Inherently Torque Limited Magnetically-Coupled Wheels
An apparatus having a driving magnetic gear and a driver magnetic gear, disposed on each of which are a series of adjacent magnets of alternating polarity. The magnetic gears are tiltable relative to each other, and the angle of the imaginary driver gear plane at the pivot point between the driving gear and the driver gear must be less than 90° to prevent loss of sequential magnetic interaction beyond which angle, reversal of rotation relative to the driver gear would occur when the sequential magnetic interaction is re-established.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/066,927 filed Apr. 28, 2011, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/343,395 filed Apr. 28, 2010, under Title 35, United States Code, Section 119(e), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to magnetically coupled wheels (sometimes referred to as magnetic gears) and rotating objects, and in particular to a magnetically driven set of wheels or rotating objects which are not to be physically engaged by the respective driving wheels or driving objects and can operate at a spaced distance from the respective driving wheels or driving objects, as well as operating other components operated by the driven wheels or driven rotating objects.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many devices function by having at least one rotating member for engagement with another member. The problem with such physical contact is that there is often the problem of jamming of the parts, the problem of deleterious particles and matter getting between the parts, loss of lubrication and the wearing down by friction. These known devices include geared transmissions and gearboxes containing gears. Propulsion systems are well known for extending through a hull or other wall, which require complex and expensive seals and stuffing boxes. Such systems sometimes utilize noxious fluids including lubricants and gases. Other such systems are not useable in dusty and gritty environments where the atmosphere contains deleterious components. There are also situations where angles of rotation of a pair of shafts with respect to each other must change during rotation of the shafts, where a relatively simple arrangement without a complex gearing structure would be most advantageous.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for rotating one member by another member without requiring physical engagement of the two members.
Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for rotating a pair of devices without any frictional loss between the devices or any interim devices connecting the pair of devices except in the shaft bearings and with insignificant hysteresis losses.
Another object is to provide for the relative rotation of a pair of devices without appreciable friction.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for transferring the speed and torque from one rotating member to another rotating member without the use of toothed gears or physically contacting parts.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for changing the direction of rotation of a set of rotating members without the use of toothed gears.
An additional object is to provide a gear train without the use of toothed gears.
It is yet another object to provide propulsion systems in marine or other applications where the driven and driving components are on opposite sides of a hull or other wall structure, where the driven and driving components interact without requiring an opening in the hull or other wall structure.
A yet additional object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for changing the orientation of rotating shafts during the rotation of the shafts.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for replacing a mechanical gear train.
It is still another object to effect the rotation of a driven object by another driving object without requiring the physical engagement of the objects and without necessarily requiring motion of the driving object.
It is also a further object of the present invention to provide for the rotation of a driven member by a driving member which does not require the use of noxious or deleterious fluids for lubrication.
Additionally it is an object to provide a system having a driven rotating wheel rotated by a driving wheel which limits the torque between driving and driven wheels.
A further object is the provision of a driving wheel for driving a driven wheel where performance is not affected by the presence of water, dust and grit in the environment where the driving and driven wheels are operating.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a propulsion system for craft which does not require physical engagement between the driving and driven components.
These and other objects may occur to those skilled in the art from the description to follow and from the appended claims.
A preferred embodiment of the invention, which is incorporated in other embodiments of the invention, comprises a driving rotational object having magnet supporting surface which supports a series of adjacent magnets of opposite polarity, the driving rotational component being adjacent to at least one driven rotational object and having a magnet supporting edge including a set of adjacent magnets having opposite polarities. An external motor torque rotates the driving rotational object. The driving rotational object passes its magnets through a first location and the driven object passes its magnets through a second location spaced from the first location, but the first and second locations are within a common region where the magnetic fields of those of the respective magnets of the driving rotational object and the driven rotational object in the respective first and second locations are strong enough to have an appreciable physical effect on the other rotational object, wherein magnets of one polarity on the driving rotational object in the first location attract magnets of unlike polarity on the driven rotational object in the second location to effect the rotation of the driven rotational object. The term “appreciable physical effect on the other rotational object” means that the magnets on one object have enough effect on the magnets of the other object to effect the rotation of the other object.
