
Connection Diagram
Pinout Descriptions (See Functional Block
and Connection Diagrams)
Pin 1, OUT 1: Output node of the first half H-bridge.
Pin 2, COMP OUT: Output of the comparator. If the voltage
at CS OUT exceeds that provided by the DAC, the compara-
tor triggers the monostable.
Pin 3, RC: Monostable timing node. A parallel resistorca-
pacitor network connected between this node and ground
sets the monostable timing pulse at about 1.1 RC seconds.
Pin 5, PGND: Ground return node of the power bridge. Bond
wires (internaI) connect PGND to the tab of the TO-220
package.
Pins 4 and 6 through 8, M4 through M1: Digital inputs of
the DAC. These inputs make up a four-bit binary number
with M4 as the most significant bit or MSB. The DAC pro-
vides an analog voltage directly proportional to the binary
number applied at M4 through M1.
Pin 9, V
CC: Power supply node.
Pin 10, BRAKE: Brake logic input. Pulling the BRAKE input
logic-high activates both sourcing switches of the power
bridge — effectively shorting the load. See
Table 1. Shorting
the load in this manner forces the load current to recirculate
and decay to zero.
Pin 11, DIRECTION: Direction logic input. The logic level at
this input dictates the direction of current flow in the load.
See
Table 1.
Pin 12, SGND: Ground return node of all signal level circuits.
Pin 13, CS OUT: Output of the current sense amplifier. The
current sense amplifier sources 250 A (typical) per ampere
of total forward current conducted by the upper two switches
of the power bridge.
Pin 14, DAC REF: Voltage reference input of the DAC. The
DAC provides an analog voltage equal to V
DAC REF x D/16,
where D is the decimal equivalent (0–15) of the binary num-
ber applied at M4 through M1.
Pin 15, OUT 2: Output node of the second half H-bridge.
TABLE 1. Switch Control Logic Truth Table
BRAKE
DIRECTION
MONO
Active Switches
H
X
Source 1, Source 2
L
H
L
Source 2
L
H
Source 2, Sink 1
L
Source 1
L
H
Source 1, Sink 2
X = don’t care
MONO is the output of the monostable.
Functional Descriptions
TYPICAL OPERATION OF A CHOPPER AMPLIFIER
Chopper amplifiers employ feedback driven switching of a
power bridge to control and limit current in the winding of a
motor (
Figure 1). The bridge consists of four solid state
power switches and four diodes connected in an H configu-
ration. Control circuitry (not shown) monitors the winding
current and compares it to a threshold. While the winding
current remains less than the threshold, a source switch and
a sink switch in opposite halves of the bridge force the sup-
ply voltage across the winding, and the winding current in-
creases rapidly towards V
CC/R (Figure 1a and Figure 1d ).
As the winding current surpasses the threshold, the control
circuitry turns OFF the sink switch for a fixed period or
off-time. During the off-time, the source switch and the oppo-
site upper diode short the winding, and the winding current
recirculates and decays slowly towards zero (
Figure 1b and
Figure 1e ). At the end of the off-time, the control circuitry
turns back ON the sink switch, and the winding current again
increases rapidly towards V
CC/R (Figure 1a and Figure 1d
again). The above sequence repeats to provide a current
chopping action that limits the winding current to the thresh-
old (
Figure 1g ). Chopping only occurs if the winding current
reaches the threshold. During a change in the direction of
the winding current, the diodes provide a decay path for the
initial winding current (
Figure 1c and Figure 1f ). Since the
bridge shorts the winding for a fixed period, this type of chop-
per amplifier is commonly referred to as a
fixed off-time
chopper.
DS011878-2
Top View
15-Lead TO-220 Molded Power Package
Order Number LMD18245T
See NS Package Number TA15A
5
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