Precessional device with motor
OwnerPeter Winston Hamadyinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A precessional device having independent control of the output torque generated by the device and the oscillation rate of the device is disclosed. The device comprises a rotor supported by an axle wherein the ends of the axle are supported by a circular race. The circular race is rotatable, and may be driven by a motor or other means, thereby controlling the oscillation rate of the device independently of the output torque arising from the rotation rate of the rotor. The motor may be controlled by a control program that adjusts the rotation rate of the circular race to modify the shape of the resistance curve.
Claims18
An apparatus comprising:
- a track defining a continuous surface with a circular shape;
- a rotor that spins about a spin axis and rotates about a rotational axis;
- wherein the rotor has axle tips that frictionally contact the continuous surface of the track, wherein the frictional contact defines a relationship between a spin rate of the rotor about the spin axis and a rotation rate of the rotor about the rotational axis;
- and
- an actuation device that modifies the spin rate of the rotor about the spin axis.
A method of actuating an apparatus comprising the following steps:
- providing a track defining a continuous surface with a circular shape;
- providing a rotor that spins about a spin axis and rotates about a rotational axis, wherein the rotor has axle tips that frictionally contact the continuous surface of the track, wherein the frictional contact defines a relationship between a spin rate of the rotor about the spin axis and a rotation rate of the rotor about the rotational axis;
- and
- applying a force to the rotor wherein the force modifies the spin rate of the rotor about the spin axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.