Abstract: A water bowl for providing water to livestock animals to drink from. The bowl allows itself to be pivoted to a tipped position to allow for removal of debris or dirty water from inside surfaces of the bowl by an internally positioned water valve, and thus improve the quality of water for livestock. The bowl also minimizes the surface area of water in the bowl that is open to contamination.

Abstract: A water vessel for providing water to livestock animals in tie stalls is described. The vessel features a sensor for providing water in response to a sensed presence of a livestock animal's head within the vessel. As water is provided to the vessel, the livestock animal is compelled to lift their head and thereby withdrawing their head from the region sensed by the sensor. In this way, the depth of water in the vessel is maintained within a predetermined range. The vessel also comprises a rim that is disposed sufficiently above the predetermined range of water levels that the livestock animal is compelled to lift their head in a substantially vertical fashion in order to withdraw their head from the vessel. This serves to reduce the spillage of water from the vessel.

Abstract: A magnetic bearing for supporting a spinning shaft in the radial direction and/or the axial direction includes a rotor formed on the shaft and a stator positioned around the rotor. Poles in the stator creates a magnetic field that supports the rotor. The number of poles is at least sufficient to produce a selected control force if there is an at least partial loss of current to one or more of the poles. The bearing also includes a set of permanent magnetic elements associated with the poles that create a homopolar, bias magnetic field. A controller connected to the poles is programmed with instructions to change the current to each pole in response to at least a partial loss of current to one or more of the poles and can include a current distribution matrix for determining a current value for each pole in such instances.

Abstract: A magnetic bearing for supporting a spinning shaft in the radial direction and/or the axial direction includes a rotor formed on the shaft and a stator positioned around the rotor. Poles in the stator creates a magnetic field that supports the rotor. The number of poles is at least sufficient to produce a selected control force if there is an at least partial loss of current to one or more of the poles. The bearing also includes a set of permanent magnetic elements associated with the poles that create a homopolar, bias magnetic field. A controller connected to the poles is programmed with instructions to change the current to each pole in response to at least a partial loss of current to one or more of the poles and can include a current distribution matrix for determining a current value for each pole in such instances.

Abstract: A single plane magnetic bearing stator comprises of a ring. Attached to the side of the ring closest to the bearing rotor are permanent magnets. These magnets are radial poles. These permanent magnet poles are all magnetically oriented to only push magnetic flux into the ferromagnetic. This stator also has non permanent magnet ferromagnetic radial poles which are split into prongs. Between the prongs is a permanent magnet. The permanent magnet flux exits the rotor through these ferromagnetic prongs called split poles. The amount of magnetic flux that enters the split poles is modulated by electric coils on the ferromagnetic poles which wrap around the whole split pole unit. This way a controllable force between the rotor and each split ferromagnetic pole can be achieved.

Abstract: A directional control system for a vehicle includes a driver input device operable to receive a driver input corresponding to a desired lateral acceleration of the vehicle. The system also includes a controller in communication with the driver input device, the controller being operable to generate a control signal in response to comparing the received desired lateral acceleration and an actual lateral acceleration of the vehicle. The system further includes an actuator in communication with the controller, the actuator being operable to effect a change in the direction of travel of the vehicle in response to the control signal.