AC fan motor driving circuit having capability of monitoring the rotation rate and status of the AC fan motor

• US 7,385,369 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ADDA Public Company Limited
• Original Assignee: ADDA Public Company Limited
• Inventors: Hsieh, Hsin-Mao
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro; Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US11/590,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20080100239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 318/138, 318/254, 318/434, 318/439, 318/461, 318720-724
• US Class Current: 318/434
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/08 the working fluid being air, e.g. for ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/001 Testing thereof; Determination or simulation of flow characteristics; Stall or surge detection, e.g. condition monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/004 by varying driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

A driving circuit has a driving circuit module, a rotation rate detecting module and a rotation status detecting module. The driving circuit module is used to drive an AC fan motor and has at least a driving IC having two controlling outputs and a rotation status detecting output. The rotation rate detecting module has a transistor and an photo coupler. The transistor is connected to one of the two controlling outputs of the driving IC. The photo coupler is connected to the transistor and outputs a rotation rate signal to compute the rotation rate of the AC fan motor. The rotation status detecting module has an photo coupler connected to the rotation status detecting output of the driving IC and outputting a rotation status signal to determine whether the AC fan motor operates normally.

Claims

1. An AC fan motor driving circuit having capability of monitoring rotation rate and status of the AC fan motor driving circuit comprising:

a driving circuit module used to drive an AC fan and at least comprising a driving IC that has

two controlling outputs alternately outputting a trigger signal; and

a rotation status detecting output, wherein the rotation status detecting output is unconnected when the AC fan motor is in a lock condition and connects to ground when the AC fan motor operates normally;

a rotation rate detecting module comprising

a transistor connected to one of the two controlling outputs of the driving IC; and

a photo coupler having

an input connected to the transistor; and

at least one output outputting a rotation rate signal for computing the rotation rate of the AC fan motor; and

a rotation status detecting module comprising

a photo coupler having

an input connected to the rotation status detecting output of the driving IC; and

at least one output outputting a rotation status signal to determine whether the AC fan motor operates normally.

2. The driving circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving circuit module further comprising:

an AC to DC converter comprising

a rectifier having

an AC power input adapted to connect to an external AC power source; and

a DC power output; and

a filter connected to the DC power output;

a voltage descending unit connected to the DC power output and the filter of the AC to DC converter and comprising

a resistor string comprising multiple resistors connected in series and having

a first end connected to the DC power output of the rectifier; and

a second end; and

a capacitor connected to the second end of the resistor string;

a driving unit connected to the second end of the resistor string in the voltage descending unit and comprising

a first and a second transistors respectively having a collector terminal, an emitter terminal and a base terminal, and the base terminals of the first and the second transistors respectively connected to the controlling outputs of the driving IC;

the driving IC further having

a DC input connected to the second end of the resistor string in the voltage descending unit; and

two Hall signal inputs; and

a Hall sensor having

a DC input connected to the second end of the resistor string in the voltage descending unit; and

two outputs connected to the Hall signal inputs of the driving IC;

a winding unit comprising a first and a second windings connected between the DC power output of the rectifier and the collector terminals of the first and the second transistors in the driving unit; and

a harmonic suppression unit connected to the DC power output of the rectifier and also connected to the winding unit in parallel and comprising

two diodes respectively having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, wherein the positive terminals of the two diodes are respectively connected to the collector terminals of the first and the second transistors of the driving unit, and the negative terminals of the two diodes are connected together; and

a zener diode string comprising multiple zener diodes connected in series and having

a first end connected to the DC power output of the rectifier; and

a second end connected to the negative terminals of the two diodes.

3. The driving circuit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rectifier in the AC to DC converter is a full wave rectifier.

4. The driving circuit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the filter in the AC to DC converter is a capacitor.

5. The driving circuit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the driving circuit module further comprises a current protection unit connected between the rectifier and the external AC power source.

6. The driving circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the current protection unit is a fuse.

7. The driving circuit as claimed in claim 2, the rotation rate detecting module further comprising a voltage divider that has a first resistor and a second resistor connected in series at a node, wherein

the first resistor is connected to the DC power output of the rectifier in the AC to DC converter;

and

the node is connected to the transistor and the photo coupler of the rotation rate detecting module.

8. The driving circuit as claimed in claim 2, the rotation status detecting module further comprising a voltage divider that has a first resistor and a second resistor connected in series at a node, wherein

the first resistor is connected to the DC power output of the rectifier in the AC to DC converter;

and

the node is connected to the rotation status detecting output of the driving IC and the photo coupler in the rotation status detecting module.