Patents Examined by Naishadh Desai
  • Patent number: 9966807
    Abstract: A brushless motor includes a first rotor core, a second rotor core, and a field magnet member. The first rotor core includes primary projecting pieces arranged along a circumferential direction at equal intervals. The second rotor core has the same shape as the first rotor core, and includes secondary projecting pieces arranged along the circumferential direction at equal intervals. The secondary projecting pieces are positioned between the primary projecting pieces that are adjacent to one another in the circumferential direction. The field magnet member is arranged between the first rotor core and the second rotor core. The field magnet member is magnetized along an axial direction to generate primary magnetic poles in the primary projecting pieces, and generate secondary magnetic poles in the secondary projecting pieces. A rotor includes the first rotor core, the second rotor core, and the field magnet member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: ASMO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seiya Yokoyama, Yoshiaki Takemoto
  • Patent number: 9966810
    Abstract: Electric motors are disclosed. The motors are preferably for use in an automated vehicle, although any one or more of a variety of motor uses are suitable. The motors include lift, turntable, and locomotion motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Philip S. Johnson, Daniel E. Hilton
  • Patent number: 9960644
    Abstract: In a core for a rotary electric machine, first end portions of back yoke portions are linked to second end portions of back yoke portions of adjacent core segments so as to be rotatable around pivot portions. Each of the core segments is configured by alternately laminating first core segment sheets and second core segment sheets. The pivot portions are constituted by interfitting protruding portions that are formed on the first core segment sheets. The core segments are displaceable relative to the adjacent core segments between a contracted position in which spacing between the magnetic pole tooth portions is contracted and an expanded position in which spacing between the magnetic pole tooth portions is expanded, when the core segment linked body is opened out rectilinearly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Hashimoto, Atsushi Sakaue, Hironori Tsuiki, Yuji Nakahara, Takashi Umeda, Katsunori Oki, Ryuichi Takiguchi, Takanori Komatsu
  • Patent number: 9954417
    Abstract: A power tool with a combined printed circuit board (PCB) that reduces internal wiring of the power tool and provides a large amount of air flow to internal components. In some instances, the combined PCB has a surfboard shape and includes a motor control unit and power switching elements (Field Effect Transistors or FETs). The combined surfboard PCB is located above the trigger, but below the motor and drive mechanism. In other instances, the combined PCB has a doughnut shape and is located coaxially with a motor shaft. The combined PCB may be positioned between a doughnut-shaped control PCB and the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthew J. Mergener, Michael Kolden, William E. Check, Matthew P. Wycklendt, Andrew T. Beyerl
  • Patent number: 9954406
    Abstract: In a motor, the number of slots 6N divided by the number of pole pairs P (2N>P) of a rotor is an irreducible fraction, when a quotient obtained by dividing 6N by 2P is denoted by X, 2N coils per phase are arranged in the slots of the stator, one and another one of the coils connected in series thereto are arranged overlapping in one center slot while sharing one side with aligned current directions, opposite sides of the two coils not sharing the slot are each arranged in other ones of the slots at a distance by X from the center slot, so that the two coils are arranged while being linked in a figure 8-shape straddling over the three slots, and N sets per phase of the linked coils are arranged at not completely overlapping positions in the slots and are connected in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Ito
  • Patent number: 9941776
    Abstract: A case structure to accommodate a driving apparatus including a first motor and a second motor includes a first case, a second case, a first joint portion, an intermediate case, a positioning portion, and a first end portion of a second rotor or a second rotary shaft of the second motor. A stator of the first motor is to be attached to the first case. The second case is joined to the first case. The first joint portion is provided by joining a first end surface of the first case and an end surface of the second case together. The intermediate case is disposed on an inner diameter side of the first joint portion and attached to a stator of the second motor and to the first case. The intermediate case is positioned at the positioning portion with respect to the second case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takei, Takashi Fukuda, Eiichiro Urabe, Tatsuya Noda, Jun Masuda
  • Patent number: 9941767
    Abstract: To provide a compact linear actuator having small back drive force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignees: MOOG JAPAN LTD., NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masafumi Tamai, Osamu Goto
  • Patent number: 9941770
    Abstract: An electrical submersible pump assembly has a motor that drives the pump. The motor has a stator having a bore, a shaft extending through the stator, and rotor sections mounted to the shaft, each of the rotor sections having first and second end rings. A non rotating bearing body has a periphery retained in non rotating engagement with the bore of the stator. The bearing body has a first end axially spaced from the first end ring, defining a first gap, and a second end axially spaced from the second rotor ring, defining a second gap. A first thrust washer is located in the first gap. Each thrust washer has a metal or carbide thrust surface for contact with the bearing body and an elastomeric thrust surface for contact with one of the end rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE Company, LLC
