Printed-circuit Motors And Components Patents (Class 310/DIG6)
  • Patent number: 6153957
    Abstract: A rotating electrical machine having a simplified terminal construction for providing the electrical connections to the individual armature windings. This connection is provided by a terminal plate comprised of an insulating base having conductive terminals affixed to its opposite sides. This insulating plate and the terminals have slots that receive the ends of the armature windings for facilitating and simplifying the electrical connections. In addition, the terminal plate and the sensor elements for the machine are disposed in substantial axial alignment with each other but radially spaced from each other to provide a compact assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Moriyama Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadashi Takano
  • Patent number: 6127752
    Abstract: The invention is based on an electrically operated motor, having a shaft with a magnet rotor body, the RPM of the shaft can be picked up by a Hall sensor disposed on a circuit board. The circuit board is embodied with soldered pins or contact shoes and is integrated into a component of the motor, and that contacts, supply and signal lines for the circuit board are injected and/or plugged into the component of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Wiesler
  • Patent number: 6124650
    Abstract: An actuation device employing square-loop latchable magnetic material having a magnetization direction (polarization) capable of being changed in response to exposure to an external magnetic field is disclosed. The magnetic field is created by a conductor assembly with non-solenoid configuration. Once the magnetization direction of the material is so changed, the external magnetic field is no longer required to maintain the new magnetization direction. The latchable magnetic material is disposed on the mobile electrode of a switching device, and another magnetic material is disposed in spaced relation to the latchable magnetic material on a stationary electrode or surface. By applying an electrical current to a conductor assembly arranged proximate the latchable material, a magnetic field is created about the latchable magnetic material, to change the magnetization direction and thereby enable the attraction or repulsion of another magnetic material located on the stationary electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: David John Bishop, Sungho Jin, Jungsang Kim, Ainissa G. Ramirez
  • Patent number: 6118198
    Abstract: An electric motor having a snap-together construction without the use of separate fasteners. The construction of the motor removes additive tolerances for a more accurate assembly. The motor is capable of programming and testing after final assembly and can be non-destructively disassembled for repair or modification. The motor is constructed to inhibit the ready entry of water into the motor housing and to limit the effect of any water which manages to enter the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert K. Hollenbeck, James E. Grimm, Gregory A. Thompson
  • Patent number: 6111329
    Abstract: An armature for an electric motor is constructed from a pair of precision machined copper plates cut in a pattern to produce a series of axially extending surface conductive bands with each band separated from the other by an insulated cutout. The precision machined plates are rolled to form two telescoping, hollow cylinders with each cylinder having a pattern of conductive bands representing a half-electric circuit. The outer surface of the inner cylinder is wrapped with several layers of fiberglass strands for structural stability and insulation. The fiberglass wrapped inner cylinder is telescoped inside the outer cylinder. The outer surface of the telescoped structure is also wrapped with several layers of fiberglass strands for structural stability. The conductive bands from the outer cylinder being the near mirror image of the conductive bands of the inner cylinder are helically coupled to form a complete electrical circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Inventors: Gregory S. Graham, Gerald W. Yankie
  • Patent number: 6104113
    Abstract: A coil assembly for sensorless rotor angular position control of a single phase permanent magnet motor. The coil assembly is positioned axially adjacent one end of the motor's rotor core in magnetic coupling relationship with the rotor and substantially independent of the magnetic coupling relationship between the main winding of the motor's stator and rotor. The coil assembly comprises a coil of wire and a coil fixture for holding the coil of wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Brian L. Beifus
  • Patent number: 6082208
    Abstract: A process for forming complex microelectromechanical (MEM) devices having five layers or levels of polysilicon, including four structural polysilicon layers wherein mechanical elements can be formed, and an underlying polysilicon layer forming a voltage reference plane. A particular type of MEM device that can be formed with the five-level polysilicon process is a MEM transmission for controlling or interlocking mechanical power transfer between an electrostatic motor and a self-assembling structure (e.g. a hinged pop-up mirror for use with an incident laser beam). The MEM transmission is based on an incomplete gear train and a bridging set of gears that can be moved into place to complete the gear train to enable power transfer. The MEM transmission has particular applications as a safety component for surety, and for this purpose can incorporate a pin-in-maze discriminator responsive to a coded input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: M. Steven Rodgers, Jeffry J. Sniegowski, Samuel L. Miller, Paul J. McWhorter
