Description

MOTOR DRIVING APPARATUS WITH DETACHABLE

CONTROL UNIT

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a motor driving apparatus, and more particularly, a motor driving apparatus in which a control unit for controlling a driving motor is attachable or detachable to the driving motor. Background Art

[2] A typical motor driving apparatus comprises a motor for providing rotary power, a housing for accommodating a motor, and a controller for controlling a motor. A motor driving apparatus controls a motor such that a controller receives an electrical signal generated by a user s switch manipulation and outputs a corresponding control signal. Such a motor driving apparatus has been used in various industrial fields including a vehicle industry as an apparatus for controlling a motor.

[3] For example, when a driver manipulates a button or switch for operating a sunroof or a windshield wiper, a motor driving apparatus for a vehicle operates a driving motor to open or close a sunroof or reciprocate a windshield wiper.

[4] Usually, vehicles employ a discrete-type motor driving apparatus in which a driving motor directly coupled to a driven part such as a sunroof or a windshield wiper is controlled by a control substrate arranged in a predetermined position of a vehicle. In order to operate a driven part such as a sunroof or a windshield wiper, a driving motor for providing driving force is coupled to a predetermined gear unit, and a control substrate for controlling a driving motor is electrically coupled to a driving motor through a predetermined contact or an electrical wire line. That is, a driving motor and a control substrate are separately arranged.

[5] A discrete-type motor driving apparatus has an advantage that since a driving motor and a control substrate are separately arranged, parts can be individually subject to a repair or a maintenance and so a repair or a maintenance is convenient. However, in this case, there is a problem in that a driving motor, a control substrate, and electrical wire lines, and connectors for connecting them occupy large space in a vehicle.

[6] In order to resolve such a problem, an integral-type motor driving apparatus has been recently developed that a driving motor is formed integrally with a control substrate inside a housing.

[7] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a conventional integral-type motor driving apparatus, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the conventional integral-type motor driving apparatus of FIG. 1.

[8] Referring to FIGs. 1 and 2, the conventional integral-type motor driving apparatus comprises a driving motor 20 and a housing 10 to which the driving motor 20 is coupled. A control substrate 40 for controlling the driving motor 20 is installed in the housing 10. A connector 42 for externally receiving electric power and a manipulating signal is arranged on one side of the control substrate 40, and a supplying terminal 41 coupled to a power input side of the driving motor 20 is arranged on the other side thereof. The control substrate 40 outputs a control signal corresponding to the external power and the manipulating signal inputted through the connector 42 and transfers the control signal to the driving motor 20.

[9] A rotating shaft (not shown) of the driving motor 20 is coupled to a predetermined gear, and the gear rotates as the driving motor 20 rotates. As the gear rotates, a driven part such as a sunroof or a windshield wiper coupled to the gear performs an opening- closing operation or a reciprocating operation.

[10] In the integral-type motor driving apparatus, since the control substrate 40 for controlling the driving motor 20 is arranged above a gear cover 31 inside the housing 10 as shown in FIG. 2, space occupied by the motor driving apparatus is relatively reduced. However, in order to repair or maintain the control substrate 40, a work for disassembling and reassembling the housing 10 is unavoidable, which lowers durability of the driving motor 20, leading to short lifespan or low performance of the motor driving apparatus.

[11] For example, during the process for manufacturing the motor driving apparatus for a vehicle, respective parts are assembled in a housing 10 comprising an upper housing 12 and a lower housing 11, and then the upper housing 12 and the lower housing 11 are coupled to complete the motor driving apparatus. If the housing 10 is disassembled and then assembled again, this causes working efficiency to be lowered, thereby lowering durability of the motor driving apparatus.

[12] Also, a predetermined gear unit coupled to the rotating shaft of the driving motor 20 is arranged inside the gear cover 31. For example, a worm gear (not shown) including a work and worm wheel is arranged inside the gear cover 31. Here, a horizontal angle of the worm wheel directly affects the lifespan of the driving motor 20. This is because a small load is applied to the driving motor 20 when a horizontal angle of the worm wheel is accurate. However, a horizontal angle of the worm wheel may be deviated by disassembling and reassembling of the gear cover 31. In this instance, the driving motor 20 is overloaded, leading to the short lifespan.