Referring first to
A similar situation is shown in
A gearbox 56 for accommodating magnetic gear train 10 or 32 is shown in
The foregoing arrangement enables driving magnetic gear 34 to rotate under the influence of an external motor torque, to cause the rotation of magnetic gear 36 at the desired angle Φ. The foregoing is accomplished without the use of toothed gears and the shortcomings thereof. The size of respective fixtures 58 and 60 and their component parts can be altered to render gearbox 56 a reducing gearbox if driving gear 34 is larger than driven gear 36.
A ball joint assembly 130 is shown schematically in
Magnetic gear 140 has a set of alternating magnets shown collectively by the numeral 158 embedded around the periphery of a disk 160 from which magnetic gear 140 is formed. Magnetic gear 140 extends into slot 136 of the spherical portion of sphere 132. Magnetic gear 140 has an axle 162.
Raised portions 146 of cap 142 differ from the other part of cap 142. Portions 146 as partial spherical sectors which define an opening to give magnetic gear 140 access to slot 136 of sphere 132. A pair of flanges 166 and 168 extends from sphere 132 on opposite sides of slot 136 of the segment into which magnetic gear 140 extends, for receiving axle 162.
The operation of ball joint assembly involves the rotation of one of magnetic gears 138 or 140 by an electric motor or other motive power source (gear 138 is shown rotating counter clockwise when viewed from above facing gear 138), which causes the other magnetic gear 138 or 140 to rotate in the opposite direction as dissimilar poles of magnets 152 and 158 are opposite each other in polarity and interact magnetically attractively. Those magnetically interacting magnets proximate to the location where respective individual magnets of sets of magnets 152 and 158 are closest to each other, marked by the point or dot labelled “CENTER” in
The inherent reversal of rotation can be understood with reference to
Similarly, in
Referring next to
Magnetic gear 174 has a shaft receiving portion 188 with a bore 190 for receiving a shaft which is rotatable within (or rotatable with) magnetic gear 174. Magnetic gear 174 includes an approximately toroidal ring 192 of magnetic material with short, adjacent segments 194 of said ring 192 having alternate magnetic polarities. Adjacent magnetic segments 194 with opposing polarities are adjacent to but not contacting circumferential depression 180 at the location where a part of toroidal ring 192 is within depression 180 at a hinge 200 whose axis is tangent to both magnetic gears 172 and 174, and about which magnetic gear 174 is pivotable; magnetic gear 174 can rotate clockwise as shown by the arrow 203 about its longitudinal axis 204 (when viewed from above) in response to the rotation of magnetic gear 172 rotating counter clockwise as shown by the arrow 201 about its longitudinal axis 202 (when viewed from above), with magnetic gear 174 being inclined from magnetic gear 172 by a variable angle α. Magnetic gear 174 has a shaft that can rotate clockwise about longitudinal axis 204, and as noted angle α can vary while the respective rotations are taking place.
The incorporation of a reduction gear train in a water vessel or watercraft is shown in
Another maritime uses of the present invention is shown in
Magnets 282 of magnetic gear 280 sequentially enter a first location on one side of hull 286 which is spaced from and adjacent to a second location on the other side of hull 286, the first and second locations being in the magnetic fields of magnets 282 and 276 and such adjacent magnetics whose magnets flux physically effects the other magnetic gear, in the respective locations. Magnets 282 in the first location having the opposite polarity as a magnet 276 in the second location cumulatively effect the rotation of propeller drive housing 270 as the magnets move through the respective first and second location. That is, the latter magnets have appreciable physical effect on the other magnetic gear.
In an alternate arrangement shown in
A propeller drive assembly 270 driven from inside hull portion 286 could also possibly have hydrodynamic or magnetic support bearings in order to further eliminate frictional energy losses. Although a propulsion system for a waterborne vessel or watercraft has been described here, this system may be advantageously applied to propel aircraft or other craft through other fluids. If it could be made sufficiently light and stiff.
The inventive concept has numerous other applications. It can for example be used in aircraft. Referring to
A plurality of alternating magnetic propulsion systems for aircraft is also possible. A delta flying wing aircraft 322 is shown in
The transport aspects of the present invention are clean, and if electrically driven, do not us petroleum or other solid or liquid fuel and do no harm the environment. There is expected to be low frictional wear and tear on the system as compared to those systems presently in use.
