Abstract:
The present invention aims to alleviate a power loss possibly occurring when a power is transmitted from a driving side to a driven side using attraction/repulsion of magnets and to amplify (improve a joggle mechanism effect) an output. 
     A pair of inner magnets coupled to a driven side is located between a pair of outer magnets coupled to a driving side so as to face the pair of outer magnets  1  in non-contact relationship with the outer magnets  1 . Rotation of the outer magnets  1  coupled to the driving side causes the inner magnet  2  coupled to the driven side to reciprocate. Each of the magnets  1  and  2  has a rod-like shape and the magnets  1  coupled to the driving side are respectively rotated around longitudinal centers of the respective rode shaped magnets  1.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a power transmission system utilizing attraction/repulsion of a magnet to transmit a power from a driving side to a driven side. 
         [0002]    Recently, a power transmission system utilizing attraction/repulsion of the magnet as transmission means replacing the conventional mechanic or hydraulic transmission means has been proposed with intent to alleviate a power loss during power transmission, to amplify an output (or achieve a joggle mechanism effect) and to achieve a reliability of transmission. 
         [0003]    An example of such power transmission system utilizing attraction/repulsion of the magnet is disclosed in the document, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Gazette No. 2003-113923. This document discloses a power transmission system a magnet coupled to a driving side and a magnet coupled to a driven side are located to face each other in non-contacting relationship so that a rotary motion of the driving side may be converted to a sliding motion of the driven side under the effect of attraction/repulsion of the magnets. 
         [0004]    The conventional power transmission system disclosed in the document comprises a plurality of disc-like shaped magnets arranged in a radial pattern so that the respective magnets on the driving side may synchronously rotate (rotate on axes thereof) and thereby switch-over of attraction/repulsion may be efficiently achieved. 
         [0005]    However, the power transmission system of the prior art as disclosed in the document has disadvantageously accepted a considerable power loss due to the fact that it has been required for this system of the prior art to provide complicated transmission means such as gear means to rotate a plurality of magnets on the driving side and the precedent attraction/repulsion necessarily resists switch-over of attraction/repulsion due to the fact that the magnets face each other always along same surfaces of the magnets. 
         [0006]    In view of the problem as has been described above, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a power transmission system improved so that a power loss possibly occurring during switch-over of attraction/repulsion can be effectively alleviated and an output of the system can be amplified (or an efficient joggle mechanism effect can be obtained). 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In this invention, a power transmission system comprising a pair of inner magnets coupled to a driven side so as to be located between a pair of outer magnets coupled to a driving side and facing said pair of outer magnets in non-contact relationship therewith so that rotation of said pair of outer magnets coupled to the driving side causes said pair of inner magnets coupled to the driven side to reciprocate, said power transmission system being characterized in that, each of these magnets is rod shaped and said pair of the outer magnets coupled to the driving side are rotated around an axis passing through longitudinal centers of the respective magnets. 
         [0008]    Such measure advantageously eliminates demand for complicated transmission means such as gears to rotate a plurality of magnets on the driving side. Depending on relative angular positions of the inner/outer magnets as rotation of the outermagnets, the magnets are partially free from face-to-face relationship so that resistance of attraction/repulsion to switch-over of attraction/repulsion is correspondingly alleviated. Specifically, about 1/100 to 1/120 of a force required to separate the magnets from each other as these magnets are stuck fast to each other without relative rotation is sufficient to separate these magnets from each other while these magnets relatively rotate. 
         [0009]    A plurality of rod-shaped magnets are arranged in parallel one to another in each pair of the inner/outer magnets. With such measure, it is possible to adjust attraction/repulsion in said pair of magnets by increasing or decreasing the number of the magnets. 
         [0010]    And three magnets are assembled in parallel one to another so that an intermediate magnet in each of magnet assemblies is staggered outward with respect to the remaining magnets. With such measure, attraction/repulsion of the intermediate magnet is relatively weakened. 
         [0011]    Each of the magnets is magnetized in a direction orthogonal to the length of its rod shaped magnet so that the intermediate magnet in each of the magnet assemblies has a magnetic pole which is opposite to those of the magnets over- and underlying the intermediate magnet. Such measure facilitates the magnets to be assembled in parallel one to another without particular connecting means. 
         [0012]    Thus, it is unnecessary for the power transmission system according to the present invention to employ complicated stages of power transmission and, depending on the relative angular positions of the rod-shaped magnets, the magnets have portions which are free from face-to-face relationship. Consequentially, resistance of precedent attraction/repulsion to a switch-over between attraction/repulsion of the magnets is alleviate so that the magnets can smoothly rotate, resulting in further alleviation of power loss. 
