Rotary coupling with magnetic preload

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12092171-B2
Application number	US-202217902397-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2022
Priority date	Sep 22, 2021
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

Described is a rotary coupling that includes a pair of coupling bodies having parallel (preferably coincident) rotation axes, two cylindrical elements and a preload mechanism. A gap is provided between surfaces on the first and second coupling bodies. The first cylindrical element is disposed on the first coupling body and has a first cylinder axis, and the second cylindrical element is disposed on the second coupling body adjacent to the first cylindrical element and has a second cylinder axis that is perpendicular to the first cylinder axis. The preload mechanism imparts a force to each of the first and second coupling bodies and thereby preloads the first and second cylindrical elements against each other at a point of contact. One example of the preload mechanism includes a pair of magnets disposed opposite each other across the gap and another example of the preload mechanism includes an air bearing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotary coupling comprising:
a first coupling body having a first rotation axis;
a second coupling body disposed adjacent to the first coupling body and having a second rotation axis that is parallel to the first rotation axis, wherein the first coupling body and the second coupling body are separated from each other;
a first cylindrical element disposed on the first coupling body and having a first cylinder axis;
a second cylindrical element disposed on the second coupling body and adjacent to the first cylindrical element, the second cylindrical element having a second cylinder axis that is perpendicular to the first cylinder axis;
a first magnet disposed on the first coupling body and having a pole disposed at the separation; and
a second magnet disposed on the second coupling body and having a pole disposed across the separation from the pole of the first magnet, wherein the poles of the first and second magnets disposed at the separation have a same magnetic polarity such that a repulsive magnetic force is imparted on each of the first and second coupling bodies to thereby preload the first and second cylindrical elements against each other at a point of contact.

2. The rotary coupling of claim 1 wherein the first cylinder axis is parallel to the first and second rotation axes.

3. The rotary coupling of claim 1 wherein a position of one of the first and second magnets is adjustable to control the separation between the first and second magnets and thereby adjust the magnitude of the repulsive magnetic force.

4. The rotary coupling of claim 3 wherein the first coupling body comprises a screw to adjust a position of the first magnet with respect to the second magnet.

5. The rotary coupling of claim 1 wherein the second rotation axis is coincident with the first rotation axis.

6. The rotary coupling of claim 1 further comprising:
a first rotary shaft secured to the first coupling body and having a first shaft axis that is coincident with the first rotation axis; and
a second rotary shaft secured to the second coupling body and having a second shaft axis that is coincident with the second rotation axis.

7. The rotary coupling of claim 6 wherein the first coupling body and the first rotary shaft are formed as a single body.

8. The rotary coupling of claim 7 wherein the second coupling body and the second rotary shaft are formed as a single body.

9. The rotary coupling of claim 6 wherein the first and second coupling bodies each includes a hub portion secured to the first rotary shaft and the second rotary shaft, respectively.

10. The rotary coupling of claim 1 wherein the first cylindrical element comprises a first bearing having a rotation axis coincident with the first cylinder axis and the second cylindrical element comprises a second bearing having a rotation axis coincident with the second cylinder axis.

11. The rotary coupling of claim 6 further comprising a rotary motor coupled to the first rotary shaft.

12. The rotary coupling of claim 6 further comprising a diffraction grating coupled to the second rotary shaft.

13. A rotary coupling comprising:
a first coupling body having a first rotation axis;
a second coupling body disposed adjacent to the first coupling body and having a second rotation axis that is parallel to the first rotation axis, wherein the first coupling body and the second coupling body are separated from each other;
a first cylindrical element disposed on the first coupling body and having a first cylinder axis;
a second cylindrical element disposed on the second coupling body and adjacent to the first cylindrical element, the second cylindrical element having a second cylinder axis that is perpendicular to the first cylinder axis; and
a preload mechanism disposed on at least one of the first and second coupling bodies wherein a force is imparted to each of the first and second coupling bodies to thereby preload the first and second cylindrical elements against each other at a point of contact.

14. The rotary coupling of claim 13 wherein the preload mechanism comprises:
a first magnet disposed on the first coupling body and having a pole disposed proximate to the second coupling body; and
a second magnet disposed on the second coupling body and having a pole disposed proximate to the pole of the first magnet, wherein the poles of the first and second magnets disposed proximate to each other have a same magnetic polarity such that a repulsive magnetic force is imparted on each of the first and second coupling bodies to thereby preload the first and second cylindrical elements against each other at the point of contact.

15. The rotary coupling of claim 13 wherein the preload mechanism comprises an air bearing that provides a flow of gas directed against at least one of the first and second coupling bodies to preload the first and second cylindrical elements against each other at the point of contact.

16. The rotary coupling of claim 13 wherein the second rotation axis is coincident with the first rotation axis.

17. The rotary coupling of claim 13 further comprising:
a first rotary shaft secured to the first coupling body and having a first shaft axis that is coincident with the first rotation axis; and
a second rotary shaft secured to the second coupling body and having a second shaft axis that is coincident with the second rotation axis.

18. The rotary coupling of claim 13 wherein the first cylindrical element comprises a first bearing having a rotation axis coincident with the first cylinder axis and the second cylindrical element comprises a second bearing having a rotation axis coincident with the second cylinder axis.

19. The rotary coupling of claim 17 further comprising a rotary motor coupled to the first rotary shaft.

20. The rotary coupling of claim 17 further comprising a diffraction grating coupled to the second rotary shaft.

Assignees

• Waters Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Singh Gurpreet
• Fredette Colin F
• Sullivan Dan
• Pugh Neal

Classifications

• F16H21/40

  for interconverting rotary motion and oscillating motion · CPC title

• F16D2300/00

  Special features for couplings or clutches · CPC title

• F16D2300/22

  Vibration damping · CPC title

• F16D3/62

  the links or their attachments being elastic · CPC title

• F16D3/60 Primary

  comprising pushing or pulling links attached to both parts (F16D3/64 takes precedence) · CPC title