Motor control apparatus

Claim 2

A motor control apparatus comprising: an encoder fixed to a shaft of a rotor and having portions to be detected corresponding in number to an integer multiple of the number of magnetic poles of said rotor; count means for counting the number of portions to be detected of said encoder upon rotation of said rotor at a predetermined position on a side of a stator; and means for, when a count value from said count means has reached a predetermined value, performing energization switching to a coil of said stator.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: up-down clock generating means capable of setting a pulse width of an up-down clock pulse to be supplied to said count means in synchronism with an external clock pulse and in correspondence with said portions to be detected.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: switching means for switching a driving signal from said means and said external control unit in accordance with a signal from an external control unit capable of generating a pattern for driving a stepping motor in accordance with a rotational position of said rotor.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said energization switching means comprises a plurality of digital comparators taking output states corresponding to numerical values indicated by said count means, and motor driving signal generating means for generating coil energization signals corresponding to the output states.

Claim 6

A control device for a stepping motor with a rotor having a magnet fixed to a rotating shaft, two sets of stators having magnetic segments provided at the outer periphery of said magnet, two sets of coils for magnetizing said magnetic segments, and motor driving means for controlling electric supply to said coils, said control device being characterized by pulsation means for converting an output signal corresponding to the rotation of the rotor into pulse signals; an up-down counter for counting the pulse signal of said pulsation means and producing a count value in response to said pulse signals; and a motor driving signal generator for energizing said coils in response to the count value of said up-down counter, said motor driving signal generator at least having a comparator for comparing the count value of said up-down counter with a preset value, and a clock generator for supplying an output signal from said comparator as an energizing signal to said coils.

Claim 7

A control device for a stepping motor with a rotor having a magnet fixed to a rotating shaft, two sets of stators having magnetic segments provided at the outer periphery of said magnet, two sets of coils for magnetizing said magnetic segments, and motor driving means for controlling electric supply to said coils, said control device being characterized by pulsation means for converting an output signal corresponding to the rotation of the rotor into pulse signals; an up-down counter for counting the pulse signal of said pulsation means and producing a count value in response to said pulse signals; and a motor driving signal generator for energizing said coils in response to the count value of said up-down counter, said motor driving signal generator at least having a comparator for comparing the count value of said up-down counter with a preset value, and a clock generator for supplying an output signal from said comparator as an energizing signal to said coils.

Claim 8

A control device according to claim 5, wherein said comparator is constructed to recive an external signal from an external control device to change the preset value.

Claim 9

A control device according to claim 5, wherein said clock generator is constituted by a plurality of exclusive OR gates.

Claim 10

A control device according to claim 5, wherein said pulsation means includes: means having a comparator for converting an output signal corresponding to the rotation of the rotor into pulse signals; and an up-down clock generator for generating a count signal of upward or downward direction in correspondence with the rotating direction of the rotor, said up-down clock generating having flip-flop circuits for receiving the pulse signals from said comparator, a clock pulse generator, and a shift register for receiving the signals from said flip-flop circuits and said clock generator.

Claim 11

In combination, a motor capable of being driven either as a stepping motor or as a brushless DC motor, and a control for said motor, said motor comprising: a rotor having a magnet fixed to a rotating shaft; a stator having magnetic segments provided at the outer periphery of said magnet and; a coil for magnetizing said magnetic segments; said control device comprising: a motor driving signal generator for controlling the rotation of said rotor and for counting the pulse signals to produce pulse count signals; a motor driving signal generator having a digital comparator for receiving the pulse count signals and for producing an output signal when the pulse count signals attain a predetermined value, and a clock generator for generating an energization signal for said coil on the basis of the output signal of said digital comparator; an external controller for outputting external signals including a brushless DC motor drive signal and a clock signal for driving a step motor; a magnetizing pattern generator for outputting a magnetization signal corresponding to the driving clock signal from said external controller; and a signal switch for changing the input signal of said motor driving signal generator by inputting to said coil a signal corresponding to the signal of said motor driving a signal generator and the signal of said magnetizing pattern generator, said signal switch being operated by the signal from said external controller, the driving state of said motor being selected by the switching of said signal switch between the clock signal on the basis of the signal from said magnetization pattern generator and the brushless DC motor drive signal on the basis of the signal from said motor driving signal generator.

Claim 12

In combination, a motor capable of being driven either as a stepping motor or as a brushless DC motor, and a control for said motor, said motor comprising: a rotor having a magnet fixed to a rotating shaft; a stator having magnetic segments provided at the outer periphery of said magnet and; a coil for magnetizing said magnetic segments; said control device comprising: a motor driving signal generator for controlling the rotation of said rotor and for counting the pulse signals to produce pulse count signals; a motor driving signal generator having a digital comparator for receiving the pulse count signals and for producing an output signal when the pulse count signals attain a predetermined value, and a clock generator for generating an energization signal for said coil on the basis of the output signal of said digital comparator; an external controller for outputting external signals including a brushless DC motor drive signal and a clock signal for driving a step motor; a magnetizing pattern generator for outputting a magnetization signal corresponding to the driving clock signal from said external controller; and a signal switch for changing the input signal of said motor driving signal generator by inputting to said coil a signal corresponding to the signal of said motor driving a signal generator and the signal of said magnetizing pattern generator, said signal switch being operated by the signal from said external controller, the driving state of said motor being selected by the switching of said signal switch between the clock signal on the basis of the signal from said magnetization pattern generator and the brushless DC motor drive signal on the basis of the signal from said motor driving signal generator.

Claim 13

A control device for a stepping motor with a rotor having a magnet fixed to a rotating shaft, a stator having magnetic segments provided at the outer periphery of said magnet, a coil for magnetizing said magnetic segments, and motor driving means for controlling electric supply to said coil, said control device being characterized by pulsation means for converting an output signal corresponding to the rotation of the rotor into pulse signals; an up-down counter for counting the pulse signals of said pulsation means and producing a count value in response to said pulse signals; and a motor driving signal generator for energizing said coil in response to the count value of said up-down counter, said motor driving signal generator at least having a comparator for comparing the count value of said up-down counter with a present value, and a clock generator for supplying an output signal from said comparator as an energizing signal to said coil.

Claim 14

A control device for a stepping motor with a rotor having a magnet fixed to a rotating shaft, a stator having magnetic segments provided at the outer periphery of said magnet, a coil for magnetizing said magnetic segments, and motor driving means for controlling electric supply to said coil, said control device being characterized by pulsation means for converting an output signal corresponding to the rotation of the rotor into pulse signals; an up-down counter for counting the pulse signals of said pulsation means and producing a count value in response to said pulse signals; and a motor driving signal generator for energizing said coil in response to the count value of said up-down counter, said motor driving signal generator at least having a comparator for comparing the count value of said up-down counter with a present value, and a clock generator for supplying an output signal from said comparator as an energizing signal to said coil.