Patents Examined by Michael Wallace, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5670838
    Abstract: An electromechanical transducer, such as a motor (1), comprising a rotor member (4), a stator member (3) having an electrical winding (8), and isolating means (11, 9, 16, 12) isolating at least a part (18) of one of the members (3) from the other member (4), and cooling fluid in direct contact with said part (18) and isolated from the other member (4). The stator member (3) is preferably cooled by pumping liquid past it, whilst the rotor member (4) is isolated from the liquid. The rotor member (4) preferably operates in an evacuated chamber (48). A pump (5) is preferably provided to pump the cooling liquid around a cooling circuit (47, 6, 5, 47, 42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Unique Mobility, Inc.
    Inventor: John M. Everton
  • Patent number: 5668430
    Abstract: A switched reluctance motor includes a stator defining a plurality of radially-inwardly-extending poles and a rotor defining a plurality of radially-outwardly-extending poles. The poles of the stator and the rotor are respectively divided into at least two longitudinal sections, with each pole section featuring a different shape when viewed in radial cross-section. The shape of one rotor pole section is such as to subdivide the pole into three teeth, namely, a central tooth flanked on either side by a side tooth, further characterized in that the shape of the central and side teeth are symmetric relative to a radius bisecting the central tooth. In a preferred embodiment, the circumferential spacing between the central tooth and each side tooth of one rotor pole is less than the circumferential spacing between the opposed side teeth of adjacent rotor poles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventor: Sergei F. Kolomeitsev
  • Patent number: 5661354
    Abstract: A DC electric motor system includes a rotor portion having a commutator and a coil winding mounted radially about a shaft, and a stator portion including two rows of spaced permanent magnets about either side of the rotor coil winding. Pick-up coils are mounted about the circumference of the electric motor to pick up energy produced by the change in magnetic flux about the edges of the rotor coil winding. The pick-ups coils transfer the collected energy as current for use in charging a battery within an electric vehicle, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Inventor: Wilson A. Burtis
  • Patent number: 5659214
    Abstract: A transfer pump used in a waste tank for transferring high-level radioactive liquid waste from a waste tank and having a column assembly, a canned electric motor means, and an impeller assembly with an upper impeller and a lower impeller connected to a shaft of a rotor assembly. The column assembly locates a motor housing with the electric motor means adjacent to the impeller assembly which creates an hydraulic head, and which forces the liquid waste, into the motor housing to cool the electric motor means and to cool and/or lubricate the radial and thrust bearing assemblies. Hard-on-hard bearing surfaces of the bearing assemblies and a ring assembly between the upper impeller and electric motor means grind large particles in the liquid waste flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Richard F. Guardiani, Richard D. Pollick, Charles P. Nyilas, Timothy J. Denmeade
  • Patent number: 5656880
    Abstract: A discoidal dynamo-electric machine has a discoidal stator carrying a number of meandering copper windings imbedded in a substrate having a magnetic permeability of less than 20 relative to air, and a discoidal rotor mounted on a central shaft so that the rotor can be positioned close to and rotates in a plane parallel to that of the stator. The rotor has a circular array of permanent magnets mounted on a backing plate of mild steel, each of the magnets having a trapezoidal or a truncated sector of a circle shape, the magnets being closely spaced around the rotor to provide a series of closely apposed and alternating permanent magnetic poles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Cadac Limited
    Inventor: Peter Bruce Clark
  • Patent number: 5656879
    Abstract: An eccentric-motion motor for driving a utilization mechanism includes a stator defining a closed surface pathway, an armature composed of a permanent magnet rollably disposed on the closed surface pathway, a series of electromagnetic elements disposed in the stator along the closed surface pathway, circuitry for successively energizing the electromagnetic elements to cause them to attract and/or repel the armature so that it rolls along the closed surface pathway, and a coupler mechanism for coupling the armature to the utilization mechanism so that as the armature is caused to roll, the utilization mechanism is powered by the operation of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Sarcos, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen C. Jacobsen, Clark C. Davis
  • Patent number: 5654601
    Abstract: A reluctance machine comprises a rotor, defining rotor poles and a stator defining stator poles. Each stator pole pair, creating a flux path through the rotor includes only one winding mounted on one of the stator poles. The invention is particularly applicable to a machine having a four-pole field pattern and an odd number of phases. The coils are placed on alternate stator poles such that the space between stator poles can be used exclusively for a single winding. The single winding is made larger to compensate for the lack of a winding on its associated pole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Switched Reluctance Drives, Ltd.
