Driving method using motor and its driving apparatus, exchanging apparatus of recording medium, and driving method of exchanging apparatus of recording medium

• US 6,111,385 A
• Filed: 11/12/1998
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Junichi, Watanabe, Taro, Iribe, Masatsugu, Nozaki, Kenichi, Machiguchi, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Application Number:
  US09/190,489
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 318/696, 318/685, 318/375, 318/504, 369/178-180, 360/98.01, 360/98.04, 360/98.05
• US Class Current: 318/696
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/40 Open loop systems, e.g. using stepping motor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/41326 Step motor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45057 Storage handling for disks or material

Abstract

A driving apparatus using a motor has a stepping motor, a moving mechanism, and a driving circuit. The moving mechanism moves an object to be driven on the basis of a driving force of the stepping motor. The moving mechanism moves the object among a plurality of moving points set on the basis of even-number steps of the stepping motor. The driving circuit supplies a plurality of drive signals equal to a plurality of even-number steps to the stepping motor.

Claims

1. A driving apparatus using a motor, comprising:

a stepping motor for generating a driving force;

a moving mechanism for moving an object to be driven to a raised position, to a lowered position, and for holding the object at least in said raised position and in said lowered position on the basis of said driving force of said stepping motor, said moving mechanism moving said object between said raised position and said lowered position on the basis of a plurality of even-number steps of said stepping motor;

a driving circuit for supplying a plurality of drive signal pulses equal to an even-number of steps to said stepping motor; and

a power circuit for supplying a first voltage to said stepping motor when moving said object to said raised position, supplying a second voltage less than said first voltage to said stepping motor when moving said object to said lowered position, and for supplying a third voltage less than said second voltage to said stepping motor when holding said object in said raised position.

2. The driving apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a rotation detecting unit for detecting a rotation of said stepping motor,

wherein said driving circuit controls said stepping motor on the basis of a detection signal from said rotation detecting unit.

3. The driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said driving circuit includes a circuit for switching a setting of an origin of said object when said object is moved a deviation amount from said origin.

4. The driving apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said origin of said object when said object is moved is set so that said object is moved by said plurality of even-number steps of said stepping motor.

5. A driving method using a motor, comprising the steps of:

setting a plurality of distances among a plurality of moving points on the basis of a plurality of even-number steps of a stepping motor;

moving an object to be driven to a raised position and to a lowered position on the basis of a driving force of said stepping motor by supplying a plurality of drive signal pulses equal to an even-number of steps to said stepping motor;

holding the object to the driven in at least said raised position;

supplying a first voltage to said stepping motor for moving the object to be driven to said raised position;

supplying a second voltage less than said first voltage to said stepping motor when moving said object to be driven to said lowered position; and

supplying a third voltage less than said second voltage to said stepping motor when performing said step of holding.

6. The driving method according to claim 5, wherein a setting of an origin of said object when said object is moved is switched on the basis of a deviation amount of said object from said origin.

7. The driving method according to claim 6, wherein said origin of said object when said object is moved is set so that said object is moved by said plurality of even-number steps of said stepping motor.

8. An exchanging apparatus of a recording medium, comprising:

an enclosure for enclosing a plurality of recording media;

a recording and/or reproducing unit for executing a recording and/or reproduction of said plurality of recording media;

a conveying mechanism for pulling out said plurality of recording media enclosed in said enclosure from said enclosure and for conveying said plurality of pulled-out recording media to said recording and/or reproducing unit; and

a moving mechanism for moving said conveying mechanism between said enclosure and said recording and/or reproducing unit,

wherein said moving mechanism has a stepping motor, a driving circuit, and a voltage supplying circuit, whereby on the basis of a driving force of said stepping motor said moving mechanism moves said conveying mechanism among a plurality of positions between said enclosure and said recording and/or reproducing unit including a raised position and a lowered position and said moving mechanism holds said conveying mechanism at least at said raised position, said plurality of positions being set on the basis of a plurality of even-number steps of said stepping motor, wherein said driving circuit supplies a plurality of drive signal pulses equal to an even-number of steps to said stepping motor, and wherein said voltage supplying circuit supplies a first voltage to said stepping motor to move to said raised position, supplies a second voltage less than said first voltage to move to said lowered position, and supplies a third voltage less than said second voltage to said stepping motor to hold said conveying mechanism in said raised position.

9. The exchanging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said moving mechanism further includes a rotation detecting unit for detecting a rotation of said stepping motor and said driving circuit includes a circuit for controlling said stepping motor on the basis of a detection signal from said rotation detecting unit.

10. The exchanging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said driving circuit includes a circuit for switching a setting of an origin of said plurality of recording media when said conveying mechanism is moved a deviation amount of said conveying mechanism from said origin.

11. The exchanging apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said origin of said plurality of recording media when said conveying mechanism is moved is set so that said conveying mechanism is moved by said plurality of even-number steps of said stepping motor.

12. The exchanging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said driving circuit includes a circuit for switching a driving voltage of said stepping motor on the basis of a moving direction when said conveying mechanism is moved between said enclosure and said recording and/or reproducing unit.

13. The exchanging apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said driving circuit includes a circuit for switching said driving voltage of said stepping motor when said conveying mechanism is moved and when said conveying mechanism is stopped.

14. The exchanging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein when a power source is shut off, said driving circuit includes a circuit for short-circuiting a portion of a coil of said stepping motor.

15. The exchanging apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said driving circuit further includes

a power shut-off detecting unit for detecting a shut-off of said power source, and

wherein said circuit for short-circuiting said portion of said coil of said stepping motor operates on the basis of a detection signal from said power shut-off detecting unit.

16. The exchangina apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said plurality of recording media are enclosed in said enclosure in a laminated state.

17. A driving method of an exchanging apparatus of a recording medium, wherein said exchanging apparatus includes an enclosure for enclosing a plurality of recording media, a recording and/or reproducing unit for performing a recording and/or reproduction of said plurality of recording media, a conveying mechanism for pulling out said plurality of recording media enclosed in said enclosure from said enclosure and for conveying said plurality of pulled-out recording media to said recording and/or reproducing unit, and a stepping motor for moving said conveying mechanism, said driving method comprising the steps of:

supplying a plurality of drive signal pulses equal to a plurality of even-number steps to said stepping motor;

on the basis of a driving force of said stepping motor, moving said conveying mechanism among a plurality of positions between said enclosure and said recording and/or reproducing unit including a raised position and a lowered position and holding the conveying mechanism at least at said raised position, wherein the plurality of positions are set on the basis of said plurality of even-number steps of said stepping motor;

supplying a first voltage to the stepping motor for moving the conveying mechanism to the raised position;

supplying a second voltage less than the first voltage to the stepping motor for moving the conveying mechanism to the lowered position; and

supplying a third voltage less than said second voltage to said stepping motor for holding the conveying mechanism at least at said raised position.

18. The driving method according to claim 17, wherein a setting of an origin of said plurality of recording media when said conveying mechanism is moved is switched on the basis of a deviation amount of said conveying mechanism from said origin.

19. The driving method according to claim 18, wherein said origin of said plurality of recording media when said conveying mechanism is moved is set so that said conveying mechanism is moved by said plurality of even-number steps of said stepping motor.

20. The driving method according to claim 17, wherein a driving voltage of said stepping motor is switched on the basis of a moving direction when said conveying mechanism is moved between said enclosure and said recording and/or reproducing unit.

21. The driving method according to claim 20, wherein said driving voltage of said stepping motor is switched when said conveying mechanism is moved and when said conveying mechanism is stopped.

22. The driving method according to claim 17, wherein when a power source is shut off, a portion of a coil of said stepping motor is short-circuited.

23. An exchanging apparatus of a recording medium, comprising:

an enclosure for enclosing a plurality of recording media in a laminated state;

a recording and/or reproducing unit for performing a recording and/or reproduction of said plurality of recording media;

a conveying mechanism for pulling out said plurality of recording media enclosed in said enclosure from said enclosure and for conveying said plurality of pulled out recording media to said recording and/or reproducing unit; and

a moving mechanism for elevating up/down said conveying mechanism between a raised position and a lowered position and for moving said conveying mechanism between said enclosure and said recording and/or reproducing unit,

wherein said moving mechanism has a stepping motor, a driving circuit, and a power supplying circuit and said driving circuit provides driving pulses in even numbers to said stepping motor for driving said conveying mechanism between said enclosure and said recording and/or reproducing unit and said power supply circuit supplies a first voltage to said stepping motor when moving said conveying mechanism to said raised position, supplies a second voltage less than said first voltage to said stepping motor when moving said conveying mechanism to said lowered position, and supplies a third voltage less than said second voltage to said stepping motor for holding said conveying mechanism at said raised position.

24. The exchanging apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said driving circuit includes a circuit for switching said driving voltage when said conveying mechanism is elevated upwardly by said moving mechanism and when said conveying mechanism is moved downwardly.

25. The exchanging apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said driving circuit includes a switching circuit for switching said driving voltage when said conveying mechanism is elevated upwardly by said moving mechanism and when said conveying mechanism is moved downwardly.

26. The exchanging apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said switching circuit switches said driving voltage of said stepping motor when said conveying mechanism is moved and when said conveying mechanism is stopped.

27. The exchanging apparatus according to claim 23, wherein when the power supplying circuit is shut off, said driving circuit includes a circuit for short-circuiting a portion across a coil of said stepping motor.

28. The exchanging apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said driving circuit further includes

a power shut-off detecting unit for detecting a shut-off of said power source, and;

wherein said circuit for short-circuiting said portion of said coil of said stepping motor operates on the basis of a detection signal from said power shut-off detecting unit.

29. An exchanging apparatus of a recording medium, comprising:

an enclosure for enclosing a plurality of recording media;

a recording and/or reproducing unit for performing a recording and/or reproduction of said plurality of recording media;

a conveying mechanism for pulling out said plurality of recording media enclosed in said enclosure from said enclosure and for conveying said plurality of pulled-out recording media to said recording and/or reproducing unit; and

a moving mechanism for elevating up/down said conveying mechanism between a raised position and a lowered position and for moving said conveying mechanism between said enclosure and said recording and/or reproducing unit,

wherein said moving mechanism has a stepping motor, a power supply circuit, and a driving circuit and said driving circuit short-circuits a portion of a coil of said motor when a power source to said power supply circuit is shut off and said power supply circuit provides a first voltage to said stepping motor for moving said conveying mechanism to said raised position, provides a second voltage less than said first voltage to said stepping motor for moving said conveying mechanism to said lowered position, and provides a third voltage less than said second voltage to said stepping motor for holding said conveying mechanism in said raised position.

30. The exchanging apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said driving circuit includes a power shut-off detecting unit for detecting a shut-off of said power source, and

a short-circuiting unit for short-circuiting said portion of said coil of said motor on the basis of a detection signal from said power shut-off detecting unit.

31. The exchanging apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said plurality of recording media are enclosed in said enclosure in a laminated state.

32. The exchanging apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said motor is a stepping motor.