         [0013]    Attraction/repulsion of the magnets can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the number of the magnets forming each of the magnet assembly comprising the magnets arranged in parallel one to another, and thereby amplification of the power transmission system can be easily achieved. 
         [0014]    The middle magnet in each of the magnet assemblies has its attraction/repulsion relatively weakened and consequentially a resistance of precedent attraction/repulsion to switch-over of attraction/repulsion can be correspondingly alleviated. Further, the magnets arranged in parallel one to another can be easily obtained and as a result, the system can be easily manufactured at a low cost. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the power transmission system according to the present invention, of which (A) through (C) illustrate a sequence in which the system operates. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a front view corresponding to  FIG. 1 , of which (A) through (C) correspond to (A) through (C) of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a side view illustrating a variation in a face-to-face relation of outer magnets facing inner magnets on one side, of which (A) illustrates the state corresponding to both  FIG. 1(A)  and  FIG. 2(A) ; (B) illustrates the transitional state from  FIG. 1(A)  and  FIG. 2(A)  to  FIG. 1(B)  and  FIG. 2(B) ; and (C) illustrates the state corresponding to both  FIG. 1(B)  and  FIG. 2(B) . 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a mechanical composition corresponding to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram illustrating a variant of the mechanical composition shown by  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram illustrating a variant of the mechanical composition shown by  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0021]    Details of the power transmission system according to the present invention will be more fully understood from the description given hereunder in reference with the accompanying drawings. 
         [0022]    This power transmission system comprise a pair of outer magnet assemblies, each composed of three outer magnets  1  coupled to a driven side and a pair of inner magnet assemblies, each composed of three inner magnets  1  coupled to a driven side located between a pair of the outer magnet assemblies as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The inner magnets  2  are located on both sides of a core  3  respectively. 
         [0023]    Each of these magnets  1 ,  2  is square rod-shaped and in each of the magnet assemblies, a plurality of magnets  1 ,  2  (three magnets  1   a ,  1   b ,  1   c  or  2   a ,  2   b ,  2   c ) are arranged in parallel one to another so as to be magnetized in alternative polarities in a direction orthogonal to the length of the respective rod-shape magnets  1 ,  2  (See  FIG. 2 ). Especially, intermediate magnets  1   b ,  2   b  in each of the magnet assemblies is magnetized in the direction orthogonal to the length thereof so as to have a polarity opposite to that of the magnets  1   a ,  1   c  or  2   a ,  2   c  over- and underlying the intermediate magnet  1   b  or  2   b  respectively (see  FIG. 2(A) ). 
         [0024]    The individual magnets  1  or  2  arranged in parallel one to another may be directly integrated without interposition of any connector means or the like to assure generation of magnetically high attraction/repulsion. In this way, a magnetic structure adapted to generate high attraction/repulsion can be easily obtained. 
         [0025]    The outer magnets  1  in each of the outer magnet assemblies both coupled to the driving side are opposed to each other at a predetermined distance therebetween so as to have symmetric magnetic polarities (see  FIG. 2(A) ) . The inner magnets  2  in each of the inner magnet assemblies both coupled to the driven side are located on both sides of a core  3  made of impermeable material as a block (see  FIG. 2(A) ). Between the pair of the outer magnets  1 , the pair of the inner magnets  2  face the outer magnets  2  respectively in parallel but spaced therefrom. 
         [0026]    The intermediate magnet  1   b  in each of the outer magnet assemblies is staggered outward with respect to the remaining magnets  1   a ,  1   c  over- and underlying the intermediate magnet  1   b . Namely, the intermediate magnet  1   b  is staggered outward with respect to the plane in which the outer magnet assembly faces the inner magnet assembly and kept in contact with the adjacent magnet  1   a ,  1   c  over- and underlying the intermediate magnet  1   b.    
         [0027]    The intermediate magnet  2   b  in each of the inner magnet assemblies is staggered outward with respect to the remaining magnets  2   a ,  2   c  over- and underlying the intermediate magnet  2   b . Namely, the intermediate magnet  2   b  is staggered outward with respect to the plane in which the inner magnet assembly faces the outer magnet assembly and kept in contact with the adjacent magnet  2   a ,  12  over- and underlying the intermediate magnet  2   b.    