    Inventor: Norman Neilson Fulton
  • Patent number: 5650682
    Abstract: A single-phase variable reluctance motor is disclosed. The motor includes a stator having a pair of projecting poles defining a principal axis and a rotor mounted on a rotatable shaft co-axial with the principal axis of the stator. The stator may have inwardly extending poles that terminate in a central bore and the rotor may be rotatably disposed in the central bore. In such an embodiment, the stator poles are arranged generally diametrically opposed to one another. The rotor is mounted on a shaft and has a pair of poles generally diametrically opposed from each other. The stator and rotor may be formed from laminations of a ferromagnetic material. Energizing coils are wound around one or more of the stator poles. When energized, the energizing coil(s) impart a torque on the rotor causing it to rotate. One or more permanent magnets are inserted into the winding(s) forming the energizing coil(s) to park the rotor in a preferred starting position when the motor is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Assignee: Switched Reluctance Drives, Ltd.
    Inventor: James Christopher Rudd Smart
  • Patent number: 5650679
    Abstract: An eddy current drive has an electromagnet and an armature. Either one of the electromagnet or the armature is coupled to a motor shaft so as to rotate therewith, while the other is coupled to a load portion. The motor can rotate at a continuous speed, while the speed of the load portion can vary by varying the energization of the electromagnet, so as to vary the coupling between the electromagnet and the armature. The electromagnet is energized by way of bearings. The bearings provide a rotary coupling. In another embodiment, an electrical generator is provided. The rotation of the motor shaft generates electrical current that is used to energize the electromagnet. The amount of the electrical current that is provided to the electromagnet can be varied to vary the output speed of the load portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Inventors: Paul Dewey Boggs, III, Timothy J. Boggs
  • Patent number: 5644178
    Abstract: An apparatus for pumps, especially circulation pumps, has a stator including a winding cast in a housing by hardenable sealing compound or filler to form a composite body. On its B-side opposite the meter pump, the housing has an unblocking device, as well as connection-forming elements in a connection chamber. The connection chamber is closed by a cover, and receives the connecting lines of the stator winding. The connection chamber is connected to the B-side panel of the housing. The connecting lines of the stator winding are guided in an axial direction out of the composite body and into the connection chamber 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Inventor: Richard Halm
  • Patent number: 5642012
    Abstract: A drive has a hub with first and second end portions and a shoulder located thereon. An armature and sheave assembly is located on bearings on the hub first end portion. The armature forms a cavity for receiving an electromagnet, which abuts against the shoulder. Slip rings are coupled to the electromagnet by way of a fan and a slip ring shaft. The slip rings, which are adjacent to the second end of the hub, can be of a small diameter to extend brush life. In addition, the same size slip rings can be used on different sizes of the drive. Two piece brush holders are provided for each brush. Each brush holder can be disassembled into its respective pieces for cleaning. The brush holders and slip rings can be protected from the environment by a cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Inventor: Paul Dewey Boggs, III
  • Patent number: 5637937
    Abstract: A super-minuature motor used as a driving motor in super-precision miniature machines is disclosed. The motor is constructed from a rotating member 1 made from a permanent magnet, actuators 8-13 which can be moved or displaced by a charged energy, and starters 2-7 made from a magnetic material which are surrounding the outer periphery of the rotating member and movable along with the movement of the actuators toward the direction of the diameter. This construction enables a super-minuature motor to be manufactured even smaller and to minimize the electricity consumption of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fumio Nakajima
  • Patent number: 5637940
    Abstract: A motor is integrally mounted on one end of a ball screw over which an engaging block is threaded, and an encoder is integrally mounted on the other end of the ball screw for detecting the rotational speed or angular displacement of the motor. The motor, the ball screw, and the encoder are combined into a unitized assembly as a drive unit. The motor and the encoder are positioned on respective steps of a frame, and detachably fastened to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigekazu Nagai, Tadasu Kawamoto, Masahiko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5635778
    Abstract: A motor for electric pumps which can easily prevent unbalance caused by the eccentricity of an armature shaft when the motor is in rotation by forming holes in a plurality of armature core sheets. In the motor for electric pumps with an armature shaft forming the spindle of the motor and being provided with an eccentric portion for driving a piston pump, hole portions are provided in a plurality of core sheets fit on the armature shaft. The hole portions are formed such that eccentricity of the armature shaft due to the eccentric portion can be offset. The hole portions are provided in positions where the unbalance caused by both the eccentric portion and the piston pump that is driven by the eccentric portion are offset, or at least the unbalance forces generated during rotation are minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Fujita, Kozo Hattori, Yukihiro Nishio, Takashi Sato
