Abstract:
A magnet machine may translate or rotate with one element stationary and another element moving. One element has mounted thereon a plurality of magnets arranged in a sequenced array extensive in the direction of operation, the magnets fixed with N-pole magnet faces opposing S-pole magnet faces across gaps between the magnets, and side faces arranged in a plane. A second element has a single or integrated magnet mounted with one pole face positioned parallel to, and gapped apart from the plane of the plurality of magnets. This pole face is disrupted by an array of spaced apart grooves. The direction of motion is in the plane. A solenoid may be mounted within one or more of the grooves so provide a staring force or a braking force to the moving element.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Present Disclosure 
         [0002]    This disclosure relates generally to magnetically operated devices and in particular to such a device that is operated in translational or rotational motion. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Moriyama et al, US 20080048505, discloses a coreless linear motor having a high rigidity, a high heat radiation effect, and a light weight is provided. The coreless linear motor includes a fixed member and a movable member moving relative with respect to the fixed member. The fixed member has a yoke and groups of permanent magnets arranged in the yoke. The movable member has a coil assembly. The groups of permanent magnets include first and second groups of permanent magnets arranged so as to face each other. Each of the first and second groups of permanent magnets has a plurality of magnets along a longitudinal direction of the yoke. In the plurality of magnets, magnetic poles of magnets facing along the longitudinal direction of the yoke alternate. Magnetic poles of the permanent magnets along the longitudinal direction of the yoke are the same. The coil assembly has at least three coils arranged movably relative to the first and second groups of permanent magnets along the longitudinal directions of the yoke between the first and second groups of permanent magnets, coils are arranged and wound in multiple layers in a solid state and fastened by a binder, and end surfaces of adjacent coils are connected via electrical insulation members. Preferably, a reinforcing member is provided as a non-magnetic member fit in the solid portions of the coils. 
         [0005]    Kang et al, US 20030127917, discloses a transverse flux linear motor with permanent magnet excitation, which has a simple configuration as compared to systems using hydraulic or pneumatic pressure, or a rotary motor and a power transmission device, while being capable of generating high force, thereby achieving a high efficiency, as compared to conventional linear motors. The transverse flux linear motor includes a stator including stator cores and windings respectively wound around the stator cores and supplied with current, and a mover arranged at a central portion of the stator, the mover including mover cores and permanent magnets. Each of the permanent magnets is arranged between adjacent ones of the mover cores. Each stator core has a pair of column portions spaced apart from each other by a desired distance. The windings are arranged in pairs such that each of the winding pairs has two windings wound around respective column portions of an associated one of the stator cores. The two-phase transverse flux linear motor with permanent magnet excitation has two of a single phase motor units, that is, an A-phase motor unit and a B-phase motor unit, are arranged to face each other. A non-magnetic element for phase isolation is centrally arranged to prevent each of the A and B-phase motor units from being influenced by the magnetic circuit of the other. The stators of the A and B-phase motor units are arranged such that they are shifted from each other in order to reduce pulsations of thrust forces generated in the motor. 
         [0006]    Korenaga et al, U.S. Pat. No. 7,067,942, discloses a linear motor including a coil, a plurality of first magnet groups having polar directions disposed in periodically different directions, and a plurality of second magnet groups having polar directions disposed in periodically different directions. In a set including a predetermined magnet of the first magnet groups and a magnet of the second magnet groups, corresponding to the predetermined magnet, magnetization directions of the set of magnets have mutually different tilts with respect to the central axis of the coil. The coil includes a first coil effective to produce a Lorentz&#39;s force between the first coil and the first magnet groups, and a second coil effective to produce a Lorentz&#39;s force between the second coil and the second magnet groups. 
         [0007]    Qu et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,924,574, discloses a novel dual-rotor, radial-flux, toroidally-wound, permanent-magnet machine. The present invention improves electrical machine torque density and efficiency. At least one concentric surface-mounted permanent magnet dual-rotor is located inside and outside of a torus-shaped stator with back-to-back windings, respectively. The machine substantially improves machine efficiency by reducing the end windings and boosts the torque density by at least doubling the air gap and optimizing the machine aspect ratio. 
         [0008]    Uchida, U.S. Pat. No. 6,870,284, discloses a linear motor including a magnet array having a plurality of first magnets arrayed such that polarization directions thereof are periodically opposite, and a plurality of second magnets arrayed such that polarization directions thereof are periodically opposite and intersect those of the first magnets. The linear motor further includes an electromagnetic coil disposed to oppose the magnet array to generate a Lorentz force in cooperation with the magnet array and a yoke integrated with the coil at a first side opposite to a second side of the coil disposed opposite to the magnet array. 
