Societe Suisse Pour L'industrie Horlogere Management Services S.a.

Andre Pittet

Marcel Jufer

Mai T Xuan

Mai Tu Xuan

A feed arrangement enabling detection of the movement of a stepping motor d providing such motor with a series of long duration pulses in the event of failure to step responsive to a short duration pulse. The detector comprises means for sampling a first signal developed by the current in the motor winding and generating a second signal which is the integral of the first, in order to detect whether or not the motor has stepped. The invention is intended for use with micromotors as found in timepieces.

Movement detector for a stepping motor

The invention provides a feed arrangement for a stepping motor which enables step detection and responsive to failure to step applies a series of wide (long duration) pulses in place of the normal short duration pulses. The detector includes sampling means for a first signal developed by the voltage induced in the motor winding during a predetermined period and there are means to generate a second signal which is the integral of the first signal, the amplitude of the second signal indicating whether or not the motor has stepped. The invention may find use with a timepiece micromotor.

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Bengaluru, India

Andre Pittet