With Air-gap Shield Patents (Class 310/104)
  • Patent number: 6118202
    Abstract: An inductor-alternator provides highly efficient conversion between mechanical and electrical energy. The inductor-alternator produces increased output by providing armature coils in a single air gap formed between two halves of a toothed rotor. In preferred embodiments, field coils of a magnetic circuit are energized with DC drive current that creates homopolar flux within the rotating rotor. Airgap armature coils are mounted with the field coils to form a stationary assembly that is placed within the single air gap in the rotor so that the changing flux density (due to the rotating teeth) induces an output voltage in the armature coils. The rotor and stationary assembly are mounted in a housing by bolts that may also be used as terminals for the armature coils to reduce assembly complexity and production cost. The combined assembly provides high energy and power density because tip speed of the rotor is maximized and the use of air gaps is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Active Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph F. Pinkerton
  • Patent number: 6087753
    Abstract: An inductor-alternator provides highly efficient conversion between mechanical and electrical energy. The inductor-alternator produces increased output by providing armature coils in a single air gap formed between two halves of a toothed rotor. In preferred embodiments, field coils of a magnetic circuit are energized with DC drive current that creates homopolar flux within the rotating rotor. Airgap armature coils are mounted with the field coils to form a stationary assembly that is placed within the single air gap in the rotor so that the changing flux density (due to the rotating teeth) induces an output voltage in the armature coils. The rotor and stationary assembly are mounted in a housing by bolts that may also be used as terminals for the armature coils to reduce assembly complexity and production cost. The combined assembly provides high energy and power density because tip speed of the rotor is maximized and the use of air gaps is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Active Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph F. Pinkerton
  • Patent number: 6087750
    Abstract: A permanent magnet generator is described. The generator includes a shaft which defines a longitudinal axis. A rotatable magnetic field assembly is mounted on the shaft and adapted for rotation about the shaft. The magnetic field assembly includes a plurality of axially magnetized magnets which are retained in a cavity about the shaft for generating an axial magnetic flux. A plurality of vanes are mounted on the magnetic field assembly housing for rotating the magnetic field assembly about the shaft when a fluid flows past the vanes. A stationary armature assembly is also located around the shaft in a position axially spaced from the magnetic field assembly. The armature assembly generates AC power when the magnetic field assembly is rotated. The stationary armature assembly includes an armature housing. An axial bore is formed through the armature housing for receiving the shaft. The armature housing defines a cavity about the axial bore in which a plurality of laminated bars are retained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Pacific Scientific Electro Kinetics Division
    Inventor: Bernard A. Raad
  • Patent number: 6084326
    Abstract: A ball screw of an actuator is inserted through a displacement member. Driving-side axial magnetic patterns and driving-side circumferential magnetic patterns are formed on an outer circumference of the displacement member. The ball screw and the displacement member are surrounded by a tube. A slider is provided at the outside of the tube. Driven-side axial magnetic patterns opposing to the driving-side axial magnetic patterns and driven-side circumferential magnetic patterns opposing to the driving-side circumferential magnetic patterns are formed on the slider. Mutual magnetic attraction between the driving-side patterns and the driven-side patterns prevents the displacement member from rotation, and it causes the slider to make displacement in the axial direction together with the displacement member. Since the ball screw of the actuator is surrounded by the tube, the actuator can be prevented from scattering of lubricating oil, dust or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigekazu Nagai, Hiroyuki Shiomi
  • Patent number: 6034462
    Abstract: A cylindrical or radial air gap, electrical machine is defined which comprises a circular rotor section having a serrated circular surface area mounted on a shaft with rotation means, two or more circular stator sub sections having circular serrated surface areas are assembled around the circular rotor section, which define an air gap between them. Normally after stator sub sections are assembled around the circular rotor section, end brackets or housings units are usually clamped around them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Inventor: Richard C. Woodward, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6025664
    Abstract: A vehicle braking system including a brake drum connected to a rotational shaft; an annular member formed of a ferromagnetic material; a guide frame for supporting the annular member in a position within said spaced from an inner surface of the brake drum; and a cylindrical body defining an uninterrupted wall between the inner surface of the brake drum and the annular member; at least portions of the cylindrical body disposed directly between the inner surface of the brake drum and outer surfaces of the permanent magnets being formed from a magnetically permeable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventor: Tohru Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 6011334
