Patents Examined by Nguyen N Hanh
  • Patent number: 7973447
    Abstract: An electric motor 10 has a stator 14; a wound rotor 20, including a commutator 28; and brush gear for connecting the commutator to a source of electrical power. The brush gear has at least two cage brush assemblies 34. Each cage brush assembly 34 having a brush 40 for making sliding electrical contact with the commutator of the motor; a cage 50 for guiding the brush 40 along a path towards the commutator; and a spring 70 for resiliently urging the brush 40 along the path through the cage 50. The spring 70 is a constant force spring having two coiled end portions which engage the cage 50 at a commutator end portion. The cage 50 has two fingers about which the coiled end portions of the spring 70 locate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Johnson Electric S.A.
    Inventors: Robin Warner, Siu Chun Tam
  • Patent number: 7973441
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to magnetic gears comprising a pair of rotors magnetically coupled in a geared manner via a magnetic space harmonic generated as a consequence of varying an air gap between sets of permanent magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Magnomatics Limited
    Inventor: Kais Atallah
  • Patent number: 7969048
    Abstract: A linear actuator motor design including a rotor assembly that has an insert molded into a non-magnetic sleeve through a plurality of openings, which is kept from rotating within the non-magnetic sleeve by at least one opening arranged along the length of the non-magnetic sleeve which corresponds to at least one tab formed by the molded material of the insert and a stator assembly having a plurality of symmetrical and interchangeable magnetic pole plates. Each of the plurality of magnetic pole plates comprises a substantially planar plate portion with a central opening therein and a plurality of prongs extending from the central opening and substantially perpendicular to the plate portion. The prongs of the plurality of magnetic pole plates create an opening that is dimensioned to receive the rotor assembly therein. A non-conductive material is the molded over the plurality of magnetic pole plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Tritex Corporation
    Inventor: Jump Ryan
  • Patent number: 7964999
    Abstract: A shell for housing a voice coil motor (VCM) includes a casing and a cover. The casing defines a rectangular opening and two opening respectively in two opposite edges of the rectangular opening. The casing extends a pair of stripping strips into each opening and towards each other. The cover correspondingly defines two grooves. The cover covers the rectangular opening and each pair of gripping strip is bent into a corresponding groove to grip the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chia-Hung Liao
  • Patent number: 7960885
    Abstract: A rotor includes: a rotor core formed by stacking a first sheet member and a second sheet member and having a first magnet-inserted hole and a second magnet-inserted hole located radially outward relative to the first magnet-inserted hole; magnets inserted respectively into the first and second magnet-inserted holes; and a resin portion injected into the first and second magnet-inserted holes. The first sheet member has a first hole and a second hole constituting the first and second magnet-inserted holes respectively. The second sheet member is located at at least one axial end of the rotor core and has a portion covering a part of the first hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko Mizutani, Taketo Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7956499
    Abstract: Motors having a magnetic force attenuator are described. In some embodiments, the motors comprise a stationary member having a base and a stator, a rotating assembly having a magnet and a magnetic force attenuator to attenuate the magnetic attraction force between the magnet and the base; and a fluid bearing to support rotation of the rotating assembly relative to the stationary member. The magnetic force attenuator typically comprises a material of high magnetic permeability, and modulates the magnetic attraction force between the magnet and the base of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Anthony J. Aiello, Klaus D. Kloeppel, Paco Flores, Ali Khurram
  • Patent number: 7956503
    Abstract: The present invention relates to cylindrical rotating electric machines which comprise armature and field coils, with either the field coil or the dual armature being the rotating component. The dual armature is composed of two concentric cylindrical sets of coils with the field coil situated in the gap between the inner and outer armature sections. Relative rotational motion between the field and armature coils can be achieved by having either one be the rotor. By using two armature coil sections, one inside the field coil aperture and the other external to the field coil, the flux linkage between the armature and superconducting field coil can be approximately doubled. This is a more efficient use of the superconductor. The increased flux linkage in the invented technology produces a substantially higher power density than can be obtained with current conventional superconducting machine technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Inventors: Carl L. Goodzeit, Millicent J. Ball
  • Patent number: 7952250
