Having Bearing Patents (Class 417/423.12)
  • Patent number: 6398524
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a magnetic bearing controller capable of reliably controlling the position of a floating member at a target position, even when the length of the cable connecting the magnetic bearing and the controller is changed. The magnetic bearing controller comprises: an electromagnet for supporting a floating member in a floating state; sensors (Z1, Z2) for sensing the floating position of the floating member; and a controller for supplying sensor signals and an exciting currents via cables to the sensors and electromagnets, respectively, in order to support the floating member at a predetermined floating position based on signals received from the sensors, wherein the controller comprises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Akiko Taira, Hiroyuki Chino, Toshiharu Nakazawa, Matsutaro Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 6394769
    Abstract: An inventive blood pump in accordance with this invention includes a housing that has inlet and outlet ports for receiving and discharging blood. A rotor is positioned in the housing's interior for pumping blood between the housing's inlet and outlet ports, with the rotor being capable of motion in three translational and three rotational axes. An assembly for magnetically suspending and rotating the rotor in a contact-free manner with respect to the housing includes only one electromagnetic bearing that actively controls motion of the rotor with respect to one axis selected from the rotor's three translational and three rotational axes, an electromagnetic motor that actively drives motion of the rotor with respect to one of its three rotational axes, and magnetic bearings for passively controlling motion of the rotor with respect to the remaining four of its translational and rotational axes. The inventive blood pump can also be incorporated into an artificial heart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignees: Medquest Products, Inc., University of Virginia Patent Foundation
    Inventors: Gill B. Bearnson, Pratap S. Khanwilkar, James W. Long, Jed C. Ludlow, Brad E. Paden, Chen Chen, Dave B. Paden, Don B. Olsen, James Antaki, Paul E. Allaire, Michael Baloh
  • Patent number: 6386835
    Abstract: A misting pump system (20) includes a housing (22), an electronic section (62), and a water transfer section (80). The housing (22) includes a base (48), a front panel (24), a rear panel (26), a cover (50), and a barrier wall (52). The barrier wall (52) is coupled to a floor (66) of the base (48). The barrier wall (52) extends from the floor (66) to a roof (68) of the cover (50) to form a first compartment (76) and a second compartment (78). The water transfer section (80) is located in the first compartment (76) and the electronic section (62) is located in the second compartment. Openings (108, 118, 132, 140) in the barrier wall (52) provide an access between an inlet (89) and an outlet (91) of a pump (88) of the electronic section (62) to the water transfer section (80). The barrier wall (52) is configured to substantially prevent water issuing from a water leak in the water transfer section (80) from passing into the electronic section (62).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Fogco Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey J. Kalpakoff
  • Patent number: 6386837
    Abstract: A miniature heat dissipating fan includes a housing and an impeller. A circuit board and a stator bobbin, a balance plate, and an axle support. The axle support has an axle or a bearing member mounted thereto. The impeller has a bearing member or an axle and arranged in a manner that the axle and the bearing member support each other. The impeller further includes a ring magnet wherein the ring magnet and the balance plate attract each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Sunonwealth Electric Machine Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Alex Horng
  • Patent number: 6382936
    Abstract: An electric motor having a housing, having an armature, having an armature shaft supported in two slide bearings, where one of the slide bearings axially displaceably receives the armature shaft and the other slide bearing limits an axial displaceability of the armature shaft by the disposition of a stop disk between a slide bearing bush of the slide bearing and the armature, by the disposition of an axial stop, in the form of a stop ring pressed over one end of the armature shaft. The armature shaft end protrudes out of the housing and is intended for carrying and driving a fan wheel that has a hub which is located adjacent the particular a slide bearing that receives only radial forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Dieter Schuler, Gerald Kuenzel
  • Patent number: 6379129
    Abstract: A blower includes a durable and quiet bearing structure which eliminates or reduces rotational run out, and a bearing wherein the number of essential components and cost for manufacturing is reduced, and the diameter of the shaft can be increased. The blower has an impeller adapted to be rotated upon energizing the blower. The blower has a bearing apparatus which supports the rotational center portion of the impeller, in which the bearing apparatus has a sleeve, and a stepped shaft including a larger diameter portion and a reduced diameter portion provided at one end thereof. A first rolling contact groove is formed at an appropriate position on the outer peripheral surface of the larger diameter portion. A second rolling contact groove is formed on an inner peripheral surface of the sleeve so as to correspond with the first rolling contact groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Minebea Kabushiki-Kaisha