    Abstract: An electric power generator driven by a fluid circulating under pressure in a pipe (9) includes an internal moving contact (1) placed inside a non-magnetic section (10) of the pipe (9), and a stator (4) placed around the pipe (9). The internal moving contact (1) includes permanent magnets (2), a rotational drive means (3), and means (7 and 8) of support. The electric power generator does not require any sealed joints for the passage of mechanical shafts or electric cables and is particularly adapted for the production of electricity from dangerous fluids which circulate in pipes under high pressure. The electric power generator has application in gas and liquid transport networks, particularly at isolated hydrocarbon production sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: Elf Aquitaine Production
    Inventor: Louis Roland
  • Patent number: 5936321
    Abstract: A position of a second permanent magnet with respect to a first permanent magnet is defined by assembling a driving side support member, a thrust bearing, a spacing member, a radial bearing, and a driven side support member. The first and second permanent magnets are respectively held on the driving side support member and the driven side support member. Accordingly, variation of a magnetic gap between the first and second permanent magnets can be reduced. Variations in assembling the parts hardly affect the variation of the magnetic gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Teruhiko Kameoka, Kazutoshi Kuwayama, Hikaru Sugi
  • Patent number: 5856719
    Abstract: A drive for rotating equipment that does not require internal or external mechanical seals and obviates the necessity to have internal shaft and bearings, eliminating internal lubrication problems and can be used with different types of prime movers is provided. A driven rotor, connected to the prime mover, with mounted horizontal stop rings, vertical stop rings, permanent magnet for floating rotor position, and permanent rotor drive magnet is driven by a driver rotor mounted with strain gauge and permanent magnet, electromagnet for driven rotor position and drive, strain gauges signal transmission rings, and electromagnet current transmission rings. The driver rotor, by using the signal generated by the strain gauges, varies current to the electromagnets controlling magnetic field forces to float the driven rotor. When the unit is shutdown the driven rotor rests on the vertical stop rings uncoupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Inventor: Jorge De Armas
  • Patent number: 5804897
    Abstract: Projecting into a brake drum is an annular guide frame defining an annular inner chamber of rectangular shape in section, having an outer wall portion formed by a thin cylindrical body of nonmagnetic material, and an inner annular wall of ferromagnetic material. An annular magnet support member is axially movable within the inner chamber of the guide frame, and supports a plurality of permanent magnets disposed closely adjacent to the cylindrical body and in circumferentially spaced apart positions of uniform pitch, the polarities of the permanent magnets alternating circumferentially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Ltd.
    Inventor: Tohru Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 5751127
    Abstract: A magnet brake is disclosed. The magnet brake may consist of a stationary magnet assembly and a rotating magnet assembly. The opposing poles on the magnet assemblies have a mutual attraction that biases the assemblies into alignment with each other. The magnet brake may also be combined with Hall-effect switches to provide position and direction detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Grimes Aerospace Company
    Inventors: Keith G. Austin, Jorge G. Erazo, Terence D. Kirkpatrick, Robert E. Giffen, Michael A. Forhan
  • Patent number: 5691586
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for driving two mechanical members in rotation about an axis by magnetic coupling of the attractive type, the system comprises respective magnetic elements secured to each of said mechanical members, the two magnetic elements being concentric, one of them being made up of two identical magnetic rings of minimum radius R.sub.3 and of maximum radius R.sub.4, and the other one of them being made up of a magnetic ring having a minimum radius R.sub.1 and a maximum radius R.sub.2, with its midplane perpendicular to the axis of rotation being offset by a distance d from the midplanes of each of said two identical rings. Each ring possesses magnetization in a direction contained in a plane that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation. Each ring also possesses N magnetic poles uniformly distributed around said axis of rotation. The ratio 2d/.vertline.(R.sub.3 +R.sub.4)-(R.sub.1 +R.sub.2).vertline. lies in the range 0.2 to 0.8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Schlumberger Industries, S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Paul Yonnet, Jerome Delamare
  • Patent number: 5668424
    Abstract: A magnetic coupler has a magnetic disc containing permanent magnets located between two electroconductive plates and separated therefrom by air gaps. The magnetic disc and electroconductive plates are mounted on coaxial or parallel-spaced input and output shafts so that rotation of the input shaft causes rotation of the output shaft by way of magnetic friction between the permanent magnets and the electroconductive plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Magna Force, Inc.
