Motor Control System for Belt-Driven Scanning Mechanisms

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing motor control techniques for recording and image reading apparatuses fail to effectively eliminate speed fluctuations caused by cogging torque, particularly due to belt elongation and contraction during acceleration and deceleration, which affects the precision of the scanning mechanism.

Innovation Solution

A control system that generates a periodic signal with adjustable amplitude and phase to counteract torque ripple, using feedback and feedforward control mechanisms to synchronize motor rotation with belt elongation, thereby stabilizing the scanning speed by adjusting the signal period based on belt length changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If feedback control and feed forward control are used to control motor speed, then speed control capability is improved, but speed fluctuations caused by cogging torque cannot be eliminated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed control capabilityVSAvoidspeed stability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies periodic action by generating a periodic compensation signal that matches the cogging torque period. This signal is added to the drive signal to counteract the periodic speed fluctuations caused by cogging torque, thereby stabilizing the motor speed while maintaining the feedback and feed forward control capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Manufacturing precision

If belt elongation and contraction are considered in speed control, then acceleration and deceleration precision is improved, but speed changes caused by cogging remain unaffected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveacceleration and deceleration precisionVSAvoidspeed consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges multiple control strategies by combining feedback control, feed forward control, and periodic compensation control into a unified control system. This integration allows the system to simultaneously address belt elongation/contraction effects and cogging torque effects, achieving both acceleration precision and speed consistency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If a periodic signal is generated to reduce torque ripple, then speed fluctuation is reduced, but the signal period must be adjusted based on belt length changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed fluctuation reductionVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies dynamics by making the periodic signal parameters (amplitude and phase) adjustable and adaptive. The control system dynamically adjusts these parameters based on detected belt length changes, allowing the periodic compensation signal to remain effective despite variations in belt elongation during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Measurement precision

If feedback control is used based on speed difference, then speed accuracy is improved, but it cannot compensate for periodic cogging torque effects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed measurement accuracyVSAvoidspeed stability under cogging
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies preliminary action by adding a periodic compensation signal in advance to counteract the expected cogging torque effects. This proactive compensation occurs before the speed fluctuations can significantly impact performance, working in conjunction with the feedback control that corrects based on actual speed differences.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2360833B1Apparatus equipped with motor
Publication Date: 2020.03.11 CANON KK
  • EP2360833B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1C
  • EP2360833B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2360833B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An apparatus includes a driven object (2), a motor (7) configured to function as a driving source of the driven object (2), scanning means configured to cause the driven object to move, and include a first pulley (8) to which the motor (7) is connected, a second pulley (9) disposed opposing to the first pulley (8), and a member (6) stretched around the first pulley (8) and the second pulley (9), acquisition means (13) configured to acquire position information of the driven object, and signal generation means (110) configured to generate a periodic signal for controlling driving of the motor (7) based on the position information acquired by the acquisition means (13), wherein the signal generation means (110) increases a period of the signal to be generated, as a length of the member to which a pulling force is applied becomes shorter.