Motor and actuator

• US 6,509,661 B1
• Filed: 01/11/2000
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ASMO Company Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ASMO Company Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Shinmura, Naohisa, Kujira, Yukinobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Nestor
• Assistant Examiner(s): Perez, Guillermo
• Application Number:
  US09/481,193
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 310/89, 310/83, 310/75.D, 310/90, 310/118
• US Class Current: 310/89
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/225 Terminal boxes or connection arrangements specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/083 radially supporting the rotary shaft at both ends of the rotor H02K7/086, H02K7/09 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/116 with gears

Abstract

A motor includes a hollow yoke having an open end. A coupling member is coupled to the yoke so as to cover the open end of the yoke. A stator is accommodated in the yoke and has a receptacle. A rotor is received in the receptacle of the stator. A first bearing is arranged in the coupling member or the stator to rotatably support a first end of the rotor. A second bearing is formed integrally with the yoke to rotatably support a second end of the rotor.

Claims

1. A motor comprising:

a hollow yoke having an open end, wherein the yoke is cap-like and has a top portion;

a coupling member coupled to the yoke to cover the open end of the yoke;

a stator accommodated in the yoke, wherein the stator has a receptacle;

a rotor received in the receptacle, wherein the rotor has a first end and a second end;

a first bearing arranged on the coupling member or the stator to rotatably support the first end of the rotor; and

a second bearing formed integrally with the yoke to rotatably support the second end of the rotor, wherein the second bearing is a drawn part of the top portion of the yoke that extends along the axis of the rotor and into the interior of the yoke, and wherein the second end of the rotor has a cavity for receiving the second bearing.

2. The motor according to claim 1, wherein the rotor includes a rotary shaft and a magnet surrounding the rotary shaft, both the rotary shaft and the magnet being formed from synthetic resin, wherein the first and second bearings support the rotary shaft.

3. The motor according to claim 1, wherein the coupling member includes a lip for sealing between the coupling member and the open end of the yoke.

4. The motor according to claim 3, wherein the lip is formed to extend along substantially the entire circumference of the yoke.

5. An actuator comprising:

a motor; and

a speed reducer accommodating a speed reduction device in a housing, wherein the speed reduction device slows and transmits rotational motion generated by the motor to an output shaft, wherein the motor includes;

a hollow yoke having an open end, wherein the yoke is cap-like and has a top portion;

a coupling member coupled to the yoke to cover the open end of the yoke;

a stator accommodated in the yoke, wherein the stator has a receptacle;

a rotor received in the receptacle, wherein the rotor has a first end and a second end;

a first bearing arranged in the coupling member or the stator to rotatably support the first end of the rotor; and

a second bearing formed integrally with the yoke to rotatably support the second end of the rotor, wherein the second bearing is a drawn part of the top portion of the yoke that extends along the axis of the rotor and into the interior of the yoke, and wherein the second end of the rotor has a cavity for receiving the second bearing.

6. The actuator according to claim 5, wherein the rotor includes a rotary shaft and a magnet surrounding the rotary shaft, both the rotary shaft and the magnet being formed from synthetic resin, wherein the first and second bearings support the rotary shaft.

7. The actuator according to claim 5, wherein the housing includes a lip for sealing between the housing and the open end of the yoke.

8. The actuator according to claim 7, wherein the lip is formed to extend along substantially the entire circumference of the yoke.

9. An actuator comprising:

a motor, the motor including a rotor rotated about an axis;

an output shaft;

a speed reduction device for slowing and transmitting rotational motion generated by the motor to the output shaft, wherein the speed reduction device includes a plurality of gears, and wherein at least one of the plurality of gears is an internal gear;

a housing for accommodating the speed reduction device; and

a connector connected to the motor to supply external electric power to the motor;

wherein a coupling member is arranged on the housing, the coupling member being coupled to the motor, wherein the coupling member is selectively arranged at one of a plurality of coupling positions, the one coupling position being selected by rotating the motor about the rotor axis.

10. The actuator according to claim 9, wherein each coupling position differs from an adjacent coupling position by the same angle of rotation of the coupling member with respect to the motor.

11. The actuator according to claim 9, wherein the housing is formed to have an outer surface that is symmetric about a predetermined plane, which includes the axis of the output shaft.

12. The actuator according to claim 9, wherein the motor and the housing are formed to have outer surfaces that are symmetric about a predetermined plane, which includes the axis of the output shaft.

13. The actuator according to claim 9, wherein the output shaft includes a cross-shaped connecting hole.

14. The actuator according to claim 9, wherein the motor includes a rotary shaft and a pinion formed on the rotary shaft, and wherein the internal gear is an input gear meshed with the pinion.

15. A motor comprising:

a hollow yoke having an open end, wherein the yoke is cap-like and has a top portion;

a coupling member coupled to the yoke to cover the open end of the yoke;

a stator accommodated in the yoke, wherein the stator has a receptacle;

a rotor received in the receptacle, wherein the rotor has a first end and a second end and includes a rotary shaft and a magnet surrounding the rotary shaft, both the rotary shaft and the magnet being formed integrally from the same synthetic resin with an open space provided between the rotary shaft and the magnet;

a first bearing arranged on the coupling member or the stator to rotatably support the first end of the rotor; and

a second bearing formed integrally with the yoke to rotatably support the second end of the rotor, wherein the second bearing is a drawn part of the top portion of the yoke that extends along the axis of the rotor and into the interior of the yoke, and wherein the second end of the rotor has a cavity for receiving the second bearing.

16. An actuator comprising:

a motor, wherein the motor includes;

a hollow yoke having an open end, wherein the yoke is cap-like and has a top portion;

a coupling member arranged on the housing and coupled with the yoke of the motor to cover the open end of the yoke;

a stator accommodated in the yoke, wherein the stator has a receptacle;

a rotor received in the receptacle;

wherein the rotor has a first end and a second end;

a first bearing arranged in the coupling member or the stator to rotatably support the first end of the rotor; and

a second bearing formed integrally with the yoke to rotatably support the second end of the rotor, wherein the second bearing is a drawn part of the top portion of the yoke that extends along the axis of the rotor and into the interior of the yoke, and wherein the second end of the rotor has a cavity for receiving the second bearing; and

a speed reducer, wherein the speed reducer includes;

a housing coupled with the coupling member;

a speed reduction device accommodated in the housing, wherein the speed reduction device slows and transmits rotational motion generated by the motor to an output shaft; and

a lip formed on the housing for sealing between the housing and the open end of the yoke, wherein the lip receives and substantially surrounds the yoke when the yoke is coupled with the coupling member.