Motor Protective Condition Responsive Circuits Patents (Class 361/23)
  • Patent number: 8520346
    Abstract: An abnormality detection circuit monitors the sink current Irnf of a H-bridge circuit and determines the presence of an abnormal state if the sink current is not detected for a predetermined time. The abnormality detection circuit includes a clock pulse generator, a counter and a NMOS transistor. The abnormality detection circuit includes a clock pulse generator arranged to generate a clock pulse of a predetermined frequency, and a counter arranged so that a count value is incremented every time the clock pulse is provided to the counter and arranged so that the count value is reset when the sink current is detected. The counter generates a first abnormality detection signal that changes from a normal logic level to an abnormal logic level when the count value reaches a predetermined value without being reset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Motohiro Ando
  • Patent number: 8503180
    Abstract: As applications of variable frequency drives (VFD) (50) continue to grow so do challenges to provide VFD (50) systems meeting application specific requirements. For multiple reasons to include safety standards and electromagnetic interference, reduced ground leakage current is desirable. Building high output voltage VFDs (50) using transistors rated at voltages lower than the VFD output voltage is desireable for economic reasons. The apparatus and method described herein meet these challenges and others, in part by placing an electrically insulating plate (cp176) having high thermal conductivity, a low dielectric constant, and high dielectric strength between the heat sink plate of a VFD power semiconductor module and a grounded cooling plate (80 TE).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: SMC Electrical Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Geraldo Nojima
  • Patent number: 8493012
    Abstract: A protection relay for an electrical switching apparatus for a load includes a number of voltage sensors structured to sense voltage applied to the load, a number of current sensors structured to sense current flowing to the load, and a processor cooperating with the number of voltage sensors and the number of current sensors. The processor determines a fault current available at the load. An output cooperates with the processor. The output is structured to output the determined fault current and a number of: incident energy at the electrical switching apparatus, and a personal protective equipment level operatively associated with the electrical switching apparatus. The processor determines from the determined fault current the number of: the incident energy at the electrical switching apparatus, and the personal protective equipment level operatively associated with the electrical switching apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Joe M. Kellis, Lawrence B. Farr
  • Publication number: 20130176648
    Abstract: A method of protecting a synchronous machine (10) connected to an electricity network (12) against pole-slip comprises the steps of continuously monitoring a power transfer angle (?) between an electromotive force (EMF) of the machine and a reference voltage Vref. In the event of a fault (24) on the electricity network which may result in pole-slip of the machine (10), deriving a representation of power transfer (P) relating to the machine against the power transfer angle (?) utilizing data relating to a value of a current or a voltage measured on a terminal (26) of the machine before the fault has occurred and computed data relating to an expected future value of a current or voltage on the terminal (26), after the fault has occurred. The method then utilizes the representation and a stability criterion to predict whether the machine (10) may become unstable and if instability is predicted, causes the machine (10) to be disconnected at 32 or 34 from the electricity network (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: North-West University
    Inventors: Jan Abraham De Kock, Lafras Lamont
  • Publication number: 20130155552
    Abstract: A motor drive device according to the present invention includes a motor having a rotor and a drive coil, a rotor position detector, a speed detector that converts position information into speed information, a direction detector that converts the position information into rotating direction information, and a drive unit that drives the motor. When any one of a case where a pulse of a rotor position detector signal is not inputted to the speed detector and another case where a change of rotating direction of the motor is detected by the direction detector in a state in which the rotor repeats a forward rotation and a backward rotation in a condition of the rotor is locked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Sugiura, Hirokazu Yamasaki, Yasushi Kato, Toshiki Tsubouchi, Tomoya Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 8467159