  • Patent number: 6049147
    Abstract: The present invention provides a motor and a stator structure of the motor and an assembly method of the stator structure and a method of installing the motor. The stator structure of the motor contains a stator substrate having a double-layer structure of a printed circuit board and a magnetic plate jointed together at a plurality of calking sections, wherein a centroid is determined with respect to the plurality of calking sections on the printed circuit board, and a vacant area having no electric parts provided is determined nearby the centroid on the printed circuit board to allow the vacant area to be supported by a retainer of a calking jig.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Sanada, Isamu Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 6020660
    Abstract: A dynamoelectric machine includes a stator having a stator core. A winding is provided on the stator core and the stator core has a stator bore. A rotor including a rotor core is received in the stator bore. A permanent magnet is mounted on the rotor core periphery and a rotor shaft is mounted on the rotor core. Bearing means are provided for supporting the rotor shaft for rotation relative to the stator. A first circuit board having electrical components thereon is used in operating the dynamoelectric machine, and a second circuit board having an electrical component in the form of a sensing device thereon is used in determining the position of the rotor. The first circuit board is constructed for mounting the second circuit board thereon so that the second circuit board projects axially inwardly from the first circuit board and the sensing device is disposed in an axial position overlapping the axial position of the permanent magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Kamron M. Wright
  • Patent number: 6011331
    Abstract: An improved design for a switched reluctance motor is disclosed that keeps the motor cool during operation and thereby improves the performance and reliability of the motor. The improved design employs three centrifugal fans mounted to the motor shaft, which are used to create two independent airflow paths, one of which cools the electronic components of the motor. The improved design also divides the functions performed by a single printed circuit board into two circuit boards, an upper circuit board and a lower circuit board. Another feature of the improved design includes locating the position/speed sensing encoder immediately below one of the centrifugal cooling fans. The disclosed construction provides for increased dissipation of heat that is generated by the motor and its electronic components. In this configuration, the printed circuit boards and other electronic components are located in such a manner that air can be circulated in a path to remove heat from these components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Joseph T. Gierer, Karmen D. Cox
  • Patent number: 5990589
    Abstract: In a brushless motor (1), a stator base board (10) has three grooves (14) which are cut radially of a mounting hole (103). A core holder (32) holding a stator core (31) has three protrusions (33) which extend downwardly in the direction of the axis of the motor (1). Each of the protrusions (33) has a first engaging portion (331) having a width which is substantially equal to a width of the grooves (14), and a second engaging portion (332) which is semi-circularly protruded from the outer cylindrical surface of the first engaging portion (331). When each of the protrusions (33) is fitted in the respective cut portions (14), two gaps (34) are formed between the outer surfaces of the second engaging portion (332) and the inner surfaces of the cut portions (14). Through the gaps (34), coil terminals (351) are extended from the upper surface (102) of the stator base board (10) to the lower surface, and are then soldered to lands (43) of the wiring pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sankyo Seiki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Isao Ushikoshi
  • Patent number: 5986367
    Abstract: In a motor mounting mechanism, a cylindrical motor includes a frame (6) serving as a stator and an electric power supply terminal (2) attached to a bottom surface of a bracket (1). When the motor is mounted to a motor attachment device, a first external electrode (10) is mechanically and electrically connected to a cylindrical side surface of the frame (6) while a second external electrode (11) is mechanically and electrically connected to the power supply terminal (2). The first and second external electrodes are both located outside the motor, and thus, the process of providing lead wires for connecting the external electrodes to the printed board can be omitted, allowing the total size of the motor mounting mechanism to be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Tsuzaki, Koji Kuyama, Eiichi Ibata, Kodo Fukuoka, Hideki Shimada
  • Patent number: 5959375
