Method of controlling motor, motor control device, and printing method

A method of controlling a motor, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a motor control device provided with a motor for moving an object to be moved, said motor control device causing said motor to move said object to be moved to a target position by first accelerating said object to be moved and then moving said object to be moved at a constant velocity;
• storing in advance an acceleration-period power consumption value corresponding to a power consumption of said motor during the accelerating movement;
• storing in advance a current value of a current flowing through said motor when said object to be moved is moved at said constant velocity;
• detecting a time for which said object to be moved is moved at said constant velocity when said object to be moved is moved to said target position;
• calculating a constant-velocity-period power consumption value corresponding to a power consumption of said motor during the constant velocity movement of said object to be moved based on said time that has been detected and said current value;
• and
• calculating a power consumption of said motor for a period during which said object to be moved is moved to said target position based on said acceleration-period power consumption value and said constant-velocity-period power consumption value;
• wherein said motor is a carry motor for carrying paper as said object to be moved;
• wherein there are at least two drive modes for said motor, one of said drive modes being selected in accordance with said target position;
• wherein said acceleration-period power consumption value is stored in advance for each of said drive modes;
• wherein an acceleration time is stored in advance for each of said drive modes;
• wherein a time required for moving said object to be moved to said target position is measured;
• wherein the time for which said object to be moved is moved at said constant velocity is calculated by subtracting said acceleration time from said time that has been measured;
• wherein said motor is driven through PWM control;
• wherein a temperature of said motor is estimated based on said power consumption for said period during which said object to be moved is moved to said target position;
• and
• wherein a rest time of said motor is determined in accordance with said power consumption for said period during which said object to be moved is moved to said target position.

A motor control device comprising:

• a motor for moving an object to be moved, said motor being configured to move said object to be moved to a target position by first accelerating said object to be moved and then moving said object to be moved at a constant velocity;
• a memory for storing in advance
• an acceleration-period power consumption value corresponding to a power consumption of said motor during the accelerating movement, and
• a current value of a current flowing through said motor when said object to be moved is moved at said constant velocity;
• and
• a controller configured to
• detect a time for which said object to be moved is moved at said constant velocity when said object to be moved is moved to said target position,
• calculate a constant-velocity-period power consumption value corresponding to a power consumption of said motor during the constant velocity movement of said object to be moved based on said time that has been detected and said current value, and
• calculate a power consumption of said motor for a period during which said object to be moved is moved to said target position based on said acceleration-period power consumption value and said constant-velocity-period power consumption value.

A printing method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a printing apparatus provided with a motor for moving an object to be moved, said printing apparatus causing said motor, to move said object to be moved to a target position by first accelerating said object to be moved and then moving said object to be moved at a constant velocity;
• storing in advance an acceleration-period power consumption value corresponding to a power consumption of said motor during the accelerating movement;
• storing in advance a current value of a current flowing through said motor when said object to be moved is moved at said constant velocity;
• detecting a time for which said object to be moved is moved at said constant velocity when said object to be moved is moved to said target position;
• calculating a constant-velocity-period power consumption value corresponding to a power consumption of said motor during the constant velocity movement of said object to be moved based on said time that has been detected and said current value;
• and
• calculating a power consumption of said motor for a period during which said object to be moved is moved to said target position based on said acceleration-period power consumption value and said constant-velocity-period power consumption value.