    Inventor: Karl Jerome Lamb
  • Patent number: 5596238
    Abstract: The invention relates to a retaining means for magnets of magnetic clutch for pump drives and has an outer rotor receiving magnets on its inner side and an inner rotor receiving magnets on its outer side, the magnets being disposed evenly around the periphery of the rotors, while disposed coaxially of both sides of the magnets are thin annular disks having a number of straps which partially engage over the magnets on the side remote from the rotor, at least one strap engaging over one magnet in each case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1997
    Assignee: ITT Richter Chemie-Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Siegfried Milnikel
  • Patent number: 5565723
    Abstract: A mechanical power transmission assembly which uses an electro-magnetic system with internal electrical feedback to obtain the desired torque speed characteristics at the load shaft is presented. The assembly comprises of two coaxial magnetic rotating parts having an air gap between them with one part capable of rotating over the other at different speeds. One of the rotors is connected to the driving engine and the other rotor to the load shaft. The magnetic parts house electrical windings which are connected to each other through means such as commutators or slip rings and brushes allowing direct or alternating currents, as desired, to circulate in the windings and with means for controlling the currents in them. The assembly system is capable of being used for a variety of purposes besides mechanical power transmission, such as for staffing the engine and supplying electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Inventor: Pranab Dastidar
  • Patent number: 5376862
    Abstract: A compact assembly of two magnetic couplers for coupling two coaxial angular shaft movements through a vacuum barrier. Each coupler includes two concentric rings of radially oriented magnets, arranged to provide magnetic coupling in a radial direction between corresponding magnets in the rings. A relatively large number of magnets in each ring ensures stiff coupling between rings, but unwanted circumferential coupling between adjacent magnets in each ring is minimized by the presence of a flux ring associated with each ring of magnets. The flux rings provide a return path for radial magnetic flux lines between the rings. Cross-coupling between the couplers is minimized by the presence of a magnetic shield on each ring of magnets. The shields permit the couplers to be located in close proximity on their common axis of rotation. For corrosion resistance, each ring of magnets on the vacuum side of the barrier is housed in a stainless steel enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Craig L. Stevens
  • Patent number: 5292284
    Abstract: A reluctance torque coupler includes a first rotor assembly which provides a magnetic field and a second rotor assembly which rotates relative to the first rotor assembly. The second rotor assembly includes a pair of elongated, arcuate flux poles that are attached to a non-magnetic frame. The flux poles extend towards the first rotor such that they are magnetically coupled to the first rotor. Air gaps between ends define a position of minimum reluctance for the first rotor. When the conductors magnetic axis of the first rotor is aligned with the spaces, the leakage of flux across the spaces is at a minimum. If one rotor is rotated, there is a change in energy stored in the magnetic circuit. This change is resisted by a restoring torque toward the aligned position. In this manner, the torque coupler transmits torque from one rotor to another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1994
    Assignee: Alliedsignal Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Denk, Edmund G. Koltz, Henry Rodriguez, Frederick B. McCarty
  • Patent number: 5289106
    Abstract: An electrical supply system (10) for use with low current loads (12) disposed in hazardous areas, is described. Electricity is supplied to the low current load (12) from a local source (46) in response to mechanical energy from a fluid medium supplied from a remote pressure source (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1994
    Inventor: Thomas McGinn
  • Patent number: 5250861
