Vibrator assembly

• US 5,835,006 A
• Filed: 05/22/1996
• Issued: 11/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Moorola Incorporated
• Inventors: Dombrowski, Richard John, Michalak, Brian Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US08/651,075
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 340/407.1, 340/311.1, 340/825.46, 340/965, 310/81, 310/90, 368/230, 434/113, 318/114-115, 318/128-460, 379/52
• US Class Current: 340/407.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2211/03 Machines characterised by circuit boards, e.g. pcb
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/00 Casings; Enclosures; Supports
• 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 vibrator assembly (126) includes a vibrator (200) and a pair of clips (202, 204). The pair of clips (202, 204) are adapted to be mounted to a substrate (106) having a controllable power source (120). The pair of clips (202, 204) are electrically coupled to the controllable power source (120). The pair of clips (202, 204) are also adapted to engage the vibrator (200). The vibrator (200) is both secured and powered via the pair of clips (202, 204); thereby, eliminating the need for a separate mounting bracket and pair of wires.

Claims

1. A vibrator assembly comprising:

a vibrator including a motor and a weight driven by the motor, the motor having a housing, the housing having first and second surface terminals insulated from one another, the motor operable to drive the weight responsive to power applied across the first and second surface terminals; and

first and second clips adapted to be mounted to a substrate having a controllable power source, the first and second clips coupled to the controllable power source, the first clip adapted to detachably engage the first surface terminal, the second clip adapted to detachably engage the second surface terminal, and thereby supply power across the first and second surface terminals.

2. The vibrator assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second surface terminals is cylindrical.

3. The vibrator assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second surface terminals are axially aligned.

4. The vibrator assembly of claim 1 wherein the housing includes an insulating portion disposed between and axially aligned with the first and second surface terminals.

5. The vibrator assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second surface terminals are concentrically aligned.

6. The vibrator assembly of claim 1 wherein the vibrator is substantially cylindrical.

7. The vibrator assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second clips is substantially "U"-shaped.

8. The vibrator assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second clips further comprises a flange contacting an end surface of the housing.

9. The vibrator assembly of claim 1 wherein the vibrator assembly is disposed in an electronic device.

10. A vibrator assembly comprising:

a vibrator including a motor, a shaft driven by the motor, and a weight positioned on the shaft, the motor comprising a conductive housing, the conductive housing comprising a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion, the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion concentrically aligned, the conductive housing further comprising an insulating portion concentrically disposed on the first conductive portion and substantially enclosing an end of the vibrator, and the second conductive portion comprising a conductive cap fitted on the end of the vibrator over the insulating portion; and

a pair of clips adapted to be mounted to a substrate having a controllable power source, the pair of clips electrically coupled to the controllable power source, the pair of clips adapted to engage the motor of the vibrator, one of the pair of clips contacting the first conductive portion, the other one of the pair of clips contacting the second conductive portion.

11. An electronic device comprising:

a substrate having first and second pads and a controllable power source mounted thereon, the controllable power source electrically coupled to the first and second pads;

first and second clips mounted on the substrate, the the first clip electrically coupled to the first pad, the second clip electrically coupled to the second pad; and

a vibrator including a motor and a weight driven by the motor, the motor having a housing, the housing having first and second surface terminals and an insulator positioned therebetween, the first surface removably received in the first clip, the second surface removably received in the second clip.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 wherein at least one of the first and second surface terminals are cylindrical.

13. The electronic device of claim 11 wherein the first and second surface terminals are axially aligned.

14. The electronic device of claim 11 wherein the housing includes an insulating portion disposed between and axially aligned with the first and second surface terminals.

15. The electronic device of claim 11 wherein the first and second surface terminals are concentrically aligned.

16. The electronic device of claim 11 wherein the vibrator is substantially cylindrical.

17. An electronic device comprising:

a substrate having at least two pads and a controllable power source mounted thereon, the controllable power source electrically coupled to the at least two pads;

a pair of clips mounted on the substrate, the pair of clips electrically coupled to corresponding ones of the at least two pads; and

a vibrator including a motor, a shaft driven by the motor, and a weight positioned on the shaft, the motor adapted to be received in the pair of clips the motor of the vibrator further comprising a conductive housing, the conductive housing comprising a first conductive portion contacting one of the pair of clips and a second conductive portion contacting the other one of the pair of clips, the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion concentrically aligned, the conductive housing further comprising an insulating portion concentrically disposed on the first conductive portion and substantially enclosing an end of the vibrator, and the second conductive portion comprising a conductive cap fitted on the end of the vibrator over the insulating portion.

18. An electronic device comprising:

a substrate having a first pad, a second pad, and a controllable power source mounted thereon, the controllable power source electrically coupled to the first pad and the second pad, the controllable power source capable of energizing the first pad with one of a positive polarity and a negative polarity and the second pad with the other one of the positive polarity and the negative polarity;

a first clip and a second clip mounted on the substrate, the first clip electrically coupled to the first pad, the second clip electrically coupled to the second pad, at least one of the first clip and the second clip being substantially "U"-shaped; and

a vibrator including a motor and a weight driven by the motor, the motor having a substantially cylindrical housing, the substantially cylindrical housing having a first surface terminal axially adjacent to a second surface terminal, the first surface terminal detachably coupled to the first clip, the second surface terminal detachably coupled to the second clip.