Armature (or Primary) Circuit Control Patents (Class 318/494)
  • Publication number: 20120161690
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for controlling electrical current through an inductive load. The electrical current is supplied by one of at least three selectable dual capacitor bank electrical circuits. The method includes storing electrical energy during a charge operating state in first and second capacitor banks of a first dual capacitor bank circuit. The stored electrical energy is then used to drive the inductive load when operating the first dual capacitor bank circuit in a drive operating state. After depleting the stored electrical energy from the first and second capacitor banks, the first dual capacitor bank transitions to a collection operating state that includes collecting electrical energy from the inductive load. A second and third dual capacitor circuits simultaneously transition among the charge operating state, the drive operating state, and the collection operating state during operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Inventor: MARC HENNESS
  • Patent number: 8183813
    Abstract: The invention relates to a frequency converter, which is fitted to supply power between a polyphase alternating electricity source and an electric machine. The frequency converter comprises a network rectifier connected to the alternating electricity source and an inverter connected to the electric machine. The power supply is implemented in the network rectifier and in the inverter with solid-state change-over switches, which change-over switches comprise an antiparallel-connected diode fitted in parallel with the controllable switch. The network rectifier and the inverter are connected to each other with an intermediate circuit, which intermediate circuit is implemented without a passive energy storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Pekka Jahkonen, Antti Kallioniemi
  • Publication number: 20120112679
    Abstract: A fan rotary speed controlling device includes a first signal generating circuit, a second signal generating circuit, a pulse width modulation (PWM) circuit and a switching circuit. The first signal generating circuit receives a real frequency signal and a target frequency signal, and generates a first signal according to the real frequency signal and the target frequency signal. The second signal generating circuit generates a second signal according to the first signal. The PWM circuit generates a PWM signal according to the second signal. The switching circuit is electrically connected with the PWM circuit and outputs a control signal to control the rotary speed of the motor. Hence, the fan rotary speed controlling device boosts the accuracy and the stability of the fan rotary speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Inventors: Chung-Hung TANG, Chien-Sheng Lin, Chin-Fa Chiu, Chun-Lung Chiu
  • Patent number: 8169174
    Abstract: In a steering control unit, a U-phase feed line branches into paired branch feed lines, phase-open MOSFETs are provided in middle portions of the branch feed lines, phase-open MOSFETs are provided in middle portions of a V-phase feed line and a W-phase feed line, and the phase-open MOSFETs are arranged in such a manner that parasitic diodes are in the same orientation with respect to a motor. When an abnormality occurs, all the phase-open MOSFETs are turned off. Then, a closed circuit, which includes phase coils and through which electric currents flow, is no longer present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Shibata
  • Publication number: 20120081058
    Abstract: Motor drives and switch driver power systems are presented in which high frequency AC current (IHF) is provided through one or more cables (202) magnetically coupled with local driver current transformers (240), and the transformer secondary currents are converted to provide DC power to switch drivers of an active power converter stage (110a, 110b) in the motor drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC
    Inventors: Angelo Bortolus, Bin Wu, Zhongyuan Cheng, Jahangir Afsharian, Navid Zargari, Vijay Khatri
  • Publication number: 20120068654
    Abstract: The present invention includes techniques for configuring an electric drive module designed for various multi-axis drive system configurations. Embodiments include techniques for integrating a three phase dual converter with a diode bridge and drive controller within a single drive module. Further integrating the diode bridge directly within the drive module may result in an integrated, modular building block for multiple electric drive system configurations. In some embodiments, multiple electric drive modules are connected by a DC bus to form a system configured for higher energy efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Craig R. Winterhalter
