IP Library Granted Patent US 8,212,504
Granted Patent B2
US 8,212,504 · App. 12/594,261 · Granted Jul 3, 2012

Conduction angle control of brushless motor

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,212,504
App. No.
12/594,261
Granted
Jul 3, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An inverter controller for driving a brushless DC motor, of which rotor is provided with permanent magnets, includes an inverter circuit, a position sensing circuit, a DC voltage sensor, and a conduction angle controller. The inverter circuit is connected to the brushless DC motor for driving this motor. The position sensing circuit senses a rotor position with respect to a stator from an induction voltage of the brushless DC motor. The DC voltage sensor senses a voltage value of a DC power voltage supplied to the inverter circuit. The conduction angle controller changes a conduction angle of the inverter circuit within a range less than 180 degrees in electric angles in response to a rate of change in the DC power voltage.

Claims (32)

1. An inverter controller for driving a brushless DC motor having a stator and a rotor which includes permanent magnets, the inverter controller comprising:

an inverter circuit coupled to the brushless DC motor configured to drive the brushless DC motor;

a position sensing circuit configured to sense a position of the rotor with respect to the stator from an induction voltage of the brushless DC motor;

a DC voltage sensor configured to sense a voltage value of a DC power voltage supplied to the inverter circuit; and

a conduction angle controller configured to change a conduction angle of the inverter circuit within a range from over 0 degree to less than 180 degrees in electric angles in response to a rate of change in the DC power voltage.

2. The inverter controller according to claim 1 ,

wherein the conduction angle controller reduces the conduction angle in response to the rate of change in the DC power voltage when the DC power voltage lowers at a given rate of change or more.

3. The inverter controller according to claim 2 ,

wherein the conduction angle controller reduces the conduction angle at a greater rate of change in the DC power voltage.

4. The inverter controller according to claim 1 ,

wherein the conduction angle controller reduces the conduction angle in response to the rate of change in the DC power voltage when the DC power voltage rises at a given rate of change or more.

5. The inverter controller according to claim 4 ,

wherein the conduction angle controller reduces the conduction angle at a greater rate of change in the DC power voltage.

6. The inverter controller according to claim 1 further comprising a conduction angle setting section configured to set the conduction angle,

wherein the conduction angle controller increases the conduction angle step by step to a value set by the conduction angle setting section when the DC power voltage stays stable.

7. A motor driving device comprising:

the inverter controller as defined in claim 1 ; and

the brushless DC motor driven by the inverter circuit of the inverter controller.

8. The motor driving device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the rotor of the brushless DC motor includes the permanent magnets embedded therein, and has salient-pole properties.

9. The motor driving device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the brushless DC motor includes stator windings of which number of turns is at least 160.

10. The motor driving device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the brushless DC motor has six poles or more.

11. An electric compressor comprising:

the inverter controller as defined in claim 1 ;

the brushless DC motor driven by the inverter circuit of the inverter controller; and

a compressor section driven by the brushless DC motor.

12. An electric home appliance comprising:

the inverter controller as defined in claim 1 ;

the brushless DC motor driven by the inverter circuit of the inverter controller; and

a driven body driven by the brushless DC motor.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2024
From: PANASONIC APPLIANCES REFRIGERATION DEVICES SINGAPORE
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067784/0029 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 25, 2018
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC APPLIANCES REFRIGERATION DEVICES SINGAPORE
Reel/Frame 044722/0461 →