| JPH11373 | COSMETIC IMPLEMENT |
| JPS6097127 | [Title of the device] Massager |
MCSHIRLEY ROBERT (US)
| US4512339A | 1985-04-23 | |||
| GB860777A | 1961-02-08 | |||
| US5018369A | 1991-05-28 | |||
| US4353426A | 1982-10-12 |
| 1. | A solenoid motor, comprising: a housing having a pair of arm sections that each have a bearing surface; an armature that is located between said bearing surfaces of said housing; a solenoid that extends around said armature and is attached to said housing; and, a pair of roller bearings located between said armature and said bearing surfaces, said roller bearings being located and constructed to allow said armature to move essentially parallel with said bearing surfaces. |
| 2. | The solenoid motor as recited in claim 1, wherein said bearing surfaces have a predetermined width, said armature has a pair of grooves adapted to contain said roller bearings, said grooves having a predetermined width less than said predetermined width of said bearing surfaces and a predetermined depth such that said armature is adjacent to but not in contact with said bearing surfaces of said housing. |
| 3. | The solenoid motor as recited in claim 1, wherein said bearing surfaces have a predetermined width, said bearing surfaces each have a groove adapted to contain said roller bearings, said grooves having a predetermined width less than said predetermined width of said bearing surfaces and a predetermined depth such that said armature is adjacent to but not in contact with said bearing surfaces of said housing. |
| 4. | The solenoid motor as recited in claim 1, wherein said housing, said armature and said roller bearings are constructed such that said arm sections are deflected. |
| 5. | The solenoid motor as recited in claim 1, further comprising bumper means operatively connected to said armature and said housing for limiting said movement of said armature. |
| 6. | The solenoid motor as recited in claim 5, wherein said bumper means includes a plunger attached to said armature that extends through a hole in a base portion of said housing, said base portion having an inner and an outer surface, a first bumper is attached to said plunger and is adapted to engage said outer surface of said base portion such that said armature does not move past a predetermined first position, a second bumper is attached to said armature and is adapted to engage said inner surface of said base portion such that said movement of said armature does not move past a predetermined second position, a spring is operatively connected to said first and second bumpers to bias said first bumper into engagement with said outer surface of said base portion. |
| 7. | The solenoid motor as recited in claim 6, wherein said bumper means further includes a bearing plate attached to said housing, said bearing plate having a bearing hole with a longitudinal axis to allow said plunger to extend therethrough and a bearing surface adapted to engage said first bumper, a bearing is inserted into said bearing hole such that said plunger moves essentially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said bearing hole. |
| 8. | The solenoid motor as recited in claim 1, further comprising power means operatively connected to said solenoid for supplying current to said solenoid, wherein said solenoid produces a magnetic field that moves said armature from a first position to a second position, and bias means operatively connected to said armature to move said armature from said second position to said first position when current is not supplied to said solenoid. |
| 9. | The solenoid motor as recited in claim 8, further comprising switch means operatively connected to said power means and said solenoid for controlling said current such that said armature moves in a reciprocating motion. |
| 10. | The solenoid motor as recited in claim 9, further comprising an applicator operatively connected to said armature such that said solenoid moves said applicator in said reciprocating motion, said applicator being adapted to engage human skin. |
| 11. | The solenoid motor as recited in claim 10, further comprising power control means operatively connected to said power means for controlling the frequency and amplitude of said armature movement. |
| 12. | A solenoid motor, comprising: a housing having a pair of arm sections that each have a bearing surface; an armature that is located between said bearing surfaces of said housing; a solenoid that extends around said armature and is attached to said housing; power means operatively connected to said solenoid for supplying current to said solenoid, wherein said solenoid produces a magnetic field that moves said armature relative to said housing; bumper means operatively connected to said armature and said housing for limiting said movement of said armature between a first position and a second position, wherein said solenoid moves said armature from said first position to said second position when said power means supplies current to said solenoid; bias means operatively connected to said armature for moving said armature from said second position to said first position when said power means is not supplying current to said solenoid; and, a pair of roller bearings located between said armature and said bearing surfaces, said roller bearings being located and constructed such that said armature moves essentially parallel to said bearing surfaces. |