         [0009]    Sakamoto et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,310, discloses a permanent magnet type stepping motor wherein and that at least one pitch formed by two adjacent small pole teeth of each of stator magnetic poles is different from other pitch formed by other two adjacent small pole teeth of each of the stator magnetic poles, wherein the tooth width of at least one of the two adjacent small pole teeth forming the different pitch is made different from that of the remaining small pole teeth, each stator magnetic poles having at least four small pole teeth and wherein a rotor has a rotor magnetic pole having a plurality of small pole teeth arranged at equal pitches, facing said stator magnetic poles through a gap. A permanent magnet type stepping motor has a stator having n pieces of stator magnetic pole each having m pieces of pole tooth, and a rotor having a plurality of pole teeth arranged at equal pitches n is an integer not less than three, m is an even number not less than four, a pitch of the rotor pole. 
         [0010]    Andoh, U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,583, discloses a linear motor that comprises: a stator constituting a running track and having a longitudinal direction; a movable body disposed on the stator and being linearly movable along said longitudinal direction of the stator; an end detection sensor for detecting a state that the movable body is positioned at around an end of the stator; a drive circuit for driving the movable body to move on the stator; a control circuit for controlling the drive circuit and outputting a drive signal to the drive circuit to move and stop the movable body; and an overrun prevention circuit for preventing the movable body from overrunning out of the stator. The overrun prevention circuit is connected from said end detection sensor. 
         [0011]    Isozaki, U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,570, discloses a permanent magnetic type stepping motor which is suitably used in such office automation machines and apparatuses and which parameters are set to satisfy the following conditions: The magnetic poles for the stator be 6 in number and be arranged as equally spaced by an identical pitch. Each of the magnetic poles of the stator be provided on its tip end with pole teeth which are equal in pitch to the pole teeth of the rotor magnetic poles or the pitch is of the pole teeth of the stator magnetic poles and the pitch τR of the rotor should satisfy the following correlations. τs+180τR/(180±τR). 60/τs=m (where m+1, 2 . . . ) An angle σr made between one of the stator magnetic poles and adjacent one of the rotor magnetic poles satisfy a relationship Θr=120°/Z. The numbers of pole teeth in the rotor magnetic poles meet an equation Z=6n±4 (where n is a positive integer). The number of lead wires of the stepping motor is either one of 3,6,7 and 9. 
         [0012]    Nagasaka, U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,602, discloses a permanent magnet type stepping motor. The rotor is made of a cylindrical laminated iron core whose outer periphery is toothed at an equal pitch, and the number of teeth is Nr. The stator is made of a laminated iron core whose inner periphery is formed so as to face the rotor at an air gap between the rotor and the stator. Thin plate permanent magnets are attached on the surface of the stator teeth facing the air gap. The permanent magnets are disposed at an equal pitch and polarized such that the polarities of adjacent pole pieces differ from each other. The number of pole pieces is Ns, and has a relation Ns=2(Nr.+−.Np), where Np is an integer more than 1. The stator grooves are half opened or closed and have multiphase 2 Np pole distributed windings. 
         [0013]    Wakabayashi et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,577, discloses a linear motor of which its mover and its stator have magnetic teeth and is arranged such that the mover can move linearly on the stator while maintaining a constant gap with respect to the stator. The motor has a permanent magnet which is long in the longitudinal direction of the stator and two cores which are stacked perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the stator with said permanent magnet between them. A plurality of coils, each of which are wound over the two cores and the permanent magnet and have a magnetization axis which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the stator. Each of the two cores has n groups (wherein n is an integer) of magnetic teeth facing the stator and each of the n group of magnetic teeth is arranged such that the pitch of a tooth is constant and is the same as that of the magnetic teeth of the stator but the phases of the magnetic teeth of each group are different from each other. 
         [0014]    The related art described above discloses several operating machines in both translational and rotational modes and which use permanent magnets for producing EMF. However, the prior art fails to disclose a coupled magnet machine that uses permanent magnets on a first element of the machine, the magnets oriented in the direction of motion in a N-S pole, gapped-spaced-apart arrangement and a magnet mounted on a second element with a pole surface parallel to the side of the first magnets. The present disclosure distinguishes over the prior art providing heretofore unknown advantages as described in the following summary. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    This disclosure teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below. 
