# US 2019/0168897 A1 · Segmented Current Magnetic Field Propulsion System > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168897 A1 - Document ID: US20190168897A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/243,327 - Filed: 2019-01-09 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2019-01-09 - Inventors: James Wayne Purvis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168897A1 ## CPC - F03H 99/00: Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass - B64G 1/417: {Electromagnetic fields or flux without mass expulsion} - H01F 7/20: without armatures (cores H01F3/00; coils H01F5/00 {; shaping metal by applying magnetic forces B21D26/14; electromagnets specially adapted for NMR applications G01R33/381}) - H01F 7/202: {Electromagnets for high magnetic field strength (for superconducting electromagnets H01F6/00; for transformers or inductances without a magnetic core H01F30/08)} - F03H: PRODUCING A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (from combustion products F02K) - B64G: COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES ## Abstract The present invention discloses systems and methods for electromagnetic field spacecraft propulsion. The system includes reaction thrust assemblies comprising conductor coils with alternating segments of magnetic field shield assemblies. Unshielded reaction thrust assembly segments are bracketed by field activation coils generating shaped magnetic fields. The action of the magnetic fields on currents in the unshielded coil segments of the reaction thrust assemblies produce unidirectional Lorentz Forces, thereby generating thrust without reaction mass, while reaction momentum is carried away by Poynting Vector fields in conformity with the currently understood principles of electrodynamics. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electromagnetic field propulsion system comprising: a planar structural support plate having the planform shape of a circle, oval, triangle, or other n-sided polygon and comprised of any combination of lightweight, non-magnetic materials from the group of: aluminum, titanium, high-impact plastic, fiberglass, and carbon fiber composites, for the purpose of maintaining specific component geometries; at least one reaction thrust assembly comprising one or more insulated electrical current conductors wound in the manner of an air-core solenoid and attached circumferentially to the structural support plate; at least two electromagnetic solenoid field activation coils attached to the structural support plate, each field activation coil comprising insulated electrical current conductors wound on cores having relative magnetic permeability of at least 2, for the function of generating directed magnetic fields onto segments of a reaction thrust assembly; a plurality of magnetic field shield assemblies for the function of attenuating magnetic fields directed onto designated shielded segments of a reaction thrust assembly; an energy supply unit attached to the structural support plate for the purpose of supplying electric current to the field activation coils and the reaction thrust assembly conductors, said unit to be comprised of any combination from the group: storage batteries, fuel cells, solar panels, radioisotopic thermal generators, and nuclear electric generator systems; whereby a unique apparatus is constructed producing a net unidirectional Lorentz Force on the electromagnetic field propulsion system, wherein said force results from applied currents in field activation coils generating magnetic fields which interact with applied currents in a reaction thrust assembly, and further wherein reaction momentum is carried away by Poynting Vector fields thereby producing thrust on the system without expelling propellant. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An electromagnetic field propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein the said current conductors of both the said reaction thrust assembly and the said field activation coils are comprised of any combination of the following: insulated aluminum wire, insulated copper wire, insulated silver wire, insulated gold wire, insulated carbon fiber, insulated multi-walled carbon nanotubes, insulated graphene strips, insulated graphene fibers, insulated graphene yarn, and insulated graphene wire. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An electromagnetic field propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein the said high magnetic permeability cores of the said field activation coils are comprised of one or more of the high relative magnetic permeability materials from the group: ferritic annealed stainless steel, electrical steel, 99.8% pure iron (Fe), Permalloy, Cobalt-iron high permeability strip material, Mu-metal, Nanoperm, 99.95% pure iron (Fe) annealed in hydrogen, and Metglass. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electromagnetic field propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein pairs of field activation coils are geometrically positioned in Helmholtz Coil configurations radially bracketing unshielded sections of a reaction thrust assembly so as to maximize the magnetic field on each unshielded section. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electromagnetic field propulsion system apparatus according to claim 1, wherein two coplanar reaction thrust assemblies having different diameters but with a common axis of symmetry are attached to the structural support plate such that unshielded elements of each reaction thrust assembly are at opposite ends of the field activation coils, whereby each field activation coil directs a magnetic field onto both reaction coil thrust assemblies. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An electromagnetic field propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein each field activation coil is attached to a stepper motor so as to vary the geometric position and angular orientation of the said field activation coil with respect to the structural support plate by rotating the said field activation coil about an axis in the plane of the structural support plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An electromagnetic field propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein sections of the said field activation coils are enclosed within magnetic field shield assemblies. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An electromagnetic field propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field shield assemblies are comprised of one or more layers of common magnetic field shielding materials selected from the group consisting of iron, copper, silver, gold, and electrical steel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An electromagnetic field propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field shield assemblies are comprised of one or more layers of advanced technology passive materials designed specifically to attenuate incident magnetic fields, selected from the group consisting of: MuMetal, GIRON, and Permalloy. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An electromagnetic field propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field shield assemblies are comprised of one or more layers of superconducting materials selected from the group of said materials exhibiting the Meissner Effect. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An electromagnetic field propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field shield assemblies are comprised of one or more layers of Metamaterial designed specifically to exhibit relative magnetic permeability sign reversal at certain frequencies of incident magnetic fields. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An electromagnetic field propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein modulating currents from the energy supply unit to the current conductors on the field activation coils during device operation generate time-variable shaped magnetic fields of desired polarity, intensity and duration from each of said coils thereby controlling the magnitude of the reaction force distribution on the reaction thrust assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) An electromagnetic field propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein modulating currents from the energy supply unit to the current conductors on the said reaction thrust coil assembly during device operation controls the magnitude of the reaction force distribution on the reaction thrust assembly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The electromagnetic field propulsion system according to claim 1, whereby applying currents from the energy supply unit to the current conductors on the reaction thrust assembly, and applying differential currents from the energy supply unit to diametrically opposed field activation coils configured with axes perpendicular to the plane of the reaction thrust assembly and positioned above the plane of the reaction thrust assembly, below the plane of the reaction thrust assembly, or both above and below the plane of the reaction thrust assembly generates a net unidirectional force on the electromagnetic spacecraft propulsion system parallel to the plane of the reaction thrust assembly. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The electromagnetic field propulsion system according to claim 1, whereby applying currents to the reaction thrust assembly, and applying differential currents in diametrically opposed field activation coils generates a net unidirectional torque on the electromagnetic spacecraft propulsion system parallel to the plane of the reaction thrust assembly.