Current And Voltage Patents (Class 361/30)
  • Patent number: 12139266
    Abstract: An electrical propulsion system includes an electrical motor configured to drive one or more propellers of the aircraft, a capacitor configured to stabilize a direct current (DC) bus voltage, a first inverter circuit coupled to the capacitor and configured to convert the DC bus voltage to alternate current (AC) voltages to drive a first set of stator windings of the electrical motor, in response to a first pulse width modulation (PWM) vector, and a second inverter circuit coupled to the capacitor and configured to convert the DC bus voltage to AC voltages to drive a second set of stator windings of the electrical motor, in response to a second PWM vector. The first PWM vector and the second PWM vector are substantially equal and opposite vectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2024
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Inventors: Alan Tepe, Stephen Spiteri, Wei Wu, Diederik Marius
  • Patent number: 12090843
    Abstract: A drive control device is applicable to a vehicle including a first motor which drives a first wheel and a second motor which drives a second wheel. The drive control device includes a sensor, a torque setting section, an anomaly detection section, and an information output section. The sensor detects information about the drive control device. The torque setting section sets upper limit values of torques that can be generated by the first motor and the second motor based on the information detected by the sensor. The anomaly detection section detects an anomaly in the drive control device. In response to the anomaly detection section detecting the anomaly, the information output section outputs, to the torque setting section, setting information that sets the upper limit values of the torques of the first motor and the second motor to a common predetermined value, as the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Minoru Ishida, Harumi Horihata
  • Patent number: 11797036
    Abstract: A detection and protection circuit includes: a comparator, six resistors, and two diodes. A first resistor is connected to a second resistor. The second resistor (30) is grounded. A positive input end, a negative input end, a power supply end, a ground end, and an output end of the comparator are connected to a third resistor, a fourth resistor, a power management device power supply pin, the ground, and a main controller. The other end of the third resistor is connected between the first resistor and the second resistor. The other end of the fourth resistor is connected to the first resistor. A first power supply is connected between the fourth resistor and the first resistor. A fifth resistor is connected to a sixth resistor. The sixth resistor (70) is grounded. The other end of the fifth resistor is connected to the main controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: XI'AN ZHONGXING NEW SOFTWARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qian Yang, Jijie Shi
  • Patent number: 11286937
    Abstract: Electrically driven mobile compressor or pump, comprising at least one compressor element or pump element for supplying a pressurised fluid to a network of consumers of such pressurised fluid; an electric drive motor with a variable speed control coupled to the compressor element or pump element and a controller for the variable speed control of the electric drive motor as a function of the flow rate of compressed gas and/or pressure demanded by the network, and a connection for connection of the compressor or pump to an electricity supply source, and the controller is provided with an algorithm with which the electric current drawn from the supply source can be limited to a set or adjustable maximum value by controlling the speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: ATLAS COPCO AIRPOWER, NAAMLOZE VENNOOTSCHAP
    Inventors: Bert Jozef I. Lathouwers, Antoon Stuer
  • Patent number: 11233478
    Abstract: A motor drive unit for driving a motor of a motorized window treatment may comprise software-based and hardware-based implementations of a process for detecting and resolving a stall condition in the motor, where the hardware-based implementation is configured to reduce power delivered to the motor if the software-based implementation has not first reduced the power to the motor. A control circuit may detect a stall condition of the motor, and reduce the power delivered to the motor after a first period of time from first detecting the stall condition. The motor drive unit may comprise a stall prevention circuit configured to reduce the power delivered to the motor after a second period of time (e.g., longer than the first period of time) from determining that a rotational sensing circuit is not generating a sensor signal while the control circuit is generating a drive signal to rotate the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Donald F. Hausman, Jr., Chen Ming Wu
  • Patent number: 11203841
    Abstract: A milling machine, system, and method for implementing an exit cut operation raises a rotor from a state where the rotor contacts ground surface material responsive to a control input at an operator control interface of the milling machine. The rate at which the rotor is raised can increase as the rotor is raised. When the rotor is determined to have reached a top surface of the ground surface material the rotor can be raised at a maximum rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel Doy, Jason W. Muir, Lee M. Hogan
  • Patent number: 11152780
