Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
339 words
Brushless d-c motor system having a stator having at least one winding; a permanent magnet rotor in magnetic inductive position with respect to the stator; means for sensing rotor position and for deriving a signal representative of the position of the rotor with respect to the stator; power supply buses for connection to a direct current source; a four transistor bridge circuit having four transistors arranged as two bridge-halves, of which each half includes two of the four transistors, and carries current through the winding in a respective one of two opposite directions, said four transistor bridge circuit forming a full bridge, and being connected to the terminals of said winding, said full bridge circuit being further connected to and controlled by the rotor position sensing means; two capacitance means; first and second voltage changing means, connected to the capacitance means for changing the voltage on the associated capacitance means, each bridge-half including a respective capacitance means, one of said voltage changing means forming a capacitance charging means and the other of said voltage changing means forming a capacitance discharge means; each of said capacitance means being connected to the respective bridge-half such that the voltage of the capacitance means determines the degree of conductivity of at least one of the two transistors of the respective bridge-half; the change of voltage on the capacitance means, effected by the associated first voltage changing means causing the respective bridge-half to become conductive, and the change in the voltage on the capacitance means effected by the associated second voltage changing means causing the respective bridge-half to become non-conductive or to block; and wherein the transistors of the four transistor bridge circuit, the capacitance means, and the first and second voltage changing means are so dimensioned relative to each other that the voltage change effected by each of the first voltage changing means is slower than that effected by the second voltage changing means, to produce a time gap between switching OFF of one bridge-half and subsequent switching ON of the other bridge-half.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
339 words
Brushless d-c motor system having a stator having at least one winding; a permanent magnet rotor in magnetic inductive position with respect to the stator; means for sensing rotor position and for deriving a signal representative of the position of the rotor with respect to the stator; power supply buses for connection to a direct current source; a four transistor bridge circuit having four transistors arranged as two bridge-halves, of which each half includes two of the four transistors, and carries current through the winding in a respective one of two opposite directions, said four transistor bridge circuit forming a full bridge, and being connected to the terminals of said winding, said full bridge circuit being further connected to and controlled by the rotor position sensing means; two capacitance means; first and second voltage changing means, connected to the capacitance means for changing the voltage on the associated capacitance means, each bridge-half including a respective capacitance means, one of said voltage changing means forming a capacitance charging means and the other of said voltage changing means forming a capacitance discharge means; each of said capacitance means being connected to the respective bridge-half such that the voltage of the capacitance means determines the degree of conductivity of at least one of the two transistors of the respective bridge-half; the change of voltage on the capacitance means, effected by the associated first voltage changing means causing the respective bridge-half to become conductive, and the change in the voltage on the capacitance means effected by the associated second voltage changing means causing the respective bridge-half to become non-conductive or to block; and wherein the transistors of the four transistor bridge circuit, the capacitance means, and the first and second voltage changing means are so dimensioned relative to each other that the voltage change effected by each of the first voltage changing means is slower than that effected by the second voltage changing means, to produce a time gap between switching OFF of one bridge-half and subsequent switching ON of the other bridge-half.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the first voltage changing means comprises charge resistors connected to change the charge state of the capacitance means, said resistors having resistance values such that the current flowing therethrough for charging said capacitance means during the respective time interval is essentially at a constant level.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
System according to claim 2, wherein the capacitance means comprises two capacitors respectively connected to the control input terminals of the bridge circuit and effectively connected in series and having a common connection, the common connection being connected to one of said power buses.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
System according to claim 2, wherein the transistors of the bridge circuit include switching transistors; and the capacitance means includes the inherent base-emitter and base-collector capacitances of the respective transistors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
System according to claim 2, wherein the bridge circuit includes control input terminals connected to and controlled by the rotor position sensing means; and
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
wherein said capacitance means are formed by a delay capacitor connected across the control input terminals of the bridge circuit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
wherein said capacitance means are formed by a delay capacitor connected across the control input terminals of the bridge circuit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
69 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the means for deriving a signal representative of the rotor postion comprises a Hall integrated circuit element having a transistor output stage; and wherein the transistor output stage of the Hall-IC elements forms part of the second voltage changing means and is coupled to the half-bridges for providing, selectively, blocking voltages to a control input terminal of the transistor of the respective half-bridge.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
System according to claim 1, including a phase inversion transistor connected to the means for deriving a signal representative of position of the rotor, and connected to a control input terminals of the bridge circuit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
System according to claim 7, further including a high resistance decoupling resistor connected between the input of the phase inversion transistor and the output of the rotor position sensing means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
System according to claim 7, further comprising decoupling elements connected between the phase inversion transistor and the capacitance means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
51 words
System according to claim 1 including a diode (62, 89) connected between the output of the rotor position signal deriving means and the capacitance means to provide for changing the charge state of the capacitance means as a function of rotor position, as sensed by the rotor position signal deriving means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
