Reciprocating Patents (Class 310/15)
  • Publication number: 20090058201
    Abstract: Method for transforming energy in a reciprocating electric machine, particularly a motor or generator. An electrically operated linear movable piston oscillates between two springs. The energy in the springs is at least five times larger than the energy transferred between the piston and the electrical system for each cycle of the machine. A reciprocating electric machine comprises a linear movable piston 15, which is arranged in a tubular cylinder 11 to operate as a working element. It is provided with magnetic elements, which establish an outwardly directed electrical field of force, which is effective towards a surrounding row of tubular, coils 22. At each end of the cylinder 11 is formed a spring which forms a resonance-effective arrangement. The interaction between the magnetic fields of the coils 22 and the magnetic elements 16, respectively, obtain energy transmission between the coils and the piston 15.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: RESONATOR AS
    Inventor: Jon Eirik Brennvall
  • Patent number: 7498682
    Abstract: An electrical energy generator that converts kinetic energy harvested from voluntary motor activity of a human or animal to electrical energy. The electrical energy generator includes a housing, a coil of electrically conductive material, a reciprocally movable electromagnetically active mass, springs connecting the mass to either the housing or to adjustment means engaged with said housing, and, optionally, means for constraining non-linear motion of the electromagnetically active mass, and/or means of mitigating motion retardation of the electromagnetically active mass within any existing housing atmosphere. The electrical energy generator may be associated with a carried item, such as a backpack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Inventor: Aaron Patrick Lemieux
  • Publication number: 20090051229
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods to convert motion into electrical energy. These electrical power generators are made compatible with standard batteries so that they can support operations of existing battery powered portable appliances with no or minimal modifications. Electrical power generators of the present invention are therefore more convenient to use than conventional batteries while reducing the needs to replace or recharge batteries. Environment friendly methods are also introduced for generating electrical power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventor: Albert Shau
  • Patent number: 7495358
    Abstract: A vibratory linear actuator according to one embodiment of the present invention is comprised of a stator having a through hole therein and a winding wire therearound, a movable member having a through hole therein and a member made of a magnetic material, said movable member being provided inside said through hole of said stator, so as to reciprocate in an axis direction upon an application of electric current to said winding wire, a shaft inserted into said through hole of said movable member so as to be movable reciprocally in relation to said movable member, and a coordinating member that enables said shaft to reciprocate in opposite phase to said movable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noboru Kobayashi, Takahiro Nishinaka, Kensaku Kanada, Hiroaki Shimizu, Ryo Motohashi, Hidekazu Yabuuchi
  • Patent number: 7492066
    Abstract: A sliding member having an attached tool reciprocates along a guide member. Permanent magnets are placed at both ends of the reciprocating motion path of the sliding member and permanent magnets are also placed in positions on the guide member that correspond to stroke ends of the sliding member. At the points at which the motion of the sliding member reverses, the permanent magnets approach one another and generate a repulsive force, thereby accelerating the sliding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Tomohiko Kawai, Kenzo Ebihara
  • Patent number: 7489055
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a linear motor in which a plurality of coil groups are connected in series or in parallel and driving power is applied to part or all of the coil groups according to load applied to the linear motor, thereby achieving improved motor efficiency with a reduced motor size. The linear motor includes a bobbin, the plurality of coil groups wound on the bobbin, the plurality of coil groups being connected in series or in parallel to allow the driving power to be applied to part or all of the coil groups, and a magnet adapted to be linearly reciprocated by a magnetic field produced by the coil groups depending on load current flowing through the coil groups. As a result of connecting the plurality of coil groups, which are formed of a plurality of coil conductors, in series or in parallel, the capacity of the coil groups is variable depending on the load of the motor, resulting in improved motor efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sang-Sub Jeong, Hyuk Lee
  • Patent number: 7489296