    Inventor: Rikuro Obara
  • Patent number: 6368075
    Abstract: A tube pump in which the rotor is axially supported by permanent magnets at each end, so arranged as to apply attractive force across the gap between the rotor and a stator such that permanent magnets provide the sole radial support for the rotor. The axially effective permanent magnets are provided in conjunction with an electromagnetic stabilizer restoring the axial position of the rotor upon a shaft toward one or the other of the opposite ends thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Forschungszentrum Julich GmbH
    Inventor: Johan K. Fremerey
  • Patent number: 6368082
    Abstract: A vacuum pump including a housing having a suction flange and an outlet opening, a plurality of stationary and rotatable pump-active elements arranged in the housing, a rotor shaft for supporting the rotatable elements, a system of gas bearings for supporting the rotor shaft, with the gas bearings being substantially formed of stator elements with gas delivery conduits and gas outlets, and a system of resilient elements for connecting the stator elements with the bearing housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Pfeiffer Vacuum GmbH
    Inventors: Armin Conrad, Wolfgang Eberl
  • Publication number: 20020025261
    Abstract: A centrifugal fan capable of exhibiting enhanced waterproof performance without using a resin mold while being simplified in structure. Air is sucked from one axial side of a revolving shaft of an electric motor and discharged in a radial direction of the revolving shaft. A second side wall of a casing and a wall of a blade support of an impeller have opposite surface portions arranged opposite to each other in an axial direction of the revolving shaft, respectively. The opposite surface portions are formed into a configuration which permits the opposite surface portions to cooperate with each other to provide a labyrinth structure for preventing water from intruding into a space defined between a cup-like member and the second wall from an outside in the radial direction of the revolving shaft. A first side wall and the second side wall are formed with drainage through-holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2001
    Publication date: February 28, 2002
    Inventors: Naruhiko Kudo, Kesatsugu Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6350109
    Abstract: A rotary pump (PP) for taking in a liquid such as a hydrocarbon comprises a pump wheel (1) secured to a rotor (4) which is immersed in a portion of the liquid taken in by the pump. A motor (11) having a stator element (111) mounted in a case (5) and a rotor element (110) mounted on the rotor (4) serves to cause the rotor (4) to rotate about an axis (40). Radial magnetic bearings (7, 8) and axial magnetic bearings (9, 10) support and guide the rotor (4) inside an enclosure (6). A jacket (61) is provided to protect the stator element (111) of the motor (11) from the liquid. The pump is characterized in that the rotor (4) has at least one groove (45, 46) in an outer surface that is covered by the liquid, particularly to reduce the inertial effects due to the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Societe de Mecanique Magnetique
    Inventors: Maurice Brunet, Eric Helene
  • Publication number: 20020012594
    Abstract: There is provided a magnetically levitated apparatus wherein an impeller has one side supported by an electromagnet and the other side supported and magnetically levitated by an attractive force created between a permanent magnet and a permanent magnet of a motor rotor rotated by a motor stator to rotate the impeller and a magnetic bearing sensor provides an output which is in turn rectified and thus shifted to have a gain adjusted and subsequently a notch filter removes a carrier wave frequency component used in the magnetic bearing sensor, to prevent a PID compensator from causing voltage saturation attributed to high frequency noise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Inventor: Takayoshi Ozaki
  • Publication number: 20020009378
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a blower including a bearing structure wherein the number of components is reduced, the cost for manufacturing can be reduced, and the diameter of the shaft can be increased. The bearing structure is good at its durability, eliminates or reduces the rotational run out, and provides superior quietness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Inventor: Rikuro Obara
  • Patent number: 6332758
    Abstract: Air-bearing fan includes a dust-proof cover, a fan blade structure, a magnet, a stator, a sleeve, an electronic circuit board, a housing and a thrust disk. While the fan blade structure is rotating, air can be induced into a ring-shaped gap so that an air-bearing is formed. And, air is also induced into a thrust gap and forms a thrust bearing. Therefore, this invention significantly reduces the noise and increases the fan's rotating speed, fan capacity and life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Hsin-Mao Hsieh
    Inventors: Ping-Huey Tang, Chi-Wei Tien, Hsin-Pu Chen
  • Publication number: 20010053330
