Dual action magnetic brakes and related methods
AssigneeLord Corporation
InventorAlexandre Bondoux
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Dual action magnetic brakes and related methods are provided. In one aspect, such a brake includes a housing, a rotatable shaft extending through the housing, and a braking assembly in the housing. The braking assembly includes a coil and a braking member. The coil can generate a magnetic field when energized with electrical current. The braking member, and one or more flexible members attached thereto, can move in response to the presence or absence of the magnetic field to facilitate rotation or non-rotation of the shaft.
Claims21
A dual action magnetic brake comprising:
- a rotatable shaft (104);
- a coil (108) disposed around portions of the shaft (104), the coil (108) being configured to generate a magnetic field when energized with electrical current;
- and
- a braking member (110) disposed proximate to the coil (108) and coupled to the shaft (104) for rotation together, wherein portions of the braking member (110) are coupled via one or more flexible members (120), and
- wherein the braking member (110) and the one or more flexible members (120) are moveable in response to the presence or absence of the magnetic field to facilitate rotation or non-rotation of the shaft (104).
A method of applying a braking force to a shaft, the method comprising:
- disposing a braking member around portions of a rotatable shaft, wherein portions of the braking member are coupled via one or more flexible members that are biased in a decompressed state;
- coupling the braking member to the shaft for rotation together;
- disposing a coil adjacent to the braking member;
- rotating the shaft when the flexible members are in the decompressed state;
- and
- energizing the coil with electrical current to generate a magnetic field, wherein energizing the coil with electrical current moves the braking member and compresses the flexible members to inhibit rotation of the shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.