83 words
System according to claim 1, further including a voltage regulator connected to the power supply buses and providing regulated electrical energy to the rotor position signal deriving means at a voltage level which is below the voltage level between the power supply buses; and means for controlling stability of operation of the charging means comprising high resistance connections connected to the power supply buses at a voltage level which is higher than the stabilized voltage provided for the rotor position signal deriving means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
53 words
System according to claim 1, including the means for controlling stability of operation of the charging means comprises a high resistance connection between the capacitance means and the power supply buses, the resistance of said connection being sufficiently high to provide for essentially constant current flow upon charging of the respective capacitance means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
59 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the first and second voltage changing means are respectively dimensioned for providing a delay of unblocking conduction of the transistors of the bridge circuit, which delay is substantially longer than the time required to cause blocking of transistors of said bridge under control of th means for deriving the rotor position representative signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
System according to claim 13, wherein the time delay is , at the most, about 10% of the theoretically possible turn-ON time of the associated transistor of the bridge circuit.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
System according to claim 1, further including a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistor (74) serially connected with the winding (25) to limit the overall motor current in case of interference with free rotation of the rotor thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
Compact fan or ventilator comprising an external rotor motor; including the d-c motor system defined in claim 1; wherein the stator and said at least one continuous winding is located within the rotor, and the rotor, externally, surrounds the stator, and fan blades (17) are provided, directly secured to said external rotor.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
12 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the rotor has essentially trapezoidal-shaped magnetization.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the means for deriving a rotor position signal is coupled to and controls said first and second voltage changing means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
System accoding to claim 1, wherein each capacitance means has a first and a second voltage changing means connected thereto.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
264 words
Brushless direct-current motor system having a stator winding having at least two winding strands; a permanent magnet rotor in magnetic inductive position with respect to the stator; means for sensing rotor position and for depriving a signal representative of the position of the rotor with respect to the stator; power buses for connection to a direct current source; said two winding strands being each series-connected with a power transistor means for alternate connection of the winding strands to the power buses; each power transistor means having a control input terminal; a control circuit connected to and controlled by said rotor position sensing means and having its output connected to said control input terminals, and comprising means for delaying conduction of a respective power transistor means upon commutation of current from one of said winding strands to the other and after blocking of the other of the power transistor means for a time interval sufficient to insure a finite time gap of current flow through said power transistor means, said delaying means including capacitance means connected between said control input terminals for affecting flow of base current through the respective power transistor means being controlled to reach conductive state, and hence delaying conduction thereof; means (88, 90, 95) for supplying a current to said capacitance means; and means (54, 89, 94) for rapidly changing the potential of at least one electrode of said capacitance means (87) under control of said rotor position sensing means (32) to cause rapid blocking of the respective power transistor means upon commutation of current to the other power transistor means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
264 words
Brushless direct-current motor system having a stator winding having at least two winding strands; a permanent magnet rotor in magnetic inductive position with respect to the stator; means for sensing rotor position and for depriving a signal representative of the position of the rotor with respect to the stator; power buses for connection to a direct current source; said two winding strands being each series-connected with a power transistor means for alternate connection of the winding strands to the power buses; each power transistor means having a control input terminal; a control circuit connected to and controlled by said rotor position sensing means and having its output connected to said control input terminals, and comprising means for delaying conduction of a respective power transistor means upon commutation of current from one of said winding strands to the other and after blocking of the other of the power transistor means for a time interval sufficient to insure a finite time gap of current flow through said power transistor means, said delaying means including capacitance means connected between said control input terminals for affecting flow of base current through the respective power transistor means being controlled to reach conductive state, and hence delaying conduction thereof; means (88, 90, 95) for supplying a current to said capacitance means; and means (54, 89, 94) for rapidly changing the potential of at least one electrode of said capacitance means (87) under control of said rotor position sensing means (32) to cause rapid blocking of the respective power transistor means upon commutation of current to the other power transistor means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
79 words
System acccording to claim 20, wherein the means for deriving a signal representative of the rotor position comprises a Hall integrated circuit element (32) having a transistor output stage; and wherein the transistor output stage of the Hall-IC element forms part of said means for rapidly changing the potential of at least one of the electrodes of said capacitance means to cause rapid blocking of the respective transistor means upon commutation of current to the other power transistor means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
56 words
System according to claim 20, wherein the means for rapidly changing the potential of at least one electrode of said capacitance means includes a phase in version transistor connected to the means for deriving a signal representative of position of the rotor, and connected to one of said control input terminals of said power transistor means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
System according to claim 22, further including a high resistance decoupling resistor connected between the input to the phase inversion transistor and the output of the rotor position sensing means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