    Abstract: A device fabricated to redirect electromagnetic signals, the device including a primary driver adapted to provide a predetermined force, a linkage system coupled to the primary driver, a pusher rod rotationally coupled to the linkage system, a flexible rod element attached to the pusher rod and adapted to buckle upon the application of the predetermined force, and a mirror structure attached to the flexible rod element at one end and to the substrate at another end. When the predetermined force buckles the flexible rod element, the mirror structure and the flexible rod element both move to thereby allow a remotely-located electromagnetic signal directed towards the device to be redirected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Inventor: Ernest J. Garcia
  • Patent number: 5942821
    Abstract: A holder member fixing apparatus of a motor facilitates the fixing of a holder member without requiring a separate jig by fixing the holder member to the upper portion of a substrate via a printed circuit board and forming a position setting hole for previously setting the fixing position of the holder member into the printed circuit board. The apparatus includes a holder member which is inserted with a rotating shaft in the center thereof and is formed with a backing stand for placing a rotor thereon to the lower portion of the outer periphery thereof, and a substrate having a plurality of couplers to the upper portion thereof to be fixedly coupled by being inserted with a plurality of brackets radially-formed along the outer periphery of the backing stand. Also, a printed circuit board fixedly installed to the upper portion of the substrate while overlapping thereon is formed with a position setting hole for leading the holder member to place to a correct position, thereby requiring no separate jig.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Seong Ho Shin
  • Patent number: 5929542
    Abstract: A micromachined stepper motor having a toothed slider connected at either end to spring flexures. At least one of the spring flexures is positioned between a load, such as a high pass optical filter, and the slider. The slider is positioned within three stators that are sequentially energized such that they move the slider along its longitudinal axis. The springs and guide posts hold the slider in place and establish a rest position when no driving force is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Ohnstein, J. David Zook, James B. Starr
  • Patent number: 5909069
    Abstract: A planar fully integrated variable reluctance micromotor (10) is microfabricated on a substrate base (18). The micromotor includes a pin (19), rotor (12) with radially extending poles (16), and a stator (20) having a plurality of poles (21) configured in pairs (22) circumferentially spaced about the rotor. The rotor is microfabricated in place, or in situ, contiguous to the substrate base. The pairs of stator poles include a multilevel core (26) wrapped around a meander conductor (27) which is connected to bonding pads (32). The variable reluctance micromotor is particularly adapted to operating as a micropump (45) for conductive fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Mark G. Allen, Chong-Hyuk Ahn
  • Patent number: 5896238
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror for a vehicle has a base and a mirror housing connected to the base. A mirror pane is movably connected in the mirror housing. An electrically operated drive unit for moving the mirror pane is provided. The drive unit includes electric motors encapsulated by a drive unit housing. Electric lines for supplying the drive unit with electrical power are provided. A plug connector is positioned in the drive unit housing. The electric lines have a plug for insertion into the plug connector. The plug connector has electric connectors for connecting the motors to the plug connectors. The motors are connected to the electric connectors by a plug connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: EM Kunststofftechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Winfried Hubscher, Rolf Alfred Engelmann
  • Patent number: 5841208
    Abstract: A motor capable of generating an electric signal having a particular and precise frequency may be used in a rotary magnetic head apparatus for a video tape recorder. A wiring pattern for generating the signal is disposed on a stator opposite a rotor. Alternating magnetic flux provided by movement of the rotor produces the signal. Gaps in the wiring pattern allow the wiring pattern and wiring for iron core assemblies also disposed on the stator to be disposed on a single circuit board. A toroidal coupling line and a loop coupling line close the loop without crossing the gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Abe
  • Patent number: 5825115
    Abstract: An electric motor has two exciter windings, independent of each other, on a stator, by which windings a resultant magnetic field can be produced. The motor includes a permanently magnetized rotor which has at least one pair of poles, the rotor changing its position as a function of the magnetic field, and the rotor being arranged axially on a rotor shaft. In the case of an electric motor which is of a small size and easy to manufacture, the stator is developed with several arms, and has an opening present at the center to receive the rotor. The individual arms are arranged around the opening and, there are, two pairs of opposite arms. The opposite arms are so bent towards each other so that, upon their receiving a respective exciter winding, they produce magnetic vectors which are perpendicular to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AG
