Abstract: A microprocessor controlled motor starter is utilized in which an operator can preprogram within limits the number of starts which a motor can be subjected to in a programmed period of time to thus prevent destruction of the motor by accumulated overheating. Significantly more heat is generated during a start of a motor than during the run mode. The foregoing is accomplished by utilizing memory locations in which accumulated times from a first start are sequentially stored in order. If the time found in the latest memory location is larger than the predetermined maximum allowable time then the start is allowed to take place. If it is less than that time then the start is prevented from taking place and a readout alerts the operator as to how much time must expire before the next allowable start may take place.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining the common frequency w of two independently variable a-c quantities is described. In a rotating-field machine, the flux, for instance, is described by two electrical a-c quantities which together determine the magnitude and direction of the field. The two a-c quantities are variable independently of each other and the instantaneous direction of the field is given by an angle.alpha. according to the relation a.sub.1 /a.sub.2 =cotan.alpha., where a.sub.1 and a.sub.2 are the two a-c quantities. In order to determine the frequency of rotation w=d.alpha./dt of the field from these quantities, the quantities a.sub.1 and a.sub.2 are each fed to smoothing stages and thence to a computing circuit, wherein the quotient (d.sub.1 .multidot.a.sub.2 -d.sub.2 .multidot.a.sub.1)/(d.sub.1 .multidot.a.sub.1 +d.sub.2 .multidot.a.sub.2) proportional to the frequency is formed from a.sub.1 and a.sub.2 and the smoothed quantities d.sub.1 and d.sub.2.

Abstract: A variable speed drive for an AC motor has features to improve the power factor. The system uses a rectifier for converting AC supply voltage into DC voltage on a positive rail and a negative rail. Frequency switches are controlled to alternately connect the rails to the power conductors at a variable rate to define a selected voltage frequency. An amplitude switch is located on one of the rails and controlled to vary the potential between the rails in proportion to the frequency. A current sensor senses the current waveform in one of the conductors and applies it to a phase detector which detects the difference in phase between the current and the voltage. Phase difference pulses are produced which are averaged into an average DC value. The DC value is applied to a demand voltage that controls the amplitude switch to reduce the amplitude to improve power factor.

Abstract: A microprocessor controlled motor starter is utilized in which the short term temperature differential between the rotor bars and the rotor end bells is accounted for by the microprocessor-based system as a function of operator programmed stall time and locked rotor current for the particular rotor in question. The latter information is supplied to the operator by the manufacturer of the motor. The foregoing takes into account a slight deviation between the shutdown temperature, which should be predicted as a function of the manufacturer's data, and the actual shutdown temperature as expressed by an exponential. In the event that the short term temperature differential is exceeded, the microprocessor will enter a TRIP routine causing the motor controller to shut the motor down, thus preventing serious damage to the motor.

Abstract: A hybrid inverter for a slip energy recovery system for a wound rotor motor employs six thyristors (for 3 phase operation) or equivalent devices. Three of these are operated continuously in the inversion mode, the other three being operated from zero degrees to 180 degrees. The result is that a characteristic that is identical to a semi-converter is obtained except in the inversion mode. The hybrid inverter produces zero quadrature current at the full speed of the wound rotor motor and, as desired, zero volts at maximum current and maximum volts at zero current.

Abstract: A current sensing circuit includes an impedance network having a capacitor which produces a voltage proportional to the steady-state component of current and an inductance which produces a voltage proportional to the transient component. The capacitor voltage modulates a carrier signal which conveys the steady-state component through an isolation transformer to a demodulator. The transient component is conveyed through a second isolation transformer and is summed with the demodulated steady-state component.

Abstract: A variable slip drive system for driving a variable speed induction motor. The system includes a tachometer for providing a signal proportional to the speed of the motor and a slip oscillator. The output of the tachometer and slip oscillator are combined by a motor drive oscillator to provide a motor drive signal. The frequency of the motor drive signal equals the tachometer signal, less the frequency of the slip signal. The motor drive signal is converted into a proportional, three-phase, high power signal for powering the motor. The frequency of the slip signal is controlled so as to be proportional to the motor speed as a means of optimizing the motor's performance.