| 13. | The solenoid motor as recited in claim 14, wherein said housing, said armature and said roller bearings are constructed such that said arm sections are deflected. |
| 14. | The solenoid motor as recited in claim 13, wherein said bearing surfaces have a predetermined width, said armature has a pair of grooves adapted to contain said roller bearings, said grooves having a predetermined width less than said predetermined width of said bearing surfaces and a predetermined depth such that said armature is adjacent to but not in contact with said bearing surfaces of said housing. |
| 15. | The solenoid motor as recited in claim 13, wherein said bearing surfaces have a predetermined width, said bearing surfaces each have a groove adapted to contain said roller bearings, said grooves having a predetermined width less than said predetermined width of said bearing surfaces and a predetermined depth such that said armature is adjacent to but not in contact with said bearing surfaces of said housing. |
| 16. | The solenoid motor as recited in claim 14, wherein said bumper means includes a plunger attached to said armature that extends through a hole in a base portion of said housing, said base portion having an inner and an outer surface, a first bumper is attached to said plunger and is adapted to engage said outer surface of said base portion such that said armature does not move past said first position, a second bumper is attached to said armature and is adapted to engage said inner surface of said base portion such that said armature does not move past said second position. |
| 17. | The solenoid motor as recited in claim 16, wherein said bumper means further includes a bearing plate attached to said housing, said bearing plate having a bearing hole with a longitudinal axis to allow said plunger to extend therethrough and a bearing surface adapted to engage said first bumper, a bearing is inserted into said bearing hole such that said plunger moves essentially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said bearing hole. |
| 18. | The solenoid motor as recited in claim 12, further comprising switch means operatively connected to said power means and said solenoid for controlling said current such that said armature moves in a reciprocating motion. |
| 19. | The solenoid motor as recited in claim 18, further comprising an applicator operatively connected to said armature such that said solenoid moves said applicator in said reciprocating motion, said applicator being adapted to engage human skin. |
| 20. | The solenoid motor as recited in claim 19, further comprising power control means operatively connected to said power means for controlling the frequency and amplitude of said armature movement. |
| 21. | A percussive motor, comprising: a housing having a pair of arm sections that each have a bearing surface, said bearing surfaces having a predetermined width, said housing further having a base portion with a hole that has a longitudinal axis, said base portion has an inner and an outer surface; an armature that is located between said bearing surfaces of said housing, said armature having a pair of grooves each with a predetermined width less than said predetermined width of said bearing surfaces; a solenoid that extends around said armature and is attached to said housing; power means operatively connected to said solenoid for supplying current to said solenoid, wherein said solenoid produces a magnetic field that moves said armature relative to said housing; a plunger attached to said armature that extends through said hole in said base portion of said housing; a first bumper attached to said plunger, that is adapted to engage said outer surface of said base portion such that said armature does not move past a predetermined first position; a second bumper attached to said plunger, that is adapted to engage said inner surface of said base portion such that said movement of said armature does not move past a predetermined second position; a spring operatively connected to said first and second bumpers to bias said first bumper into engagement with said outer surface of said base portion; a pair of roller bearings within said armature grooves between said armature and said bearing surfaces, said roller bearings being located and constructed such that said armature moves essentially parallel with said bearing surfaces; and, switch means operatively connected to said power means for controlling said current such that said armature and said plunger move in a reciprocating motion. |
| 22. | The percussive motor as recited in claim 21, wherein said housing, said armature and said roller bearings are constructed such that said arm sections are deflected. |
