Magnetic coupling device with at least one of a sensor arrangement and a degauss capability

A method of determining at least one operating state of a magnetic coupling tool, the method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a first magnetic flux associated with a north pole of a switchable magnetic flux source supported by a housing, the switchable magnetic flux source including a plurality of permanent magnets, including a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet movable relative to the first permanent magnet, the first magnetic flux being detected at a location remote from a workpiece engagement surface of the north pole of the magnetic coupling tool and to a first side of the switchable magnetic flux source;
• detecting a second magnetic flux associated with a south pole of the switchable magnetic flux source, the second magnetic flux being detected at a location remote from a workpiece engagement surface of the south pole of the magnetic coupling tool and to a second side of the switchable magnetic flux source, the second side being opposite the first side;
• and
• determining if the magnetic coupling tool is in a first operating state based on at least one of the detected first magnetic flux and the detected second magnetic flux.

A magnetic coupling tool for magnetically coupling to a ferromagnetic workpiece, comprising:

• a housing;
• a switchable magnetic flux source supported by the housing including a plurality of permanent magnets, the plurality of permanent magnets including a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet movable relative to the first permanent magnet;
• a plurality of pole extension shoes each having a workpiece interface;
• the plurality of pole extension shoes coupled to the housing to receive magnetic flux from the switchable magnetic flux source, the received magnetic flux being available to the ferromagnetic workpiece through the respective workpiece interfaces of the plurality of pole extension shoes;
• a plurality of degaussing electrical windings, a first degaussing electrical winding of the plurality of degaussing electrical windings being positioned about a first pole extension shoe of the plurality of pole extension shoes and a second degaussing electrical winding of the plurality of degaussing electrical windings being positioned about a second pole extension shoe of the plurality of pole extension shoes;
• and
• a logic control circuit operatively coupled to the switchable magnetic flux source, the first degaussing electrical winding, and the second degaussing electrical winding, the logic control circuit configured to (i) position the second permanent magnet in a first orientation relative to first permanent magnet and (ii) perform a degaussing cycle with the plurality of degaussing electrical windings, the degaussing cycle including generating an oscillating and alternating magnetic field with the first electrical winding and the second electrical winding for a period of time.

A magnetic coupling tool for magnetically coupling to a ferromagnetic workpiece, comprising:

• a housing;
• a switchable magnetic flux source supported by the housing including a plurality of permanent magnets, the plurality of permanent magnets including a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet movable relative to the first permanent magnet;
• a plurality of workpiece engagement surfaces supported by the housing and magnetically coupled to the switchable magnetic flux source, the plurality of workpiece engagement surfaces adapted to contact the ferromagnetic workpiece, a first workpiece engagement surface of the plurality of workpiece engagement surfaces corresponding to a north pole of the magnetic coupling tool and a second workpiece engagement surface of the plurality of workpiece engagement surfaces corresponding to a south pole of the magnetic coupling tool;
• a plurality of magnetic field sensors supported by the housing, a first magnetic field sensor of the plurality of magnetic field sensors positioned at a first location remote from the first workpiece engagement surface and to a first side of the switchable magnetic flux source to monitor a first magnetic flux associated with the first workpiece engagement surface of the plurality of workpiece engagement surfaces and a second magnetic field sensor of the plurality of magnetic field sensors positioned at a second location remote from the second workpiece engagement surface and to a second side of the switchable magnetic flux source, the second side being opposite the first side, to monitor a second magnetic flux associated with the second workpiece engagement surface of the plurality of workpiece engagement surfaces;
• and
• a logic control circuit operatively coupled to the plurality of magnetic field sensors, the logic control circuit configured to determine at least one operating state of the magnetic coupling tool based on an output from at least one of the plurality of magnetic field sensors.

