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US 12,268,904 B2Granted
Braking mechanisms
AssigneeEddy Current Limited Partnership
InventorsChristopher James Allington, Andrew Karl Diehl, Bruce John Robertson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An eddy-current mechanism including a rotor rotatable about a rotor axis at least one electrically conductive material coupled to the rotor for rotation therewith, at least one magnet configured to apply a magnetic field extending at least partially orthogonal to the plane of rotation of the conductive member, and characterised in that upon rotation of the rotor, the conductive member is configured to move at least partially radially from the rotor axis into the applied magnetic field.
Claims19
A line dispensing device comprising:
- an eddy-current braking mechanism comprising:
- a rotor, rotatable about a rotor axis;
- at least two arms coupled with the rotor, the at least two arms configured to emit a permanent magnetic field;
- at least one electrically conductive member aligned coaxially with the rotor;
- and
- at least two biasing devices attached to the rotor, the at least two biasing devices being configured to provide a bias opposing the outward or inward radial movement of respective ones of the at least two arms;
- wherein the at least two arms coupled with the rotor move relative to the rotor axis in a radial direction when the rotor rotates around the rotor axis to thereby adjust the amount of overlap between the at least two arms and the at least one electrically conductive member in an axial direction;
- wherein the at least two biasing devices constrain a pivoting range of the at least two arms between a maximum area of overlap with the at least one electrically conductive member and a minimum area of overlap with the at least one electrically conductive member;
- and
- wherein a rear of each of the at least two arms abuts with a front of another one of the at least two arms when the rotor is stationary;
- and
- a spool of line, the eddy-current braking mechanism being coupled to the spool of line for rotation therewith.
9 more elements
A line dispensing device comprising:
- an eddy-current braking mechanism comprising:
- a rotor, rotatable about a rotor axis;
- at least two arms coupled with the rotor, the at least two arms configured to emit a permanent magnetic field;
- at least one electrically conductive member aligned coaxially with the rotor;
- and
- at least two biasing devices attached to the at least two arms, respectively, and the rotor, the at least two biasing devices being configured to provide a bias opposing the outward or inward radial movement of the at least two arms;
- wherein the at least two arms coupled with the rotor move relative to the rotor axis in a radial direction when the rotor rotates around the rotor axis;
- wherein the eddy current braking mechanism is configured such that an increasing portion of the at least two arms overlap with the at least one electrically conductive member in an axial direction as the rotor goes from stationary to rotating;
- and
- wherein a rear of each of the at least two arms abuts a front of another one of the at least two arms when the rotor is stationary;
- and
- a spool of line, the eddy-current braking mechanism being coupled to the spool of line for rotation therewith.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.