Patent ID: 7218017
Filing Date: 2007-05-15
Classification: H02K

Abstract:
1. An integrated rotary-linear actuator system, comprising: a plunger movable along and rotatable about a longitudinal axis extending through the plunger, the plunger is supported against a motor support via bearings, the plunger comprises an array of magnets arranged on one of an outside surface of the plunger and an inside surface of the motor support, which supports the plunger to permit movement thereof; a coil system having two sets of coils arranged to, when energized, interact with the plunger, the first set of coils embedded in a resin and being operative to provide an electric field to effect movement of the plunger in a linear mode, the second set of coils being operative to effect movement of the plunger in a rotational mode; an amplifier coupled to the coils and operative to provide electrical energy to energize the coils; a control system integrated with the amplifier, the control system having a network interface operative to receive control information, the control system being operative to control the amplifier to selectively energize the coils to effect desired movement of the plunger based on the control information received via the network interface, the control system and an associated rotary-linear motor are integrated into a single module; an encoder system coupled to the control system for determining the position of the plunger, the encoder system is affixed to a surface of the array of magnets and etched with a pattern of reflective and non-reflective regions that are scanned by optical pickups to register movement of the plunger, wherein the control system controls the amplifier and, in turn, controls energization of each phase of the coils based on the position information from the encoder system so as to effect desired movement of the plunger.