Actuator with an electric motor and a method of controlling the electric motor to maintain a current position
AssigneeBelimo Holding AG
InventorsStefan Wildhaber, Balazs Schweighoffer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
For controlling an electric motor to maintain a current motor position, a motor controller determines the current motor position of the electric motor and selects (S41) from a set of stable positions, defined by cogging torque of the electric motor, a selected stable position closest to the current motor position. The controller controls the motor torque of the electric motor to maintain the motor position (S4) within a defined range around the selected stable position.
Claims16
An actuator comprising:
- an electric motor having cogging torque, and
- a controller configured to control operation of the electric motor and determine a motor position of the electric motor,
- wherein the controller comprises a circuit configured to:
- control the electric motor to drive an actuated part of a Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning system to a target position, and
- maintain a current motor position by determining, from a set of stable positions that are defined by the cogging torque, a selected stable position closest to the current motor position, and controlling a motor torque of the electric motor to maintain the motor position within a defined range around the selected stable position.
A method of controlling an electric motor to drive an actuated part of a Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning system to a target position and maintain a current motor position, the method comprising:
- determining, by a controller, the current motor position of the electric motor,
- determining, by the controller, from a set of stable positions, defined by cogging torque of the electric motor, a selected stable position closest to the current motor position, and
- controlling, by the controller, a motor torque of the electric motor to maintain the motor position within a defined range around the selected stable position.
A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer program code which, when executed by a processor of an actuator, causes the processor to control an electric motor of the actuator to drive an actuated part of a Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning system to a target position and maintain a current motor position, by:
- determining the current motor position of the electric motor,
- determining from a set of stable positions, defined by cogging torque of the electric motor, a selected stable position closest to the current motor position, and
- controlling a motor torque of the electric motor to maintain the motor position within a defined range around the selected stable position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.