By Means For Producing Periodic Electrical Pulses In The Energizing Circuit Patents (Class 318/129)
  • Patent number: 9576713
    Abstract: An example variable reluctance device includes a load structure connected to an armature through a connecting arm. The armature is positioned between two oppositely oriented core structures. A structural frame secures the core structures in a fixed position, forming gap regions between the core structures and the armature, forming a magnetic circuit. The armature is resiliently centered between the core structures by a spring, such that the gaps and are approximately equal in width when the armature is at rest. The device further includes a magnetic substance within the gaps that is compressed or stretched to allow movement of the armature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: George David Goodman
  • Patent number: 9366860
    Abstract: A galvanometer-based optical scanner limits a range of mirror rotation angles and includes posts extending from an adjustable base to define a range of angles for rotation of the mirror and cushioning carried by the posts for softening an impact of the mirror when making contact with the posts. A band of rubber-like material is placed around the posts to provide the cushioning. Operation of the scanner is such that an adjustable mirror stop is provided which does not stop rotation of the rotor itself, but stops rotation of the mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Inventor: William R. Benner, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9214919
    Abstract: A resonator includes a resonator element including a base section, vibrating arms extending from the base section, and a support arm disposed between the vibrating arms, a package adapted to support the resonator element, and electrically-conductive adhesives adapted to fix the support arm to the package, the support arm includes a tip portion and a width-decreasing portion having a width smaller than the width of the tip portion, and the electrically-conductive adhesive has contact with at least a part of the width-decreasing portion in a planar view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Patent number: 8970158
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a cryocooler drive circuit for a cryocooler motor is provided that includes: a first switching power converter configured to track a first sinusoidal input voltage signal to provide a first sinusoidal output voltage signal at a first output node; and a second switching power converter configured to track a second sinusoidal input voltage signal to provide a second sinusoidal output voltage signal at a second output node, wherein the second sinusoidal input voltage signal is an inverted version of the first sinusoidal input voltage signal such that the cryocooler motor is driven by an alternating current flowing between the first and second output nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Louis David Chowning
  • Patent number: 8872448
    Abstract: An apparatus including at least one vibrator motor for vibrating the apparatus; a controller connected to the at least one vibrator motor; and at least one sensor connected to the controller. The at least one sensor is configured to sense drop motion of the apparatus. The controller is configured to control the at least one vibrator motor to change orientation of the apparatus during a portion of the drop motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Sergey Boldyrev, Mikko Uusitalo, Alexander V. Ptchelintsev, Jari-Jukka H. Kaaja, Ian Oliver
  • Patent number: 8860337
    Abstract: The current application is directed to various types of linear vibrational modules, including linear-resonant vibration modules, that can be incorporated in a wide variety of appliances, devices, and systems to provide vibrational forces. The vibrational forces are produced by linear oscillation of a weight or member, in turn produced by rapidly alternating the polarity of one or more driving electromagnets. Feedback control is used to maintain the vibrational frequency of linear-resonant vibration module at or near the resonant frequency for the linear-resonant vibration module. Both linear vibration modules and linear-resonant vibration modules can be designed to produce vibrational amplitude/frequency combinations throughout a large region of amplitude/frequency space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Resonant Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robin Elenga, Brian Marc Pepin, Glen Tompkins
  • Publication number: 20130334990
    Abstract: A drive signal generating unit generates a drive signal used to alternately deliver a positive current and a negative current to a coil. The drive signal is such that nonconducting periods are set before and after a positive current conducting period and the nonconducting periods are set before and after a negative current conducting period. A driver unit generates the drive current in response to the drive signal generated by the drive signal generating unit and then supplies the drive current to the coil. The drive signal generating unit sets the width of a nonconducting period such that, after the drive start of the linear vibration motor, the width of a nonconducting period to be set before at least the first conducting period of the drive signal is shorter than the width of a nonconducting period to be set before each conducting period during steady operation of the linear vibration motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Tsutomu Murata
  • Patent number: 8579605
