Patent · US Expired

Automatic motor testing method and apparatus

US5218860A · kind A · utility

14Cited by
4References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 25, 1991
Grant dateJun 15, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 25, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01L5/26
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus for testing the starting torque of electric motors includes attaching a flywheel of known diameter and weight to the motor's shaft along with an incremental encoder and measuring the amount of shaft rotation during known time intervals. A counter receives the output pulses from the encoder and a data latch captures the value of the counter at regular time intervals, such as once or twice during a cycle of an alternating current power line or upon zero crossing of the current to the motor. The count for each interval is retained in computer memory and later compared with a previous count to indicate changes in RPM from one interval to another. The change in RPM is a function of torque and can be plotted against motor speed, which is also calculated from the encoder output.

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