    Abstract: A power conversion circuit having a solid-state circuit breaker integrated therein is disclosed. With a disconnect switch between a utility source and the power conversion apparatus described for meeting UL489, the power conversion circuit includes an input connectable to an AC source, a rectifier circuit connected to the input to convert an AC power input to a DC power, and a DC link coupled to the rectifier circuit to receive the DC power therefrom. The rectifier circuit comprises a plurality of phase legs each including thereon an upper switching unit and a lower switching unit, wherein at least one of the upper and lower switching units on each phase leg comprises a bi-directional switching unit that selectively controls current and withstands voltage in both directions, so as to provide a circuit breaking capability that selectively interrupts current flow through the rectifier circuit, while maintaining original power conversion functionalities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Huaqiang Li, Seth O'Brien, Thomas M. Ruchti
  • Patent number: 11095111
    Abstract: Systems and methods described herein a sensor integrated circuit (IC) is provided having a protection circuit configured to protect circuitry within the IC from a transient pulse on a connection (i.e., power pin) to a power supply that is configured to provide power to the IC. The protection circuit can be disposed in a current path between a power pin of the IC and additional circuitry or nodes within the IC, such as but not limited to, a regulator or a bi-directional current source. The protection circuit includes a reverse blocking device having a first terminal coupled to the power supply at which a predetermined power supply voltage is provided and a second terminal coupled to an input of the regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventor: Sam Tran
  • Patent number: 10981285
    Abstract: An electrically operable clipper has a body portion and a head portion, wherein the head portion includes a movable cutter and a fixed comb. The clipper includes an internally located electric motor operable to move the movable cutter. The clipper further includes an operating switch movable between an off position, an operating position and a reset position, wherein the reset position operates a motor reset module of the clipper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: LISTER SHEARING EQUIPMENT LIMITED
    Inventors: Robin James Howell, David Alexander Pyrah
  • Patent number: 10680439
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a three-phase compensation system, whereby an electric circuit is configured to be connected with three input phases of a power source and to supply three respective output phases, said electric circuit further configured to compensate for one or two malfunctioning input phases of said three input phases by supplying current from a functioning input phase of said three input phases to replace a malfunctioning input phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: PHASOR LTD
    Inventor: Oren Tamir
  • Patent number: 10187001
    Abstract: A motor drive device includes: a converter which converts AC power of an AC power source side to DC power and outputs the same to a DC link; a DC link capacitor; an inverter in which each switching element is controlled based on a switching drive signal supplied, thereby performing power conversion between DC power of the DC link and AC power of a motor side; a DC/DC converter which converts DC power of the DC link to DC power for a control power source; a servo motor control circuit which outputs the switching drive signal; a torque cut-off circuit which cuts off source of each switching drive signal to each switching element, thereby stopping a motor when not receiving a safety signal; and a safety monitor circuit which stops transmission of the safety signal during an abnormality of the torque cut-off circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshikiyo Tanabe, Masaru Kino
  • Patent number: 10027265
    Abstract: An inverter control device and inverter control method are such that, when there is a possibility of induction voltage caused by a multi-phase motor exceeding a breakdown voltage of a switching element of an inverter, two of three phases are first interrupted at an appropriate timing in order to restrict induction voltage when shifting from a three-phase short circuit to an all-phase interruption, after which a shift is made to an all-phase interruption at a timing at which currents of the three phases reach the vicinity of zero, whereby a leap in a direct current bus voltage is restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shingo Harada, Keiichi Enoki, Masutaka Watanabe, Yoshimasa Nishijima, Yasukazu Murata, Michitaka Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9806597
    Abstract: For operating multi-axis drive assemblies more reliably even in a field weakening range, a current conversion device is proposed which includes a voltage-source DC link, a plurality of inverters having each a DC input side connected to the voltage-source DC link and AC output-side terminals for connection to an electric motor, and a control device configured to short-circuit each of the inverters. A measurement device measures an electrical variable at each of the inverters. The control device determines based on the measured electrical variables independently for each of the inverters directly or indirectly whether a particular inverter is feeding energy into the voltage-source DC link, and short-circuits, when this is the case, the particular inverter independently of the other inverters. A corresponding operating method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Bernd Herrmann, Harald Wiessmann