    Abstract: A pointing device including a base section, an operating section shiftably supported on the base section, a magnet carried on one of the base section and the operating section, and a magneto-electro transducer carried on the other of the base section and the operating section at a location close to the magnet. The operating section includes a first part securely holding one of the magnet and the magneto-electro transducer and supported on the base section shiftably in a desired horizontal direction relative to the base section, and a second part connected to the first part and elastically biasing the first part toward a home position in a horizontal shifting range during a period when the first part is horizontally shifted along the base section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Fujitsu Component Limited
    Inventors: Takeshi Nishino, Shuji Nakamura, Koichi Kiryu, Kazuo Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7485991
    Abstract: A ventilation apparatus includes a stator, a vibrator arranged close to the stator, a permanent magnet to generate a magnet flux to form a path of the magnet flux along the stator and the vibrator, a coil wound around the stator or vibrator, and a ventilator coupled to the vibrator and operated by a linear reciprocating motion of the vibrator generated when an electric current is applied to the coil to change the magnet flux of the permanent magnet. Thus, the ventilation apparatus having a simplified ventilation structure increases a ventilation efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Sung Ki Kim, Seo-young Kim, Seung-jong Kim, Won-oyun Kim
  • Patent number: 7479715
    Abstract: Electrical generators are provided by causing permanent magnets to travel through hollow passageways having electrical conductors flanking or surrounding the space within the passageways. The conductors are disposed in undulating patterns the amplitudes of which are aligned in selected correlated positions relative to the lengths of the passageways and directions of the magnetic flux lines in order to maximize the electromagnetically generated voltage and current in the conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Incelex, LLC
    Inventor: Berj A. Terzian
  • Patent number: 7476989
    Abstract: A dynamic magnet apparatus for generating electrical power adapted to connect with a rectifier and accumulator, including a hollow elongated carrier having two opposite ends, a pair of fixed magnets positioned at outer surface of the opposite ends, a slidable magnet, and a supplemental weight, wherein the hallow elongated carrier is wrapped around by a number of coils, the fixed magnets disposed in polar opposition to the facing slidable magnet, the supplemental weight attached to the slidable magnet for increasing the weight of the slidable magnet. A feature of the present invention is that the supplemental weight can facilitate the slidable magnet traveling back and forth smoothly in the carrier due to a phenomenon of like pole repel of magnets. Another feature is that an inner surface of the carrier and an outer surface of the slidable magnet are of different profile in transverse for facilitating movement therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Liung Feng Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsang-Lin Hsu, Heng-I Lin, Suny Gang Lin, Yao-Chung Tsai
  • Patent number: 7476990
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a linear actuator in which reliability is improved, and performance is also easily improved. The present invention provides a linear actuator including a stator, a movable element having an iron member, and being reciprocatable with respect to the stator, a permanent magnet fixed to the stator so as to be opposed to the iron member, and a coil fixed to the stator. Because both the coil and the permanent magnet are fixed to the stator, electrical current does not have to be supplied to the movable element, and the feeder lines connected to the coil will not be broken due to the movement of the movable element. In addition, the weight of the movable element will not be increased even when the weigh of the permanent magnet is increased in order to obtain high magnetic flux density for improvement in performance. Moreover, because the movable element does not include a magnet, a magnetizing operation does not have to be applied to the movable element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Shinko Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakagawa, Kazumichi Kato, Toshio Miki, Minoru Maeda, Takashi Fukunaga, Kozo Furutani, Toshiya Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 7474026
    Abstract: A moving core includes a magnetic body having a rough face-shaped wall portion at a side facing a stationary core, a plated layer portion provided on the magnetic body and including a micro concave and convex portion on the surface layer of the plated layer portion, and a lubricating layer portion provided so as to cover the plated layer portion to store lubricating particles in the concave portions of the plated layer portion. A clearance between adjacent convex portions of the micro concave and convex portion is smaller than a clearance between adjacent convex portions of concavity and convexity of the plated layer portion. The lubricating particle is larger than the clearance between the adjacent convex portions of the micro concave and convex portion and smaller than the clearance between adjacent convex portions of the plated layer portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Okuda, Naohito Seko, Sanemasa Kawabata
  • Patent number: 7474018