    Abstract: The present invention provides a DC-AC frequency converter type mucus suction device having an electromagnetic pump, the pressure and the flow generated in which could be changed to satisfy the requirement of the mucus suction device. The mucus suction device of the present invention comprises an electromagnetic pump, a suction device and a frequency converter circuit, wherein the frequency converter circuit at least comprises an oscillator circuit, a bistable circuit, and a push-pull circuit, wherein the electromagnetic pump is supplied with AC obtained from the oscillation of DC in the frequency converter circuit, wherein the swing speed, frequency and amplitude of the swing arms vary with the oscillation frequency of the oscillator circuit, such that the suction pressure and the suction flow of the electromagnetic pump could further be changed to obtain the most appropriate pressure and flow of the mucus suction device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Inventor: Ming Yang Wang
  • Patent number: 8519645
    Abstract: A drive signal generating unit generates a drive signal used to alternately deliver a positive current and a negative current to a coil. The drive signal is such that nonconducting periods are set before and after a positive current conducting period and the nonconducting periods are set before and after a negative current conducting period. A driver unit generates the drive current in response to the drive signal generated by the drive signal generating unit and then supplies the drive current to the coil. The drive signal generating unit sets the width of a nonconducting period such that, after the drive start of the linear vibration motor, the width of a nonconducting period to be set before at least the first conducting period of the drive signal is shorter than the width of a nonconducting period to be set before each conducting period during steady operation of the linear vibration motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Tsutomu Murata
  • Publication number: 20130200823
    Abstract: A motor is provided which includes a pivotable portion having a permanent magnet mounted thereto, and first and second lamination arms, wherein the magnet induces positive and negative polarities in the first and second lamination arms, respectively. The motor further includes a fixed portion including an ā€œEā€ shaped lamination having three lamination arms and a coil wound about one of the three lamination arms. When a current flowing in a first direction is applied to the coil, a first magnetic field is induced that affects polarity of at least on of the three lamination arms and thus generates a force that causes the first portion to pivot in a first direction. When the current flows in a second direction, a second magnetic field is induced that affects polarity of at least one of the three lamination arms and causes the first portion to pivot in a second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: Conair Corporation
    Inventor: Hon Hung Joseph Chan
  • Patent number: 8480382
    Abstract: An electromagnetic pump has a frequency converter circuit for driving the electromagnetic pump, wherein the frequency converter circuit comprises an oscillator circuit, a bistable circuit and a push-pull circuit. The oscillator circuit oscillates to transform DC into a single-phase oscillating signal. The bistable circuit splits the single-phase oscillating signal into a N-phase stimulus signal and a S-phase stimulus signal. The push-pull circuit amplifies and transports the N-phase stimulus signal and the S-phase stimulus signal to the electromagnetic pump to make the swing arms of the electromagnetic pump swinging effectively, wherein the swing speed, the swing frequency and the swing amplitude of the swing arms vary with the change of the oscillation frequency of the oscillator circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Inventor: Ming Yang Wang
  • Publication number: 20130163123
    Abstract: A circuit device includes a linear driver circuit, a pulse-width modulation driver circuit, an oscillator circuit having an output coupled to the pulse-width modulation circuit, and a feed-forward circuit coupled to the oscillator circuit, the feed-forward circuit being configured to adjust an output of the oscillator circuit so that an output of the PWM circuit substantially matches an output of the linear driver circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Inventor: Yoshito Otaguro
  • Patent number: 8466638
    Abstract: A small electric appliance is described which comprises an oscillation-capable mechanism (4), an electric motor (1) to drive the oscillation-capable mechanism (4), wherein the electric motor (1) can be operated with a drive current (10) at a predetermined frequency (f), and a device (3) for adjusting the frequency (f) of the drive current of the electric motor (1). Furthermore, a method for adjusting the frequency (f) of a drive current (10) of an electric motor is described comprising the following steps of detecting, at a specified time (tmeas), in relation to the period of the drive current, an electric variable (20) generated by the electric motor (1) determining, at the specified measuring time (tmeas), whether the detected electric variable (20) essentially has a zero-crossing and changing the frequency (f) of the drive current until the detected electric variable (20) essentially has a zero-crossing at the measuring time (tmeas).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Torsten Klemm, Ingo Vetter, Uwe Jungnickel
  • Patent number: 8461969
    Abstract: A dual mode vibrator is disclosed. There are available two vibrating units to enable obtainment of a variety of vibrations. Each lateral portion of the first and second vibrating units respectively supported by the first and second elastic members is supported by the first and second support bars secured at the housing for rotatable installation. Therefore, although the first and second vibrating units may rotate about the first and second support bars, the first and second vibrating units are not allowed to deviated or disengaged from the first and second support bars, whereby the plastic deformation of the first and second elastic members is prevented, and the first and second vibrating units can be positioned at predetermined positions at all times to enhance reliability of product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sunghwan An
  • Patent number: 8446112
    Abstract: The instant invention provides a magnetically controlled reciprocating engine having a unique electromagnet control system. The engine is constructed and arranged to operate from a stored power source such as batteries to provide extended run times by controlling the power supplied to the electromagnets in a manner that controls heat generation within the electromagnetic coils, thereby increasing coil life. The control system is also capable of controlling engine speed and/or torque outputs to make the engine versatile for a wide variety of uses. The system is constructed and arranged to be utilized on new or pre-existing engines of various configurations and may be utilized in other industries or devices that benefit from the use of electromagnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Magnetic Miles, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Miles, Michael Cristoforo
  • Publication number: 20130004335
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a linear compressor which can perform the natural cooling capacity modulation, even if a capacitor connected to a motor is removed. The linear compressor includes a fixed member having a compression space therein, a movable member linearly reciprocated in the fixed member to compress a refrigerant sucked into the compression space, one or more springs provided to elastically support the movable member in the motion direction of the movable member, a motor connected to the movable member to linearly reciprocate the movable member in the axial direction, and a motor control unit performing the cooling capacity modulation by the reciprocation of the movable member according to a load, by controlling an AC voltage applied to the motor so that a stroke of the movable member can be proportional to the magnitude of the AC voltage applied to the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Jin Seok Hu, Shin Hyun Park, Yong Tae Kim, Hoon Bong Lee, Kye Lyong Kang
  • Patent number: 8299747
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a single-stage zero-current switching driving circuit for ultrasonic motor, which comprises: a buck-boost converter and a zero-current switching resonant inverter. The driving circuit according to the present invention integrates the buck-boost converter and the resonant inverter into a single-stage structure, so that the buck-boost converter and the resonant inverter share an active switch and a trigger signal, and therefore, the circuit is simplified and the loss caused by stage switching is reduced. Moreover, the buck-boost converter operates in a discontinuous-conduction mode (DCM), which allows the circuit to have high power factor, and enables the active switch to be capable of zero-current switching (ZCS), so that the loss caused by switching is largely reduced. In the driving circuit according to the present invention, there's no interaction of power between the buck-boost converter and the resonant inverter, so that the two circuits can be analyzed individually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Metal Industries Research & Development Centre
    Inventors: Yao-Ching Hsieh, Cheng-Yen Chen, Jian-Yi Hong, Po-Wen Hsueh
  • Publication number: 20120262094
    Abstract: The instant invention provides a magnetically controlled reciprocating engine having a unique electromagnet control system. The engine is constructed and arranged to operate from a stored power source such as batteries to provide extended run times by controlling the power supplied to the electromagnets in a manner that controls heat generation within the electromagnetic coils, thereby increasing coil life. The control system is also capable of controlling engine speed and/or torque outputs to make the engine versatile for a wide variety of uses. The system is constructed and arranged to be utilized on new or pre-existing engines of various configurations and may be utilized in other industries or devices that benefit from the use of electromagnets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventors: Stephen Miles, Michael Cristoforo
  • Publication number: 20120146557
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a vibration generating module and an actuator using the same, and more specifically, to an invention for generating vibration using an unstable structure, in which magnetic force is generated using permanent magnets and a solenoid for generating alternating electromagnetic force, and the vibration is generated by inertia or impact as the permanent magnets or the solenoid is moved by the generated magnetic force. To this end, disclosed is a vibration generating module comprising: a magnetic force generating means 110 for generating magnetic force; and an electromagnetic force generating means 120 for generating electromagnetic force alternating depending on a magnetic pole change signal, in which vibration is generated as the magnetic force generating means 110 or the electromagnetic force generating means 120 is moved to one direction according to the magnetic pole change signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Dongbum Pyo, Tae-Heon Yang, Young-jun Cho, Dong-Soo Kwon
