DC Motor Drive Control with Directional Speed Tables

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing number of movable bodies in game machines poses challenges due to the large size and high cost of stepping motors, while direct current motors lack precise control over rotation amount, leading to inconsistent performance under varying loads.

Innovation Solution

A drive control device for direct current motors that uses a storage circuit to store a reference rotational speed table, a drive signal generation circuit to generate drive signals, and a control circuit to calculate correction values, allowing the motor to rotate at desired speeds regardless of load by creating separate rotational speed tables for forward and backward directions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If stepping motors are used to drive movable bodies, then precise control over rotation amount is achieved, but the motor size becomes large and the cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverotation amount control precisionVSAvoidmotor size

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the stepping motor (mechanical system with inherent precision) with a direct current motor controlled by pulse signals. The control circuit counts pulses to determine rotation amount, substituting mechanical precision with electronic control. This allows using smaller, cheaper DC motors while maintaining precise rotation control through pulse counting and feedback mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the number of movable bodies is increased, then player interest is enhanced, but the arrangement space for motors becomes insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of movable bodiesVSAvoidarrangement space

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

By replacing multiple large stepping motors with smaller direct current motors controlled by pulse signals, the overall space required for motor arrangement is reduced. This substitution enables installing more movable bodies within the limited rear surface space of the game machine.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Volume of moving object

If direct current motors are used, then motor size is reduced and cost decreases, but rotation amount control precision deteriorates under varying loads

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemotor sizeVSAvoidrotation amount control precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback control where the control circuit monitors the actual rotation of the DC motor and compares it with the target rotation amount determined by pulse counting. When discrepancies occur due to load variations, the system adjusts the pulse signal frequency and duration to compensate, maintaining precise rotation control despite changing load conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control system dynamically adjusts the pulse signal parameters (frequency, duration) based on real-time motor performance and load conditions. This dynamic control allows the DC motor to maintain precise rotation amounts across varying loads, overcoming the static limitations of simple DC motor control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Force

If high torque is required for large movable accessories, then motor torque must be increased, but motor size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemotor torqueVSAvoidmotor size

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a direct current motor with pulse width modulation (PWM) control to achieve high torque output. By controlling the duty cycle of pulse signals, the system can extract maximum torque from a compact DC motor when needed, without requiring the motor to be permanently oversized. This allows achieving high torque requirements for large movable accessories while maintaining a compact motor size.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS9143069B2Drive control device

Publication Date: 2015.09.22 OMRON CORP

AI summary

A drive control device having: a storage circuit configured to store a reference rotational speed table; a drive signal generation circuit configured to output a drive signal to the direct current motor; and a control circuit. When an absolute value of a difference between a second rotational speed corresponding to a first rotational direction and a third rotational speed corresponding to a second rotational direction is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold, the control circuit creates separate rotational speed tables for the first rotational direction and the second rotational direction in which each rotational speed table indicates a relation between a rotational speed and an electric power amount per unit time, and determines an amount of electric power that is supplied to the direct current motor which corresponds to a designated rotational speed according to the rotational speed table selected in accordance with a designated rotational rotation.