    Abstract: Disclosed is a relay control apparatus and method for electric drive vehicles. The apparatus controls turn-off of a relay operative to connect an electric drive unit with a battery pack for supplying electrical power to the electric drive unit, and comprises a current sensor for measuring and outputting a residual current flowing between the battery pack and the electric drive unit; and a controller for, in a situation requiring turn-off of the relay, receiving the measured residual current value, comparing the measured residual current value with a reference value for the residual current, and controlling to maintain the ON-state of the relay or to turn off the relay on the basis of the comparison results. Accordingly, it prevents a relay of electric drive vehicles from being damaged due to over-current such as a surge current, at the time of turning off the relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: LG Chem., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang-Gi Jung, Ju-Young Kim, Jung-Soo Kang, Cheol-Taek Kim, Do-Youn Kim
  • Patent number: 8461845
    Abstract: A method for detecting the state of at least one element of a circuit comprising one or several loads, powered by an A.C. voltage and in series with at least one first switch. The state of the element is obtained by analyzing, at several times in a period of the A.C. voltage, the amplitude of a current sampled from the junction point of the load and of the first switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Tours) SAS
    Inventors: Ghafour Benabdelaziz, Pascal Paillet
  • Patent number: 8462470
    Abstract: An automatic power-off and actuation circuit for a fan comprises a drive unit, a detection unit, a voltage-modulating unit, a comparison unit, an auto-restart unit, a regulation unit and a controlled IC, wherein the detection unit is electrically connected to the drive unit, the voltage-modulating unit is electrically connected to the detection unit, the comparison unit is electrically connected to the voltage-modulating unit, the auto-restart unit is electrically connected to the comparison unit, the regulation unit is electrically connected to the auto-restart unit and the drive unit, and the controlled IC is electrically connected to the regulation unit and the drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: ADDA Corp.
    Inventors: Ching-Cheng Ma, Ting-Cheng Lan
  • Patent number: 8461787
    Abstract: An electrical full bridge circuit configuration having a bridge circuit, in the bridge branches of which electrical switch elements are situated, and having at least one bridge cross branch for connecting an electric motor that is switchable in its direction of rotation, in particular in an electrical system of a motor vehicle, and having a protective switch element for protecting against inadmissibly high electrical currents, in particular short circuit currents. For this purpose, the switch elements are provided as formed from switch contact elements of at least one relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Roman Gronbach
  • Patent number: 8447426
    Abstract: An installation includes a machine (2) for packaging products (8) and of a robotic palleting station, both arranged in a same enclosure (1) that is provided with a door (7) that offers access to the palleting station. The installation includes a device which limits the range of movement of the robot (15) in the closed enclosure (1) in order to concentrate the displacements of its gripping head (17) in a restricted space which does not overlap with a safety space, which is defined according to a minimum distance measured from the immaterial barrier located in the enclosure in the vicinity of the door (7). The limiting device includes an electric cam that limits, under the control of the steering control of the robot, the amplitude of the movement of the robot (15) around its main axis and reduces its movement speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Sidel Participations
    Inventors: Didier Mougin, Christophe Alix
  • Patent number: 8432648
    Abstract: A discharge device for a vehicle includes a discharging circuit that connects a second capacitor and a discharging resistor in parallel through activation of a forced connection device. When a collision of the vehicle is detected, the discharge device forcibly stops electricity supply from the storage battery to the electric circuit including the second capacitor, and activates the forced connection device to forcibly discharge the second capacitor. A pair of connecting terminals of the forced connection device are arranged to be pressed against each other with an insulating member disposed therebetween. The forced connection device includes a gas generator for generating combustion gas directed to the insulating member. When an abnormality is detected, the forced connection device short-circuits the connecting terminals with each other through activation of the gas generator. The second capacitor and the discharge device are provided integrally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignees: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd., Toyoda Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takaki Fukuyama, Shigeyuki Suzuki, Eiji Kitano
  • Publication number: 20130088799
    Abstract: The motor monitoring system of the present disclosure uses several calculated monitoring values to determine a status of a motor and take a predetermined action when a threshold corresponding with the monitoring value is exceeded. The threshold may be calculated by an intelligent electronic device (IED) monitoring the motor. The predetermined action may include further monitoring of the motor. The predetermined action may include monitoring equipment not directly monitored by the IED.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: SCHWEITZER ENGINEERING LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventor: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8415922
