A remotely operated vehicle suitable for picking up storage bins from an underlying storage system. The vehicle includes driving means situated at or at least partly within rolling means of the vehicle, providing rolling set specific driving force to the vehicle in either the first direction or the second direction.

A pick-up truck bed having controllably magnetized areas for retaining cargo or attachment devices. A first permanent magnet may be attached below the lower surface of the truck bed with a second permanent being rotatable relative to the first permanent magnet to control the magnetic flux provided to retain objects in the truck bed. Alternatively, one or more electromagnets may be provided that may be turned on to retain objects in the truck bed and turned off to allow removal of objects.

A bridge converter for a multi-phase electrical machine has a number of bridge cells connected in series. Each bridge cell has a controller. The bridge converter includes a sensor operative to provide a commutation signal to at least one controller. A multi-phase electrical machine has a plurality of stator windings and a bridge converter having a number of bridge cells connected in series. Each bridge cell has a controller. The bridge converter includes a sensor operative to provide a commutation signal to at least one controller.

With the object of preventing deterioration due to the temperature when charging a secondary battery, a configuration is such that currents are controlled so as to be caused to flow equally through the respective phases of three-phase coils of a second group which configure an AC rotary machine body, whereby a large current is caused to flow for a short time, causing the secondary battery to rise in temperature, even when the AC rotary machine body is in a state of rest.

A plural-fans driving apparatus is provided to drive a first fan and a second fan, and the first fan and the second fan are three-phase fans. The plural-fans driving apparatus includes a controller, a first three-phase motor driver structure, a second three-phase motor driver structure, and a protection and input interface circuit. The protection and input interface circuit is coupled to the first three-phase motor driver structure and the second three-phase motor driver structure, and protects the first three-phase motor driver structure and the second three-phase motor driver structure. The controller controls the first three-phase motor driver structure to drive the first fan, and controls the second three-phase motor driver structure to drive the second fan.

A plural-fans driving apparatus is provided to drive a first fan and a second fan, and the first fan and the second fan are three-phase fans. The plural-fans driving apparatus includes a controller, a first three-phase motor driver structure, a second three-phase motor driver structure, and a protection and input interface circuit. The protection and input interface circuit is coupled to the first three-phase motor driver structure and the second three-phase motor driver structure, and protects the first three-phase motor driver structure and the second three-phase motor driver structure. The controller controls the first three-phase motor driver structure to drive the first fan, and controls the second three-phase motor driver structure to drive the second fan.

One embodiment describes a method that includes determining a desired torque level of a motor actuated by a motor starter; determining, using a control system, a configuration of the motor starter to achieve the desired torque level, in which determining the configuration includes determining which of a plurality of switching devices in the motor starter should be opened and which should be closed; and instructing, using the control system, the motor starter to implement the determined configuration by opening or closing one or more of the plurality of switching devices.

A system and method of predicting motor failure based on relationships of motor pair characteristics, such as temperatures. One method includes receiving, by a controller, a parameter of a first motor on a mining machine from a first parameter sensor on a mining machine. The method also includes receiving, by the controller, a parameter of a second motor on the mining machine from a second parameter sensor on the mining machine. The method also includes outputting an alarm signal, by the controller, upon (1) determining that at least one of the parameters of the first motor and the second motor exceeds a parameter threshold and (2) determining that the parameter of the first motor differed from the parameter of the second motor by at least a difference threshold for a predetermined amount of time.

A method for operating a system having at least two mechanically coupled asynchronous motors, a computer program implementing the method and a system operating in accordance with the method are disclosed. One asynchronous motor is selected as master, with the other asynchronous motor(s) selected as slave(s). An effective (master) flux angle is measured in the motor selected as master and used as a basis for a setpoint value for controlling the flux angle of every other motor (slave) in the system. The flux angle of every slave motor is adjusted to the setpoint value as part of the control operation.

A method for operating a system having at least two mechanically coupled asynchronous motors, a computer program implementing the method and a system operating in accordance with the method are disclosed. One asynchronous motor is selected as master, with the other asynchronous motor(s) selected as slave(s). An effective (master) flux angle is measured in the motor selected as master and used as a basis for a setpoint value for controlling the flux angle of every other motor (slave) in the system. The flux angle of every slave motor is adjusted to the setpoint value as part of the control operation.