# US 4,395,650 A · Electromagnetic diaphragm disk actuator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,395,650 A - Document ID: US4395650A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/252,610 - Filed: 1981-04-09 - Granted: 1983-07-26 - Earliest claimed: 1980-04-25 - Assignees: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Wissenschaften e.V. - Inventors: Gunther Kettenring - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4395650A ## CPC - H02K 41/065: {Nutating motors} - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A diaphragm disk actuator as in claim 1, wherein each tooth of said fourth and second gear teeth systems and said third and first gear teeth systems have a predetermined angle of pitch and a predetermined spatial distance between tooth tips. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A diaphragm disk actuator as in claim 2, wherein said second gear teeth system and said first gear teeth system of said diaphragm are circumferentially displaced relative to one another by a distance of not greater than about one-half of said spatial distance between tooth tips so that each tooth of said second gear teeth system generally coincides with a tooth gap between each tooth of said first gear teeth system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A diaphragm disk actuator as in claim 3 wherein the axial space between the tooth tips of said third gear teeth system and said fourth gear teeth system is less than the axial distance between the tooth tips of said first gear teeth system and said second gear teeth system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A diaphragm disk actuator as in claim 4 wherein said angle of pitch of each tooth of said second and fourth gear teeth systems and said first and third gear teeth systems is between about 15.degree. to 20.degree.. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 3, 4) A diaphragm disk actuator as in claims 1, 3, 4, or 5 wherein said stator further comprises an annular member defining a bearing surface in coaxial arrangement with said third gear teeth system so that said bearing surface will cooperate with a portion of said diaphragm to limit the mutual engagement depth of said first and third gear teeth systems. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1, 3) A diaphragm disk actuator as in claims 1, 3, or 4 wherein said angle of pitch of each tooth of said second and fourth gear teeth systems and said first and third gear teeth systems is between about 15.degree. to 20.degree.. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A diaphragm disk actuator according to claim 1 wherein the axial space between the tooth lips of said third gear teeth system and said fourth gear teeth system is less than the axial distance between the tooth tips of said first gear teeth system and said second gear teeth system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A diaphragm disk actuator according to claim 7 wherein said stator further comprises an annular member defining a bearing surface in coaxial arrangement with said third gear teeth system so that said bearing surface will cooperate with a portion of said diaphragm to limit the mutual engagement depth of said first and third gear teeth systems. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A diaphragm disk actuator as in claim 8 wherein said angle of pitch of each tooth of said second and fourth gear teeth systems and said first and third gear teeth systems is between about 15.degree. to 20.degree.. ### Claim 11 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. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A disk actuator as in claim 11 wherein said stator further includes an even numbered plurality of electromagnets circularly arranged in said stator housing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11, 12) A disk actuator as in claims 11 or 12 wherein said first and second track means include a first driving tooth system and a first holding tooth systems, respectively. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A disk actuator as in claim 13 wherein said first driving and first holding tooth systems include a predetermined number of teeth so that said predetermined number of teeth of said first driving tooth system equals said predetermined number of teeth of said first holding tooth system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A disk actuator as in claim 14 wherein said first and second engaging means include a second driving tooth system and a second holding tooth system, respectively. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A disk actuator as in claim 15 wherein said second driving and second holding tooth systems include a predetermined number of teeth so that said predetermined number of teeth of said second driving tooth system equals said predetermined number of teeth of said second holding tooth system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A disk actuator as in claim 16 wherein said predetermined number of teeth of said second driving and said second holding tooth systems is an even number greater than said predetermined number of teeth of said first driving and said first holding tooth systems. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A disk actuator as in claim 17 wherein each tooth of said first and second holding tooth systems and said first and second driving tooth systems have a predetermined angle of pitch and a predetermined spatial distance between tooth tips. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A disk actuator as in claim 18 wherein said second holding tooth system and said second driving tooth system of said diaphragm are circumferentially displaced relative to one another by a distance of not greater than about one-half of said spatial distance between tooth tips so that each tooth of said second holding tooth system generally coincides with a tooth gap between each tooth of said second driving tooth system. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A disk actuator as in claim 19 wherein the axial space between the tooth tips of said first driving tooth system and said first holding tooth system is less than the axial distance between the tooth tips of said second driving tooth system and said second holding tooth system. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A disk actuator as in claim 20 wherein said angle of pitch of each tooth of said first and second holding tooth systems and said first and second driving tooth systems are between about 15.degree. to about 20.degree.. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) An electromagnetic diaphragm actuator as in claim 1 wherein said first and third gear teeth systems comprise the driving tooth system for said actuator and said second and fourth gear teeth systems comprise the holding tooth system for said actuator. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) An electromagnetic diaphragm actuator as in claim 1 wherein the number of teeth in said first and second gear teeth systems differ by an even number greater than the number of teeth in said third and fourth gear teeth systems.