Magnetic wheel
AssigneeAqua Dynamics, Inc.
InventorsCarl Zoretich, Daniel Garman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved magnetic wheel for a vehicle that moves over ferromagnetic surfaces. The vehicle includes an articulating, remotely controlled chassis that is constructed around a variable frequency motor. Drive axles extend from spring biased torsion hubs and are supported at resilient bushings at each wheel. Each wheel includes a number of adjoining annular permanent magnet pole sets. Permanent magnet disks are arrayed around the circumference of each pole set. At least one pole set is secured to a wheel hub and the others are supported from resiliently mounted registration pins. The resiliently mounted pole sets are able to flex with encountered irregularities at the work surface as the axle tracks and independently flexes with the surface changes.
Claims20
A magnetic wheel comprising:
- a) a hub having an axle bore;
- and
- b) a plurality of annular pole sets mounted to said hub in adjacent registry to one another, wherein peripheral edges of the plurality of pole sets define a rolling surface of said wheel, wherein each pole set includes a plurality of permanent magnets, and including means for resiliently supporting said plurality of pole sets to said hub such that at least one of said pole sets can move transverse to the rolling surface independent of the other pole sets, whereby said rolling surface can flex with encountered surface irregularities.
A magnetic wheel comprising:
- a) a hub having an axle bore;
- and
- b) a plurality of annular pole sets mounted to said hub in lateral registry to one another, wherein circumferential peripheral edges of the plurality of pole sets define a rolling surface of said wheel, wherein at least one of said pole sets is mounted to said hub, wherein each pole set comprises first and second annular plates and spacer means for displacing said first and second plates from one another and supporting a plurality of permanent magnets and a plurality of holders between said first and second plates, wherein a plurality of pins laterally project from said plurality of holders, and wherein a plurality of said holders include a resilient bushing which supports one of said pins, whereby at least one of said pole sets can flex transverse to the rolling surface with encountered surface irregularities.
A magnetic wheel comprising:
- a) a hub having an axle bore;
- and
- b) a plurality of annular pole sets mounted to said hub in lateral registry to one another to define a rolling surface of said wheel, wherein at least one of said pole sets is mounted to said hub, wherein each pole set comprises first and second annular plates and spacer means for displacing said first and second plates from one another and supporting a plurality of permanent magnets and a plurality of holders between said first and second plates, wherein repelling poles of the permanent magnets at adjacent pole sets are mounted opposite one another, wherein a plurality of pins laterally extend from said holders, and wherein a plurality of said holders include a resilient bushing which supports one of said pins, whereby a plurality of pole sets can flex transverse to the rolling surface with encountered surface irregularities.
A magnetic vehicle comprising:
- a) a chassis including a drive motor and a plurality of axles that support a plurality of wheels, wherein each wheel comprises a plurality of annular pole sets mounted to a hub in adjacent registry to one another, wherein circumferential peripheral edges of the plurality of pole sets define a rolling surface of said wheel, wherein each pole set includes a plurality of permanent magnets, and including means for resiliently supporting said plurality of pole sets to said hub such that at least one of said pole sets can move transverse to the rolling surface independent of the others, whereby said rolling surface can flex with encountered surface irregularities;
- b) suspension comprising first and second torsion means for resiliently biasing said plurality of axles;
- and
- c) steering means for directing said chassis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.