US3821673A - Rotary solenoid having a large angle of rotation - Google Patents

Abstract

A dual rotary solenoid provided with coils each of which has an armature associated therewith for driving a shaft either clockwise or counterclockwise through predetermined angles from a predetermined position. The coils are mounted on opposing cores of magnetic material, the faces of the pole pieces of which are offset with respect to each other. The cores are shaped so that the radial air gaps between the faces of the armature and the opposing faces of the pole pieces diminish in length as the armatures are rotated to their positions of minimum air gap.

Description

United States. Patent [191 'l augherty et a1.

[11 1' 3,321,673 June 28, 1974 ROTARY SOLENOID HAVING A LARGE ANGLE OF ROTATION Inventors: Ralph K. Daugherty; Gary A.

l-lalvorsen, both of San Jose, Calif.

Assignees: Genevieve T. Hanscom; Robert Magnuson; Louis J. Thomson, all of San Jose, Calif. Trustees of the Estate of Roy M. Magnuson, decreased, part interest to each Filed: June 21, 1973 Appl. No: 372,158

us. cu. 335/267, 335/268 lint. Cl. H0lf 7/08 Field tit Search 335/272, 267, 268

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1959 Buchtenkirchm: 335/272 x 3,201,661 3/1965 Koutnik 335/268 X 3,221,191 11/1965 Cuches et al. 335/268 X 3,229,170 1/1966 Daugherty et al. 335/272 3,234,436 2/1966 Bieger 335/268 Primary Examiner-George Harris Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Allen & Chromy ABSTRACT A dual rotary solenoid provided with coils each of which has an armature associated therewith for driving a shaft either clockwise or counterclockwise through predetermined angles from a predetermined position. The coils are mounted on opposing cores of magnetic material, the faces of the pole pieces of which are offset with respect to each other. The cores are shaped so that the radial air gaps between the faces of the armature and the opposing faces of the pole pieces diminish in length as the armatures are rotated to their positions of minimum air gap.

5 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures ROTARY SOLENOID n vmc ALARc ANGLE F ROTATION DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a dual rotary solenoid in which the rotary shaft may be driveneither clockwise or counterclockwise through predetermined angles from a predetermined position.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved rotary solenoid that is capable of rotating either in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction through predetermined angles from a predetermined position.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved rotary solenoid in which the rotatable shaft thereof is provided with armature members that are associated with opposing magnetic core structures, the coils which may be energized selectively to rotate the shaft either clockwise or counterclockwise through predetermined angles from a predetermined position.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved rotary solenoid of the dual type with the dual portions thereof provided with a common shaft, said shaft having two substantially parallel armature members that are associated with magnetic core structures which are provided with coils for the selective magnetization thereof for rotating said armature members 'selectively either clockwise or counterclockwise, said magnetic core structures being disposed at predetermined angles with respect to each other.

Other and further objectsof this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following specification, claims and drawing.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a dual type rotary solenoid in which the two armature members thereof are mounted on a common shaft so that when the coils of the solenoid are selectively energized the shaft may be rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise through predetermined angles from a predetermined position. This rotary solenoid is provided with two core structures of magnetic material which are disposed at predetermined angles with respect to each other and are separated by a nonmagnetic member which also acts as a stop for limiting the angle of rotation of the armature members. Suitable coils are provided to a magnetic core structure for magnetizing each of these structures selectively and provide magnetic fields to rotate the armature members either clockwise or counterclockwise depending upon which coil is energized.

Further details and features of this invention will be set forth in the following specification, claims and drawing in which, briefly:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a rotary solenoid of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the rotary solenoid shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 3 isan axial sectional view of the rotary solenoid;

FIG. 3a is a sectional view along line 3a-3a of FIG. 3 showing one of the coil springs biasing the shaft in one direction;

FIG. 3b is a sectional view along line Bib-3b showing the other coil spring biasing the shaft in the other direction;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the'armature structure employed in this rotary solenoid;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the non-magnetic ring member provided between the core structures of the device; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

Referring to the drawing in detail, reference numeral 10 designates the housing for this rotary solenoid which includes two magnetic core structure parts Ill and I2 that are disposed at predetermined angles to each other and are held in spaced relation by the ring I3 that is of non-magnetic stainless steel or similar material. A coil 14 that consists of a plurality of turns of copper or similar wire is positioned on the central core piece of the core structure Ill and a similar coil 16 is positioned on the central core piece 17 of magnetic core structure 12.

