Patent ID: 9572747
Date: 2017-02-21
CPC Classifications: A61H,F16D,H02K

Claim:
1. An apparatus for coupling a rotating element to a rotatable element, the rotating element rotating around a rotation axis, the apparatus comprising: a drive hub which, in use, is mounted to the rotating element for rotation therewith about the rotation axis, the hub having a front surface which presents away from the rotating element and having magnetic properties such that, in the absence of externalities, a magnetic field is produced which extends from and returns to the drive hub, the magnetic field being characterized in that, if depicted graphically, concentrations of field lines would appear to extend from two or more North pole domains defined in the front surface to two or more South pole domains defined in the front surface, the North and South pole domains being spaced apart from each other and arranged to encircle the rotation axis in alternating relation; a driven hub which, in use, is disposed in spaced, frontwardly adjacent relation to the drive hub, is fixedly coupled to the rotatable element and is at least substantially constrained against movement but for rotation, with the rotatable element, about the rotation axis, the driven hub including a rotor body of a non-magnetic, electrically-conductive material having relatively low magnetic permeability; and a flux ring of material having a relatively high magnetically permeability is arranged in spaced relation to the rotor body such that rotation of the drive hub relative to the driven hub creates a net rotational force on the driven hub that urges the driven hub to rotate in the same direction as the drive hub.