    Abstract: To provide a power tool which can supply electric power again from a battery even in a case where the supply of electric power from the battery is stopped by an over-discharge detection means. A power tool 1 includes an FET driving circuit 36 which permits the supply of electric power again to a motor 31 from a battery pack 2 in response to the turning-on of a trigger switch 33 even in the case where the battery pack 2 is placed in an over-discharge state and so the supply of electric power to the motor 31 from the battery pack 2 is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Funabashi, Toshiaki Uchida, Toshihide Sasaki, Eiji Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20130077194
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for detecting a phase current sensor fault in a multi-phase electrical motor. The method comprises, receiving an input torque command T* and measuring a set of feedback signals of the motor including a phase current Ix for each of the phases of the motor, generating direct and quadrature command phase currents Id*, Iq* for the motor corresponding to a value of the input torque command T*, determining a total command current Is=[(Iq*)2+(Id*)2]½, generating a negative sequence current Ineg, where for three phases Ineg=(?)[Ia+(?2)Ib+(?)Ic], where ?=ej2?/3, combining Ineg and Is to provide a normalized negative sequence current Inn=Ineg/Is, comparing the normalized negative sequence current Inn to a predetermined threshold value INN* to determine the presence of a phase current sensor fault, and executing a control action when Inn>INN*.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: S.M. N. HASAN, STEVEN E. SCHULZ, DAVID P. TASKY
  • Patent number: 8405339
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting a rotor fault condition in an AC induction machine is disclosed. The system includes a processor programmed to receive voltage and current data from an AC induction machine, generate a current frequency spectrum from the current data, and identify rotor-fault related harmonics in the current frequency spectrum. The processor is also programmed to calculate a fault severity indicator using the voltage and current data, identified rotor-fault related harmonics, and motor specifications, analyze the fault severity indicator to determine a possibility of rotor fault. The processor generates an alert based on the possibility of rotor fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Pinjia Zhang, Bin Lu, Thomas G. Habetler
  • Patent number: 8400739
    Abstract: There is provided a control system and method related to the use of insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) devices in vehicles. An exemplary control method includes receiving a status signal that indicates a fault condition in the operation of an IGBT device of an affected converter. The exemplary method also includes sending a control signal that turns off all IGBTs of the affected converter. The exemplary method additionally includes receiving a second status signal for each of the IGBTs that indicates whether each of the IGBTs successfully turned off. The exemplary method further includes generating an indication that the fault condition relates to a saturation condition or a power supply being outside a designated range, depending on a duration of the fault signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dimitrios Ioannidis, Bojan Djokanovic
  • Patent number: 8390221
    Abstract: A system for protecting a three-phase electric motor of a compressor, the motor receiving first, second, and third phases from a three-phase power supply, the system including a single-phase line break protector, a first current sensor, and a control module. The single-phase line break protector disconnects the motor from the first phase in response to a temperature being greater than a predetermined temperature threshold. The first current sensor measures a current through the single-phase line break protector. The control module determines a current value based on the measured current, and disconnects the motor from the second and third phases in response to the current value being less than or equal to a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Nagaraj B. Jayanth, Wayne R. Warner
  • Patent number: 8384325
    Abstract: A motor driving circuit receives a control pulse signal pulse-width modulated according to a target rotational speed, and drives a fan motor. A start pulse signal generating unit generates a start pulse signal having a predetermined duty ratio. A driving unit drives the fan motor by pulse width modulation according to the driving pulse signal received from a control unit. When the duty ratio of the control pulse signal is switched from zero to a nonzero value when the fan motor is in the stopped state, the control unit commences the driving operation for the fan motor. The control unit outputs, as the driving pulse signal, the start pulse signal, in a predetermined start period Ts from the commencement of the driving operation. After the start period elapses, the control unit outputs the control pulse signal as the driving pulse signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomofumi Mishima
