Multiple electronically commutated motor control apparatus and method

• US 20030094913A1
• Filed: 09/25/2002
• Published: 05/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Wã¼Rzburg, Tri-Kor Alloys, LLC
• Original Assignee: Tri-Kor Alloys, LLC
• Inventors: Makaran, John E., Radakiovic, Dragan
• Granted Patent: US 6,809,484 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/78
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/166 using fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/004 by varying driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/04 Arrangements for controlling or regulating the speed or torque of more than one motor H02P6/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 7/29 using pulse modulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

A cooling system includes multiple cooling fans, each driven by a corresponding fan motor controller. Each fan motor controller includes electronic commutation circuitry that is responsive to a modulated signal to control the speed of the associated motor and fan. The controller for one motor includes a microcontroller that receives a single control signal from an external control unit and translates that control signal into the modulated signals provided to all of the other motor controllers. In one embodiment, the microcontroller can adjust the duty cycle of the modulated control signals, and can stagger the on-off times of the signals to minimize conducted RFI emissions.

Claims

1. A system for controlling two or more commutated motors comprising:

a commutation circuit for providing commutated power to each of the motors, each commutation circuit responsive to a modulated signal corresponding to each motor;

a microcontroller associated with one motor, the microcontroller receiving a control signal from an external controller and operable to produce a modulated signal corresponding to each motor; and

a signal bus connecting said microcontroller to said commutation circuit for each of the motors, said signal bus operable to transmit the modulated signal to each corresponding motor.

2. The system for controlling two or more commutated motors according to claim 1, wherein said microcontroller is operable to produce each modulated signal at a common frequency.

3. The system for controlling two or more commutated motors according to claim 2, wherein said microcontroller is operable to stagger the on-off times for each modulated signal relative to each other.