Disk drive apparatus motor

• US 6,204,621 B1
• Filed: 08/31/1999
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Gotou, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Nappi, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEYKIN, RITA
• Application Number:
  US09/386,596
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 318/254, 318/138, 318/439, 318/599
• US Class Current: 318/599
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/247 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/28 Speed controlling, regulating, or indicating G11B19/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 2209/07 Trapezoidal waveform
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/085 in a bridge configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/10 Arrangements for controlling torque ripple, e.g. providing reduced torque ripple
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/16 Circuit arrangements for detecting position
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/182 using back-emf in windings
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/28 Arrangements for controlling current H02P6/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 318/02 Windshield wiper controls

Abstract

A disk drive apparatus reproduces an information signal from a disk with a head, and outputs a processed information signal from the reproduced signal of the head. A movable member having a field part which generates field fluxes is coupled to the disk so as to rotate the disk directly. First FET power transistors of first power amplifying parts and second FET power transistors of second power amplifying parts form current paths from a DC power source to three-phase windings. Three-phase first amplified current signals varying smoothly in rising and falling slopes are supplied to conduction control terminal sides of the first power amplifying parts. Three-phase second amplified current signals varying smoothly in rising and falling slopes are supplied to conduction control terminal sides of the second power amplifying parts. A switching operation block performs simultaneous on-off switching of the conduction control terminal sides of the first power amplifying parts, thereby causing first FET power transistors of the first power amplifying parts to perform high-frequency on-off switching. The switching operation block changes a peak of a pulsive conducted current signal from a DC voltage source to the three-phase windings responding with or corresponding to a rotation of the disk. As a result, three-phase drive currents to the windings vary smoothly, and the disk drive apparatus reduces a vibration and an acoustic noise of the disk. Further, the disk drive apparatus reduces a power consumption and a heat to the disk.

Claims

1. A disk drive apparatus comprising:

a disk at least recorded with an information signal or to be recorded with an information signal;

a head for at least reproducing a signal from said disk or recording a signal on said disk;

processing means for at least processing an output signal from said head and outputting a reproduced information signal, or processing a signal and outputting a recording signal into said head;

a movable member, having a field part which generates field fluxes, for directly driving said disk;

plural-phase windings;

voltage supplying means, including two output terminals, for supplying a DC voltage;

Q pieces (Q is an integer of 3 or more) of first power amplifying means each including a first power transistor for forming a current path between one output terminal side of said voltage supplying means and one of said plural-phase windings;

Q pieces of second power amplifying means each including a second power transistor for forming a current path between the other output terminal side of said voltage supplying means and one of said plural-phase windings;

altering signal producing means for producing altering signals;

first distribution control means for controlling operations of said Q pieces of first power amplifying means;

second distribution control means for controlling operations of said Q pieces of second power amplifying means;

commanding means for outputting a command signal corresponding to a rotational speed of said disk; and

switching operation means for causing at least one power transistor of Q pieces of said first power transistors and Q pieces of said second power transistors to perform high-frequency switching corresponding to an output signal from said commanding means, supplying a pulsive conducted current signal to said plural-phase windings from said voltage supplying means, and changing the peak value of said pulsive conducted current signal responding with or corresponding to at least an output signal of said altering signal producing means.

2. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein

said switching operation means changes the peak value of said conducted current signal responding with or corresponding to the altering operation of current paths into said plural-phase windings by said Q pieces of first power amplifying means and said Q pieces of second power amplifying means.

3. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein

said switching operation means includes:

current detecting means for obtaining a current detected signal responding with or corresponding to a composed supply current supplied from said voltage supplying means to said plural-phase windings,

command modifying means for obtaining a modified command signal which is varied from an output signal of said commanding means responding with or corresponding to at least an output signal of said altering signal producing means, and

switching control means for comparing an output signal of said current detecting means with an output signal of said command modifying means and switching said at least one power transistor to an off state, thereby causing said at least one power transistor to perform high-frequency switching responding with the comparison result.

4. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with the claim 1, wherein

at least one piece of first power amplifying means among said Q pieces of first power amplifying means has an FET power transistor as said first power transistor, and

said first distribution control means supplies at least a current signal, varying smoothly or substantially smoothly in at least one of rising and falling slopes, to a conduction control terminal side of said at least one piece of first power amplifying means.

5. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein

said first distribution control means varies at least some part of said at least a current signal responding with an output signal of said commanding means.

6. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein

said commanding means changes the rotational speed of said disk step by step or continuously corresponding to the position of said head.

7. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein

said switching operation means causes at least either said Q pieces of first power amplifying means or said Q pieces of second power amplifying means to perform high-frequency switching responding with a single pulse signal.

8. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein

each of said Q pieces of first power amplifying means includes an FET power transistor as said first power transistor.

9. The disk drive apparatus comprising:

a disk at least recorded with an information signal or to be recorded with an information signal;

a head for at least reproducing a signal from said disk or recording a signal on said disk;

processing means for at least processing an output signal from said head and outputting a reproduced information signal, or processing a signal and outputting a recording signal into said head;

a movable member, having a field part which generates field fluxes, for directly driving said disk;

plural-phase windings;

voltage supplying means, including two output terminals, for supplying a DC voltage;

Q pieces (Q is an integer of 3 or more) of first power amplifying means each including a first power transistor for forming a current path between one output terminal side of said voltage supplying means and one of said plural-phase windings;

Q pieces of second power amplifying means each including a second power transistor for forming a current path between the other output terminal side of said voltage supplying means and one of said plural-phase windings;

altering signal producing means for producing altering signals;

first distribution control means for controlling operations of said Q pieces of first power amplifying means;

second distribution control means for controlling operations of said Q pieces of second power amplifying means;

commanding means for outputting a command signal corresponding to a rotational speed of said disk; and

switching operation means for causing at least one power transistor of Q pieces of said first power transistors and Q pieces of said second power transistors to perform high-frequency switching corresponding to an output signal from said commanding means;

said first distribution control means producing first Q-phase signals, each first Q-phase signal having an active electrical angle larger than 360/Q degrees, and controls operations of said Q pieces of first power amplifying means corresponding to said first Q-phase signals,

said second distribution control means producing second Q-phase signals, each second Q-phase signal having an active electrical angle larger than 360/Q degrees, and controls operations of said Q pieces of second power amplifying means corresponding to said first Q-phase signals, and

said switching operation means including current detecting means for obtaining a current detected signal responding with or corresponding to a composed supply current supplied from said voltage supplying means to said plural-phase windings, and switching control means for comparing an output signal of said current detecting means with an output signal of said commanding means and switching at least either said Q pieces of first power amplifying means or said Q pieces of second power amplifying means to an off state responding with the comparison result.

10. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein

said first distribution control means supplies first Q-phase current signals, as said first Q-phase signals, each first Q-phase current signal having an active electrical angle larger than 360/Q degrees, to the conduction control terminal sides of said Q pieces of first power amplifying means.

11. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein

said first distribution control means varies at least some part of one of said first Q-phase signals responding with an output signal of said commanding means.

12. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein

at least one piece of first power amplifying means among said Q pieces of first power amplifying means has an FET power transistor as said first power transistor, and

said first distribution control means supplies at least a current signal, varying smoothly or substantially smoothly in at least one of rising and falling slopes, to a conduction control terminal side of said at least one piece of first power amplifying means.

13. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein

said commanding means changes the rotational speed of said disk step by step or continuously responding with or corresponding to the position of said head.

14. The disk drive apparatus comprising:

a disk at least recorded with an information signal or to be recorded with an information signal;

a head for at least reproducing a signal from said disk or recording a signal on said disk;

processing means for at least processing an output signal from said head and outputting a reproduced information signal, or processing a signal and outputting a recording signal into said head;

a movable member, having a field part which generates field fluxes, for directly driving said disk;

plural-phase windings;

voltage supplying means, including two output terminals, for supplying a DC voltage;

Q pieces (Q is an integer of 3 or more) of first power amplifying means each including a first power transistor for forming a current path between one output terminal side of said voltage supplying means and one of said plural-phase windings;