  • Publication number: 20120068655
    Abstract: A motor drive system includes: a three-phase motor; a power conversion device that supplies power for driving the three-phase motor; and an output filter that is arranged between an output of the power conversion device and the three-phase motor and has a configuration in which a setting value of a filter resonance frequency is selectable and changeable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Aiko Inuduka, Tsuyoshi Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20120056570
    Abstract: A method for collecting operational parameters of a motor may include controlling the energization of a phase winding of the motor to establish an operating point, monitoring operational parameters of the motor that characterize a relationship between the energization control applied to the motor's phase winding and the motor's response to this control, and collecting information of the operational parameters for the operating point that characterizes the relationship between the applied energization control and the motor's response. The collected information characterizing the relationship between the applied energization control and the motor's response may be employed by a neural network to estimate the regions of operation of the motor. And a system for controlling the operation of motor may employ this information, the neural network, or both to regulate the energization of a motor's phase winding during a phase cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Allen Hudson, Nimal Lobo, Krishnan Ramu
  • Publication number: 20120049778
    Abstract: A power converting apparatus includes a timing signal generator and a phase determination signal generator provided in an ON/OFF signal generating unit as well as a detected current correction unit. On the basis of timing signals ts1, . . . and phase determination signals ph1, . . . , the power converting apparatus determines detected current values and phases of the detected current values fed from a DC bus current sensor at timings set in accordance with the timing signals and corrects the detected current values idc1, . . . for the individual phases obtained at the individual timings during PWM cycles to represent values which would be obtained at reference timing t0 to thereby reduce errors caused by differences in the current detecting timings for the individual phases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kojima, Yoshihiko Kinpara
  • Publication number: 20120051444
    Abstract: A system for independent control of electric motors and electric lights includes a plurality of two-wire wallstations coupled in series via power wires between an alternating-current (AC) source and a light/motor control unit. The light/motor control unit is preferably located in the same enclosure as an electric motor and an electric light and has two outputs for independent control of the motor and the light. The light/motor control unit and the wallstations each include a controller and a communication circuit that is coupled to the power wiring via a communication transformer and communicate with each other using a loop current carrier technique. The light/motor control unit and the wallstations utilize pseudo random orthogonal codes and a median filter in the communication process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventors: James P. Steiner, Aaron Dobbins, Edward J. Blair
  • Publication number: 20120037616
    Abstract: A power inverter (1) is provided with a full-bridge circuit (10), a shunt capacitor (CP), and a control circuit (20). The control circuit (20) controls the on/off state of each reverse-conductive semiconductor switch (SW1 to SW4) at a switching frequency of not more than the resonance frequency determined by the capacitance of the shunt capacitor (CP) and the inductance of an inductive load (LD) in such a matter than when a first reverse-conductive semiconductor switch (SW1) and a fourth reverse-conductive semiconductor switch (SW4) are in the on-state, a second reverse-conductive semiconductor switch (SW2) and a third reverse-conductive semiconductor switch (SW3) are brought into the off-state, and that when the first reverse-conductive semiconductor switch (SW1) and the fourth reverse-conductive semiconductor switch (SW4) are in the off-state, the second reverse-conductive semiconductor switch (SW2) and the third reverse-conductive semiconductor switch (SW3) are brought into the on-state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: MERSTech INC.
