Multi-phase outer-type PM stepping motor

[0002] 1. Field of the invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a multi-phase outer-type permanent magnet PM stepping motor suitable for OA apparatus such as a printer, a high-speed facsimile equipment, a copying machine for normal paper, etc.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] Description will be made about a related-art outer-type PM stepping motor with reference to FIGS. 18A and 18B and FIG. 19.

[0006] FIG. 18A is a vertically sectional side view illustrating a configuration of a single-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 20 which is a first related-art example, and FIG. 18B is a partially cutaway perspective view of the same.

[0007] As shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B, this single-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 20 of the first related-art example is provided with a rotor 21 and a stator 23, and the rotor 21 has N (north) and S (south) magnetic poles formed alternately circumferentially on the inner circumferenitial surface.

[0008] Further, the stator 23 is disposed so that the outer circumferential surface of the stator 23 is opposite to the magnetic poles formed on the inner circumferential surface of the rotor 21 at a distance, and comb-like magnetic poles are formed in the stator 23.

[0009] In FIGS. 18A and 18E, the reference numeral 22 represents a rotating shaft; 24, a stator coil; 26, a motor mounting plate; and 27, a bearing.

[0010] FIG. 19 is a longitudinally sectional side view of a two-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 30 which is a second related-art example.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 19, this outer-type PM stepping motor 30 is also provided with a rotor 31 and a stator 33, and the stator 33 is constituted by first and second stator portions 33aand 33bstacked one on another in the axial direction.

[0012] In FIG. 19, the reference numeral 32 represents a rotating shaft; 34, a stator coil; 36, a motor mounting plate; and 37, a bearing.

[0013] The single-phase outer-type PM stepping motor of the first related-art example as mentioned above had only one stator. Therefore, in order to determine the rotating direction of the motor, magnetic permeance or phase between the pole teeth of the stator and the magnetic poles of the rotor was shifted, or a mechanical method was used. Accordingly, the related-art single-phase PM stepping motor was unsuitable for equipments while required high-speed rotation or high torque.

[0014] On tile other hand, according to the two-phase outer-type PM stepping motor of the second related-art example which was developed to solve these problems, torque and speed have been improved greatly, but the two-phase outer-type PM stepping motor has problems as follows.

[0015] (1) The number of lead wires for coils is large (i.e. at least four lead wires ), and it is necessary to use at least eight transistors in a driving circuit.

[0016] (2) A torque ripple is so large that vibration is large.

[0017] (3) When the step angle is made small, a large number of magnetic poles must be formed, causing a problem on machining.

[0018] (4) It is difficult to obtain high torque with a fine step angle.

[0019] It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-pilase outer-type PM stepping motor in which tile foregoing problems can be solved.

[0020] In order to achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, provided is a multi-phase outer-type PM stepping motor comprising: a rotor constituted by a cylindrical permanent magnet in which N (north) and S (south) poles are magnetized alternately on an inner circumferential surface of the rotor; stator cores respectively having pole teeth disposed in opposition to the N or S poles of the rotor through a predetermined gap; and excitation coils wound in the stator cores for magnetizing the stator cores to thereby rotate tile rotor; wherein when a number of the stator cores is 3 and a magnetization pitch of the permanent magnet is P, the pole teeth of the stator cores are arranged so that tile pole teeth of one stator core are shifted by an angle of 2P/3 from the pole teeth of an adjacent stator core.

[0021] According to a second aspect of the present invention, in tile above multi-phase outer-type PM stepping motor, three stator coils wound on the three stator cores respectively are connected to have three terminals, and two or three of the three stator coils are bipolar-driven simultaneously by a driving circuit constituted by six transistors.

[0022] According to a third aspect of tile present invention, in the above multi-phase outer-type PM stepping motor, three stator coils wound on the three stator cores respectively are connected to have six terminals, and two or three of the three stator coils are bipolar-driven simultaneously by a driving circuit constituted by twelve transistors.

