Electric motor with internal wireless load monitor

• US 4,194,178 A
• Filed: 12/08/1977
• Issued: 03/18/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rexnord Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rexnord Corporation
• Inventors: Dumbeck, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Donald A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Application Number:
  US05/858,657
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 340/531, 340/538, 340/539, 340/648, 340/671, 340/672, 340/310 R, 340/310 A, 340/310 CP, 340/201 R, 340/187, 318/49, 318/334, 318/317, 318/490, 307/89, 307/90, 307/106, 307/116, 307/120, 307/149
• US Class Current: 340/870.17
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/34 Testing dynamo-electric machines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5416 by adding signals to the wave form of the power source
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5433 Remote metering
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5495 having measurements and testing channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals

Abstract

A self-contained modular chip within an induction motor housing detects and develops a motor operation signal, such as loading from motor characteristics such as slip analysis, and couples it by carrier current techniques to the power line for final processing in an external signal processing and meter display unit without necessitating wiring connections internally or externally to the motor.

Claims

1. An electric motor load monitor comprising:

a detector and slip analysis circuit mounted within the motor housing and that produces a signal indication of motor load by slip analysis means;

said slip analysis circuit further including means responsive to power line voltage variations and which corrects the motor load signal for such variations;

a modulator and transmitter mounted within the motor housing that impresses a modulated motor load signal of radio frequency onto the line that supplies power to the motor for transmitting the modulated motor load signal outside the motor housing on the power line;

a receiver outside the motor housing capable of receiving the modulated motor load signal impressed on the power line; and

a demodulator for transforming the received signal to produce the motor load signal.

2. The monitor of claim 1 wherein the slip analysis circuit further includes means responsive to motor temperature variations and which also corrects the motor load signal for such variations.