Power failure tolerant motor drives for dual voltage systems

• US 6,693,403 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2002
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust), Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation (Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (Aptiv PLC)
• Inventors: Chen, Shaotang
• Primary Examiner(s): Duda, Rina I.
• Application Number:
  US10/068,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20030146730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 318/701, 318/254, 318/138, 318/439, 318/770, 318/748, 318/724, 320/121, 320/126, 320/DIG.13
• US Class Current: 318/701
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 25/08 Reluctance motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/02 Providing protection against overload without automatic interruption of supply protection against faults of stepper motors H02P8/36
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/13 Fault detection

Abstract

A dual voltage motor drive is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the motor includes a rotor assembly, rotatingly disposed within a stator assembly, and a plurality of motor phase windings configured to be energized in a determined sequence to cause a rotation of the rotor assembly. The plurality of motor phase windings are divided into a first group of windings selectively energized by a first voltage source, and a second group of windings selectively energized by a second voltage source, wherein the motor remains operational in the event of a failure of one of the first and second voltage sources.

Claims

1. A dual voltage motor drive, comprising:

a rotor assembly rotatingly disposed within a stator assembly;

a plurality of motor phase windings, said phase windings configured to be energized in a determined sequence to cause a rotation of said rotor assembly; and

said plurality of motor phase windings being divided into a first group of windings selectively energized by a first voltage source, and a second group of windings selectively energized by a second voltage source;

wherein the motor remains operational in the event of a failure of one of said first and second voltage sources.

2. The dual voltage motor drive of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of phase windings comprises a bifilar winding having a primary coil and a secondary coil, said secondary coil magnetically coupled to said primary coil.

3. The dual voltage motor drive of claim 2, wherein:

said primary coil in each said bifilar winding is energized by applying a phase control signal to a gate of a transistor connected to said primary coil, thereby causing an input current to flow through said primary coil in a first direction; and

responsive to the removal of said phase control signal, said secondary coil in each said bifilar winding has an output current flowing there through in a second direction opposite to said first direction.

4. The dual voltage motor drive of claim 3, wherein:

each said secondary coil in each said bifilar winding has a diode connected thereto, thereby preventing the flow of current through each said secondary coil in said first direction.

5. The dual voltage motor drive of claim 1, further comprising a switched reluctance (SR) type motor.

6. A dual voltage motor drive, comprising:

a rotor assembly rotatingly disposed within a stator assembly;

a plurality of motor phase windings, said phase windings configured to be energized in a determined sequence to cause a rotation of said rotor assembly;

said plurality of motor phase windings being divided into a first group or windings selectively energized by a first voltage source, and a second group of windings selectively energized by a second voltage source;

said first group of windings being cross coupled to said second voltage source; and

said second group of windings being cross coupled to said first voltage source;

wherein the motor remains operational in the event of a failure of one of said first and second voltage sources.

7. The dual voltage motor drive of claim 6, further comprising:

a first capacitor connected in parallel with said first voltage source and a second capacitor connected in parallel with said second voltage source;

wherein

said second capacitor is charged by current flowing through said first group of windings; and

said first capacitor is charged by current flowing through said second group of windings.

8. The dual voltage motor drive of claim 7, wherein:

said first group of windings includes at least one bifilar winding; and

said second group of windings includes at least one bifilar winding;

wherein each said bifilar winding includes a primary coil and a secondary coil, said secondary coil being magnetically coupled to said primary coil.

9. The dual voltage motor drive of claim 8, wherein:

said primary coil in each said bifilar winding is energized by applying a phase control signal to a gate of a transistor connected to said primary coil, thereby causing an input current to flow through said primary coil in a first direction; and

responsive to the removal of said phase control signal, said secondary coil in each said bifilar winding has an output current flowing there through in a second direction opposite to said first direction.

10. The dual voltage motor drive of claim 9, wherein:

each said secondary coil in each said bifilar winding has a diode connected thereto, thereby preventing the flow of current through each said secondary coil in said first direction.

11. The dual voltage motor drive of claim 10, wherein said first and second capacitors are charged by said output current flowing in said secondary coils of said bifilar windings.

12. The dual voltage motor drive of claim 7, wherein:

the supply voltage of said second voltage source is larger than the supply voltage of said first voltage source.

13. The dual voltage motor drive of claim 12, wherein:

said second group of windings includes at least one bifilar winding, and each said at least one bifilar winding includes a primary coil and a secondary coil, said secondary coil being magnetically coupled to said primary coil.

14. The dual voltage motor drive of claim 13, wherein:

said primary coil in each said at least one bifilar winding is energized by applying a phase control signal to a gate of a transistor connected to said primary coil, thereby causing an input current to flow through said primary coil in a first direction; and

responsive to the removal of said phase control signal, said secondary coil in each said at least one bifilar winding has an output current flowing there through in a second direction opposite to said first direction.

15. The dual voltage motor drive of claim 14, wherein said first capacitor is charged by said output current flowing in said secondary coil of each said at least one bifilar winding.

16. The dual voltage motor drive of claim 7, wherein:

said second group of windings includes bifilar windings; and

the voltage supply of said second voltage source is larger than the voltage supply of said first voltage source.

17. A method for configuring a fault tolerant motor, the method comprising:

configuring a rotor assembly to be rotatingly disposed within a stator assembly, said stator assembly having a plurality or motor phase windings to be energized in a determined sequence to cause a rotation of said rotor assembly; and

dividing said plurality of motor phase windings divided into a first group of windings to be selectively energized by a first voltage source, and a second group of windings to be selectively energized by a second voltage source;

wherein the motor remains operational in the event of a failure of one of said first and second voltage sources.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

cross coupling said first group of windings to said second voltage source; and

cross coupling said second group of windings to said first voltage source.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

connecting a first capacitor in parallel with said first voltage source and a second capacitor in parallel with said second voltage source;

wherein

said second capacitor is charged by current flowing through said first group of windings; and

said first capacitor is charged by current flowing through said second group of windings.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

said first group of windings includes at least one bifilar winding; and

said second group of windings includes at least one bifilar winding;

wherein each said bifilar winding includes a primary coil and a secondary coil, said secondary coil being magnetically coupled to said primary coil.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein:

said primary coil in each said bifilar winding is energized by applying a phase control signal to a gate of a transistor connected to said primary coil, thereby causing an input current to flow through said primary coil in a first direction; and

responsive to said primary current, said secondary coil in each said bifilar winding has an output current flowing there through in a second direction opposite to said first direction.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein:

each said secondary coil in each said bifilar winding has a diode connected thereto, thereby preventing the flow of current through each said secondary coil in said first direction.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said first and second capacitors are charged by said output current flowing in said secondary coils of said bifilar windings.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the supply voltage of said second voltage source is larger than the supply voltage of said first voltage source.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein:

said second group of windings includes at least one bifilar winding, and each said at least one bifilar winding includes a primary coil and a secondary coil, said secondary coil being magnetically coupled to said primary coil.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein:

said primary coil in each said at least one bifilar winding is energized by applying a phase control signal to a gate of a transistor connected to said primary coil, thereby causing an input current to flow through said primary coil in a first direction; and

responsive to said primary current, said secondary coil in each said at least one bifilar winding has an output current flowing there through in a second direction opposite to said first direction.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said first capacitor is charged by said output current flowing in said secondary coil of each said at least one bifilar winding.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein:

said second group of windings includes bifilar windings; and

the voltage supply of said second voltage source is larger than the voltage supply of said first voltage source.