Patents Examined by Karl Tamai
  • Patent number: 7342346
    Abstract: A microfabricated actuator of the vertical comb-drive (AVC) type or staggered vertical comb-drive type for torsional or linear applications includes torsion springs which permit self-aligned deformation of the device (micromirror) structure of the actuator through the heating of the torsional springs to plasticity. The torsional springs can include perpendicular-beam springs or double folded beams which allow axial movement of the spring when heated. Heating of the springs can be by bulk heating of the actuator structure or by Joule heating to the torsional springs by passing an electrical current therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Jongbaeg Kim, Liwei Lin
  • Patent number: 7342332
    Abstract: A motor includes a housing including separate motor and bearing cooling inlets. A motor is arranged within the housing and includes a stator and rotor assembly that is supported on air bearings. The motor cooling inlet is in fluid communication with the stator, and the bearing cooling inlet is in fluid communication with the air bearings. A vent is arranged in the housing and is common to the motor and bearing cooling inlets. The vent is in fluid communication with a low pressure side of a ram air duct. The bearing cooling duct is in fluid communication with a high pressure side of a ram air duct, such as through a reverse J-tube. A differential pressure between the high and low pressure sides moves cooling fluid from the bearing cooling inlet to the vent to cool the bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher McAuliffe, Craig M. Beers, Thomas Zywiak
  • Patent number: 7339292
    Abstract: A multi-polar rotary machine comprises a and a cylindrical outer rotor arranged concentrically with the stator and with an air gap therebetween. The stator has two splitted stator elements and a ring shaped permanent magnet held between the stator elements and magnetized so as to form N and S poles in the axial direction of the stator. Small axially separated stator teeth A and ? and B and B are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the splitted stator elements. Stator windings for A phase and B phase are wound around the respective stator elements. The small stator teeth A, ?, B and B are circumferentially shifted from corresponding small rotor teeth by a ¼ pitch of the small stator teeth, respectively. Each of the stator and rotor is formed of pressed powder consisting of soft magnetic material, and of resin and/or inorganic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Japan Servo Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kazuo Ohnishi, Shoji Ohiwa, Yasuaki Motegi
  • Patent number: 7332839
    Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator and a rotor interacting with the stator, wherein the stator and/or the rotor has/have a conducting device for guiding a magnetic flux. The conducting device includes a gap which is provided in a path of the magnetic flux, and a sensor which is received in the gap for measuring the magnetic flux.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Zeljko Jajtic, Gerhard Matscheko, Stefan Schiele
  • Patent number: 7329972
    Abstract: An apparatus including a coil used for generating a thrust to move a movable portion, and a coil support portion which supports the coil. The coil support portion constrains the coil in a direction of the thrust, and slidably supports the coil in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the thrust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Ito
  • Patent number: 7317267
    Abstract: A mounting arrangement for a refrigerator fan, comprising an electric motor (11) to whose shaft is affixed a propeller (12) with an axial flow passing through a refrigerated air outlet (4b) provided through an internal divisional wall (6) of the refrigerator; a support frame (20) having a marginal portion (21) and incorporating a central hub (22) in which is affixed the electric motor (11); a flexible support (30) in the form of an annular flange presenting an outer portion (31), which is peripherally and removably affixed to the contour of the refrigerated air outlet (4b), an inner portion (32) provided with a central opening (35) and with retaining means (36), which are removably locked to the marginal portion (21) of the support frame (20); and an annular membrane portion (33) interconnecting the outer portion (31) and the inner portion (32), in order to allow for small relative axial and radial displacements therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Multibras S.A. Electrodomesticos
    Inventors: Alexandre Cury Schmid, Adriano Cargnin, Alexsandro Jose Pereira, Rogerio Rodrigues Junior
  • Patent number: 7315102
    Abstract: An axial gap motor is described which comprises a rotor shaft rotatable about its axis in case. A rotor is fixed to the rotor shaft to rotate therewith. The rotor includes a plurality of magnets. A stator is disposed about the rotor shaft at a position to coaxially face the rotor. The stator includes a plurality of coils. The magnets of the rotor have each opposed pole faces that extend in a direction other than a direction that is perpendicular to the axis of the rotor shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuusuke Minagawa
  • Patent number: 7315100
