Motor controller for preventing excessive battery discharging
First Claim
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1. A motor controller for an electric motor, said motor controller comprising:
- a first conductor carrying a voltage signal indicative of a voltage level associated with the electric motor;
a second conductor carrying a motor activation signal indicative of an on/off state of the motor;
a comparison circuit responsive to the voltage signal and the motor-activation signal to generate a motor disable signal, said motor disable signal having a motor enable state and a motor disable state, said motor disable signal operative in the motor disable state to disable the motor, thereby preventing operation of the motor and interrupting operation of the motor if on, said comparison circuit operative to change state of the motor disable signal from the motor enable state to the motor disable state both (1) when the voltage signal falls below a first, higher level and the motor activation signal indicates that the motor is off, and (2) when the voltage signal falls below a second, lower level and the motor activation signal indicates that the motor is on.
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Abstract
A motor controller for a battery-powered electric motor automatically disables the motor when the battery voltage (1) remains below a first, higher level for a longer time when the motor is off, or (2) remains below a second, lower level for a longer time when the motor is on, or (3) falls below a low level less than about one quarter the nominal level of the voltage for a shorter time. The motor is automatically enabled when the battery voltage rises to a higher level for a preset time period, indicative of charging of the battery.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A motor controller for an electric motor, said motor controller comprising:
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a first conductor carrying a voltage signal indicative of a voltage level associated with the electric motor; a second conductor carrying a motor activation signal indicative of an on/off state of the motor; a comparison circuit responsive to the voltage signal and the motor-activation signal to generate a motor disable signal, said motor disable signal having a motor enable state and a motor disable state, said motor disable signal operative in the motor disable state to disable the motor, thereby preventing operation of the motor and interrupting operation of the motor if on, said comparison circuit operative to change state of the motor disable signal from the motor enable state to the motor disable state both (1) when the voltage signal falls below a first, higher level and the motor activation signal indicates that the motor is off, and (2) when the voltage signal falls below a second, lower level and the motor activation signal indicates that the motor is on. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A motor controller for an electric motor, said motor controller comprising:
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a first conductor carrying a voltage signal indicative of a voltage level associated with the electric motor; a second conductor carrying a motor activation signal indicative of an on/off state of the motor; means for changing state of the motor from enabled to disabled both (1) when the voltage signal makes a transition from above to below a first, higher level and the motor activation signal indicates that the motor is off, and (2) when the voltage signal makes a transition from above to below a second, lower level and the motor activation signal indicates that the motor is on. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. In a battery-powered electric motor system comprising a battery having a nominal voltage level, a battery charger coupled with the battery, and an electrical motor selectively coupled with the battery, a motor controller comprising:
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a first conductor carrying a voltage signal indicative of a voltage level applied by the battery to the motor; a comparison circuit responsive to the voltage signal to disable the motor while preserving a connection between the battery and the battery charger (1) when the voltage remains below a first, higher threshold for at least a first, longer time period, and (2) when the voltage remains below a second, lower threshold for at least a second, shorter time period. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In a battery-powered electric motor system comprising a battery having a nominal voltage level, a battery charger coupled with the battery, and an electrical motor selectively coupled with the battery, a motor controller comprising:
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a first conductor carrying a voltage signal indicative of a voltage level applied by the battery to the motor; means for disabling the motor while preserving a connection between the battery and the battery charger (1) when the voltage remains below a first, higher threshold for at least a first, longer time period, and (2) when the voltage remains below a second, lower threshold for at least a second, shorter time period. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method for selectively disabling an electric motor comprising:
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(a) monitoring a voltage signal indicative of a voltage associated with the electric motor; (b) changing a motor disable signal from a motor enable state to a motor disable state when the voltage signal falls below a first, higher level and the motor is off; (c) changing the motor disable signal from the motor enable state to the motor disable state when the voltage signal falls below a second, lower level and the motor is on; and (d) disabling the motor when the motor disable signal is in the motor disable state, thereby preventing operation of the motor and interrupting operation of the motor if on.
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20. A method of selectively disabling an electric motor, said method comprising:
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(a) monitoring a voltage signal indicative of a voltage applied to the electric motor; (b) changing a motor disable signal from a motor enable state to a motor disable state when the voltage signal remains below a first, higher threshold for at least a first, longer time period; (c) changing the motor disable signal from the motor enable state to the motor disable state when the voltage signal remains below a second, lower threshold for at least a second, shorter time period; and (d) disabling the motor when the motor disable signal is in the motor disable state, thereby preventing operation of the motor and interrupting operation of the motor if on. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification