Process for measuring phase currents of a device for controlling electric motors made with IMS technology or the like embedding, for such measure, resistance and temperature control device for power transistors

• US 20040017173A1
• Filed: 07/21/2003
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZAPI S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: ZAPI S.p.A.
• Inventors: Iotti, Maurizio
• Granted Patent: US 7,327,117 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/802
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0092 measuring current only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/32 Compensating for temperature change
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/04 by calorimetric methods
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

The invention is applied to the field of industrial controls for electric motors and more precisely refers to a process for measuring phase currents of an inverter or a DC controller consisting in detecting the temperature of a copper path made with IMS (Insulated Metal Substrate) technology and the like, used as shunt and that is the extension of a pre-existing adduction line towards a motor or towards the supply line or towards power devices, and in compensating through software the path drop in order to have an accurate measure of the current crossing it. A heat sensor is applied next to or over such copper path to detect its temperature. This latter one will also be assumed, with an acceptable degree of approximation, as the power transistors temperature.

Claims

1. Control device for supplying an electric motor with IMS technology or the like, characterised in that it provides:

a two-phase or three-phase inverter, on at least two phases a metal path being provided obtained in IMS technology on the inverter power circuit and each one in series with a motor phase;

a thermal sensor for at least one of said paths preferably but not necessarily placed on the metal path itself to perform the measure of its temperature that will also be used for measuring the power transistors temperature.

2. Control device for supplying an electric motor with IMS technology or the like, characterised in that it provides:

a DC controller equipped with a metal path obtained in IMS technology on the controller card and in series with the motor armature;

a thermal sensor preferably but not necessarily placed on the metal path to perform the measure of its temperature that will also be used for measuring the power transistors temperature.

3. Control device for supplying any electric motor realised in IMS technology or the like, characterised in that it provides:

an integrated power module equipped with at least one metal path in series with the power devices or with an external connection terminal;

a thermal sensor preferably but not necessarily placed on the metal path to perform the measure of its temperature that will also be used for measuring the power transistors temperature.

4. Process for measuring the phase currents of an inverter or a DC controller for supplying electric motors characterised in that it provides for measuring the temperature of at least one metal path realised in IMS technology (or the like) as elongation of a connection path between power or adduction devices towards outside and for compensating the voltage drop due to thermal drift of metal path resistivity through software computation and then having the exact phase current measure.

5. Process according to claim 4 characterised in that it provides for measuring the output current of a power module (Power Semiconductor Module) by measuring the temperature of a metal path realised in IMS or DBC technology or the like as elongation of a connection path between power or adduction devices towards outside and for compensating the voltage drop due to thermal drift of metal path resistivity through software computation and then having the exact phase current measure.