Integrated controller for closure operator unit

Abstract

An integrated controller for an operator unit for powering an overhead garage roller door or roller shutter is described. The operator unit comprises a motor, an output drive assembly, a timing assembly unit, and a clutch assembly for providing selective engagement between motor powered operation and manual operation (provided by a chain rotating a chain wheel). The motor is arranged to drive a shaft which, in turn, provides drive to the roller door or shutter assembly (not shown), which includes an axle around which the roller door or shutter is wound. The integrated controller comprises an inverter for receiving a single phase power supply and supplying three phase power to drive the motor; and a drive controller in operable association with the inverter for providing active management of the operation of the motor.

The claims defining the invention are as follows: 
     
         1 . An integrated controller for an operator unit having a three phase motor for driving a closure, the controller comprising:
 an inverter for receiving a single phase power supply and supplying three phase power to drive the motor; and,   a drive controller in operable association with the inverter for providing active management of the operation of the motor.   
     
     
         2 . An integrated controller according to  claim 1 , wherein the inverter and the drive controller are arranged to be controlled by a single integrated micro-controller. 
     
     
         3 . An integrated controller according to  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein the inverter and the drive controller are arranged on a common circuit board. 
     
     
         4 . An integrated controller according to any preceding claim, wherein the inverter includes an inverter micro-controller programmed so as to manage operation of the inverter, the inverter micro-controller operably interconnected with an inverter driver to generate the required three-phase waveforms for supply to the motor, the inverter micro-controller arranged to receive input signal information relating to the operation and performance of the inverter driver, and to communicate such information to said drive controller. 
     
     
         5 . An integrated controller according to  claim 4 , wherein said information relates to at least one of temperature, current level, and voltage level. 
     
     
         6 . An integrated controller according to  claim 5  or  claim 6 , further including an electrical power supply module arranged to supply power to both the drive controller and the inverter driver. 
     
     
         7 . An integrated controller according to any preceding claim, including a first communication link between the controller and inverter, to allow first signal information to be sent to the inverter from the controller, the first signal information comprising operation instructions for operation of the motor. 
     
     
         8 . An integrated controller according to  claim 7 , including a second communication link between the controller and the inverter, to allow second signal information to be sent from the inverter to the controller, the second signal information comprising status information relating to the performance of the inverter. 
     
     
         9 . An integrated controller according to any preceding claim, wherein the controller is configured so as to store a history of events relating to the operation of the operator unit. 
     
     
         10 . An integrated controller according to  claim 9 , wherein the events include at least one of the open/close cycles of the closure, and any faults that occur during operation of the operator unit. 
     
     
         11 . An integrated controller according to  claim 9  or  10  insofar as dependent on  claim 8 , wherein status information relating to inverter faults, comprises diagnostic information specifying the status of the inverter at the time the fault occurred, said inverter status information including at least one of the following:
 the level of supply voltage at the time fault occurred; 
 (ii) the level of current at the time fault occurred; 
 (iii) the motor drive current limit; 
 (iv) the motor drive current level; 
 (v) the Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) driver temperature at fault; and 
 (vi) identification of an IGBT driver fault. 
 
     
     
         12 . An integrated controller according to any one of  claims 8  to  11 , including a third communications link between the controller and the inverter, to allow third signal information to be sent to the inverter from the controller, the third signal information comprising override instructions to allow the controller to override existing operational commands previously sent to the inverter. 
     
     
         13 . An integrated controller according to  claim 12 , said third communication link configured to allow the controller to provide override instructions directly to the inverter driver to cease operation of the motor. 
     
     
         14 . An integrated controller according to  claim 12  or  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to instruct the inverter, by way of the third communications link, to cease operation in the event that one of the first and second communication links is lost. 
     
     
         15 . An integrated controller according to any one of  claims 8  to  14 , wherein the communication between the controller and inverter is arranged so that, in the event of a fault and the motor operation ceasing, operation of the inverter can be recovered without terminating operation of the controller. 
     
