Patent ID: 7190136

Claim:
A variable speed brushless DC motor comprising a rotor, a commutation circuit, and a stator module, said commutation circuit comprising a power circuit and a signal circuit, said power circuit comprising a stator winding power source, four commutation switches, and at least a speed-change switch, said signal circuit comprising a rotor position sensor circuit and a commutation logic circuit, said commutation switches being arranged into two commutation switch sets connected in parallel to said stator winding power source, said speed-change switch being installed in one said commutation switch set, said stator module being connected between said two commutation switch sets, said commutation logic circuit being adapted to connect and control on/off status of the four commutation switches of said power circuit, wherein said stator module comprises at least-two stator windings; on/off status of said speed-change switch controls supply of electric current to said suitor module to further selectively energize said at least two stator windings, wherein during the on status of said speed-change switch, electric current flows through said at least two stator windings and during the off status of said speed-change switch, electric current alternately flows through one of said at least two stator windings which connected to the speed-change switch, and wherein said speed-change switch comprises a unidirectional current switch.