Abstract: An AC motor control method and apparatus therefor, for controlling an AC motor 11 by holding the excitation current I.sub.0 of the AC motor 11 constant and varying primary current I.sub.1 in accordance with a speed deviation .DELTA.n. Stored previously in a memory device 18 are a torque T-slip frequency .omega..sub.s characteristic, a slip frequency .omega..sub.s -primary current vector I.sub.1 characteristic, and a slip frequency .omega..sub.s and phase .phi..sub.1 characteristic which take secondary leakage reactance into account. Slip frequency .omega..sub.s, primary current vector I.sub.1 and phase .phi..sub.1 are read out of the memory device in accordance with the torque command T obtained from the speed deviation .DELTA.n, whereby three-phase current commands i.sub.u, i.sub.v, i.sub.w are produced. Accordingly, torque irregularity is suppressed and an excellent response obtained.

Abstract: Disclosed is a control apparatus for an AC motor which is driven by a power converter constituted by switching elements. A current control circuit turns on/off the switching elements in accordance with a current pattern signal in the form of an AC signal to thereby control the motor current. The current pattern signal is obtained by a current pattern calculating circuit based on a current command signal and a sinusoidal signal which determines the current phase. A current correction signal proportional to the deviation of the motor current from the current command signal is obtained by a current correction control circuit and added to the current command signal to be applied to the current pattern calculating circuit.

Abstract: A control for an A.C. motor operates to feed a high average value of voltage to the motor during a starting period of predetermined duration and to then automatically switch the voltage supplied the motor to a lower average voltage of substantially fixed value. This lower value of average voltage is determined without feedback to the control circuit. The control may be designed for use with single phase or multiple phase motors and for motors of various different power ratings.

Abstract: A control system for a permanent-magnet motor (10) driven by a multiphase line-commutated inverter (12) is provided with integrators (24) for integrating the back EMF of each phase of the motor for use in generating system control signals for an inverter gate logic (30) using a sync and firing angle (.alpha.) control generator (26) connected to the outputs of the integrators. A precision full-wave rectifier (16) provides a speed control feedback signal to a phase-delay rectifier (14) via a gain and loop compensation circuit (20) and to the integrators for adaptive control of the attenuation of low frequencies by the integrators as a function of motor speed, whereby as the motor speed increases, the attenuation of low frequency components by the integrators is increased to offset the gain of the integrators to spurious low frequencies. The .alpha.-control signals are produced by the firing angle control generator by means (48, 50) for combining 120.degree.

Abstract: An induction motor drive apparatus of the type having a speed detector for detecting the rotational speed of an induction motor, speed command device for producing a command speed, and an error amplifier for amplifying a difference between the rotational speed of the induction motor and the command speed, the induction motor being driven by so controlling the amplitude of the primary current as to vary the amplitude of the secondary current in accordance with the difference between the rotational and command speeds. Included are two-phase sinusoidal wave generating device for generating two sinusoidal signals displaced in phase from one another by .pi.

Abstract: An electronic system for controlling the speed of a shaded-pole single-phase induction motor provides increased power during speed increase and automatic braking during slowdown by regulation of half-wave D.C. braking current applied to the motor.Speed control during normal operation, and braking control during slowdown and stopping, are implemented by means of dual feedback loops interactively connected to the gate electrode of a triac in the A.C. current line of the motor. The speed control loop utilizes a frequency/phase detector to adjust the time delay of triac gating relative to the zero crossing points of each half-cycle of A.C. voltage until the tachometer-sensed speed of the motor corresponds to a desired speed set by a voltage controlled oscillator. The braking control loop adjusts the time delay of the triac gating relative to the zero crossing points of every alternate half-cycle of A.C. power thus decelerating the motor by an impressed half-wave pulsed D.C. current.

