Shear force levitator and levitated ring energy storage device
AssigneeMagtube, Inc.
InventorsOrlo James Fiske, Chen Chen, Michael Richard Ricci, Bradley Evan Paden
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Abstract
One or more permanent magnets, or one or more permanent magnet arrays are used to produce shear force levitation. A primary application of shear force levitators is a levitated ring energy storage device. Such a levitated ring energy storage device includes a round support structure having a first magnetic levitator or levitator array encircling its outer periphery, and a ring encircling the support structure and having a second magnetic levitator or levitator array encircling its inner periphery, such that the first and second magnetic levitators (or levitator arrays) interact to produce a vertical force that levitates the ring.
Claims48
A levitated ring energy storage device, comprising:
- a round support structure having at least a first magnetic stationary levitator encircling its outer periphery;
- and
- a ring encircling the support structure and having at least a first magnetic ring levitator encircling its inner periphery, the stationary and ring levitators interacting to produce a vertical force that levitates the ring.
A method of energy storage, comprising energizing motor/generator coils encircling a support structure having at least one magnetic stationary levitator encircling its outer periphery and having a ring encircling the support structure, the ring having at least one magnetic ring levitator encircling its inner periphery, the stationary and ring levitators interacting to produce a vertical force that levitates the ring, and the ring further having a magnetic motor/generator array encircling its inner periphery in opposition to the motor/generator coils, wherein energizing the motor/generator coils accelerates rotation of the ring around the support structure.
A method of fabricating a levitated ring energy storage device, comprising:
- constructing a round support structure having at least one magnetic stationary levitator and motor/generator coils encircling its outer periphery;
- assembling a mandrel around the support structure;
- forming at least one magnetic ring levitator and a magnetic motor/generator at an outer periphery of the mandrel;
- levitating the mandrel by a vertical force produced through interaction of the stationary and ring levitators such that the magnetic motor/generator opposes the motor/generator coils;
- and
- wrapping a ring material around the mandrel while spinning the mandrel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.