| 23. | The percussive motor as recited in claim 22, further comprising an applicator operatively connected to said plunger such that said solenoid moves said applicator in said reciprocating motion, said applicator being adapted to engage human skin. |
| 24. | The percussive motor as recited in claim 23, wherein said bumper means further includes a bearing plate pressed into said housing, said bearing plate having a bearing hole with a longitudinal axis to allow said plunger to extend therethrough and a bearing surface adapted to engage said first bumper, a bearing is inserted into said bearing hole such that said plunger moves essentially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said bearing hole. |
| 25. | The percussive motor as recited in claim 24, further comprising power control means operatively connected to said power means for controlling the frequency and amplitude of said armature movement. |
| 26. | The percussive motor as recited in claim 24, wherein said plunger is pressed into said armature. |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to solenoid motors, particularly solenoid motors used in percussive applicators.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
Percussive applicators are commonly used to massage aching muscles on the human body. The applicators typically have a soft cup that is rapidly moved in and out by a percussive motor. When the cup is applied to the skin, the motor provides a constant pounding on the body. One such percussive applicator is disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 4,512,339 issued to McShirley. The McShirley applicator has an armature that slides back and forth within a magnetic housing. Also within the housing and wrapped around the armature is a solenoid that produces a magnetic field to move the armature in conjunction with the supply of current from a power supply. The power supply has a controller that sequentially turns the solenoid on and off so that the armature and attached applicator move back and forth. A pair of bumpers are incorporated into the motor, to limit the travel of the armature, so that the applicator provides a series of short rapid pulses.
It is essential that the armature slide within the solenoid motor parallel with the bearing surfaces of the motor housing. Any amount of clearance between the armature and the housing would allow the applicator to wobble, severely reducing the life of the motor. For this reason the armature and housing are formed such that the armature is in contact with the bearing surfaces. Such metal to metal contact causes excessive wear on both the armature and the housing, which again reduces the life of the motor. To reduce the amount of friction between the housing and armature,
oil impregnated sintered bronze bearings are placed within grooves machined in the bearing surfaces of the housing, use of such bearings still requires that the armature tightly fit the housing to prevent the armature from wobbling. Because of standard manufacturing tolerances of both the housing and armature, the bearing surfaces of the armature must be grounded to create a precision fit between the two parts. The housing and armature are typically constructed from a plurality of iron sheets that are joined together. Machining such a laminate is both time consuming and costly. It would therefore be desirable to have a bearing that would eliminate the machining process of the armature.
The armature of the prior art also requires two tapped holes on each end, in which an output shaft for the applicator and a plunger for the bumpers are attached. Drilling the holes into the laminate is difficult and involves yet another process step. The output shaft and plunger assemblies of the present design also require a large number of parts and screws that greatly increase the overall assembly time of the applicator. It is therefore desirable to provide a solenoid motor and percussive applicator that has a minimal amount of parts and machining steps.
SΠMMXRY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a solenoid motor that has a magnetic housing with a pair of arms that each have a bearing surface. A pair of roller bearings are located between the bearing surfaces and the motor armature, such that the armature can move in a linear motion without having to slide against the bearing surfaces of the housing. The roller bearings are captured by grooves formed in the armature. The roller bearings eliminate the necessity of machining the surface of the armature to get an exact fit between the armature and housing, greatly improving the assembly time of the motor. The housing is preferably constructed so that the arms slightly deflect when the armature and roller pins are installed. Providing for a deflection of the housing allows the tolerances of the parts to be relaxed, reducing the cost of the motor. By deflecting the arms, there is provided a constant force toward the armature, wherein the arms move toward the armature while the roller bearings and the bearing surfaces wear down. This arm movement creates a constantly self correcting bearing assembly, that insures that the armature always moves in a purely linear manner without any bending or wobble.