    Inventors: Tadayuki Kitahara, Shiro Fukuda, Ryuichi Shimada, Takanori Isobe
  • Publication number: 20120026761
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an adaptive current limiter includes a sense element, a current pass element, and a controller. The sense element includes a first sense terminal coupled to a power supply terminal and a second sense terminal. The sense element generates a sense voltage in response to a feedback current. The current pass element includes a first terminal for receiving the feedback current, a second terminal coupled to the second sense terminal, and a control terminal. The controller is coupled to the sense element and to the control terminal for adjusting the feedback current conducted by the current pass element based on the sense voltage and a time-varying voltage signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventor: James Roy Young
  • Patent number: 8106622
    Abstract: A control system aims at converting, via a switching circuit, a direct current voltage into an alternating current voltage to be applied to multiphase windings of a multiphase rotary machine to thereby control rotation of the multiphase rotary machine. In the control system, a command voltage determiner determines a command voltage value for an alternating current voltage to be applied to the multiphase windings based on a zero crossing of a line-to-line current and a zero crossing of the amount of change in the line-to-line current. A driving unit drives the switching circuit on and off based on the determined command voltage value to thereby modulate the direct current voltage to the alternating current voltage to be applied to the multiphase windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuaki Aoki, Hideji Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20120019184
    Abstract: A power-saving driving device is provided for a same load pattern device 23 that is driven by a motor 21 receiving electric power from an inverter 19 and repeatedly operated in a same load pattern. The power-saving driving device includes: an electric power amount calculator 81 that calculates an electric power amount W received by the inverter in the same load pattern; and a parameter selection and command device 83 that makes a parameter of the inverter change to a plurality of values, compares the received electric power amounts corresponding to the values of the parameter, selects the parameter value minimizing the received electric power amount and issues the selected value as a command to the inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: IHI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Motonao Niizuma
  • Patent number: 8072171
    Abstract: A method of controlling a current of a three-phase electric motor with a three-phase controller. The firing angles are adjusted so as to leave a range of firing angles in which DC components appear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: ABB AB
    Inventors: Daniel Kling, Gunnar Johansson
  • Patent number: 8063601
    Abstract: A motor driving circuit for adjusting speed of the motor by changing output voltage is disclosed. One end of the motor is coupled to a variable voltage source. The motor driving circuit includes a motor-driving unit, a control unit and a determining unit. The motor-driving unit includes a first end coupled to another end of the motor, a second end coupled to a ground and a third end, and is utilized for driving the motor. The control unit is utilized for controlling the voltage between the first end and the third end of the motor-driving unit. The determining unit is coupled between the variable voltage source and the control unit, and is utilized for controlling the control unit to adjust the voltage between the first end and the third end of the motor-driving unit according to magnitude of the voltage of the variable voltage source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Anpec Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Ke-Min Chen, Ching-Sheng Li, Kun-Min Chen, Shen-Min Lo, Ching-Shan Lu
  • Patent number: 8058832
    Abstract: A motor driving circuit includes a control device, a detection module and a driving module. The control device is controlled by a control signal and is coupled to a motor. The control device includes a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, wherein a driving current flowing through the motor flows through the first terminal and the second terminal. The detection module is used for detecting a voltage of the first terminal. The driving module is used for generating the control signal to control the driving current, wherein the detection module adjusts the driving capability of the driving module, thereby adjusting a slew rate of the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Leadtrend Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Ching-Tsan Lee
  • Patent number: 8040093
    Abstract: A motor controller for an axial-gap motor permits a reduced size of the entire system of including a drive circuit and a power source of the motor, reduced cost, and higher reliability to be achieved by controlling the energization mode of the motor. The motor controller has a torque command determiner which inputs a first DC voltage to a first inverter at least either when a rotor is at a halt or when the number of revolutions of the rotor is a predetermined number of revolutions or less, supplies a field axis current for changing the magnetic flux of a field of the rotor to a first stator from the first inverter such that the amount of energization is temporally changed, converts an induced voltage developed in a second stator by the supplied field axis current into a second DC voltage by a second inverter, and outputs the second DC voltage, thereby charging a second battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Atarashi