A magnetic coupling tool for magnetically coupling to a ferromagnetic workpiece, comprising:

• a housing;
• a switchable magnetic flux source supported by the housing including a plurality of permanent magnets, the plurality of permanent magnets including a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet movable relative to the first permanent magnet, the second permanent magnet is rotatable relative to the first permanent magnet about an axis intersecting with the second permanent magnet to alter a position of the second permanent magnet relative to the first permanent magnet;
• a plurality of workpiece engagement surfaces supported by the housing and magnetically coupled to the switchable magnetic flux source, the plurality of workpiece engagement surfaces adapted to contact the ferromagnetic workpiece, a first workpiece engagement surface of the plurality of workpiece engagement surfaces corresponding to a north pole of the magnetic coupling tool and a second workpiece engagement surface of the plurality of workpiece engagement surfaces corresponding to a south pole of the magnetic coupling tool;
• a plurality of magnetic field sensors supported by the housing, a first magnetic field sensor of the plurality of magnetic field sensors positioned to monitor a first magnetic flux associated with the first workpiece engagement surface of the plurality of workpiece engagement surfaces and a second magnetic field sensor of the plurality of magnetic field sensors positioned to monitor a second magnetic flux associated with the second workpiece engagement surface of the plurality of workpiece engagement surfaces;
• and
• a logic control circuit operatively coupled to the plurality of magnetic field sensors, the logic control circuit configured to determine at least one operating state of the magnetic coupling tool based on an output from at least one of the plurality of magnetic field sensors.

A magnetic coupling tool for magnetically coupling to a ferromagnetic workpiece, comprising:

• a housing;
• a magnetic flux source supported by the housing including a plurality of magnets, the plurality of magnets including a first permanent magnet fixed relative to the housing and a second magnet configurable relative to the first permanent magnet to provide a first configuration wherein a north pole of the second magnet is aligned with a north pole of the first permanent magnet and a south pole of the second magnet is aligned with a south pole of the first permanent magnet and a second configuration wherein the north pole of the second magnet is misaligned with the north pole of the first permanent magnet and the south pole of the second magnet is misaligned with the south pole of the first permanent magnet;
• a plurality of workpiece engagement surfaces supported by the housing and magnetically coupled to the magnetic flux source, the plurality of workpiece engagement surfaces adapted to contact the ferromagnetic workpiece, a first workpiece engagement surface of the plurality of workpiece engagement surfaces corresponding to a north pole of the magnetic coupling tool in the first configuration of the magnetic coupling tool and a second workpiece engagement surface of the plurality of workpiece engagement surfaces corresponding to a south pole of the magnetic coupling tool in the first configuration of the magnetic coupling tool;
• a plurality of magnetic field sensors supported by the housing, a first magnetic field sensor of the plurality of magnetic field sensors positioned to monitor a first magnetic flux associated with the first workpiece engagement surface of the plurality of workpiece engagement surfaces and a second magnetic field sensor of the plurality of magnetic field sensors positioned to monitor a second magnetic flux associated with the second workpiece engagement surface of the plurality of workpiece engagement surfaces;
• and
• a logic control circuit operatively coupled to the plurality of magnetic field sensors, the logic control circuit configured to determine at least one operating state of the magnetic coupling tool based on an output from at least one of the plurality of magnetic field sensors.

A method of determining at least one operating state of a magnetic coupling tool, the method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a first magnetic flux associated with a north pole of a magnetic flux source supported by a housing, the magnetic flux source including a plurality of magnets, including a first permanent magnet fixed relative to the housing and a second magnet configurable relative to the first permanent magnet to provide a first configuration wherein a north pole of the second magnet is aligned with a north pole of the first permanent magnet and a south pole of the second magnet is aligned with a south pole of the first permanent magnet and a second configuration wherein the north pole of the second magnet is misaligned with the north pole of the first permanent magnet and the south pole of the second magnet is misaligned with the south pole of the first permanent magnet, the first magnetic flux being detected at a location remote from a workpiece engagement surface of a north pole of the magnetic coupling tool and to a first side of the magnetic flux source;
• detecting a second magnetic flux associated with a south pole of the magnetic flux source, the second magnetic flux being detected at a location remote from a workpiece engagement surface of a south pole of the magnetic coupling tool and to a second side of the magnetic flux source, the second side being opposite the first side;
• and
• determining if the magnetic coupling tool is in a first operating state based on at least one of the detected first magnetic flux and the detected second magnetic flux.