[0023] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, provided is a multi-phase outer-type PM stepping motor comprising: a rotor constituted by a cylindrical permanent magnet in which N (north) and S (south) poles are magnetized alternately on an inner circumferential surface of the rotor; stator cores respectively having pole teeth disposed in opposition to tile N or S poles of the rotor through a predetermined gap; and excitation coils wound in the stator cores for magnetizing the stator cores to thereby rotate the rotor; wherein when a number of the stator cores is n (n is an odd number not smaller than 3) and a magnetization pitch of the permanent magnet is P, the pole teeth of the stator cores are arranged so that the pole teeth of one stator core are shifted by an angle of 2P/n from the pole teeth of another stator core.

[0024] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, provided is a multi-phase outer-type PM stepping motor comprising: three pairs of rotors and stators, each pair including a rotor constituted by a cylindrical permanent magnet in which N (north) and S (south) poles are magnetized alternately on an inner circumferential surface of the rotor, a stator core having pole teeth disposed in opposition to tile N or S poles of the rotor through a predetermined gap, and an excitation coil wound on the stator core for magnetizing the stator core to thereby rotate the rotor; wherein the three stator cores are stacked one on another in a three-ganged state at the same pitch, while a rotors are arranged in a manner so that, when the magnetization pitch of the permanent magnet is P, magnetic poles of a second rotor are shifted by 2P/3 from magnetic poles of a first rotor, and magnetic poles of a third rotor are shifted by 2P/3 from magnetic poles of the second rotor in the same manner.

[0025] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the above multi-phase outer-type PM stepping motor, three stator coils wound on tile three stator cores respectively are connected to have three terminals, and two or three of the three stator coils are bipolar-driven simultaneously by a driving circuit constituted by six transistors.

[0026] According to a seventh aspect of tile present invention, in the above multi-phase outer-type PM stepping motor, three stator coils wound on the three stator cores respectively are connected to have six terminals, and two or three of tile three stator coils are bipolar-driven simultaneously by a driving circuit constituted by twelve transistors.

[0027] According to a eighth aspect of the present invention, provided is a multi-phase outer-type PM stepping motor comprising: n pairs of rotors and stators, each pair including a rotor constituted by a cylindrical permanent magnet in which N (north) and S (south) poles are magnetized alternately on an inner circumferential surface of the rotor, a stator core having pole teeth disposed in opposition to the N or S poles of the rotor through a predetermined gap, and an excitation coil wound on the stator core for magnetizing the stator core to thereby rotate the rotor; wherein the n stator cores are stacked one on another in n-ganged state at the same pitch, while the rotors are arranged in a manner so that, when a magnetization pitch of tile permanent magnet is P, magnetic poles of a second rotor are shifted by 2P/n from magnetic poles of a first rotor, and magnetic poles of a n^throtor are shifted by 2P/n from magnetic poles of the n-l^throtor in the same manner.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a vertically sectional side view illustrating a first embodiment of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the present invention;

[0029] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor of the first embodiment;

[0030] FIG. 3 is a development of stator portions and a rotor of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor of the first embodiment;

[0031] FIG. 4 is a diagram of coils for simply explaining the operation of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the present invention;

[0032] FIG. 5 is a driving circuit diagram of stator coils for simply explaining the operation of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the present invention;

[0033] FIG. 6 is an excitation sequence diagram of the stator coils for simply explaining the operation of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the present invention;

[0034] FIG. 7 is a development of pole teeth of the stator portions and magnetic poles of the rotor for simply explaining the operation of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the first embodiment;

[0035] FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the stator coils of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the present invention;

[0036] FIG. 9 is a driving circuit diagram of the stator coils of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the present invention;

[0037] FIG. 10 is an excitation sequence diagram of the stator coils of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the present invention;

[0038] FIG. 11 is an development of pole teeth of the stator portions and magnetic poles of the rotor for simply explaining the operation of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the present invention;

[0039] FIG. 12 is a vertically sectional side view illustrating a second embodiment of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the present invention;

[0040] FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor of the second embodiment;

[0041] FIG. 14 is a development of stator portions and a rotor of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the second embodiment;

[0042] FIG. 15 is a development of pole teeth of the stator portions and magnetic poles of the rotor portions for simply explaining the operation of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the second embodiment;

[0043] FIG. 16 is a development of pole teeth of the stator portions and magnetic poles of the rotor portions for simply explaining the operation of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the second embodiment;

[0044] FIG. 17 is a table showing the relationship among tile number of magnetic poles (M) of the rotor, the pitch of magnetic poles (τr) of the rotor, and the step angle (θs) in the three-pilase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the present invention;

[0045] FIG. 18A is a vertically sectional view illustrating the configuration of a single-phase outer-type PM stepping motor which is a first related-art example;

[0046] FIG. 18B is a partially cutaway perspective view of the same; and

[0047] FIG. 19 is a vertically sectional side view illustrating a two-phase outer-type PM stepping motor which is a second related-art example.