         [0028]    Thus, the outer magnets  1  always have poles facing the unlike poles of the inner magnets  2  on one side and have poles facing the same poles of the inner magnets  2  on the other side in the sate that the inner/outer magnet assemblies are arranged in parallel each other (see in  FIG. 2(A)  and  FIG. 3(A) ). Further, such magnetic attraction/repulsion generated along an interface defined between each pair of the adjacent magnets  1   a ,  1   c  or  2   a ,  2   c  is reduced toward the middle of the magnetic structure. 
         [0029]    And the outer magnets  1  are adapted to be synchronized with each other to rotate around respective centers of the rod-shaped magnets. 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , rotating mechanism  4  for the outer magnets  1  coupled to the driving side may comprise, for example, a rotary shaft  41  coupled to a device A such as electric motor on the driving side, a pair of gears  42 ,  42  secured around said rotary shaft  41 , a rotary shaft  44  for a pair of rotary discs  43 ,  43  and a pair of gears  45 ,  45  secured around said rotary shaft  44  so that the gears  42 ,  42  may be engaged with the gears  45 ,  45 , respectively. The core  3  is coupled to a device B on the driven side. 
         [0031]    And the pair of the inner magnets  2  as well as the core  3  coupled to the driven side are controlled so as to reciprocate between the pair of the outer magnets  1  coupled to the driving side. 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , a control mechanism  5  for the magnets  2  coupled to the driven side may comprise, for example, a spindle  51  to which the core  3  is coupled by the intermediary of an arm  52  so that the inner magnets  2  and the core  3  may reciprocate like a pendulum. Alternatively, the control mechanism may comprise rail means  53  and the runner means  54  coupled to the core  3  movably engaged with said rail means  53 , as schematically illustrated by  FIG. 6 . 
         [0033]    In a sate that the pair of the outer magnets  1  face the pair of the inner magnets  2  in mutually parallel relationship respectively (in the course of the rotation of the outer magnets  1 ), the outer magnets  1  cause the inner magnets  2  (together with the core  3 ) to be attracted to the side in which the poles of the inner magnets  2  face the unlike poles of the outer magnets  1  and to be repulsed from the side in which the poles of the inner magnets  2  face the same poles of the outer magnets  1  (see  FIG. 1(A) , (C),  FIG. 2(A) , (C)) and  FIG. 3(A) ) 
         [0034]    In a state that the pair of the outer magnets  1  face the pair of the inner magnets  2  in mutually orthogonal relationship, the outer magnets  1  cause the inner magnets remain in equilibrium, and consequentially the inner magnets  2  are located midway between the pair of the outer magnets  1  (see  FIGS. 1(B) ,  2 (B) and  3 (C)). 
         [0035]    In this manner this process is alternately repeated (as illustrated by (A) through (C) of  FIG. 1  and the process illustrated by (A) through (C) of  FIG. 2 ), and thereby a rotary motion on the driving side is transmitted to the driven side in the form of conversion to a reciprocating motion. Power transmission in this fashion allows considerable amplification (like an effect of toggle mechanism) to be obtained because the magnets  1  and  2  provide effectively powerful magnetic attraction/repulsion. 
         [0036]    In addition, such power transmission advantageously alleviates a power loss during the process of power transmission since it is unnecessary for the power transmission of this fashion to employ complicated stages of power transmission as have been required for the conventional power transmission system (as disclosed in the Patent document). 
         [0037]    Furthermore, during transition from the state illustrated by (A) and (C) of  FIG. 1  and correspondingly (A) and (C) of  FIG. 2  to the state illustrated by (B) of  FIG. 1  and correspondingly (B) of  FIG. 2 , the magnets  1  and  2  respectively have portions h which are free from face-to-face relationship due to the fact that the magnets  1  and  2  are square rod-shaped, and portions g which have relatively weak attraction/repulsion due to the fact that the intermediate magnets in the magnet assemblies are staggered outward with respect to the remaining magnets over- and underlying the intermediate magnets, respectively (see  FIG. 3(B) ). Consequentially, resistance of the attraction/repulsion to a switch-over between attraction/repulsion of the magnets  1  and  2  is alleviate so that the magnets  1  and  2  can smoothly rotate, resulting in further alleviation of power loss. 
         [0038]    The present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments as have been described above in reference with the accompanying drawings. Specifically, the number of individual magnets  1 ,  2  forming each of the magnet assemblies may be selectively increased or decreased to adjust attraction/repulsion of the magnets  1 ,  2 . Amplification of the power transmission also can be easily or effectively achieved. It is also possible without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention to provide two sets of magnets  1 ,  2  in each of the magnet assemblies.