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US 4,961,352 AGranted
Magnetic bearing and suspension system
AssigneeSatCon Technology Corporation
InventorsJames R. Downer, David B. Eisenhaure, Richard L. Hockney, Bruce G. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A magnetic rotor suspension system including a magnetic rotor having a spin axis, and a generally spherical housing spaced from the rotor. The system includes means attached to the housing for applying magnetic fields to the rotor to fix its lateral and axial position relative to the housing and to adjust the angular orientation of the spin axis of the rotor relative to the housing.
Claims25
A magnetic gyroscope system comprising:
- a rotor including a magnetic member having a spin axis and a flywheel fixed to said member having a spherical contour, said magnetic member including a superconducting
- an armature for inducing rotation of said rotor to store angular momentum;
- a generally spherical housing spaced from said rotor;
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to fix its lateral position relative to said housing;
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to fix its axial position relative to said housing;
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to adjust the angular orientation of the spin axis of the rotor relative to said housing for transferring momentum between the housing and rotor to control the relative positions of the housing and the rotor.
3 more elements
A magnetic rotor suspension system comprising:
- a magnetic rotor having a spin axis, said rotor including an annular electromagnetic coil and being adapted for connection to a rotating member;
- a generally spherical housing spaced from said rotor;
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to fix its lateral position relative to said housing;
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to fix its axial position relative to said housing;
- and
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to adjust the angular orientation of the spin axis of the rotor relative to said housing.
3 more elements
A magnetic bearing system comprising:
- a magnetic rotor having a spin axis, said rotor including an annular electromagnetic coil and being adapted for connection to a rotation member;
- a generally spherical housing spaced from said rotor;
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to fix its lateral position relative to said housing;
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to fix its axial position relative to said housing;
- and
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to fix the angular orientation of the spin axis of the rotor relative to said housing.
3 more elements
A superconducting magnetic rotor suspension system comprising:
- a rotor including a superconducting magnetic solenoid having a spin axis, said rotor being adapted for connecting to a rotating member;
- a housing spaced from said rotor;
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to fix its lateral position relative to said housing;
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to fix its axial position relative to said housing;
- and
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to adjust the angular orientation of the spin axis of the rotor relative to said housing.
3 more elements
A superconducting magnetic bearing system comprising:
- a rotor including a superconducting magnetic solenoid having a spin axis, said rotor being adapted for connection to a rotating member;
- a housing spaced from said rotor;
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to fix its lateral position relative to said housing;
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to fix its axial position relative to said housing;
- and
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to fix the angular orientation of the spin axis of the rotor relative to said housing.
3 more elements
A superconducting magnetic gyroscope system comprising:
- a rotor including a superconducting magnetic solenoid having a spin axis and a flywheel fixed to said solenoid;
- means for maintaining said solenoid at no greater than its superconducting critical temperature;
- a housing surrounding and spaced from said rotor;
- an armature fixed to said housing for inducing rotation of said rotor to store angular momentum;
- a plurality of pairs of coils attached to said housing for conducting current flow to apply magnetic field to said rotor to fix its lateral and axial position relative to said housing and adjust the angular orientation of the spin axis of the rotor relative to said housing;
- means for monitoring the lateral and axial position of the rotor relative to the housing and the relative positions of the spin axis of the rotor and the housing;
- and
- means, responsive to said means for monitoring, for selectively exciting said pairs of coils to maintain the lateral and axial position of the rotor relative to the housing and adjust the angular orientation of the spin axis of the rotor relative to the housing for transferring momentum between the housing and rotor to control the relative positions of the housing and the rotor.
5 more elements
A magnetic gyroscope system comprising:
- a rotor including a magnetic member having a spin axis and a flywheel having a spherical contour fixed to said member;
- a generally spherical housing spaced from said rotor;
- an armature outside said housing for inducing rotation of said rotor to store angular momentum;
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to fix its lateral position relative to said housing;
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to fix its axial position relative to said housing;
- and
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to adjust the angular orientation of the spin axis of the rotor relative to said housing for transferring momentum between the housing and rotor to control the relative positions of the housing and the rotor.
4 more elements
A magnetic gyroscope system comprising:
- a rotor including a magnetic member, said magnetic member including an annular electromagnetic coil having a spin axis, and a flywheel having a spherical contour fixed to said member;
- an armature for inducing rotation of said rotor to store angular momentum;
- a generally spherical housing spaced from said rotor;
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to fix its lateral position relative to said housing;
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to fix its axial position relative to said housing;
- and
- means attached to said housing for applying a magnetic field to said rotor to adjust the angular orientation of the spin axis of the rotor relative to said housing for transferring momentum between the housing and rotor to control the relative positions of the housing and the rotor.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.