Patent US5070263A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5070263A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Compact dual rotor torque motor for accelerometers
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc
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Filing: 1991-02-08
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Granted: 1991-12-03
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Expires: 2011-02-08
Abstract
Abstract A torque motor for rotatably driving a rate sensor (10, 100) which includes a permanent magnet (30) that is magnetically coupled to an upper rotor (18, 106) and a lower rotor (44, 110). At three sites, the upper rotor includes an upper tab (60), which is centered between two electromagnetic coils (56, 58). Similarly, at each site, the lower rotor includes two lower tabs (62) that extend adjacent opposite faces of the electromagnetic coils. With no electrical current flowing through the electromagnetic coils, flexures (46) that connect the upper and lower rotors to a base (12) provide a spring bias force sufficient to maintain the upper tab centered in a slot (66) and thus, equidistant between each of the two lower tabs. As the electric current flows through the electromagnetic coils, distribution of the magnetic flux produced by the permanent magnet changes so that the upper tab is attracted toward one of the electromagnetic coils and repelled from the other. At the same time, the lower tabs are respectively repelled from and attracted toward the opposite faces of the electromagnetic coils. Thus, the upper and lower rotors dither back and forth in opposite directions about a central axis of rotation (78) each time the electromagnetic coil polarity changes because of a change in the direction of electrical current flow through the electromagnetic coils.
Inventors
- 👤 II Rand H. Hulsing
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 15:38
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C19/00; G01C19/56
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
A torque motor comprising: (a) a magnet having opposite first and second pole faces at which a magnetic field is evident; (b) a first load that is magnetically linked to the first pole face of the magnet; (c) a second load that is magnetically linked to the second pole face of the magnet; (d) a base disposed proximate the first load and the second load, the base supporting the torque motor and fixed relative to the first and second loads; (e) flexure means for elastically connecting the first and second loads to the base so that the first and second loads can move with respect to the base, the flexure means providing a spring biasing force that resists the motion of the first and second rotors; and (f) electromagnetic coil means, attached to the base, for providing a magnetic field that interacts with the magnetic field of the magnet, thereby producing a torque causing the first and second loads to move in opposite directions relative to each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
168 words
A torque motor comprising: (a) a magnet having opposite first and second pole faces at which a magnetic field is evident; (b) a first load that is magnetically linked to the first pole face of the magnet; (c) a second load that is magnetically linked to the second pole face of the magnet; (d) a base disposed proximate the first load and the second load, the base supporting the torque motor and fixed relative to the first and second loads; (e) flexure means for elastically connecting the first and second loads to the base so that the first and second loads can move with respect to the base, the flexure means providing a spring biasing force that resists the motion of the first and second rotors; and (f) electromagnetic coil means, attached to the base, for providing a magnetic field that interacts with the magnetic field of the magnet, thereby producing a torque causing the first and second loads to move in opposite directions relative to each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The torque motor of claim 1, further comprising pole piece means disposed proximate the pole faces of the magnet and proximate the first and the second loads, for magnetically linking the magnet to the first and second loads.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
The torque motor of claim 2, wherein the pole piece means comprise a pair of members, each member of the pair being disposed at one of the pole faces of the magnet, extending in overlying relationship to the first and the second loads, and separated from the first and the second loads by a pole piece gap.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The torque motor of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic coil means comprise a plurality of electromagnets arranged in spaced-apart relationship.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The torque motor of claim 4, wherein a pair of the electromagnets are mounted on the base.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The torque motor of claim 5, wherein the first and the second loads include a plurality of tabs, each electromagnet of the pair being disposed between one of the tabs on the first load and one of the tabs on the second load.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The torque motor of claim 6, wherein the tabs extend into slots formed in the base on each side of the electromagnets.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The torque motor of claim 6, wherein one of the tabs on one of the first and the second loads extends between the pair of electromagnets, and the pair of electromagnets is disposed between two tabs that extend from the other of the first and second loads.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
The torque motor of claim 8, further comprising a source of electrical current connected to energize the electromagnets, said electromagnets being wound in a series-aiding direction with a conductor so that adjacent poles of the electromagnets are opposite in magnetic polarity for a given direction of electrical current flowing through the conductor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The torque motor of claim 9, wherein the first and the second loads pivotally rotate back and forth in opposite directions from each other, as a function of the rate at which the electrical current changes direction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The torque motor of claim 1, further comprising elastic linkag means that extend between the first and the second loads, for maintaining a generally constant phasic relationship in the movement of the first and second rotors.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
232 words