  • Patent number: 9748832
    Abstract: A line-to-ground fault location detector detects, based on a difference between a current flowing from a power transmission circuit to a load circuit, and a current flowing from the load circuit to the power transmission circuit, whether a line-to-ground fault is occurring at a power-transmission-circuit side or a load-circuit side. A contactor controller opens a first contactor when the load circuit detects the occurrence of the line-to-ground fault, and when a line-to-ground fault location detector detects that a location of the line-to-ground fault is at the power-transmission-circuit side, the contactor controller maintains the open state of the first contactor even if an operation to instruct closing of the first contactor is made after the first contactor is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Katsuya Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 9707846
    Abstract: A connection system forms an electric path through which power transmission is performed between an electric vehicle and a power conditioner system. The electric vehicle includes a relay circuit that opens the electric path if a voltage equal to or above a predetermined value is applied between voltage output terminals. The connection system includes a fuse that blows in response to a current input thereto equal to or above a predetermined value and a resistor connected in parallel with the fuse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoaki Suekane, Hiroshi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 9671442
    Abstract: A method for detecting a grid event is provided. The method includes sampling grid voltage and grid current over a fixed period of time; determining grid impedance at one or more frequencies using the sampled grid voltage and the sampled grid current; comparing the grid impedance at the one or more frequencies to a known expected grid impedance at the one or more frequencies; and detecting a grid event based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Gregory Wagoner, Allen Michael Ritter, Mark Eugene Shepard, Talha Irfanul Haque
  • Patent number: 9529031
    Abstract: There is provided a grounding detection device and method. The grounding detection device may include an insulation tester and a grounding resistance providing unit. The insulation tester may be mounted in a first cabinet, electrically connected to a positive busbar and a negative busbar to detect an equivalent busbar-to-ground resistance, and grounded via the first cabinet. The grounding resistance providing unit may be mounted at least in part in a second cabinet different from the first cabinet, electrically connected to at least one of the positive busbar and the negative busbar to provide a grounding resistance, and grounded via the second cabinet. The insulation tester may determine, based on resistance values of the equivalent busbar-to-ground resistance and the grounding resistance, whether there is a ground fault or not for the insulation tester, the first cabinet, and the second cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Emerson Network Power, Energy Systems, North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Tianzhu Zhang, Longwen Hu, Zhiyi You
  • Patent number: 9218009
    Abstract: A circuit includes a current source intended to be series-connected with a load between two terminals of application of a first D.C. voltage. An element limits the voltage across the load and a circuit controls the value of the current in the current source with the current flowing in the element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventor: Philippe Bienvenu
  • Patent number: 9099915
    Abstract: Congruent power and timing signals in a single electronic device. In an embodiment, a circuit may include just one isolation transformer operable to generate a power signal and a timing signal. On the secondary side, two branches may extract both a power signal and a clock signal for use in the circuit on the isolated secondary side. The first branch may be coupled to the transformer and operable to manipulate the signal into a power signal, such as a 5V DC signal. Likewise, the second circuit branch is operable to manipulate the signal into a clock signal, such as a 5 V signal with a frequency of 1 MHz. By extracting both a power supply signal and a clock signal from the same isolation transformer on the secondary side, valuable space may be saved on an integrated circuit device with only having a single winding for a single isolation transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS (SHENZHEN) R&D CO. LTD, STMICROELECTRONICS (CHINA) INVESTMENT CO. LTD
    Inventors: Henry Ge, Welsin Wang, Xing Zhang
  • Patent number: 9035583
    Abstract: The system has a driving circuit for the motor of the electric fan, coupled to the electrical system of a motor vehicle and having a plurality of controlled electronic switches, and an electronic control unit arranged to control the driving circuit in such a way as to cause the flow in the motor of a variable average current capable of producing a required speed of rotation, in accordance with a predetermined relationship or function. The control unit is designed to store a predetermined threshold of rotation speed, and to control the motor through the associated driving circuit in such a way that when the rotational speed of the motor exceeds the threshold the driving circuit causes electrical braking of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: GATE S.R.L.
