A half-bridge inverter comprised of upper and lower switches can be placed in linear motor track sections to alternately connect a common point of all drive coils to a full-bus DC power rail (full-bus) and a DC reference, according to PWM command signals, functioning as a virtual mid-bus to allow bi-directional flow of a sum of currents of all drive coils in the section. Separate upper and lower drive switches of the half-bridge inverters that are also connected to drive the drive coils can then be controlled, according to separate PWM command signals, to synchronize their PWM cycles and duty cycle commands with respect to the virtual mid-bus at times when a mover is not present, resulting in zero voltage across the drive coils, or command different duty cycles with respect to the virtual mid-bus when a mover is present, resulting in a desired voltage across the drive coils. The desired voltage can produce a current in the drive coils to electromagnetically propel the mover.

Actuators for rotating or tilting an optical element, for example an optical path folding element, comprising a voice coil motor (VCM) and a curved ball-guided mechanism operative to create a rotation or tilt movement of the optical element around a rotation axis upon actuation by the VCM. In some embodiments, an actuator includes two, first and second VCMs, and two curved ball-guided mechanisms operative to create rotation or tilt around respective first and second rotation axes.

A motor is disclosed. The motor includes a stator with a stator coil to generate a periodic magnetic field and a rotor. An air gap is disposed between the stator and the rotor. The rotor has at least one rotor ring, a portion of the rotor ring is disposed in the air gap. Due to the magnetic field, a periodic current is induced in the rotor ring. The current flowing through the portion of the rotor ring disposed in the air gap flows in a first direction to rotate the rotor relative to the stator.

The image blur correction device is an image blur correction device that corrects a blur of an image of a subject to be captured, and includes a movable frame, a fixed frame, a plurality of connection members, a plurality of actuators, a pair of magnets, and a magnetic body. The movable frame is displaceable along a plane orthogonal to an optical axis. The fixed frame faces the movable frame. The plurality of connection members connects the fixed frame and the movable frame to each other, and supports the movable frame so as to be displaceable. The plurality of actuators changes the position of the movable frame according to displacement of the movable frame. The pair of magnets is mounted on one of the fixed frame and the movable frame, and includes a first magnetic pole and a second magnetic pole. The magnetic body is mounted on the other of the fixed frame and the movable frame, and disposed to face the pair of magnets. The magnetic body has a flat surface facing the pair of magnets, the flat surface having four sides. A first side out of the four sides is located across the first magnetic pole and the second magnetic pole of the pair of magnets, and a second side intersecting the first side is located along one of the first magnetic pole and the second magnetic pole of the pair of magnets. The first side is linear, and the second side has a recessed shape or a protruded shape intersecting the first side.

A method for manufacturing a curvilinear track section including: forming a curvilinear track portion; cutting out a first slot grouping from an exterior edge of the curvilinear track portion, wherein the first slot grouping is at a first predetermined angle; cutting out a second slot grouping from the exterior edge of the curvilinear track portion, wherein the second slot grouping is at a second predetermined angle; and inserting motor units into the first and second slot groupings. A curvilinear track section having: a curvilinear track portion; a first slot grouping formed in an exterior edge of the curvilinear track portion, wherein the first slot grouping is at a predetermined angle relative to the exterior edge; a second slot grouping formed in the exterior edge of the curvilinear track portion, wherein the second slot grouping is at a second predetermined angle; and motor units inserted into the first and second slot groupings.

We claim a hammer driven actuator that uses the fast-motion, low-force characteristics of an electro-magnetic or similar prime mover to develop kinetic energy that can be transformed via a friction interface to produce a higher-force, lower-speed linear or rotary actuator by using a hammering process to produce a series of individual steps. Such a system can be implemented using a voice-coil, electro-mechanical solenoid or similar prime mover. Where a typical actuator provides limited range of motion or low force, the range of motion of a linear or rotary impact driven motor can be configured to provide large displacements which are not limited by the characteristic dimensions of the prime mover.

What is disclosed is an actuator that can include a linear or cylindrical actuator. The actuator utilizes two or more groups of magnets, at least one magnet group traveling inside the coil assembly magnetically coupled to at least one magnet group traveling parallel and outside the coil assembly. Contiguous leading and trailing coils are sequentially activated in tandem with the advancing magnet groups in order to continuously optimize electromotive force.

A method for manufacturing a curvilinear track section including: forming a curvilinear track portion; cutting out a first slot grouping from an exterior edge of the curvilinear track portion, wherein the first slot grouping is at a first predetermined angle; cutting out a second slot grouping from the exterior edge of the curvilinear track portion, wherein the second slot grouping is at a second predetermined angle; and inserting motor units into the first and second slot groupings. A curvilinear track section having: a curvilinear track portion; a first slot grouping formed in an exterior edge of the curvilinear track portion, wherein the first slot grouping is at a predetermined angle relative to the exterior edge; a second slot grouping formed in the exterior edge of the curvilinear track portion, wherein the second slot grouping is at a second predetermined angle; and motor units inserted into the first and second slot groupings.

A direct drive brushless motor including a plurality of rotational components and a plurality of non-rotational components. Ones of the pluralities of rotational and non-rotational components form a dual magnetic circuit. The plurality of rotational components includes a center rotation shaft circumscribed by a plurality of coils and a coil termination plate configured to support the plurality of coils. The plurality of non-rotational components includes a plurality of outer magnets arranged around the plurality of coils in a Halbach configuration and a plurality of inner magnets arranged in a Halbach configuration between the coils and the shaft. A flex cable having one or more leads provides electrical current to the plurality of coils without the use of brushes.

A direct drive motor for a robotic finger. The direct drive motor includes a plurality of outer magnets and a coil assembly including a plurality of coils surrounded by the plurality of outer magnets. The plurality of coils are configured to generate a magnetic field when current is conducted through them such that the coil assembly rotates relative to the plurality of outer magnets. The direct drive motor further includes a plurality of inner magnets surrounded by the plurality of coils and a core element surrounded by the plurality of inner magnets. A center rotation shaft is positioned within an interior space circumscribed by the core element.