  • Patent number: 8379358
    Abstract: A motor control circuit 1 for controlling driving of a plurality of motors is provided with a plurality of motor driver circuits 7 and 8 for controlling driving of the plurality of motors 3 and 4, a plurality of excess current detection circuits 39 and 40 each for detecting an excess current flowing through corresponding one of the plurality of motors 3 and 4 to determine which motor driver circuit among the plurality of motor driver circuits 7 and 7 caused the excess current. The motor control circuit further includes a nonvolatile memory 46 configured to receive detection results from the plurality of excess current detection circuits 39 and 40 and store information on which motor driver circuit among the plurality of motor driver circuits 7 and 8 caused the excess current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Takahashi, Hiroshi Inoue, Masatoshi Komada
  • Patent number: 8355817
    Abstract: A robot system including a robot arm driven by a servo motor; and a robot controller controlling an operation of the robot arm. The robot system further comprises a first detection section detecting a rotation amount of the servo motor; a second detection section attached to a tip portion of the robot arm, and detecting a velocity or acceleration of the tip portion of the robot arm; a computation section computing the velocity or acceleration of the tip portion of the robot arm based on values detected by the first detection section, and computing a deviation between this computed velocity or acceleration and the velocity or acceleration detected by the second detection section; and an emergency stop section for bringing the servo motor to an emergency stop when a magnitude of the deviation computed by the computation section is greater than a reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Nihei, Tetsuaki Kato, Takeaki Aramaki, Tomoyuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8354813
    Abstract: A torque limit section that applies limit to a torque instruction value of an electric motor such that a switching elements temperature is restricted to no more than an element upper limiting temperature includes a torque restriction section that finds a torque restriction value for restricting the torque of the electric motor in accordance with the said switching elements temperature; a torque restriction mitigation section that finds a torque restriction mitigation value for mitigating the torque limit value in accordance with the integrated value of the deviation of the element upper limiting temperature and the switching elements temperature; a first subtractor that finds a torque restriction value by subtracting the torque restriction mitigation value from the torque limit value; and a second subtractor that finds a limited torque instruction value obtained by subtracting the torque limit value from the torque instruction value and outputs this to the gate generating section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Ryuta Hasegawa, Ryuichi Morikawa, Toshiharu Oobu
  • Patent number: 8351168
    Abstract: A circuit comprises a switch, a driver circuit, and an open circuit detector. The switch has a first current electrode coupled to a power supply terminal, a second current electrode coupled to supply a current to a load, and a control electrode. The driver circuit has an input for receiving a control signal, and an output coupled to the control electrode of the switch. The open circuit detector has a first terminal coupled to receive a voltage from a bootstrap capacitor, a second terminal coupled to the power supply terminal, and a control terminal coupled to the driver circuit. The open circuit detector detects an open circuit, and in response, provides a signal at the control terminal for causing the driver circuit to open the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Thierry Sicard
  • Patent number: 8350516
    Abstract: A control device controls a switching operation of a switching element such that an AC voltage allowing an AC motor to output torque in accordance with a torque command value is applied to a coil winding of each phase. The control device sets a gate resistance variably between a first pulse voltage at the time of reversal of polarity of the AC voltage and a remaining pulse voltage, in a drive circuit for turning on/off the switching element in response to a switching control signal. By making longer a time period for the first pulse voltage at the time of reversal of polarity to rise, occurrence of partial discharge in a gap between coil windings of respective phases is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeto Takeuchi, Tomotsugu Taira
  • Patent number: 8339142
    Abstract: In an abnormality diagnosing system for first and second current sensors for measuring a current, an obtaining unit obtains at least one pair of measured values of the first and second current sensors. The at least one pair of measured values is measured by the first and second current sensors at a substantially same timing. A diagnosing unit diagnoses whether there is an abnormality in at least one of the first and second current sensors based on a function defining a relationship between the at least one pair of measured values of the first and second current sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Takahumi Oowada
  • Patent number: 8315021