    Inventors: Klaus Kronenberg, Sabine Vorberg, Markus Keutz, Andreas Wilhelm, Frank Weiand, Christian Beckhaus, Thomas Vorberg, Peter Schmidt, Jochen Blume
  • Patent number: 5808384
    Abstract: Micromechanical actuators capable of bidirectional and bistable operation can be formed on substrates using lithographic processing techniques. Bistable operation of the microactuator is obtained using a single coil and a magnetic core with a gap. A plunger having two magnetic heads is supported for back and forth linear movement with respect to the gap in the magnetic core, and is spring biased to a neutral position in which the two heads are on each side of the gap in the core. The single electrical coil is coupled to the core and is provided with electrical current to attract one of the heads toward the core by reluctance action to drive the plunger to a limit of travel in one direction. The current is then cut off and the plunger returns by spring action toward the gap, whereafter the current is reapplied to the coil to attract the other head of the plunger by reluctance action to drive the plunger to its other limit of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Ned Tabat, Henry Guckel
  • Patent number: 5804895
    Abstract: A miniature motor includes a frame which has been solder treated on its surface and which has a closed end and is generally cylindrical-shaped or generally oval-shaped in cross section. The frame includes a projected portion of an outer periphery thereof for insertion into a hole of a printed circuit board. The projecting portion has a notch for holding the printed circuit board therein, wherein the printed circuit board and the projected portion extending through the hole of the printed circuit board are soldered to each other with solder while the printed circuit board is held in the notch of the projected portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Tsuzaki, Eiichi Ibata
  • Patent number: 5789834
    Abstract: A spindle motor includes a printed wiring board. A stator is fixed to the printed wiring board. A housing is fixed to the printed wiring board. A bearing is provided on the housing. A rotor shaft is rotatably supported by the bearing. A hub base is mounted on the rotor shaft. A stator winding provided on the stator is bonded to the printed wiring board. The stator may have an inner circumferential portion formed with a plurality of grooves. In this case, it is preferable that the printed wiring board has a plurality of through holes at positions corresponding to positions of the grooves in the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Katoh, Fujio Nakagawa, Yasuo Sasaki
  • Patent number: 5760502
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a pattern of conductors on a polyimide base is disclosed. After the conductors have been formed in known manner, ridges of an insulating material are formed in the metal free zones by applying, exposing and developing a UV-sensitive resist. Subsequently, metal is deposited on the conductors between the ridges, which prevent short circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Evert J. Van Loenen, Gerardus N. A. Van Veen
  • Patent number: 5710476
    Abstract: An axial gap rotary electric machine in which the conduction path design for disc-shaped armatures is specifically matched to the configuration of the axial magnetic field. The design achieves an axial gap rotary electric machine which is light in weight and capable of high power density per unit weight. The design can be used as an electric generator or an electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: InterScience, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Ampela
  • Patent number: 5663604
    Abstract: A brushless motor for use as a fan motor or the like has a housing, a bearing tower provided inside the housing, a stator fixed on a circumference of the bearing tower, a rotor having a shaft rotatably supported by a bearing inside the bearing tower, a rotor magnet provided on the rotor and opposed to the stator, and a circuit base on which a drive control circuit for controlling the rotation of the rotor by controlling a current supplied to the stator is formed. The housing is provided with a supporting plate for supporting the bearing tower. This supporting plate is recessed in an axial direction relative to a bottom surface of the housing, and supports the bearing tower so that the bearing tower projects inwardly from the supporting power in the axial direction. The circuit base is mounted on a surface of the supporting plate opposite from the bearing tower. If this structure is adopted, the overall size of the motor can be reduced while the desired mounting area of the circuit base is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventor: Shuji Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5644177
    Abstract: Micromechanical structures capable of actuation for purposes such as fluid flow control are formed on substrates in sizes in the range of one or two millimeters or less using micromechanical processing techniques. A magnetic core having a gap therein is fixed on the substrate, and a plunger is mounted by a spring for movement parallel to the substrate in response to the flux provided to the gap of the fixed core. An electrical coil wound around a mandrel is engaged to the fixed magnetic core such that flux is induced in the core when current is supplied to the coil, driving the plunger against the force of the spring. A micromechanical fluid control unit includes a metal frame structure formed by electrodeposition on a substrate with the inner wall of the frame having slots formed therein to admit a separator wall which divides the interior of the frame into separate chambers, with a cover secured over the top of the frame and the separator wall to seal the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Henry Guckel, Jonathan L. Klein, Thomas L. Earles