[0048] First Embodiment

[0049] First, a basic configuration of a first embodiment of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0050] FIG. 1 is a vertically sectional side view illustrating a first embodiment of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 10 according to the present invention; and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 10 of this embodiment.

[0051] Further, FIG. 3 is a development of stator portions of a stator 3 and a rotor 1 of the stepping motor 10.

[0052] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 10 shown in this embodiment has a rotor 1, a rotating shaft 2, a stator 3 and a stator coil 4. The reference numeral 6 represents a motor mounting plate; and 7, a bearing.

[0053] Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the stator 3 is constituted by first to third, that is, three in total, stator portions 3ato 3cstacked one on another in the axial direction. The positional relationship between respective comb-like pole teeth 8aand 8bof these stator portions 3ato 3cand N and S magnetic poles formed on the inner circumferential surface of the rotor 1 are determined in such a manner as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0054] That is, when each of the respective teeth pitches of the pole teeth 8aon one side yoke element 9aand the pole teeth 8bon the other side yoke element 9bis made to be τs, the pole teeth 8bon the other side yoke element 9bare shifted by τs/2 from the pole teeth 8aon the one side yoke element 9bin one circumferential direction, in each of the stator portions 3ato 3c. Further, in the same manner, a first pole tooth 8aof the second stator portion 3bis shifted by τs/3 from a first pole tooth 8aof the first stator portion 3a,a first pole tooth 8aof the third stator portion 3cis shifted by τs/3 from the first pole tooth 8aof the second stator portion 3a, a second pole tooth 8aof the first stator portion 3ais shifted by τs/3 from the first pole tooth 8aof the third stator portion 3c, a second pole tooth 8aof the second stator portion 3bis shifted by τs/3 from the second pole teeth 8aof the first stator portion 3a, . . . , and so forth.

[0055] Further, when each of the respective pitches of the N poles and S poles of the rotor 1 is made to be τr, the relation of τr=τs is established. Accordingly, tile distance P between N and S poles adjacent to each other is designed to have a relation of P=τr/2.

[0056] In the above configuration, the operation of tile three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7.

[0057] FIG. 4 shows monofilar-wound stator coils 4ato 4cand six external lead wires of the coils 4ato 4cin the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 10 according to this embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a diagram of a driving circuit for the stator coils 4ato 4c, using six PNP transistors TR1 to TR6 and six NPN transistors TR7 to TR12. FIG. 6 is a waveform diagram for simply explaining the operation of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 10 according to this embodiment, when the stator coils 4ato 4care bipolar-driven sequentially with excitation signals {circle around (1)} to {circle around (6)} by use of the driving circuit in FIG. 5.

[0058] Further, FIG. 7 is a development of the pole teeth 8aand 8bof each of the stator portions 3ato 3cand the magnetic poles of the rotor 1 for simply explaining the operation of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 10 according to this embodiment.

[0059] In Step 1 of FIG. 7, a current is supplied only to the stator coil 4aso that all the pole teeth 8aon one side of the first stator portion 3aare S while all the pole teeth 8bon the other side are N. In this case, the magnetic poles N of the rotor 1 are attracted to S of tile pole teeth 8aof the first stator portion 3a, while the magnetic poles S are attracted to N of the pole teeth 8b, so that the magnetic poles are arranged in such a position as shown in Step 1 of FIG. 7.

[0060] Next, in Step 2 of FIG. 7, a current is supplied to the stator coil 4bso that the pole teeth 8aon one side of the second stator portion 3bare N while the pole teeth 8bon the other side are S. In this case, the magnetic poles S and N of the rotor 1 are attracted to N of the pole teeth 8aof the second stator portion 3b, and S of the pole teeth 8b, respectively, so that the magnetic poles are moved so as to be arranged as illustrated. At this time, the magnetic poles of the rotor 1 is moved by τr/6.