    Abstract: A motor detecting and protecting apparatus electrically connected with a motor. The motor detecting and protecting apparatus includes a detecting unit, an error determining unit, a controlling unit and a driving unit. The detecting unit detects a state of the motor and outputs at least one first detecting signal and at least one second detecting signal to the error determining unit. The error determining unit has a first predetermined value, wherein the error determining unit outputs a warning signal to the controlling unit while a variation value between the first detecting signal and the second detecting signal exceeds the first predetermined value. And the controlling unit will control the motor to stop operating by the driving unit in accordance with the warning signal. And a motor detecting and protecting method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Chia-Pin Wei, Po-Tsun Kuo
  • Publication number: 20120275068
    Abstract: A fault tolerant electrical machine including: a plurality of phases; a detector arranged to detect a fault in at least one of the phases; and a controller arranged to intentionally cause a fault in at least one other of the phases such that the vector sum of the second harmonic power vectors of the remaining phases is zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: John James Anthony Cullen, Stephen Andrew Long
  • Patent number: 8294471
    Abstract: The ultra-high frequency partial discharge array sensor apparatus for a high-voltage power apparatus includes: a sensing unit which detects an electromagnetic wave partial discharge signal generated due to an internal defect of a high-voltage power apparatus and includes a plurality of sensors installed to detect information related to the position where the defect occurs; an anti-surge filter unit which prevents a surge input from the sensing unit; a signal delay time adjusting unit which equally adjusts delay times of signals input from the anti-surge filter unit; a signal switching unit which selectively transmits or blocks signals input from the signal delay time adjusting unit; a connector unit which connects a signal transmitted from the signal switching unit to the outside; and a sensor body which has a receiving space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Korea Electric Power Corporation
    Inventors: Ki-Jun Park, Hyung-Jun Ju, Sun-Geun Goo, Jin-Yul Yoon, Ki-Seon Han
  • Patent number: 8294397
    Abstract: A sensorless starting control method for a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor, comprising a first rotor-positioning step configured to position a rotor in a first position by operating a coil unit in a first excitation state, a second rotor-positioning step configured to operate the coil unit in a second excitation state such that the rotor rotates from the first position to a second position, and an open-looped starting step configured to excite a plurality of coils of the coil unit in sequence so as to drive the rotor to rotate in a predetermined direction, wherein the coil unit generates a back electromotive force (EMF) when the rotor rotates in the predetermined direction. The method further comprises a close-looped operation step configured to control the BLDC motor to attain a predetermined rotational speed via a feedback of the back EMF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Sunonwealth Electronic Machine Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Alex Horng, Chieh-Feng Lee, Tsung-Hsien Yeh
  • Patent number: 8278862
    Abstract: Motor control systems comprise a motor control circuit, a processing circuit operably coupled to the motor control circuit, and a current sensor operably coupled to the processing circuit. The current sensor may be configured to sense a current and to convey a signal to the processing circuitry proportional to an amount of current sensed. The processing circuitry may be configured to sample the signal to obtain a plurality of current values, to store the plurality of current values and to generate an operation profile from the plurality of current values. Folding partitions comprising motor control systems are also disclosed, as well as methods of monitoring an operation of an electric motor and of monitoring for an obstruction of a folding partition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Won-Door Corporation
    Inventors: W. Michael Coleman, Duane O. Hall, E. Carl Goodman, Michael D. George, D. George Field
  • Publication number: 20120243129
    Abstract: Shorting protection for systems having electric machines is provided. A protective device is put in shunt with an electric power system and an electric machine. The protective device is in an open state during normal operation and in a closed state in response to detection of a fault. In the closed state, the protective device forms a short circuit that isolates the electric power system from the electric machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Einar Vaughn Larsen
  • Patent number: 8274768
    Abstract: The inverter device includes an IGBT bridge circuit, a drive block which has an upper arm photocoupler and a lower arm photocoupler, and a control block including a CPU which generates gate signals and supplies them to the photocouplers. The control block includes an upper arm shutdown circuit and lower arm shutdown circuit which individually shutdown the gate signals of the upper arm and lower arm IGBTs in accordance with shutdown signals input from the exterior, and the shutdown circuits carry out a shutdown operation in accordance with the shutdown signals, which have mutually inverted logics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Ueki, Takao Ichihara
