Board mounted microelectromechanic system (MEMS) sensors for motor diagnostics and analytics
AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
InventorsKristin N. Yee, Michael J. Melfi, Zhenhuan Yuan, John A. Balcerak, Arun K. Guru
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A motor having a circuit board including at least two MEMS sensors. The circuit board is mounted within a housing of the motor using the same fasteners as an encoder of the motor. Mounting the MEMS sensors to the circuit board simplifies assembly of the motor and standardizes the positioning of the MEMS sensors within the housing, while the overall motor footprint is unaffected.
Claims15
A motor assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- an output shaft supported by the housing;
- and a circuit board at least partially surrounding opposite sides of the output shaft and having at least two MEMS sensors mounted thereto, wherein the circuit board has at least a partial annular shape and the at least two MEMS sensors are mounted at approximately diametrically opposed locations on the circuit board, and wherein the circuit board is mounted within the housing with the at least two MEMS sensors and an axis of rotation of the output shaft being approximately collinear.
A circuit board mountable concentrically with an axis of rotation of an associated shaft, the circuit board comprising a substrate and first and second MEMS sensors mounted on the substrate, wherein the substrate has a semi-annular shape having an outer circumferential curved edge having a first radius of curvature, an inner circumferential curved edge having a second radius of curvature, and first and second edges extending between the outer circumferential curved edge and the inner circumferential curved edge, wherein the outer circumferential edge and inner circumferential edge have a common point of curvature, and wherein the MEMS sensors are mounted to the substrate at diametrically opposed locations such that a centerline between the MEMS sensors extends through the point of curvature.
A method of assembling a motor comprising:
- providing a circuit board having a substrate and first and second MEMS sensors mounted on the substrate, wherein the substrate has a semi-annular shape having an outer circumferential curved edge having a first radius of curvature, an inner circumferential curved edge having a second radius of curvature, and first and second edges extending between the outer circumferential curved edge and the inner circumferential curved edge, wherein the outer circumferential edge and inner circumferential edge have a common point of curvature, and wherein the MEMS sensors are mounted to the substrate at diametrically opposed locations such that a centerline between the MEMS sensors extends through the point of curvature, positioning the circuit board in a compartment of a housing of the motor such that the MEMS sensors are collinear with an axis of rotation of an output shaft of the motor, positioning an encoder in the compartment, and securing the circuit board and the encoder to the housing using at least one common fastener.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.