Reduced-friction joint with electromagnetically separable bearing surfaces
AssigneeJason Howard
InventorJason Howard
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Abstract
The disclosure provides a joint replacement coupling comprising joint members with opposing joint surfaces, wherein one of the members has a magnetic portion therein which comprises an array of magnets, and the other of the members has a conduction portion therein that comprises a conductive surface. The magnets are arranged to produce a magnetic field that contacts the conduction portion. The conduction portion is optionally positioned so that at least a portion of the conductive surface contacts the magnetic field so that relative motion between the opposing joint surfaces induces current loops in the conductive surface and produces a repulsive force against the magnetic portion, thereby reducing friction between the joint surfaces, optionally separating the joint surfaces.
Claims20
A joint replacement coupling comprising opposing joint surfaces, wherein one of the surfaces has a magnetic portion therein which comprises an array of permanent magnets, and the other of the surfaces is free from permanent magnets and has a conduction portion therein that comprises an electrically conductive surface,
- the magnets arranged to produce a magnetic field that contacts the conduction portion,
- the conduction portion positioned so that at least a portion of the conductive surface contacts the magnetic field so that relative motion between the opposing surfaces induces electric current loops in the conductive surface and the electric current loops produce an electromagnetic repulsive force against the magnetic field, wherein the interaction of the electromagnetic repulsive force against the magnetic field repels the joint surfaces and reduces friction between the joint surfaces during the relative motion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.