  • Publication number: 20120133308
    Abstract: The current application is directed to various types of linear vibrational modules, including linear-resonant vibration modules, that can be incorporated in a wide variety of appliances, devices, and systems to provide vibrational forces. The vibrational forces are produced by linear oscillation of a weight or member, in turn produced by rapidly alternating the polarity of one or more driving electromagnets. Feedback control is used to maintain the vibrational frequency of linear-resonant vibration module at or near the resonant frequency for the linear-resonant vibration module. Both linear vibration modules and linear-resonant vibration modules can be designed to produce vibrational amplitude/frequency combinations throughout a large region of amplitude/frequency space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Inventors: Robin Elenga, Brian Marc Pepin, Glen Tompkins
  • Patent number: 8188690
    Abstract: The instant invention provides a magnetically controlled reciprocating engine having a unique electromagnet control system. The engine is constructed and arranged to operate from a stored power source such as batteries to provide extended run times by controlling the power supplied to the electromagnets in a manner that controls heat generation within the electromagnetic coils, thereby increasing coil life. The control system is also capable of controlling engine speed and/or torque outputs to make the engine versatile for a wide variety of uses. The system is constructed and arranged to be utilized on new or pre-existing engines of various configurations and may be utilized in other industries or devices that benefit from the use of electromagnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Magnetic Miles, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Miles, Michael Cristoforo
  • Publication number: 20110193503
    Abstract: The instant invention provides a magnetically controlled reciprocating engine having a unique electromagnet control system. The engine is constructed and arranged to operate from a stored power source such as batteries to provide extended run times by controlling the power supplied to the electromagnets in a manner that controls heat generation within the electromagnetic coils, thereby increasing coil life. The control system is also capable of controlling engine speed and/or torque outputs to make the engine versatile for a wide variety of uses. The system is constructed and arranged to be utilized on new or pre-existing engines of various configurations and may be utilized in other industries or devices that benefit from the use of electromagnets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Inventors: Stephen Miles, Michael Cristoforo
  • Publication number: 20110181211
    Abstract: A drive signal generating unit generates a drive signal used to alternately deliver a positive current and a negative current to a coil. The drive signal is such that nonconducting periods are set before and after a positive current conducting period and the nonconducting periods are set before and after a negative current conducting period. A driver unit generates the drive current in response to the drive signal generated by the drive signal generating unit and then supplies the drive current to the coil. The drive signal generating unit sets the width of a nonconducting period such that, after the drive start of the linear vibration motor, the width of a nonconducting period to be set before at least the first conducting period of the drive signal is shorter than the width of a nonconducting period to be set before each conducting period during steady operation of the linear vibration motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventor: Tsutomu MURATA
  • Publication number: 20110080122
    Abstract: A small electric appliance is described which comprises an oscillation-capable mechanism (4), an electric motor (1) to drive the oscillation-capable mechanism (4), wherein the electric motor (1) can be operated with a drive current (10) at a predetermined frequency (f), and a device (3) for adjusting the frequency (f) of the drive current of the electric motor (1). Furthermore, a method for adjusting the frequency (f) of a drive current (10) of an electric motor is described comprising the following steps of detecting, at a specified time (tmeas), in relation to the period of the drive current, an electric variable (20) generated by the electric motor (1) determining, at the specified measuring time (tmeas), whether the detected electric variable (20) essentially has a zero-crossing and changing the frequency (f) of the drive current until the detected electric variable (20) essentially has a zero-crossing at the measuring time (tmeas).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Inventors: Torsten KLEMM, Ingo VETTER, Uwe JUNGNICKEL
  • Patent number: 7911160
