US 12,184,215 B1Granted

Fault tolerant motor driver

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsXiaoqi Wang, Andrew Lueneburg, Frederic Pierre Lacaux, Sheverria Antony Aikens

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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.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A power electronics system, comprising:

a first electronic speed controller (ESC) electrically coupled to a shared direct current (DC) bus via a first pair of protection mechanisms and configured to drive a first phase of a first motor, a first phase of a second motor, and a first phase of a third motor;
a second ESC electrically coupled to the shared DC bus via a second pair of protection mechanisms and configured to drive a second phase of the first motor, a second phase of the second motor, and a second phase of the third motor;
and
a third ESC electrically coupled to the shared DC bus via a third pair of protection mechanisms and configured to drive a third phase of the first motor, a third phase of the second motor, and a third phase of the third motor,
wherein the power electronics system is configured, to at least:
detect a first fault in connection with the first ESC;
trip the first pair of protection mechanisms so as to isolate the first ESC from the shared DC bus and drive:
the second phase of the first motor, the second phase of the second motor, and the second phase of the third motor using the second ESC;
and
the third phase of the first motor, the third phase of the second motor, and the third phase of the third motor using the third ESC.

7 more elements

An aerial vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of motors;
a power electronics system, including:
a plurality of power electronics units, each of the plurality of power electronics units being electrically coupled to a shared direct current (DC) bus via a respective pair of protection mechanisms and configured to drive a corresponding phase of the plurality of motors,
wherein the power electronics system is configured to:
detect a fault associated with a first power electronics unit from the plurality of power electronics units;
and
trip a first respective pair of protection mechanisms associated with the first power electronics unit so as to isolate the first power electronics unit from the shared DC bus so as to initiate two-phase mode operation of at least some of the plurality of motors.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/821,313Filed 22 Aug 2022
Granted: 31 Dec 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

H02P 29/028
Detecting a fault condition, e.g. short circuit, locked rotor, open circuit or loss of load: the motor continuing operation despite the fault…
H02K 11/33
Structural association with control circuits or drive circuits: drive circuits, e.g. power electronics
H02P
Control or regulation of electric motors, electric generators or dynamo-electric converters
H02K
Dynamo-electric machines

Family

No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.

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