Abstract: Electric motor control apparatus includes a variable-frequency oscillator 10, a counter 11 clocked by the oscillator, and signal generating means 12 arranged to generate two sinusoidal voltages in quadrature with one another. The two voltages are applied through separate amplifiers 22, 23 to separate stator windings 24, 26, of the motor, the stator windings being 90.degree. apart. Control means includes a bistable circuit 28 producing a signal lagging 45.degree. behind one sinusoidal voltage, and a phase sensitive detector 29 arranged to vary the frequency of the oscillator 10 to maintain a constant phase difference.

Abstract: A variable frequency power supply device supplies an AC power to a squirrel-cage motor through an AC parameter control. The control receives a command active current resulting from a command torque and a command exciting current to generate a resultant current and its phase. The command torque is produced from the actual and command motor speeds and the exciting current is caused from the actual motor speed. The control also receives a command frequency determined by the actual motor frequency and a command slip frequency also resulting from the command torque. The control controls the firing phases of thyristors in the power supply device in response to the command current, phase and frequency. The control may generate a voltage for supplying the active current and an exciting voltage to similarly control the firing phases of the thyristors. In the latter case, the exciting voltage may be added with its differential to compensate for a rapid change in active current.

Abstract: Disclosed is an overload protective circuit for an electric motor which is adaped to monitor and track motor temperature as a function of an operating parameter, namely armature current. The motor's armature current is sensed and converted to a multi-bit digital signal which is used to address a programmable read only memory (PROM) which has been pre-programmed with discrete digital values of temperature for a plurality of armature currents for the motor being protected. The digital address signal for the armature motor current is periodically updated at a relatively rapid rate and depending upon the armature current sensed, multi-bit temperature values are outputted from the PROM to a digital latch which operates a relatively slower rate to output another address back to the PROM so as to predict what the temperature will be at the next time increment based on the present current value and the present temperature.

Abstract: A closed-loop drive system for variable speed induction motors for maintaining a constant slip frequency, regardless of motor speed. A slip frequency oscillator generates a signal having a frequency proportional to the desired slip of the motor and a tachometer generates a signal having a frequency proportional to the actual rotational speed of the motor. The stator frequency is the sum of the rotor speed and the slip frequency during acceleration and the difference between the rotor speed and the slip frequency during braking. Exclusive OR gates are used to add the slip frequency signal either to the tachometer signal or to the stator signal, the outputs of the gates being applied to a digital phase detector. The phase detector drives a voltage controlled oscillator which provides the stator signal. The output of the voltage controlled oscillator is used to trigger the slip frequency oscillator to prevent overlap of pulses to the digital phase detector.

Abstract: For the purpose of controlling the torque of a three phase induction motor a control system suitable to be operated by a computer is provided. A torque instruction, an angle of rotation, a flux angle, the magnitude of rotating magnetic field and suitable constants are used to produce current instructions for respective phases to pass stator current necessary to produce an instructed torque.

Abstract: A motor drive apparatus includes a two-phase synchronous motor having two power windings. The motor is supplied with power from an alternating voltage network through a direct convertor. The converter has two controllable converter bridges that are supplied with power by the network. Each power winding of the motor is connected between a DC terminal of one bridge and a DC terminal of the other bridge. The power windings have center taps that are connected.

Abstract: The speed of an induction motor fed from a frequency converter is controlled by controlling the primary current by a primary current vector. To this end, a digital quantity corresponding to the slip frequency is sequentially added at a predetermined interval, and a digital quantity proportional to the angle of rotation is added to obtain a sum value. Then the primary current vector is computed from the sum value and a current component which influences only the torque to control the frequency converter. The method is suitable to be carried out with a microcomputer.

Abstract: A standard three phase induction motor starts with all three of its input connections connected to the three phase power line. Two of these connections are through triacs which remain continously conducting below said motor's particular most energy-efficient speed, which is above about 95% of synchronous speed. This assures full starting torque and undiminished overload handling capability. The triacs, in response to a control signal, may open the circuits over a sufficiently wide portion of the sine wave input voltage to substantially maintain said particular efficient speed under all rated load conditions. To assure smooth operation and maximum energy savings, the two triacs conduct differently at very light motor loads. The DC control voltage which determines the operation of the triacs is generated by a frequency discriminator circuit which receives its information from a load detecting device that is frequency modulated by load/speed related properties inherent to induction motors.

