Multiple output rotational position detection device

A rotational position detection device comprising:

• (a) a first detector, having a cyclic output signal, for detecting an absolute rotational position within one cycle, which cycle corresponds to 1/N circumference (N being a predetermined integer), and comprising a first rotor and a first stator,
• said first rotor having teeth of N per one circumference,
• said first stator having a plurality of poles arranged in a predetermined arrangement, a first primary winding means separately wound on said respective poles, and a first secondary winding means coupled magnetically to said first primary winding means, said poles having end portions opposing the teeth of said first rotor with gaps therebetween, and said end portions being provided with teeth corresponding to the teeth of said first rotor,
• the teeth of said first rotor and the teeth of said first stator being so formed that correspondence between the rotor teeth and the stator teeth is different in pitch by 1/n pitch (n being a predetermind integer) with respect to the adjacent poles so that reluctance change, one cycle of which corresponds to one pitch of the rotor teeth, is produced in said respective poles and the cycle of said reluctance change is different by 1/n pitch with respect to the adjacent poles;
• (b) a second detector for detecting an absolute rotational position within one circumference, and comprising a second stator and a second rotor,
• said second stator having a plurality of poles arranged in a predetermined arrangement, second primary winding means separately wound on said respective poles, and second secondary winding means coupled magnetically to said second primary winding means, said poles having end portions,
• said second rotor being coupled with said first rotor and being of such configuration as to oppose the end portions of the respective poles of the second stator with gaps therebetween, change reluctance of magnetic paths passing the respective poles in accordance with a rotational position at a rate of one cycle per one circumference, and the cycle of said reluctance change being different by 1/k (k being a predetermined integer);
• (c) a clock pulse generator;
• (d) reference AC signal generation means for generating a plurality of reference AC signals having a predetermined frequency and phases which are different from one another in response to a clock pulse signal generated by said generator;
• (e) means for applying said reference AC signals to said first detector and exciting each of said first primary winding means on said poles with any one of said reference AC signals, each pole excitation signal being out of phase with the excitation signals of adjacent poles by a predetermined electrical angle and thereby producing in said first secondary winding means a first output signal resulting by phase shifting the reference AC signals in accordance with the rotational position of said first rotor;
• (f) means for applying said reference AC signals to said second detector and exciting each of said second primary winding means on said poles with any one of said reference AC signals, each pole excitation signal being out of phase with the excitation signals of adjacent poles by a predetermined electrical angle and thereby producing in said second secondary winding means a second output signal resulting by phase shifting the reference AC signals in accordance with the rotational position of said second rotor;
• (g) first phase difference detection means operatively connected to the clock pulse generator reference AC signal generation means, and means for applying said reference AC signals to said first detector for detecting, by digitally counting said clock pulse signal, the phase difference between a predetermined one of said reference AC signals and said first output signal to obtain detected digital phase difference data as a first absolute rotational position data within 1/N circumference of the first rotor and with an accuracy of rotational position 1/N as small as that obtained by the second detector;
• (h) second phase difference detection means operatively connected to the clock pulse generator, reference AC signal generation means, and means for applying said reference AC signals to said second detector for detecting, by digitally counting said clock pulse signal, the phase difference between a predetermined one of said reference AC signals and said second output signal to obtain detected digital phase difference data as a second absolute rotational position data within one circumference of the second rotor;
• and
• (i) means for obtaining an absolute rotational position by the combination of said first absolute rotational position data and said second absolute rotational position data.