Data Sheet

89 : circuit 5a
Circuit 5A:
Motor Basics
In this circuit, you will learn the basic
concepts behind motor control. Motors
require a lot of current, so you can’t
drive them directly from a digital pin on
the RedBoard. Instead, you’ll use what
is known as a motor controller or motor
driver board to power and spin the motor
accordingly.
NEW COMPONENTS
SWITCHES are components that control
the open-ness or closed-ness of an electric
circuit. Just like the momentary
buttons used in earlier circuits,
this type of switch can only
exist in one of two states: open
or closed. However, a switch is different in
that it will stay in the position it was last in
until it is switched again.
THE MOTORS in your Inventor’s Kit
have two main parts: a small DC motor
that spins quickly and a plastic gearbox
that gears down the output from the hobby
motor so that it is slower but stronger,
allowing it to move your robot. The motors
have a clever design allowing you to attach
things that you want to spin fast (like a
small fan or flag) to the hobby motor, and
things that you want to be strong (like a
wheel) to the plastic axle sticking out the
side of the motor. The included wheels just
so happen to fit on the plastic axles.
TB6612FNG MOTOR DRIVER: If you
switch the direction of current through
a motor by swapping the positive and
negative leads, the motor will spin in
the opposite direction. Motor controllers
contain a set of
switches (called
an H-bridge)
that lets you
easily control the
direction of one or
more motors. The
TB6612FNG Motor Driver takes commands
for each motor over three wires (two wires
control direction, and one controls speed),
and then uses these signals to control the
current through two wires attached to your
motor.
NEW CONCEPTS
VOLTAGE IN (VIN): This circuit utilizes
the VIN pin found with the other RedBoard
power pins. The VIN pin outputs a voltage
that varies based on whatever voltage the
RedBoard is powered with. If the RedBoard
is powered through the USB port, then the
YOU
NEED
VM
VCC
GND
A01
A02
B02
B01
GND
PWMA
A12
A11
ST
BY
B11
B12
PWMB
GND
M
O
T
OR
DRIVER
MOTOR DRIVER GEAR MOTOR SWITCH 16 HOOKUP WIRES
VM
VCC
GND
A01
A02
B02
B01
GND
PWMA
A12
A11
ST
BY
B11
B12
PWMB
GND
MOTOR
DRIVER