    Abstract: An oscillation device capable of generating a drive signal waveform with a sufficiently small number of harmonic components is provided. The oscillation device includes an oscillation system, a supporting unit configured to support the oscillation system, a drive unit configured to drive the oscillation system, and a drive control unit configured to control the drive unit by supplying a drive signal. The oscillation system includes a torsion spring and an oscillator. The drive control unit includes a drive-signal generating circuit configured to generate the drive signal using an address generator configured to generate an address to which a predetermined variable is added at a frequency higher than a frequency of the drive signal and using a trigonometric-function table indexed by an output of the address generator. The frequency of the drive signal is adjusted by adjusting the predetermined variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ikuo Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20110058964
    Abstract: There are provided a linear motor for generating a linear reciprocating motion force, and a reciprocating compressor for compressing a refrigerant by employing the linear motor. The linear motor and the reciprocating compressor employing the same can reduce the number of inverter switches by employing a coil unit whose winding method is improved and a power supply apparatus whose connection to the coil unit and other circuits are improved, and can make it easy to control and reduce production costs by simplifying the circuit configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventors: Yang-Jun Kang, Chan-Gab Park, Young-Hoan Jeon
  • Publication number: 20110025235
    Abstract: In an electromagnetic actuator, which comprises a stator, a translator movable along a guiding element, and an excitation coil for generating an electromagnetic force which moves the translator, the coil is supplied with an electric current obtained according to the sum of a first electric signal, the time pattern of which defines a desired motion of the translator, with a second electric signal, which is generated only at each of given level variations of the first electric signal by modulating an oscillating function with a decreasing, time limited function, so that the second signal has an amplitude envelope having a certain maximum width such that the electromagnetic force is subjected to a higher increase of the static friction force between the translator and the guiding element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventors: Fabrizio Marignetti, Giovanni Tomassi, Enzo De Santis
  • Publication number: 20100322795
    Abstract: A fluid delivery system includes a pump operably coupleable to a source of fluid. A reciprocating electromagnetic actuator is coupled to the pump and has a coil that when energized causes the actuator to drive the pump. Coil current sensing circuitry is configured to provide an indication of current flowing in the coil. A controller is coupled to the coil current sensing circuitry and is configured to calculate a coil drive parameter based upon a plurality of coil current indications from the coil current sensing circuitry. Coil drive circuitry is coupled to the controller and is configured to supply current to the coil based on the coil drive parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Michael B. Jones, Gregory Wayne Parkhurst, Timothy Woodward Zeigler
  • Patent number: 7477026
    Abstract: The invention provides for a power steering assembly and method of actuation for assisting a driver in moving the steerable wheels of a vehicle. The power steering assembly includes a housing that defines a chamber. A steering rod is disposed in the chamber and is longitudinally moveable within the chamber. A shoulder is fixed to the steering rod and has opposing sides. A shaft is supported by the housing and engages the steering rod translating the rotational movement of the shaft into a longitudinal movement of the steering rod. A first actuator and second actuator are disposed in the chamber on opposing sides of the shoulder. The first and second actuators each have an excitable material that is controlled in a series of actuations to advance the actuators in a linear movement for pushing against the shoulder to move the steering rod longitudinally within the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Suat A. Ozsoylu
  • Publication number: 20080284359
    Abstract: An oscillation device capable of generating a drive signal waveform with a sufficiently small number of harmonic components is provided. The oscillation device includes an oscillation system, a supporting unit configured to support the oscillation system, a drive unit configured to drive the oscillation system, and a drive control unit configured to control the drive unit by supplying a drive signal. The oscillation system includes a torsion spring and an oscillator. The drive control unit includes a drive-signal generating circuit configured to generate the drive signal using an address generator configured to generate an address to which a predetermined variable is added at a frequency higher than a frequency of the drive signal and using a trigonometric-function table indexed by an output of the address generator. The frequency of the drive signal is adjusted by adjusting the predetermined variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ikuo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7385362
