A system for converting digital electrical control signals in discrete, stepped angular movements in a multiphase electric stepping motor

摘要

1,159,499. Control of stepping motors. PRATT PRECISION HYDRAULICS Ltd. 26 Feb., 1968 [2 March, 1967], No. 9972/67. Heading H2J. In a system for converting electrical control signals in digital form into discrete angular motion, a series of pulses I, each of which represents one step of desired motion, is fed together with a directional control signal D, D, to a three-phase translator circuit 9. The outputs and the complements of the outputs of the translator circuit are connected through respective current amplifiers 11 to the coils of a six-phase stepping motor 1. Three auxiliary adjacent phases of the motor are energized in any one operating condition of the translator circuit, and the receipt of a pulse I causes a phase angularly succeeding one end phase of the three energized phases to become energized, and simultaneously the phase which was the phase at the opposite end of the three energized phases to become de-energized. Thus, a new series of three angularly adjacent phases is energized, the end at which energization of the next phase occurs depending on the directional control signal. A binary trigger circuit 10 halves the frequency of the signal I before it is applied to the circuit 9. In one arrangement, the signals from the circuit 9 are applied to the bases of respective amplifying transistors, each of which is connected in series with a corresponding motor coil. A single forcing resistor for reducing the time constant of the circuit is connected in series with parallel circuits comprising in each arm a transistor and motor coil, the respective transistors in each parallel circuit receiving a signal and the complement of that signal. Each transistor is shunted by a protective capacitor and resistor, Fig. 8 (not shown). The translator 9 comprises binary trigger elements arranged as a ring counter with additional logic gates to provide reversal of the sequence in which the phases are energized, Fig. 3 (not shown). The rotor of the motor has two pairs of poles, and the stator is formed with six axially spaced assemblies, each of which has its individual winding, Fig. 1 (not shown).