Commutator for d.c.machines

Claim 2

A commutator for electric machines having a rotor mounted on an externally accessible shaft for rotation within a stator, said commutator comprising: a. a pair of conducting rings adapted to receive opposite polarities of a voltage thereon, each ring having at least one contact surface extending therearound with said rings being mounted so that said contact surfaces are generally parallel and uniformly spaced apart to define an annular channel of uniform width therebetween; b. a plurality of contact adapted to be electrically connected to coils of the machine, said contacts being mounted on a mounting member in a circular spaced apart orientation with a diameter approximately equal to the mid diameter of the annular channel between said rings; c. means fixedly mounting one of said mounting member and said pair of rings concentrically relative to the shaft of the machine; and d. bearing means mounting the other of said mounting member and said pair or rings on said shaft to effect relative oscillatory movement between the plurality of contacts and said rings in response to rotation of said shaft, said mounting member being positioned so that said plurality of contacts lie within said circular channel and at least one contact engages one ring while at least one opposed contact engages the other ring.

Claim 3

A commutator as set forth in claim 1 wherein the pair of rings are mounted coaxially and are axially spaced apart to define a radially extending channel.

Claim 4

a plurality of contacts each connected to a separate one of said taps of said winding, said contacts being mounted on a mounting member in a circular spaced apart orientation with a diameter approximately equal to the mid diameter of the annular channel between said rings,

Claim 5

a plurality of contacts each connected to a separate one of said taps of said winding, said contacts being mounted on a mounting member in a circular spaced apart orientation with a diameter approximately equal to the mid diameter of the annular channel between said rings,

Claim 6

means fixedly mounting one of said mounting member and said pair of rings concentrically relative to said shaft, and

Claim 7

means fixedly mounting one of said mounting member and said pair of rings concentrically relative to said shaft, and

Claim 8

The commutator as set forth in claim 2 wherein the pair of rings are mounted on the shaft and the plurality of contacts are fixedly mounted on radially inwardly directed fingers.

Claim 9

A commutator as set forth in claim 1 wherein the pair of rings are mounted concentrically and are radially spaced apart to define an axially extending channel.

Claim 10

bearing means mounting the other of said mounting member and said pair of rings on said shaft for relative oscillatory movement between each of said contacts and and said rings in response to rotation of said shaft, said mounting member being positioned so that said plurality of contacts lie within said circular channel and at least one contact engages one ring while at least one opposed contact engages the other ring; and e. said rotor being affixed to said shaft so that the North and south poles thereof are aligned approximately perpendicular to a line through the taps of said winding connected to the contacts in engagement with the pair of rings.

Claim 11

bearing means mounting the other of said mounting member and said pair of rings on said shaft for relative oscillatory movement between each of said contacts and and said rings in response to rotation of said shaft, said mounting member being positioned so that said plurality of contacts lie within said circular channel and at least one contact engages one ring while at least one opposed contact engages the other ring; and e. said rotor being affixed to said shaft so that the North and south poles thereof are aligned approximately perpendicular to a line through the taps of said winding connected to the contacts in engagement with the pair of rings.

Claim 12

A commutator as set forth in claim 4 wherein the plurality of contacts are mounted on fixed finger members extending axially from the mounting member.

Claim 13

A permanent magnet direct current machine comprising: a. a housing; b. a permanent magnet rotor having at least a north and south pole mounted on a shaft for rotation within said housing; c. a generally toroidally shaped stator having a continuous winding therearound along substantially the entire periphery, said winding having a plurality of taps thereon positioned in substantially equally spaced relationship therearound; d. a commutator including

Claim 14

A permanent magnet direct current machine comprising: a. a housing; b. a permanent magnet rotor having at least a north and south pole mounted on a shaft for rotation within said housing; c. a generally toroidally shaped stator having a continuous winding therearound along substantially the entire periphery, said winding having a plurality of taps thereon positioned in substantially equally spaced relationship therearound; d. a commutator including

Claim 15

A permanent magnet direct current machine as set forth in claim 6 wherein the contacts are affixed to the housing on radially inwardly extending fingers and the bearing means includes a bearing having independently rotatable inner and outer races affixed to the shaft by the inner race, said rings being affixed to the outer race and flexibly attached to the housing to permit oscillatory movement with substantially no rotating movement.

Claim 16

A commutator for electric machines having a rotor mounted on an externally accessible shaft for rotation within a stator, said commutator comprising: a. a plurality of contacts adapted to be electrically connected to coils of the machine, said contacts being mounted in spaced apart relationship to define a circle; b. a pair of electrically conducting rings having contact surfaces thereon mounted so that said contact surfaces are substantially parallel and spaced apart to define a circular channel therebetween; c. first means for mounting one of said plurality of contacts and said pair of conducting rings in a stationary position; d. second means including bearing means for mounting the other of said plurality of contacts and said pair of conducting rings on the shaft for free rotation relative thereto, the plurality of contacts disposed within said channel and at least one contact engaged with one ring an at least one oppositely disposed contact engaged with the other ring; e. the contact surfaces of the conducting rings and the circularly arranged contacts being cooperably constructed to permit relative rotational movement therebetween when engaged; f. and means for resiliently restraining relative rotational movement between the conducting rings and the plurality of contacts.

