Laundering apparatus, method of operating a laundry machine, control system for an electronically commutated motor, method of operating an electronically commutated motor, and circuit

A method of operating an electronically commutated motor energized from an AC source and having a stationary assembly including a plurality of winding stages adapted to be selectively commutated, and rotatable means associated with the stationary assembly in selective magnetic coupling relation with the winding stages, the motor being responsive to a control circuit for controlling the current flow through a plurality of current paths each including at least one of the winding stages, the method comprising:

• rectifying the AC voltage of the source to provide a full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• generating pulses having a high frequency with respect to the frequency of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• commutating the winding stages by applying the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage thereto and causing the current paths to become conductive in at least one preselected sequence;
• and
• controlling the conductivity of respective current paths as a function of the width of the pulses when the current paths are sequentially rendered conductive.

A circuit for controlling the energization of an electrical load from an AC source, comprising:

• a pair of DC lines;
• means for rectifying the AC output of the source to apply a DC voltage across said DC lines in the form of a full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• means for chopping the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage to apply pulses to the load at a frequency which is high with respect to the frequency of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage during the time interval when the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage exceeds the voltage across the load;
• and
• means connected to said chopping means for modulating the width of the pulses and
• for thereby maintaining the amplitude of the load current below a predetermined level responsive to an externally derived signal representative of the desired operation of the load.

A circuit for controlling the energization of an electronically commutated motor from an AC source, the motor including a stationary assembly having a plurality of winding stages associated therewith and adapted to be selectively commutated, and rotatable means associated with the stationary assembly in selective magnetic coupling relation with the winding stages, the circuit comprising:

• a pair of DC lines;
• means for rectifying the AC output of the source to apply a DC voltage across said DC lines in the form of a full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• means responsive to the angular position of the rotatable assembly for deriving commutation signals;
• a plurality of current paths connected across said DC lines each including electronic commutation means for connection in series with at least one of the winding stages and responsive to the commutation signals to render said current paths conductive in sequence;
• means connected to said commutation means for chopping the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage in each of said conductive current paths so as to provide pulses in said conductive current paths having a frequency which is high with respect to the frequency of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage during the time interval when the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage exceeds the voltage across the electronically commutated motor;
• and
• means responsive to an externally derived signal representative of the desired operation of the motor for modulating the width of the pulses.

An electronically commutated motor system comprising:

• an electronically commutated motor including a stationary assembly having a plurality of winding stages associated therewith adapted to be selectively commutated, and rotatable means associated with said stationary assembly in selective magnetic coupling relation with said winding stages;
• power supply means for supplying a full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• means for producing pulses of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage during a single continuous interval in each half cycle of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage and applying them to said winding stages in at least one preselected sequence thereby to commutate said winding stages and rotate said rotatable means, the voltage pulses having a frequency which is high with respect to the frequency of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• and
• means for width modulating the voltage pulses to produce substantially rectangular current pulses flowing in said electronically commutated motor, each of the rectangular current pulses occurring during the single continuous interval in each half cycle of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage.

Laundry apparatus comprising:

• means operable generally in a laundering mode for agitating fluid and fabrics to be laundered therein and operable generally in a spin mode for thereafter spinning the fabrics to effect centrifugal displacement of fluid from the fabrics;
• an electronically commutated motor including a stationary assembly, a multi-stage winding arrangement associated with said stationary assembly and having a plurality of winding stages adapted to be commutated in a plurality of preselected sequences, and rotatable means rotatably associated with said stationary assembly and arranged in selective magnetic coupling relation with said winding stages for driving said agitating and spinning means in the laundering mode operation and in the spin mode operation thereof upon the commutation of said winding stages;
• power supply means for supplying a full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• means for producing pulses of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage during a single continuous interval in each half cycle of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage, for applying them to said winding stages in one of the preselected sequences to commutate said winding stages and effect the spin mode operation of said agitating and spinning means and for applying the voltage pulses to said winding stages in both the one preselected sequence and another preselected sequence to effect the laundering mode operation of said agitating and spinning means, the voltage pulses having a frequency which is high with respect to the frequency of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• and
• means for width modulating the voltage pulses to produce substantially rectangular current pulses flowing in said electronically commutated motor, each of the rectangular current pulses occurring during the single continuous interval in each half cycle of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage.