[13] In addition, the motor driving apparatus may desire to employ the control substrate

40 with a different control function according to a use, i.e., a driven part such as a sunroof or a windshield wiper. Since during the manufacturing process, the control substrate 40 and the driving motor 20 are coupled to each other and then are mounted

in the housing 10, that is, since the control substrate 40 and the driving motor 20 are mounted together in the housing 10, manufacturing automation is difficult, and a manufacturing process is complicated, thereby increasing manufacturing cost, while lowering competitiveness. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[14] It is an object of the present invention to provide a motor driving apparatus in which a control unit for controlling a driving motor is attachable or detachable to the driving motor and so a repair and a maintenance are convenient since there is no need for disassembling a housing.

[15] It is another object of the present invention to provide a motor driving apparatus in which productivity is improved by standardizing an appearance of a control substrate with a control unit and a contact method between a control substrate and a driving motor.

Technical Solution

[16] One aspect of the present invention provides a motor driving apparatus with a detachable control unit, comprising: a driving motor for providing rotary power; a housing combined with the driving motor and having a one side opened; an internal substrate coupled to the driving motor in the housing, having a contact unit arranged to face the opened one side of the housing and transmitting a control signal provided from an external portion to the driving motor; and a control substrate which has a control unit for generating a control signal for controlling the driving motor and is attached to or removed from the contact unit of the internal substrate through the opened one side of the housing.

[17] The contact unit of the internal substrate and the control substrate are attached to or removed from each other by a slot method.

[18] The contact unit of the internal substrate and the control substrate are attached to or removed from each other by a universal serial bus (USB).

[19] One aspect of the present invention provides a motor driving apparatus with a detachable control substrate, comprising: a driving motor for providing rotary power to a driven part of a vehicle; a housing combined with the driving motor and having a one side opened; a control portion of a substrate form including a control unit for generating a control signal for controlling the driving motor, a connector for externally receiving electric power and a switching signal and a supplying terminal for transmitting the control signal to the driving motor; and an internal contact portion of a substrate form arranged in the housing and including a first contact terminal for receiving the control signal from the control portion and a second contact terminal for

transmitting the control signal outputted from the first contact terminal to the driving motor, wherein the supplying terminal of the control portion is attached to or removed from the first contact terminal of the internal contact portion through the opened one side of the housing.

[20] The supplying terminal of the control portion is attached to or removed from the first contact terminal of the internal contact portion by a slot method.

[21] The motor driving apparatus further comprises a worm gear arranged in the housing to be coupled to a driving shaft of the driving motor and including a worm and a worm wheel coupled to the worm.

[22] The housing includes a gear cover formed at a place where the worm gear is arranged. Brief Description of the Drawings

[23] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a conventional integral-type motor driving apparatus;

[24] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the conventional integral-type motor driving apparatus of FIG. 1 ;

[25] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a motor driving apparatus with a detachable control unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[26] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a motor driving apparatus with a detachable control unit according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

[27] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an internal contact portion and a control portion of the motor driving apparatus of FIG. 4. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[28] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. However, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various types. Therefore, the present exemplary embodiments are provided for complete disclosure of the present invention and to fully inform the scope of the present invention to those ordinarily skilled in the art.

[29] Embodiment 1

[30] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a motor driving apparatus with a detachable control unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[31] Referring to FIG. 3, the motor driving apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is configured such that a control substrate 140 for controlling a driving motor 120 is attachably or detachably coupled to the driving motor 120 through one side of a housing 110 which is opened.

[32] The driving motor 120 is an apparatus for providing rotation driving force. The scope

of the present invention is not limited to a kind, a shape or a function of the driving motor 120 and any apparatus for generating a predetermined output like rotation driving force can be used as the driving motor 120.

