Power drive of electric motor

• US 8,138,710 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2008
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bluffton Motor Works LLC (Wpa Participações e Serviços SA)
• Original Assignee: SNTech Incorporated
• Inventors: Jeung, Young-Chun
• Primary Examiner(s): COLON SANTANA, EDUARDO
• Application Number:
  US12/192,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20100039058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 318/432, 318/400.04, 318/400.13, 318/400.14, 318/400.16, 318/400.17, 318/779, 318/800, 318/801, 318/803, 318811-813, 388/806, 388/811, 417/410.1, 320/140, 320/141, 320/145, 621/86, 622/284, 623/233, 165/244
• US Class Current: 318/803
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/04 using variable-frequency supply voltage, e.g. inverter or converter supply voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/00 Arrangements for controlling synchronous motors or other dynamo-electric motors using electronic commutation dependent on the rotor position; Electronic commutators therefor vector control H02P21/00

Abstract

Some embodiment of the present disclosure provide an electric motor comprising a power drive configured to supply electric power to different components of the motor that operate with different power inputs. The motor is configured to transform the electric power into mechanical work to perform on a load. The electric motor is configured to be used as a pump or a blower in a HVAC system. The electric motor includes a first power source connected to and supplying an electric power to the windings of the motor, a second power source connected to and supplying an electric power to a logic circuit configured to control operation of the motor, a third power source connected to and supplying an electric power to an external device that is configured to be connected to the motor and not enclosed in a housing, and a housing enclosing the first, second, and third power source. Another embodiment of the disclosure provides a method of supplying power in an electric motor, wherein the method includes providing a motor comprising windings, a logic circuit, an external power outlet accessible from outside a housing of the motor. The method further includes supplying a first electric power to the windings, supplying an electric power to the logic circuit, and supplying a third electric power to the external power outlet.

Claims

1. An electric motor comprising:

a first power source supplying first electric power to windings of the motor;

a second power source supplying second electric power to a logic circuit of the motor;

a third power source supplying third electric power to an external device when the external device is connected to the motor; and

a motor housing enclosing the windings, the logic circuit, the first, second, and third power sources.

2. The electric motor of claim 1, wherein the external device comprises a control interface configured to input control signals to the motor, and a communication device configured to load programs and settings to the motor.

3. The electric motor of claim 1, further comprising a power outlet accessible from outside the housing, wherein the power outlet is connected to the third power source.

4. The electric motor of claim 3, wherein the external device is configured to get connected to the power outlet and the power outlet is configured to supply the third electric power to the external device.

5. The electric motor of claim 3, wherein the power outlet is configured to supply voltage of about 12 volts.

6. The electric motor of claim 1, further comprising a converter enclosed in the housing and configured to convert an AC power supplied from the outside of the housing to a DC power.

7. The electric motor of claim 6, further comprising a transformer enclosed in the housing and configured to transform an input voltage from the converter into at least one output voltage.

8. The electric motor of claim 1, wherein the first power source comprises a power switching circuit electrically connected to the windings, wherein the power switching circuit is configured to supply current to the windings of the motor and rotate the rotor of the motor to perform mechanical work by the motor.

9. The electric motor of claim 1, wherein the logic circuit comprises a microprocessor, a control chip, and gate drives that process control commands for controlling motor operation.

10. The electric motor of claim 9, wherein the second power source is configured to supply the second electric power at logic level voltage from about 5 volts to about 15 volts.

11. The electric motor of claim 9, wherein the microprocessor generates PWM signals to control the speed of rotation of a rotor of the motor.

12. The electric motor of claim 1, wherein the electric motor is configured to be used as a pump or a blower in a HVAC system.

13. A method of supplying power in a motor comprising:

providing the electric motor of claim 1;

supplying the first electric power from the first power source to the windings;

supplying the second electric power from the second power source to the logic circuit; and

supplying the third electric power from the third power source to an external power outlet.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises supplying an AC power to the motor and thereby supplying the first, the second, and the third electric power.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises converting the AC power into a DC power.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises transforming the DC power into at least one output voltage.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises providing a power switching circuit.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein supplying the first electric power comprises providing the first electric power to the windings by the power switching circuit, wherein the power switching circuit is configured to provide the first electric power based on a PWM signal from the logic circuit.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the second electric power is supplied to the logic circuit at logic level voltage from about 5 volts to about 15 volts.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the third electric power is supplied to the external power outlet at about 12 volts.

21. An electric motor comprising:

a first power source supplying first electric power to windings of the motor;

a second power source supplying second electric power to a logic circuit of the motor;

a third power source supplying third electric power to a circuit that is configured to connect with an external device and communicate with the external device; and

a motor housing enclosing the windings, the logic circuit, the first, second, and third power sources.