[0061] Further, in Step 3 of FIG. 7, a current is supplied to the stator coil 4cso that the pole teeth 8aon one side of the third stator portion 3care S while tile pole teeth 8bon tile other side are N. In this case, the magnetic poles S and N of the rotor 1 are attracted to N of the pole teeth 8bof the third stator portion 3cand S of the pole teeth 8a, respectively, so that the rotor 1 moves by one step so as to be arranged as illustrated.

[0062] Although only Steps 1-4 are shown in FIG. 7, Steps 5 and 6 (not shown) follow. The direction of a current to be supplied to the stator coils 4ato 4cin Steps 4, 5 and 6 is made reversed to that in Steps 1, 2 and 3, respectively.

[0063] In such a manner, the rotor 1 moves in the direction as shown by the arrow, and it returns in Step 7 to the position shown in Step 1. The step angle θs at this time is τr/6.

[0064] Next, tile specific operation of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 11.

[0065] Here, FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the stator coils 4a, 4band 4cof the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 10 according to this embodiment. FIG. 9 is a driving circuit diagram of the stator coils 4ato 4c. FIG. 10 is an excitation sequence diagram of tile stator coils 4ato 4c.

[0066] Further, FIG. 11 is a development of the pole teeth 8aand 8bof the stator portions 3ato 3cand the magnetic poles of the rotor 1 for simply explaining the operation of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 10 according to this embodiment.

[0067] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, stator coils 4ato 4care connected in a star-connection with three external lead wires. These lead wires are connected respectively between a pair of PNP and NPN transistors TR13 and TR16, a pair of PNP and NPN transistors TR15 and TR18 and a pair of PNP and NPN transistors TR14 and TR17 each pair being connected in series to a DC power supply. Excitation signals {circle around (1)} to {circle around (6)} as shown in FIG. 10 are applied to this stator coil driving circuit so as to bipolar-drive the first to third stator coils 4ato 4c.

[0068] In this case, as shown in FIG. 11, in Step 1, all the pole teeth 8aon one side of the first stator portion 3aand all the pole teeth 8bon the other side of the second stator portion 3bare S while all the pole teeth 8bon the other side of the first stator portion 3aand all tile pole teeth 8aon one side of the second stator portion 3bare N. In Step 2, all the pole teeth 8aon one side of the second stator portion 3band all the pole teeth 8bon the other side of the third stator portion 3care N while all the pole teeth 8bon the other side of the second stator portion 3band all the pole teeth 8aon one side of the third stator portion 3care S. In Step 3, all the pole teeth 8aon one side of the third stator portion 3cand all the pole teeth 8bon the other side of the first stator portion 3aare S while all the pole teeth 8bon the other side of the third stator portion 3cand all the pole teeth 8aon one side of tile first stator portion 3aare N.

[0069] Although only Steps 1 to 4 are shown in FIG. 11, Steps 5 and 6 (not shown) follow. Tile direction of a current to be supplied to the stator coils 4ato 4cin Steps 4 to 6 is made reversed to that supplied in Steps 1 to 3, respectively, so that tile polarities N and S in the pole teeth 8aand 8bin each of the stator portions 3ato 3cin Steps 4 to 6 are made reversed to that in Steps 1 to 3.

[0070] In Step 7, the rotor 1 returns to the position shown in Step 1. The step angle θs at this time is τr/6.

[0071] Second Embodiment

[0072] A basic configuration of a second embodiment of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 12 to 14.

[0073] FIG. 12 is a vertically sectional side view illustrating a second embodiment of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 10′ according to the present invention; and FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 10′ of this embodiment.

[0074] Further, FIG. 14 is a development of stator portions of a stator 3′ and a rotor 1′ of the stepping motor 10′.

[0075] As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 10′ shown in this embodiment has a rotor 1′, a rotating shaft 2′, a stator 3′ and a stator coil 4′. In FIGS. 12 and 13, the reference numeral 6′ represents a motor mounting plate; and 7′, a bearing.

