Fluid or low friction permanent magnet compass
OwnerFrank Sanns, Jr.inventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Low friction or nearly frictionless compasses are provided. One compass embodiment includes a housing having a wall forming a chamber, the housing having a closed end and an open end. The compass includes a fluid disposed within the chamber. The compass includes a magnetized material floating in the fluid, wherein the magnetized material is operative to indicate Earth's magnetic north. The compass includes a protective face adjacent to the open end, wherein the protective face closes the open end of the chamber. Also provided is a compass that includes low friction material deposited on at least one side of the magnetized material and the adjacent closed end of the housing to create a nearly frictionless interface.
Claims18
A compass comprising:
- a housing having a wall forming a chamber, the housing having a closed end and an open end;
- a fluid disposed within the chamber;
- a partially buoyant magnetized material floating in the fluid, wherein the magnetized material is operative to indicate Earth's magnetic north;
- a hollow portion extending through the magnetized material;
- and
- a protective face adjacent to the open end, wherein the protective face closes the open end of the chamber.
A low friction compass comprising:
- a housing forming a chamber, the housing having a closed end and an open end, wherein the closed end includes a low friction material deposited thereon;
- and
- a magnetized material having the low friction material deposited on at least one side, the at least one side being adjacent to the closed end of the chamber, wherein the magnetized material is operative to indicate Earth's magnetic north.
A compass comprising:
- a housing forming a chamber, the housing having a closed end and an open end;
- a fluid disposed within the chamber;
- a partially buoyant magnetic assembly floating in the fluid, wherein the magnetic assembly includes a magnetized material surrounded by an inner density reducing member and an outer density reducing member, the magnetized material being operative to indicate Earth's magnetic north;
- a hollow portion extending through the magnetic assembly;
- and
- a protective face adjacent to the open end, wherein the protective face closes the open end of the chamber.
The compass of clam 17, wherein the magnetic assembly further includes a top density reducing member and bottom density reducing member adjacent to the magnetized material and inner and outer density reducing members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.