Motor assembly allowing output in multiple degrees of freedom

A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, said motor comprising:

• a stator, said stator having an interior surface and first, second, and third stator coils wound in close proximity to said interior surface, said stator coils oriented substantially at an angle to each other, the stator comprising a first plurality, a second plurality, and a third plurality of laminations arranged in an arc about a center point, the first, second, and third plurality of coils arranged to pull the rotor in a plurality of rotations;
• and
• a rotor fixed to said output shaft, said rotor comprising a cross linkage having a first arm extending radially from the output shaft and a second arm extending radially from the output shaft, the first arm fixed to and orthogonal to the second arm, the rotor further comprising a first permanent magnet disposed at a distal end of the first arm and a second permanent magnet disposed at a distal end of the second arm, the first and the second magnets movably supported adjacent along said interior surface of said stator in directions defining at least first, second, and third degrees of freedom.

A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, said motor comprising:

• a rotor coupled to the output shaft;
• and
• a stator comprising a first lamination stack and a second lamination stack, each lamination stack having an interior surface, the first lamination stack further comprising a first stator coil wound in close proximity to the interior surface of the first lamination stack and the second lamination stack comprising a second stator coil wound in close proximity to the interior surface of the second lamination stack, the first lamination stack and second lamination stack disposed about the longitudinal axis of the output shaft, the first lamination stack oriented such that a first plane formed by a first lamination in the first lamination stack forms an angle with the longitudinal axis of the output shaft and the second lamination stack oriented such that a second plane formed by a second lamination in the second lamination stack is substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the output shaft.

A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, said motor comprising:

• a rotor coupled to the output shaft;
• and
• a stator comprising a first lamination stack and a second lamination stack, each lamination stack having an interior surface, the first lamination stack further comprising a first stator coil wound in close proximity to the interior surface of the first lamination stack and the second lamination stack comprising a second stator coil wound in close proximity to the interior surface of the second lamination stack, the first lamination stack and second lamination stack disposed about the longitudinal axis of the output shaft, the first lamination stack oriented such that a first plane formed by a first lamination in the first lamination stack forms a first angle with the longitudinal axis of the output shaft and the second lamination stack oriented such that a second plane formed by a second lamination in the second ST lamination stack forms a second angle with the longitudinal axis of the output shaft.

A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, said motor comprising:

• a stator, said stator having an interior surface and first and second stator coils wound in close proximity to said interior surface, said stator coils positioned substantially orthogonally to each other, said stator comprising a plurality of laminations, said laminations radially disposed about a center point with a plane of each lamination extending through said center point;
• and
• a rotor fixed to said output shaft and movably supported adjacent said stator with an air gap disposed between said rotor and said stator, said rotor including at least one magnet disposed thereon and being movable along said interior surface in directions defining at least first and second degrees of freedom, whereupon energization of said first stator coil a first magnetic field is established to urge said output shaft to rotate in a first plane, and upon energization of said second stator coil a second magnetic field is established to urge said output shaft to rotate in a second plane substantially orthogonal to the first.

The motor claim of 64, wherein the laminations are separated by spacers to space the laminations more along an outside surface of the stator than along an inside surface of the stator.

A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, said motor comprising:

• a stator, said stator having an interior surface and first and second stator coils wound in close proximity to said interior surface, said stator coils positioned substantially orthogonally to each other, said stator comprising a plurality of laminations, said laminations radially disposed about a center point with a plane of each lamination extending through said center point;
• and
• a rotor fixed to said output shaft and movably supported adjacent said stator with an air gap disposed between said rotor and said stator, said rotor including at least one magnet disposed thereon and being movable along said interior surface in directions defining at least first and second degrees of freedom, wherein lamination comprises an arcuate surface perpendicular to said plane of said laminations.

The motor claim of 69, wherein the laminations are separated by spacers to space the laminations more along an outside surface of the stator than along an inside surface of the stator.