  • Patent number: 5644183
    Abstract: A flat electric motor comprises a rotor with a flat, permanent magnetic disc which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, and an electromagnetic stator with a stack of flat, electrically insulating supporting elements having first and second principal surfaces on which patterns of conductor tracks are provided such that there is formed a number of windings consisting of first and second coils arranged in a ring about the axis of rotation and which are formed by spirally extending conductor tracks on the first and the second principal surface of each supporting element. The coils which form part of one winding are electrically connected in series via connection tracks which a part of the conductor tracks, interconnections which extend between the first and second principal surfaces, and connection elements which connect connection tracks on different supporting elements of the stack to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Evert J. Van Loenen, Franciscus M.A.M. Van Gaal
  • Patent number: 5637945
    Abstract: A brushless motor includes a minimum number of parts and is assembled easily. A molded, substantially annular plastic permanent magnet on a rotor is magnetized in axially opposite directions alternatively such that a plurality of pairs of S and N poles are formed alternatively. The substantially annular permanent magnet includes an annular portion associated with air-core coils provided on a stator for generating a driving torque for the rotor and associated with a frequency signal generating circuit pattern provided on the stator for generating an electric signal indicative of a rotor speed and a protruded portion protruding from an outer peripheral side surface of the annular portion and associated with a rotor position detecting means provided on the stator for generating an electric signal indicative of a rotor position. A boundary line between an S and N pole of one of the plural pole pairs passes through the protruded portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Yamamuro, Hisahiro Miki, Kuniaki Hirayama
  • Patent number: 5578883
    Abstract: A motor in which flange portions are partially formed on the outer peripheral surface of a housing. Flange portions, which can be respectively superimposed on the flange portions of the housing, are formed on the inner peripheral surface of a stator core. Projected portions and screw holes are formed in the stator core such that they are positioned adjacent to each other. Then, while the flange portions of the stator core are respectively superimposed on the flange portions of the housing, screws are respectively inserted through the screw holes in the flange portions in contact with the projected portions into screw holes formed in a circuit board, whereby the flange portions of the stator core are flexed to press down the flange portions of the housing, so that the housing can be fixed to the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sankyo Seiki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sakashita, Yukio Kotagiri
  • Patent number: 5541787
    Abstract: A flexible cable is supported within the sealed disc drive housing, with one end of the cable readily, automatically soldered to the end wires of the spindle motor leads. The opposite or outboard end of the cable terminates in a header comprising a plastic mounting piece to support a multi-pin electrical connector with the pins extending from both sides of the header. Two locating pins are provided on the plastic header outside of a channel for defining the location of a gasket. The conductors in the cable terminate at four connecting pins at one end of the header. With the pins extending both above and below the header piece, immediately upon installation of the printed cable, the conductors to the spindle motor may be accessed so that the spindle motor and other elements of the head disc assembly may be tested during assembly of the complete disc drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: Seagate Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Iraj Jabbari, Mike J. Darling
  • Patent number: 5510663
    Abstract: An electrodynamic device such as an electric motor has a stator (16) comprising a substrate (41) in the form of a sheet or foil carrying a plurality of windings (U.sub.1 -U.sub.3, V.sub.1 -V.sub.3, W.sub.1 -W.sub.3) comprising spiral coils (43, 45) on its upper and its lower side connected in series with one another, which stator has a number of phases (U, V, W) each comprising at least one winding. The device in accordance with the invention may comprise one or a plurality of such substrates (41), but each substrate always carries all the phases (U, V, W) present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Evert J. Van Loenen
  • Patent number: 5510664
