Generic motor control system

• US 20050237011A1
• Filed: 06/23/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brotto, Daniele C., Leh, Jason Kenneth, Crowell, Brian Robert, Forster, Michael Kenneth, Vanko, John Charles, Woods, Samuel George
• Granted Patent: US 7,646,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/53
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 25/14 Universal motors H02P25/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/00 Arrangements for regulating or controlling electric motors, appropriate for both AC and DC motors arrangements for starting electric motors H02P1/00; arrangements for stopping or slowing electric motors H02P3/00; control of motors that can be connected to two or more different electric power supplies H02P4/00; regulating or controlling the speed or torque of two or more electric motors H02P5/00; vector control H02P21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/40 Regulating or controlling the amount of current drawn or delivered by the motor for controlling the mechanical load
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 388/937 Hand tool

Abstract

A method for controlling the operation of a motor utilizing a generic motor control module. The method includes sampling at least one motor operating criterion during operation of the motor and executing a generic control algorithm at a predetermined periodic interval. Execution of the algorithm provides a firing angle, duty cycle, or other suitable control function solution for an electronic valve for each periodic interval, thereby controlling the behavior of the motor. Additionally, the method includes firing the electronic valve at the calculated timing during each periodic interval such that the motor functions in accordance with desired motor operational parameters.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a plurality of different motors used in a corresponding plurality of differing motor applications requiring different operational characteristics, said method comprising:

using a single universal control module to store a generic non-application-specific control algorithm, the generic non-application-specific control algorithm having at least one programmable constant; and

programming the programmable constant to transform the generic control non-application-specific algorithm into an application-specific control algorithm, the programmable constant representing a function parameter relating to a specific functionality of a specific, selected motor used in a specific, selected motor application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the function parameter is at least one of:

a non-motor function parameter relating to a feature of the specific, selected motor application; and

a motor function parameter relating to a specific motor operating characteristic required for operation of the specific, selected motor in the specific, selected motor application.

3. The method of claim 3, wherein the programmable constant is soft-coded into the universal control module to enable re-programming of the universal module.

4. A power tool comprising:

a motor selected one of a plurality of different motors having at least one of a different size, a different operational rating and a different type tailored to meet the specific operational needs of the power tool;

a motor control module having stored therein a generic control algorithm executable to control operation the motor;

wherein the motor control module is programmed with at least one parameter utilized as constants during execution of the generic control algorithm to transform the generic control algorithm from a non-tool-specific format into a tool-specific format specifically suited for controlling the operation of the power tool and the motor.

5. The power tool of claim 4, wherein the parameter comprises at least one of:

a non-motor specific parameter associated with a feature of the power tool.

a motor-specific parameter for tailoring performance of the motor to the operational requirements of the power tool.

a look-up table utilized as a transfer function during execution non-tool-specific generic control algorithm.

6. The tool of claim 5, wherein the motor control module is adapted to store a state diagram for enabling and disabling the non-motor function parameter.

7. The power tool of claim 4, wherein the motor control module is further programmed with a plurality of operating criterion for the motor utilized as variables during execution of the generic control algorithm, the motor operating criterion being periodically sampled during operation of the tool.

8. The tool of claim 7, wherein the motor operating criterion comprise at least two of a trigger position, a closed loop dial, an open loop dial, a current flow through the motor, a voltage across the motor and a motor speed.

9. The power tool of claim 4, further comprising a processor adapted to execute the control algorithm to generate a timing solution for controlling a flow of current through the motor so that operation of the motor is tailored in accordance with the specific performance parameters of the tool.

10. The tool of claim 9, wherein the timing solution comprises a firing angle solution for controlling the operation of an electronic valve configured to control the flow of AC current through the motor.

11. The tool of claim 9, wherein the timing solution comprises a duty cycle solution for controlling the operation of an electronic valve configured to control the flow of DC current through the motor.

