The present disclosure relates to mechanical braking mechanisms used in electric motor applications. The present braking mechanisms may be configured as non-back-drivable mechanical brakes and provide immediate braking of the motors. According to one embodiment, a mechanical brake assembly for an electric motor may include a female disk including a groove and an abutment and a male disk including a projection, the male disk being in mechanical communication with a rotor of the electric motor. When the electric motor is energized, the projection of the male disk is configured to rotate with the rotation of the rotor of the electric motor, but when the electric motor is de-energized, the projection of the male disk is configured to travel within the groove of the female disk and abut the abutment of the female disk, thereby reducing the rotation of the rotor of the electric motor.

The present disclosure relates to mechanical braking mechanisms used in electric motor applications. The present braking mechanisms may be configured as non-back-drivable mechanical brakes and provide immediate braking of the motors. According to one embodiment, a mechanical brake assembly for an electric motor may include a female disk including a groove and an abutment and a male disk including a projection, the male disk being in mechanical communication with a rotor of the electric motor. When the electric motor is energized, the projection of the male disk is configured to rotate with the rotation of the rotor of the electric motor, but when the electric motor is de-energized, the projection of the male disk is configured to travel within the groove of the female disk and abut the abutment of the female disk, thereby reducing the rotation of the rotor of the electric motor.

A method and system for monitoring operation of a brake control circuit periodically verifies that redundant output control channels transition between ON and OFF states. A controller generates separate brake release signals for each of the redundant output control channels. The brake release signals are combined to form a brake command signal used to control operation of the brake coil. An input channel on the controller receives a signal corresponding to the current state of the brake command signal to monitor brake operation. The controller periodically modulates the brake release signals on each channel between an ON and an OFF state. The modulation is observed on the brake command signal to verify that each output channel is able to change state. The modulation occurs at a frequency greater than a response frequency of the brake coil such that the brake coil remains energized during modulation of each output channel.

A control device controls non-excitation-actuated electromagnetic brake operation. The control device includes an electronic component having a characteristic that when an inter-terminal voltage of two electrodes is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage, a resistance value is lower than when the voltage is lower than the voltage and a diode disposed such that a cathode is on a side having a higher potential than an anode. The coil in the non-excitation-actuated electromagnetic brake and the electronic component are connected in series to form a first series circuit, the first series circuit and the diode are connected in parallel, and the electronic component is connected in series with the coil provided in the non-excitation-actuated electromagnetic brake so as not to be conducted when the inter-terminal voltage is lower than the predetermined voltage, but to be conducted when the inter-terminal voltage becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined voltage.

A control device controls non-excitation-actuated electromagnetic brake operation. The control device includes an electronic component having a characteristic that when an inter-terminal voltage of two electrodes is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage, a resistance value is lower than when the voltage is lower than the voltage and a diode disposed such that a cathode is on a side having a higher potential than an anode. The coil in the non-excitation-actuated electromagnetic brake and the electronic component are connected in series to form a first series circuit, the first series circuit and the diode are connected in parallel, and the electronic component is connected in series with the coil provided in the non-excitation-actuated electromagnetic brake so as not to be conducted when the inter-terminal voltage is lower than the predetermined voltage, but to be conducted when the inter-terminal voltage becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined voltage.

A drive control method for an electric expansion valve is disclosed. In the disclosure, before applying a drive pulse signal corresponding to a rotary pulse number to a motor of the electronic expansion valve, a secondary positioning is performed on a relative position between stator magnetic field of the motor and rotor magnetic field of the motor by applying a holding current of a first duration time to the motor, applying an pulse signal of an additional pulse number to the motor, and applying a holding current of a second duration time to the motor, and a same secondary positioning operation is also performed on the motor after applying the drive pulse signal corresponding to the rotary pulse number to the motor of the electronic expansion valve, which ensures that the electronic expansion valve operates according to the drive pulse signal corresponding to the rotary pulse number.

A control device configured to control operation of an electric motor of which a rotational shaft is rotatable by an external force which servo-controls the electric motor by an inverter circuit when a voltage value between power-supply input terminals of the inverter circuit is detected to be at or above a given voltage value required for the servo-control of the electric motor, and applies dynamic braking to the electric motor by forming a short circuit in the inverter circuit when the voltage value between the power-supply input terminals of the inverter circuit is detected to be below the given voltage value.

An improved system and method for providing safety-rated operation of a motor and motor drive controlling operation of a load with stored potential energy includes a two-channel method of monitoring and retaining control of the load. A first safety channel is configured to control operation of a holding brake, which provides sufficient holding force to retain the stored potential energy in the load. A second safety channel is configured to independently enable and disable torque production from the motor drive controlling operation of the motor. When torque production from the motor drive is enabled, the motor drive and motor are able to provide sufficient torque to retain the stored potential energy in the load. Monitoring and subsequent control of each safety channel is provided to ensure that a single failure in either channel will not cause the unexpected release of the stored potential energy from the load.

An improved system and method for providing safety-rated operation of a motor and motor drive controlling operation of a load with stored potential energy includes a two-channel method of monitoring and retaining control of the load. A first safety channel is configured to control operation of a holding brake, which provides sufficient holding force to retain the stored potential energy in the load. A second safety channel is configured to independently enable and disable torque production from the motor drive controlling operation of the motor. When torque production from the motor drive is enabled, the motor drive and motor are able to provide sufficient torque to retain the stored potential energy in the load. Monitoring and subsequent control of each safety channel is provided to ensure that a single failure in either channel will not cause the unexpected release of the stored potential energy from the load.

A brake piloting system including a robotic device having at least one movable element, at least one brake which, when activated from an open configuration to an activated configuration, enables a deceleration or immobilization of the at least one movable element, at least one position sensor aimed at measuring a real time position of the at least one movable element and at least one the microcontroller being configured to activate in real time the at least one brake into a determined configuration.