Battery powered motor system for low power application

Abstract

An article of motion such as a toy has moving parts that are motivated slowly and with low torque by an electronic timepiece movement.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to toys, playthings or premium products such as electronic desktop decorations that produce a relatively slow and low-torque movement. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] There are classes of product in which a slow motion is desired, for example to mimic life-like movements (the limb articulation or gestures of a doll, the opening and closing of eyelids, or human facial expressions). There exist numerous prior inventions that meet the challenge with heavily geared-down DC motors, complicated mechanical contraptions, electromagnets, air bags or combinations thereof, to produce such movements. [0003] DC motors are widely employed in the toy industry to induce toy motions, as in battery operated toy cars or animated figures. While producing high rotational speed and high torque, DC motors suffer from high current drain, especially when obstructed or stalled. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,016 to S. Worack (1987) described a system that used a DC m...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorated at least one of the above disadvantages and / or more generally to provide an improved low power article of motion. It is a further object of the present invention to provide low cost driving devices suitable for small toys that might be powered by miniature batteries and without resorting to complicated mechanisms. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The step motor axle rotates a fixed angle characteristic of its design when appropriate electrical stimulus is applied, and stay put indefinitely when no stimulus is received. The speed of a step motor depends solely on the external stimulus, thus simplifying the gear train needed when high-speed DC motor is used for low speed application.

[0016] Avoidance of high-ratio gear train lowers system energy loss during gear transmission, resulting in torque / battery-life combination optimally suited for slow-moving toys powered by small battery.

Problems solved by technology

While producing high rotational speed and high torque, DC motors suffer from high current drain, especially when obstructed or stalled.

While avoiding the drawbacks of a DC motor based solution, this electro-magnet based solution was mechanically complicated.

The above solutions suffer from one shortcoming or another—complex mechanisms, heavy current drain (especially when obstructed), or one-shot action that needs re-energizing (leaky air-bag).

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