    Inventors: Davide Cerrato, Pierfranco Pangella
  • Publication number: 20150055258
    Abstract: In various embodiments a circuit arrangement is provided, having a bridge circuit including at least two switches connected in series; a bridge node which may provide a phase voltage arranged between the at least two switches; an electric motor having at least one phase winding coupled with the bridge node; a decoupling switch; a controller, wherein in an error case the controller may be configured to switch off the at least two switches, to determine whether a predefined condition is satisfied, and to one of delayed switching off the decoupling switch; and switching off the at least two switches and the decoupling switch simultaneously, depending upon whether the predefined condition is satisfied; wherein the controller may determine that the predefined condition is satisfied when the decoupling switch may be switched off without damage from the current applied to it when the at least two switches are switched off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Benno KOEPPL, André ROGER, Matthias BOGUS, Philip Georg BROCKERHOFF
  • Patent number: 8964338
    Abstract: A system includes a refrigerant compressor including an electric motor, a current sensor that measures current flow to the electric motor, a switching device configured to close and open to allow and prevent current flow to the electric motor, respectively, a maximum continuous current (MCC) device that includes a resistance corresponding to a maximum continuous current for the electric motor, and a motor protection module. The motor protection module communicates with the MCC device, the current sensor, and the switching device and determines a first MCC value for the electric motor as a function of the resistance of the MCC device. The motor protection module also selectively sets a predetermined MCC to the first MCC and controls the switching device based on a comparison of the current flow to the electric motor and the predetermined MCC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank S. Wallis, Joseph James Rozsnaki
  • Patent number: 8947023
    Abstract: In a memory, the surface temperature and the internal resistance of an assembled battery detected under the condition where a difference between the surface and the internal temperature is within a predetermined value are stored, and an internal temperature diagnosis unit that diagnoses whether or not the internal temperature estimated by an internal temperature estimation unit is correct, detects the internal resistance with an internal resistance calculation unit when the internal temperature estimation unit estimates the internal temperature, searches for an internal resistance corresponding to the surface temperature equal to the estimated internal temperature value from among the stored internal resistances, and diagnoses the estimated internal temperature value based upon the result of comparison of a search result of the internal resistance and the internal resistance detected during internal temperature estimation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Youhei Kawahara, Akihiko Emori, Akihiko Kudo, Atsuo Suga, Masato Isogai, Kenji Kubo
  • Publication number: 20140368956
    Abstract: Improved motor starters and/or overload electronics are presented for industrial automation systems, HVAC systems, pumping systems, and/or similar implementations. Protective devices can be configured to offer substantially automatic control and/or protection for motors without first being manually calibrated, or properly calibrated, for the motor. An overload, motor starter, and/or other motor protection and/or control device can accommodate substantially universal voltage input, true power characteristic sensing for status output/annunciation, integrated damper control, and substantially automated protection and/or trip point selection and/or protective parameter calculation and implementation with reference to startup values and/or system parameters such as full load amperage (FLA), motor classification, motor horse power, monitored current, monitored voltage, and true power characteristics, including power factor values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Andre Pierre Perra, Kent Jeffrey Holce, Scott E. Leonard
  • Patent number: 8896250
    Abstract: A method to avoid a single point of failure in a system that includes at least two monitoring devices, at least two power supplies and a switching device coupled between the monitoring devices and the power supplies. The method includes performing a test that can determine if two monitoring devices are receiving power from the power supply, generating an error code and varying a position of one or more switches in a switching device based on the error code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ramesh Pai Brahmavar
  • Patent number: 8872455
    Abstract: For each phase of a controller, semiconductor switches comprise a high side switch and a low side switch. A direct current voltage bus provides electrical energy to the semiconductor switches. A measuring circuit is adapted to measure the collector-emitter voltage or drain-source voltage for each semiconductor switch of the controller. A data processor determines that a short circuit in a particular semiconductor switch is present if the measured collector-emitter voltage or measured source-drain voltage for the particular semiconductor switch is lower than a minimum threshold and if an observed current associated with the particular semiconductor switch has an opposite polarity from a normal operational polarity. A driver simultaneously activates counterpart switches of like direct current input polarity that are coupled to other phase windings of the electric motor, other than the particular semiconductor switch, to protect the electric motor from potential damage associated with asymmetric current flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Chris J Tremel, Eric Vilar
  • Publication number: 20140111889
    Abstract: A method to avoid a single point of failure in a system that includes at least two monitoring devices, at least two power supplies and a switching device coupled between the monitoring devices and the power supplies. The method includes performing a test that can determine if two monitoring devices are receiving power from the power supply, generating an error code and varying a position of one or more switches in a switching device based on the error code.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ramesh Pai Brahmavar
  • Patent number: 8688301
    Abstract: In a power converter a controller determines that an AC motor is in an abnormal state when a voltage of each phase of the AC motor detected by a voltage detector is in an unbalanced state where the voltage exceeds a predetermined value, and turns an opening/closing unit OFF to prevent damage generated in the AC motor from becoming worse. Moreover, the controller determines abnormality of the opening/closing unit based on a current of each phase detected by a current detector, and the controller performs control to reduce the number of revolutions of the AC motor upon determining that at least one of the AC motor and the opening/closing unit is in an abnormal state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Kitanaka
  • Patent number: 8675321
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for monitoring the continuous flow of power delivered by multiple DC Direct current operated starter motors used to start engine driven electrical generators. The method and system comprise the closing of a starter battery system and an associated starter control switch, causing the starter battery system to discharge through a shunt whereby current is fed into a starter motor. The shunt is optionally provided as a precision resistor with a pre-calibrated voltage drop in millivolts DC proportional to a current passing through it. The shunt directs current to a meter relay, which is calibrated by establishing two set points, or desired trigger ranges, for the meter relay. If the current falls outside a range established by the two set points, then a meter relay alarm output is activated; and, if the current remains within the range, then the meter relay alarm output is not activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Darby Group Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas Fortner
  • Patent number: 8653782
    Abstract: In a motor driving device, a driving switching element is connected in series with a motor between a power source and a ground, and operated by a PWM signal outputted from a control circuit. A return current path forming unit is connected in parallel with the motor to allow a return current when the driving switching element is turned off. A series circuit of a current flow restriction element and a switch is connected in parallel with the return current path forming unit. A disconnection determination unit prohibits output of the PWM signal and closes the switch of the series circuit when a voltage applied to the motor does not fluctuate according to the PWM signal, and determines the disconnection of the motor on condition that the voltage detected in that state indicates a change across a second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hironori Iwamiya
  • Patent number: 8605393
    Abstract: A compressor monitoring system includes current and voltage monitors, current and voltage averaging modules, a control module, and a switch. The current monitor measures a current drawn by a motor of a compressor. The current averaging module generates first and second average current values based on the current measured by the current monitor. The voltage monitor measures a utility power voltage. The voltage averaging module generates first and second average voltage values based on the voltage measured by the voltage monitor. The control module selectively generates a fault signal when a first ratio is greater than a first predetermined threshold and a second ratio is less than a second predetermined threshold. The first ratio is based on the first and second average current values. The second ratio is based on the first and second average voltage values. The switch deactivates the motor when the fault signal is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Nagaraj B. Jayanth, George Ramayya
  • Publication number: 20130293988
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting ground faults in an AC motor drive is disclosed. A fault detection and protection system for an AC motor drive includes current sensors to measure first and second phase output currents, a voltage sensor to measure a DC link voltage, and a desaturation control circuit to determine a voltage and associated current across PWM inverter switches for a third phase of the output. A controller compares the first and second phase currents, the measured DC link voltage, and the voltage across the PWM inverter switches on the third phase, to a plurality of thresholds. The controller detects a ground fault on one of the first, second, and third phases of the three phase output to the AC motor based on the comparisons of the first and the second phase currents, the DC link voltage, and the voltage across the switches to the thresholds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: Huaqiang Li, Yakov Lvovich Familiant
  • Patent number: 8552757
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for detecting a fault in a rotating field machine, in which current components are analysed in a flux-based, particularly rotor-flux-based, coordinate system a flux-forming current component being subjected to a frequency analysis in the flux-based, particularly rotor-flux-based, coordinate system. It is endeavored to provide a simple method for an early detection of faults. For this purpose, a current operating point is detected for at least one predetermined supply frequency (fsp), said operating point being compared to a former operating point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Danfoss Drives A/S
    Inventor: Karl-Peter Simon
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8472154
    Abstract: A leakage current masking device for use with a circuit includes at least one inductive load device coupled to the circuit and configured to supply an inductive load to the circuit, and a processor communicatively coupled to the inductive load device. The processor is configured to receive a signal representative of a current through the circuit, calculate a capacitive leakage current component of the current, and cause the inductive load device to adjust the inductive load supplied to the circuit to reduce the capacitive leakage current component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Cecil Rivers, Jr., Thomas Frederick Papallo, Jr.
