Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
184 words
A stepping motor comprising: a first element including at least two permanent magnets each having a pair of N and S poles; a second element including a yoke separated from said first element by a predetermined interval; said first and second elements being relatively movable; said second element including a two-phase coil arranged on said yoke at spaced locations corresponding to the relative spacing between said at least two permanent magnets, and means for generatin a static detent torque between said first and second elements at predetermined locations along the direction of movement diffusion from the locations of the detent torque due to the interaction between the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnets and the magnetic field generated by the coil when energized so that said first and second elements achieve a stable static detent position at one of said predetermined locations when the coil is de-energized; means for supplying a drive current to one of the coils of said two-phase coil; and means for supplying said drive current to the other coil of said two-phase coil after said two-phase coil is energized.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
184 words
A stepping motor comprising: a first element including at least two permanent magnets each having a pair of N and S poles; a second element including a yoke separated from said first element by a predetermined interval; said first and second elements being relatively movable; said second element including a two-phase coil arranged on said yoke at spaced locations corresponding to the relative spacing between said at least two permanent magnets, and means for generatin a static detent torque between said first and second elements at predetermined locations along the direction of movement diffusion from the locations of the detent torque due to the interaction between the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnets and the magnetic field generated by the coil when energized so that said first and second elements achieve a stable static detent position at one of said predetermined locations when the coil is de-energized; means for supplying a drive current to one of the coils of said two-phase coil; and means for supplying said drive current to the other coil of said two-phase coil after said two-phase coil is energized.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A motor according to claim 1, wherein said first element comprises a rotor, and said second element comprises a stator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A motor according to claim 1, wherein said two-phase coil comprises a plurality of individual coils each having a shape corresponding to the shape of at least one of said permanent magnets and each has an axis perpendicular to the direction of movement of said first and second elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A motor according to claim 3, wherein said magnets are offset from the corresponding ones of said individual coils along the direction of movement when said first and second elements are in a stable static detent position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A motor according to claim 1, wherein said detent torque generating means includes means for providing a predetermined variation to the magnetic reluctance of said yoke along the length thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
69 words
A motor according to claim 1, further comprising: polarity detecting means, arranged between said first and second elements, for detecting the polarity of the permanent magnet adjacent thereto; and means for energizing one of the coils of said two-phase coil in accordance with a detected polarity, thereby moving the movable one of the relatively movable elements to the next stable position provided by the static detent torque generating means.