    Abstract: A motor comprising a stator, a rotor, and a plurality of blades. The stator comprises a stator base with an opening, a first magnetic structure disposed at a bottom of the opening, a magnetic pole disposed on the stator base, and a second magnetic structure disposed at a top of the magnetic pole. The rotor, coupled to the stator, comprises a hub, a shaft, a third magnetic structure disposed at the hub and encircled one en of the shaft and corresponded to the first magnetic structure, and a fourth magnetic structure disposed at the hub without contacting the second magnetic structure. The blades encircle the rotor. The first and third magnetic structures attract the second and the fourth magnetic structures, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Lee-Long Chen, Chien-Hsiung Huang, Shih-Ming Huang, Wen-Shi Huang
  • Patent number: 7315099
    Abstract: An electric drive unit for a motor vehicle, comprising: (a) a stub axle; (b) an electric motor having a stator that is fixed with respect to the stub axle and having a rotor that is rotatably supported with respect to the stub axle; (c) a gear system having its input connected to the rotor for torque transmission; (d) a wheel carrier that is rotatably supported with respect to the stub axle and is connected to the output of the gear system for torque transmission; characterized in (e) that air cooling with air circulation is provided for cooling the rotor of the electric motor; (f) and in that the electric motor has provided therein a heat sink for taking up heat from the circulating air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Magnet-Motor Gesellschaft fuer mangnetmotorische Technik mbH
    Inventors: Jens Steffen, Roland Hagenlocher, Fritz Walter, Anton Müller, Peter Ehrhart
  • Patent number: 7312542
    Abstract: To reduce the magnetic flux leakage through the gap between magnetic pole teeth of an armature so as to reduce the magnetic attraction force generated between the armature and a needle, an armature unit is provided with two magnetic poles, on the top of which are magnetic pole teeth protruding toward the opposing magnetic pole, where the magnetic pole teeth of the magnetic pole are arranged at two heights, upper and lower, and the magnetic pole teeth of the opposing magnetic pole are arranged at two heights, upper and lower, so that the magnetic flux flows upward and downward alternately between the upper and lower magnetic pole teeth. The needle equipped with permanent magnets moves relatively in the gap between the upper and lower magnetic pole surfaces of the armature unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kim Houng Joong, Hiroshi Katayama, Kohji Maki
  • Patent number: 7309936
    Abstract: To obtain a resolver in which the winding portion is prevented from breaking by corrosion caused by water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Utsumi, Shinji Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7307365
    Abstract: The invention concerns a magnetic guiding device (1) having at least one element (2) to be guided magnetically in the axial direction, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Forschungszentrum Julich GmbH
    Inventors: Johan K. Fremerey, Matthias Lang
  • Patent number: 7307368
    Abstract: A direct current motor including a rotor having a rotation shaft and rotor coils, a stator configured to apply a magnetic field to the rotor via magnetic poles of the stator opposing magnetic poles of the rotor, an electrical parts mounting base board fixed on the rotation shaft such that the rotation shaft perpendicularly intersects the electrical parts mounting base board, and a commutator having a contact electrode part formed with a plane conductive layer pattern and connected to the rotor coils. The contact electrode part is formed on the electrical parts mounting base board. The direct current motor further includes a pair of electrode brushes in sliding contact with the contact electrode part of the commutator and configured to supply electric power to the rotor coils though the commutator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ikuya Tsurukawa, Yoshimi Ohno, Kenji Koyama
  • Patent number: 7304409
    Abstract: A low-cost, small-sized and high-output driving device which makes it possible to produce two outputs separately and is easy to handle. The driving device has two driving units comprised of a coil, a stator, a magnet, and a rotor. The two driving units are arranged, side by side, along the axis of the driving device. In particular, a portion of the first rotor of one driving unit inserted in an inner periphery of the second coil of the other driving unit and the inner periphery of the second rotor of the other driving unit. The portion of the first rotor is magnetized by the second coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kaori Horiike
  • Patent number: 7304410
    Abstract: An electrostatic motor includes a stator electrode member (1a) and a slider electrode member (1b). The stator electrode member (1a) and the slider electrode member (1b) are provided with drive electrode patterns (2), and the drive electrode patterns are covered by cover films (4). Surfaces of the stator electrode member (1a) and the slider electrode member (1b) contacting each other are provided with a plurality of minute projections (5). A clearance between the stator electrode member and the slider electrode member is maintained by the contact of the projections. The projections (5) may also be provided on only one of the stator electrode member (1a) and the slider electrode member (1b), with the other electrode member having a flat surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Shunichi Odaka, Isao Kariya