    Abstract: In a rotary electric machine, a field coil member includes a first edgewise coil composed of a plurality of coaxially layered convolutions. The coaxially layered convolutions are wound around the outer periphery of the first pole core. The field coil member includes a second edgewise coil composed of a plurality of coaxially layered convolutions. The coaxially layered convolutions are wound around the outer periphery of the second pole core. The field coil member includes a link portion connecting between the first edgewise coil and the second edgewise coil in series. One of the first and second edgewise coils has one coil end extending therefrom to cross over the link portion at a crossover portion thereof. The crossover portion between the one coil end and the link portion is arranged to be non-overlapped with the convolutions of the one of the first and second edgewise coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Youichi Hasegawa, Tomoya Imanishi
  • Patent number: 7952247
    Abstract: In case there is a malfunction of the magnetic bearing in an electrical machine, in which such magnetic bearings drive a rotary shaft in a stator (10), a safety bearing (14,14?) is provided. According to the present invention, the safety bearing (14,14?) exhibits an outer ring (16,16?) that is mounted on the stator (10), inside of which a revolving ring (22,22?,26) is operated. The safety bearing according to the present invention is particularly suited for machines that have a particularly large and heavy shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ingo Menz, Peter Petereit, Günther Siegl
  • Patent number: 7948124
    Abstract: An energy harvesting apparatus comprising: a substrate; two magnets coupled to the substrate in close proximity to each other with like magnetic poles facing each other creating a flux gap; a coil coupled to the substrate and disposed within the flux gap, wherein the coil and the magnets are coupled to the substrate such that substrate acceleration causes relative motion between the magnets and the coil thereby exposing the coil to a changing magnetic flux.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Richard Waters, Mark Fralick, Hugo Jazo, Brian Dick, Max Kerber
  • Patent number: 7944111
    Abstract: A stator core is formed by arranging divided cores (20) in a circumference direction in cylindrical shape. On an upper end surface (60) of a core back (50) of the divided core, holes (62, 64) are made. Then, on the upper end surface, a reinforcing ring (40) having through holes (66, 68) is arranged, and is connected with rivets (70, 72). Thus, stress is transmitted not only through a side surface (58) but also through the reinforcing ring (40), between the adjacent divided cores. Thus, strength of the stator using a powder magnetic core is ensured and a space is saved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Endo, Kazutaka Tatematsu, Yutaka Komatsu
  • Patent number: 7939976
    Abstract: A hybrid type stepper motor preferably includes a two-phase eight-main-pole stator and a rotor defined by two rotor units each having a pair of rotor magnetic poles with a permanent magnet interposed therebetween. Each rotor magnetic pole has fine teeth at a regular pitch. The permanent magnets are magnetized in opposite directions to each other. The adjacent rotor magnetic poles of the rotor units are arranged with their fine teeth aligned with each other in the axial direction. Each main pole has six inductor teeth including: a pair of innermost inductor teeth arranged at the first pitch in the central portion of the main pole; a pair of intermediate teeth on the outside of the innermost inductor teeth at the second pitch therefrom; and a pair of outermost inductor teeth on the outside of the intermediate inductor teeth at the third pitch therefrom. The first, second, and third pitches are all different from the pitch of the fine teeth of the rotor magnetic pole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Nidec Servo Corporation
    Inventors: Masafumi Sakamoto, Yoji Unoki
  • Patent number: 7939980
    Abstract: A motor, in which a creep phenomenon can be prevented and a ball bearing can readily be mounted, is provided. A pair of end brackets each have a bearing hole in which a ball bearing is fitted. A pair of ball bearings are fitted into the bearing holes of the end brackets such that an outer race portion of each ball bearing may abut on a first wall surface and a second wall surface of the end bracket. A stopper fitting is pushed into a recessed portion of the end bracket until a ring portion of the stopper fitting abuts on the outer race portion of the ball bearing. Six engaging pieces of the stopper fitting are engaged in a fourth wall surface defining the recessed portion due to a restoring force of the engaging pieces, which have been resiliently bent or warped, to restore from the bent or warped state. Thus, each ball bearing is tightly fixed in the bearing hole by means of the stopper fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Sanyo Denki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio Miura, Mitsuaki Shioiri
  • Patent number: 7939978
