Electric linear actuator and output shaft vibration-type electric device with said electric linear actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9895210-B2
Application number	US-201314653700-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2013
Priority date	Dec 27, 2012
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

An electric linear actuator includes a fixed block, an output movable block, a counter movable block, a projecting side coupling member, a retracting side coupling member, a block coupling member, and an output functional member. The output movable block and the counter movable block are configured to be reciprocated in the movable direction in opposite phases by electromagnetic force acting between the fixed block and the output and counter movable blocks. The projecting side coupling member is coupled to the output movable block and the counter movable block. The retracting side coupling member is coupled to the output movable block and the counter movable block. The projecting side coupling member and the retracting side coupling member have different shapes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electric linear actuator configured to drive an output shaft of an output shaft vibration-type electric device, the electric linear actuator comprising:
a fixed block;
an output movable block;
a counter movable block;
a projecting side coupling member;
a retracting side coupling member;
a block coupling member; and
an output functional member, wherein:
the electric linear actuator is configured to reciprocate in a projecting direction and a retracting direction that define a movable direction;
the output movable block and the counter movable block are arranged in parallel in a direction orthogonal to the movable direction;
the block coupling member is coupled to the fixed block, the output movable block, and the counter movable block;
the output movable block and the counter movable block are configured to be reciprocated in the movable direction in opposite phases by electromagnetic force acting between the fixed block and the output and counter movable blocks;
the output functional member is movably coupled to the output movable block, and the output functional member includes a portion arranged further in the projecting direction than the block coupling member;
the projecting side coupling member is arranged further in the projecting direction than the block coupling member and is coupled to the block coupling member;
the retracting side coupling member is arranged further in the retracting direction than the block coupling member and is coupled to the block coupling member;
the projecting side coupling member and the retracting side coupling member have different shapes; and
the projecting side coupling member is thinner than the retracting side coupling member.

2. An electric linear actuator configured to drive an output shaft of an output shaft vibration-type electric device, the electric linear actuator comprising:
an output movable block;
a counter movable block;
a projecting side coupling member;
a retracting side coupling member;
a block coupling member; and
an output functional member, wherein:
the electric linear actuator is configured to reciprocate in a projecting direction and a retracting direction that define a movable direction;
the output movable block and the counter movable block are arranged in parallel in a direction orthogonal to the movable direction;
the block coupling member is coupled to the output movable block and the counter movable block;
the output movable block and the counter movable block are configured to be reciprocated in the movable direction in opposite phases by electromagnetic force acting between the output movable block and the counter movable block;
the output functional member is coupled to the block coupling member, and the output functional member includes a portion arranged further in the projecting direction than the block coupling member;
the projecting side coupling member is arranged further in the projecting direction than the block coupling member and is coupled to the block coupling member;
the retracting side coupling member is arranged further in the retracting direction than the block coupling member, and the retracing side coupling member is coupled to the block coupling member;
the projecting side coupling member and the retracting side coupling member have different shapes; and
the projecting side coupling member is thinner than the retracting side coupling member.

3. The electric linear actuator according to claim 1 , wherein
the direction orthogonal to the movable direction in a plan view of the electric linear actuator is defined as a width direction, and
the projecting side coupling member has a shape that is asymmetrical to a center line in the width direction in a side view of the electric linear actuator.

4. The electric linear actuator according to claim 1 , further comprising a counter functional member, wherein the counter functional member is coupled to the counter movable block.

5. The electric linear actuator according to claim 1 , wherein
the block coupling member includes an output movable coupling portion, a counter movable coupling portion, a projecting side supporting portion, a retracting side supporting portion, an output side resin inlet portion, a counter side resin inlet portion, an output side resin flow path portion, and a counter side resin flow path portion, wherein the output movable coupling portion, the counter movable coupling portion, the projecting side supporting portion, the retracting side supporting portion, the output side resin inlet portion, the counter side resin inlet portion, the output side resin flow path portion, and the counter side resin flow path portion are formed integrally from a resin material,
the output movable coupling portion is coupled to the output movable block,
the counter movable coupling portion is coupled to the counter movable block,
the projecting side supporting portion is coupled to the output movable coupling portion,
the retracting side supporting portion is coupled to the counter movable coupling portion,
the output side resin flow path portion is continuous with the output movable coupling portion,
the counter side resin flow path portion is continuous with the counter movable coupling portion,
the output side resin inlet portion is continuous with the output side resin flow path portion,
the counter side resin inlet portion is continuous with the counter side resin flow path portion, and
the projecting side coupling member and the retracting side coupling member, which are formed integrally with the block coupling member from the resin material, are continuous with the output movable coupling portion and the counter movable coupling portion.

6. The electric linear actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the block coupling member includes a coupling portion supporting surface that receives a load of the output shaft when coupled to a main body casing of the output shaft vibration-type electric device.

7. The electric linear actuator according to claim 2 , wherein
the direction orthogonal to the movable direction in a plan view of the electric linear actuator is defined as a width direction, and
the projecting side coupling member has a shape that is asymmetrical to a center line in the width direction in a side view of the electric linear actuator.

8. The electric linear actuator according to claim 2 , further comprising a counter functional member, wherein the counter functional member is coupled to the counter movable block.

9. The electric linear actuator according to claim 2 , wherein
the block coupling member includes an output movable coupling portion, a counter movable coupling portion, a projecting side supporting portion, a retracting side supporting portion, an output side resin inlet portion, a counter side resin inlet portion, an output side resin flow path portion, and a counter side resin flow path portion, wherein the outpuE movable coupling portion, the counter movable coupling portion, the projecting side supporting portion, the retracting side supporting portion, the output side resin inlet portion, the counter side resin inlet portion, the output side resin flow path portion, and the counter side resin flow path portion are formed integrally from a resin material,
the output movable coupling portion is coupled to the output movable block,
the counter movable coupling portion is coupled to the counter movable block,
the projecting side supporting portion is coupled to the output movable coupling portion,
the retracting side supporting portion is coupled to the counter movable coupling portion,
the output side resin flow path portion is continuous with the output movable coupling portio

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kobayashi Noboru
• Moriguchi Masashi

Classifications

• H02K33/06

  with polarised armatures · CPC title

• A61C17/3481

  Vibrating brush body, e.g. by using eccentric weights · CPC title

• A61C17/34 Primary

  driven by electric motor · CPC title

• H02K33/00

  Motors with reciprocating, oscillating or vibrating magnet, armature or coil system (arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with motors H02K7/00, e.g. H02K7/06) · CPC title

• A61C17/3445

  Translation along the axis of the toothbrush handle · CPC title