    Abstract: In a reciprocal linear driving actuator used as a drive source of a power toothbrush, two permanent magnets are formed substantially disc shape or substantially tubular shape, and fitted to and fixed on a shaft directly or via a spacer with a predetermined distance in axial direction of the shaft, so that a moving object is constituted by the shaft and the permanent magnets. On the other hand, a tubular shaped stator, which is constituted by a coil wound around a bobbin and stationary yokes and so on, is provided to face side faces of the permanent magnets of the moving object via a predetermined clearance so that a center axis thereof becomes coaxial with the center axis of the shaft. By supplying alternating current to the coil, the moving object is driven reciprocally and linearly in the axial direction of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Shimizu, Ryo Motohashi, Hidekazu Yabuuchi, Takahiro Nishinaka
  • Patent number: 7471018
    Abstract: A linear motor comprise a pipe shaped member, and a stator stored in the pipe shaped member, the stator including plural magnets arranged in series so that adjacent poles of the plural magnets having the same magnetic pole are opposed each other, and a moving member capable of moving, the moving member being arranged to be opposed to an outer surface of the pipe shaped member, wherein the moving member includes an electro-magnetic coil and a coil holding member for holding at least a part of the outer surface of the electro-magnetic coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventors: Hajime Nozawa, Takayuki Narita
  • Patent number: 7471019
    Abstract: Apparatus and associated systems or methods include a linear machine with an elongate, axially-slidable core member (i.e., shaft). In one embodiment, the shaft includes at least one radial aperture to provide fluid (e.g., air) communication from an interior volume of a winding tube that contains one or more stationary windings, to either end of the shaft through a lumen that extends axially through the length of the shaft. The stationary windings are spaced apart to permit fluid to flow through a plurality of radial apertures in the winding tube. In particular, fluid circulation across the windings may provide sufficient cooling to increase the machine's maximum current rating. The fluid circulation may also provide pneumatic processing capabilities (e.g., vacuum hold, blow-off). In one exemplary embodiment, the apparatus may be used to insert tube-and-square paper separators into battery casings at high rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: The Gillette Company
    Inventor: William D. Motherway
  • Publication number: 20080309171
    Abstract: A transverse flux linear machine including a first interacting part including an electric winding and a second interacting part including a plurality of magnetic poles. The first and second interacting parts are movable relative to each other and defining between them an airgap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2004
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventor: Chandur Sadarangani
  • Publication number: 20080303356
    Abstract: By reviewing a material of a forcer housing and an assembly structure of a coil member with respect to the forcer housing, a thrust force is increased, an optimum shape can be easily given to the forcer housing depending on a purpose of use, and a linear motor can be manufactured at low cost. The linear motor includes a magnet rod composed of a large number of magnetic poles arranged with predetermined pitches along an axial direction and a forcer having a through-hole into which the magnet rod is loosely inserted and reciprocatable relatively to the magnet rod according to an applied electric signal. The forcer is composed of a forcer housing in which the through-hole is defined and a coil member which is arranged on an inner peripheral surface of the through-hole of the forcer housing and to which the electric signal is applied. The forcer housing is formed by mold forming with an insulating nonmetal inorganic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Aso, Taro Miyamoto, Shuhei Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20080303357
    Abstract: A device for generating electrical energy has at least one pair of permanent magnets and at least one coil. They are moved about a pivot axis relative to one another by agitating or shaking. Each coil is disposed between the pole surfaces of the at least one pair of permanent magnets which are disposed opposite each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: INVENTUS ENGINEERING GMBH
    Inventors: Stefan Battlogg, Jurgen Posel
  • Patent number: 7462959
    Abstract: A linear motor can include a coil part having a plurality of coils forming a coil line; a magnet yoke part having a plurality of permanent magnets facing the coil line; and a coil cooling part configured to cool the coil part. The coil cooling part can include a cooling panel having a heat conductive element, the heat conductive element transferring heat of the coil part to an outside; and a heat radiation part connected to the cooling panel, the heat radiation part being configured to radiate the heat transferred from the heat conductive element to the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Shinohira, Dotaro Usui
  • Patent number: 7459810
