Electrical generator or motor structure – Dynamoelectric – Rotary
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-06
2004-10-05
Barrera, Ramon M. (Department: 2832)
Electrical generator or motor structure
Dynamoelectric
Rotary
C310S216055, C335S281000, C335S296000, C335S297000, C335S298000, C336S210000, C336S216000, C336S217000, C336S234000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06800983
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a magnetic circuit structure, and to a power-generating device and an electronic device using the structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to the structure of a magnetic circuit constructed by laminated members composed of stacked magnetic materials.
BACKGROUND ART
Small portable electronic devices, such as electronic wristwatches, sometimes have small power-generating devices built therein, which generate electric power by being driven by kinetic energy produced by rotation or swing of an oscillating weight in response to movement of the device.
FIG. 18
shows the structure of the principal part of such a small power-generating device.
FIG. 18
is a general perspective view showing the general structure of a power-generating section of a power-generating device
10
built in an electronic wristwatch.
The electronic wristwatch with the power-generating device
10
built therein includes, although not shown, an oscillating weight supported rotatably on the center of rotation so as to have a biased weight distribution, and a transmission gear train connected to the oscillating weight. The transmission gear train is meshed with a gear portion
11
a
integrally formed with a rotatably supported rotor
11
so as to rotate the rotor
11
. The rotor
11
rotates inside a rotor hole
12
a
formed at about the center of a stator yoke
12
which is composed of stacked magnetic layers or magnetic plates of a thin soft magnetic material in order to reduce core loss. The outer peripheral portion of the rotor
11
functions as a rotor magnetic pole, and the inner peripheral surface of the rotor hole
12
a
of the stator yoke
12
functions as a stator magnetic pole. Both end portions
12
b
of the stator yoke
12
are in contact with both end portions
13
b
of a magnetic core
13
so as to overlap with the lower sides thereof. In this state, the stator yoke
12
and the magnetic core
13
are fixedly joined by joint screws
14
. An electromagnetic coil
15
is wound on a shaft portion
13
a
of the magnetic core
13
. The magnetic core
13
also has a structure in which magnetic plates made of a thin soft magnetic material are stacked, in a manner similar to that of the stator yoke
12
.
FIG. 19
is an enlarged general schematic sectional view showing a joint section between the stator yoke
12
and the magnetic core
13
in the above-described power-generating device
10
. The stator yoke
12
and the magnetic core
13
shown in this figure are each formed of a laminate of two magnetic plates. The end portion
12
b
of the stator yoke
12
and the end portion
13
b
of the magnetic core
13
are provided, respectively, with joint holes of corresponding shapes at corresponding planar positions. A tube
16
press-fitted in a main plate
17
is passed through the joint holes, and the joint screw
14
is screwed into the tube
16
. The end portion
12
b
of the stator yoke
12
and the end portion
13
b
of the magnetic core
13
are vertically clamped by a head portion
14
a
of the joint screw
14
and a flange portion
16
a
of the tube
16
, and are thereby fixedly joined to each other.
Attempts have been made to reduce the size and weight of the above conventional power-generating device
10
by various design efforts, for example, simplification of the shape and reduction in thickness. However, such size reduction of the power-generating device imposes structural restrictions, and makes it difficult to improve power-generating efficiency by reducing magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit. In particular, in the case of an electronic wristwatch with a power-generating device, it is necessary to efficiently generate power by a small amount of kinetic energy of an oscillating weight built in a small wristwatch case, and to thereby ensure electric power for driving the wristwatch. Accordingly, improvement of power-generating efficiency is a significantly important problem.
In order to improve power-generating efficiency, it is necessary to reduce magnetic resistance of a magnetic circuit constituted by the rotor
11
, the stator yoke
12
, and the magnetic core
13
in the power-generating device
10
. However, since the principal part of the magnetic circuit has a structure, in which the stator yoke
12
and the magnetic core
13
are joined, as shown in
FIG. 19
, from the viewpoint of structure and manufacturing cost, leakage magnetic flux cannot be reduced for some reasons, for example, a stepped structure in the joint section. This increases magnetic resistance and decreases effective magnetic flux.
Accordingly, the present invention solves the above problems, and an object of the invention is to achieve a new magnetic circuit structure capable of reducing magnetic resistance, and to provide a power-generating device with improved power-generating efficiency by using the magnetic circuit structure. Another object of the present invention is to achieve a magnetic circuit structure, in particular, suitable for a downsized power-generating device so as to improve power-generating efficiency of power-generating devices built in various electronic devices and to improve the performance of the electronic devices.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In order to overcome the above problems, the present invention provides a magnetic circuit structure including first and second laminated members each composed of a plurality of stacked magnetic materials, and a joint means for holding an end portion of the first laminated member and an end portion of the second laminated member joined to each other, the first and second laminated members joined to each other constituting at least a part of a magnetic circuit, wherein the end portions of the first and second laminated members are provided with opposing concave structures, as viewed from a predetermined direction, so that the opposing concave structures have corresponding shapes, and are joined by the joint means in a state in which the opposing concave structures are mated in a staggered manner, and an end face of a magnetic material of the first laminated member and an end face of a magnetic material of the second laminated member disposed at corresponding positions in the layer-stacking direction are in contact with each other.
According to this invention, since the first laminated member and the second laminated members are joined by the joint means while the opposing concave structures formed in the end portions thereof are mated in a staggered manner, the joint area therebetween is increased. Moreover, since the end faces of the magnetic materials in the end portions of the first laminated member and the second laminated member disposed at corresponding positions in the layer-stacking direction are in contact with each other, magnetic flux is allowed to pass in the planar direction of the laminated members without passing through a stepped portion or a gap. This makes it possible to reliably reduce magnetic resistance in the joint section and to increase effective magnetic flux in the magnetic circuit. Mating of the opposing concave structures mechanically stabilizes the joint state and facilitates assembly operation.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a magnetic circuit structure including first and second laminated members each composed of a plurality of stacked magnetic materials, and a joint means for holding an end portion of the first laminated member and an end portion of the second laminated member joined to each other, the first and second laminated members joined to each other constituting at least a part of a magnetic circuit, wherein the end portions of the first and second laminated members are provided with opposing concave structures, as viewed from a predetermined direction, so that the concave structures have corresponding shapes, and are joined by the joint means in a state in which the opposing concave structures are mated in a staggered manner, and the opposing concave structures are formed to appear semi-cylindrical, as viewed from both the layer-
Iijima Yoshitaka
Matsuzawa Kinya
Barrera Ramon M.
Haro Rosalio
Seiko Epson Corporation
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