  • 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: 8435427
    Abstract: Provided are compositions and materials that have varistor properties and are suitable for use in electrical stress control devices and surge arrestor devices. The compositions and materials include a polymeric material and calcined calcium copper titanate filler material and have a reversible non-linear current-voltage characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Dipankar Ghosh, Kenton D. Budd, Nanayakkara L. D. Somasiri, Ge Jiang, Bradley L. Givot
  • 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: 8412432
    Abstract: A protective circuit arranged on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) has two conductor loops. At least one supply voltage track, at least one semiconductor switch and at least one control component are arranged on the PCB. A first terminal of the control component and a first terminal of the semiconductor switch are connected electrically. A first conductor loop of the protective circuit is arranged on the PCB so that it surrounds an electrically conducting connection between the supply voltage track and the semiconductor switch and/or the control component. A second conductor loop is arranged on the PCB so that it surrounds the electrically conducting connection between the first terminal of the control component and the first terminal of the semiconductor switch, and thereby screens the same from the semiconductor switch and at least from those regions of the control component that are also connected to the supply voltage track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Lucas Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Fuchs, Marco Junglas, Lutz Muders, Benedikt Ohlig
  • 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: 8390965
    Abstract: An over-current protection device for multiple high-voltage motive devices is provided. The over-current protection device includes a comparison module and a logic operation module. The comparison module receives a plurality of voltages generated from a plurality of operating currents of a plurality of high-voltage motive devices and respectively compares the voltages with at least one reference voltage to generate a plurality of comparison results, wherein the high-voltage motive devices are solenoids, electronic clutches, or a combination of solenoids and electronic clutches. The logic operation module receives the comparison results and generates at least one control signal for a plurality of high-voltage motive device driving circuits according to the comparison results. The high-voltage motive device driving circuits respectively drive the high-voltage motive devices according to the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignees: Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company Limited, Kinpo Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Chih-Ming Chang, Ju-Chou Chen
  • 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: 8354809
    Abstract: A pump system. The pump system includes a pump, a motor coupled to the pump, a sensor coupled to a power source, and a controller. The motor operates the pump. The sensor detects an electrical characteristic of the power source. The controller executes a fault check, controls the motor, detects a change in the electrical characteristic, and suspends the execution of the fault check for a predetermined period of time when the detected change in the electrical characteristic is outside of a valid characteristic range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Regal Beloit EPC Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Mehlhorn, Brian T. Branecky
  • Patent number: 8355226
    Abstract: A ground fault sensing device for a drive system that converts direct current electrical power from a direct current power supply into alternating current electrical power and drives an electric motor with that alternating current electrical power, comprises: an extraction circuit that is connected to a power supply line of the direct current power supply via a coupling capacitor, that detects an amplitude wave that is generated when an alternating current side including the electric motor is suffering a ground fault, and that extracts the envelope of the amplitude wave; a measurement circuit that measures the voltage level of the envelope; and a determination circuit that makes a decision as to whether or not a ground fault has occurred on the alternating current side by comparing together the voltage level measured by the measurement circuit and a ground fault decision value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Yoshida, Takao Yanai
  • Publication number: 20130003232
    Abstract: When a short-circuited FET is identified as one of low-side FETs, maximum phase voltages of three phases are detected when a steering operation is performed by a driver, and the detected maximum phase voltages of the three phases are compared with one another to identify a short-circuit phase. On the other hand, when a short-circuited FET is identified as one of high-side FETs, minimum phase voltages of the three phases are detected when a steering operation is performed by the driver, and the detected minimum phase voltages of the three phases are compared with one another to identify a short-circuit phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shigekazu OKUMURA