  • Patent number: 8040094
    Abstract: A circuit for use with a stator winding of a rotating or linear electrical machine, the stator winding having a number of coils linked by the same number of points of common coupling, includes an electronic commutator circuit having the same number of switching stages, each connected between a respective one of the points of common coupling and first and second main dc lines. Each switching stage includes first and second reverse blocking semiconductor power devices. A voltage clamping circuit includes the same number of clamping stages, each connected between a respective one of the points of common coupling and first and second auxiliary dc lines. Each clamping stage includes first and second diodes and first and second capacitors common to the various clamping stages. A dc to dc converter selectively discharges the first and second capacitors to the first and second main dc lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Converteam Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Allan David Crane, David Nicholas Lee
  • Publication number: 20110221374
    Abstract: A discharge control device in an electric power conversion system mounted to a motor vehicle turns off a relay in order to instruct an electric power conversion circuit to supply a reactive current into a motor generator, and thereby to decrease a capacitor voltage to a diagnostic voltage. After this process, the discharge control device outputs an emergency discharging instruction signal dis in order to turn on both power switching elements at high voltage side and a low voltage side in the electric power conversion circuit. This makes a short circuit between the electrodes of the capacitor in order to discharge the capacitor, and executes a discharging control to detect whether or not an emergency discharging control is correctly executed and completed. The discharge control device detects whether or not the electric power stored in the capacitor is discharged on the basis of the voltage of a voltage sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsuneo Maebara, Yoshiyuki Hamanaka
  • Publication number: 20110205662
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling an electric motor is provided. A plurality of switches is provided for controlling a direction of current through motor coils of the electric motor. A brushless motor control circuit is connected to each of the plurality of switches. Responsive to a request to adjust one of an angular velocity and an angular acceleration of the electric motor, the plurality of switches are activated to place the motor coils in a predetermined configuration to maximize torque or reduce a total back electromotive force (BEMF) from the motor coils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Allen Keith BATES, Nhan Xuan BUI, Reed Alan HANCOCK, Wayne Isami IMAINO, Daniel James WINARSKI
  • Patent number: 7986116
    Abstract: The apparatus is for controlling a torque of an electric rotating machine at a command torque by supplying command voltages in accordance with the command torque to a power conversion circuit driving the electrical rotating machine. The apparatus includes a detecting function of detecting an input voltage of the power conversion circuit to be power-converted and thereafter applied to the electric rotating machine as a drive voltage, and a control function of setting a command current corresponding to one of two current components in a 2-phase coordinate system of the electric rotating machine in accordance with a command torque directed from outside, and thereafter determining command voltages corresponding to two voltage components of the 2-phase coordinate system on the basis of the command current and the input voltage of the power conversion circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Imura, Tomoya Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7948194
    Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring current for a motor drive including at least high-side and low-side switching transistors includes a driver circuit for driving a gate of the low-side switching transistor. First circuitry measures a drain to source voltage across the low-side switching transistor and generates a voltage output responsive thereto. Second circuitry has a first state of operation that samples the voltage output of the first circuitry when the low-side switching transistor is turned on and has a second state of operation to sample the voltage output of the first circuitry when the low-side switching transistor is turned off. The second circuitry further generates a monitored output current responsive to the sampled voltage output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Ralph Garcia
  • Patent number: 7902783
    Abstract: A combined device for instantaneous control of power transfer between two cores of a direct current network and for powering an alternating current engine. The device includes: an assembly of two three-phase inverters, each including three switching cells connected to the engine, which engine includes three stator windings connected to the two three-phase inverters, and a module for controlling the assembly, which ensures both an adjustable direct current power transfer and enables stabilization of the direct current voltage of one of the two cores if it is not connected, and the control of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignees: Airbus France, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
