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US4100473A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electric stepper motors

Assignee: National Research Development Corp UK
•
Filing: 1976-09-30
•
Granted: 1978-07-11
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Expires: 1996-09-30
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Abstract

Abstract An electric stepper motor has in addition to the usual driving coils at least one additional coil wound on its stator and connected in a closed circuit. This additional coil damps any oscillations of the rotor. The closed circuit has a resistive value optimized to achieve maximum damping effect. Two or more such additional coils may be connected in a single closed circuit and a number of such closed circuits may be provided.

Inventors

  • 👤 Peter John Lawrenson
  • 👤 Austin Hughes

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 18:10
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02K; H02K37/00; H02K37/22; H02P; H02P8/00; H02P8/32

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 123 words
An electric stepper motor comprising a primary member having a plurality of spaced magnetic poles each wound with a drive coil, said magnetic poles being arranged to be energised in sequence, and a secondary member having at least two magnetic poles, the primary and secondary members being arranged for relative movement caused by switching of the energisation of the drive coils, said motor further comprising at least one coil additional to the drive coils and wound on the primary member, said additional coil being independent of a connection to an external source of voltage which would cause continuous energisation thereof and being connected with an impedance having a resistance component in a closed circuit to dampen oscillation between the primary and secondary members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 123 words
An electric stepper motor comprising a primary member having a plurality of spaced magnetic poles each wound with a drive coil, said magnetic poles being arranged to be energised in sequence, and a secondary member having at least two magnetic poles, the primary and secondary members being arranged for relative movement caused by switching of the energisation of the drive coils, said motor further comprising at least one coil additional to the drive coils and wound on the primary member, said additional coil being independent of a connection to an external source of voltage which would cause continuous energisation thereof and being connected with an impedance having a resistance component in a closed circuit to dampen oscillation between the primary and secondary members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 53 words
The stepper motor as claimed in claim 1 in which the resistance component has the value r opt , where r opt lies between 1.25ωnL and 2.5ωnL where ωn = natural frequency of rotor and load oscillating in the field of a drive coil and L = self inductance of said dampening coil.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 35 words
The stepper motor as claimed in claim 2 in which r opt is less than the actual resistance of said dampening coil and the closed circuit includes an element which acts as a negative resistance.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 18 words
The stepper motor as claimed in claim 1 in which the said impedance also includes a reactive component.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 16 words
The stepper motor as claimed in claim 1 in which two additional damping coils are provided.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 24 words
The stepper motor as claimed in claim 5 in which the two additional damping coils are electrically spaced apart from each other by 90°.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 23 words
The stepper motor as claimed in claim 1 comprising two closed circuits in each of which is connected at least one additional coil.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3385984A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1981-07-10 1982-01-09 1982-07-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1985-07-10 1986-01-09 1986-07-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1989-07-10 1990-01-09 1990-07-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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