12. A motor control module adapted to universally control any of a plurality of motors utilized in a plurality of differing implementations, said control module comprising:

a first memory device adapted to store a generic control algorithm and at least one programmable variable utilized during execution of the generic control algorithm;

a second memory device adapted to store at least one programmable constant that represents a function parameter relating to a specific functionality of a specific, selected motor used in a specific, selected motor application; and

a processor adapted to execute the generic control algorithm implementing the variable and the constant to transform the generic control algorithm from a non-tool-specific format into a tool-specific format specifically suited for controlling the specific, selected motor used in the specific, selected motor application.

13. The control module of claim 12, wherein the at least one programmable constant comprises at least one of:

a non-motor function parameter relating to the specific application of the motor;

a motor function parameter relating to an operational parameter of the specific motor used in the specific application; and

at least one look-up table utilized as a transfer function accessible during execution of the control algorithm, the look-up table comprising a plurality of predetermined timing solutions for controlling a flow of current through the specific motor.

14. The control module of claim 13, wherein the second memory device is further adapted to store a state diagram for enabling and disabling the non-motor function parameter.

15. The control module of claim 13, wherein the timing solution comprises a firing angle solution for controlling the operation of an electronic valve configured to control the flow of AC current through the motor.

16. The control module of claim 13, wherein the timing solution comprises a duty cycle solution for controlling the operation of an electronic valve configured to control the flow of DC current through the motor.

17. The control module of claim 12, wherein the variables comprise motor operating criterion that are periodically sampled during operation of the motor, the motor operating criterion comprising at least one of a trigger position, a closed loop dial, an open loop dial, a current flow through the motor, a voltage across the motor and a motor speed.

18. A method for controlling a motor utilizing a universal control module, said method comprising:

storing a generic control algorithm in the universal control module, the control algorithm including at least one programmable constant;

electrically connecting the universal control module to a selected one of a plurality of different motors;

executing the control algorithm incorporating the programmable constant to;

transform the generic control algorithm from a non-application-specific format into an application-specific format specifically suited for controlling the selected motor used in a specific, selected motor application; and

generate a timing solution for controlling a flow of current through the selected motor so that operation of the selected motor is tailored in accordance with performance parameters of a specific, selected application of the motor;

wherein the constant comprises at least one of;

a non-motor function parameter relating to the specific application of the motor; and

a motor function parameter relating to an operational parameter of the specific motor used in the specific; and

operating an electronic valve in accordance with the timing solution to control the flow of current through the specific motor.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the universal control module includes:

a non-volatile non-alterable memory device having stored therein the generic control algorithm and the motor function parameters; and

a non-volatile alterable memory device having stored therein the non-motor function parameters.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of motors comprises at least one of:

a plurality of different motors having at least one of a different size, a different operational rating and a different type, and the motors are adaptable for use in a plurality of differing motor application requiring differing motor performance parameters; and

a plurality of substantially similar motors adaptable for use in a plurality of differing motor application requiring differing motor performance parameters.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein executing the control algorithm comprises utilizing at least one look-up table as a transfer function accessible during execution of the control algorithm, wherein the content of the look-up table comprises a plurality of predetermined timing solutions.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises enabling the soft-coded non-motor function parameter utilizing a state diagram stored in the control module.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein executing the control algorithm comprises:

sampling at least one motor operating criterion during operation of the motor, the motor operating criterion being representative of a pertinent motor input; and

utilizing the motor operation criterion as an input to the control algorithm during execution of the control algorithm.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the motor comprises an AC motor and executing the control algorithm comprises generating a firing angle to control an electronic valve that controls the flow of current through the AC motor so that operation of the AC motor is tailored in accordance with performance parameters of the specific application.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the motor comprises an DC motor and executing the control algorithm comprises generating a duty cycle to control an electronic valve that controls the flow of current through the DC motor so that operation of the DC motor is tailored in accordance with performance parameters of the specific application.