    Inventors: Loic Raulin, Hubert Piquet, Xavier Roboam, Henri Foch, Jeremi Regnier
  • Publication number: 20110043153
    Abstract: A power saw having a reciprocating blade, including a housing having a handle portion for holding the saw; a variable speed motor in the housing for driving the reciprocating blade; a mechanism configured to move the reciprocating blade in a non-linear path; an electronic controller for controlling the operation of the motor; a trigger switch configured to provide an electrical signal to the controller that is proportional to the amount of travel that the switch is moved, wherein the signal causes the controller to operate the motor through a range of operating speeds; and a mode switch operatively connected to the controller and including a first mode providing normal operating speeds responsive to the trigger switch being selectively moved through its range of travel, and a second mode wherein the operating speeds are within the range of about 50% to about 80% of the normal operating speeds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicants: CREDO TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Stephen C. Oberheim
  • Publication number: 20110031905
    Abstract: System and method for operating a motor using a single general purpose input/output (GPIO) pin of a controller. In one embodiment, a control circuit may include a first terminal coupled to a GPIO pin of a controller. The first terminal can be configured to receive, and output, at least one or more signals. The control circuit may include a plurality of elements coupled to the first terminal, and motor driver circuit output terminal, such that the control circuit may be configured to output one more control signals to the motor driver circuit output terminal for control the motor driver circuit. Motor driver control signals may be based, at least in part, on one or more signals received from the first terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: Zoran Corporation
    Inventors: Gaile Lin, Guoquan Li, Hong Guan
  • Publication number: 20110006718
    Abstract: There is provided an inverter device that is small in size and has high durability against long-term use with vibration. A power substrate 20 is placed at a bottom portion of a box-shaped module case 11, and a control substrate 30 forms a lid of an opening in the module case 11, and thus an inverter device 10 of the present invention is modularized, thereby reducing a height of the inverter device 10. In the inverter device 10, a capacitor 22 is provided between the power substrate 20 and the control substrate 30, and the capacitor 22 is covered with a resin mold layer 12 and fixed in the module case 11. The capacitor 22 is fixed in the module case 11 by the resin mold layer 12, which provides higher durability against vibration than that by conventional fastening with a screw.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazunori Teshima, Koji Toyama, Koji Nakano, Hidetaka Sato
  • Patent number: 7859210
    Abstract: In order to prevent a short circuit of top and bottom arms of a motor driving IC when noise is added to six control signals for controlling six switching elements, there is provided a semiconductor device for driving a motor, being sealed with resin as one package and comprising: six switching elements for driving a three-phase motor; three output terminals for outputting voltages to the three-phase motor; at least one driving circuit for driving the six switching elements; three control signal input terminals; and a function) of generating six control signals for control of the six switching elements based on three control signals inputted through the three control signal input terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Information & Control Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Sakurai, Hiroyuki Hasegawa, Tomoyuki Utsumi, Shoichi Ohozeki, Daisuke Maeda, Mitsuhiro Mishima
  • Publication number: 20100308764
    Abstract: A motor controller comprises a processor selectively outputting an on-signal to either one of an upper arm switching element and a lower arm switching element based upon a detected position by the position sensor, gate drivers inputting a driving voltage to the gates of the switching elements by shifting a level of the on-signal from the processor to the upper arm switching element and a bootstrap capacitor configured to be charged while the upper arm switching element is turned off and to behave as a voltage supply for the gate driver while the upper arm switching element is turned on. The processor is configured to reduce a set duty ratio when the set duty ratio is equal to or larger than a predetermined value (e.g. 80 percents) and a rotational position of the motor does not change for a first predetermined time. This motor controller can prevent the switching element from a burnout even if the motor is locked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jiro Suzuki, Takuya Kusakawa
  • Publication number: 20100301784
