A current detecting switching element is connected to an output circuit having switching elements making a bridge connection, current flowing to the switching element is detected by a current detection circuit in response to a torque command signal, a PWM signal generation circuit generates a PWM signal according to the output, a synthesizing circuit synthesizes the output of a power switch circuit for determining an energized phase to a motor coil and the output signal of the PWM signal generation circuit, and PWM operation of a first state and a second state is repeated to control current supply to the motor coil. The first state enables current supply to the motor coil when the switching element on one side is conducting, the switching element on the other side is nonconducting, and the current detecting switching element is conducting. The second state brings the current detecting switching element out of conduction and brings into conduction all the switching elements making a bridge connection in an energizing polarity switch circuit.
1. A motor drive, in which a power supply voltage is applied across an output circuit having switching elements making a bridge connection, a motor coil is connected on a midpoint of the output circuit, and an energizing polarity to the motor coil is switched by turning on/off a pair of the switching elements on opposite sides of the bridge connection,
the motor drive comprising:
a current detecting switching element connected in series with the output circuit,
a current detection circuit for detecting, in response to a torque command signal, a current applied to the current detecting switching element,
a PWM signal generation circuit for generating a PWM signal according to an output signal of the current detection circuit,
a power switch circuit for determining an energization phase to the motor coil, and
a synthesizing circuit for synthesizing an output signal of the PWM signal generation circuit and an output signal of the power switch circuit,
wherein PWM operation of a first state and a second state is repeated to control current supply to the motor coil, the first state enabling current supply to the motor coil when the switching elements making a bridge connection are such that the switching element on one side determined by the power switch circuit is conducting, the switching element on the other side is nonconducting, and the current detecting switching element is conducting, the second state bringing the current detecting switching element out of conduction and bringing into conduction all the switching elements making a bridge connection in the output circuit.
2. The motor drive according to claim 1 , wherein the current detection circuit comprises:
a current detecting reference switching element having a gate and a source connected respectively to a gate and a source of the current detecting switching element,
a comparator for comparing a drain voltage of the current detecting switching element and a drain voltage of the current detecting reference switching element, and
a voltage/current converter for converting an inputted torque command signal into current and determining a current inputted to a drain of the current detecting reference switching element,
the PWM signal generation circuit generating a PWM signal according to an output signal of the comparator.
3. The motor drive according to claim 1 , wherein the current detection circuit comprises:
a current detecting reference switching element having a gate and a drain connected respectively to a gate and a drain of the current detecting switching element,
a comparator for comparing a source voltage of the current detecting switching element and a source voltage of the current detecting reference switching element, and
a voltage/current converter for converting an inputted torque command signal into current and determining a current inputted to a source of the current detecting reference switching element,
the PWM signal generation circuit generating a PWM signal according to an output signal of the comparator.