Electro-permanent magnet mooring system
AssigneeThe Aerospace Corporation
InventorDonald Wayne Denham
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electro-permanent magnet (EPM) for an electromagnetic mooring system (EMS) includes a low coercivity magnet surrounded by a reversible coil, and one or more high coercivity magnets surrounding the low coercivity magnet and the reversible coil. The reversible coil switches polarity of the low coercivity magnet to null the stronger, one or more high coercivity magnets. The nulling of the stronger, one or more high coercivity magnets allows for the EMS to connect and disconnect to an adjacent apparatus.
Claims17
An electro-permanent magnet (EPM) for an electromagnetic mooring system (EMS), comprising:
- a low coercivity magnet surrounded by a reversible coil;
- and
- one or more high coercivity magnets surrounding the low coercivity magnet and the reversible coil in a circular or ring pattern, wherein
- the reversible coil is configured to switch polarity of the low coercivity magnet to null the one or more high coercivity magnets,
- the nulling of the one or more high coercivity magnets allows for the EMS to connect and disconnect to an adjacent apparatus, and
- the low coercivity magnet comprise of a single or an internal cylindrical Alnico magnet, and the one or more high coercivity magnets comprise of a ring of cylindrical Neodymium magnets.
An apparatus for an electromagnetic mooring system (EMS), comprising:
- a reversible coil surrounding a low coercivity magnet, configured to switch polarity of the low coercivity magnet to null one or more high coercivity magnets, wherein
- the switching of the polarity allows for the EMS to connect and disconnect with an adjacent vehicle, and
- the low coercivity magnet comprise of a single or an internal cylindrical Alnico magnet, and the one or more high coercivity magnets comprise of a ring of cylindrical Neodymium magnets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.