US3894255A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Synchronous machine for stepping motor and other applications and method of operating same
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-01-11
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Granted: 1975-07-08
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Expires: 1993-01-11
Abstract
Abstract This invention pertains to synchronous machines for use as stepping motors, preferably of configurations that have armature motion normal to the air gap and with very small armature movements. Several ways of converting such small armature movements into suitable output movement are set forth wherein the thickness variations of the air gaps are limited such that the magnetic flux, under conditions of near maximum machine performance, changes fractionally substantially less than the fractional change in the air gap thickness.
Inventors
- 👤 Jr George C Newton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 06:16
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02K; H02K41/00; H02K41/06; H02K7/00; H02K7/06; H02K7/065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
214 words
A synchronous stepping motor machine, having, in combination, housing means; stator means provided with a plurality of poles, fixed in said housing means; armature means separated by air gaps from said poles; electrical means, comprising windings connected with current sources, for sequentially magnetizing said stator poles, thereby producing magnetic flux in the air gaps associated with the magnetized poles; suspension means for maintaining said armature means properly oriented with respect to said stator means and for suspending said armature means for oscillatory movement thereof in directions to substantially vary the thickness of said air gaps; an output member; bearings supporting said output member for movement with respect to said housing means; means for mechanically amplifying the oscillatory movements of said armature means; conversion means interconnecting said amplifying means, housing means and output member for converting the amplified oscillatory movement of the armature means into movement of said output member that is unidirectional for at least more than one half cycle of armature means movement; and means for limiting the thickness variations of said air gaps from substantially zero to the order of a few thousandths of an inch such that the said magnetic flux, under conditions of near maximum machine performance, changes substantially less than the corresponding fractional change in the air gap thickness.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
214 words
A synchronous stepping motor machine, having, in combination, housing means; stator means provided with a plurality of poles, fixed in said housing means; armature means separated by air gaps from said poles; electrical means, comprising windings connected with current sources, for sequentially magnetizing said stator poles, thereby producing magnetic flux in the air gaps associated with the magnetized poles; suspension means for maintaining said armature means properly oriented with respect to said stator means and for suspending said armature means for oscillatory movement thereof in directions to substantially vary the thickness of said air gaps; an output member; bearings supporting said output member for movement with respect to said housing means; means for mechanically amplifying the oscillatory movements of said armature means; conversion means interconnecting said amplifying means, housing means and output member for converting the amplified oscillatory movement of the armature means into movement of said output member that is unidirectional for at least more than one half cycle of armature means movement; and means for limiting the thickness variations of said air gaps from substantially zero to the order of a few thousandths of an inch such that the said magnetic flux, under conditions of near maximum machine performance, changes substantially less than the corresponding fractional change in the air gap thickness.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 1 and in which said armature means is mounted to move with a substantial component normal to said air gaps.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 2 and in which said armature means comprises elements separate from, but mechanically coupled to said amplifying means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 2 and in which said limiting means is adjusted to minimize the magnetic energy stored in said air gaps under conditions of closest approach of said armature means to said stator means poles during said oscillatory movement.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 2 and in which said amplifying means comprises elements at least one of which is flexibly connected with said armature means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 1 aNd in which said conversion means comprises universal joint means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 6 and in which said universal joint means is of a flexure type.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 1 and in which said conversion means comprises cooperative internal and external gear means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 8 and in which said gear means are of gerotor tooth form.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 1 and in which said suspension means comprises at least one supporting member additional to said amplifying means and mechanically connected to said housing means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 1 and in which said suspension means comprises means for supporting said armature means for rotation as well as oscillation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 11 and in which said suspension means comprises means for permitting rolling of the armature means on the interior surface of the stator means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 12 and in which means is provided for insuring smooth armature rolling.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 11 and in which said stator means has filled stator slots.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 11 and in which said stator means has skewed stator laminations.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 11 and in which means is provided for enabling said rotation at a different angular velocity than that of said output member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 1 and in which said output member extends through said machine through hollow gyrating shaft means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 1 and in which means is provided for restraining said armature means against rocking.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 18 and in which said restraining means comprises means for enabling armature means gyration without contacting said stator means and with substantially parallelity thereto in the region of closest approach thereto.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
55 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 1 and in which means is provided for accommodating the small angular movement associated with armature means gyration such that the armature means may roll as well as gyrate to allow said air gap to approach zero for at least one point of approach to said stator means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
201 words
A synchronous stepping motor machine, having, in combination, stator means comprising a plurality of poles associated with a corresponding plurality of windings; means for applying current pulses to the windings in a plurality of electrical phases; armature means separated by air gaps from said poles; means supporting said armature means for movement with a substantial component normal to, and so as effectively to vary the thickness of, said air gaps; output means carried by a housing containing the stator and armature means; means at least part of which is flexibly connected to the armature means for mechanically amplifying the air-gap-varying movement of the armature means as oscillatory movement; means for limiting the thickness variations of said air gaps from substantially zero to the order of a few thousandths of an inch such that magnetic flux in said air gaps, under conditions of near maximum machine performance, changes substantially less than the corresponding fractionaal change in the air gap thickness; and conversion means connected to said amplifying means and to said housing for converting the amplified oscillatory movement of the armature means into movement of said output means unidirectionally for at least more than one half cycle of the armature means movement.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
