Patent ID: 8368257

Claim:
A linear brushless DC motor comprising: a stationary base assembly including at least one linear guide and an array of magnets, the stationary base assembly further including a passive component of a limit position sensor; a movable coil assembly situated on the stationary base assembly, the movable coil assembly comprising: at least one coil configured to generate magnetic field to move the movable coil assembly using the magnets of the stationary base assembly; a Hall-effect sensor configured to detect magnetic fields of the magnets of the stationary base to determine a position of the movable coil assembly; an amplifier connected to the at least one coil to apply drive signals to the at least one coil to generate the magnetic field; a motor controller connected to the amplifier to provide control signals to the amplifier to apply the drive signals to the coils in order to move the movable coil assembly; and an active component of the limit position sensor configured to generate a signal when activated by the passive component of the stationary base, the active component being connected to one of the amplifier and the motor controller; and a master controller/scheduler that is external to the movable coil assembly, the master controller/scheduler being connected to the motor controller of the movable coil assembly through a communication cable, wherein the at least one coil, the Hall-effect sensor, the amplifier, the motor controller and the active component are assembled so that the at least one coil, the amplifier and the motor controller are collectively displaced when the movable coil assembly is moved relative to the stationary base assembly using the at least one linear guide.