Continental Automotive Gmbh

Csaba Györi

Andreas Donner

Timo Gurzawski

Bogdan Sofronescu

The invention relates to a method for operating a brushless electric motor, the windings of which are controlled by an inverter using six switches, wherein the inverter comprises three outputs, which are associated with the windings of the electric motor, and wherein a respective power semiconductor switch is arranged between the output of the inverter and the windings, and wherein a detection unit for detecting defective switches, a unit for measuring the voltage at the outputs of the inverter, and a microcontroller for controlling switches are provided. The invention further relates to a device operating a brushless electric motor. In order not to damage the power semiconductor switches, according to the invention of the inverter is switched off by the microcontroller after a defective switch has been detected, such that no additional power is introduced in the windings (U, V, W) of the electric motor and the power semiconductor switches are opened in a predetermined motor angle position (&#x3c6;U, &#x3c6;v, &#x3c6;w). For said purpose, the motor angle positions (&#x3c6;u, &#x3c6;v, &#x3c6;w) are associated with a respective winding (U, V, W) and the power semiconductor switches thereof and are selected such that the associated power semiconductor switches are not damaged during opening.

Method and device for operating a brushless motor

A circuit arrangement for an electrical machine having a plurality of stator windings, with each stator winding including at least a first winding phase and a second winding phase. The circuit arrangement includes at least a prespecified first and a prespecified second selection of in each case a plurality of half-bridges. A common connection of the two switching elements of the respective half-bridge of the first selection can be electrically coupled in each case to a connection of the first winding phase of the respectively associated stator winding. A common connection of the two switching elements of the respective half-bridge of the second selection can be electrically coupled in each case to a connection of the second winding phase of the respective associated stator winding.

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Wiesbaden, Germany

Csaba Györi