MOTOR DRIVE DEVICE HAVING INSULATION RESISTANCE DETECTING FUNCTION AND METHOD OF DETECTING INSULATION RESISTANCE OF MOTORS

• US 20150256116A1
• Filed: 03/04/2015
• Published: 09/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
• Inventors: Tateda, Masaya, Sato, Hiroyasu, Hirai, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 9,762,171 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/007 Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/425 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/427 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/429 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/025 Measuring very high resistances, e.g. isolation resistances, i.e. megohm-meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/346 Testing of armature or field windings
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/52 Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0009 Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/008 Plural converter units for generating at two or more independent and non-parallel outputs, e.g. systems with plural point of load switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/458 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/06 using dc to ac converters or inverters H02P27/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 5/74 controlling two or more ac dynamo-electric motors H02P5/46, H02P5/60 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A motor drive device includes: a converter; a power supply; a plurality of inverter units configured to convert DC to AC to drive a plurality of motors by upper arm switching elements connected between a capacitor and motor coils and lower arm switching elements connected between the capacitor and motor coils; a second switch configured to connect the capacitor to the earth; a current detector configured to measure current flowing between the capacitor and the earth; a voltage detector configured to measure the voltage across the capacitor; and, an insulation resistance detector configured to detect insulation resistance of the multiple motors based on the current and voltage measured in a condition that the switching element to which the motor coil to be measured is connected is turned on and the switching elements to which a motor coil other than the target for measurement is connected are turned off.

Claims

1. A motor drive device comprising:

a converter unit having a rectifier circuit configured to rectify AC voltage supplied from an AC power supply via a first switch into DC voltage;

a power supply unit configured to smooth the DC voltage rectified by the rectifier circuit through a capacitor;

a plurality of inverter units configured to convert the DC voltage from the power supply unit to AC voltage to drive multiple motors, respectively, by switching operation of semiconductor switching elements in an upper arm, connected between a positive-side terminal of the capacitor and a motor coil as well as semiconductor switching elements in a lower arm, connected between a negative-side terminal of the capacitor and the motor coil;

a second switch configured to connect one terminal of the capacitor to the earth;

a current detector configured to measure current flowing between the one terminal of the capacitor and the earth;

a voltage detector configured to measure voltage between both ends of the capacitor; and

,

an insulation resistance detector configured to detect insulation resistance which is resistance between a motor coil of a motor selected as a target for measurement and the earth, based on current and voltage measured in a condition that operation of the motors is stopped, the first switch is turned off, the second switch is turned on, semiconductor switching elements connected between the other terminal of the capacitor and the motor coil, among the semiconductor switching elements in the upper or lower arm to which the motor coil of the motor to be measured is connected are turned on, and the semiconductor switching elements connected between the one terminal of the capacitor and the motor coil, among the semiconductor switching elements in the upper or lower arm to which a motor coil of a motor other than the motor to be measured is connected are turned on.

2. A method of detecting insulation resistance of motors, comprising the steps of:

rectifying AC voltage supplied from an AC power supply via a first switch into DC voltage, by a rectifier circuit;

smoothing the DC voltage rectified by the rectifier circuit through a capacitor, by a power supply unit;

converting the DC voltage from the power supply unit to AC voltage to drive multiple motors, respectively by a plurality of inverter units based on switching operation of semiconductor switching elements in an upper arm, connected between a positive-side terminal of the capacitor and a motor coil as well as semiconductor switching elements in a lower arm, connected between a negative-side terminal of the capacitor and the motor coil;

connecting one terminal of the capacitor to the earth by a second switch;

measuring current flowing between the one terminal of the capacitor and the earth by a current detector;

measuring voltage between both ends of the capacitor by a voltage detector;

stopping the operation of the motors and turning off the first switch;

setting the second switch into on-state;

turning on the semiconductor switching elements that are connected between the other terminal of the capacitor and the motor coil, among the semiconductor switching elements in the upper or lower arm to which the motor coil of the motor to be measured is connected;

turning on the semiconductor switching elements connected between the one terminal of the capacitor and the motor coil, among the semiconductor switching elements in the upper or lower arm to which a motor coil of a motor other than the motor to be measured is connected;

measuring current by the current detector and measuring voltage by the voltage detector; and

detecting insulation resistance which is a resistance between a motor coil of a motor selected as a target for measurement and the earth, based on the measured current and voltage.

3. A motor drive device comprising:

a converter unit having a rectifier circuit configured to rectify AC voltage supplied from an AC power supply via a first switch into DC voltage;

a power supply unit configured to smooth the DC voltage rectified by the rectifier circuit through a capacitor;

a plurality of inverter units configured to convert the DC voltage from the power supply unit to AC voltage to drive multiple motors, by switching operation of semiconductor switching elements in an upper arm, connected between a positive-side terminal of the capacitor and a motor coil as well as semiconductor switching elements in a lower arm, connected between a negative-side terminal of the capacitor and the motor coil;

a second switch configured to connect the negative-side terminal of the capacitor to the earth;

a current detector configured to measure the current flowing between the negative-side terminal of the capacitor and the earth;

a voltage detector configured to measure voltage between both ends of the capacitor; and

an insulation resistance detector configured to detect insulation resistance of each of the multiple motors driven by the plurality of inverter units,

wherein the drive circuit of semiconductor switching elements in the upper arm is formed of a bootstrap circuit, and

wherein the insulation resistance detector detects the insulation resistance of the motor to be measured based on the measured current and voltage in the condition that operation of the motors is stopped, the first switch is turned off, the second switch is turned on, switching operation is performed for groups of semiconductor switching elements in the upper and lower arms to which the motor coil of the motor to be measured is connected, by turning on and off the group of semiconductor switching elements in the upper arm and the group of semiconductor switching elements in the lower arm, alternately, so as to charge the bootstrap circuits in the upper arm when the semiconductor switching elements in the lower arm are in on-state, and the semiconductor switching elements in the lower arm of the inverter units to which a motor other than the motor to be measured is connected are turned on.