Centrally disposed holes 115a and 17a are provided in the cores l5 and 17, respectively, for receiving the elongated shaft 18, the opposite end portions of which extend out of the housing 10. Shaft 18 is supported in the magnetic core structure by four sets of ball bearings 19, 19a, 20 and 20a. Recesses are provided in end walls 21 and 22 of core structures 11 and 12, respectively,

for receiving bearings l9 and 20a, respectively, and recesses are provided in opposite end portions of the central core pieces 15 and 17 for receiving the bearings 119a and 20. End wall 211 fits into the inside of the housing 10 and end wall 22 fits against the lip of the housing which is crimped over the periphery of this end wall to close the housing'when the device is assembled. Bearings 19a and 20 are fitted into the core pieces 15 and I7, respectively, and bearings 19 and 20a are held in position on the shaft by suitable lock rings 23 and 24, respectively, which snap into the grooves 25 and 26, respectively, provided in the shaft 18.

I Armature members 27 and 28 are positioned on the central part of the shaft 18 on opposite sides of the nonmagnetic stop member 29 which is made of plastic such as nylon, Delrin or the like. Suitable pins 38 and 31 which extend through the armature members and through the stop member 29 are provided to hold the armature structure assembled. The central part of the shaft 118 is provided with a plurality of grooves extending around the circumference thereof in axial direction with respect to the shaft and the armature members 27 and 28 are pressed onto this grooved portion of the shaft and prevented from turning with respect thereto.

The magnetically active faces of the magnetic core structures Ill and 112, the ends 27a and 27b of armature 27 and the ends 28a and 28b of armature member 28 are shaped as described in US Pat. No. 2,950,424 issued Aug. 23, 1960. Thus, the arcuate inwardly facing surfaces of the pole pieces Illa and lllb which cooperate with the ends 27a and 27b, respectively, of the armature 27 and the arcuate inwardly facing surfaces of the pole pieces 12a and 12b which cooperate with the ends 28a and 28b, respectively, of armature 28 are shaped as the corresponding faces of the pole pieces and armature shown in this patent. Consequently, the lengths of the air gaps between these armatures and the respective pole piece faces are either uniformly increased or decreased as the case may be when the armatures are rotated with respect to these faces of the pole pieces.

The ends of the core structure 11 are provided with projections 11c and 11d which are adjacent to the pole faces 11a and 11b, respectively, and these projections fit into the recesses 13a and 13b, respectively, of the non-magnetic ring 13 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Similar recesses 13c and 13d positioned on the opposite side of the ring angularly displaced from recesses 13a and 13b receive similar projections 12c and 12d, respectively, provided to the ends 12a and 12b, respectively, of the core structure 12. Thus, the ring 13 of non-magnetic material serves to hold the ends of the core structures 11 and 12 in predetermined spaced relation and also in predetermined angular locations with respect to each other.'

The ring 13 is also provided with stops 13e, 13f, 13g and 13h as shown in FIG. 8, and these stops cooperate with the ends of the plastic member 29 to limit the total angular travel of the armatures to a predetermined angle. Thus, when the armaturesare at one extremity of their angular swing, one side of the plastic member 29 will engage the stop 13g and one side of the other end of this plastic member will engage the stop 13h and when the armatures are at the other extremity of this angle of swing the other sides of the member 29 will engage the stops 13e and 13f.

The sides of the armature members 27 and 28 are recessed to receive the ends of the central core members 15 and 17, respectively, as shown in FIG. 3. The diameters of these recesses are such that they slightly exceed the diameters of the end portions of thesecore members l and 17 so that the air gaps between the end surfaces of these core members and the cylindrical faces of these recesses are just sufficient to permit the armature members to rotate with respect to the ends of these core members and the magnetic fluxes traveling between the armature members and these core members do not have to traverse large air gaps in the radial directions. The air gaps between the ends of the core members 15 and 17 and the inner faces of the recesses in the armatures 27 and 28, respectively, are made substantially longer than the radial air gaps so as to reduce the magnetic flux traveling between these end air gaps. The advantage of this air gap structure is described in US. Pat. No. 3,229,171 issued Jan. 11, 1966.