    Abstract: An electric power generating system including a plurality of individual magnetic field sources each producing a magnetic field in a distinct region; a plurality of electrical conductors each disposed in a different one of regions so as to be linked by flux lines of the magnetic fields therein; a superconductive shield maintained at a temperature sufficient to achieve a superconducting state thereof; and a motive mechanism for producing movement of the superconductive shield with respect to the magnetic field sources such that the superconductive shield sequentially moves through the regions to intercept at least a portion of the magnetic field therein and thereby vary the magnetic flux linked with the conductor therein and thereby produce therein an electromagnetic force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1993
    Inventor: Stephen F. Cummins
  • Patent number: 5197865
    Abstract: A pump assembly includes a pump head that is coupled to a permanent magnet rotor. The rotor is enclosed in a cavity defined by a fluid-tight cup that has an open first end and a closed second end. This cavity is in fluid connection with the pump head through its open first end. Outside the cup enclosure are disposed a plurality of electrical stator windings. A housing encloses all of the foregoing elements, and may also enclose a circuit board that includes circuitry for driving the stator windings. The pump assembly thereby provided is compact, efficient, and reliable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: Micropump Corporation
    Inventors: Christophe J. Sevrain, Joseph J. Stupak, Jr., Kevin D. O'Hara, Kurt T. Liebezeit
  • Patent number: 5168188
    Abstract: A canned motor equipped with a stator chamber, a load side bearing bracket and an opposite side bearing bracket on the load side and opposite side of the stator chamber. The stator chamber is formed by integrally welding a stator core, an outside can, an inside can, a load side end plate and opposite side end plate. The load side bearing bracket and the opposite side bearing bracket each includes a bearing boss supporting a radial bearing and a shaft seal thereon. The improvement consists of the end plate and the bearing bracket on the load side being integrally formed to provide a single shell structure and the inside can being welded to the bearing boss of the load side bearing bracket. By this arrangement, the number of components required for the motor is reduced, axial length of the motor is shortened and heat radiation from the end surface of the stator chamber on the load side is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Masakazu Yamamoto, Hiromi Sakacho, Seiichirou Yamada
  • Patent number: 5151886
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece provides continuous rotation for a hand in response to a discrete driving rotation. An energy storage mechanism is coupled to the discrete driving rotation and converts the discrete driving rotation into stored energy. A control mechanism continuously releases the stored rotational energy as continuous rotation. A linkage coupled between the energy storage mechanism and control mechanism transmits continuous rotation therebetween and drives the hand in a continuous sweeping manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1992
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 5096390
    Abstract: A pump assembly includes a pump head that is coupled to a permanent magnet rotor. The rotor is enclosed in a cavity defined by a fluid-tight cup that has an open first end and a closed second end. This cavity is in fluid connection with the pump head through its open first end. Outside the cup enclosure are disposed a plurality of electrical stator windings. A housing encloses all of the foregoing elements, and may also enclose a circuit board that includes circuitry for driving the stator windings. The pump assembly thereby provided is compact, efficient, and reliable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1992
    Assignee: Micropump Corporation
    Inventors: Christophe J. P. Sevrain, Joseph J. Stupak, Jr., Kevin D. O'Hara, Kurt T. Liebezeit
  • Patent number: 5065061
    Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator for a valve stem comprising a stator core having concentratedly wound coils around salient poles and the stator is positioned outside of a tubular member made of a nonmagnetic material. The electromagnetic actuator for a valve stem also has a rotor provided inside the tubular member for driving a threaded operating shaft such that it operats an objective member reciprocally an electromagnetic actuator for a valve stem is further constructed such that permanent magnets, alternately magnetized into a number of pole-pairs, are arranged along the surface of each salient pole of the stator core at a constant pitch, while a number of induction teeth are formed along the circumference of the rotor at a pitch equal to the pitch of the pole-pairs of the permanent magnets. The difference between the total number of the induction teeth and the total number of the polepairs of the permanent magnets is made equal to an even number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1991
