Methods and systems are provided for a winding reconfiguration assembly for an electric machine. The winding reconfiguration assembly includes a multi-position contactor device designed to switch stator windings in the electric machine between a first electric configuration in a first position and a second electric configuration in a second position. The winding reconfiguration assembly further includes an electromagnetic actuator configured switch the multi-position contactor device between the first position and the second position in response to a change in the polarity of a coil in the electromagnetic actuator.

This application generally relates to electric machines with coils or windings (e.g., generators and motors), and more particularly to systems, apparatus, and methods that configure coils or windings of electric machines, for instance dynamically in response to operational condition and under load.

Unique systems, methods, techniques and apparatuses of motor starters are disclosed. One exemplary embodiment is a synchronous machine including a plurality of stator phase windings, a rotor, a motor starter, and a controller. The motor starter includes a plurality of wye semiconductor switches and a plurality of delta semiconductor switches. The controller is structured to operate the plurality of wye semiconductor switches and the plurality of delta semiconductor switches so as to couple the plurality of stator phase windings in a delta configuration while an angular speed of the rotor is less than a synchronous speed, and structured to operate the plurality of wye semiconductor switches and the plurality of delta semiconductor switches so as to couple the plurality of stator phase windings in a wye configuration in response to the angular speed of the rotor being equal to the synchronous speed.

A vehicle includes an electric machine having independently selectable delta and wye windings. The electric machine has a lower torque producing limit with one of the windings than an other of the windings at a given speed. The vehicle includes a controller configured to select the other of the windings such that torque of the electric machine increases without increasing the given speed. The selection is responsive to operating with the one of the windings and a torque demand greater than the lower torque producing limit.

A driving device is used with a compressor including a motor including coils. The driving device drives the motor. The driving device includes an inverter connected to the coils, a connection switching unit to switch a connection state of the coils between a first connection state and a second connection state, a controller to control the inverter and the connection switching unit, and a compressor state detection unit to detect a state of the compressor. When the connection state of the coils is the first connection state, the controller controls the motor based on a first detection value detected by the compressor state detection unit and a first threshold. When the connection state of the coils is the second connection state, the controller controls the motor based on a second detection value detected by the compressor state detection unit and a second threshold.

An over-current protection circuit for a motor capable of selecting one of a plurality of connection states has a plurality of decision circuits, a combining circuit, and a nullifying circuit. The combining circuit combines results of the comparisons in the plurality of decision circuits. The nullifying circuit nullifies part of the comparisons in the plurality of decision circuits. The number of outputs of the over-current protection circuit is one, so that for controlling the driving and stopping of the inverter needs just one terminal is required for receiving the output of the combining circuit. Moreover, because the over-current protection circuit is formed of hardware, the protection can be performed at a high speed.

A motor driving device that is a device for driving a motor including stator windings, includes: a connection switching unit that includes relays as mechanical switches connected to the stator windings and excitation coils opening or closing the relays by being energized or non-energized with excitation current and switches connection condition of the stator windings to either of first connection condition (star connection) and second connection condition (delta connection) different from the first connection condition by opening or closing the relays; and an inverter that supplies AC drive voltages to the stator windings.

A motor driving device is a device for driving a motor including stator windings, includes: a connection switching unit that is connected to the stator windings, includes circuits including semiconductor switches, and switches connection condition of the stator windings to either of first connection condition and second connection condition different from the first connection condition by setting the semiconductor switches to ON or OFF; and an inverter that supplies AC drive voltages to the stator windings.

A driving device drives a motor having coils. The driving device includes a converter to generate a bus voltage, an inverter to convert the bus voltage to an AC voltage and supply the AC voltage to the coils, and a connection switching unit to switch a connection state of the coils. The bus voltage generated by the converter is switched in accordance with the connection state of the coils.

A power tool is provided including: an electric brushless direct current (BLDC) motor having rotor and a stator defining phases; a power unit including a first switch circuit connected electrically between a first power supply and the motor, and a second switch circuit connected electrically between a second power supply and the motor; and a controller configured to control a switching operation of the first switch circuit and the second switch circuit to regulate a supply of power from at least one of the first power supply and/or the second power supply to the motor.