[0076] Further, the positional relationship between respective comb-like pole teeth 8a′ and 8b′ of first to third, three in total, stator portions 3a′ to 3c′ which are stacked one on another in the axial direction to constitute the stator 3′, and N and S magnetic poles on the inner circumferential surface of first to third, three in total, rotor portions 1a′ to 1c′ constituting the rotor 1′ are determined as shown in FIG. 14.

[0077] That is, when each of the respective pitches of the pole teeth 8a′ and 8b′ of one and the other yoke elements 9a′ and 9b′ is made to be τS, the pole teeth 8b′ on the other side are shifted in one circumferential direction by τs/2 from the pole teeth 8a′ on the one side in each of the first to third stator portions 3a′ to 3c′. In such a manner, the first to third stator portions 3a′ to 3c′ are connected in three-ganging so that the pole teeth 8a′ and 8b′ are aligned as shown in FIG. 14.

[0078] Further, the rotor 1′ in this embodiment is constituted by first to third rotor portions 1′ a′ to 1c′ as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. When each of the respective pitches of N poles and S poles is made to be τr, the relation of τr=τs is established. Accordingly, the distance P between N and S poles adjacent to each other is designed to have a relation of P=τr/2.

[0079] Further, the magnetic poles of the first rotor portion 1a′ are shifted by an angle of 2P/3 from the magnetic poles of the second rotor portion 1b′, and the magnetic poles of the second rotor portion 1b′ are also shifted by an angle of 2P/3 from the magnetic poles of the third rotor portion 1c′.

[0080] In this embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the three stator portions are stacked one on another continuously at the same pitch. When the magnetization pitch angle of permanent magnet is P, the rotor 1′ is configured so that the magnetic poles of the second rotor portion 1b′ are shifted by2P/3 from those of the first rotor portion 1a′, and the magnetic poles of the third rotor portion 1c′ are shifted by2P/3 from those of the second rotor portion 1b′ in the same manner.

[0081] FIG. 15 shows the operation of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 10 when the driving circuit in FIG. 5 is used for bipolar-driving the stator coils sequentially by the excitation signals shown in FIG. 6.

[0082] FIG. 16 shows the operation of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 10 when the driving circuit in FIG. 9 is used for bipolar-driving the stator coils sequentially by the excitation signals shown in FIG. 10.

[0083] Here, the operation of the three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor 10 in FIGS. 12 and 13 corresponds to that in FIG. 7 or FIG. 11 so that the description about that is omitted, and parts in FIGS. 15 and 16 similar to those in FIGS. 7 and 11 are referenced correspondingly with a dash put after the reference numerals.

[0084] The table of FIG. 17 shows the relationship among the number of magnetic poles M of the rotor 1 or the rotor 1′, and the pitch of magnetic poles τr of the rotor 1 or the rotor 1′ and the step angle θs of the rotor 1 or the rotor 1′.

[0085] In the aforementioned embodiments, description has been made about a three-phase outer-type PM stepping motor. In the case of an n-phase outer-type PM stepping motor (n is an odd number not smaller than 3), the magnetization pitch P of a rotor may be divided into not three but n, and pole teeth of stator portions may be arranged to be shifted by an angle of 2P/n.

[0086] A multi-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the present invention is configured as mentioned above. Accordingly, it has superior effects as follows.

[0087] (1) In order to obtain the same step angle, the magnetic pole width can be made wider than that in a two-phase outer-type PM stepping motor. Accordingly, the torque is improved by 20% or more in comparison with that in a related-art motor having the same shape.

[0088] (2) When the number of magnetic poles of a rotor is the same, it is possible to obtain a fine step angle in comparison with a two-phase outer-type PM stepping motor.

[0089] (3) At least four lead wires and eight transistors have been required for a driving circuit in a related-art two-phase outer-type PM stepping motor. On the other hand, according to the present invention, the number of lead wires can be reduced to three, and the number of large scale.

[0090] (4) If a position detecting means is provided, a multi-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the present invention can be used as a brushless motor.

[0091] (5) If the impedance of windings is changed, a multi-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the present invention can be used as a three-phase AC motor.

[0092] (6) A multi-phase outer-type PM stepping motor according to the present invention can be operated also in the case where the coils are connected in delta-connection.