BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a Hall motor control system in which Hall elements detect the position of a rotor comprising a permanent magnet to switch over driving currents flowing to driving coils.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In the conventional Hall motor control system wherein Hall elements detect the position of a rotor comprising a permanent magnet to switch over driving currents flowing to driving coils, a voltage corresponding to the rotational speed of the rotor or of the motor has been induced in the driving coils and such voltage has been detected by a comparing circuit comprising a switching transistor circuit, whereby when the induced voltage exceeds a predetermined level, the switching transistor circuit is reversed to control the input current to the Hall elements and thus the driving current flowing to the driving coils, thereby imparting a predetermined torque to the motor and controlling the motor to be driven at a predetermined speed at all times.

In the conventional motor control system of this type, however, the voltages proportional to the number of revolutions induced in the coils to which no driving current is then flowing are separated, detected and synthesized by a diode for use as a control voltage, and this has required the use of an element having diode characteristics. In such manner, where the voltage is rectified by the diodes, and the induced voltage is developed, the forward voltage drop V.sub.F in the diode is included as an error in the rotational speed voltage. Such error creating tendency is greater as the number of revolutions is lower and as a result, the ratio thereof to the forward voltage drop in the diode becomes smaller to impair the linearity. Also, the diode is susceptible to temperature variation and therefore, even if compensation therefor is imparted for a certain number of revolutions, the compensation curve will be seriously departed from ideal curve as the number of revolutions is varied and thus, it has been extremely difficult to provide a drive with good temperature characteristic.

Further, in the conventional Hall motor control system of the described type, the detection of the number of revolutions of the motor by the comparing circuit has been done by applying the induced voltage between the base and emitter of the switching transistor to compare the base-emitter voltage V.sub.BE of the switching transistor with the voltage corresponding to the reference rotational speed of the motor, but the induced voltage is produced in superposed relationship with the source voltage and thus, whenever the source voltage is fluctuated for some reason or other, the voltage applied between the base and emitter of the switching transistor is also fluctuated even if the induced voltage is constant, and this has not only failed to obtain accurate comparison but also varied the base-emitter voltage V.sub.BE of the transistor itself with respect to the temperature variation, thus failing to provide an accurate speed control.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a first object of the present invention to provide a Hall motor control system which eliminates the above-noted disadvantages existing in the conventional Hall motor control system.

It is a second object of the present invention to provide a Hall motor control system in which the speed variation created due to the temperature characteristic of the diode when detecting the induced voltages produced in driving coils or voltage detecting coils by rotation of the motor may be temperature-compensated by a diode compensating circuit provided in two input circuits for the comparing circuit, thus stabilizing the motor operation.

It is a third object of the present invention to provide a Hall motor control system in which comparison between the speed signal corresponding to the rotational speed of the motor and the reference signal is effected by a stable differential amplifier and in which a predetermined speed of very stable rotation may be provided by the use of the signal input circuit as well as a compensating circuit for temperature and source voltage variations and a ripple smoothing integration circuit.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of the Hall motor control system according to the prior art.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the conventional Hall motor, FIG. 2(a) being an illustration of the arrangement of the motor's rotor, driving coils and Hall elements, and FIG. 2(b) showing a composite waveform of the voltages induced in the driving coils L.sub.1, L.sub.2, L.sub.3 annd L.sub.4 shown in FIG. 2(a).

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing first embodiment of the Hall motor control system according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing essential portions of a second embodiment of the Hall motor control system according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing another embodiment of the FIG. 4 control system as applied to a four-phase Hall motor.

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing still another embodiment of the FIG. 4 control system as applied to a three-phase Hall motor.

FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram showing a modification of a portion of a circuit diagram of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram showing a further modification of a portion of a circuit diagram of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The conventional Hall motor control system and the inventive Hall motor control system will hereinafter be described in detail with respect to some embodiments thereof and by reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of the conventional Hall motor control system, in which L.sub.1 to L.sub.4 designate motor driving coil and H.sub.1 and H.sub.2 denote Hall elements. These are disposed on a stator S and form a Hall motor with a rotor R shown in FIG. 2. Designated by Q.sub.3 to Q.sub.6 are transistors of the motor driving circuit having their emitters connected to a power source E and their collectors connected to the aforesaid driving coils. The bases of the transistors Q.sub.3 -Q.sub.6 are connected to the output terminals a, b, c and d of the Hall elements H.sub.1 and H.sub.2 and may be driven by the voltages produced at these output terminals of the Hall elements. D.sub.1 to D.sub.2 are diodes connected to the respective driving coils L.sub.1 to L.sub.4 to detect and synthesize the induced voltages produced in the driving coils L.sub.1 -L.sub.4 as the result of the rotation of the rotor R. A resistor R.sub.1 and a variable resistor R.sub.2 together constitute a voltage dividing circuit for the power source E. Q.sub.1 Q.sub.2 designate switching transistors. The transistor Q.sub.1 has the base thereof connected to the connection point k in the voltage dividing circuit and the collector thereof connected to the diodes D.sub.1 -D.sub.4. R.sub.3 is a resistor connected between the base and emitter of the transistor Q.sub.1, and RT a temperature compensating thermistor series-connected to the resistor R.sub.3. The transistor Q.sub.2 has the base thereof connected to the collector of the transistor Q.sub.1 and the emitter thereof connected to the negative (-) pole of the power source. The collected of the transistor Q.sub.2 is connected to the junction between one input terminal e of the Hall element H.sub.1 and one input terminal g of the Hall element H.sub.2. The other input terminals F and h of the Hall elements H.sub.1 and H.sub.2 are connected to the positive (+) pole of the power source E through a resistor. C.sub.1, C.sub.2 annd C.sub.3 designate capacitors for smoothing the switching operation of the switching transistors Q.sub.1 and Q.sub.2, and SW is a main switch.

FIG. 2(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the construction of the Hall motor shown in FIG. 1. In this figure, L.sub.1 -L.sub.4 and H.sub.1, H.sub.2 correspond to the driving coils and Hall elements shown in FIG. 1, and R is the rotor comprising a permanent magnet.

