IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,671,243
Granted Patent B2
US 12,671,243 · App. 18/455,185 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Motor terminal snubbing circuit

Inventors: Grzegorz Popek (Birmingham, GB); Ignacio Castro Álvarez (Gijón, ES)
Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
H02H7/0833
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,671,243
App. No.
18/455,185
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A snubber circuit to mitigate voltage overshoot in a power train for driving a motor, the snubber circuit configured to be connected to the motor terminal between a transmission line from a power supply and converter and a motor. The snubber circuit includes a rectifier, a capacitor connected across an output of the rectifier and a load connected across the capacitor. The capacitor is rated to charge to a predetermined link voltage and wherein an input voltage to the rectifier that exceeds the link voltage causes the voltage at the motor terminal to clamp to the link voltage and for excess energy from the input voltage to be stored in the link capacitor and dissipated by the load.

Claims (15)

1 . A snubber circuit to mitigate voltage overshoot in a power train for driving a motor, the power train comprising a power supply, a power converter connected to the power supply, and one or more long transmissions lines from the power converter to the motor that connect the output of the power supply to the motor, the snubber circuit configured to be connected to a terminal of the motor between the one or more long transmission lines and the motor, the snubber circuit comprising:

a rectifier;

a link capacitor connected across an output of the rectifier; and

a load connected across the capacitor;

wherein the capacitor is rated to charge to a predetermined link voltage and wherein only when an input voltage to the rectifier exceeds the link voltage the snubber circuit is activated by an output of the power converter to cause the rectifier to clamp the voltage at the motor terminal to the link voltage and for excess energy from the input voltage to be stored in the link capacitor and dissipated by the load.

2 . A snubber circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising a resistor in series with the capacitor connected across the rectifier output.

3 . A snubber circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the rectifier is a 6-pulse rectifier.

4 . A snubber circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the load is a passive load.

5 . A snubber circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the load is an active load.

6 . A power train for driving a motor, the power train comprising:

a snubber circuit as claimed in claim 1 ;

the power supply;

the power converter connected to drive the motor via the one or more long transmission lines;

wherein the snubber circuit is connected between the one or more long transmission lines and a terminal of the motor.

7 . A power train according to claim 6 , wherein the converter is a PWM converter.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 4, 2024
From: COLLINS AEROSPACE IRELAND, LIMITED
To: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 066193/0118 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2023
From: CASTRO ÁLVAREZ, IGNACIO
To: COLLINS AEROSPACE IRELAND, LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064901/0568 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2023
From: POPEK, GRZEGORZ
To: GOODRICH CONTROL SYSTEMS
Reel/Frame 064901/0607 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2023
From: GOODRICH CONTROL SYSTEMS
To: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064901/0642 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 22275119 · Aug 30, 2022 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240072532A1 · Feb 29, 2024
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