Q pieces of second power amplifying means each including a second power transistor for forming a current path between the other output terminal side of said voltage supplying means and one of said plural-phase windings;

altering signal producing means for producing altering signals;

first distribution control means for controlling operations of said Q pieces of first power amplifying means;

second distribution control means for controlling operations of said Q pieces of second power amplifying means;

commanding means for outputting a command signal corresponding to a rotational speed of said disk; and

switching operation means for causing at least one power transistor of Q pieces of said first power transistors and Q pieces of said second power transistors to perform high-frequency switching corresponding to an output signal from said commanding means;

said first distribution control means producing first Q-phase signals, each first Q-phase signal having an active electrical angle larger than 360/Q degrees, and controls operations of said Q pieces of first power amplifying means corresponding to said first Q-phase signals,

said second distribution control means producing second Q-phase signals, each second Q-phase signal having an active electrical angle larger than 360/Q degrees, and controls operations of said Q pieces of second power amplifying means corresponding to said first Q-phase signals, and

said switching operation means causing at least either said Q pieces of first power amplifying means or said Q pieces of second power amplifying means to perform an off-operation simultaneously responding with a single pulse signal.

15. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with the claim 14, wherein

at least one piece of first power amplifying means among said Q pieces of first power amplifying means has an FET power transistor as said first power transistor,

said first distribution control means supplies at least a current signal as one of said first Q-phase signals, varying smoothly or substantially smoothly in at least one of rising and falling slopes, to a conduction control terminal side of said at least one piece of first power amplifying means.

16. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein

said first distribution control means varies at least some part of one of said first Q-phase signals corresponding to an output signal of said commanding means.

17. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein

said switching operation means includes current detecting means for obtaining a current detected signal responding with or corresponding to a composed supply current supplied from said voltage supplying means to said plural-phase windings, and switching control means for comparing an output signal of said current detecting means with an output signal of said commanding means and switching at least either said Q pieces of first power amplifying means or said Q pieces of second power amplifying means to an off state, responding with the comparison result.

18. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein

said commanding means changes the rotational speed of said disk step by step or continuously corresponding to the position of said head.

19. The disk drive apparatus comprising:

a disk at least recorded with an information signal or to be recorded with an information signal;

a head for at least reproducing a signal from said disk or recording a signal on said disk;

processing means for at least processing an output signal from said head and outputting a reproduced information signal, or processing a signal and outputting a recording signal into said head;

a movable member, having a field part which generates field fluxes, for directly driving said disk;

plural-phase windings;

voltage supplying means, including two output terminals, for supplying a DC voltage;

Q pieces (Q is an integer of 3 or more) of first power amplifying means each including a first power transistor for forming a current path between one output terminal side of said voltage supplying means and one of said plural-phase windings;

Q pieces of second power amplifying means each including a second power transistor for forming a current path between the other output terminal side of said voltage supplying means and one of said plural-phase windings;

altering signal producing means for producing altering signals;

first distribution control means for controlling operations of said Q pieces of first power amplifying means;

second distribution control means for controlling operations of said Q pieces of second power amplifying means;

commanding means for outputting a command signal corresponding to a rotational speed of said disk; and

switching operation means for causing at least one power transistor of Q pieces of said first power transistors and said Q pieces of said second power transistors to perform high-frequency switching corresponding to an output signal from said commanding means;

at least one piece of first power amplifying means among said Q pieces of first power amplifying means having an FET power transistor as said first power transistor, and

said first distribution control means supplying at least a current signal, varying smoothly or substantially smoothly in at least one of rising and falling slopes, to a conduction control terminal side of said at least one piece of first power amplifying means.

20. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein

said first distribution control means supplies first Q-phase current signals, each first Q-phase current signal varying smoothly or substantially smoothly in at least one of rising and falling slopes, to conduction control terminal sides of said Q pieces of first power amplifying means.

21. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein

said first distribution control means varies at least some part of said at least a current signal corresponding to an output signal of said commanding means.

22. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein

said switching operation means includes current detecting means for obtaining a current detected signal responding with or corresponding to a composed supply current supplied from said voltage supplying means to said plural-phase windings, and switching control means for comparing an output signal of said current detecting means with an output signal of said commanding means and switching at least either said Q pieces of first power amplifying means or said Q pieces of second power amplifying means to an off state responding with the comparison result.

23. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein

said first distribution control means produces first Q-phase current signals, each first Q-phase current signal having an active electrical angle larger than 360/Q degrees, and controls operations of said Q pieces of first power amplifying means corresponding to said first Q-phase current signals.

24. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein

said commanding means changes the rotational speed of said disk step by step or continuously corresponding to the position of said head.

25. A motor comprising:

a movable member;

plural-phase windings;

voltage supplying means, including two output terminals, for supplying a DC voltage;

Q pieces (Q is an integer of 3 or more) of first power amplifying means each including a first power transistor for forming a current path between one output terminal side of said voltage supplying means and one of said plural-phase windings;

Q pieces of second power amplifying means each including a second power transistor for forming a current path between the other output terminal side of said voltage supplying means and one of said plural-phase windings;

altering signal producing means for producing altering signals;

first distribution control means for controlling operations of said Q pieces of first power amplifying means;

second distribution control means for controlling operations of said Q pieces of second power amplifying means;

commanding means for outputting a command signal corresponding to a moving speed of said movable member; and

switching operation means for causing at least one power transistor of Q pieces of said first power transistors and Q pieces of said second power transistors to perform high-frequency switching corresponding to an output signal from said commanding means, supplying a pulsive conducted current signal to said plural-phase windings from said voltage supplying means, and changing the peak value of said pulsive conducted current signal responding with or corresponding to at least an output signal of said altering signal producing means.

26. The motor in accordance claim 25, wherein

said switching operation means varies the peak value of said pulsive conducted current signal responding with or corresponding to the altering operation of current paths into said plural-phase windings by said Q pieces of first power amplifying means and said Q pieces of second power amplifying means.

27. The motor in accordance with claim 25, wherein

said switching operation means includes:

current detecting means for obtaining a current detected signal corresponding toga composed supply current supplied from said voltage supplying means to said plural-phase windings,

command modifying means for obtaining a modified command signal which is varied from an output signal of said commanding means responding with or corresponding to at least an output signal of said altering signal producing means, and

switching control means for comparing an output signal of said current detecting means with an output signal of said command modifying means and switching said at least one power transistor to an off state, and thereby causing said at least one power transistor to perform high-frequency switching responding with the comparison result.

28. The motor in accordance with claim 25, wherein

said first distribution control means supplies first Q-phase current signals, each first Q-phase current signal varying smoothly or substantially smoothly in at least one of rising and falling slopes, to conduction control terminal sides of said Q pieces of first power amplifying means.

29. The motor in accordance with claim 28, wherein said first distribution control means varies at least some part of at least one of said first Q-phase current signals corresponding to an output signal of said commanding means.

30. The motor in accordance with claim 25, wherein said switching operation means includes:

switching control means for causing at least either said Q pieces of first power amplifying means or said Q pieces of second power amplifying means to perform high-frequency switching responding with a single pulse signal.

31. The motor in accordance with claim 25, wherein

each of said Q pieces of first power amplifying means includes an FET power transistor as said first power transistor.

32. The disk drive apparatus comprising:

a disk at least recorded with an information signal or to be recorded with an information signal;

a head for at least reproducing a signal from said disk or recording a signal on said disk;

processing means for at least processing an output signal from said head and outputting a reproduced information signal, or processing a signal and outputting a recording signal into said head;

a movable member, having a field part which generates field fluxes, for directly driving said disk;

Q-phase windings (Q is an integer of 3 or more);

voltage supplying means, including two output terminals, for supplying a DC voltage;

Q pieces of first power amplifying means each including a first FET power transistor for forming a current path between one output terminal side of said voltage supplying means and one of said Q-phase windings;

Q pieces of second power amplifying means each including a second FET power transistor for forming a current path between the other output terminal side of said voltage supplying means and one of said Q-phase windings;

commanding means for outputting a command signal corresponding to a rotational speed of said disk; and

means for causing at least one FET power transistor among Q pieces of said first FET power transistors and Q pieces of said second FET power transistors to perform high-frequency switching corresponding to an output signal from said commanding means and supplying substantially sinusoidal or substantially trapezoidal Q-phase drive current signals to said Q-phase windings.

33. The disk drive apparatus in accordance with claim 32, wherein

said commanding means changes the rotational speed of said disk step by step or continuously corresponding to the position of said head.