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a stator of a linear motor having a plurality of outer core blocks. Each of the outer core blocks comprises first and second side core blocks and a center core block. The center core block has an inner diameter equal to an outer diameter of a coil block. Consequently, insulation and heat transfer efficiencies are improved, and the size of the linear motor is minimized. Furthermore, the center core block is provided with a heat sink part, which is inserted in the coil block for dissipating heat from the coil block. Consequently, heat generated from the coil block is effectively dissipated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sang Sub Jeong, Sun Yong Choi, Hyuk Lee
  • Patent number: 7459809
    Abstract: An X-Y stage driver having a locking device and a data storage system having the X-Y stage driver. The X-Y stage driver includes an X-Y stage; a supporting unit that supports the X-Y stage and has elastic beams that support corners of the X-Y stage; a driving unit that drives the X-Y stage in a first direction and a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction; a stiffener that prevents the X-Y stage from rotating; and a locking device that fixes the stiffener by an electrostatic force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hong-sik Park, Jong-youp Shim, Seung-bum Hong, Dong-ki Min
  • Patent number: 7459808
    Abstract: A motor includes a magnet assembly to generate a magnetic field. The field includes along the first direction parts which are alternately orientated in the first and the second direction. The parts extend in a third direction which is perpendicular to the first and the second direction. The motor further includes a first coil winding to carry a first current. The first coil winding to extend in the first direction between parts of the magnetic field orientated in the second direction, to generate the force in the first direction. The motor also includes a second coil winding to carry a second current. The second coil winding to extend in the first direction between parts of the magnetic field substantially orientated in the first direction, to generate the force in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Sven Antoin Johan Hol, Angelo Cesar Peter De Klerk, Erik Roelof Loopstra, Fransicus Mathijs Jacobs, Mark Scholten, Arjan Franklin Bakker
  • Patent number: 7459811
    Abstract: A reciprocating motor including a piston operatively connected with a magnet unit, a cylinder having an open end to receive the piston and having a groove formed at a circumference along an outer surface thereof near the open end, a stator assembly positioned around the cylinder and cooperating with the magnet unit to allow the piston to reciprocate within the cylinder, and a ring member being placed into the groove of the cylinder to be frictionally urged towards a portion of the stator assembly to maintain contact with and hold the portion of the stator assembly in place on the outer surface of the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Seong-Yeol Hyun
  • Patent number: 7456528
    Abstract: A magnet assembly includes a back iron and an array of magnets. The back iron is in the form of a plate having opposed surfaces. The magnets are arranged along one of the surfaces, with the other surface being dimensioned and configured according to the magnetic field distribution associated with the magnets. The back iron geometry provides for reduced mass, reduced leakage flux, and high flux densities to improve performance of a linear motor that employs such a magnet assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Anorad Corporation
    Inventors: Nandakumar Thirunarayan-Kumar, James F. Smith
  • Publication number: 20080284257
    Abstract: A reliable and cost-efficient direct drive force feedback motor is suitable for joystick applications, allowing multiple degrees of output freedom, requiring no coil commutation, and permitting compact packaging. A multiple degree-of-freedom motor consistent with the invention comprises an output shaft, a stator, and a rotor. The stator comprises first and second lamination stacks, each lamination stack having an interior curved surface and a coil wound thereon, the lamination stacks being disposed adjacent the output shaft. The rotor is fixed to the output shaft and movably supported adjacent the stator with an air gap disposed between the rotor and the stator, the rotor including at least one magnet disposed thereon and being movable along the interior curved surface of the lamination stacks in directions defining at least first and second degrees of freedom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventors: David Cope, Andrew Wright, Neil Tischler
  • Patent number: 7449804
    Abstract: A stator of a reciprocating motor includes a ring-shaped bobbin including a winding coil 400 therein; a plurality of unit laminated assemblies each constructed of a plurality of lamination sheets and coupled to the bobblin in a circumferential direction; a fixing means integrally formed with the bobbin and for fixing the unit laminated assemblies to the bobbin; and an inner core inserted in an outer core at a certain interval between itself and a round inner circumferential surface formed by inner surface of the unit laminated assemblies, so that components can be easily assembled, the number of assembling processes and the number of components can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sun-Ki Yoon, Won-Hyun Jung
  • Patent number: 7446440
