Slim motor and devices mounting the same motor

• US 6,563,242 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsuzaki, Toshiaki, Ibata, Eiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Nestor
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elkassabgi, Heba Y. M.
• Application Number:
  US09/788,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20020047388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 310/90, 310/81, 310/750, 310/263, 310/90.5, 310/36, 310/905, 310/40
• US Class Current: 310/90
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 23/58 Motors or generators without iron cores
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/161 radially supporting the rotary shaft at both ends of the rotor H02K5/165, H02K5/167, H02K5/173 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/225 Terminal boxes or connection arrangements specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/061 using rotary unbalanced masses for generating mechanical vibrations in general B06B1/16

Abstract

A slim motor good for a portable device includes a frame, pipe, magnet, coil, shaft, first bearing and a second bearing (inside bearing). The pipe is disposed on an inner wall of the cylindrical magnet, and an outer diameter of the second bearing is set at approx. the same as that of the pipe. The second bearing is aligned to the pipe in an axial direction and fixed on the inner wall of the magnet. This structure allows the magnet to extend axially long enough, and solves conventional problems including power consumption, slant of the shaft, motor efficiency, productivity and the like, thereby contributing to achieving a slimmer motor and a slimmed-down device.

Claims

1. A motor comprising:

(a) a frame;

(b) a pipe disposed in said frame and fixed coaxially to said frame;

(c) a magnet including an inner wall, said pipe being positioned adjacent to the inner wall;

(d) a coil facing an outer wall of said magnet via an annular space;

(e) a shaft disposed coaxially with said magnet and said coil;

(f) a first bearing disposed on an end of said frame, said first bearing supporting a first side of said shaft; and

(g) a second bearing disposed inside said frame and at least partially disposed within said magnet, said second bearing supporting a second side of said shaft, a portion of said second bearing being positioned between the inner wall and said pipe,

wherein a lower end of said magnet overreaches a lower end of said pipe, and said second bearing is disposed under the lower end of said pipe and fixed to the inner wall of said magnet.

2. The motor as defined in claim 1, wherein said second bearing is made of resin, and insert-molded.

3. The motor as defined in claim 2, wherein when said second bearing is insert-molded, said magnet being coupled to at least one of said pipe and said frame through said second bearing.

4. The motor as defined in claim 1, wherein a groove running in an axial direction is formed on the inner wall of said magnet.

5. The motor as defined in claim 2, wherein a groove running in an axial direction is formed on the inner wall of said magnet.

6. The motor as defined in claim 3, wherein a groove running in an axial direction is formed on the inner wall of said magnet.

7. The motor as defined in claim 1, wherein a flange, of which outer diameter is greater than an inner diameter of said magnet, is formed on a lower end of said second bearing.

8. The motor as defined in claim 2, wherein a flange, of which outer diameter is greater than an inner diameter of said magnet, is formed on a lower end of said second bearing.

9. The motor as defined in claim 3, wherein a flange, of which outer diameter is greater than an inner diameter of said magnet, is formed on a lower end of said second bearing.

10. The motor as defined in claim 1, wherein a lubricant retainer is formed on an inner wall of said second bearing.

11. The motor as defined in claim 2, wherein a lubricant retainer is formed on an inner wall of said second bearing.

12. The motor as defined in claim 3, wherein a lubricant retainer is formed on an inner wall of said second bearing.

13. The motor as defined in claim 1, wherein said shaft has an eccentric weight.

14. A motor comprising:

(a) a frame;

(b) a pipe disposed in said frame and fixed coaxially to said frame;

(c) a magnet including an inner wall, said pipe being positioned adjacent to the inner wall;

(d) a coil facing an outer wall of said magnet via an annular space;

(e) a shaft disposed coaxially with said magnet and said coil;

(f) a first bearing disposed on an end of said frame, said first bearing supporting a first side of said shaft;

(g) a second bearing disposed inside said frame and at least partially disposed within said magnet, said second bearing supporting a second side of said shaft, a portion of said second bearing being positioned between the inner wall and said pipe; and

(h) an eccentric weight including a shaft fixing section and a weight section, wherein an outer diameter of the weight section is greater than that of said frame, an axial length of the weight section is longer than that of the shaft fixing section, and a gravity center position in an axial direction of said eccentric weight falls within an area of an axial length of said first bearing.

15. A device incorporating a motor, the motor comprising:

(a) a frame;

(b) a pipe disposed in said frame and fixed coaxially to said frame;

(c) a magnet including an inner wall, said pipe being positioned adjacent to the inner wall;

(d) a coil facing an outer wall of said magnet via an annular space;

(e) a shaft disposed coaxially with said magnet and said coil;

(f) a first bearing disposed on an end of said frame, said first bearing supporting a first side of said shaft;

(g) a second bearing disposed inside said frame and at least partially disposed within said magnet, said second bearing supporting a second side of said shaft, a portion of said second bearing being positioned between the inner wall and said pipe; and

(h) an eccentric weight including a shaft fixing section and a weight section, wherein an outer diameter of the weight section is greater than that of said frame, an axial length of the weight section is longer than that of the shaft fixing section, and a gravity center position in an axial direction of said eccentric weight falls within an area of an axial length of said first bearing,

wherein the motor is at least partially surrounded by a holder in the device, the holder being at least partially formed of a soft material.

16. A device comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) a motor mounted to said housing, said motor comprising;

(b-1) a frame;

(b-2) a powering terminal exposed outside said frame;

(b-3) a pipe disposed in said frame and fixed coaxially to said frame;

(b-4) a magnet including an inner wall, said pipe being positioned adjacent to the inner wall;

(b-5) a coil facing an outer wall of said magnet via an annular space;

(b-6) a shaft disposed coaxially with said magnet and said coil;

(b-7) a first bearing disposed on an end of said frame, said first bearing supporting a first side of said shaft;

(b-8) a second bearing disposed inside said frame and at least partially disposed within said magnet, said second bearing supporting a second side of said shaft, a portion of said second bearing being positioned between the inner wall and said pipe;

(b-9) an eccentric weight including a shaft fixing section and a weight section, wherein an outer diameter of the weight section is greater than that of said frame, an axial length of the weight section is longer than that of the shaft fixing section, and a gravity center position in an axial direction of said eccentric weight falls within an area of an axial length of said first bearing, and

(c) a board including an electric coupling section for powering said coil through said powering terminal.

17. The device as defined in claim 16, wherein said motor is at least partially surrounded by a holder in the device.

18. The device as defined in claim 17, wherein the holder is made of soft material.

19. The device as defined in claim 16, wherein said motor is sandwiched by said housing and said board so that said powering terminal is urged to the electric coupling section.

20. The device as defined in claim 19, wherein said motor is at least partially surrounded by a holder in the device, the holder being at least partially formed of a soft material.