Abstract: A synchronous motor having multi-phase armature windings and a field winding is drived by a frequency converter. Actual torque is determined from a sinusoidal position signal representative of rotational position of the synchronous motor and the armature current. The actual torque value is compared with a command torque signal, whereby the armature current is controlled in dependence on difference or deviation resulting from the comparison thereby to cancel the torque ripple. Torque ripple can thus be suppressed to a satisfactory degree even at a low rotation speed of the synchronous motor.

Abstract: Equipment for the electronic speed control of an induction-type motor such as the drive motor for a tape recorder, comprises a tachogenerator fixed to the shaft of the motor and operating a pulse generator that has two outputs. A saw-tooth generator has two inputs and one output, one of the inputs of the saw-tooth generator being a start input and the other being a control input. The start input is coupled to the pulse generator, as is also the control input. The latter output of the pulse generator is connected to the control input of the saw-tooth generator and also to the control input of at least one sampling stage. The output of the saw-tooth generator is connected to a dc amplifier, which is in turn connected to the signal input of the sampling stage. The output of the sampling stage is connected to a grounded capacitor and also the the control input of the driver stage.

Abstract: An AC feeding apparatus which comprises a plurality of series solid state switch groups connected in parallel and with each series solid state switch group comprising N solid state switches connected in series. AC windings are provided for n(n.gtoreq.1) phase and m(m.gtoreq.2) independent groups of the windings are respectively connected to corresponding contacts of series connections of the solid state switches of the series switch groups. In the AC feeding apparatus, N solid state switches in each group and m groups of windings have the relation of 2m.gtoreq.N.gtoreq.(m+1) and at least two groups among m groups of the AC windings are excited with each phase difference of .DELTA..theta.(.noteq..pi.) in the turn-on control of the solid state switches. The AC feeding apparatus can be adapted for use in a rotating field generator, a commutator motor or an AC motor apparatus.

Abstract: A variable speed motor control system for controlling the vertical speed of a hoist. An electro-mechanical brake means locks the hoist load in place when the system is off or when the motor speed is set at a zero speed setting. A quick response circuit is connected into the system for a predetermined time duration after the system is switched from a zero speed to any speed setting (high or low speed), to enable the motor to quickly gain control over the load and prevent the load from slipping as the motor accelerates to the set speed after the brake is released. An initial delay timer is turned on when electrical power is first connected into the system, to prevent transfer of electrical power to the motor and to prevent release of the brake, for a predetermined period of time. A hoist (up-down) electro-mechanical contactor connects electrical power from a source to a thyristor static switch.

Abstract: A standard, unmodified AC induction motor has its stator winding energized from a sine wave power source through a signal-responsive wave modifier operative to control the portion of each cycle of the swine wave which is coupled from said source to the stator winding. Load detecting means, comprising a comparatively small AC generator coupled to the rotor of the motor, produces a control signal, varying with variations in the load on the motor, for controlling the wave modifier to increase the field density of the stator winding with increases in load on the motor, and to decrease the field density of the stator winding with decreases in said load.

Abstract: A power converter control system for use with a power converter of the type which comprises a plurality of cascade-connected converter units of which at least one converter unit is subjected to continuous control of its conduction phase angle and the remaining converter units are subjected to on-off control of their conductivity is arranged to include a master controller for instructing the number of the converter units to be rendered operative, a reversible counter operative to change its content in response to a phase controlling command applied to the continuously controlled converter unit indicating a maximum or minimum conduction phase angle or delayed phase angle in conduction, a unit change control unit for producing unit changing operation signals to be applied to the respective converter units for controlling the operation of the same, by using one of the binary bits derived from the counter without modification and decoding the remaining bits, and a comparing and identifying circuit which compares t