Granted Patent B2

US 8,159,176 · App. 12/856,362 · Granted Apr 17, 2012

Abstract

Claims (31)

1. A motor driving device comprising:

a switching element having one end connected to one end of a first coil of a stepping motor including the first coil and a second coil, and having the other end connected to a ground side, the switching element configured to control a current passed through the first coil, the other end of the first coil and one end of the second coil electromagnetically coupled and connected to a power source side;

a rectifier element having one end connected to the other end of the second coil, and having the other end connected to the ground side, the rectifier element configured to be energized in a direction from the ground side toward the second coil;

a coil current detection unit configured to detect a current passed through the first coil;

a regeneration current detection unit configured to detect a current passed through the rectifier element;

a control unit configured to turn on the switching element at predetermined intervals, and turn off the switching element when the current passed through the first coil reaches a predetermined set current based on a detection result of the coil current detection unit; and

a negative current detection unit configured to detect whether or not a negative current greater in absolute value than a predetermined set value is passed through the rectifier element based on a detection result of the regeneration current detection unit during a period when the switching element is off after being on,

the control unit keeping the switching element off when the negative current is not passed therethrough, based on a detection result of the negative current detection unit.

2. The motor driving device according to claim 1 , wherein

the regeneration current detection unit has one end connected to the other end of the rectifier element, and has the other end connected to the ground side, and includes a first resistor generating a first detection voltage according to a current passed through the rectifier element; wherein

the control unit turns off the switching element when the first detection voltage reaches a voltage of a predetermined level according to the set current, during a period when the switching element is on; wherein

the negative current detection unit detects whether or not the first detection voltage has become lower than a negative voltage of a predetermined level according to the negative current, during a period when the switching element is off after being on; and wherein

the control unit keeps the switching element off when the first detection voltage does not become lower than the negative voltage.

3. The motor driving device according to claim 2 , wherein

the negative current detection unit includes:

a level-shift circuit configured to level-shift the first detection voltage so as to be decreased according to decrease of the first detection voltage, and so as to become a positive voltage of a predetermined level when the first detection voltage is the negative voltage; wherein

a comparison circuit configured to compare the level-shifted first detection voltage with the positive voltage; and wherein a stop-signal output circuit configured to output a stop signal for stopping switching of the switching element when the level-shifted first detection voltage does not become lower than the positive voltage during a period when the switching element is off after being on, based on a detection result of the comparison circuit, wherein

the control unit keeps the switching element off when the stop signal is outputted.

4. The motor driving device according to claim 1 , further comprising

a set-current detection unit configured to detect whether or not the set current is greater in absolute value than the negative current, the set current being variable, wherein

the control unit

keeps the switching element off when the negative current is not passed during a period when the set current is greater in absolute value than the negative current, and

turns on the switching element at the predetermined intervals regardless of a detection result of the negative current during a period when the set current is smaller in absolute value than the negative current,

based on a detection result of the set-current detection unit and the detection result of the negative current detection unit.

5. The motor driving device according to claim 4 , wherein

the coil current detection unit has one end connected to the other end of the switching element, has the other end connected to the ground side, and includes a second resistor generating a second detection voltage according to a current passed through the first coil; wherein

the set-current detection unit detects whether or not the second detection voltage exceeds a voltage of a predetermined level higher than the second detection voltage when the current passed through the first coil is the set current, during a period when the switching element is on; and wherein

the control unit

keeps the switching element off when the second detection voltage exceeds the voltage of the predetermined level during a period when the switching element is on and when the negative current is not passed during a period when the switching element is off after being on, and

turns on the switching element at the predetermined intervals regardless of the detection result of the negative current when the second detection voltage does not exceed the voltage of the predetermined level during a period when the switching element is on,

based on the detection results of the set-current detection unit and the negative current detection unit.

Assignments (8)