Motor assembly allowing output in multiple degrees of freedom
First Claim
1. A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, the motor comprising:
- a stator, the stator having an interior curved surface and first and second stator coils wound in close proximity to said interior surface, said stator coils positioned substantially orthogonally to each other; and
a rotor fixed to said output shaft and movably supported adjacent said stator with an air gap disposed between said rotor and said stator, said rotor including at least one magnet disposed thereon and being movable along said interior surface in directions defining at least first and second degrees of freedom;
whereupon energization of said first stator coil a first magnetic field is established to urge said output shaft to rotate in a first plane and upon energization of said second stator coil a second magnetic field is established to urge said output shaft to rotate in a second plane substantially orthogonal to the first.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A motor allowing multiple degrees of output freedom is disclosed. The motor includes a stator having an interior surface forming at least a portion of a sphere or curved surface and first and second substantially orthogonally positioned stator coils wound on the interior surface. A rotor is fixed to an output shaft and movably supported adjacent the stator with an air gap disposed between the rotor and the stator. The rotor includes a plurality of magnets disposed thereon and is movable along the interior surface in directions defining at least first and second degrees of freedom. Upon energization of the first stator coil, a first magnetic field is established to force at least a first one of the magnets and the rotor in a direction in the first degree of freedom. Upon energization of the second stator coil, a second magnetic field is established to force at least a second one of the magnets and the rotor in a direction in the second degree of freedom. There is also provided a method of providing force feedback to joystick handle in response to manipulation of the handle by a user. The method includes: providing a motor consistent with the invention for driving the joystick; sensing a position of the joystick; and energizing at least one of the coils based on the sensed position to establish the feedback force against at least a first one of the magnets and the rotor.
26 Citations
76 Claims
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1. A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, the motor comprising:
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a stator, the stator having an interior curved surface and first and second stator coils wound in close proximity to said interior surface, said stator coils positioned substantially orthogonally to each other; and
a rotor fixed to said output shaft and movably supported adjacent said stator with an air gap disposed between said rotor and said stator, said rotor including at least one magnet disposed thereon and being movable along said interior surface in directions defining at least first and second degrees of freedom;
whereupon energization of said first stator coil a first magnetic field is established to urge said output shaft to rotate in a first plane and upon energization of said second stator coil a second magnetic field is established to urge said output shaft to rotate in a second plane substantially orthogonal to the first. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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14. A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, said motor comprising:
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a stator, said stator having an interior surface with first and second stator coils wound thereon, said stator coils positioned substantially orthogonally to each other; and
a rotor fixed to said output shaft and movably supported adjacent said stator with an air gap disposed between said rotor and said stator, said rotor including at least one magnet disposed thereon and being movable along said interior surface in directions defining at least first and second degrees of freedom;
wherein upon energization of said first stator coil a first magnetic field is established to urge said rotor to rotate in a direction of said first degree of freedom, and upon energization of said second stator coil a second magnetic field is established to urge said rotor to rotate in a direction of said second degree of freedom, the second degree of freedom substantially perpendicular to said first degree of freedom.
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17. A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, said motor comprising:
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a stator, said stator having an interior surface and first and second stator coils wound in close proximity to said interior surface, said stator coils positioned substantially orthogonally to each other, said stator comprising a plurality of laminations, said laminations radially disposed about a center point with a plane of each lamination extending through said center point; and
a rotor fixed to said output shaft and movably supported adjacent said stator with an air gap disposed between said rotor and said stator, said rotor including at least one magnet disposed thereon and being movable along said interior surface in directions defining at least first and second degrees of freedom.
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25. A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, said motor comprising:
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a stator, said stator having an interior surface and first and second stator coils wound in close proximity to said interior surface, said stator coils positioned substantially orthogonally to each other, the stator comprising a first plurality of parallel laminations and a second plurality of parallel laminations positioned in an arc about a center point, the first plurality arranged perpendicular to said second plurality; and
a rotor fixed to said output shaft and movably supported adjacent said stator with an air gap disposed between said rotor and said stator, said rotor including at least one magnet disposed thereon and being movable along said interior surface in directions defining at least first and second degrees of freedom.
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34. A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, said motor comprising:
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a stator, said stator having an interior surface and first and second stator coils wound in close proximity to said interior surface, said stator coils positioned substantially orthogonally to each other, the stator comprising a first plurality and a second plurality laminations arranged in an arc about a center point, the first plurality arranged perpendicular to said second plurality; and
a rotor fixed to said output shaft, said rotor comprising a cross linkage having a first arm extending radially from the output shaft and a second arm extending radially from the output shaft, the first arm fixed to and orthogonal to the second arm, the rotor further comprising a first permanent magnet disposed at a distal end of the first arm and a second permanent magnet disposed at a distal end of the second arm, the first and the second magnets movably supported adjacent along said interior surface of said stator in directions defining at least first and second degrees of freedom.
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48. A lamination for use in a stator, comprising:
a ferromagnetic material having an arcuate surface orthogonal to a side surface and a plurality of parallel slots.
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49. A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, said motor comprising:
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a stator, said stator having an interior surface and first, second, and third stator coils wound in close proximity to said interior surface, said stator coils oriented substantially at an angle to each other, the stator comprising a first plurality, a second plurality, and a third plurality of laminations arranged in an arc about a center point, the first, second, and third plurality of coils arranged to pull the rotor in a plurality of rotations; and
a rotor fixed to said output shaft, said rotor comprising a cross linkage having a first arm extending radially from the output shaft and a second arm extending radially from the output shaft, the first arm fixed to and orthogonal to the second arm, the rotor further comprising a first permanent magnet disposed at a distal end of the first arm and a second permanent magnet disposed at a distal end of the second arm, the first and the second magnets movably supported adjacent along said interior surface of said stator in directions defining at least first, second, and third degrees of freedom.
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50. A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, said motor comprising:
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a rotor coupled to the output shaft; and
a stator comprising a first lamination stack and a second lamination stack, each lamination stack having an interior surface, the first lamination stack further comprising a first stator coil wound in close proximity to the interior surface of the first lamination stack and the second lamination stack comprising a second stator coil wound in close proximity to the interior surface of the second lamination stack, the first lamination stack and second lamination stack disposed about the longitudinal axis of the output shaft, the first lamination stack oriented such that a first plane formed by a first lamination in the first lamination stack forms an angle with the longitudinal axis of the output shaft and the second lamination stack oriented such that a second plane formed by a second lamination in the second lamination stack is substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the output shaft. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 75, 76)
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62. A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, said motor comprising:
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a rotor coupled to the output shaft; and
a stator comprising a first lamination stack and a second lamination stack, each lamination stack having an interior surface, the first lamination stack further comprising a first stator coil wound in close proximity to the interior surface of the first lamination stack and the second lamination stack comprising a second stator coil wound in close proximity to the interior surface of the second lamination stack, the first lamination stack and second lamination stack disposed about the longitudinal axis of the output shaft, the first lamination stack oriented such that a first plane formed by a first lamination in the first lamination stack forms a first angle with the longitudinal axis of the output shaft and the second lamination stack oriented such that a second plane formed by a second lamination in the second lamination stack forms a second angle with the longitudinal axis of the output shaft. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
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Specification