    Abstract: In a power conversion circuit operating with high frequency, an off-voltage control circuit 101u of a lower-arm gate drive circuit 24u controls the output voltage of a gate drive power supply 103u to change the output voltage to a voltage lower than a predetermined off voltage during a time period from termination of turn-off operation of a lower arm 22u until start of turn-on operation of an upper arm 21u, and thereafter return the output voltage to the predetermined off voltage immediately after termination of the turn-on operation of the upper arm 21u. With this control, short-circuiting through the upper and lower arms occurring due to a high voltage change dv/dt can be avoided, and the life of a switching element constituting the power conversion circuit improves, increasing the reliability of the power conversion circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Inventors: Masaki Tagome, Makoto Kitabatake, Shun Kazama
  • Patent number: 7834574
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a phase current sampling apparatus (300, 600, FIGS. 3, 6), an electric motor drive system (100, FIG. 1), and a motor vehicle (1200, FIG. 12) include switching circuitry adapted to receive first and second phase current waveforms. The switching circuitry provides the first phase current waveform during at least two offset sampling instants, and provides the second phase current waveform during a reference sampling instant. An analog-to-digital converter is adapted to sample the first phase current waveform at the offset sampling instants, and to sample the second phase current waveform at the reference sampling instant. An embodiment of a method for regulating phase current waveforms includes an analog-to-digital converter generating samples of a first phase current waveform at sampling instants that occur before and after a reference sampling instant, and generating a sample of a second phase current waveform at the reference sampling instant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen T. West, Brian A. Welchko, Steven E. Schulz, Silva Hiti
  • Patent number: 7830642
    Abstract: A disc apparatus which can judge accurately whether or not a spindle motor is at fault due to a short circuit is provided. A disc apparatus (1) includes a spindle motor (3) which rotates a disc (2), a differential operational amplifier (5) which successively detects output voltages of the spindle motor (3), and a failure judgment unit (10) which calculates an average voltage of the plural output voltages and judges whether or not the spindle motor (3) is at fault in accordance with the average voltage and the output voltages. When counting number of occurrences of a specific state which indicates that one of the two output voltages detected successively is larger than the average voltage and other of the two output voltages is smaller than the average voltage, the failure judgment unit (10) judges that the spindle motor (3) is at fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuki Kajikawa, Futoshi Takeda, Toshiaki Fukui, Kazuhiro Ichikawa, Kazuto Kitagawa
  • Publication number: 20100259136
    Abstract: A plurality of salient poles projecting toward a stator are arranged on a rotor core along the circumferential direction while being spaced apart from each other, and rotor windings are wound around these salient poles. The rotor windings are short-circuited through diodes, respectively; and when currents rectified by the diodes flow through the rotor windings, the salient poles are magnetized to produce a magnet where the magnetic pole is fixed. The width ? of each salient pole in the circumferential direction is smaller than a width corresponding to an electric angle of 180° of the rotor, and the rotor windings are wound around each salient pole by short-pitch winding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA CHUO KENKYUSHO, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Hiramoto, Hideo Nakai, Eiji Yamada, Norimoto Minoshima, Masahiro Seguchi
  • Patent number: 7813089
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20100211241
    Abstract: Motor systems are disclosed that include: a motor component, at least one motor stator module, and at least one binary controller, wherein the binary controller is coupled to the at least one module. In some embodiments, a contemplated motor system also comprises at least one primary motor controller, wherein the primary motor controller is coupled to a vehicle speed component. Methods of using these motor systems and motorized vehicles comprising contemplated motor system are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Johnathan Goodwin, Uli Kruger, Neil Young
  • Publication number: 20100141196
    Abstract: A control system for controlling a plurality of gain values of a driver includes a control device, a driver, a motor, and a plurality of sensors. The control device stores a plurality of gain values for the driver, and a plurality of encoded values. One or more of encoded values is corresponding to each of the plurality of gain values. The plurality of sensors detect a plurality of working parameters of the motor to generating a plurality of induction signals. The control device generates an encoded value according to the plurality of induction signals to select a gain value for the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: FOXNUM TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: HSIN-YEN CHAO
  • Publication number: 20100138045
