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US 5,396,136 AGranted
Magnetic field levitation
AssigneeSRI International
InventorRonald E. Pelrine
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various levitation devices are disclosed in which an array of permanent magnets is levitated by magnetic interaction with a diamagnetic material. Levitation is achieved without using a fixed permanent magnet or other device to supplement the magnetic field of the array. The cost and design constraints resulting from undesirable spring constants produced by such permanent magnets are thereby avoided.
Claims7
A method of levitating a magnetic member relative to the gravitational attraction of the earth comprising the steps of:
- arranging a plurality of magnets to form a first member comprised of said magnets having both a high magnetic strength and high magnetic gradient adjacent a predetermined portion of said first member, wherein said step of arranging comprises disposing said magnets in a consecutive sequence with each two consecutive magnets having opposite magnetic polarity;
- providing a second member comprised of a diamagnetic material having a relative magnetic permeability less than one at ambient temperatures;
- and
- positioning said first and second members proximate each other with said predetermined portion of said first member facing said second member, whereat magnetic interaction between said members levitates said first member relative to a full gravitational attraction of at least 1 g without requiring magnetic field supplement from another magnetic source.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.