FIELD: medicine.
SUBSTANCE: group of inventions includes an actuator for a personal care appliance (versions) and is intended for use, for example, in an electric toothbrush. Actuator according to the first embodiment comprises a housing made of magnetic material, a spindle of magnetisable material and a tangential portion. Housing has an inner surface and a principal axis extending along its length, the housing further including at least first and second portions along its length. Spindle of magnetisable material extends longitudinally within the housing along the principal axis and includes at least first and second portions corresponding with the at least first and second portions of the housing, respectively. Tangential section is located between the first portion of the housing and the first portion of the spindle, and comprises first and second magnet and pole assemblies and an electromagnetic coil. First magnetic and pole assembly comprises (a) a first sequence of individual N-S grouped magnet segments at a distance from each other and separated by free space in a first radial orientation and having a first polarity order, each individual N-S grouped magnet segment of the first sequence including one paired N-S grouped magnetic segment, has an N-S distribution of magnetisation located longitudinally along the inner surface in a first section of the housing, and (b) a first pole assembly having pole members arranged in a first radial configuration disposed about the spindle on the first portion of the spindle. Second magnetic pole assembly comprises (a) a second sequence of separate N-S grouped magnetic segments spaced apart and separated by free space gaps, in a second radial orientation and having a second order of polarity, opposite to the first order of polarity, each individual N-S grouped magnetic segment of the second sequence including one paired N-S grouped magnetic segment, has an N-S distribution of magnetisation located longitudinally along the inner surface in the first portion of the housing, and (b) a second pole assembly having pole elements located in a second radial configuration located around the spindle in the first portion of the spindle. Electromagnetic coil is located around the spindle between the first and second magnetic pole assemblies and is connected thereto, wherein in response to controlling rotation applied to the electromagnetic coil, the tangential portion rotatably moves thee spindle relative to the housing around the principal axis. Second radial orientation of the second sequence of individual N-S grouped magnet segments is shifted relative to the first radial orientation of the first sequence of individual N-S grouped magnet segments, wherein the second radial configuration of the second pole assembly is shifted relative to the first radial configuration of the first pole assembly.
EFFECT: inventions allow to create a drive that combines tangential and axial movements.
13 cl, 10 dwg