    Abstract: A motor driving device for driving a motor includes a motor driver, a speed control loop, a current control loop, and an arithmetic selecting module. The motor driver provides a current signal for the motor to output a speed signal. The speed control loop receiving the speed signal and a speed command, includes a first selector and two first arithmetic modules. The current control loop receiving the current signal, includes a second selector and two second arithmetic modules. The arithmetic selecting module outputs a first select command and a second select command to select an arithmetic module of the speed control loop and the current control loop correspondingly. The speed control loop provides a current command for the current control loop and the arithmetic selecting module. The current control loop provides a control signal for the motor driver to adjust the current signal thereby to adjust the speed signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: FOXNUM TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: HSIN-YEN CHAO
  • Patent number: 7710058
    Abstract: A motor drive for an electric motor receives high frequency AC current, and delivers this current through a converter which is operable to change the current delivered downstream to an inverter and an electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignees: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation, Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Gregory I. Rozman, Kevin Dooley
  • Publication number: 20100094483
    Abstract: A control and motor arrangement in accordance with the present invention includes a motor configured to generate a locomotive force for propelling the model train. The control and motor arragement further includes a command control interface configured to receive commands from a command control unit wherein the commands correspond to a desired speed. The control and motor arrangement still further includes a plurality of detectors configured to detect speed information of the motor, and a process control arrangement configured to receive the speed information from the sensors. The process control arrangement is further configured and arranged to generate a plurality of motor control signals based on the speed information for controlling the speed of said motor. The control and motor arrangement yet still further includes a motor control arrangement configured to cause power to be applied to the motor at different times in response to the motor control signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Inventors: Dennis J. Denen, Neil P. Young, Gary L. Moreau, Martin Pierson, Robert Grubba
  • Publication number: 20100090637
    Abstract: A motor speed controller and a method of controller a speed of a motor are provided. The system and method include a motor and a motor controller that monitors operation of the motor based on electromotive force (EMF) conditions of the motor. The motor controller cuts a voltage to the motor, measures an electromotive force (EMF) of the motor at a predetermined time after the cutting of the voltage to the motor, and compares the measured electromotive force (EMF) to a table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: BSH Home Appliances Corporation
    Inventor: George Savitz
  • Publication number: 20100079096
    Abstract: A power electronics device with an improved human interface module (HIM) is provided. More specifically, a motor drive is provided that includes a HIM with a portable memory device that stores the programming configuration of the motor drive. The improved HIM with portable memory enables improved techniques for quickly and efficiently updating the programming configuration of one or several motor drives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Braun, Wanda J. Miller, Calvin C. Steinweg
  • Publication number: 20100079098
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a plurality of different motors used in a corresponding plurality of power tool applications requiring different operational characteristics. In one implementation a method involves the use of a single universal control module to store a generic, non-application-specific control algorithm. The generic, non-application-specific control algorithm has at least one programmable constant. The programmable constant is selected to transform the generic, non-application-specific control algorithm into an application-specific control algorithm. The programmable constant represents a function parameter relating to a specific functionality of a specific, selected motor used in a specific, selected motor application to implement a phase control over the specific, selected motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: BLACK & DECKER INC.
    Inventors: Samuel George Woods, Michael Kenneth Forster, John Charles Vanko, Daniele C. Brotto, Brian Robert Crowell, Jason Kenneth Leh
  • Publication number: 20100079097
    Abstract: A method for controlling the operation of a motor utilizing a generic motor control module. The method includes sampling at least one motor operating criterion during operation of the motor and executing a generic control algorithm at a predetermined periodic interval. Execution of the algorithm provides a firing angle, duty cycle, or other suitable control function solution for an electronic valve for each periodic interval, thereby controlling the behavior of the motor. Additionally, the method includes firing the electronic valve at the calculated timing during each periodic interval such that the motor functions in accordance with desired motor operational parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: BLACK & DECKER INC.
