US 4,395,650 AGranted

Electromagnetic diaphragm disk actuator

AssigneeMax-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Wissenschaften e.V.

InventorGunther Kettenring

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An electromagnetic diaphragm disk actuator is both easily driven and posiely held in its desired controllable relationship. The actuator includes a stator having a driving rim with a driving tooth system, a holding rim spaced axially away from the stator with a holding tooth system, a plurality of pairs of electromagnets in the stator and a rotor connected to a drive shaft having a magnetically attractable diaphragm with cooperating driving and holding tooth systems positioned around the circumferential edge and on opposite sides thereof lying between the stator and the holding rim. The diaphragm is positioned between the driving rim and holding rim such that the engagement points of the driving and holding tooth systems deform the diaphragm to the point that it develops an apex generally defined by the axis between the points of engagement of the holding tooth system and such axis is displaced 90.degree. relative to the axis formed by the engagement points of the driving tooth systems. Relative movement is effected by successive excitation of electromagnet pairs.

Claims23

Dependent claims

An electromagnetic diaphragm actuator comprising of stator means for providing a driving force mounted in an outer housing, said stator means including a plurality of pairs of opposed electromagnets, an outer cover spaced outwardly from said stator means, a rotating shaft operatively connected to a deformable magnetic actuator diaphragm rotatably positioned between said stator and said outer cover, said diaphragm including first and second gear teeth systems respectively positioned on opposite sides and extending about the periphery thereof, corresponding third and fourth gear teeth systems substantially opposing one another, respectively positioned about said stator and electromagnets and about the interior periphery of said outer cover, the spacing between said third and fourth gear teeth systems being such that said diaphragm is tensioned therebetween and formed to develop a cylindrical surface therein, said first and second gear teeth systems each respectively engaging said third and fourth gear teeth systems, each at two diametrically opposed positions, with said first and third engaging positions being radially displaced about 90.degree. with respect to said second and fourth engaging positions so that said diaphragm remains engaged with said third and fourth gear teeth systems.

A diaphragm disk actuator comprising:

a stator member including a stator housing and a plurality of pairs of opposed electromagnets, first track means fixedly attached to said stator member for providing a first portion of a rolling path, and second track means, for providing a second portion of said rolling path, fixedly attached to said stator member and spaced outwardly from said first track means so as to define a predetermined space therebetween;
and
a rotor means for communicating coaxial rotatable movement to a shaft member, said rotor means including an elastically deformable diaphragm member comprising a magnetically conductive material having a circumferential edge defining on one side thereof first engagement means for locally engaging with said first track means at a first pair of localized, diametrically opposed engagement points and a second engagement means on the other side thereof for locally engaging with said second track means at a second pair of localized, diametrically opposed engagement points, said first and second pair of engagement points being radially displaced about 90.degree. on said circumferential edge, said diaphragm member being elastically deformed when in position between said first and second track means so as to define a tensioned cylindrically shaped surface extending between said second pair of engagement points, so that said diaphragm is coaxially rollable between said first and second track means upon said rolling path as pairs of electromagnets are sequentially energized and held in place when said electromagnets are de-energized.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.