         [0016]    A magnet machine may translate or rotate with one element stationary and another element moving. One element has mounted thereon a plurality of magnets arranged in a sequenced array extensive in the direction of operation, the magnets fixed with N-pole magnet faces opposing S-pole magnet faces across gaps between the magnets, and side faces arranged in a plane. A second element has a single or integrated magnet mounted with one pole face positioned parallel to, and gapped apart from the plane of the plurality of magnets. This pole face is disrupted by an array of spaced apart grooves capable of eliminating the end effect of magnetic interplay during relative motion. The direction of motion is in the plane. A solenoid may be mounted within one or more of the grooves so provide a staring force or a braking force to the moving element. 
         [0017]    A primary objective inherent in the above described apparatus and method of use is to provide advantages not taught by the prior art. 
         [0018]    Another objective is to provide a magnetic machine capable of continuous operation driven by permanent magnet force interplay. 
         [0019]    A further objective is to provide such a machine operating in linear translation. 
         [0020]    A further objective is to provide such a machine operating in rotation. 
         [0021]    A still further object is to provide such a machine having a solenoid circuit capable of starting and stopping the motion of the machine. 
         [0022]    Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the presently described apparatus and method of its use. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0023]    Illustrated in the accompanying drawing(s) is at least one of the best mode embodiments of the present invention In such drawing(s): 
           [0024]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the presently described apparatus in a linearly translating embodiment; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of a permanent magnet thereof showing its magnetic B field. 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of the presently described apparatus in a rotational embodiment; and 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of the presently described apparatus. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0028]    The above described drawing figures illustrate the described apparatus and its method of use in at least one of its preferred, best mode embodiment, which is further defined in detail in the following description. Those having ordinary skill in the art may be able to make alterations and modifications to what is described herein without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, it should be understood that what is illustrated is set forth only for the purposes of example and should not be taken as a limitation on the scope of the present apparatus and its method of use. 
         [0029]    Described now in detail, in a first embodiment of the present invention, is a permanent magnet operated machine  5  which is operative in a selected direction of operation denoted by arrow “A.” The machine  5  may be constructed in alternative ways including as a linear translator and as a rotating device. Machine  5  employs two machine elements, a first machine element  10  and a second machine element  20 . Both machine elements  10 ,  20  are extensive in the direction of operation “A,” as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  respectively. 
         [0030]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , first machine element  10  has a preferably planar first support surface  12  which faces laterally relative to the direction of operation “A”. A plurality of first magnets  14  are arranged in a sequenced array extensive in the direction of operation. The first magnets  14  are fixed by bonding or other means to the first support surface  12  in an arrangement where north pole magnet faces “N” of the first magnets  14  oppose south pole magnet faces “S” of the first magnets  14  across gaps  16  between the first magnets  14 . In  FIG. 1  note that the magnetic pole faces are labeled with “S” or “N.” Preferably, the first magnets  14  are rectangular in shape, each with N-pole and S-pole on opposing, mutually parallel faces of each magnet  14  thereby producing an external local magnetic field “B” extending between these faces, field “B” extending essentially parallel to the intermediate faces of each magnet  14  as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0031]    A second machine element  20  has a preferably planar second support surface  22  which faces laterally relative to the direction of operation “A”. A second magnet  24  is extensive in the direction of operation “A”, and is mounted on the second support surface  22  with a first magnet pole face  24 ′ of the second magnet  24  in contact with the second support surface  22  and a second magnet pole face  24 ″ of the second magnet  24  facing away, and spaced apart, from the second support surface  22 . The second magnet  24  may be bonded or otherwise attached to the second support surface  22 . The second magnet pole face  24 ″ is disrupted by a sequenced array of grooves  25  therein, where the grooves  25  are preferably regularly spaced apart and the spacing and direction of the grooves  25  are preferably not coincident with the gaps  16  between first magnets  14 . 
         [0032]    As shown in the figures, the first  12  and second  22  support surfaces define parallel planes, and the second magnet pole face  24 ″ of the second magnet  24  is in close proximity to the first magnets  14  for improved field interaction therebetween.  FIG. 1  shows the proximity further then it would be for clarity of detail. 
         [0033]    The first 10 and second 20 machine elements are engaged with a machine frame wherein one of the machine elements  10  or  20  is enabled to move in the direction of operation “A” relative to the other of the machine elements, where the other machine element is preferably held in a static position. Movement of one of the machine elements  10  or  20  may be linear,  FIG. 1 , or rotational,  FIG. 3 , where  FIG. 3  shows a quadrant of the rotating machine as an example of the entire machine where the rotational axis is at the center of the circular structure. As shown, the sequenced array of the first magnets  14  may be linear when the direction of operation “A” is linear and then the gaps  16  between magnets  14  are parallel to each other, and the grooves in magnet  24  are also parallel to each other. Likewise, when the direction of operation “A” is circular, the gaps  16  between magnets  14  and the grooves in magnet  24  are near radial. As stated, in both the linear version shown in  FIG. 1  and the radial version shown in  FIG. 3 , the gaps  16  and the grooves  25  are not coincident. 