    Abstract: A permanent magnet reciprocating engine and method are provided wherein a first field plate having magnetic fields of two polarities interact with the magnetic field of a magnet located on a piston plate. The first field plate is moved to alternately bring the magnetic field of a first polarity and the magnetic field of a second polarity into alignment with the magnetic field of the piston plate, thus alternately attracting and repelling the piston plate to the field plate. The piston plate is connected to a piston rod, which reciprocates along an axis as a result of the alternately attractive and repulsive forces exerted on the piston plate by the field plate. A translation mechanism, such as a crankshaft, translates the linear motion of the piston rod along the axis into rotary motion that can be harnessed as power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Inventor: Miodrag Mihajlovic
  • Patent number: 7446752
    Abstract: Controlling haptic sensations from a vibrotactile feedback device connected to a computer. The vibrotactile device includes an actuator having a rotatable mass, and receives information, which causes a periodic control signal to be produced. The control signal controls the actuator to rotate the mass to induce a vibration in the device, where a magnitude and a frequency of the vibration can be adjusted independently of each other by adjusting the control signal. Vibration magnitude is based on control signal duty cycle, and vibration frequency is based on control signal frequency. Kinesthetic haptic effects can be output on the vibrotactile device by mapping the kinesthetic effect to a vibrotactile effect that causes vibrotactile forces to be output. The kinesthetic haptic effect can be a periodic or nonperiodic effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Alex S. Goldenberg, Ramon Alarcon
  • Publication number: 20080265692
    Abstract: An electromechanical generator for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy, the electromechanical generator comprising a housing, an electrically conductive coil assembly fixedly mounted in the housing, the coil assembly having radially inner and outer sides, and upper and lower edges, thereof, a mount for the coil assembly extending inwardly of the radially inner side for fixing the coil assembly in a fixed position in the housing, a magnetic core assembly movably mounted in the housing for linear vibrational motion along an axis, and a biasing device mounted between the housing and the magnetic core assembly to bias the magnetic core assembly in opposed directions along the axis towards a central position, wherein the magnetic core assembly encloses the electrically conductive coil assembly on the radially outer side and on the upper and lower edges, and on a part of the radially inner side, the magnetic core assembly having a gap on a radially inner portion thereof through which the
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: PERPETUUM LTD.
    Inventor: Stephen ROBERTS
  • Publication number: 20080265693
    Abstract: An autonomous-power radio device including an electromagnetic energy transducer having a permanent magnet (1), a soft-magnetic element (9), an electrical coil (6), and stop points (8a-8d). The electrical coil surrounds a part of the magnetic circuit, wherein the permanent magnet (1) and said soft-magnetic element (9) are arranged to form a magnetic circuit with a first flux direction. At least one of the soft-magnetic element (9) and the permanent magnet (1) is mounted for rotary movement about an axis (4) with respect to the other. End points of the rotary movement are formed by the stop points (8a-8d).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventor: Frank Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7443060
    Abstract: A resonator of an acoustic compressor is provided at each side of an actuator so that the two resonators are arranged side by side. Two pistons are provided at the inner ends of the resonators and actuated by the actuator. At the outer end of the each of the resonators, a gas is introduced into the resonator through a suction hole. When the pistons are actuated by the actuator, the gases in the two resonators are oscillated and compressed by the piston and discharged through discharge holes at the outer ends of the resonators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Anest Iwata Corporation
    Inventors: Masaaki Kawahashi, Mohammed Anwar Hossain, Tamotsu Fujioka
  • Patent number: 7440689
    Abstract: An electromagnetically actuated adjusting apparatus for lens is disclosed. The adjusting apparatus comprises a body capable of furnishing a lens inside, at least one permanent magnet, a first magnetic conductor and a second magnetic conductor. The first and the second magnetic conductors are respectively wound with a plurality of coils. The permanent magnet is adjoined to the body and has a first polarity and a second polarity opposing each other. The first magnetic conductor has at least a first extension member provided opposite to the first polarity. The second magnetic conductor has at least a second extension member provided opposite to the second polarity. The first extension member and the second extension member can better converge magnetic flux lines emanating from the coils when charged to the positions nearing the two polarities of the permanent magnet so high-efficiency focusing and zooming of lens can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Aiptek International Inc.