When the main switch SW is closed with the rotor R, the Hall elements H.sub.1, H.sub.2 and the driving coils L.sub.1 -L.sub.4 being in their respective positions shown in FIG. 2, a divisional voltage derived from the voltage of the power source E is applied to the base of the transistor Q.sub.1 through the voltage dividing circuit provided by the resistor R.sub.1 and the variable resistor R.sub.2, but since the resistance value of R.sub.2 is preset to a very small one as compared with that of R.sub.1, the transistor Q.sub.1 becomes non-conductive and thus, the transistor Q.sub.2 becomes conductive. As the result, a current flows to the Hall elements H.sub.1 and H.sub.2 through the respective routes f-e-Q.sub.2 and h-g-Q.sub.2. Assuming that the rotor R and the Hall elements H.sub.1, H.sub.2 are in their positions shown in FIG. 2, the magnetic flux of the rotor causes a negative (-) and a positive (+) voltage to be produced at the output terminals a and b of the Hall element H.sub.1, respectively, so that the base potential of the transistor Q.sub.3 becomes lower that the emitter potential thereof and thus, the transistor Q.sub.3 becomes conductive. This permits a driving current to flow to the driving coil L.sub.1 and start to rotate the rotor R in the direction of arrow. When the rotor R has rotated through 90.degree. with the S pole thereof coming to the position facing the Hall element H.sub.2, a negative (-) and a positive (+) voltage are produced at the output terminals c and d of the Hall element, so that the transistor Q.sub.5 is rendered conductive to permit the driving current to flow to the driving coil L.sub.2 and further rotate the rotor R in the direction of arrow. When the N pole of the rotor R comes round to the position facing the Hall element H.sub.1, the driving current flows to the driving coil L.sub.3, and when the N pole of the rotor R comes round to the position facing the Hall element H.sub.2, the driving current flows to the driving coil L.sub.4, whereby the rotor R continues to rotate in the direction of arrow. As the rotor R so rotates, induced voltages corresponding to the magnetic flux and the rotational speed of the rotor R are produced in those of the driving coils through which no current is then flowing, and these induced voltages are synthesized by the diodes D.sub.1 -D.sub.4 to produce at a point A a negative voltage with a magnitude as shown in FIG. 2(b). As the result, a current corresponding to the voltage at the point A flows to the resistor R.sub.3 through R.sub.2 -R.sub.3 -RT-D.sub.1 -D.sub.2 -D.sub. 3 -D.sub.4, thus causing a voltage drop to result from the resistors R.sub.3 and RT. Such voltage drop resulting from the resistors R.sub.3 and RT is the divisional voltage derived from the voltage at the point A, thus assuming a value corresponding to the rotational speed of the rotor R. Assuming that the rotor R is rotating at a higher speed than a predetermined reference rotational speed, the voltage drop resulting from the resistors R.sub.3 and RT becomes greater and exceeds the base-emitter voltage V.sub.BE of the transistor Q.sub.1, so that the transistor Q.sub.1 becomes conductive to thereby render the transistor Q.sub.2 non-conductive. By the conduction of the transistor Q.sub.2, the power supply circuit to the Hall elements H.sub.1 H.sub.2 is cut off and no Hall voltage is produced, so that no driving current flows to the driving coils L.sub.1 -L.sub.4 and the rotational speed of the rotor R is slowed down and controlled to the predetermined speed. In the conventional control circuit, as noted above, the comparison of the current rotational speed of the motor with the reference rotational speed is effected with the base-emitter voltage V.sub.BE of the transistor Q.sub.1 as the reference voltage and this not only requires the comparing transistor to be of high accuracy but also the transistor is liable to be affected by the temperature and the source voltage.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a first embodiment of the control system for the Hall motor according to the present invention. The circuit includes driving coils L.sub.1 -L.sub.4, driving transistors Q.sub.3 -Q.sub.6, Hall elements H.sub.1, H.sub.2, diodes D.sub.1 -D.sub.4 for detecting and synthesizing the induced voltages produced in the coils L.sub.1 -L.sub.4, resistors and diode R.sub.8, R.sub.9 and D.sub.12 together forming a constant current circuit, level shift transistor Q.sub.7, differential amplifiers Q.sub.10, Q.sub.11, constant voltage Zener diode ZD.sub.3 for providing a reference speed voltage, resistance element R.sub.7 for compensating for the variation in the reference speed voltage by the variation in the source voltage, capacitors C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 and variable resistor VR.sub.3 together forming an integration circuit and serving to smooth the Hall input voltage. The circuit further includes Hall input control transistors Q.sub.13, Q.sub.14, diodes D.sub.13, D.sub.14 installed within the motor or at locations suited for the detection of the heating of the motor to compensate for temperature variation of the motor, and variable resistor VR.sub.2 for varying the number of revolutions of the motor.

Operation of the circuit shown in FIG. 3 will now be discussed. When the main switch SW is closed, a predetermined voltage is applied across the Zener diode ZD.sub.3 and a predetermined voltage is applied to the bases of the transistors Q.sub.7 and Q.sub.11. Thus, a predetermined current flows through the transistor Q.sub.7 so that the voltage drop in the variable resistor VR.sub.2 is always constant independently of the induced voltage. Since the sum of the source voltage and the induced voltage corresponding to the rotational speed of the motor is being produced at the common terminal of the diodes D.sub.1 -D.sub.4, the base potential of the transistor Q.sub.10 is at a value equal to the sum of the source voltage and the induced voltage which has been level-shifted and thus, it is restricted within the operating voltage of the differential amplifier circuit and assumes a value exactly corresponding to the value of the induced voltage. This method ensures application of a voltage corresponding to some DC level and therefore, even if the rotation output voltage is decreased, a sufficient input voltage may be imparted to the differential circuit and this greatly facilitates the low speed rotation control. Now, when the induced voltage is greater than its predetermined value, namely, when the motor is rotating at a higher speed than the reference speed, the base voltage of the transistor Q.sub.10 exceeds the base voltage of the transistor Q.sub.11 and thus, the base voltage of the transistor Q.sub.13 is increased to thereby decrease the current flowing to the Hall elements and slow down the rotational speed of the motor, so that the rotational speed of the motor is controlled to be always constant. During the above-described sequence of control, the collector voltage of the transistor Q.sub.11 contains an AC component resulting from ripples of the induced voltage, but such ripple component is detected by the integration circuit comprising the capacitors C.sub.2, C.sub.3 and variable resistor VR.sub.3 and is removed by the voltage put out at the output terminal of the transistor Q.sub.14, so that a smoothed voltage is applied to the Hall elements to thereby stabilize the circuit operation.