A method of operating an electronically commutated motor including a stationary assembly having a plurality of winding stages adapted to be selectively commutated, and rotatable means associated with the stationary assembly in selective magnetic coupling relation with the winding stages, the motor being responsive to a control circuit having a plurality of current paths to the winding stages, the method comprising:

• rectifying an AC voltage to provide a full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• generating pulses having a high frequency with respect to the frequency of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• commutating the winding stages by applying a voltage thereto and causing the current paths to become conductive in at least one preselected sequence;
• and
• switching the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage in response to the high frequency pulses during the time interval in each half cycle of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage during which the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage exceeds the voltage across the motor thereby to produce the voltage applied by the commutating means in pulses having a frequency which is high with respect to the frequency of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage.

Laundry apparatus comprising:

• means operable generally in a laundering mode for agitating fluid and fabrics to be laundered therein and operable generally in a spin mode for thereafter spinning the fabrics to effect centrifugal displacement of fluid from the fabrics;
• an electronically commutated motor including a stationary assembly, a multi-stage winding arrangement associated with said stationary assembly and having a plurality of winding stages adapted to be commutated in a plurality of preselected sequences, and rotatable means rotatably associated with said stationary assembly and arranged in selective magnetic coupling relation with said winding stages for driving said agitating and spinning means in the laundering mode operation and in the spin mode operation thereof upon the commutation of said winding stages;
• power supply means for supplying a full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• means for switching the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage to produce voltage pulses during a single continuous interval in each half cycle of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage, for filtering the voltage pulses and for applying the filtered voltage pulses to at least some of said winding stages in at least one of the preselected sequences to commutate said at least some winding stages and effect the laundering mode and the spin mode operation of said agitating and spinning means, the voltage pulses having a frequency which is high with respect to the frequency of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• and
• means for width modulating the voltage pulses to produce substantially rectangular current pulses flowing in said electronically commutated motor, each of the rectangular current pulses occuring during the single continuous interval in each half cycle of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage, and for adjusting the level of the rectangular current pulses in said motor as a function of an input signal.

Laundry apparatus comprising:

• means operable generally in a laundering mode for agitating fluid and fabrics to be laundered therein and operable generally in a spin mode for thereafter spinning the fabrics to effect centrifugal displacement of fluid from the fabrics;
• an electronically commutated motor including a stationary assembly, a multi-stage winding arrangement associated with said stationary assembly and having a plurality of winding stages adapted to be commutated in a plurality of preselected sequences, and rotatable means rotatably associated with said stationary assembly and arranged in selective magnetic coupling relation with said winding stages for driving said agitating and spinning means in the laundering mode operation and in the spin mode operation thereof upon the commutation of said winding stages;
• power supply means for supplying a full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• means for producing pulses of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage which are confined to a single continuous interval in each half cycle of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage during which the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage exceeds the voltage across said motor, for applying them to at least some of said winding stages in one of the preselected sequences to commutate said at least some winding stages and effect the spin mode operation of said agitating and spinning means and for applying the voltage pulses to at least some of said winding stages in both the one preselected sequence and another preselected sequence to effect the laundering mode operation of said agitating and spinning means, the voltage pulses having a frequency which is high with respect to the frequency of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• and
• means for width modulating the voltage pulses to produce substantially rectangular current pulses flowing in said electronically commutated motor, each of the rectangular current pulses occurring during the single continuous interval in each half cycle of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage, and for adjusting the current in said motor as a function of an input signal indicative of a desired angular velocity of said rotatable means.

Laundry apparatus comprising:

• means operable generally in a laundering mode for agitating fluid and fabrics to be laundered therein and operable generally in a spin mode for thereafter spinning the fabrics to effect centrifugal displacement of fluid from the fabrics;
• an electronically commutated motor including a stationary assembly, a multi-stage winding arrangement associated with said stationary assembly and having a plurality of winding stages adapted to be commutated in a plurality of preselected sequences, and rotatable means rotatably associated with said stationary assembly and arranged in selective magnetic coupling relation with said winding stages for driving said agitating and spinning means in the laundering mode operation and in the spin mode operation thereof upon the commutation of said winding stages;
• power supply means for supplying a full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• a plurality of sets of electronic devices, each set having at least one junction point connected to at least some of said winding stages, respectively, said electronic devices being able to be switched on in at least some of the preselected sequences;
• means for switching the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage across all of said sets of electronic devices;
• and
• means connected to said switching means for causing pulses of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage to be produced by said switching means, the voltage pulses having a frequency which is high with respect to the frequency of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage, and for width modulating the voltage pulses to produce substantially rectangular current pulses flowing in said electronically commutated motor, each of the rectangular current pulses occurring during a single continuous interval in each half cycle of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage.