    Abstract: A power supply feeds a dc voltage to an operational amplifier at an inverting input while a motor current command value is input to the operational amplifier at a non-inverting input and when a dc voltage being supplied to a power amplifier varies the operational amplifier responds to the voltage variation by adjusting the motor current command value to alter a control signal applied to a motor control circuit and thus reduce revolution-rate variation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2001
    Publication date: December 20, 2001
    Applicant: NTN Corporation
    Inventor: Takayoshi Ozaki
  • Patent number: 6331101
    Abstract: A two-cylinder air compressor has a motor with a through drive shaft. Identical housings are provided at each end of a cylindrical spacer sleeve that surrounds the motor. The housings include cylinder housing extensions each of which mounts a cylinder sleeve, a valve plate, and a head. The heads are part of a one-piece cylinder head member. Wobble pistons are mounted on each end of the motor shaft and operate in the cylinder sleeves. The cylinder sleeves rest on a floor in the housing which has integrally formed passages for cooling air to circulate around the cylinder sleeves. The one-piece cylinder head member includes integral tubes connecting the heads. The integral tubes span the distance between the beads and are spaced from the outside of the spacer. The housings may be joined by through bolts or without bolts by press fitting the bearings in the housing, press fitting the housings to the spacer sleeve, and press fitting the motor shaft into the bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2001
    Assignee: Thomas Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Shawn Leu, Jeffrey W. Bergner
  • Publication number: 20010043869
    Abstract: A miniature heat dissipating fan includes a housing and an impeller. A circuit board and a stator bobbin, a balance plate, and an axle support. The axle support has an axle or a bearing member mounted thereto. The impeller has a bearing member or an axle and arranged in a manner that the axle and the bearing member support each other. The impeller further includes a ring magnet wherein the ring magnet and the balance plate attract each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2001
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Applicant: Sunonwealth Electric Machine Industry Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Alex Horng
  • Patent number: 6318976
    Abstract: A heat dissipation fan has a casing, a stator fixedly received in the casing, a sleeve with a central hole securely attached to the stator, a lubricating bearing with lubrication oil contained therein mounted in the sleeve, a fan rotatably mounted in the casing and having a magnet mounted therein to be a rotor, a shaft extending from the fan and securely received in the lubricating bearing and a locking disk securely mounted on the shaft to lock the lubricating bearing on said shaft. The lubricating bearing has a central hole defined therein, a chamber defined in the bottom end of said bearing and at least one oil groove longitudinally defined in the outer periphery of said bearing. This can lubricate the shaft and guide the lubrication oil to avoid noise and oil from leaking from the sleeve and drying out the bearing. Consequently, the useful life of the heat dissipation fan will be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Inventor: Hsin-Mao Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20010036416
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a blower in which electrical components such as printed circuit board or electronic parts are isolated from the wind flowing through the blower to protect these components from moisture, dirt, dusts, or other harmful gas or substance contained in the wind, and to prevent the degradation of the insulating property such as the electric insulation or dielectric strength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Publication date: November 1, 2001
    Applicant: MINEBEA KABUSHIKI-KAISHA
    Inventor: Rikuro Obara
  • Patent number: 6309188
    Abstract: A ceramic bearing system for a centrifugal pump includes two substantially identical circular ceramic shafts, two substantially identical non-circular ceramic washers and two substantially identical non-circular ceramic bearing members. The centrifugal pump incorporating the bearing system includes an impeller shaft having one of the circular ceramic shafts mounted in each end and a non-circular recess in a rear end thereof for receiving one of the non-circular ceramic washers. The impeller is provided with a non-circular recess in a front end thereof for receiving the other non-circular ceramic washer. One of the non-circular ceramic bearing members is mounted in a non-circular hole or recess in the pump volute and the other non-circular ceramic bearing member is mounted in a non-circular hole or recess in the rear of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Inventor: Michael Danner
  • Patent number: 6309191