    Inventors: Kuo Tung Tiao, Shih Yuan Chang, Ming Jen Tsai
  • Patent number: 7439640
    Abstract: An actuator mechanism having a different magnet polarity arrangement than the conventional mechanisms is provided. The actuator mechanism 100 has a magnet unit 210 that includes magnets 30 and an electromagnetic coil unit 110 that includes an electromagnetic coil. the relative positions of the magnet unit 210 and the magnetic coil unit 110 can change. The magnet unit 210 includes a yoke member 20 and two or more magnets 30. The two magnets 30 are pulled toward the yoke member 20 in the state where identical poles face each other across the yoke member 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kesatoshi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7439641
    Abstract: A resonance drive actuator includes a casing; an electromagnetic drive section supported in the interior of the casing; a plunger to be reciprocatively driven at least in a rotational direction or in an axial direction by the electromagnetic drive section; an output shaft on which the plunger is fixed; and a spring which acts between the output shaft and the casing. The actuator resonantly drives a load connected to an end of the output shaft. The spring is a plate spring which integrally includes a casing inner-surface abutment portion fixedly abutting the inner surface of the casing, an output-shaft abutment portion fixedly abutting an outer surface of the output shaft, and a connection portion having the form of a strip and connecting the output-shaft abutment portion and the casing inner-surface abutment portion. The plate spring is fixed to both of the inner surface of the casing, and the output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Mabuchi Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Ogino, Toshihiko Umemura, Yasuaki Shinozaki
  • Patent number: 7436089
    Abstract: A reciprocating motor comprising an outer stator (110) having a cylindrical shape by radially stacking a plurality of lamination sheets (112) at the outside of a bobbin (160) in which a winding coil is wound; an inner stator (120) disposed in the outer stator (110) at a certain air gap from an inner circumference of the outer stator, and having a cylindrical shape by radially stacking a plurality of lamination sheets (122); a magnet paddle (140) disposed between the outer stator and the inner stator, and having a plurality of magnets (130) installed at a circumference thereof; a terminal part (170) provided at one side of the outer stator, and having a magnetic force balancing part (80) at which lamination sheets are not stacked, provided at the outer stator at the same interval on the basis of the terminal part in a circumferential direction of the outer stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Hyung-Pyo Yoon
  • Patent number: 7429839
    Abstract: A linear compressor having a reciprocating piston, a linear motor driving the piston, and a motor controller to vary magnitude of a stroke of the piston according to power, including: a near-collision detector detecting whether the piston passes a near-collision position spaced from a top dead center according to a predetermined high power with a predetermined high power distance; and a collision return time calculator calculating a near-collision position return time taking for the piston to return to the near-collision position on a basis of the detection of the near-collision detector according to compression and expansion cycles, and wherein the motor controller decreases a driving force of the linear motor if the near-collision position return time is greater than a predetermined allowance time per power, and increases the driving force of the linear motor if the near-collision position return time is less than the predetermined allowance time per power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyo-suk Kim
  • Patent number: 7429812
    Abstract: A drive unit for the movement of an active element with respect to a passive element, wherein the active element includes a resonator and at least one excitation device for exciting oscillations of the resonator. The resonator includes contact regions for exerting forces onto the passive element. The active element may be driven with respect to the passive element by way of oscillating movements. The resonator includes at least two arms, preferably a pair of arms. The at least two arms of an arm pair, proceeding from a connection region of the resonator, are formed on the same side of the resonator. In each case the contact regions are formed at the outer ends of the arms, wherein the contact regions may be moved to and away from one another by way of oscillating movements of the arm pair. Thereby, a relative movement of the passive element with respect to the active element may be effected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Miniswys SA
    Inventors: Bonny Witteveen, Elmar Mock, Edwin Daamen, Florian Kaufmann
  • Publication number: 20080224476
    Abstract: A small portable power pack includes a fuel/air supply for mixing fuel, which is supplied from outside, with outside air, thereby providing mixed gas; a uniflow scavenging micro-engine for receiving mixed gas from the fuel/air supply and igniting mixed gas to explode; a control panel for operating and controlling the uniflow scavenging micro-engine; a capacitor battery for powering the control panel and the uniflow scavenging micro-engine. The portable power pack is easily carried and used without the restriction of spaces and sites.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: KOREA INSTITUTE OF ENERGY RESEARCH