Laundry apparatus comprising:

• means operable generally in a laundering mode for agitating fluid and fabrics to be laundered therein and operable generally in a spin mode for thereafter spinning the fabrics to effect centrifugal displacement of fluid from the fabrics;
• an electronically commutated motor including a stationary assembly, a multi-stage winding arrangement associated with said stationary assembly and having a plurality of winding stages adapted to be commutated in a plurality of preselected sequences, and rotatable means rotatably associated with said stationary assembly and arranged in selective magnetic coupling relation with said winding stages for driving said agitating and spinning means in the laundering mode operation and in the spin mode operation thereof upon the commutation of said winding stages;
• first and second DC lines;
• power supply means for supplying a full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage across said first and second DC lines;
• means responsive to the angular position of said rotatable means for deriving commutation signals;
• a plurality of current paths connected to at least one of said DC lines, each of said current paths including electronic commutation means for connection in series with at least one of said winding stages and responsive to the commutation signals for making said current paths conductive in one of the preselected sequences to commutate at least some of said winding stages to effect the spin mode operation of said agitating and spinning means and for making said current paths conductive in both the one preselected sequence and another preselected sequence to effect the laundering mode operation of said agitating and spinning means;
• and
• means connected to said commutation means for chopping the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage in each of said conductive current paths to provide voltage pulses in said conductive current paths having a frequency which is high with respect to the frequency of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage and for width modulating the voltage pulses to produce substantially rectangular current pulses respectively flowing in said electronically commutated motor in a single continuous interval in each of at least some of the half cycles of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage.

Laundry apparatus comprising:

• means operable generally in a laundering mode for agitating fluid and fabrics to be laundered therein and operable generally in a spin mode for thereafter spinning the fabrics to effect centrifugal displacement of fluid from the fabrics;
• an electronically commutated motor including a stationary assembly, a multi-stage winding arrangement associated with said stationary assembly and having a plurality of winding stages adapted to be commutated in a plurality of preselected sequences, and rotatable means rotatably associated with said stationary assembly and arranged in selective magnetic coupling relation with said winding stages for driving said agitating and spinning means in the laundering mode operation and in the spin mode operation thereof upon the commutation of said winding stages;
• power supply means for supplying a full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• means for converting the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage into voltage pulses having a high frequency with respect to the frequency of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage so as to provide an effective voltage to said electronically commutated motor, the voltage pulses being confined by said converting means to a single continuous time interval in each half cycle of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• and
• means for width modulating the voltage pulses to maintain a substantially constant current in said electronically commutated motor throughout the single continuous time interval.

Laundry apparatus comprising:

• means operable generally in a laundering mode for agitating fluid and fabrics to be laundered therein and operable generally in a spin mode for thereafter spinning the fabrics to effect centrifugal displacement of fluid from the fabrics;
• an electronically commutated motor including a stationary assembly, a multi-stage winding arrangement associated with said stationary assembly and having a plurality of winding stages adapted to be commutated in a plurality of preselected sequences, and rotatable means rotatably associated with said stationary assembly and arranged in selective magnetic coupling relation with said winding stages for driving said agitating and spinning means in the laundering mode operation and in the spin mode operation thereof upon the commutation of said winding stages;
• means for rectifying an AC voltage to provide a full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• means for generating pulses having a high frequency with respect to the frequency of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• means for commutating said winding stages by applying a voltage thereto in at least one preselected sequence;
• means for switching the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage in response to the high frequency pulses during a single continuous interval in each half cycle of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage thereby to produce the voltage applied by the commutating means in pulses having a frequency which is high with respect to the frequency of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage;
• and
• means for width modulating the switching to width modulate the voltage pulses and to produce a current flowing in the electronically commutated motor which is substantially rectangular pulses, each such current pulse occupying the single continuous interval in each half cycle of the full wave rectified sinusoidal voltage.