Control system for a plurality of stepper motors
AssigneeMerit Machined Products
InventorsDavid A. Ayers, John F. Dumelle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for operating a plurality of stepper motors. A controller operates a plurality of sequentially connected stepper motors executing substantially the same motion. The apparatus includes an incremental control feature for generating an alignment signal to step an associated motor a predetermined amount. Once the alignment of all the motors is done all the motors are moved with substantially the same motion.
Claims21
A system for controlling a plurality of stepper motors, comprising:
- control means for generating a control signal;
- and
- a plurality of drive signal means responsive to said control signal for generating a drive signal, said control means coupled to a first one of said plurality of drive signal means and additional ones of said drive signal means sequentially connected to said first one of said drive signal means, enabling input of substantially the same said control signal to each of said plurality of drive signal means being operatively coupled to an associated one of said stepper motors.
A machining/positioning apparatus for controlled execution of a plurality of substantially identical machining and/or positioning tasks, using a plurality of selected indexers, comprising:
- input means for providing program signals responsive to an input;
- control means responsive to said program signals for generating control signals;
- a plurality of drive signal means responsive to said control signals for generating electrical drive signals, said control means coupled to a first one of said plurality of drive signal means and additional ones of said drive signal means, enabling input of substantially the same said control signal to each of said plurality of drive signal means;
- motor means responsive to said electrical drive signal for generating powered movement to perform said machining and/or positioning;
- and
- indexer means responsive to said powered movement for effecting a measurable selected spatial movement during said machining and/or positioning.
A method for controlling the execution of a plurality of substantially identical tasks using a plurality of drive signal components coupled to a selected indexer, comprising the steps of:
- providing a program signal responsive to an input;
- generating control signals responsive to said program signals;
- generating electrical drive signals responsive to said control signals;
- outputting said electrical drive signals to a first drive signal component and subsequently outputting said electrical drive signals sequentially to others of said drive signal components;
- moving each said selected indexer responsive to said electrical drive signals;
- effecting a measurable selected spatial movement of said selected indexer;
- and
- outputting index signals indicating the beginning and end of each said task.
A power drive unit for providing electrical drive signals to a stepper motor responsive to control signals from a programmable controller, comprising:
- means responsive to said reduced current level control signals for limiting the current level of said drive signals during the acceleration and deceleration of said stepper motor;
- and
- holding torque current means for providing a holding torque current to keep said stepper motor at the angular position associated with said control signals from said programmable controller upon decelerating said stepper motor to stop at the angular position associated with said drive signals.
A system for controlling a plurality of stepper motors, comprising:
- control means for generating a control signal;
- a plurality of drive signals means responsive to said control signal for generating a drive signal, said control means coupled to a first one of said plurality of drive signal means and additional ones of said drive signal means sequentially connected to said first one enabling input of substantially the same said control signal to each of said plurality of drive signal means;
- and
- incremental jog means for generating an alignment signal to an associated one of said drive signal means, said alignment signal stepping each associated one of said stepper motors a predetermined amount, said incremental means comprising a binary coded switch having a plurality of selectable positions.
A system for controlling a plurality of stepper motors, comprising:
- control means for generating a control signal;
- and
- a plurality of drive signal means, responsive to said control signal input directly from said control means, for generating a drive signal, said control means coupled to a first one of said plurality of drive signal means and additional ones of said drive signal means sequentially connected to said first one of said drive signal means, enabling input of substantially the same said control signal to each of said plurality of drive signal means being operatively coupled to an associated one of said stepper motors and said plurality of stepper motors responsive substantially immediately to said drive signal, allowing substantially simultaneous motion of said stepper motors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.