Driving apparatus with permanent magnets

Abstract: A driving apparatus is disclosed. A rotatable disk (3) has a first magnet alley that including a plurality of first permanent magnets (4) arranged along a periphery of the disk. A reciprocal device has a second magnet alley that includes a plurality of second permanent magnets (10) in association with the first permanent magnets. Each second permanent magnet is movable between two positions to attract and repel the first permanent magnet.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a driving apparatus utilizing permanent magnets. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART Reciprocating engines mounted on cars and the like are known as one kind of driving apparatus. The reciprocating engine generally comprises a plurality of cylinders having a combustion chamber in which a reciprocating piston is provided. The piston is operatively connected to a crankshaft via a connecting rod. The crankshaft is in turn operatively connected to a drive shaft via a transmission or other transmitting mechanism so as to transmit a driving force to tires of the car. A mixture of gasoline and air is burned in the combustion chamber after injection of the gasoline and air into the combustion chamber so that force generated thereby reciprocates the piston so as to rotate the crankshaft. Torque of the crankshaft is in turn transmitted to the drive shaft. However, known reciprocating engines combust gasoline so that noxious gas containing soot, nitrogen oxide and other components is released into the atmosphere. Environmental deterioration due to the noxious exhaust gas has been a serious problem. It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide driving force without deteriorating the environment by utilizing attraction and repulsion of permanent magnets. JP-A-02013285 discloses a driving apparatus comprising a rotatable disc means having a first magnet alley including a plurality of first permanent magnets arranged along a periphery of the disc means, a reciprocal means having a second magnet alley having a second permanent magnet in association with the first permanent magnets, said second permanent magnets being movable between a first position and the second position, wherein said second permanent magnet attracts repells the first magnets. Said first magnetic pole is attracted by the reciprocating magnetic pole to rotate the rotating plate. It is an object of the present invention to provide a driving apparatus utilizing permanent magnets, which provides a smooth rotation of the rotatable disc means. According to the invention, this object is obtained by a driving apparatus according to claim 1. Further advantages embodiments are stated in dependent claims. The present invention has the following advantages: (1) Attractive and repulsive forces are balanced throughout the rotating disk since a plurality of the stationary permanent magnets and the upper and lower moving permanent magnets are provided on the same circumference at the equal intervals. As a result, the torque of the rotating disk does not dramatically fluctuate, and the rotating disk is rotated smoothly. (2) Gaps between the stationary permanent magnets and the upper and lower moving permanent magnets differ between the leading and trailing sides of the stationary permanent magnets since the stationary permanent magnets are inclined relative to the top and bottom surfaces of the rotating disk. Therefore, the magnetic forces between the stationary permanent magnets and the both upper and lower moving permanent magnets are unbalanced when the upper and lower moving permanent magnets are placed in close proximity of the stationary permanent magnets. As a result, the rotating disk is smoothly and reliably rotated. (3) In comparison to a driving apparatus comprising only one set of the upper and lower moving permanent magnets the driving apparatus of the present invention can create stronger magnetic force and higher torque with use of a plurality of sets of the stationary permanent magnets and the upper and lower moving permanent magnets. (4) Higher rotational speeds of the rotating disk can be achieved in comparison to a motor driven apparatus comprised of gear and ring mechanisms and the like since the upper and lower moving permanent magnets can be moved quickly by switching only switching valves. This quick switch is accomplished by using air cylinders to move the upper and lower moving permanent magnets. Assembly of parts of the driving apparatus in accordance with the present invention is relatively easy since mounting of only commercially available ready-made air cylinders are required so that the amount of the assembly work is reduced. (5) Instead of using an electric powered compressor or the like, a manual air pump can be used for supplying air into a main tank and a reserve