Patent · US Active

Fault tolerant motor driver

US12184215B1 · kind B1 · utility

0Cited by
3References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 22, 2022
Grant dateDec 31, 2024
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 7, 2042

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH02K11/33
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Described are systems and methods for providing fault tolerant drivers for electric motors. Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a single power electronics unit and/or ESC that is configured to drive more than one electric motor. According to exemplary embodiments, each power electronics unit and/or ESC may be connected to more than one electric motor (e.g., three electric motors, etc.) and each power electronics unit and/or ESC may be configured to drive and/or control a single phase of multiple electric motors. This can facilitate two-phase mode operation in the event of a faulty power electronics unit and/or ESC, thereby facilitating continued operation of the affected electric motors. Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can also provide alternate modes of operation for the electric motors that are operating in two-phase mode to mitigate thermal stresses that may be experienced by the power electronics and/or the electric motors during two-phase operation.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.