Patents Examined by Nestor Ramirez
  • Patent number: 6661189
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling an electromagnetic parts feeder comprises a vibrating unit provided with an electromagnet that vibrates at a predetermined frequency, a bowl adapted to discharge parts accommodated therein by means of the vibrating unit, a driving circuit for driving the electromagnet, and a control unit for outputting a driving signal to the driving circuit to cause a predetermined driving. The control is performed by idling the driving of the electromagnet temporarily at every predetermined driving cycles thereof and controlling the vibration of the electromagnet based on a signal obtained from a coil of the electromagnet by its electromagnetic induction during the idling period, for instance, based on a phase difference between a waveform of this signal and the driving signal of the driving circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventor: Susumu Yagi
  • Patent number: 6661110
    Abstract: A small portable generator for generating a single-phase AC voltage under PWM control is subject to output voltage fluctuations under a heavy load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Keihin Corporation
    Inventors: Kouji Suzuki, Takeshi Shinohara, Jun Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6661113
    Abstract: A power generator includes a base assembly that has a lower portion and an upper portion. The lower portion is for supporting the upper portion of the base assembly. A solar assembly is coupled to the upper portion of the base assembly. A power storage assembly is operationally coupled to the solar assembly. The power storage assembly is for storing electricity from the solar assembly. The power storage assembly is positioned with in the lower portion of the base assembly such that the lower portion of the base assembly is for protecting the-power storage assembly from adverse weather. A turbine assembly is coupled to the upper portion of the base assembly. The turbine assembly is for producing electricity from wind. The turbine assembly is operationally coupled to the power storage assembly such that the power storage assembly is for storing electricity produced from the turbine assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Inventor: Walter E. Bonin
  • Patent number: 6661129
    Abstract: Provided as a voice coil-type linear motor is a linear motor which achieves relatively high output power, small size and light weight, high thrust, and high efficiency, such as to be available as an industrial linear motor. Ends of inside yokes are coupled by means of auxiliary yokes, outside yokes are configured such that inner peripheral surfaces of magnets are of different magnetic poles, a closed magnetic path is formed by the inside yokes, auxiliary yokes, outside yokes, and magnets. By feeding current to coils, magnetic action is caused to occur between a magnetic field generated by the closed magnetic path and the coils, so that the outside yokes and the inside yokes may move relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Tamura, Yoshikazu Kinashi, Tsugumitsu Suehiro
  • Patent number: 6661126
    Abstract: A linear guide with a guide rail (25), on which a guide carriage (26) is supported for movement longitudinally, and with a drive to cause the longitudinal movement of the guide carriage (26), which is constructed as an electric motor with a motor component arranged on the guide rail (25) and a motor element arranged on the guide carriage (26). A distance-measuring system is allocated to the linear guide, which has a measuring strip and a measuring head (30) which is movable in relation to the measuring strip adjacent to the guide carriage (26) or the guide rail (25) extending parallel to the guide rail (25). The distance-measuring system is assigned an acceleration sensor operating with an eddy current sheet and an exciter block (28) partially surrounding it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: INA-Schaeffler KG
    Inventor: Dietmar Rudy
  • Patent number: 6661128
    Abstract: A two-phase excitation linear motor is provided, having a compact size and a large thrust force simultaneously. Each of two single coils is formed to have an almost rectangular ring-like shape where two sides opposing to each other function as a pair of effective conductors, and the other opposing two sides function as a pair of connecting conductors for connecting between the effective conductors. The connecting conductors are offset at an almost right angle. The two single coils are integrated such that the one effective conductor of the pair of effective conductors of the one single coil is interposed between the pair of effective conductors of the other single coil while the single coils are being combined such that the offset directions of the connecting conductors of the individual single coils are opposite to each other in a direction perpendicular to a traveling direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidehiko Mori, Yasushi Koyanagawa
  • Patent number: 6661108
    Abstract: In a hybrid drive device which drives an electrical motor with electrical power from a storage device and/or from a generator driven by an engine, a secondary battery is generally used as the storage device. However, the storage device must be replaced at fixed intervals due to a short battery life. In addition, the low charging/discharging efficiency of a secondary battery limits improvements in fuel economy of the drive device. The present invention avoids these shortcomings by providing a storage device that includes a condenser bank with a plurality of condenser cells connected in series, parallel monitors which are connected in parallel to each condenser cell and which bypasses the charging current when the respective terminal voltages exceed a fixed value, and a switching converter with fixed current output characteristics which controls the charging electrical power to the condenser bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Yamada, Yoshiaki Yamada, Yoshito Watanabe, Masakazu Sasaki