tank for actuating each air cylinder S1 - S8. Therefore, running cost of each air cylinder S1-S8 is relatively low. (6) The rotating disk can be effectively rotated with a little magnetic force since the rotating disk is made of non-magnetic light weight aluminum. (7) The drive shaft of the driving apparatus is rotated by rotating the rotating disk which in turn is rotated by the attractive and repulsive forces created between the stationary permanent magnets provided on the rotating disk and the upper and lower permanent magnets. The attractive and repulsive forces are created by moving the upper and lower permanent magnets forward and backward relative to the stationary permanent magnets using the rods of air cylinders. As a result, unlike a reciprocating engine, noxious exhaust gas containing soot, nitrogen oxide and others will not be released into the atmosphere since gasoline fuel is not used. Therefore, deterioration of the environment due to the noxious exhaust gas is prevented. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a driving apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a rotating disk of the driving apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4(a) is a side view showing an arrangement of moving permanent magnets; Fig. 4(b) is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4b-4b of Fig. 4(a); Fig. 5 is a plan view showing an arrangement of the moving permanent magnets; Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the permanent magnets; Fig. 7 is a schematic side view showing attraction between the stationary permanent magnet and the moving permanent magnets; Fig. 8 is a schematic view of fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a schematic side view showing repulsion and attraction between the stationary permanent magnet and the moving permanent magnets. Fig. 10 is a schematic plan view of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a schematic side view showing repulsion between the stationary permanent magnet and the moving permanent magnets; and Fig. 12 is a schematic plan view of Fig. 11; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in Figs. 1 to 4(b), a vertical drive shaft 2 is rotatably supported on a frame 1. A rotating disk 3, serving as a driven member, formed of aluminum (non-magnetic material), is fixed around a middle portion of the drive shaft 2 so as to rotate with the drive shaft 2. A plurality of stationary permanent magnets 4 (eight are used in this embodiment) are fixed around the circumference of the rotating disk 3 at regular intervals. Each magnet 4 has a cross section that forms a parallelogram, and the top and bottom surfaces thereof are slightly inclined relative to the planar top and bottom surfaces of the rotating disk 3. As shown in Fig. 6, the top surface of each stationary permanent magnet 4 has a polarity that is opposite to that of the bottom surface. The stationary permanent magnets 4 are alternately arranged along the circumference of the rotating disk 3 in such a manner that the polarity of one stationary magnet 4 is opposite to that of the next stationary magnet 4. In other words, stationary magnets 4 having a top surface magnetized with south polarity and a bottom surface magnetized with north polarity and stationary magnets 4 having a top surface magnetized with north polarity and a bottom surface magnetized with south polarity are alternately arranged. As shown in Figs.1, 4(a) and 5, first to eighth air cylinders S1-S8 or fluidic cylinders, each having a rod 6 oriented radially toward the drive shaft 2, are mounted on a supporting pillar 1a of the frame 1 via a mounting plate 5 at equal intervals. The first, third, fifth and seventh air cylinders S1,S3,S5,S7 are hereinafter collectively referred as the odd-numbered air cylinders. Also, the second, fourth, sixth and eighth air cylinders S2,S4,S6,S8 are hereinafter collectively referred as the even-numbered air cylinders. A distal end of each rod 6 is attached to a connecting plate 7 from which moving shafts 7a, which are located on upper and lower sides of the connecting plate 7, are extended. Each moving shaft 7a is slidably supported through a bearing member 8 fixed on an inner surface of the supporting pillar 1a. A distal end of each moving shaft 7a is fixed to a bracket 9 on which a corresponding upper or lower moving permanent magnet 10,11 is mounted. Compression springs 12 are placed on the moving shafts 7a between the connecting plate 7 and the bearing member 8 and also between the bearing member 8 and the bracket 9. By extending or retracting the rod 6 of each air cylinder S1-S8 in a radial direction of the rotating disk 3, the upper and lower moving permanent magnets 10,11 are moved forward or backward relative to the top and bottom surfaces of the stationary permanent magnet 4 respectively. Also as shown in Fig. 4(b), the