    Abstract: A brushless fan comprises a rotor assembly, a stator assembly, a frame, a retaining ring, and an oil ring. Concentric inner and outer slopes are provided at bottom of shaft housing for supporting bearing and stator assembly. As such, bearing and stator assembly precisely position with respect to shaft housing for obtaining an optimum magnetization, whereby shaft can stably rotate under the influence of magnetic field of rotor. Lubricating oil reservoir is provided between bearing and the top of shaft housing. Oil ring and projected cylindrical member are provided on top of shaft housing being oblique with respect to each other and separated by a minimum gap, thereby sealing the oil reservoir. With this, lubricating oil is prevented from spilling when rotor is rotating. Further a larger oil storage space and the omission of washer are effected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Tranyoung Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Chin Yi Hu
  • Patent number: 6305915
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for radially supporting a drive shaft of a pump such as a vertical sump and process pump. The bearing assembly has a bearing housing, a bearing having inner and outer surfaces, a bearing housing for holding the bearing, seals disposed in the housing for retaining a lubricant pumped into a space formed between the inner surface of the bearing and the drive shaft, and at least one water jacket disposed about a portion of the outer surface of the bearing. The water jacket circulates cooling liquid that contacts the outer surface of the bearing and carries away heat conducted through the bearing due to rotation of the drive shaft during operation of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Paddock, Jeremiah Dennis Quill, Teresa Ann Worczak
  • Patent number: 6302661
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for a centrifugal pump for pumping sensitive biological fluids which includes (i) an integral impeller and rotor which is electromagnetically supported and rotated, (ii) a pump housing and arcuate passages for fluid flow and containment, (iii) a brushless driving motor embedded and integral with the pump housing, (iv) a power supply, and (v) specific electronic sensing and control algorithms—all fitly joined together to provide efficient, durable and low maintenance pump operation. A specially designed impeller and pump housing provide the mechanism for transport and delivery of fluid through the pump to a pump output port with reduced fluid turbulence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Inventors: Pratap S. Khanwilkar, Paul E. Allaire, Gill Brent Bearnson, Don B. Olsen, Eric H. Maslen, James W. Long
  • Patent number: 6290471
    Abstract: A miniature heat dissipating fan includes a housing and an impeller. A circuit board and a stator bobbin, a balance plate, and an axle support. The axle support has an axle or a bearing member mounted thereto. The impeller has a bearing member or an axle and arranged in a manner that the axle and the bearing member support each other. The impeller further includes a ring magnet wherein the ring magnet and the balance plate attract each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Sunonwealth Electric Machine Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Alex Horng
  • Patent number: 6287074
    Abstract: In a centrifugal pump, a sealing ring is affixed to the rotating shaft through which pumpate flows, and a non-rotating, axially slidable sealing member is biased against the sealing ring. In preferred embodiments the slidable sealing member sealingly additionally engages a second sealing member which is stationary with respect to the motor housing. In particularly preferred embodiments slidable sealing members are positioned near each end of the motor housing, with the sealing ring interposed between a rolling bearing and a slidable sealing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: NATE International
    Inventor: Dennis H. Chancellor
  • Publication number: 20010018026
    Abstract: A helical flow compressor/turbine permanent magnet motor/generator in which a pair of journal bearings are disposed on either side of the multiple impellers of the helical flow compressor/turbine of the helical flow compressor/turbine permanent magnet motor/generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Publication date: August 30, 2001
    Applicant: Capstone Turbine Corporation
    Inventors: Steven W. Lampe, Matthew J. Stewart, Dennis H. Weissert
  • Publication number: 20010016170
    Abstract: A pump portion is provided with an impeller internal to a casing. The impeller is coupled with a rotor physically out of contact therewith and it is also supported by a controlled, magnetic bearing portion physically out of contact therewith. The impeller is rotated by a motor to discharge fluid. A position sensor detects the impeller position in levitation and in response to the sensor's output the magnetic bearing portion is controlled. The magnetic bearing portion is configured of a plurality of electromagnets formed of a magnetic pole, a yoke and a coil. The electromagnet has magnetic S and N poles each with at least yoke and coil arranged circumferentially.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2000
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Applicant: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayoshi Ozaki, Minoru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6270325
    Abstract: A magnetically assembled cooling fan is disclosed. The cooling fan has an annular permanent magnet received therein and a metal plate with a pair of diagonally formed winged sections. The pair of diagonally formed winged sections are able to attract the fan assembly downward with respect to the housing, such that the problem caused by frictional resistance is overcome. Furthermore, a thrust bearing is provided at the free end of the shaft of the fan assembly so as to enable the shaft to rotate smoothly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Inventor: Hsin-Mao Hsieh
