Motor controller and BLDC motor comprising the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12368403-B2
Application number	US-202318387050-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2023
Priority date	Aug 12, 2021
Publication date	Jul 22, 2025
Grant date	Jul 22, 2025

Abstract

A motor controller includes a tap position selection circuit, a micro control unit (MCU), and an inverter circuit. The tap position selection circuit is configured to process a plurality of tap position signals transmit processed tap position signals to the MCU. The MCU is configured to output signals to control the operation of the inverter circuit. The inverter circuit includes an output terminal connected to a plurality of coil windings of a stator module of a motor. The tap position selection circuit includes a plurality of first signal input circuits for motor start and a plurality of second signal input circuits for motor stop; each tap position signal is split into a first part and a second part. The first part is input into one first signal input circuit for motor start and the second part is input into one second signal input circuit for motor stop.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A motor controller, comprising: a tap position selection circuit, a micro control unit (MCU), and an inverter circuit;
wherein:
the tap position selection circuit is configured to process a plurality of tap position signals transmit processed tap position signals to the MCU;
the MCU is configured to output signals to control the operation of the inverter circuit;
the inverter circuit comprises an output terminal connected to a plurality of coil windings of a stator module of a motor;
the tap position selection circuit comprises a plurality of first signal input circuits for motor start and a plurality of second signal input circuits for motor stop;
each tap position signal M is split into a first part and a second part; the first part is input into one first signal input circuit for motor start and the second part is input into one second signal input circuit for motor stop; and
the first signal input circuit for motor start and the second signal input circuit for motor stop output two level signals, IO-a and IO-b, respectively, to the MCU, and the MCU controls a start or stop state of the motor based on a magnitude of the two level signals, IO-a and IO-b.

2. The motor controller of claim 1 , wherein the first signal input circuit for motor start has a first threshold voltage U 1 , and the second signal input circuit for motor stop has a second threshold voltage U 2 ; a potential difference is present between the first threshold voltage U 1 and the second threshold voltage U 2 ; when a voltage of the tap position signal M is greater than the first threshold voltage U 1 , the level signal IO-a is high-level; when the voltage of the tap position signal M is less than the first threshold voltage U 1 , the level signal IO-a is low-level; similarly, when the voltage of the tap position signal M is greater than the second threshold voltage U 2 , the level signal IO-b is high-level, and when the voltage value of the tap position signal M is less than the second threshold voltage U 2 , the level signal IO-b is low-level.

3. The motor controller of claim 2 , wherein the first signal input circuit for motor start comprises a resistor R 3 , a capacitor C 5 , a diode D 1 , a voltage regulator ZD 1 , a transistor Q 1 , an optocoupler chip U 10 , a capacitor C 1 , and a resistor R 2 ; the tap position signal M is transmitted to a first input pin 1 a of the optocoupler chip U 10 ; the transistor Q 1 comprises a first collector, a first emitter, and a first base; the first collector of the transistor Q 1 is connected to a second input pin 2 a of the optocoupler chip U 10 , and the first emitter of the transistor Q 1 is grounded; one end of the resistor R 3 is in series with one end of the voltage regulator ZD 1 , and the other end of the voltage regulator ZD 1 is connected to the first base of the transistor Q 1 ; the other end of the resistor R 3 is in series with one end of the voltage regulator ZD 1 , and the other end of the voltage regulator ZD 1 is connected to one end of the capacitor C 5 ; the other end of the capacitor C 5 is grounded; the tap position signal M is transmitted to the one end of the capacitor C 5 through the diode D 1 ; the capacitor C 1 and the resistor R 2 are connected in parallel; one end of a parallel combination of the capacitor C 1 and the resistor R 2 is connected to an output pin 3 a of the optocoupler chip U 10 , and the other end of the parallel combination is grounded.

4. The motor controller of claim 3 , wherein a magnitude of the first threshold voltage U 1 is determined by the resistor R 3 and the voltage regulator ZD 1 ; when the diode D 1 receives the tap position signal M, the capacitor C 5 is charged; when a terminal voltage of the capacitor C 5 exceeds the first threshold voltage U 1 , the transistor Q 1 switches on, so that a connection among the first input pin 1 a of the optocoupler chip U 10 , the second input pin 2 a of the optocoupler chip U 10 , and the transistor Q 1 is established, allowing the optocoupler chip U 10 to output the level signal IO-a at high state; when the terminal voltage of the capacitor C 5 is lower than the first threshold voltage U 1 , the transistor Q 1 switches off, and no connection is established among the first input pin 1 a of the optocoupler chip U 10 , the second input pin 2 a of the optocoupler chip U 10 , and the transistor Q 1 ; as a result, the optocoupler chip U 10 outputs the level signal IO-a at low state.

5. The motor controller of claim 4 , wherein the second signal input circuit for motor stop comprises a resistor R 10 , a capacitor C 6 , a diode D 3 , a voltage regulator ZD 2 , a transistor Q 2 , an optocoupler chip U 20 , a capacitor C 3 , and a resistor R 9 ; the tap position signal M is transmitted to the first input pin 1 b of the optocoupler chip U 20 ; the transistor Q 2 comprises a second collector, a second emitter, and a second base; the second collector of the transistor Q 2 is connected to the second input pin 2 b of the optocoupler chip U 20 , and the second emitter of the transistor Q 2 is grounded; one end of the resistor R 10 is in series with one end of the voltage regulator ZD 2 , and the other end of the voltage regulator ZD 2 is connected to the second base of the transistor Q 2 ; the other end of the resistor R 10 is connected to one end of the capacitor C 6 , and the other end of the capacitor C 6 is grounded; the tap position signal M is transmitted to the one end of the capacitor C 6 through the diode D 3 ; the capacitor C 3 and the resistor R 9 are connected in parallel; one end of the parallel combination is connected to the output pin 3 b of the optocoupler chip U 20 , and the other end of the parallel combination is grounded.

6. The motor controller of claim 5 , wherein a magnitude of the second threshold voltage U 2 is determined by the resistor R 10 and the voltage regulator ZD 2 ; when the diode D 3 receives the tap position signal M, the capacitor C 6 is charged; when a terminal voltage of the capacitor C 6 exceeds the second threshold voltage U 2 , the transistor Q 2 switches on, so that a connection among the first input pin 1 b of the optocoupler chip U 20 , the second input pin 2 b of the optocoupler chip U 20 , and the transistor Q 2 is established, allowing the optocoupler chip U 20 to output the level signal IO-b at high state; when the terminal voltage of the capacitor C 6 is lower than the second threshold voltage U 2 , the transistor Q 2 switches off, and no connection is established among the first input pin 1 b of the optocoupler chip U 20 , the second input pin 2 b of the optocoupler chip U 20 , and the transistor Q 2 ; as a result, the optocoupler chip U 20 outputs the level signal IO-b at low state.

7. The motor controller of claim 6 , wherein the first threshold voltage U 1 is greater than the second threshold voltage U 2 .

8. The motor controller of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of tap position signals comprise two tap position signals, M 1 and M 2 .

9. A brushless direct current (BLDC) motor, comprising a motor and the motor controller of claim 1 , and the motor comprising a stator, a rotor, and a housing.

Assignees

• Zhongshan Broad Ocean Motor Co

Inventors

• Zhang Xiansheng
• Bian Wenqing

Classifications

• H02P27/06

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

• H02P25/03

  with brushless excitation · CPC title

• H02P6/16

  Circuit arrangements for detecting position · CPC title

• B60W30/19

  Improvement of gear change, e.g. by synchronisation or smoothing gear shift · CPC title

• H02P6/24

  Arrangements for stopping · CPC title