Springless electromagnet actuator having a mode selectable magnetic armature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9449747-B2
Application number	US-201514882049-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2015
Priority date	Mar 19, 2012
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

A standard solenoid body and coils are combined with a non-magnetic armature tube containing a permanent magnet, preferably neodymium. The magnet is located in one of three positions within the armature. When biased toward the stop end of the solenoid, it may be configured to act as a push solenoid. When biased toward the collar end of the solenoid, it may be configured to act as a pull solenoid. In either case, no spring is required to return the armature to its de-energized position. Positioning the magnet in the middle of the armature defines a dual-latching solenoid requiring no power to hold it in a given state. A positive coil pulse moves the armature toward the stop end, whereas a negative coil pulse moves the armature toward the collar end. The armature will remain at the end to which it was directed until another pulse of opposite polarity comes along.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of switching a selectively switchable solenoid between a first operating mode and a second operating mode, wherein said switchable solenoid includes a housing having a first end and a second end, an electromagnetic coil disposed in said housing, and an armature slideably disposed within said electromagnetic coil, wherein said electromagnetic coil is configured to receive a current flowing in a first direction through said electromagnetic coil, wherein said armature includes a non-ferromagnetic element having a first end, a second end and a longitudinal length, and a magnetic element supported by said non-ferromagnetic element, wherein said magnetic element has a north pole and a south pole, wherein said north pole and said south pole are disposed in a first north-south orientation relative to said first direction, and wherein said magnetic element is located in a first position that is closer to said first end of said non-ferromagnetic element than to said second end of said non-ferromagnetic element, said method of switching from said first operating mode to said second operating mode comprising the steps of:
a) repositioning said magnetic element relative to said non-ferromagnetic element from the first position to a second position so that said magnetic element is located closer to said second end of said non-ferromagnetic element than to said first end of said non-ferromagnetic element; and
b) either:
i) reversing the direction of said current flowing through said electromagnetic coil from said first direction; or
ii) reversing said north-south pole orientation of said magnetic element relative to said first direction.

2. A method of switching a selectively switchable solenoid between a first operating mode and a second operating mode, wherein said switchable solenoid includes a housing having a first end and a second end, an electromagnetic coil disposed in said housing, and an armature slideably disposed within said electromagnetic coil, wherein said electromagnetic coil is configured to receive a current flowing in a first direction through said electromagnetic coil, wherein said armature includes a non-ferromagnetic element having a first end, a second end and a longitudinal length, and a magnetic element supported by said non-ferromagnetic element, wherein said magnetic element has a north pole and a south pole, wherein said north pole and said south pole are disposed in a first north-south orientation relative to said first direction, and wherein said magnetic element is located in a first position that is closer to said first end of said non-ferromagnetic element than to said second end of said non-ferromagnetic element, said method of switching from said first operating mode to said second operating mode comprising the steps of:
a) repositioning said magnetic element relative to said non-ferromagnetic element from the first position to a second position so that said magnetic element is located closer to said second end of said non-ferromagnetic element than to said first end of said non-ferromagnetic element; and
b) changing said polar orientation of said magnetic element relative to said first direction of said current flow.

3. The method in accordance with claim 2 wherein said step of changing said polar orientation of said magnetic element relative to said first direction of said current flow comprises reversing the direction of said current flowing through said electromagnetic coil from said first direction.

4. The method in accordance with claim 2 wherein said step of changing said polar orientation of said magnetic element relative to said first direction of said current flow comprises reversing said north-south pole orientation of said magnetic element relative to said first direction.

5. A method of switching a mode switchable solenoid between a first operating mode and a second operating mode, wherein said solenoid comprises:
a housing having a first ferromagnetic pole piece at a first housing end and a second ferromagnetic pole piece at a second housing end,
an electromagnetic coil disposed in said housing, wherein said electromagnetic coil is configured to receive a current flowing in a first direction through said electromagnetic coil, and
an armature comprising a non-ferromagnetic element having first and second ends and a longitudinal length, wherein said non-ferromagnetic element is slideably disposed within said electromagnetic coil between said first and second ferromagnetic pole pieces, wherein said armature further includes a magnetic element supported by said non-ferromagnetic element and a plunger connected to said armature, wherein said magnetic element has a north pole and a south pole, wherein said north pole and said south pole are disposed in a first north-south orientation relative to said first direction, wherein said magnetic element is positioned relative to said non-ferromagnetic element to be closer to said first ferromagnetic pole piece, and wherein, when in said first operating mode, said plunger moves in a first direction when said solenoid is energized, and wherein, when in said second operating mode, said plunger moves in a second direction opposite said first direction when said solenoid is energized, said method of switching comprises the steps of:
a) repositioning said magnetic element relative to said non-ferromagnetic element to be closer to said second ferromagnetic pole piece; and
b) either:
i) reversing the direction of said current flowing through said electromagnetic coil from said first direction; or
ii) reversing said north-south pole orientation of said magnetic element relative to said first direction of said current flow.

Assignees

• Hanchett Entry Systems Inc

Inventors

• Hanchett Jr Leland J
• Scheffler Dominik

Classifications

• H01F7/1615 Primary

  Armatures or stationary parts of magnetic circuit having permanent magnet · CPC title

• H01F7/16

  Rectilinearly-movable armatures (H01F7/17 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01F7/1872 Primary

  Bistable or bidirectional current devices (relays H01H47/226) · CPC title