The present disclosure relates to a method for motor thermal overload protection, including: obtaining a motor thermal limit curve; selecting a first and a second overload factor calculation point on the curve, and calculating the first and second overload factors based on a preset heating time constant; calculating a modified overload factor based on the first and second overload factors; selecting at least two time constant calculation points on the motor thermal limit curve, and calculating a modified heating time constant for each time constant calculation point based on the modified overload factor; obtaining a modified heating time function for each motor operating point based on the modified heating time constant for each time constant calculation point; calculating a stator heat level at each motor operating point based on the modified overload factor and heating time function; comparing the stator heat level with the first and second predetermined thresholds.

A power module for driving a motor includes: a positive bus input voltage terminal; a phase terminal for each motor phase; an inverter including a half bridge for each motor phase, each half bridge including a high-side power switch electrically coupled between the positive bus input voltage terminal and respective phase terminal, and a low-side power switch electrically coupled between the respective phase terminal and ground; a first driver circuit for driving a gate terminal of each power switch; a protection switch electrically coupled in series between the positive bus input voltage terminal and each high-side power switch, and having a greater short-circuit withstand time and a lower short-circuit current level compared to each inverter power switch; and a second driver circuit for turning on the protection switch during normal operation and turning off the protection switch in response to a detected short circuit condition.

A windshield wiper system (WWS) is provided. The WWS includes a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor, a wiper arm and blade, a gearbox/converter operably interposed between the BLDC motor and the wiper arm and blade and a smart motor drive configured to determine a WWS failure condition and to operate the BLDC motor according to the determination.

A power module for driving a motor includes: a positive bus input voltage terminal; a phase terminal for each motor phase; an inverter including a half bridge for each motor phase, each half bridge including a high-side power switch electrically coupled between the positive bus input voltage terminal and respective phase terminal, and a low-side power switch electrically coupled between the respective phase terminal and ground; a first driver circuit for driving a gate terminal of each power switch; a protection switch electrically coupled in series between the positive bus input voltage terminal and each high-side power switch, and having a greater short-circuit withstand time and a lower short-circuit current level compared to each inverter power switch; and a second driver circuit for turning on the protection switch during normal operation and turning off the protection switch in response to a detected short circuit condition.

The present disclosure relates to a driving apparatus for a reclosing apparatus and a driving method thereof. The driving apparatus comprises a first energy storage unit, a timing unit, a control unit, and a first power supply unit, a second energy storage unit and a driving unit. The timing unit outputs a first enable signal; the control unit outputs a second enable signal or a third enable signal; the first power supply unit enables the second energy storage unit to receive the power when receiving the second enable signal, and enables the second energy storage unit to discharge when receiving the third enable signal; the second energy storage unit receives and stores the power via the first power supply unit; and the driving unit provides the power stored in the first energy storage unit to the reclosing apparatus when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

A method for starting and protecting an induction motor is disclosed. The method includes starting the induction motor, detecting an initialization fault associated with the induction motor, monitoring operation of the induction motor, detecting an operation fault while monitoring operation of the induction motor, and stopping the induction motor if the initialization fault or the operation fault is detected.

A method for starting and protecting an induction motor is disclosed. The method includes starting the induction motor, detecting an initialization fault associated with the induction motor, monitoring operation of the induction motor, detecting an operation fault while monitoring operation of the induction motor, and stopping the induction motor if the initialization fault or the operation fault is detected.

An automated window mechanism having a motor and a force measuring component. A movement path is defined for the window movement relative to a window frame. The force-measuring component measures the force required to move the window along the movement path. The force required is stored as a force map and is a function of position along the path. Deviations from the force map cause the motor to take measures which may include stopping the motor.

A dynamic arresting mechanism for preventing injury from the torqueing of a rotating tool body. The mechanism including an inertia switch to automatically detect the rotation of the tool body and selectively initiate a dynamic arresting mechanism sequence configured to arrest the motor. The mechanism further including a first relay in communication with the inertia switch, an arresting mechanism configured to brake the rotation of the motor, and a delay mechanism configured to cut off power to the arresting mechanism and motor after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed. The mechanism is reset upon release of the trigger used to operate the rotating tool.

An apparatus includes a magnetometer-based current sensor (e.g., a Hall-effect or fluxgate-based current sensor) configured to sense a magnetic field generated by a current in at least one conductor connecting a motor drive output to a motor and to responsively produce a first current sense signal and a magnetometer-based voltage sensor (e.g., a Hall-effect or fluxgate-based voltage sensor) configured to sense a magnetic field generated in response to a voltage of the at least one conductor and to responsively produce a first voltage sense signal. The apparatus further includes a signal conversion circuit configured to receive the first current sense signal and the first voltage sense signal and to generate a second current sense input and a second voltage sense input for provision to a current sense input and a voltage sense input, respectively, of a motor protection relay that protects the motor.