A torque motor comprising: (a) a base that supports the torque motor; (b) a first rotor that is disposed on one side of the base and pivotally connected to the base so that the first rotor rotates through a limited extent about a central axis with respect to the base; (c) a second rotor disposed on an opposite side of the base from the first rotor and pivotally connected to the base so that the second rotor rotates through a limited extent about the central axis with respect to the base; (d) a plurality of flexures elastically connecting the first and the second rotors to the base, the flexures providing a spring bias force that resists rotation of the first and second rotors in respect to the base; (e) magnetic means for generating a magnetic field that couples into the first and second rotors; and (f) a plurality of electromagnets, spaced apart from each other and disposed circumferentially around the central axis of the torque motor, each electromagnet producing a magnetic field that interacts with the magnetic field coupled into the first and second rotors, thereby providing a torque that acts on the first and second rotors, the magnetic field produced by the electromagnets changing polarity as an electric current flowing through the electromagnets changes direction, so that the first and the second rotors dither back and forth about the central axis.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
232 words
A torque motor comprising: (a) a base that supports the torque motor; (b) a first rotor that is disposed on one side of the base and pivotally connected to the base so that the first rotor rotates through a limited extent about a central axis with respect to the base; (c) a second rotor disposed on an opposite side of the base from the first rotor and pivotally connected to the base so that the second rotor rotates through a limited extent about the central axis with respect to the base; (d) a plurality of flexures elastically connecting the first and the second rotors to the base, the flexures providing a spring bias force that resists rotation of the first and second rotors in respect to the base; (e) magnetic means for generating a magnetic field that couples into the first and second rotors; and (f) a plurality of electromagnets, spaced apart from each other and disposed circumferentially around the central axis of the torque motor, each electromagnet producing a magnetic field that interacts with the magnetic field coupled into the first and second rotors, thereby providing a torque that acts on the first and second rotors, the magnetic field produced by the electromagnets changing polarity as an electric current flowing through the electromagnets changes direction, so that the first and the second rotors dither back and forth about the central axis.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
The torque motor of claim 12, further comprising a first pole piece disposed proximate the magnetic means and the first rotor, and a second pole piece disposed proximate the magnetic means and the second rotor, the first and second pole pieces being operative to link the magnetic field of the magnetic means to the first and second rotors, respectively.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
73 words
The torque motor of claim 12, wherein the first and second rotors each comprise a corresponding plurality of spaced-apart segments extending generally circumferentially about the central axis of the torque motor, one segment of the first rotor together with one segment of the second rotor comprising a set, each segment in the set including at least one tab that extends generally in alignment with the central axis, proximate to one of the electromagnets.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
72 words
The torque motor of claim 14, wherein a pair of electromagnets are provided for each set of segments, one segment of the set having one tab that extends between adjacent poles of the pair of electromagnets, and the other arm of the set including two tabs that extend adjacent opposite poles of the pair of electromagnets, the pair of electromagnets thus being interleaved between the tabs on the segments in the set.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The torque motor of claim 14, wherein the base includes a plurality of slots into which the tabs on the segments of the first and second rotors extend.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
The torque motor of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of flexible links, each flexible link extending between the radially outer ends of the segments in each set to maintain a phase relationship between the first and second rotors as they dither back and forth.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
65 words
The torque motor of claim 12, further comprising a source of electrical current connected to energize the electromagnets, causing them to produce a magnetic field that interacts with the magnetic field produced by the magnetic means, the direction of electrical current flow through the electromagnets determing their magnetic polarity and controlling the rate at which the first and the second rotors dither back and forth.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The torque motor of claim 12, wherein the magnetic means comprise a permanent magnet mounted to the base, generally at the center of the torque motor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
88 words
The torque motor of claim 12, wherein the flexures each comprise an elastic elongate strip having a surface generally radially aligned about the central axis, an end of the elongate strip being attached to one of the first and second rotors, another part of the elongate strip being attached to the base, rotation of the rotors about the central axis causing the elongate strips to bend, thereby producing a spring bias force that tends to limit the extend of the rotational motion by the first and second rotors.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
65 words
The torque motor of claim 12, wherein the flexures are characterized by a third-order non-linearity and the magnetic fields that interact produce a non-linear force, an operational resonant Q being selected for the torque motor such that a combination of the third-order non-linearity of the flexures and the non-linear force of the magnetic field interaction produce substantially a linear torque over a predefined rotation angle.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-12-02 | 1995-06-03 | 1995-12-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-12-02 | 1999-06-03 | 1999-12-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-12-02 | 2003-06-03 | 2003-12-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |