Controllable magnetorheological fluid temperature control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9964365-B2
Application number	US-201514818722-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2015
Priority date	Aug 5, 2015
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

Apparatus for controlling heat transfer between two objects. In one embodiment, The apparatus includes a first and second conductive elements, a container of magnetorheological fluid disposed between the first and second conductive elements, an electromagnet disposed about the container, wherein the electromagnet is configured to produce a magnetic field within the container of magnetorheological fluid and conductively couple the first and second conductive elements, and at least one biasing element wherein the biasing element is coupled to the first conductive element and is configured to move the first conductive element relative to the container to conductively couple and uncouple the first conductive element and the second conductive element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for controlled heat transfer, comprising:
a first conductive element and a second conductive element;
a container of magnetorheological fluid disposed between the first and second conductive elements;
an electromagnet disposed about the container, wherein the electromagnet is configured to produce a magnetic field within the container of magnetorheological fluid and conductively couple the first and second conductive elements; and
at least one biasing element, wherein the biasing element is coupled to the first conductive element and is configured to move the first conductive element relative to the container to conductively couple and uncouple the first conductive element and the second conductive element.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnet comprises a solenoid disposed around the container of magnetorheological fluid.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the container holding the magnetorheological fluid is flexible.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein control of a current through the electromagnet affects an alignment of particles in the magnetorheological fluid and affects heat transfer between the first and second conductive elements.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a second biasing element coupled to the second conductive element.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first conductive element is positioned between the biasing element and a first end of the container and the second conductive element is positioned between the second biasing element and a second end of the container.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein responsive to reducing the current flowing through the electromagnet, the first and second biasing elements are configured to pull the first conductive element away from the second conductive element to break conductive coupling between the first and second conductive elements.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the current is stopped when a maximum current input is reached.

9. An apparatus for controlled heat transfer, comprising:
a flexible container containing magnetorheological fluid;
a solenoid disposed around the flexible container;
a first conductive element disposed at a first end of the flexible container;
a second conductive element disposed at a second end of the flexible container;
a first biasing element coupled to the first conductive element; and
a second biasing element coupled to the second conductive element, the first biasing element configured to move the first conductive element relative to the flexible container and the second biasing element configured to move the second conductive element relative to the flexible container to conductively couple and uncouple the first conductive element to the second conductive element.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein a current is flowed through the solenoid to induce a magnetic field parallel to the flexible container such that the first biasing element pushes the first conductive element towards the first end of the flexible container and the second biasing element pushes the second conductive element towards the second end of the flexible container to conductively couple the first conductive element to the second conductive element.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein responsive to reducing the current flowing through the solenoid, the first biasing element is configured to pull the first conductive element away from the first end of the flexible container and the second biasing element is configured to pull the second conductive element away from the second end of the flexible container to break conductive coupling between the first and second conductive elements.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the current is stopped when a maximum current input is reached.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first biasing element and the second biasing element are axially aligned with the first and second conductive elements.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Barron David
• Peterson Chelsie M

Classifications

• H01F7/20 Primary

  without armatures (cores H01F3/00; coils H01F5/00 {; shaping metal by applying magnetic forces B21D26/14; electromagnets specially adapted for NMR applications G01R33/381}) · CPC title

• F28F13/00 Primary

  Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing (F28F1/00 - F28F11/00 take precedence) · CPC title

• F28F2013/005

  Thermal joints · CPC title

• H01F7/06

  Electromagnets; Actuators including electromagnets {(electric coils H01F5/00; devices for holding workpieces using electric force B23Q3/15; load-engaging elements for lifting articles electromagnetically B66C1/06; electromagnetic couplings F16D27/00; magnetic brakes F16D63/002; electromagnetically operated valves F16K11/24, F16K31/00; analysing materials by magnetic means G01N27/72, G01N27/80; electromagnets for winding mechanical clocks G04C1/02; electromagnetic relays H01H51/00; windings for salient poles of dynamo-electric machines H02K3/18; electromagnets for telegraphic communication H04L; for arc lamps H05B31/28)} · CPC title

• F28F2013/001

  Particular heat conductive materials, e.g. superconductive elements · CPC title