US 6,054,788 A · Magnetic power transmission coupling · patentgrep

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Abstract

A magnetic coupling is provided having a first shaft and a second shaft. A plurality of first magnets is in rotationally driving engagement with the first shaft and defines alternating polarity magnetic surfaces. A plurality of second magnets is in rotationally driving engagement with the second shaft and defines alternating polarity magnetic surfaces. The first and second magnet surfaces are separated by a gap so that rotation of one of the first magnets and second magnets urges synchronous rotation of the other. An electrically conductive member is in rotationally driving engagement with the second shaft and is disposed proximate to the first magnet surfaces so that rotation of the conductive member or the first magnets relative to the other induces electric current in the conductive member and urges asynchronous rotation of the other of the conductive member and the first magnets in the same rotational direction.

Claims42

Dependent claims

A magnetic coupling, said coupling comprising:

a first shaft;
a plurality of first magnets in rotationally driving engagement with said first shaft and defining surfaces disposed in alternating polarity annularly about and concentrically with said first shaft;
a second shaft;
a plurality of second magnets in rotationally driving engagement with said second shaft and defining surfaces disposed in alternating polarity annularly about and concentrically with said second shaft, said second magnet surfaces being separated from said first magnet surfaces by a gap so that rotation of one of said first magnets and said second magnets about the axis of the respective said first shaft and said second shaft urges synchronous rotation of the other of said first magnets and said second magnets about the axis of the respective said first shaft and said second shaft;
and
an electrically conductive member in rotationally driving engagement with said second shaft, said conductive member disposed proximate to said surfaces of said first magnets so that rotation of one of said conductive member and said first magnets relative to the other of said conductive member and said first magnets induces electric current in said conductive member and urges asynchronous rotation of said other of said conductive member and said first magnets in the same rotational direction wherein said conductive member includes
a first annular ring disposed concentrically with said second magnet surfaces,
a second annular ring disposed concentrically with said first annular ring between said first annular ring and said second magnets, and
at least one cross member electrically connecting said first annular ring and said second annular ring.

6 more elements

A magnetic coupling, said coupling comprising:

a first shaft;
a plurality of first magnets in rotationally driving engagement with said first shaft and defining surfaces disposed in alternating polarity annularly about and concentrically with said first shaft;
a second shaft;
a plurality of second magnets in rotationally driving engagement with said second shaft and defining surfaces disposed in alternating polarity annularly about and concentrically with said second shaft, said second magnet surfaces being separated from said first magnet surfaces by a gap so that rotation of one of said first magnets and said second magnets about the axis of the respective said first shaft and said second shaft urges synchronous rotation of the other of said first magnets and said second magnets about the axis of the respective said first shaft and said second shaft;
an electrically conductive member in rotationally driving engagement with said second shaft, said conductive member disposed proximate to said surfaces of said first magnets so that rotation of one of said conductive member and said first magnets relative to the other of said conductive member and said first magnets induces electric current in said conductive member and urges asynchronous rotation of said other of said conductive member and said first magnets in the same rotational direction,
wherein said conductive member includes
a first annular ring disposed concentrically with said second magnet surfaces, and
a second annular ring disposed concentrically with said second magnet surfaces;
and
a third annular ring made of a soft magnetic material and disposed between said first annular ring and said second annular ring.

7 more elements

A magnetic coupling, said coupling comprising:

a first shaft;
a plurality of first permanent magnets in rotationally driving engagement with said first shaft and defining surfaces disposed in alternating polarity annularly about and concentrically with said first shaft;
a second shaft;
a plurality of second permanent magnets in rotationally driving engagement with said second shaft and defining surfaces disposed in alternating polarity annularly about and concentrically with said second shaft, said second magnet surfaces being separated from said first magnet surfaces radially by a gap so that rotation of one of said first magnets and said second magnets about the axis of the respective said first shaft and said second shaft urges synchronous rotation of the other of said first magnets and said second magnets about the axis of the respective said first shaft and said second shaft;
a plurality of first electrically conductive members in rotationally driving engagement with said first shaft, wherein respective said first conductive members are disposed between adjacent said first magnet surfaces of a plurality of pairs of said adjacent first magnet surfaces so that rotation of said first conductive members relative to said second magnets induces asynchronous rotation of said first conductive members and said second magnets in the same rotational direction;
and
a plurality of second electrically conductive members in rotationally driving engagement with said second shaft, wherein respective said second conductive members are disposed between adjacent said second magnet surfaces of a plurality of pairs of said adjacent second magnet surfaces so that rotation of said second conductive members relative to said first magnets induces asynchronous rotation of said second conductive members and said first magnets in the same rotational direction.

4 more elements

A magnetic coupling, said coupling comprising:

a first shaft;
a first rotor in rotationally driving engagement with said first shaft;
a plurality of first permanent magnets disposed on said first rotor and defining surfaces disposed in alternating polarity annularly about and concentrically with said first shaft;
a second shaft;
a second rotor in rotationally driving engagement with said second shaft;
a plurality of second permanent magnets disposed on said second rotor radially outward of said first magnets and defining surfaces disposed in alternating polarity annularly about and concentrically with said second shaft, said second magnet surfaces being separated from said first magnet surfaces by a gap so that rotation of one of said first rotor and said second rotor about the axis of the respective said first shaft and said second shaft urges synchronous rotation of the other of said first rotor and said second rotor about the axis of the respective said first shaft and said second shaft;
a plurality of first electrically conductive members disposed on said first rotor between adjacent said first magnet surfaces of a plurality of pairs of said adjacent first magnet surfaces and proximate to said second magnet surfaces so that rotation of one of said first rotor and said second rotor relative to the other of said first rotor and said second rotor induces electric current in said first conductive members and urges asynchronous rotation of said other of said first rotor and said second rotor in the same rotational direction;
and
a plurality of second electrically conductive members, respective said second conductive members disposed on said second rotor between adjacent said second magnet surfaces of a plurality of pairs of said adjacent second magnet surfaces and proximate to said surfaces of said first magnets so that rotation of one of said first rotor and said second rotor relative to the other of said first rotor and said second rotor induces electric current in said second conductive members and urges asynchronous rotation of said other of said first rotor and said second rotor in the same rotational direction.

6 more elements

A magnetic coupling, said coupling comprising:

a first shaft;
a first rotor in rotationally driving engagement with said first shaft;
a plurality of first magnets disposed on said first rotor and defining surfaces disposed in alternating polarity annularly about and concentrically with said first shaft;
a second shaft;
a second rotor in rotationally driving engagement with said second shaft;
a plurality of second magnets disposed on said second rotor and defining surfaces disposed in alternating polarity annularly about and concentrically with said second shaft, said second magnet surfaces being separated from said first magnet surfaces by a gap so that rotation of one of said first rotor and said second rotor about the axis of the respective said first shaft and said second shaft urges synchronous rotation of the other of said first rotor and said second rotor about the axis of the respective said first shaft and said second shaft;
an electrically conductive member disposed on said second rotor concentrically with said second magnets and proximate to said surfaces of said first magnets so that rotation of one of said first rotor and said second rotor relative to the other of said first rotor and said second rotor induces electric current in said conductive and urges asynchronous rotation of said other of said first rotor and said second rotor in the same rotational direction, said electrically conductive member including
a first annular ring,
a second annular ring, and
a plurality of cross members electrically connecting said first annular ring and said second annular ring;
and
a soft magnetic material disposed between said first annular ring and said second annular ring and defining channels therein in which said cross members are disposed, said channels being open to said gap so that said cross members are exposed at said gap,
wherein said first magnet surfaces oppose both said second magnet surfaces and said cross members directly across said gap.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.