US 5,291,111 A · Drive controller and drive control method for a stepping motor without a step out error

Abstract

A drive controller for a stepping motor having a plurality of excitation phases which designate stepping positions thereof, includes a motor driver for sequentially exciting the excitation phases to rotate the stepping motor in increments of one step angle, and a control section for controlling the motor driver to set an excitation interval. When the control section sets the excitation interval to be shorter than an interval of a stepping range in which the stepping motor temporarily stops for each increment, the stepping motor is driven in a slewing mode in which the rotation of the stepping motor is continued without stopping for each increment. The control section includes a position correcting section for controlling the driving section prior to driving of the stepping motor in the slewing mode to sequentially excite the excitation phases for all the stepping positions of the stepping motor at the interval of the stepping range, with the final excitation phase being set as an excitation phase corresponding to a stepping position from which the rotation of the stepping motor may be started in the slewing mode, without a possibility of step out occuring.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A drive controller for a stepping motor having a plurality of excitation phases which designate corresponding stepping positions, said drive controller comprising:

driving means for sequentially exciting the excitation phases of said stepping motor to rotate said stepping motor in increments of one step between corresponding stepping positions thereof;
and
control means for controlling said driving means to set an excitation interval at which the excitation phases are sequentially excited, said stepping motor being driven in a stepping mode, in which rotation of said stepping motor temporarily stops at each stepping position after each incremental rotation of one step, when said excitation interval is set in a stepping range, and said stepping motor being driven in a slewing mode, in which rotation of said stepping motor is continued without stopping at each stepping position after each incremental rotation of one step, when said excitation interval is set shorter than the stepping range;
wherein said control means includes position correcting means for controlling said driving means, prior to a driving of said stepping motor in said slewing mode, to sequentially excite a predetermined number of excitation phases to drive said stepping motor in said stepping mode, with a final excitation phase being set as an excitation phase corresponding to a stepping position from which rotation of said stepping motor starts in said slewing mode.

1 more element

A drive controller for a stepping motor having a plurality of excitation phases which designate corresponding stepping positions, said drive controller being incorporated in a paper feed device and comprising:

driving means for sequentially exciting the excitation phases of said stepping motor to rotate said stepping motor in increments of one step between the corresponding stepping positions thereof;
and
control means for controlling said driving means to set an excitation interval at which the excitation phases are sequentially excited, said stepping motor being driven in a stepping mode, in which rotation of said stepping motor temporarily stops at each stepping position after each incremental rotation of one step, when said excitation interval is set in a stepping range, and said stepping motor being driven in a slewing mode, in which rotation of said stepping motor is continued without stopping at each stepping position after each incremental rotation of one step, when said excitation interval is set shorter than the stepping range;
wherein said control means includes position correcting means for controlling said driving means, prior to a driving of said stepping motor in said slewing mode, to sequentially excite a predetermined number of excitation phases to drive said stepping motor in said stepping mode, with a final excitation phase being set as an excitation phase corresponding to a stepping position from which rotation of said stepping motor starts in said slewing mode;
and
wherein said position correcting means includes rotation direction controlling means for controlling said driving means, prior to the driving of said stepping motor in said slewing mode, to sequentially rotate said stepping motor by a same number of steps in a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction, said rotation direction controlling means including limiting means for limiting rotation of said stepping motor, prior to the driving of said stepping motor in said slewing mode, to only one of the clockwise and counterclockwise directions when paper is removed from the paper feed device.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Drive controller and drive control method for a stepping motor without a step out error

Life of this patent

Drive controller and drive control method for a stepping motor without a step out error

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10