The rotary solenoid may be employed to provide a predetermined angle of rotation in either clockwise or counterclockwise directions. For this purpose the shaft 18 is biased by two coil springs 35 and 36 each of which have the inner end attached to the shaft 18, as shown in FIGS. 3, 3a and 3b and also as shown in US. Pat. No. 3,229,170 issued Jan. 1 l, 1966. These springs 35 and 36 urge the shaft rotation in opposite directions and they normally hold the shaft so that the air gaps between armatures 27 and 28 and the pole pieces of the magnetic core structures 11 and 12 respectively, are in their semi-closed condition. The springs 35 and 36 are positioned in the retainer 37 which has a plurality of ears 37a that extend outwardly and encompass the .springs. The body of retainer 37 is provided with two holes to receive the screws 39 that are supported by the core structure 12. The inner ends of springs 35 and 36 are positioned in the groove 18a provided to the shaft 18 so that these ends are retained attached to the shaft.

The outer ends of springs 35 and 36 are shaped in the form of hooks 35a and 36a, respectively, so that they may be attached to selected ones of the ears 37a and suitable tension applied by the springs to the shaft. Thus, the armatures 27 and 28 are normally held in predetermined positions with respect to the core structures. In order to locate the armatures initially with respect to the pole faces of the core structures the inner spring 35 is attached to the shaft first and the hook 35a thereof is attached to a selected ear 38 to bring one of the armatures to a selected position. The other spring 36 is then attached to the shaft 18 and the hook 36a thereof is attached to a selected ear 38 to rotate the shaft 18 against the tension of spring 35 and locate the armatures at their desired normal positions which may be with the air gaps at semi-closed condition.

Thus with coil springs 35 and 36 working against each other and when the power is off of the coils l4 and 16 the armatures 27 and 28 are positioned at a predetermined angle from their closed air gap positions. When, for example, one of the coils 14 is energized from a suitable source of current supply (not shown) armature 27 will be drawn into its closed air gap position and armature 28 will be in its open air gap position. On the other hand, when coil 15 is energized from a source of current supply armature 28 will be drawn into its closed position and armature 27 will be in its open air gap position. It is therefore apparent that when coil 14 is energized the armature 27 is rotated to its closed air gap position and the shaft 18 is rotated clockwise through a predetermined angle whereas when the coil 16 is energized the armature 28 is rotated into its closed air gap position and the shaft 18 is rotated counterclockwise through a predetermined angle.

While we have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that the invention is capable of variation and modification from the form shown so that the scope thereof should be limited only by the proper scope of the claims appended hereto.

What we claim is:

I. In a rotary solenoid in which the shaft is rotatable selectively clockwise and counterclockwise through predetermined angles from a predetermined position, the combination comprising magnetic core structures each having a core member with a coil adapted to be energized selectively from a source of current supply, a shaft, means rotatably supporting said shaft on said core structures, an armature attached to said shaft, said armature having an armature member operatively associated with the pole faces of each of said core structures, a member of non-magnetic material spacing said core structures, said last mentioned member having means limiting the rotation of said armature, the pole faces of one of said core structures being displaced by a predetermined angle with respect to the pole faces of another of said core structures so that when the coil of said one of said core structures is energized said armature rotates said shaft in clockwise direction through a predetermined angle and when the coil of said other of said coil structures is energized said armature rotates said shaft in counterclockwise direction through a predetermined angle.

2. In a rotary solenoid in which the shaft is rotatable selectively clockwise and counterclockwise through predetermined angles from a predetermined position, the combination comprising a pair of magnetic core structures each having a core member with a coil adapted to be energized selectivelyfrom a source of current supply, a shaft, means rotatably supporting said shaft on said core structures, an armature attached to said shaft, said armature having a pair of armature members, one of said members being operatively associated with the pole faces of one of said core structures and the other of said members being operatively associated with the other of said core structures, said armature members being substantially parallel, a spacing member of non-magnetic material between said armature members, and means holding said armature members and said spacing member assembled, the pole faces of one of said core structures being displaced by a predetermined angle with respect to the pole faces of another of said core structures so that when the coil of said one of said core structures is energized said armature rotates said shaft in clockwise direction through a predetermined angle and when the coil of said other of said coil structures is energized said armature rotates said shaft in counterclockwise direction through a predetermined angle.

