Control device for direct current electric motor

• US 5,708,343 A
• Filed: 10/29/1996
• Issued: 01/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Hara, Nobuo, Ogata, Hiroaki, Suenari, Masaya
• Primary Examiner(s): IP, SHIK LUEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US08/702,620
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 318/138, 318/139, 318/245, 318/269, 318/254, 318/599, 318/600, 318/603, 318/493, 388/800-809, 180/179, 180/206, 323/282, 323/285
• US Class Current: 318/599
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/45 Control or actuating devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 2205/01 Current loop, i.e. comparison of the motor current with a current reference
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 7/29 using pulse modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/0822 in field-effect transistor switches

Abstract

A device includes an FET 206 interposed between one end of a motor 201 and a positive electrode of a battery EB; a diode 203 for circulating an electric current so as to flow through the motor 201 after the switching means is turned off, the electric current is the same as that which has flown through the motor 201 before the switch 220 is turned off; a shunt 203a, differential amplifier 203b, and a low-pass filter 203c as means for detecting a value of an electric current flowing to the motor 210; and a controller 250 for turning on and off the switching means by the PWM control, so that the value of the electric current detected by the current detection means coincides with a target value. The controller 250 sets a very small value as the target value when the motor is rotated by inertia thereof, and supplying the electric current of the small target value to the motor 201. As a result, it is possible to protect the FET for actuating the motor in an auxiliary motor-equipped bicycle without addition of structural elements at a low cost.

Claims

1. A control device for a direct current electric motor comprising:

switching means interposed between a direct current electric motor and an electric power source therefor;

circulation means for circulating an electric current so as to flow through the motor after the switching means is off, the electric current is the same as that which has flown through the motor before the switching means is on;

current detection means for detecting a value of the electric current flowing to the motor; and

controlling means for turning on and off the switching means by the PWM control, so that the value of the electric current detected by the current detection means coincides with a target value, the controlling means setting a very small value as the target value when the motor is rotated by inertia thereof, and supplying the electric current of the small target value to the motor.

2. A control device for a direct current electric motor according to claim 1, wherein the controlling means sets a vary small value as the target value when a switch of the power supply is turned off, and supplies the electric current of the small target value to the motor.

3. A control device for a direct current electric motor according to claim 1, wherein the controlling means sets a very small value as the target value before setting the target value zero, and supplies the electric current of the very small value to the motor.

4. A control device for a direct current electric motor according to one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the controlling means sets the very small value to zero after passage of a predetermined time from the time when the supply of the electric current of the very small value is started.