In an example, a circuit includes a first comparator, a second comparator, a pulse counter, a processor, a first ADC, and a second ADC. The first comparator has a first input coupled to a first node, a second input, and an output. The second comparator has a first input coupled to a second node, a second input, and an output. A first DAC is coupled to the second input of the first comparator. A second DAC is coupled to the second input of the second comparator. The pulse counter has a first input coupled to the output of the first comparator and a second input coupled to the output of the second comparator. The first ADC has an input coupled to the first node and an output coupled to the processor. The second ADC has an input coupled to the second node and an output coupled to the processor.

A linear actuator (10) for use in a modular assembly of such actuators comprises an actuator body (11), a shaft (12) guided by the body to be displaceable relative thereto in the sense of tlte longitudinal axis (13) of the shaft and a drive motor enclosed in the body and operable to axially displace the shaft relative to the body in two mutually opposite directions. The body has two mutually opposite sides (15a, 15b) respectively lying in two substantial parallel spaced-apart planes, which each represent a reference plane for positioning the body side-by-side with the body of another such actuator, and a further side (17b) connecting the two mutually opposite sides and stepped to form a projection (18) receiving the shaft (12) with the axis (13) parallel to the two planes and a rebate (19) beside the projection to permit the body to interlock with the body of another such actuator at that further side. The projection (18) and rebate (19) are of substantially the same width in the sense of the spacing of the two planes and the shaft (12) is disposed substantially centrally of the projection (18) so that when the body (11) is interlocked with that of another such actuator the pitch of the shaft axes (13) is equal to that width.

A linear actuator (10) for use in a modular assembly of such actuators comprises an actuator body (11), a shaft (12) guided by the body to be displaceable relative thereto in the sense of tlte longitudinal axis (13) of the shaft and a drive motor enclosed in the body and operable to axially displace the shaft relative to the body in two mutually opposite directions. The body has two mutually opposite sides (15a, 15b) respectively lying in two substantial parallel spaced-apart planes, which each represent a reference plane for positioning the body side-by-side with the body of another such actuator, and a further side (17b) connecting the two mutually opposite sides and stepped to form a projection (18) receiving the shaft (12) with the axis (13) parallel to the two planes and a rebate (19) beside the projection to permit the body to interlock with the body of another such actuator at that further side. The projection (18) and rebate (19) are of substantially the same width in the sense of the spacing of the two planes and the shaft (12) is disposed substantially centrally of the projection (18) so that when the body (11) is interlocked with that of another such actuator the pitch of the shaft axes (13) is equal to that width.

An actuator capable of realizing a high output with a compact size is proposed. An actuator provided with a motor including a cylindrical rotor, and a reducer including an input shaft coaxial with a rotational shaft of the motor and involved in the rotor. The reducer has a cylindrical shape, the reducer further includes an output shaft coaxial with the rotational shaft of the motor, the motor further includes a stator, and the actuator is further provided with a casing which supports the reducer and the stator.

A retaining device for coupling an encoder unit of a rotary encoder to an electric machine includes an end shield having a guide groove for receiving an encoder module of the encoder unit, and a retaining ring including a first coupling element for mechanically coupling the retaining ring to the end shield, with the first coupling element being embodied as a hole. A fastening screw is received in the hole to mechanically fasten the retaining ring to the end shield. A shielding element is integrally formed on the retaining ring for shielding against an external interference field.

The range of operating angles of a position transducer is widened, and its signal-to-noise ratio is improved. The position transducer includes a light source and a detector including at least one pair of photodiodes (PDs) disposed on a predetermined circle. The detector receives light emitted from the light source to output a signal varying depending on the areas of regions where the light is received on two PDs forming a pair. The PDs are formed on separate chips, respectively, and the chips are disposed on a substrate so that one or more pairs of PDs surround the entirety of a predetermined region and have an annular shape as a whole.

A linear head module includes: a plurality of linear motors each including a mover having an output shaft portion; a plurality of detection portions each configured to detect a position of the respective output shaft portion in a direction of a thrust axis; a single circuit board provided with the plurality of detection portions; and a detected portion provided to the respective mover, the detected portion is fixed to the mover via a mounting base, and as viewed in the direction of the thrust axis, a direction in which the mounting base extends from the output shaft portion is different from a direction in which the output shaft portion and the circuit board face each other.

A linear head module includes: a plurality of linear motors each including a mover having an output shaft portion; a plurality of detection portions each configured to detect a position of the respective output shaft portion in a direction of a thrust axis; a single circuit board provided with the plurality of detection portions; and a detected portion provided to the respective mover, the detected portion is fixed to the mover via a mounting base, and as viewed in the direction of the thrust axis, a direction in which the mounting base extends from the output shaft portion is different from a direction in which the output shaft portion and the circuit board face each other.

A rotating electrical machine includes a magnetic field-producing unit and a magnetic carrier. The magnetic field-producing unit includes a magnet unit equipped with magnetic poles arranged to have magnetic polarities. The rotating electrical machine includes an armature equipped with a multi-phase winding. The magnet unit is mounted to a stator-side peripheral surface of the magnet carrier. The rotating electrical machine incudes a cylindrical restriction member mounted on the stator-side peripheral surface of the magnet unit. The restriction member is configured to restrict radial movement of the magnet unit relative to the magnet carrier. The restriction member has a stacked configuration stacked in an axial direction of the rotor.

Described are, among other things, an electric machine (10) and a housing (12) for an electric machine. The electric machine (10) is provided with a liquid cooling arrangement and comprises a housing (12). The housing (12) is formed as one unitary element and comprises a first space (30) in which first space (30) a stator (21) and a rotor (23) are located. The rotor (23) has a shaft (20). Further, a second space (50) is formed in the housing (12). In the second space (50) electronics (54) for operation of the electric machine is located. Also, a third space (40) is formed in the housing (12), the third space (40) is located, seen in axial direction of the shaft (20), between the first space (30) and the second space (50). The third space (40) comprises at least one inlet (18) for a cooling liquid and at least one outlet (28) for the cooling liquid.