System for manufacturing permanent magnets generating magnetic fields, and relevant elementary or composite permanent magnets

Abstract: The system according to the invention to manufacture magnetic field generators includes substantially the steps of: 1) Marking of at least one conventional tile made of known magnetic material, setting an identification code recognizable during the following steps. 2) Cutting of each tile, identified as explained, in n strips having two dimensions and the orientation of the A-A axis equal to those of the initial tile (Pc). 3) 90° rotation around an axis perpendicular to the described A-A axis, in order to obtain the rotated strips STr having orientation A-Ar. 4) Selection and re-arrangement of the rotated strips in order to obtain (after step 5) the desired characteristics of simmetry and compensation of the magnetic characteristics variations of the m tiles input of the process. 5) Assembling (e.g. by glueing) of the strips STr, rotated as explained, to form a new tile Pr with orientation A-Ar sub 3. 6) Cutting of the assembled tiles in w slices (e.g. triangular) SPi. 7) Magnetization of the w slices (e.g. triangular) SPi. 8) Assembling of a set of slices (e.g. triangular) SPi in magnet forming elements (EFM). 9) Tuning of the described EFM elements. 10) Assembling of the elements EFM to obtain magnets. 11) Tuning of the finished magnets (MF).

Description: The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of fields generators (MF), comprising several magnet forming elements (EFM), each one being made up of several modules (e.g. triangular slices SP) obtained by cutting and re-arranging tiles of magnetic material. PRIOR ART The theoretical basis for the calculation of structures that allow to realize uniform magnetic fields using elements made of permanent magnetic material has been recently developed. In this regard see the numerous papers by M.G. Abele, (Technical Reports, New York University School of Medicine) and particularly NYU-TR 13, NYU-TR14, NYU-TR15, NYU-TR21. The practical embodiment of these structures is of fundamental importance for a wide range of applications that cover a large number of application fields, from electronics to medicine. A fundamental element for the realization of such structures is the availability of prismatic magnetized elements with allocated thicknesses, shape and direction of the A-A axis. In particular, for the realization of magnets of usable dimensions, it is indispensable to have at our disposal magnetic material elements with the A-A axis oriented along one of their major dimensions. A common characteristic of the production processes of the magnetic materials suitable for the manufacture of permanent magnets is that of yielding blocks or "tiles" of material with the anisotropy axis oriented along the thickness or another minor dimension. This fact, together with the imperfections of the material, constitutes a limitation for the realization of the structures described above. The imperfections of the material can be brought back to disuniformities of the magnetic properties of the material, that show themselves mainly as variations from one tile to another of the magnetic material characteristics. The practical effect of these imperfections is that of introducing in the system errors and dissimmetries that show themselves as field disuniformities that cumulate on those theoretically deriving from the geometry of the system. US Patent No. 4,538,130 describes a magnetic circuit with the geometry of a ring-type magnet, and a method to manufacture same which however cannot be used for f.i. triangular section parts that can be necessary for different geometries designed on the basic of a different theory. Parts edge cut from rectangular magnets are reassembled to form an element suitable only to said magnetic circuit geometry. EP-A-0 170 318 refers to a very specific group of magnetic circuits obtained by combining defined elements to form rectangular or hexagonal cavities. Isosceles triangles with an apex angle of 90° are used for a part of such magnetic circuities. An object of the present invention is to provide a process which allows to get magnetic field generators starting from conventional tiles, in an easy, efficient and reliable way, overcoming the obstacles and drawbacks of the conventional technologies. The features of the process according to the invention are recited in claim 1. DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS SHOWN IN THE DRAWINGS The various features and advantages of the invention will better appear from the description of the embodiments shown for illustrative but not limitative purpose in the attached drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a flow sheet of the method according to the invention. Figures from 2a to 2g represent the main steps of the method according to the invention. Figures from 3a to 3c represent some new magnet shapes that it is possible to get