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US 5,571,284 AGranted
Linear motor driven shuttle mechanism for a printer
AssigneeHitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
InventorsGenichiro Kawamichi, Satoru Tobita, Shun Suzuki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
To effectively cool a linear motor used in a shuttle mechanism of a printer and also to increase magnetic flux density used in generating thrust in the linear motor, each magnet used in the linear motor is beveled to form chamfers at corners that confront a coil member and that contact corners of adjacent magnets.
Claims20
A shuttle mechanism for bidirectionally moving a printing unit for printing characters and symbols, the shuttle mechanism comprising:
- a linear motor comprising:
- a first magnet bank including a plurality of first magnets juxtaposed in a first direction, wherein adjacent magnets of said first magnets have alternate polarity;
- a second magnet bank including a plurality of second magnets juxtaposed in the first direction, wherein adjacent magnets of said second magnets have alternate polarity and said second magnets are positioned to confront respective ones of the first magnets to form a plurality of confronting pairs, wherein said first magnets and said second magnets of said confronting pairs have opposite polarity, wherein said first magnet bank and said second magnet bank are positioned so as to have a space therebetween;
- and
- a coil member positioned in the space between said first magnet bank and said second magnet bank, said coil member having a conductor extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the first magnets and the second magnets each have at least one chamfered face that substantially confronts said coil member;
- and
- a supporting member connected to said coil member and supporting the printing unit, said supporting member being movable in a third direction perpendicular to both the first and second directions.
4 more elements
A shuttle mechanism for bidirectionally moving a printing unit for printing characters and symbols, the shuttle mechanism comprising:
- a linear motor comprising:
- a first magnet bank including a plurality of first magnets juxtaposed in a first direction, wherein adjacent magnets of said first magnets have alternate polarity;
- a second magnet bank including a plurality of second magnets juxtaposed in the first direction, wherein adjacent magnets of said second magnets have alternate polarity and said second magnets are positioned to confront respective ones of the first magnets to form a plurality of confronting pairs, wherein said first magnets and said second magnets of said confronting pairs have opposite polarity, wherein said first magnet bank and said second magnet bank are positioned so as to have a space therebetween;
- and
- a coil member positioned in the space between said first magnet bank and said second magnet bank, said coil member having a conductor extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the first magnets and the second magnets each have at least one chamfered face that substantially confronts said coil member;
- and
- a supporting member secured to said coil member and supporting the printing unit, said supporting member being movable in a third direction perpendicular to both the first and second directions,
- wherein each of the magnets in said first magnet bank and in said second magnet bank has two chamfered faces.
5 more elements
A printer comprising:
- a printing unit for printing characters and symbols;
- and
- a shuttle mechanism for bidirectionally moving said printing unit, said shuttle mechanism comprising:
- a linear motor comprising:
- a first magnet bank including a plurality of first magnets juxtaposed in a first direction, wherein adjacent magnets of said first magnets have alternate polarity;
- a second magnet bank including a plurality of second magnets juxtaposed in the first direction, wherein adjacent magnets of said second magnets have alternate polarity and said second magnets are positioned to confront respective ones of the first magnets to form a plurality of confronting pairs, wherein said first magnets and said second magnets of said confronting pairs have opposite polarity, wherein said first magnet bank and said second magnet bank are positioned so as to have a space therebetween;
- and
- a coil member movably positioned in the space between said first magnet bank and said second magnet bank, said coil member having a conductor extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the first magnets and the second magnets each have at least one chamfered face that substantially confronts said coil member;
- and
- a supporting member connected to said coil member and supporting said printing unit, said supporting member being movable in a third direction perpendicular to both the first and second directions.
7 more elements
A printer comprising:
- a printing unit for printing characters and symbols;
- and
- a shuttle mechanism for bidirectionally moving said printing unit,
- said shuttle mechanism comprising:
- a linear motor comprising:
- a first magnet bank including a plurality of first magnets juxtaposed in a first direction, wherein adjacent magnets of said first magnets have alternate polarity;
- a second magnet bank including a plurality of second magnets juxtaposed in the first direction, wherein adjacent magnets of said second magnets have alternate polarity and said second magnets are positioned to confront respective ones of the first magnets to form a plurality of confronting pairs, wherein said first magnets and said second magnets of said confronting pairs have opposite polarity, wherein said first magnet bank and said second magnet bank are positioned so as to have a space therebetween;
- and
- a coil member positioned in the space between said first magnet bank and said second magnet bank, said coil member having a conductor extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the first magnets and the second magnets each have at least one chamfered face that substantially confronts said coil member;
- and
- a supporting member connected to said coil member and supporting said printing unit, said supporting member being movable in a third direction perpendicular to both the first and second directions,
- wherein each of the first magnets in said first magnet bank and each of the second magnets in said second magnet bank has two chamfered faces.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.