    Abstract: In a brushless motor, the number of coreless armature coils is set to 3n when the number of magnetic poles of a magnet for a magnetic field is set to 2n where n is a positive integer. An opening angle of each of the armature coils is set to 360/3n degrees. A notch portion is formed in an outer circumferential portion of the magnet for a magnetic field. A recessed portion is formed by this notch portion and an inner circumferential portion of a yoke. The recessed portion constitutes a groove for correcting a balance of each of the magnet for a magnetic field and a rotating body when this magnet and the rotating body are rotated. A motor housing and a harness are electrically connected to a printed board. The housing is connected to the ground through this harness and a harness for power. In this brushless motor, a magnetizing frequency is reduced and driving efficiency of a control circuit can improved when the brushless motor is rotated at a high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tohoku Richo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Suzuki, Yukio Itami, Yoshio Hashimoto, Mutsumi Yamamoto, Yoshihiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5493157
    Abstract: A brushless motor of the present invention generally has a stator and a rotor in a clean chamber of contaminant free atmosphere. The stator has a motor base, a shaft provided on the motor base and a plurality of coils on the motor base. The rotor has a bearing holder having a center hole for supporting bearings, a hub connected to the bearing holder for mounting information storage discs such as hard discs and a magnet having magnetic poles provided on the hub facing to the coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuaki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5412265
    Abstract: A planar micro-motor and method of fabricating it are disclosed. The planar micro-motor comprises a stator supported by the substrate and preferably comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced micro-coils lying in a first plane. The micro-motor also has rotor comprising a plurality of magnetic regions circumferentially spaced about a shaft for rotation in a second plane parallel to, and spaced from, the first plane. Actuating elements selectively energize subsets of the micro-coils to generate electromagnetic fields acting on the magnetic regions of the rotor across the planar gap sandwiched between the micro-coils and the rotor. The amount and direction of rotation of the rotor can be controlled. The planar micro-motor can be employed as a stepper motor. It can be fabricated using microfabrication techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Edward N. Sickafus
  • Patent number: 5394043
    Abstract: A brushless d.c. motor comprising a housing, an annular stator coil structure with the housing, a rotor concentric with the stator and comprising a body having an output shaft portion extending from one end thereof toward the forward end of the housing for connection to a mechanical load for driving the same and a permanent magnet arrangement on the periphery of the rotor body operatively associated with the stator coil structure, a first bearing near the forward end of the housing for rotatably supporting the shaft portion of the rotor and wherein there is provided a second bearing axially inwardly of the rear end of the rotor for rotatably supporting that end of the rotor and a circuit board located between the rear end of the rotor and the rear end of the housing. By virtue of the location of the second bearing a rigid and vibration free structure is provided for operation of the motor at high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: American Precision Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Song-Ling Hsia
  • Patent number: 5349259
    Abstract: In a rotor for a printed motor which has an armature, a hub fitted in the center of the armature and a rotating shaft supported by the hub, a cyanate resin is employed to impregnate a glass fabric forming an insulating sheet to which sheet coils are bonded together to form the armature. An insulating sheet of the same material is also interposed between the armature and the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Kaneko, Osamu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5334897
    Abstract: A sealed electric motor is formed by means of interfitting metallic housing members and an overmolded plastic casing. The housing includes an annular groove into which the casing extends to improve both retention and sealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: North American Philips Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Ineson, Edward M. O'Connor, David C. Casali
  • Patent number: 5327033
    Abstract: Micromechanical devices are formed on a substrate using a sacrificial layer deep X-ray lithography process to produce a rotating microrotor which is driven magnetically. The rotor typically has a diameter of a few hundred microns or less and is formed as a free structure which is assembled onto a hub formed on a substrate. Stator pole pieces are formed on the substrate of a ferromagnetic material surrounding the rotor, and are also preferably formed by a deep X-ray lithography process followed by electroplating of a ferromagnetic material such as nickel. The stator pole pieces are supplied with magnetic flux, such as from a current flowing through a conductor surrounding the magnetic pole pieces which is integrated with the pole pieces on the substrate. Separate electromagnets can also be utilized to provide the magnetic flux to the pole pieces to provide a rotating magnetic field in the region of the rotor to drive the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Henry Guckel, Todd R. Christenson, Kenneth J. Skrobis
  • Patent number: 5313128
