Abstract:
A vibrator motor in a hair clipper has a stationary piece and a moving piece. The stationary piece has a primary leg and at least one secondary leg. The primary leg fits through an opening in a coil. A flange is then press fit onto the leg so that the coil is captured on the primary leg. The flange provides a magnetic pole face that is larger than the opening in the coil, which increases the efficiency of the motor. The flange is press fit in a single operation by pressing a primary prong into a primary socket, and pressing two secondary prongs into secondary sockets. The secondary prongs are guided inwardly as they enter the secondary sockets, which closes the primary socket around the primary prong. A drive arm is secured to an arm of the moving piece. The arm is angled in relation to the drive arm to put even pressure on the moving blade in the hair clipper.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 12/852,862, filed Aug. 9, 2010. 
         [0002]    This invention relates to vibrator motors, and more particularly to vibrator motors for hair clippers, massagers, and the like which are more efficient than conventional vibrator motors. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Vibrator motors have been used in electric hair clippers for many years. Vibrator motors seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,587, incorporated by reference in its entirety, improved on that technology. However, even those motors left room for further improvement. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide new and improved vibrator motors. 
         [0005]    Another object is to provide new and improved vibrator motors for hair clippers, massagers and the like. 
         [0006]    Yet another object is to provide new and improved vibrator motors which are more efficient than conventional vibrator motors. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In keeping with one aspect of an embodiment of the invention, a vibrator motor in a hair clipper has a stationary piece and a moving piece. The stationary piece has a primary leg and at least one secondary leg. A coil has an opening that allows the coil to fit over the primary leg. A flange is then press fit onto the leg so that the coil is captured on the primary leg. The flange provides a magnetic pole face that is larger than the opening in the coil, which increases the efficiency of the motor. 
         [0008]    In another aspect, the flange is press fit in a single operation by pressing a primary prong into a primary socket, and pressing two secondary prongs into secondary sockets. The secondary prongs are guided inwardly as they enter the secondary sockets, which secures the primary socket around the primary prong. 
         [0009]    In still another aspect, a drive arm is secured to an arm of the moving piece. The drive arm moves a reciprocating blade in the hair clipper. The arm of the moving piece is angled in relation to the reciprocating blade to put even pressure on the moving blade. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The above mentioned and other features of this invention and the manner of obtaining them will become more apparent, and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a hair clipper having one embodiment of a vibrator motor made in accordance with the present invention, shown with the cover removed; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the hair clipper of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3A  is a front view of the vibrator motor used in the hair clipper of  FIG. 1 , shown with the reciprocating blade of the hair clipper; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3B  is a magnified view of a portion of the vibrator motor of  FIG. 3A ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the moving laminations and drive arm of the vibrator motor of  FIG. 3A , and the moving blade of the hair clipper of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a view of the stationary laminations in the vibrator motor of  FIG. 3A , before assembly; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a view of the stationary laminations in the vibrator motor of  FIG. 3A , during assembly; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a front view of the assembled stationary laminations of the vibrator motor of  FIG. 3A ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the stationary laminations and coil core in the vibrator motor of  FIG. 3A ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the stationary laminations and coil in the vibrator motor of  FIG. 3A , shown without the flange; 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the stationary laminations and coil in the vibrator motor of  FIG. 3A , shown with the flange secured; 
           [0022]      FIG. 11A  is a diagram of the magnetic paths and flux zones in the vibrator motor of  FIG. 3A , showing the laminations in the closed position; 
           [0023]      FIG. 11B  is a diagram of the magnetic paths and flux zones in the vibrator motor of  FIG. 3A , showing the laminations in the open position; 
           [0024]      FIG. 12A  is perspective view of the stationary laminations in the vibrator motor of  FIG. 3A ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 12B  is a perspective view of the moving laminations in the vibrator motor of  FIG. 3A ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 13A  is a cut-a-way view of the hair clipper of  FIG. 1 , showing the moving laminations in a closed position, centered with respect to the stationary laminations; 
           [0027]      FIG. 13B  is a cut-a-way view of the hair clipper of  FIG. 1 , showing the moving laminations in an open position, centered with respect to the stationary laminations; 
           [0028]      FIG. 13C  is a cut-a-way view of the hair clipper of  FIG. 1 , showing the moving laminations in an open position, with the moving laminations skewed upwardly; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 13D  is a cut-a-way view of the hair clipper of  FIG. 1 , showing the moving laminations in an open position, with the moving laminations skewed downwardly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    As seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a hair clipper  100  has a housing  102  and a cover (not shown). A mechanical spring system  106  is secured towards one end of the housing  102  by screws  108  ( FIG. 2 ). The spring system  106  ( FIG. 1 ) includes a spring arm  110 , springs  112 ,  114 , and an adjustment screw  116  ( FIG. 2 ). 