    Inventors: Michael R. Rumbaugh, James Christopher Clingman
  • Patent number: 9929612
    Abstract: A new rotor for a rotating electric machine assuring outstanding durability and reliability against vibration and facilitating equalization of resistances among a plurality of rotor coils, while allowing the leading ends of a plurality of lead wires to be disposed so as to congregate in one area, is provided. A plurality of stator coils 102 wound at a cylindrical stator core 101 each include leader portions led out from one of two ends of a slot along the axial direction and extending astride a plurality of slots. Lead wires 300 each formed at one end of a stator coil 102 are disposed so that their leading ends, oriented in the same direction, congregate in a single area. In a leader portion where a lead wire 300 is located, a turnback portion 400, made to turn back with an angle equal to or greater than 90° from an inclining wire portion 113, which is led out with an inclination along a predetermined direction from the slot, is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Fukuda, Takahiro Ohmori, Takashi Genmoto, Kenichi Nakayama, Hisaya Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9923423
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a permanent magnet rotor is provided. The permanent magnet rotor includes at least one permanent magnet and a substantially cylindrical rotor core including an outer edge and an inner edge defining a central opening. The rotor core includes a radius R, at least one pole, and at least one radial aperture extending radially though the rotor core from the outer edge to a predetermined depth less than the radius. The at least one radial aperture is configured to receive the at least one permanent magnet. The rotor further includes at least one protrusion extending into the at least one radial aperture, the at least one protrusion positioned substantially along a bottom of the at least one radial aperture and configured to facilitate retention of the at least one permanent magnet within the at least one radial aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
    Inventors: Subhash Marutirao Brahmavar, Lester Benjamin Manz, Ludovic Andre Chretien, Changiz Rashidzadeh, Dan Mircea Ionel
  • Patent number: 9917486
    Abstract: An electric motor assembly including a stator having a stator core and windings around the stator core is disclosed. The stator core has opposing ends and an outer surface extending between the opposing ends. The electric motor assembly also includes a housing having an inner surface enclosing at least a portion of the stator, and at least one fluid passage between the outer surface of the stator core and the inner surface of the housing. The fluid passage permits a coolant in the fluid passage to contact one or more portions of the outer surface of the stator core to remove heat from the stator core during operation of the electric motor assembly. Additional motor assemblies including stator and/or rotor cooling features are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E. Kirkley, Jr., Lawrence J. Wittman, Andrew F. Poag, Steven P. Randall
  • Patent number: 9899886
    Abstract: A rotor element configured for movement relative to a stator includes a backing member formed, at least in part, from a ferromagnetic material; a first magnetic pole having a first polarity; and a second magnetic pole having a second polarity, opposite the first polarity. The first magnetic pole and the second magnetic pole are coupled to a first surface of the backing member such that the second magnetic pole is disposed, relative to the first magnetic pole, at a distance defined in a direction of a width of the backing member. A thickness of the backing member is varied along the width of the backing member to form a plurality of alternating first portions and second portions. The first portions include protrusions extending from a second surface of the backing member, opposite the first surface, such that the first portions are thicker than the second portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Boulder Wind Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian J. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 9893576
    Abstract: A brushless motor includes a first rotor core, a second rotor core, and a field magnet member. The first rotor core includes primary projecting pieces arranged along a circumferential direction at equal intervals. The second rotor core has the same shape as the first rotor core, and includes secondary projecting pieces arranged along the circumferential direction at equal intervals. The secondary projecting pieces are positioned between the primary projecting pieces that are adjacent to one another in the circumferential direction. The field magnet member is arranged between the first rotor core and the second rotor core. The field magnet member is magnetized along an axial direction to generate primary magnetic poles in the primary projecting pieces, and generate secondary magnetic poles in the secondary projecting pieces. A rotor includes the first rotor core, the second rotor core, and the field magnet member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: ASMO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Mikami, Yoji Yamada
  • Patent number: 9893581