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yasakawa Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Ikumi Satoh, Jun Nakano, Riichiroh Harada, Tatsuhiko Koba
  • Patent number: 4963780
    Abstract: The turbine wheel (30) in the flow duct (28) of the water fitting (10) is subjected to water flowing in the flow direction (S). The turbine wheel (30) drives the rotor (64) of the generator (16) via the common shaft (32). The rotor (16) is surrounded by the beaker-shaped sealing element (66) which is fed through the gap between the stator (80) and the rotor (64) and is connected in a leak-tight manner to the casing (12). The rotor (64) therefore rotates within the water-filled sealing element (66).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1990
    Assignee: KWC AG
    Inventor: Ferdinand F. Hochstrasser
  • Patent number: 4945774
    Abstract: An apparatus for the treatment of a sample in a vacuum enclosure having a wall on which a vacuum-tight feedthrough is mounted; the sample being supported on an elongate hollow rotor rotatable about an axis and disposed within the vacuum enclosure, the sample having a front face which is to be treated and also having a rear face; energy conducting means passing from the feedthrough towards the rear face of the sample through the rotor; inner magnet field generator(s) affixed to the rotor; outer magnet field generator(s) mounted to rotate outside of the vacuum enclosure about the axis, the outer magnetic field generator(s) being magnetically coupled to the inner magnet field generator(s), and thereby capable of causing the inner magnet field generator(s) and the rotor to rotate about their common axis; and a source for directing material or radiation at the front face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1990
    Assignee: VG Instruments Group Limited
    Inventors: Nigel W. Beard, Robert B. Phillips, Paul R. Stonestreet
  • Patent number: 4927337
    Abstract: A magnetically driven centrifugal pump includes a sealed housing enclosing a magnetically driven rotor on an axle of rotation contained within the housing, the axle being attached to the back inside wall of the housing and extending therefrom into the rotor, the rotor having impellers attached to the face thereof toward the front of the housing, the impellers defining radial fluid passages leading from the axial center of the front of the housing to the periphery of the housing and the rotor having radially oriented magnets in the back face thereof for coupling with similarly oriented magnets in an external magnetic drive, whereby the axial dimension of the rotor need be only the width of a radial magnet plus the axial projection of an impeller and the axial dimension of the sealed housing may be only slightly greater than the axial dimension of the rotor and may be substantially less than the radial diameter thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1990
    Inventor: Ferdinand Lustwerk
  • Patent number: 4896064
    Abstract: A low loss synchronous magnetic drive system for high pressure, high horsepower applications is disclosed. A carrier member driven by a drive motor carries spaced apart sets of drive magnets with the magnets of one set being of opposite polarity to the longitudinally aligned magnets of the other set. An output shaft carrying driven magnets oriented similarly to the drive magnets is also provided. A metallic hyperbaric barrier separates the drive and driven magnets. The barrier includes an outer cylinder having circumferentially spaced, radially directed, narrow slots extending therealong. Within the cylinder is a plurality of axially adjacent annular laminations insulated from each other. During operation the combination of the slotted cylinder, the laminations and the magnet arrangement keeps eddy currents generated in the barrier at a minimum, ensuring a high efficiency drive operable at speeds and pressures heretofore unattainable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Assignee: Nova Scotia Research Foundation Corp.
