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US 5,270,601 AGranted
Superconducting composite magnetic bearings
AssigneeAllied-Signal Inc.
InventorThomas K. Rigney, II
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A composite includes granules of Type II superconducting material and granules of rare-earth permanent magnets that are distributed in a binder. The composite is a two-phase structure that combines the properties of the superconductor and magnets with the flexibility and toughness of a polymeric material. A bearing made from this composite has the load capacity and stiffness of a permanent magnet bearing with added stability from a Type II superconducting material.
Claims19
A bearing comprising:
- magnetic means for providing first lines of flux;
- and
- at least one member made of a superconducting composite including Type II superconducting granules, permanent magnet granules and binding means for binding the superconducting granules and the magnetic granules, said permanent magnet granules being aligned in substantially the same direction and providing second lines of flux, said at least one member being in proximity of said magnetic means such that said second lines of flux interact with said first lines of flux.
A journal bearing comprising:
- a stator including a hollow cylinder made of a composite including Type II superconducting granules and permanent magnet granules distributed in a binder;
- and
- a rotor, disposed for rotation within said hollow cylinder, including a permanent magnet pellet, wherein poles of said permanent magnet granules are aligned in the same direction as grains of said permanent magnet pellet.
A thrust bearing comprising:
- a rotor including an annular permanent magnet that is magnetized in an axial direction, said annular magnet having first and second sides;
- and
- a stator including first and second disks made of a composite including Type II superconducting granules and permanent magnets granules distributed in a binder, said first disk being disposed opposite said first side of said annular permanent magnet, said second disk being disposed opposite said second side of said annular permanent magnet, wherein poles of said permanent magnet granules are aligned in the same direction as grains of said first and second disks.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.