[33] The housing 110 combined with the driving motor 120 defines an appearance of the motor driving apparatus 100 and serves to protect electric components arranged therein. The housing 110 has a one side opened through which the control substrate 140 can easily pass to the inside or outside of the housing 110 to be easily mounted to or separated from the housing 110.

[34] An internal substrate 130 is arranged in the housing 110 to be coupled to the driving motor 120. The internal substrate 130 transmits a control signal provided from an external portion to the driving motor 120. A contact unit 150 which the control substrate 140 is substantially attached to or removed from is arranged on the internal substrate 130. The contact unit 150 is preferably arranged to face the opened one side of the housing 110 so that the control substrate 140 is easily attached thereto or removed therefrom.

[35] The control unit 160 for generating a control signal for controlling the driving motor

120 is electrically connected to one side of the control substrate 140. As the control unit 160, a micro-controller unit (MCU) or a micro-processor unit (MPU) which can precisely control an operation of the driving motor 120 may be used. As described above, the control substrate 140 passes through the opened one side of the housing 110 to be attached to or removed from the contact unit 150 of the internal substrate 130.

[36] The contact unit 150 of the internal substrate 130 may be connected to the control substrate 140 by various methods. Preferably, the control substrate 140 and the contact unit 150 are connected by a slot method. In this instance, there is an advantage that attachment and detachment between the internal substrate 130 and the control substrate 140 is easy. As the slot method, a typical slot method used to electrically connect computer hardware components may be used.

[37] Alternatively, the internal substrate 130 and the control substrate 140 may be connected by a universal serial bus (USB) method which is used in digital devices. Since the USB method uses a digital signal, it is preferred that an interface for converting an external digital signal into an analog signal and transferring the analog signal to the driving motor 120 is provided.

[38] The scope of the present invention is not limited to the connection method between the internal substrate 130 and the control substrate 140, and any connecting method is possible if attachment and detachment between the internal substrate 130 and the control substrate 140 are easy form a point of view of a person with ordinary skill in the art.

[39] As described above, since the control substrate 140 having the control unit 160 for

substantially controlling the driving motor 120 can be coupled to the driving motor 120 by a detachable or removable method, the motor driving apparatus 100 according to the present invention has an advantage that a repair or a maintenance is convenient compared to the conventional integral-type motor driving apparatus.

[40] In addition, since the appearance of the internal substrate 130 and the control substrate 140 such as the size or shape and the connecting method between the internal substrate 130 and the control substrate 140 can be standardized, it is possible to manufacture the internal substrate 130 and the control substrate 140 which can be commonly used in various industrial fields. As a result, the control substrates 140 which perform the same function can be connected to the driving motors 120 of different kinds which are different in output and appearance. In this case, the driving motors 120 of different kinds can realize the same function. Also, when the control substrates 140 of different kinds which are standardized are connected to the same driving motors 120, it is possible to realize various functions with the driving motors 120 of the same kind.

[41] Furthermore, it is possible to separately manufacture the control substrate 140 and components of the motor driving apparatus 100 excluding the control substrate 140. An assembling process of the control substrate 140 which has been manually performed in the manufacturing process of the conventional integral-type motor driving apparatus 100 can be omitted, and so the manufacturing process becomes efficient.

[42] Embodiment 2

[43] FIGs. 4 and 5 show a motor driving apparatus with a detachable control unit according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described focusing on a motor driving apparatus for a vehicle which is used to operate a sunroof or a windshield wiper. Before describing the motor driving apparatus with a detachable control unit according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a mechanism of a typical motor driving apparatus for a vehicle is described below.

[44] A gear coupled to a rotating shaft of a driving motor is engaged with a gear coupled to a sunroof or a windshield wiper of a vehicle. As the driving motor rotates, a sunroof or a windshield wiper performs an opening-closing operation or a reciprocating operation.