A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, said motor comprising:

• a stator, said stator having an interior surface and first and second stator coils wound in close proximity to said interior surface, said stator coils positioned substantially orthogonally to each other, said stator comprising a plurality of laminations, said laminations radially disposed about a center point with a plane of each lamination extending through said center point;
• and
• a rotor fixed to said output shaft and movably supported adjacent said stator with an air gap disposed between said rotor and said stator, said rotor including at least one magnet disposed thereon and being movable along said interior surface in directions defining at least first and second degrees of freedom, wherein the output shaft is an input shaft.

The motor claim of 74, wherein the laminations are separated by spacers to space the laminations more along an outside surface of the stator than along an inside surface of the stator.

A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, said motor comprising:

• a stator, said stator having an interior surface and first and second stator coils wound in close proximity to said interior surface, said stator coils positioned substantially orthogonally to each other, the stator comprising a first plurality of parallel laminations and a second plurality of parallel laminations positioned in an arc about a center point, the first plurality arranged perpendicular to said second plurality;
• and
• a rotor fixed to said output shaft and movably supported adjacent said stator with an air gap disposed between said rotor and said stator, said rotor including at least one magnet disposed thereon and being movable along said interior surface in directions defining at least first and second degrees of freedom, whereupon energization of said first stator coil a first magnetic field is established to urge said output shaft to rotate in a first plane, and upon energization of said second stator coil a second magnetic field is established to urge said output shaft to rotate in a second plane substantially orthogonal to the first.

A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, said motor comprising:

• a stator, said stator having an interior surface and first and second stator coils wound in close proximity to said interior surface, said stator coils positioned substantially orthogonally to each other, the stator comprising a first plurality of parallel laminations and a second plurality of parallel laminations positioned in an arc about a center point, the first plurality arranged perpendicular to said second plurality;
• and
• a rotor fixed to said output shaft and movably supported adjacent said stator with an air gap disposed between said rotor and said stator, said rotor including at least one magnet disposed thereon and being movable along said interior surface in directions defining at least first and second degrees of freedom, wherein the output shaft is an input shaft.

A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, said motor comprising:

• a stator, said stator having an interior surface and first and second stator coils wound in close proximity to said interior surface, said stator coils positioned substantially orthogonally to each other, the stator comprising a first plurality of parallel laminations and a second plurality of parallel laminations positioned in an arc about a center point, the first plurality arranged perpendicular to said second plurality;
• and
• a rotor fixed to said output shaft and movably supported adjacent said stator with an air gap disposed between said rotor and said stator, said rotor including at least one magnet disposed thereon and being movable along said interior surface in directions defining at least first and second degrees of freedom, wherein each lamination comprises a plurality of parallel slots.

A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, said motor comprising:

• a stator, said stator having an interior surface and first and second stator coils wound in close proximity to said interior surface, said stator coils positioned substantially orthogonally to each other, the stator comprising a first plurality of parallel laminations and a second plurality of parallel laminations positioned in an arc about a center point, the first plurality arranged perpendicular to said second plurality;
• and
• a rotor fixed to said output shaft and movably supported adjacent said stator with an air gap disposed between said rotor and said stator, said rotor including at least one magnet disposed thereon and being movable along said interior surface in directions defining at least first and second degrees of freedom, wherein the plurality of laminations comprises a plurality of identical laminations.

A motor having an output shaft movable in multiple degrees of freedom, said motor comprising:

• a stator, said stator having an interior surface and first and second stator coils wound in close proximity to said interior surface, said stator coils positioned substantially orthogonally to each other, the stator comprising a first plurality of parallel laminations and a second plurality of parallel laminations positioned in an arc about a center point, the first plurality arranged perpendicular to said second plurality;
• and
• a rotor fixed to said output shaft and movably supported adjacent said stator with an air gap disposed between said rotor and said stator, said rotor including at least one magnet disposed thereon and being movable along said interior surface in directions defining at least first and second degrees of freedom, wherein each lamination comprises an interior surface having an arcuate face, the arcuate face being orthogonal to a side surface of the lamination.