Power monitoring apparatus of fan

• US 7,619,535 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2006
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delta Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Delta Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Chen, Chien-Hua, Huang, Wen-Shi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thompson; Bradley E
• Application Number:
  US11/481,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20070018838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 340/635, 340/661, 340/693.4, 361/18
• US Class Current: 340/635
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/032 Preventing damage to the motor, e.g. setting individual current limits for different drive conditions

Abstract

A power monitoring apparatus of a fan is for receiving an input voltage from external. The power monitoring apparatus includes a starting unit and a voltage detecting unit. The starting unit receives the input voltage and starts the fan according to the input voltage. The voltage detecting unit is electrically connected to the starting unit and generates a warning signal when the input voltage is not equal to a reference value.

Claims

1. A power monitoring apparatus of a fan, for receiving an input voltage, from exterior, comprising:

a starting unit receiving the input voltage and starting the fan according to the input voltage, wherein the starting unit comprises a first switch element and a second switch element, wherein the first switch element has a first end for receiving the input voltage and has a second end electrically connected to the fan so as to switch on the fan, the second switch element electrically connected to the first switch element for controlling the first switch element, and wherein the starting unit further comprises a capacitor having one end, a resistor having one end connected to the end of the capacitor, the other end of the capacitor electrically connected to the first switch element, and the other end of the resistor electrically connected to a ground so as to achieve a soft-start effect; and

a voltage detecting unit electrically connected to the starting unit and generating a warning signal when the input voltage is not equal to a first reference value.

2. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the starting unit further comprises at least one diode having one end for receiving the input voltage and the other end electrically connected to the first switch element.

3. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first switch element and the second switch element are transistors, respectively, the first switch element has a source electrically connected to the other end of the diode and a drain electrically connected to the fan, and the second switch element has a drain electrically connected to the other end of the diode.

4. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first switch element is a PMOS transistor, and the second switch element is an NMOS transistor.

5. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the voltage detecting unit comprises:

a first comparator having a first input terminal, a second input terminal and an output terminal, the first input terminal receiving the input voltage, the second input terminal receiving the first reference value, and the output terminal outputting the warning signal when the input voltage is not equal to the first reference value.

6. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the voltage detecting unit further comprises:

a first Zener diode having one end electrically connected to the second input terminal and the other end electrically connected to ground.

7. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first input terminal is a positive input terminal of the first comparator and the second input terminal is a negative input terminal of the first comparator, and the output terminal outputs the warning signal when the input voltage is lower than the first reference value.

8. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first input terminal is a negative input terminal of the first comparator and the second input terminal is a positive input terminal of the first comparator, and the output terminal outputs the warning signal when the input voltage is higher than the first reference value.

9. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the voltage detecting unit further comprises:

a third switch element electrically connected to the output terminal of the first comparator, and the third switch element being turned off so as to output the warning signal when the input voltage is not equal to the first reference value.

10. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the third switch element is a transistor.

11. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the voltage detecting unit further comprises:

a second Zener diode having one end electrically connected to a collector of the third switch element and the other end electrically connected to ground, and one end of the second Zener diode generating the warning signal when the input voltage is not equal to the first reference value.

12. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the voltage detecting unit comprises:

a voltage-dividing unit receiving the input voltage and generating a voltage-divided input voltage; and

a first comparator having a first input terminal, a second input terminal and an output terminal, the first input terminal receiving the voltage-divided input voltage, the second input terminal receiving the first reference value, and the output terminal outputting the warning signal when the voltage-divided input voltage is not equal to the first reference value.

13. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the voltage-dividing unit has a first resistor and a second resistor, the first resistor has one end for receiving the input voltage and the other end electrically connected to the first input terminal, and the second resistor has one end electrically connected to the other end of the first resistor and the other end electrically connected to ground.

14. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power monitoring apparatus cooperates with an external system for receiving the warning signal and replying according to the warning signal.

15. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a voltage monitoring unit for receiving the input voltage and electrically connected to the starting unit, wherein when the input voltage is not equal to a second reference value, the voltage monitoring unit turns off the starting unit.

16. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the voltage monitoring unit comprises:

a second comparator having a first input terminal, a second input terminal and an output terminal, the first input terminal receiving the input voltage, the second input terminal receiving the second reference value, and the output terminal being electrically connected to the starting unit.

17. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the first input terminal is a positive input terminal of the second comparator, the second input terminal is a negative input terminal of the second comparator, and the voltage monitoring unit turns off the starting unit when the input voltage is lower than the second reference value.

18. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the first input terminal is a negative input terminal of the second comparator, the second input terminal is a positive input terminal of the second comparator, and the voltage monitoring unit turns off the starting unit when the input voltage is higher than the second reference value.

19. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the voltage monitoring unit comprises:

a voltage-dividing unit for receiving the input voltage and generating a voltage-divided input voltage; and

a second comparator having a first input terminal, a second input terminal and an output terminal, the first input terminal receiving the voltage-divided input voltage, the second input terminal receiving the second reference value, and the output terminal being electrically connected to the starting unit.

20. The power monitoring apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the voltage monitoring unit is an analog control chip.