# US 10,478,268 B2 · Electric motor and dental device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,478,268 B2 - Document ID: US10478268B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/329,724 - Filed: 2015-07-30 - Published: 2017-08-03 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-31 - Assignees: Nakanishi Inc. - Applicants: Nakanishi Inc. - Inventors: Akito Nakamura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478268B2 ## CPC - A61C 1/06: with electric drive - A61C 1/003: {Control of rotation of instrument} - A61C 1/0061: {Air and water supply systems; Valves specially adapted therefor (A61C1/052 takes precedence; rinsing or air-blowing devices A61C17/02)} - A61C 1/088: {Illuminating devices or attachments (for examination of the mouth A61B1/24 and A61B1/06)} - A61C 1/12: Angle hand-pieces - H02K 29/03: with a magnetic circuit specially adapted for avoiding torque ripples or self-starting problems - H02K 3/47: Air-gap windings, i.e. iron-free windings - H02K 15/16: Centring rotors within the stators - H02K 2213/12: Machines characterised by the modularity of some components - A61C: DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE (non-driven toothbrushes A46B; {tongue scrapers A61B17/24;} preparations for dentistry A61K6/00; preparations for cleaning the teeth or mouth A61K8/00, A61Q11/00) - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) ## Abstract An electric motor that enables to promote a further downsizing and performance enhancement, and a dental device that includes the electric motor. A brushless slotless electric motor 10 includes: a stator 3 that includes a stator core 301 and a plurality of coils 31 to 33 disposed inside of the stator core 301; a rotor 2 that includes a shaft 21, the rotor 2 being rotated around the shaft 21 with respect to the stator 3; and a medium pathway 40 through which a medium passes, the medium being supplied for actualizing a function of a dental handpiece 9A to which the electric motor 10 is applied. The plurality of coils 31 to 33 are adjacent to each other in a rotation direction of the rotor 2 so as not to lap mutually. The medium pathway 40 is disposed between the adjacent coils 31 to 33. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A brushless electric motor comprising: a stator that includes a stator core and a plurality of coils, the plurality of coils being disposed at an inner circumference side of the stator core; a rotor that includes a shaft, the rotor being rotated around the shaft with respect to the stator; a medium pathway through which a medium passes, the medium being used for actualizing a function of an application object of the electric motor; and a holder member that holds the plurality of coils, wherein the plurality of coils are adjacent to each other in a rotation direction of the rotor so as not to lap mutually, wherein the medium pathway is disposed between the adjacent coils, wherein the holder member includes: a cylinder portion, the plurality of coils being disposed on an outer circumference of the cylinder portion, and a flange that is formed integrally as a single unit with the cylinder portion to project from the cylinder portion in a radially outward direction, and a plurality of convex portions that are arranged to protrude from the outer circumference of the cylinder portion, wherein each of the plurality of coils is configured to be fitted to one of the plurality of convex portions, and wherein the medium pathway penetrates the flange. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electric motor according to claim 1, wherein the medium pathway is a space occupied by a pipe through which a fluid as the medium passes, and a thickness of the pipe is set to smaller than or equal to a thickness of the coil. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electric motor according to claim 1, wherein the medium pathway is a space occupied by an electric wire as the medium, and a thickness of the electric wire is set to smaller than or equal to a thickness of the coil. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electric motor according to claim 1, wherein the stator includes three coils as the coil, and the rotor includes four poles. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electric motor according to claim 1, wherein the electric motor drives a dental handpiece that is the application object, and includes, as the medium pathway, a pathway through which water to be supplied into the dental handpiece passes, and a pathway through which air to be supplied into the dental handpiece passes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The electric motor according to claim 2, wherein the electric motor drives a dental handpiece that is the application object, and includes, as the pipe, a first pipe through which water to be supplied into the dental handpiece passes, and a second pipe through which air to be supplied into the dental handpiece passes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A dental device comprising: the electric motor according to claim 1; a dental handpiece that is driven by the electric motor; and a controller that performs drive control of the electric motor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) A dental device comprising: the electric motor according to claim 2; a dental handpiece that is driven by the electric motor; and a controller that performs drive control of the electric motor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The dental device according to claim 7, wherein the electric motor is connected with the controller through a hose, and the medium pathway is positioned on an extended line or approximately on an extended line of a pathway that is formed in the hose. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The dental device according to claim 8, wherein the electric motor is connected with the controller through a hose, and the medium pathway is positioned on an extended line or approximately on an extended line of a pathway that is formed in the hose. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The electric motor according to claim 1, wherein the flange is formed at one end or both ends of the holder member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The electric motor according to claim 1, wherein the flange comprises a rim portion and a plurality of holes formed in the rim portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The electric motor according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of convex portions is configured to be received in a complementary opening of each of the plurality of coils to position and hold each of the plurality of coils in the circumferential direction of the cylinder portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The electric motor according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of convex portions are arranged at regular intervals in the circumferential direction of the cylinder portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The electric motor according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of convex portions has a height nearly equal to a thickness of the coil, said height being measured along a radial direction of the cylinder portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The electric motor according to claim 1, wherein the flange projects from the cylinder portion by a size equivalent to a height of each of the plurality of convex portions, said height being measured along a radial direction of the cylinder portion.