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electric motor (1) with a stator (4) with a wiring device (28) for stator windings, with control electronics (10) arranged in an electronics housing (8) and a connecting device (32), which is arranged in the region of the electronics housing (8), for external connecting lines. In this case, all of the electrical connections between the connecting device (32) and the control electronics (10) and/or between the control electronics (10) and the stator wiring device (28) are in the form of a plug-type connector (34) with a number of connecting elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: EBM-Papst Mulfingen GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Dieter Best, Michael Sturm
  • Patent number: 7939975
    Abstract: A stator assembly and a method for making a stator assembly wherein the stator assembly is over-molded with thermally conductive and electrically insulating polymer composition. The stator core of the stator assembly is coated with adhesive component to provide higher heat transfer at the interface of stator core and over-molded insulator and coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: E. I du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Yuji Saga, Masahiro Matsuzaki, Yoko Matsuzaki, legal representative
  • Patent number: 7936098
    Abstract: A rotary electric machine, for solving problems that a space for installing the noise insulation enclosure around the rotary electric machine and a base for installing the noise insulation enclosure are necessary, and that the noise insulation enclosure reducing the noise on an outer side of the noise insulation enclosure does not reduce the noise on an inner side thereof, and the inspecting worker entering thereinto is exposed to a loud noise of the rotary electric machine, the rotary electric machine comprising a stator frame having a stator iron core incorporating a stator coil therein in an inner portion thereof, and a rotor in which a rotor coil rotating so as to oppose to the stator frame and the stator iron core is incorporated, further comprising a noise insulation plate fixed to a noise insulation plate attaching seat welded to an outer surface of the stator frame by a bolt and a nut, an elastic body which is provided in a contact portion between the noise insulation plate attaching seat and the nois
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadaaki Kakimoto, Hiroyuki Mae, Keiji Fugane
  • Patent number: 7936103
    Abstract: A method for assembling an electric machine is provided. The method includes providing a rotor having a cavity formed therein. At least one contoured recess is formed in a portion of the cavity. A wedge is inserted into the cavity. The wedge includes at least one contoured protrusion that is configured to mirror the at least one contoured recess of the cavity. The wedge is inserted such that the at least one contoured protrusion is positioned within the at least one contoured recess to facilitate positioning the wedge within the cavity. The at least one contoured protrusion and the at least one contoured recess are shaped to facilitate minimizing stresses within the rotor and the wedge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Anand Shankar Tanavde, Lakshminarayana Kanakamedala
  • Patent number: 7936100
    Abstract: The stator includes a plurality of concentrated winding coils disposed coupled into an annular form through yokes, and a plurality of conductors that couple the coil ends of the concentrated winding coils to each other in a multi-phase connection fashion. Conductors for a U-phase, a V-phase, a W-phase, and neutral points P are each formed of a plurality of holes for inserting therethrough coil ends and are substantially circular with different diameters, and are disposed on the same plane. A connection plate provided with a wall is inserted between the conductors and the concentrated winding coils. A rotating machine includes the above-mentioned stator and a rotor that is rotatable within the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Naganawa, Takashi Ishigami, Koji Obata, Toshiaki Ueda, Katsuhiro Hoshino
  • Patent number: 7932653
    Abstract: An electric motor assembly includes a stator assembly and a rotor assembly having a shaft disposed within a motor case. The motor case includes an endshield with a centrally disposed bearing-receiving core that is configured to receive any one of a plurality of bearing assemblies, including at least a ball bearing and a self-aligning bearing, for rotatably supporting the shaft. The core includes a bearing assembly engagement surface with a generally cylindrical first portion and a generally frustoconical second portion, such that any of the selected bearings received therein directly contacts and engages the first surface portion or the second surface portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph A. Vehige, John H. Hussey, Chetan O. Modi
  • Patent number: 7928613
    Abstract: A machine includes a moving part and a direct drive for moving the moving part. The direct drive includes a stator and an armature unit which interacts with the stator. A coupling device couples the armature unit to the moving part to allow a movement of the moving part in relation to the armature unit. The direct drive further includes a spacer device to maintain a distance between an active region of the stator and an active region of the armature unit, thereby defining the air gap between the stator and the armature unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Zeljko Jajtic, Markus Knorr, Gerhard Matscheko, Wolfgang Wolter