Back to results
US 2009/0154906 A1Published application
System and Method for Controlling Multiple DC Fans
AssigneeMinebea Co., Ltd.
InventorsScott Frankel, Nigel Strike, Eric Hardt, Takashi Shinano
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for controlling multiple cooling fans is presented. The circuitry for directly driving each of the motors is removed from the motor casings, thus increasing air flow and reducing replacement costs should a motor fail. The system includes a common processor for centrally controlling the speeds of the motors and monitoring the performance of each of the multiple motors.
Claims25
A fan drive system comprising:
- a plurality of motors, wherein each motor rotates a respective fan among a plurality of fans;
- a plurality of drive circuits, wherein each drive circuit is electrically connected to a respective motor, wherein said each drive circuit is disposed at a location different from the location of the respective motor;
- and
- a processor electrically connected to the plurality of drive circuits, wherein said each drive circuit produces a current in response to drive signals from the processor, wherein the current produced by said each drive circuit is supplied to the respective motor.
1 more element
A method for operating a plurality of fans, comprising:
- reading one or demand speeds for a plurality of motors, wherein each motor rotates a respective fan, the motors being disposed at a first location;
- producing a plurality of drive currents based at least on the one or more demand speeds, the drive currents being produced in electronic components at a second location that is different from the first location;
- and
- providing the drive currents to respective windings of the motors via cabling connecting the electronic components to the respective windings.
1 more element
A system for controlling a plurality of fans, comprising:
- means for reading a demand speed for a plurality of motors, wherein each motor rotates a respective fan;
- means for measuring the rotational speeds of the plurality of motors;
- means for calculating the average rotational speed of the plurality of motors;
- means for estimating the target speed of the plurality of motors;
- means for determining whether the rotational speeds of the fans should be adjusted;
- and
- means for adjusting the rotational speed of the plurality of motors by a common drive signal to a plurality of drive circuits electrically connected to the plurality of motors, when the rotational speeds of the fans should be adjusted,
- wherein the plurality of drive circuits are separate from the motors and the respective fans, and wherein each drive circuit supplies current to the motors in response to the common drive signal.
5 more elements
A fan drive system comprising:
- an input circuit for receiving an input DC voltage;
- a DC-to-DC converter to receive the input DC voltage from the input circuit and to produce a stepped-up voltage having a DC level higher than that of the input DC voltage;
- and
- motor drive electronics for producing a motor drive signal, the motor drive signal being coupled to one or more windings of a motor of a fan,
- the motor drive electronics receiving the stepped-up voltage, the motor drive signal being produced from the stepped-up voltage.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.