  • Patent number: 8330295
    Abstract: UPS performance failure is determined independently by itself. Selective tripping can be done within a shorter time than one cycle of an AC output. A UPS converts a DC voltage to an AC voltage and supplies the AC voltage to a load device. A UPS has a control unit identifying a resistance value of an internal resistance as an internal impedance of the UPS by using an instantaneous value of an internal voltage and current and conducting a failure determination by detecting abnormal fluctuation of the value. It is preferred that an identification of the internal impedance is done through a system identification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Komatsuzaki
  • Patent number: 8269451
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes: an inverter that drives an alternating-current motor by converting a direct-current voltage into an alternating-current voltage of an arbitrary frequency; an alternating current disconnecting switching unit connected between the inverter and the alternating-current motor; a current detector that detects an output current of the inverter; and a controller that performs on/off-control of the plural switching elements in the inverter and switching control with respect to the switching unit, based on at least a current detected by the current detector. The controller has a configuration to be able to interrupt a fault current by setting the fault current to a state of generating a current zero point, when the fault current containing a direct-current component is generated between the inverter and the alternating-current motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Kitanaka
  • Publication number: 20120229060
    Abstract: One or more variable configuration controller (VCC) systems may produce various combinations of series or parallel couplings of coils, winding or inductive elements of an electric machine such as a generator and/or electric motor. The VCC systems include a plurality of bridge rectifiers, and a first number of switches operated to selectively couple respective pairs of coils in series from parallel on an AC side of the bridge rectifiers. The bridge rectifiers provide for automatic electrical isolation of coils on occurrence of open circuit, low voltage or short circuit conditions. A second number of switches with different performance characteristics (e.g., speed, loss) than the first number of switches may be coupled in parallel with respective ones of the first number of switches. Power factor correction may be used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: EXRO TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Jonathan Gale Ritchey, Mitchell Gordon Burton, Ryan Biffard
  • Patent number: 8254068
    Abstract: A regulating system includes an input port having a first input terminal and a second input terminal, an output port having a first output terminal and a second output terminal, a regulating circuit, an over-current protection circuit, and an overvoltage protection circuit. The overvoltage protection circuit includes a regulating diode, a first bipolar transistor and a second bipolar transistor. The first output terminal is connected to the base of the first bipolar transistor via the regulating diode and grounded via first bipolar transistor. A base of the second bipolar transistor connects to the collector of the first bipolar transistor. The second output terminal is grounded via the second transistor. When an output voltage of the first output terminal increases over a predetermined voltage, an electrical connection between the second output terminal and ground is cut off to stop providing output voltage from the output port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yong-Zhao Huang
  • Patent number: 8228648
    Abstract: A compressor monitoring system includes current and voltage monitors, current and voltage averaging modules, a control module, and a switch. The current monitor measures a current drawn by a motor of a compressor. The current averaging module generates first and second average current values based on the current measured by the current monitor. The voltage monitor measures a utility power voltage. The voltage averaging module generates first and second average voltage values based on the voltage measured by the voltage monitor. The control module selectively generates a fault signal when a first ratio is greater than a first predetermined threshold and a second ratio is less than a second predetermined threshold. The first ratio is based on the first and second average current values. The second ratio is based on the first and second average voltage values. The switch deactivates the motor when the fault signal is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Nagaraj B. Jayanth, George Ramayya