Claim 17

A commutator for electric machines having a rotor mounted on an externally accessible shaft for rotation within a stator, said commutator comprising: a. a plurality of contacts adapted to be electrically connected to coils of the machine, said contacts being mounted in spaced apart relationship to define a circle; b. a pair of electrically conducting rings having contact surfaces thereon mounted so that said contact surfaces are substantially parallel and spaced apart to define a circular channel therebetween; c. first means for mounting one of said plurality of contacts and said pair of conducting rings in a stationary position; d. second means including bearing means for mounting the other of said plurality of contacts and said pair of conducting rings on the shaft for free rotation relative thereto, the plurality of contacts disposed within said channel and at least one contact engaged with one ring an at least one oppositely disposed contact engaged with the other ring; e. the contact surfaces of the conducting rings and the circularly arranged contacts being cooperably constructed to permit relative rotational movement therebetween when engaged; f. and means for resiliently restraining relative rotational movement between the conducting rings and the plurality of contacts.

Claim 18

The commutator defined by claim 8, wherein the resilient restaining means comprises a plurality of wire springs operatively connected between the first and second mounting means.

Claim 19

The commutator defined by claim 8, wherein said plurality of electrical contacts are carried by the first mounting means.

Claim 20

The commutator defined by claim 10, and further comprising means cooperable with the second mounting means for urging each of said conducting rings into engagement with said plurality of contacts.

Claim 21

An electric machine comprising: a. a housing b. a straight shaft rotatably carried by the housing; c. a stator mounted in a stationary position within the housing and having a continuous winding there around with a plurality of taps; d. a rotor mounted on the shaft for rotation within the housing relative to the stator; e. and a commutator comprising: i. a plurality of contacts respectively electrically connected to the taps of said winding, the contacts being in spaced apart relationship to define a circle; ii. contact means defining a pair of electrically conducting contact surfaces, the surfaces being spaced apart to define an annular channel therebetween; iii. first means carried by the housing for mounting one of said plurality of contacts and said contact means in a stationary position; iv. second means including bearing means for mounting the other of said plurality of contacts and said contact means on the shaft for free rotation relative thereto with the plurality of contacts disposed in said channel and at least one contact engaged with one contact surface and at least one oppositely disposed contact engaged with the other contact surface; v. the bearing means having a rotational axis disposed at an angle relative to the rotational axis of the shaft and responding to rotation of the shaft to produce relative oscillatory movement of each contact within said annular channel and cause sequential engagement of the contacts with the respective contact surfaces.

Claim 22

An electric machine comprising: a. a housing b. a straight shaft rotatably carried by the housing; c. a stator mounted in a stationary position within the housing and having a continuous winding there around with a plurality of taps; d. a rotor mounted on the shaft for rotation within the housing relative to the stator; e. and a commutator comprising: i. a plurality of contacts respectively electrically connected to the taps of said winding, the contacts being in spaced apart relationship to define a circle; ii. contact means defining a pair of electrically conducting contact surfaces, the surfaces being spaced apart to define an annular channel therebetween; iii. first means carried by the housing for mounting one of said plurality of contacts and said contact means in a stationary position; iv. second means including bearing means for mounting the other of said plurality of contacts and said contact means on the shaft for free rotation relative thereto with the plurality of contacts disposed in said channel and at least one contact engaged with one contact surface and at least one oppositely disposed contact engaged with the other contact surface; v. the bearing means having a rotational axis disposed at an angle relative to the rotational axis of the shaft and responding to rotation of the shaft to produce relative oscillatory movement of each contact within said annular channel and cause sequential engagement of the contacts with the respective contact surfaces.

Claim 23

The eLectric machine defined by claim 12, and further comprising first and second sleeves mounted on the shaft in spaced relation with the bearing means disposed therebetween, the sleeves having opposed, parallel end surfaces angularly formed relative to the shaft and cooperable to force the bearing means into a position defining said angular rotational axis.

Claim 24

The electric machine defined by claim 12, wherein the contact means comprises first and second electrically conducting rings each having a contact surface thereon and mounted so that said contact surfaces are substantially parallel and spaced apart to define said annular channel therebetween.

Claim 25

The electric machine defined by claim 12, wherein said plurality of contacts are carried by the first mounting means.

Claim 26

The electric machine defined by claim 12, wherein the rotor comprises a permanent magnet having a north pole and a south pole, and the contact surfaces of the contact means are adapted to receive opposite polarities of a D.C. voltage thereon.