         [0031]    A stationary magnetically permeable piece such as a stack of stationary laminations  118  ( FIG. 1 ) is secured to the housing  102  by screws  120 . A moving magnetically permeable piece such as a stack of complementary moving laminations  122  is secured at one end to the spring arm  110  by rivets  124 . In operation, the lamination stack  122  has a general direction of movement towards and away from the stationary laminations  118 , as shown generally by the arrow  126 . 
         [0032]    As seen in  FIG. 3A , a drive arm  128  is secured to the distal end of the moving laminations  122  by rivets  130 . A reciprocating blade  132  is secured to the drive arm  128 , and a stationary blade  134  is secured to the housing  102  by screws  136  ( FIG. 2 ). The drive arm  128  is flexible, and puts spring pressure against the reciprocating blade  132 . 
         [0033]    A coil  138  is secured to the stationary laminations  118  ( FIG. 1 ). The coil can be powered by line voltage through an on/off switch  140 . A cutting adjustment device  142  can also be provided. 
         [0034]    Referring again to  FIG. 3A , a motor  144  in the hair clipper  100  includes the mechanical spring system  106  (partially shown in  FIG. 3A ), the stack of stationary laminations  118 , the stack of complementary moving laminations  122 , the drive arm  128  and the coil  138 . 
         [0035]    The moving laminations  122  ( FIG. 4 ) have a proximate side  150  adjacent the spring system  106 , and a distal side  152  opposite the proximate side  150 . An inner side  154  is located adjacent the stationary laminations  118  (not shown in  FIG. 4 ), and an outer side  156  is on the opposite side of the inner side  154 . 
         [0036]    The moving laminations  122  ( FIG. 4 ) have a first arm  160  along the distal side  152 . The arm  160  extends generally parallel to the direction of movement  126 , although an outer edge  162  forms an acute angle θ with direction to the movement  126 . The first arm  160  extends from a transverse back  164 , which extends along the outer side  156  generally perpendicular to the arm  160 . 
         [0037]    A second arm  166  is provided along the proximate side  150 . The arm  166  also extends generally parallel to the direction of movement  126 , and extends from the transverse back  164 . 
         [0038]    The transverse back  164  has a primary moving pole face  165 . The arm  160  has a first secondary moving pole face  167 , and the arm  166  has a second secondary moving pole face  169 . 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , the stationary laminations  118  have a near side  170  adjacent the spring system  106 , a far side  172  opposite the near side  170 , a close side  174  adjacent the moving laminations (not shown in  FIG. 7 ), and a remote side  176  opposite the close side  174 . 
         [0040]    The stationary laminations  118  have a primary leg  180  between a first secondary leg  182  and the second secondary leg  184 . The primary leg  180  extends from a transverse spine  186  that extends along the remote side  176 . The first secondary leg  182  extends along the far side  172  from an end of the transverse spine  186 . The first secondary leg  182  is generally parallel to the first arm  160  of the moving laminations. The second secondary leg  184  extends along the near side  170  generally parallel to the second arm  166  of the moving laminations. The second secondary leg  184  extends from the transverse spine  186 . 
         [0041]    The primary leg  180  has a primary pole face  187 . The first secondary leg  182  has a first secondary pole face  188 , and the second secondary leg  184  has a second secondary pole face  189 . 
         [0042]    Referring now to  FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  7 , the stationary laminations include a flange  200 . The flange  200  is secured to a mid-section  185  of the primary leg  180  by a press fit between a primary socket  202  in the mid-section  185  and a primary prong  204  in the flange  200 . The mid-section  185  and flange  200  are further secured by press fits between two secondary prongs  206  in the mid-section  185  and two secondary sockets  208  in the flange  200 . The secondary sockets  208  guide the secondary prongs  206  inwardly towards a center line  210 , as seen in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0043]    The coil  138  is placed over the mid-section  185  of the primary leg  180  before the flange  200  is secured to the leg  180 , as seen in  FIG. 9 . The primary prong  204  is then pressed into the primary socket  202 , as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The laminations bend slightly as the flange  200  is pressed inwardly and do not recover in a spring-like manner. However, the secondary prongs  206  pull the mid-section  185  tightly around the primary prong  204  because the secondary sockets  208  are angled inwardly towards the center line  210 . When the flange  200  is installed, the coil  138  is held in place, as seen in  FIG. 8 . In  FIG. 8 , the wire has been removed from the coil for clarity. The plastic bobbin or coil core is shown. 
         [0044]      FIG. 9  shows the coil  138  on the mid-section  185  of the primary leg  180  without the flange  200 . The mid-section  185  has a width W 1 , a length L 1  and a cross-sectional area C 1 . The coil  138  has a plastic coil core ( FIG. 8 ) with an opening  212 , having a width W 2 , length L 2  and cross-sectional area C 2  sufficiently larger than W 1 , L 1  and C 1  to allow the coil to easily slip over the leg  180 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 10  shows the coil  138  on the primary leg  180  after the flange  200  has been installed. The pole face  187  of the flange  200  has the width W 1 , a length L 3  and a cross-sectional area C 3 . The length L 3  is greater than the length L 2 , so C 3  is greater than C 2 , and the flange  200  secures the coil on the leg  180 . 
