System and method for starting pump

• US 6,987,373 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2004
• Issued: 01/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujii, Toshiro, Hirano, Takayuki, Hoshino, Tatsuyuki, Yamada, Kazuho, Kagami, Masanao
• Primary Examiner(s): IP, SHIK LUEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US10/994,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20050110446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 318430-434, 290/36.R, 290/38.R, 417/44.11, 417/44.22, 123/179.3
• US Class Current: 318/471
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 18/126 with radially from the rotor body extending elements, not necessarily co-operating with corresponding recesses in the other rotor, e.g. lobes, Roots type
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2240/40 Electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/19 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/701 Cold start
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 28/06 specially adapted for stopping, starting, idling or no-load operation

Abstract

A starting system for a pump includes a driving motor, an electric source, a selector switch, a starter sensor, a temperature sensor and a control unit. The selector switch is located between the driving motor and the electric source for reversing polarity of the electric power supplied from the electric source to the driving motor. The starter sensor senses whether or not the driving motor has been started. The temperature sensor senses a temperature. The control unit operates the selector switch so as to repeatedly give the driving motor indications of reverse rotation and normal rotation in a case where the starter sensor does not sense that the driving motor has been started even if the control unit operates the selector switch so as to give the driving motor the indication of normal rotation in a state where the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is below a preset temperature.

Claims

1. A starting system for a pump comprising:

a motor for driving the pump;

an electric source connected to the driving motor for supplying the driving motor with electric power;

a selector switch located between the driving motor and the electric source for reversing polarity of the electric power supplied from the electric source to the driving motor while selectively connecting the driving motor to the electric source and disconnecting the driving motor from the electric source;

a starter sensor provided with the driving motor for sensing whether or not the driving motor has been started;

a temperature sensor provided for sensing a temperature; and

a control unit connected to the electric source, the selector switch, the starter sensor and the temperature sensor, wherein the control unit operates the selector switch so as to repeatedly give the driving motor indications of reverse rotation and normal rotation in a case where the starter sensor does not sense that the driving motor has been started even if the control unit operates the selector switch so as to give the driving motor the indication of normal rotation in a state where the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is a preset temperature or below.

2. The starting system according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor measures an outdoor air temperature, the control unit operating the selector switch so as to repeatedly give the driving motor the indications of reverse rotation and normal rotation only in a case where the outdoor air temperature measured by the temperature sensor is the preset temperature or below.

3. The starting system according to claim 1, wherein the electric source is a battery, the control unit operating the selector switch so as to repeatedly give the driving motor the indications of reverse rotation and normal rotation only in a case where charging capacity of the battery is a preset value or above.

4. The starting system according to claim 1, wherein the starter sensor is a torque sensor for sensing torque of the driving motor.

5. The starting system according to claim 1, wherein the starter sensor is an electric current sensor for sensing a value of an electric current flowing into the driving motor.

6. The starting system according to claim 1, wherein the starter sensor is a sensor for sensing number of rotation of the driving motor.

7. The starting system according to claim 1, wherein the starter sensor is a pressure sensor for sensing a discharge pressure of the pump.

8. The starting system according to claim 1, wherein the pump pumps a fuel gas into a fuel cell system.

9. The starting system according to claim 1, wherein the pump is a roots pump.

10. The starting system according to claim 1, wherein the pump is a screw pump.

11. A method of starting a pump including a motor for driving the pump, comprising the steps of:

sensing a temperature;

giving the driving motor an indication of normal rotation; and

starting the driving motor by giving the driving motor indications of reverse rotation and normal rotation repeatedly in a case where the driving motor is not started even if the indication of normal rotation is given to the driving motor in a state where the sensed temperature is a preset temperature or below.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the temperature is an outdoor air temperature, further comprising the step of:

giving the driving motor the indications of reverse rotation and normal rotation repeatedly only in a case where the outdoor air temperature is the preset temperature or below.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

providing a battery with the driving motor for supplying the driving motor with electric power;

measuring charging capacity of the battery; and

giving the driving motor the indications of reverse rotation and normal rotation repeatedly only in a case where the charging capacity is a preset value or above.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the pump pumps a fuel gas into a fuel cell system.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the pump is a roots pump.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the pump is a screw pump.

17. A starting system for a pump motor, comprising:

a starter sensor located near the pump motor for ultimately determining an operational status of the pump motor, the operational status being active and inactive;

a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature; and

a control unit connected to said starter sensor and said temperature sensor for generating a signal to the pump motor, in response to the inactive operational status from said starter sensor after a predetermined normal activation attempt of starting the pump motor, said control unit generating a reverse/forward rotation signal sequence indicative of alternately rotating the pump motor in a predetermined reverse direction and a predetermined forward direction if the detected temperature is equal to or below a predetermined temperature.

18. The starting system for a pump motor according to claim 17 wherein said control unit stops generating the reverse/forward rotation signal sequence when said starter sensor detects the active operational status.

19. The starting system for a pump motor according to claim 17 further comprising a power source connected to the pump motor, wherein said control unit generates the reverse/forward rotation signal sequence only if there is sufficient charge remaining in the power source to start the pump motor.

20. The starting system for a pump motor according to claim 17 wherein said temperature sensor detects an outside air temperature.

21. The starting system for a pump motor according to claim 17 wherein said temperature sensor detects an internal pump temperature.

22. The starting system for a pump motor according to claim 17 wherein said starter sensor detects torque outputted by the pump motor.

23. The starting system for a pump motor according to claim 17 wherein said starter sensor detects electric current flowing through the pump motor.

24. The starting system for a pump motor according to claim 17 wherein said starter sensor detects rotation caused by the pump motor.

25. The starting system for a pump motor according to claim 17 wherein said starter sensor detects pressure discharged by the pump motor.

26. A method of starting a pump motor, comprising the steps of:

rotating the pump motor in a predetermined forward direction;

determining an operational status of the pump motor, the operational status being active and inactive;

in response to the inactive operational status, detecting a temperature; and

generating a reverse/forward rotation signal sequence indicative of alternately rotating the pump motor in a predetermined reverse direction and the predetermined forward direction if the detected temperature is equal to or below a predetermined temperature.

27. The method of starting a pump motor according to claim 26 wherein the reverse/forward rotation signal sequence is not generated when the active operational status is determined.

28. The method of starting a pump motor according to claim 26 further comprising additional steps of:

providing a power source for the pump motor; and

generating the reverse/forward rotation signal sequence only if there is sufficient charge remaining in the power source to start the pump motor.

29. The method of starting a pump motor according to claim 26 wherein the temperature is an outside air temperature.

30. The method of starting a pump motor according to claim 26 wherein the temperature is an internal pump temperature.

31. The method of starting a pump motor according to claim 26 wherein the operational status is determined based upon torque outputted by the pump motor.

32. The method of starting a pump motor according to claim 26 wherein the operational status is determined based upon electric current flowing through the pump motor.

33. The method of starting a pump motor according to claim 26 wherein the operational status is determined based upon rotation caused by the pump motor.

34. The method of starting a pump motor according to claim 26 wherein the operational status is determined based upon pressure discharged by the pump motor.