  • Patent number: 7304408
    Abstract: A driving apparatus includes a magnet that is magnetized to at least two poles in a circumferential direction and fixed to a rotor axis formed with a soft magnetic material, and first and second coils arranged in the same direction as the magnet with respect to the magnet-axis direction and arranged adjacent to an end surface of the magnet in the magnet-axis direction. The first magnetic pole portion is excited by energizing the first coil, and the second magnetic pole portion is excited to a pole opposite to the first magnetic pole portion by energizing the second coil. A yoke portion is formed with a soft magnetic material for supporting the first and second magnetic pole portions. The first magnetic pole portion includes a first coil insertion portion that is inserted to an internal diameter portion of the first coil, and a first magnet facing portion that is arranged to face a magnetized outer circumferential portion of the magnet with a predetermined gap at a predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masao Mizumaki
  • Patent number: 7301253
    Abstract: A vehicle fan motor for an electric fan assembly includes a motor housing, a motor assembly enclosed in the motor housing, and a universal mounting arrangement radially and outwardly extended from the motor housing for securely mounting the motor housing to the electric fan assembly. The universal mounting arrangement contains first through sixth alignment holes radially and spacedly provided on a circumferential side of the motor housing. Therefore, the motor housing is adapted for securely mounting to the electric fan assembly having three mounting holes when the first, third and fifth alignment holes of the universal mounting arrangement are coaxially aligned with the three mounting holes respectively, and the motor housing is adapted for securely mounting to the electric fan assembly having four mounting holes when the first, second, fourth and sixth alignment holes of the universal mounting arrangement are coaxially aligned with the four mounting holes respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignees: S&S Marketing, Inc., Tang, Xian Zhou
    Inventors: Xian Zhou Tang, Sheng Chiao
  • Patent number: 7294942
    Abstract: Direct coupling type motor for drum type washing machine having a stator which can reduce material required for fabrication, and a weight after fabrication, simplify a fabrication process, and can be mounted on a fixing side, such as a tub or a bearing housing securely, and a rotor which can enhance rigidity an outer rotor and protect a surface of the outer rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Deug Hee Lee, Seung Bong Choi, Byung Hwan Ahn
  • Patent number: 7294950
    Abstract: An electrostatic actuator includes a stator having an electrode substrate, a movable unit having a movable element and an electrode arranged opposite to the electrode substrate, a plurality of first operation modules each of which issues an operation command for realizing a first operation, a plurality of second operation modules each of which issues an operation command for realizing a second operation, a module selector which selectively enables one first operation module of the first operation modules and selectively enables one second operation module of the second operation modules, an actuator drive module which generates a waveform signal on the basis of the operation command from the enabled first operation module and the operation command from the enabled second operation module and a switching circuit which converts the waveform signal into a voltage to apply the voltage to the electrode substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Mitsunobu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7291943
    Abstract: An electromechanical energy converter for a gaseous or vaporous medium comprising a stator (1) with two pot-shaped stator members (1a, 1b), each open at one end face and adjoining each other at these end faces, the stator members surrounding a working space (12) and forming a common magnetically permeated air gap (7) in which a coreless armature coil (25) is displaceably arranged. Arranged in the working space (12) is a freely oscillating piston (14) linked to the armature coil (25). Furthermore, at least one source (21a, 21b) for the medium, two reaction chambers (66a, 66b) each assigned to a head (15a, 15b) of the piston (14) and control means (17a, 19a, 22a, 23a; 17b, 19b, 22b, 23b) assigned to the reaction chambers (66a, 66b) for self-control of the piston oscillations are provided, by means of which the reaction chambers (66a, 66b) may be opened to the source (21a, 21b) during the piston oscillations for accepting medium under pressure, and to the working chamber (12) for releasing expanded medium (FIG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignees: Otag GmbH & Co. KG, Bütton Energy Energiesysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Franz Josef Schulte, Richard Matthias Knopf