    Inventor: Patrick M. Taiani
  • Patent number: 4885730
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece provides continuous rotation for a hand in response to a discrete driving rotation. An energy storage mechanism is coupled to the discrete driving rotation and converts the discrete driving rotation into stored energy. A control mechanism continuously releases the stored rotational energy as continuous rotation. A linkage coupled between the energy storage mechanism and control mechanism transmits continuous rotation therebetween and drives the hand in a continuous sweeping manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1989
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 4882509
    Abstract: A motor comprised of stator and rotor and formed of an even number of magnetic poles on both is disclosed. In the gap between the stator and rotor, a rotating shield having a window therein controllably interrupts and controllably permits coupling across the gap between poles of the rotor and stator. In the preferred embodiment, the shield is rotated at the same speed as the rotor in the opposite direction. The shield is made of superconducting material and the motor is operated at superconducting temperatures to position the shield in the gap to interrupt magnetic coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1989
    Inventor: James E. Wottlin
  • Patent number: 4843269
    Abstract: A large air gap electric motor has a permanent magnet rotor with a large air gap to a slotless, cylindrical core surrounding the rotor. A winding of at least one phase is disposed in the large air gap. This winding is disposed on a coil form which is metallized on one face to reflect heat of the winding away from the rotor. The winding is formed of pancake coils, with a plurality of pancake coils around the periphery in each layer and a plurality of layers in the radial dimension. Each pancake coil in successive outer layers becomes progressively larger, to substantially fill the radial air gap. The surrounding slotless core is made from a spirally wound flux conductor, which may be a flat ribbon of rectangular cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1989
    Assignee: Adalet/Scott Fetzer Company
    Inventor: Daniel J. Shramo
  • Patent number: 4822256
    Abstract: In a spherical pump, having a separation wall separating the wet part from the dry part of the pump, the column for the ball of the spherical bearing is made from the same material as the separation wall and is clamped in a cylindrical protrusion of the separation wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1989
    Inventor: Karsten Laing
  • Patent number: 4792711
    Abstract: An electric generator having a stationary field coil, a rotatable armature of permanent magnets, and between the coil and the armature a stationary cylindrical cage of strips of a conductor of magnetic flux extending across the coil and the magnets, the magnets being mounted on a wheel or disc structure adjacent to the field coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1988
    Inventor: Berry E. Smith, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4754181
    Abstract: A magnet coupling, in which a ceramic isolating plate 5 is provided between a driven magnet 4 and a drive-side magnet 3 and ceramic bearing members 13, 14 are placed between the respective sides of the isolating plate 5 and the driven magnet 4 and the drive-side magnet 3, whereby the gap between the drive-side and load-side is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1988
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Shotaro Mizobuchi, Yoshikazu Kimura, Katsumi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 4653519
    Abstract: A rinsing apparatus is provided for a contact lens cleaning system. This rinsing apparatus comprises a container for receiving a quantity of rinsing fluid, receptacles for receiving contact lenses and an agitator mounted in the container for a compound agitating motion and coupled to the receptacles for agitating the receptacles. A base unit includes a platform for mounting the container in a stationary position and a drive assembly for driving the agitator to achieve the desired compound agitating motion. Advantageously, this drive assembly is operatively coupled with the agitator only by a magnetic coupling arrangement, obviating the need for any mechanical connection or coupling therebetween, or for extending any rotating members through the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Assignee: Ryder International Corporation
    Inventor: Rowland W. Kanner
  • Patent number: 4636150
    Abstract: An electromagnetic pump comprising a housing having a fluid receiving chamber in communication with an inlet, a pair of fluid chambers connected by a fluid bypass passage to accommodate bubbles, one in communication with the fluid receiving chamber and the other in communication with an outlet, an electromagnet carried by the housing located external to the fluid chambers thereof, and a barrier in the form of a thin diaphragm of fluid impermeable material which hermetically isolates the electromagnet from the fluid chambers. An armature in the housing is movable within a body of magnetically permeable material which contains the bypass, has a pole portion located for magnetic attraction by the electromagnet, and has a piston portion, preferably of smaller cross-section than the pole portion, for forcing fluid from the fluid chambers and through the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1987
    Assignee: Greatbatch Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore J. Falk, Lawrence E. Morris
  • Patent number: 4569641
    Abstract: An electromagnetic pump comprising a housing having fluid receiving and pumping chambers in communication with an inlet and an outlet, respectively, an electromagnet carried by the housing external to the fluid chambers, and a barrier in the form of a thin diaphragm of fluid impermeable material which hermetically isolates the electromagnet from the fluid chamber. An armature in the housing is movable within a body of magnetically permeable material and has a pole portion located for magnetic attraction by the electromagnet and has a plunger portion in the pumping chamber for forcing fluid out of the chamber through the outlet. The armature is moved from a rest position through a forward pumping stroke when attracted by the electromagnet to force fluid out of the pumping chamber through the outlet, and the armature is moved by biasing spring in an opposite direction through a return stroke back to the rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1986
    Assignee: Greatbatch Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore J. Falk, Lawrence E. Morris
  • Patent number: 4539498
    Abstract: A submersible electric D.C. motor is provided which has a housing that seals the motor from the surrounding water and holds in a controlled atmosphere which is made to be low in oxygen content and to have free water vapor. Magnetic means are provided to transmit mechanical energy through the housing and liquid means are provided to remove heat from the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1985
    Assignee: Jacuzzi Inc.