  • Patent number: 6661145
    Abstract: A rotor for a high speed permanent magnet motor comprises a central spindle (20), and a plurality of magnet discs (21) stacked on the spindle (20) and axially clamped by a clamping device (24-26, 28) on the spindle (20) to form an axially pre-tensioned disc packet core (16). Each magnet disc (21) has at least one electrically insulating layer, and a reinforcement disc (23) is provided between the magnet discs (21) and/or between at least one of the magnet discs (21) and the clamping device (24-26, 28). The reinforcement discs (23) are clamped such that a clamping force generated frictional engagement is obtained between the reinforcement discs (23) and the magnet discs (21) by which centrifugal forces are transferred from the magnet discs (21) to the reinforcement discs (23) during motor operation, thereby relieving the magnet discs (21) of tensile stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: InMotion Technologies Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Thord Agne Gustaf Nilson
  • Patent number: 6661125
    Abstract: A two-phase planar linear motor used for an IC test handler etc. comprising a platen (50) having a platen surface formed with a plurality of platen dots (D) arranged in a matrix and a composite movable member (70) comprised of two X-axis movable members (60X) and two Y-axis movable members (20Y) connected in an in-plane perpendicular relationship. The platen (50) is a stacked member comprised at a plurality of magnetic sheets T stacked together and uses the parallel sheet edge surfaces as the platen surface (51).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Shinano Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Itoh, Kimihiko Taknaka, Katsuhiko Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 6661146
    Abstract: A stator has a stator core provided with slots formed at a ratio of two per phase per pole and a stator winding composed of an a-phase, a d-phase, a c-phase, an f-phase, a b-phase, and an e-phase winding phase portions mounted to the stator core, wherein a′-phase winding phase portion is constructed by connecting the a-phase winding phase portion and the d-phase winding phase portion in series by a first interphase crossover portion, a b′-phase winding phase portion is constructed by connecting the b-phase winding phase portion and the e-phase winding phase portion in series by a second interphase crossover portion, and a c′-phase winding phase portion is constructed by connecting the c-phase winding phase portion and the f-phase winding phase portion in series by a third interphase crossover portion, the interphase crossover portions being arranged so as to be offset in a circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Oohashi, Yoshihito Asao
  • Patent number: 6661131
    Abstract: A motor has plural through-holes punched in a top surface of its frame. A cap made of magnetic material is placed at a location on a stator which corresponds to the through-holes, and the cap is spaced axially from the through holes. An attracting magnet is placed outside the cap. This structure allows a bearing to hold its oil, and generates attracting force in an axial direction without adversely affecting driving-magnetic-circuits. As a result, an apparatus using this motor can be low in profile and run at a high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideshi Fukutani
  • Patent number: 6661130
    Abstract: A linear motor has a stationary member shaped as a channel and a moving member therein, with a magnet and an armature producing force for displacing the moving member along the channel. A first air flow path for cooling is defined along the path of the moving member in the channel. The moving member can have channels allowing cooling air to flow through. The channel can be closed over by a cover band passing through a slit in the moving member and closed or lifted by rollers on the moving member. The channel can be supplied with forced air flow by a blower and/or an exhaust fan, and preferably includes a filter for excluding metallic particles from the first air flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Inventors: Tsunehiko Yamazaki, Kohei Ohnishi, Naoomi Miyagawa, Toshihiko Inoue
  • Patent number: 6661127
    Abstract: Positioning device having a first part (1) which is movable relative to a second part (2) in a X and Y-direction, said first part (1) having a carrier (5) on which a system of magnets (3) is arranged in a pattern of rows (7) and columns (8) parallel to the X- and Y-direction, respectively. The magnets in each row and column are arranged in a Halbach array, i.e. the magnetic orientation of each successive magnet in each row (7) and each column (8) is rotated through 90° counter-clockwise. The second part (2) has an electric coil system (4) with two types of electric coils (C1, C2), one type having an angular offset of +45° and the other type having an offset of −45° with respect to the X-direction. The magnet configuration causes a very strong magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Petrus Carolus Maria Frissen, Johan Cornelis Compter, Michael Josepha Mathijs Renkens, George Arie Jan De Fockert, Rob Jacobus Matheus Coolen
  • Patent number: 6661109