    Inventors: Gang-Chul Kim, Yong-Jae Lee, Yong-Dug Pyo, Young-Min Woo, Oh-Seuk Kwon, Jong-Pyo Cho, Hak-Geun Jung, Nam-Jo Jeong, Jong-Huy Kim, Choong-Sik Bae
  • Publication number: 20080217926
    Abstract: An electrical energy generator that converts kinetic energy harvested from voluntary motor activity of a human or animal to electrical energy. The electrical energy generator includes a housing, a coil of electrically conductive material, a reciprocally movable electromagnetically active mass, springs connecting the mass to either the housing or to adjustment means engaged with said housing, and, optionally, means for constraining non-linear motion of the electromagnetically active mass, and/or means of mitigating motion retardation of the electromagnetically active mass within any existing housing atmosphere. The electrical energy generator may be associated with a carried item, such as a backpack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventor: Aaron Patrick Lemieux
  • Patent number: 7420300
    Abstract: A voice coil motor of the movable coil type comprising a stator including a permanent magnet. The stator produces a magnetic field. A movable element made of an armature coil is provided. The armature coil is formed into a coil-shape having a cavity portion. A reinforcing beam made of non-magnetic and highly rigid material is formed at a substantial center of the cavity portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventor: Shusaku Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20080203829
    Abstract: A vibrating-type motor is provided, in which only a restoring force is reduced without reducing a thrust increasing effect by auxiliary magnets, thereby reducing size while increasing efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: FUJI ELECTRIC SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Noboru MATSUMOTO, Keishi OHSHIMA, Yoshinori MIZOGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20080197719
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a linear actuator in which reliability is improved, and performance is also easily improved. The present invention provides a linear actuator including a stator, a movable element having an iron member, and being reciprocatable with respect to the stator, a permanent magnet fixed to the stator so as to be opposed to the iron member, and a coil fixed to the stator. Because both the coil and the permanent magnet are fixed to the stator, electrical current does not have to be supplied to the movable element, and the feeder lines connected to the coil will not be broken due to the movement of the movable element. In addition, the weight of the movable element will not be increased even when the weigh of the permanent magnet is increased in order to obtain high magnetic flux density for improvement in performance. Moreover, because the movable element does not include a magnet, a magnetizing operation does not have to be applied to the movable element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: SHINKO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi NAKAGAWA, Kazumichi KATO, Toshio MIKI, Minoru MAEDA, Takashi FUKUNAGA, Kozo FURUTANI, Toshiya SUGIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20080197720
    Abstract: A vibrating-type motor is provided, in which a restoring force is reduced without reducing a thrust increasing effect by auxiliary magnets, thereby to reduce the size and expense of the motor while increasing efficiency. The vibrating-type motor includes a moving part having a main magnet and auxiliary magnets individually junctioned coaxially to two axial end portions of the main magnet, an exciting yoke including two leg portions opposed to the moving part through a gap and arranged coaxially with the moving part, an exciting coil wound on the exciting yoke for generating a magnetic flux in the leg portions, and a back yoke arranged to confront the exciting yoke with the moving part located between the back yoke and the exciting yoke, wherein outer-side end portions of the exciting yoke extend past axial end portions of the back yoke.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: FUJI ELECTRIC SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Noboru MATSUMOTO, Keishi OHSHIMA, Yoshinori MIZOGUCHI
  • Patent number: 7414374
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a power device. The power device has a power source; timing circuitry powered by the power source for producing a current pulse output having a pulse width; a switch for triggering the current pulse output produced by the timing circuitry; an armature motor powered by the power source and in electrical communication with the timing circuitry for receiving the current pulse therefrom, the armature motor comprising: an electro-magnetic core; a first winding for carrying electric current to energize a magnetic field associated with the electro-magnetic core; a second winding for carrying current to reset the magnetic field associated with the electro-magnetic core, the first and second windings wound about the electro-magnetic core; and a swinging armature for providing movement in response to the energizing of the magnetic field about electro-magnetic core. The first winding and the second winding are bifilar wound together about the electro-magnetic core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Panint Electronic Ltd.