    Abstract: In summary, the present invention is a flexible printed circuit that eliminates the need for lead wire routing. The flexible printed circuit of the present invention comprises a plurality of electrical paths surrounded by a sheath of pliable MYLAR (polyester film) plastic. One side of the plastic is an adhesive that holds the circuit in place after it is wrapped around the shaft of the motor. On the other side, the mylar sheath opens to expose the ends of each electrical path. Small amounts of solder are pre-deposited at these exposed ends. A probe, suitably heated and applied to these ends, releases the solder to form a electrical and physical contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Seagate Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter G. Robinson, James S. Bowdoin, Robert A. Nottingham
  • Patent number: 5313126
    Abstract: An electromagnetic interference suppressing (EMI) interconnect for connecting a DC motor to a DC source comprising a pair of copper sheets disposed between insulative sheets, and wrapped around the motor housing. A lead extends from each copper sheet for being connected to one side of the DC source. A connector tab extends from each copper sheet for being connected to one terminal of the DC motor. The copper sheets may be spaced laterally apart and disposed between a single pair of insulative sheets, or may be overlayed and separated by an insulative sheet. EMI suppression provided is greater than that possible with known capacitance devices of similar capacitance values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Jeffry A. Forsythe, Jeffrey A. Kipp, Robert R. Osborn, Todd L. Russell
  • Patent number: 5304884
    Abstract: An armature, a method for producing the armature and a mold for molding the same are so configured that the coil pitch of each of phase coils is set to a value of 125% or less of the pole pitch, the gap between the respective phase coils of any one of layers is so disposed as to face the intenral space of each of the phase coils of the other layer being contact with that layer, and the registering face of the mold for molding the periphery of the armature is so formed as to be parallel with the axial direction of the armature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1994
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Limited
    Inventors: Goro Kitajima, Naohiro Hanaoka, Mitsuo Nasu
  • Patent number: 5304878
    Abstract: To provide a disk unit with a reduced thickness, a motor substrate for mounting an inner rotor, outer rotor or belt drive type motor for rotating a magnetic recording medium, includes an extension portion which extends beyond the magnetic recording medium, to which electronic parts and a connector are mounted, so that they do not interfere with the magnetic recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1994
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuya Oda, Takeshi Sato, Kazuo Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 5304886
    Abstract: A stepping motor having a printed circuit rotor including a first printed circuit on one side of the rotor formed in a plurality of spiral coil windings, and a second printed circuit on the other side of the rotor formed in an equal number of like coil windings, the coil windings on one side being 90.degree. out of phase with those on the opposite side. The motor also includes a slip-ring arrangement for delivering pulsed DC power alternately to the first and second printed circuits for driving the rotor in a step-wise manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1994
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Patent number: 5287028
    Abstract: A miniature motor comprising a case formed into a bottomed hollow cylindrical shape and having a permanent magnet fixedly fitted to the inner circumferential surface thereof, an end plate engaged with an opening of the case and having input terminals, and a rotor rotatably supported by bearings provided on the case and the end plate; power being fed from the input terminals to the rotor via printed-circuit boards, in which a connector-unit body is fixedly fitted to an outer end of the end plate; the connector unit having such a construction that connector pins formed of a metallic material into a strip shape and having retainer pieces for printed-circuit boards and contactor pieces for input terminals are fixedly fitted to a connector-unit body made of an insulating material and formed into a plate shape, and insertion holes are provided in the vicinity of the retainer pieces so that the printed-circuit boards and input terminals can be electrically connected by inserting the printed-circuit boards into the i
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Assignee: Mabuchi Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Suzuki, Naoshi Kajie
  • Patent number: 5268602
    Abstract: An electric machine within a hub housing rotatably disposed on an axle. A magnetic rotor is mounted on and can be rotated about the axle and is driven by the rotation of the hub housing by means of a transmission. The magnetic rotor comprises a central support carrying a plurality of axially aligned permanent-magnetic rods arranged in a star-shaped configuration. A coil assembly in the form of a cylindrical shell is arranged around the magnetic rotor. This design results in a compact and easy to assemble configuration with an overall efficiency higher than 0.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: Vereinigte Drahtwerke A.G.
