Method and system for fail-safe motor operation

• US 7,157,875 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Kamen, Dean, Field, J. Douglas, Morrell, John B., Robinson, David W., Sachs, Jason M., Heinzmann, John David, LeMay, Philip, Meyer, Steven R., Reich, Ronald K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro; Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US11/273,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20060125433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 318/434, 318563-565, 388/903, 361 23- 34, 310/101, 310/112
• US Class Current: 318/434
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/12 with driving mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/00 Disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel roller-skate driving mechanisms A63C17/12
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/00 Vehicles characterised by having other propulsion or other ground- engaging means than wheels or endless track, alone or in addition to wheels or endless track sledges B62B; motor sledges B62M
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/007 Automatic balancing machines with single main ground engaging wheel or coaxial wheels supporting a rider
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/032 Preventing damage to the motor, e.g. setting individual current limits for different drive conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 388/903 Protective, e.g. voltage or current limit

Abstract

An electric device includes a motor and a motor drive for commanding a torque generated by the motor. A fault control circuit detects a fault condition associated with the motor drive. Upon detection of the fault condition, the fault control circuit adjusts the torque commanded by the motor drive.

Claims

1. An electric device comprising:

a motor having a first winding set and a second winding set, the first winding set and the second winding set being redundant; and

a fault control circuit for decoupling one of the first winding set and the second winding set from all circuitry, including from each other, based at least on a fault condition.

2. The electric device according to claim 1, wherein the fault control circuit includes at least one switch for decoupling the one of the first winding set and the second winding set from all circuitry.

3. The electric device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one switch is a relay.

4. The electric device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one relay is in a normally open position such that the one of the first winding set and the second winding set is decoupled from all circuitry when the relay is not activated.

5. The electric device according to claim 1, wherein the fault control circuit includes at least one squib for decoupling the one of the first winding set and the second winding set.

6. The electric device according to claim 1, wherein the fault control circuit includes at least fuse for decoupling the one of the first winding set and the second winding set.

7. The electric device according to claim 1, wherein the fault condition is a failure of a component associated with the first winding set, and the fault control circuit decouples the first winding set from all circuitry based at least on the fault condition.

8. The electric device according to claim 7, wherein the component is one of the first winding set, a power source, a motor drive, a sensor, a CPU, and a RAM.

9. The electric device according to claim 1, further comprising a controller, the controller including:

a first processor associated with the first winding set; and

a second processor associated with the second winding set.

10. The electric device according to claim 1, wherein the electric device is a transporter and the motor is coupled to at least one ground contacting element of the transporter so as to propel the transporter.

11. The transporter according to claim 10, wherein the transporter is a dynamically stabilized transporter.