  • Patent number: 8270130
    Abstract: An electrical monitoring device for monitoring an electrically powered device is provided. The monitoring device includes a frame for placement onto a conductor of the electrically powered device. A sensor is present for detecting the amount of current passing through the conductor. Also, a display may be provided for indicating to the user parameters of the electrically powered device that are indicative of the current passing through the conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Inventor: Joseph E McMullen
  • Patent number: 8264280
    Abstract: Detection accuracy of a short circuit state in a load driving circuit is improved thereby operation efficiency of a motor may be enhanced. A gate control circuit 25 turns off NMOS transistors Q1 and Q4, turns on an NMOS transistor Q3, and turns on and off an NMOS transistor Q2 intermittently so as to control rotation of a motor 10. A detection circuit 30a detects a voltage Va at a connection node a between the NMOS transistor Q2 and the motor 10 a predetermined time after the NMOS transistor Q2 is turned on. A control circuit 20 turns off the NMOS transistor Q2 so as to cut off a current from a power supply to the motor 10 if the voltage Va at the connection node a is within a range in which the motor 10 is determined to be short-circuited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Koichiro Oku
  • Patent number: 8255200
    Abstract: A power circuit protection and control device simulator emulates in real time identical circuit protection and control functions performed by the actual device being simulated and generates real time simulated operational information concerning at least one of the device or the power circuit. A human-machine interface, such as through a web browser, allows a user to input power circuit operational parameters, such as motor current and load, and device variable circuit protection and control operational parameters, such as trip class, ground fault detection or phase unbalance protection. The simulator displays in real time simulated operational information on the human-machine interface. The simulator may be used to simulate operation of an electronic overload relay and an electric motor controlled by the relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Edward Ingraham, David Otey, Rüdiger W. Hausmann, Elie G. Ghawi
  • Patent number: 8253365
    Abstract: A method for fault diagnosis for a rotor of an electric motor, the electric motor also having a stator, includes the steps of generating, via a processor, a measured motor current for the stator, determining, via the processor, a resolver angle of the rotor, determining, via the processor, a flux angle of the rotor, calculating, via the processor, a transformation angle using the resolver angle and the flux angle, conducting, via the processor, a transformation of the motor current using the transformation angle, and identifying, via the processor, a fault condition based on the transformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Chia-Chou Yeh
  • Patent number: 8248739
    Abstract: An electrical switching apparatus is for another apparatus including a number of insulators, a number of temperature sensors operatively associated with the number of insulators, and a number of conductors operatively associated with the number of insulators. The electrical switching apparatus includes a number of separable contacts, an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts, a number of sensors structured to sense a number of currents flowing through the separable contacts and through the conductors, a processor structured to input the sensed currents from the sensors, and an output. The processor calculates at least one of: (a) a thermal age of the other apparatus from a number of sensed temperatures from the temperature sensors, and (b) the thermal age of the other apparatus from the sensed currents. The output includes the thermal age of the other apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Lawrence B. Farr
  • Patent number: 8228011
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a bi-direction driver IC and a method for bi-directionally driving an object. The method comprises: providing a first and a second integrated circuit (IC) chips, coupled with an object to be driven, wherein each of the first and second IC chips is capable of single-directionally driving the object; providing a reverse current path in each of the first and second IC chips; driving the object in a first direction by the first IC chip, wherein current flows through the reverse current path in the second IC chip; and driving the object in a second direction by the second IC chip, wherein current flows through the reverse current path in the first IC chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Chip Goal Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hui-Yen Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8228012
