Abstract: A flexible permanent magnet containing atomized, generally spherical rare earth magnet particles bonded in a binder resin including a nitrile rubber and precipitated amorphous silica. The bonded permanent magnet exhibits high mechanical flexibility and elasticity, good magnetic properties, and good heat aging, and the magnet powder may be mixed with the binder resin with little to no risk of combustion. In an exemplary embodiment, a permanent magnet composition includes a nitrile rubber with about 23-37% acrylonitrile content, an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, a precipitated amorphous silica, and atomized, generally spherical rare earth magnet particles having a size distribution including a median particle size in the range of about 35-55 &mgr;m with a standard deviation in the range of about 10-30 &mgr;m and less than about 0.1% of the particles having a diameter above about 115 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A flexible permanent magnet containing atomized, generally spherical rare earth magnet particles bonded in a binder resin including a nitrile rubber and precipitated amorphous silica. The bonded permanent magnet exhibits high mechanical flexibility and elasticity, good magnetic properties, and good heat aging, and the magnet powder may be mixed with the binder resin with little to no risk of combustion. In an exemplary embodiment, a permanent magnet composition includes a nitrile rubber with about 23-37% acrylonitrile content, an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, a precipitated amorphous silica, and atomized, generally spherical rare earth magnet particles having a size distribution including a median particle size in the range of about 35-55 &mgr;m with a standard deviation in the range of about 10-30 &mgr;m and less than about 0.1% of the particles having a diameter above about 115 &mgr;m.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and process for magnetizing permanently magnetizable strip and sheet material to form a pattern of band-like poles on the material. Two parallel stacks of permanent magnets are used, each magnet in each stack having a direction of magnetization which is perpendicular to a slot-like air gap between the stacks. The magnets in each stack are parallel to one another, with unlike poles of adjoining magnets proximate so that they mutually attract one another. Unlike poles of the respective magnets in opposite stacks are positioned diametrically opposite each other across the air gap. The apparatus does not use electromagnetic coils and can form very narrow, contiguous band-like poles on magnetizable sheet or strip material which is passed through the air gap.

Abstract: A permanently magnetizable composite is made from rare earth permanent magnet material by incorporating coarse particles of the material into a workable binder at a gradual rate such that sparking and combustion are avoided, until the particles are coated with or embedded in the binder, and then working the mixture under shearing forces sufficient to break up the particles in situ, thereby forming much finer particles directly within the binder. Extremely high particle packing fractions can be obtained in this manner, yet the residual induction of even an isotropic composite substantially exceeds the maximum that would be expected for a magnet having that packing fraction.