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US 2002/0158529 A1Published application
Ferrofluid pivot bearing
OwnerYulan Liu, Cheng Hia Kang +1inventors
InventorsYulan Liu, Cheng Hia Kang, Terutoshi Komatsu
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Abstract
A ferrofluid pivot bearing has a shaft, at least a first magnetic element fixedly attached to the shaft, a housing containing the magnetic element such that the housing is rotatable about the magnetic element, and a quantity of magnetic fluid within the housing.
Claims43
A ferrofluid pivot bearing comprising:
- a shaft;
- a first magnetic element fixedly attached to said shaft forming a shaft assembly;
- a housing containing said first magnetic element fixedly attached to said shaft wherein said housing is rotatable about said first magnetic element;
- and
- a quantity of magnetic fluid between said housing and said first magnetic element.
2 more elements
A ferrofluid pivot bearing comprising:
- a shaft;
- a first magnetic element concentrically and fixedly attached to said shaft;
- a housing having a first end and a second end, said first end and said second end having a central opening sized to receive said shaft, said housing containing said first magnetic element fixedly attached to said shaft wherein said housing is rotatable about said first magnetic element;
- and
- a quantity of magnetic fluid within said housing.
2 more elements
A method of making a ferrofluid pivot bearing comprising:
- obtaining a non-magnetic shaft;
- fixedly attaching a first magnetic element to said non-magnetic shaft wherein said magnetic element is concentric with said shaft;
- forming a housing for containing said first magnetic element wherein said housing is rotatable about said first magnetic element;
- placing said first magnetic element and said shaft within said housing such that said first magnetic element is enclosed within said housing;
- and
- adding a quantity of magnetic fluid to said housing sufficient to form a ferrofluid magnetic seal between said first magnetic element and the inside surface of said housing.
3 more elements
A method of making a ferrofluid pivot bearing, said method comprising:
- using the magnetic flux field of at least a first magnetic element concentrically mounted to a shaft and contained within a housing having a quantity of magnetic fluid therein, said magnetic flux field and said magnetic fluid supporting rotational movement between said housing and said shaft.
A method of using the magnetic flux field of a magnet as the support mechanism for a pivot bearing, said method comprising:
- forming a housing for receiving a shaft assembly;
- forming said shaft assembly wherein said shaft assembly has a shaft and at least one magnetic element fixedly attached to said shaft;
- inserting said shaft assembly into said housing;
- and
- adding a quantity of magnetic fluid to said housing.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.