[45] In order to operate a sunroof or a windshield wiper, a driver manipulates a certain switch or button to generate a manipulating signal. A controller of the motor driving apparatus receives a manipulating signal and generates a corresponding control signal. The driving motor receives a control signal to open or close a sunroof or to reciprocate a windshield wiper according to a driver s command.

[46] As described above, the conventional motor driving apparatus is a discrete-type in which the controller for controlling the driving motor is arranged separately from the driving motor or an integral-type in which the controller is installed in the housing. However, according to the present invention, the controller is arranged together with the driving motor in the housing, but the controller is detachably or removably coupled to the driving motor. Therefore, the motor driving apparatus according to the present invention has an advantage that arrangement space is small compared to the discrete- type and a repair or a maintenance is convenient compared to the integral-type. The motor driving apparatus 200 for a vehicle according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described in detail with reference to FIGs. 4 and 5.

[47] Referring to FIGs. 4 and 5, the motor driving apparatus 200 comprises a driving motor 220, a housing 210 which is combined with the driving motor 220 and has a one side 218 opened, a control portion 240 for controlling the driving motor 220 which is attachable or detachable to the driving motor 220, and an internal contact portion 230 which is arranged in the housing 210 to provide an electrical connection between the driving motor 220 and the control portion 240.

[48] In more detail, the control portion 240 is formed in the form of a typical printed circuit board (PCB), and electrical components including a control unit 250 for generating a control signal used to control the driving motor 220 are arranged on the PCB. As a plurality of electrical components, surface mount devices (SMD) may be used for the sake of minimization and cost reduction of the control portion 40.

[49] The control portion 240 can pass through the opened one side 218 of the housing

210 to be attached to or removed from the housing 210. The control portion 240 has a connector 244 which is arranged on one side thereof to externally receive electric power and a manipulating signal and a supplying terminal 242 which is arranged on the other side thereof to transmit a control signal generated from the control unit 240 to the driving motor 220. The supplying terminal 242 may transfer a rotation signal (e.g., revolution per minutes (RPM)) of the driving motor 220 outputted from the internal contact portion 230 to the control unit 250.

[50] The internal contact portion 230 electrically connected to the control portion 240 is fixed to the inside of the housing 210 in a substrate form like the control portion 240 and is coupled to a power source side of the driving motor 220. On one side of the internal contact portion 230, a first contact terminal 232 having a corresponding structure to the supplying terminal 242 of the control portion 240 is arranged to receive the control signal from the control portion 240. On the other side of the internal contact portion 230, a plurality of second contact terminals 234 are arranged to provide the control signal from the first contact terminal 232 to the driving motor 220 and to transmit the rotation signal of the driving motor 220 to the control unit 250 of the

control portion 240.

[51] The rotation signal (e.g., RPM) of the driving motor 220 may be identified by a revolution detecting means (not shown) which is coupled to the internal contact portion 230. Alternatively, the driving motor 220 may have a structure formed integrally with the revolution detecting means. The supplying terminal 242 of the control portion 240 and the first contact terminal 232 of the internal contact portion 230 are preferably electrically coupled to each other by a slot method shown in FIGs. 4 and 5.

[52] The control unit 250 for controlling the driving motor 220 may comprise an MCU or

MPU for controlling the rotation signal (e.g., RPM) of the driving motor 220. The control unit 250 receives a manipulating signal generated according to a driver s switch manipulation and electric power for driving of the driving motor 220 through the connector 244 arranged at one side of the control portion 240 and outputs a control signal corresponding to a manipulating signal to control the driving motor 220.

[53] The control unit 250 which receives a rotating signal through the internal contact portion 230 recognizes a movement state such as a linear movement or an opening- closing movement of a driven part such as a sunroof according to the revolution (e.g., RPM) of the driving motor 220 or controls a linear movement or an opening-closing movement of a driven part such as a sunroof based on a rotation signal depending on the revolution (e.g., RPM). In more detail, the control unit 250 memorizes a rotation signal (e.g, RPM) required for an opening-closing operation of a driven part such as a sunroof and rotates the driving motor 220 corresponding to the memorized rotation signal. Alternatively, the control unit 250 can recognizes an operation state such as an opened state or a closed state of the driven part by using a limit switch, a micro-switch or a predetermined sensor.

