A.o. Smith Corporation

Regal Beloit Epc Inc.

Ronald P Bartos

Brian Thomas Branecky

William Louis Mehlhorn

Timothy H Houle

Dan Mircea Ionel

Robert J Heideman

Thomas Gerard Van Sistine

J Herbert Johnson

Steve D O'Brien

Howard Richardson

System and methods of operating a water heater receiving power from an electrical grid. The water heater includes a heating element, a controller, and a first control circuit. The first control circuit including an energizing terminal and a microprocessor. The method includes connecting an energizing terminal of the first control circuit between a power output terminal of the controller and the heating element, receiving driving power from the controller based on a temperature signal. The method also includes receiving a control signal from the controller based on electrical grid information, and selectively energizing the heating element, by the microprocessor of the first control circuit and through the energizing terminal of the first control circuit based on the control signal.

System and method for control of electric water heater

System and methods of operating a water heater receiving power from an electrical grid. The water heater includes a heating element, a controller, and a first control circuit. The first control circuit including an energizing terminal and a microprocessor. The method includes connecting an energizing terminal of the first control circuit between a power output terminal of the controller and the heating element, receiving driving power from the controller based on a temperature signal. The method also includes receiving control signals from the controller based on electrical grid information, and selectively energizing the heating element, by the microprocessor of the first control circuit and through the energizing terminal of the first control circuit based on the control signals.

A method of controlling a motor operating a pumping apparatus of a fluid-pumping application. The pumping apparatus includes a pump having an inlet to receive a fluid and an outlet to exhaust the fluid, and the motor coupled to the pump to operate the pump. The method includes the acts of controlling the motor to operate the pump and monitoring the operation of the pump. The monitoring act includes monitoring a power of the motor, and determining whether the monitored power indicates an undesired flow of fluid through the pump. The method further includes the act of controlling the motor to cease operation of the pump when the determination indicates an undesired flow of fluid through the pump and zero or more other conditions exist.

Controller for a motor and a method of controlling the motor

A rotor assembly for an electric motor includes a spoke permanent magnet rotor and a shaft connected thereto. The spoke permanent magnet rotor has an axis of rotation, permanent magnet material, and ferro-magnetic material. The permanent magnet material extends outwardly relative to the axis of rotation to form a plurality of outwardly extending spoke portions of permanent magnet material. The ferro-magnetic material is positioned adjacent to the outwardly extending spoke portions of permanent magnet material. The shaft supports the spoke permanent magnet rotor for rotation about the axis of rotation. The permanent magnet material may circumferentially surround the axis of rotation to form a center portion of permanent magnet material. Further, the axis of rotation may pass through the permanent magnet material. The spoke permanent magnet rotor may be formed using a compaction process and/or an injection molding process.

Spoke permanent magnet rotors for electrical machines and methods of manufacturing same

A fluid holding apparatus including a vessel capable of holding a load including a fluid and a sensor coupled to the vessel. The sensor is operable to sense the load held by the vessel and to generate a signal having a relation to the load. The fluid holding apparatus further includes a controller electrically coupled to the sensor. The controller is operable to initiate a control signal in response to a variation in the load.

Fluid-holding apparatus including a sensor

A switched reluctance motor includes a rotor mounted for rotation about an axis, and having a plurality of rotor poles, and a stator surrounding the rotor and including first, second and third stator phases. The motor also includes energizing means for sequentially energizing the stator phases with an energy source to cause rotation of the rotor, based on rotor position information, the energizing means causing one phase to be energized and then deenergized to near a zero current level prior to a point where the rotor pole breaks away from the stator pole. The energizing means further includes limited current turn on means connected to switch operating means for operating a switch on the one phase to permit flow of limited current through the one phase after it reaches a near zero current level but before the break away point. The motor further includes circuit means connected to the one phase for permitting the limited current to circulate through the one phase; and current sensing means for sensing the amount of current in the one phase and for determining when the current exceeds a predetermined regenerative current threshold at about the break away point, the energizing means being connected to the current sensing means to use this excess regenerative current information at about the break away point for rotor position information.

Switched reluctance motor providing rotor position detection at high

A switched reluctance motor (10) provides position and speed detection without a shaft position sensor. At least one of the stator pole faces (54) and/or at least one of the rotor pole faces (60) has an irregularity such as a notch (52 and/or 58) providing a perturbation or blip (70, 82) in the inductance profile (72, 76, 84) of the motor (10) during rotation of the rotor (14) indicative of the position of the rotor (14) relative to the stator (12). The frequency of the perturbations indicates motor speed.

Growing community of inventors

Menomonee Falls, WI, United States of America

Ronald P Bartos