DEVICE FOR SWITCHING CONNECTION OF A THREE-PHASE INDUCTION MOTOR

Abstract: Low-speed revolution characteristics of a three-phase induction motor are improved by an inverter of the PWM system by quickly switching DELTA -Y connection using semiconductor switches (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), e.g., triacs.

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a connection switching apparatus which performs delta (referred to hereinafter as Δ)-star (referred to hereinafter as Y) connection switching for a three-phase induction motor which is used for a machine tool, for example, a lathe, a drill, a tapper and the like. BACKGROUND ART Recently, a built-in motor is formed so that an axle of the motor is connected to a work piece or a tool not through a change gear but directly so as to rotate the work piece and the tool directly when used for a machine tool such as a lathe, a drill, a tapper and the like. The motor is driven by an inverter circuit which is formed using a PWM (pulse width modulation) technique using a variable frequency, and its rotation rate is varied by varying the frequency of the output of the inverter circuit. Figure 1 represents a rotational speed control circuit for a three-phase induction motor using the PWM inverter technique. Figure 2 represents only one-phase among the pseudo-three phase alternating current which the PWM inverter shown in Fig. 1 generates, wherein (A) shows a pseudo-sine wave and (B) shows a sine wave which the pseudo-sine wave assumes. In Fig. 1, a direct current supplied from a direct current source 10 is switched on/off by six power transistors 11 to 16 so that the waveform of each phase becomes as shown in Fig. 2 (A) having a 120° phase difference in relation to the other phases, to generate a pseudo-three phase alternating current. The frequency and effective current of this pseudo-three-phase alternating current can be varied by varying the timing of the switching. Accordingly, the rotational speed of the three-phase induction motor can be controlled to any value by adjusting the timing of the switching based on a set rotation speed at a rotation speed setting means 17, and a real rotation speed calculated from a pulse generated in pulse generator 19 which rotates coaxially with a motor 18 so as to adjust the frequency and the effective power of the pseudo-three-phase alternating current. Figure 3 shows the relation between the rotation speed and the effective power. "A" represents the case where windings of the motor form a Δ connection. Referring to Fig. 3, when the rotational speed exceeds a speed No, the effective power becomes constant and independent of the rotation speed, because as the pulse width reaches its upper limit the upper limit of the power which can be supplied is also reached. When the rotational speed becomes lower than the speed No, the current flowing through the windings decreases so that the effective power decreases proportionally to the rotational speed. In Fig. 3, "B" represents the case where the windings of the motor form a Y connection. In this case, the rotational speed N₁ where the effective power becomes constant is lower than the speed No in the Δ connection. The reason is that, although the impedance of the winding in each phase in the Y connection is larger than the same in the Δ connection, the current in each phase is controlled so that the effective current becomes a predetermined value by widening the pulse width. Then, for example, at the rotational speed N shown in Fig. 3 the effective power supplied is P₀ in the Δ connection, while it becomes P₁ in the Y connection, at a value larger than P₀. As there is a relation P = kTN (k is a proportional constant) between torque T which a motor generates and an effective power P when a rotational speed is N, the relation between the rotational speed and the torque is as shown in Figure 4. Therefore, it can be clearly realised that the torque obtained in the Y connection of "B" is larger than the same in the Δ connection of "A" in the region where the rotational speed is relatively low. Conventionally, this Δ-Y connection switching has been carried out by means of a magnetic conductor requiring a considerable changeover time. The reason why so much time is required in Δ-Y connection switching is mainly that problems in switching the magnetic conductor must be avoided. Such problems being sticking of a contact due to momentary shorting of the power supply caused by a large difference in switching speed, and chattering of the contacts when switching a plurality of magnetic conductors. Therefore, a first problem arises in that considerable switching time is needed because all of the contacts must be kept open for a considerable length of time. Additionally, a second problem arises in that overall size and weight are increased due to the large size and weight of the magnetic conductor itself. An example of a star/delta controller employing TRIACs is disclosed in the article "Solid-State Star/Delta Controller Using TRIACs", G.J. Tobisch, pages 105 of Philips Application Note 148, October 1971, Eindhoven, Netherlands. An object of the present invention is to provide a connection switching apparatus which requires a minimum amount of switching time for Δ-Y connection switching and which is small in size and light weight. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a driving apparatus for a three-phase induction motor comprising an inverter circuit for converting direct current into three-phase alternating current to supply the three-phase induction motor, a rotational speed setting means for setting a rotational speed of said three-phase induction motor, and a connection switching circuit having a first switch group (1, 2) and a second switch group (3, 4, 5), forming a delta connection for the three-phase induction motor by switching off said first switch group (1, 2) and by switching on said second switch group (3, 4, 5) when the set rotational speed set at said rotational speed setting means is greater than a predetermined value, and forming a star connection for the three-phase induction motor by switching on said first switch group (1, 2) and by switching off said second switch group (3, 4, 5) when the set rotational speed set at said rotational speed setting means is less than said predetermined value, said first and second switch group (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) consisting of semiconductor switches and said rotational speed of said three-phase induction motor being controllable by adjustment of the timing of the switching of the inverter based on the rotational speed set at the speed setting means. Two thyristors connected in parallel and with opposite polarity to each other, or a TRIAC, can be used for each of these semiconductor switches. As a semiconductor switch which essentially consists of thyristors does not chatter when switching, the time required for switching is reduced to a minimum. Additionally, as the semiconductor switch has the characteristic of not turning off until the current flowing through its elements becomes zero and reverse bias is applied thereto. Thus it can only be switched when the current flowing through the windings becomes zero, namely, when the magnetic energy remaining within the windings becomes substantially zero. BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a circuit diagram of a control circuit for a three-phase induction motor using a conventional PWM inverter; Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a pseudo-sine wave in a PWM inverter; Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the relation between a rotation speed and an effective power in a Δ connection and Y connection; Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the relation between a rotational speed and a torque in a Δ connection and Y connection; Fig. 5 is a diagram representing a basic construction of a Δ/Y switching circuit. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 7 is a flow chart showing Δ-Y connection switching; Fig. 8 is a part of the control circuit 20 shown in Fig. 6 implementing the process shown in Fig. 7; and Fig. 9 is a diagram showing another Δ/Y switching circuit. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Figure 5 is a diagram of a basic connection switching circuit. In this figure, reference numbers 1 to 5 indicate semiconductor switches, wherein 1 and 2 are switched off while 3, 4 and 5 are switched on in a Δ connection, and 1 and 2 are switched on while 3, 4 and 5 are switched off in a Y connection. Figure 6 is a diagram showing the first embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, three-phase alternating current supplied from a three-phase alternating current source 30 is rectified by diodes 31 to 36 and smoothed by an inductor 37 and capacitor 38 to produce direct current. The operation of power transistors 11 to 16 is similar to those in Figure 1, and each generates a pseudo-sine wave as shown in Figure 2 (A) having phase difference of 120° between each other. A rotational speed setting means 17 is provided for setting the rotational speed in the same way as shown in Figure 1, and the rotational speed of a motor 18 is detected in pulse generator 19 and transmitted to a control circuit 20. The method of controlling the motor so as to conform the rotational speed of the motor 18 to a value set at the rotating speed setting means 17, is the same as that shown in Figure 1. TRIAC's 101 to 105 are switched by control circuit 20 to perform the Δ-Y connection switching. The process of switching is described referring to the flow chart of Figure 7 showing the Δ-Y connection switching process carried out by switching the TRIAC's 101 to 105. First, whether the set rotational speed is greater than 1,000 or not is decided (step "a"). If the speed is greater than 1,000 then TRIAC's 101 and 102 are switched off and TRIAC's 103 to 105 are switched on to form a Δ connection (step "b"), and if the speed is less than 1,000 then TRIAC's 101 and 102 are switched on and TRIAC's 103 to 105 are switched off to form a Y connection (step "c"). Thereafter, if the set value changes from less than 1,000 to greater than 1,000 (step "d" and "e"), then TRIAC's 101 and 102 are switched off (step "g"), and after an adequate time interval (step "h") TRIAC's 103 to 105 are switched on to change to a Δ connection. Conversely, if the set value changes from greater than 1,000 to less than 1,000 (step "d" and "f"), then TRIAC's 103 to 105 are switched off (step "j"), and after an adequate time interval (step "k") TRIAC's 101 and 102 are switched on to change to a Y connection. Figure 