control of the field amplifier as a function of actual armature current, actual field current and desired armature speed. Sensed armature current is multiplied by a fixed optimal field constant to generate an optimal field current control signal. The optimal field current control signal is summed with a signal representative of field current required for desired armature speed less a signal representative of actual field current to generate a field current error signal. A controller receives the field current error signal and generates a pulse width modulated field current control effort signal which is applied to the field amplifier.

Abstract: A system for controlling separately excited shunt-wound dc motors, where control is achieved through microprocessor-based independent PWM control of a chopper (armature) and an H-bridge (field). Connected to the armature is an armature voltage amplifier for varying the applied armature voltage. A field voltage amplifier is also provided for determining the direction of motor rotation and varying the voltage applied to the field winding. A first sensor is connected to the motor armature in order to determine the motor rotational speed. A second sensor is connected to the armature circuit in order to determine the armature current. A third sensor is connected to the field circuit in order to determine the field current. A decoupling controller uses the motor speed and armature current information, and adjusts the armature voltage and the field voltage. An optimal controller uses the motor speed, field current and armature current information, and adjusts the armature voltage and the field voltage.

Abstract: A system for optimizing control of separately excited shunt-wound dc motors, where optimization is achieved through microprocessor-based independent PWM control of a chopper (armature) and an H-bridge (field). Connected to the armature is an armature voltage amplifier for varying the applied armature voltage. A field voltage amplifier is also provided for determining the direction of motor rotation and varying the voltage applied to the field winding. A first sensor is connected to the motor armature in order to determine the motor rotational speed. A second sensor is connected to the armature circuit in order to determine the armature current. A third sensor is connected to the field circuit in order to determine the field current. A decoupling controller uses the motor speed and armature current information, and adjusts the armature voltage and the field voltage.

Abstract: A device for controlling the field current of a DC motor supplied from an AC network and which is operated beyond the normal speed of the DC motor in the higher speed range obtainable by weakening of the field of the DC motor, there being provided for the apportioning of the field current of the DC motor a phase angle control circuit which is operated depending on a control variable obtained from the respective measured speed of the DC motor by a function-forming device as a function of the speed, the function-forming device comprising a function memory which contains values of the control variable correlated to individual speed values stored in a matrix in tabulated form, the correlation of these values individually corresponding to the DC motor being established when the DC motor starts up for the first time, and where a constant dependence of the control variable on the speed is established either by a polygonal line obtained by linear interpolation from the value pairs stored in tabulated form or by a cur

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the operation of a direct current (d.c.) motor requiring no start-up resistor and accompanying switches. Regenerative braking is obtained and the torque interference in the operation is carried over to the electrical input after being dampened, due to the "soft" speed/torque characteristic. The d.c. motor is directly controlled by a technique which stimulates either the characteristics of a shunt-wound motor or a series-wound motor. A command signal is provided by an adjustable signal source which is adjusted in accordance with the armature current desired. A d.c. voltage source is controlled to provide an armature current in accordance with the command signal. When the armature voltage reaches its nominal value, a controlled d.c. current source is regulated in accordance with an error signal which is the difference between the command signal and the armature current, to regulate the excitation.

Abstract: A microcomputer for use with a direct current machine drive system processes machine drive system currents and voltages to compute real time machine efficiency. From real time machine efficiency, the microcomputer determines optimum, that is to say, desired machine armature current and optimum machine air gap flux. Machine armature current and field current are regulated, respectively, by controlling machine armature voltage responsive to the difference in magnitude between optimum armature current and actual armature current, and by controlling machine field voltage responsive to the difference in magnitude between optimum machine air gap flux and actual machine armature flux, respectively, to assure machine operation at maximum efficiency irrespective of machine load conditions.

Abstract: A direct current motor control circuitry provides linearity between an input signal to the circuitry and torque developed in the motor energized by the circuitry. A signal divider algebraically divides a numerator signal by a denominator signal and provides a quotient signal as the output. The input signal is provided to the signal divider as the numerator signal. A field circuit energizes the field winding of the motor. An armature circuit energizes the armature winding. One of the field or armature circuit provides a signal proportional to the respective one of field current or armature current to the denominator input of the signal divider. The signal divider is connected to the other of the field circuit or armature circuit for establishing the field current or armature current in accordance with the output quotient signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for controlling the conversion of electrical energy to mechanical energy as well as for controlling the conversion of mechanical energy to electrical energy. In a separately excited electromechanical energy conversion system, total system power losses are minimized by simultaneously controlling the currents flowing in the different windings of the energy conversion device such that these currents are related by an optimizing function. This method and apparatus are applicable to a wide variety of electric motors and generators.

Abstract: A control device for an electromobile provided with a shunt motor includes a pattern generating means for storing, as patterns, armature and field currents capable of generating an output torque with a minimum loss in the driving system of the electromobile to deliver an armature current command and a field current command for generating a specified output torque on the basis of the patterns, an armature control circuit for supplying the shunt motor with an armature current corresponding to the armature current command, and a field control circuit for supplying the shunt motor with a field current corresponding to the field current command. Thus, the torque control of the shunt motor is conducted on the basis of the patterns, and a computer control is applicable to the above control device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preventing overspeed of an electrically powered .[.golf car.]. .Iadd.vehicle .Iaddend.having a shunt wound direct current electric motor with an armature winding and a field winding serially connected to respective switching devices and to a source of on-board direct current electric power. The .[.golf car.]. .Iadd.vehicle .Iaddend.includes a control adapted and connected to regulate the current in each of the armature and field windings for controlling speed in response to an operator's command. The .[.golf car.]. .Iadd.vehicle .Iaddend.incorporates overspeed detect sensing the magnitude of current in each of the armature winding and the field winding and detecting when the current in the armature winding reverses direction. The magnitude of the armature winding current upon such reversal is compared to a preselected value and an overspeed signal generated when the reverse current magnitude exceeds the preselected value.