[54] As described above, the control portion 240 including the control unit 250 can be manufactured to satisfy a certain driving form and can be attached to or removed from the driving motor 220 with the certain driving form as described above. Therefore, there is no need for constructing respective production lines for producing respective motor driving apparatuses suitable for respective industrial uses, and thus the motor driving apparatus according to the present invention can be employed in various industrial fields as well as a vehicle industry.

[55] The control portion 240 further comprises a protection cover 248 for surrounding portions excluding the supplying terminal 242 which contacts the first contact terminal 232 of the internal contact portion 230 and the connector 244 in order to protect a surface thereof.

[56] The opened one side 218 of the housing 210 may further comprise a means for preventing the control portion 240 from being separated from the housing 210 when the control portion 240 is inserted into to be coupled to the internal contact portion

230. To this end, the housing 10 may further comprise a fixing clip 216 arranged on an inner wall of the housing 210, and the control portion 240 may further comprise a fixing groove 246 for receiving the fixing clip 216 arranged at a location corresponding to the fixing clip 216.

[57] The motor driving apparatus 200 for a vehicle may further comprise at least one worm gear 250 which is arranged in the housing 210 to be coupled to a driving shaft of the driving motor 220. The worm gear 250 comprises a worm and a worm wheel coupled to the worm. The worm gear 250 is engaged with a gear of a driven part such as a windshield wiper or a sunroof, and thus the motor driving apparatus can be easily operated by rotation of the driving motor 220.

[58] Even though not shown, the motor driving apparatus 200 may further comprise a brake portion which is operated by a control signal of the control portion 240 to brake a rotating shaft of the driving motor 240. The brake portion is arranged near the rotating shaft of the driving motor 220 and may brake the rotating shaft by electric power inputted from the control portion 240 by a solenoid method.

[59] Also, a gear cover 212 of the worm gear 250 may be formed outside the housing 210.

It is because it is otherwise unavoidable to disassemble the housing 210 when the worm gear is out of order. Therefore, when the worm gear 250 is out of order, a portion in which the worm gear 250 is arranged is opened through the gear cover 212, and thus there is no need for disassembling the housing 210, whereby it is convenient to repair the worm gear 250.

[60] Meanwhile, the motor driving apparatus needs different control functions for controlling different operations of respective driven parts. In the motor driving apparatus 200 according to the present invention, it is possible to standardize respective components of the motor driving apparatus, an appearance of the control portion 240 and an attachable or detachable method to the internal contact portion 230 to be suitable for a vehicle industry. Therefore, the motor driving apparatus can have a new control function suitable for a new driven part by replacing only the control unit 250 or the control portion 240 after separating the control portion from the motor driving apparatus.

[61] The motor driving apparatus with the detachable control unit according to the present invention is configured such that the control substrate with the control unit for controlling the driving motor is attachably or detachably coupled to the driving motor. Therefore, it is possible to repair or maintain the motor driving apparatus without disassembling the housing, and a time and a cost for repair or maintenance are reduced. Since there is no need for a work to disassemble or reassemble the housing, it is possible to prevent durability of the motor driving apparatus from be lowered, and thus the lifespan of the motor driving apparatus is improved.

[62] Since the appearance of the control substrate like the shape or size and the connecting method between the control substrate and the internal substrate can be standardized, the manufacturing process for manufacturing the driving motor corresponding to the connecting method can be applied. Therefore, since the control substrate for providing the same function can be connected to the driving motors of different kinds which are different in output and size, the substantially same function can be realized in the driving motors of different kinds. Also, substantially different functions can be realized in the driving motors of the same kind.

[63] The driving motor and the control substrate can be manufactured in separate production lines, and thus the manufacturing process of the motor driving apparatus is efficient, and the manufacturing cost can be significantly improved.