Diodes D.sub.13 and D.sub.14 are temperature compensating diodes for preventing occurrence of such a phenomenon that when the magnetic flux of the rotor is varied by the temperature to vary its induced voltage, an input voltage exactly corresponding to the rotational speed is not applied to the differential amplifier circuit. Although a Zener diode is provided in the constant voltage circuit which obtains the reference speed voltage, even this cannot ensure the production of completely constant voltage if the source voltage fluctuates. For this reason, a resistor R.sub.7 is connected between the input terminal of the differential amplifier and the negative pole of the power source so that the voltage fluctuation may be applied in the opposite phase so as to negate any fluctuation of the reference speed voltage.

In the Hall motor control system according to the present invention, as has been described above, the comparison of the speed signal with the reference signal is effected by a stable differential amplifier and the input and output circuits for the comparison signal are provided with a compensating circuit for temperature and source voltage variations and a ripple smoothing integration circuit, and the arrangement of these circuits ensures very stable rotation of the motor at a constant speed.

FIG. 4 diagrammatically shows the essential electrical connections in a second embodiment of the Hall motor control system according to the present invention. This circuit diagram includes a power source E, a Hall element H.sub.21, a driving transistor Q.sub.21, a driving coil L.sub.21, and input terminals a, b and output terminals c, d of the Hall element H.sub.21. It further includes a diode D.sub.21 for detecting the voltage induced in the coil L.sub.21, a transistor Q.sub.22 forming a level shift circuit, a voltage dividing resistor R.sub.21 for obtaining the base voltage of the transistor Q.sub.22, collector and emitter resistors R.sub.22 and R.sub.23, and temperature compensating diodes D.sub.22, D.sub.23, D.sub.24. There are further provided transistors Q.sub.23 and Q.sub.24 together forming a differential amplifier having output terminals e and f, temperature compensating diode D.sub.25 for the reference voltage circuit, resistor R.sub.25 for the same circuit, collector resistor R.sub.28 of the transistor Q.sub.23, emitter resistor R.sub.30 of the transistor Q.sub.25, capacitor C.sub.22 and Zener diode ZD.sub.21. By these, the reference speed voltage is applied as input to the base of the transistor Q.sub.24 of the differential amplifier. Designated by VR.sub.21 is a balancing variable resistor for the differential amplifier, and R.sub.27 a common emitter resistor. In the circuit shown, let E.sub.C be the voltage induced in the driving coil L.sub.21, and E.sub.C may be expressed as E.sub.C =KW, where W is an angular speed which may be expressed as W=2.pi.f. When the induced voltage E.sub.C is taken out through the diode D.sub.21, there is obtained in the output thereof a voltage E.sub.C1 =E.sub.C -V.sub.F, where V.sub.F is the forward voltage drop in the diode.