A plunger extends through a hole drilled into the base portion of the housing and is pressed into a groove of the armature. A bearing plate is pressed into a groove in the housing, the plate having a bearing hole that allows the plunger to extend therethrough. A first bumper is attached to the plunger and is adapted to engage the bearing plate so that the armature can not move past a first position. A second bumper is placed over the plunger next to the armature. The second bumper is adapted to engage the base portion of the housing to prevent the armature from moving past a second position. Coaxial with the plunger is a spring located between the bumpers. The spring biases the armature so that the armature is normally in the first
position. Attached to the solenoid housing and extending around the armature is a solenoid that receives current from a power supply. The solenoid produces a magnetic field that moves the armature relative to the housing. An applicator can be attached to the armature and a controller can be incorporated into the power supply to move the armature in a reciprocating motion, wherein the bumpers limit the movement of the armature such that the applicator produces a series of short sharp pulses. Thus what is described is a solenoid motor and percussive applicator with less parts and machining processes than devices known in the art.
It has been found that the assembly time of both the motor and the applicator are reduced by an order of magnitude from the assembly time of applicators and motors previously assembled.
Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide a solenoid motor with a bearing that can be installed and operate without having to machine the bearing surfaces of the armature or the housing.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a solenoid motor with a self correcting bearing assembly.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a percussive applicator that can be assembled with a minimal amount of parts and machining processes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a top view of a solenoid motor of the present invention;
Figure 2 is an exploded view of the solenoid motor shown in Fig. 1;
Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 1 showing a bearing assembly of the present invention;
Figure 4 is an enlarged side view of a roller bearing;
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional side view of a percussive motor of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numbers, Figure 1 shows a solenoid motor 10 of the present invention. The motor 10 has a housing 12 with a pair of arms 14 that extend from a base portion 16 of the housing 12. The housing 12 is preferably constructed from a plurality of soft iron laminates that are individually punched into the shape as more clearly shown in Figure 2. The separate sheets are connected by means known in the art to form a solid iron block.
Located between the arms 14 is an armature 18. The armature 18 is assembled from a plurality of soft iron sheets in the same manner that the housing 12 is constructed. The armature 18 has a pair of grooves 20 formed into the preassembled iron sheets. The grooves 20 captivate two roller bearings 22 that are each in contact with a bearing surface 24 of the armature and a bearing surface 26 of the housing, as more clearly shown in Figure 3. In the alternative, the grooves 20 may be formed in the housing 12 or in both the armature 18 and the housing 12. The diameter of the rollers 22 is preferably slightly larger than the depth of the grooves 20, so that the armature 18 and housing 12 are not in contact with each other. It being understood though that contact between the bearing surfaces 24 and 26 may occur. This greatly reduces the frictional bearing surface and the amount of wear on both the armature 18 and the housing 12.
In the preferred embodiment the width of the armature 18 between the grooves 20 and the combined diameters of the roller bearings 22, is slightly larger than the space between the housing bearing surfaces 26. This causes a small outward deflection in each housing arm 14, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. The arm 14 deflection creates a constant pressure between the roller bearings 22 and bearing surfaces 24 and 26. This pressure holds the bearings 22 and armature 18 in place, while still allowing the
armature 18 to move relative to the housing 12. As shown in
Figure 4, the roller bearings 22 each have a pair of heads 27 on each end that preven. the bearings 22 from sliding out of the grooves 20. The deflection of the arms 14 will also cause the bearings surfaces 26 to move in as the parts wear down. The gradual movement of the arms 14 insures that the bearings 22 are always in contact with both the armature 18 and housing 12, so that the armature 18 does not bend or wobble.
The armature 18 may have a groove 28 formed on one end therein. The groove 28 may be constructed to receive the end of a plunger 30, such that the plunger 30 can be pressed fit onto the armature 18. The plunger 30 extends through a hole 32 drilled into the housing 12. The drilling of the hole 32 is the only machining process in the assembly of the motor 12. The housing 12 has a groove 34 formed therein, constructed so that a bearing plate 36 can be pressed fit onto the housing 12. The bearing plate 36 has a bearing hole 38 that is aligned with hole 32, so that the plunger 30 can extend through the plate 36. Pressed into the bearing hole 38 is a precision bearing 40. The bearing 40 guides the shaft 42 of the plunger 30, which together with the roller bearings 22 insure that the armature 18 moves in a completely linear fashion.
