Electromagnetic propulsion system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11309783-B2
Application number	US-201916583459-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2019
Priority date	Sep 26, 2019
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

An electromagnetic propulsion system comprises a plurality of stator coils wound about a first axis, a plurality of support structures, a coupler that surrounds a portion of the stator coils, and a plurality of rotor coils wound about an axis that is parallel to the first axis. The stator coils are configured to receive electric current to induce a first magnetic field. The support structures support the stator coils. The coupler includes a notch oriented so that one of the support structures can pass through the notch when the coupler moves along the stator coils. The rotor coils are attached to the coupler and are configured to receive electric current to induce a magnetic field that interacts with the first magnetic field so that a magnetic force is applied to the rotor coils, thereby propelling the coupler and the rotor coils along the stator coils.

First claim

Having thus described various embodiments of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following:

1. An electromagnetic propulsion system comprising:
a first plurality of stator coils wound about a first axis and configured to receive electric current to induce a first magnetic field;
a plurality of support structures that support the first plurality of stator coils;
a first coupler that surrounds a portion of the first plurality of stator coils and having a notch oriented so that one of the plurality of support structures can pass through the notch when the first coupler moves along the first plurality of stator coils; and
a first plurality of rotor coils wound about an axis that is parallel to the first axis, the first plurality of rotor coils being attached to the first coupler and configured to receive electric current to induce a magnetic field that interacts with the first magnetic field so that a magnetic force is applied to the first plurality of rotor coils thereby propelling the first coupler and the first plurality of rotor coils along the first plurality of stator coils.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second plurality of rotor coils wound about an axis that is parallel to the first axis, the second plurality of rotor coils being attached to the first coupler and configured to receive electric current to induce a magnetic field that interacts with the first magnetic field so that a magnetic force is applied to the second plurality of rotor coils.

3. The system of claim 2 , the second plurality of rotor coils being positioned on a radially opposite portion of the first coupler than the first plurality of rotor coils.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a chassis supported by the first coupler.

5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising an energy storage device positioned in the chassis and electrically connectable to the first plurality of rotor coils.

6. The system of claim 4 , further comprising—
a second plurality of stator coils wound about a second axis and supported by the plurality of support structures, the second plurality of stator coils being configured to receive electric current to induce a second magnetic field;
a second coupler supporting the compartment and surrounding a portion of the second plurality of stator coils and having a notch oriented so that one of the plurality of support structures can pass through the notch when the second coupler moves along the second plurality of stator coils; and
a second plurality of rotor coils wound about an axis that is parallel to the second axis, the second plurality of rotor coils being attached to the second coupler and configured to receive electric current to induce a magnetic field that interacts with the second magnetic field so that a magnetic force is applied to the second plurality of rotor coils thereby propelling the second coupler and the second plurality of rotor coils along the second plurality of stator coils.

7. The system of claim 4 , further comprising a control system configured to control an amount of electric current delivered to the first plurality of rotor coils.

8. The system of claim 7 , the control system being operable to reverse a direction of the chassis.

9. The system of claim 4 , further comprising—
a coaxial coupler supporting the chassis and surrounding a different coaxial portion of the first plurality of stator coils and having a notch oriented so that one of the plurality of support structures can pass through the notch when the coaxial coupler moves along the first plurality of stator coils; and
a coaxial plurality of rotor coils attached to the coaxial coupler and wound about an axis that is parallel to the first axis, the coaxial plurality of rotor coils being configured to receive electric current to induce a magnetic field that interacts with the first magnetic field so that a magnetic force is applied to the coaxial plurality of rotor coils.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a cylindrical housing that houses the first plurality of stator coils and is supported by the plurality of support structures.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a bearing system for reducing friction between the first coupler and the cylindrical housing.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a control system and a power source, the control system being configured to selectively connect a portion of the first plurality of stator coils to the power source.

13. An electromagnetic propulsion system for transporting a load, the system comprising:
a first plurality of stator coils wound about a first axis and configured to receive electric current to induce a first magnetic field;
a second plurality of stator coils wound about a second axis and configured to receive electric current to induce a second magnetic field;
a plurality of support structures that support the first plurality of stator coils and the second plurality of stator coils;
a first coupler surrounding a portion of the first plurality of stator coils so that the first coupler is movable along the first plurality of stator coils, the first coupler having a notch oriented so that one of the plurality of support structures can pass through the notch when the first coupler moves along the first plurality of stator coils;
a second coupler surrounding a portion of the second plurality of stator coils so that the second coupler is movable along the second plurality of stator coils, the second coupler having a notch oriented so that one of the plurality of support structures can pass through the notch when the second coupler moves along the second plurality of stator coils;
a chassis supporting the load and connected to the first coupler and the second coupler so that the chassis is movable along the first plurality of stator coils and the second plurality of stator coils;
a first plurality of rotor coils attached to the first coupler and wound about an axis that is parallel to the first axis, the first plurality of rotor coils being configured to receive electric current to induce a magnetic field that interacts with the first magnetic field so that a magnetic force is applied to the first plurality of rotor coils, thereby propelling the first coupler and the chassis; and
a second plurality of rotor coils wound about an axis that is parallel to the second axis, the second plurality of rotor coils being attached to the second coupler and configured to receive electric current to induce a magnetic field that interacts with the second magnetic field so that a magnetic force is applied to the second plurality of rotor coils, thereby propelling the second coupler and the chassis.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising an energy storage device positioned on the chassis and configured to provide electric current to the first plurality of rotor coils and the second plurality of rotor coils.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a control system configured to control an amount of electric current provided to the first plurality of rotor coils and the second plurality of rotor coils.

16. The system of claim 13 , further comprising—a first coaxial coupler that surrounds a different coaxial portion of the first plurality of stator coils and having a notch oriented so that one of the plurality of support structures can pass through the notch when the first coaxial coupler moves along the first plurality of stator coils;
a second coaxial coupler that surrounds a different coaxial portion of the second plurality of stator coils and hav

Assignees

• Honeywell Federal Mfg & Tech Llc

Inventors

• Hartman Seth
• Timpson Erik

Classifications

• B61D15/12

  power propelled · CPC title

• B65G54/02

  electrostatic, electric, or magnetic · CPC title

• B65G23/23 Primary

  of electric linear motors · CPC title

• H02K7/09

  with magnetic bearings · CPC title

• H02K41/03

  Synchronous motors; Motors moving step by step; Reluctance motors (H02K41/035 takes precedence) · CPC title