When the motor is rotating at high speed, E.sub.C is much higher than V.sub.F and thus, V.sub.F may be neglected on the assumption that E.sub.C1 =E.sub.C, but during low speed rotation of the motor, E.sub.C is at so low a value that E.sub.C and V.sub.F become voltages of the same order, and variation in V.sub.F results in a great variation in the output voltage E.sub.C1 of the diode. More specifically, if temperature variation of the diode due to its temperature characteristic causes V.sub.F to vary such as ##EQU1## this will greatly affect the set number of revolutions to an inconvenience. In the driving circuit of the present invention, such temperature variation may be compensated for by diodes at two input voltages of the comparing differential amplifier. If, as shown, the output voltage of the level shift circuit is Vin.sub.1 and the current is I.sub.1, then

Vin.sub.1 = V.sub.CC + E.sub.C - V.sub.P1 -I.sub.1 R.sub.2 (1)

also, the voltage drop in the emitter resistor R.sub.23 of the level shift transistor Q.sub.22 will be:

I.sub.1 R.sub.23 = V.sub.D22 + V.sub.D23 + V.sub.D24 - V.sub.BE22

if V.sub.D22 is selected to V.sub.D22 = V.sub.D23 = V.sub.D24 = V.sub.BE22, I.sub.1 R.sub.23 will be expressed as I.sub.1 R.sub.23 = 2V.sub.D22, where I.sub.1 is the current flowing through the constant current circuit and it assumes a predetermined value when temperature variation is not taken into account. By substituting I.sub.1 for equation (1), there is obtained: ##EQU2## Also, if the other input voltage of the differential circuit, namely, the reference speed voltage, is expressed as Vin.sub.2,

Vin.sub.2 = V.sub.CC - V.sub.D5 (3)

assuming that the diodes D.sub.21 and D.sub.25 used are of the identical characteristic, V.sub.D21 = V.sub.D25 and hence, equation (3) may be rewritten as: ##EQU3## Thus, the following relation is obtained: ##EQU4## Equation (4) may be represented by using the constant current I.sub.1, as follows:

E.sub.C = R.sub.22 I.sub.1 (5)

from equation (5), it follows that a voltage equal to the reverse induced voltage E.sub.C is produced across the resistor R.sub.22.

In order that the comparing differential amplifier may be balanced, equation (4) only need be satisfied and this means that when V.sub.D22 is constant, ##EQU5## only need be selected with respect to the induced voltage E.sub.C so as to satisfy equation (4). Also, by varying the resistance value of either R.sub.22 or R.sub.23, it is possible to vary the induced voltage E.sub.C, i.e., the number of revolutions of the motor.

Next, when E.sub.C is affected by temperature, equation (4) will change to: ##EQU6## In this case, temperature compensation may be accomplished by selecting R.sub.22 /R.sub.23 so as to satisfy equation (6). This is a ratio of resistance value and can be accomplished with relative ease. R.sub.22 /R.sub.23 in equation (6) can be selected independently of temperature and thus, temperature compensation may be provided even if the vlaue of such ratio is varied to change the number of revolutions. For example, if the number of revolutions is changed with R.sub.23', = 4R.sub.23, equation (6) will be: ##EQU7## Thus, in this case, the number of revolutions will be 1/4 and temperature compensation will occur.

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of the driving circuit according to the present invention as applied to a four-phase Hall motor. In FIG. 5, the parts identical with those in FIG. 4 are given identical reference characters. L.sub.21 -L.sub.24 are the driving coils of the motor and driving transistors Q.sub.31 -Q.sub.34 may be changed over for conduction by Hall elements H.sub.21 and H.sub.22 to permit flow of driving current to rotate a rotor comprising a permanent magnet, not shown. R.sub.41 and R.sub.42 are input adjusting resistors for the Hall element H.sub.21, and R.sub.41 and R.sub.44 are similar resistors for the Hall element H.sub.22. D.sub.31 -D.sub.34 are diodes for detecting and synthesizing the voltages induced in the hollow coils by rotation of the motor, and C.sub.25 and C.sub.26 are capacitors for preventing the mix of noise. VR is a variable resistor for regulating the balance of Hall element inputs. A voltage proportional to the rotational speed detected by the diodes D.sub.31 -D.sub.34 is applied to the collector of the transistor Q.sub.23 of the comparing differential amplifier through the integration circuit comprising capacitors C.sub.2 annd R.sub.22. Also applied to the base of the transistor Q.sub.23 is the voltage from a level shift circuit comprising a transistor Q.sub.22, resistors R.sub.21, R.sub.22, R.sub.23 and diodes D.sub.22 -D.sub.24. The reference speed voltage from a reference voltage circuit comprising a Zener diode ZD, capacitor C.sub.22, temperature compensating diode D.sub.25 and resistor R.sub.25 is applied to the input of the transistor Q.sub.24 of the differential amplifier for comparison with the input to the transistor Q.sub.23. D.sub.22 -D.sub.24 are temperature-compensating diodes and R.sub.23 is a variable resistor for varying the speed. The output of the differential amplifier is fed back to the Hall element input circuit through a buffer transistor Q.sub.25 to control the Hall element inputs and accordingly the rotational speed of the motor, thus providing motor rotation at a predetermined speed. The temperature compensating and speed changing operations of this circuit are the same as described in connection with FIG. 4 and need not be described.