A first bumper 44 is screwed onto the end of the plunger 30 as shown. The first bumper 44 engages the bearing plate 36 and limits the movement of the armature 18, so that the armature 18 cannot move past a first position. A second bumper 46 is inserted onto the shaft 42 next to the armature 18. The second bumper 46 is adapted to engage the base portion 16 of the housing 12 such that the armature 18 cannot move past a second position. The bumpers are preferably made from rubber to reduce the amount of noise and wear of the motor 10, as the bumpers sequentially hit the plate 36 and housing 12. A spring 48 is placed over the shaft 42 and is constrained by the second bumper 46 and the bearing
plate 36, wherein the bearing hole 38 is smaller than the diameter of. the spring 48. The spring 48 is in compression so that the armature 18 is biased to the first position, causing the first bumper 44 to engage the bearing plate 36.
A solenoid 50 is placed within the housing 12 so that the solenoid 50 surrounds the armature 18. The solenoid 50 comprises a coil 52 wrapped around a bobbin 54. The bobbin 54 has a set of nipples 56 that engage grooves 58 formed into the sheets of the housing 12. The nipples 56 and grooves 58 are constructed so that the solenoid 50 can be pressed into and secured by the housing 12.
To assemble the solenoid motor 12, the bearing plate 36 and solenoid 50 are pressed into the housing 12. The bearing 40 having been already pressed into the plate 36. The plunger 30 is also pressed onto the armature 18, wherein the second bumper 46 and spring 48 are placed over the shaft 42. The roller bearings
22 are then placed into the grooves 20 and the armature 18 is slid between the bearing surfaces 26, until the roller bearings are contiguous with the surfaces 26 and the plunger shaft 42 extends through plate 36. The shaft 42 preferably has a threaded end portion 60 so that the first bumper 44 may be screwed onto the plunger 30. The first bumper 44 is turned until the bumper 44 engages the bearing plate 36. The length of the shaft 42, and the width of the bumpers, plate 36 and base portion 16 are constructed so that there is a space between the second bumper 46 and housing
12, when the second bumper 44 is in contact with the bearing plate
36 as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 5 shows the solenoid motor 10 in a percussive applicator 62. The applicator 62 has a power supply 64 connected to the coil 52 to provide power to the solenoid 50. When a current is supplied to the coil 52, a magnetic field is produced by the solenoid 50 which moves the armature 18 in the direction indicated by the arrow. The armature 18 moves until the second bumper 46 engages the housing 12. When power is terminated, the
spring 48 pushes the armature 18 back until the first bumper 44 again is in contact with the bearing plate 36. The power supply
64 has a switch controller 66 that continuously switches the power to the solenoid 50 on and off, so that the armature 18 moves in a reciprocating motion. The amount of armature 18 travel being limited by the bumpers 44 and 46. Also connected to the power supply are means 68 to vary the frequency and amplitude of the armature 18 movement. A cup 70 is attached to the end of the plunger 30. The cup 70 preferably being made from a soft rubber so that the outer surface of the cup 72 can engage the skin of a human. When placed adjacent to a user the applicator 62 provides a series of short sharp blows to the user's skin.
The solenoid motor 10 and power supply 64 are housed within a shell 74. The shell 74 is preferably constructed from two pieces of plastic that mate together. The solenoid housing 12 has a pair of holes 76 formed therein to allow a pair of screws (not shown) to extend through and attach the solenoid motor 10 to the shell 74. The shell 74 also has a pair of flanges 78 that limit the amount of arm 14 deflection and align the motor 10 within the shell 74.
While certain exemplary embodiments have been described in detail and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, and that this invention not be limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various other modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled in the art.