         [0046]    The pole face  188  has a cross-sectional area of C 4  as viewed in  FIG. 9 , and the pole face  189  has a cross-sectional area of C 5 . The cross-sectional area C 3  of one embodiment is about 130% of the sum of the cross-sectional areas C 4  and C 5 . However, it is believed that C 3  should at least be equal to the sum of C 4  and C 5 . 
         [0047]    The legs of the stationary laminations and the arms of the moving laminations form two paths  220 ,  222  for the flow of magnetic flux, as seen in  FIGS. 11A and 11B .  FIG. 11A  shows the laminations closed without touching, and FIG.  11 B shows the laminations open. Air gaps between the open faces of respective arms and legs induce movement of the moving laminations when a changing electrical field is applied to the coil. 
         [0048]    Each of the air gaps forms a magnetic flux zone between the complementary open faces of the legs and arms. Referring again to  FIG. 11B , a first flux zone  224  is formed between the pole face  188  of the first secondary leg  182  and the pole face  167  of the first arm  160 . A second magnetic flux zone  226  is formed between the pole face  189  of the leg  184  and the pole face  169  of the arm  166 . A third magnetic flux zone  228  is formed between the pole face  187  of the flange  200  and the primary pole face  165  of the transverse back  164 . Notches  230   a ,  230   b  and  230   c  ( FIG. 11A ) can be located in areas of low flux, if desired, to save material costs without adversely affecting performance. These notches are located in the stationary laminations. Notch  230   a  is adjacent the primary leg  180 , the notch  230   b  is adjacent the first secondary leg  182 , and the notch  230   c  is adjacent the second secondary leg  184 . A notch  230   d  is provided on the moving laminations  122 . 
         [0049]    The pole faces  187 ,  188  and  189  of the stationary laminations  118  are shown in  FIG. 12A , and the pole faces  165 , 167  and  169  of the moving laminations  122  are shown in  FIG. 12B . The primary faces  187  and  165  are large compared with the secondary pole faces. Increasing the cross-sectional area of the primary pole faces  187  and  165  decreases reluctance of the air gaps which increases the magnetic flux flow in the magnetic flux zone  228 , which increases the efficiency of the motor. Efficiency improvements may be achieved through thermal, magnetic, electrical, mechanical, and manufacturing improvements. A more efficient motor can produce higher power if desired, or lower temperature, lighter weight or smaller size, as desired. The primary leg behind the flange can be smaller which means that less wire is needed on the coil. 
         [0050]    Referring again to  FIGS. 1 ,  3 A and  3 B, the stationary blade  134  has a straight row of teeth  300 , and the reciprocating blade  132  has a row of complementary moving teeth  302  that form a cutting line  304 . The moving blade  132  also has a center line  306  perpendicular to the cutting line  304 . The reciprocating teeth  302  move back and forth in the directions indicated by the arrows  126  in a generally linear manner, and the cutting force is equally distributed among the teeth  302 . In practice, though, unequal loads can be produced on the teeth  302 . This problem has been addressed and solved by providing an angle θ between a line perpendicular to the center line  306  and an edge  315  of the moving laminations. An angle θ of about 17° can produce very even force across the teeth  302 . 
         [0051]    The drive arm  128  has a first side  312  located adjacent to the first secondary moving pole face  167  and intersecting the first arm  160  at a first intersection  313  of the side  312  and the edge  315 . 
         [0052]    The drive arm  128  has a second side  314  located away from the first secondary moving pole face  167  and intersecting the first arm  160  at a second intersection  316  of the side  314  and the edge  315 . A first distance D 1  between the cutting line  304  and the first intersection  313 , measured parallel to the center line  306 , is less than a second distance D 2  between the cutting line  304  and the second intersection  316 , also measured parallel to the center line  306 . 
         [0053]    The magnetic flux zone  224  has three major air gaps at faces  320   a ,  320   b ,  320   c , and two minor air gaps at faces  322   a ,  322   b , as seen in  FIGS. 13   a - 13   d . The force produced by the flux flow over the air gaps is affected by the size of the opposing faces, the size of the air gap, and the angle of magnetic force across the air gap. The pulling force of the motor is related to the effective size of the air gap. Ideally, there would be no manufacturing tolerances with respect to the position of the stationary laminations and the relative position of the moving laminations, which would produce constant, repetitive force across the air gap in the magnetic flux zone  224 . In practice, however, there are tolerances, and the force can change. Changes in pulling force due to such tolerances is not reduced in the flux zone  224  because an increase in the air gap at  322   a  decreases the air gap in  322   b  and vise versa. The flux path will choose the smaller of these two gaps and use it. Older designs saw a 10% change in power consumption when alignment deteriorated. The present design shows only 1% change. 
         [0054]    While the principles of the invention have been described above in connection with specific apparatus and applications, it is to be understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation on the scope of the invention.