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US 8,851,235 B2Granted
Braking mechanisms
AssigneeEddy Current Limited Partnership
InventorsChristopher James Allington, Andrew Karl Diehl, Bruce John Robertson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An eddy-current braking mechanism including a rotor, rotatable about a rotor axis; at least one electrically conductive member coupled to the rotor for rotation therewith; at least one magnet configured to apply a magnetic field extending at least partially orthogonal to the plane of rotation of the conductive member, and characterized in that upon rotation of the rotor, the conductive member is configured to move at least partially radially from the rotor axis into the applied magnetic field.
Claims50
An eddy-current braking mechanism comprising:
- a rotor, rotatable about a rotor axis;
- at least one electrically conductive member coupled to the rotor for rotation therewith;
- and
- at least one magnet configured to apply a magnetic field extending at least partially orthogonal to a plane of rotation of the at least one electrically conductive member;
- wherein the at least one electrically conductive member moves relative to the rotor axis when the rotor rotates around the rotor axis;
- wherein upon rotation of the rotor, the at least one electrically conductive member moves into and out of the magnetic field as a result of centrifugal force caused by rotation of the rotor;
- and
- wherein a biasing device is attached to the at least one electrically conductive member and to the rotor to provide a bias opposing the outward or inward radial movement of the at least one electrically conductive member.
5 more elements
A line dispensing device comprising:
- at least one eddy-current braking mechanism comprising a rotor, rotatable about a rotor axis;
- at least one electrically conductive member coupled to the rotor for rotation therewith;
- and at least one magnet configured to apply a magnetic field extending at least partially orthogonal to a plane of rotation of the at least one electrically conductive member;
- wherein the at least one electrically conductive member moves relative to the rotor axis when the rotor rotates around the rotor axis;
- wherein upon rotation of the rotor, the at least one electrically conductive member moves into and out of the magnetic field as a result of centrifugal force caused by rotation of the rotor;
- and wherein a biasing device is attached to the at least one electrically conductive member and to the rotor to provide bias opposing the outward or inward radial movement of the at least one electrically conductive member;
- wherein the at least one eddy-braking mechanism is coupled to a spool of line for rotation therewith.
4 more elements
An eddy-current braking mechanism comprising:
- a rotor, rotatable about a rotor axis;
- at least one electrically conductive member coupled to the rotor for rotation therewith;
- and
- at least one magnet configured to apply a magnetic field extending at least partially orthogonal to a plane of rotation of the at least one electrically conductive member;
- wherein the at least one electrically conductive member moves relative to the rotor axis when the rotor rotates around the rotor axis;
- wherein upon rotation of the rotor, the at least one electrically conductive member moves into and out of the magnetic field as a result of centrifugal force caused by rotation of the rotor;
- and
- wherein a biasing device is attached to the at least one electrically conductive member and wherein the biasing device is attached to the at least one electrically conductive member at a point distal to the rotor axis and to the rotor at a position to provide a bias opposing the at least one electrically conductive member movement resulting from rotor rotation.
5 more elements
An eddy-current braking mechanism comprising:
- a rotor, rotatable about a rotor axis;
- at least one electrically conductive member coupled to the rotor for rotation therewith;
- and
- at least one magnet configured to apply a magnetic field extending at least partially orthogonal to a plane of rotation of the at least one electrically conductive member;
- wherein the at least one electrically conductive member moves relative to the rotor axis when the rotor rotates around the rotor axis;
- wherein upon rotation of the rotor, the at least one electrically conductive member moves into and out of the magnetic field as a result of of centrifugal force caused by rotation of the rotor and;
- wherein the at least one magnet rotates upon rotation of the rotor at a different angular velocity to that of the rotor.
4 more elements
An eddy-current braking mechanism comprising:
- a rotor, rotatable about a rotor axis;
- at least one electrically conductive member coupled to the rotor for rotation therewith;
- and
- at least one magnet configured to apply a magnetic field extending at least partially orthogonal to a plane of rotation of the at least one electrically conductive member;
- wherein the at least one electrically conductive member moves relative to the rotor axis when the rotor rotates around the rotor axis;
- wherein upon rotation of the rotor, the at least one electrically conductive member moves at least partially relative to the magnetic field as a result of one or both of centrifugal force caused by rotation of the rotor and a resulting eddy current reactive force opposing movement of the at least one electrically conductive member relative to the magnet;
- and
- wherein the at least one magnet is coupled to the rotor for rotation therewith in a substantially opposing direction to that of the rotor.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.