  • Patent number: 6267554
    Abstract: A high conveying capacity cooling water pump for an internal combustion engine includes a bearing element, a rotor which is held therein and carries three impellers, an inflow housing and an outflow housing. The outflow housing and the bearing element form a integral unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: TCG Unitech Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Siegfried Heer
  • Patent number: 6267567
    Abstract: A cooling fan has a housing having a recess defined therein and a seat formed on a bottom face thereof. A circuit board is secured on the seat of the housing. A coil has an opening defined therethrough and a bracket is provided beneath the coil to fix it on the circuit board. A sleeve, of which a first end is enclosed, is received in the opening of the coil and has a fastener formed at a second end thereof and engaged with the outer periphery of the coil. A collar is provided at a bottom face of the sleeve. A self-lubricating bearing is provided in the sleeve and on the collar. A rotor having a core is received in the bearing and inserted through the collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Inventor: Hsin-Mao Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20010009646
    Abstract: A two-cylinder air compressor has a motor with a through drive shaft. Identical housings are provided at each end of a cylindrical spacer sleeve that surrounds the motor. The housings include cylinder housing extensions each of which mounts a cylinder sleeve, a valve plate, and a head. The heads are part of a one-piece cylinder head member. Wobble pistons are mounted on each end of the motor shaft and operate in the cylinder sleeves. The cylinder sleeves rest on a floor in the housing which has integrally formed passages for cooling air to circulate around the cylinder sleeves. The one-piece cylinder head member includes integral tubes connecting the heads. The integral tubes span the distance between the heads and are spaced from the outside of the spacer. The housings may be joined by through bolts or without bolts by press fitting the bearings in the housing, press fitting the housings to the spacer sleeve, and press fitting the motor shaft into the bearings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Publication date: July 26, 2001
    Inventors: Shawn Leu, Jeffrey W. Bergner
  • Patent number: 6254359
    Abstract: Methods for a blood pump bearing system within a pump housing to support long-term high-speed rotation of a rotor with an impeller blade having a plurality of individual magnets disposed thereon to provide a small radial air gap between the magnets and a stator of less than 0.025 inches. The bearing system may be mounted within a flow straightener, diffuser, or other pump element to support the shaft of a pump rotor. The bearing system includes a zirconia shaft having a radiused end. The radiused end has a first radius selected to be about three times greater than the radius of the zirconia shaft. The radiused end of the zirconia shaft engages a flat sapphire endstone. Due to the relative hardness of these materials a flat is quickly produced during break-in on the zirconia radiused end of precisely the size necessary to support thrust loads whereupon wear substantially ceases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Gregory S. Aber
  • Patent number: 6244835
    Abstract: A blood pump preferably has a magnetically suspended rotor that rotates within a housing. The rotor may rotate about a stator disposed within the housing. Radial magnetic bearings may be defined within the stator and the rotor in order to suspend the rotor. The radial magnetic bearings may be passive magnetic bearings that include permanent magnets disposed within the stator and the rotor or active magnetic bearings. The pump may further include an axial magnetic bearing that may be either a passive or an active magnetic bearing. A motor that drives the rotor may be disposed within the housing in order to more easily dissipate heat generated by the motor. A primary flow path is defined between the rotor and the stator, and a secondary flow path is defined between the stator and the rotor. Preferably, a substantial majority of blood passes through the primary flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Inventors: James F. Antaki, Bradley Paden, Gregory Burgreen, Nelson J. Groom
  • Patent number: 6246140
    Abstract: A pivotal structure for a motor rotor includes a housing with a stub thereon for engaging with a metal axle tube. The stub includes an inner ledge on which the metal axle tube rests. An expander has a stem inserted into an end of the metal axle tube. The stem has a diameter greater than or equal to an inner diameter of the metal axle tube, such that the metal axle tube is expanded in the radial direction and thus firmly secured with and positioned at the inner periphery of the stub. The metal axle tube includes a bearing mounted therein for pivotally holding a central shaft of a rotor. An outer periphery of the metal axle tube is engaged with a stator bobbin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Sunonwealth Electric Machine Industry
    Inventor: Alex Horng
  • Patent number: 6234772