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vehicle driving apparatus capable of being mounted easily even in a narrow space such as under-floor of the vehicle. The vehicle driving apparatus comprises a first and a second generators driven by an engine for driving front wheels, and a motor driven by receiving a power supply from the second generator to drive rear wheels, the first and second generators being installed in the vicinity of an engine within an engine room, the motor being arranged in the vicinity of a differential gear with which a reduction mechanism is integrated and is positioned substantially in a central part of the rear wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Fukasaku, Tatsuyuki Yamamoto, Yuuji Maeda, Keiichi Mashino, Susumu Tajima, Hisaya Shimizu, Keisuke Nishidate, Toshiyuki Innami
  • Patent number: 6661136
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an external rotor motor for a treadmill. A supporting shaft extends between mounting brackets. A coil stator is installed in the middle of the supporting shaft. Rotation seats are fitted to both sides of the coil stator by means of bearing, respectively. A belt wheel is arranged at one side of the rotation seat. An external rotor is arranged around the coil stator by means of both rotation seats. An annular thickened section is disposed onto the round housing of the external rotor, thereby forming a flywheel type device. Accordingly, processing and material cost of the present invention can be reduced and the treatment of the dynamic balance is performed only one time so that the required precision is easily achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Inventor: Ying-Che Lee
  • Patent number: 6661140
    Abstract: An electronically commutated brushless motor including a housing for accurately angularly aligning a position sensor relative to a position of a stator. The housing includes an integrally formed bridge for precisely situating the position sensor within the bridge, and a plurality of integrally formed locating ribs formed on an internal surface of a circumferential wall portion of the housing for precisely angularly situating the stator within the housing. Since the locating ribs and the bridge are all integrally formed on the housing, this eliminates the possibility of angular misalignment of the position sensor relative the stator during assembly of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Jeffrey Agnes, Garrett Patrick McCormick, Richard Thomas Walter, Christopher Ryan Yahnker
  • Patent number: 6661134
    Abstract: A brushless motor for a blower fan unit is comprised of a heat sink which has a heat radiating portion and a pair of supporting legs extending from both opposite sides of the heat radiating portion. A free end portion of each supporting leg is in contact with an electric circuit board. A pressing member has a pressing portion, a pair of positioning portions perpendicularly extending from opposite end portions of the pressing portion, and a pair of connecting portions projecting from the pair of positioning portions respectively. The connecting portions are engaged with supporting legs of the heat sink respectively. The pressing portion presses switching devices to the heat sink. The positioning portions are inserted into the through-holes of the electric circuit board respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Sunaga, Shiro Nakamura, Narihito Sano, Takeshi Oba, Eiji Takahashi, Atsushi Takada, Masami Kato
  • Patent number: 6661148
    Abstract: In a motor-driven tool, a carbon brush part 8 is arranged between a suction port 6 and a commutator 11 of the motor and includes a cylindrical side wall 8a. The cylindrical side wall 8a located on an outer periphery of the commutator 11 is provided with a tapered portion 8b which grows wider toward the commutator 11 and grows narrower toward a coil end 10 of the armature. Between the carbon brush part 8 and the coil end 10, there is provided a heat radiating plate 4 made of metal and adapted to be engaged with the carbon brush part 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Oomori, Chikai Yoshimizu, Masanori Watanabe, Shinki Ohtsu, Takuma Saito, Toshiyuki Nemoto
  • Patent number: 6657416
    Abstract: A generator structure is provided for generating an AC power for a load. The generator structure includes a generator connectable to a load and an engine operatively connected to the generator for driving the same. A generator controller is operatively connected to the engine for controlling operation thereof and operatively connected to a generator for controlling the AC power generated thereby. A communications link connects the generator control to a network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Generac Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Kern, Gerald C. Ruehlow, Steven J. Wilcox, Francis X. Wedel, Graham McLean, Phillip Harrison, Hongping Zhou
  • Patent number: 6657355
    Abstract: A plane commutator includes a plurality of commutator segments made of carbon compound, a resinous boss member and a plurality of metal base plates. The plurality of the commutator segments forms a disk-like commutator surface at an end thereof and a base portion at the other end. The resinous base member is disposed in contact with the base portion to support the plurality of commutator segments. Each commutator segment has a projection extending from the base portion, and each base plate has an expansible through hole fitted to the projection. Each projection includes metal powder at portion in contact with the through hole to provide good electrical connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kenzo Kiyose, Yoshio Ebihara