Patent · US Expired

Switched reluctance motor providing rotor position detection at low speeds without a separate rotor shaft position sensor

US5525887A · kind A · utility

14Cited by
20References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 14, 1995
Grant dateJun 11, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 14, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH02P25/0925
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A switched reluctance motor includes a rotor mounted for rotation about a rotor shaft axis and a stator surrounding the rotor and having at least three electrically independent stator phases. The motor includes an electronic circuit for selectively energizing the phases in succession with a run current to generate a torque on the rotor and thereby rotate the rotor. The circuit includes switch operating means for selectively operating switches connecting an energy source to the phases. The circuit also includes current sensing means for sensing the amount of current in each of the phases, and timing means for determining the amount of time for the current in each phase to reach a predetermined current level threshold. The circuit also includes pulse means for periodically selectively operating the switch operating means for a limited time to energize the unenergized phases with a seek current without substantially generating torque on the rotor, and comparing means for comparing the amount of time that current in each of the unenergized phases took to reach the predetermined current level threshold. The circuit also includes run means connected to the comparing means and the switch …

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