8 is a part of the control circuit 20 in Fig. 6 and represents an example of a circuit implementing the process shown in the flow chart of Fig. 7. A comparator 50 has one input denoted by "A" and connected to the rotational speed set output and a digital value is input thereto, and another input denoted by "B" is connected to a digital value "1,000", and the comparator 50 outputs "H" from an output denoted by "A > B" when the set rotational speed is greater than 1,000, and outputs "H" from an output denoted by "A ≦ B" when the set rotational speed is less than 1,000. The outputs "A > B" and "A ≦ B" are connected to trigger inputs of single shot multivibrators (referred to hereinafter as single shots) 51 and 52, respectively, which output "L" during a time interval corresponding to set time constants when the outputs "A > B" and "A ≦ B" are changed to "H", respectively. One input of each of AND gates 53 and 54 is connected to an output of the single shots 51 and 52, respectively, and the other input of each AND gate is connected to the outputs "A > B" and "A ≦ B", respectively. Accordingly, the output of the AND gate 53 becomes "L" as soon as the set rotational speed changes to less than 1,000, while it becomes "H" after the time interval corresponding to the set time constants when the set rotational speed changes to greater than 1,000. On the other hand, the output of the AND gate 54 becomes "L" as soon as the set rotational speed changes to greater than 1,000, while it becomes "H" after the time interval corresponding to the set time constants when the set rotational speed changes to less than 1,000. The TRIAC driving circuit 55 outputs signals for triggering a TRIAC at each of its outputs O₀₋₄ , while its corresponding input I₀₋₄ is "H". The inputs I₀₋₂ are all connected to the output of the AND gate 53, the inputs I₃₋₄ are all connected to the output of the AND gate 54, and the outputs O₀₋₅ are each connected to a trigger input of TRIAC 103, 104, 105, 101 and 102, respectively. The process represented in the flow chart of Fig. 7 is implemented in the aforementioned circuit. Figure 9 represents a part of a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, pairs of thyristors 111 and 121, 112 and 122, 113 and 123, 114 and 124, and 115 and 125 are used instead of the TRIAC's 101 to 105 shown in Fig. 6, and the other elements are the same as the embodiment shown in Fig. 6. In this embodiment, although the complexity is slightly increased because there are twice as many wires, i.e., 10 wires for controlling the semiconductor switches as in the embodiment of Fig. 6, there is an advantage in that a larger current can be controlled. As mentioned above, in accordance with the present invention, an automatic control wherein a Y connection where large torque is obtained is selected at a low rotational speed, while a Δ connection is selected at a high rotational speed can be realized. For example, applying the present invention to a lathe, heavy cutting is carried out with a large torque at a low rotational speed, and the rotational speed can be rapidly changed to a high speed to finish at the high rotational speed by merely altering the set rotational speed. Additionally, as the circuit for driving the TRIAC's or the thyristors can be integrated into a conventional control circuit, and since TRIAC's or thyristors per se are small sized and light weight, the size or weight of the whole apparatus is not greatly increased.

Claims: A driving apparatus for a three-phase induction motor comprising an inverter circuit for converting direct current into three-phase alternating current to supply the three-phase induction motor, a rotational speed setting means for setting a rotational speed of said three-phase induction motor, and a connection switching circuit having a first switch group (1, 2) and a second switch group (3, 4, 5), forming a delta connection for the three-phase induction motor by switching off said first switch group (1, 2) and by switching on said second switch group (3, 4, 5) when the set rotational speed set at said rotational speed setting means is greater than a predetermined value, and forming a star connection for the three-phase induction motor by switching on said first switch group (1, 2) and by switching off said second switch group (3, 4, 5) when the set rotational speed set at said rotational speed setting means is less than said predetermined value, said first and second switch group (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) consisting of semiconductor switches and said rotational speed of said three phase induction motor being controllable by adjustment of the timing of the switching of the inverter based on the rotational speed set at the speed setting means. A driving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said semiconductor switch consists of two thyristors connected in parallel with opposite polarity to each other. A driving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said semiconductor switch consists of a TRIAC.

Inventors: NAKAMURA KOSEI FANUC DAI- VIRA, NUMAI KAZUHISA FANUC DAI- VIRA, NAKAMURA, KOSEI FANUC DAI-3 VIRA-KARAMATSU, NUMAI, KAZUHISA FANUC DAI-3 VIRA-KARAMATSU
Applicants: FANUC LTD, FANUC LTD.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: H02P1
IPC codes: H02P23, H02P25, H02P1