    Inventor: Edwin Schwaller
  • Patent number: 5262695
    Abstract: An electrostatic motor for use as a power generating mechanism to be mounted on a micromachine includes a rotatable semiconductor substrate and a drive electrode disposed in proximity to the substrate. The semiconductor substrate is doped with a specified impurity element to form electromagnetic wave-static electric converters of p-n junction. When the motor is to be started, the converter in the vicinity of the electrode is irradiated with electromagnetic waves to set up an electric field between the opposed surfaces of the converter and the electrode to rotate the substrate by an electrostatic force due to the electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1993
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukinori Kuwano, Masato Nishikuni, Shigeru Noguchi, Makoto Tanaka, Hiroyuki Kuriyama, Akira Terakawa, Noboru Nakamura, Shinya Tsuda, Takeo Tsutsumi, Hiroaki Izu, Yukio Nakashima
  • Patent number: 5260619
    Abstract: In a frequency generator, some of connecting wire elements forming the generator coil pattern are omitted. The circuit wiring pattern is partially laid in a printed wiring board surface area located between the adjacent generator wire elements, which is not connected because the connecting wire elements are omitted. The adjacent generator wire elements not connected are connected by a conductor, which is electrically insulated from the circuit wiring pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1993
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sankyo Seiki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Masayoshi Hara
  • Patent number: 5256922
    Abstract: A spindle motor comprises a housing, a hub arranged for rotation on the housing, a couple of bearings interposed between the housing and the hub, a rotor magnet mounted to the hub, and a stator mounted to the housing so as to face the rotor magnet, in which at least one of the two bearings is of single seal type having a seal at one side. Also, a flexible pc film is provided for supply of electric energy to the stator and arranged for improved connection to an armature coil of the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1993
    Assignee: Nippon Densan Corporation
    Inventors: Tadahiro Tanaka, Hiroyuki Yonei, Yoichi Mori, Yoshiyuki Kodaira
  • Patent number: 5252876
    Abstract: A frequency generator includes a frequency generating magnet, a plurality of generating coils arranged at the polar periphery of the frequency generating magnet, the coils each comprising linear elements located at a distance from the frequency generating magnet such that the linear elements of the coils detect the same magnetic signals at the same time, the coils being crossed with each other, and a plurality of canceling coils provided on one side of the direction in which the generating coils are arranged with respect to the frequency generating magnet, the canceling coils and the generating coils being alternately connected in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1993
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motoyoshi Kawai, Yoshifumi Shimogaki, Hideki Shimada
  • Patent number: 5177389
    Abstract: A servo controlled motor has an annular coil arrangement with meander-shaped windings and an annular arrangement of magnetic pole pairs, positioned for concentric relative rotation. A first coil is formed by a first number of the windings aligned at a first angle and with consistent pitch relative to a diameter line. A first number of pole pairs are aligned at the first angle and correspond in number and pitch to the first number of windings. A second coil is formed by a second number of windings. The second number of windings is aligned at a second angle relative to the diameter line. A second number of the pole pairs are aligned at the second angle and correspond in number and pitch to the second number of windings. Voltages are induced in the second coil by the second, but not by the first, number of pole pairs. Alternatively, the first number of windings define a grid of winding positions. A second coil is formed by a second number of windings aligned at the first angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: Deutsche Thomson-Brandt GmbH
    Inventor: Adelbert Schalk