Method of determining the position of the shaft of a drive motor for a roller blind

• US 20060138982A1
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Somfy Sas (Somfy SA)
• Original Assignee: Siminor Technologies Castres SA
• Inventors: Marty, Jacques
• Granted Patent: US 7,294,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 388/809
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6845 sensing position
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6872 using counters to determine shutter position
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/68 Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive

Abstract

The method of determining the position of the shaft of a direct current motor including an armature powered via brushes and a bar commutator and designed to drive a roller blind includes the following phases: detecting and counting the commutations that occur between the brushes and the commutator bars to determine the position of the motor shaft when the commutation count is valid, and measuring the back electromotive force of the motor to determine the position of the motor shaft when the commutation count is not valid.

Claims

1. A method of determining the position and/or the speed of the shaft of a direct current motor (MOT) including an armature powered via brushes and a bar commutator and designed to drive a moving element (LD) of a building, which includes the following phases:

detecting and counting the commutations that occur between the brushes and the commutator bars to determine the position and/or the speed of the motor shaft when the commutation count is valid, and

measuring the back electromotive force of the motor (MOT) to determine the position and/or the speed of the motor shaft when the commutation count is not valid.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the commutation count is valid when the speed of the shaft is greater than a first threshold value.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the commutation count is valid when the back electromotive force of the motor is greater than a second threshold value.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the commutation count is valid when the amplitude of the armature current of the motor is greater than a third threshold value.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the commutation count is valid when the time difference between two time intervals measured between three consecutive detected commutations is less than a fourth threshold value.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the threshold value is predetermined.

7. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the threshold value is predetermined.

8. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the threshold value is predetermined.

9. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the threshold value results from a calculation.

10. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the threshold value results from a calculation.

11. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the threshold value results from a calculation.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the commutation count is valid, the back electromotive force coefficient (VKEMF) of the motor linking the electromotive force and the speed of the rotor is calculated and stored in a memory (KEMF).

13. An actuator (ACT) for operating a moving element (LD) of the building, including:

a direct current motor (MOT) with an armature powered via brushes and a bar commutator, and

means of counting commutations between the brushes and the bars of the commutator, which includes means of measuring the back electromotive force of the motor and means of inhibiting the use of the commutation counting means or the use of the means of measuring the back electromotive force of the motor to calculate the position and/or the speed of the motor shaft.