Centrifugal magnetic clutch
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsEthan E. Cruz, Timothy M. Trifilo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A centrifugal magnetic clutch device includes, an input shaft and, a plurality of input magnets that are rotatable about an axis of the input shaft, and are radially movable relative to the input shaft axis, and are rotationally fixed to the input shaft. The device further includes, a plurality of output magnets rotatable about the input shaft axis and in axial alignment with the plurality of input magnets, and an output shaft rotationally fixed to the plurality of output magnets. The device further includes, a housing for fluidically sealing the plurality of output magnets and the output shaft relative to the plurality of input magnets and the input shaft.
Claims8
A centrifugal magnetic clutch device, comprising:
- an input shaft;
- a plurality of input permanent magnets rotatable about an axis of the input shaft, radially movable relative to the input shaft axis, and rotationally fixed to the input shaft;
- a plurality of output permanent magnets rotatable about the input shaft axis and axially overlapping the plurality of input permanent magnets such that a radial dimension of an annular gap between the plurality of input permanent magnets and the plurality of output permanent magnets decreases as the plurality of input permanent magnets move radially outwardly;
- an output shaft rotationally fixed to the plurality of output permanent magnets;
- and
- a housing with an inside and an outside, the plurality of output permanent magnets and the output shaft being on an inside of the housing and the plurality of input permanent magnets and the input shaft being on the outside of the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.