    Abstract: The drive method consists in setting in vibration a moving mass of a vibrating device for a portable object using a series of voltage pulses provided to the coil of the vibrating device, which is electro-magnetically coupled to the moving mass. In a phase of driving the oscillations of the moving mass after a start phase of the vibrating device, followed by a resonant frequency measurement phase, successive rectangular voltage pulses of alternating polarity are provided to the coil by a drive circuit. The width of the successive pulses is modulated in a substantially similar manner during each successive oscillation period which allows a substantially sinusoidal voltage wave (SF) of determined amplitude to be defined whose fundamental frequency is adapted to the resonant frequency of the moving mass. By modifying the oscillation period, it is thus possible to act on the amplitude of the moving mass oscillations which depends on the sinusoidal wave amplitude defined by the rectangular pulse width modulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventor: Daho Taghezout
  • Patent number: 7288914
    Abstract: Two standard waves from a standard waveform generation circuit are output via an output gate while being interchanged by a direction selector. The switching operation of the direction selector is controlled by a direction control signal M/I. 200 cycles of the standard waveforms are counted up by a 200-cycle counter. A drive counter is downcounted every 200 cycles, while the drive counter is upcounted in accordance with the number of drive pulses DRIVE. When the count value of the drive counter becomes zero, output from the output gate is thereby stopped. At the time of startup, outputs from the 200-cycle counter are counted so as to output a drive wave in a predetermined number in a predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Yoshitomi, Noriaki Okada, Takaaki Ishii, Yasuyuki Ueshima, Akira Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7288913
    Abstract: Two standard waves from a standard waveform generation circuit are output via an output gate while being interchanged by a direction selector. The switching operation of the direction selector is controlled by a direction control signal M/I. 200 cycles of the standard waveforms are counted by a 200-cycle counter. A drive counter is downcounted every 200 cycles, while the drive counter is upcounted in accordance with the number of drive pulses DRIVE. When the count value of the drive counter becomes zero, output from the output gate is thereby stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Yoshitomi, Noriaki Okada, Takaaki Ishii, Yasuyuki Ueshima, Akira Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7154239
    Abstract: A controller includes a power source unit, a drive circuit, and a state control circuit. The drive circuit is coupled to the power source unit, and includes a drive coil and a switching transistor unit. The switching transistor unit is operable in one of a circuit-making state for making an electrical circuit between the drive coil and the power source unit so as to enable the drive coil to drive rotation of a rotor of a brushless direct current motor, and a circuit-breaking state for breaking the electrical circuit between the drive coil and the power source unit. The state control circuit is coupled to the power source unit, and includes a pulse width modulator, a sensing coil, and a control transistor coupled electrically in series. The state control circuit controls operation of the switching transistor unit according to magnetic position of the rotor relative to the sensing coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Yen Sun Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chien-Jung Chen, I-Rong Liang
  • Patent number: 7001154
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for controlling a linear compressor. The linear compressor control apparatus has a collision detection unit, a control unit, and a compressor driving unit. The collision detection unit detects a collision of a piston with a valve due to the operations of the linear compressor. The control unit determines whether the collision of the piston occurs on the basis of an output signal from the collision detection unit, and resets maximum amplitude data of the piston of the linear compressor when the collision occurs. The compressor driving unit controls the maximum amplitude of the piston of the linear compressor under the control of the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae-Duk Kim
  • Patent number: 6935611
    Abstract: A motor control device for a flow control device includes an opening part through which an upstream side of a fluid flow passage is in communication with a downstream side of the fluid flow passage, a valve element that controls a flow of a fluid which passes through the opening part, a motor which includes a rotor and a stator that relatively moves the valve element with respect to the opening part and a drive control section by which the motor is rotationally driven and controlled. Drive pulses are outputted from the drive control section for rotationally driving the rotor of the motor and a stop pulse is outputted from the drive control section and set to be a period width longer than that of the drive pulse for stopping the rotor of the motor at a prescribed position. The stop pulse is applied to the motor and the rotor stops at the prescribed position by a magnetic detent torque between the rotor and the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Sankyo Seiki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichiro Noritake, Ryuhei Wada
  • Patent number: 6667589
    Abstract: An electricity distribution network for a motor vehicle, the network having at least two pieces of equipment connected to a storage battery, at least one of the pieces of equipment operates in a pulse mode likely to create oscillations in the network at a resonant frequency thereof, the network includes at least one resistive element and capacitor that are associated in series and that are of resistance and capacitance determined so that the resistance of the resistive element is equal to a damping resistance for the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Automotive Electronics