    Inventors: Samuel George Woods, Michael Kenneth Forster, John Charles Vanko, Daniele C. Brotto, Brian Robert Crowell, Jason Kenneth Leh
  • Publication number: 20100060223
    Abstract: A permanent magnet rotating electrical machine capable of conducting a variable speed operation at high output in a wide range from low speed to high speed and improving efficiency and reliability in a wide operating range. Two kinds of permanent magnets having different shapes or different magnetic characteristics are embedded in a rotor core, to form a magnetic pole. The permanent magnets arranged at the magnetic pole include a permanent magnet whose product of coercive force and thickness along a magnetizing direction is small and the permanent magnet whose product of coercive force and thickness along the magnetizing direction is large. A magnetic field created by passing a current to an armature coil for a short time is used to irreversibly magnetize the permanent magnet whose product of coercive force and thickness along magnetizing direction is small, thereby changing a total linkage flux amount, and a positive d-axis current is passed when torque is large.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazuto Sakai, Kazuaki Yuuki
  • Patent number: 7675260
    Abstract: In a motor driving apparatus, a control unit detects a rotation frequency of a motor to be driven and generates a control voltage Vcnt in a manner such that the rotation frequency thereof is brought close to a desired rotation frequency. A clamping circuit sets an upper limit Vcu and a lower limit Vcl of the control voltage Vcnt. A drive unit drives the motor based on the control voltage Vcnt generated by the control unit. A start circuit fixes the control voltage Vcnt to a predetermined initial voltage Vinit at the start of driving the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisashi Sugie
  • Publication number: 20100019700
    Abstract: A hybrid power plant for efficiently propelling a vehicle is described. In particular, an internal combustion motor and a generator capable of producing electrical energy is mechanically coupled to the internal combustion motor. An electrical motor is powered by the generator and a controller is coupled to the generator, providing control of the rate of electricity provided to the electrical motor by the generator. Here the electrical motor facilitates rotation of a wheel of the vehicle and the internal combustion motor is operated at an idle or near-idle speed to provide sufficient energy to be converted into electrical energy by the generator, thereby enabling the electrical motor to propel the vehicle in excess of sixty miles per hour, without engaging the internal combustion motor to the wheel and without drawing energy from the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventor: Edward Wayne Mattson
  • Patent number: 7629756
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for controlling first and second motors. A controller includes a processor supplying a control signal for driving the motors and a logic circuit coupled to the processor. The processor produces a first trigger coordinated with the rate of the first motor and a second trigger coordinated with the rate of the second motor. The logic circuit produces a third trigger from a combination of the first and second triggers. The processor includes a converter for sampling the currents of the motors in response to the third trigger. The processor further produces a modified pulse width in the first trigger if a period between the first and second triggers is less than a predetermined limit and directs the converter to consecutively sample the currents in response to the modified pulse width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Terry Murrell, Daniel L. Kowalewski
  • Patent number: 7615948
    Abstract: A controller for a motor and a control method for a motor change an operating condition of each motor, considering difference in operating conditions, such as loss and temperature, thus making it possible to reduce a total loss in a plurality of motors. The controller includes a first motor operating condition calculator and a second motor operating condition calculator which calculate the estimated values of losses incurred when a first motor and a second motor are driven, and a DC voltage control unit which carries out, on a motor having a largest estimated value of loss, the processing for changing a supply voltage to change the voltage of DC power supplied to inverters by a DC/DC converter, thereby reducing the difference between a phase voltage, which is the resultant vector of the voltages across terminals of the motor, and a target voltage set on the basis of an output voltage of the DC/DC converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Atarashi, Hiroyuki Isegawa, Masaaki Kaizuka, Masanari Fukuchi
  • Patent number: 7612509
    Abstract: A motor controller is provided which can be reduced in the number of the wirings and power semiconductor devices required while maintaining the function equivalent to or higher than that of the motor controller adopting the existing winding changeover scheme, thereby realizing cost and size reduction and life increase. The motor is made in a structure having motor windings opened at both ends. The one end terminals of phase windings are respectively connected to the output terminals of a first inverter circuit while the other end terminals are respectively connected to the output terminals of a second inverter circuit. During power generation, any one of the inverter circuits is driven on all the phases by means of a same control pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Urakabe, Tsunenobu Yamamoto, Yoshihito Asao
  • Publication number: 20090243529
    Abstract: A motor driving circuit includes a control device, a detection module and a driving module. The control device is controlled by a control signal and is coupled to a motor. The control device includes a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, wherein a driving current flowing through the motor flows through the first terminal and the second terminal. The detection module is used for detecting a voltage of the first terminal. The driving module is used for generating the control signal to control the driving current, wherein the detection module adjusts the driving capability of the driving module, thereby adjusting a slew rate of the control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventor: Ching-Tsan Lee