VIBRATION ACTUATOR

• US 20140084710A1
• Filed: 06/27/2011
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nidec Copal Corporation (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nidec Copal Corporation (Nidec Corporation)
• Inventors: Tonogai, Yoshihide, Endo, Masaya
• Granted Patent: US 9,467,035 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/25
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/045 using vibrating magnet, armature or coil system
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/16 with polarised armatures moving in alternate directions by reversal or energisation of a single coil system
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/02 with moving magnets and stationary coil systems

Abstract

A cylindrical magnet of an oscillating actuator includes a plurality of divided magnet portions which are magnetized in the radial direction. Since adjacent magnet portions have different poles in the direction of an oscillation axis, magnetic poles do not repel each other when adhering the magnet portions and it is thus easy to adhere the magnet portions to each other. In addition to this construction of the magnet, a coil includes a plurality of divided coil portions corresponding to the magnet portions in the direction of the oscillation axis, and adjacent coil portions are wound in opposite directions to each other.

Claims

1. An oscillating actuator in which a magnet linearly oscillates along an oscillation axis of a housing having a cylindrical shape by cooperation between a coil disposed in the housing and the magnet disposed in the housing while being surrounded by the coil, the oscillating actuator comprising:

a shaft which is disposed along the oscillation axis of the housing and has opposite ends fixed to opposite end walls of the housing in a direction of the oscillation axis, respectively;

a mover having the magnet which is freely movable in an extending direction of the shaft, the shaft extending through the magnet; and

an elastic member disposed between the mover and one of the end walls, the elastic member urging the mover in the direction of the oscillation axis,

wherein the shaft and the housing are formed of a magnetic material,

the magnet having a cylindrical shape includes a plurality of magnet portions which are magnetized in a radial direction and are divided in the direction of the oscillation axis, and the magnet portions include adjacent magnet portions having different magnetic poles in the direction of the oscillation axis, and

the coil includes a plurality of coil portions which are divided in the direction of the oscillation axis and correspond to the magnet portions, respectively, and the coil portions include adjacent coil portions wound in opposite directions to each other.

2. The oscillating actuator of claim 1,

wherein the mover has a weight which is integrated with the magnet and is freely movable, the shaft extends through the weight, the weight is disposed adjacent to the magnet in the housing in the extending direction of the shaft, the elastic member is disposed between the weight and one of the end walls, the weight has a spring seating recess formed along the oscillation axis at an end of the weight,

the weight is supported by a bearing disposed in the spring seating recess with respect to the shaft, and

the bearing and the weight are urged by the elastic member inserted in the spring seating recess.