Security mechanisms for electric motors and associated systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11697392-B2
Application number	US-201816207068-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2018
Priority date	Dec 1, 2017
Publication date	Jul 11, 2023
Grant date	Jul 11, 2023

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to security mechanisms for electric motors and associated systems. For example, the present technology includes a powertrain assembly having (1) a motor having multiple sets of coils; (2) a drive circuitry electrically coupled to the multiple sets of coils; and (3) a security unit electrically coupled to the drive circuitry and the multiple sets of coils. The security unit is configured to short-circuit at least one set of the multiple sets of coils responsive to a signal from a controller. The signal indicates that the motor is, or has been, turned off.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A hub apparatus for driving a vehicle, comprising:
a motor having multiple sets of coils;
a drive circuitry electrically coupled to the multiple sets of coils; and
a security unit electrically coupled to the drive circuitry and the multiple sets of coils, the security unit having a conducive plate being configured to be moved by an actuator toward the multiple sets of coils, so as to short-circuit at least one set of the multiple sets of coils, the actuator being moved responsive to a signal indicating that the motor is turned off, wherein, after the actuator is moved, a testing signal is sent to the drive circuitry so as to confirm that at least one set of the multiple sets of coils has been short-circuited,
wherein the motor includes a stator assembly having the multiple sets of coils, and
wherein the motor comprises a housing rotatably coupled to a shaft, and wherein the stator assembly is positioned inside the housing and coupled to the shaft, and wherein the stator assembly is electrically coupled to a battery assembly enclosed in the stator assembly, and wherein the stator assembly includes a coil assembly including the multiple sets of coils, and wherein the coil assembly is circumferentially positioned about the shaft.

2. The hub apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a solenoid valve configured to move the conductive plate to short-circuit the at least one set of the multiple sets of coils.

3. The hub apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a linear motor configured to move the conductive plate to short-circuit the at least one set of the multiple sets of coils.

4. The hub apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the security unit comprises a switch configured to short-circuit the at least one set of the multiple sets of coils, and wherein the switch comprises:
a mechanical switch configured to short-circuit the at least one set of the multiple sets of coils; or
a transistor-based switch configured to short-circuit the at least one set of the multiple sets of coils.

5. The hub apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one short-circuited set of coils is configured to generate, in response to a change of a magnetic field caused by a rotation of a rotor assembly, a torque in a reverse direction of the rotation of the rotor assembly.

6. The hub apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
a locking device configured to at least partially prevent the rotor assembly from rotating relative to the stator assembly, the locking device having a stopper and an actuator coupled to the stopper, the stopper being configured to be moved by the actuator.

7. The hub apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the motor includes a rotor assembly having the multiple sets of coils, and wherein the at least one short-circuited set of coils is configured to generate, in response to a change of a magnetic field caused by a rotation of the rotor assembly, a torque in a reverse direction of the rotation of the rotor assembly.

8. The hub apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drive circuitry is configured to control the multiple sets of coils so as to generate a three-phase alternating current.

9. The hub apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a relay electrically coupled between multiple sets of coils and the security unit.

10. The hub apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the relay is configured to form an open circuit when a current passing through the multiple sets of the coils exceeds a threshold value.

11. The hub apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal indicating that the motor is turned off also indicates that the motor has been turned off for a predetermined time period.

12. A vehicle with a security system, the vehicle comprising:
a motor having multiple sets of coils;
a controller electrically coupled to the motor;
a drive circuitry electrically coupled to the multiple sets of coils; and
a security system having a security unit electrically coupled to the drive circuitry and the multiple sets of coils, the security unit having a conductive plate configured to be moved by an actuator toward the multiple sets of coils so as to short-circuit at least one set of the multiple sets of coils, the actuator being moved responsive to a signal indicating that the motor is turned off, wherein, after the actuator is moved, a testing signal is sent to the drive circuitry so as to confirm that at least one set of the multiple sets of coils has been short-circuited,
wherein the motor includes a rotor assembly and a stator assembly, and wherein the security system further comprises:
a locking device configured to at least partially prevent the rotor assembly from rotating relative to the stator assembly, the locking device having a stopper and an actuator coupled to the stopper, the stopper being configured to be moved by the actuator,
wherein the stator assembly comprises a coil assembly including the multiple sets of coils, and wherein the coil assembly is circumferentially positioned about a shaft coupled to the rotor assembly.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the actuator comprises a solenoid valve configured to move the conductive plate to short-circuit the at least one set of the multiple sets of coils.

14. The vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising:
a wheel driven by the motor, wherein the motor is configured to drive the wheel via a power transmission component.

15. The vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising a wheel driven by the motor, wherein a rotor assembly of the motor is fixedly coupled to the wheel.

16. A method for securing a vehicle, comprising:
receiving, by a controller, a signal regarding turning off the vehicle;
instructing, by the controller, an actuator of a security unit to move a conductive plate of the security unit toward plurality of coils of a motor in the vehicle so as to short-circuit at least one the plurality of coils of the motor;
instructing, by the controller, a circuit controller to send a testing signal to a drive circuitry electrically coupled to the plurality of coils, so as to verify whether at least one of the plurality of coils is short-circuited;
entering a hibernation mode when receiving a confirmation signal that part or all of the plurality of coils are short-circuited; and
activating, by the controller, a locking device by instructing an actuator of the locking device to move a stopper of the locking device to contact a rotor assembly of the motor of the vehicle, when the control receives the confirmation signal that part or all of the plurality of coils are short-circuited,
wherein the plurality of coils is circumferentially positioned about a shaft coupled to the rotor assembly.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
sending a notification to a user mobile device or a display on the vehicle if the confirmation is not successfully received: and
entering the hibernation mode after sending the notification.

Assignees

• Gogoro Inc

Inventors

• Lin Shih-Yuan
• Liu Yu-Se
• Hsu Liang-Yi

Classifications

• B60R25/04 Primary

  operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor · CPC title

• B62H5/08

  preventing the drive (by acting on powered drive B62M) · CPC title

• H02P3/22

  by short-circuit or resistive braking · CPC title

• H02P27/06

  using DC to AC converters or inverters (H02P27/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02P3/025

  holding the rotor in a fixed position after deceleration · CPC title