    Inventors: Dan L. Watts, Timothy E. O'Connell, David Vergara
  • Publication number: 20080174187
    Abstract: An electromagnetic vibrator for use in a portable communication device (90) comprising a housing (20,30,40,50,60,70,80) comprising a track directed in a first dimension, a coiling (22,82) comprising at least one coil turn, oriented in a second dimension essentially perpendicular to the first dimension, coiled around the track and being arranged to receive an electric voltage, a permanent magnet assembly (26,32,34,42,52,62,72,84) arranged for motion along the track to which said permanent magnet assembly is tightly fitted, and a ferrofluid mixture placed between the track and the permanent magnet assembly (26,32,34,42,52,62,72,84), allowing motion of the permanent magnet assembly (26,32,34,42,52,62,72,84) in the first dimension in dependence of the electric voltage as supplied to the coiling (22,82).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: SONY ERICSSON MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS AB
    Inventors: Mats Erixon, Mats Wolf, Stefan Hellstrom
  • Patent number: 7402922
    Abstract: A tactile wave generating apparatus and method to generate amplified low frequency waves which are then transmitted as tactile waves into a structure and/or to a persons anatomy. There is a housing in which is positioned a drive section that in turn comprises a magnet section that moves upwardly and downwardly as an inertial mass, two coils on opposite sides of the magnet and two flux path return plates for the coils. Each coil comprises upper and lower longitudinally aligned generally linear coil portions which drive the magnet section upwardly and downwardly. The magnet section is supported by upper and lower interconnecting sections that resiliently resist the up and down motion of the magnet section and restrain the magnet section to move up and down within close tolerances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Renaissance Sound LLC
    Inventors: Jeffery T. Springer, James L. Kirschman, Robert M. O'Neill, Conrad P. Sandoval, Joseph B. Young
  • Patent number: 7400069
    Abstract: A generator for producing electric power includes a drive mechanism, such as a drive motor, having a rotor supported for rotation about an axis. A first generator magnet driveable by the rotor includes a reference pole facing in a first direction. A second generator magnet driveable by the rotor includes a pole of opposite polarity from the reference pole located near the reference pole and facing in the first direction. The first and second generator magnets produce a magnetic field whose flux extends between the reference pole of the first generator magnet and opposite pole of the second generator magnet. A stator includes an electrical conductor winding located adjacent the first and second magnets such that the magnetic field repetitively intersects the winding as the rotor driveably rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Inventor: Stephen Kundel
  • Patent number: 7397161
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an outer core assembly structure of a linear motor. At least one of a plurality of core sheets is an extended core sheet having a length greater than that of the other core sheets. Consequently, easy and convenient alignment of first and second outer core blocks is accomplished when the first and second outer core blocks are assembled, and the first and second outer core blocks are securely fixed to each other. Furthermore, an additional reinforcing cover is not necessary. Consequently, assembly of the first and second outer core blocks is easily and conveniently accomplished, and therefore, the assembly costs are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Jin Dong Kim
  • Publication number: 20080157608
    Abstract: An oscillatory machine (200) comprises a support (220) having a load carrying surface (222) and an opposite surface (224), an electric motor (21) having an air gap (218) through which lines of magnetic flux extend, an armature (214) coupled to the support, said armature provided with at least two electrically conductive paths [CA,CB,CC] each having at least one current carrying segment disposed in the air gap and substantially perpendicularly intersected by the lines of magnetic flux (FIG. 1) to produce thrust forces [TA, TB, TC] which act to move the armature and thus said support in two dimensions in a plane, a bearing support system (272) suspending said armature in the air gap, said bearing support system disposed between the said support and said armature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2005
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: MERLEX CORPORATION PTY LTD
    Inventors: Barry Reginald Hobson, Angelo Paoliello
  • Patent number: 7394173
    Abstract: A reliable and cost-efficient direct drive force feedback motor is suitable for joystick applications, allowing multiple degrees of output freedom, requiring no coil commutation, and permitting compact packaging. A multiple degree-of-freedom motor consistent with the invention comprises an output shaft, a stator, and a rotor. The stator comprises first and second lamination stacks, each lamination stack having an interior curved surface and a coil wound thereon, the lamination stacks being disposed adjacent the output shaft. The rotor is fixed to the output shaft and movably supported adjacent the stator with an air gap disposed between the rotor and the stator, the rotor including at least one magnet disposed thereon and being movable along the interior curved surface of the lamination stacks in directions defining at least first and second degrees of freedom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: David Cope, Andrew Wright, Neil Tischler