    Abstract: A permanent magnet type rotational electric machine for an electric vehicle capable of ensuring an electric power generation torque or a peak torque instantaneously assisting a torque of an engine even by using a rare earth-less magnet and also capable of ensuring characteristics for high speed driving is provided. A rotator includes permanent magnets of which at least one side in an axial direction cross section is formed in an arc shape, and includes a plurality of permanent magnets, wherein where a center axis of a magnetic pole is denoted as d axis, and an axis that is 90 degrees from the d axis in an electrical angle is denoted as q axis, the rotator for the permanent magnet type rotational electric machine includes a first permanent magnet pair in which a line connecting a center point of the arc and the arc does not cross the d axis, and a second permanent magnet pair in which the line crosses the d axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9893573
    Abstract: A rotor able to enhance the strength in the radial direction of the rotor member. A rotor includes a shaft and a tubular rotor member which is fixed to the outside of the shaft in the radial direction. The shaft has a first part which contacts an inner circumferential surface of the rotor member, a second part which is arranged separated from the first part in the axial direction and which contacts an inner circumferential surface of the rotor member, a third part which extends between the first part and the second part and which has an outer diameter smaller than the first part and the second part, and a projection which extends from the third part to the outside in the radial direction and which contacts the inner circumferential surface of the rotor member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koudai Akashi, Hidetoshi Uematsu
  • Patent number: 9893596
    Abstract: A magnetic alignment system is disclosed, including a magnet array (10), a motor rotor (20), a fixed tooling (30) and a force sensor (40). The motor rotor (20) is disposed over the magnet array (10) and is connected via the force sensor (40) to the fixed tooling (30) that is positionally fixed relative to the magnet array (10). By varying an angle of a three-phase current supplied to a specific one of three-phase coil assemblies in the motor rotor (20) within an angular range for magnetic alignment and measuring a force generated by the specific one of three-phase coil assemblies using the force sensor (40), an angle of magnetic alignment for the specific one of three-phase coil assemblies is determinable based on the angle of three-phase current that causes the specific one of three-phase coil assemblies to generate a maximum force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment (Group) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lin Zhang, Xiaowen Zhang, Lin Guo, Jun Chen, Zhigang Zhang
  • Patent number: 9893592
    Abstract: A rotating electric machine includes: a rotation shaft; a bearing retaining the rotation shaft; an electromagnetic brake that is provided on an outer peripheral side of the rotation shaft and is located between the bearing and a rotor, the electromagnetic brake locking the rotation shaft during non-excitation and releasing the locking during excitation; a magnetic-flux shielding unit provided on an outer peripheral side of the electromagnetic brake; and a slidable contact unit that is provided so as to be in contact with the magnetic-flux shielding unit and the rotation shaft and comes into contact with the magnetic-flux shielding unit and the rotation shaft at least at two locations on the bearing side and the rotor side, wherein a magnetic field generated from the electromagnetic brake forms a closed circuit through the rotation shaft, the magnetic-flux shielding unit, and the slidable contact unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Hisamatsu
  • Patent number: 9882445
    Abstract: A phase separator for an electric machine includes a first insulator and a second insulator. The first and second insulators each include a leg portion and an endturn portion connected to the leg portion. The endturn portion is asymmetric with respect to an axis defined by the leg portion such that the second insulator can be inverted and disposed in an overlapping arrangement for electrically insulating endturn portions of adjacent phase windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph K. Coldwate, Wilfredo E. Colón-Velázquez, Gordon W. Friske
  • Patent number: 9871381
    Abstract: A regenerative power supply system and method comprises a dynamo-electric generator, an electric drive motor coupled to the generator, a transmission device coupling the generator to the electric drive motor, and an energy storage device configured to provide a backup power supply to the regenerative power supply system. An electronic control device is configured to control a flow of electricity to the electric drive motor. An energy storage management device is configured to control a flow of electricity between the electronic control device and the energy storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Constructive Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Barry Thompson
  • Patent number: 9866035
    Abstract: A rotatable coupling includes an input housing rotatably coupled to an output housing by a tube fixed to the output housing and on which tube the input housing rotates. The coupling includes two magnetic flux concentrators disposed about the tube and defining therebetween an annular cavity, a first concentrator fixed to the input housing and a second concentrator fixed to the output housing, such that relative rotation of the housings causes relative rotation of the concentrators on either side of the annular cavity. The coupling includes concentric coils disposed within the annular cavity that permit power transfer across the coupling, a first coil fixed to the input housing and a second coil fixed to the output housing; an emitter fixed to the input housing; and a receiver fixed to the output housing and positioned to receive the signals from the emitter during the relative rotation of the housings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Doughty, Steven Shamlian, Jeffrey Curtis