4. A motor drive device comprising:

a converter unit having a rectifier circuit configured to rectify AC voltage supplied from an AC power supply via a first switch into DC voltage;

a power supply unit configured to smooth the DC voltage rectified by the rectifier circuit through a capacitor;

a plurality of inverter units configured to convert the DC voltage from the power supply unit to AC voltage to drive multiple motors, respectively, by switching operation of semiconductor switching elements in an upper arm, connected between a positive-side terminal of the capacitor and a motor coil as well as semiconductor switching elements in a lower arm, connected between a negative-side terminal of the capacitor and the motor coil;

a second switch configured to connect one terminal of the capacitor to the earth;

a current detector configured to measure current flowing between the one terminal of the capacitor and the earth;

a voltage detector configured to measure voltage between both ends of the capacitor; and

an insulation resistance detector configured to detect insulation resistance of each of the multiple motors driven by the plurality of inverter units,

wherein the insulation resistance detector determines combined resistance of the insulation resistance of all the motors from the measured current value by the current detector and the measured voltage value by the voltage detector in a condition that operation of the motors is stopped, the first switch is turned off, the second switch is turned on, and semiconductor switching elements connected between the other terminal of the capacitor and the motor coil among the semiconductor switching elements in either the upper or lower arm in all the inverter units is turned on,

wherein when the combined resistance is equal to or higher than a reference value, the insulation resistance detector determines insulation resistance of the motor selected as a target for measurement from the measured current by the current detector and the measured voltage by the voltage detector in a condition that semiconductor switching elements connected between the other terminal of the capacitor and the motor coil among the semiconductor switching elements in either the upper or lower arm of the inverter unit to which an arbitral motor selected as a target for measurement is connected are turned on, and the semiconductor switching elements connected between the one terminal of the capacitor and the motor coil among the semiconductor switching elements in either the upper or lower arm of the inverter units to which a motor other than the motor to be measured is connected are turned on, and

wherein when the combined resistance value is lower than the reference value, the insulation resistance detector determines insulation resistance of the motor selected as a target for measurement from the measured current by the current detector and the measured voltage by the voltage detector in a condition that the semiconductor switching elements connected between the other terminal of the capacitor and the motor coil among the semiconductor switching elements in either the upper or lower arm of the inverter unit to which an arbitral motor selected as a target for measurement is connected are turned on, and all the semiconductor switching elements of the inverter units to which a motor other than the motor to be measured is connected are turned off.

5. A motor drive device comprising:

a converter unit having a rectifier circuit configured to rectify AC voltage supplied from an AC power supply via a first switch into DC voltage;

a power supply unit configured to smooth the DC voltage rectified by the rectifier circuit through a capacitor;

a plurality of inverter units configured to convert the DC voltage from the power supply unit to AC voltage to drive multiple motors, respectively, by switching operation of semiconductor switching elements in an upper arm, connected between a positive-side terminal of the capacitor and the motor coil as well as semiconductor switching elements in a lower arm, connected between a negative-side terminal of the capacitor and the motor coil;

a second switch configured to connect the negative-side terminal of the capacitor to the earth;

a current detector configured to measure the current flowing between the negative-side terminal of the capacitor and the earth;

a voltage detector configured to measure voltage between both ends of the capacitor; and

,

an insulation resistance detector configured to detect insulation resistance of the multiple motors driven by the plurality of inverter units,

wherein the drive circuit of semiconductor switching elements in the upper arm is formed of a bootstrap circuit,

wherein the insulation resistance detector determines combined resistance of the insulation resistance of all the motors from measured current by the current detector and measured voltage by the voltage detector in a condition that the operation of the motors is stopped, the first switch is turned off, and the second switch is turned on, switching operation is performed for groups of semiconductor switching elements in the upper and lower arms of all the inverter units, by turning on and off the group of semiconductor switching elements in the upper arm and the group of semiconductor switching elements in the lower arm, alternately, so as to charge the bootstrap circuits in the upper arm when the semiconductor switching elements in the lower arm are in on-state,

wherein when the combined resistance is equal to or higher than a reference value, the insulation resistance detector determines the insulation resistance of the motors selected as the target for measurement from measured current by the current detector and measured voltage by the voltage detector in a condition that switching operation of alternately turning on and off the group of semiconductor switching elements in the upper arm and the group of semiconductor switching elements in the lower arm in the inverter unit to which an arbitrary motor selected to be measured is connected is performed, so as to charge the bootstrap circuits in the upper arm when the semiconductor switching elements in the lower arm are in on-state, the semiconductor switching elements in the lower arm of the inverter units to which a motor other than the target for measurement is connected are set in on-state, and,

wherein when the combined resistance is lower than the reference value, the insulation resistance detector determines the insulation resistance of the motor selected as the target for measurement from the measured current by the current detector and the measured voltage by the voltage detector in the condition that switching operation of alternately turning on and off the group of upper arm semiconductor switching elements and the group of lower arm semiconductor switching elements in the inverter unit to which an arbitrary motor selected as the target for measurement is connected is performed, so as to charge the bootstrap circuits in the upper arm when the semiconductor switching elements in the lower arm are in on-state, and all the semiconductor switching elements of the inverter units to which a motor other than the target for measurement is connected are set in off-state.