    Inventor: Robert D. Wilkes
  • Patent number: 4487557
    Abstract: A centrifugal pump for circulating fluids at high pressure comprises an impeller having an axis of rotation, a casing defining a pumping chamber, a nonmagnetic canister sealed at one end and extending away from the pumping chamber surrounding an extension of the impeller axis, and an impeller shaft journaled in the nonmagnetic canister. The shaft has mounted thereto circumferentially magnetized rare earth cobalt magnets. A drive magnet assembly comprising a sleeve is journaled about the nonmagnetic canister with circumferentially magnetized rare earth cobalt magnets mounted therein. Rotation of the sleeve results in synchronous rotation of the impeller and impeller shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1984
    Assignee: Autoclave Engineers
    Inventors: Robert F. Ruyak, Theodore R. Silver, Rocco J. Tomasino
  • Patent number: 4396849
    Abstract: A magnetic drive assembly includes a housing having a pair of end flanges, an annular drive member containing a plurality of drive members and internally thereof a driven member containing a plurality of driven magnets. The drive and driven members are bearingly supported by the end flanges so that rotation of the drive member results, through magnetic interaction, on rotation of the driven member. A barrier separates the driven and drive members and extends between the end flanges to hermetically seal the driven member. The barrier is formed from a plurality of abutting axially adjacent annular laminations held in axial compression by the end flanges, the laminations being formed of a non-magnetic material. In one embodiment the laminations have a chevron shape in radial cross-section whereby adjacent laminations are nestable with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1983
    Assignee: Nova Scotia Research Foundation Corporation
    Inventor: Patrick M. Taiani
  • Patent number: 4354125
    Abstract: The invention is concerned with a magnetically coupled arrangement for a driving and a driven member, which arrangement is operable by a pressure medium and is used in a conveying system. A slidable piston (16) within a tube (10) has an arrangement of annular magnets (20) provided at each end with sealing and sliding members (24, 26). A driven assembly (18) slidable on the outer surface of the tube (10) has an arrangement of annular magnets (32) corresponding to the magnets (20) and provided at each end with a sliding ring (44). The members (24, 26, 44) prevent ingress of foreign bodies to the magnet locations, and consequently enable the spacing between the magnets and the tube (10) to be very small. A good magnetic coupling is achieved resulting in effective transmission of power. Several pistons (16) abutting one another can be used for conveying heavy loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1982
    Inventor: Kurt Stoll
  • Patent number: 4347453
    Abstract: A direct-current motor has a housing in which a stator and a rotor are mounted. A commutator is located in the housing but spaced from the stator and the rotor and subdivided from the same by a transverse housing wall. A magnetic coupling having two relatively rotatable elements is mounted in the housing extending through the transverse wall and the two elements define with one another an air gap in which a hood-like partition is located which is sealingly connected with the transverse wall so that the commutator is sealingly separated from the stator and rotor but is driven by one of the parts of the magnetic coupling which in turn is magnetically driven by the other part of the coupling that receives torque from the shaft of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1982
    Inventor: Ernst Gaus
  • Patent number: 4328684
    Abstract: Cryogenic refrigeration system 10 employs a screw compressor 72 and a screw expander 70 wherein one rotor of the compressor and one rotor of the expander is mechanically driven, including a magnetic coupling 50, 52 between the compressor and expander rotors. The other compressor rotor and other expander rotor is driven only by the connected rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1982
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Bruno S. Leo
  • Patent number: 4327301
