Method and device for detecting position errors of a rotor of an electronically commutated actuator drive

A method for detecting a position error of an electronically commutated actuator drive between an assumed position and an actual position of the actuator drive, the actuator drive operably connected to a movable actuator for controlling a position of the actuator, the method comprising:

• operating the actuator drive by performing a position control procedure for controlling the position of the actuator with a control unit operably connected to the actuator drive;
• directly detecting a controlled position of the actuator with a position detector operably connected to the actuator and spaced apart from the actuator drive;
• indirectly determining an assumed position of the actuator drive based on only the detected controlled position of the actuator with the control unit;
• determining an electric space vector value that generates a component of a stator magnetic field that extends parallel with a direction of an exciter magnetic field that prevails in the assumed position of the actuator drive;
• and
• detecting the position error when movement of the actuator occurs as a result of operating the actuator drive according to the determined electric space vector, as detected by the position detector.

A positioning system, comprising:

• an electronically commutated actuator drive;
• a movable actuator coupled to the actuator drive, the actuator drive configured to control a position of the actuator;
• a position detector configured to detect directly the controlled position of the actuator, the position detector operably connected to the actuator and spaced apart from the actuator drive;
• and
• a control unit configured to detect a position error of the actuator drive between an assumed position and an actual position of the actuator drive, the control unit configured to
• operate the actuator drive by performing a position control procedure for controlling the position of the actuator,
• detect directly the controlled position of the actuator with the position detector,
• determine indirectly the assumed position of the actuator drive based on only the detected controlled position of the actuator,
• determine an electric space vector value that generates a component of a stator magnetic field that extends parallel with a direction of an exciter magnetic field that prevails in the assumed position of the actuator drive,
• operate the actuator drive according to the determined electric space vector value, and
• detect the position error when movement of the actuator occurs as a result of the determined electric space vector, as detected by the position detector.