Abstract: An instrument display method and system for use in a passenger vehicle has a number of advantageous features including particularly novel, compact, inexpensive and inherently stable electric motors. A first motor includes a rotor assembly having a shaft and a cylindrical magnet which is positioned about a stator assembly to rotate thereabout. The shaft extends through a stator of the stator assembly, a vacuum fluorescent display (VFD), and an indicia bearing layer. A mask such as a needle pointer is secured to the shaft of the rotor assembly at the indicia bearing layer to convey the value of instrument data to the passenger. A light emitting panel receives light from the VFD and transmits the light to other positions along the display system where other substantially identical electric motors move their needle pointers to likewise convey additional data to the passenger. The first motor is surface mounted directly on the back of the VFD which has electrical conductors formed therein.

Abstract: An instrument display method and system for use in a passenger vehicle has a number of advantageous features including particularly novel, compact, inexpensive and inherently stable electric motors. A first motor includes a rotor assembly having a shaft and a cylindrical magnet which is positioned about a stator assembly to rotate thereabout. The shaft extends through a stator of the stator assembly, a vacuum fluorescent display (VFD), and an indicia bearing layer. A mask such as a needle pointer is secured to the shaft of the rotor assembly at the indicia bearing layer to convey the value of instrument data to the passenger. A light emitting panel receives light from the VFD and transmits the light to other positions along the display system where other substantially identical electric motors move their needle pointers to likewise convey additional data to the passenger. The first motor is surface mounted directly on the back of the VFD which has electrical conductors formed therein.

Abstract: A miniature electric motor is provided including stator and rotor assemblies wherein the rotor assembly has a magnet and a shaft adapted to be coupled to a load to move the load and wherein the magnet is positioned about the stator assembly for rotating without the stator assembly. The stator assembly includes a stator having a plurality of branches made of a magnetic material angularly positioned with respect to each other and a plurality of coils wound about their respective branches. The shaft extends through the stator and also, preferably, through a brake which supplies pressure to the rotor assembly to thereby supply a braking force to the rotor assembly after the load has been rotated to a desired position.