    Abstract: An implantable rotary sealless blood pump is provided. The pump can include hydrodynamic, magnetic and hybrid, hydrodynamic/magnetic bearings and combinations thereof. The rotor can include a shaft or the pump can be made shaftless. Close clearances may be maintained between the housing and the rotor by offsetting magnets or offsetting magnets and motor stators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Kriton Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard K. Wampler, David M. Lancisi
  • Patent number: 6227817
    Abstract: A magnetically levitated blood pump having a single inlet for accepting blood and tangential volute. The pump includes an impeller formed on a hub that is suspended radially by permanent magnet bearings and axially adjusted via and thrust coil. The hub is rotated by an axial gap permanent magnet DC motor having motor magnets mounted on the hub adjacent to the impeller, a stator formed in the area opposite to the motor magnets, and motor coils formed on the stator. The axial air gap of the motor is formed in the impeller blade path. The motor may have two separate stator members. The current in the thrust coil is controlled by feedback of the impeller axial position measured by sensors. The pump components are compactly configured within a housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Magnetic Moments, LLC
    Inventor: Bradley E. Paden
  • Patent number: 6227820
    Abstract: A generally cylindrical rotor very closely confined between two rigid thrust bearing surfaces is radially suspended by an array of attracting or repelling magnets or by a combination of permanent magnets and ring shaped members composed of ferromagnetic material. The geometry permits very small spacing between magnetic components to achieve high radial stiffness. High magnetic axial forces exerted between the rotor and stationary component on one end of the rotor are counter-balanced by equal and opposite forces at the other end of the rotor. Precise positioning of the rotor in the location where the opposing axial magnetic forces counterballance each other yields a net magnetic axial force on the rotor of near zero, hence the reference to this as the null position. Wear resistant mechanical thrust bearings confine the rotor axially to maintain this position during rotatioin. Precisely balance the magnetic axial forces in the proper geometry with relation to the mechanical thrust bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Inventor: Robert Jarvik
  • Patent number: 6213736
    Abstract: An electric motor pump for corrosive, electric conductive, cryogenic and/or hazardous liquids which is submerged in the liquid, comprising a centrifugal pump in a pump housing and an electric motor in a separate motor housing, transmitting the power through a magnetic coupling, whereby a thrust equalizing device is mounted on the rotating pump shaft. The motor housing is connected to a tubular device and the power cable is inside the tubular device and on one end connected to the electric motor stator and on the other end to the electric power grid. The motor housing and the tubular device contain an inert fluid under higher pressure than the surrounding liquid. The electric motor pump is able to operate as a reverse running pump in the turbine mode, whereby the electric motor is an induction motor operating as an induction generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Inventor: G Louis Weisser
  • Patent number: 6213737
    Abstract: A damper device has a magnet and at least two yokes facing the magnet across gaps. The magnet and the two yokes jointly provide a magnetic circuit such that a magnetic flux flowing from a first magnetic pole of the magnet is divided across one of the gaps into magnetic fluxes which flow into entrance sides of the yokes and back from exit sides of the yokes across another of the gaps into a second magnetic pole of the magnet. The two yokes are mechanically connected rigidly to each other, and a spring means elastically holds the one of the gaps between the first magnetic pole and the entrance sides of the yokes. One of the magnet and the yokes is adapted to be connected to a vibratable member. When the gaps are differentially varied in length by vibration of the vibratable member, the divided magnetic fluxes are changed to generate eddy currents in the yokes and the magnetic poles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Chikara Murakami, Ichiju Satoh
  • Patent number: 6196813
    Abstract: A pump assembly is provided including a motor, a motor housing, a dual-bearing rotational drive assembly, an integrated adapter, a pump housing, a seal assembly, and an impeller. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the dual-bearing rotational drive assembly comprises a drive shaft and first and second bearings. The motor housing is disposed about the motor and defines a front end and a rear end. The pump housing is disposed about the impeller. The integrated adapter is arranged to couple mechanically the rear end of the motor housing to the pump housing. The motor is arranged to impart rotational movement to the drive shaft about a drive shaft axis. The drive shaft is coupled to the impeller such that rotation of the drive shaft causes rotation of the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Flowserve Management Company
    Inventors: Roger Scott Turley, Frederick Dague Hery, Frank Edward Stauble
  • Patent number: 6186665
