Range switching device

A range switching device comprising:

• a range switching mechanism having a plurality of range detention concave parts;
• a motor driving the range switching mechanism to switch a shift range between a plurality of shift ranges;
• a detent mechanism having a latch that selectively engages one of the plurality of range detention concave parts to hold the range switching mechanism at one of the plurality of shift ranges;
• an encoder sensing a rotation of the motor and outputting a pulse signal in synchronization with the rotation of the motor;
• and
• a control unit that (i) controls the motor according to a feedback control, when a target shift range is selected, to rotate the motor toward a target rotation position that corresponds to the target shift range, by switching power supply phases of the motor based on a count value of the outputted pulse signal of the encoder, and (ii) ends the feedback control of the motor to stop a power supply to the motor when a rotation position of the motor enters a stop range that includes the target rotation position, wherein
• the control unit controls the motor according to an open-loop control to rotate the motor to the target rotation position by sequentially switching the power supply phases of the motor when the motor has not rotated for a predetermined time after the end of the feedback control of the motor, and
• the open-loop control by the control unit continues until the rotation position of the motor reaches the target rotation position.