    Inventor: Marc Long
  • Patent number: 6593712
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a vibration wave motor which is configured to prevent abnormal noise from being produced at a start time or a stop time and, more particularly, to a control device for a vibration wave motor which obtains a driving force by applying a periodic voltage to an electro-mechanical energy conversion element so as to generate in a vibration member thereof a plurality of standing waves having a phase difference therebetween, the plurality of standing waves being synthesized to generate a driving vibration in the vibration member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Canon Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Nishimoto, Eiichi Yanagi, Makoto Shiomi
  • Patent number: 6548971
    Abstract: A dual sided self-oscillation circuit for driving an oscillatory actuator with high efficiency and high response speed. The actuator has a winding to receive a periodical supply current from a power source and oscillates in a predetermined resonant frequency. The self-oscillation circuit includes a bandpass filter for receiving a back electromotive force voltage (Vbemf) developed across the winding and producing a sine wave output signal, a comparator for comparing the sine wave output signal with a threshold voltage and producing two drive pulses per cycle of the resonant frequency, and a switch connected in series with the winding to connect or disconnect the power source to the winding in response to the drive pulses, thereby flowing electric current in two directions at each cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventor: Halit S. Gokturk
  • Patent number: 6285151
    Abstract: A method of controlling velocity of an armature of an electromagnetic actuator as the armature moves from a first position towards a second position is provided. The electromagnetic actuator includes a coil and a core at the second position. The coil generates a magnetic force to cause the armature to move towards and land at the second position. A control method is provided to ensure a near zero velocity landing of the armature in the second position while compensating for non-ideal external influences on the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: Danny Orlen Wright, Perry Robert Czimmek
  • Patent number: 6249093
    Abstract: A driving apparatus, employing a piezoelectric element, for smoothly and silently driving a focus lens of a camera over a wide range of its driving speed. The driving apparatus includes a control system for controlling the piezoelectric element in such a manner that a continuous supply of a certain number of drive pulses to the piezoelectric element and a non-supply thereof during a certain period of time are repeated by a “block pulse drive” at time of slow speed driving, and that the continuous supply thereof are continuously supplied to the piezoelectric element by a “continuous pulse drive” at time of high speed driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Takahata, Koutaro Kawabe
  • Patent number: 6133701
    Abstract: An actuator driving circuit is provided for a positive feedback amplification, through an amplifier, of a counter electromotive force generated in a stator coil of a linear actuator, for continuating a reciprocating movement of a moving element by self-oscillation of the linear actuator, and for an application of a periodic voltage to the stator coil, while the voltage is made sinusoidal if required, so as to render the driving circuit to be high in the driving efficiency and small in dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Halit Suha Gokturk, Hideaki Abe, Satoshi Nakayama, Toyokatsu Okamoto
  • Patent number: 6050393
    Abstract: Disclosed is the drive apparatus for the powder feeder, which has; the duty ratio control circuit 12 which applies the alternating voltage with the resonance frequency to the vibrator 10 during a time corresponding to the duty ratio; the current monitor 15 which detects the residual frequency of the electro motive force produced due to the residual oscillation of the vibrator 10 when the alternating voltage with the resonance frequency is not applied from the duty ratio control circuit 12 and feeds back the detected residual frequency to the PLL control circuit 11 through the zero-cross comparator 17.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsumi Murai, Mamoru Tateishi
  • Patent number: 5764018
    Abstract: A system and method for reducing non-repeatable positioning errors. Non-repeatable positioning errors caused by the effects stiction and backlash in the mechanical system are reduced by "shaking" or vibrating the positioning system in a controlled manner. After the system input is set to the desired value, the positioning system is "shaken" by inputting a series of offsets that oscillate around the desired location and gradually decrease in amplitude, eventually reaching zero. In a specific embodiment, a lead screw is threaded through a follower nut which is connected to a magnetic tape read/write head. The lead screw is rotated by a mechanical transmission which provides gear reduction from a computer controlled stepper motor. The tape head's non-repeatable positioning error is reduced by alternately stepping the stepper motor in opposite directions a specified number of steps and periodically reducing the specified number of steps until zero is eventually reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Co.