bottom surface of the upper moving permanent magnet 10 and the top surface of the stationary permanent magnet 4 are not parallel to one another. Also, the top surface of the lower moving permanent magnet 11 and the top surface of the stationary permanent magnet 4 are not parallel to each other. That is, a gap K between the stationary permanent magnet 4 and the upper or lower moving permanent magnet 10,11 differs between the right and left sides (in Fig. 4(b)) (i.e., the leading and trailing sides) of the stationary permanent magnet 4. Therefore, since the gaps K are not equal, the magnetic forces created between the stationary permanent magnet 4 and the moving permanent magnets 10,11 are unbalanced, and the rotating disk 3 begins to rotate due to a repulsive force. As shown in Fig. 6, the distal and proximal ends of the upper moving permanent magnets 10, which are connected to the even-numbered air cylinders S2,S4,S6,S8, have south and north polarities, respectively, and the distal and proximal ends of the lower moving permanent magnet 11 have north and south polarities, respectively. The distal and proximal ends of the upper moving permanent magnets 10, which are connected to the odd-numbered air cylinders S1,S3,S5,S7, have north and south polarities, respectively, and the distal and proximal ends of the lower moving permanent magnet 11 have south and north polarities, respectively. That is, the distal and proximal ends of each upper and lower moving permanent magnet 10,11 associated with the even-numbered air cylinders S2,S4,S6,S8 have polarities that are opposite to that of the corresponding ends of the upper and lower moving permanent magnets 10,11 in the odd-numbered air cylinders S1,S3,S5,S7. As shown in Figs. 1, first to fourth switching valves V1-V4 for the air cylinders are fixed to the frame 1 via a mount 13 near an upper end of the drive shaft 2. Each switching valve V1-V4 is provided with an actuating rod that can extend or retract. First to fourth valve driving mechanisms M1-M4 correspondingly face switching valves V1-V4, which are provided on the drive shaft 2 near its upper end. Operation of the driving apparatus configured as above are hereinafter described. First the rods 6 of the even-numbered air cylinders S2,S4,S6,S8 are in the retracted position as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The stationary permanent magnet 4 and the upper and lower moving permanent magnets 10,11 are attracted each other by magnetic forces. That is, sides of the magnets 4,10,11 having opposite polarities are in close proximity to one another, which results in attraction. Thereafter, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the stationary permanent magnet 4 and the upper and lower moving permanent magnets 10,11 are placed in close proximity so that they repel each other. That is, the sides of the magnets 4,10,11 having like polarities are in close proximity to one another, which results in repulsion. As shown in Fig. 10, the rotating disk 3 is rotated by this repulsion in a direction of the arrow A. The next stationary permanent magnet 4, which has opposite polarity, comes close to the upper and lower moving permanent magnets 10,11 after the rotating disk 3 rotates a predetermined amount. The polarities of this stationary permanent magnet 4 and the upper and lower moving permanent magnets 10,11 are opposite to each other so that they are attracted each other so as to further rotate the rotating disk 3. As the rotating disk 3 rotates, the first and third valve driving mechanisms M1,M3 are disengaged and the second and fourth valve driving mechanisms M2,M4 are engaged. As shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the stationary permanent magnet 4 and the upper and lower moving permanent magnets 10,11 are placed in close proximity so that they repel each other due to their magnetic force. That is the sides of the magnets 4,10,11 having like polarities are in close proximity, which results in repulsion. The rotating disk 3 is rotated by this repulsion in the direction of the arrow A of Fig. 10. By repeating the same procedure described above, the rotating disk 3 is rotated continuously. The torque of the rotating disk 3 is transmitted to the drive shaft 2 as a driving force. The rods 6 of the odd-numbered air cylinders S1,S3,S5,S7 are retracted when the rods 6 of the even-numbered air cylinders S2,S4,S6,S8 are extended. Also, the rods 6 of the odd-numbered air cylinders S1,S3,S5,S7 are extended when the rods 6 of the even-numbered air cylinders S2,S4,S6,S8 are retracted. The rotating disk 3 is continuously rotated in the direction of the arrow A as shown in Fig. 10 as a result of the repeating attraction and repulsion of the stationary permanent magnet 4 and the upper and lower moving permanent magnets 10,11 produced in the same manner as described above in reference to the