Stepping motor driving apparatus
AssigneeComputer Transceiver Systems, Inc.
InventorMaurice J. Epstein
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A source of electric current has a first terminal connected to one end of each of a plurality of phase windings of a stepping motor whose other ends are connected via controllably operable switches to a second terminal of the current source, the switchesare energized in particular sequence and with controllably variable duty cycle signals wherein the duty cycle of the signals controls the power, speed and rotation of the motor.
Claims14
Apparatus for energizing a stepping motor having a plurality of phase windings wherein one end of each winding is connected to a common terminal and the other end of each winding is connected to a different distinct terminal, said apparatus comprising:
- a source of electric current having a first terminal connected to said common terminal and having a second terminal;
- a plurality of controllably operable current switching means, each of said current switching means being connected between a different one of said distinct terminals and the second terminal of said source of electric current;
- a switching network having a plurality of inputs and outputs, each of said outputs being connected to the control input of a different one of said controllably operable switching means;
- phase selector means having a plurality of outputs connected to different inputs of said switching network for selecting which of said controllably operable switching means are to be energized at any given time;
- and a selectively variable duty cycle signal generator having an output connected to an input of said switching network for controlling the duty cycle of the energization of the controllably operable switching means to be energized at a first duty cycle when the stepping motor is to be at rest and at a greater duty cycle when the stepping motor is to be stepped.
Apparatus for energizing a stepping motor having a plurality of phase windings wherein one end of each winding is connected to a common terminal and the other end of each winding is connected to a different distinct terminal, said apparatus comprising a source of electric current having a first terminal connected to said common terminal and having a second terminal, a plurality of controllably operable current switching means each having a control input, each of said current switching means being connected between a different one of said distinct terminals and the second terminal of said source of electric current, means for periodically energizing a selected group of said switching means with first pulses having a first duty cycle when the stepping motor is to be held at a given position, means for periodically energizing a different selected group of said switching means with second pulses having a second duty cycle when the stepping motor is to be rotated from said given position to an adjacent position, sequencing control means for sequentially selecting a different group of said switching means for energization by said second pulses and stepping speed control means for controlling said sequencing control means to sequentially select said groups of switching means at different rates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.