Patent ID: 11901141
Assignee: MAGSWITCH TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  B | IPC B  H

Claim 0:
1. A method of moving a ferromagnetic workpiece positioned on a support with a magnetic coupling device, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) contacting the ferromagnetic workpiece with a plurality workpiece contact interfaces of the magnetic coupling device, the magnetic coupling device having at least one permanent magnet which contributes to a level of magnetic flux available to the ferromagnetic workpiece at the workpiece contact interfaces;
(b) transitioning the magnetic coupling device from a first state having a first level of magnetic flux available to the ferromagnetic workpiece at the workpiece contact interfaces to a second state having a second level of magnetic flux available to the ferromagnetic workpiece at the workpiece contact interfaces, the second level being greater than the first level;
(c) moving the ferromagnetic workpiece relative to the support with the magnetic coupling device from a first position to a second position while the magnetic coupling device is in the second state;
(d) transitioning the magnetic coupling device from the second state to a third state having a third level of magnetic flux available to the ferromagnetic workpiece at the workpiece contact interfaces, the third level being greater than the second level;
(e) moving the ferromagnetic workpiece with the magnetic coupling device from the second position to a third position while the magnetic coupling device is in the third state; and
(f) decoupling the ferromagnetic workpiece from the magnetic coupling device, wherein the ferromagnetic workpiece remains the same throughout steps (a) through (e).