# US 12,003,163 B2 · Actuator and vehicle operation system with actuator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,003,163 B2 - Document ID: US12003163B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/386,079 - Filed: 2021-07-27 - Published: 2022-01-27 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-27 - Assignees: Denso Corporation - Applicants: Denso Corporation - Inventors: Daisuke Nishio; Tomoki Yamashita; Itsuki Funaba; Kazuto Kitou - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003163B2 ## CPC - H02K 5/225: {Terminal boxes or connection arrangements (specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132)} - H02K 7/116: with gears - B60N 2/02246: {Electric motors therefor} - B60N 2/02253: {characterised by the transmission between the electric motor and the seat or seat parts} - B60N 2/02258: {characterised by the mounting of the electric motor for adjusting the seat} - B60S 1/08: electrically driven {(conjoint control of windscreen wiper motor and liquid supply of windscreen washer B60S1/482; conjoint control of windscreen wiper motor and means for cleaning parts o parts other than windscreens or front windows B60S1/56, B60S1/58, B60S1/606)} - E05F 15/697: Motor units therefor, e.g. geared motors - H02K 5/08: Insulating casings - H02K 11/30: Structural association with control circuits or drive circuits - H02K 15/00: Processes or apparatus specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining or repairing of dynamo-electric machines - B60S 1/166: {characterised by the combination of a motor-reduction unit and a mechanism for converting rotary into oscillatory movement} - E05Y 2201/10: Covers; Housings - E05Y 2201/434: Electromotors; Details thereof - E05Y 2201/702: Spindles; Worms - E05Y 2201/704: Worm wheels - E05Y 2201/716: Pinions - E05Y 2400/60: Electrical power characteristics, e.g. pulsed or alternating powered and powerless modes - E05Y 2400/61: Power supply - E05Y 2400/65: Power or signal transmission - E05Y 2900/55: Windows - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60S: SERVICING, CLEANING, REPAIRING, SUPPORTING, LIFTING, OR MANOEUVRING OF VEHICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - E05F: DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING - E05Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF ## Abstract An actuator and a vehicle operation system with the actuator. The actuator includes a housing unit composed of a combination of internal components including a motor, a housing and a cover. A pair of terminals conveys external power to the motor. A terminal holder holds die pair of terminals. The terminal holder is accommodated in the housing unit as a sub-assembly separately from the housing unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An actuator comprising: a housing unit (i) comprised of a housing and a cover and (ii) housing a motor and a bearing plate configured and positioned in the housing unit to prevent a motor output shaft of the motor and the housing from contacting each other; a pair of terminals configured to convey external power to the motor; and a terminal holder that (i) holds the pair of terminals, (ii) is a separate sub-assembly from the housing unit, and (iii) is accommodated in the housing unit, wherein: the housing and the terminal holder are configured such that the terminal holder is assembled into the housing unit and attached to the housing in a first direction; and the terminal holder includes a plate engagement portion configured to pressure contact and depress the bearing plate in the first direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the pair of terminals have a pair of power supply portions connected to the motor when the actuator is assembled; the pair of power supply portions are planar and extend in the first direction; and surfaces of planar portions of the pair of power supply portions face each other in a thickness direction of the planar portions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the terminal holder includes a motor engagement portion to hold the motor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the terminal holder is a molded product with a portion of the pair of terminals embedded in the molded product; the pair of terminals are partially exposed from the terminal holder to the motor; and each of portions of the pair of terminals exposed from the terminal holder to the motor is entirely planar and a thickness direction of the each of the portions is perpendicular to the first direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the pair of terminals includes a first conductive member and a second conductive member; the first conductive member includes a first power supply portion connected to the motor and a first connector portion connected to an external power supply; the second conductive member includes a second power supply portion connected to the motor and a second connector portion connected to the power supply; the first conductive member includes one or more first bent portions between the first connector portion and the first power supply portion; the second conductive member includes one or more second bent portions between the second connector portion and the second power supply portion; and the one or more first bent portions and the one or more second bent portions are embedded in the terminal holder. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the terminal holder is a molded product with the pair of terminals embedded in the molded product; the pair of the terminals are partially exposed to the motor from the terminal holder; and the terminal holder and portions of the pair of the terminals exposed to the motor from the terminal holder do not overlap with each other along a direction parallel to an output axis of the motor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bearing plate is directly between an end of the motor output shaft and the housing along a longitudinal axis of the motor output shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method of producing the pair of terminals and the terminal holder of the actuator as claimed in claim 1, the method comprising the steps of: preparing a conductive flat plate; applying a punching process to the conductive flat plate thereby obtaining the pair of terminals partially connecting with each other via a connection portion at a middle portion along a longitudinal direction thereof; bending each of the pair of terminals substantially at a right angle in a plate thickness direction around a first axis at a first portion between the middle portion and one end thereof; bending each of the pair of terminals substantially at a right angle in a plate thickness direction around a second axis perpendicular to the first axis at a second portion between the first portion and the one end thereof; inserting the pair of terminals into a molding mold; molding the terminal holder by applying injection molding together with the pair of terminals other than bent portions bent in the bending processes while forming a through hole at a position above a connection portion connecting the pair of terminals with each other; and cutting the connection portion and separating the pair of terminals from each other after the insert molding is completed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method of producing the actuator as claimed in claim 1, the method comprising the steps of: preparing a conductive flat plate; applying a punching process to the conductive flat plate thereby obtaining the pair of terminals partially connecting with each other via a connection portion at a middle portion along a longitudinal direction thereof; bending each of the pair of terminals substantially at a right angle in a plate thickness direction around a first axis at a first portion between the middle portion and one end thereof; bending each of the pair of terminals substantially at a right angle in a plate thickness direction around a second axis perpendicular to the first axis at a second portion between the first portion and the one end thereof; inserting the pair of terminals into a molding mold; molding the terminal holder by applying injection molding together with the pair of terminals other than bent portions bent in the bending processes while forming a through hole at a position above a connection portion connecting the pair of terminals with each other; and cutting the connection portion and separating the pair of terminals from each other after the insert molding is completed. ### Claim 10 An actuator comprising: a housing unit including a housing and a cover and that houses a motor; a pair of terminals configured to convey external power to the motor; and a terminal holder that (i) holds the pair of terminals, (ii) is a separate sub-assembly from the housing unit and (iii) is accommodated in the housing unit, wherein: the pair of terminals is a pair of conductive members; each of the pair of conductive members extends in a first extension direction and is connected to an external power supply; at least one of the pair of conductive members includes a contacting portion contacting the power supply and a horizontally curved portion extended in a second direction perpendicular to the first extension direction; and an entirety of the horizontally curved portion is configured to substantially vertically receive a reaction force from or via the terminal holder when the contacting portion is connected to the power supply and receives a mechanical force from the power supply.