    Abstract: A controller of a multi-phase electric motor has a drive section having an upper arm switching element and a lower arm switching element for driving the multi-phase electric motor, a single current detection section for detecting a current value of the multi-phase electric motor, a pulse width modulation signal generation section for generating plural pulse width modulation of each phase within one control period based on the current value detected by the current detection section and a carrier signal, and a phase movement section for moving the pulse width modulation signal of a predetermined phase generated by the pulse width modulation signal generation section by gradually changing a movement amount of the phase in one control period, and outputting the resultant pulse width modulation signal to the drive section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Masamitsu Hamasaki, Shinichi Kuratani, Takenobu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8228647
    Abstract: An electrical power diagnostic system includes a system housing, a power saw management system, and a user interface. The system housing is electrically connected with the power unit of the power saw, wherein the system housing includes a control panel provided thereon for allowing a user to adjust an operational parameter through the control panel. The power saw management system includes a control processor mounted within the system housing to electrically communicate with the power saw, wherein the control processor is pre-programmed to manage operational parameters of the power saw and supervise actual operation of the power saw machine and the saw blade in such a manner that when abnormal operating condition of the power saw machine is detected, the control processor is adapted to selectively adjust the operational parameters of the power saw machine for stopping the abnormal operating condition from continuously happening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Inventor: Wy Peron Lee
  • Publication number: 20120182649
    Abstract: A motor drive circuit comprising: a drive circuit configured to supply a drive current to a drive coil of a motor; a control circuit configured to control an operation of the drive circuit; a locking protection circuit configured to control an operation of the control circuit so that the drive circuit stops supplying the drive current to the drive coil, if a rotation signal, indicating rotation of the motor, is not generated during a predetermined time period although the drive circuit is supplying the drive current to the drive coil; and a prohibition circuit configured to prohibit the locking protection circuit from controlling the control circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: ON Semiconductor Trading, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Imai
  • Patent number: 8217616
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignees: HJamilton Sundstrand Corporation, Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Gregory I. Rozman, Kevin Dooley
  • Patent number: 8203814
    Abstract: An electrical switching apparatus includes a plurality of poles each having a Rogowski coil and a conductor passing through an opening thereof, and a processor circuit including a sensor circuit including a plurality of inputs each electrically interconnected with an output of the Rogowski coil of a corresponding pole. The sensor circuit further includes a number of outputs having values each corresponding to current flowing through the conductor, a memory including for each corresponding pole an offset value and a gain correction factor for the sensor circuit, and a gain correction factor for the Rogowski coil, a number of routines, and a processor cooperating with the sensor circuit and the routines to provide for each pole a corrected current value as a function of a corresponding one of the values, the sensor circuit offset value and gain correction factor, and the Rogowski coil gain correction factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Lawrence B. Farr
  • Patent number: 8203292
    Abstract: A controller of a multi-phase electric motor includes a drive section for driving the multi-phase electric motor; a single current detection section for detecting a current value of the multi-phase electric motor; a PWM signal generation section for generating plural PWM signals of each phase within one control period based on the current value detected by the current detection section and a carrier signal; and a phase movement section for moving a phase by a predetermined amount such that frequency in change of the PWM signal of the predetermined phase generated by the PWM signal generation section is included in a non-audible range, and outputting the PWM signal which phase is moved to the drive section; wherein the phase movement section moves the phase by a predetermined amount for all the PWM signals of the predetermined phase within one control period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventor: Masamitsu Hamasaki
  • Patent number: 8199449