Many of the magnetic components described herein are permanent magnets. In some instances, electro-magnets will be used as well.
The invention has been described in detail, with particular to reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, but variations and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention may appear to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.
Claims
1. A magnetic gear train comprising:
- a driving gear having an inherent pitch circle, said driving gear lying in an imaginary driving gear plane, and having a driving gear longitudinal axis, a driving gear periphery and a set of magnets embedded in said driving gear periphery, said set of magnets having alternate polarities;
- a driving gear axle attached to said driving gear and extending along said driving gear longitudinal axis;
- a driven gear having an inherent pitch circle, said driven gear lying in an imaginary driven gear plane, and having a driven gear longitudinal axis, said driven gear longitudinal axis having a first angular relationship with said driving gear longitudinal axis, a driven gear periphery and a set of magnets embedded in said periphery, said set of magnets having alternate polarities;
- a driven gear axle attached to said driven gear and extending along said driven gear longitudinal axis;
- said driving gear and said driven gear being located with the pitch circles of said driving gear being tangent at an inherent pivot point of said driving gear and said driven gear for enabling the rotation of said driven gear and said driven gear axle in one direction due to the sequential magnetic interaction of said magnets embedded in said driving gear periphery and the magnets embedded in the driven gear periphery in response to a driving force being applied to said driving axle for rotating said driving gear in the opposite direction of rotation; and
- said driven gear and said driven gear axle being tiltable with respect to said driving gear and said driving gear axle at said pivot point with said driven gear assuming a tilting angle with respect to said driving gear,
- wherein said driving gear and said driven gear do not overlap each other when said driven gear is at said tilting angle with respect to said driving gear,
- wherein said driven gear longitudinal axis has a different angular relationship with the said driving gear longitudinal axis than said first angular relationship when said driven gear is at said tilting angle with respect to said driving gear,
- wherein in at least one of said angular relationships, any imaginary plane containing said longitudinal axis of said driven gear and containing said pivot point must be oblique with respect to any imaginary plane containing said longitudinal axis of said driving gear, and
- wherein the angle of said imaginary driving gear plane with respect to said imaginary driven gear plane at said pivot point must be less than 90° to prevent loss of sequential magnetic interaction beyond which angle, reversal of rotation relative to the driven gear would occur when the sequential magnetic interaction is re-established.
2. A magnetic gear train comprising:
- a driving gear lying in an imaginary driving gear plane, and having an inherent pitch circle, a driving gear longitudinal axis, a driving gear periphery and a set of magnets embedded in said driving gear periphery, said set of magnets having magnet poles of alternate polarities;
- a driving gear axle attached to said driving gear and extending along said driving gear longitudinal axis;
- a driven gear lying in an imaginary driven gear plane, and having an inherent pitch circle, a driven gear longitudinal axis, a driven gear periphery and a set of magnets embedded in said periphery, said set of magnets having magnetic poles of alternate polarities;
- a driven gear axle attached to said driven gear and extending along said driven gear longitudinal axis;
- said driving gear and said driven gear being located wherein said driving gear pitch circle and said driven gear pitch circle being tangent are at a pivot point, and said respective driving gear and driven gear can have a magnetic linkage with each other at said pivot point; and
- said driven gear and said driven gear axle being rotatable in response to the rotation of said driving gear and said driving gear axle in one of a first range of rotation and in a second range of rotation of said driving gear and said driving gear axle;
- wherein in said first range of rotation, said longitudinal axes of said driven gear and said driving gear are either transverse to each other and said driving gear and said driven gear are not coplanar wherein said imaginary driving gear plane and said imaginary driven gear plane are tangent at said pivot point, and said longitudinal axes are tilted at said pivot point towards each other or away from each other, said first range of rotation being limited to two opposing end positions;
- in one end position, said longitudinal axis of said driven gear is close to but not perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said driving gear on one side of said driving gear to maintain the sequential magnetic linkage between the respective individual magnet poles on each of the said driving and driven gears, and
- in the opposite end position, said longitudinal axis of said driven gear is close to but not perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said driving gear on the opposition side of said driving gear from said one end position to maintain the sequential magnetic linkage of the respective individual magnets on said driving and driven gears; and
