Patent ID: 7303054

Claim:
Magnet arrangement of an eddy-current braking device comprising: a first partial magnet arrangement comprising a plurality of permanent magnets, rigidly connected to a frame; a second partial magnet arrangement comprising a plurality of permanent magnets, connected to the frame ( 12 ) at a distance (a) from the first partial magnet arrangement ( 20 ) so that said second partial magnet arrangement is displaceable between two end positions in relation to the first partial magnet arrangement ( 20 ) with along a displacement path that is essentially orthogonal to the distance (a), one end position being closer at a maximum braking force position and the other end position being closer at a minimum braking force position, wherein the minimum braking force position is a position of labile equilibrium of the partial magnet arrangements in relation to one another, and the maximum braking force position is a position of stable equilibrium of the partial magnet arrangements in relation to one another; a displacement limiting device ( 54 ) that cooperates with the second partial magnet arrangement ( 18 ) and prevents displacement of the second partial magnet arrangement ( 18 ) in relation to the first partial magnet arrangement ( 20 ) beyond the end position closer to the maximum braking force position and permits displacement out of this end position in the opposite direction; and an actuator for displacing said second partial magnet arrangement along said displacement path to a selected position between and including said end positions to change the braking force by changing the relative position of the poles of the permanent magnets of each of said first and second partial magnet arrangements.