Gravitation compensation using a spherical magnetic spring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9384880-B2
Application number	US-201414540388-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2014
Priority date	Nov 15, 2013
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

A magnetic positioning device is provided that includes a first cup-shape permanent magnet having at least one permanent magnet segment conforming to the first cup-shape, where the first cup-shape permanent magnet has a first polarity, a second cup-shape permanent magnet that includes at least one permanent magnet segment conforming to the second cup-shape, where the second cup-shape permanent magnet segment has a second polarity, where the second cup-shape permanent magnet is disposed concentric to the first cup-shape permanent magnet, where the first polarity is the opposite of the second polarity or the first polarity is the same as the second polarity, where a gap separates the first cup-shape permanent magnet from the second cup-shape permanent magnet, and a connection feature, where the connection feature is disposed on the second cup-shape permanent magnet, where the connection feature is configured to connect a lever arm to the second cup-shape permanent magnet.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A magnetic positioning device, comprising:
a. a first sphere-shape permanent magnet comprising at least one permanent magnet segment conforming to said first sphere-shape, wherein said first sphere-shape permanent magnet comprises a first polarity; and
b. a second sphere-shape permanent magnet comprising at least one permanent magnet segment conforming to said second sphere-shape, wherein said second sphere-shape permanent magnet segment comprises a second polarity, wherein said second sphere-shape permanent magnet is disposed inside and concentric to said first sphere-shape permanent magnet, wherein said first polarity is the opposite of said second polarity or said first polarity is the same as said second polarity, wherein a gap separates said first sphere-shape permanent magnet from said second sphere-shape permanent magnet, wherein said second sphere-shape permanent magnet is displaceable in a range from 0 to 360-degree angle Φ s with respect to a polar axis Z s of said first sphere-shape permanent magnet and is displaceable in a range from +90-degree to a −90-degree angle θ h with respect to said polar axis Z s , wherein a restoring force is formed by said displacement of second sphere-shape permanent magnet disposed concentrically inside said first sphere-shape permanent magnet, wherein said restoring force comprises a torque about the magnetic positioning device.

2. The magnetic positioning device of claim 1 , wherein said first sphere-shape permanent magnet comprises at least a hemispherical shape and said second sphere-shape permanent magnet comprises at least a hemispherical shape.

3. The magnetic positioning device of claim 1 , wherein said first sphere-shape permanent magnet comprises a plurality of permanent magnet segments arranged in a first sphere-shape pattern, wherein said second sphere-shape permanent magnet comprises a plurality of permanent magnet segments arranged in a second sphere-shape pattern.

4. The magnetic positioning device of claim 3 , wherein magnetic poles of said first polarity are oriented toward a center of said first sphere-shape pattern and magnetic poles of said second polarity are oriented parallel to a polar axis of said second sphere-shape pattern.

5. The magnetic positioning device of claim 3 , wherein magnetic poles of said first polarity are oriented parallel to a polar axis of said first sphere-shape pattern and magnetic poles of said second polarity are oriented parallel to a polar axis of said second sphere-shape pattern.

6. The magnetic positioning device of claim 3 , wherein magnetic poles of said first polarity are oriented toward a center of said first sphere-shape pattern and magnetic poles of said second polarity are oriented toward a center of said second sphere-shape pattern.

7. The magnetic positioning device of claim 3 , wherein magnetic poles of said first polarity are oriented parallel to a polar axis of said first sphere-shape pattern and magnetic poles of said second polarity are oriented toward a center of said second spherical permanent magnet.

8. The magnetic positioning device of claim 1 , wherein said first sphere-shape permanent magnet further comprises a ferric material disposed on an outside surface, an inside surface, or said outside surface and said inside surface of said first sphere-shape permanent magnet.

9. The magnetic positioning device of claim 8 , wherein said ferric material comprises a ferric material layer or at least one ferric material segment.

10. The magnetic positioning device of claim 1 , wherein said second sphere-shape permanent magnet further comprises a ferric material disposed on an outside surface, an inside surface, or said outside surface and said inside surface of said second sphere-shape permanent magnet.

11. The magnetic positioning device of claim 10 , wherein said ferric material comprises a ferric material layer or at least one ferric material segment.

12. The magnetic positioning device of claim 1 further comprises a connection feature, wherein said connection feature is disposed on said first sphere-shape permanent magnet, said second sphere-shape permanent magnet, or said first sphere-shape permanent magnet and said second sphere-shape permanent magnet.

13. The magnetic positioning device of claim 12 , wherein said connection feature comprises a ferric material that is magnetically disposed on said first sphere-shape permanent magnet, said second sphere-shape permanent magnet, or said first sphere-shape permanent magnet and said second sphere-shape permanent magnet.

Assignees

• Univ Eindhoven Tech

Inventors

• Van Ninhuijs Bob
• Gysen Bart Ludo Jozef
• Jansen Jacob Willem
• Lomonova Elena Andreevna

Classifications

• H01F7/0215

  Flexible forms, sheets · CPC title

• H01F7/0205

  Magnetic circuits with PM in general · CPC title

• A61F5/01

  Orthopaedic devices, e.g. long-term immobilising or pressure directing devices for treating broken or deformed bones such as splints, casts or braces · CPC title

• H01F7/0231 Primary

  Magnetic circuits with PM for power or force generation · CPC title

• H01F7/02

  Permanent magnets {[PM]} · CPC title