- wherein in said second range of rotation, said longitudinal axes of said driven gear and said driving gear are parallel to each other and said driving gear and said driven gear are coplanar, said first range of rotation being limited to two opposing end positions, in one end position said longitudinal axis of said driven gear is almost but not perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said driving gear on one side of said driving gear so as not to lose the sequential magnetic linkage between the respective individual magnet poles on each of the said driving and driven gears, and in the opposite end position said longitudinal axis of said driven gear is almost but not perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said driving gear on the opposite side of said driving gear from said one end position so as not to lose the sequential magnetic linkage of the respective individual magnets on said driving and driven gears, said second range of rotation being limited to two end positions wherein,
- in one end position said longitudinal axis of said driven gear is parallel to said longitudinal axis of said driving gear and pointing in one direction, and in the opposite end position the longitudinal axis of said driven gear is parallel to said longitudinal axis of said driven gear and is parallel to said longitudinal axis of said driving gear and pointing in the direction opposite to said one direction; and
- said driven gear and said driven gear axle being pivotable relative to said driving gear and said driving gear axle on said pivot point on an axis of pivotal movement between the longitudinal axes of said driving gear and said driving gear axle and said driven gear and said driven gear axle in a range of pivotal movement wherein said longitudinal axes of said driven gear and of said driving gear are not in a common plane; and
- wherein said driven gear and said driving gear have a limit of pivotal movement beyond which limits the sequential magnetic linkage between the individual magnetic poles on each of said driving gear and said driven gear, said pivotal movement continues resulting in the reversal of the sequential magnetic linkage between said driving gear and said driven gear relative to said driven gear.
3. A magnetic gear train according to claim 16 wherein said driven gear is rotatable in other ranges of rotation in addition to said first range of rotation, said range of pivotal movement and said second range of rotation, relative to said driving gear.
4. A magnetic gear train according to claim 16 wherein said driven gear is simultaneously rotatable with said driving gear in the first and second ranges of rotation and in said range of pivotal movement.
5. A magnetic gear train for rotating in one direction and rotating in a reverse direction, said magnetic gear train comprising:
- a driving gear lying in an imaginary driving gear plane, and having an inherent pitch circle, a driving gear longitudinal axis, a driving gear periphery and a set of magnets embedded in said driving gear periphery, said set of magnets having alternate polarities;
- a driving axle attached to said driving gear and extending along said driving gear longitudinal axis;
- a driven gear lying in an imaginary driven gear plane, and having an inherent pitch circle, a driven gear longitudinal axis, a driven gear periphery and a set of magnets embedded in said periphery, said set of magnets having alternate polarities, the pitch circles of said driven gear and said driving gear being tangent at a pivot point, said driven gear be tiltable relative to said driving gear about said pivot point;
- a driven gear axle attached to said driven gear and extending along said driven gear longitudinal axis;
- said driving gear and said driven gear being positioned with a part of said driving gear periphery and a part of said driven gear periphery being located at said pivot point for enabling the rotation of said driven gear and said driven gear axis in one direction due to the sequential magnetic interaction of said magnets embedded in said driving gear periphery and the magnets embedded in the driven ear periphery in response to a driving force being applied to said driving axle for rotating said driving gear in the opposite direction of rotation; and
- said driven gear and said driven gear axle being tiltable at said pivot point both with respect to (a) said driving gear and said driving gear axle at an angle at said pivot point with respect to said driving gear, and the angle of said part of said driving gear periphery at said pivot point with respect to said driven gear periphery, using as references the imaginary driving gear plane and a perpendicular imaginary plane perpendicular to said imaginary driving gear plane and passing through said pivot point, wherein the angle between said imaginary driving gear plane and said imaginary driven gear plane is less than 90° or a lesser negative value than −90° for rotation in one direction and is greater than 90° but less than 270° for rotation in the reverse direction after the sequential magnetic interaction is re-established, relative to said imaginary perpendicular plane; and (b) any imaginary plane containing said longitudinal axis of said driven gear must be oblique with respect to any imaginary plane containing said longitudinal axis of said driving gear except when said driven gear and driving gear are coplanar.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 27, 2015
Publication Date: Aug 13, 2015
Inventors: Howard Martin Chin (Kingston), George Winston Whitfield (St. Mary)
Application Number: 14/696,888