    Abstract: A rotatable housing for a magnetic clutch contains a circumferential mounting portion thereon for receiving a rotary member, as, for example, a spool of recording tape. The mounting portion defines a surface therearound which contains detents for axially locating the rotary member on the latter surface. In a preferred embodiment, the detents are arranged in clusters about the circumference of the mounting surface, each cluster including at least two detents axially spaced, each detent defining a circumferentially extending protuberance on the mounting surface. In an alternate preferred embodiment, the mounting surface also includes a drive tang for limiting movement of the rotary member to one direction only, the drive tang defining an axially extending protuberance on the mounting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1982
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventor: Gunnar H. Janson
  • Patent number: 4304532
    Abstract: A fluid-handling apparatus having a magnetic drive comprises a rotatable driver member and a driven member provided with blades for imparting motion to a fluid and mounted on a stationary shaft forming a one-piece unit with a thin diaphragm positioned between said two members which comprise a plurality of permanent magnets. Each magnet has a central aperture dimensioned so that the attracting force is substantially equal throughout the body of the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1981
    Inventor: Lee A. McCoy
  • Patent number: 4277707
    Abstract: Apermanent magnet coupling including high strength rare earth-cobalt permanent magnets retained under uniform compression during rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1981
    Assignee: The Garrett Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Silver, Kenneth L. Wuertz
  • Patent number: 4247792
    Abstract: A magnetic coupling for a stirrer drive in a high pressure autoclave in which the magnet shaft is in the form of a sleeve-like bush fixed on the end of the stirrer shaft. A portion of the magnet shaft serves as a carrier of segmented permanent magnets on the outside. An inner coupling part, including the magnet shaft, is covered by a hood and the outer coupling part comprises a bell equipped with permanent magnets on the inside. The bell covers the hood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1981
    Assignee: Uhde, GmbH
    Inventors: Berhard Klicks, Jorg-Peter Korner
  • Patent number: 4226574
    Abstract: An electromagnetically driven pump in which a stationary metallic shaft carries the pump impeller. The shaft is rigidly secured to a metallic separating wall having an outer flange secured to the coupling housing. The impeller is driven by a magnetic coupling and the separating wall extends between the elements of said coupling to prevent fluid communication therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1980
    Inventor: Guy J. Villette
  • Patent number: 4207485
    Abstract: A permanent magnet coupling having opposed magnetic coupling members, and including process fluid bearings and dual flow paths for process fluid providing temperature control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1980
    Assignee: The Garrett Corporation
    Inventor: Alexander Silver
  • Patent number: 4197474
    Abstract: An improved hermetic clutch for driving a shaft and adapted for securement to a non-rotating supporting structure includes first and second elongate annular members, the second being concentrically disposed within the first with the shaft coupled to one of the members for rotation therewith. Means are provided for electromagnetically coupling the members for imparting rotation to the one member upon mechanical rotation of the other. The assembly also includes a "can"-shaped hermetic seal disposed between the two members and fixedly secured at its open end to the supporting structure, and means mechanically coupled to the stationary support and the seal for preloading the seal in axial tension to enhance the structural integrity thereof. Means are also provided for supporting each of the members for rotation relative to the seal, and for maintaining concentricity therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1980
    Inventor: Richard F. Honigsbaum