58 words
System according to claim 20, wherein a charging circuit for said capacitance means is provided and a diode is connected between the output of the rotor position sensing means and said capacitance means to provide for changing the charge state of the capacitance means as a function of rotor position, as sensed by the rotor position sensing means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
75 words
System according to claim 24, further including a voltage regulator connected to the power supply buses and providing regulated electrical energy to the rotor position sensing means (32) at a voltage level which is below the voltage level between the power buses; and wherein said charging circuit comprises high resistance connections connected to the power supply buses at a voltage level which is higher than the stabilized voltage provided for said rotor position sensing means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
12 words
System according to claim 20, wherein the rotor has essentially trapezoidal-shaped magnetization.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
324 words
Brushless d.c. motor system having a stator having at least one winding; a permanent magnet rotor in magnetic inductive position with respect to the stator; means for sensing rotor position and for deriving a signal representative of the position of the rotor with respect to the stator; power supply buses for connection to a direct current source; a full bridge circuit having four power transistors means arranged as two bridge-halves of which each contains two of the power transistor means, each bridge-half carrying current through the winding in a respective one of two opposite directions, said full bridge circuit being connected to the terminals of said winding; a pair of power transistor means of said full bridge circuit having a control input terminal each, said pair comprising one power transistor means of each bridge half; a control circuit connected to and controlled by said rotor position sensing means and having its output connected to said control input terminals; and comprising, in accordance with the invention, means for delaying conduction of a respective power transistor means of said pair upon commutation of current from one bridge half to the other and vice versa and after blocking of the other of the power transistors means of said pair for a time interval sufficient to insure a finite time gap of current flow through said pair of power transistor means, said delaying means including capacitance means connected between said conrol input terminals for affecting flow of base current through the respective power transistor means of said pair being controlled to reach conductive state, and hence delaying conduction thereof; means for supplying a current to said capacitance means; and means for rapidly changing the potential of at least one electrode of said capacitance means under control of said rotor position sensing means to cause rapid blocking of the respective power transistor means of said pair upon commutation of current to the other power transistor means of said pair.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
324 words
Brushless d.c. motor system having a stator having at least one winding; a permanent magnet rotor in magnetic inductive position with respect to the stator; means for sensing rotor position and for deriving a signal representative of the position of the rotor with respect to the stator; power supply buses for connection to a direct current source; a full bridge circuit having four power transistors means arranged as two bridge-halves of which each contains two of the power transistor means, each bridge-half carrying current through the winding in a respective one of two opposite directions, said full bridge circuit being connected to the terminals of said winding; a pair of power transistor means of said full bridge circuit having a control input terminal each, said pair comprising one power transistor means of each bridge half; a control circuit connected to and controlled by said rotor position sensing means and having its output connected to said control input terminals; and comprising, in accordance with the invention, means for delaying conduction of a respective power transistor means of said pair upon commutation of current from one bridge half to the other and vice versa and after blocking of the other of the power transistors means of said pair for a time interval sufficient to insure a finite time gap of current flow through said pair of power transistor means, said delaying means including capacitance means connected between said conrol input terminals for affecting flow of base current through the respective power transistor means of said pair being controlled to reach conductive state, and hence delaying conduction thereof; means for supplying a current to said capacitance means; and means for rapidly changing the potential of at least one electrode of said capacitance means under control of said rotor position sensing means to cause rapid blocking of the respective power transistor means of said pair upon commutation of current to the other power transistor means of said pair.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
79 words
System according to claim 27, wherein the means for deriving a signal representative of the rotor position comprises a Hall integrated circuit element (32) having a transistor output stage; and wherein the transistor output stage of the Hall-IC element forms part of said means for rapidly changing the potential of at least one of the electrodes of said capacitance means to cause rapid blocking of the respective transistor means upon commutation of current to the other power transistor means.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
55 words
System according to claim 27, wherein the means for rapidly changing the potential of at least one electrode of said capacitance means includes a phase inversion transistor connected to the means for deriving a signal representative of position of the rotor, and connected to one of said control input terminals of said power transistor means.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
30 words
System according to claim 29, further including a high resistance decoupling resistor connected between the input to the phase inversion transistor and the output of the rotor position sensing means.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
58 words
System according to claim 27, wherein a charging circuit for said capacitance means is provided and a diode is connected between the output of the rotor position sensing means and said capacitance means to provide for changing the charge state of the capacitance means as a function of rotor position, as sensed by the rotor position sensing means.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
74 words
System according to claim 31, further including a voltage regulator connected to the power supply buses and providing regulated electrical energy to the rotor position sensing means at a voltage level which is below the voltage level between the power buses; and wherein said charging circuit comprises high resistance connections connected to the power supply buses at a voltage level which is higher than the stabilized voltage provided for said rotor position sensing means.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
12 words
System accofing to claim 27, wherein the rotor has essentially trapezoidal-shaped magnetization.