Flex has been granted a patent for an electric motor assembly that can determine the motor winding resistance value. The assembly includes a current sensor, a temperature sensor, and a processing circuit that selects between different factors to determine the motor resistance value based on predicted values and the electric current value measured when the motor is at standstill. GlobalData’s report on Flex gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Flex, Photovoltaic roof tiles was a key innovation area identified from patents. Flex's grant share as of September 2023 was 40%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Electric motor assembly with resistance determination based on current value
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11757387B2) describes an electric motor assembly with advanced features for determining motor resistance. The assembly includes an electric motor with brushes and sections of a commutator ring, where the positions of the sections and brushes change during motor rotation. The assembly also includes a current sensor and a temperature sensor, both connected to a processing circuit.
The processing circuit is designed to determine the motor resistance value by predicting values based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor and the predetermined dependence of variation of the motor resistance on temperature. It also measures the electric current value when the motor is at standstill and selects the appropriate method for determining the motor resistance value based on the predicted values that most closely correspond to the electric current value. The selection process involves choosing different factors to be applied to the electric current value based on the predicted values.
Additionally, the processing circuit counts ripples in the electric current during motor rotation and computes a progressive integral of V-I*R, where V is the supply voltage, I is the current, and R is the motor resistance value. The circuit increases the ripple count when the progressive integral falls within a specific range and reduces it when a ripple is detected or by a predetermined value when no ripple is detected.
The patent also covers an electric motor assembly with multiple motors coupled to an object to be moved or rotated. The processing circuit determines the motor resistance value for each motor using the same temperature sensor and the current sensor specific to each motor.
Furthermore, the patent describes a method for determining motor resistance using the same steps as the electric motor assembly. The method includes measuring the electric current value at standstill, measuring the temperature value using the temperature sensor, predicting motor resistance values based on temperature and predetermined dependence, selecting the appropriate method based on predicted values, and determining the motor resistance using the selected electric current value.
The patent also includes a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing a program of instructions for executing the method described above.
Overall, this patent presents an electric motor assembly and method that utilize temperature and current measurements to accurately determine motor resistance, enabling efficient motor control and protection.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