  • Patent number: 5635782
    Abstract: An eccentric-motion motor for driving a utilization mechanism includes a stator defining a closed surface pathway, an armature composed of a permanent magnet rollably disposed on the closed surface pathway, a series of electromagnetic elements disposed in the stator along the closed surface pathway, circuitry for successively energizing the electromagnetic elements to cause them to attract and/or repel the armature so that it rolls along the closed surface pathway, and a coupler mechanism for coupling the armature to the utilization mechanism so that as the armature is caused to roll, the utilization mechanism is powered by the operation of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Sarcos Group
    Inventors: Stephen C. Jacobsen, Clark C. Davis
  • Patent number: 5635783
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a brushless direct current motor which includes a second magnet mounted on an inner part of the motor bush in such a way so as to allow an attractive engaging force between the bearing bush and the second magnet. Also, the BLDC motor further includes a third magnet mounted on a lower surface of a rotor yoke inserted at an upper part of the motor bush, and a fourth magnet mounted on an upper surface of a rotor yoke. This separate second magnet is provided for attractively engaging the main base for preventing any separation of the rotor unit from the main base even when the motor is flipped over or overturned, thus allowing feasible adjustment of the magnet size according to the motor requirement conditions. Additionally, head noise due to the magnetic leakage flux, needed for attractively engaging the magnet to the main base, which influences the head and other circuitry, can be effectively reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Hae Seok Lee
  • Patent number: 5635779
    Abstract: In gas-cooled electrical machine with an axial fan (9) at one shaft end and with a rotor (1) and a stator body surrounded by a machine housing (14), a gas-guide device (18) arranged coaxially to the rotor shaft is provided in the outflow space (17) of the axial fan (9), out of which gas-guide device the cooling gas conveyed by the axial fan is fed to the rotor and to the stator body and stator winding. Said gas-guide device (18) comprises a plurality of guide rings (19-25) in the form of a cone envelope and spaced radially from one another and a ring part (27) likewise in the form of a cone envelope, which rings and ring part are connected to one another and to the machine housing (14) directly, or indirectly by means of bars (28, 29) extending essentially radially and/or guide plates (36, 36'). Ring-shaped channels (K.sub.1, . . . , K.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri AG
    Inventors: Jurgen Baer, Hans Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 5633555
    Abstract: A magnetic drive arrangement comprising a plurality of magnetically cooperating parts which are moveable relative to one another, one of the parts being connected to a drive shaft and one of the parts being stationary, the fields produced by the permanent magnets being modulated by soft-magnetic flux-carrying parts which include at least one toothed iron yoke, wherein structures are provided on both sides of the iron yoke to generate magnetic fields by means of permanent magnets at the sides facing the iron yoke, with the magnetic fields alternatively exhibiting north poles and south poles along the circumference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Bernd Ackermann, Leo Honds
  • Patent number: 5633550
    Abstract: A ground detector brush which includes at least one metal leaf spring in addition to a metal conductor to which a brush is attached, where the metal conductor is not pre-bent to provide forces when in an active state to electrically engage a surface. The metal leaf spring serves the function of providing forces to electrically engage the brush against the surface and the metal conductor serves only the function of providing a ground or providing an electrical path to monitor a current level of a system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J. Meehan, Theodore R. Barbour
  • Patent number: 5633546
    Abstract: Sensing apparatus for use on a polyphase switched reluctance motor (M, M'). The motor has a stator assembly (SA) and a rotor assembly (RA) including a rotor shaft (S) on which the rotor assembly is mounted for rotation with respect to the stator. Each respective motor phase is switched between active and inactive states by a commutator controller (C) responsive to sensed motor operating conditions. Switching a phase to its active state includes supplying current to the respective rotor phase windings, and switching the phase to its inactive state includes cessation of the current supply. Accordingly, there is a turn-on, running, and turn-off portion of each cycle of current supply with the turn-on portion of the cycle lasting approximately 30%-45% as long as the turn-off cycle. The apparatus includes a magnetic ring (10, 10') installed on the rotor shaft and rotatable therewith. It also includes a sensor (12, 14) for sensing changes in a magnetic field produced by the ring as it rotates with the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventor: Gary E. Horst