with forming elements obtained preferably with the process according to the invention. Figures 4a to 4c show totally yoked magnetic generators. Figures 5a and 5b show partially yoked magnetic generators. In Fig. 1 it is possible to see how at least one and in general m commercial tiles Pc of magnetic material (represented in fig.2a) enter step 1 for the marking MA. The conventional tiles Pc are in fact defined by means of length A, width B, both perpendicular to the A-A axis, and by thickness S along such axis A-A, which can be coincident with a possible anisotropy axis. Each one of the m tiles Pc identified in this way undergoes, in step 2, a cutting operation T1, so that from each tile Pc it is possible to get n strips STi having the same width B and thickness S, whereas the new length is A1, in general given by the formula: where k is the possible wasted material and n is a generic positive integer. It is evident that A1 can be profitably chosen according to circumstances and that it constitutes a high flexibility parameter for the whole process. This flexibility is directly usable whenever it is wished to minimize the effects of the finite length of the magnet, as described in the literature. In this case it is profitable to build the magnet using several sections having a defined length obtained by means of optimizing mathematical calculations. These sections are then brought close one to the other in order to have gaps of predefined width, as sketched in fig.3c. The advantage of being able to choose with a total freedom the thicknesses of the elements deriving from the processing is therefore significant. As already explained, the set of input tiles Pc can have cardinality m, so that the set of strips STi at the output of step 2 can have cardinality n * m, each strip being identified by means of the marking MA carried out in step 1 . The n * m strips STi coming out of the step 2 cutting operation are rotated, in the step 3 rotation R, of such an angle that the A-A axis falls now in a position different from that of the original Pc tile. In the most simple case, and therefore in the preferred one, there is a 90° rotation of the A-A axis (step 3). The rotation is followed by the step 4 re-arrangement (RIO), in which the n * m strips STi are grouped in sets of n' strips each. The groups are formed according to the individual marking and to a criterium that guarantees the desired simmetry and errors compensation characteristics during the final assembling. In the same way, inside each group it is established an order of the n' strips that make up the group. This re-arrangement process allows, together with the initial choices of parameters n and m, to obtain the required simmetry characteristics of the final assembly and/or the desired reduction of the errors deriving from the imperfect nature of the initial tiles Pc. The rotated and re-arranged strips at the output of step 4 are then joined with proper means, e.g. by glueing, during step 5. The strips are grouped in sets of cardinality n' in order to have p new tiles Pr according to the invention; each new tile is made up of n' strips STr individually marked and placed in a proper predefined sequence, in order to obtain Pr tiles having width B, thickness Sr = A1 (both perpendicular to the rotated A-Ar axis) and a new length n' * S , parallel to the axis A-Ar described above. Furthermore, the Pr tiles obtained in this way have the desired characteristics of simmetry and compensation of the magnetic properties variations of the m commercial tiles Pc at the input of the process. The number n' of strips that form a group may vary from one group to any other group. During steps 6 and 7 (that can be indifferently carried out in the order indicated in fig.1 or in inverse order), the tiles Pr obtained with step 5 undergo a magnetization process MG and a second cutting operation T2; with these two operations it is possible to get w magnetized slices SPi, e.g. triangular, trapezoidal, rectangular etc, as in fig. 2g. During step 8 (AS), the slices SPi are assembled in magnet forming elements (EFM), formed by juxtaposing groups of slices SPi. Each magnet forming element may optionally undergo, during step 9, a tuning process (TU1) in order to reduce the errors cumulated so far . During step 10 (IMP) several magnet forming elements (EFM) are piled in order to form the finished magnet (MF), that may optionally undergo, during step 11, the final tuning (TU2). Figures 3a and 3b show, for examplification and according to an advantageous aspect of the invention, how it has been possible to get magnet forming elements EFMi having different shapes and dimensions and able to adjust themselves, according to circumstances, to different application requirements, by juxtaposing slices SPi (from SP1 to SP12) having different shapes and different orientations of the A-A axis. Figures 3a and 3b show the most simple case of magnet elements having 4 sides or faces; on each