Actuator motion controller with regeneration compensation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11205982-B2
Application number	US-201615758833-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2016
Priority date	Sep 21, 2015
Publication date	Dec 21, 2021
Grant date	Dec 21, 2021

Abstract

Actuators are components of machines, which move and/or control a mechanism or system. During operation, actuators can experience regeneration events, with the actuator actually generating excess energy (e.g., regenerative energy) which must be stored or dissipated to avoid damaging the power supply. An actuator motor controller is configured to implement field oriented voltage control and flux weakening voltage control without current sensors. Dissipating regenerative energy includes providing a motor controller to command a motor drive to modify an input voltage, or to dissipate regenerative energy in a dump circuit. This command can cause motor windings to dissipate regenerative energy. Systems having a plurality of actuators distribute regenerative energy from one actuator to another. A central controller provides centralized regeneration dissipation control for the plurality of actuators. A power distribution unit includes a dump resistor to dissipate regenerative energy in addition to or instead of in the actuators.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An actuator comprising:
a motor controller;
a motor drive configured to receive power from a power source and to receive a command from the motor controller;
at least one motor winding configured to receive a voltage from the motor drive;
at least one or more sensors configured to detect a parameter associated with the actuator and communicate at least one signal containing information about the detected parameter to the motor controller; and
a bus dump circuit configured to dissipate regenerative energy;
wherein the motor controller is configured to process the at least one signal from the one or more sensors and provide control of the actuator; and
wherein the actuator is configured to apply an RDC command to the command from the motor controller, wherein the RDC command is configured to be adjusted using a temperature of a resistor in the bus dump circuit.

2. The actuator of claim 1 , further comprising a diode or rectifier configured to prevent regenerative energy from returning to the power source.

3. The actuator of claim 1 , where regenerative energy is dissipated in the motor windings or the bus dump circuit.

4. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a rotary motor actuator or a linear motor actuator.

5. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more of a Hall effect sensor, an encoder or resolver configured to measure phase position and speed, a motor temperature sensors, a motor voltage sensor, a motor current sensor, a bus voltage sensor, a bus current sensor, and a bus dump resistor sensor, and combinations thereof.

6. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the RDC command is random, DC, or a sine wave.

7. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to measure or estimate a temperature of the bus dump circuit and the RDC command is adjusted using the temperature of the bus dump circuit.

8. The actuator of claim 7 , wherein the RDC command applied is proportional to the temperature of the bus dump circuit.

9. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the RDC command is a static value.

10. A system comprising a power bus connecting a plurality of actuators of claim 1 to the power source.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a rectifier and/or diode configured to prevent regenerative energy from returning to the power source.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein regenerative energy can be dissipated in any or all of the motor windings of any or all of the plurality of actuators and/or in at least one resistor of the bus dump circuit of any or all of the plurality of actuators.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the power bus is configured to redistribute regenerative energy among the plurality of actuators.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the RDC command selected in each actuator is based on a respective bus dump circuit temperature.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein a relationship between the RDC command and the temperature of the respective bus dump circuit in each actuator is proportional.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein RDC command applied to the command of the motor controller is a static value.

17. The system of claim 10 , comprising a power distribution unit (PDU) with a PDU dump resistor.

18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a capacitor bank.

19. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a central controller configured to receive signals from one or more sensors of the actuators and to control one or more of the actuators.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the central controller is configured to control a dissipation of regenerative energy in any or all of the motor windings of the plurality of actuators, in at least one resistor of at least one bus dump circuit of the plurality of actuators, and/or the PDU dump resistor.

21. The system of claim 17 , wherein each actuator is configured to apply the RDC command to the command from the motor controller for one or more of the plurality of actuators, and wherein the RDC command selected in each actuator is based on a temperature of one or more of a respective one of the bus dump circuits and/or the PDU dump resistor.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein a relationship between the RDC command and a temperature of the respective bus dump circuit(s) and/or the PDU dump resistor in each actuator is proportional.

23. The system of claim 10 , comprising a central controller configured to receive one or more sensor signals and to send one or more actuator commands to the motor controllers of the plurality of actuators.

24. The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of actuators is configured to apply an RDC command to the command from the motor controller for one or more of the plurality of actuators, and wherein the RDC command is configured to be adjusted using a temperature of a resistor in one or more of the bus dump circuits in the plurality of actuators.

25. The system of claim 10 , wherein the motor controller of each of the plurality of actuators is configured to share data with all other motor controllers.

26. The system of claim 17 , wherein the PDU further comprises a voltage rectification unit.

27. The system of claim 26 , wherein the voltage rectification unit of the PDU is in electrical communication with the power source.

28. The system of claim 17 , wherein regenerative energy can be dissipated in any or all of the motor windings of any or all of the plurality of actuators, in at least one resistor of the bus dump circuits of any or all of the plurality of actuators, and/or in the PDU dump resistor.

29. A method of controlling regenerative energy, the method comprising:
providing at least one actuator comprising:
a motor controller;
a motor drive configured to receive power from a power source and to receive a command from the motor controller;
at least one motor winding configured to receive a voltage from the motor drive;
at least one or more sensors configured to detect a parameter associated with the actuator and communicate at least one signal containing information about the detected parameter to the motor controller; and
a bus dump circuit configured to dissipate regenerative energy;
wherein the motor controller is configured to process the at least one signal from the one or more sensors and provide control of the actuator;

detecting a regenerative condition;
applying an RDC command to the command;
adjusting the RDC command using a temperature of a resistor in the bus dump circuit; and
dissipating the regenerative energy in the motor windings and/or a bus dump circuit.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein dissipating the regenerative energy in the motor windings comprises:
sending a command from the motor controller to the motor drive, and
applying, using the motor drive, the RDC command.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the RDC command is a static value.

32. The method of claim 30 , wherein the RDC command is applied using a measured current and/or power.

33. The method of claim 30 , wherein the RDC command is applied using a measured or estimated net current and/or power value from a power distribution unit (PDU).

34. The method of claim 29 , wherein the at least one actuator is a plurality of actuators an

Assignees

• Lord Corp

Inventors

• Black Paul
• Swanson Douglas
• Altieri Russell E

Classifications

• B64C13/24

  Transmitting means · CPC title

• H02P2101/45

  for motor vehicles, e.g. car alternators · CPC title

• H02P21/36 Primary

  Arrangements for braking or slowing; Four quadrant control · CPC title

• Y02T50/40

  Weight reduction · CPC title

• B64C27/59

  mechanical · CPC title