Electric motor drive controller with voltage control circuit operative in different modes
AssigneeInvacare Corporation
InventorsThomas Strothmann, Joseph B. Richey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electric motor drive controller for an electric vehicle driven by a motor with permanent excitation and powered by an energy source comprises: a power control stage coupleable to the motor for generating a drive signal at a voltage to control the motor at a desired speed; a voltage control circuit connectable between the energy source and the power control stage for controlling the voltage of the drive signal at a first voltage potential in one operating mode and at a voltage potential greater than the first voltage potential in another operating mode; and a mode controller for controlling the operating modes of the voltage control circuit based on properties of the drive signal.
Claims20
An electric motor drive controller for an electric vehicle driven by a motor with permanent excitation and powered by an energy source, said motor drive controller comprising:
- a power control stage coupleable to said motor for generating a drive signal at a voltage to control said motor at a desired speed;
- a voltage control circuit connectable between said energy source and said power control stage for controlling the voltage of said drive signal at a first voltage potential in one operating mode and at a voltage potential greater than the first voltage potential in another operating mode;
- and
- a mode controller for controlling the operating modes of said voltage control circuit based on properties of said drive signal.
A motor drive control system for an electric vehicle driven by an electric motor powered by an energy source, said system comprising:
- a power control stage coupleable to said motor for generating a drive signal at a voltage to control said motor at a desired speed;
- a first motor drive controller connectable between the energy source and said power control stage for controlling the voltage of said drive signal at a first voltage potential, said first motor drive controller operative to monitor the properties of said drive signal;
- and
- a second motor drive controller connectable between the energy source and said power control stage for controlling the voltage of said drive signal at a second voltage potential in one operating mode and at a voltage potential greater than the second voltage potential in another operating mode, said second motor drive controller including a mode controller for communicating with said first motor drive controller to determine the properties of said drive signal and for controlling the operating modes of said second motor drive controller based on said communicated properties of said drive signal.
A motor drive control system for an electric vehicle driven by an electric motor powered by an energy source, said system comprising:
- a power control stage coupleable to said motor for generating a drive signal at a voltage to control said motor at a desired speed;
- a first motor drive controller connectable between the energy source and said power control stage for controlling the voltage of said drive signal at a first voltage potential;
- a second motor drive controller connected, when activated, between the energy source and said power control stage for controlling the voltage of said drive signal at a second voltage potential in one operating mode and at a voltage potential greater than the second voltage potential in another operating mode, said second motor drive controller including a mode controller for controlling the operating modes of said second motor drive controller;
- and
- said first motor drive controller including means for monitoring the activation status of said second motor drive controller;
- and means governed by said monitoring means for connecting the first motor drive controller between the energy source and said power control stage based on the monitored activation status of the second motor drive controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.