one of these are juxtaposed 3 slices (e.g. SP1, SP6, SP5 in the upper part of fig. 3a and SP1, SP2, SP7 in the upper part of fig. 3b). At least some of the polygonal slices can profitably be chosen equal to one another, e.g. SP1 = SP3 , SP2 = SP4 in fig.3a and SP1 = SP2 , SP12 = SP8 in fig.3b . Adjusting therefore dimensions, angles, orientations, magnetization, number of segments of strips involved in the forming of each slice etc, it is possible to achieve a high flexibility and modularity for the composition of forming elements and therefore for the composition of magnets having the geometries, structures, field intensity etc needed to face all kinds of requirements; it will therefore be possible to reach every time a "maximum maximorum" of characteristics, economies, efficiency and reliability. Fig. 3c shows a magnet formed by elements from EFM1 to EFM8, that may themselves comply, at least partially, with modularity. Figures 4a to 4c, 5a and 5b show magnets provided with yoke G, which is total in figures 4a to 4c and only partail in figures 5a and 5b. In figure 4a the central cross-section has an exagonally shaped cavity delimited by magnetic material slices SP1 to SP6. Fig. 4b shows the same generator structure of fig. 4a provided also with two polar expansions EP1 and EP2. Fig. 4c is a perspective view of said structure and emphasizes its composition as obtained by simply juxtaposing the magnet forming elements EFM1 to EFM6. Figures 5a and 5b show respectively the cross-section and the perspective view of a generator formed of slices SP1 to SP14, and having yoke G only on the side faces. For clearness sake the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments represented in the drawings: it is nevertheless understood that it is possible to bring into them variations, modifications, substitutions and alike, which, being in the reach of a person skilled in the art, fall within the scope of the invention. In fact, the sequence and the number of steps in fig.1, the configurations of the elements represented in the figures from 2a to 2g, the geometries of figures 3a and 3b; of 4a and 4b; and of 5a, can even be different from the ones described and shown (e.g. "triangular" can be understood as "polygonal" and so on). Needless to say that the process of the invention can also be used with isotropic magnetic materials, commercial or not commercial, laminated or otherwise formed. The elimination of magnetic characteristics disuniformities can be carried out by cutting the tile edges up- or down-stream of step MA.

Claims: A process for manufacturing magnetic field generators, comprising the steps of: (a) marking at least one conventional tile of magnetic material; (b) cutting the marked tile or tiles into strips; (c) rotating the strips around their longitudinal axis: (d) selecting the rotated strips from symmetrical positions of the conventional tiles and rearranging said rotated strips to place them, upon assembly in step (e), in symmetrical positions of new tiles whereby a compensation of the magnetic variations in the conventional tiles is obtained: (e) assembling the rotated strips to form said new tiles; (f) cutting the assembled tiles into sections; (g) magnetizing said sections; (h) assembling said sections into magnet forming elements; and (i) assembling the magnet forming elements to obtain magnets. The process as recited in claim 1, wherein the conventional tiles of magnetic material have a parallelepipedal shape comprising length A, width B, thickness S, and an anisotropy A-A axis is perpendicular to the major length A-B and parallel to S; and wherein in step (b), the strips retain the same width, thickness and orientation of the A-A axis of the conventional tile marked in step (a). The process as recited in claim 1, wherein in step (c) the strips are rotated 90° around an axis perpendicular to an anisotropy A-A axis. The process as recited in claim 1, wherein in step (e) the rotated strips are assembled by gluing. The process as recited in claim 1, wherein in step (f) the assembled tiles obtained in step (e) are cut into sections having polygonal shapes preferably selected from among triangular, trapezoidal and rectangular. The process as recited in claim 1, wherein the magnet forming elements obtained in step (h) are tuned before the assembly in step (i); and wherein the magnets obtained in step (i) are also tuned. The process as recited in claim 6, wherein either of the tuning steps is absent. The process as recited in claim 1, wherein the rotation in step (c), and the rearrangement in step (d), and the assembling in step (e) are carried out simultaneously. The process as recited in claim 1, wherein step (g) and step (f) are carried out in reverse order.

Inventors: BERTORA FRANCO, PAN ANTONIO, PAN PAOLO, BERTORA, FRANCO, PAN, ANTONIO, PAN, PAOLO
Applicants: COMEC SRL, COMEC S.R.L.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: H01F41
IPC codes: H01F41, H01F7, A61B5, G01R33