Motor

• US 7,518,273 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nidec Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nidec Corporation
• Inventors: Nakanishi, Keita, Kataoka, Nakaba
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Dang D
• Application Number:
  US11/298,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20060125334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 310/68.B, 310/156.05
• US Class Current: 310/68.00B
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 29/08 using magnetic effect devices, e.g. Hall-plates, magneto-resistors H02K29/12 takes precedence

Abstract

In a motor, an sensor magnet is attached to a shaft and three Hall sensors for detecting the position of the sensor magnet are mounted on a circuit board. By using neodymium-iron-boron base rare earth magnet having radial anisotropy as a sensor magnet, the detection accuracy for the position of a field magnet via the sensor magnet by the Hall sensor can be improved.

Claims

1. An electric motor comprising:

a static part including an outer stator;

a field magnet having a cylindrical shape;

an inner rotor part having the field magnet for generating a torque around a central axis of a shaft with respect to the stator;

a bearing part for supporting the inner rotor part rotatably with respect to the static part around the central axis;

a sensor magnet that is a substantially ring-like rare earth anisotropic magnet and magnetized in multiple poles, the sensor magnet secured on the inner rotor part and arranged with the field magnet coaxially;

a flange portion of a magnetic material disposed between the field magnet and the sensor magnet, wherein the flange portion has a radially inside part, wherein the flange portion is fixed on the shaft at the radially inside part, wherein the radially inside part has a height in the axial direction, wherein the sensor magnet is fixed on the flange portion, wherein the flange portion is spaced from the field magnet with a distance more than the height; and

a sensor disposed at a radially outward portion opposed to the sensor magnet, for detecting the position of the sensor magnet.

2. The motor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor magnet has radial anisotropy.

3. The motor according to claim 2, wherein the sensor is disposed so as to oppose the outer peripheral face of the sensor magnet.

4. The motor according to claim 3, wherein the sensor magnet has an outside diameter substantially equal to the outside diameter of the field magnet.

5. The motor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed so as to oppose a main face perpendicular to the central axis of the sensor magnet.

6. The motor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor magnet is made of magnet material molded by hot extrusion so as to be supplied with anisotropy, the magnet material being magnetized.

7. The motor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor magnet is made of magnetic material molded in magnetic field so as to be supplied with anisotropy and sintered, the magnet material being magnetized.

8. The motor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor magnet is based on neodymium-iron-boron.

9. The motor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a Hall sensor.

10. The motor according to claim 1, the motor being used in system for assisting an operation of a vehicle.

11. The motor according to claim 1, the motor directly assisting the steering operation of the vehicle.

12. The motor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor magnet and the field magnet are formed with a single material.

13. The motor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor magnet is formed a material different from a material of the field magnet.

14. The motor according to claim 1, wherein the field magnet is a rare earth isotropy magnet.

15. The motor according to claim 1, wherein the flange portion covers a bottom side of the sensor magnet.

16. The motor according to claim 1, wherein the flange portion covers a side of the sensor magnet, the side facing the field magnet.

17. The motor according to claim 1, wherein the flange portion covers a side of the sensor magnet, the side facing the stator.

18. The motor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor magnet is located lower than a top end of a coil of the outer stator.