    Abstract: A monitoring device for protecting against contact or access to a hybrid vehicle having a plurality of high-voltage components and an electronic control unit connected to a low-voltage vehicle electrical system battery. Power actuators for actuating at least one electric machine are connected to a high-voltage battery by way of a power switch. The high-voltage components are monitored by way of a looped circuit and deactivated if the looped circuit is broken. A sensor that is sensitive to magnetic field changes is disposed in or at a removable contact connection of the electric machine or the electronic control unit. The sensor is connected to the looped circuit. A control component of the electronic control unit activates a discharge unit for discharging an energy storage device upon receiving a sensor signal generated by the sensor when the contact connection is broken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignees: Leoni Bordnetz-Systeme GmbH, Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Kuschnarew, Volker Hartmann, Volker Albert, Matthias Ebert
  • Publication number: 20120140364
    Abstract: A drive force distribution control apparatus in which if a relay output voltage (Vah) detected by relay-output-voltage detecting means (30) is lower than a first threshold, the relay is repeatedly and successively turned on and off multiple times, and then if the relay output voltage (Vah) detected later by the relay-output-voltage detecting means (30) while an engine speed (Er) is higher than a second threshold and an ignition switch (IG) is on is still lower than the first threshold, it is determined that there is an abnormality that keeps the relay stuck open, and then control for switching the drive mode from a four-wheel-drive mode to a two-wheel-drive mode is executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kiyoshige KATO
  • Patent number: 8194367
    Abstract: When an electricity storage unit is being charged or discharged, a control circuit obtains efficiency Efn of a DC/DC converter based on input/output voltage value Vi, input/output current value I and electricity storage unit voltage value Vc detected by an input/output voltage detection circuit, an input/output current detection circuit, and an electricity storage unit voltage detection circuit, respectively. By using temperature T a detected by temperature sensor, when efficiency Efn lies out of predetermined range (from Emin to Emax) according to input/output voltage value Vi, input/output current value I, electricity storage unit voltage value Vc and temperature T, at least any one of an electricity storage unit and the DC/DC converter is determined to be abnormal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Syuji Oshida
  • Patent number: 8189305
    Abstract: An auxiliary power system for an electrical load in a vehicle electrical system includes an auxiliary battery, a thermal transducer in physical contact with the auxiliary battery, a charger circuit for controlling the charging of the battery in response to at least a temperature of the auxiliary battery, and an output power delivery circuit for providing power to an electrical load during normal and emergency conditions. The auxiliary power system is housed in a thermally-conductive enclosure that is in thermal communication with the charger circuit and the power delivered circuit. The power delivery circuit selectively delivers power to the electrical output from both an electrical input terminal and from the battery based on the magnitude of a voltage available on the electrical input terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Inventors: Robert Charles Newman, Jason O Adams
  • Patent number: 8180526
    Abstract: Equipment for vehicle in accordance with the present invention includes: a vehicle-mounted unit which runs with respect to a vehicle body ground on a side of a negative electrode of a battery; an impedance component having an end connected to the vehicle body ground, and another end connected to a circuit ground; a circuit to be controlled which runs with respect to the circuit ground; a control unit which runs with respect to the circuit ground, for controlling the circuit to be controlled and for outputting a communication signal in a digital form which is to be transmitted to the vehicle-mounted unit; and a communication interface circuit which runs with respect to both the vehicle body ground and the circuit ground, for cancelling a potential difference between the vehicle body ground and the circuit ground, and for carrying out bidirectional communications between the vehicle-mounted unit and the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunori Ohtsuka, Takashi Ohsawa
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8164298
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for detecting loss of isolation of a motor, connections, or phase cables while an AC motor is operating. The system includes a power supply that is substantially isolated from the ground or chassis having a power supply voltage, and a power inverter electrically coupled to the power supply. The power inverter is configured to provide AC current from the power supply in an AC phase at an AC terminal, with the phase having current at a fundamental frequency that controls the motor speed. An electric motor is electrically coupled to the AC terminal of the power inverter and has a chassis that is substantially electrically isolated from the AC terminal of the power inverter under normal operating conditions. A processor is configured to control the AC current provided by the power inverter. The processor is configured to receive a first voltage signal related to current flowing through a motor chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad N. Anwar, Bryan M. Ludwig, S.M. N. Hasan, Sean E. Gleason, Bon Ho Bae