         [0034]    In a second embodiment of the present invention, construction is essentially identical with the linear and circular versions of the first embodiment described above, but with at least one of the grooves  25  in the second magnet containing a solenoid  40 , the solenoid  40  having a multi-turn coil of conductive wire wrapped around a metallic core so as to produce a magnetic field when an electric current is passed through the wire. Preferably, such a solenoid  40  is fixed within all, most, or at least some of the grooves  25 , and all said solenoids  40  are electrified in series interconnection, as shown in  FIG. 4 . In this embodiment, then, the second machine element  20  is stationary and the first machine element  10  is mounted for moving relative to the second machine element  20 . Referring now to  FIG. 4 , we see a schematic version of the previously described first embodiment wherein  FIG. 4  is representative of either a linear machine or a rotational machine showing only a portion of these machines as viewed in plan view with respect to the linear version and as viewed from an edge with respect to the circular version. Here we see solenoids  40  mounted within each groove  25  and interconnected in electrical series interconnection. 
         [0035]    In operation, the present invention creates a magnetic motive force (MMF), as shown by arrow “A” in  FIG. 4  which indicates the direction in which the moving element of the machine translates or rotates. This MMF is produced by magnetic attraction and repulsion between the magnets  14  and  24 . It is noted, with respect to  FIG. 2 , as shown in  FIG. 4  that the “B” field is essentially parallel to magnets  14  along their side faces which are parallel to the adjacent pole face of magnet  24 . This produces little or no attractive or repulsive MMF. It is also noted that within each of the gaps  25  the magnetic field is interrupted, so that at the geometric center of the gap, a Gauss meter indicates zero magnetic field, and this fact provides for cancellation of any magnetic end-effect so that there is no MMF generated with respect to the gaps  25 . Gaps  25  function to cancel the end effect which would otherwise tend to produce a magnetic drag on the moving element. Because of the orientation of magnets  14  relative to magnet  24 , as shown in schematic  FIG. 4 , the effective MMF is produced by attractive forces between south pole faces of magnets  14  with the north pole face of magnet  24 , and preferentially in the direction of motion “A” and also by repulsive forces between the north pole faces of magnets  14  with the north pole face of magnet  24 , again preferentially in the direction of travel. The net response of magnets  14  north poles to magnet  24  is repulsion and of their south poles is attraction. Once rotation has been started in the first embodiment of the present invention it will tend to accelerate until friction and wind resistance balances the MMF. Thereafter, the machine will tend to stay in continuous motion until magnetic forces diminish naturally or until the moving element is manually stopped. It is worthy to note that for smooth operation, the gaps  16  between magnets  14  should be non-parallel relative to the grooves  25  in magnet  24  and there should be a spacing differential as well. In the second embodiment, the embedded solenoids are oriented to add to, or subtract from the MMF field “B” so that it is possible to start or stop the moving element of the present invention by increasing or decreasing the applied voltage “V” or by reversing its polarity. 
         [0036]    Further details relating to the construction and deployment of the preferred embodiments described above, as for instance: supporting frames, bearing mounts, attachments of electrical wiring to electrical components and other features not described above are found in US 2008/0048505 to Moriyama, U.S. Pat. No. 7,067,942 to Korenaga et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,870,284 to Uchida, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,583 to Andoh for linear mechanisms; and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,924,574 to Qu et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,310 to Sakamoto et al, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,570 to Isozaki, the relevant disclosures of which are included by reference thereto as if fully set forth herein. 
         [0037]    The enablements described in detail above are considered novel over the prior art of record and are considered critical to the operation of at least one aspect of the apparatus and its method of use and to the achievement of the above described objectives. The words used in this specification to describe the instant embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification: structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word or words describing the element. 
         [0038]    The definitions of the words or drawing elements described herein are meant to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements described and its various embodiments or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. 
         [0039]    Changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalents within the scope intended and its various embodiments. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. This disclosure is thus meant to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted, and also what incorporates the essential ideas. 
         [0040]    The scope of this description is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims and it is made clear, here, that each named inventor believes that the claimed subject matter is what is intended to be patented.