Agitator powered by electric motor having a spherical rotor
US5542762A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 15, 1994 |
| Grant date | Aug 6, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 15, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T74/1282
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An agitator includes a multi-freedom electric motor having a broad operational range. The electric motor includes a spherical rotor, a plurality of magnets disposed on an outer surface of the rotor with polarities of the respective adjacent magnetic poles being different from one another, a stator provided along the outer surface of the rotor, and a plurality of magnets opposed to the magnets disposed on an inner surface of the stator. The rotor is supported by a spherical bearing provided on the stator. Either the magnets on the rotor or the magnets on the stator are electromagnets. Electric currents are supplied to the electromagnets as controlled by a controller. In one form of the agitator, the electric motor is disposed at the bottom of a container and the bottom end of a screw is connected to the spherical rotor of the motor. The top end of the screw is supported by an arm pivotably mounted to the container. In this way, the motor can rotate the screw about its own axis and revolve the screw around the container. In another form of the agitator, agitating elements are fixed to the rotor itself, and these agitating elements are moved to agitate material charged into the agitat…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.