Electronic programmer for multi-phase motor

Claim 2

In a system having a multi-phase motor having a stator comprising n independently energizable windings arranged in a preselected winding configuration, a rotatable shaft responsive thereto, and a power supply having n triggerable devices for independently supplying single polarity voltage to the independently energizable windings, a programmer for sequencing the operation of the triggerable devices to power the motor for step-by-step movement of the motor shaft, the programmer including a plurality of binary storage devices arranged to form a register having at least 2n phase defining states each representative of a different shaft position with a first set of n phase defining states indicating that m triggerable devices should supply voltage to the multi-phase motor and with a second set of n phase defining states indicating the m + 1 triggerable devices should supply voltage to the multi-phase motor; means for sequencing the register through each of the 2n states such that each change from an existing state to a changed state results in the changed state being in a different one of the two sets from the existing state; means responsive to the register for triggering the triggerable devices in accordance with the indication provided by the register; and counting means responsive to changes of state by the register for providing an indication of the magnitude of motor shaft movement ordered by the programmer.

Claim 3

A programmer as defined in claim 1 wherein each binary storage device is a bistable flip-flop circUit.

Claim 4

A programmer as defined in claim 2 wherein each flip-flop circuit has a terminal for receiving a clocking signal and at least a pair of terminals for receiving control signals controlling the state which the flip-flop circuit will assume after receiving a clocking signal and wherein the means for sequencing the register includes means for producing substantially equally time spaced-apart clocking signals and a network of logical gating circuits arranged to have a pair of output terminals corresponding to each flip-flop circuit and to produce thereon control signals for controlling the subsequent states of the flip-flop circuits.

Claim 5

A programmer as defined in claim 3 including means for producing a control signal for indicating a desired direction of shaft movement and wherein the gating network has an input terminal for receiving the direction control signal and is responsive thereto for controlling the subsequent states of the flip-flop circuits in accordance therewith.

Claim 6

A programmer as defined in claim 4 including n flip-flop circuits in the register each corresponding to a respective one of the n triggerable devices and each directly indicating whether its corresponding triggerable device should supply voltage to the multi-phase motor.

Claim 7

A programmer as defined in claim 5 wherein the register comprises at least six flip-flop circuits each having a SET state and a RESET state and the gating network is arranged to control the register so that a two-SET, three-SET, two-SET, etc. sequence is produced.

Claim 8

A programmer as defined in claim 3 wherein the means for producing clocking signals includes means for initially producing a predetermined number of clocking signals at a first repetition rate and an arbitrary number of clocking pulses at a second, higher repetition rate thereafter so that the motor shaft initially moves at a preselected speed in response to clocking signal at the first repetition rate and then moves at a higher speed in response to the other clocking pulses.

Claim 9

A programmer as defined in claim 1 wherein the register comprises at least 6 flip-flop circuits having 12 allowable phase defining states and a plurality of forbidden states; and including means responsive to an existing forbidden state of the register for changing its state to an allowable state.

Claim 10

A programmer as defined in claim 8 including a decoder network for indicating an existing forbidden state.

Claim 11

A programmer as defined in claim 1 wherein the counting means comprises temporary storage devices which preserve the indication of the magnitude of motor shaft movement despite a temporary loss of power.

Claim 12

In a power supply for a multi-phase motor comprising a plurality of independently energizable windings arranged in a star configuration with one winding for each phase, an independent triggerable device corresponding to each winding for supplying direct current therethrough to energize the winding, a programmer connected to the triggerable devices for controlling the energization and de-energization of the multi-phase windings in a preselected sequence, a. means for providing a sequence of pulses; b. at least four register elements in row, each including i. a flip-flop circuit having an input terminal connected to receive the pulses and an output terminal coupled to a respective triggerable device for providing ON and OFF signals for energizing and de-energizing the corresponding winding; ii. a set control gating circuit providing a set control signal to the flip-flop circuit in response to the coincidence of an ON signal from an adjacent register element in the row and an OFF signal from a non-adjacent register element in the row; iii. a reset control gating circuit providing a reset control signal to the flip-flop circuit in response to a predetermined signal from a non-adjacent register element in the row, wherein the register elements in the row respond to the pulses and the set and reset controL signals to provide ON and OFF signals to the triggerable devices in three-ON, two-ON, etc. sequence c. means for indicating a desired direction of movement of the shaft of the multi-phase motor and wherein each register element is responsive to the indicated direction for providing ON and OFF signals in either a first or a second sequence in accordance with the indicated direction; and d. a gating network including a differentiating circuit for producing a signal indicative of whether the ON and OFF signals are being provided in the first sequence or the second sequence.

Claim 13

In a power supply for a multi-phase motor comprising a plurality of independently energizable windings arranged in a star configuration with one winding for each phase, an independent triggerable device corresponding to each winding for supplying direct current therethrough to energize the winding, a programmer connected to the triggerable devices for controlling the energization and de-energization of the multi-phase windings in a preselected sequence, a. means for providing a sequence of pulses; b. at least four register elements in row, each including i. a flip-flop circuit having an input terminal connected to receive the pulses and an output terminal coupled to a respective triggerable device for providing ON and OFF signals for energizing and de-energizing the corresponding winding; ii. a set control gating circuit providing a set control signal to the flip-flop circuit in response to the coincidence of an ON signal from an adjacent register element in the row and an OFF signal from a non-adjacent register element in the row; iii. a reset control gating circuit providing a reset control signal to the flip-flop circuit in response to a predetermined signal from a non-adjacent register element in the row, wherein the register elements in the row respond to the pulses and the set and reset controL signals to provide ON and OFF signals to the triggerable devices in three-ON, two-ON, etc. sequence c. means for indicating a desired direction of movement of the shaft of the multi-phase motor and wherein each register element is responsive to the indicated direction for providing ON and OFF signals in either a first or a second sequence in accordance with the indicated direction; and d. a gating network including a differentiating circuit for producing a signal indicative of whether the ON and OFF signals are being provided in the first sequence or the second sequence.

Claim 14

A programmer as defined in claim 11 wherein the means for providing a sequence of pulses comprises means for producing pulses at a first repetition rate and means for producing pulses at a second repetition rate and means for selecting for transmission to the register elements the pulses at either the first or the second rate.

Claim 15

A programmer as defined in claim 12 wherein the multiphase motor comprises six independently energizable windings and wherein six register elements are provided for providing ON and OFF signals to the triggerable devices in the three-ON, two-ON, etc. sequence.

Claim 16

A programmer as defined in claim 11 including a means responsive to a predetermined combination of ON and OFF signals produced by the register elements for changing the states of the register elements so as to produce a preselected, different combination of ON and OFF signals.