    Inventors: Steven F. Liepe, Kenneth G. Richardson
  • Patent number: 5656896
    Abstract: A power supply for vibrating compressors comprises a voltage booster circuit portion having voltage changing means for boosting the DC voltage of a commercially available battery and changing the boosted voltage, and an AC voltage generating circuit portion for supplying the boosted DC voltage to the vibrating compressor. The AC voltage generating circuit portion comprises a MOSFET or bipolar transistor for driving a vibrating compressor, a timer IC for generating pulses to cause the MOSFET or bipolar transistor to switch, a forced operation circuit for detecting a timing at which a counter electromotive force generated by the vibrating compressor during the OFF period of the MOSFET or bipolar transistor is recovered to the neighborhood of 0 volts and forcibly reversing the output of the timer IC, and a driver for driving the MOSFET based on the output of the timer IC or a base-current supply circuit for controlling the bipolar transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Sawafuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Ogiwara, Naoki Akazawa
  • Patent number: 5519292
    Abstract: A fingertip massager transmits a pulsating action through the fingertips of the user to an area being massaged. Vibrating pulsators are attached to the user's fingers for vibrating same. A controller attached to the user's wrist controls the vibration of the vibrating pulsators, including the vibration rate. Flexible connection tubes connect the controller and the vibrating pulsators. The pulsating circuit includes variable square wave circuitry for producing dual alternating voltage outputs and pulsating circuitry for producing a vibrating motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: The Sharper Image
    Inventors: Charles Taylor, Blaine Smith
  • Patent number: 5483131
    Abstract: A self-starting swinging apparatus including a free-running oscillation circuit comprising two transistors which are a PNP transistor and an NPN transistor, the bases of both transistors being connected respectively to the collector of one transistor directly and to the collector of the other transistor through a capacitor for setting a time constant; a driving coil connected to the collector of the transistor with the capacitor connected thereto, as a load on the transistor; and a permanent magnet having a relatively repulsive magnetic pole arrangement of the same polarity as, or having a relatively attractive magnetic pole arrangement of a different polarity from, that of a magnetic pole in a magnetic field which ought to be generated in the driving coil when an electric current is fed to the driving coil from the oscillation circuit, the permanent magnet being relatively movable with respect to the driving coil and capable of performing a relative swing motion under the action of an arbitrary restoring for
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Kokusai Display Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Reijiro Ito
  • Patent number: 5450521
    Abstract: An electrical circuit and method for generating a continuous train of width modulated pulses. A square wave is generated and a delay circuit provides a delayed analog of the square wave. A controllable duration one-shot multivibrator generates a modulating pulse having a duration proportional to the sum of the absolute value of the modulating signal and a constant offset. The constant offset is chosen so that, in the absence of a modulating signal, the offset provides the largest control signal to the one-shot multivibrator which causes an output modulating pulse from the multivibrator equal in duration to the minimum duration which the multivibrator intrinsically is capable of obtaining. The polarity of the modulating signal is detected, a logical OR operation is performed upon the delayed square wave and the modulating pulse and an EXCLUSIVE OR operation is performed upon the combination of the result of the OR operation and the polarity detector output logic level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Sunpower, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert W. Redlich
  • Patent number: 5126545
    Abstract: A lightweight hand-held scanning device for repetitively scanning a laser light source having a laser light generating means and at least one high speed scanning motor controlled by a motor drive circuit which adjusts the amplitude and presets the frequency of oscillation of a high speed scanning motor. The frequency and amplitude regulation is accomplished by using an open loop control system that supplies two opposing stator windings of the scanning motor with a pair of periodic triangular current waveforms that are 180 degrees out of phase for energizing an de-energizing the stator coils respectively. The energizing and de-energizing of the opposing stator coils causes variations in the magnetic strength of these coils, thereby causing the rotor to alternately align itself with the energizing stator coil which results in a smooth oscillating motion of the motor shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1992
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward Barkan
  • Patent number: 5022384
    Abstract: A device for creating vibration within a chair which provides a therapeutic benefit to users. The chair has a control for adjusting the frequency of the vibrations and the amplitude of the vibrations, providing a wide variety of therapeutic results. The circuit powering the vibration sources within the chair employs a unique design that acts as a heat sink, effectively drawing heat away from the vibration sources and thus extending their useful life. The vibration sources may be incorporated into the seating furniture of vehicles such as automobiles or airplanes to provide relief from the strain associated with trips of extended duration. The structure has a sufficiently low profile to lend itself to placement in seating used in vehicles which have rather stringent dimensional requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Assignee: Capitol Systems
    Inventors: Jack Freels, David Milton