APEC: 3phase motor driver for power tools and service robots

Update: August 6, 2023
APEC: 3phase motor driver for power tools and service robots

Called 6EDL7141, it can drive gates from 7, 10, 12 or 15V, provided by one charge pump for the low-side mosfets and one for the high-side mosfets.

“In addition, the driver is equipped with an adjustable gate drive configuration, with several current levels and timing options to control the slew rate and minimize system electromagnetic interference,” according to Infineon. “All of the 6EDL7141 settings can be changed with the available GUI.”

Also in there is a buck converter to create a power rail for the associated host microcontroller, and a linear regulator to clean that output up if required. Data to the host is over an SPI bus.

packaging is 7 x 7mm 48pin VQFN.

Six PWM modes are available for hosts of different capability

  • 6 PWM inputs
  • 3 PWM
  • 1 PWM and commutation pattern
  • 1 PWM with Hall sensor commutation
  • 1 PWM mode with Hall sensor commutation and alternating recirculation

All but the first have dead-time anti-cross-conduction options. Controlled braking is also provided.

Current sense amplifiers are provided for single, dual and triple shunt configurations.

Protections include: over-current on the motor, internal dc-dc and LDO, under-voltage lock-out on the power input and gate drive supplies, temperature warning, temperature shut-down, rotor-lock (Hall-based), memory fault and watchdog timer.

Applications are foreseen in battery-powered consumer and industrial items – cordless power tools and service robots, for example.

There is a lot going on in this IC that there is not room to mention here – see the 6EDL7141 data sheet for more.

The 6EDL7141 product page is here

Infineon is showing off this IC at virtual APEC this week.

Top diagram – the charge pumps are not shown, and the box labelled ‘inverter’ is the external six mosfet bridge.