     
         16 . An integrated controller according to any preceding claim, wherein the controller is configured so as to provide information to an operator in the event a fault occurs, and to receive reset instructions from the operator to selectively reset the operation of the operator unit. 
     
     
         17 . An integrated controller according to any one of  claims 8  to  16 , including a further communications link between a position sensor and the controller, the position sensor arranged so as to monitor movement of an output of the operator unit for continually providing information regarding the position of the closure. 
     
     
         18 . An integrated controller according to any one of  claims 8  to  17 , wherein the operator unit comprises a clutch assembly for selectively engaging drive between an auxiliary drive and the closure, the controller including a further communications link between said clutch assembly and the controller for signalling whether or not said auxiliary drive has been engaged to drive the closure. 
     
     
         19 . An integrated controller according to any preceding claim, including or associated with a heat sink assembly arranged in thermal communication with the inverter for dispersing heat away from the inverter driver during operation. 
     
     
         20 . An integrated controller according to any preceding claim, wherein the inverter and the drive controller are provided within a common controller housing. 
     
     
         21 . An integrated controller according to  claim 20 , wherein the controller housing is arranged so as to be mountable directly to a housing of the motor. 
     
     
         22 . An integrated controller according to  claim 21 , wherein the controller housing is arranged so that it cannot be removed from the motor housing without interrupting the power supply to the integrated controller. 
     
     
         23 . An integrated controller according to  claim 21  or  claim 22 , wherein the controller housing comprises a subcompartment allowing access via a removable access cover to a selected portion of the componentry of the controller, the subcompartment including a sensor activated on removal of the access cover, and configured to cut power supply to the controller when the access cover is removed. 
     
     
         24 . An integrated controller according to  claim 23 , wherein a part of the subcompartment access cover is arranged to operate a switch. 
     
     
         25 . An integrated controller according to  claim 24 , wherein said access cover part is arranged to register with a spring element contacting the switch. 
     
     
         26 . An integrated controller according to  claim 24  or  claim 25 , configured such that the supply of power to the controller is restored once the switch registers that the access cover is back in place. 
     
     
         27 . An integrated controller according to  claim 21  or any one of  claims 22  to  26  insofar as dependent thereon, wherein the integrated controller and the motor are arranged for electrical interconnection using a power connection means, the power connection means comprising a first connector element provided in the motor housing, and a complimentary second connector element provided in the controller housing. 
     
     
         28 . An integrated controller according to  claim 27 , wherein the second connector element is arranged to project downwardly from the controller, and the first connector element arranged on an upward facing part of the motor housing. 
     
     
         29 . An integrated controller according to  claim 27  or  claim 28 , wherein the power connection means is provided with a sealing assembly to protect against the ingression of foreign matter, the sealing assembly positioned between the controller housing and the motor housing when both are brought together. 
     
     
         30 . An integrated controller according to  claim 29 , wherein the sealing assembly comprises one or more seal elements surrounding the power connection means, such that interconnecting the controller housing and the motor housing results in substantially sealing the power connection means from the environment. 
     
     
         31 . A cooling assembly for cooling an inverter of an operator unit arranged for driving a closure, the inverter arranged in thermal communication with a heat sink assembly, the cooling assembly arranged so as to be mountable in close proximity to the heat sink assembly so as to drive a flow of air over the heat sink to effect cooling. 
     
     
         32 . A cooling assembly according to  claim 31 , wherein the operator unit includes a motor driving a motor shaft arranged to provide output drive to said closure, the assembly including a fan comprising fan blades mounted on and rotated by said motor shaft, fan blades arranged to provide a flow of air to effect the cooling of said heat sink assembly. 
     
     
         33 . A cooling assembly according to  claim 32 , including a fan housing having apertures to allow air to be drawn in by action of the fan blades and passed over the heat sink. 
     
     
         34 . A cooling assembly according to  claim 33 , wherein said apertures are provided in a part of said fan housing at or proximate to an end of said motor shaft. 
     
     
         35 . An operator unit for driving a closure, the operator unit including an integrated controller as defined in any one of  claims 1  to  30 , and/or a cooling assembly as defined in any one of  claims 31  to  34 .