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention as applied to a three-phase motor. The shown embodiment differs from the FIG. 5 embodiment only in the construction of the driving circuit and identical parts are given identical reference characters. L.sub.25 -L.sub.27 are driving coils for three-phases, H.sub.23 -H.sub.25 are Hall elemments, R.sub.35 -R.sub.37 are variable resistors for balancing the respective Hall elements at their input sides, and Q.sub.35 -Q.sub.37 are driving transistors. R.sub.34, R.sub.35 are input adjusting resistors for the Hall elements H.sub.23 ; R.sub.33, R.sub.36 are similar resistors for the Hall element H.sub.24 ; and R.sub.32, R.sub.37 are similar resistors for the Hall element H.sub.25. Operation of this circuit is substantially identical with the case of the four-phase motor shown in FIG. 5. The outputs of the comparison and control transistors Q.sub.23 and Q.sub.24 may be amplified by Q.sub.5 to control the inputs to the Hall elements H.sub.23 -H.sub.25, whereafter a predetermined speed of rotation may be provided by the motor control circuit.

FIG. 7 diagrammatically shows a modification of only the portion A of the circuit according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 6. There are seen resistors R.sub.51 and R.sub.42 forming the reference voltage circuit, temperature compensating diode D.sub.28 for the reference voltage circuit, capacitor C.sub.22 and Zener diode ZD.sub.21. By these, the reference speed voltage may be applied as input to the base of the transistor Q.sub.24 of the differential amplifier shown in FIG. 6. The present embodiment utilizes variation in forward voltage drop V.sub.F resulting from the temperature of the diode D.sub.28, to impart to the reference signal E.sub.S the temperature variation component of the induced voltage from the motor and thereby negate the voltage variation resulting from the temperature of the transistor Q.sub.24 of the differential amplifier.

FIG. 8 diagrammatically shows a further modification of only the portion A of the circuit according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 6. There are seen resistors R.sub.54 and R.sub.55 forming the reference voltage circuit, temperature compensating diodes D.sub.26 and D.sub.27 for the reference voltage circuit, capacitor C.sub.22, Zener diode ZD.sub.21, and potentiometer VR.sub.24 for suitably dividing the voltages of th diodes D.sub.1 and D.sub.2. By these, the reference voltage divided by the potentiometer VR.sub.24 may be applied as input to the base of the transistor Q.sub.24 of the differential amplifier shown in FIG. 6. In view of the fact that the voltages of the diodes D.sub.1 and D.sub.2 can be increased or decreased only in a stepwise manner, the present embodiment employs the potentiometer VR.sub.24 to divide the voltage so as to continuously provide any desired temperature compensating voltage for the transistor Q.sub.24.

In the Hall motor driving circuit according to the present invention, as will be aapreciated, the speed variation resulting from the temperature characteristic during the detection of the induced voltage by the diode is temperature-compensated by the diode compensating circuit provided in the two input circuits of the comparing circuit and such compensating operation may occur independently of the set speed. This leads not only to stabilized operation of the motor but also to variability of the resistance of the level shift circuit and accordingly any desired variability of the set speed, thus being highly effective.