even-numbered air cylinders S2,S4,S6,S8, The present invention can be modified as follows. (a) The upper and lower moving permanent magnets 10,11 may be inclined relative to the stationary permanent magnet 4 instead of inclining the stationary permanent magnet 4 relative to the upper and lower moving permanent magnets 10,11. (b) Also, in the embodiment of Fig. 1, either the upper or the lower moving permanent magnet 10,11 can be eliminated. In so doing, only either the upper or lower moving permanent magnet 10,11 is moved forward and backward relative to the corresponding upper or lower surface of the stationary permanent magnet 4. (c) Also, in the embodiment of Fig. 1, the air cylinders S1-S8 are used to move the upper and lower moving permanent magnets 10,11. Hydraulic cylinders can be utilized in place of the air cylinders S1-S8. (d) In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the first to fourth valve driving mechanisms M1-M4 and the drive shaft 2 can also be made of aluminum. With this arrangement, the rotating disk 3 can be more effectively rotated. Also, the rotating disk 3 can be made of synthetic resin that is lighter than aluminum. (e) In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the manual air pump 21 is used to supply air into the main tank 19. A compressor operated with power supplied from a solar battery can be used in place of the air pump 21. (f) An air pressure intensifier can be used in place of a compressor or an air pump. With this arrangement, exhaust pressure of a reserve tank can be utilized. (g) Instead of utilizing a plurality of sets of the stationary permanent magnets 4 and the upper and lower moving permanent magnets 10,11 along a circumference of the rotating disk 3 as shown in the above embodiment, only one set of the stationary permanent magnets 4 and one set of the upper and lower moving permanent magnets 10,11 may be utilized. (h) In the above embodiment of Fig. 1, only one rotating disk 3 is fixed on the drive shaft 2. However, the frame 1 may be elongated in the axial direction so as to provide a plurality of rotating disks 3 with stationary permanent magnets 4 along the drive shaft 2. As the number of rotating disks 3 is increased, the corresponding number of air cylinders S1-S8 having the rods 6 with the upper and lower moving permanent magnets 10,11 are further provided. With this arrangement, the rotational speed and torque of the drive shaft 2 can be increased since a plurality of the rotating disks 3 are used for rotating the drive shaft 2. (i) In the embodiment of Fig. 1, an interval T1 between respective two stationary permanent magnets 4 is longer than the width T2 of the upper and lower permanent magnets 10, 11 (i.e., T1> T2). This length relationship can be switched in such a way that the interval T1 is shorter than the width T2 of the upper and lower permanent magnets 10,11 (i.e., T1<T2). With this arrangement, attraction and repulsion between the stationary permanent magnet 4 and the upper and lower moving permanent magnets 10,11 occur nearly simultaneously. Therefore, the rotating disk 3 can be more smoothly rotated.

Claims: A driving apparatus comprising: a rotatable disk means (3) of non-magnetic material; a first magnet alley of a plurality of first permanent magnets (4), which are arranged along the periphery of the disk means (3) with alternating polarisation in axial direction with respect to the disk means (3); a second magnet alley of a plurality of permanent magnet arrangements (10, 11) in association with the first permanent magnets (4), each of said permanent magnet arrangements including an upper (10) and a lower second permanent magnet (11) having alternating polarisation in radial direction with respect to the disk means (3), each arrangement having alternating polarisation in axial direction with respect to the disk means (3); and a reciprocal means (S1 - S8) for selectively moving said permanent magnet arrangements in radial direction with respect to the disk means (3) between two positions for selectively attracting and repelling the first permanent magnets (4). The driving apparatus as set forth in Claim 1 further comprising: said first permanent magnet (4) including a first end and a second end; said second permanent magnet (10, 11) including a distal end and a proximal end; said first end and said distal end being axially spaced by a first distance; and said second end and said proximal end being axially spaced by a second distance dimensionally differing from the first distance. The driving apparatus as set forth in Claim 1 or 2 having a fluidic cylinder to actuate said second permanent magnet arrangements (10, 11).

Inventors: UCHIYAMA FUMIO, UCHIYAMA, FUMIO
Applicants: I G S LTD CO, UCHIYAMA FUMIO, I.G.S. LTD, CO., UCHIYAMA, FUMIO
Application year: 1997
Main classification: H02K7
IPC codes: F03G3, H02K49, F03G7