201 words
A synchronous stepping motor machine, having, in combination, stator means comprising a plurality of poles associated with a corresponding plurality of windings; means for applying current pulses to the windings in a plurality of electrical phases; armature means separated by air gaps from said poles; means supporting said armature means for movement with a substantial component normal to, and so as effectively to vary the thickness of, said air gaps; output means carried by a housing containing the stator and armature means; means at least part of which is flexibly connected to the armature means for mechanically amplifying the air-gap-varying movement of the armature means as oscillatory movement; means for limiting the thickness variations of said air gaps from substantially zero to the order of a few thousandths of an inch such that magnetic flux in said air gaps, under conditions of near maximum machine performance, changes substantially less than the corresponding fractionaal change in the air gap thickness; and conversion means connected to said amplifying means and to said housing for converting the amplified oscillatory movement of the armature means into movement of said output means unidirectionally for at least more than one half cycle of the armature means movement.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 21 and in which said conversion means comprises means for producing linear movement of said output means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 21 and in which said conversion means comprises means for producing rotary movement of said output means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
183 words
A synchronous stepping motoR machine, having, in combination, stator means comprising a plurality of poles associated with a corresponding plurality of windings; means for applying current pulses to the windings in a plurality of electrical phases; armature means separated by air gaps from said poles; means supporting said armature means for movement with a substantial component normal to, and so as effectively to vary the thickness of, said air gaps; output means carried by a housing containing the stator and armature means; means at least part of which is flexibly connected to the armature means for mechanically amplifying the air-gap-varying movement of the armature means as oscillatory movement; and conversion means connected to said amplifying means and to said housing for converting the amplified oscillatory movement of the armature means into movement of said output means unidirectionally for at least more than one half cycle of the armature means movement, said conversion means comprising an internal gear carried by said housing, an external gear driven by said amplifying means, and means meshing said gears hypocycloidally to produce rotary movement of said output means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
183 words
A synchronous stepping motoR machine, having, in combination, stator means comprising a plurality of poles associated with a corresponding plurality of windings; means for applying current pulses to the windings in a plurality of electrical phases; armature means separated by air gaps from said poles; means supporting said armature means for movement with a substantial component normal to, and so as effectively to vary the thickness of, said air gaps; output means carried by a housing containing the stator and armature means; means at least part of which is flexibly connected to the armature means for mechanically amplifying the air-gap-varying movement of the armature means as oscillatory movement; and conversion means connected to said amplifying means and to said housing for converting the amplified oscillatory movement of the armature means into movement of said output means unidirectionally for at least more than one half cycle of the armature means movement, said conversion means comprising an internal gear carried by said housing, an external gear driven by said amplifying means, and means meshing said gears hypocycloidally to produce rotary movement of said output means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
37 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 24 and in which damping means is provided for fixing the internal gear to the housing to absorb vibrational energy of the output means induced during machine starting and stopping.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
40 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 24 and in which there is provided means comprising a toothed bridge extending on either side of the point of gear mesh for holding said gears in full mesh at such a point.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
63 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 24 and in which there is provided means comprising a first tip on the shaft of the external gear and a second tip fixed to said housing so that the first tip is constrained to travel in a circular path around the second tip in order to hold said gears in full mesh at a point.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
35 words
A synchronous machine as claimed in claim 21 and in which said amplifying means comprises off-axis linkage means connected with said armature means to produce conical amplified movement of the movement of the armature means.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
183 words
A method of operating a synchronous machine having an armature mounted to move with a substantial component normal to the air gaps between the armature and a plurality of stator poles, said method comprising, rotating the armature with respect to the stator while permitting oscillatory movement thereof in directions substantially to vary the thickness of the air gaps between the armature and stator poles, mechanically amplifying the oscillatory movement of the armature, converting the amplified oscillatory movement into an output movement that is unidirectional for at least more than one half cycle of armature movement, and limiting the said oscillatory movement so that said air gap thicknesses are controlled to vary from substantially zero to the order of a few thousandths of an inch to maintain the resulting changes in magnetic flux in said air gaps under conditions of near maximum machine performance substantially less than the corresponding fractional changes in the said air gap thickness and to minimize the magnetic energy stored in said air gaps under conditions of closest approach of the armature to the stator poles during said oscillatory movement.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
183 words
A method of operating a synchronous machine having an armature mounted to move with a substantial component normal to the air gaps between the armature and a plurality of stator poles, said method comprising, rotating the armature with respect to the stator while permitting oscillatory movement thereof in directions substantially to vary the thickness of the air gaps between the armature and stator poles, mechanically amplifying the oscillatory movement of the armature, converting the amplified oscillatory movement into an output movement that is unidirectional for at least more than one half cycle of armature movement, and limiting the said oscillatory movement so that said air gap thicknesses are controlled to vary from substantially zero to the order of a few thousandths of an inch to maintain the resulting changes in magnetic flux in said air gaps under conditions of near maximum machine performance substantially less than the corresponding fractional changes in the said air gap thickness and to minimize the magnetic energy stored in said air gaps under conditions of closest approach of the armature to the stator poles during said oscillatory movement.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3452227A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-07-07 | 1979-01-06 | 1979-07-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-07 | 1983-01-06 | 1983-07-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-07 | 1987-01-06 | 1987-07-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |