Motor

Details Motor Motor

2001-03-21

2004-05-25

Mullins, Burton S. (Department: 2834)

Electrical generator or motor structure

Dynamoelectric

Rotary

C310S071000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06740999

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a motor; and, in particular, to a small-size motor which is built into a portable communications instrument (e.g., cellular phone) and is utilized as a source for generating vibrations for calling functions.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally known as techniques in such a field are those disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. SHO 62-23248 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 11-136901. The former publication proposes a technique in which, while a motor contact for supplying current to a motor brush has a flexibility, its elastic repulsive force is actively utilized. On the other hand, a small-size motor
100
disclosed in the latter publication is made such that it is easily assembled into communications instruments such as a cellular phone. As shown in
FIG. 6
, the small-size motor
100
has an output shaft
103
to which a weight
104
is secured, whereas a forwardly extending electric terminal
102
is fixed at a barrel
100
a
of the small-size motor
100
by way of a bracket
105
and a holder
109
. If such an electric terminal
102
made of a spring sheet is utilized, then no soldering is necessary when securing the motor
100
onto a circuit board
101
, whereby the efficiency of production improves.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
However, the above-mentioned conventional motors have a problem as follows. Namely, since the electric terminal
102
obliquely extends forward, the front end of the terminal
102
is grounded on the circuit board
101
, whereby the motor
100
would be placed on the circuit board
101
in an unstable state in terms of its weight balance. In cases where the motor is built into other instruments such as a cellular phone in particular, it is necessary for a lid of the cellular phone or the like to press the motor
100
from thereabove. If its assembling operation is carried out in the unstable state shown in
FIG. 6
, however, then the motor
100
may move leftward in the drawing due to the pressure from the upper side (see the depicted arrow), whereby the terminal
102
may be detached from its predetermined electric contact
101
on the circuit board
101
. That is, the motor
100
has a problem that it is not easily assembled into other instruments.
In order to overcome the above-mentioned problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide a motor which can stably be mounted on a circuit board when being assembled into an instrument in particular.
The motor in accordance with the present invention comprises a motor body, an output shaft projecting from a front end of the motor body, and a voltage-supplying terminal provided in the motor body, the terminal having an elastic force in a direction substantially orthogonal to the output shaft and also having a grounding portion disposed near a rear end of the motor body.
At the time of assembling a motor, the present invention intends to place the motor on a circuit board such that the grounding portion of its terminal comes into electric contact with a predetermined position on the circuit board. Namely, since the terminal has an elastic force, it is necessary for the motor to be stable on the circuit board when placed thereon. In the motor in accordance with the present invention, the grounding portion of the terminal is disposed near the rear end of the motor body so as to face the output shaft, whereby the motor attains a supporting balance on the circuit board, thus improving its stability. Also, from the viewpoint of keeping the rotational balance of the output shaft itself, which rotates at a high speed in front of the motor, it is quite meaningful to dispose the grounding portion of the terminal near the rear end of the motor body.
Preferably, in the above-mentioned motor, the terminal is formed by bending an elastic material and comprises a first portion extending substantially parallel to the output shaft from the motor body; a second portion extending substantially parallel to the first portion from a front end of the first portion by way of a bent part; and a third portion, formed with the grounding portion, projecting outward in a curved manner from a rear end of the second portion. When such a configuration is employed, the terminal can be formed with a simple structure at a low cost, whereby its cost of manufacture can be cut down.
Preferably, the above-mentioned motor further comprises a weight eccentrically secured to the output shaft. When such a configuration is employed, a vibrating motor can be constructed appropriately, whereby it becomes easier to assemble the motor into communications instruments such as a cellular phone.
The present invention will be more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only and are not to be considered as limiting the present invention.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.


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patent: 5986367 (1999-11-01), Tsuaki
patent: 5986368 (1999-11-01), Wetzel
patent: 6081055 (2000-06-01), Narusawa
patent: 6628025 (2003-09-01), Ibata
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patent: 10-117460 (1998-05-01), None
patent: 11-136327 (1999-05-01), None
patent: 11-136327 (1999-05-01), None
patent: 11-136901 (1999-05-01), None
patent: 11-299165 (1999-10-01), None

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