    Abstract: A motor rotor assembly for use in a blood pump can include a motor rotor disposed within a blood flow conduit, an inflow bearing having an inflow ball-and-cup bearing interface disposed within the blood flow conduit proximal to an inflow port of the blood flow conduit, and an outflow bearing having an outflow ball-and-cup bearing interface disposed within the blood flow conduit proximal to an outflow port of the blood flow conduit. The motor can be rotatably mounted between the inflow bearing and the outflow bearing and an outer diameter of the outflow ball-and-cup bearing interface can be larger than an outer diameter of the inflow ball-and-cup bearing interface. A motor rotor assembly for use in a blood pump incorporating aspects of the invention may improve performance, reliability and longevity of the pump. A blood pump incorporating a motor rotor can further include a motor stator. These rotors and pumps can be used in both implantable and extracorporeal blood pumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Nimbus, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy R. Maher, Pieter W. C. J. le Blanc, Tracy V. Petersen, Kenneth C. Butler
  • Patent number: 6183221
    Abstract: A heat dissipation fan as disclosed includes a heat dissipation fan blade, a self-lubricating bearing, a stator having an electrical circuit plate and a casing. The heat dissipation fan blade includes a shaft extending therefrom. The shaft has a rounded free end that and contains a neck to seat a locking plate therein. The casing has a collar extending therefrom to hold the stator in place. The collar contains a recess to securely receive the self-lubricating bearing and forms an internal shoulder to restrain and support the locking plate and the self-lubricating bearing. The locking plate is round and contains a through hole therein. The through hole has a diameter corresponding to that of the neck in the shaft. The locking plate has multiple slits formed on the periphery of the through hole. A washer is placed in the bottom of the recess and contains a hole with a diameter smaller than the shaft to abut the free end of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Inventor: Hsin-Mao Hsieh
  • Patent number: 6183219
    Abstract: A seal-less, magnetic drive pump for pumping fluids at very low temperatures below about −100 degrees centigrade such as liquid nitrogen and at cryogenic temperatures below about −150 degrees centigrade such as liquefied natural gas (LNG). The pump includes a housing having an intake and exhaust with a back plate mounted therein in which a shaft is journaled in self-lubricating ball bearings having metallic balls and races and having polymeric ball retainers. An impeller is mounted on the first end and a first magnet is mounted on the second end of the shaft. A second magnet is positioned so as to rotate around the first magnet to rotate the impeller. The first magnet is encased in a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than that of the magnetic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Chemical Seal & Packing, Inc.
    Inventors: Dan Dinh Nguyen, Gary A. Templin
  • Patent number: 6176204
    Abstract: A cooling water pump for an internal combustion engine, includes a flow conducting housing in which an impeller is arranged and a bearing part which is arranged separate from the flow conducting housing and provided with a bearing for the impeller. A simple and cost-effective production is achieved by arranging the flow conducting housing between an anchoring part and the bearing part, and such that the bearing part encompasses the flow conducting housing and is attached to the anchoring part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: TCG Unitech Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Siegfried Heer
  • Patent number: 6171079
    Abstract: A drive unit for a radial blower has an electric motor including a driven shaft with a bearing for said driven shaft, and a motor housing provided with bearing pins which coaxially project at an end side of the motor housing and surrounds the bearing, a housing which receives the electric motor and has holders engaged in the bearing pins, at least one damping element composed of an elastic material and inserted between one of the bearing pins and one of the holders to radially and axially support the electric motor, the damping element being composed of a plurality of roller bodies having radially oriented body axes, the roller bodies being offset relative to one another and connected with one another with substantially constant distances there between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Gross, Peter Nolting, Bruno Santarossa
  • Patent number: RE37233
    Abstract: A new integral motor/pump design utilizing a combination centrifugal enclosed impeller, shaft and feeder conduit. Whereby the impeller drive shaft serves a dual purpose of providing applied power from the hollow motor driveshaft directly to the impeller blade or blades and also is a fluid entrance conduit for the impeller media feed. The present invention hollow motor drive shaft, hollow impeller shaft and enclosed impeller also incorporates optional changeable impeller leading edge blades. These blades help facilitate the most efficient flow of various fluids and pumped media. The present invention utilizes simplicity of design whereby inspection and service accessibility is optimized. Design configuration renders radial thrust bearing curves more applicable to a broad range of applications and extended motor/pump service life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Nate International
    Inventors: Dennis H. Chancellor, Temple M. Chancellor, Jacquetta Vogel