In the vast starry sky of technology, brushless motors are like shining stars, and their development process is full of the light of human wisdom and the footprints of unremitting exploration.
Tracing back to the 1740s, early models of electric motors made their debut under the research of Scottish Benedictine monks and scientists such as Andrew Gordon. They are like lighting a dim light in the darkness, laying the initial foundation for subsequent motor technology and opening up humanity's wonderful exploration of converting electrical energy into mechanical energy.
In 1832, British physicist William Sturgeon, with extraordinary creativity, invented the first direct current motor capable of providing driving mechanical power. Although its power output was low and its application scenarios were limited at that time, this breakthrough invention was undoubtedly a crucial step in the history of motor development, showing people the dawn of the world driven by electric energy. Subsequently, in 1834, Thomas Davenport of Vermont, USA, invented the first electric motor officially powered by a battery. This electric motor had sufficient power to perform tasks, further expanding the practical boundaries of electric motors and injecting power into subsequent technological innovations.
In 1886, Frank Julian Sprague brought a new surprise by inventing the first practical DC motor that could run at a constant speed under variable weight, using a brushless AC squirrel cage asynchronous motor. However, the inherent flaws of asynchronous motors are like thorns on the road ahead, causing the development of motor technology to be slightly delayed for a period of time.
Until 1955, there was a significant turning point in the development of brushless motors. D. Harrison and others from the United States applied for a patent and innovatively proposed replacing the mechanical brushes of brushed DC motors with transistor commutation circuits, giving birth to modern brushless DC motors. But the growth of new things is always accompanied by pain. At that time, due to the lack of motor rotor position detection devices, this motor did not yet have the ability to start. Subsequently, researchers continued to tackle challenges. In 1961, US patent US3149861A described the basic structure of a brushless DC motor and proposed the application of Hall effect sensors and electronic commutation circuits; The following year, T.G. Wilson and P.H. Trickey successfully invented the first practical brushless DC motor, which used Hall elements to accurately detect rotor position and control winding current commutation. Despite being limited by transistor capacity and having lower motor power, brushless DC motors have finally taken a solid step from theory to practice.
Entering the 1970s, the wave of technology surged and provided fertile ground for the development of brushless motors. New power semiconductor devices such as GTR, MOSFET, IGBT, IPM have emerged like mushrooms after rain, and computer control technology is advancing rapidly. High performance rare earth permanent magnet materials such as samarium cobalt and neodymium iron boron have also emerged. With the support of these advanced technologies and materials, brushless DC motors have entered a high-speed development mode, and their capacity continues to climb. In 1970, Toshiba Corporation of Japan keenly seized the business opportunity and took the lead in commercial production of brushless motors, launching a new product called "Brushless DC Motor" that integrated Hall effect sensors and electronic commutation circuits, allowing brushless motors to enter a broader market. In 1978, the classic MAC brushless DC motor and its driver made their debut. Coupled with the research and development boom of square wave brushless motors and sine wave brushless DC motors in the 1980s, brushless motors finally broke free from many constraints and truly entered the practical stage. The vision of widespread application in various fields is within reach.
After 1990, microelectronics technology flourished and became the driving force behind the popularization of brushless motors. In the field of household appliances, brushless motors in air conditioners, washing machines, and vacuum cleaners make home life quieter and more efficient; In industrial equipment, it drives conveyor belts and robotic arms to operate at high speeds, helping to boost production line capacity; The automotive industry has taken brushless motors as an innovative breakthrough point to improve vehicle performance. At the beginning of the 21st century, with the leap of battery technology and the deepening of environmental protection concepts, the electric vehicle industry flourished. Brushless motors, with their excellent characteristics of high efficiency, long life, and low maintenance, undoubtedly became the preferred driving force for electric vehicles, opening a new chapter in green travel.
Looking ahead to the future, the development prospects of brushless motors are bright. Researchers will strive towards the goals of higher efficiency, higher power density, and intelligence, and are expected to shine in cutting-edge fields such as the range improvement of new energy vehicles, lightweight driving in aerospace, and flexible control of robots. And with the iteration and upgrading of technology, the trend of cost reduction has become clear, which will encourage brushless motors to spread like dandelion seeds to more unknown fields, continuously empowering the progress of human society.