3. In a rotary solenoid in which the shaft is rotatable selectively clockwise and counterclockwise through predetermined angles from a predetermined position, the combination as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a ring of non-magnetic material spacing said core structures and surrounding said armature spacing member, and means on said ring and on said last mentioned member limiting rotation of said armature.

4. In a rotary solenoid in which the shaft is rotatable selectively clockwise and counterclockwise through predetermined angles from a predetermined position, the combination as set forth in claim I, further com prising a pair of coil springs, means attaching the inner ends of said springs to said shaft, said springs being adjusted so that they oppose each other and normally hold the armature members at a predetermined angle from the closed air gap positions thereof, one of said springs urging said shaft in the clockwise direction and the other of said springs urging said shaft in the counterclockwise direction.

5. In a rotary solenoid in which the shaft is rotatable selectively clockwise and counterclockwise through predetermined angles from a predetermined position, the combination as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a non-magnetic member for spacing said core structures, said non-magnetic member being substantially circular and surrounding said armature, and means on said non-magnetic member for engaging said first mentioned spacing member and limiting the rotation of said armature.

=l l l

Claims (5)

1. In a rotary solenoid in which the shaft is rotatable selectively clockwise and counterclockwise through predetermined angles from a predetermined position, the combination comprising magnetic core structures each having a core member with a coil adapted to be energized selectively from a source of current supply, a shaft, means rotatably supporting said shaft on said core structures, an armature attached to said shaft, said armature having an armature member operatively associated with the pole faces of each of said core structures, a member of nonmagnetic material spacing said core structures, said last mentioned member having means limiting the rotation of said armature, the pole faces of one of said core structures being displaced by a predetermined angle with respect to the pole faces of another of said core structures so that when the coil of said one of said core structures is energized said armature rotates said shaft in clockwise direction through a predetermined angle and when the coil of said other of said coil structures is energized said armature rotates said shaft in counterclockwise direction through a predetermined angle.

2. In a rotary solenoid in which the shaft is rotatable selectively clockwise and counterclockwise through predetermined angles from a predetermined position, the combination comprising a pair of magnetic core structures each having a core member with a coil adapted to be energized selectively from a source of current supply, a shaft, means rotatably supporting said shaft on said core structures, an armature attached to said shaft, said armature having a pair of armature members, one of said members being operatively associated with the pole faces of one of said core structures and the other of said members being operatively associated with the other of said core structures, said armature members being substantially parallel, a spacing member of non-magnetic material between said armature members, and means holding said armature members and said spacing member assembled, the pole faces of one of said core structures being displaced by a predetermined angle with respect to the pole faces of another of said core structures so that when the coil of said one of said core structures is energized said armaturE rotates said shaft in clockwise direction through a predetermined angle and when the coil of said other of said coil structures is energized said armature rotates said shaft in counterclockwise direction through a predetermined angle.

3. In a rotary solenoid in which the shaft is rotatable selectively clockwise and counterclockwise through predetermined angles from a predetermined position, the combination as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a ring of non-magnetic material spacing said core structures and surrounding said armature spacing member, and means on said ring and on said last mentioned member limiting rotation of said armature.

4. In a rotary solenoid in which the shaft is rotatable selectively clockwise and counterclockwise through predetermined angles from a predetermined position, the combination as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a pair of coil springs, means attaching the inner ends of said springs to said shaft, said springs being adjusted so that they oppose each other and normally hold the armature members at a predetermined angle from the closed air gap positions thereof, one of said springs urging said shaft in the clockwise direction and the other of said springs urging said shaft in the counterclockwise direction.

5. In a rotary solenoid in which the shaft is rotatable selectively clockwise and counterclockwise through predetermined angles from a predetermined position, the combination as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a non-magnetic member for spacing said core structures, said non-magnetic member being substantially circular and surrounding said armature, and means on said non-magnetic member for engaging said first mentioned spacing member and limiting the rotation of said armature.

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