Resonant actuator for a personal care appliance having a programmable actuation capability
First Claim
1. A drive system for a personal care appliance, comprising:
- a housing;
a first opposing pair of permanent magnets positioned longitudinally along an interior surface of the housing, each first permanent magnet having a first portion with a north polarity and a second portion with a south polarity, the first and second portions each extending the length of the first permanent magnet;
a second opposing pair of permanent magnets, generally orthogonal with the first pair of permanent magnets, positioned longitudinally along the internal surface of the housing, each second permanent magnet having a plurality of parts along the length thereof, alternating between north and south polarities, the first part of one second permanent magnet having a north polarity and the first part of the other second permanent magnet having a south polarity;
a first moving armature mounted within the housing for moving rotationally, when energized, the first armature extending longitudinally of the cylinder;
a second moving armature mounted within the housing for moving axially when energized;
drive windings positioned around at least one of the moving armatures;
a spindle element to which the first and second armatures are connected or form a part of, the spindle element extending outwardly from one end of the housing and adapted to be connected to an output assembly which includes a workpiece, wherein the spindle rotates when the first armature rotates and moves axially when the second armature moves axially;
a source of power; and
programmable control means for applying the power to the drive windings in a selected manner to produce rotational and/or axial movement of the workpiece on the output assembly.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The drive system for a personal care appliance, such as a toothbrush, includes a first opposing pair of permanent magnet assemblies positioned longitudinally along the length of the internal surface of a cylindrical appliance housing, each first permanent magnet assembly having one portion with a north polarity and the other portion a south polarity, and a second pair of permanent magnet assemblies which are orthogonal to the first pair of permanent magnet assemblies, one second permanent magnet assembly having a plurality of abutting first parts along the length thereof, the parts alternating between a north polarity and a south polarity, the other second permanent magnet assembly having similar parts with reversed polarity. First and second armatures are mounted on, or a portion thereof forms, a spindle element which extends along the length of and outward from the cylindrical housing. A plurality of drive windings are positioned around the armatures in such a manner that application of current to the windings, under programmable control, produces axial and/or tangential movement of the spindle and the workpiece.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A drive system for a personal care appliance, comprising:
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a housing; a first opposing pair of permanent magnets positioned longitudinally along an interior surface of the housing, each first permanent magnet having a first portion with a north polarity and a second portion with a south polarity, the first and second portions each extending the length of the first permanent magnet; a second opposing pair of permanent magnets, generally orthogonal with the first pair of permanent magnets, positioned longitudinally along the internal surface of the housing, each second permanent magnet having a plurality of parts along the length thereof, alternating between north and south polarities, the first part of one second permanent magnet having a north polarity and the first part of the other second permanent magnet having a south polarity; a first moving armature mounted within the housing for moving rotationally, when energized, the first armature extending longitudinally of the cylinder; a second moving armature mounted within the housing for moving axially when energized; drive windings positioned around at least one of the moving armatures; a spindle element to which the first and second armatures are connected or form a part of, the spindle element extending outwardly from one end of the housing and adapted to be connected to an output assembly which includes a workpiece, wherein the spindle rotates when the first armature rotates and moves axially when the second armature moves axially; a source of power; and programmable control means for applying the power to the drive windings in a selected manner to produce rotational and/or axial movement of the workpiece on the output assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A drive system for a personal care appliance, comprising:
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a housing; a first opposing pair of stationary permanent magnet assemblies; a second opposing pair of stationary permanent magnet assemblies, approximately orthogonal to the first pair of permanent magnet assemblies; a shaft member mounted within the housing and capable of moving rotationally and longitudinally; a first armature arrangement attached to or forming a part of the shaft member for moving, when energized, the shaft member rotationally in operational cooperation only with the first pair of stationary permanent magnets; a second armature arrangement attached to or forming a part of the shaft member for moving, when energized, the shaft member longitudinally in operational cooperation only with the second pair of stationary permanent magnets; and a source of power and control assembly for selectively energizing the first and/or second armature assemblies to produce movement of the shaft and corresponding movement of a workpiece connected to, or part of, an assembly connected to the shaft.
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Specification